Chapter 67
He rolled to his side and sought Hermione's warmth. He found that she was not anywhere near him. He glanced at a nearby clock. "11:30 AM." He had a headache and was thirsty. He may have overdone the alcohol yesterday night.
Severus found the note by the foot of the bed,
"Sev, I went back to Cokeworth. Come over to pick me up. Get a car. I am sure Lily will not leave home without Petunia and she absolutely hated apparition. I don't think she would be fond of portkeys either. Come. We can buy our things in Diagon Alley and then have some ice-cream. Get here as soon as you wake up."
Severus stretched and showered quickly. He went by the living room and wrote a note to Tom. "Going to Manchester and then Diagon Alley to buy school supplies. Will be back late with Hermione. I also took some pounds from the safe."
Severus apparated away and landed in Manchester after a pop. If he remembered correctly there was a place that sold cars a few streets away from his old home in Spinner's End.
Severus walked by and crossed a street without looking when someone pulled him back. Severus looked straight and saw a car zoom past in record speed.
"You have to be careful when you cross streets." Severus recognized that voice. It was his father. It was Tobias. Severus looked at the face that was so like his. There was a small glimmer of recognition behind the older man's eyes.
His father did not look like an alcoholic. He looked well kept. He wore glasses. His was well dressed better than he'd ever remebered. "Thank you." Severus said.
"Oh Tobias, we found Elizabeth's trainers." A thin dark-haired woman said while catching up to him. Severus then looked a little girl no older than twelve.
"Dad, can you buy me an ice cream?" The girl said and grabbed his father's hand.
"Tobias, we're late." The woman said. "Yes, Susan."
"Be careful lad." Tobias said and smiled at him. Severus stayed rooted as he saw the little family walk away.
Severus was shaken. He could not go with the girls. He simply could not. So, Severus did what he did best. He spied. The young man disillutioned himself and followed his father. Severus watched as they stopped for ice cream and then went to the pictures. Tobias paid for everything and looked to have a good time with the little girl and the mother. They kissed briefly and then resumed watching the film. Severus could not tell what was the movie about. He was concentrated on Tobias and the way he treated the little girl and the woman. He held doors, told jokes and even let the little girl run around him and all. Severus boiled inside. He never did that for him. He did not know pictures and there were very few happy memories. Certainly, not one with both his parents.
Severus remembered going to see Manchester United and birthday kisses only. But here was his father, smiling, caring for a little girl and kissing a woman, in complete domestic bliss. They then went to a park where "Lizzie" played on the slide and ran around with three other kids.
Tobias and Susan sat back on a bench. Severus listened attentively to the conversation. "Susie, it is best for her. She's special, you've seen what she can do."
"Oh Tobias, what if it's dangerous? She's never been away from me like this." The woman started to tear up.
His father placed a hand around her, "she is so excited. You saw her face when that bloke told her that the wand chose her. And that woman, McGonagall, she said we would get letters from her and Lizzie. She will be fine."
"What if she stops loving us?" The woman said with a broken voice.
"Don't be silly. Lizzie is a good girl. We have to do this for her. I will put in more hours at the firm."
It was more than Susan could handle because she broke and cried. "If only he would help. It's his daughter too."
"I told you when you two moved in with me. I am taking care of both of you. I do not want any help from that sack of shit." Tobias said. "He is better away. I don't want you or Lizzie near him ever again."
"Oh Tobias, you have been a blessing. I never thought those AA meeting would work. Look at us now. We are both clean and Lizzie is so happy. You are the best daddy for her. She loves you so much. Darling, of course I am being stupid. Lizzie will be fine."
Severus' felt cold hard rage inside of him. Tobias advocated for the little girl to go to Hogwarts. Minerva knew that this Lizzie girl was going to Hogwarts. He tried to breathe carefully and stared at Tobias. It would soon by nightfall. They had to go back to Spinner's End at some point.
They did. The family walked back to Spinner's End. Severus followed them silently. The house looked different. There was life and brightness, everything was clean and organized. They painted the walls. There were no beer or whisky bottles. There were pictures around. Lizzie when she was close to a year old. Susan looking thinner and a little unhealthy. Tobias and them two looking at a toddler Lizzie. Tobias with an accountant certificate. Tobias and Susan on their wedding picture. Tobias and them in a light brown car. A picture of Lizzie in school uniform. A family picture, all of them smiling happily at the camera. Severus looked around the living room, familiar, yet so different from his memories.
Susan bustled around the kitchen while Lizzie went to his room. Well her room. He would go upstairs soon enough. He needed to watch Tobias. He sat and started reading the newspaper. Severus looked around and went to the basement. It used to be his potion's lab when he reclaimed the house. It was now a study. His father had a few books and a desk. He was an accountant. He looked at the desk and found the letter.
"Ms. Elizabeth Parr
Second Bedroom
Spinner's End Residence"
They did not change her name. He wondered why. Severus was sure about changing Tom's last name the moment after the boy started calling him dad. Severus grabbed some of the books and opened them. He found a small planner in a drawer. Tobias went to Alcoholics Anonymous on a weekly basis. He took care of the home, paid for things and set money aside for Lizzie. Tobias held a detailed account of his finances. He found that there was not a bottle in sight. Severus walked up the stairs and watched as the family sat for dinner. They said grace, Tobias led them. Severus was flabbergasted. He looked at his father and watched as they ate and joked.
"Daddy, oh I'm reading the book we bought in Diagon Alley. Could you believe it? Daddy, I am going to take pictures and send them to you."
"Mummy and I are very proud pumpkin. We know you are going to be the best witch there is." He said. Severus felt the wind knocked out of him. He would have killed for his father to say those words to him. He moved away from them and into his old bedroom.
It was a girl's room. There were a few children's books on a shelf. She had stuffed animals and a pink mirror. There was a picture of her and Tobias with a football. He looked at a new leather trunk. She was a neat girl and had all her books placed inside. He left the room before Lizzie went back to her room.
Severus went back to the living room and looked for his father's hiding spot. He usually hid bottles of cheap alcohol there. He let the fake floor board loose and found a box. He knew it. This was all fake. He was still drinking. Severus opened the box and his heart constricted. It was a small picture of Lizzie and Susan. "Do it for them. Don't you dare drink a drop."
He placed everything back when he heard the noise. Severus went to the master bedroom and inspected things there too. Susan definitely had an effect. The room was clean, the walls painted in a light soothing green. Severus inspected the clothes and found all of them clean. There were no bottles or anything suspicious. He waited and then walked out when he heard Susan come in. They were turning in for bed. Susan and his father showered. Severus was about to apparate. His search was futile.
He stopped as Tobias went into Lizzie's room. Severus followed him. He refused to think the best of his father. The child was surely in danger. Severus saw his father tuck Lizzie in.
"Daddy, do you really think I'll be a good witch?" The little girl said in a frightened voice.
"I think you'll be the best witch ever seen." Tobias said tenderly and gave her a forehead kiss. Severus watched as the little girl hugged him. "Daddy, do you love me any less because I'm strange."
His father shook his head, "you know, you and mummy are very similar. Mummy and I wouldn't love you any less. You are a good girl. You Miss Lizzie, are my world."
"Daddy do you love me more than mummy?" The little girl asked shyly.
"Why, I would say that's an easy answer. Mummy and I love you more than anything in the world. Now sleep tight pumpkin." Tobias bumped her head softly and kissed her gently.
"Daddy look." Lizzie called to him and made her stuffed toys danced for five seconds.
His father laughed, "see, already a very powerful witch. I bet none of those other kids can do that. Nice dreams pumpkin."
Severus felt a tightening on his throat and left the room with Tobias. He went down the steps and disapparated once he was in the first landing.
He wiped the tears running down his face and walked trying to clear his head before he did something stupid.
Severus apparated to Hammersmith and found Tom, Minerva and Hermione deep in conversation. "We were worried sick." Hermione shrieked.
He saw her and the words were out before he had time to think. He was furious. "Did you know?"
"About what? Where have you been? We thought you were taken." He looked into her eyes and saw her anxiety. She went back to Lily's and spent all afternoon there thinking that he was too hungover to pick them up. She apparated and expected Severus to be there having tea with Minerva and Tom. She was surprised and on edge since then.
He advanced on Tom, "you knew." His voice was barely a whisper.
"About what?" Tom asked confused.
"About him. You and Minerva knew about my father." Severus hissed.
He looked into Tom's mind and found the usual walls. He tore through them savagely. He saw flashes and pieces. Tobias in an A.A. meeting. Tom following him, having a conversation with him. He was too angry to care about Tom's welfare and continued to break walls and inflict pain. He felt Hermione pushed him aside and his eye contact slipped.
Tom clutched his head and looked at him angrily. Hermione and Minerva went to his aid.
"Severus, what do you think you're doing?" Hermione asked him with a clear frown on her face.
"You lied to me. I asked you about him. You said, you said he was a drunkard. You said he was single." Severus hissed and paced while pushing his hair back.
"I didn't want to hurt you." Tom said feebly.
"Sev, Sev, tell me what is going on?" Hermione begged me. She was scared. He knew, he had not been this unstable in years, not since she discovered that he betrayed Lily and caused her death.
"My father is well. He has a wife and a daughter, a magical stepdaughter who is to start term at Hogwarts this September." Severus said.
"And you? You knew all of this." He pointed to Minerva. "You delivered her letter and explained. How could you lie to me?"
"Severus, I didn't know who she was at first and then I saw Tobias. Tom and I thought it would be best if you didn't know. It was never our intention to cause you pain." She said gently.
Severus went to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a whisky. "Tell me everything now." He hissed once more.
Tom composed himself and sat down. "I indeed researched him when we learned that your name showed on the registry. He looked well and had just married Ms. Parr. Elizabeth was about five years old and very vivacious but did not show any signs of magic. I talked to him. I looked into him, it was all true a couple of years before. He is an alcoholic. He met Ms. Parr and took up with her and the young girl. He's been sober since 1964. He worked at the mill and had his life together. I helped him find a steady job. I thought I would protect you by not telling you about the new wife and the child."
"I do not need protection." Severus hissed. "You, tell me about the girl."
Minerva frowned, "Elizabeth Parr, as you know is not your biological sister. Mr. Snape meet Ms. Parr in one of his meetings. He took care of them. Young Elizabeth shares her mother's surname. Mrs. Snape did not wish to change the girl's name. She feels very proud of the little girl having her surname. Tobias did not want to upset her and agreed to not change it legally. It worked best for us."
Severus hissed in anger. "She will learn about me. He will know."
"We are not the only Snapes in England. It is not such an uncommon surname." Tom replied.
Severus sneered, "I cannot bear to look at you." He hissed with all the disgust he could muster.
He went up the room and packed his things. Hermione was behind him. "Sev, what are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" He hissed once more and finished packing.
"Are you coming or staying?" He asked her angrily.
Hermione frowned, "of course I am coming with you." She said clearly, "but I think we should wait. You are too keyed up. Why don't you tell me what you saw? Sev, we could wait for a bit."
"No. I won't be in the same place with them. I will not." He said and went down the steps.
Tom and Minerva waited at the foot of the stairs. "Move." Severus hissed.
"Severus, you must not leave. It isn't safe for you two to be away from this house. Albus thinks there will be another attack. They know what you can do." Minerva said.
Severus glared at her, "Minerva, I will fucking move you myself." He hissed. He felt all the anger, all the rage and in a second the door blew away.
Hermione yelled. Minerva and Tom drew their wands. "Stop, don't." Hermione said but it was too late. Severus grabbed her and they disapparated.