Disclaimer: Again, Harry Potter and it's characters belong to JK Rowling! Reviews are appreciated. :D


(chapter one)

The rain had stopped a couple of weeks ago. It was around 9am and despite the fact that Severus had waken up at around 6 this morning, he had not eaten yet. Hiding in his bedroom was practically a ritual for him. Anything to avoid his father, at least. But he was hungry, and decided he should at least risk it. He had to get over his fears sometime, didn't he?

As he neared the kitchen, he heard his father's angry voice, which was not uncommon in the Snape household. He stopped and listened, hidden from sight.

"You're incompetent, ya know!" Dorian Snape was ranting at his wife. "Ya can't even find yourself a worthy job! For Satan's sake, you're a damn clerk at some damn store that doesn't even pay you enough! While I have to do all of the real work! I earn all the money, I pay for all the bloody school crap that that boy of yours needs! And no one appreciates that!" he yelled, knocking over something as he snarled out his last sentence.

Severus's mother, Cordelia, sat in silence. "But, even if it's not a lot, I still earn some money and at least we can get Severus nice school things," she said quietly.

Slap!

Severus flinched. Dorian had struck Cordelia across the face. "That boy doesn't have to have nice things," he sneered. He raised his voice and continued, "What good will he ever be? Huh? He cowers constantly and hides out in his room all of the time!"

Yeah, thought Severus, because I'm afraid of you. Severus was upset now. How dare his father say all of those horrible things? And how dare he slap his own wife? Well, I don't need his approval, Severus told himself. I don't…

But he did. It hurt that his father hated him. Part of him wanted to retaliate and curse his father with Dark Magic, but he knew he couldn't. Partly because he wasn't that strong enough, but mainly out of fear.

Dorian and Cordelia were quiet for awhile, and Severus decided this would be a good time to get into the kitchen and then back out. His parents never acknowledged him anyways.

He wasn't that lucky this time though.

"You!" his father barked at him. "What are you doing? Sneaking around?"

"No," stuttered Severus. "I j-just wanted to-"

His father stood up abruptly. "Get outta my way," he fumed. He shoved pas Severus and stormed out of the room.

Severus was confused. Damn, he could never do anything right! He turned towards his mother who was sitting quietly at the table, not saying anything. "Mum?"

Cordelia looked up. "Severus, I'm tired. Just…go find something to do." And she too got up and left him standing by himself with an empty bowl on the counter in front of him. Severus shoved the bowl aside. He wasn't hungry anymore.

(end chapter one)