Chapter 6: Mother's Plea

Severus walked into his office with a pounding headache. With the exception of Granger, the Gryffindors were mostly hopeless. Potter and a few others managed to concoct decent potions every once in a while but that, unfortunately for them, wasn't enough to score good marks.

He turned to a drawer in his desk and pulled out some asprin. His headache wasn't bad enough that he would need a potion for it and the muggle remedy always worked well enough after a day of Gryffindor baiting. As he downed the pill with a glass of water he saw something beige out of the corner of his eye.

A letter lay on the desk, plainly addressed to him, and his heart leapt as he recognized Morgan's handwriting. He tore it open almost eagerly, not having heard from his sister in some time.

Dearest Sev,

First let me say that I miss you. Your absence is hard, but at least these years you can actually write to me. Still, it has been a while since you've done so. However I, your kind, loving, caring, divine, and wonderful sister am perfectly willing to forgive you.

However that might not hold true for my daughter, who I have learned is currently in your charge. Oh who am I kidding I forgive her already but I'm still hurt greatly by her rash actions. If she had just told me it wouldn't be so hard but…oh well. What's done is done.

I would ask you not to go easy on her because she's your niece but I know you better. If anything you'll be harder on her than any other student and that I must caution you on. She hates to disappoint and sometimes has difficulty finding a way to please everyone. So just try not to make it too unbearable for her please.

She's also had some trouble with friends in the past. They are rare for her and she has a habit of giving more in a friendship than others. I remember the house politics very well and I must ask you not to begrudge any friends that she may acquire in any house. They are of great importance to her and to take them away or to disapprove of them would make a change of schools even harder on her than it should be.

I don't know if Row mentioned this to you but Jason is also missing. We thought he'd come back and we're getting desperate now that he hasn't returned. Roger is getting near his wit's end and I…well you know me. If he happens to go to Hogwarts in pursuit of either you or Row, please try to keep him there and let me know. Consider this a mother's plea for her son.

With love as always,

Morgan

PS: Which house is was Row sorted into?

Severus sighed as he set down the letter. Jase was still missing, that couldn't be good. Severus knew that the only thing that was keeping Morgan sane was the fact that Jason was a fully aged wizard now and more than capable of taking care of himself. That didn't make it easy on her though.

He composed a letter in return, telling Morgan of Row's progress as a student and assuring her at the same time that he would not be hard or soft on her in his classroom. He also explained her house situation as best as he could, telling her that Row was staying in his private quarters until other arrangements were agreed upon. He finished with an assurance that he would look out for any sign of Jason and that he would look after Row as well. He signed it Sev, and sealed it before giving it to his owl Pandora to take to America. Poor thing was in for a long trip.

S

Severus tossed and turned again that night.

"Robert please!" his mother cried as she stepped in front of her enraged husband, "He's just a child! He can't control it!"

"You didn't tell me the little shit would be like you!" Robert Snape yelled in his wife's face.

"Robert I didn't know! Besides, there's nothing we can do about it! Can't you just accept him?"

"Accept him! A freak!" Robert spat.

"He's your son!" she shrieked as tears began to course down her cheeks.

"No," Robert hissed, "He's yours." Severus watched as his father grabbed his mother's arm and dragged her back to their room at the back of the house.

"Robert, not now," she said quietly, "Severus."

"He'll never remember this. Besides," he snarled as he threw her into the room, "who cares?"

After that the door slammed. Severus began to half-walk, half-crawl up the stairs, trying to block out the noises. Later that night he had ventured down into the kitchen to find his mother at the table, crying softly into a cup of tea.

"Mummy," he began in a small voice, "I'm sorry." He sat there, wishing he could have stopped the events of the afternoon. He had come downstairs to ask for some new clothes and Robert had said no. Severus asked why and started to whine when Robert threw his mug at him. Somehow the mug had stopped and turned instead on Robert, hitting him square in the head.

His mother pulled him close and cradled him in her arms. He looked up after a minute and was shocked to see her smiling.

"I knew you would be a wizard," she smiled through glassy eyes. He smiled back and snuggled into her soft robe.

"What happened today Mummy?" he asked softly, "What did you do for daddy?"

"It was a mother's plea for her son."

A knock on the door woke him abruptly.

"Uncle Sev? Are you alright?" Row's voice came from behind the blissfully concealing barrier.

"Yes," he said with a frown. He was anything but alright. He stood, put on a robe, and opened the door. Row was standing there with a look of intense concern on her face.

"You were mumbling and shaking," she said as she looked at her feet.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's alright I was reading anyways," she paused to look him in the face again, "Is there anything I can get you?" He almost smirked. Here he was in his school and his little niece was asking him if she could get him anything. She had no idea the turmoil that she was bringing up within him, just by standing there.

"No I'm fine," he said, only just hiding a slight tremor in his voice, "Go to bed Row. Your mother would have my head if she knew I let you stay up this late as it is."

"Okay," she said as she tried to smile, "Night." He nodded and shut the door, leaning against it after he did so. He rubbed his temples in a vain attempt to bore out all images of the women he loved, but he finally gave up and crossed to the bed. He cast a silencing charm around it, determined not to wake Row again.

A/N: Please review! I'm working on it and it would be nice to have a fan base!