They Didn't Know We Were Seeds

Professor Higgs doesn't even try to pretend he's interested in teaching anymore after that night with Narcissa. The students notice first, of course, but the professors aren't blind forever. In fact, Albus even pulls the man aside during dinner just a week past the incident to speak to him about his change in behavior. Whatever Higgs says to the headmaster must not have been to his liking, because he looks rather resigned for the rest of dinner and doesn't touch his food again.

It's not a look Severus is unfamiliar with. He often wore such an expression when it became clear the curse on the Defense position claimed yet another victim. Severus almost wants to get up and tell the man that compared to the many problems he's facing and will encounter, this one is at least manageable. All he has to do is keep a replenishing list of potential candidates in his desk to call upon after each school year to replace the one he lost.

Severus doesn't. He's not a dunderhead. If he even dared to talk to the man like an equal rather like a student, not only would Severus be shot down, the occasional suspicious glances sent his way would increase tenfold. Albus is viewed as one of the greatest wizards of his age besides. He can handle finding a new professor to fill the Defense position without input from the likes of Severus.

-o-O-o-

With summer fast approaching, things become more hectic. Severus and Lily are helping the Black brothers and Sage prep for their exams on a near-daily basis. When they aren't helping "the boys", as they've begun to call them, they are actively rowing about what to do about Scabior. Severus doesn't think his issues are something they can solve by the school year's end. Lily insists they could at least start fixing things if they informed someone about Scabior's homelife.

Severus is angry with her a lot of the time. He asks her and asks her what she thinks those they tell will do to help Scabior and she honestly never has much of an answer to offer in return. She doesn't know. If he's honest, Severus doesn't know what would happen if they told someone either. He knows from when it occasionally came up during his time as a professor the results varied greatly.

In one case, a girl was removed entirely from her home and placed in the care of Professor Vector's mother. She was a much better student after that. Bolder, more inquisitive. In another case, the family of two brothers was visited after one came back from Christmas hols with a significant limp. In the end, the children were left in the care of their parents. After that, however, the boys were much more reserved and didn't spend their free time with anyone besides one another. Severus always suspected they feared anyone else finding evidence of what went on at home and having a repeat of whatever terrifying event happened after the child welfare workers visited. With the last case Severus witnessed, the children (two sisters and a squib brother) were taken from their parents the same as the first girl, but things did not improve for them. Whatever family took them in either treated them just as poorly or, perhaps, gave their parents access to them.

From what little Scabior has given away about his family and what he knows about the Scabiors himself, Severus fears if they say anything Scabior and his siblings are most likely to turn out like the final case. The Scabiors are a fairly large family, all things considered, but they also have a poor reputation. It's not just that they're poor, but people say they're mean, say their simpletons, and lushes. If Scabior and his siblings aren't left with their parents, they will likely end up with uncles or aunts or cousins who aren't any better than their father.

Severus tells such to Lily. She usually has nothing to say beyond, "They deserve better!"

He feels this is a given and often informs her so— Not that it helps much during their rows. Finally, in a fit of annoyance, after almost an hour of going in circles during their latest argument, he proclaims, "Why don't I just ask him what he wants to be done? It's his life we're fucking with!"

Lily blinks at him. Her expression then turns thoughtful and begins to tap her fingers in a considerate pattern along her thigh. Finally, Lily stops tapping her fingers and says, "Twelve is a bit young to be making decisions like this, don't you think?"

In a general sort of way, he agrees. Most twelve-year-olds in Severus experience can hardly be trusted to decide how many sweets are too many to eat. Scabior, though…

"He's made harder. He chose to take a hit for his little sister. I know for a fact picking pain isn't exactly an easy decision to make."

She sighs. "Do it," she finally says. "What he picks, we'll go with for now." Eyes hard, she warns with a finger pointed at him, "But if things get worse, I want telling a professor or Madam Pomfrey to be our fallback."

He puts out his hand for her to grasp. "Agreed."

"Then we have a deal," she declares, shaking his hand.

-O-

He finds Scabior in the middle of spelling spiders into Felicity Flint's satchel. He just rolls his eyes. The number of times he's caught the boy harassing the girl despite his repeated warnings about her brothers never ceases to amaze him. Severus is almost tempted to think Scabior fancies her. But, then, he remembers the boy is twelve. Whatever he feels is definitely not attraction or affection.

Sighing loudly, he vanishes the arachnids and pulls Scabior away. "We need to talk," he tells the boy.

Scabior just glowers.

Pointedly, Severus ignores him and pulls him up the stairs to his own dorm room. He knows no one is going to be in there currently. His dormmates are boringly predictable. Bringing the boy into the room, he points him at the nearest bed and tells him, "Sit down."

"I'm not a dog," Scabior grumbles as he does as commanded.

Severus is quiet for a moment. Then, he says, "You're right. You're not a dog."

The boy's expression turns to one of wary confusion. He knows something serious is on his very near horizon from the quiet volume of his voice. Taking a breath, Severus carefully considers how to start this conversation. He doesn't want Scabior to become upset or lash out. He needs an answer as unaffected by negativity as he can get from him.

Finally, he begins, "What you need to understand is what my friend wants to do comes out of a place of compassion. She can't bear to see yourself or your siblings suffer needlessly." Severus pauses briefly and studies Scabior's face. Thankfully, all he sees so far is a gradual hardening of his jaw has started. It's a sign of dislike, but not necessarily combativeness. "My friend wants to alert a professor or another adult to what your father did to you over Christmas hols."

Eyes blowing wide, Scabior starts, "She 'as no right—!"

"—I agree with you," Severus cuts in. "This is your decision, not hers."

The boy looks unsure then, like he can't quite believe Severus would side with him. "What decision are we talkin' about 'ere exactly?" he asks after a moment.

"What you want to do about your father. Do you want yourself and your siblings to continue to live with him or would you rather take your chances and see if the children's welfare department at the Ministry couldn't have you removed and placed somewhere safer?"

Scabior's face becomes blank and unreadable. Even his eyes are turned so far inward Severus can only begin to guess at what is going on inside his mind without legilimency. He's almost tempted to take a peak in the boy's head as the silence draws on between them, but decides against it should he see things that make him regret looking in the first place.

"I want things to stay like they are," Scabior finally decides. "It was the drink that made 'im so mean. Uncle Bobbie gave 'im gin for Christmas. 'Im an' gin don't agree, accordin' to Mam."

Severus nods. He's sure Scabior's lying. There's no way it's just the gin that made him so horrible. What Severus is willing to believe is that, perhaps, he's not always so physical with his children. He's probably just verbally or mentally abusive most of the time. It best explains Scabior's brutish and malicious tendencies, anyway.

"If that's what you wish," says Severus.

The boy gives a stout nod in return. "It is."

-O-

"So? What does Scabior want to do?"

"He wants to continue the status quo."

"Oh…"

"Did you really expect differently?"

"I guess not, no."

"Kids like him are used to standing on their own two feet. Give it time. He might change his mind if I continue to show him I'm not going to leave him to deal with everything on his own."

"You think so?"

"Yes, I think there's a chance yet."

"Thank Merlin. He deserves so much better than what he has."

We're winding down from year three now. Thoughts on that? How did you like this chapter?

Thanks so much for reading :)