Arthur's Toaster: Part 2

'And I've never tasted such good toast before in my life!' Declared Arthur a wistful look on his face. 'Apart from your Mother's that is.' He hastily amended.

Charlie rolled his eyes. 'Dad.' He said. He dragged the word out into a whine that he knew both his parents hated to hear. He was sitting slumped at the kitchen table in the Burrow, chin cupped in his hand, trying to listen to his Dad telling a story about Snape. Snape! Of all people, thought Charlie. 'Dad.' He said again, turning the whine up just a notch.

Nothing.

Arthur carried on regardless. 'It was like watching an artist at work. Those fingers, operating the knobs just so, adjusting the thermometer-state just so. So it pops out just right........'

Charlie's eyes widened and he spoke again louder, before his Father could continue any further with his description of Snape's muggle toaster operating abilities.

'Dad!'

Arthur still had a slightly dreamy look on his face. 'I've still got that toaster. Maybe one day Severus will........'

'DAD!' Yelled Charlie in alarm.

Arthur started and turned wide eyes back to his second eldest. 'Yes Charlie?' He said.

'Ho w exactly is this meant to help me with my Potions Essay?' Said Charlie more than a little exasperated. 'My Potions Essay on the.....', he glanced down and read off his parchment, '.......The brewing and uses of the Freezing Balm.'

'Well......ermmm'. Arthur coughed and cleared his throat. 'Well the thing is that........' His explanation didn't get very far as he was interrupted by his eldest, Bill.

'What I want to know.....' declared Bill tossing the book he had been reading or rather trying to read since his father began his walk down a Snape-themed memory lane, down onto the tabletop, '.....is how Snape......' At a sharp look from his Father he hastily amended, '....how Professor Snape knew how to use a toaster.'

'Yeah!' Agreed Charlie, Potions Essay momentarily forgotten. 'I can't imagine he has one down in the dungeons.'

Bill smirked.

'Or going to....to...John Lewis to buy one!' Giggled Bill.

'Maybe he does have one.' Sniggered Charlie. 'But he doesn't use it; he just keeps it so he can polish the knobs!'

Bill snorted.

'It doesn't seem like a part of the Potions Mastery Course. Toasters 101!' Said Charlie and both boys roared with laughter.

Arthur sighed. 'I don't know who John Lewis is or what a Toasters 101 is and I don't know why you boys, my boys with all I've told you find it surprising that a Wizard should know anything about muggles. Muggleborns....' He began

'......are just as Wizard as any other Wizard.' Recited Charlie and Bill, both colouring slightly at reciting the words they both remember their Father first drilling into them when they both still at Muggle Primary school.

'We know that Dad.' Insisted Bill. 'It's just that it's Sn...Professor Snape.' He said as if that was all the explanation that was needed. Charlie began nodding vigorously only to stop suddenly at the look on his father's face. Arthur's face had gone that particular Weasley shade of red which meant he was angry. Very angry.

Perplexed at this sudden change in their Father's mood, Charlie and Bill traded slightly alarmed looks.

'Look.....Dad.....' Began Bill carefully, only to be interrupted by his Father.

'No Bill!' Snapped Arthur.

Arthur took a deep steadying breath and looked first Charlie and then Bill in the eye. When he spoke it was quiet but with an edge to its tone that both Bill and Charlie recognised after several years of youthful 'high jinx'.

'Severus Snape is a good man. And I won't hear you boys say anything otherwise. You may not like your potions classes, you may not like your potions professor but I will not, in this house allow that boy to be a source of ridicule, and you will not in my house insinuate that that boy is anything beneath this family.'

Arthur was using that tone of voice and had spoken the rarely heard and therefore immensely powerful 'in my house' line. The boys exchanged nervous glances again.

'Sorry Dad.' Said Charlie softly.

'Yeah Dad.' Agreed Bill. 'We were just mouthing off. We don't know Professor Snape. '

'And just you remember that boys. You don't know him.' Said Arthur standing up. 'Do your homework Charlie.' He finished softly as he moved towards the door.

'Yes Dad' replied Charlie turning his eyes back to his parchment as Bill bent his head back to his book and as a result neither saw the sad glance that Arthur threw at the broken kitchen chair. The chair that sat unused in the corner of the kitchen, the chair that was broken but no one had thrown out or fixed. The chair that sat next to Arthur's unused toaster.