Eileen nervously stirred the pot of stew in front on her. Though she looked distant with a far off look, she was listening intently to hear any footsteps, hoping for any indication that someone was coming in. Severus had been staying out later and later, now.
Ever since Severus stopped talking to that Lily girl, she'd been worried. Severus was never truly one for friends, and although he never talked to her about it (when does he?), she was a Slytherin; she could tell he was having troubles in school. She sighed, when she thought of it; she was bullied through her schooling, from those of the likes of Lestrange and Abraxas Malfoy. She would ask – she knows Severus doesn't think she cares, but truly, she does – but she knows he's too proud for that.
Eileen's ears could barely pick up on the sound of someone quietly unlocking the door and stepping in – she'd be off to get Tobias, in fear it was a robber, if not for the sound of a key being used. So, now Severus had taken to sneaking around. Odd; he's getting better at it, too. What is he doing that he needs to be sneaking around?
Eileen had always considered herself a proud woman. Though she'd been abused by a variety of people – her husband, her classmates, her parents for choosing to marry a muggle, she always felt she had inner strength. No matter what happened, she's find some way to deal with it. Yet, she had not a clue of how to deal with Severus' recent changes.
Severus was never very friendly or tactful, in many; her mother would say that he was a replica of her in all ways but looks, she was sure. Though he proved to be an exemplary Slytherin, he did break from the mold. Being hafblooded was obvious, but Severus also used to have such independent thoughts; he would not walk into dogma, he was even friends with a muggleborn!
But he's changed. No longer is he thoughtful, choosing his actions off of logic instead of emotion. Eileen had the same anger in her youth; she can see it. Standing in fear of his father has been replaced with anger and a burning hatred – his eyes glaze over with resentment any time he looks at me. The dodging of his eyes when he hears a sound behind him, heavy steps replacing light and carefully placed ones, dodging out in the odd hours of the night to "see his mates"…
Eileen knew something was happening with her son. Yet she let him grow up with an abusive father, did not step in when he was being bullied, and stood distant in his life. How could she possibly help now?