Title: Blue October, Volume One – Chapter Fourteen.

Author: Woodland Goddess.

Rated: M

Author's Notes: There are adult themes in this chapter .

Important Notice: For extremely personal reasons I am putting my fan fictions on temporary hiatus. I am NOT abandoning this fic or the readership. Please keep that in mind when you start to get irritated about the lack of updates...

Chapter Fourteen: Necessary Caution

Severus suffered greatly for his use of Magic against Nancy Cook, Peter and their gang – receiving many lashes from Tobias' belt when the advisory letter from the Ministry arrived – but he did not regret the action for one moment. In fact, he was quite proud of it; not only had he made a conscious use of his Magic, he had defended Lily and that was precisely what a boy should do for a girl. It showed a great deal of personal character when a boy chose whether to defend a girl or leave them to their troubles. Severus was proud that he was shaping up to be a person that Mr Evans could respect, for he was surely the same in that regard.

In light of their conversation on the day of the altercation, Lily and Severus were both eager to start practicing their Magic together, but Severus was forced to ask her to wait. He was not willing to darken Lily's mind by mentioning the lash marks on his back, but he did tell her that he had received an injury and would be forced to rest as much as possible while he healed. Lily, of course, was more than sympathetic and willing to wait as long as possible for Severus to be capable of practicing with her.

Severus was grateful that she was willing to do so, but still felt slight pangs of guilt for withholding certain truths from her. He knew she would treat him with as much kindness if he told her, but he did not like the idea of her knowing just how troublesome his household was. Lily's family might have arguments now and then, but they were not...dysfunctional like his. Darkness consumed people, once they realized it was so close to home and that was something he most certainly did not want for Lily.

A week into the month of November found Lily and Severus in the playground. The two of them were spread out in the grass, Lily on her back while Severus was sprawled on his stomach. The evenings were much darker, an indication that not only winter was coming, but the equinox as well. The air carried a wintry chill that left Severus' left arm consistently throbbing whenever he was exposed to it; but he braved the pain nevertheless in order to spend time with his only and extremely cherished friend.

There was a consolation prize, however. In front of Severus there was a bag half-filled with sweets, apples and peanuts – the result of Lily's trick-or-treating the week before. Severus had never been trick-or-treating before in his life and Lily had kindly offered to share her sweets with him, though it would mean considerably less for her. He was grateful, but still embarrassed that he had missed out on such a seemingly common thing for children his age. Lily had stared at him for some time when she had learned he had never had the chance to enjoy that particular experience and had quickly vowed that next year he would do so.

Severus reached into the bag and pulled out an apple, beautifully red and shining. He took a bite and savoured it, chewing slowly to preserve the flavour for as long as possible, before turning to look at Lily. "So," he began, "what illustrious creature did you impersonate for Halloween this year?" Severus had been asking sporadic questions about Halloween over the course of seven days, not wanting to tire out the subject too soon. The idea that it was to ward off supernatural beings – such as Vampires and Werewolf, which he knew to exist in reality – was fascinating to him.

An amused smirk tugged at the corner of Lily's mouth as she gazed up at the darkening clouds above them. "A Witch, of course," Lily replied, turning over to face Severus, "a beautiful enchantress! Mum even took me down to London to get some hair pieces from my Great Aunt. Apparently, they were handed down several generations and originated in the seventeen hundreds! Isn't that absolutely marvellous?" A happy smile was now dancing across Lily's face, highlighting the brilliance of such a revelation.

"Really?" Severus asked, clearly surprised. He found himself wondering how similar Muggle and Wizarding traditions among families really were. It would be an interesting social study, should he decide to take Muggle Studies at school in the future. "That's interesting. What did your costume look like?"

"Oh, it was a dress – Mum said it was something similar to what ladies would wear in the Renaissance era. She created the costume for me; she's exceptionally skilled with fabric and thread from what I've seen of her work. She creates my costumes every year; I'm sure she'd happy to create one for you next year!" Severus secretly doubted it; Mrs Evans did not like him in the least, something the woman had shown him on multiple occasions. He was certain Lily was just oblivious to her mother's sentiments regarding Severus.

"I think next year I'm going to go as Frodo Baggins," Lily continued the topic of discussion, earning an amused smirk from Severus. The girl was easily excitable; it was a trait that Severus had begun to find endearing of late. "It'll be brilliant, because Dad's going to go as Gandalf! He's already started carving his staff – between working at the Pharmacy and dealing with us, it should take him until next Halloween to get it finished!" Lily burst into laughter at her own attempt at humour, Severus chuckling along with her. "What are you going to go as?"

The question caught Severus off-guard. For several moments he stared at her, unsure of what to say. Finally he uttered a quiet, "I don't know. A Vampire...maybe..."

Lily snorted and shook her head. "Vampires have always been extremely over-done. Choose something fresher; a character from a book or a television series! Hardly anyone ever does those kinds of things." Severus stayed silent, absorbing all of this for future reference. He would think more on his possible choices in the months approaching Halloween of the following year. For now, he focused on his relationship with Lily and his education under the wise instruction of Mr Evans.

Sometime later the street lights came on and Severus realised just how dark it was getting. Mr and Mrs Evans would, no doubt, be frantic as to the whereabouts of their young daughter. "Come on," he said, surreptitiously glancing around at the darkness that was pressing down on them. He rose from the ground. "We'd best be getting you home; it's late." Lily pouted, a clear indication that she did not want to leave just yet, but Severus really did not give her much of a choice in the matter.

Reaching down for her, Severus hauled Lily to her feet, ignoring the flares of pain across his back as some of the lash marks tore open from the strain. "Can't we stay out just a little longer?" Lily asked, a whining tone lacing her words as she turned pleading emerald eyes on him.

"No," Severus retorted sharply. "Being out in the dark is dangerous, Lily! First, you have Muggle villains who could do any number of terrible things to us if we were caught and then you have various nefarious creatures from the Wizarding World to contend with. It's not wise to stay out much longer. In truth, I should have escorted you home an hour ago, by rights!"

"I don't need you to escort me anywhere," Lily snapped, wrenching her arm for Severus' grip when he started to pull her towards the kissing gate. "I'm quite capable of walking home on my own."

"What if I left you to walk home alone and something happened to you?" Severus demanded, even as the two of them left the playground, walking quite close together through the darkness. "How could I ever forgive myself afterwards? How could your parents ever forgive me? Did you even think of that?"

"Oh, don't be so paranoid! This is Cokeworth, Severus, not London; nothing would happen to me."

A vein throbbed in Severus' forehead at Lily's obvious lack of regard for her personal safety, in spite of the intimidating darkness that surrounded them. "It's not paranoia," Severus defended testily. "It's necessary caution. Bad things happen everywhere, Lily; not just in our nation's capital. It's disregard for safety, like yours, that leads to the countless abductions you hear about on the news. Walking in dark alleys, being out late, not locking the doors; it's ridiculously appalling," he finished in a huff.

Lily said nothing in response, but Severus could tell that she was still silently fuming. Severus walked her home at a brisk pace, regardless of the burning sensation that grew within his calves. It was imperative that he get her home, before heading home himself; she was so much more important than an impoverished, ugly boy like himself. They reached the end of Lily's street in good time; in the distance, Mr Evans was just coming out of the house, heading for the car. It was clear that he was about to go searching for Lily.

Lily and Severus stopped at the end of the street. "Go on, then," he said, not willing to go further in case Mr Evans had a few choice words to say to him. "Stop him before he leaves the drive." Lily, apparently over her disagreement with him, smiled and took off, dashing down the path towards the house...towards Mr Evans, her doting father who embraced her tightly as soon as she came into his line of sight. Watching them embrace so tightly, Mr Evans burying his face into Lily's hair as she rested her head on his shoulder, Severus felt a pang of jealousy.

I wish my father loved me like that, a traitorous voice whispered in Severus' head. Severus' eyes stung suspiciously, but he blinked it away quickly. He was most certainly not in danger of weeping; it was likely a result of the night air. Severus tucked a lock of his limp hair behind his ear and turned away from the sight, walking quickly towards his own home. He hated the jealous streak that kept cropping up within him; he was meant to be grateful for what he had – friendship, education and a mother that loved him in her own way. He should not judge himself based on the relationships that others had and yet he could not seem to help himself whenever he was a witness to Lily and Mr Evans' obvious love for each other.

Severus kept his hands stuffed in his frockcoat pockets as he hurriedly walked, making use of what little warmth the fabric carried. His feet, legs and face were cold enough, judging by the numbing sensation travelling through the lengths of his limbs. He quickened his pace; he wanted to reach home as quickly as possible. He did not want to come down with pneumonia and add more expenses to his parents' financial plate; Tobias would only take his subsequent anger out on Severus and Eileen.

Severus was almost at Spinner's End when the hairs on the back of his neck rose. All he could hear was the wind rushing past him, gathering speed – a storm was likely coming – and his own blood pounding in his ears. His breath left him in plumes of white mist. There was something not quite right about the area; Severus could feel it as clearly as he had felt Tobias' anger five years previously. Severus kept moving, casting his gaze this way and that, trying to determine where this bad feeling was emanating from.

Something twig-like snapped behind him, almost sending Severus' heart into palpitations. Severus' whirled around, his heart leaping into his throat as the looming figure of Tobias Snape was revealed. The man was within touching distant and his anger was almost palpable. Severus jerked backwards, trying to get away from him, but there was not much he could do. Tobias caught a fistful of his hair, hauling him backwards, earning a choked cry of pain from Severus. "Papa, don't," Severus pleaded. "We're in public!"

Tobias, however, was beyond caring. "What gives you the right to be out at all hours?" The words were demanding and harsh, hinting at his inner cruel nature. "Your mother said you were to come home as soon as the Pharmacy closed! That was hours ago! Honour thy father and mother, boy!" Severus almost groaned; Tobias now had vocalized a legitimate reason to punish him, even if the man was exaggerating for his own ends. Tobias marched towards their house, dragging Severus in his wake.

Pain pulsated through Severus' scalp. He was certain that Tobias was near to ripping the hair right out of his head. "Please," Severus begged, trying not to struggle too hard. "Papa, please! I didn't mean to stay out! I lost track of time! I was talking to someone – a...a...a friend!"

"You don't have any friends," Tobias snarled, pulling the front door of their house open. He virtually threw Severus inside, causing him to stumble and fall to the floor, his scalp aching. "Nobody would want to spend time with a stinking, ugly, freak like you!" Tobias slammed the door shut, causing the frame to rattle. Severus scrambled to his feet, whirling around to keep Tobias in his sights as he backed away. "You must not tell lies, boy!" The man was practically shouting now and the sound of it sent a jolt of fear to Severus' heart.

"I wasn't, Papa, I –"

Severus cried out when Tobias' hand collided with his face, sending him sprawling to the floor, his head thumping hard against the wooden surface. Stars danced across Severus' vision, but he tried his best to start crawling away from his father, who was now in a towering rage. "Don't answer me back, boy!" Tobias' visage swam into Severus' swirling vision; it was a frightening sight. His heart pounding in his chest, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps, Severus reacted on instinct. He kicked Tobias' hard in the shin.

Tobias stumbled back at the surprising force of it, having to grab the banister of the stairs to regain his balance. "You little bastard," Tobias growled, ready to lunge at him as Severus struggled to his feet, his head spinning. He was certain that he was now suffering from a heavy concussion. Severus stumbled backwards, to avoid Tobias' grasping hands, and fell to the floor once more, managing to save himself from another knock to the head. Tobias was almost upon him when hurried steps reached Severus' ears.

Eileen loomed into view, clad in her usual mannish attire. "Tobias, please," she urged, grabbing the man's arm and holding tight, trying to stay his blows. "He's just a boy!" Tobias wrenched his arm free and struck her, hard, sending her reeling back.

"He's not just a boy," Tobias spat as he towered over the slightly cowering form of his large-nosed wife. "He's devil-spawn!" Severus flinched at the term as his head began to clear; it was one Tobias had used on many occasions. "Just like his ugly bitch of a mother!" Eileen's shoulders shook at the slight, her hand rising to cover her face. Severus filled with anger at the insult towards his mother, knowing very well that that was no way to speak to a woman, regardless of social status or abilities. Tobias raised a hand to strike her a second time.

"Don't treat Mum that way, you...you filthy Muggle!" The words ripped out of Severus, a virtual yell as his face flushed red. A tingle went through his system and a burst of white light exploded from Severus' hand, which he had raised threateningly. His father was struck with a Stinging Hex. Tobias jerked backwards, reaching for his swelling cheek instinctively. The man suddenly turned on Severus, his own face purpling with unbridled fury. Severus knew he was in trouble immediately.

Severus ran, ducking under Tobias' arms, fleeing up the stairs. Even running full throttle was not quick enough to escape his father's ire. Tobias caught him halfway up the stairs, arms wrapping around his middle as he hauled him into the air. Severus kicked and scratched and squirmed but nothing could release him from Tobias' vice-like grip. His father carried him up the stairs and into the bathroom, dropping him like a sack of potatoes into the bathtub. The man began divesting him of his clothes, ignoring Severus' struggles and cries for mercy.

Severus virtually screamed when his blood-sodden shirt was ripped from his re-healing wounds. Blood ran down his back in streams, staining the bathtub. When Tobias could remove no more garments from Severus' dangerously thin, pale body, he reached for the soap and the shower hose. A violent spray of icy water hit Severus, hard. It knocked the wind out of him even as it stabbed him all over his body. He tried to get out of the way, but the hose followed him, ensuring that he was hit with every ounce of the water pressure.

Distracted as he was by the continuous rush of water into his face and torso, he did not notice Tobias' quick approach until it was too late. His father rammed the bar of soap into Severus' mouth, which was gaping in an effort to find some air while his nose was perpetually blocked by the surge of water. Severus convulsed, trying to spit the soap back out but it was futile; Tobias had his hand clamped over Severus' mouth. He could no longer breathe while under these conditions. Involuntarily, his body started to thrash in the bathtub, his lungs burning in his chest, his eyes rolling in panic.

Severus was convinced he would die and was ready to give up when Tobias pulled away, turning the water off. Severus collapsed, his body trembling, his limbs twitching. He spat the half-dissolved bar of soap out of his mouth and closed his eyes as he coughed and hacked, spitting out reams of suds. Though he had suffered, Severus did not regret coming to the defence of his mother...

To Be Continued

Aw, Sev... Feel free to let me know what you think guys.