((A/N yellow14: Taking abuse for 10 years either makes you or breaks you… I think :p))

Marcus pushed himself out of bed, looking at the witch who was still asleep he scoffed. It was all meaningless, pointless really. As he was getting dressed she turned and looked at him.

"Are you leaving?"

Sneering at her he narrowed his eyes

"Of course, what did you expect?"

Closing the door behind him he left the apartment, Disapperating at the foot of the stairs. As he entered his own home he threw his cloak on the floor by the door.

"Such manners!"

He spun around, wand aimed at the figure who was sitting in the chair by the fireplace. Severus Snape got up, his eyes scanning the room

"You have seriously let yourself go lad!"

Marcus sneered at him

"What do you care and why are you here?"

Severus smirked

"Have you read the news lately?"

Seeing the pile of unopened newspapers in the corner of the room he knew the answer to that question.

"Obviously not, if you did you would know that the time is right, we're going to get her back"

Marcus frowned, what had he missed?

"The Colonel has been deployed, the main secret keeper is gone and her mother and brother will be no obstacle"

Marcus grabbed his arm as the professor turned and headed for the door

"What did she have?"

Looking at the younger man Severus felt a knot in his chest, he could not imagine what the younger man had being going through

"I don't know"

He sighed before opening the door and leaving the house, Dissaperating as soon as they were out of the protective sphere that surrounded the cottage.

BR

Apperating at the foot of the hill where they knew her parent's house was situated Marcus looked at the older man

"We still can't see it"

Severus shook his head

"No, we need either Oliver or their mother"

"What are we doing here then? Hoping to catch them as they go shopping or some home from work?"

Severus shook his head again

"No, the chance of that is too slim, Oliver is in New England with the Harpies and the mother works from home"

While standing there something suddenly caught their eyes, a small hand pushing the garden gate open and a small raven haired boy stepped out of the protective sphere.

"Hi"

The boy smiled brilliantly at them before throwing a quick glance over his shoulder. Marcus gaped, walking over like in a trance

"Hi…"

The boy looked up at him

"Who are you?"

Marcus smiled, kneeling down and taking the hand extended towards him

"I'm Marcus and who might you be?"

The boy giggled

"I'm Theo"

Marcus continued to smile, he simply could not stop.

"So nice to meet you Theo"

Marcus' head snapped up and Theo flinched as a shrill voice echoed from the house

"Theodor Alexander Wood – I swear, when I get a hold of you!"

Severus chuckled and put up a shimmer, the element of surprise was always needed when dealing with Amanda.

Barging out the door Amanda threw her wellingtons, who seemed filled with milk, right outside the door.

"Theo – where are you?!"

Looking around she noticed to her horror that the gate was open

"Merlin no!"

Running down the hill she stepped outside the protective sphere as her son popped up from behind the ferment. Giving a relieved sigh she smiled at him, a smile that froze as she noticed who was also there.

"Marcus!"

She felt cold all over as he got up, chewing her lip she never took the eyes of the man in front of her. Speaking in a firm voice she addressed her son without looking at him.

"Theo, go to your room!"

"But mama-!"

"GO!"

Marcus glared at her as the boy raced back to the house, he took a step towards her

"Don't yell at him!"

She sneered at him, her eyes cold and radiating with hatred

"Don't tell me what to do – those days are over!"

Hearing the door slam shut she took a few steps into the garden as she pulled her wand out of the pocket of the apron, pointing it at the man in front of her.

"Stay back!"

He glared at her, his own wand in hand as he moved closer but as the spell tossed him back Amanda turned and bolted back to the house, as she flung the door open she was knocked over, landing flat on the floor. Hearing her wand bounce over the floor and out of sight she didn't have time to find it before she was turned around forefully. Looking up at Severus Snape, who was quickly joined by Marcus Flint, both of them entering the house before Marcus closed the door behind them.

Amanda wanted to ask them what they were doing there but she knew the answer, she wanted to tell them to leave but she knew they wouldn't and most of all, she cursed the fact that her father was so far away. Slowly getting up she eyed them as Severus walked over and closed the Floo-network and Marcus scanned through the rooms on the ground floor.

"We're alone"

Severus looked at Amanda who was now standing with a hand the kitchen counter for support.

"When is your mother returning?"

Amanda hesitated but decided against being difficult, for the safety of everyone.

"Around 6…"

Severus nodded, checking the clock one more time.

"Plenty of time then"

"Time for what?"

Amanda felt cold all over, what were they planning?

"Where's the boy?"

"You stay away from him!"

Amanda's eyes glared dangerously, if they thought she was difficult and had seen her fight for her life it would be nothing compared to what she would do for her son. Marcus sneered

"I have as much right as you do!"

Scoffing Amanda shook her head, an action she quickly regretted as Marcus grabbed her by the collar and pulled her close.

"No, please, not with Theo in the house"

She gave him a begging look as her eyes darted towards the door leading to the upstairs. Marcus followed her gaze and released her

"This is not over!"

Giving a nervous laugh she nodded

"I kind of have figured that one out already"

Severus looked at her, his eyes studying her intensely.

"We're taking the boy with us, you can come if you want to but you're welcome to stay here"

Marcus' head snapped up and he opened his mouth as if to speak but Severus held up a hand, signalling for him to be quiet. Amanda glared at the older man

"You will do nothing of the sort – Theo stays here with me!"

Severus smirked, his eyes gleaming darkly

"We're two and you're just you… a bit alone aren't you?"

Amanda swallowed deeply before nervously starting to chew her lip, he had a point. Suddenly something caught their attention

"Mama?"

Forcing a smile she turned to face her son, picking him up as he carefully walked over and raised his arms at her

"I told you, no leaving the garden, no talking to strangers and no making an aquarium out of mama's wellingtons"

Theo bowed his head in mock shame

"But I wanted to grow fishies for Tater"

Amanda sighed, kissing him on the forehead

"Tater does not eat fishies, you know that and fish live in water, not milk"

Theo nodded

"I know but the water kept turning into milk… maybe because I'm a little bit hungry"

He gave his mother a cheeky smile which she returned as she kissed on his cheek

"Fine then"

Putting him down on the chair she moved to the kitchen counter, finding an apple and a banana which she pealed. She had not forgotten about the two men, it was kind of impossible but focusing on her son helped with the whole situation, she knew that he was probably the reason why she was still alive. Plating the fruit up with a few oatmeal cookies she placed it in front of the boy who starred at the two strangers.

"Aren't they going to have some food too?"

Amanda tried to hide a nervous laugh

"I'm sure that Marcus and Severus ate before they came here"

Theo nodded as he started to eat. She was buying time as she watched her son eat his snack, her brain going through every possible outcome, any kinds of solution and the prospect of 'happily ever after' diminishing by the minute. As the boy finished and slid of the chair she wiped his mouth before nodding a yes as a reply to his question about going to play in the garden. As he bolted out the door Amanda looked at the two men.

"So how do we solve this?"

Marcus watched the boy disappear, skipping down the stones along the side of the flowerbeds, her question snapped him out of his train of thoughts.

"He's coming with me!"

Amanda scoffed

"Over my dead body!"

As soon as the words had left her mouth she regretted saying it, it would not be considered an obstacle for either of them. Feeling herself going a bit pale she averted her gaze, looking out the window instead of at the two men, Severus' smirk made her nervous as well as the darkness in Marcus' eyes.

"Well if you insist…"

Amanda's head snapped around, eyes wide with fear as she held her breath.

"Get a sense of humour would you!"

Her voice was shaking and she felt anything but sure of herself, the whole thinking before you speak was something she had to work on in the future… that was IF she had one…

Severus chuckled

"Relax girly, I was kidding…"

Cocking an eyebrow at him she starred at him in disbelieve. Kidding? If she was uncertain and nervous before it was nothing compared to what she felt now. Severus Snape cracking jokes and kidding around was just scary. Rubbing her forehead with a shaking hand she took a few deep breaths.

"You guys seriously have to stop messing with me…"

Marcus was standing in the doorway, looking out into the garden and watching the boy chase around, first some butterflies, then the cat but as that one made a run for it, over the ferment and out of sight, Theo sighed and sat down on the ground, his legs crossed as he poked the ground with a stick.

"I can offer him so much more…"

Her head snapped up and she glared at him

"Excuse me?"

Marcus turned and looked at her, his expression stern

"I have my own house, with me he does not have to hide, I can give him everything!"

Narrowing her eyes at him she bit her tongue, she wanted to let him know that Theo had everything he needed and more, that he was living a good life but she knew she could never make Marcus understand, he came from one of the richer families while Amanda was from the middleclass, nothing wrong with that, it was just not as elaborate.

"And what about me?"

She gave him a cold look which he returned with a smirk

"There is room for you too"

Rolling her eyes at him she scoffed

"Wonderful…"

Sitting herself down on a chair she looked at them

"I can't share my life with you Marcus, we have too much history"

The man shrugged

"I'm not forcing you, you're free to stay here or go somewhere else"

Giving him a venomous look she sneered

"Not an option you nit and you know that!"

Marcus smiled at her

"What do I know of maternal instincts?"

A remark containing something about a troll, a cave and dragging by the hair entered her mind but she managed to stop it from bursting out, she bit her tongue

"And there is nothing I can say that will make you just go away and never return?"

Marcus shook his head

"He's my son!"

"He's mine as well…"

Amanda sighed

"What about that we come for visits? Every second weekend or something?"

Marcus shook his head

"He lives with me and nothing else"

Groaning she pushed herself out of the chair.

"Come on! 4 years and now all of a sudden you're feeling paternal"

Seeing the rage explode in his eyes she flinched as he jumped over the kitchen table and grabbed her by the throat, slamming her against the kitchenwall so the pots and pans hanging there clanged. Seeing moon and stars she coughed and gasped to breathe.

"You didn't leave me a choice, you took that away from me, you took 4 years from me that I will never get back!"

Wheezing she glared at him

"Add 6 years and we're even!"

He raised his hand and this time Severus didn't stop him, the blow sent her crashing to the floor. Sobbing she tried to calm herself, she was shaking all over. At some point in her life this had been common but now she had lived a calm, relaxed and protected existence, this change in conditions did not become her.

"Marcus, go watch Theo, I'll have a chat with Amanda"

Sitting up straight she scrambled to her feet as quickly as her body would allow her, ignoring the pain in the back of her head and the black spots before her eyes. Grabbing a carving knife from one of the kitchen drawer she turned and looked at the older man. Not raising it nor in any way making her new weapon a threat as she looked at him, eyes cold and piercing.

"Talk all you want to but I swear if you touch me…"

Severus chuckled as he walked closer but still keeping his distance

"Then what?"

Sighing she threw the knife back into drawer, closing it with a bump of her hip before leaning against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over her chest. Magic against brute strength was just ridiculous, feeling a single tear running down her cheek she wiped it away angrily, he had taken 10 years of her life and now he was going to take the rest, at least until Theo started at Hogwarts. Could they share a house but not a life? Be parents but not together? A Stoic existence was apparently the life she was going to live. Eyeing Severus when noticing that he was watching her she snapped.

"What?"

"Nothing, just wondering what you were thinking"

Scoffing she rolled her eyes

"Nothing important – apparently my fate is sealed"

Severus nodded

"Indeed"

Giving him a lost look she asked

"And you have nothing to add?"

Shrugging he brushed some lint from his sleeve

"Maybe you'll learn to love him"

She gave him an empty look

"That would take a miracle"

The door flung open and Theo bolted in, throwing himself in Amanda's arms, she looked down at him, feeling him shake and hearing him sob she picked him up, glaring at Marcus.

"What the devil did you do?"

Shrugging his shoulders he gave her a cold glare

"I levitated the cat, apparently he didn't like it"

Amanda gaped at him

"Ya think? Have you lost your damn mind?"

"I didn't know you had raised a wimp, has he never seen magic?"

Taking a few calming breathes Amanda felt her temper rising, the air around her began crackling with magic-overload. As her eyes turned a dark shade of her normal colour Marcus took a step back, grabbing his wand in his pocket by instinct. He couldn't ever recall seeing her so angry.

"Get out!"

Her voice was thick with anger as she hugged Theo close, taking a step towards the two men while pointing at the door.

"Get out of my house!"

Spotting her wand sticking out from under the couch, during her fall through the door earlier, she extended her hand towards it and the piece of wood flew to her, grabbing it mid-air she hissed at them.

"Now!"

Time seemed to stand still until Theo looked up at her with tear streaked cheeks

"Please mama… don't be mad!"

Looking down at her son, into those deep green eyes she felt all anger melt away, he was there and that was what was important. Hugging him close she spoke softly.

"I'm not mad sweety"

Seeing her distracted by her son Severus disarmed her and put her under the Imperius curse before she could react.

"Go pack!"

((A/N: I suck at writing author's notes, I appreciate every single review I get and am honoured every time I get a follower. I will try to be better at updating, notes and replies, other than that: thank you all for putting your faith in me…))