They were fighting again.

It had been a nightly ritual at this point. Every night my 'father' would return home drunk as a skunk and lash out at my 'mother' who would be equally vocal. This exchange of words would go on and on until the man became violent and effectively silenced his wife.

Sometimes the violence would spill over to me.

Tobias Snape was a tall man with sallow skin and a large hooked nose. He had short greasy black hair, lips that were always curled into a sneer and dark hateful eyes.

Eileen Snape nee Prince was a hunched, skinny and generally unattractive woman with a sour and sallow face. She had heavy brows and always looked cross and sullen.

They were two people who should not have ever gotten married with how different they were, let alone have a child together. Yet here I was, a child born from their union.

When I was offered a chance at a second life, I had expected to be brought back to the moment when I was killed so I might be able to avoid my death. Not be reborn into this dysfunctional family who could care less about me.

At five years of age, I was malnourished and forced to wear clothes that did not fit me. Add my greasy hair, I looked unwashed and homeless.

I was reborn into a situation worse than my previous life. I was even more powerless here, even more weak.

"I HAVE HAD IT WITH YOU WOMAN!"

Tobias smacked Eileen across the face and she stumbled over onto the floor.

"I HAVE HAD IT WITH YOUR WHINING AND EXCUSES! YOU RUINED MY LIFE! YOU AND THAT WRETCHED BOY OF YOURS!"

My hand clenched into a fist as I tried to ignore the words of the man, staring intently down at the dinner table. If it was an actual child with the mind of a child and not that of an adult, he would have been broken for sure and felt unwanted and alone. But not me, who had the mind of an adult and the thought process to not feel all those things. I only felt anger and loathing.

And then I was being yanked by the back of my collar. I fell beside Eileen, who was curled up on the floor hugging herself. Tobias stood imposing above me, glaring down at me with pure hate and loathing. Any child would have been scared for their life, scared of the man who should have protected them instead of being their worst nightmare.

But not me, who had lived a life and cursed himself for his weakness. All I felt at that moment was hate and loathing.

Tobias raised his hand to strike and I threw my hands up.

BANG!

He hit the ceiling first, making the entire house shake, and fell face-first onto the floor. He tried to get up on his feet but was thrown into the dinner table. The table broke and he passed out bleeding.

I forgot to mention, I had magic.

The house was too quiet when I tried to sleep, meaning Tobias did not wake. I did not care enough to return and check on the man. If he did not wake again, my happy days were before me. If he did wake again, the world would be a darker place because of it.

The door to my room creaked open slowly and I turned in bed to face it. Eileen stood there, clutching the door and looking… nervous?

"Is there something I can help you with?" I asked and could have sworn that the woman flinched. Which couldn't be right, she was te older one.

"You shouldn't have used your magic on your father" Eileen muttered, just loud enough for me to hear.

My hands curled into fists.

"That man is not my father. A father would not do a quarter of the shit he does" I snapped and this time I was certain that the woman flinched at my words or my tone.

"It isn't right!"

"What is does is worse!"

We both stared at one another, I glared and she implored. In the end she was the first one to look away.

"I- I repaired the table and the damage to the ceiling. I healed his bruises as well. I'll tell him he passed out at the table drunk" Eileen muttered.

"Should have left him to rot. If we got lucky, he'd never wake again."

"Severus!"

"NO! Do not Severus me! That hateful piece of shit deserves nothing good!"

Eileen bit her lips, head lowered. She walked out without another word, closing the door behind her.

By the time I woke next morning, Tobias was already gone to find some work. Eileen was cooking breakfast when I was down. Silently I sat at the table, good as new I observed.

Wileen served me breakfast before joining me on the seat opposite of mine. Toast and eggs again.

"Your father isn't a bad man" Eileen muttered. "It's the alcohol-"

"The alcohol brings the worst out of him, meaning its all in there already" I cut her words short. It was the same thing everyday. He would abuse us both the previous night and she would defend him the next morning. As if her defense would change my opinion on the man.

"Severus-"

"No! Stop defending him! Stop standing up for him when he deserves none of it! He's an abusive piece of shit and deserves none of your care! Why you even marrie dhim is beyond me."

"I did not have a choice" it was barely audible but I picked up on it. I looked her in the eyes, iviting her to explain herself. "I- I was young, just out of Hogwarts. I came to visit my friend when I met him. He was different back, so handsome and kind. His smile melted my heart and his charm… I had you soon after. My family kicked me out. He's all I had left."

That… made sense. She was a witch and the only reason she's stuck around all this time was because of me. I felt slightly guilty about it all now. Not the part where I attacked Tobias, I'd do that over and over again without question.

"But never think that I rerget having you my beautiful boy!" she suddenly exclaimed, so sudden that I jumped. "You're a smart boy, you pick up on things quicker than anyone your age, and you're so gifted when it comes to magic. The things you can do, nobody your age can do that."

"Things I can do?" I raised a brow. The most I'd done was make things float and blast things with strong bursts of magic. I had been doing those as exercises to control my magic. Accidentally setting fire to Tobias' pants that one night was funny, but I had no control of myself that night. I did not like that I did not have any control of something that was mine.

"Children your age can't control their magic, let alone do things like summoning thigns you want without a wand. Wandless magic is rare in our world, Severus. Only the strongest have that talent."

I couldn't help the swell of pride at Eileen's words. Only the strongest could do the things I can at my age with just their hands and mind. Perhaps I was not as powerless as I thought I was initially.

Eileen was smiling at me, her eyes dull but warm. I felt something in me flutter.

"Can you tell me about Hogwarts? While we eat?"

The dullness in her eyes was quickly replaced by the sparkle of excitement.