The Half-Blood Muggle

Severus pushed his shopping cart across the threshold of Tesco. Tonight was the last night before Alice's fifth year (and her first year as a Prefect), and Severus had every intention of making the most of their dinner. Lily was at Hogwarts, going over a few last-minute decisions regarding the accommodations for Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Severus would have been there instead, but Lily thought it was better if he spent more time with the children outside of school. "Alice-Marie, dairy."

"Yes, Papa," Alice said, briskly walking to the refrigerated section.

"Neville, produce."

"Okay," Neville said quickly.

"Harry, potatoes."

"Right, Dad," Harry nodded, going off to where the potatoes and yams were usually kept.

"What about me?" Marlene asked as she looked up at Severus.

"We have the most important job of all," Severus explained as he brushed her red locks out of her face. "We have to pick up the meat."

Marlene grinned and said, "Beef?"

"Mutton."

Marlene's grin vanished. "Daddy, we always have that. And this is supposed to be a big dinner for Alice."

"This recipe goes better with mutton," Severus explained. "The gaminess of the meat goes well with the sauce."

"Please?" Marlene asked.

"Marlene, I've already budgeted for a mutton stew."

"Please?"

"Marlene."

Marlene's mouth curved down into a frown as she averted her eyes. Severus hated when she did that.

"... we can try it tonight."

Marlene's frown immediately pulled up into a smile as she said, "Come on, let's go see what they have!"

Severus let Marlene pull the cart in front of him, and they found themselves in the refrigerated section near the butcher.

Marlene began to look through the selection, her stare intensifying as she scanned the names on the packaging. "What should we get?"

"We'll need a chuck steak," Severus answered. "It has a nice balance between meat and fat."

"Excuse me?" Marlene called out to the butcher. "Do you have a chuck steak?"

"Chuck steak?"

"Thinly sliced, if you would."

The butcher turned to one of his co-workers near the back and asked, "We got it fixed yet?"

"Still bost," the other butcher called back. "Lyle had go round the wrekin to get a new one."

"Sorry, love," the butcher said. "Our meat slicer's still bost."

"How long will it take to have it fixed?" Severus asked.

"Ten minutes or so," the other butcher answered. "Lyle's a quick runner."

"Not as fast as Daddy," Marlene said with a grin. "He can outrun a German Shepherd."

"No need to exaggerate," Severus said, patting Marlene on the top of the head.

Marlene turned to face him and stuck her tongue out mischievously.

"Found the potatoes," Harry said as he came back to the cart. "I wasn't sure which ones you wanted, so I got a few."

Severus looked them over before saying, "You'll want Ulster Emblem. Put the rest back and come back with three more of these." He picked up one of the Ulster Emblems, gesturing to the white oval shape in his hand.

"Got it," Harry said, taking the other ones back as Neville hurried over with the vegetables he'd picked out.

"Got 'em," Neville said, showing Severus the rutabaga, onions, carrots, and celery. "Took a while; some of them were going a bit off. What meat are we having?"

"Chuck steak," Marlene said smugly. "Daddy said we could."

"Not mutton?" Neville asked.

"It's a special dinner," Severus replied.

Neville smiled. "Ah, that'll be bostin!"

"Papa, they're out of eggs," Alice said as she came over with a carton of milk and a wedge of cheese.

"We'll have to eat breakfast without them," Severus said. "Perhaps just butter and cheese on toast?"

"That's rather plain," Alice said with disappointment.

"You're getting a beef stew tonight!" Marlene shot back.

"Enough," Severus said, hardening his voice slightly without raising it. Alice and Marlene went silent, their faces going blank as they looked away from each other. "You can always have something better once you return to school."

"Got the potatoes," Harry said, re-returning with the right Ulster Emblems. "Do we have the meat yet?"

"Meat slicer's bost," Marlene explained. "We can't get that chuck steak sliced yet."

"Couldn't we do that at home?" Harry asked.

"I want to start marinating them as soon as possible," Severus said. "The leftover meat will be in your sandwiches on the train."

"Got it!" a voice from the far back called out.

"It's about bloody time, Lyle!" the other butcher called back.

"No need to get a cob on!" Lyle shot back. "Birmingham's not the way it used to be!"

Eventually, the meat was sliced to Severus's specifications, and the butcher at the counter weighed and wrapped it before charging them. Severus took out his wallet and pulled out as much loose change as he could manage.

"Unloading some shrapnel, are we?" the butcher asked.

"It's been sitting in there for God knows how long," Severus said, setting it down on the counter. He took the package of meat and set it in the cart before saying, "Thank you."

"Tararabit," the butcher returned, nodding to Severus and the children.

Severus paid for the remainder of the groceries at the front counter before leading the children out and unlocking the car. He opened the back and gestured for them to put everything in as he returned the cart and got into the driver's seat.

"Is everyone buckled in?" Severus asked.

"Daddy, I'm twelve," Marlene answered. "Of course, I'm buckled in."

Severus rolled his eyes. "If we were at school, I'd take two points from Slytherin for that cheek."

"Sorry, professor," Marlene said as she tried to hide her grin. But the laughter in her green eyes made it too obvious.

And Severus struggled not to smile back.