Unbroken Ties

Chapter 3- I'll Send an Owl Every Day

"I know everything, you know? I know what made you take that decision."

Severus stiffened.

"What are you talking about?"

"I heard you that night, both of you," Theo accused.

"What did you hear?" Severus asked already searching through his memory for any possible night his son could be talking about, each worse than the other.

*~/~*

Theodore woke up at midnight and realized he needed to visit the bathroom. He could hear movement downstairs and figured his parents were still awake.

They both were at each other's throat recently and used to argue a lot.

His mother was more sensitive ever since they lost his brother almost two months ago, but also more aggressive. It'd not do with his father's short temper whose sadness over losing yet another unborn child shortened it even more. The man rarely left his lab when he was at home, and when he did they almost always had an argument.

When he finished his business in the bathroom and walked his way back to his room, he could tell that a silencing charm was applied.

Merely out of curiosity and the desire to try the toy he got in Christmas from the Weasley twins as an old rare Weasleys Wizard's Wheezes product. He ran to his room and searched for the ear.

This Extendable ear, unlike the older version which was even rarer, had more than one end and didn't require a string between the parts, not to mention it could penetrate minor silencing charms.

He had previously situated the ends of the ear at various places downstairs.

When he put it on his ear, he could hear his father's voice.

"... fine then, I'll quit my job if that's what you want."

"I said nothing about quitting your job!"

"For the last time, Hermione. It's a Hogsmeade weekend! I can't just stay home while I'm expected to be there. Especially, when there is no good reason."

He was really annoyed judging by his tone.

"Even if you stayed. You'd spend all of your time in the lab. I wish you'd just give more time to your family!"

"I give all my time to my family!"

Hermione snorted at that, but it wasn't out of amusement.

"Well I'm asking you to stay with us this weekend so we can spend time as a family and you are saying you prefer to spend it in school"

"For Merlin's sake! I've said no such a thing! It is my duty to be at school, I can't just skip days without prior notice because my dear wife asked me to! God knows I already spend less time than any other head of house there."

That was true, his father rarely slept at Hogwarts, and when he did it was just for a day or two, which wasn't the case with other teachers who spent most their days there, teaching at morning and wandering the corridors after curfew. But he did spend his time at home brewing potions at the school's disposal which in Theo's opinion more than made up for it.

There was silence for a few moments, long enough that Theo almost thought he had been caught and his parents applied a stronger silencing charm. He was about to make a run for it when his father spoke again, his voice a little quieter than before.