To Fix a Ruptured Heart

Crossing a Bridge

Eileen had done the planning and the packing. Already sent the response on the way. They still weren't speaking, although neither had the heart to mind it. Tobias couldn't bring himself to be angry. All the anger and jealousy and fear had burned away to grief, even long before Severus had died.

They would be "apparated" there, which was basically a word for teleported, Eileen explained in short words, and were currently awaiting the arrival of their escort. Tobias looked around at the living room of the house as he picked at his fingers from nerves, blowing a curl of his dark auburn hair out of his face. A trademark of his mother. Severus, with black hair, had inherited the curls, but straightened it to distance himself from his father. Hell, he wore contacts to hide his eyes. Both of them shared a unique dark blue hue. Anything to make himself look dissimilar. It hurt to think about. Tobias ruined everything for Severus, right down to their name.

In her nervousness, Eileen preferred to keep busy with righting and tidying up the dilapidated rotting interior of the house. Tobias had forgotten how bad it had gotten. It was a miracle the house was still standing at all. Now the interior looked almost nice, but it was empty. No pictures on the wall, or achievements to be framed, with the furniture faded and outdated. A knock at the door brought the couple out of their stupor.

Eileen, who was already standing, went to answer the door while Tobias turned and watched her back as she walked by. The light from outside almost swallowing her silhouette as she opened the door, and Tobias squinted as his eyes tried to readjust from the intrusion.

Eileen welcomed in a a woman wearing strange green clothing, who didn't look much older than her, before introducing her to Tobias.

"Minerva, this is my husband Tobias, Severus's father."

Minerva looked at him in an unnerving way. He could see how she and Eileen would know each other. A piercing intense look as though they were trying to analyze everything about you there would be to know. It was slightly uncomfortable, and Tobias quickly decided he much preferred Eileen's eyes. Dark and calm like the ocean on a clear night.

Tobias was not a man of words, opting to incline his head as a means of acknowledgement, extending his hand to the woman who had a surprisingly firm handshake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Snape, however unfortunate the circumstances."

"What is it that our son did, exactly?" Eileen asks, grabbing onto Tobias's arm drawing him nearer to her and the ongoing conversation.

The Minerva woman sighed, explaining that the headmaster called all the boys into his office so their parents could hear the story from everybody's side, and that nothing other than that had been spoken of. She extended her arm for Eileen to take, as Eileen turned around to speak.

"Whatever you do," she began, speaking in a tone of voice that reminded Tobias of young Severus in trouble, "Do not let go of me. At all."

Tobias nodded mutely, showing he understood, before letting out an audibly gasp as he felt the sensation of having his body squeezed tightly and excessive nausea making waves through his brain. He quickly dropped to his knees, still holding on to Eileen. His mind reeling.

How were they outside now? On the edge of forest bordering decrepit old ruins. His son went to school here? He wanted to throw up, and struggled to take calming breaths. He blinked quite a few times, just trying to give his brain sometime to render what was going on. The world had spun, disappeared, and then reappeared completely different.

Eileen was looking down at him with a inquisitive look on her face as she watched his wide eyes blink and broad chest struggle to rise and fall calmly. She had forgotten apparition did this to people, and that the average muggle would not see Hogwarts. Rather than a magnificent castle, Tobias saw ruins with signs warning trespassers of danger. She watched her husband struggle to his feet with an almost dazed expression, blue eyes looking completely lost.