A Family Reunited (A Teddy Lupin Afterlife Story) (Book 4)

Chapter 9: A Mother's Heart

Once the reunion between Sirius and Regulus was complete, Albus turned to Draco who was standing by a door to keep the closest eye in the room on Crouch.

"Mr Malfoy, if you could please just open that door?" he said pleasantly.

Draco nodded in an obedient way and opened the door. Out of it came a stiff and very darkly dressed woman, with a pale complexion and a tight set of lips, and eyes as black as the dark itself; very similar in fact to the eyes of-

"Severus!" gasped the lady whose eyes immediately fell upon the darkest dressed man in the Great Hall.

Severus' pale face grew whiter at the sight of his long lost mother.

"Eileen Snape, or do you prefer Prince?" inquired Albus.

"Prince." said Eileen.

"Well, Eileen Prince, may I introduce you once again to your only son, Severus Snape!" presented Albus with strong satisfaction.

Eileen looked awkwardly at her son. She had not seen him since her death a year or so after Lily's death, not that she knew of the significance that her former neighbour had on Severus until after her death. And even though Lily was Muggle born, she could hardly judge as she had married a Muggle. However she did have a strong disdain towards Lily. She was not only the girl who in her opinion, ruined Severus' life by abandoning him, but she was also a symbolic proof that Muggle borns and regular Muggles alike were cruel and evil. Her husband abused her and never loved their son, and Lily broke Severus' heart into pieces, pushing him into joining Voldemort when he had no alternatives left.

Albus sat her down at the table and the others looked on from a distance as Severus and his wife remained seated opposite Eileen. At the back of the room, Crouch was staring at Severus and Lily Snape rather mutinously.

Albus spoke again.

"Now, I have arranged this reunion as Severus here had admitted that he missed his mother and is, I daresay, willing to attempt a renewed relationship. Is that so, Severus?"

"That depends." said Severus rather darkly.

"On?" asked Eileen nervously.

"On how you treat me and more importantly, my wife." replied Severus. His Legilimens skills were still faultless. He knew immediately how his mother felt about Lily.

Eileen frowned at them. "She made your life one that was not worth living! She used you as a friend and then dropped you over One word! A word that was only inspired by the man who tormented you into bursting out and then took her for himself! And did she not see the injustice in that? NO! She abandoned you, leaving you with nothing But the Dark Arts! No wonder you joined the Dark Lord. She left you with nothing!"

"Nothing because the people who ought to have loved me more than she did were hopeless, abusive and neglectful!" snarled Severus. "You had forsaken me! And you dare to judge Lily! I forgave her, as she has forgiven me!"

Eileen fell silent immediately and looked down in despair at the truth in Severus' words. Severus was clutching his wife's hand to silently apologise, and Lily Snape nuzzled his shoulder to respond the positive: she didn't think less of him because of his mother. If anything, she felt his mother did have a point...she did leave him out to dry...after she abandoned their friendship, all Severus did have was his love for the Dark Arts and therefore, Voldemort. James and the others felt pity for Severus, but looked on at Eileen in deep disgust, particularly Petunia. Sirius was gripping her arm to stop her from lashing out at the elder woman for her harsh words directed at her sister.

Albus could clearly see the difficulties and addressed them.

"Eileen, you did indeed neglect your son through his youth due to the psychological traumas you yourself endured at the hands of Tobias Snape. But shutting Severus out of your life was inexcusable. Trying to harden the shell is all very well, as it had come in very useful for me and Severus in the war against Voldemort, but you should never have sent your son out into the Wizarding World feeling unloved except for a girl his own age, whom did not have the maturity to stay loyal to him forever as a mother should."