Hogwarts for the Marauders

Chapter 5 The Prince's Tale

It was not everyday that it poured heavily in London. That too in September. But today, the water flowed and flowed seeming to have forgotten to stop. The temperature was dropping continuously and Severus found it extremely difficult to sleep amidst the cold, his rumbling empty stomach and his parent's shouting outside.

It wasn't something unusual though. Atleast not for the Snape's. Everyday, Severus would have to go to bed with an empty stomach, the reason being there was never enough food in the house. Each day, he would hear his parents argue, after his father would come home stinking with alcohol. But Severus sometimes couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't bear his father shouting at his mother, for not giving him enough money. He hated it when all the food that his mother brought was greedily consumed by his unassuming and selfish father. And living with his father, Severus had lost faith in love.

His mother had married his father for love. Left her rich family behind and even the fortunes to come live with this excuse of a man. But he never respected her. He never even gave a thought to whether his wife and kid were happy or not. But now Severus had learned to live with it all. His only bright light in this dark life was when he met Lily Evans. Once in a week, or maybe sometimes more, they would meet in the park, and talk for hours. Sometimes they would take a stroll around the city and then end up eating in her backyard. Lily was the only person perhaps who wasn't ashamed of Severus. And Severus was glad that he made a new friend.

Now, on the 1st of September, Severus made his way onto the platform nine and three quarters. Everywhere around him, kids with owls and trunks, loaded on the trolleys, passed with their parents. Their new robes shined in the warm morning sun.  Almost all the witches and wizards with School going children were here today. The wizarding world was on a spree. Even the station manager looked perplexed, Severus thought. His mother was here to see him off today, and like always his father had shown no intrest that his son will be gone for most of the year.

On the other side, he could see mother was clearly unhappy about him going. It wasn't as if she didn't want him to go to Hogwarts to learn magic, but without him, she would be left all alone, to deal with his father. Severus never knew why had she ever left her well protected and well off family to marry this muggle who did not only cared about them, but thought of them as burdens. Oh, he wouldn't even be alive if not for his mother conjuring up bits of food to feed the family. Yet, this man who Severus denied to call his father, had cost his mother her whole family and above all her elegance.                       .               
He made his way to platform nine, from where he will run into the barrier between platform nine and ten to reach the magical platform nine and three quarters. Beside him his mother was exceptionally quiet. When the finally reached the barrier, he turned towards her and asked, "Together?"    .              

They held the trolley and arrived into the smokey atmosphere of the Hogwarts express.                    

"Severus, I know I can't buy you new books and robes, but that doesn't mean you won't grow up to become an exceptional wizard. I know you have it in you to scale great heights. And don't you worry about me at all. The food is great at Hogwarts, you feel be fed well. Just take care and you will find your cousins there to go to, if you have any trouble. I love you, Severy."                           

She nearly broke down after that. And he couldn't take that. He wanted to tell her it didnt matter what she could get him and what she can't. She was here and that meant a lot to him.                     
Eileen Prince wasn't usually someone who broke down like this, but after her family abandoned her, Eileen's son became her only strength and weakness. And now he was going away. All grown up and ready to take his own responsibilty.           

She walked him to the compartment and said her final goodbye. As soon as she saw him settle down into his seat, she waved at him, and turned around to walk away as fast as she could before she broke down. Her half-blood Prince was going away. She still couldn't get a hang on that thought. But inside her, tugged a little part of her brain, saying that it was all for his own good. Severus would never have to starve there nor would he sleep on torn mattresses. He would have a cosy bed and a place worthy to call home. He would be happy there.                                   .          
As she made her way to the exit, she bumped into her cousin, Druella. Now a Black by marriage, Druella Rosier, with whom Eileen had played as a young girl, too had cast her off when she married Tobias Snape. This behaviour had been a shock to young Eileen who was so close to her cousin. She could see Druella's three daughters tailing behind her. One of them wore a gleaming head girl badge and another a prefect. She could see by their faces that they were well cared for and overwhelmingly loved.         .                              
"Well, if it isn't my blood traitor cousin here!" Druella exclaimed, both mockery and disgust reflecting off her voice.                                                             

"Hello, Druella. Its nice to see how beautiful your girls look!"                       

"Mother, we better go then hear a filthy blood traitor compliment us." sneered the one with the perfect badge, watching Eileen with pure distaste.                             

"Cissy! This isn't a way you talk to your elders. Apologize." said the girl with the head girl badge, angrily.                                       
"Well, Andy dear, I wouldn't have told Cissy you are wrong if she" Druella said, pointing towards Eileen,  "wouldn't have been a blood traitor. She adulterated our pure blood line! But now Eileen you see, my girls need to stay away from relatives like you. I have taught them how to make thier families proud, unlike you, who made us all lower our heads in shame. Cissy here a prefect and Andromeda head girl, and I am sure Bella will follow their line, and they will all get married to pure blood wizards and continue the elate Blacks blood line." she tossed her hair back and scurried away, leaving Eileen to wonder, whether bloodlines were really that important than family.

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