The Marauders: Year One (female)

3. Down By The Pond

Severa sat in her dingy little room, her hands clasped firmly over her ears. Despite this, she could still hear the argument that was raging on down below.

'Don't - know - why - I - married - you - you - filthy - MUGGLE!' she heard her mother scream angrily at her father. There was a crash as something exploded, probably a result of Eileen's out of control magic.

She heard a bellow from her father. 'I DON'T KNOW WHY I MARRIED YOU EITHER, WITH ALL YOUR STUPID MAGIC TRICKS, WITCH!'

Eileen laughed manically. 'I'll tell you why, you useless layabout! You thought that you would have an easy life, filled with riches and comforts, didn't you? That you wouldn't have to work, wouldn't have to earn money? That you could lie about all day, and I would serve you hand and foot, all while you depend on me and me alone? WELCOME TO REALITY!' Eileen screamed as a vase smashed against the wall.

Severa muttered Potions ingredients, and incantations under her breath to distract herself. She wondered if her parents had ever truly been in love. Perhaps Eileen Prince had. Before marrying Tobias Snape, she had been the beautiful daughter of a rich Pureblood family, who supported her and gave her what she needed.

As Eileen fell in love with Tobias, all Tobias saw was an easy life, without having to work, and a beautiful wife to boot.

However, when Eileen's family found out, all the support and money stopped, and Eileen found herself dependent on Tobias, and his paychecks, which rarely came.

As a result, her and Tobias often fought, and poor Severa was caught in the crossfire more than once when she had tried to get involved, so now she just waited it out, or tried to escape the house.

As more china and glass smashed, and her parents' voices grew louder and louder, Severa found that she could not take it any longer. The cup on her bedside table exploded, and Severa leapt up and ran from the room, making a desperate dash down the stairs for the front door.

As she stepped onto the sunnier street outside, it was a relief from the smothering atmosphere inside, despite the smog that filled the air on Spinner's End. Cokeworth was an industrial town, and the chimneys of many busy factories dotted the skylines.

As Severa walked, she found herself going in a familiar direction: to the park where they often played.

Two boys were swinging backward and forward on the old swingset. Severa sat watching them from behind a clump of bushes. She felt ashamed to talk to them, her black hair being uneven as it was, and her clothes so shabby and odd compared to theirs.

She watched the younger of the two boys swinging higher and higher than his brother, higher than he should have been able to go.

"Lillian, don't do it!" shrieked the elder of the two.

But Lillian had leapt off the swing as it swung up to the highest point, and flown into the air. He launched himself upwards with a great shout of laughter, and instead of thumping to the ground and injuring himself, he'd soared to the ground gracefully, like a leaf in the breeze. His long, red hair flew out behind him, rippling in the wind.

"Mummy told you not to!"

The blonde boy brought his swing to a halt by digging his sandals into the ground.

"Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lillian!"

"But I'm fine," said Lillian, still giggling. "Pat, look at this. Watch what I can do."

Patrick's eyes swept the playground, to make sure they were alone. If anyone saw Lillian's freakish powers, there was no telling what could happen. Lillian plucked a blossom fallen from the bush behind which Severa hid. Her breath caught in her throat as the red head approached. Patrick watched reluctantly, grudgingly curious. Lillian waited until Patrick was right beside him, and then closed and opened his palm. The flower opened and closed like a venus fly trap.