Severus & Serena One Shots

Atlas Goes To Hogwarts

"I think you should ride the train tomorrow for the sorting" Serena suggested softly to Atlas the night before school started.

They were sitting down to dinner in their cozy Hogwarts quarters. They had spent the summer in Estonia, and coming back to regular society was a bit of an adjustment. No more lazy days and adventure, it was back to routine and rules.

He looked up from his dinner, his eyebrow raised just like his fathers. Black hair side parted smartly, her same honey brown eyes staring back across the table patiently.

"Why? We're already here. Why would you take me all the way to London, and then make me ride a train for hours, just to wind up where we already are?" he very calmly and neutrally plotted out her plan, hoping that she could see the hole in her thinking.

"It's a social custom Atlas, she doesn't want you to miss out on that" Severus spoke up bemusedly, finishing his coffee with a smirk on his face.

"I have friends, Hestia and Rowan. I know the school already, and I'll probably be in Ravenclaw. What social custom?" he continued confusedly.

Serena took a deep breath, trying to think of a way to explain this to her overly pragmatic and highly intelligent son. The way he questioned everything could be construed as disrespectful because he needed to see the reasoning, the logic, and the social constructs. He was also incredibly kind and softhearted, often hiding behind his intelligence because he feared getting hurt or saying the wrong thing.

"When you ride the train, you are around all the other kids who are in the same position as you. You're all excited, nervous, and probably ready to be away from your parents. You however, don't get to join in on that part, sorry. You can make bonds with them, and that just means something. Something on a deeper level and it can't really be explained logically. I just want you to trust me on this one...Please?" she explained, pulling out her last resort card.

She didn't often ask Atlas for blind faith in her, or in anything for that matter. But this was important.

Severus met her eyes, a strange mix of agreement and sadness washing over his face. She knew he didn't have good experiences on the Express, he often got bullied. And, as terrible as that would be for Atlas, he had to experience every aspect of life for himself.

Friendship was something he needed to learn to navigate just as well as books. He may have had Hestia and Rowan, also children of professors, but there was no guarantee they would be in the same house. Inter house mingling has become much more inclusive but the common identity was still important.

"Alright, fine. Can you charm me before so I don't get motion sickness? I'm sure puking in everyone would be bad for my social image" he surmised, forward thinking as always.

She nodded, standing up to clear the table and kiss his forehead; something he wouldn't let her do for much longer. Seeing him halfway grown tugged on her heart, weighing it down like rocks on a string. Memories of him learning to walk were as vivid as if they had just happened. Tomorrow would come too quickly.

Later that night...

"Atlas? May I come in?" Severus knocked softly on his door before heading to bed.

"You don't have to ask dad. You can just come in" Atlas assured him, sitting his book down on his lap.

Severus smiled, still awestruck at the amiable and easy relationship that he had with his son. It was so very much unlike the relationship he had with his own father. He had worked diligently to see to that fact. The chair beside Atlas's bed creaked as he sat down in it. He took a deep breath and began to add to what Serena said.