Silvanna Snape {Marauders}

Chapter Twenty-Two

TW

yes another one

:)

"If you think, for one second, that I'm going to let you fuck off and do whatever, you've got another thing coming, young man! How dare you disrespect us like that? We do everything for you, and all you do is treat us like absolute shit! Are you even listening to me? Where's your little freak of a sister?"

Silvanna took this as her queue to go downstairs. She'd hoped if she unpacked her things quickly enough, she might be able to sneak out to the playground and just sit and read for the rest of the evening, but she wasn't so fortunate. Her dad had arrived home from work before they'd even got there themselves. She supposed she was lucky - Severus had been shouted at for thirty minutes until now, and she'd narrowly evaded it.

Sighing, Silvanna went downstairs to see the three of them arranged in a scene that was all too familiar. Severus had his back against the wall, with her dad towering over him. He had turned round to glare at Silvanna, looking mean and terrifying. Her mum was busying herself with the making tea, but her hands were trembling.

"Hello," said Silvanna quietly, before her dad could tell her off for being impolite.

"Thought you'd finally show your face?" he sneered. Silvanna just stood there. "Get over here." She flinched as she scurried past him to stand next to Severus, and she was right to do so, because he scuffed her around the back of her head, his wedding ring clipping the top of her neck. "There's gonna be some changes around here," he said, his voice low growl. "For starters, you will be here at Christmas, and at Easter. Those are family times. Second, you can do whatever the fuck you want in the day, but if you're not here at tea, you can starve for all I care. Thirdly, you will say please, and thank you, and Sir, because we are not savages in my house! Am I clear?"

His voice had got louder in a violent crescendo, until Silvanna was shrinking away from it. "Yes, Sir," they both mumbled.

He stood back, satisfied. "Good," he said, nodding. "Clearly we don't send you to freak-school for nothing." Silvanna's heart leapt; she wasn't in any trouble. And those rules didn't seem too difficult to keep. "Now turn around, both of you."

*****

One week into the summer holidays, Silvanna woke up to see sunlight streaming through her window, and an owl pecking at the glass. She clambered out of bed, cringing as it creaked, and stalked over, untying the letter from its ankle. It pecked at her finger. "I don't have any treats," she hissed at it. Another owl, her mum's, flew in, throwing a dead mouse to the floor and sitting on its perch in its cage. "You can have that," she whispered. Obediently, the stranger's owl flew in, picked up the mouse, and flew away into the sky.

She undid the envelope, pulling her letter out.

To Silvanna,

Great news - my dad says you can come and visit for a day in two weeks time! It's the full moon this week, and next week we're going on holiday to Cornwall, but after that I'm free as a bird. Until next full moon anyway. And I think James wants me to visit there. Not sure if I'll be able to wangle that one though, my mum hasn't let me out her sight.

How are things with you? Your dad's not being too harsh is he? I hope you're all alright and enjoying the nice weather.

With love,

Remus

Silvanna smiled faintly that Remus had remembered to write. She was certain he'd forget, and she hadn't wanted to burden him with writing first. She hastily stuffed the letter into A Beginner's guide to Transfiguration, placing them both in her bag alongside The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, and a biro and some parchment to write a reply.

She dressed quickly, hating the fact that she couldn't shower first like she could at Hogwarts. At least she had three extra shirts, skirts, and cardigans she could wear now though. She snuck downstairs to the kitchen and buttered herself some toast. Severus came down too while she was eating, but she knew better than to talk to him. This part of the morning was crucial.

If they were completely silent, they could sneak off for the day, and wouldn't have to return until tea time. On weekdays this meant they could only get in trouble in the evenings, when their dad wasn't working, saving them from the morning, before he left. On weekends, it saved them from a whole day full of trouble, and sometimes he'd gone off to the pub before they'd even got back.

She dashed upstairs and brushed her teeth very quietly, splashing her face with cold water too. She crept back up to her room, hearing her dad shuffling about, and skipped the creaking step. Avoiding the creaking floorboards, she grabbed her satchel, and threw herself silently down the stairs and out the front door. Severus was already halfway down the street and she jogged to catch up with him.

"Are you going to Lily's?" she asked, stuffing the apple she'd taken on her way out into her bag.

"Yep," he said, still scowling. "Was that letter for you this morning?"

"Oh, yeah," said Silvanna. The owl must have woken him up. "It was from Remus."

"Remus?" he mocked in a bored sort of voice, raising his eyebrows as they rounded a corner.

"Oh you're one to talk, with your little ginger obsession," she retorted. "You spent months spying on her after you found out she was a witch. Months."

"Yes, but Lily's nice," he said, cutting in front of her and leading them down a concealed footpath that Silvanna had forgotten about. "Lupin's just weird."

"You're one to talk."

"Where does he go all the time, any way?"

"Oh, I dunno," Silvanna lied. "I think his mum's sick or something." That was the lie she'd heard him tell to the boys anyway.

"Whatever," said Severus as they reached the field, on the other side of which was the village where Lily lived. It was still quite a poor area, but nowhere near as bad as Spinner's End. "Bye."

"Bye."