The Redemption of Severus Snape

Part 24

"Come along, lad," replied Mr. Evans cheerfully. Severus' eyes widened. He was going to be punished. He wasn't sure what he'd done, but he must've done something. Maybe Mrs. Evans was secretly a Legilimens and saw his thoughts. Mr. Evans placed his hand on Severus' shoulder and gently pushed him into the kitchen. Petunia had laid out all of the necessary items to prepare dinner, but hadn't started cleaning the fish. She was waiting for her mother to join her. Mr. Evans removed his pipe from his mouth and handed it to Petunia. "Take care of that for me, would you?" He stood Severus in front of the sink, then rolled up the sleeves of work shirt. He turned on the faucet and Severus felt himself go cold.

###

One of Tobias Snape's favorite punishments for his unusual son was to dunk the boy's head in a sink or bathtub full of water. A few years ago, before he'd met Lily, Severus had caught a chest cold and couldn't stop coughing. Tobias was lying in a warm bath trying to overcome a bad hangover. "Eileen!' shouted Tobias, his hands pressed against his head in a failed attempt to ease his headache. "Shut him up!"

"What do you expect me to do?" replied Eileen, her silky smooth voice dripping with scorn. "You won't let me brew any potions."

Tobias rose out of the bath, flung the door open and backhanded his defiant wife. "I'll not have any o' that witchcraft in my home," spat Tobias.

"As you like," replied Eileen silkily, a bruise already forming on her pale cheek. A small-framed thin woman, Eileen Snape appeared as physically frail as her more attractive mother, but her body was stronger than it appeared. She'd inherited her small bone structure from her mother, but resembled her father. She'd inherited her mother's intelligence, but not her father's magical ability nor his strength of will. Her father was both feared and revered for his magical strength, his cunning audacity, and his determination. Her mother was admired for her beauty, good breeding, and intelligence. Eileen was so overshadowed by her parents that she was barely noticeable.

Tobias reeled. He planted his hand on the wall to steady himself and vomited on the hallway floor. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Clean that." He staggered to the bathroom door when Severus began coughing again. Tobias, overcome with rage, stomped into his son's bedroom and yanked Severus off his bed by his ankles. The position in which he was held made his cough worse, and the suddenness of his father's actions frightened Severus. He began to choke. Tobias stomped back into the bathroom and began dunking Severus' head in the bath. Another wave of sickness hit Tobias and he fell forward catching himself by placing a hand on the wall. His other hand held Severus tightly and pushed his little body under the water.

Severus remembered choking and trying to hold his breath under the water. He remembered seeing air bubbles rising to the water's surface, and seeing his feet held in air. His father was shouting things, but the water muffled the sound. Severus beat the sides of the tub with his fists as he tried to push himself above the water, but his father held him fast. Soon Severus' own heartbeat was the only sound he could hear. His lungs ached and his chest burned.

The next thing Severus recalled was opening his eyes to see his mother leaning over him. She immediately turned him on his side as he coughed up water and phlegm. He was lying on his mother's work table. An assortment of cauldrons and potion-making supplies surrounded him. She held her wand in her hand. Severus fixated on it because his mother rarely used her wand. She normally kept it hidden where Tobias couldn't find it, fearing he'd break it in a drunken rage.

Tobias was pacing the edge of the room. "He's alright then? He'll be alright?"

"He'll live," replied Eileen.

"Right then," said Tobias as he nervously rubbed his chin. He patted Severus' leg and said, "There's a good lad." He left the room and Severus passed out.