Chamomile can't help
Thursday July 24th, 1975
Fed up by the mistreatment over the past few days, he tells his mother about Tobias. That the man would hurt him when after she left. Enraged by her boyfriend's attitude, she sends him to pack his things and be gone by 8pm. A moment she takes for herself to speak to a good friend over the phone. Peter now knows where Severus got that hateful glare of his. A glare so awful one wished to take their own life right in front of it. At least he wished to do so. Although Tobias' felt more ominous.
In a sense where he would take your life, literally. How did Snape even survive under that man's regiment? He thinks to himself. Peter didn't talk as Severus took out an already packed suitcase. Somewhat offended by the gesture, he had no filter 'When did you pack it? '
'I never unpacked it.' he secretly hoped his dad would screw this up like he screws everything up. The relationship with his parents, wife, and him, his son. It was but a matter of time but he did wish the sooner the better. Peter eyes the stacks of books. Cursing Snape and that diligence of his. He bets that Snivellus probably finished all his summer homework. Biting his lips when all of those answers are shoved in his suitcase. Just his luck for his dad to call the raven and leave the books unattended.
He switches Severus his books with his before Severus could return a single second later. Once in the car, the car remains unbudged. Tobias smokes the car full of his cigarettes and his son got used to it. His hair damp and stinking of the nicotine. He decided to use the streetlight to read. Distraction is what his mind needed at the moment. Seeing that his book was nowhere to be seen. 'Dad-'
'What' the man snarls. Making Severus jump a bit in his seat. Shifting uncomfortably.
'I need to go to the bathroom.' he lies. What could he say to the man that hates magic after all? He forgot his magical books and wishes to retrieve those? Yeah, not only would he get a bruise on top of the other bruise but also a memory he may not be able to forget for a while.
'You' Severus sighs in the backseat at the whole order of slurs that comes along with it 'Are a real bitch to not even hold your bloody piss in your bollocks' He leans back as the man tried to reach out for him, reaching for the door his dad obviously locked. The moment he accidentally scratched it, his dad gets out and walks to his door but his son goes to the other door, also locked. Aiming now to reach the front door of the passenger's seat yet the man got him sooner.
Thick bruised hand wrapped around his ankle and dragging him down the backseat, onto the floor. 'You scratch my car? '
'No' he barks. Trembling under his father's cruel gaze.
Tobias slams his son's hand on the pavement. Making sure the flesh and the skin were scrubbed off the bones as a punishment. Muffling his screams 'You're now lying to me? ' he coos humored.
'I am your dad but you run away from me? ' his snickering only grew darker as Severus shook his head.
Slight moment of ease that the man showed, he got kicked in the stomach and the kid scrambles up. Pulled down again by his hair yet seized the moment to kick his dad's face. Leaving that bloody mess behind and climb in Peter's room through the window via the dumpster placed right beneath it. Startled by the haggard look, blood and well, Severus Snape. 'Where are my books you swine!'
'I don't have them? ' Peter couldn't believe how much human Severus became over the past few days. While he was beaten up, he caught glimpses of how Severus treads so carefully around his dad. Enough for him to become defensive. Wrong reason or not. Severus drew out his wand and aims it at the pathetic moron, 'Give me my books' he spat.
Peter squares up. He's the same height as this greasy prat. Two if not three times his size. One punch would be heavier than he's ever used to from Tobias. Severus faces him head on but their duel remains unanswered as they hear the stairs creak under Delilah's weight. 'Petey, are you studying? ' Portly boy nudges Severus to the closet but realized, his mom usually comes in late to fetch out outfits for the next day. She does that whenever she faces a particularly hard day. Something he saw as her coping mechanism like he has his eating.
Days like the break-up with Tobias. Drags Severus by the collar and points under the bed since Snape wasn't willing to leave the room yet without his homework. He crawls under 'Mom, please wait a second.'
His body becomes rigid, hearing his mother's sniffles. Opening the door the next second. There she stands in her pink nightgown, with a tray in her manicured hands, two teacups on top, smelling of chamomile. He takes a hold of those and puts them on his table. She saw the awfully neglected books, stacked with papers in between. Unlike his prediction of his mother's behaviour, she sits down on his bed. Straightening her dress.
Cheeks stained with dried tears and red blotches spread over her cheeks. Her light blue eyes cast down at her teacup. 'Mom, what's the matter? '
Severus cringed for Peter when she asks softly 'Did... you do something to anger Tobias? '
While Severus felt bad, he knew. His father had some sort of charm for women to love his abuse. He wasn't the typical fat guy that slaved away in front of the TV. He drunk like one, beat like one, cussed like one but it was probably that in all that violence, he managed to show kindness that drove his own mom and now Delilah wild. Not to mention, hes'a muscular. Sometimes, Severus himself catching his own deceitful thoughts that his dad wasn't that bad. Why? Well, because the man didn't beat him for a week or cuss him out for a day. Worse part was realizing that maybe in those times, the man was barely home so seeing less of that awful side was unavoidable to begin with.
'Mom' Peter shakes. His voice becoming a pitch higher 'He beats me'
'B-but why? ' Why? Why should there be a reason to do so? Instead of asking that, he blurts 'I eat the whole t-time.'
His mother's eyes widen. 'I knew there was a reason. You made me lose a relationship simply of him telling the truth? ' in other words, a good reason.
'You' the boy's voice becomes slightly raw 'ah, uhm' tears burns his eyes to not cry. Afraid his mom might say that to the man and he'll become the brunt of it. 'You think I eat too much? '
She gestured her hands at his body. 'Love, you're barely 16 and look like this? I don't expect you to bring a bird home with how you look. I do agree he shouldn't beat you for it but he is right. I-I, uhm' she tilts her head to look her son straight in the eyes.
'I will tell him to not hit you... but don't make him angry too.'
Peter grabs the cup and smashes it against the wall. Severus couldn't see who it was but judging from the screams, Delilah is the one scared 'You always do this!'
'Do what!'
'When dad left, you kept that bloody chair in case he returned but he never did, ma!' he barks viciously. Hoping his words will scare his mom in the right direction.
'Be-because he said he would.' she weeps.
'Get out' he screams. Shoving his mom out of his room. 'Break your goddamn neck on your way down too!' Her cries not becoming any softer. Peter huffs and pats his shirt down for his hands to do something. Biting his lip to hold back the tears. Bed creaks under his weight. Was this their relationship?
She shouts from the hallway 'I did so much for you! Gave birth to you but you won't even let me enjoy life!' This must be it. Peter tried to unsee it for so many years yet it all lost balance with Severus. Severus. His eyes cut down between his legs. That's right. He's still here.
He reaches down and grabs Severus by his wrist, purposely squeezing it until it bruises. Yanking him from beneath. 'If you-'
'Do not threaten me you swine.'
'If you tell the school about my life, you'll pay' Peter drawls. Forgetting all about his fear for Severus when his mind is this high on adrenaline.
'Likewise', snaps Severus.
'Prat'
'Sewer rat'
The back and forth stops on Peter's condition. Sniffing in the air and by the next second he bolts out the room. His mother is in the bathroom with her wrists slashed open, littered by even older wounds. Severus shifts awkwardly behind the kid, mumbling nonsensical things so he spoke softly 'Episkey' to heal her cuts which healed but she stays unconscious. Peter lifts her and puts her in bed.
'Just tell your dad, my mom wants him back.'
'You say it' Severus frowns. Peter scoffs, of course. Why would Snivellus be of any help. He shakes his head. Stumbling into the bathroom to clean all the blood. How long had his mother been bruising herself? He began ignoring everything else around him until he fell asleep in bed. Severus stays inside. Taking space in the living room, peeking through the white flower-embroidered curtains. Keeping an eye on his dad. None of them decided to approach the man shouting like the drunkard he is on the streets.
Peter's mom is somewhat like his mom after all.