𝔸𝕝𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖

─────────  ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅  ─────────

        April 21st, 1967

        After your long talk with Rosamund a few days ago, she's been thinking about Eileen nonstop. Just like you schemed it, not only has she been questioning Severus' treatment and appearance, but Rosamund had found herself in the middle of many sleepless nights, wondering why Eileen cut off contact so long ago. She felt similar to the girl Rosamund knew in school, but at the same time, Rosamund couldn't deny that Eileen wasn't the same girl. When she wasn't ignoring it, Rosamund chalked it up to Eileen changing with the years of adulthood and motherhood. 

        The four of you hadn't been together very long today, but Rosamund already had a boatload of things she noticed. Things she might not have picked up on if you had never said anything to her. 

        'Why do we only ever come to this Cokeworth park? Eileen refuses me when I offer my residence up, and she has yet to offer her own.'

        Dispelling her thoughts when Eileen pats her shoulder and smiles, Rosamund looks at the expression with new eyes. It's nothing like the smile Eileen used to wear. Back then, it was small and quiet. and Rosamund always knew Eileen muted her emotions, scared to reveal that a member of the Prince family was capable of feeling. If not for Rosamund's scrutinizing eyes, searching for anything and everything, she might have been happy to see how freely Eileen smiled now. But... Deep down, Rosamund now realized there was something off about it. 

        "I'm so glad we reunited after all this time," Eileen speaks so sweetly it feels sickening. "It's so wonderful that our children have become friends, don't you think?" 

        Rosamund nods in response, taking great pains to feign a happy smile. "It shouldn't have taken us this long to see each other again. Why did we stop?" 

        Caught off guard, Eileen's discomfort shows for a split second before she catches herself. Averting her gaze, she tugs on the tight collar of her blouse.

        "Ah, yes. Why did we?" Eileen laughs awkwardly. "You know how it is. Becoming a wife, taking care of your home, and then having a child. I do regret that our busy families separated us for so long. Imagine if our precious Arden came into Severus' life earlier on. I think she'd have rubbed off on him by now." 

        Rosamund didn't know what she'd been on the lookout for in particular today, but she certainly wasn't expecting Eileen to make it so obvious. Her disdain for her son came through like a blaring siren—and she did not like the way Eileen referred to you. Rosamund had always been for expanding your circle; that way, you'd be full of good people, friendships, and familial bonds (blood or not) for years to come, but the way Eileen said 'our' like you were already hers... Well, it didn't sit right with Rosamund. 

        "Mm," Rosamund nods. She tears her gaze off of Eileen, unable to stomach looking into her beady eyes any longer. Instead, she elects to look up at you and Severus, who are hiding away in the jungle gym again, sitting atop the highest platform while you converse.

        It's easy to tell you're having a serious conversation, even if both of you are characteristically solemn (especially for your ages). Severus looks terribly upset, with furrowed eyebrows and a trembling lip, but his gaze gives away his truest feelings. Meanwhile, you're sitting right across from him, your stern expression akin to the way Rosamund looks when she's scolding Thomas.

        Crossed arms and all. 

        "Why are you doing this?!" Severus spits after several long minutes of silence, which he elected to spend glaring at you.

        He couldn't believe it when Eileen opened the basement door, a pleasant smile on her face when she released him from his imprisonment. She even apologized, stating she misunderstood everything and that another playdate was scheduled. Severus knew Eileen wasn't sincere, but he couldn't deny the moment of relief flaring through him when he was allowed to leave the underground room. 

        When his relief began to fade, familiar sensations of annoyance and anger came to Severus. He warned you, after all. What is going on in your thick skull that you ignored him and asked for another park date? 

        "What ever do you mean?" You feign ignorance, staring at your nails with boredom, but it only lasts a split second. Your eyes zone in on Severus, staring at him with a mature sharpness—the kind he wouldn't have anticipated to come from a mere child. "We're playmates, Severus, of course, I'd ask my mum to call on you. You didn't really think I'd leave you alone with that woman, did you?" 

        "I—" Severus pauses, not expecting your reasoning and certainly not expecting the gratitude he feels. But much like with your ignorant act fading away just as quickly as it came, he steeled himself to be the same snobby and proper Severus Snape his mother raised him to be. "That woman is my mother, you halfwit."

        Severus didn't want to say any of it, but he feared that somehow, Eileen would be listening in. If she heard you say that and heard that Severus didn't defend her, there'd surely be hell to pay. 

        You nod. It was your way of telling Severus that you took no offense and knew exactly why he said those specific words, all without uttering a single word yourself. 

        "Doesn't change the fact that she's a terrible woman. She's using my mum, and me, by extension. A woman she used to be rather good friends with back in their school days." You say matter-of-factly, your tone of voice giving Severus no room to refute (again, not that he wants to) you. However, even if he did, you don't give him the chance. "Severus... I've seen how badly she treats you, and that's in front of my mum. It makes me wonder what your home life is like behind closed doors." 

        Just when you part your lips to say more, Severus nearly tackles you, planting a hand over your mouth, for he's terrified of what you might say—or who might hear it. The two of you stay like that for a moment, staring into each other's eyes, and you see so much pain in his. You don't know if it's because Severus was thinking about what you said or if it's the unwavering way you hold his gaze, but his eyes begin to well up. He doesn't allow a singular tear to fall, but the look he holds is unmistakable. You gather that if you say another word that hits the money, he'll break down in front of you.

        It said a lot when you considered Severus Snape's personality and that you barely knew each other—sans all the facts you've accrued as an avid reader, of course.  

        It takes him a moment to realize what he did or how long he was still doing it, but Severus finally realizes his hand is still covering your mouth. With a quiet but dramatic yelp, he jumps away from you, bright shades of red tinging the tips of his ears. 

        You do him the kindness of looking away, choosing to stare up into the mid-afternoon sky. One glance at the sun told you how late it already was, and you knew you couldn't do what you wanted before the playdate was over. 

        "Severus, how about a sleepover?"

        To be honest, you've always been insufferably impatient. 

─────────  ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅  ─────────

        April 22nd, 1967

        You counted your blessings that your most recent playdate with Severus was on a Friday. This way, he only had to go home to his horrific mother and likely abusive father for a single night before he'd be sleeping at your house for the weekend. 

        As Rosamund and Thomas watched you, bouncing between each window of the house on the lookout for Severus (and dreadfully, Eileen, but you chose to ignore that factor), your parents found you acting awfully childlike for the first time. You've always been so mature that it took them off guard. Still, after Rosamund told Thomas about hers and your suspicions about Severus' home life, they talked it out and understood your behavior. You were worried for your friend, and excited to have him over.

        And that wasn't technically a lie. You just happened to be omitting the fact you knew about Severus' home life because your mind was older than your body, and that you knew about some of it because this world was just one big story. 

        That's all.  

        Just as you walked away from one of the mentioned windows, the doorbell rang, and you were first to the door. You swung it open with a fervor nobody, least of all you, had expected, but nonetheless. There Severus was, standing on your front porch, and it didn't escape you how Eileen's hand was planted on his shoulder. Her long nails dug into him, but Severus didn't even flinch. 

        You couldn't wait to get him away from Eileen. Even if, at first, it'd only be for the rest of the weekend. 

        But that was for later. Now?—now you had to act. 

        It only took you a moment of disgust to remember to beam upward at Eileen, emitting every naive and sweet vibe you had inside you. "Miss Snape! I'm so glad you're here! My father helped me turn my bedroom into a big sleepover party. Severus and I are going to have so much fun!" 

        The second you mentioned Thomas, Eileen sneered. 

        She was the worst actress you had ever seen, unable to hide her inner feelings and truths for even a moment. Your father was a pureblood, so you knew Eileen didn't hate him for his standing. Did Eileen hold so much disdain for him to this day just because he's a Hufflepuff? 

        It took everything in you not to do something—not to say something—but you were still much better at acting than Eileen was. Maybe it was that you were so determined to save Severus, or just because you wanted to see Eileen burn for her pathetic prejudices, but you didn't pause to think on it for too long. 

        "Oh darling," Eileen sighs, finally releasing poor Severus and squatting down to smile at you eye-to-eye. In your periphery, you see Severus sigh in relief, but pure terror still lingers in his gaze as he sees the closeness between you and his mother. "I think we're close enough that you can call me Eileen, aren't we?" 

        And then she boops you on the nose. Clearly, she was never an affectionate person to start with, because her alleged boop was harder than it should have been, and you commended yourself for not flinching in response. 

        You pretend to think about it for only a moment or two, feigning a shy expression before you slowly nod. "Well, since you said it's okay. Miss Eileen!" 

        For the first time, Eileen laughs sincerely. 

        There's no doubt in her eyes: you are the perfect daughter, a polite and breathtaking young lady in the making. Undoubtedly the best of your parents—even if your father is a filthy Hufflepuff that stole your mother from her. You're quick to obey, you know when to put on the charm, and you're the exact amount of naive and gullible that Eileen requires (...or so she thinks). All Eileen needs to do is—

        "Miss Eileen?" 

        "I'm sorry, darling. You are just the sweetest thing I have ever seen, I couldn't help myself from thinking about the lovely little lady you'll grow into." Eileen smiles. 

        You bat your eyelashes in response, thanking her with an infectious giggle. When Eileen sighs in contentment, her greedy eyes only on you, your discomfort begins growing by the millisecond. It nearly makes you sick to your stomach when you realize that Eileen forgot both herself and her surroundings because her intentions are suddenly as clear as day. 

        The suspicions you've always had toward her are only confirmed when you spot the worried gaze Severus sends your way. 

        "Eileen!" Rosamund shouts out. You're taken aback when you look at your parents, Thomas right behind Rosamund, a gentle hand on her shoulders. However, that's not what took you off guard—it was the open hostility in your father's eyes... Aimed at no one except Eileen Snape. 

        It seemed Eileen was the only person unaware of all the scrutiny she was under. Thomas' typically warm gaze was nowhere in sight, staring at Eileen like she was a viper ready to strike. There was also the way Rosamund shouted at her, fear for you laced in her tone; and how Severus was nearly quaking in his boots. 

        Fixing herself, Eileen stands straight, her back as firm as a rod, that tight smile making her face look like plastic. You wonder if she's just a skeleton under those loose clothes, her fleshy face nothing more than a mere mask. It'd make sense why she was so cruel and conceited, so devoid of normal human emotion. 

        Now was as good a time as ever to dispel the tension. Eileen was still painstakingly oblivious, thank Godric, but if Rosamund and Thomas were to give anything away, Severus might be locked away forever (or worse), and you certainly couldn't have that. 

        "Severus, come inside already!" You command, your false smile beginning to give itself away. Fortunately, he seems to read your eyes well, perhaps even your thoughts, for he walks past his mother and takes your hand. 

        Whenever you read about the cruel Professor Snape, or saw him portrayed in the movies, you always pictured Severus' skin to feel as oily as his hair, but it was the opposite. As Eileen says her goodbyes, both her and your parents faking every real emotion they had, you tighten your grip on his hand. It's not oily or greasy at all. 

        Just small, cold, and shaking immensely.

        Staring at him, you're reminded, once again, that all Severus Snape is right now is a small, innocent boy. One that tried to protect you, at that, even if it meant more pain and suffering for him.

        Future Death Eater or not, you will save Severus from his family, no matter what, and this sleepover will be just the beginning.