It was a sulky Severus on the breakfast table one sunny day. He picked up a piece of toast and started eating it, without a word of greeting to his parents.
"Good morning, Sev," Eileen greeted the four-year old. Severus merely grunted. Eileen, though, was unperturbed. She took the half nibbled toast from him and started to butter it. Severus, however, snatched it back and chomped on it, furiously.
What's the matter, sweetheart?" Eileen was alarmed at her normally cheerful son's behaviour. Severus didn't reply.
Tobias put down his newspaper and glared at him, angrily.
"Answer your mother, Severus," he said. Severus cowered. His father rarely got angry with him.
"I want to go to school," he finally replied in a small voice. "All the other kids in Spinner's End are going. Why can't I?"
"That's because your mother wants to home-school you, Sev," Tobias replied.
"But why?" Severus persisted. "Even Petunia and Lily are going."
Severus had grown quite close to the two sisters, preferring Petunia to Lily. His conversations with Lily always ended up in a fight and Petunia normally supported little Severus. Severus also managed to sneak in some forbidden treats, like chocolates, past his ever-watchful mother with some help from Petunia. Lily often threatened to tell on them but Petunia and Severus always bullied her into submission.
"Sev, Lily and Petunia's parents can afford to send them to school," Eileen said, softly. Tobias, though, looked pained. Eileen ran a reassuring hand on his back and smiled at Severus.
"But, don't you worry," she said. "I'll teach you much more than those schools. Right, Tobias?"
Tobias smiled back at her.
"Right you are, Leen," he replied, winking at her. "And it'll be fun as well."
"What is it?" Severus asked, his eyes glinting with excitement. "Tell me....tell me!"
Tobias and Eileen, seeing that their son's mini tantrum had finally died down, sighed with relief.
"You'll find that out tomorrow, champ," Tobias said, picking his son up in his arms and swung him over his shoulder. "Now let's go and hit some goals!"
Severus squeled with unguarded happiness. "Let's go, Daddy!"
"Have your breakfast first, both of you!," she called out but they were already out of earshot.
"Boys!" Eileen muttered to herself as she cleared the plates away.
"Good morning, Sev," Eileen greeted the four-year old. Severus merely grunted. Eileen, though, was unperturbed. She took the half nibbled toast from him and started to butter it. Severus, however, snatched it back and chomped on it, furiously.
What's the matter, sweetheart?" Eileen was alarmed at her normally cheerful son's behaviour. Severus didn't reply.
Tobias put down his newspaper and glared at him, angrily.
"Answer your mother, Severus," he said. Severus cowered. His father rarely got angry with him.
"I want to go to school," he finally replied in a small voice. "All the other kids in Spinner's End are going. Why can't I?"
"That's because your mother wants to home-school you, Sev," Tobias replied.
"But why?" Severus persisted. "Even Petunia and Lily are going."
Severus had grown quite close to the two sisters, preferring Petunia to Lily. His conversations with Lily always ended up in a fight and Petunia normally supported little Severus. Severus also managed to sneak in some forbidden treats, like chocolates, past his ever-watchful mother with some help from Petunia. Lily often threatened to tell on them but Petunia and Severus always bullied her into submission.
"Sev, Lily and Petunia's parents can afford to send them to school," Eileen said, softly. Tobias, though, looked pained. Eileen ran a reassuring hand on his back and smiled at Severus.
"But, don't you worry," she said. "I'll teach you much more than those schools. Right, Tobias?"
Tobias smiled back at her.
"Right you are, Leen," he replied, winking at her. "And it'll be fun as well."
"What is it?" Severus asked, his eyes glinting with excitement. "Tell me....tell me!"
Tobias and Eileen, seeing that their son's mini tantrum had finally died down, sighed with relief.
"You'll find that out tomorrow, champ," Tobias said, picking his son up in his arms and swung him over his shoulder. "Now let's go and hit some goals!"
Severus squeled with unguarded happiness. "Let's go, Daddy!"
"Have your breakfast first, both of you!," she called out but they were already out of earshot.
"Boys!" Eileen muttered to herself as she cleared the plates away.
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