L is for Legacy
This one's for Starstruck1986!
Title: L is for Legacy
Rating: G
Word Count: 497
Pairing: None/Gen
L is for Legacy
Legacy
The tiny house-elf opened the ornate front door hurriedly at the sound of frantic knocking. Her expression was half-terrified, half hopeful as she spied the figures on the front porch. She began wringing her hands wildly. "Begging your pardon, Miss Eileen, but Didi is not allowed to admit you."
Eileen Snape gazed at the elf and bit back a word of retort, a skill at which she had become remarkably proficient under the heavy hand of Tobias Snape. She glanced over at the solemn, quiet figure of her son who was standing utterly still as he clung to her hand. (He too had learned well how to survive life with Tobias.) For you, Severus, she promised him silently. I will do this for you.
"You were told not to admit me, were you given any such orders regarding my son?"
"No, ma'am," Didi replied, a hint of a smile on her face.
"Very well then, could you tell Madame Prince that her grandson is here to see her?"
Didi nodded and Disapparated. A few moments later the door opened again. A tall well-dressed woman opened the door. She stared for a moment, clasping her hand over her mouth.
Eileen wanted to tear up, to throw herself into her mother’s arms or prostrate herself at her feet. Instead she held up her head and met her mother’s eyes. We may be just merchants, not invited to socialize with the likes of the Blacks and Malfoys, she thought to herself, but our blood has been pure for centuries. We are as much wizards as they are - at least until now. By giving up the last of her pride and going back to the house from which she had been shunned upon her elopement with her Muggle lover she had found her dignity. “Mother, this is your grandson, Severus Tobias Snape.” She turned to the boy. “Say hello to your grandmother, Severus.”
“Hello, Grandmother,” the five-year-old said in a low voice.
“Mother, please help him. He’s starting to use magic, just a little. I’m afraid that when Tobias finds out he’ll…hurt him.”
“Does he hurt you, darling?” Miranda asked quietly.
Eileen took a deep breath. Could she tell her deepest shame, her darkest secret? Isn’t that why you came here? her inner voice answered reasonably. “Sometimes…when he’s drinking…”
A heavy foot sounded in the hallway. “Miranda, Didi told me that…” Samuel Prince’s eyes grew completely flat as he stared at his daughter. “Come inside, Miranda. There’s no one out here.”
“Samuel, this is your grandson,” Miranda said gently.
“I have no daughter therefore I have no grandson,” he replied.
“You can shun me if you wish, but please help him, keep him safe; please Papa,” Eileen begged.
Samuel turned toward the door.
In desperation Eileen tried one last time. "Papa, please, he is your legacy! He is your blood, Prince blood!"
"There is no such thing as a half-blood Prince," Samuel's words rang out as he slammed the door.
Title: L is for Legacy
Rating: G
Word Count: 497
Pairing: None/Gen
L is for Legacy
Legacy
The tiny house-elf opened the ornate front door hurriedly at the sound of frantic knocking. Her expression was half-terrified, half hopeful as she spied the figures on the front porch. She began wringing her hands wildly. "Begging your pardon, Miss Eileen, but Didi is not allowed to admit you."
Eileen Snape gazed at the elf and bit back a word of retort, a skill at which she had become remarkably proficient under the heavy hand of Tobias Snape. She glanced over at the solemn, quiet figure of her son who was standing utterly still as he clung to her hand. (He too had learned well how to survive life with Tobias.) For you, Severus, she promised him silently. I will do this for you.
"You were told not to admit me, were you given any such orders regarding my son?"
"No, ma'am," Didi replied, a hint of a smile on her face.
"Very well then, could you tell Madame Prince that her grandson is here to see her?"
Didi nodded and Disapparated. A few moments later the door opened again. A tall well-dressed woman opened the door. She stared for a moment, clasping her hand over her mouth.
Eileen wanted to tear up, to throw herself into her mother’s arms or prostrate herself at her feet. Instead she held up her head and met her mother’s eyes. We may be just merchants, not invited to socialize with the likes of the Blacks and Malfoys, she thought to herself, but our blood has been pure for centuries. We are as much wizards as they are - at least until now. By giving up the last of her pride and going back to the house from which she had been shunned upon her elopement with her Muggle lover she had found her dignity. “Mother, this is your grandson, Severus Tobias Snape.” She turned to the boy. “Say hello to your grandmother, Severus.”
“Hello, Grandmother,” the five-year-old said in a low voice.
“Mother, please help him. He’s starting to use magic, just a little. I’m afraid that when Tobias finds out he’ll…hurt him.”
“Does he hurt you, darling?” Miranda asked quietly.
Eileen took a deep breath. Could she tell her deepest shame, her darkest secret? Isn’t that why you came here? her inner voice answered reasonably. “Sometimes…when he’s drinking…”
A heavy foot sounded in the hallway. “Miranda, Didi told me that…” Samuel Prince’s eyes grew completely flat as he stared at his daughter. “Come inside, Miranda. There’s no one out here.”
“Samuel, this is your grandson,” Miranda said gently.
“I have no daughter therefore I have no grandson,” he replied.
“You can shun me if you wish, but please help him, keep him safe; please Papa,” Eileen begged.
Samuel turned toward the door.
In desperation Eileen tried one last time. "Papa, please, he is your legacy! He is your blood, Prince blood!"
"There is no such thing as a half-blood Prince," Samuel's words rang out as he slammed the door.