Safe as Houses (PG; Severus, Lily. others; 2092 words)
Title: Safe as Houses
Author:
iulia_linnea
Characters: Severus, Tobias, original Crup, Lily, Petunia, Mrs Evans, Mr Evans, Eileen
Rating: PG
Warning (highlight to view): For mentions of abuse and (non-sexual) nonconsensual potions use.
Word Count: 2092
Summary: Severus saves a Crup while trying to save himself.
Disclaimer: This work of fan fiction is based on characters and situations created by J. K. Rowling and owned by J. K. Rowling and various publishers, including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books, Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made from (and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended by) the posting of this fan work.
Author's Note: Written for the 2022 run of snapecase. Thank you, Shog, for beta'ing.
"It's a Chizpurfle."
Tobias looked at his son. "What's it doing at the bottom of my mug?"
Severus snorted. "Yer mug's filthy, that's what, so it's eating."
"But I washed it, boy, and still the damned crabby's in there!"
"Da, don't stick your hand in. They've fangs!"
"Ow! Damn it!" Tobias shook his finger. "I used soap. Why didn't it drown in it?"
"It's prolly been at Mam's cauldron, er, the 'laundry' one."
Now Tobias snorted. "Yeah, all right. Well, I told you we couldn't have that dog, er, that Crup in here, and now we've got Chizits!"
"Chizpurfles," corrected Severus.
"Yeah, those. How do we get rid of 'em?"
Severus bit his lip. "Mam'll be mad."
"As mad as she'd be if she came back home to find Chizwits in her upholstery?"
"Those were Doxies in the curtains, Da. Doxies."
Tobias sighed. "That calming draught, I feel it wearing off, boy. We have to fix this!"
Severus nodded before fetching the phial of calming draught his mother had no idea he could yet brew. Mam had to go out to work, Da was out of work, and there was simply no money for alcohol if they were to eat.
And I'm not dealing with his foul temper. "Here you are, Da," Severus told his father. "Drink up."
"Good lad." Tobias drank. "I'm not going to remember this at all, am I?"
"No," replied Severus. "That's Obliviation. I'm good at that."
"Seems so, boy. Good for you."
Severus took back the phial as Tobias wandered into the lounge.
"See that the Chizpurfles are gone before Eileen returns!"
"Yes, Da!" Severus called, turning his attention to the issue at hand.
Chizpurfles had infested the poor stray Crup they'd found on the way to the chippy. Severus had had to explain to his father that no one had harmed the "dog" by splitting its tail. He'd explained that it was a magical dog, infested with a magical parasite, and Tobias, still mellow from his dose of potion, had insisted that he and Severus bathe the creature.
"Is fourteen the right age for brewing that potion, boy? You allowed to do it?"
"Sure," Severus had replied, feeling proud.
Since he'd been dosing his father, he'd been honest with him about a lot of things. Sober and calm, Tobias had proved an avid listener, and Severus had experienced the brief novelty, while his mother was off working and his father was engaged, of feeling something akin to paternal pride being directed his way. Of course, the Obliviation was required at the end of these days; there was the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy to consider, but more importantly, there was his mother's own magical work: Eileen had made Tobias forget that she was a witch; she would not appreciate knowing that Severus had made his father remember it again.
But I'm a wizard! I want him to know what I can do.
Severus wanted his father to be proud of him almost as much as he wanted him not to drink, not to be sad, not to be angry-if it took a potion and a few spells-sobering his father up and making him a tad confused at times as a distraction against anger were necessary-than so be it.
"I know loads of potions, Da," Severus had told his father, pleased to find a receptive audience over their greasy lunch.
The Crup had enjoyed the chips from Severus'. The money for it had come from Eileen's laundry business.
Severus didn't feel quite right about that, but he'd had to eat. He peered into his father's dirty mug.
"Chizpurfles. Mam won't like you in the house. No she won't, will she, boy?" he asked the Crup, who wagged his tail as Severus rubbed his head.
Severus knew that neither of his parents would let him have a pet, especially not one infested with Chizpurfles, so he got to work.
Scourgify!
His spell was good, yet there in the now clean mug sat a Chizpurfle clicking its fangs at him and brandishing its pincers.
"We need to go to Lily's," he told the Crup. "Her mam'll prolly have some potion to deal with you and the house. Come on."
The Crup obediently followed him.
~*~
"Oh, it's you."
Severus stuck out his tongue at Petunia before she noticed the Crup, and suddenly, Lily was there.
"Oh, Severus! Hi! Who's this?" Lily asked, bursting through the door and kneeling down to give the Crup scritches. "Ow!"
"Sorry, Lils. He has-"
"Chizpurfles! I read about them. I know a spell, too!"
Before Severus could say anything, Lily cast it.
"There, is that better, Bubbles?"
"'Bubbles'?" asked Severus, as what appeared to be greasy, irridescent bubbles indeed bubbled up out of the Crup's coat and popped. "Oh, hey, that's good. That's working!"
"You're welcome," Lily replied, grinning at Bubbles. "You like that, too, don't you, boy?"
"Bubbles is a terrible name for a male Crup."
"Well, he doesn't seem to mind it, does he?" Lily remarked, petting the Crup. "Are they everywhere in your house?"
"You mean, the 'Chizwits'?"
Lily furrowed her brow in confusion.
"Yeah," said Severus, quickly, "and I thought, you know, that your mo-"
"Mum might have one of a gazillion magical cleaners?" Lily finished for him. "She probably does. Every time we go for school supplies, she buys something new. I'll bet one would work for Chizpurfles. Come in-you, too, Bubbles!"
"Who do we have here? Severus and . . . ?"
"This is Bubbles, Daddy. He's going to be staying."
"Oh, really?"
"A magical dog!"
"Hello, dear," Mr Evans said to Mrs Evans, giving her a peck on the cheek. "A magical dog named Bubbles."
From somewhere in the house, Petunia called, "I don't want a magical dog!"
"Settle down, dear," Mrs Evans told her. "Come into the kitchen, Severus."
"Mum," Lily interjected, "Severus needs to clear out an infestation of Chizpurfles at his house."
"Er, before Mam gets home," Severus added. He didn't say anything about Bubbles.
Of course, he'd known that Lily would know what to do about the Crup. Lily took care of everyone.
And at least I'll be able to visit him, he thought, joining Lily and Bubbles at the kitchen table.
Mrs Evans opened her pantry door and began examining magical cleaners. "Now this one's for those moldy things with the eyes, only I use it for slugs in the garden. Works a treat!"
"Bundimuns, Mum."
"Yes, Lily. Those. But we want something for-aha! 'Chizpurfles-Be-Gone: the purple solution to your parasitical intrusion! Also for use on Billywhigs'."
"Those are native to Australia, so it's not very likely you'll ever have to deal with them," Severus informed Mrs Evans.
"Goodness, Australia!" she exclaimed. "I've never thought to travel there. Here you go."
Severus accepted the can of spray from Mrs Evans, who then set about preparing a snack.
Severus and Lily both silently petted the Crup for a bit.
"So," said Severus, just to be certain,"Bubbles can stay?"
"Of course, dear," Mrs Evans said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll just take the rest of these biscuits to Mr Evans and Petunia. Have fun!"
"Your mother's nice."
"Yes," Lily agreed. "Bubbles is nice-and so are you to take care of him. Where did you find him?"
"In the alley behind the chippy. He was crying and scratching."
"Were you with your father?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"And he didn't get mad? That you found Bubbles and wanted to keep him?"
Severus swallowed. He hadn't told Lily about the calming potion or his Obliviation of his da.
"Severus? Have you something to tell me?"
"No."
"Severus?" Lily pressed.
Bubbles whined.
"You won't like it, but-"
"Oh, Severus. What is it? Is your father sick?"
"Why would you think that?"
"Because," explained Lily, "you've been spending a lot of time with him this summer. You don't usually do that. You . . . you don't like your father."
Severus looked away.
"You can tell me anything, you know."
"I don't think so, Lily. Not . . . not everything. Let's just say that, er, well, that Da's calmer now than he used to be."
"Oh, Severus. You're dosing him . . . without his consent? That's-"
"Wrong?" Severus demanded, lowering his voice to a hiss. "Is his smacking me mam around right? Laying hands on me? Mayhap kicking a poor Crup instead of calmly reacting to it like a normal sober decent person? You don't live with him. You don't know."
Lily laid a hand on Severus' arm while petting Bubbles with her other. "No, I don't, but . . . I don't want you to get into trouble, and you could, you know. The Aurors don't like that sort of thing."
It almost hurt him to do so, but Severus shrugged off Lily's hand. "The Aurors can get stuffed. The Aurors care more about laws and rules and procedures than they do about people, about Mam! I talked to the Aurors, Lily. I told them what he was doing, and they didn't care. They didn't help-so I helped! I helped Mam, and I helped myself, and Da. too, if you think about it. Being pissed all the time isn't good for anyone, 'specially when you can't actually afford to drink because it means you won't have enough to eat. And if we'd found Bubbles off his calming draught? He'd've killed him. He's that mean."
Lily's face was red. Tears welled up in her eyes. And Bubbles, Severus noted, had moved to press himself against her legs.
"Sorry, Bubbles, I-"
Grrr!
"Oh, no, Bubbles. Don't be like th-that."
I made her cry, Severus thought, his eyes suddenly stinging. "S-sorry, I'll just go." He grabbed the cleaner. "Need to get rid of the Chiz-bye, Bubbles!"
Lily didn't call him back, but then, Severus hadn't expected her too.
~*~
"This house is entirely too clean."
Severus stared over his plate, his gaze unfixed.
"Well, I didn't clean it. Blame yer son."
His father's tone was almost cheerful, and he was sober.
"Going down the pub?" Eileen asked Tobias.
"No, no, think I'll make it an early night. We'd a busy day, didn't we, boy?"
"That we did, Da."
"Goodnight you two."
His mother waited until the bed creaked abovestairs before speaking.
"Severus, tell me what you have been doing."
He swallowed and didn't make eye contact. His mother always seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.
"I'm not going to ask you again. Speak please."
"You . . . you know what I've been doing, Mam. And . . . I know you don't mind it."
The ghost of a smirk passed over Eileen's face. "It has been easier, true, but . . . ."
But you might try being a witch sometime! Severus thought angrily, and this time, he turned his full gaze upon his mam.
Her eyes flashed with something that Severus didn't understand, but he didn't care.
"Most of this is your fault," he spat, rising from the table.
The nails of his mother's hand seemed to bite into his wrist, then, stopping him.
"You won't believe me, Severus, but I am proud of you, in my way."
"In. Your. Way." His words were cold and dripped with disdain, and they confused him. Don't I love you? he silently asked.
Eileen released him. "Not all the time, and that's all right. I don't deserve your love all the time-but you have mine, son, such as it is."
"Goodnight."
It was all Severus could say before fleeing to his own bed. He didn't understand what was happening, or why he felt the way he did.
She works all the time. She . . . she does her best for us.
Even as Severus thought these things, he knew: it wasn't enough.
Mam's best isn't near enough, never has been. She could have, she should have left him.
For whatever reason, even knowing how awful Tobias was to his own son, in spite of how he treated her, his mother had stayed.
"I don't forgive you for staying, Mam. I don't. I never will."
Speaking those words aloud was, oddly, helpful. The decisiveness of them, the finality, made Severus feel as if he'd accomplished something.
"I saved Bubbles today. He's safe as houses, now. That was good. And Da didn't drink or . . . or hit me. That was all good, too."
Severus just wished, as he tossed and turned in an effort to be comfortable, that he hadn't had to use magic to achieve their safety.
I'm going to get out of here, one day-I'm not staying!-and when I do, I am never coming back!
Author:
iulia_linnea
Characters: Severus, Tobias, original Crup, Lily, Petunia, Mrs Evans, Mr Evans, Eileen
Rating: PG
Warning (highlight to view): For mentions of abuse and (non-sexual) nonconsensual potions use.
Word Count: 2092
Summary: Severus saves a Crup while trying to save himself.
Disclaimer: This work of fan fiction is based on characters and situations created by J. K. Rowling and owned by J. K. Rowling and various publishers, including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books, Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made from (and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended by) the posting of this fan work.
Author's Note: Written for the 2022 run of snapecase. Thank you, Shog, for beta'ing.
"It's a Chizpurfle."
Tobias looked at his son. "What's it doing at the bottom of my mug?"
Severus snorted. "Yer mug's filthy, that's what, so it's eating."
"But I washed it, boy, and still the damned crabby's in there!"
"Da, don't stick your hand in. They've fangs!"
"Ow! Damn it!" Tobias shook his finger. "I used soap. Why didn't it drown in it?"
"It's prolly been at Mam's cauldron, er, the 'laundry' one."
Now Tobias snorted. "Yeah, all right. Well, I told you we couldn't have that dog, er, that Crup in here, and now we've got Chizits!"
"Chizpurfles," corrected Severus.
"Yeah, those. How do we get rid of 'em?"
Severus bit his lip. "Mam'll be mad."
"As mad as she'd be if she came back home to find Chizwits in her upholstery?"
"Those were Doxies in the curtains, Da. Doxies."
Tobias sighed. "That calming draught, I feel it wearing off, boy. We have to fix this!"
Severus nodded before fetching the phial of calming draught his mother had no idea he could yet brew. Mam had to go out to work, Da was out of work, and there was simply no money for alcohol if they were to eat.
And I'm not dealing with his foul temper. "Here you are, Da," Severus told his father. "Drink up."
"Good lad." Tobias drank. "I'm not going to remember this at all, am I?"
"No," replied Severus. "That's Obliviation. I'm good at that."
"Seems so, boy. Good for you."
Severus took back the phial as Tobias wandered into the lounge.
"See that the Chizpurfles are gone before Eileen returns!"
"Yes, Da!" Severus called, turning his attention to the issue at hand.
Chizpurfles had infested the poor stray Crup they'd found on the way to the chippy. Severus had had to explain to his father that no one had harmed the "dog" by splitting its tail. He'd explained that it was a magical dog, infested with a magical parasite, and Tobias, still mellow from his dose of potion, had insisted that he and Severus bathe the creature.
"Is fourteen the right age for brewing that potion, boy? You allowed to do it?"
"Sure," Severus had replied, feeling proud.
Since he'd been dosing his father, he'd been honest with him about a lot of things. Sober and calm, Tobias had proved an avid listener, and Severus had experienced the brief novelty, while his mother was off working and his father was engaged, of feeling something akin to paternal pride being directed his way. Of course, the Obliviation was required at the end of these days; there was the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy to consider, but more importantly, there was his mother's own magical work: Eileen had made Tobias forget that she was a witch; she would not appreciate knowing that Severus had made his father remember it again.
But I'm a wizard! I want him to know what I can do.
Severus wanted his father to be proud of him almost as much as he wanted him not to drink, not to be sad, not to be angry-if it took a potion and a few spells-sobering his father up and making him a tad confused at times as a distraction against anger were necessary-than so be it.
"I know loads of potions, Da," Severus had told his father, pleased to find a receptive audience over their greasy lunch.
The Crup had enjoyed the chips from Severus'. The money for it had come from Eileen's laundry business.
Severus didn't feel quite right about that, but he'd had to eat. He peered into his father's dirty mug.
"Chizpurfles. Mam won't like you in the house. No she won't, will she, boy?" he asked the Crup, who wagged his tail as Severus rubbed his head.
Severus knew that neither of his parents would let him have a pet, especially not one infested with Chizpurfles, so he got to work.
Scourgify!
His spell was good, yet there in the now clean mug sat a Chizpurfle clicking its fangs at him and brandishing its pincers.
"We need to go to Lily's," he told the Crup. "Her mam'll prolly have some potion to deal with you and the house. Come on."
The Crup obediently followed him.
~*~
"Oh, it's you."
Severus stuck out his tongue at Petunia before she noticed the Crup, and suddenly, Lily was there.
"Oh, Severus! Hi! Who's this?" Lily asked, bursting through the door and kneeling down to give the Crup scritches. "Ow!"
"Sorry, Lils. He has-"
"Chizpurfles! I read about them. I know a spell, too!"
Before Severus could say anything, Lily cast it.
"There, is that better, Bubbles?"
"'Bubbles'?" asked Severus, as what appeared to be greasy, irridescent bubbles indeed bubbled up out of the Crup's coat and popped. "Oh, hey, that's good. That's working!"
"You're welcome," Lily replied, grinning at Bubbles. "You like that, too, don't you, boy?"
"Bubbles is a terrible name for a male Crup."
"Well, he doesn't seem to mind it, does he?" Lily remarked, petting the Crup. "Are they everywhere in your house?"
"You mean, the 'Chizwits'?"
Lily furrowed her brow in confusion.
"Yeah," said Severus, quickly, "and I thought, you know, that your mo-"
"Mum might have one of a gazillion magical cleaners?" Lily finished for him. "She probably does. Every time we go for school supplies, she buys something new. I'll bet one would work for Chizpurfles. Come in-you, too, Bubbles!"
"Who do we have here? Severus and . . . ?"
"This is Bubbles, Daddy. He's going to be staying."
"Oh, really?"
"A magical dog!"
"Hello, dear," Mr Evans said to Mrs Evans, giving her a peck on the cheek. "A magical dog named Bubbles."
From somewhere in the house, Petunia called, "I don't want a magical dog!"
"Settle down, dear," Mrs Evans told her. "Come into the kitchen, Severus."
"Mum," Lily interjected, "Severus needs to clear out an infestation of Chizpurfles at his house."
"Er, before Mam gets home," Severus added. He didn't say anything about Bubbles.
Of course, he'd known that Lily would know what to do about the Crup. Lily took care of everyone.
And at least I'll be able to visit him, he thought, joining Lily and Bubbles at the kitchen table.
Mrs Evans opened her pantry door and began examining magical cleaners. "Now this one's for those moldy things with the eyes, only I use it for slugs in the garden. Works a treat!"
"Bundimuns, Mum."
"Yes, Lily. Those. But we want something for-aha! 'Chizpurfles-Be-Gone: the purple solution to your parasitical intrusion! Also for use on Billywhigs'."
"Those are native to Australia, so it's not very likely you'll ever have to deal with them," Severus informed Mrs Evans.
"Goodness, Australia!" she exclaimed. "I've never thought to travel there. Here you go."
Severus accepted the can of spray from Mrs Evans, who then set about preparing a snack.
Severus and Lily both silently petted the Crup for a bit.
"So," said Severus, just to be certain,"Bubbles can stay?"
"Of course, dear," Mrs Evans said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll just take the rest of these biscuits to Mr Evans and Petunia. Have fun!"
"Your mother's nice."
"Yes," Lily agreed. "Bubbles is nice-and so are you to take care of him. Where did you find him?"
"In the alley behind the chippy. He was crying and scratching."
"Were you with your father?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"And he didn't get mad? That you found Bubbles and wanted to keep him?"
Severus swallowed. He hadn't told Lily about the calming potion or his Obliviation of his da.
"Severus? Have you something to tell me?"
"No."
"Severus?" Lily pressed.
Bubbles whined.
"You won't like it, but-"
"Oh, Severus. What is it? Is your father sick?"
"Why would you think that?"
"Because," explained Lily, "you've been spending a lot of time with him this summer. You don't usually do that. You . . . you don't like your father."
Severus looked away.
"You can tell me anything, you know."
"I don't think so, Lily. Not . . . not everything. Let's just say that, er, well, that Da's calmer now than he used to be."
"Oh, Severus. You're dosing him . . . without his consent? That's-"
"Wrong?" Severus demanded, lowering his voice to a hiss. "Is his smacking me mam around right? Laying hands on me? Mayhap kicking a poor Crup instead of calmly reacting to it like a normal sober decent person? You don't live with him. You don't know."
Lily laid a hand on Severus' arm while petting Bubbles with her other. "No, I don't, but . . . I don't want you to get into trouble, and you could, you know. The Aurors don't like that sort of thing."
It almost hurt him to do so, but Severus shrugged off Lily's hand. "The Aurors can get stuffed. The Aurors care more about laws and rules and procedures than they do about people, about Mam! I talked to the Aurors, Lily. I told them what he was doing, and they didn't care. They didn't help-so I helped! I helped Mam, and I helped myself, and Da. too, if you think about it. Being pissed all the time isn't good for anyone, 'specially when you can't actually afford to drink because it means you won't have enough to eat. And if we'd found Bubbles off his calming draught? He'd've killed him. He's that mean."
Lily's face was red. Tears welled up in her eyes. And Bubbles, Severus noted, had moved to press himself against her legs.
"Sorry, Bubbles, I-"
Grrr!
"Oh, no, Bubbles. Don't be like th-that."
I made her cry, Severus thought, his eyes suddenly stinging. "S-sorry, I'll just go." He grabbed the cleaner. "Need to get rid of the Chiz-bye, Bubbles!"
Lily didn't call him back, but then, Severus hadn't expected her too.
~*~
"This house is entirely too clean."
Severus stared over his plate, his gaze unfixed.
"Well, I didn't clean it. Blame yer son."
His father's tone was almost cheerful, and he was sober.
"Going down the pub?" Eileen asked Tobias.
"No, no, think I'll make it an early night. We'd a busy day, didn't we, boy?"
"That we did, Da."
"Goodnight you two."
His mother waited until the bed creaked abovestairs before speaking.
"Severus, tell me what you have been doing."
He swallowed and didn't make eye contact. His mother always seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.
"I'm not going to ask you again. Speak please."
"You . . . you know what I've been doing, Mam. And . . . I know you don't mind it."
The ghost of a smirk passed over Eileen's face. "It has been easier, true, but . . . ."
But you might try being a witch sometime! Severus thought angrily, and this time, he turned his full gaze upon his mam.
Her eyes flashed with something that Severus didn't understand, but he didn't care.
"Most of this is your fault," he spat, rising from the table.
The nails of his mother's hand seemed to bite into his wrist, then, stopping him.
"You won't believe me, Severus, but I am proud of you, in my way."
"In. Your. Way." His words were cold and dripped with disdain, and they confused him. Don't I love you? he silently asked.
Eileen released him. "Not all the time, and that's all right. I don't deserve your love all the time-but you have mine, son, such as it is."
"Goodnight."
It was all Severus could say before fleeing to his own bed. He didn't understand what was happening, or why he felt the way he did.
She works all the time. She . . . she does her best for us.
Even as Severus thought these things, he knew: it wasn't enough.
Mam's best isn't near enough, never has been. She could have, she should have left him.
For whatever reason, even knowing how awful Tobias was to his own son, in spite of how he treated her, his mother had stayed.
"I don't forgive you for staying, Mam. I don't. I never will."
Speaking those words aloud was, oddly, helpful. The decisiveness of them, the finality, made Severus feel as if he'd accomplished something.
"I saved Bubbles today. He's safe as houses, now. That was good. And Da didn't drink or . . . or hit me. That was all good, too."
Severus just wished, as he tossed and turned in an effort to be comfortable, that he hadn't had to use magic to achieve their safety.
I'm going to get out of here, one day-I'm not staying!-and when I do, I am never coming back!