Golden Age by black_blade

Chapter 29: Chapter Twenty-nine

Severus looked up from his plate when a hush fell over the Hall then he stared. His mother stood in the doorway of the Great Hall. Her face was pale but her eyes blazed with rage as she stormed towards the Head Table. Severus quickly stood from the Slytherin table as his mother headed straight for Harry. The Defence teacher looked up then quickly stood from his seat with a look of concern.

"Mrs Snape-"

SLAP!

Harry reeled back from the slap that Eileen delivered to his cheek. The Hall fell silent.

"How dare you!" Eileen snapped and Severus stumbled on his steps near the Gryffindor table.

Eileen then burst into tears and crashed into Harry and he wrapped his arms around her. Harry glanced around with wide eyes in bewilderment as he patted the crying woman's back.

"Looks like you have competition, Snape." Sirius Black hissed from beside him and Severus started.

"That's my mother," Severus said dumbly and James clapped a hand to his shoulder.

"She packs a punch," James laughed. "I'm not sure that you want to go up there."

Severus nodded slightly as Albus Dumbledore came down the Head Table and rested a hand on his mother's back as she cried into Harry's shoulder. He didn't know what was going on but by the red mark already coming up on Harry's cheek. He didn't want to face his mother's rage. His father was bad enough then Severus's thoughts stalled.

"Oh, no." Severus gasped and quickly sat down, without realising it was at the Gryffindor table. "No."

"Snape?" Remus prompted.

"She would only come here for one reason," Severus whispered as he felt faint and yet something else deep down that he couldn't put his finger on. "He must have..."

"Severus Snape," Dumbledore called out. "Please follow me."

Severus looked up and locked eyes with Harry and could see the concern and pain there and he knew that his thought were correct. Something had happened to his father. Severus pulled himself to his feet and Remus grabbed his arm to help him then Narcissa was beside him. The woman slung an arm around his shoulders and glared at the Gryffindors around them. They shrunk back from the woman except Black whom just gave his cousin a smirk.

"Come on, Severus." Narcissa said gently and gilded him towards the Head Table. "Best to face this."

"He has to be..." Severus trailed off but Narcissa understood.

His mother pushed away from Harry when she saw him then grabbed him up in a tight hug. Severus could do nothing else but return the embrace. His mother felt small and fragile in his arms as he held her tight and could feel the emotions in him bubbling up.

"We'll take this to my office," Dumbledore announced. "Everyone, please follow me."

They made a sober group in the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore had conjured a lounge, that Severus, Narcissa and Eileen sat on, and two armchairs for Harry and the Headmaster. Narcissa clutched Severus's hand and he was thankful for the support but his eyes strayed to Harry. The man had closed himself off and not even Severus could guess his thoughts.

"Mrs Snape," Dumbledore announced once he had tea and coffee set up on the coffee table before them while the fire crackled merrily. "Could you kindly explain what has happened?"

Eileen glared over at Harry but the man didn't react even if Severus could still see the red mark on his cheek.

"My husband took the car out for a drive," Eileen explained as she placed her hand on Severus's leg and he covered it with his own. "Three hours later, the police arrived at my door...Tobias had driven his car off the road. He didn't survive."