The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 3- Confiscated

Once she was introduced to Lily, Sabrina loved spending time with her new friend. But Severus didn't always want her around, as he often wanted to have Lily all to himself.
When Severus's 11th birthday finally arrived, his Hogwarts letter came, which suprised no one, as he had been doing magic for years.
Seeing her brother get his letter made Sabrina very jealous.
But the one positive thing about Severus going to Hogwarts, was that they all got to go Diagon Alley.
Sabrina had only been there a few times before, but each of her visits had been extremely enjoyable.

To both Sabrina and Severus's surprise, their mother decided to buy Severus brand new school robes, instead of second hand ones.
However, he was only allowed to pick a pet that wouldn't cost too much, so he choice a bat instead of an owl.
The minute Severus was given his own wand, Sabrina saw a light begin to glow in his eyes, and he couldn't put the wand down for the rest of the journey home.

Since magical items were not allowed in the house, all of Severus's school equipment had been placed in the shed.
"It's really cool isn't it" grinned Severus as he waved his wand around enthusiastically.
"I guess so" mumbled Sabrina.
"Don't look so sour. You'll get your own wand soon enough" replied Severus.
"I've still got another whole year to wait"
"I'm sure the time will fly by"
"I hope so. Because I can't wait to get to Hogwarts and start learning real magic".

Severus lowered his wand and wrapped it neatly up inside its box.
"I'm not sure which subject I'm looking forward to most" he admitted.
"Potions?" Guessed Sabrina.
"Maybe. I am looking forward to showing off in Potions. But I'm also looking forward to learning an area of magic that I know nothing about"
"I just wish I could go with you"
"If we were twins we would never get to experience things on our own, or have our own lives at Hogwarts. It's good that there's a year between us"
"Maybe for you".

"Look, I'll come back for each of the holidays in my first year, so that you aren't alone for so long. But you'll have to learn to look after yourself while I'm gone. I'm not always going to be around to protect you" announced Severus.
"I know, you don't have to remind me" muttered Sabrina.
"I need you to promise me that you won't antagonize him, and make things worse for yourself when I'm at Hogwarts"
"I can't promise that, because what if he does something really bad and I have to fight back"
"Just don't do anything that will make him mad"
"I don't wind him up on purpose, but he snaps at every little thing any of us say. It was a battle trying to get out of the house to go to Diagon Alley earlier, because he didn't want us to go"
"I know".

"Sometimes I wonder how different our lives would be if mother left him" admitted Sabrina.
"There's no point in getting your hopes up, because she is too weak to ever leave him" replied Severus.
"I know. But it's nice to dream"
"Thinking things like that will only make you feel bad, since they can't ever happen. We are both stuck in this house until we turn 17 and can leave"
"Since you turn 17 before me, do you think you will be able to take me with you when you go"
"I'm not sure the Ministry will want you to leave with me, while you're still underage".

"But at least promise me that when you go to Hogwarts, you won't completely forget about me" begged Sabrina.
"I could never forget about you Rina. And I'm going to be worrying about you every day that I'm away" admitted Severus.
"I'm going to be worrying about you too. Hogwarts is a big place where a lot of things can go wrong"
"Don't worry about me. I'm going to be the best student in my year, so I'm going to thrive at Hogwarts"
"I wish I had your brains".

Severus was stopped from replying when the shed door was suddenly yanked open.
The siblings jumped to their feet when they saw their father standing in the doorway with their mother hovering behind him.
"Out!" He ordered.
Not wanting to disobey him, the pair dashed out of the shed as quickly as possible.
Once out, Tobias slammed the door shut and began locking it with an old key he removed from his belt.
"This door stays locked until you go to school!" Announced Tobias.
"You can't do that" replied Severus nervously.

"Be reasonable dear, Severus needs to be able to read his school books before he starts in September" Eileen said quietly.
"Shut your mouth woman" snapped Tobias.
Sabrina flinched at her father's tone, and moved slightly behind Severus, so that he could protect her.
"Mother's right. I need to study my books for school" insisted Severus.
"You haven't started yet. So I see no reason why should need to read any of those books" admitted Tobias.
"The school expects him to have read them by the time he starts" revealed Eileen.

Tobias moved forward and grabbed hold of Eileen's hair, shaking her forcefully, "I am the man of this house, and what I say goes! And I say that this shed stays locked until September. Do I make myself clear?".
Eileen nodded, and Tobias let go of her, satisfied with her response.
He then turned on the children, and Severus pushed Sabrina back behind him, as far as he could.

"I don't want you sneaking out here anymore. And I don't want you going inside this shed, without my permission" informed Tobias.
Severus glared back at Tobias, but said nothing, as he didn't want to do anything that would get him and Sabrina punished.
Tobias smiled cruelly, "Good. Now, get inside the house, and go straight to your room. I don't want to hear a word out of either you, until dinner".