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Muffled giggles filled the Snape family’s small kitchen. Their house was small and old but comfortable for the three living in it. The old wooden floor looked dusty even after a deep clean, the wallpaper was covered in crayon marks and was lifting off the walls in some places.
Yet, that didn’t bother the family of three. The house was theirs and they treasured it. Their happy little home.
“Momma, the strawberries!” Severus Snape, a bright six-year-old boy with deep black eyes and ink-like hair, stood next to his beloved mother. His small figure standing on one of their old chairs, his second-hand clothes hand on his little frame, bandaids and bruises scattered on his tiny legs from his adventures in the park and forest at the edge of town.
His tiny finger was pointing toward a small porcelain bowl that held some fresh strawberries, his father’s favorite, they had been washed and cut, ready for use. “Here you go, darling…” Eileen Snape, his mother, passed along the bowl. Her apron and hands were covered in flour.
“Got to put on the frosting first, Momma!” Severus said excitedly. His mother nodded, a smile playing on her lips as she took the bowl of homemade vanilla frosting.
She leaned in, her voice low and eyes wide, “Why don’t we do a little taste test?”
Severus giggled and nodded, with one quick movement, both Eileen and Severus dipped the index finger into the bowl and tasted the frosting.
“Yummy!” The young boy smiled and he laughed once more.
“We have to put it on the cake! Pa’ will get home soon!” And with that, they got to work. With two spatulas they spread the white frosting all over the cakes. Every inch was covered with the sweet cream.
“Strawberry time!” Severus giggled as they set their spatulas down, his tiny hands grabbed a handful of the cut-up fruit and began placing them randomly on the cake. As he placed them he snuck some pieces into his mouth, the sweetest of the fruit had Severus smiling and laughing with his momma.
“Now, all we need is the candles,” Eileen said as she, too, sneaked a piece into her mouth. Severus perked up at the mention of candles, “I’ll get them, Momma!”
He hopped off the old chair and made his way to one of their drawers, his tiny hands grabbed a hold of the handle and pulled it open. His eyes searched for a second before they landed on a small opened pack of colorful candles.
“Got them!” Severus said enthusiastically as he made his way to the chair next to his mother.
With slow movements, the two placed three short candles in the middle of the cake. “We’re done!” Severus and Eileen jumped in excitement.
“Now, we have to wait for your father to get back from work!”
———
The door to the small home of the Snape’s opened with a small creaking sound. The house was quiet and dark. As Tobias Snape stepped in he took notice of the stillness of his home.
“Darling?” He called out, but there was no response.
“Sev?” Once again there was nothing.
He stepped in, his work boots dragging in mud from outside. It had been raining that whole week and the walk home wasn’t getting easier.
Closing the door behind him, he moved the small bouquet of Heliotropes to his other arm. With quick movements, he took off his boots and pulled off his wet jacket.
“Eileen?” Tobias called out once more, only for his ears to catch the faintest giggle coming from their kitchen. He smiled and walked towards the noise.
“Happy Anniversary!”
Tobias smiled at the view, his beautiful wife and adorable son were standing next to each other. Holding a cake and grinning ear to ear. Their faces and clothes were covered in flour and frosting. His boy was smiling brightly, his grin wide, with a small gap where his tooth had been.
“Anniversary? I must have gotten the date wrong?” Tobias sighed, placing his hands on his hips in an exaggerated way.
“Oh? Then no cake for you, Sir. Little Severus here will be happy to enjoy the whole cake by himself!” Eileen answered and leaned over to place the cake in front of Severus. “Blow out the candles would you?”
“Now, hold on ma’am! That cake is mine!” Tobias walked forward and plucked the cake away from his wife’s hands. “He’s taking your whole cake, Severus! You know what time it is then?”
Severus giggled and walked to his dad, who watched him curiously. Severus, with both his hands behind his back, motioned his father to lean forward.
And just as Tobias did, a kid-sized handful of frosting was covering his face.
“Hey!” Tobias, in his momentary surprise, didn’t notice the absence of cake in his hands. “Well, since my face was covered in frosting, no one will be getting these beautiful flowers. Such a shame.”
“Momma! Pa’ got you flowers!”
“Did he? That changes everything,” Eileen smiled, walking up to her husband.
“Oh no, no cake for me, no flowers for you, Missy.”
There was a pause in the air before the small family of three broke into giggles.
The two adults shared a sweet kiss and Tobias moved his face around to get some frosting onto his wife’s face.
“Ew, no kissing in front of me!” Severus said as he covered his eyes with his, now clean, hands.
The two pulled away and looked down at their son.
Tobias smirked, “Darling, do you have any extra frosting?”
Eileen smiled and took both bouquet and cake to the kitchen counter and grabbed a bowl with the extra frosting.
Severus' smile faltered as he connected the dots. Without a second thought… he bolted.
From outside the laughing of the Snape Family was heard by many.
———
Severus Snape, now twenty-five, was sitting inside his childhood home. A small frosted cake with sweet strawberries sat on the small wooden table. The chair he used to stand on as a kid was now holding his already grown figure.
Next to the cake was a small bouquet. A bouquet of Heliotropes. On the other side was an old picture frame. An old and blurry picture of the Snape Family was behind the glass, a much younger Snape was in the arms of his Pa’ while they smiled at their old camera. His momma had taken the picture, her face was covered in frosting just like her husband and kid. They were happy, but now Severus sat alone.
“Happy Anniversary Momma…”
“Happy Anniversary Pa’…”
With a slow movement, Severus reached towards the cake, scooped up some vanilla frosting onto his finger and smeared it on his face.
“I miss you both…”