#the snapes
We only get a few hints dropped about Tobias and Eileen throughout the series through Snape’s mind and memories, a little snippet in the Occlumency chapter and then a little more in the Prince’s Tale. We see baby Snape crying in distress while Tobias is shouting, and we hear his characterization of his father as not liking much of anything.
Generally, it’s accepted by fans that Snape’s childhood was punctuated by poverty and parental neglect at best, downright abuse at worst. In many portrayals, Eileen is soft and caring but dominated by an overwhelmingly abusive, alcoholic Tobias. Personally I see them a little differently; the version that I prefer (through no canon support, mind, these are just my ideas) has Eileen paralleled with Voldemort’s mother, a witch who loved a muggle enough to pretend to be one. But things went awry after their hasty marriage when Eileen was scrambling for ways to excuse her family suddenly disowning her, and Tobias revealed a large drinking problem.
Then, out of the blue, there was a baby. A witch can hide her magic, but a baby cannot. A baby does accidental magic. A baby sets the curtains on fire and floats through the air and makes things fly around the room. I’m entirely certain that a magical baby would be a normal baby except worse.
Tobias had to know ~before~ baby Sev did something strange that his son was not going to be normal. And that was the first straw in the falling apart of their relationship. Tobias was a catholic, and he didn’t believe in witchcraft. It was a sin against god, when ordinarily he followed none of those rules. So he made it his quest to purge his son of the strangeness. Eileen was compliant.
We know that Snape knew about being magical, perhaps extensively, when he met Lily at the age of nine, but we don’t know at what point his mother told him that he was different. I doubt that Tobias wanted him to know; perhaps it was something she dropped to him on his birthday as an extra treat, when Tobias stole what she had saved up to buy him a gift. Or, since the Snapes were likely too poor to afford a television, young Snape took up reading instead and happened across some old school books like Advanced Potions Making.
But Eileen, being a pureblood witch, doesn’t strike me as the sort to be entirely present in parenting. Perhaps because I expect purebloods to treat their children the way royalty used to, hundred of years ago–passing the raising of the children down to the servants and maids. Eileen doesn’t have servants, but if she was raised a pureblood, it’s likely that she lets Severus run amok and keep himself out of trouble, not for lack of loving him, but because she has too much on her plate otherwise; trying to sate Tobias isn’t easy.
So that leaves Severus alone again. The beginning, middle, and end he spends alone.
I do have many headcanons about Snape’s parents, but each is more depressing than the last. It simply isn’t a situation that readers can (or are supposed to) make something positive out of.
Snape and his mam.
A few days late, but this is day 16 of snapetober. The prompt is I’ve got you.
Tip the artist, pretty please?|Commissions are open!
Post link
Snape siblings + their SOs (Artbreeder)
Soren Snape**Audrey Blake
Eloise Snape**Aida Gnattali
Post link
I just realized all the Snape family shitposts I publish here are sort of my very own personal sitcom XD
Severus: So when is it?
Eloise: When is what?
Severus: This year’s Pride. You’re going to the Edinburgh one, no?
Eloise: Yeah, but why you’re asking?
Severus: I’m going, obviously.
Eloise: Really? *trying to control the urge to go ‘aaaaw’* You don’t have to, I mean mam and Soren are going , and you hate crowds and noise…
Severus: So? Is not like I’m contractually obligated to stand right in the middle of crowd wearing a neon pink “I love my lesbian daughter” t-shirt. Unless you absolutely want me to. *shrugs*
Soren: If you want I can get you a rainbow “My son looks fabulous in heels” t-shirt.
Severus:…
Eloise:…
Soren: What, you don’t have to be gay to look fabulous in heels.*shrugs*
Severus: *rethinking life choices*
Soren: *looking at a quiet Severus* …we could just get YOU heels and that would make this all a lot more straightforward.
Severus: *gets up and walks away*
Soren: We could match! Don’t be run from your feelings!
Soren: “You can run all you want, but I know your shoe size and I’m not afraid to use that knowledge!”
ALSO@artisticreptilequeen :
Cast your vote on how you think Snape should dress for his and his Eloise’s first Pride!
Severus: So when is it?
Eloise: When is what?
Severus: This year’s Pride. You’re going to the Edinburgh one, no?
Eloise: Yeah, but why you’re asking?
Severus: I’m going, obviously.
Eloise: Really? *trying to control the urge to go ‘aaaaw’* You don’t have to, I mean mam and Soren are going , and you hate crowds and noise…
Severus: So? Is not like I’m contractually obligated to stand right in the middle of crowd wearing a neon pink “I love my lesbian daughter” t-shirt. Unless you absolutely want me to. *shrugs*
Soren: If you want I can get you a rainbow “My son looks fabulous in heels” t-shirt.
Severus:…
Eloise:…
Soren: What, you don’t have to be gay to look fabulous in heels.*shrugs*
Severus: *rethinking life choices*
Soren: *looking at a quiet Severus* …we could just get YOU heels and that would make this all a lot more straightforward.
Severus: *gets up and walks away*
Soren: We could match! Don’t be run from your feelings!
Soren: “You can run all you want, but I know your shoe size and I’m not afraid to use that knowledge!”
May just started, and you know what May is, right? It’s Eloise month!
I should start a “This is too good to be hidden in the notes” series, because ya’ll have been leaving absolute gold in some of my Eloise posts! @pixiesandstarlight
