Pyre Ⅳ

In a heavy silence, Rowan and Severus depart from the study and walk through the beautifully decorated festive manor. The festive sights and scents are suddenly dull to them. As if the brightly colored moving painting that had transformed into a black and white still portrait.

Before they even knew it, Rowan and Severus had arrived in the family parlor room. In a corner of the room stands a Christmas Tree that had been decorated by them just yesterday. Their gazes fall onto the two presents currently under the tree. They had all agreed to put the present for each other under the tree at eleven o'clock that night to be opened the next morning on Christmas Day.

The two of them stood in the doorway for a good while. Rowan wasn't sure who moved first, but they moved together towards the tree. They sat down on the floor and stared at the simply wrapped presents. The presents were wrapped in silver wrapping paper and tied shut with a sky-blue ribbon, the Prince family colors.

They sit there in silence each lost in thought long enough that their joints grow stiff. After a long time, Rowan lets out a heavy sigh. "We might as well."

"Alright," Severus somberly replied, before half-turning his head towards his twin. "I don't want to speak of this again, Rowan." There was a firmness in his tone that resembled the hardened Severus Snape of a certain timeline.

Rowan's lips twitch in understanding, but perchance she mourned the loss of innocence in Severus more. It was not that they did not love their mother, because they still did even if it hurt. Yet Eileen had abandoned her children and only years later finally gained the courage to face them only to die rather abruptly. It was not Eileen's fault far from it, but it was just one more unexpected letdown…

Mercilessly tearing earing off the bandage from the wound, Severus carefully unwraps his present first. Inside the silver gift wrap lays a tattered old tome. His onyx eyes light up at reading the title of the rare ancient potions book. His fingers gently clamp around the ancient potions book and caress the cover. His onyx eyes soften and harden in emotional turmoil for he both loved and hated their mother.

Rowan moves to comfort Severus but holds back at seeing Severus's conflicted expression. She knew that her sincere actions would not be welcomed right now rather they would cause Severus to lash out at her. Severus had a tendency like a wild creature to lash out when wounded only calming down when alone to lick their own wounds clean. And she knew this for a fact, (and not to mention it had occurred in Potter's timeline when Severus Snape had lashed out at Lily Evans after the public (sexual) harassment incident).

Allowing Severus his privacy and space, Rowan instead tears open the package wrapping. She much like Severus preferred to rip off the bandage as quickly as possible. Her hand stills at finding an exquisite silver brooch. The beautiful silver brooch is in the shape of a coiling serpent with glittering blue sapphires for eyes. A Prince family heirloom that had been gifted to Eileen when fifteen by Reginald and now in turn to Rowan.

Rowan can't bring herself to touch the exquisite brooch. She has the sensation that touching the brooch would burn her hand. It was not a logical sentiment, but she could not bring herself willingly to touch the last gift from Eileen. Grinding her teeth, she forces her hand to move forward. Her fingers clumsily touch the silver brooch and find nothing there but a mere brooch. It had all been in her head.

Carefully pocketing the brooch, Rowan gathers the torn gift wrapping and tosses it into the flames including that of Severus. Severus does not protest her actions still carefully cradling the potion tome in his lap. They sit in silence next to each other watching the flames consume the gift wrapping into black crisps.

After some time, Rowan murmurs, "We best put our gifts away," with Severus grunting in agreement. The two of them in a much less heavy silence return to their bedrooms. Without hesitation, Rowan carefully places the silver brooch in the bottom of her enchanted school truck next to the jacket of their father. She firmly slams her school truck shut and buries the memory deep inside of her. She would not weep nor cry for their mother for Eileen had left them long ago. Eileen had been mourned long enough and Rowan would mourn her no longer.

When Rowan emerged from her bedroom, Severus is already waiting for her in the hallway. Severus's face is neutral causing Rowan to feel mixed feelings. She was relieved that Severus did not mourn Eileen as before, but she was saddened to see Severus grow up. It was a conflicting feeling, but life is full of paradoxes.

Much more serene and tranquil, the two of them return to the parlor. Neither of them was sleepy nor did they know that they would not sleep much that night if at all. Rowan and Severus basked under the warmth of the fireplace remembering the past without any tears shed.

They were not the only ones far too restless to sleep and not long after their grandfather, Reginald joined them. They sat in silence until Aunt Georgine loudly arrived. She grumpily slumps down into a settee and arches her brow at the three of them.

"I say, how utterly dull," Georgine loudly sniffed. "Dawn!"

"How might Dawn serve Miss Prince?" Dawn cheerfully squeaked.

"Some tasty morsels to replenish our strength if we to spend the entire night awake."

"Dawn has just the thing!" And with a loud pop, the petite house elf vanished.

"Really, you all look as though someone died," Georgine coolly said earning a dark look from Severus and a warning glare from Reginald.

Georgine knew perfectly well that her disowned niece, Eileen was dead along with the rest of her family. However, she would not permit her family to be buried in sorrow. Rather a healing wound needs to be exposed to the air to heal that much faster.

Fearlessly Georgine pulled out a pack of enchanted poker cards from her bed robes. "Now, shall we play for galleons or favors?" She challengingly said.

"Favors," Rowan is the first to respond. "I could use a few assignment freebies from Professor Prince."

"I think not," Georgine loudly said.

"Fair is fair," Severus mutinously said, "or are you afraid to lose, Aunt Georgine?"

Georgine confidently stares down her nose at Severus, before glancing at her older brother for approval. Reginald finally nods his head and motions at her to deal the cards. They played poker all night long keeping haunting memories and nightmares at bay.