reiprince:

On Sundays, when Da was down at the local pub, Severus’ Ma would steer him into the living room and sit him down in front of her as she took a seat on her favourite threadbare armchair. On the armrest beside her would be a small bowl of coconut oil, which she would dip her fingers in and then massage gently onto his scalp. It was their Sunday routine.

“But Ma,” Severus would whine on some days, “it makes my hair greasy and the other kids on the playground make fun of me.”

“Hush now, Severus” Ma would say in her gentle voice, “it’s good for you.”

Severus had once asked her what was so bloody good about having a glop of coconut oil slathered onto his scalp—it was clearly a fire hazard. Ma had speared him with one of her sharp looks from those coal black eyes at his language, and then she had proceeded to list all the benefits of coconut oil and the home remedies it could be used in. She had gone on and on for more than ten minutes and Severus had almost cried tears of boredom. He daren’t question Ma about it again.

“And don’t you mind what those muggle kids say,” Ma always said muggle in a tone that indicated she found them lacking. Severus didn’t understand, because Da was a muggle and Ma said she loved him.

Severus had a hard time believing Ma and Da loved each other, but he never asked about that because then Ma would get a sad look in her eyes. Ma was sad more often than not these days and Severus didn’t want to make her even sadder.

Sundays were special in that it was the day Severus saw his Ma smile the most because she was the happiest when it was just him and Ma at home. She would sit him down as he was now, and tell him tales of her younger days.

“You know, Severus,” she would say, “When I was your age, my Ma would sit me down just like this to massage oil into my hair.”

“Really?” he would look up and ask. He knew very little about his Ma’s parents and loved hearing every little detail about them. He had once asked Ma if her parents were dead, she had said no and then refused to answer any more questions. Severus wondered why they never visited if they were alive. Didn’t they want to meet him?

“And I used to complain even more than you do.”

“Did your Ma try to bore you to tears with facts about coconut oil too?” the cheek earned him a smack on the back of his head, but it had his Ma smiling.

“Oh yes,” she said, “but I didn’t appreciate her wisdom until much later when I started working with potions. It did wonders to keep my hair from being damaged.” Severus loved it when Ma spoke about potions with him. Da didn’t allow Ma to do magic at home, but when Ma was speaking about potions, the air around them seemed to tingle with magic.

“How do potions damage your hair?” He asked

“It’s the fumes, most aren’t too harmful, but the damage adds up over time. So, if you plan on pursuing a career in potions-making you should get used to having oil in your hair. That is if you wish to have a head full of hair past the age of fifty.”

Severus groaned, “Maybe I’ll just be ministry worker instead.”

Ma snorted, “In that case, you’ll be bald by the age of thirty after working with that lot of dunderheads.”

“Never mind then, I’m going to have to find another job.” Severus frowned, the other kids in the neighborhood were dunderheads too and he definitely didn’t want to be around dunderheads like them when he grew up.

“You know, Severus, a well-established potions master wouldn’t have to answer to any dunderheads.” For a Slytherin, Ma wasn’t being very subtle.

“Oh alright then,” he sighed dramatically “tell me more about this potions-making business.“

So, Ma did and Severus listened, riveted.

Coconut oil in the hair… god the memories!