Taking a break (open)

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"Oh Merlin, no!" Mio exclaimed laughing loudly. His father might be a potions master, but he had absolutely no interest in the subject. "I mean, of course my father already taught me a few things and tricks, but brewing potions is definitely not something I enjoy" he told Neville, still chuckling.

Neville breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that Mio had not taken offense in his blurted out question. Still, he was rather surpried that he did not like potions. "I would have thought, that you would love potions like your father..." he said softly.

"Why because I'm so much like him?" he asked jokingly. He really had a few traits from his father of course, but he was much more like his mother. His sisters on the other hand were more like their dad.

Neville chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, I guess that was a stupid presumption." he admitted. Mio was so very different from Professor Snape that it was hard to believe them to be father and son. "You are not at all like him. You're really kind to me." Neville told the other Gryffindor truthfully.

Mio sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He was really sick of people measuring him on his father's deeds and behaviour, but there obviously was nothing he could do. "My father is not that bad, you know?" he said, slightly defensive. "He is very strict and I guess sometimes a bit prejudiced against our house, but he really just wants his students to work hard and respect their teacher."
Although Mio really liked Neville, he wouldn't take shit from anyone about his dad, or any other family member.

"I'm sorry..." Neville said subdued and ducked his head to show his regret at having said something which had obviously insulted Mio in some way. "I'm just quite scared of your father. He always looks so dark and dangerous." he said, trying not to anger the other boy.

Mio shook his head. "You don't have to be sorry. I know you are afraid of him. But you have to realize that he really doesn't pose a danger to you. I mean what's the worst thing that can happen, huh? Points taken? Detention?" he winced slightly. Admittedly, his dad's detentions could get rather bad, but he didn't have to tell Neville that.

Neville nodded at Mio. He understood that none of his professors would hurt him, but that didn't make them any less scary! That was the problem and Neville couldn't help himself.
"I just try not to draw his attention on myself." he said, smiling sheepishly.
"How is he as a father, though?" Neville asked because he really couldn't imagine Professor Snape as a dad or even husband.

Mio had to grin at Neville's question, as the other boy seemed to be completely unable of picturing his potions professor as a father figure for anyone and he couldn't even fault him for it. "He's ... " he started thoughtfully, "he's strict, but really quite fair, I think. I know he loves my mother and us children, even though he doesn't often show it openly. But that's just how he is. He keeps his emotions pretty bottled up most of the time." he told Neville, shrugging sheepishly.

Neville looked at Mio, slightly taken aback. Of course he had know that Professor Snape had a wife and three children, but he just had never really thought about what it actually meant. Some woman had to have fallen in love with that man, he thought, shaking his head.
"So...how is your mum like?" he asked shyly.

Mio laughed out loud at Neville's expression. The boy was too funny sometimes, without meaning to of course. "My mum is great! She was in Gryffindor like me, you know and now she works as a healer at St Mungo's. She's really nice and loving. I'm sure you'd like her." he said, smiling warmly as he thought of his mother.

Neville shook his head slightly. He still couldn't picture Professor Snape with a loving woman, especially a Gryffindor, but he would just have to take Mio's word for it.
"She sounds really nice. I'm glad you have such a nice mum." he said heartfelt. At times like these, Neville missed his mother more than anything.

Mio grinned at Neville and nodded. His mum was really cool and he should really appreciate her more often. "Thanks, mate." he said, looking up into the warm sky thoughtfully. "What about your parents?" Mio asked the other boy.

Neville sighed and looked at his hands, a sad expression on his face. He normally didn't talk much about his parents, his grandmother was always telling him that they were beyong help now and he grew up knowing his parents as sleeping bodies only.
"My parents are..." he sighed. "It's really complicated." Neville picked at his fingers nervously.

Mio frowned when he saw his house mate get slightly tense at the mention of his parents and he quickly reassured the other boy. "Hey, don't worry, Neville. We don't have to talk aboit your family, if you don't want." he said quickly.

"No ... it's ... it's fine." Neville shook his head, but managed a small smile for Mio. "You see my parents are at St Mungo's being treated for the long-lasting effects of the cruciatus curse." he told him, quoting the healer at the hospital. Somehow it sounded so much better than, my parents have been tortured insane.

Mio bit it lip, feeling sad for the other boy. "The torture curse?" he asked, slightly dumbfounded. Of course, he had heard of that spell, but these days you just didn't read anything about anyone using it anymore. "Are they ... are they going to be okay?" he asked. Maybe they had only been hit by it for a short time and would be released from the hospital soon.

Neville nodded, his expression slightly closed off and wounded. "Yes, the curse was invented just to cause as much pain as possible. It drove my parents over the edge to insanity." he said quietly, his voice oddly calm. "The healers say they will probably never be themselves again."

Mio couldn't believe how anyone could use such a spell, but he knew that there were enough dark people alive that would find pleasure in causing someone else pain. He didn't know if his father had ever used the curse, but to be honest, he'd rather not know.
"I'm ... so sorry, Neville. It must be awful to have them so close, but still unreachable. When did this happen?" he asked carefully, not wanting to upset Neville any more.

"It hard sometimes." Neville admitted. Even if he grew up knowing his parents that way, it was still very painful for him to see other families while he had no one but his grandmother. "I only have my grandmother, but she is often busy with all her duties as head of the family, so I'm not really used to being around so many people."

Mio nodded empathically. He couldn't imagine how it would be for him to lose his parents even if they annoyed him sometimes with all their rules and guidelines, but he loved them. For him friends and family meant everything, so he could really feel with Neville. "When did this happen, Neville? Who did this to them?" he asked again.

Neville looked up at Mio, something dark glinting in his eyes. "Bellatrix Lestrange." he muttered darkly. One day he would kill that woman, if he could, but he would at least try his best. There was no one he hated as much as her. Not even you-know-who.

Mio pushed himself up on his elbows and looked at Neville. He had heard of Lestrange already and knew that she was residing in Azkaban at the moment, since her imprisonment after the war against Voldemort. That could only mean that the other boy had lost his parents to insanity when he was only a little baby. "I'm so sorry Neville. Luckily the bitch has been locked up, though I can't understand how she didn't get the Kiss." he said with force. Some people just didn't deserve even a stay at Azkaban.

"Mhm..." Neville agreed softly. He also couldn't understand why people like Lestrange would be kept alive or sane where always the risk would remain that they could hurt someone. But at least this way he still had the chance of getting his revenge on her one day and that he would was not doubted for a second.
"Maybe they think suffering is Azkaban is worse than insanity, but I can tell you, nothing is worse than insanity." he muttered darkly, thinking of his parents.