Challenge: The Nutcracker
Word Count: 100
Note: this is yet another Motherless Child story, where Snape and Lupin marry and adopt a young werewolf. This is set about two years after they move in together but a few months before they adopt their son.
Hoffman's prose was the typical dense, highly descriptive early 19th century tangle, to the point that Severus nearly dropped off again. Fortunately he was able to rouse himself before a dream version of Albus (or Lily, or possibly even his mother) showed him a neglected grave and a stripped corpse.
Soon after that he realized that Hoffman's original was far darker and more interesting than the familiar ballet, and by the time Remus showed up with Poppy Pomfrey and a list of instructions from America, he was thoroughly engrossed.
“Better than you thought?” Remus asked.
“Much,” said Severus.