Mortis Video

[LassyD]

::Warning, Gratuitous book usage in the first few bits. and near the end will be gory detail::

"Whitby, Kevin" Professor McGonagall, a stern looking woman with her hair in a bun and dark green robes, said in a loud voice.

A small boy of eleven years old, the last in this group being sorted into one of the four houses in Hogwarts, a school for witch craft and wizadry, meekly made his way to a battered three legged stool and carefully sat down. Professor McGonagall lowered a battered and greying
pointed hat slowly over his head. As soon as it touched, a split in the brim shouted out one word.

"HUFFLEPUFF"

The entire school waiting expectantly at their tables for the feast were startled when Professor Dumbledore, the head master of the school with a long flowing white beard and a twinkle in his eye, stood and told professor McGonagall not to take the sorting hat away yet.

"This year, we are happy to accept a new member into the school. She has been home schooled until now, she has tested into fourth year, so please give her your respect."

The school started clapping as a small girl entered the Great hall from a door behind a tapestry. Her skin was pale and she had piercing black eyes. Her hair hung in gelled waves along the back of her head and framed her face with two coils on her cheeks. Some would have called her beautiful if it hadn't been for the fact that her eyes were sunken in, and she seemed to have an eternal scowl on pale lips, lips that barely held color. She walked in with hesitant steps and avoided contact with anyone she came near. Unlike everyone's school robes, hers seemed not just black, but they seemed to suck the color out of her area. Even though it was the end of summer, a warm and humid time, she wore black gloves past the point that her robes came over and a shawl on her head that left just the front of her hair and her face visible. As she walked towards the sorting hat and stool, murmurs could be heard through the crowd. They didn't get very loud before Dumbledore continued.

"Please welcome Tursila Snape."

With that announcement a great murmur broke loose from the school, if carefully listening a person could hear from all over the hall questions. Questions about how was the girl related to Snape and what would this mean. People were too involved with their conversations to notice the shocked expression on Snape's face.

Snape was stunned, his own name was not very common in the Wizarding world, and he was an only child, and his father was an only child. How could this girl be related to him? The only reasonable answer is that she wasn't, but than how would she have the last name. He
hadn't known the name of the new student before because Dumbledore had never mentioned it in the staff meetings, but to have had the time to study this phenomena would have really helped.

The girl had finished her way to the stool by the time all of this happened and as the hat lowered over her head, it gave a great shout of

"GRYFFENDOR"

This did much to convince all people that the girl was in fact not related to the almost universally despised Potions instructor.

[LassyD]

"GRYFFENDOR"

The shout echoed off the walls in the great hall, managing to climb its way into every one's ear. The hat came off of the small girl's head and she made her way to the Gryffendor table, careful not to sit to close to anyone. The first years tried to talk to her but she never looked at them or responded to their inquiries. She just kept looking, staring more likely, at Professor Snape, who in turn was staring at her.

Dumbledore's voice rang out above the rumble of inquiries. "Have at it." And with the last word, the food appeared on the table. The student body joyfully dug in to the food and, like every year, enjoyed the abilities of the house elves in the kitchens.

"Do you think she's really related to Professor Snape?" Hermione asked Ron and Harry, just than Nearly Headless Nick popped his head through the table.

"How goes it my Gryffendors?" the ghost said in a stately but kind voice.

"Hermione was just wondering about the new fourth year girl, is she related to Snape?" Ron asked before the other two.

"I don't know, this is the first anyone other than Albus has seen her. Maybe you should talk to her." Nick gave the reply before floating off to some other students.
The trio just looked at each other than continued eating their food.

After the school quieted down from their massive food intake, Professor Dumbledore stood. The action alone caused a blanket of silence only ignored by the howling of the wind and the pounding of the rain. Mother Nature never pays attention to what man wants.

"Now that we've all been fed and watered," he gave a winning smile to the whole school, "I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices."

"Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-Yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."

Dumbledore's eyes gave a twinkle of mischief as he continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmead to all below third year.

"It is also my painful duty to inform you tat the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

A low murmur of disbelief spread through the school. Dumbledore continued, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy – but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I
have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts –"

Just at the moment the last words flew out of Dumbledore's mouth, the Thunder roared and the
doors at the entrance of the hall flew open with a loud thud as the vibrations from the thunder were slowly falling away. Someone definitely had good timing.

A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall swivelled towards the stranger, suddenly brightly illuminated by a fork of lightning that forked across the ceiling. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark grey hair, then began to walk up toward the teacher's table.

A dull clunk echoed through the hall on his every other step. He reached the end of the top table, turned right and limped heavily toward Dumbledore. Another flash of lightening light up the room for a moment, and several gasps could be heard.

The flash of lightening had managed to throw the man's face into sharp relief. And it was a face to startle any one. It looked as though it had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what human faces are supposed to look like, and was none too
skilled with a chisel. Every inch of skin seemed to be scarred. The mouth looked like a diagonal gash, and a large chunk of the nose was missing. But it was the man's eyes that made him frightening.

One of them was small, dark, and beady. The other was large, round as a coin, and vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving carelessly, without blinking, and was rolling up, down, and then from side to side, quite independently of the normal eye–and then it rolled right over, pointing into the back of the man's head, so that all they could see was whiteness.

The stranger reached Dumbledore. He stretched out a hand that was as badly scarred as his face, and Dumbledore shook it, muttering words no one could hear. He seemed to be making an inquiry of the strange man. The man gave a shake of the head and quietly replied. Dumbledore nodded and gestured the man to the empty seat on his right hand side.

The man sat and ate with a paranoia that no student in the hall had ever seen before.

"May I introduce out new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Professor Dumbledore's bright voice echoed through the silence. "Professor Moody."

It was unusual for a new staff member to be greeted with applause, but none of the staff or students clapped except Dumbledore and Hagrid, who both put their hands together and applauded, but the sound echoed dismally into the silence, a silence that even Mother Nature
seemed to agree to, and they stopped fairly quickly. Everyone else seemed too transfixed by Moody's bizarre appearance to do more than stare at him. Everyone but one girl, the new one, who still had her gaze transfixed on Professor Snape.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and that sound brought most of the student’s attention back.

“As I was saying,” he said with a smile, “we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming mnths, an event that has not been held for over a century.
It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year.”

“You’re JOKING!” said Fred Weasley loudly.

The tension that had filled the Hall ever since Moody’s arrival suddenly broke. Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

[LassyD]

“I am not joking, Mr. Weasley,” he said, “though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar. . .”

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.

“Err – but maybe this is not the time . . .no. . .” Said Dumbledore, “where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament. . . well, some of you will not know that this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely.

“The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most
excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities -- until, that is the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued.”

“There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament,” Dumbledore continues, “none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the
summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger.

“The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at
Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of thier school and a thousand Galleons personal prize money.”

A low rumble started with many people telling friends that they will be the one to get it and more than half the eyes in the crowd shined with the thought of winning. Dumbledore spoke again and a quietness descended over the hall.

“Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts,” he said, “the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic,
have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age, that is to say , seventeen years or older, will be aloud to put forward
their names for consideration. This” – Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, “is a measure we feel is
necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and
seventh hear will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts
champion.” His light blue eyes tinkled as thy flickered over Fred’s and George’s mutinous faces. “I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.

“The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durstrang will be arriving in October and Remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while thy are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now it
is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop Chop!”

As the Preficts led the first years to the dormitories, there was a great bustle of people trying to both stare at the odd new professor and go back to their rooms for a
comfortable night's rest.

Tursila quietly followed the first years toward the Gryffindor tower when someone shouting her name caused her to turn around. She saw a lively looking girl with bushy brown hair and a bookish appearance coming towards her.

"Hi, my name's Hermione Granger, you're in my class, would you like me to show you where we're staying?"

Tursila looked at Hermione for a few seconds before nodding her head in a unsure way.

Harry and Ron soon came up to Hermione and at seeing Tursila abruptly stopped.

"'Miony, what are you doing with her?" you could hear a thin thread of disgust in his voice. Obviously he didn't like someone who had the chance of being related to his most hated professor.

"Ron," Hermione barked back slightly angered by his tone of voice. "I'm showing Tursila to the dormitories, and trying to be nice to someone who doesn't have any friends here. How would you feel being taught by your parents until now than being forced here." her voice was reprimanding.

Ron had the dignity to look ashamed by her reprimand and mumbled a "sorry Hermione" Tursila watched the whole scene without making any sort of face. Harry, who had been watching her, couldn't see any emotion on her face. 'Did she ever smile?' he wondered to himself.

In a quiet voice he asked her, "Are you related to Professor Snape?"

She gave him a searching look then finally shrugged her shoulders as if to say that there was no way anyone could know or say for sure.

"Well," Hermione's voice broke in, "shall we go?"

Tursila just nodded and waited for Hermione to take the lead. The way to the tower was relatively quiet. Harry Ron and Hermione tried to ask more questions. Hermione was the most vocal, asking things about classes and books, but every question was met with silence. Soon the three gave up asking and started to talk amongst themselves.

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The first week passed with Tursila fading into the background, who really pays attention to a girl that never talks unless called upon in class and then only minimally. Hermione still tried to make the girl feel welcome and often asked her to sit besides the trio at meals. She also sat next to the girl in Arithmancy class and in the library, a place which both girls seemed to spend much time.

On the second Tuesday of the school year at lunch, something changed. Tursila wore a mourning band around her arm, signifying that a friend or someone close to her has passed away. No one seemed to notice this at lunch, or if they did, no one said anything. Lunch was lively with a low hum of voices playing off of one another. Only Harry Ron and Hermione noticed when Tursila suddenly became pail and looked as if she would be sick.

"Do you need to go to Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked the girl sitting next to her in a concerned tone of voice. Waiting for a nod or a shake of the girls head, she was stunned when the girl said with tears in her eyes and a small childlike voice.

"Papa, you've left me." then stood and ran out of the room. The three looked at each other.

"What was that about?" Ron said in a confused voice.
"I, I think, she just lost her father." Hermione said. "did you see it? the black armband over her cloak today?" She stared at the exit that Tursila ran through. "I'll see
you two in potions, I'm going to try to talk to her."

Hermione stood and left the Hall. She figured that the library would be the best place to try to find the girl, or the dorms. With that she quickly walked toward the Library.
There were a few students studying, others were talking softly in the background, but Tursila wasn't to be see. Hermione left for the dorms, which also proved to be empty. Tursila seemed to have disappeared and she had to get to potions before she's late.

Tursila was missing for the rest of the day.

The next morning at breakfast, she seemed to be fine, she still wore the mourning sash, but she looked normal for her again. When the mail came two black crows, came with small black envelopes. One was dropped of at Tursila and the other, to everybody's surprise, was dropped of by Severus Snape. Most of the faculty looked at Tursila with
sad eyes, as if to say "I'm sorry."

"Why did crows deliver those?" Harry's voice broke over the rumble of talking around the Gryffendor table.

"Their death's messengers." Tursila's small voice responded. This surprised everyone in the area.

"Death's messengers?"

"When an immediate relative is found dead, they send the mourning crows with the message for family." Tursila looked up at the faculty table where Professor Snape
was looking at the little black envelope with disbelief on his face. "I guess I really am related to the Professor." She than took the little black envelope and opened it.

Tursila Snape,
We are sorry to inform you that yesterday at twelve
thirty seven in the afternoon, Filious Snape passed
on leaving you, his granddaughter, and Severus
Snape, his brother, as his only survivors. The
reading of his will is one week from Thursday.
Ministry of Magic

Hermione, whom had been sitting next to her, read it over her shoulder. She made a quiet gasp and looked at Harry and Ron, but didn't say anything at the moment. The note said the exact time that Tursila ran out of the Hall yesterday after claiming her father left her.

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Severus was confused. A mourning crow came to him. That would mean he had
family, but he was an only child and his parents died when he, well he didn't want
to remember the incident. Very unpleasant you know. With a morbid curiosity he
opened the little black envelop and read the paper that was held within.

Severus Snape,
We are sorry to inform you that yesterday at twelve
thirty seven in the afternoon, Filious Snape passed
on leaving you, his brother, and Tursila Snape, his
granddaughter, as his only survivors. The
reading of his will is one week from Thursday.
Ministry of Magic

He stared at the paper a moment. Brother? How could he have had a brother?
And how could that supposed brother have a granddaughter? He looked over to
the Gryffendor table at the girl the paper claimed to be his grandniece. She was
staring right back at him with a look of displeasure on her face. He scowled and
returned to re-reading the little paper yet kept an eye on his newly found relative.
She stood and left the hall.

Hadn't she been missing from class yesterday? Could she have known? Severus
stood and followed her out of the hall. Unfortunately, she managed to slip through
the maze of corridors and disappear.

After a few moments of looking, he returned to the dungeons in order to prepare
for the rest of the classes he had to teach today. To his surprise, Tursila was standing
next to the door to the potions classroom. Up close he got a good look at her, and
that's when he noticed the black cloth that ringed her robe on her left upper arm. He
suddenly was at a loss of what to say. He'd always been alone, even when he had his
parents, they were so demanding of him, and when they were gone, he never had to
think about relatives. Now assuming the letter is correct, he's the girl's legal
guardian, being her only living relative.

"I'm sorry for your loss. He must have been important to you." He was trying to be
nice. But he really didn't know how to handle the situation. She gave him an
emotionless look before replying.

"He's been caring for me since my parents had their date with death." Severus
thought her wording was strange, 'date with death' what an odd way of putting it.
"I will miss him, but he had his reservation and that's one appointment you can't
re-nig on." in a softer more wistful voice that he almost missed, "Although I do
wish he didn't leave me anymore family." She paused for a moment as if
confirming something with herself. "I'm sorry that he left you with the problem
of taking care of me, but" her eyes glazed slightly, "you won't have to for very
long." And before he could say anything else, she sharply turned with a "I have
to get to class." and left him by his classroom door.

He thought about what she said, yes, he'd have to take care of her, but only for two
more years, so it won't be too bad, and maybe he might like having someone to
share Snape Manor with over the summer holidays.

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For the next week, all of the teachers were more lax on the quiet
Gryffendor, knowing that she lost the last of her family. Finally the day
of the reading of the will came.

Tursila, swathed in black, still wearing the armband exited the portrait
hole to be met by a somber looking Severus Snape.

"Are you ready to go? The reading's in an hour and it will take us a while
to get there."

The pale girl just gave a small nod. Snape saw the nod and turned and
started for the exit of the castle. Tursila followed without a word as they
left the halls and entered a carriage headed for Hogsmead.

Snape spent most of the ride brooding, the reality that he had a brother
that he never knew hadn't hit him until just now. Why? Why hadn't any
told him and why did he have to find out after it's too late. He started to
watch his niece, she just sat staring out the window. He couldn't tell
what she was thinking, her face was too closed off. After a few moments
she turned to face him. He couldn't see any emotions in her face.

"There will be a Muggle funeral for him. It's also today."

Snape was surprised by her soft voice and it took a few moments for him
to realize what she just had said.

"Muggle?"

"Yes, he worked with muggles quite a bit, and many of them liked him,
it's for them that the funeral is being held, not his family." She gave a
slight sigh, "but if I'm not there they will know something is amiss and
will try to find out what." She gave the professor a look that both
commanded and pleaded in the same time.

That had been one of the longest speeches the girl had ever given. Then
what she said hit him. His brother had worked and lived with the
muggles? How could any self respecting Snape do that. Or was this why
he never knew about his brother? He gave a tired sigh, this subject of
thought was tiring him out, and said "yes we'll go to the muggle funeral."

She gave him a nod of thanks and returned to looking out the window.
Snape was left to his wandering thoughts. His brother, a muggle lover?
Even worse than the Weasleys too, they only liked muggles, they didn't
live with them. He had to find out more about his brother. Maybe the
muggles at the funeral would be able to give him a better idea.

He was startled out of his thoughts when the carriage stopped. They were
in Hogsmead. Tursila stood and, gathering her robes about her, exited
the carriage. Professor Snape quickly followed and they both quietly
made their way to the flow station.

The flow station was a small building. Only one room large, but that
room was built out of fireplaces. Three along each wall of an octagonal
building. In the center of the room was a small flow powder dispenser.
The station wasn't very busy at the moment, only three other people stood
there, all of them by a fireplace and with a quick word and toss of
powder, they vanished into the fire.

Snape led Tursila to one of the further fireplaces and gave her a pinch of
the powder.

"We're going to flow to the Leaky Cauldron and walk to the Ministry
building from there."

Tursila took the powder and gave a nod. A soft "Leaky Cauldron" could
be heard as she tossed the powder into the fire and than followed herself.
Snape went in next.

The Leaky Cauldron was fairly empty at this time of day, only a woman
sat in the corner eating off of a small plate. The pair made their way to
the alley where the entrance to Diagon Alley waited.

The streets of Diagon Alley were just as empty as the common room of
the Leaky Cauldron. The duo didn't pay any attention to this as they
made their way to the Ministry building. The interior of the building was
plane with a few scattered plants around the lobby and a few chairs.
Directly at the back of the lobby rested a large desk with "Information"
written in glowing script across it. Behind the desk a younger looking
witch sat chewing bubble-gum and reading a book.

Snape walked up to the witch and cleared his throat, as she looked up he
asked in his finest sneer "Where is the Will's department?"

The receptionist seemed to be unaffected by the sneer and in a squeaky
voice replied "third floor seventh door on the left." She then went back
to her book
Snape turned and started up the moving staircase with Tursila following
behind. They soon made it to the department to step into a much smaller
lobby. It had only one or two plants growing in it and a few torches on
the wall, someone's odd idea of mood lighting. Around the walls were
some couches that looked like a color blind fashion designer drop out
picked out. There were a few tables spread around the room with old
issues of magazines and news papers scattered across the surfaces. In the
back of the room there was a window to another receptionist.

Snape walked up to the window and in a near growl said to this witch,
"We're here for Filious Snape's reading."
This witch looked at him carefully as if she didn't know if he would
attack her at any moment. She then looked down at her schedule and
then back again.
"Yes, the reading's in five minutes, if you would like to go through the
door on your left," she pointed towards the door, "then I'll guide you to
the room."

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The pair followed the secretary's quick step into a small room. Luckily
whoever decorated this on had a sense of color at least. The furniture was
shrouded in black as if it was the recently deceased.

"The director will be with you shortly." The witch said before leaving
them in the room.
There was a tense moment of silence. Tursila delicately sat in one of the
chairs beside the couch as Severus watched her countenance. She did not
seem distressed by the fact that she was at something so final, this is the
last shred of her grandfather that the two will ever see. He was broken
from his musings when the door swung open and a short roundish man
with twinkling brown eyes and dark chocolate brown hair walked in. He
looked at the two in the room.

"I would have thought he had more family," he paused as he looked at
Tursila, "never the less, My name's Phillip, and I'm going to be the
director of this will." Just as he finished his words, the door burst open
and a tall gangly man with short light brown hair and grey blue eyes
rushed in the door. He wore a Muggle suit in black with a light blue shirt
under and a dark colored tie. He carried a leather briefcase and gave the
people in the room a sheepish look.

"Sorry I'm late" Tursila stood up and walked over.

"I'm glad you could make it Tom. You're going to make the muggle
duplicate? I'm sure most of what he wants to go to people will go to the
muggles." Tom nodded and Tursila smiled at it.

"Thanks Sarah will appreciate it." She said then returned to her seat. She
noticed the odd look Tom gave Severus and then continued. "This is
Severus Snape, he's papa's brother. We just found out a week ago." With
those words Tom looked a little adgitated.

"But Filious was disowned as an only child. He'd have to be at least
nineteen years younger than him." Tom gestured towards Snape with the
words.

Severus's eyes widened, his brother was disowned before he was born.
What would have made his parents disown their son?

"Well, shall we get started?" Phillip's melodious voice broke into the
conversation.

"I would like to ask some questions first, mostly concerning the spell.
How does it work?"

Snape looked at Tursila with shock, she's talked more today that he'd
heard her talk all year, and asking for more information, she's never
seemed interested in learning in school, she only does the work but
doesn't really want to learn. He's seen the type of student before. Phillip
looked at her and smiled.

"Well, it works on the principles that the spirit is still in or near the body
at the time of the reading, and when they die the have desires that they
want known, those desires are stored in the spiritual residue that remains.
The spell pulls those out of the body and puts them into understandable
form."

"What happens if the person is insane before they die?"

Phillip looked stunned by the second question, he never had anyone ask
that before.

"I'm not sure, I think with the principle being the same you'll get the
same results."

Tursila nodded her head and seemed happy with this.

"So, shall we begin?" Nods of accent spread across the room.

Phillip gave a "voluntas Filious Snape" and a wave of the wand.

A dim outline of a person started to form, every moment it started to
solidify until one could clearly make out a hooked nose, deeply set eyes
and high cheekbones on a regal looking face, one that looked in his late
fifties or early sixties. The translucent figure spoke in a cold voice.

"I guess this means I've joined my beautiful Jennifer in eternal slumber.
Which means I've got to tally up me worldly things and send them on
their way. Tom, make sure your getting this down. My property and
estate I want to go to Sarah, on the condition that Tursila is taken care of
by her and can remove any items from the property that she wishes. It
pains me that I couldn't leave her family to look after her, but Sarah,
Sarah who's taken care of my family for so long, I know she can continue
to do so with the same love and caring she's always shown. I don't want
to burden Sarah with more than that, so I shall leave my company and it's
assets to Derek, he was such a wonderful boy, almost a second son to me,
I know he can keep it thriving. Finally Tursila, my dear granddaughter, as
you are under age now, I can't leave you much that will come now, but
you will have a million dollar trust in your name, payable when you turn
eighteen. I hope you get a good education with the finances, but that is
your choice. Fare thee well my beautiful grand daughter."

With that the figure disappeared and not even a wisp of smoke showed
that he had been there.

"Tom, I need to speak with you privately later."

Tom sat looking at where the figure had been, a carefully crafted set of
papers in his hand. His gaze slowly moved to Tursila and nodded.

"Would after the funeral be alright?" he looked at his watch, "which is in
thirty minutes, we'd better be going."

[LassyD]

The three walked out of the ministry building and returned to the Leaky
Cauldron. When they got to the fireplace, Tursila looked to Severus and
quietly said, "We're going to Flow to 'the waypoint' it's the main flow
station close to the funeral." She then took a pinch of powder and handed
it to Tom. "You go first, make sure there isn't too many people there.
Also could you get the suit from locker 325?" Tursila gave Tom a small
key.
Tom nodded and took the pinch of powder then threw it into the fire,
turning it green, and said "The waypoint" before disappearing into the
fire.
Tursila turned to Severus and said, "could you wait for a moment, he's
getting your suit so you can change before we leave the station." With
that said, the small girl tossed a pinch of powder into the fire and
vanished. Severus quickly followed.

Upon arriving at "the waypoint" Severus could see that this was a similar
flow station to the one in Hogsmead. The walls were lined with fireplaces
and a Flow powder dispenser rested in the middle of the room. One of the
two doors soon opened to reveal Tom carrying a black tuxedo. As he
handed the hangers of cloth to Severus he asked "do you need any help
with putting them on? Tursila said that you've probably not worn a tux
before."

Snape looked at the clothes he had just been handed, why were there so
many parts? You really only should need a shirt and pants for under dress
robes. Or was this Muggle dress robes? He gave a sneer as he said "I
think I can handle this myself." Tom just gave him a placating shrug of
the shoulders and said, "ok, but if ya need the help, just ask."
During the conversation Tursila took the time to slip out of the door with
a small pink block figure of a person in a skirt emblazoned on it.
Severus started towards the door he noticed Tursila leave through, only to
have Tom grab his arm. Severus turned and gave an angry "What?"
Tom just gave him a smile and pointed to the door saying. "I'm sure the
ladies in the restroom would be thrilled to have you walking through it."
He paused to let the statement sink into Severus's head then continued
"The men's restroom is the one on the right."

Severus grunted then walked to the other door and pulled it open. Thru
the now open portal he could see the standard busy place setup of a
lavatory, the floor covered in spotty tiles in no real pattern even though
there were four colors to choose from. The walls were cold grey with
graffiti covering them and the white porcelain urinals. Across from the
urinals were ugly brown stalls, the middle one's door hung off one joint.
Severus gave a quick inspection of all the stalls before entering the
cleanest one to change clothes in.

The order of the clothes on the hanger gave Severus the biggest hint as to
how the suit was worn. He quickly fumbled with the dress pants, then the
white Cambridge shirt, the vest soon followed and the coat fit perfectly
over it. How did the girl know what his muggle size would be? He didn't
even know, he felt that this is something to ponder.

"Ready to go?" Tom's voice slightly startled him as he walked out of the
stall carrying his robes. He saw Tom look him over once, "that girl has an
exceptional dress sense," he shook his head slightly " I wonder how she
does it." After another small pause he continued, "so shall we go, the
locker's right outside, you can store your stuff there." With that he
walked out the door opposite to the one they came in.

The two exited into a busy corridor lined with lockers and people quickly
rushing by on their way somewhere. Tom went to a locker strait across
the hall from the lavatory door and opened it. "You can keep your stuff in
here." Severus nodded sharply and put his clothes into the small locker.
Tom then put money into the slot on the side and took the key. He then
handed the small thing to Severus and spied Tursila. "Ahh Tursila, I see
you've changed as well," he took a quick look at his watch, "we must be
going. The train's going to be here in three minutes."

Snape turned to his niece and saw a wholly different girl standing before
him. She was wearing a slim black dress that went to the floor, high neck
and sleeves that ran down the length of her arm. On her hands, a soft
looking pair of gloves rested and a black veil shrouded her face in
darkness. As he stared at the transformed girl, she turned and started to
walk away. Tom shrugged then handed Severus a small coin.

"To get through the turnstile," he said to the questioning look Severus was
giving him. Then the pair quickly followed the retreating girl through the
crowd that seemed to be getting more dense with the distance from the
lockers.

As the three arrived at the station Severus had to try hard to keep himself
from gaping in wonder, in the course of two minutes he'd seen several
people with brightly colored hair set into spikes and enough silver hanging
off their ears, face, tung, lip and various other visible body parts to kill a
colony of werewolves. He almost pulled his wand out when he heard a
loud screeching noise coming at him from his left as it was, he only
jumped when the subway car came to a halt in-front of the three. He
followed Tursila and Tom because they seemed at ease with this strange
happenstance. The three stayed on the train for a while only finding seats
three stops after they entered. Finally when the train started to slow,
Tursila stood and walked to one of the double doors to the platform and
waited for the train to come to a full stop. Severus quickly stood and
made his way behind the small girl.

The three traversed their way through the moving crowd and found their
way to an exit. The sky was overcast as they found the freedom from the
man made caves under the city. Severus had no time to look around
because Tursila swiftly made her way towards a destination that both she
and Tom seemed to know.

Five minutes of walking later, they came across a graveyard attached to a
small church. Tursila walked strait into the small building.

[LassyD]

Now where was I? . . . . Oh yes, the funeral (finally) and a warning, I
haven't been to a funeral in over ten years so it's not going to be very
accurate.

The three swept into the small building to come face to face with a small
group of mourners. Tursila gave a slight bow and said in a most
diplomatic tone,

"I am sorry I am late. The trip from my school took more time
than anticipated."

As Severus entered the room he saw the small group. There were ten or
so people, all wearing black. He saw a crying redheaded woman that
looked only a few years younger than him holding a tissue to her face and
cradling a small child in her arms.

Sitting next to the woman, a young boy about seven years old sat swinging
his legs and looking decidedly bored. He wore a small black suit, but
managed to get the small tie off his neck and laid it beside him on the
bench.

In next row, an elderly looking man sat, unshed tears could be seen
shining in his eyes. His suit was crisp but seemed slightly loose on his
small frame, as if he bought the clothes and then lost weight. A younger
man, probably in his thirties, sat beside him their facial features pinned
them as probably father and son. The younger man also had unshed tears,
but he seemed to hold onto them more tightly than his elder. His suit was
immaculate and fit him well. He kept his gaze strait ahead, occasionally
turning to the side to make sure the older gentleman was okay.

Snape continued to move his gaze further up the room stopping gently on
a larger woman in a floral dress and a black veil wiping a tear from her
eye. His gaze moved on to a teenage boy wearing black slacks, T-shirt,
and a black baseball hat. His head was lowered and a small wet line on
his cheek was testimony to the tears he had shed. In the front row, a mane
of long black hair contrasted with a white gown, the shoulders shook as a
slight hiccuping sob could be heard from the figure.

Severus's eyes finished their path up the room to end at a tall somber
figure wearing black clothes and a little white collar. He stood at a small
podium. In front of the podium, a large wooden lacquered box rested,
one end open so that anyone who chooses can view the body. Next to the
podium rested a tripod with a picture of a stately looking man that held a
resemblance to Severus. The picture also showed small things, like a
twinkle in his eye that was very similar to Dumbledore when at his finest.
The man's face also showed a hardness to it that Severus couldn't get out
of his mind. He looked up to the man in the black suit at the front just as
he was moving to address Tursila.

When the man looked at Tursila his eyes gentled and he said in a soft
voice, "it is no problem dear, you've made it now that's all that you can
do. Would you like to be the first to say a few words?"

She gave a slight nod and the man moved from the podium to let Tursila
take her place to speak.
The gathered people quietly looked at the small girl.

"We are all here to remember my grandfather." She paused, "He was a
wonderful man, after my parents died, he and Jessica took me in, gave me
love and comfort and taught me the ways of the world." She paused and
looked down, "he believed in love, I remember when I was little, he took
me aside during one of his too short breaks from work," her mouth
quirked into a small smile at the memory. "‘Always follow your heart' he
said, ‘it will guide you to true happiness.'" She then looked strait at
Severus before continuing, "he also told me of when he finished high
school, he fell in love with a girl. His parents didn't like her, threatened
to disown him, but he loved her so much that he let them, and they moved
away. Their love is what kept the two together, and they build the fortune
they have now from nothing." She looked down to the casket then back at
the gathered people, "Even now he loved her so much that he followed her
into eternity. We feel his loss, but I think that his love for this one woman
is what made him such a good man to us all." With that said she stepped
down from the podium. The most of the crowd nodded in agreement.

The figure with the white collar retook the place behind the podium,
Severus stopped paying much attention to what was said. The news about
his brother weighed heavily upon his mind. From the description, his
brother was cast out for love, something he's only failed in attaining. But
where did he meet this muggle girl Jessica, he probably had gone to
Hogwarts and stayed sequestered in the magical community. Just more
and more mysteries to ponder. Before he knew it, the gathered stood.
Tom, the older gentleman, the younger gentleman and the teen stood and
reverently made their way to the casket. The lid was closed, and they
proceeded to lift it and move it outside. The man with the collar leading
and the rest of the assembled following.

Nature seemed to mourn the passing of Filious, dark grey thunderclouds
rolled in, and the temperature had fallen since Severus entered the small
building. Luckily the clouds had not decided to share their voluminous
water supply with those in the small graveyard. The procession was quiet
as they moved towards a hole in the ground lying in front of a new slab of
carved stone.

[LassyD]

Severus stood solemnly not paying attention to the litany coming fourth from the man in all black. The gathered seemed to find some inner strength and yet gave off an air of sorrow and finality that it would effect anyone to see the effect that this one man had on the gathered. Severus started to feel sorrow of his own, he never got to know this man whom obviously had an incredible strength of character.

Severus looked up to see that the people were now dropping flowers onto the yet unburied box in which the body of his brother lie. He noticed the impassive face of Tursila as she dropped some violets onto the grave. The quiet group started to disperse as someone started to shovel dirt into the grave.

Severus watched as Tursila unobtrusively grabbed Tom’s sleeve and whispered something to him. Tom nodded and then the two walked to Severus.

“Well, we should be on our way. First Tursila and I need to make a quick stop at my office to discuss some legal matters.” Tom paused and with a quick glance to Tursila then back to Severus, “Is that ok with you.”

Severus gave a curt nod and said sharply, “Yes, that will be fine.” This day was turning out to be much longer than he originally anticipated.
The two turned and started walking, as if expecting that he would follow. Seeing no other choice in the matter, he complied to their unspoken command.

The small group walked for a few minutes. In those short minutes, Severus experienced much more of the muggle world he ever thought possible. Noisy horseless carriages passed by at high speeds, people in odd clothing were quickly walking across a white street, while those same carriages stayed on black street. Some of the pedestrians were gesticulating wildly while holding small boxes by their ears. He heard a quiet bell before almost being run over by a person on a strange wheeled broom wearing the oddest clothing. It was skin tight and had a vast assortment of colors all over, strange logos spotted the back of the shirt.

Severus was glad when the trio started towards a building. It was made of red brick. It seemed like it was trying to reach into the sky, little windows dotted its surface as if a bad case of acne. Severus nearly jumped out of his skin when the glass door opened without any sort of action on the part of the entering people. Muggle devices just weren’t supposed to do things like that. Upon entering the building, he was struck at just how similar this place was to the ministry building he had been earlier. The decorations in the front room were very artificial in feel. As if someone picked them out with the purpose of making company feel slightly intimidated at the quality. At the end of the hall, he could see three sets of shining sliding doors with lights above them. Tom and Tursila walked strait for those doors before Severus could give the lobby anymore thought.

Tom was first to the doors and quickly pushed a small button off to the side. The door on the left made a small ring and the light above it turned on. The doors opened to reveal one of the smallest rooms Severus had ever seen. Even holding cells that Voldimort kept his prisoners in were bigger. He nervously stepped in after the other two whom seemed to feel that there was nothing wrong with willingly stepping into such a confining space. Luckily they were still engaged in random talk that he hadn’t been paying attention to, so they didn’t see his discomfort. He hated to have anyone see him show any weakness. He felt a sense of impending doom as Tom pressed a button and the doors glided shut silently. He was just managing to keep his breathing in check as the floor jolted and he got a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Severus could feel the panic trying to take over and was fighting it with all his might. The sudden jerk didn’t help, but just after that motion, a slight ring was heard and the doors glided open. Severus quickly dashed out of the little room not caring how it looked to the others. In an effort to calm down he looked around, just to find himself in a different hallway, this one had random potted plants by glass doors at relatively even intervals. On the closest door he could see the words “Alderman and Associates” in a slightly crystalish look.

After he managed to collect himself, Severus noticed that Tom and Tursila were headed into one of the doors further down the hall. He followed them, but at a more slow and sedate pace due to the half daze the near panic attack left him in. He hadn’t noticed what was written on the door as he turned the handle and entered.

Through the portal was a calming room, light blues and browns came from the walls and furniture. There was a desk with a receptionist slightly off to the right. Behind her, there was a door to what was presumably an office. Severus walked towards one of the chairs and sat in an effort to collect himself. Soon he would start to berate himself for the panic attack, but now he had to calm down. It was more than likely that he’d have to go back into that small chamber.

Soon he noticed the sound of yelling. The exact words weren’t distinguishable, but he could recognize the sound of Tom’s voice even though he had only met the man that day, it was a talent that helped him to no end in his carrier as death-eater turned spy. He couldn’t place the other voice coming from beyond the door behind the now empty receptionist’s desk. Not being able to understand the words, he started to stand and move closer to the door when it opened and with a loud “thwack” hit the wall behind it. Tursila soon fled out the door and into the hallway. Before Severus could react, Tom was also running out of the office while shouting “Tursila, wait.”

[LassyD]

“Shit!” Tom shouted as Tursila disappeared down the hallway.

“You seem to have a wonderful way with children,” Severus sneered.

“Yeah,” Tom said with bitterness in his voice, “Well that’s why I’m not a teacher.” Looking to the spot Tursila disappeared he said in a regretful voice. “Bye.”

“Aren’t you going to look for her?” Snape asked, seeing as it was his ward that just ran away.

Tom shook his head and in a resigned voice said, “she doesn’t want to be found, and when she doesn’t want to, she won’t. Don’t worry about her missing school, she might even be on the way there.” The bitterness re-surged.

“Why do you sound angry about that?” Snape said with a small touch of indignity.

“That school, it’s killing her. I can see it. The same thing happened to her mother before the end.” Tom seemed to deflate, “Go on,” Tom turned towards his office door, “go back to your school and you wretched students.” Tom slammed his door shut before Snape could reply.

Severus turned to the door and left the offices intent on finding his niece. He returned to the main hallway and found the door marked “stairs.” After walking down the 8 flights of stairs, he more appreciated the small metallic box that they had ridden in earlier.

After finally arriving at the street, Severus notice the sheer magnitude of people wandering around, this way and that. It would be impossible to find his niece in this crowd. Ducking behind a sign, he pulled out his wand and muttered a tracking charm. Unfortunately because he didn’t know the girl that well and had nothing of hers, the charm fizzled and led nowhere. Sighing in annoyance and pulling at the horrible neckwear he was forced to wear, he decided getting his clothes would be a more prudent course of action than running around a busy muggle street looking for a slip of a girl.

Finding his way back to the floo station would be more difficult now that he didn’t have either of his guides. Deciding it would be best to aparate to the waypoint and find his clothes from there, he found a nice secluded spot where he wouldn’t be noticed, then aparated.

Finding the locker that he put his stuff in, Severus gave a sigh of relief. The clothes he was wearing had been attracting looks from quite a few women. It was unnerving. He opened the locker and found a small parchment envelope resting on his clothes. Raising an eyebrow, Severus opened the envelope and read the message within.

Dear Professor,
I am sorry that I ran out without you
earlier. I’m still having trouble coming
to terms with my grandfathers death and
feel that I need some time alone. I will
return to Hogwarts by 7pm tonight.
Again I apologize for the inconvenience.
Tursila Snape

PS. The suit is yours to keep.

[LassyD]

Time seemed to pass quickly after the funeral. Soon the Tournament had started and before everyone knew it, the second task and winter break was just around the corner. Most of the students were staying over the holiday to go to the Yule ball this year, and others were staying because they had to. One of those was Tursila. Severus being her guardian had made it so. That and Severus was worried about her.

The girl seemed not to care about her school and took to the lessons with such apathy that she was in serious danger of failing. The only thing it seemed that the girl cared about was keeping up a fine appearance. For no one had see her with a hair out of place or a rumple in her robes.

Deciding that her future was his business, at least until she graduated, Severus told Tursila to stay after class on the last day of the midterm exams. After many failed attempts at conversations with this girl during the semester, Severus had become accustomed to the silent piercing stare that Tursila leveled on him after the rest of the students filed out of the classroom.

“You’re failing your classes.” He said with a dull tired tone, the fourth year Gryffendor’s always took it out of him. He didn’t get a response, Tursila just continued to stare into his eyes. He got the distinct impression that though her body said she was listening, she wasn’t really paying attention. “As your guardian and uncle, I cannot allow this to continue.” Getting annoyed at the feeling like he was talking to a stone wall, he continued. “Now I want to know what’s wrong and why you’re not even trying, and I want to know now.” Moments passed in silence and Tursila’s eyes seemed to loose focus. Growling in annoyance he snapped out, “We will not leave here until you tell me.”

The next ten minutes were spent in a staring contest, Severus’s patients being pulled like taffy the entire time. Finally, it snapped, “If you don’t tell me this instant, I will make you.” He growled while pulling out his wand.” Her gaze focused, but that was the only thing that happened. “Legilimens” he exclaimed.

Suddenly he was seeing the oddest images, they couldn’t be from this girls life. The first held a man trying to comfort a woman drenched in blood, eyes staring vacantly out of a fringe of black hair. The next held the same man from the first, only he was being crushed by one of those muggle “cars” he’d seen at his brother’s funeral. The next image he remembered and there was no way the girl could have seen it. Snape cut off the spell, his hands trembling lightly. Why had he just seen his own Death Eater initiation in this girl’s mind?

“Go,” he whispered harshly trying to get his bearings back. Tursila stood and quietly walked out of the room. The winter holiday officially starting for her that moment.

[LassyD]

Severus was annoyed at having to chaperone the Yule ball. He only felt a little better when he realized that all the teachers from the three schools had gotten roped into chaperone duties. His menacing air seemed subdued, but that was due to the fact that he was worried. Like it or not, he managed to gain some family, and somehow paternal worry came with it. He hadn’t seen Tursila since the last day of classes, and was hoping to corner her here and ask, no more like demand that she give him some answers. He still couldn’t get the images from her mind out of his head. Having thought it over more in the past few days, he realized that the man and woman had looked a lot like the girl. Her parents maybe?

He surveyed the room again in hopes of seeing the rather distinctive girl. Seeing Hermione and realizing that the girl must share a room with his niece, he walked up to the girl whom was talking to Krum.

“Ms. Granger,”
“Yes Professor?”
“Have you seen Tursila?” He didn’t really like talking to the bossy know it all girl, but he preferred not going near the other two female Gryffendor fourth-year seeing as they were with Potter and Weasley, it would be too much of a hassle.
“Well, she told me this morning that she wasn’t going to come to the ball, last I saw she was headed for the library around noon.”
“Thank You” Severus sneered and walked away from the two. That meant he was stuck here babysitting snot nosed brats and didn’t have the opportunity to straiten out his own.

He managed to sneak out of the ball as it started to dwindle. Noting his failure at talking to his niece today, he decided that it would be best to wait for classes to begin before getting into a staring contest again. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he realized that somehow he’d developed feelings of responsibility towards this girl. He knew that he would feel a failure if he didn’t manage to goad her into passing her classes, but it was so difficult if you couldn’t find the girl.

He spent his remaining free time looking for his wayward niece. Everyone he asked hadn’t seen the girl, it was as if she just disappeared from Hogwarts. That thought made him pause. What if he couldn’t find her because she ran away? What if she decided magic wasn’t her life and ran off to her muggle friends?

The longer she was missing, the more worried he became. Which caused him to be snappish to everyone. Soon the first day of classes were upon them. Severus calmed down a little. Surely she would be in her classes and he could talk to her then. Even calmed, the worry soured his mood and caused him to get even more annoyed by the ineptness of his students that day. Even more annoying was the fact that he had to wait another day for the fourth-year classes.

Dinner came quickly and as he sat moping and waiting to see his niece, Minerva leaned over and asked, “Severus, have you seen Tursila today? She wasn’t in class.” Flitwick, whom was sitting a little further down the table must have heard the question because he piped up in his squeaky voice, “she wasn’t in charms today either.” The easing off of the worry he’d been feeling just slammed back in full force and he snapped at the two. “No I haven’t” then got up and with a quick turn was out of the great hall, he had forgotten to eat.

He prowled the corridors hoping to find the girl, but there was no hint of her passing. He asked the portraits in the halls. None of them had seen the girl since before Christmas. The dungeons didn’t have any portraits adorning the walls, so she might be hiding down there, if she was in the castle at all. Slapping his forehead for forgetting, he made his way to the Gryffendor’s dorm and asked the fat lady. The last time the portrait had seen Tursila was mid-day Christmas eve.

The worry he felt was starting to turn into panic. How could no one notice that the girl just disappeared on Christmas eve? For that’s what it seemed like. Self recriminations filled his head. He was a failure, how could he have not noticed the disappearance of his ward? Turning back to the portrait of the Fat Lady, he gave her the teachers password to be let in. He had to see if the girl left anything that might help.

Luckily the common room was deserted so he wouldn’t have to explain what he was doing in the Gryffendor common room. He made his way up to the girls fourth year dorm and entered silently. The room looked like a blizzard had taken residence in the form of papers and miscellaneous artefacts that were distinctly feminine.

Severus looked at the trunks, looking for Tursila’s name. Finding it on the last bed from the door, he opened the trunk to find it neatly packed, school supplies and all. On top of the pile was a wand and a few small pieces of paper. One paper had the name Toby scrawled across it in red ink and it seemed to be enchanted for recipient only. Another paper with the name Sarah written in the same red scrawl lay on top of the last with the name Tom written across the front. Quickly looking through the rest of the trunk, he found nothing of interest.

He looked up to the curtain surrounded four poster and the bed side table. The table was bare, but the drawer held a quill that she hadn’t cleaned, rust brown ink covered the lower half of it. Pretty sloppy, he was really going to have to straiten her out when he found her. He was about to close the drawer when he paused a moment. ‘Wait a moment, I know that color.’ He snatched up the quill and took a closer look. He was startled to realize that it wasn’t ink that covered the quill, it was blood.

It suddenly felt like an anvil just materialized in his stomach then pulled the organ down to his feet with it. Quickly pulling the curtains back, he found the bed in disorder, sheets rumpled and a journal sat open in the middle. Without looking closer he could tell the same rust brown from the quill was scrawled over the pages.

He seized the book and quill and headed strait out of Gryffendor, and strait for the Headmaster’s office.

[LassyD]

On the way to Dumbledore’s office, Severus realized that he didn’t know what was in the journal so it might be better not to mention it until he’d had an opportunity to inspect it. He slipped the small book into his robes as he passed the gargoyle and made his way to the Headmaster’s office.

A jovial “come in” was the response to his knock on the door.

“Ahh Severus, what brings you here?” Albus’s eyes twinkled as he asked. “Tea? Lemon drop?”

Severus shook his head, “no thank you, I’m here because I’m worried about my niece,” Albus’s face took a serious turn.
“Yes, the other teacher had told me, she’d not doing very well in her classes is she?”
Shaking his head Severus replied, “No it’s not that. No one’s seen her since Christmas eve. I think she’s run away.”
Albus’s eyes sparkled mysteriously, “now Severus, that’s not so, being headmaster, I’d know if a student ran away. She’s here somewhere.”
“Have you seen her?” Severus snapped.
“Dear me no, I don’t see very many of the students over the holidays.”

Dumbledore’s lack of worry didn’t do anything to help with Severus’s fears. He stood up and with a curt nod and “thank you” left the office.

He realized when he got back to his office that he forgot to mention the quill or the journal.

Pulling the journal out of the pocket he had put it in, Severus warred with his conscience. To open it and read would be a breach of privacy that was so obviously intended, while whatever might be contained within might help with finding the girl. Finally the latter won and promising himself that he wouldn’t read any more than necessary, he opened the book towards the end. The pages were empty, he slowly flipped closer and closer to the beginning until a rusty red image stopped him. The image was of a cold stone room, there were sketchy outlines of people fighting, but the focus of the picture was a lone archway, cracked and crumbling. It looked fragile, as if a strong breeze would topple it over. A tattered curtain hung in the archway drifting gently as if someone had just touched it. Severus was slightly unnerved that the only moving thing in the picture was the curtain, the rest still as death.

Severus flipped to a few pages earlier, another image, only this one entirely still. Depicted was a small child, no more than 5 floating in a lake, the small girl’s eyes open and unfocused. Another flip, and another scene. Severus only got a glance before it faded away, and something else slowly materialized in the same bloody ink. This one was of a room, it looked cold and there were a couple people in concealing clothing, only their eyes visible. They stood around a young man. He was strapped to a board, his neck braced and a large piece of metal sticking through his chest. Small scratches littered his body. There were all sorts of wires connected to him and Snape noticed a small box in the background with a little line crossing its surface.

Slightly unnerved Severus flipped to near the beginning, an unconscious hope of not seeing any more images leading him on. This time there was writing, and it was in black ink.

“1, Nov

We’re going to go to papa’s funeral, my new found uncle and I. I wonder if he’ll actually agree to going to the funeral, or be like most other pure wizards and refuse. I hope he does, that mean’s I’ll be able to talk to Tom about the arrangements. “

That was odd, the girl could only be fourteen at the most and she wrote like an adult. As if she had to grow up early. He flipped a little later. This time it was written in blood.”

“My uncle called me to speak after class I think. I don’t know what he wanted and I don’t remember what we talked about. Oh well, I just hope he doesn’t feel responsible when they find the body.” the end of the page, he turned it to the next and there started the drawings, but at the top of the page he could make out the faint indentations of the words, “I’d better burn this before I loose luc” The line scrawled before fading into the rest of the lines that made up yet another macabre picture.

A gut twisting fear took Severus’s insides by storm. What this last entry was hinting at wasn’t very good. “When they find the body,” it had said, not if. The real question a statement like that brings about is, who’s body is she talking about. The earlier part hinted that she wasn’t working with a sane mind, or at least not nearly as stable as a girl her age should be. Severus shot out of the chair as the full implications hit him. He grabbed a torch and started a room by room search of the dungeons.

After finding many dusty rooms and a pair of snogging Slytherins, he felt like giving up. Maybe he was reading too far into the journal.

He was taking a lesser used shortcut when he heard a soft giggling carried on the breeze.

“Who’s there.” He said gruffly, he had no time for students out past curfew. The giggling stopped. With a half growl half sigh, he stalked in the direction the giggling had been coming from. It didn’t come back again, and he didn’t have any other way to find the culprit, so he returned to his rooms and retired for the night. His mind couldn’t shake the feeling that the giggling had been important.

[LassyD]

Deca-Tessera

Snape was back in the dungeons. A sense of dread filled his stomach as he looked from room to room. His cloak billowing behind him in his haste. That giggle was back, but this time he couldn’t tell where it was coming from. It echoed softly off the walls making the impression that the walls themselves were laughing.

“Show yourself and I’ll only take house points.” His proclamation was ignored as the giggling turned to child like laughter. Severus started to growl when he heard a child like whisper.

“I know a secret.” The voice lisped like a five year old might then giggled some more. The echo’s started to subside just enough that Severus could tell the direction. As he followed the giggling and occasional whisper of the word “Secret” the torch in his hand seemed to dim. The corridor stretched on and it started to seem hazy.

Severus saw a flash of movement up ahead. He moved faster and saw the outline of a form retreating. The giggling was getting louder.

“Stop right there.” He commanded, but the figure kept flitting in and out of his torch light, leading him. He could tell that the figure had long black hair, and was wearing a white night robe. After what seemed to be an eternity of chasing the figure down what was becoming an increasingly disturbingly strait corridor, the figure darted into a room.

A grunt escaped Severus’s lips, he wasn’t sure weather it was from satisfaction or annoyance that this chase had been going on so long. He entered the room with a flourish that seemed to be lost on the lone inhabitant. Snape’s eyes quickly took in the room, there were ruddy marks that he couldn’t distinguish all over the walls, but other than that the room was bare. In the center, back to Severus was a figure. Long tangled black hair reached the center of the back what had looked like a white dressing gown was spotted with dirt and grime. The figure was giggling and sitting in the center of the floor. Severus was moving up to it when it spoke, in the same eerie lisp from the hallway.


“Hello uncle” it turned and a wave of nausea passed through Severus when he saw the front of the girl. Where her eyes should have been were scraps of torn flesh still oozing dark red fluid down her cheeks in some twisted imitation of tear tracts. Clumps of hair were stuck to the eye fragments while large clumps of hair had been ripped off her head. Her mouth was stuck in a macabre grin.

“I’m waiting for you.” That childlike lisp spoke again. A bloody arm started to reach for Severus.

Severus woke with a start. His heart racing. Just where had that dream come from? He rubbed a hand across his face groggily as he swung his legs off the bed and stood. As he stumbled to the bathroom, his mind ran through the dream over and over again. That laugh, the face, how much of that dream was dredged up from his subconscious? He was sure that he’d never seen anything like it in all his days, even as a death eater.

He got to the sink and splashed some water on his face. He was toweling his face dry when he heard a soft, near whisper. “I’m waiting.” He threw his towel and searched the room. Nothing was out of place.

The clock in his living room chimed 5 o’clock. Figuring he’d have to get up soon anyway, Severus quickly got ready for the rest of the day.

He arrived in the Great Hall only to see a happy twinkle in the Headmasters eye. The gnawing worry intensified its work from yesterday. Snape was sure he’d get an ulcer if he didn’t find his niece soon. Gliding up to his regular seat, he sat and shuffled his food around the plate, not really feeling up to eating it at the moment. He noticed the concerned looks he was getting from his co-workers, but didn’t have the energy to be annoyed.

After ten or so minutes of pushing the food around, he stood and started for his classroom. He wasn’t particularly surprised when there was a knock at his door five minutes afer he got there. He opened the door and stepped back to his desk, not saying a word to Albus as the man entered.

“There’s something troubling you.” Albus’s voice was carefully toned to be inviting and commanding at the same time.

“It’s my niece, I’m worried about her.” Snape looked to the pile of assignments he had to grade. “Last night I had this dream,” he shuddered. “It was not very hopeful.”

Albus inclined his head and made a noise of acknowledgment. “Even if she is in danger, there is nothing you can do at the moment.” Albus clasped Severus’s shoulder. “Please try to calm down, worrying will not do you or the students any good.”

Snape looked into Albus’s eyes and saw the hint of worry that showed through his everyday jovial mask.

“Alright, I’ll try.”

“That is all I ask.” The bearded man turned and left Severus to his grading. He felt lucky that he didn’t have a class until second hour. Maybe that would give him some time to calm down.

The rest of the day passed in a strange haze for Severus. The classes were tiresome as always and he was again asking the gods why he was stuck with a bunch of dunderheads to teach. What had made him nervous was that when it was all quiet, he thought he could just make out that eerie laughter.

By the time the last class left, Snape had made up his mind. He would search the dungeons until he found at least a hint of his niece. He made a quick stop to his rooms to pick up an assortment of potions, healing and otherwise.

[LassyD]

JuGo

Snape started his search in the corridor that he first heard the laugh. It wasn’t so late, and so he saw a couple students wandering to and fro. As he neared his destination, the students disappeared and the hallways echoed unpleasantly.

Severus found himself in the same corridor as the previous night without a clue what to do next. His torch flickered violently for a second and he heard the giggling again. This time instead of reprimanding, he quietly followed the sound. His stomach clenched when he realized that he was mimicking the actions of his dream self. This clinches it, he was positive that he’d just developed an ulcer. Ignoring the tight knots in his stomach, he followed the soft laughter until he noticed a horrific smell. The hallway suddenly smelt like a slaughter house that had been closed down due to lack of cleanliness and the products just left inside to rot. Ohh, this was not a good smell. Trying to breathe through his mouth so he wouldn’t have to smell, he continued on.

Dust covered the floor, as if this was an area that the House Elves never got to. He noticed a set of footprints in the dust, they were dusty themselves, but the other dust had been unsettled in the passing. Severus followed the footprints for even more time when he noticed that there were irregular spots that appeared. He bent down to inspect them and looked up quickly when he realized the spots were blood. A small voice entered his head. Maybe I should go back, bring someone with me. He shook that thought away and continued on.

The trail started to stagger, as if the person who had been walking it became woozy, or intoxicated. After another twenty or so feet, the footprints went into a room. Severus reached for the nob. He withdrew his hand quickly when he noticed bloodstains on it. His stomach clenched again. Squelching the idea of going back yet again, he slowly opened the door. Only to have the smell of rotting flesh hit him like a brick.

“Lumos” After having cast the spell, he wished he hadn’t. The walls of the room were covered in blood, oddly it looked like it was still freshly splattered on, while the blood coating the floor was flaked and cracked. Lying face down in the center of the floor, hair matted and stuck to the ground was a slim figure in a dirty white dressing gown. Severus’s legs seemed to buckle beneath him as he soon found himself sitting staring at what he knew was the body of his niece. Her legs were sticking out awkwardly as if she fell over and just stayed. One hand reaching for something coated in blood, the other tucked beneath her body. Her limbs seemed spindly, as if the skin shrank around them.

Snape’s eyes moved to the walls. The blood that covered them still bright red. Staring for a moment, he was stunned to realize that there were names and number scrawled across the wall that he could see. Directly in-front of him was a splatter. It partially covered some words. But he could make out the last name, Diggory. Then the numbers, 95-6-24 below it were more names and numbers, in the same odd order. Could they be combinations?

Severus sat there for a long time. He had the oddest squeezing sensation in his chest. He slowly stood up and entered the room. As he crossed the threshold, he was assaulted with the laughter and the lispy voice happily muttering.

“Secret, you found my secret. Do you, do you want to see?”

“No!” His response was abrupt as he was inching towards the body. He knelt down and turned the corpse over. Upon seeing the front half, he ran out of the room and retched in the corner. He thought he had a strong stomach, but maybe because it was his family, someone who shared his blood, it made it that much more nauseating.

As in his dream, clumps of hair had been ripped off the girl’s head. Her eyes had been scratched out, but now maggots had taken up residence in the eye sockets. They were writhing and some had fallen to the floor. Her cheeks and forehead had been scratched up and bone could be seen, stained rust with blood. Her mouth was in a similar state as her eyes and blood and gore coated the front of her gown. Her skin had a greenish hue while bits of hair were sticking to random cuts and bloody patched. The smell that came with it was absolutely nauseating.

He retched for a few moments before pulling up some semblance of composure. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and cast a quick cleaning charm on the small puddle. Leaving the door open, he turned and hurried for the headmaster’s office. Knowing the fate of his missing niece seemed much worse that the worry he had before.

[LassyD]

Epilogue.

Severus found himself at the same small chapel that his brother’s funeral took place. This time, instead of the open casket it was closed, and a picture of Tursila smiling at the camera was displayed above it. Many of the same people sat. The woman with her son. This time he was crying, as if he realized she was gone and Tursila was his best friend. There was the larger woman, Snape thought she might only have one mourning dress because she was wearing the same floral as the last time. Her posture said that she had just been crying. There were a few more, but what got Severus’s attention was the fact that Tom seemed unaffected by the whole thing.

“Don’t you care?” Severus was curious. The man had seemed to like his niece well enough, shouldn’t he be sad.

“I did my grieving long ago.” Tom turned and met Severus’s eyes. Severus could see truth in them and acceptance.

“You knew.” Severus accused. Tom shrugged.

“She told me, I tried to stop her, tried to get her to stay home, but she refused to listen. Said that she didn’t want Sarah to find the mess.” He inclined his head. “Although it surprises me that it took so long for her body to be found.”

“What are you talking about?” Severus growled upset at the seeming slight to his abilities.

“She died on Christmas Eve.” Tom gave Severus an infuriatingly knowing glance. “Don’t worry, from what she told me she wasn’t sane enough to realize the pain.”

“What are you talking about? She told you?” Severus snorted quietly in disbelief.

“Tursila was always a gifted child,” Tom shrugged, “put it to her genealogy I guess.”

“What do you mean?”

“Her grandmother was a Seer.”

“But I thought her grandmother was a muggle.” Tom rolled his eyes at the comment.

“Not all seer’s are wizards.”

{Severus snorted at the idea. All conversation fell to the wayside as he helped with carrying the coffin to the burial plot. He stayed watching the earth tossed on the box with a sense of loss. The only family he had left had come into and left his life in the matter of months. When the last bit of the coffin had been covered by dirt, he turned and went back to his life. The part of him wondering what could have happened was squashed by his sense of duty. Albus and the school needed him, grouchy or not.

He found his way to a secluded corner and dissapparated, never to return. }

[LassyD]

WOO HOO, it's all done, if any one feels like giving me comments, they would be appreciated :-)