The Prince's Love

Chapter 30: Ashes

Last Story Note(s):
The song above will, as always, be played later on in the chapter. I will tell you when to play it. Of course, you can always skip it if you want to, but I highly recommend playing it!

Also, I think the video is good in itself, so I would watch it sometime without it too! And just ignore the Sev lines the creator of the video added in there, I just picked it because the video editing was good and I just wanted to show you the video, along with playing the song in the chapter.

Lastly, the rights to the song do not belong to me! I do not own it, I did not write it! And I am not trying to take credit for it!

Severus' POV

The next week was the worst of my life. I was heartbroken and lost. Isa, my beautiful wife, my one true love, was gone. She was everything to me, and now I had lost her. And it was my own damn fault.

I shouldn't have let her go to the battle. I knew any spell could hurt her, I knew it was dangerous, and yet I still gave in and let her go. And now I had to forever live with that regret.

I should've known this would happen. I wasn't meant to be happy. I thought I could be when she came into my life, but clearly not. I was Severus Snape, the one everyone despised, the one with no heart. I couldn't escape it, that's what people would always see me as, that's what I would always be.

I tried to fight it, but fate had made it crystal clear. I wasn't meant for love.

I tried to focus my time and attention on Alanna. Narcissa had offered to take care of her so I could have time to grieve, but I wouldn't allow it. I had promised Isa I would take care of our daughter, and I refused to let anyone else. Besides, I needed her. She was all I had now, and I wouldn't let anything happen to her.

I couldn't even leave her alone in her room overnight. I was always with her, whether it was in my room, her room, or on the couch. I was too afraid someone would break through my protective enchantments and try to take her from me.

As I walked up the steps, Alanna carefully held in my arms, I walked sadly into our room. I looked around at all Isa's old stuff scattered around the room that I hadn't had it in me to move. It would mean that she was really gone, and I couldn't face that.

I sat down at my desk slowly, making sure not to wake the sleeping little girl in my arms. I sighed, looking at the letter that was still sitting on my desk. I had read it, but I really didn't feel up to writing anything back. I still didn't, but it had been a few days, and Minerva would think something was wrong if I didn't send a response soon.

I opened the top drawer to grab some parchment and was surprised to see a book inside. It had a picture of Isa and I on the front, and I took a moment to look at Isa, before pulling it out and opening it.

I felt tears come to my eyes as I saw her handwriting on the inside cover. After I took a moment to recover, I went and read the note she had written.

Dear Sev,

Happy one-year anniversary! I can't believe it's been one year since we first got together. One year since we had our first kiss on the bed in Grimmauld Place.

It feels like it's been a lifetime since then. So much has happened, and it's crazy how fast it went by. But while it's been difficult with everything that's happening, you've made it one of the best years of my life. I couldn't imagine my life any other way than with you.

I couldn't think of what to get you as a gift. After all you've done for me, I didn't think anything would be good enough. But then Dumbledore made it easy for me.