limerence . Severus Snape

I

A squawk of an owl woke Y/n up, causing a slight jump from her. The moonlight beamed into Y/n's eyes, causing a stinging pain to rap through her skull. A sharp inhale of air through Y/n's nostrils caused her to prop herself up on her two arms, her hair falling in front of her face beautifully. She looked to the animal in front of her. Only taking notice of the letter within its beak once she had blinked a couple times. A squeak erupted from from it mouth, causing her to pluck the letter from the brown barn owl's mouth. It was a rather big letter, bigger than Y/n's little hand, it's a wonder how the owl transported it! She had no reason to be sent a letter such as this, yet she felt she had seen it before. Perhaps from one of her sisters? And green writing plastered over the front reading:
Miss. Y/n Merope Evans
The little backroom
3 Spinners end
Cokesworth
Y/n studied the letter closer; noticing there was no stamp, but she'd supposed that you didn't need a stamp to send a letter by owl. A red, waxy seal hid all the contents within, a large 'H' was plastered in the middle of a lion, badger, raven and a snake. A very ornate crest, much like a private school. She jerked the paper back so she could see the address to in the moonlight. She couldn't risk lighting a match, encase her parents found her awake. From what she could see, it was definitely hers! Something that striked her was that she never knew her middle name was Merope, it was something she would have to ask her parents! She took the ruby red seal between her quivering forefinger and thumb, and gently tore it. She took a short inhale, peeling the mouth of the letter away, exposing the yellow parchment within it.   Y/n plucked out the letter that was enclosed within the envelope. And thus, she began to read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
1st August 1974
Dear Miss Evans,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress

Questions materialised out of her head, creating more questions upon that. Witchcraft? Wizardry? A whole school?
'They await my owl?' Y/n pondered, wondering what on earth that meant. Until she looked back to the owl on her windowsill, which hadn't moved. Surely it would go soon. Besides, she knew there was a barn owl in the shed outside that Lily always feeds, perhaps that would be okay? As well as this, how would Y/n afford all of her items she would need? She would certainly have to tell her parents now!

Oh, but wouldn't they be pleased? She remembered a similar situation a couple years ago with Lily. Another thing that caught Y/n's attention was the fact that this letter was about 3 weeks late! Perhaps mail by owl was merely that slow! Perhaps she would leave the matter for a couple more hours of sleep to solve, once she place the letter beneath her pillow, that she did.

The smell of petrichor and mist fell through Y/n's open window, the first sign that autumn is close, as is winter. Y/n pulled the covers tighter over her small, form. She was quite small compared to her two sisters - despite them looking very lean themselves, skinny and tall. In fact, Y/n had never looked like any of her family. Petunia had long ebony hair, large, quite pale eyes. She was a lean, boney girl, very skinny compared to Lily and Y/n, as well as her notably long neck. Lily was a shorter, yet still very tall and skinny girl. Her auburn hair was long - much like Petunia's and her eyes were a deep green, compared to the dulled plants of Petunia. Y/n had never quite been the same as the two sisters, however some aspects were quite similar. She was usually the middle ground, it was safe to say she had more of a relationship with Petunia than Lily had. They used to, up until a couple years ago; something Y/n never truly understood.

Y/n slowly sat up, immediately retreating back into the covers once the cold licked up Y/n's skin. And within this action, Y/n realised that that owl was still there from last night, it hadn't left from the window; in fact, it had quite made itself at home at the hinge of the window. The realisation dawned upon Y/n that prompted her to shoot out from under her covers. The letter! Y/n tore the pillow away from her mattress, revealing the opened letter that she had left from the previous night. Hastily, Y/n made her bed; tucking in the corners of her duvet and fluffing her pillows. Next, Y/n found something to wear, folding her pyjamas to be placed neatly under her pillow. Once Y/n had pulled on her sock, she snatched the letter and ran down the stairs gleefully with it in tow.

She yelped, "Mummy! Daddy! Look what I got!"
She jumped in the air, waving the letter in front of their faces. This stirred a confused look from Lily, who was spooning mouthfuls of porridge into her mouth while glaring daggers at Petunia. Despite Petunia being the oldest, she had the disposition of a bumblebee. Lily had the emotional capability of a horse with tunnel vision.

As her parents took the piece of paper and read the address, they immediately recognised the front and yelped with joy. Lily eager to see what was going on, broke contact with Petunia, looking towards the letter. Her eyes widened, her eyebrows raising in shock, yet a small, open-mouthed smile of delight plastered itself upon Lily's face. Petunia's face contorted into one of disgust, a large 'o' elongated upon her features, and her eyebrows knitted together in anger and sadness.
"Oh! We're so proud of you!" Mrs Evans cried, tears welling up within her eyes, as she clamped down upon Y/n into a massive cuddle. This caused Petunia to brew tears of her own "I'm so lucky to have two special little girls in our family!"
"Indeed we are!" Mr Evans chimed. "We are so lucky to have another witch in the family!"
Petunia's heart broke. You'd suppose you could hear it from where her parents were standing, shattering like an egg that were left on the counter and rolled off.
Lily cheered, "Well done, Y/n! I can't wait to show you everything!"
"Mum! I never knew my middle name was Merope!" Y/n inquired, pointing to the front of the letter where the offending, green ink was imprinted.
"Well, my beauty, as Petunia and Lily are the Flowers, springing up every spring and summer; you-" Y/n's mother tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, staring into her eyes. "Are the one to experience it all."
Lily rolled her eyes. Typical younger sibling favouritism! A bang was heard from the opposite side of the room, causing the love and praise to falter. There stood a heaving and puffing Petunia; streaks of tears climbing down the fifteen year-old's cheeks, snot dripping down from her nose and dark hair frizzing from the sweat pooling down her temples and armpits, staining her lilac-purple dress.
"She..!" Petunia huffed, sniffing up the snot dripping down her chin. "She wasn't supposed to get that!"
Y/n's brows furrowed as she looked upon her oldest sister.
"Tunie?" Her mother asked, causing the anger to be wiped from her face, replaced with shame and fear from her mother's disappointment.

Petunia's look of discomfort was replaced by anger once more, shooting Y/n a glare. She stormed out of the kitchen, abandoning her bowl of (by then cold) porridge. Her footsteps bounded up the stairs, travelling along the roof and a curt slam of her bedroom door echoed throughout the house.
A small sigh escaped Mr Evans' lips, before he groaned a simple, "I will talk to her."
Mr Evans trotted his slippered feet along the kitchen floor; travelling up the stairs, gripping up the banister, earning a loud creek from the wooden handrail; and much calmer footsteps opening the door to loud crying. Y/n sat with a pout, wondering why her sister was so selfish! Why could she not be happy for her? An entitled frown plastered itself onto Y/n's face and her anger grew from Petunia's outburst. Y/n held her nose high, realising Petunia was probably just inferior for Y/n's new opportunity.

Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by Mrs Evans' request to Lily. "Take her to Diagon Alley to get her some robes"; "one of those old stick things"; "any old books give to her"! Lily understood, she had been meaning to go to Diagon Alley anyway. Perhaps she could go with one of her friends and acquaint Y/n with the Wizarding people. However, Lily knew she would find it a pain to convert the money again. Three years in and she still found it a pain! She found it more humorous than anything however. But she wouldn't mind doing so! After all, her little sister was being invited to hogwarts.