Snape's Daughter (Book Two)

Chapter Thirty : The Last Two Dumbledore's

Pulling her head out of the penesive, Ellia's breathing had increased.

"El?" Draco asked, wrapping an arm around her waste.

"Annailia. My mothers name was Annailia," Ellia whispered.

"That's a beautiful name. But right now we should go and see if everybody is done fighting," Draco suggested.

"No," Ellia snapped," Not right now. I...I...I can't I'm not ready yet."

"We can stay up here for as long as you like El," Draco assured her.

"Dumbledore," she muttered to herself, "Elisin and Annailia Dumbledore."

"She was related to Dumbledore?" Draco asked his girlfriend.

"My granddaughters," a voice croaked. Looking up, the couple saw Professor Dumbledore's portrait hanging, whilst talking to them.

"Does that make me your great granddaughter?" Ellia asked him.

"Great, yes. You are great indeed, in fact brilliant Ellia. Because without even knowing it, you protected everybody around you just by being strong, and lettting go. Your mother did the exact thing for you and your father," Dumbledore explained.

"Elisin, is she really my aunt then. And not my mother like people believed?" Ellia asked him.

"Yes. Her and Annailia fell out, but Elisin always did everything she could to save her little sister, and Annailia respected that. It's were your name came from, Ellia," Dumbledore explained.

"Annailia is a beautiful name, Professor," Draco said.

"Yes, yes it is. T'was one of my favourites actually, my son Alfred, your grandfather Ellia, favourited that name too," Dumbledore agreed, "And Ellia, where and how is your father?"

"He's dead sir, I thought you knew," Ellia sighed, the tears brewing in her eyes.

"Knew? No such thing. Still such a shame though, he was so much of a brave man," Dumbledore sighed.

"Hardly brave," Draco muttered. Elbowing him, Ellia looked up at Dumbledore.

"How was he brave sir?" Ellia asked.

"He sacrificed everything for your safety. For Harry's. For Hogwarts. Even for you Mr Malfoy, he knew how much you meant to Ellia," Albus revealed.

"He did that?" Ellia asked, wiping a tear away. She felt Draco's securing arm wrap around her waist for comfort.

"Indeed he did. And he did it well. Without your father, nothing would be how it is now Ellia. Voldemort wouldn't be able to have been destroyed, he's vulnerable now," Albus explained.

"His portrait, it'll be hung in here as he was headmaster, will I be able to speak to it? Like I do you?" Ellia asked him.

"Of course, just ensure he is next to me. I do frequently enjoy talking to your father, no matter how stubborn he is. And I'm sure Minerva will forgive him," Albus said.

"I suppose I take after him them, arrogant and stubborn like Eileen says, never doing the right thing," Ellia joked.

"No Ellia, you do the right thing. You are your father's daughter, you just make sure you say hello to him, he'll appreciate it," Dumbledore said.

"Yes sir, I will do. I want to thank him, I never really have," Ellia sighed.

"Don't threat to see him when he's here Ellia, it would make his day knowing Severus," Albus informed her.

"Thank you sir, for all of this," Ellia thanked Albus.

"It's my pleasure Ellia. Just keep the Dumbledore blood running through the family, Aberforth shall be your guardian from now on," Albus informed the teen.

"He already was," Ellia sighed, Remus flashing into her head. Her and Draco begun walking out before Albus stopped them.

"If you wish to speak to us all Ellia, even your mother and aunt, then go to the Forbidden Forest where you died, and take the stone. Hold it, and think of us," Albus informed her.

"Yes sir," Ellia said, before finally exiting the room.

The rubble was all over the grounds of Hogwarts, and with each piece of rubble there was a lifeless limb. Empty portraits hung diagonally and some had even crashed on to the broken floor. Windows were shattered, glass lied everywhere and it wasn't safe to walk. It killed Ellia to see Hogwarts so broken. It was once her home.

"Please don't tell me you're going to the forest El?" Draco asked his girlfriend, grabbing her cut hand. Flinching, Ellia turned round to face Draco.

"I have to. I need to meet them, I need to know their faces," Ellia desperately said.

"I'd never forgive myself if you didn't return," Draco said, his voice lowering in sound. It was almost a tremble, a weak tremble coming from a strong boy.

"And Draco I promise I'll return, I couldn't leave you by yourself. I won't let you grow old in hatred and anger," Ellia said, dragging herself closer to Draco until her nose was touching his.

"Ellia Mae Snape. You promise you will come back and find me?" Draco asked her, wrapping both of his arms around her waist.

"I wouldn't miss it Draco," Ellia said, embracing Draco.

"I love you," he muttered into her ear.

"I love you too," she muttered back, before reluctantly pushing herself free of Draco's clasp.