Snape's Daughter (Book Two)

Chapter Twenty-Three : The Realisation

The sun set every night. It rose every morning. Each day, a star went missing from the Sky. Stars Ellia studied every night. She got to the point where she named the stars after different people she knew ; Lupin, Tonks, Harry, Hermonie, Ron, Aurora, Fred, George, Marley, Echo, Panemia, Luna. Others she did not name, she signified them as the people she didn't necessarily like ; Patricia, Bellatrix, Parkinson, her father, Voldemort. These stars hid behind the dooming clouds and didn't shine as bright as the others. It was ridiculous, naming stars after the people she knew. But to Ellia it made sense, it was something Ginny never understood. Ellia would sit there wrapped up in a blanket, her eyes gazing out of the window, when the moon awakened.

One night, just a week after Alberforth was introduced to Ellia, a shining star died. That star Ellia had called Echo the night before. Jumping up, Ellia spun on her heal and stormed out of the room. Running down the small set of stairs, she saw Ginny, perched up in a chair reading a book.

"Ginny," Ellia said, running to her side.

"What's the matter Ellia?" Ginny asked her, confused by the girls actions.

"Echo, I need to speak to Echo," Ellia demanded, desperation burning in her eyes.

"Echo? What that little girl who turned out to be Aurora's cousin, the one in Slytherin?" Ginny questioned her, a faint image forming in her head.

"Yes, that little girl in Slytherin," Ellia said.

"Why?" Ginny asked her, closing her book and quietly placing it on the desk.

"It doesn't matter why, do you know where she is?" Ellia demanded, a plant of impatient growing inside of her.

"I don't know, she's been missing since last week," Ginny told her.

"Last week? I've gotta go," Ellia said, running to the Common Room exit.

"Ellia you can't! You'll be caught!" Ginny shouted to her, knowing the time. Snapping her head back to face Ginny, she sighed.

"I don't care," she said, rushing out of the common room.

She had no wand, so it made her chances of being caught even higher, but it was a risk Ellia needed to take to find answers. She knew McGonagall's office wasn't too far away, so she made her best attempt to run for it. Her sleeping robe ran behind her, the loose bun that her hair was tied up in bouncing along the way. Almost there, she thought, pushing her legs to the maximum. Then she haulted, skidding as she stopped. Catching her breath, she sharply turned her back against the wall as she heard whispers.

"We've got to do something about it, the students cannot be here much longer with such a risk of being harmed," a voice said, Ellia listening in.

"What are we supposed to do? You-Know-Who could be anywhere right now and we're here saying we need to do something about it? Snape's in control for god sake, think logically Filius," another voice said, the footsteps closing in on Ellia.

"Calm down Aberforth," Ellia heard her head of house say, "As long as we use all of our forces, we should be able drive Severus away."

"The forces being what?" Aberforth answering back, his shadow in Ellia's sight. Holding her breath, Ellia felt something claw her bare ankle.

"Ouch!"She screeched out in horror, kicking Mrs Norris off of her ankle. She watched as Aberforth's shadow slowly got closer and closer to her, and before she knew it, his grey eyes were staring directly at her.

"Miss Snape, may I ask what you are doing hidden around the corner?" Filius asked Ellia, following Aberforth around the corner. McGonagall followed behind him.

"I actually came to speak to Professor McGonagall, about another student," Ellia answered the Professor, watching Mrs Norris stride away in pride. Bloody cat, Ellia thought.

"Well, Ellia, given the circumstances and the time of night I do believe that I may not be able to speak to you tonight," McGonagall informed Ellia, crossing her eyes and sternly peering at Ellia.

"Professor, it's urgent. I wouldn't be here at this time of night if it wasn't," Ellia said desperation in her eyes. She needed answers, and quick.

"Well, Ellia, just this once. I'm afraid Filius and Aberforth I shall have to continue this conversation at another time," McGonagall apoligised, nodding at Filius and Aberforth. They both turned their backs and started walking off, before McGonagal pointed to her office door.

"I'm sorry for interrupting Professor, I didn't mean to," Ellia apolgised, walking into her Professor's office. Hearing the door close behind her, Ellia took a place on the char opposing the Professor's desk.

"It's fine Ellia," McGonagall sighed, taking a place opposite the young girl, "Now what could possibly be the matter involving a student?"

"It's Echo Grace, the Slytherin," Ellia said, leaning forward, "She hasn't been here for a week and I'm worried for her. She's only young and.."

"She's Aurora's cousin, isn't she?" McGonagall asked Ellia, crossing her arms slightly.

"Well, yes she is. I'm just worried, she's a little vunerable girl. She seems a strong personality but deep down I fear she's not strong," Ellia sighed, the girls image flickering in her head.

"Ellia, Aurora has been informed," McGonagall sighed, cowering her head down to catch a breath.

"Informed of what Professor?" Ellia asked her, fearing the worst.

"Echo's dead, Ellia. She died last Sunday," McGonagall sighed, watching the teenage girl loose her breath. Her presumtions were correct, and Echo had actually been dead for three days. What did Echo ever do?

"28th of April, 1998. Professor, she was eleven. Who killed her?" Ellia asked the Professor, blocking out her emotions with bluntness.

"Ellia, nobody killed her. She's reported as 'Death By Natural Causes'. You need to forget about it," McGonagall told Ellia, handing her an empty sheet of parchment, " If you have any questions about it though, just mark it down on this parchment." Shaking her head, Ellia handed back the parchment.

"It's fine Professor, it's Aurora who we should be feeling sorry for," Ellia sighed, gettinng up from the chair.

"I'm always here to talk Ellia," Professor McGonagall assured her, sending her a warming smile.

"You tell me that all the time Professor, and you would be the first person I would turn to in the sate of an emergency. But for now I think I need to stop relying on people, and grow up a little bit. This war is reality now, and now I need to start fighting for myself," Ellia said, turning her back on McGonagall and storming out of the office. It was down to her now, she needed to start defending herself and stop fending off of other people because of her own hatred and insercurities.