Snape's Daughter (Book Two)

Chapter Thirty-Two : The Breakdown of a Family

"You did what?" Draco said, stood behind his father. Ellia looked straight at her boyfriend, who's face looked horrified. His mother, stood next to him, had the same expression.

"What did you do Lucius?" Narcissa asked her husband, forcing him to turn around and face his family.

"Tell them Lucius. An hour or two ago, when we were fighting in Hogwarts, you sent a killing curse hurtling towards me. And I was lucky, that Remus Lupin saved me, and took his own life instead of mine," Ellia revealed to them. She watched as Draco's jaw dropped, before he soon ran to Ellia's side.

"Why would you do that father?" Draco asked his father.

"We were in a fight and Severus hadn't asked me to look out for her then. She was still an enemy," Lucius said.

"He hadn't asked you then? Why would you try to kill my girlfriend anyway?" Draco asked, clasping hold of Ellia's hand.

"Because Draco, it was a war," Lucius tried to excuse himself, but it was no use.

"A war father that I didn't want to be in, and you dragged me into it to obey the Dark Lord," Draco argued back.

"Now Draco, settle that tone down," Lucius started, but Draco was quick to interrupt him.

"Don't tell me to settle that tone down, father how could you. All along you've never accepted Ellia as part of the family. Does it matter that her father is Severus Snape? She is her own individual person and I love the person she has become. Do you know how much pain and suffering she's been through!" Draco shouted at his father, slowly tearing their strongish bond to shreds.

"Draco? I know it's hard loosing both of your parents but you need to respect my decision. We were in a war Draco," Lucius fumbled, trying desperately to cover up his own tracks.

"But she didn't just loose her parents. It was you, you and Parkinson who made her life hell. Of course I remember the torturing, everything," Draco snapped, before retreating himself as the tears started leaking in his eyes," Can you not just accept her?" Ellia stood in awe as the father and son argued, this was wrong. This was very wrong.

"It doesn't matter," Ellia muttered, standing beside Narcissa.

"What?" Draco asked her.

"It doesn't matter," She spoke a bit louder and clearer this time," The past is the past for the reason. Can we just leave it there and forget about it?"

"Forget about it? Ellia I cannot," Draco said.

"Draco sweety, let it go," Narcissa told him, pulling him back away from his father," What is done is done. Now let's just worry about getting back to Hogwarts to get home, it would look suspicious apparating from here."

"You're right, if you just leave from here you'll be in danger. Yes, Voldemort's dead but it doesn't mean that the constant battle is over. The ministry needs to rebuild itself and I'm 100% sure they'll question you guys, especially you Lucius," Ellia warned the family, before Narcissa and Lucius walked off, discussing something else. Draco turned straight around to Ellia, his eyes fuming.

"He nearly killed you, how can I let that go?" Draco spat, disgusted by his fathers behaviour.

"It's not me who he did wrong Draco, he killed Remus. There's no doubt he'll be arrested for it, Harry and Kingsley will want his punish him for his deeds to Voldemort," Ellia explained to him, as his expression dropped.

"What about me? I helped kill Albus Dumbledore, I'm a Death Eater. Won't they arrest me, and mum?" Draco asked her, starting to panic as his heart rate rose.

"You are vulnerable and young Draco, I doubt Kingsley will arrest you. And your mum, well, I don't know," Ellia sighed, placing a comforting hand on Draco's shoulder ,"All I know is everything will be fine. After all, it was my father who killed Albus, not you."

"You're right," Draco said, shaking his head at himself as he brushed a bit of dust from his clothing, "Now let's get back to Hogwarts. I feel the need to help clean up after the battle."

"Hmm, I think you should," Ellia chuckled, walking away from the scene with Draco.

When they returned to Hogwarts, hand in hand, it was only then that it hit Ellia how damaged the historic school was. The bridge was entirely gone with only a small section remaining, there were holes and craters from where things had fallen or been hit. The castle look as if it would topple down on itself any minute. Ellia stepped into the Great Hall, Filch behind her sweeping up as much rock as he could. Aberforth was sat chatting to Seamus, so Ellia took the opportunity to let Draco have a minute by himself, and go talk to Minerva. The old lady seemed as if she was babbling on at herself, her once tight bun now ruined win cascades of hair let loose.

"Ellia, how may I help you?" Minerva asked her, noticing the girl walking towards her.

"The castle, I was wondering if you would need help cleaning up," Ellia answered, brushing a section of dust off of her shoulder. Minerva's eyes deepened, her facial expression weakening as she looked on at the girl.

"I don't think cleaning up Hogwarts will clear your mind Ellia. You've lost a lot today," Minerva said, her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as Ellia sighed.

"I've been trying to distract myself, I don't want it crossing my mind," Ellia told Minerva, as the elderly lady stepped closer to her, wrapping a secure arm around her shoulders and holding her in a motherly embrace.

"You need to mourn, so then your mind will clear. Avoiding it will make the pain worse," Minerva told Ellia, as the girl hugged the Professor back.

"I just don't know what I can do, or where I can go anymore," Ellia said, her voice cracking as she tried to hold back her tears.

"You'll always be at home at Hogwarts, you have done since you were younger. And Draco, despite the fact he is who he is, he loves you. And Aberforth wants to protect you like you were his own grandchild that he never had. Teddy, I'm sure you'll be a huge part in little Teddy's life. And George, I'm sure he'll need one of his best friends there," Minerva said, as she felt Ellia's tears drop onto her dirty shoulder.

"I just, I just don't know. I've hated him for months, and now it feels like my hearts been shredded into pieces because he's all the actual family I ever knew until I met Eileen, and even she's gone," Ellia mumbled, her words barely a whisper at the tears streamed down her face.

"Don't cry Ellia, what your father did was extremely brave. You should be proud," Minerva smiled slightly, pulling the girls face off of her shoulder to look at her tear stained skin, wiping away a tear. "It'll be okay."

"I know what he did, and I'm proud but I'm hurt that he didn't think he could trust me," Ellia sighed, squinting her eyes to try to prevent the floods of tears.

"He loved you, you two were each other's family. And he wanted to protect you by not telling you," Minerva told Ellia.

"I just want my dad back," Ellia whispered, biting her tongue to restrain the tears from escaping from her eyes, "I want them all back. I want my best friend, I want my guardian, I want my friends, I want my grandmother, I want my mum, my aunt. I want Albus back."

"We all do. Trust me," Minerva said, "But what's happened has happened. We cannot change that."

"Will the Wizarding World know what he did?" Ellia asked Minerva.

"Of course, and there will be memorials and funerals and statues and anything else you want to honour him," Minerva said, nodding her head.

"A funeral. That is all. He still killed Albus, I know people won't forgive him. And his portrait hung in the headmasters office. That is all," Ellia said.

"Of course," Minerva agreed, tucking a strand of her long grey hair behind her ear,"Now I suggest you go to Spinners End and sleep. You look as if you haven't slept in centuries."

"Cheers Minerva," Ellia chuckled, hugging the Professor one last time before exiting Hogwarts.