The Half-Blood Princess (A Snape and Astoria Fanfic)

Chapter 11

 Eleanor sits opposite him and begins, "Where to begin.... My father is a pureblood supremacist. I was dating Edward here, in secret. If my father knew...."She sighs, then continues, "Mother told me to pack and leave to protect me. I did what she told me. I packed my things, shrunk them and pocketed them. As I was passing their room, I heard them arguing loudly. Then I heard my father..." Edward went to her side and squeezed her shoulders gently, comforting her. "I'm here my dear, go ahead tell him what happened." Eleanor nods and look at Snape. She has tears in her eyes as she continues, "I heard my father kill my mother with the killing curse. I pulled out my wand and pointed it at my father who came out of the room. I yelled at him that he killed my mother. He just laughed at me and said that my mother deserved it. For not telling him that I was dating a muggleborn wizard. I used the Impedimenta Curse to give me time to leave and disapparate. I heard him say that he will get me for it. For attacking him. I have feared for my life and my daughter's life, ever since. I fear that he will kill us both. Severus, I am a Pure-blood witch. Astoria is a Half-blood." Edward rubs her shoulder in comfort as she cries quietly. Edward says, "I will not let that bigoted fool hurt you, you know that my love." Eleanor replies, "I know, Edward. I worry for our daughter..." Snape looks at her and replies with determination in his voice, "I will protect Astoria to the best of my abilities. No one will harm her whilst I'm there, but you must come with me to Hogwarts. You must tell Astoria everything that you have told me. She has every right to know." Eleanor nods, "Yes I will go with you. You're right. It's time for me to tell her, everything." She stands and moves to the fireplace, grabbing a handful of powder. Snape stands and goes to the fireplace and grabs a handful too. Snape throws the powder into the fireplace and the fire turns green. He steps inside and says loud and clear, "Hogwarts Castle, Astoria's office!" He landed on his feet in her office. Astoria looks up with a start, "Severus, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" She grabs at her chest, feeling her heart racing, Snape replies as he waves his wand over himself, "My apologies for startling you." Seconds later, Eleanor appears in the fireplace. She steps out of the fireplace and pulls out her wand. She waves her wand over herself, then pockets her wand. Eleanor steps towards her daughter and smiles slightly, " Hello, my daughter." Astoria looks surprised, but hugs her. "Mother, what are you doing here?" Eleanor sits in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace and looks at her daughter, "Astoria please sit. There is something that I must tell you. Something I kept from you, for all these years." Astoria sits across from her mother. Snape sits next to Astoria. Astoria smiles at Snape, then looks at her mother, "I am listening, mother." Eleanor began to tell her everything that she had told Snape. When she was done, Astoria was looking at her mother in shock, " Grandfather killed my grandmother?" Tears start to fall from her eyes. Eleanor nods, tears falling from her eyes. "Yes he did, all because mother didn't tell him that I was dating your father. Astoria, the honest truth is this: I am a pure-blood. Your father is a muggleborn wizard. That makes you a Half-blood witch." Astoria looking even more shocked says, "I'm a half-blood?" Eleanor says, "Yes you are, my daughter. Could you ever forgive me for not telling you the truth?" Astoria replies, "Of course I forgive you mother. You were only protecting me." Eleanor goes to her daughter and hugs her. Astoria hugs back tightly. After a moment or two, they let go. Eleanor sits back down and wipes her eyes. Astoria wipes her eyes too and says, "So grandfather will come for me?" Eleanor replies, "If I know my father, yes, he will. To get back at me. To make me suffer..." Astoria replies with a determined expression on her face, "Let him come. He will be confronting one angry witch. I am not afraid of him, mother." She says after seeing the scared look on her mother's face." Snape looks at Astoria and says, "He will have to go through me to get to you, Astoria. I promised your mother that I would protect you." 'and I promised myself, too. I can't lose you, Astoria.' He finishes in his head. Astoria looks at Snape and smiles, "I don't think I need protecting, but," She said before Snape could interrupt, "if you insist, then, thank you." Eleanor smiles at the both of them, "I must be getting back. Your father is waiting for me. I feel much better after telling you, Astoria." Astoria looks at her mom and smiles, "I'm glad you told me, mother. Thank you for telling me." Eleanor and Astoria stood up and hugged each other. After a few minutes they let go and Eleanor turns to Snape as Snape stood up, "Thank you for protecting her, Severus." Snape replies, "Not at all. You're very welcome, Eleanor." Eleanor hugged Snape, who in return hugs her back and pats her back. Eleanor let go of Snape and goes to the fireplace. She grabs some floo powder and throws it into the fireplace. She looks back at Astoria and Snape. "I'll visit again some day, ok?" Astoria smiles, " Of course, come visit me anytime you like, mother." Snape nods in agreement, "Yes, please do come and visit whenever you wish." Eleanor smiles then steps into the fireplace, "Until we meet again, Astoria. Alderlade Manor!" Astoria smiles back as she watches her mother go, "Until we meet again mother." Astoria looks at Snape smiling, "Thank you for having mother tell me everything." Snape replied, "You had the right to know." Astoria thought for a moment then says, "Severus, you now know my parents and know who my grandparents are. I want to know about your parents. Tell me about your parents, please. What were they like? What was it like growing up? I apologize if I'm being too bold about this. I know your childhood is not an easy thing to talk about..." Snape sighs, "You are correct it isn't an easy thing to talk about, but I feel as if I can talk to you about anything, and know that you would never judge me... Harry is another that knows about my childhood and what I have gone through, he knows everything now..." Astoria smiles slightly, "I'm glad you can talk to Harry about anything and not feel judged by him. I'm sure that meant alot to you." Snape nods, "Yes It did. Harry is Lily's and James' son and always will be. He has alot of his mother in him. Something, I think, he realizes now. He is nothing like his father, even if he does have an uncanny resemblance to him and has his talents on the Quidditch field." Snape sighs, "Where to begin about my parents.... My mother's name was Eileen Snape. Prince before she married my father." He says somewhat bitterly. "My father's name was Tobias Snape. My mother named me Severus Tobias Snape." Astoria places her hand on top of his. His hand flinches but he doesn't remove his hand, "Go ahead, Severus. I'm listening." Snape sighs and nods, "My father, like yours was a muggle, my mother, a pureblood witch. I, like you, am a Halfblood. Though, unlike your father, my father hated that I could do magic. He called me a freak everyday. Would argue with my mother constantly. We were poor as well. You see, when my mother married a muggle. Her parents disowned her and took her out of the will. So she never inherited anything. Father hated everything to do with magic. So if I did anything that wasn't normal, I would be punished." Astoria gulps then says, "How did he punish you..?" Already dreading the answer he would give, which he did. Snape said, "He would beat me and would beat my mother if she intefered." Astoria gasped, "Oh Severus, He beat you?" Snape gulps then nods, "Yes, He would beat me with a belt, or a stick, or even his bare hands. He even kicked me sometimes." Astoria now had tears in her eyes, "Oh Severus... How could he beat a child that way?" Snape replied, "I healed magically of course, but the scars remain..." Astoria wipes her eyes and asks, "May I see the scars, Severus, please." Severus stares at her for a moment then nods. He turns her back to her and takes off his cloak then starts to unbutton the black long sleeve shirt he wore. After removing that shirt, He unbuttoned his white, high collared, shirt and stops for a moment, before hesitantly pulling the shirt down, showing his bare back. All over his back were scars. They criss-crossed his entire back. most of his scars looked old, but there were some that look slightly newer. She suspects that those were from when he was tortured at those deatheater meetings, that he would be summoned to, when he had the dark mark on his forearm. The older scars however were from his father. She instinctly knew it. She let her fingers run over each and every scar as she whispered, "What did he do to you to make these scars.... He was so cruel to you..." Snape shivered as she touched each one of his scars as he thought, 'Would she ever love a man covered in scars?' Astoria says, "I assume you have mental scars too, Severus?" Severus nods. Astoria replies, "I see. Well, let me say this: Severus, regardless of what you went through growing up, you should be proud of what you have accomplished. You, sir, are a good man, with a good heart. I am slowly starting to see that from you. So, I know." She smiles, "You wear your heart on your sleeve, Severus. From what I have heard, that you've done? You certainly have some Gryffindor traits there, if you ask me. Actually, you have some traits from all 4 houses. Brave like a Gryffindor, Smart like a Ravenclaw, Cunning like a Slytherin, and Loyal like a Hufflepuff. Don't you agree?" Snape sat there in surprise at hearing that as Astoria continues to look at his scars on his back. Snape said, "Do you truly see all that in me?" Astoria smiles, " Yes, Severus. I do. So does Harry." Astoria felt a warm sensation stirring in her chest. Something she never felt before. Was she falling in love with Severus Snape? Whatever this feeling was, she didn't want it to go away. She liked feeling that warm feeling. She stopped touching the scars, "You can put your shirts back on , Severus." Severus nods and puts on his white collared shirt and buttons it. Then his black long sleeve shirt. Lastly he puts on his cloak. Then turns to look at Astoria. Astoria thought she saw something in his eyes, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what that was. His dark brown eyes glittered as he looks at her and said, "I never knew you saw me that way." Astoria smiles, "Of course I did. I still do Severus, and I always will." Snape smiles slightly. The first time Astoria has ever seen him smile. "Your smiling, Severus. It's the first time I've ever seen you smile. I take it you hardly smile, do you?" said Astoria. Snape says, "Yes it's been far too long since I've ever smiled. You're the reason that I am smiling now. You see, when I was friends with Lily, I smiled whenever she and I were together. Those memories of her were my only happy memories. Do not misunderstand me, they still are my happy memories, but now I am making new happy memories. Memories of you and I. I will cherish the new memories I make, forever." Astoria says smiling, "So will I, Severus. I will cherish every memory we make." She smiles, "So, does that mean we are friends?" Severus, still smiling, says, "Yes, we are friends, Astoria." Astoria hugs him, "Thank you, Severus, for opening up to me once again, and for being my friend." Severus hugs her back, almost protectively, "You are very welcome, Astoria. Thank you for allowing me to open up to you. It is not easy to open up to just anyone." Astoria smiles. "You're welcome, Severus." They stayed that way for awhile before letting go, reluctantly. Neither wanted to let go, but they both knew that they had to. Snape said with a slight smile, "Now if you will excuse me, I have papers that need grading." Astoria says smiling, "Of course. I'll be heading up to the Hospital Wing to see if any students have come in need of medical attention and if Poppy needs my assistance. See you at dinner, Severus." Severus says with an amused smirk on his face, "Obviously" Astoria chuckles as she holds the door open for Snape. Snape thanks her and walks out of her office, his cloak billowing. Astoria smiles as she watches him go, then closes her door and locks it magically before heading to the Hospital Wing. Snape enters his office to find his owl Hades on his desk. He goes to his desk and gently takes the letter Hades had in his beak. He pushes the bowl of water towards Hades who began to drink from it. Snape moves the bowl of food to Hades then sits down and looks at the envelope. It was from Harry. He opens the envelope, pulls out the letter and starts to read:
Dear Severus,
I'm doing good so far in my studies. It's hard, but it's worth it. The hard work will pay off when I finish and become an Auror. Ginny and I want to have kids someday, once we settle down and everything. We already thought of names for when the time came. I would like to name one of them after you and Dumbledore. If that's ok with you. The name I chose is Albus Severus Potter. What do you think? Hey, I may be 17 years old, but love has taught me alot, professor. 

As for Astoria, I can't help but think that you're starting to fancy her. The way you talk about her in that letter you sent me. Before you start anything, professor, I'm being serious about it. It would be great if you found someone to love. You deserve it, after all you've been through. I don't think mum would have minded at all. She would have wanted you to be happy, because seeing you finally find love would make me very happy, sir, and if it makes me very happy, then I know it would make mum happy, too. You have the ability to love, professor and love deep, if your patronus is anything to go by. Use that ability wisely, sir. Don't let her slip away. This is your chance to find someone that will make you happy, that will love you in return. That will be there for you through thick and thin. If I'm right, that you fancy her, then don't wait too long to tell her how you feel. You'll know when the time is right. When that time comes, tell her how you feel, then wait for her response. I have a funny feeling that she feels the same for you.

I hope I gave you good advice, Professor. Let me know how it goes, when you tell her, ok? I have to get back to my studies now. Write back soon.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter.