Fighting for love - Severus Snape fanfiction (BOOK TWO of A Magical Muggle)

Chapter 18

"So, you can really move things with your mind," Charlie said, sitting by Ana's side on the back porch while watching their father cutting the grass. 

Ana has been there for a week now. Amending her relationship with her parents and making a real friendship with her brother. It was starting to feel like she was home.

She told Charlie she wouldn't use her powers unless she needed to, so he hasn't been able to confirm their existence. But that morning, when their mother had shown up with a tray with orange juice and 4 glasses and tripped over some tools their father was using, Ana immediately stepped in and stopped the glasses and the juice from being wasted. They were all in shock. Her mother thanked her in an awkward manner, but Charlie started celebrating because he saw his sister in action. Even if it just saved a couple of glasses from being shattered.

"It seems so, yes," Ana said, enjoying her orange juice.

"Mum told me about what happened to you... I'm sorry, you went through a lot," Charlie said all of a sudden.

"So did you, because of me," Ana said. "I thought you'd hold a grudge against me or something."

"Nah, not really," he said, relaxing in his chair. "It's nice to have a sister, now I can complain about my parents to someone who understands."

His words made Ana laugh and she noticed ever since she stepped into that house, she did nothing but laugh. She truly felt welcomed by them. Who would have guessed?

"So, do you know what you're going to do? I mean, you can't hide forever."

Ana glanced at him but she simply shrugged, not knowing what to say.

"-- And considering what you told me about that Severus guy, you can't stay away from him. He is the love of your life. Are you really going to let that horrible man push you away from each Severus?" Charlie stated, catching Ana's full attention. "Ana, from all you told us, there's something I am sure. You died. You were stabbed. By your own blood father. And you came back. You could have turned out like that demon, Voldemort, but you didn't. You're kind. And, really, you're a badass. You can overcome anything if you ask me."

"I don't feel badass enough right now."

Ana looked down at her empty glass, striving to believe in Charlie's words, but her mind was still too vulnerable to even process what had happened to her properly, let alone believing she could overcome such hell.

"That's because you're overwhelmed. But you will fight, I know you will," Charlie stated with a confident tone that made Ana look up to him.

"You're a pretty cool brother, ya know?" Ana said, smiling at him.

"I never had a sister before, so I have to do my best."

"You're doing just fine," Ana assured him.

They both smiled and relaxed on the bench, watching their father for the rest of the morning until it was lunchtime.

The TV was turned off as fast as it was turned on. Headlines about the strange disease were on the news every single day. Even though the aura in that living room was good and familiar, whenever the news was on, it became gray and downhearted. Ana's soft smile would fade away completely and the rest of the family would remain quiet, knowing how much she had worked all these months to help and she had to escape before finding how to stop the disease.

Eventually, Charlie would end up making some random funny remarks and she'd chuckle once again.

Over the next couple of weeks, Ana got to know her parents and her brother better and better, improving their relationship like she never thought she would. Even though she had a lump in her throat and a heavy heart, she couldn't help but feel better knowing she had a second chance with her foster family.

She wished several times she could introduce Severus to her family. Wondering if they would get along. Ever since they started living together, Severus had been trying to find her parents in secret, she was well aware of that even though she didn't say anything about it. That said, she had no idea how Aberforth managed to find them, knowing they were hidden by the dark side of the wizarding community, and Ana didn't know if she wanted to find out.

Her mood and her strength had been improving as the days went by. Thoughts and plans started forming in her head, but she knew they weren't enough. Ana had to clear her mind, calm down her emotions, and think straight. If she wanted to go back to Severus, if she wanted her life back, she had to do something. 

Staying away for too long was no answer to her problems, she knew it.

Her beloved and all of her friends were in danger. She was in danger. Her only way out was to get away as far as she could. But she had enough of that. She couldn't go down without a fight.

Everyone depended on her right now, and she had the obligation to fight for them.

"Hey," Ana was snapped away from her thoughts by her father's rough voice. She was sitting on the back porch, staring at the night sky filled with shiny stars and the illuminated full-moon, but she averted her eyes to the bottle in her father's hand. Smiling, she grabbed the beer and drank it immediately. "How are you doing?"

Ana shrugged and stared again at the sky. If she had to be honest, she had no idea. 

"You have to fight, Ana," he said.

"I know."

"You've been through so much, you can't let this continue like this. It's been, what, three months?"

A tear strolled down Ana's cheek, but the knot in her throat prevented her from pronouncing any word.

"Is this Severus the love of your life?"

Ana nodded her head, not knowing how to put into words how much she loved him. It hurt too much to talk about love when she knew she had wrecked it.

"Then, fight for it. Fight for your future," he put a hand on her knee. "I know we left you. You said you understand and you forgave us, but I - I just can't forgive myself. I know I was harsh with you. Sometimes it was like I was someone else and I hated the person I was when it came to you. I mistreated you even though I knew you had no fault. You were just a baby," he said, a tear strolling down his cheek.

His daughter looked up at him and leaned against his shoulder, crying in silence.

"I won't abandon you again," Mr. Gamp said with a stronger tone. "You're my daughter... But I won't let you stay here forever. I want you to fight, Ana. Fight."

For 10 minutes they remained quiet. Drinking. Thinking.

Her father's words echoed through every corner of her mind. 

Ana decided it was time to stop crying. It was time to get mad. Time to get powerful again. 

"Could you do me a favor?" She asked all of a sudden, as an idea popped into her mind.

"Anything."

"Call him," she said, staring into her father's eyes with determination.

Her father needed no explanation about who she was referring to.

"Tell him to find, and bring him to me. To a safe place. Where I can interrogate him."

"It could take time. You said that man was hiding from you," her father replied.

"Yes. But I managed to find you and it was Voldemort's dark magic that hid you. We can find him," Ana replied with a convincing sneer on her face. She knew exactly what to do. It's time to put her powers into action.

"Tell me his name and I will contact him immediately."

Ana felt a knot in her throat. Her lips trembled. But when she managed to speak, her voice didn't fail her.

"Dirk Wright."