02-17-2019, 03:09 PM
///Then we'll say that's how it happened if you agree.
Ellie had listened silently as Severus, Dumbledore, and Minerva had argued back and forth about her care. Secretly, she was glad Severus had been placed in charge of her. She did not trust Dumbledore, and she did not know Minerva. At the conclusion of the argument, she had simply nodded her agreement and followed Severus at his command. She had never even uttered a sound of complaint.
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As they had journeyed through the castle, Ellie had trouble keeping up. She did not mind however. It kept her mind focused and prevented it from wondering to places where it did not need to go. Even once they had entered Snape's office, the child had been too tired to wonder over the new environment. But she had jumped when the door slammed behind her. That, at least, she had not been expecting.
Trailing further into the room behind him, Ellie had briefly glanced around. Nothing of interest caught her attention. Instead, her focus was drawn to the room which was revealed behind the book shelf. She followed him inside, entranced.
The place was so different from what she was use to. With Nan, everything had been white and grey. There was no photos, no decorations or desks. Nothing. Her room had merely been a place in which a bed was pushed in one corner and a draw for clothing on the other. Even the books Ellie so loved had been tucked away, out of sight, under the bed. She had never been allowed to put anything on the walls. There had been no personality to speak of. For her, even this simple, "normal", bedroom was out of a dream.
As the room was cleaned by magic, Ellie had noticed the photos on the shelves. It was here she had wondered. Even as the magic worked around her, she had gazed at both photos. It took her a moment to realize Snape was even speaking because she was so entranced. She briefly tore her gaze away to look at him.
"I understand,"she acknowledge before returning her attention to what interested her. She studied the family photo, her small face twisted into confusion.
"That photo. It's you and Mom with your parents, isn't it?"she asked, easily piecing it together. All four of the family members were without a smile. The man, older, looked angry and annoyed. The woman, exhausted. But it was the children in the photo which caught Ellie's eyes.
The boy was clearly Snape. It was strange seeming him so young. His face was void of emotion, something she had gotten use to with him. Even then he was dressed in black and grey. The girl, who could only be Sage, looked sad. She gazed out of the photo with sorrow and longing in her dark eyes. Longing for something she could not have.
"I've only ever seen one picture of Mom. She looked so different in the one I saw than in this one,"Ellie explained softly. She lowered her bag to the floor(which she had been carrying the whole time) and removed something from it. It was a small, badly worn photo. She offered it to Snape.
The photo was taken during Sage's fifth year at Hogwarts. She was seated on a rock overlooking the lake, a book in her lap and book bag resting beside her. She was laughing and smiling at something someone had said. Lily had taken the photo. She, Sage, and Elizabeth had had a picnic that day with no boys allowed. Sage had later told Severus it was some of the most fun she had ever had. Snape had never been told what had become of the picture which Ellie now showed him.
Ellie had listened silently as Severus, Dumbledore, and Minerva had argued back and forth about her care. Secretly, she was glad Severus had been placed in charge of her. She did not trust Dumbledore, and she did not know Minerva. At the conclusion of the argument, she had simply nodded her agreement and followed Severus at his command. She had never even uttered a sound of complaint.
_________________________________________________________________________
As they had journeyed through the castle, Ellie had trouble keeping up. She did not mind however. It kept her mind focused and prevented it from wondering to places where it did not need to go. Even once they had entered Snape's office, the child had been too tired to wonder over the new environment. But she had jumped when the door slammed behind her. That, at least, she had not been expecting.
Trailing further into the room behind him, Ellie had briefly glanced around. Nothing of interest caught her attention. Instead, her focus was drawn to the room which was revealed behind the book shelf. She followed him inside, entranced.
The place was so different from what she was use to. With Nan, everything had been white and grey. There was no photos, no decorations or desks. Nothing. Her room had merely been a place in which a bed was pushed in one corner and a draw for clothing on the other. Even the books Ellie so loved had been tucked away, out of sight, under the bed. She had never been allowed to put anything on the walls. There had been no personality to speak of. For her, even this simple, "normal", bedroom was out of a dream.
As the room was cleaned by magic, Ellie had noticed the photos on the shelves. It was here she had wondered. Even as the magic worked around her, she had gazed at both photos. It took her a moment to realize Snape was even speaking because she was so entranced. She briefly tore her gaze away to look at him.
"I understand,"she acknowledge before returning her attention to what interested her. She studied the family photo, her small face twisted into confusion.
"That photo. It's you and Mom with your parents, isn't it?"she asked, easily piecing it together. All four of the family members were without a smile. The man, older, looked angry and annoyed. The woman, exhausted. But it was the children in the photo which caught Ellie's eyes.
The boy was clearly Snape. It was strange seeming him so young. His face was void of emotion, something she had gotten use to with him. Even then he was dressed in black and grey. The girl, who could only be Sage, looked sad. She gazed out of the photo with sorrow and longing in her dark eyes. Longing for something she could not have.
"I've only ever seen one picture of Mom. She looked so different in the one I saw than in this one,"Ellie explained softly. She lowered her bag to the floor(which she had been carrying the whole time) and removed something from it. It was a small, badly worn photo. She offered it to Snape.
The photo was taken during Sage's fifth year at Hogwarts. She was seated on a rock overlooking the lake, a book in her lap and book bag resting beside her. She was laughing and smiling at something someone had said. Lily had taken the photo. She, Sage, and Elizabeth had had a picnic that day with no boys allowed. Sage had later told Severus it was some of the most fun she had ever had. Snape had never been told what had become of the picture which Ellie now showed him.
![[Image: tumblr_lzt9a2yePH1qfryqfo1_r1_500.gif]](http://78.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzt9a2yePH1qfryqfo1_r1_500.gif)