Author's Note: I do not own Harry Potter, I only own Melanie and any other characters that I come up with. Please review!
...
Melanie quietly stood by the window, looking out over the street below. It was difficult to believe that so many people could mill around below without an inkling that a great woman had just succumbed to death. Her mother, Rebecca Holts, was gone. Her body had been removed almost twenty minutes ago, to be prepared for burial. Melanie was alone for now, except for the news that her father was alive and well, living in London, England. Melanie was surprised, she had always thought that her father was dead so the news that he was very much alive shook her to her core. Where was he when her mother had been bitten? Where was he when she was finally submitted to being placed in hospital care? Where was he only a few hours before, when her mother had taken her last breath? Where had Severus Snape been all of Melanie's life?
...
Severus Snape quietly put the letter he held in his shaking hands down on the table, he was shocked. The letter from Rebecca Holts was unexpected, but her news was even more unexpected: he had a daughter and Rebecca was dying. He again picked up the letter, needing to be absolutely sure of its validity.
Dear Severus,
I know you must be shocked to hear from me, as I told you that you would never have to hear from me again. The truth is I'm dying. I was badly bitten by a Venomous Tentacula, which as you know has no cure. I am only reaching out to you because of one reason: you have a daughter. Her name is Melanie Lilith. She is 15 years old, born 4 June 1980, and is an incredibly gifted witch. Her best subject, not surprisingly, is Potions. We are currently living in America, so I am at Saint Mary's Hospital in New York. Please come. I do not have much time.
Rebecca
Severus took a breath. The handwriting was Rebecca's, although it was written in a shaky hand. He had a daughter: Melanie. The name that Rebecca had loved. Lilith, a name similar to his first love, of whom Rebecca had known. Severus dropped the letter back on the table and rubbed his face. He had to go. He could not, in good conscience, leave his daughter alone. He immediately looked around his drab and dark home, and then shrugged. There was no time to clean, he had to be off. Bites like the one Rebecca had sustained were serious, and took lives within a day or two of being bitten. Severus stood, dusting his dark clothes off unnecessarily, and then turned into darkness.
Within seconds, bright lights shone in his eyes and he blinked, and then looked around. He was in a hospital waiting room, with healers and patients alike moving around. He glanced around again, and then walked over to the registration desk. The witch there looked up and smiled at him.
"Name of patient?" She asked, taking in his black attire.
"Rebecca Holts." Severus answered. She blinked, his British accent obviously throwing her off, and then glanced downwards at a strange device sitting at the desk. Severus frowned, it looked like one of those computer things that muggles used. Was he in the correct place?
"I'm sorry... Rebecca Holts passed on a few hours ago, sir. Venomous Tentacula bites are incurable and the victims pass quickly." The clerk said, her voice full of pity. Severus immediately blinked and looked downwards.
"Is her... her daughter, Melanie, still here?" Severus asked, looking back up at the clerk and refusing to accept the clerk's pity.
"I'm not sure. However, you can go up and check. Ward 7, Room 408." The desk clerk responded, her voice still full of pity. Severus immediately strode towards the stairs after checking the sign above the registration desk, Ward 7 was on the fourth floor. He quickly strode up the steps, taking two at a time. How would he find Melanie if she had left? He didn't even know what his daughter looked like, let alone where she would be if she had left the hospital.
