Anastasia POV:
"Anna! Anna!" My oldest sister called. I ignored her. It'd been a total spontaneous thing, deciding to go see this kid, but I could tell he was important to Sevvy. Now, though, I'm losing the courage I started out with the closer I got to the Hospital Wing.
I felt an arm encircle my waist and I began to panic. I whimpered and tried to get away but I was held fast. I gasped unable to catch my breath, and I felt those horrible betraying tears slide down my face. "No. No. Lemme go," I moaned, feet kicking and arms flailing wildly.
"Severus Snape!" I vaguely heard a sharp voice say. "Put her down this instant!" I struggled harder than before, somehow hoping this would make it go away, but the impressive strength in the arms that held me prisoner never faltered.
"Leave him alone, Professor. He has to figure out how to calm her down on his own. These panic attacks happen often." Another voice I barely recognized as Hope's replied. It was then that I heard my captor whispering something to me. I stopped thrashing about to listen.
"It's alright, princess. You're safe. It's just me and Hope, no one else. Are you listening, princess?" He paused long enough for me to nod before plowing on. "Calm down, sweetie. You're safe, it's alright. Shhh…Relax, princess. Just relax." I shuddered a bit in an effort to stop the sobs rising in my throat, but couldn't stop them. I started crying, turning to bury myself in Sevvy's robes.
After a while, the tears subsided and I sniffled, pulling away and rubbing away the rest of the tears. Sevvy had been rubbing my back as I cried and his hand paused. "Better, princess?" I nodded. "Do you still want to go see Draco?" I nodded again. "Alright. But promise to tell me or hope if you feel uncomfortable at all, okay?"
"Why?" I whispered.
"So we can help you. Your twelve, sweetheart, not three. There are going to be times when you panic, but you can't let that get in the way of your education. If you ever have a problem, or feel panicked, I expect you to go immediately to the nearest professor or come to me. Understand?"
"Yes, sir." I mumbled. I pulled away from Sevvy fully and turned around. Hope was there, as well as a woman in a green tartan dress with her hair pulled back into a tight bun. My throat started clogging up and I pressed back against my brother's body.
"Anna, relax. She's not here to hurt. Focus on your breathing. In for four and out for four, remember?" I nodded. Focusing on my breathing was actually harder than I thought, feeling threatened as I did, so it took a while before I was relaxed enough to actually meet the woman, who turned out to be my Transfiguration professor, the Deputy Headmistress, and the Gryffindor Head of House.
"Are you heading up to see Draco?" She asked Sevvy after I was more comfortable. He nodded. "I will warn you, he's extremely, how to put it? Frightened and shattered, I suppose. Either way, if he's still conscious when you get up there, he just might launch himself at you."
"Thank you for the warning, Minerva." He said.
"Oh, it's no problem, Severus. And if you ever have trouble in class or otherwise, I expect you to come to me, understand, young lady?"
"Yes, ma'am." I replied softly. She nodded to Hope and Sevvy, smiled at me, and strode off.
"Why is it that she can always reduce me to feel like a schoolboy getting caught in the act of something really bad?"Severus mused as we continued on. Hope laughed.
"I don't know, Sev, maybe because you were always getting in trouble?"
"Sevvy? Get in trouble? When?! Tell me, please?" I turned to my sister, clutching her arm, looking up at her pleadingly.
"Why?" She asked. I smiled.
"Well, since I'm the only sibling being introduced as who I am, I decided to take on the responsibility of utterly decimating his despicable behavior. That, of course, means that I need satisfactory blackmail material, and who else is better to give it than you, O amazingly charming and beautifully smart older sister?"
"Alright, alright, stop it with the flattery!" She giggled. "It gets you absolutely nowhere, as I have other younger sibs. Every single one of them has used that phrase!"
"And every single one of them has said you can't resist a good puppy pout, too!" I grinned cheekily up at her. Sevvy sighed and pushed open two doors.
"Anna, stick to Hope, please. I don't know if Draco is still awake…"
"He is. And I would be careful, because he's going to rush you as soon as he sees you. Which would be right about… NOW!" I predicted, and sure enough, a body was flung at Sevvy, who barely caught the slim frame of the boy.
"Uncle Sev!" The boy sobbed, clinging to Sevvy like I must have been earlier. "Uncle Sev! He killed her! He killed her!" Sevvy picked up the boy, Draco, and walked over to the nearest bed, sitting down and rocking the boy.
"Hush, Dragon, and calm down. Hush, hush…shhh…" I watched with avid interest as Sevvy comforted Draco. He was very adept at it, apparently, as he calmed down relatively quickly. "Now, who killed whom?"
Draco choked the words out. "Father. Father killed Mother. He killed her, Uncle Sev, and laughed. Why'd he do that? Mother hasn't done anything to him!" He burst into tears again, and this time Sevvy just let him cry. I frowned and moved closer to Draco and Sevvy. Then I moved a little closer…and closer…and closer still until I could reach out and place my hand on Draco's shoulder. He stiffened.
"I'm so sorry, Draco, so, so, so sorry. You shouldn't have had to see that. If there's anything I can do to help, please tell me." Sevvy smiled at me and I smiled back. I really did feel bad for the boy. To have his image of his father shattered because he watched the man murder his mother and then laugh. I'd never know exactly what it felt like, since my family always came together in a crisis, but I could well imagine it.
"Who are you?" He asked, taking on a faint haughty tone. I made a face.
"I can be just as stuck up as you can, if not better, Draco Malfoy. Anyhow, to answer your question, I'm Anastasia, pronounced Ah-nah-stah-zee-uh. Anastasia Snape, but I go by Anna."
"I didn't know you had kids, Uncle Sev." I smiled slightly.
"We're not related in that aspect, actually. I'm his little sister. The baby, if you will." I pulled another face.
"Hush, brat! You never know what's good for you."
"Oh really?" I raised an eyebrow in what I knew was a Severus-like manner. Turning to my sister I said, "Hope, I do believe you were going to give me some blackmail material on Sevvy. May I please have it now? He is becoming most unbearable." Hope's hand was over her mouth, her eyes filled with mirth.
"Sorry, Anna, but we'll have to talk another time. I've gotta go, I have an appointment soon." I frowned and ran to hug her.
"Must you leave? I don't want you to go!" I exclaimed, squeezing her tightly before letting up just a bit.
"I know, honey, but Severus is here for you. Try to keep him out of trouble, no? And that godson of his."
"Hope, I don't want you to go! Please don't leave!" I wailed.
"Hush, Anastasia. I have to leave. Don't forget to practice meditation everyday, and if you ever feel an attack coming on, go immediately to Severus or one of your professors. If you have trouble meditation, I'm sure Severus can help. Now, please let go of me, so I may leave."
I clung on tighter. "No!" I cried. She smacked me on the bum once.
"Anastasia Eileen Snape! Let go of me now!" I whimpered and did as she said. Tears blurred my vision, and I swiped angrily at my eyes. "I'm not leaving forever, sweetie. Now behave." Hope gave me a quick hug and ruffled my hair, before leaving the room, calling over her shoulder, "Take care of her, Sev!"
PLZ READ! IMPORTANT INFO IS IN IT!
Hi! Sorry I haven't updated in so long, but this was meant as a birthday present for myself. I'm just lucky I got it out in time. Thanks for the reviews, by the way. It has also come to my attention that some people don't like characters being OOC. I'm just going to say, if you don't like this don't read it. Everyone has their own tastes, and they shouldn't force themselves to do anything they don't like.
Also, as I was writing this, I noticed Anastasia seems to jump back and forth from being scared to being happy to being a bit spoiled. All I'm going to say is that Anastasia is insecure at this point in time, so she's going to have random mood swings. Be ready for a girl with spirit though. Another thing. Hope is a doctor, although not specifically Anastasia's. She's posing as her doctor, one because Anastasia is her baby sister, and two because her real doctor, who might be revealed later on, was supposed to remain undercover. Reminder: They are elves. Most people think they are extinct.
