"You know what? I regret it. I have no idea how you did that, but my iron-cast opinion that

leaving my home was the only decision I could have made has been wavering the past days, and that is your fault!

...

Yes, hello. How kind of you to remind me of preserving good manners.

...

Severus, yes.

...

Yes, yes, it is nice speaking to you again as well. Did you take in a word of what I just said,

though? Rub out that sense of guilt you have filled me with. Make it disappear at once!

...

I am not joking. You see, I made a promise to my sister, and ... to Luciana, yes, and I didn't

keep it. I betrayed her memory, can you believe it? I am- what???

...

Furious? Why would I be... well, yes, I suppose I am just slightly-

...

NO, I WILL NOT TELL YOU WHAT EXACTLY I PROMISED! IT IS BAD ENOUGH

THAT YOU HAD TO REMIND ME OF IT!

...

...

...

Yes. I know I am not being sensible. Would you be? I betrayed my sister's... I mean... I

failed her. Somehow.

...

...

I hate you.

...

...

Oh, very well then. It was the evening before she left. I was thirteen or something. She had

just turned sixteen - and was really unhappy. I could sense it, so I asked for what reason. She

didn't reply immediately.

'I have my reasons,' she said after a while, 'but I am not sure you'll be able to understand

them. I've been thinking today. And I think I have finally made up my mind.'

I nodded.

'Did you hear mother and father fight this morning?' she enquired. 'That's what got me

started. I thought, we can't continue like this.'

I shrugged. I hadn't noticed the latest fight, but nothing about it struck me as exceedingly

unusual.

'Well,' Luciana continued, her voice now sounding strangely hoarse, 'they were fighting

about me. Seems that I am not... that father's not... my father after all.'

'How can that be?' I asked stupidly. She sighed.

'I knew you wouldn't be able to understand it,' she said, 'and you needn't yet. The point is

that father's asked me to see him tonight.'

My heart sank. 'Again?' I said. 'But - you told me you hated it.'

'No,' she said quickly and blushed. 'It's not... it's not that. He asked me to see him in his

office.'

I shook my head. 'That makes no sense.'

'Well,' Luciana muttered, 'perhaps it does. But again, you needn't understand about that now.

I-' she stopped and sighed. 'I will be gone for a while, Severus. I may return, but perhaps I

won't, and in that case I want you to promise me something.'

I stared blankly at her, but nodded after a while.

'I want you to promise me that you will look after Sil,' she said, 'and I don't mean feeding

her. You might have noticed that she doesn't need that any longer.'

I grinned. Luciana smiled.

'I want you to protect Sil,' she said, rising from her chair, 'from father.'

It took me a while to grasp what she had just said. 'You mean-'

'I mean,' she interrupted, her voice shaking slighly, 'that he must never ask her to come... to

come to him in the evenings, do you understand me, Severus? I want you prevent that! And I

want you to leave this place as soon as you get the chance and... and to take her with you.

Please take her with you. Don't worry about mother. She's strong. She's... got a choice. Take

Sil. Under no circumstances leave Sil alone with father and mother, do you understand me,

Severus? Do you understand that?'

I nodded.

'Will you promise to look after Sil?'

I nodded again.

'Say "I swear"!'

I did. The clock stroke seven. She left.

...

...

...

...

Where she went? Why, I told you - she left us. I've ne- never seen her again, I... excuse me for a

moment.

...

...

...

...

...

She ... she's dead, isn't she? He killed her.

..."