Free To Fly Tonight
Prologue
I am M.A. Raie. ::courtesies:: This story is a sequel to "The Fortress Within", a Harry Potter fan fic by the genius author, Idamae. The word sequel means, according to "The American Heritage Concise Dictionary, Third Edition": '1. something that follows; a continuation. 2. A literary work that continues an earlier narrative. 3. A consequence.' The word "sequel" in the statement, "The Sequel to The Fortress Within" refers back to definition number two. This means that "Free to Fly Tonight" is a continuation to "The Fortress Within" and if you are to feel the full impact of "FTFT" you must read "TFW". YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! The web address that I type for the link to the story wont show, so please e-mail me if you would like the link; I would be more than happy to give it to you.
Now, for the disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all of the recognizable characters such as Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Hermione Granger (Snape), Sirius Black and Ginny Weasley (Potter) and the world that I am playing in. Ida owns Treasure and Remus Snape, Arthur Potter and Amelia Longbottom…a few other characters may pop up here and there that she owns. Forgive me if I miss them: I will state that she owns them at the beginning of each chapter. I own Ani (Anistasia) and Chris (Christina) Riddle.
Rating: R
Summary: Treasure Ryan Snape is going into her seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The year will present her with several challenges: getting along with her mom, trying not to be sidetracked by love and there will be several unexpected obstacles to deal with and hurdles to jump along the way.
Ready to dive in? I give you, "Free to Fly Tonight."
DO NOT FORGET! REVIEWS ARE VERY WELCOME AND VERY APPRECIATED!
~Love in pieces & Bullet-Proof Marshmallows~ M.A. Raie
Free to Fly Tonight
Chapter One
She was a young woman, evident in every way imaginable. Severus could deny it no longer. No matter how much he wanted her to stay his little girl, Treasure was growing up.
The day was July 26th. Treasure sat in the garden, created by Harry, Albus and her father a little over seventeen years ago, flipping through an old photo album. It is she saw familiar pictures that she had viewed hundreds of times with familiar faces that always smiled and waved at her. There were pictures of her mother, Hermione, as a Gryffindor school girl; her father, Severus, as the noble Potions Master and Albus Dumbledore, the late headmaster of Hogwarts, who acted as a grandfather to her when she was younger. She slowly looked over the pictures of him smiling and holding her in his lap.
"I miss you, grandfather," she whispered.
The day he passed away stood out vividly in her mind as though it happened just yesterday. It was a midwinter day, frigid cold; light snow falling from the sky onto the white earth outside, painting a picture of winter paradise. Treasure sat at Albus' bedside, holding the old, fragile man's hand gently in her own two small ones, as the last breaths of life he took. Even as Albus smiled, his deep, blue eyes twinkling dully, making the most of his last moments, a silent tear snuck out of her eye and fell onto his hand. He felt the warm tear and turned his attention to her and whispered:
"Whatever should bring a tear to a sweet girl's face," he whispered, "My Treasure, do not cry. I have lived a long life, full of wonderful days. I am leaving this earth knowing I have done good and knowing that the people I have touched will do good as well, even when I am gone. I regret nothing I have done in the past and I am happy to have you as a granddaughter. Do not mourn Treasure that is the last thing I would want of you. I want you to rejoice. Live life to the fullest. I do not want to be the reason you spend nights crying. Sadness takes away from the joy you could be getting out of life. Smile, beautiful girl, smile. The last thing I want to see is you smiling. That will make me die even happier."
Treasure smiled at his request and looked into her father's black eyes. They were sad, but the smile he wore made Albus happy, and that was all that mattered. Bloodlines didn't tie people together, love did. Severus loved Albus more than he could ever express. Now, in his heart, Severus was watching his father die ~ the man whom gave him a second chance at life. Severus was in his debt.
Hermione walked into the room with four-year-old Remus. He looked confused; just followed his mother's lead with big, bright eyes. The moment the two of them halted at the foot of the bed, Albus motioned for Treasure and Remus to come closer. Both children stood close to him, and slowly, he placed one of his hands over their hearts. Treasure stood tall and solemn as the area beneath Albus' hand glowed. Once it was over, Treasure kissed his forehead and lay his hand back at his side. "Thank you." She turned quickly and walked to the door. As she reached it, she turned back, now almost rivers of sad tears soaked her cheeks.
"I love you," she said to him, trying to hide the fact that she was crying.
Not waiting for a reply, she ran out of the room. She kept running, not knowing where she was going to go. In the end, she ended up in front of the stone gargoyle that led into Albus' office. Treasure took a seat in front of it, leaning against it, memories flooding through her head. Not ten minutes later, she heard the familiar scraping of her father's feet coming down the corridor. Without looking up, she heard him stop beside her, then take a seat. No words were spoken between father and daughter. Severus wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to cry freely.
The entire school attended the funeral the next day. A large patch of bare ground was revealed and, over a six-foot deep hole, Albus' coffin was suspended. It was made out of the same wood as his wand, willow, and the Hogwarts' crest was carved into the top. At the foot of the coffin, the Gryffindor coat of arms was carved. The sky was clear and blue; happy, like Albus. Treasure stayed close to her father, who wrapped her tightly in his billowing robes, as the ceremony took place in a courtyard behind the school. Words were spoken, prayers were said, and Treasure chanted on with them in a monotone voice. She didn't process any of the scene. She heard none that was being said. All went in slow motion and went on for days it seemed like. She only moved to drop dirt into the hole, onto her grandfather's coffin. She remembered only walking away from the grave. The rest of the night went in a blur and, since, was forgotten.
Now she sat, thinking in this great garden, and closed the picture album quickly. She whipped the tears from her face and sat in the hammock, looking into the cloudless blue sky. Even as silent as they tried to be, she heard someone walk into the garden. She turned to see her mother.
"I didn't mean to disturb you," she began.
Treasure turned back around. For some reason, she despised her mother. A couple years back, Treasure would turn to her mother for anything, but now…it was different.
"Don't worry about it," she responded coolly, "What do you want?"
Hermione stopped walking and looked at the back of her daughter's head, "I was hoping you would come to the Great Hall with me."
"I am not hungry."
"Will you still come with me?"
"I want to stay here."
"Please," Hermione begged.
Treasure threw the album hard onto the grassy ground and hopped up from the hammock.
"Fine," she exclaimed angrily, "If it will make you happy. That's all the matters, right? That you are happy?"
Without waiting for a reply, Treasure stormed past her mother and started walking to the Great Hall. She pushed open the oak double doors and walked in, but everything was dark. She stood there confused for a moment before…
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Treasure looked around in awe as the candles above her lit up and people jumped out from behind suits of armor and from under tables. Harry, Ginny and Arthur Potter, Severus Snape and Ron Weasley were among the several people (mostly staff members) whom were there. Beaming, she ran up to her father and embraced him. Unlike her mother, she felt a strong, unwavering bond with her father,
"Daddy, did you arrange all of this for me," she asked in awe.
Severus nodded, "This is a special birthday. In about a month, you will be starting your final term here at Hogwarts. I just want your final birthday here to be special."
Hermione stood alone in the doorway of the Great Hall and stared at her first child.
Why, she thought, why does she hate me so? What have I done to deserve this?
Slowly, she walked away and the party went on in the hall. A large chocolate cake with seventeen candles stood in the middle of the Slytherin table and presents surrounded it. As they were eating cake, Treasure opened her presents. The last present she came upon was from her mother. Against her will, she was forced to open it.
Under all of the wrapping, there was a large, black, plastic case with latches that popped open with small clicks. Treasure lifted the top and peered inside. Surrounded by blood red velvet, well protected and gently laid sat an acoustic guitar, a Muggle musical instrument. Treasure had learned to play her mother's when she was little, and now she had one of her own. The hall was silent in awe as she ran her hand over the glossy hardwood and the gentle wire strings.
"Play something," Harry requested, breaking the silence.
Treasure closed the case quickly and snapped the locks shut.
"Not right now," she said quietly, "I am terribly out of practice," was her excuse.
The party ended a while later and Treasure sat in her room, admiring the guitar. Gently, she picked it up, tuned it and strummed a tune. Closing her eyes, she sang in her sweet alto voice a song that Grandfather Dumbledore used to sing:
Cool breeze and autumn leaves
Slow motion daylight
A lone pair of watchful eyes
Oversee the living
Feel the presence all around
A tortured soul
A wound unhealing
No regrets or promises
The past is gone
But you can still be free
If time will set you free
Time now to spread your wings
To take to flight
The life endeavor
Aim for the burning sun
You're trapped inside
"But you can still be free. If time will set you free," a deep baritone joined in, "But it's a long, long way to go."
Treasure, startled, ended abruptly on a sour chord. She looked up to where Severus stood, leaning against the doorframe.
"Out of practice," he asked, "You sound wonderful to me."
She smiled and looked down at the guitar, "I guess music is one thing that will never leave you."
"In the words of a wise man, 'Ah, Music! A magic beyond all we do here!' This wise man that I have just respectfully quoted used to sing that very song to you before bedtime or after you woke from a bad dream."
A small tear ran down Treasure's cheek at the reference to Albus, "I miss him, daddy."
Severus walked across the room and sat on his daughter's bed. He wrapped her tightly in his arms as she cried. With a wave of his hand, the door shut and left some privacy for the bonding parent and child. ~+~