Chapter 7- Cruel World
Thanks for your reviews- I appreciate your input! Yes, it is Mary Sue but I didn't realize it would get that bad until I wrote it- haha. I will drift away from that but now I have that relationship and I can't just drop it so it will be gradual.
In answer to DarkSlytherinAngel – Severus's sister was not like the other Snape's and yes, she was mad at him for joining the Death eaters.
Autumn ran up to the astronomy tower and flopped down on the hard stone floor, tears spilling out freely down her face. "I trusted him, I actually trusted a death eater" she whispered in fear and anger over and over again. The Gryffindor sat like that for over half and hour before she heard the tower door squeak open. She spun around and gave a gasp when she saw Harry's head floating in mid air. "Ahh, Harry! Where's your body?" He ginned at her and pulled off an invisibility cloak. "Wow" breathed the teen "I always wished I had one of those."
They sat in silence for a minute then Autumn felt her eyes prickle with tears again. "How did you know I was up here anyway?" said the girl in a cracked voice.
"I used this map I have see and, well…" Harry trailed off as Autumn let a fresh wave of tears fall. "Er Autumn, what happened?" asked the Gryffindor concernedly.
She wiped the tears away with the sleeve of her robe. "Nothing, I just miss my parents that's all." She lied. Well, it was sort of a lie- she did miss her parents but that was not the reason for crying.
"Oh" came the boys reply "Although I never really knew my parents I do miss them so if you ever want to talk, you know, you can always find me."
Autumn smiled weakly at him "Thanks" she whispered. Harry took another glance at her and realizing she wanted to be alone he pulled the cloak back over himself and left. Autumn, once again alone curled up, hugging her legs to her chest and gazed up at the night sky.
Autumn woke up the next morning, a Saturday, realizing she had spent the night atop the tower. The teen did not want to see anyone at the moment so decided to skip breakfast. She wandered around, realizing she had nowhere to go- It was out of the question to go to her Uncle, she might meet up with Harry, Ron, or Hermione in the Tower or outside, and students were forever running through the Great Hall. The Gryffindor continued to wander the whole day and into the evening when a thought hit her hard. 'Should she go tell the headmaster about Snape?" She knew she should but something was preventing her from doing so. Autumn was saved from deciding because at that moment Dumbledore himself appeared out of the Dungeon entrance. He regarded her quietly a minute. It was strange really, he seemed to know what was going on, but then again he couldn't- could he?
"Miss Snape, I was wondering what had happened to you. Severus told me you had a rough time last night." That angered Autumn and she turned on the headmaster.
"Do you know what me 'dear uncle' is?" The headmaster nodded "yes" The teen's eyes bugged out of her head. "You know! Are you sure?"
"Ahh yes, Miss Snape, I am very well aware of your Uncle's faults but I am also aware of your uncle's redemption- you might want to ask him about that." Saying this, he strode away, humming to himself.
Autumn stood there, frozen. 'Redemption? He wasn't a death eater? What about the note then? Well, it seems there is only one way to find out the answer.' She thought and plucking up again her Gryffindor courage, she made her way down to the dungeons.
Once there she almost lost her nerve but resolutely knocked on the door. The teen heard rummaging, a crack of glass, then a mumbled "Go away you bloody old man!"
Autumn bit her lip nervously "Uncle Severus, umm, Sir…" she trailed off as the door was opened. She gave a small gasp at his bloodshot eyes and very wrinkled clothes- her Uncle was never messy.
"Autumn" he choked out in a rasped voice and pulled the door opened further to allow her to enter. She turned towards Snape "Explain why you are a death eater."
Her Uncle sat down on the couch, his hands in his head. "The first thing you must agree to is to not interrupt until I'm done."
"Alright, fair enough" she replied and he began.
"My father was very deep in the dark arts, being a death eater himself actually. I was brought up in that atmosphere not to mention I was forever the target of Gryffindor pranks. It is true I went willing at first but if I had only know the horror of it, and you don't just quit the death eaters understand. So I went to Dumbledore and confessed, he offered me a chance of redemption, to turn spy, and here I am today."
Autumn stared a minute, realizing what a horrible life her uncle had obviously had and what a risk he took in being a spy. "So your on our side?"
Snape looked up at her "Yes. I should have told you this sooner but I was afraid, I thought you would loathe me and now you do anyways…"
Autumn had heard enough. 'Yes, he should have told me, and yes he made bad choices but he had done so much and she felt bad about what she said to her Uncle the other night'. The teen went up to her Uncle and stopped his ramblings with a timid hug.
He stiffened in surprise at first but eventually gave a small squeeze in return. They pulled away and her uncle looked at her. "I'm sorry I didn't explain sooner" he stammered, being unused to apologizing. Autumn gave him a small smile "I forgive you, and I'm sorry for snooping in your desk."
"Yes, about that" began Snape, his usual tone back, "I don't want you to do that ever again understand? Next time you will be punished." He finished sternly.
The Gryffindor nodded and her uncle sat back in his chair saying; "Now we have to decide what to do about that letter."
The teen sunk down in the chair across from Snape mulling the letter over in a new light. She suddenly felt eyes on her and looked up to see Uncle Sev watching her closely. Meeting his eyes a realization occurred and Autumn took a deep breath "We both know what has to be done. I have to go with you, there is no other way."
Her Uncle looked pained by the suggestion but slowly nodded "I seems the only way, unless I give up spying…"
"No!" the Gryffindor interrupted. "He would kill you and you know it. I'll just have to become another spy."
"My only hope is that he won't want you in his ranks because you're a girl or something like that but the Dark Lord never ceases to surprise me." Said her uncle darkly.
Silence followed before Autumn whispered, "My mum and dad spent their whole career fighting him and his followers and now I have to pretend to be one. What would they think of me now?"
Snape walked over to where she sat and kneeled down so he was at eye level with the teen "They would be proud to have such a courageous daughter, willing to do this for the light and for her miserable bat of an uncle."
Autumn smiled at him "Thanks Uncle Sev, and by the way I don't think you're a miserable bat."
"Really? Well, I'll have to change that by reassigning your detention for Monday at 7:30 pm."
"Aww, come on Uncle Sev, that's cruel!" The only reply she got was a smirk. "Come on into the kitchen and I'll have the house elves bring down some food. "
Sighing, but with a small smile on her face Autumn followed Snape into the next room and sat down at the table where she began to plow through the chicken, rice, and vegetables in front of her.
"Autumn?" – the name came in and interrupted her eating. "Hmm?" she asked, her mouth still containing food. "I was thinking, you might not want to sleep in the common room because of well, the issues that have been brought up tonight so I was wondering if you wanted to stay in your room down here? Just for tonight mind you."
Autumn nodded, relived. "Yes, I would like to, I don't think I can handle the questions right now."
Her Uncle nodded "Fine then." That being said, the Gryffindor and her Slytherin Uncle sat in the living room together and went over 'proper death eater protocol' as Snape liked to call it.
"Now, when we get there just stick close to me and follow my lead, don't speak unless spoken to, and don't let your friendship with Potter be known for as you know he isn't very popular with these people."
"Er, one problem Uncle Sev." Put in Autumn.
"What's' that?" her uncle asked, a little peeved.
"Draco Malfoy already knows I'm friends with Harry and he's bound to tell his father."
Snape frowned "Don't bring it up until he does then, and remember as much as I know you love your house, you need to act like you hate being in Gryffindor."
The teen gave him a look "but they know it, why should I hate them?"
Her Uncle sighed, "Just act like you should have been put in Slytherin! Not like that will save me form serious mockery that my only niece was put in Gryffindor."
"Jeeze, Sorry!" said Autumn, a little put out by that comment.
Snape continued, "If he does decide to give you the Dark Mark and he wants it done that night I have a plan so just follow along. We can't have you marked this soon."
"Right" replied the Gryffindor a little unsure as to the reason for this.
"Just be careful what you say Autumn." Came her Uncle's serious voice. She looked down after giving a meek "yes Uncle" and realized her hands were trembling. Her Uncle must have noticed this too because he was again beside her and placed a pale hand on her trembling shoulder. "Autumn look at me" He commanded in a soft tone.
The teen raised her head and looked at Snape while trying to give a weak smile before admitting "I'm scared Uncle Sev, I'm scared." Her Uncle awkwardly rubbed her back, obviously trying to comfort her.
"Everything will be okay, I will not let anything happen to you." Just then the clock chimed 11 O'clock, causing Autumn to jump a bit.
"You should go to bed, it's rather late." Snape said softly.
"Kay" came her almost child-like voice. "Goodnight Uncle Sev. Thanks for, you know, helping with everything."
"Your welcome, Goodnight"
The Gryffindor made her way to her room and after putting on her pajamas and brushing her teeth she climbed into bed. Autumn lay there for an hour and realized she couldn't possibly sleep, so she crept out to the living room with a book. The teen was about to plop down onto the couch when a grunt stopped her. Moving closer, she realized her Uncle had fallen asleep there. Reaching for a green blanket Autumn laid it over him and smiled when he pulled it over himself more. She then proceeded over to the next chair over and opened the book, reading a bit before drifting off to sleep herself.
Snape's POV (haven't seen this in awhile)
Snape awoke the next morning with the clock chiming 8 O' clock. Sitting up, he realized someone had placed a blanket over him last night. He didn't have to look far for the said person, as she was soundly asleep in the giant green armchair, a book across her lap.
The past day came back to him 'I can't believe she is willing to go with me. I guess Gryffindor was the right house for her.' Snape almost smacked himself after saying that and went into the kitchen to order breakfast.
The plate in his hand went flying not 15 minutes later when Dumbledore's head appeared in the fireplace.
"Reparo" he muttered and turned a scowling face towards the headmaster who merely smiled at him.
"Morning Severus! I was just wondering if everything went okay yesterday?"
"Yes, bloody brilliant," growled Snape sarcastically. "You now have two Snape spies."
"Hmm, I see. Well, that would be one of our only options now," replied the suddenly serious Dumbledore.
"Yes, and I would love to chat more but I have things to do today so if you don't mind headmaster, I must be going."
Dumbledore gave the man a small smile "Of course Severus, and good luck." With that he disappeared from the flames with a small pop.
"That man is impossible," muttered Snape while pouring himself more coffee and flipping through the Daily Prophet. "Great, more stories about the wonderful, brilliant Potter, just how I wanted to start the morning." He sat there awhile reading until it was 10 O'clock.
"Still no niece?" 'She should get up soon, we have other things to do.'
With an irritated sigh the man got up placing a muffin, bacon, and a banana on a plate. Once he made his way to the sitting room Snape levitated the plate over to his sleeping niece. Put at nose level, the bacon had the desired effect and Autumn's nose twitched. It wasn't long before her eyes opened halfway to peer at the food. Noting a hand reaching for the muffin, Snape levitated the food farther away. The hand followed until THIND! - The Gryffindor had fallen off the chair much to his amusement.
"I'm up!" came a growl from the floor and in a short time Autumn appeared, her hair tangled and a scowl on her face.
"Come on, get dressed, eat, whatever, we have to leave soon."
"Leave where?" asked his puzzled niece.
"Diagon Alley" Snape replied, knowing that wouldn't answer her question.
"Why?" came a more irritated voice.
"Because I don't think the Dark Lord will except your current Gryffindor/Muggle mixture you call clothes."
"Humph!" was the only answer he received but while walking into his room Snape heard his niece mutter, "I'm about to be Slytherinized."
He smirked, if she only knew.
Oh, so what will happen with the Lord Voldie? Keep reading (and reviewing!) to find out!