Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. I wish I did. You know the drill.

Author's Note: This story was written in honour of Remembrance Day. Remember those who died in wars to save our lives. Always remember.

EDIT 8/21/2007: I realize that I published this story nearly two years ago, but I decided to edit this story and fix my mistakes.

Not Forgotten

To Remember or Not to Remember

(Nine years after Severus' death...)

"Make a wish, Eileen," Hermione Granger, your mother, says proudly into your ear.

You peer down at the chocolate cake. You love chocolate cake. Your mother says it was a trait you picked up from her. You had asked, Well, what did I pick up from my father, then? Mum had looked puzzled and replied, I don't know.

You remember how surprised you were at Hermione. A young, beautiful, extremely intelligent witch like herself couldn't even remember her own lover's name? Something was wrong.

"Make a wish," your mother urged once more, nudging you. The candle wax was slowly sliding down the candle, nearly touching the cake.

You think for a moment, then give a half smile. You blow out the candles.

There is clapping all around you: from your mother; from your godfathers, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley; from your godmother, Ginny Longbottom and her husband, Neville Longbottom; from your grandparents, Mark and Melenia Granger; and from Minerva McGonagall, whom you called 'Granny', seeing as she was like another grandparent to you. You have never met your father's parents, or at least, you don't think you have. You don't even know if they're alive.

Your mother smiles at you. "Happy tenth birthday, Eileen." With a smile, she adds, "What did you wish for?"

"If I tell you, it won't come true," you joke, giving a small smile.

Uncle Harry looks you over. "Now, you haven't been talking with Sybill Trelawney, have you, Eileen?"

"Yeah, Eileen, everything she says is rubbish," Uncle Ron mumbles, stuffing bits of cake into his mouth.

Granny Minerva laughs. "I agree, Ron. I wonder if she is still teaching at Hogwarts?"

Minerva McGonagall had left Hogwarts the year your mother was pregnant with you.

"I can't wait until next year," you speak up.

"Why is that?" Hermione asks.

You smile. "Because next year, I'll be witch, just like you, Mum."

"Oh, no! Another Hermione Granger?" Uncle Harry cries in mock despair. "Spare me, please."

Everyone chuckles, and Mum swats Uncle Harry playfully on the shoulder.

Then Mum turns serious and pauses for a few moments before responding to your statement. "Eileen, you are a half-blood." She glances at Granny Minerva, who looks down at her toes, as if hiding something. "I am a Muggle-born, as you know. Your father... well, I know he was either a half-blood, or a pure-blood; I'm not sure which. There is a small chance you might not be magical, Eileen. I just don't want you to be disappointed."

You blush and bite your lip. You had never considered the fact that you might not be magical after all. You gulp.

"You have nothing to worry about- well, not too much, anyway," Granny Minerva says to you. "Your mother was one of the most brilliant witches I have ever met in my lifetime- and that's saying a lot. As for your father, he was smart, very smart, and another powerful wizard. I have no doubt that you will be a witch, too." She pulls you into a huge hug.

You hug back, but realize: Granny Minerva was talking about my father. That means she knows something that you don't... and that Mum certainly does not.

"Excuse me for a moment, please," you answer politely. "Uncle Harry? Uncle Ron? Aunt Ginny? Could I, er, please talk with you?"

They all nod, looking puzzled, and even more puzzled as you pull them outside onto the porch. "I was wondering if you could tell me what you know about my father. You heard Granny Minerva talking. She knows my father. She knows who he is."

Uncle Ron, Aunt Ginny, and Uncle Harry all exchange glances. Uncle Harry clears his throat and says, "Ron, Ginny, could you please excuse us for a moment?"

They both nod and leave curtly.

You know Uncle Harry better than most of your other relatives, so you felt more relaxed asking him about you past. You knew he would answer without lying to you.

"Eileen, you need to understand this," he begins, looking quite nervous. "When I was seventeen, I was in a huge battle-"

"Lord Voldemort," you interrupt. "Mum told me about him and what you did. Very brave."

"Thank you," Uncle Harry responds, face flushed. "As I was saying, I defeated him. Ron wound up in St. Mungo's for about three months, getting heals. Your mother was fine. Snape, an old professor of mine jumped in front of her." He snorts. "Typical Snape; always wanting to be the hero. Like he even cared about your mother. He died, you know. Voldemort was aiming the killing curse at your mother, but Snape jumped in front, and he died. Then, about a year after Voldemort died, your mother invited us over here, and presented you to us. Whenever we asked who the father was, she would clam up and say, 'I don't really know'. I think she got her memories removed, Eileen." There were tears in Uncle Harry's eyes.

You feel tears streaming down your cheeks. "Why? Why did she take away her memories?"

Uncle Harry shrugs. "Maybe someone told her to. Maybe it was too painful for her." He glances down at me. "I'm sorry, Eileen. I really don't know."

"It's alright, Uncle Harry," you answer. But it isn't. It just keeps haunting you. Who is your father?

You and Uncle Harry sit down once again in the living room. You realize, the only way to find out about your father, is to ask Granny Minerva yourself.

"Granny Minerva? I was wondering if I could speak with you?" you say hopefully.

She nods, not at all looking surprised. She brings me up to the attic and says, "I was expecting this many years ago. I suspect you want to know about your father?"

"You knew him, didn't you?" you interrupt, a strange feeling overcoming you. "What was he like?"

Granny Minerva pauses. "He was a smart, young man. He was my colleague. We spent many days fighting with each other, in a friendly manner, of course. We worked together at Hogwarts, I as the Transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor- your mother's house- and your father as the Potions Master, and Head of Slytherin."

"Slytherin?" you echo, surprised. The house in Hogwarts your uncles had told you such horrid tales about? The most loathed, cunning, evil, mysterious house of Hogwarts?

"Yes, Slytherin." Granny Minerva sees the horrified look on my face, and adds quickly: "Only for the fact that he was mysterious and cunning. He was not evil, or purely evil, at least. He would have done well in Ravenclaw, just like your mother. But, of course, the Sorting Hat knew that both Hermione and your father did not want to be recognized just for their smarts, but for more of their other qualities. Hermione wanted to be a brave, courageous girl, who was also a genius. Your father wanted to be known as a mysterious, but clever young man.

"So you see, Eileen, your father was a wonderful man, but he did not dare show it."

You smile proudly.

"I Obliviated your mother on your father's orders. She agreed. But, I only agreed after she emptied her memories into here." Granny Minerva picked up a large Pensieve and placed in on the table. "I think it's time you learned about your past- and time for Hermione to relive it."

You gasp. Your mother is standing in the doorway.

"Everyone went home," she whispers softly. "I think it's time I relearned, too."

The three of you stuck your heads into the Pensieve. In it, you learned about your father and your mother's secret relationship, everything he had done in the past, how he redeemed himself... and how he died.

"Father," you say quietly after returning back to the present. "Severus Snape..."

"I was engaged," Hermione sobs, her face in her hands. "I was engaged!"

You throw your arms around your mother. "I know, Mum. I know." You look up at Granny Minerva. "Granny... thank you so much... but it didn't answer... Why am I named as I am?"

Minerva herself is wiping her own tears off her face. "You were named after your grandmother, Eileen. She was Severus' mother."

You look up. "Can I meet her?"

Minerva gives you a sad smile. "She's dead, honey. I'm sorry."

"Oh." You pause for a moment. "My father was buried in that cemetery... I saw it, and my mother was patting her stomach. Could... could we... visit the cemetery?"

You stare at Granny Minerva hopefully, but it is your own mother who responds. "Of course, sweetie." She puts her long arms around you, the tears still visible and stained on her cheeks. "Let's go."

You arrive in the cemetery shortly, from driving. You stop at your father's grave. It is in good condition, as if someone had been cleaning and decorating it every once in awhile, though no one has. It surprises you.

"Dad," you say, looking down at the grave, "I love you. I know I never personally knew you, but I feel as if I do. I wish you were here." You turn to your mother.

You notice that Granny Minerva is hanging back, as if to give you and your mother some privacy. You turn to tell her that she can come, but she disappears in a cloud of smoke.

Your mother walks towards the grave and slowly, hand quivering, touches it. "Severus," she begins softly, "I miss you. I miss our life together, the short time we had." The tears are rolling once more. "A-and... I love you."

You take a seat on the grass next to your mother. It feels good, you decide, sitting next to your mother, and the grave of your father. It is not so depressing... it makes you feel... complete. You know your father now. You miss him, too.

You and Mum sit silently by the grave for a few minutes, reminiscing. Then, you say finally, "Let's go home?"

There is a short pause, but your mother replies: "Yes. We should go home."

But, before you leave, you hear your mother say quietly, "See, Severus? I couldn't have forgotten you. I loved you too much. I still do."

"I know, Hermione," you picture your father saying, "I couldn't ever forget you, either."

You head towards the car, feeling mixed emotions of happiness and sadness. You won't ever forget Severus Snape. You know your mother won't, either.

Finis