It was cold and windy as Wikeni walked up the long staircase towards the door of Severus's parents' house. It looked old and decrepit, as though nobody lived there anymore. She shivered as icy raindrops began to fall on her bare arms. It was so warm that morning that she hadn't thought to put a coat on. Wikeni had had no clue as to how she would find Severus's parents, but she was able to track down several Snapes across England, scouring records and names. Finally, she found "Eileen Prince-Snape" in a small town and figured that could be the only possible answer. She was going to find out soon enough. She finally reached the peeled old door at the head of the steps, winded and gasping for air. She reached up and rapped her fist smartly against the door. She stopped and listened for a few moments.

Why did I insist on coming alone? She doesn't even know me, and I'm a Muggle. She'll think I've gone mad.

But she quickly remembered… all those years she had thought Severus was pure blood (after all, he was head of Slytherin), she was wrong. His father was a Muggle, only his mother had studied magic. She had been in Slytherin, too.

Suddenly the door opened and she was face to face with a square-jawed, salt and pepper-haired woman with a sallow face.

"Mrs. Snape, or Ms. Prince… I really need to talk to you."

"Why?" she sneered.

"It's about your son, Severus."

The scary woman looked stern for a second, tense, but backed away from the door slowly and let Wikeni inside. She stepped in gently, and jumped as the door snapped shut behind her. Wikeni was shown to an old armchair, which looked terrible at first, but was actually quite comfortable. Eileen went to make tea silently. Wikeni knew she was not welcome here, and it hurt her heart to see Severus' likeness in his mother's face. She wanted to cry, she wanted to so badly, but pride kept her emotions steady, and soon Eileen brought the tea out and set it on the table. They both took cups from the tray and steadied it in their hands, swirling it so it would cool down.

"Now, why did you come here?" she began.

"Well, Mrs. Snape, or Ms. Prince, I know this is gonna sound weird… You see, your son… Well…"

She interrupted her. "Eileen," she said.

"I don't know if you knew this, but he got married," she continued. "A few years ago."

Eileen almost dropped her teacup, but kept her stern appearance. "Where's the proof?"

"Here," said Wikeni. She brought out her wallet, inside which was a picture of her and Severus kissing during their civil ceremony. Severus had the same exact one, but she didn't know where he kept it.

"What's this prove?"

"That's our wedding."

"Doesn't look like one."

"It wasn't done in a church, just some small, legal building where they do that sort of thing."

"This is just you snogging him. I don't see any sort of identification."

"Check my license, then. You can see it right there… Wikeni Snape."

She squinted at the fine print, and her faces slowly relaxed. Eileen thrust her wallet back at her.

"Fine. Take it. Now what do you want? Is he sick? Dead?"

"Well, no, not exactly."

"Not exactly?" she whispered.

"I don't really know."

"You don't know. Well, I've had about enough. I think it's time for you to leave." She began to stand up.

"Wait, no! See, the reason I came here is because, well… a couple of years ago, he was mixed in with that Voldemort guy…"

Eileen hissed. "Do not say his name!"

"Sorry, I'm not used to it… but, he was with… him… several years ago when he first came around."

Eileen's face did not change.

"Well, now the guy's back, and… Severus went with him."

"So?"

"He… before he left, he… said he was the Half-Blood Prince, I'm not sure you know about that…"

Eileen frowned for a second, but shook her head.

"I see. Well, the thing is, before he left for Vol – I mean, What's-his-name, he… he… he killed…" Wikeni began, but found her throat stuck. She felt the tears well up in her eyes. She quickly took a sip of tea. It was hot, but it cleared her up. She tried again.

"He killed Headmaster of Hogwarts Albus Dumbledore. He disappeared after that. I was hoping you might know where he could have gone."

"No," said Eileen stoically.

"Any clues? Any… thoughts? Any anything?"

"No, you see, I haven't…"

"Spoken to him in years, I know, he told me."

Wikeni sighed heavily.

"Don't you have any clues where he might have gone? Where he might be living, right now?"

"He is probably with the Dark Lord," said Eileen.

Wikeni shook her head roughly. "I think he would've found a place of his own. Is there nothing – no property – that's in your family that he might've gone to? Nothing at all?"

Eileen suddenly froze.

"Spinner's End," she whispered.

Then Wikeni understood. That little piece of paper Severus had once shown her… the deed… was the ownership of a house in that town. Suddenly, she had a burning question on her tongue.

"Why don't you live there?" she asked.

Eileen smiled wryly. "I had no use for that house anymore. Living alone there would have been quite uncomfortable."

"What happened to Tobias?"

"He died." She snorted a bit. "I decided to give the house to Severus, to notify him of his father's death and ask him to come to the funeral, but he took the deed from the executor when I wasn't there and I didn't even get a chance to see him."

She sipped her tea, still frowning. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Spinner's End."