Author's Note: Since I have sort of sworn to myself that I would keep up a regular update schedule, here is chapter 20 since I am not quite sure if I will be able to post another chapter throughout this week, and I just realized that I need to pick up the writing again since I am running out of already written chapters. Thank you so much for the feedback! You have no idea how much it keeps me motivated 3
Ely, Bella, Lily, and Severus were all in the same cabin when they got into the Hogwarts Express. Ely however, spent more time with Remus, Sirius, Peter, and James on the train than Bella, Lily, and especially Severus, would have liked.
"Since when did you become so close to Black, Pettigrew, and Potter?" Lily asked when Ely finally walked back into the cabinet. Severus was grumbling slightly to himself, nursing the sore spot on his arm from when he fell from a hex James had hit him with.
"James' mum and my mum knew each other back at Hogwarts." Ely revealed to which Lily and Bella's jaw dropped.
"That's great Ely!" Bella hugged Ely, "I'm guessing you found out something about your mum?"
Ely nodded her head with a content smile on her face. They chatted amongst themselves for the rest of the train ride, Severus barely putting in any input.
Bella said her goodbyes to Ely and Lily before getting off so that her parents wouldn't notice. Ely suggested it was for the best, and with that they said they would see her after break was over.
Severus, Ely and Lily all boarded off at the same time, only to see that Lily's parents and Aunt Minnie were already in conversation, Petunia with a sour look on her face.
"Don't mind my sister. She doesn't like that I can do magic." Lily explained and Ely nodded. She hoped that she could help Lily change Petunia's mind if she wanted Lily to stay with her for the summer.
When Lily's parents saw her they immediately embraced her, Aunt Minnie doing the same to Ely. Severus stood there awkwardly, until both of Lily's parents gave him a greeting.
"Severus is your mother coming to pick you up?" Lily's mum asked and Severus nodded.
"We will wait until she comes then." Aunt Minnie said, to which Severus' eyes grew wide.
"Actually, I think she might have forgotten it was today. She might have thought I come home tomorrow." Severus tried to save but Aunt Minnie wasn't give up that easily.
"Nonsense! If that's the case then I will gladly take you to your home Severus." Aunt Minnie insisted to which Ely face palmed.
Severus tried to save himself but evidently they found themselves in Aunt Minnie's rental car, on their way to Severus' house and then to Lily's. Ely dropped a petunia in Petunia's hand as a peace offering, but to no avail since Petunia dropped it and continued to walk.
Severus looked mortified as Aunt Minnie pulled up. He quickly got out of the car, but Aunt Minnie quickly followed behind.
Ely was a few feet behind them, wand drawn. Aunt Minnie looked at Ely's posture confused but held her wand out as well. However, it wasn't Tobias Snape that answered the door, he was still at work. A very fragile Eileen Prince, now Snape opened the door cautiously with shaky hands.
Aunt Minnie and Eileen's eyes both widened as they registered each other. Severus' mum almost shut the door on Aunt Minnie but Minnie was faster. Once Minnie was in the door, Eileen broke down into sobs in front of all of them.
"Eileen, it's okay… It's okay…" Minnie cooed to Eileen. Severus' mum pulled herself together long enough to escort all of them inside.
"Aunt Min, do you mind telling me what's going on?" Ely asked to which Minnie smiled softly.
"Ely, Eileen was your mum's and my best friend when we were in Hogwarts."
It seemed as if Eileen finally snapped out of whatever sobbing she had started and stared at Ely. Eileen hesitantly reached over and examined Ely's face with her hands. Ely stood perfectly still as she did this, and a smile broke out on Eileen's face.
"Elanora Rose Taylor…" Eileen said this with a slight tremble in her voice, "Oh how have I waited to finally meet you. The perfect combination of your mother and your father."
"You were named after the both of us Ely. You would have also been Eileen, but Eileen wouldn't have it."
"I always thought Elanora was a much better name for her, and I was right." A wider smile appeared on Eileen's face, and Ely saw a small smile appear on Severus' face as he saw his mum smile.
Aunt Minnie talked for a bit while Severus and Ely sat there listening. When Eileen realized her husband was coming soon, she ushered Minnie and Ely out quickly. Minnie said she would stop by tomorrow, and with that they left to Lily's house.
They were accepted with open arms, and Ely and Minnie would be sharing a guest room right next to Lily and Petunia's room. They had a light lunch, and while the adults were talking, Lily and Ely decided it would have been a good idea to go outside.
"Hey Petunia, you want to go outside with us?" Ely asked politely, to which Petunia turned her head.
"Come on Tuney, we're going to pick some flowers for mom's bowl on the dining room." Lily pleaded
"No thank you. You two will probably use magic to curse me or something." Petunia tried to make an excuse.
"Petunia, we can't use magic outside of school. We have to do everything without magic." Ely explained and Petunia looked skeptical. "I actually prefer to not use magic."
Still a bit skeptical, Petunia went along realizing that if she didn't, she might get in trouble with her parents.
It was rather amusing really, seeing the three of them together picking flowers. Petunia was getting somewhat comfortable around Ely, since Ely could have passed for a complete muggle the way she was working. Truth is that Ely was used to doing things the muggle way since she could remember. The only time she ever used magic in the muggle world was in extreme circumstances.
Mrs. Evans called the girls in for tea time, each of them with a flower in their hair and flowers in their hands. The adults smiled at them, and for the first time today Petunia had a small smile on her face.
Things went by rather smooth the rest of the day, Aunt Minnie and Ely telling the Evans family what it was like living in Australia. Lily's parents had tried to know more about magic, but Aunt Minnie tended to drift away from the subject since Ely warned her about her Petunia reacted when they talked about magic.
Petunia was surprised by how much Minnie and Ely did without magic. Lily was even shocked when Minnie said she could go for months at a time without using magic.
"How do you do that? Magic is amazing!" Lily gasped, causing Petunia to put on a sour face.
"Sometimes it's just easier to do things without magic Lily." Minnie commented, "It feels a lot more rewarding when you do stuff with your own two hands than with a flick of a wand."
Even Petunia was shocked to hear those words come out of Aunt Minnie's mouth. She smirked when Ely agreed with her aunt.
"It's a lot cleaner to handle the animals we have at home with magic, but it's better for them when you do things for them the old fashion way." Ely said to Lily and Petunia as they walked upstairs.
"I bet Australia is amazing." Lily said with awe in her voice and Petunia rolled her eyes.
"Who knows Lily? Maybe you guys could spend the summer with us." Ely commented, which caused Lily's eyes to widen with anticipation.
As Ely rested her head on the pillow that night, she wondered just how interesting this winter break was going to be. Thinking to Severus' mum, she couldn't help but be excited to know more about her parents, and for the first time in she didn't know how long, she was able to get a goodnight's rest.