"No," Snape replied curtly. "I don't want to go to her grave."
The winter holidays were approaching quickly, and Winter wanted to spend the holidays away from Hogwarts.
"Sev, I never got to go to her funeral," Winter said, placing a hand on his arm as he reached for a book in his office. "Please, just take me to the grave."
"I don't want to go," Snape said again.
"Fine," Winter muttered. "I'll go by myself!"
Snape stared down at her, his eyes wide, his mouth open.
"No!"
"But Sev!"
"No buts. Winter, just last week I saw an article about Dad's death. You're being called the murderer who got away...But they found the knife. I thought it'd been hidden perfectly, but no. They FOUND it. Winter, you can't go near the place again."
Winter looked afraid.
"I-I didn't know!" she cried. "I can't leave. What if - Severus, what if they come to Hogwarts? What if they come to question you? What if they find me? What would they do to me? Sev, would they make the Dementors preform a Kiss?"
"I don't know," he answered. "I suggest staying quiet, silent, out of the way. Don't get noticed in classes, but continue your normal work, but just not enough for them to comment on how GOOD it is."
Winter walked away, sitting down on her coffin. She put her face in her hands. If she could cry, she most likely would be. Snape sighed and walked over. He sat down next to her, putting an arm around her.
This used to be reversed, he thought as Winter leaned into him.
"I'm hungry!" she declared, ruining the moment.
Snape sighed and got up. He dug around in his drawer and pulled out a bottle.
"You know, I've gotten a really cut up arm, thanks to you," Snape said, handing it to her.
"Sorry," Winter apologized, uncorking it and drinking. "Too bad we can't rob a blood bank. Or can we?"
"No," Snape said.
"Right, definetely not," Winter mumbled, draining it quickly.
Snape sighed. "You've gotten thirstier and thirstier as of late. I'm starting to think my blood isn't enough."
"Well, what do you want me to do? Go attack some student from starving?" Winter countered.
"No," Snape said quickly. "We need to find strong blood. Ours is so simliar that it does nothing for you."
"So, we kidnap Draco and get blood from him?" Winter asked, looking at him like he was crazy.
"I never said it had to be Draco," Snape contradicted with a smirk. "Why do you want Draco's blood?"
"I told you it drove me crazy," Winter muttered darkly, opening her coffin up. She sat in it and laid down, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'll talk to you in the moring. Close the lid, please?"
Snape smiled at his sister before lowering the lid. Witer was enveloped in darkness, and she shut her red eyes, sleeping for the night.
Winter woke with a start, causing the coffin lid to fly off. She saw it heading for Snape's collection of Dark Arts book and flew over. She caught it before it could hit the bookcase.
"Whew," she sighed and put the lid back on. She looked out the window. The sun was starting to rise: it was still early.
Winter shrugged and got dress, lathering herself in sunscreen. She took her books and wandered off to the Great Hall. She figured she'd get an early start on the homework. And find a newspaper. She slowly picked at the toast that was sitting there. She would have prefered meat, but the bacon was cooked too much.
She got up and walked over to Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"Hey," she said, sitting down across from them. "Do you guys have a newspaper from last week?"
"I do," Hermione said. "Which one do you want?"
"Whichever one has the article about Tobias Snape's murder," Winter said.
Hermione stood and walked away, leaving Winter with Harry and Ron. Winter cursed herself again. To her, Ron's blood smelled good. or maybe it was the sausage. Winter told herself it was the sausage and picked one up.
"What are you doing for the holidays?" Winter asked, chewing.
"Staying here," they replied.
"I'm going to Slughorn's Christmas party," Harry replied. "I still need to find a date."
"Have fun with that," Winter replied.
"I'm surprised you didn't get in," Harry said. "You're good at Potions, too."
"Thanks," Winter said. "But I don't try hard enough to get in to things like that. Could if I wanted to. Don't want to."
Harry nodded. "Want to come with me?"
"I'm sorry, but no, Harry," Winter said. "I know some of the people that are going to be there, and I do not like those people. Sorry. Maybe next year if he's still around."
"It's okay," Harry shrugged.
"Why not ask Luna Lovegood?" Winter asked. She was surprised this came out of her mouth. She only knew the girl from hearing other students make fun of her. But Luna never seemed to care what others thought. She was always in a world of her own, it seemed
"Loony Lovegood?" Ron said.
"I don't know her," Winter replied, finishing the sausage. She shrugged. "Think about it, Harry."
"I don't think so," Harry said.
"Alright," Winter said, but her tone said "You'll probably change your mind."
Hermione appeared with the paper then. She handed the rolled up copy of the Daily Prophet to Winter. Winter smiled and nodded her thanks before getting up. She went up to her first class and began reading over it. She flipped through until she found the article.
Depevlopements in Tobias Snape's Murder
In the summer of 1971, Tobias Snape, father to Severus and Winter Snape, was found dead in his home. Eileen Snape and Severus called in the murder and disappearanve of Winter. Tobias Snape had been stabbed once in the back, and multiple times in the chest. Blood had been found splattered on the walls and floors.
"It was awful to find," Mrs. Snape had said all those years ago. "I don't know anyone who would kill my husband."
Severus was too distraugt about his father and sister to say anything.
The stabbing suggested a Muggle murder, but it is still possible a wizard had commited it. A weapon could not be found, and after extense interviews, it was determined that Mrs. Snape and Severus had no idea who had commited it, and that they were not the murders. A search for Winter had been started, but no trace of ehr could be found. There were no footprints, randsom notes or traces of the girl.
That fall, Severus started his first year at Hogwarts. It was with futile hopes that Winter would show up as well. She never did.
The years past, and Severus finished his time at Hogwarts. He bacame the Potions teacher at Hogwarts for sixteen years, but this year, he is teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. Mrs. Snape passed on during his seventh year of teaching. And Winter was never found.
But a few days ago, a neighbor came across the shining handle of a knife poking out of a mound of earth in Snape's yard. She got the Ministry of Magic, and a new investigation is being launched.
"I had no idea the murder weapon was in my yard," Snape reportedly said. He had been truly surprised that the knife was hidden under his nose.
Winter shut the paper and stuffed it into her bag. She didn't have time to read it now; the class was starting. She pulled out some parchament and began to take notes.
Later in Potions, Winter was still thinking baout the article. What if the found fingerprints on it? Or somehow connected it to her? She hadn't had a chance to pick it back up and read it. And it was annoying her so much.
"Hey, Winter," Draco said, coming up to her.
Winter smiled at him and moved her bag over, making room for him next to her.
"What are you doing for the holidays?" he asked.
"Staying here," she responded grumpily. "I wanted to visist my mum's grave, but..." She sighed. "Well, you know Snape."
"So he won't let you go?" he asked, pulling out a quill and chewing on the end.
"Exactly," she muttered. "What are you up to?"
"I'm also staying at Hogwarts," Draco replied.
Winter nodded as Slughorn entered.