Entry for the "Halloween Collection Competition" - prompt: 52. Graveyard

Entry for "Transfiguration" at "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments)"

Task: Birds often symbolise freedom. I want you to write about someone setting someone, or something, free. This could be a child, a secret, or something altogether more sinister. Min. 300 words.

Extra Prompt: (word) peace

It was supposed to be the happiest day in Rolanda and Severus Snape's life since their wedding day.

One stormy November night, heavy rain was hitting the high windows of the Hospital Wing, their daughter Abigail Eileen Snape was born, more than one month early. The wails of the newborn child mixed up with her mothers exhausted pants, her fathers curses about his hands having been crushed and the sounds of thunder coming from outside.

And for a short moment, as Rolanda and Severus were to hold their baby for the first time and gave her her name, everything seemed to be alright. But while the two happy parents cuddled and kissed their little treasure, admiring her golden eyes and the black fluff on her head, Poppy Pomfrey already was discovering that something was not alright with the baby.

The two of them did not really understand anything about the medical informations Poppy provided them, tears in her eyes, but what they did understand was that their daughter was fatally ill, too ill to be cured, as even Healers had their boundaries. She would not survive long, probably a few months, and she would suffer more with every hour.

Staring down at the small bundle in Rolanda's arms, they could not believe that this was happening to them. They were going to loose small Abby just after she had arrived in this world.

"Isn't there anything you can do for her?," Severus asked, the calmness in his voice sounding very forced and he closed his eyes as Poppy shook her head.

"What... what are we going to do now?," Rolanda choked, a tear running down her cheek as she watched Abbys small fingers closing around her fathers pinky, her grip weaker as it was supposed to be, the girls breath rattling. "I... I don't want her to suffer..."

Lines of sorrow appeared on her husbands face as he looked at her, understanding what her words meant. They had to let Abby go...

It seemed like a impossible decision to make, letting their baby daughter die now so she could leave this world in peace. Being selfish now to spend more time with Abby would only make her suffer more.

But even though it was not the easy choice, it seemed like the right one, no matter how much it was ripping their hearts apart. They would free Abby from the pain she was in and spare her the suffering of a weeks long struggle with death.

As her parents, it was their duty to protect her, even if that meant to loose her completely.

Poppy made her preparations in silence, obviously struggling to stay professional while she measured the right amounts of antidotes to reverse the effects of the potions that had been supporting Abby's weak little body.

Severus had his arms around Rolanda, is face unmoving, but his eyes were full of agony as he looked down at his daughter, gently stroking her cheek. Rolanda was sobbing silently, but nonetheless she smiled to Abby who eyed her parents curiously, but also tiredly.

"Whenever you are ready," Poppy said, and Severus' arms tightened even more around his wife as she nodded, both not taking their eyes off their daughter.

"Sleep well, my angel," Rolanda whispered, placing a soft kiss on Abby's head, and Severus did the same, lingering even longer. "We love you, Abby... We love you so much..."

oOo

A slight drizzle covered the small graveyard of the Irish village Kilgalligan with a damp blanket and the noise of the stormy sea clashing against the cliffs nearby was swallowing any other sounds.

Even the sobs of the two lonely figures that were standing in front of a fresh grave, their arms slung around the other one, clinging for support.

Rolanda and Severus had just buried Abigail in a small, private ceremony and now they were taking a quiet moment for themselves to say goodbye for one last time.

The painful memory of their baby dying in their arms was still fresh, but what soothed them was the peaceful expression Abby had had on her face after releasing her last breath. It had been as if she had been smiling at her mother and father, thanking them for loving her so much that they were able to set her free.

Opinions, please... I am a bit unhappy with this one, I feel like I was not able to get everything I wanted out of it...