Learning of Worlds-Private

[HopesWings]

Dumbledore watched Severus depart, his heart pitying him. He watched man and child as Snape sat down beside her. Smiling sadly to himself, he decided it was time to leave. Snape, nor anyone else hopefully, would have any more use of him tonight. He could question Potter and Malfoy tomorrow. They should already be asleep anyhow. Smiling, he went to his office.

Ellie flinched slightly when Snape's hand landed on her shoulder. She had not heard him coming, and her mind was so full of thoughts she was distracted. She looked up at him, her eyes full of questions. "You look a lot like my mom. Or, at least I think you do. She died when I was young, and so Nan takes care of me. I've only ever seen pictures of her. She was always smiling, but she looked sad too." She suddenly looked back out the window.

Ellie, to her own great surprised, took some comfort from Snape being beside her. "It's hard for Nan to talk about Mom. I think she blames herself for her death in some way, but I don't know why. Nan always told me she just disappeared. How can it be her fault if she just disappeared?" The girl, with her mother's eyes, gazed up at Severus Snape as though he would know all the answers.