Gryffindor Girl's Dormitory: June 18, 1997
Prior to the noise downstairs, Ava had been laying angrily on her bed staring at her box and Professor Slughorn's letter.
"Ugh!" she moaned, tossing the sheet of parchment down in frustration. This wasn't fair. Why couldn't she figure it out? She gave a huff of hot air before looking back down at the paper. She held it out at arm's length, squinting her eyes. At this point, she was desperate enough to try anything. But still no such luck. Setting the parchment down, Ava glance back at her box and froze.
Out of the corner of her eye she spotted something suspicious. Something so slight that it was no wonder she hadn't noticed. And drawing her wand, the girl pointed it at the box. "Lumos." And right before her eyes, Ava caught the clue.
Misses Avery Harlan Corriane Pierce
The four letters that faded more slowly than the rest, the four letters spelling out a key, O-P-E-N. Open. And quickly, Ava tapped the letters in order, just as they began to fade. Her breath caught in her throat as a soft 'click' announced that the box had opened.
Tentatively, the second year gently lifted the lid. She gasped as she caught first glimpse of its contents. What looked to be a lock of dark brown hair, her hair, was pinned to a small blanket that was sitting at the top of the stack. Carefully moving it away, Ava set it on the bed and looked down at the pile. Inside the box was another locket, this one silver and slightly more weighted than the one she received for Christmas. Pushing the clasp, she opened the locket. Behind the second window was a picture of her father. She couldn't help but feel her heart drop to her feet. The man in the picture was so small, Ava could hardly make him out. She squinted, trying to let her eyes adjust. But the man was unrecognizable, a stranger. She finally closed the locket and set it down with a sigh. She didn't know what she'd been expecting. To finally find the man she'd been searching for? She didn't know who he was. She didn't even know his name. And before she judged any more, the child returned back to the box with shaking hands.
The girl's heart leapt as she saw what was in front of her. Pictures. The first was old and scratched, but the figure was prominent. A young man with long dark hair and pale skin, and dark eyes that couldn't have ever possibly seen light. Ava gasped. This could not be who she thought it was. She stared for a moment, letting the thought hit her full on. No. It was a coincidence. Setting the image down, she picked up the other two. The first was of her mother- younger, healthier, and with a much rounder mid-section, a hand resting upon it. But her eyes glanced downwards and her hair fell limply over her face. Her mother- alone, stunned, and ashamed. The other was of Ava, shortly after she had been born.
With her eyes beginning to fog, the girl put her shaking hands into the box one final time to pull out an envelope yellowed with age. She opened the delicate paper and pulled out a letter.
SPOILER!!:
October 5, 1984
My dearest child,
According to your mother, you are to be born in two days time. Since she has become pregnant, she has refused to speak to me and has made it quite clear that you and I are never to meet. I am your father. I would like to first establish that under unfortunate circumstances, you were never meant to be born. You were an accident. Your mother decided that I would be the one to tell you since she has already cut off all of your connections to me, with the exception of this letter. To you, I am a stranger. Nobody more than a voice which you may not even remember. I'm not even certain you will get this, in which case, I am truly sorry. I am already sorry. I don't even know your name.
Your mother and I both knew that I could not raise a child, as much as I would love you. We both knew how much she absolutely detested me. And we both knew that keeping you was the only choice we had, unless we were to leave you on the filth of someone's doorstep or in the trash. But to a human? We didn't have the lack of heart to kill you.
By the time you get this, I suspect your mother and I will both be dead. I suppose it's better that way. You will never have to know the man your mother so despised. But there are several things I need you to know; You were born into a time of war, a time of sacrifice, a time of trial. But most importantly, a time of choice. There are so many choices to be made, as you live, as you sleep, as you die. Choices that you yourself may not make, but choices you always have. I need you to know that I made the wrong choices. And one of those choices was you. You will never know how sincerely sorry I am. You will never know how much I cannot forgive myself. I hope your life is long and full,
Your father,
Severus Snape
As she finished the letter, Ava's trembling hands clutched the edges of the paper. She curled into a ball, her mouth opening to scream. But no screams came out, only silent sobs. The truth was finally in front of her. The only thing she'd ever wanted to know, broke her heart in two. And she cried. She cried for herself, for her mother, for the father she never had, she cried for her very mistaken existence that was never meant to be. She sobbed for the life of her, her crying only interrupted by screams from downstairs.
Slowly picking herself up, the red faced and puffy eyed child examined the mass of people in the common room.
"What's going on?" she asked. The room was packed with people from her house.
"There's a battle going on!" one boy shrieked. Several people nodded, a few murmuring in agreement.
"Professor McGonagall told everybody that was under age to stay here."
Ignoring the boy's last remark, she bolted up the stairs and shoved on her shoes, slipping on a sweater over her t-shirt. She rubbed the tears from her eyes before looking out the window and down at the grounds. Somewhere out there was her father, and this might be her last chance to ever see him.
Ava ran down the steps and out the common room door, into a sea of mass confusion. Taking the steps two at a time, she ducked around people and through door ways. Her father, waiting to be found.