Hogwarts: June 18, 1997
Ava bounded down the stairs, pushing past people and ducking to avoid wreckage. She had to find him. But where on earth was he? She jumped as a Death Eater and a Hogwarts student resumed their dueling several feet in front of her. Without a second thought, she took off back up the stairs the way she'd come and away from the chaos. Where in the world was she going?
As she passed by a group of injured students huddling together, her ears hung on a phrase. "Somebody said he's up in the Astronomy Tower. I wouldn't go anywhere near that place with him around," a girl whispered.
Immediately, Ava took off in that direction. She wasn't sure who the 'he' they were referring to was, but the Astronomy Tower would be a place to start. She didn't have a good feeling about this, however. Breathing heavily, the young girl took off up the stairs once more.
★ ★ ★ ★
Arriving tired and out of breath at the tower's door, she pressed her ear against it to listen for voices. At first, nothing. Then a low growl came from the other side before the door was swung open. Ava knew immediately that she should not have come up there. Towering over her, Fenrir Greyback gave a smirk showing his enormous teeth.
"Now what are you doing out of bed little girl? Surely they told you a battle was no place for children," he grinned, licking his lips. He lunged towards her and Ava took several steps backwards, only to find that she was trapped between Fenrir and the wall, her only escape being up into the tower. Her eyes widened with fear and her hands trembled as he laughed. There was nowhere for her to run.
"Fenrir!" a sharp voice interrupted. They both turned to find Bellatrix Lestrange and Draco Malfoy headed up the tower. The source of the voice eyed them suspiciously.
"And what do have we here?" Bellatrix asked with an airy sort of satisfaction.
"Little girl out of bed," Fenrir grinned.
"And what's your name, sweetheart?" she asked, turning her attention to the girl.
Ava looked pleadingly over at Draco, who only stood shaking.
"Ava Pierce," she answered quietly. At this point, herself and Bellatrix were nearly nose to nose, staring each other in the eyes. The woman inhaled sharply, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh are you now?" she asked.
"Fenrir, let this one go, she'll be coming with me. Draco, up in the tower," she ordered, taking Ava's wrist tightly and leading them off to the Astronomy Classroom.
★ ★ ★ ★
Closing the door roughly behind them, Bellatrix shoved Ava down into a seat. She held up the girl's neck and drew her wand, pointing it just under her chin.
"What's your mother's name?" she asked darkly.
"My mother is dead," Ava replied, trembling.
"What is her name?!" Bellatrix screeched. There was a pause as breath heaved from both chests.
"Asha Natalia Pierce," she choked out.
"And your father?"
"I never met my father."
"You lie," Bellatrix howled.
Ava shook, fat tears rolling down her face. The hand holding her neck loosened slightly.
"You know his name," the woman confirmed. She nodded.
"Severus Snape." Again, Ava shook her head. Bellatrix removed her hand, using her wand to brush a stray lock of hair from the girl's face.
"Such a pity," she sang,
"such a pretty little girl. With so much potential, wasted. You came to find him, didn't you?"
She choked back a sob, as Bella whispered into her ear,
"You could come with me, the Dark Lord would be more than happy to find you a home, a real home. To think, you could be such a help to him. And he would punish your father for what he's done to you--" she was cut off as the classroom door swung open.
"Bella!" a voice hissed. Quickly, the woman stood, one hand back around Ava's neck and the other holding a wand at her throat.
"Come back to claim her, have you Severus?" Bellatrix shrieked. She howled with laughter.
"She knows Severus, she knows you don't want her! You should've killed her when you had the chance!" she laughed.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape hissed. Bella's wand went flying and she eyed him incredulously.
"Out. Now." He forced her out of the room, locking the door behind him. Slowly, he turned to face Ava.
She wiped her face with the back of her hand, still whimpering.
"You... you--" Ava stammered through her sobs. Her lower lip quivered as she stared up at him wide eyed.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Snape said shaking his head.
"You can't possibly know how I feel for putting you through all this. You never should have grown up alone." And without waiting for anything else, Ava ran to him and buried her face in his chest. Surprised, Severus slowly wrapped his arms around her small body and rested his cheek on her head.
"Don't be sorry," she whispered to him.
The door behind them was blown open, sending Ava across the floor. Bellatrix, having retrieved her wand stood over the child's body. Staring down, she shook her head from side to side, one hand on her hip.
"Avada Kedavra," she hissed. The girl's body went limp, her eyes closed to the flare of light. The woman nudged the body with her foot, turning the young girl's head to the side.
"Should have been taken care of a long time ago Severus. She'll only get in the way," Bellatrix said plainly. She pushed him out of the room and let the door swing shut behind them. Nobody would ever have to know that Avery Pierce was anything more than a dead body.
The end.
-----