Armilla

Chapter 15

"What?" I blurted out, admittedly a little ungracefully. I gaped at Snape. He was still staring at my mother, his eyes narrowing as he began to examine the ring.

"Your mother?" I pressed, completely nonplussed. What the hell was going on?

Snape looked at me suddenly, as if only just noticing I was even in the room.

"Yes, my mother, Miss Kemp," he said coldly, his face hard as if daring me to contradict him.

Oh God, this was turning into some sort of melodrama. I started looking wildly around the room, as if hoping a wizard would pop out of thin air and announce "Surprise, you've been duped!" I looked anywhere except at Snape or Mother.

Snape chose to ignore me; he seemed to be more intent on solving the mystery of why his mother was in a ring.

"I received a notice that you had died," he said quietly to Mother. "The Ministry had no idea what had happened. Your vault containing the Merrigan fortune at Gringott's had suddenly changed itself so it was under my name. The same happened with all the paperwork regarding the Merrigan Estate and assets. That only ever happens when someone dies, so the Ministry officially pronounced you dead without ever identifying a...body." Snape stopped abruptly and closed his eyes.

I stared at him in horror, but he did not look at me. How could he know about the Merrigan fortune? How could Snape be in possession of everything that had belonged to my Mother? I didn't want to admit it to myself; the thought was just too horrible. But even so...Snape of all people...must be my...brother. I shuddered silently. Excellent. Just spiffing. I had found my identity. I had found my mother...sort of. And to top it all off, I had found...Professor Snape. Good Lord, I was a Snape. Gee whiz, don't you just love happy endings?

Snape opened his eyes and continued to gaze at Mother. She was staring back at him - and again I didn't really want to admit it - but she was staring at him lovingly.

"Oh Severus," she said. "I am dead. I was killed amongst muggles in a Death Eater attack."

Snape started at the mention of Death Eater. I wasn't surprised. Merle had told me about Snape's role.

"How could you have been killed amongst muggles?" he whispered. "Where was Father?" He tone turned vicious when he mentioned his father.

"I thought you had left us for good, Severus," Mother answered, peering up at her son. "I had nothing left to stay for. Your father was convinced that you had become a traitor to the Dark Lord and had you disgraced and disowned from the family, as I'm sure you remember. Your father had a terrible quarrel with Lucius Malfoy over it one night. Lucius was absolutely convinced that you were more faithful to the Dark Lord than you had ever been and that it was just personal differences that had estranged you from your father."

"It was more than personal differences," Snape muttered.

"Aurelius was not to be convinced," Mother continued. "He said he devoted all those years of his life preparing you to take over the Snape Estate and be worthy of the name."

Snape snorted.

"Do not snort, Severus, it is not good manners. After you left home and were disowned - and by your father only I might add - Aurelius was determined that we produce another heir to the Snape Estate. I was not happy with the idea, but as you know, Aurelius got his way with everything. I fled before it was certain that I was pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Snape repeated, his face going even paler.

"Yes Severus. Pregnant. A friend became my Secret Keeper and I lived in a muggle area up until the time I was killed. The Dark Lord's power was rapidly growing at the time. I had given birth in June and was killed in the September of the following year."

Snape's mouth was slightly open. I had never seen him look so shocked. In fact, come to think of it, I had never seen Snape look shocked.

"But how did you come to be in this ring?" he said slowly in a low voice. "Is it your spirit or something?"

"Yes, my spirit inhabits this ring. My friend arranged for my spirit to inhabit this ring if I died with matters unattended to. I would inhabit this ring until the time came when I could properly be at peace."

Snape looked calculatingly at Mother. "What business is there that still needs attending to?" He folded his arms. "I can deal with it for you, whatever it is."

Mother smiled at him. "That is exactly what I was hoping for Severus. The unfinished business is in regards to the welfare of my baby."

Snape's eyes widened. "Your...baby?" he seemed to choke. "I assumed your...baby...died as well."

"No," she said softly. "Well, my baby was dying at the time. My life was prolonged, since I was wearing the bracelet that had been passed down through the female line. That bracelet has numerous powers, Severus, one being the prolonging of life no matter how dire the situation. I couldn't bear to see my child suffering as she was. I knew the baby would die before I did. I cannot even remember how it happened, but I was wishing that my baby would live in my place. Then somehow the bracelet had gone from my wrist and appeared on Lucia's wrist. After that...I died." Mother wiped a tear from her eye. "My body vanished and my spirit came to possess this ring."

Snape looked at Mother for what seemed like ages. His expression was hard. It seemed every muscle in his face was pulled tight. "How did this ring come to be here at Hogwarts?" he finally asked.

Hmmm, he seemed to be avoiding the important question of what had happened to his sister...

"My friend and I had arranged it all," replied Mother. "Emiliana had known about some secret wing at Hogwarts where the ring would be protected until she had alerted the right people about the situation. She brought the ring here and I have been here waiting for her to come back ever since."

Snape had started at the mention of the name Emiliana. He shot a scathing look at me...maybe Emiliana reminded him of dreams with puddles...

"Emiliana McGonagall?" he asked quietly, as if he already knew the answer.

"Yes, Emiliana McGonagall."

"She was killed in a Death Eater attack in Hogsmeade around the time of your death," said Snape lowering his eyes. "She must have just left you at Hogwarts when she was killed."

Mother's eyes were teary again. "Then that explains it," she said weakly. "My daughter has grown up not knowing her brother or even who she is." Mother paused to sniff and wipe her nose.

"I'm sure she's fine nonetheless," said Snape dismissively. "No need to start a search and play happy families," he sneered.

"Severus!"

Snape blinked. "Yes?"

"Happy families indeed! I know your childhood wasn't the best. Nor was mine, I might add. But I haven't inhabited this ring for all this time for you to decide your sister doesn't need you."

"I dare say Lucia doesn't need me."

"I will not argue with you on this point, Severus. Especially not in front of your sister."

Snape's eyes widened yet again. He whirled around to face me. I looked back at him.

"My mother appears to think you are my sister," he sneered.

I didn't answer him. I kept meeting his gaze. His dark eyes bored into mine. Then suddenly he looked down at the silver bracelet on my wrist. He turned back to Mother.

"I suppose Miss Kemp here was feeling adventurous this morning and decided to take a stroll - against my wishes," Snape glared at me. "She came across you here and has shown you her bracelet. You have concluded that she is a Snape?" He sounded awfully sarcastic about all this.

"We did talk for awhile before we made the discovery, Severus," said Mother in a hard voice. "Did you know that Lucia here has never known her parents or even what her real name is?"

Snape folded his arms, sneering. "I did know that. I would remind you that her name is not Lucia. Just because she has never known her parents does not mean she is my sister. Miss Kemp is not the only witch who is currently wearing that sort of bracelet. Lucia could be anywhere."

"Lucia was found in the remains of a muggle populated area as baby. She was given to someone else to raise."

"And that someone is probably doing a satisfactory job of it," he snapped, getting angry.

"She was doing a satisfactory job,' I said heatedly. "But she died. You touched the bracelet yourself, Professor. You can't deny that you felt that same weird warm feeling I did."

Snape threw his arms up in frustration, obviously thinking that he was dealing with the minds of two small children.

"I can offer you proof, Severus," said Mother. "Another power of that bracelet is that the locket will open if it is commanded to by an immediate family member. It will project a family tree detailing all the witches who have worn the bracelet. All you need is a simple unlocking spell. Go on then. If it doesn't work then Lucia here is not my child or your sister and I will be more than willing to offer you my apologies."

Snape hesitated, looking from Mother to me. Finally, he stepped towards me.

"Give me your arm," he muttered gruffly as he yanked my arm and held my wrist in his hand. He touched the locket. Once again an incredible feeling of warmth swept through me. If Snape had felt it too, he hadn't let on this time. He took out his wand and pointed it at the locket.

"Alohomora!"

The locket burst opened and a strong silvery ray immediately projected from it. Names of witches appeared in a list with their birth and death dates next to them.

Snape stared at it silently. The fact that the locket had opened for him had proven he was my brother.

I scanned the names towards the bottom of the list.

Margaretta Hewitt b. 1837 d. 1917

Cecelia Malfoy b. 1862 d. 1930

Emilie Lestrange b. 1893. d. 1941

Clotilde McHutchinson b. 1919 d. 1944

Hazel Merrigan b. 1940 d. 1981

Lucia Snape b. 1980 d.

There I was. Lucia Snape. Professor Snape's younger sister.

After a few seconds, Snape disabled the spell. He didn't look at me. He didn't look at our mother. Instead he spun on his heal and stormed out of the room.