Diligovita

Diligovita: Prologue

Somehow it seemed appropriate that it be a biting, chilly day. Somehow it felt more like Russia to Sashenka, like a very mild winter or early fall. Of course these English winters never quite measured up to mother Russia for her, not that she really minded deep down. Summer though, summer was the worst. Sighing she rubbed the back of her neck with one black clad hand and turned from the window she had been staring unseeingly out of. She arranged her hat over her head, it also black, and draped the veil down over her face. The day the aurorers came to the estate and asked her to sit down, she had been anxious. The moment they told her that they found his body and it was confirmed, beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was him, then Sashenka was sure that was the worst day of her life. Now, as she thought of facing some three hundred plus people on the lawn of their estate and rather magnificent home, she revised the worst day of her life to the worst week of her life. The only thing that stopped her from joining him were her children. Julian was the mirror image of him- or at least what she imagined he looked like at four. He had his father's pitch black eyes, and they were wide and innocent like hers. His skin was that same paleness of his father's, so was his raven black hair, but like both of them he was on the lanky side. They had joked that if the kids didn't get his natural grace, they wouldn't make it past eight with her lack of grace and absolute talent for clumsiness. Sashenka squeezed her eyes shut, her lips pursing as she felt the now all too familiar knot start in her throat. Now he wouldn't know, because he was dead. Blinking and sniffing, Sashenka headed out of their room and into the hall where Remus waited with the kids. She smiled to him, but he knew it was vacant. If it hadn't been for Remus' unwavering support she wouldn't have lasted the week. What was it with reporters and tragedy? They swarmed down on those who suffered just like fruit flies to fallen, rotten apples. Remus stood guard for her and prevented them from making the experience any worse than it already was.

Sashenka reached out and took the youngest, Max, from his arms and reached a hand down to Julian. Olivia, who was just starting to walk, had hold of Remus' other hand. Julian was the only one with a concrete idea of what was going on. Daddy wasn't there anymore, and he wasn't coming back. It was a concept he grasped well, and after he started crying, Sashenka cried along with him. It wouldn't be so hard on the other two, they wouldn't remember, but she was assure them how much their father loved them. Taking in a deep, assuring breath, Sashenka nodded, more to herself, and with two of her babies and Remus picking up her baby girl, she walked out the doors the house elves held open for them.

Everyone had already been waiting a while for the family to come down. They were seated and, when they started down, some turned to look. Sashenka turned her head slightly to look at those who turned to watch her walk down. It was rather rude, she thought, but she made sure to nitpick through them and stare those down who doubted who her husband's loyalties were with. She knew and dammit, they knew too but they didn't want to admit that he was a better man than they ever gave him credit for. Sitting in the front row of chairs she dared a glance up at all of the people who had gathered. Some of them were esteemed Potion Masters from all around Europe who came to pay their respects to one of the best, others were former students who, to her genuine surprise, appreciated the ‘greasy git's attitude after they got out of school and also wanted to pay their respects. Remus sat Olivia down in one of the brown foldout chairs and was about to quietly leave her alone on the row, but she reached out a hand and touched his arm. He turned and looked down at her, nodding ever so slightly at the silent request to stay and, picking up Olivia again, sat down with her in his lap. Sashenka looked up as Albus Dumbledore, his face showing all one-hundred and forty-seven years, stood up and approached the front.

“Today we honour Severus Snape, a man who made so many sacrifices to be so young...” Sashenka closed her eyes and tightened her arms around Max slightly and did something she hadn't done in many years; she prayed for strength.