Nobody Knew

"You are not mad at me?" his daughter whispered with a frightened look in her eyes.

Snape regretted every angry word he had ever said to her, every sarcastic comment, every single display of his temper.

"No, little one, I'm not. You were very clever and very brave, I'm proud of you." Clever indeed. How was an eight-year old able to leave a heavily protected house, not knowing the spells, and come to Hogwarts, not knowing the way and without raising any suspicion? Dear Merlin, what happened to trigger such an action?

He handed her a Nerve-Calming Potion with shaking hands. He might use some too; snatches of Aurelias's tale Great Hall suggested...

"Aurelia, dear..." He stroked her hair gently and looked at her with searching eyes. He spoke very quietly, afraid his voice would break with emotion. He couldn't afford to show his fears now, not to Aurelia. "Would you now tell me what happened?"

She nodded and her eyes lost focus as she recalled the events of the previous night.

"I want to go too!" Aurelia whined, consumed with envy as she watched her siblings packing everything they would need for school. Cassius' room looked as if a tornado had passed through it; both his and Caia's things were scattered everywhere.

"You're too young," Cassius groaned, exasperated. "Mum, tell her!"

Theresa walked into the room, irritation clear on her face, and chastised Aurelia in a voice that expressed her annoyance. "Aurelia, stop pestering them like a three-year old and act your age!" She looked into Caia's trunk and glared at her older daughter. "Caia, what did I say about the books? Hogwarts has a huge library, you don't have to take ours!"

"But, Mum, what if I want to study at night? Or if the book is restricted?"

Her stern look intensified. "Some books are restricted for a reason, Caia. Besides you will have friends, for Merlin's sake. You won't have time for constant reading, believe me."

"And there are always ways to sneak into the restricted section," Cassius added. "Dad once told me that he almost got caught when-"

"Right!" Caia brightened at her twin's words. "We can always ask Dad for permission to go to restricted section!"

Theresa rolled her eyes. Oh Severus, she thought, I really don't envy you having to teach those two. Then she felt a stab of fear. If somebody finds out...

She looked once again at her twin children. "Cassius, Caia, we all talked about it. Nobody must know..."

The twins nodded gravely. "We remember, Mum. And we won't slip, promise."

Theresa smiled, covering her concern. She wondered if they realized how important it was that nobody knew their parentage. She had an impression sometimes that they treated it like some kind of a game.

For seven years now she has officially been Mrs. Janet Winters, a widow after Mark Winters, an Auror. Before that, for five years she had been Marianne Savin, working for the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Officially of course. Unofficially, Theresa worked as a researcher for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. A very successful researcher to that. Her real persona had been (officially) killed... how long ago was it? Nineteen years.

She had a lot of practice in hiding and telling lies. Severus was no novice in such a business either. Their children had to be permeated with slyness, it must have been embedded in their genes.

"You'd better not slip," she whispered to herself and changed the subject to something lighter. "I wonder if either of you are going to make it on the Quidditch team."

Now it was the twins' turn to roll their eyes in perfect synchronization as only twins could manage. "Mum, it's stupid and boring!" they said unison.

"It's not!" Aurelia cried. She has only once watched a Quidditch practice, but it was enough to mesmerize her with the sport; she had been a fan ever since.

"I'm more concerned about the sorting," Caia muttered. It was not her future house that worried her, but the possibility that she might be separated from Cassius.

"Whichever house you will be in, you will make the best of it," Theresa said firmly. She didn't want to make any predictions but she would bet Caia would be a Ravenclaw. Cassius probably too. He had a strong Slytherin streak in him, but his hunger for knowledge was superior.

Theresa sighed. It would do them good to be separated and stop being so dependent on each other. "Well, I'm going to miss you here. Who's going to help me now?"

Caia looked a bit guilty. She was the one who had helped her most, bringing books and looking for the right chapter. "Oh, Mum, I'm sure Aurelia will! She's better in Charms than me, even though she so much younger!" Caia's strength was Potions, which made Severus burst with pride. Of course he would never admit it though.

Aurelia quickly perked up at the subject. "Of course, I will. It's not as if I would have anything else to do!"

Manipulative little thing, Theresa thought with some affection, she's trying to make us all feel guilty. "Now, don't go sulking, Aurelia. You got a wand for your eighth birthday - a year earlier than Cassius and Caia, may I add - so you're going to have plenty of things to do, don't you worry."

"You'd better be careful about her, Mum, or she will change Sonia into a snake in no time!" Sonia was Theresa's rabbit, a very intelligent and helpful creature. Aurelia was known in the family for her fondness for snakes, which was even greater than her father's. A true Slytherin, Severus used to say.

"I wouldn't do such a thing, how can you accuse me?" The girls' wide-eyed expression was one of an offended innocence. "I would change Caia's robe into something nicer though."

"What's wrong with them?" Caia asked, puzzled.

"Caia, really!" The younger girl exchanged knowing looks with their mother. She had inherited Theresa's interest in fashion and it showed even at her tender age.

"Well, it's a standard school robe," Theresa said regretfully. "They always have been shapeless sacks."

"Whatever." Cassius was not interested. He played with his wand idly. He just couldn't wait until he would get the proper, authorized training that would allow him to do all kinds of magic. He already knew what he wanted to be in the future. His parents taught him quite a lot, but he was fascinated with transfiguration and the related sciences and Mum was usually too busy to get deep into them and Dad, well, he preferred to work with Caia on Potions. Not that he didn't like Potions; it was be impossible with a Potions Master like Severus Snape for a father.

"All right," Theresa said. "All packed?"

The twins nodded. "Yeah."

"All right, clean your room Cassius... That goes for you too, Caia, I can see your things here, so don't leave yet, and then come to supper. It's late."

"Why can't Tibby clean?" Cassius asked in a sullen tone.

"I'm not asking you to do the laundry, Cassius. House-elves have other things to do."

"Mum, can I go out and fly my broom?" Aurelia asked.

Theresa nodded at her youngest child. "Just be back for supper. I have a couple owls to send so don't bother me for a while, all of you, understood?"

With loud, unhappy sighs the twins began to clean the room and Aurelia run outside, broom in her hand. After some consideration she decided to fly over the eastern part of the grounds and to a clearing hidden behind the trees where Cheesie could see her. Granted, Cheesie was not the best judge of flying technique but it was more fun to have something animated to watch her.

Cheesie was Aurelia's horse. It was finally decided that she was old enough - eight years, ladies and gentlemen - to ride a horse instead of a pony. Aurelia remembered Cassius nagging Dad to give him a hippogriff but he only succeeded in making him angry. Animals were basically the only companions of Theresa's and Severus' children - besides the ever-present nuisance of house-elves. They didn't meet other children and they rarely even left the vast house grounds.

The entire place, a secluded house and it's surroundings, was jammed with protection spells and hidden magical guards. Nobody could Apparate within. The only way out was by the Floo to Hogwarts (Severus' quarters to be exact and nowhere else) or, least favoured, by foot. Every time Theresa had to go to Ministry or anywhere else she had to walk behind the defences and Apparate from there.

Aurelia knew that protection was important; she was taught not to speak of her parents if she happened to be among people, not to tell anybody anything about herself, where she lived, what she did. And sometimes she felt as if she was caged. Especially since she had accompanied her mother to a 'business meeting' once. Theresa had to consult something with her colleague in person and, since the colleague was a Quidditch fan, they met at a Quidditch practice. It was one of the most memorable days in Aurelia's short life.

She was good in flying, much better than Cassius and Caia. But at the moment there was only Cheesie to applaud. She never got bored flying on her new broom (she got it on birthday in January, together with a wand) but it was getting dark. She had to go back for supper.

When she approached the house, she noticed something strange. There were people around. Not one, not two, but many more. They had long, grey robes and hoods. Aurelia swallowed. They were evil men. Both Mum and Dad told her countless times to be afraid of the men in grey robes and hoods. She had been told to run away if she saw them.

They were all standing in row in front of the house, with their wands up, muttering spells. They must have succeeded at whatever they were attempting, for they all suddenly lowered the wands and entered the house. Where Mum was, and Cassius and Caia. She ran towards the house. Be careful, she told herself, don't let them see you. When she cautiously slid into the kitchen, first thing she saw was Tibby lying in a pool of blood. And Rikey. She almost tripped over Dillie.

She felt a scream rising in her throat but something stopped her. It was another scream, from the living room. Breathing hard with fear, she sneaked through the dining room and hid behind the set of flowers, the ancient Babylonian statue of a sphinx (who acted as a guardian of the house; maybe there was enough magic left in him to protect her from being seen), and the wall of smoked glass that separated dining room from the living room.

She should be running, she knew. But it was too late, and she couldn't even move, frozen with fear, watching the scene before her eyes.

The grey-robed figures had masks on their faces. They seemed to be focused on Cassius who was writhing on the floor, screaming. One of them was holding Caia, forcing her eyes open with a spell and making her watch her twin's torment. There was no doubt she could feel his pain. Two were holding Theresa. "Now, who?" another asked, presumably the leader.

"Me, only me, I swear."

"You're lying. You are specialist in Charms, not Potions. Who?"

"So hard to believe I'm smart enough to come up with it? Just kill me and nobody would ever do it again!"

"We do not plan on killing you, Mrs. Winters. Who?"

The leader turned to Caia. "Crucio."

Caia begun screaming and convulsing, like Cassius.

"Who?"

"Me."

"Tsk, tsk, Mrs. Winters, perhaps you have never been under Cruciatus before and you don't know what your children feel right now. Crucio."

The horrible screams of three people filled Aurelia's ears. Through a haze she watched her mother, brother and sister being tortured. Cassius hit the edge of the stairs with his head, his blood spilled over the carpet.

"Who?"

"All... right, just stop it..." Theresa begged, deathly pale, barely able to talk after the paralysing pain. "Ferguson...Jonathan Ferguson. Just kill... me... now... and leave."

"We will leave, Mrs. Winters. But as I said, we have no intention of killing you. You're coming with us."

"I think the boy is dead," came the voice from behind the other's mask.

"No," whispered Theresa. "Not Cassius, no."

"Good," said the leader, "finish the girl."

"No, I told you, I told you!..."

"Really." The leader replied coldly before turning to his companion. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

The Death Eater pointed his wand at Caia.

"Avada Kedavra."

Caia's body limped and hit the floor with a loud thud.

"No, no, no, no-" Theresa was muttering feverishly, but a Death Eater silenced her with a spell.

"What are we going to do with her?" one of the men asked.

"I have no clue," the leader said. "Perhaps they need some entertainment for the Dark Revel next week."

"They usually play with Muggles."

"Then maybe they want to put her under Imperius. She might be useful. Let's go, we're finished here. Merlin's balls, this house was a fortress."

"Yeah, we would have never made it without that leak..."

With that, the Death Eaters passed Aurelia, taking her mother with them.

It was after some time that Aurelia was able to get out from her hiding place. She rushed to where Cassius and Caia lay.

"Cassius? Caia?"

No answer. They both were motionless, lifeless bodies. Aurelia broke into sobs. What now, what now?

She spotted the fireplace and determination grew within her. Right. Dad. She had to go to Dad and he would make them wake up. And he would find Mum. She looked for the ornate container with the Floo powder, but then realized she didn't know the spells. Their fireplace was not connected to the Floo network, and to get to Dad's one needed to know the additional protection spells. No use.

What was she going to do? She didn't know how to Apparate...

Then she spotted the trunks beside the couch, ready to be picked up for tomorrow's journey. That was it. The Hogwarts Express.

She quickly reached for Caia's trunk, and took most of the things out. All the books...no, she had better leave one or two, she would have to look like a student... And she had to get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

There was a Portkey Mum used when she was taking one of them to London. She could remember the password, something about the Chimeras. She would land close to the Ministry headquarters, that was not far away from the railway station... Somebody would surely show her the way.

And her wand, she couldn't go without her wand, what if she had to defend herself?

Still crying, not even trying to wipe the tears away from her eyes, she took the now-much-smaller trunk and went looking for the Portkey. All the household defences were broken so she wouldn't have problems with getting through them...