The Half-Blood Princess (A Snape and Astoria Fanfic)

Chapter 10

Astoria walks in on the final day of Snape's stay in the Hospital Wing. "Good Morning, Severus." She smiles, "Let's see if you are well enough to leave." Severus nods then replies, his voice no longer hoarse, but silky smooth and baritone, "I am doing very well, thank you." Astoria smiles and waves her wand over his body as Snape watches her. Astoria looks very pleased with the results. He has finally recovered and can leave the ward. "You are fully recovered Severus." She removes the monitors with a wave of her wand, then writes the final results on his chart. "You can get dressed and leave the Hospital Wing if you like. Heaven knows your anxious to leave. From what I've been told by Poppy." Severus looks at her a moment. Truth be told, he enjoyed her company. He did have classes to teach however and that letter to write, too. Severus sighs and replies, "Well, to be prefectly honest, I enjoyed your company while I was here. It made staying here less boring and more tolerable." Astoria looked surprised, but blushed a little nontheless, "Really? I thought you hated the mere presence of a mediwitch." Snape shakes his head and replies, "No I don't. I never had. Poppy can be such an annoying mediwitch though." He smirks at Astoria. Astoria looks even more surprised. Was Snape actually joking with her? Trying to make her laugh? Astoria couldn't believe it. She chuckled as what he said, sank in. "Aren't we in a good mood today, Severus." She smiles, "I'll let you get dressed. I'm sure you're looking forward to going back to teaching." She puts up the screens to give him his privacy and waited just outside the screens. Snape starts to get dressed, speaking as he does so, "I also have to send that letter to your mother. No I haven't forgotten about that, Astoria." Astoria replies, "I unfortunately have forgotten.." Snape replied back as he buttoned his pants. "Don't feel so ashamed, Astoria. Your mind was preoccupied with tending to your patients, I being one of them. I will make sure to send your mother that letter and will alert you if she replies." Astoria smiles, "Thank you, Severus." Snape smiles inwardly, "You are very welcome, Astoria." Once dressed, Astoria removed the screens. Snape was now in his robes. He picks up his wand and said in his silky smooth, baritone voice, "It's good to have my wand back." Astoria smiles as Snape puts his wand up his sleeve. Snape looks at Astoria and says, "Thank you for taking care of me and for helping me recover fully." Astoria still smiling, says, "You're very welcome, Severus. I did what any mediwitch would have done. Though I wasn't alone in tending to you, Poppy also tended to you during the night while I slept. I'll see you in the Great Hall." She says smiling once more, then leaves the ward. Snape watches her go, then heads to the Great Hall himself.
After breakfast Snape goes to his office and writes a letter to Eleanor. Once he finishes writing, he looks it over one last time. Looking satisfied, he folds the piece of parchment and puts the letter into an envelope. As he gets up, he pockets the envelope, and heads to the owlery. Upon entering the owlery, he finds Astoria there petting her owl. Her owl is a tawny owl and a beautiful one at that. She smiles upon seeing Snape. Snape pulls out the envelope and asks, "May I use your owl?" Astoria nods and replies, "Of course. This is Sasha." She hands over her owl who moves from her arm to his and looks at him. Snape looks at Sasha with an expression of wonder on his face as he says, "So this is Sasha.... What a magificent owl you have there, Astoria." Astoria replies with a smile, "Thank you, Severus." Snape now looks at Sasha and says, "Sasha, take this to Eleanor, and wait for her reply." He looks at Astoria and asks, "Sasha knows where your mother lives don't she?" Astoria chuckles, " Of course she does. She'll make sure mother gets the letter." Snape sighs in relief and takes the owl to the window. "To Eleanor, Sasha," said Snape. Sasha gently nips Snape's finger then takes the envelope. She spread her wings and takes off into the air. Snape watches Sasha go until she was no more. Then he looks at Astoria with a curious expression and says, "Sasha nipped my finger..." Astoria chuckled again as she replies, "That means she likes you. She will listen to you now, like she does me." Snape replies with something like surprise, "Ah. I see." Snape looks around the owlery for his owl. Snape spots his owl and whistles to him, the owl flies over and lands on his arm. He takes an owl treat from his pockets and feeds it to him. Then pets him. It was a black great-horned owl with big brown eyes. Astoria looks at the owl in awe, "What a beautiful owl..." Snape lips curled upwards slightly as he answers her, "Thank you. This is my owl, Hades. Hades this is Astoria. Behave yourself. Let her pet you, understand?" Hades nipped his finger affectionately in reply. Astoria gives Hades her arm. Hades moves from Snape's arm to hers. Astoria slowly raises her hand to pet him. Hades lowers his head to her hand to allow her to pet him. Astoria starts to pet Hades and replies, "He is one well-behaved owl. " She smiles. "Of course," said Snape. "I trained him." Snape raises his arm again and calls to him. Hades moves over to Snape's arm and nuzzles him. Snape pets him in reply. Snape still with his arm raised, says, "Off you go Hades. Behave with the other owls." Hades nips his finger affectionately and flies back up to the rafters. Snape looks at Astoria and says, "Seems like Hades has taken a liking to you as well." Astoria replies, "Yes. I'm glad he has. I was afraid that he would bite me." "Well, if he had bitten you, he would have been punished," said Snape, "No owl treats for a week. He knows how to behave around guests and colleagues." Astoria smiles, "Good. My owl is also well-trained. Though she can be impatient sometmes when it comes to her food." She chuckles. Snape replies with a smirk, "My owl is the same. I tap his beak to remind him who the owner is." Astoria chuckles, "I do the same thing with my owl." Astoria moves to the entrance of the owlery and looks back, "It was a pleasure meeting your owl, Severus." Snape replies, "Likewise, Astoria. It was a pleasure meeting your owl as well." Astoria smiles, " I must get back to the hospital wing. A mediwitch's job is never done." She turns and leaves the owlery and heads back to the castle. Once she was gone, Snape pulls out another envelope. This one addressed to Harry. He calls to his owl again, who flies down to him. Snape says softly, "Take this to Harry, Hades. Wait for his reply as well." Hades nips his finger, affectionately and takes the envelope. He spreads his wings and flies out of the window. Snape watches him go until he too was no more, then leaves the owlery and heads back up to the castle.
Later that evening Sasha returned to Snape with an envelope in her beak. She starts tapping on the window of Snape's office. Snape was grading papers, when he heard the tapping and looked up. He saw Sasha at the window. He got up and went to the window and opens it. Sasha flies in and lands on his desk. Snape closes the window and walkes over to his desk. Snape gently takes the envelope from Sasha's beak and pets her. He went and got a small bowl of water for her and some food. Sasha nips his finger affectionately and gratefully began to drink the water and eat her food. While Sasha ate and drank, Snape sat at his desk and looks at the envelope. It was from Eleanor. He opens it, pulls out the letter and began to read:
Dear Professor Snape,
I have received your letter and have read it thoroughly. I agree with everything that you have said. I should have told her years ago, when she finished Hogwarts, I know, but I was afraid of what she would think of me if I did. I am so terribly sorry that I didn't. This secret that I have been carrying has been plaguing me for years. It is time that I told her everything. What her grandfather did to her grandmother. Why I had to protect her. She is an adult now and can protect herself, so I will tell her and you everything. I will also tell her of what her and my true blood statuses are. It is time for my past to come to light. I'd like to come this evening if I may. Reply to me by floo network. The location to reach me by floo network is: Alderlade Mansion.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Alderlade
Snape puts the letter down and gets up from his desk. He goes over to his fireplace and takes a handful of floo powder and throws it into the fireplace. He goes to his knees as the fire turns green in the fireplace. He calls out, "Alderlade Mansion!" and sticks his head in. After much whirling around, his head came through the fireplace at Alderlade Mansion. He looks out of the fireplace and sees that it took him to a living room. From what he could see, it looks rather cozy. Dark red walls, with brown carpeting on the floor. Though the carpet ended a good ways away from the fireplace. There was two black leather chairs in front of the fireplace, facing each other. A man was sittng in one. He had dark hair with flecks of grey and fairly light skin. His hair was comb to one side. He wore robes of a dark navy blue and wore horned rim-reading glasses. His eyes, a lighter shade of brown. He aged well by his appearance. He was reading the evening prophet. He looks up, upon hearing a noise in the fireplace and sees a head in the fireplace. Snape asks, "To whom am I speaking to?" The man answers with a smile, "Edward Alderlade, at your service." Snape replies back, "Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master, and Head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Edward still smiling said, "Ah you're the one that wrote to my wife. Allow me to go get her." He sighs, "It is about time she told our daughter. I kept telling her to tell our daughter the truth about her parentage." Snape replies, "I agree. It is about time that she told Astoria the truth. You must be Astoria's father. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Edward smiles" Likewise, Professor Snape. I am proud of our daughter. She is one bright witch. Why not come through, I daresay being on your knees isn't helping. I'll go get my wife while you come through." Snape nods slightly in the fireplace, "Yes. Thank you." Edward leaves his seat to get his wife, while Snape pulls his head out of the fireplace. He stands up, takes another handful of floo powder and throws the powder in the fireplace. The fire turns green as he steps into the fireplace and calls out clearly and loudly, "Alderlade Mansion!" He begins whirling through the floo, seeing many fireplaces whiz on by, until be comes out of the fireplace in Alderlade Mansion. He lands on his feet as usual, pulling out his wand to clean off the soot and ashes that fell on him. Once done, he puts his wand back up his sleeve and takes a seat in one of the chairs by the fireplace. Edward returns with Eleanor. Eleanor herself has aged well. She still had her black hair , though it was now short and flecked with grey. Her skin was also fair. She wore robes of navy blue and black which looks elegant. Her brown eyes shows relief and worry. Eleanor takes in Snape's appearance and says, "Hello, I am Astoria's mother, Eleanor."