The Raven's Omen Book I

Snape couldn't quite comprehend the newfound news that Dumbledore had brought him. This small child was his niece, the daughter of his sister and the loathsome man, Damon. Just what was he to do now?

The adults stood outside of the Hospital Wing as Madame Pomfrey tended to the little girl for she had awoken and the injury Snape had seen had begun to bleed through the bandages. As he had been ushered out, he had gotten a quick glance to see that the wound was inflicted on her left shoulder blade.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he head Narcissa speak,

"Dumbledore, what is to become of the small child? Certainly there must be someone she can go to and be taken care of," she asked, clearly worried for the child.

"That is something that we must discuss Mrs. Malfoy, Minister Fudge should be arriving here momentarily with the will of Elizabeth Darklore. Then we will decide the child's welfare," Dumbledore explained.

Snape would be lying if he told himself that he wasn't concerned. What if this child was to be placed in his care? He certainly wasn't the type to look after such small children her age; he had other dunderhead first years to deal with every year. He never even once considered children; many people couldn't see him as the "father" type nor could he for that matter, but that wasn't the only reason he was unsure about raising the child. It was the child of Damon Darklore for Merlin's sake! The certain thought of the child growing up to be just like her father was practically inevitable in his mind's eye.

Pushing back the troubled thoughts, Snape kept his emotionless gaze as the Malfoys' talked to Dumbledore. Soon enough, Fudge had arrived and Dumbledore had escorted them back into his office where they stood and discussed.

"Here I have the will of Elizabeth Darklore née Snape and also a letter that was found by an Auror and requested it to be read by any one of you," Fudge held up the said letter that had been encased in an envelope and handed it to the headmaster who simply passed it on to Snape who scowled but took the envelope in his grasp nonetheless.

The envelope was oddly blank and only bore a candled seal in the back with the Darklore insignia. As Fudge droned on about the will, Snape indulged himself with the letter and peeled off the seal and took out the parchment that lied inside. Unfolding the parchment, he easily recognized it to be Damon's handwriting and frowned deeply, but that frown didn't last once he began to read the first few lines of the letter.

'Woe befalls all who dwell within Darklore Manor, for those who have met their fate within this blighted place are cursed to forever wander its unhallowed halls.'

Snape's brows furrowed together and he felt more estranged to this man than ever, for what could he be talking about? Going down the letter there was nothing to be found to answer his question, just more riddles and bone chilling words that seemed to have taken an affect on the professor.

"Requested by Elizabeth Darklore, she is happy to pronounce Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy as her daughter's godparents," Fudge's voice pulled Snape back from the letter and his black eyes moving up.

"What an honor," Narcissa smiles brightly to her husband who gave a slight smile back and inclined his head.

Being in the same year as Narcissa and Lucius, Elizabeth had grown a very close bond with the Malfoys' during their years at Hogwarts, mostly with Narcissa but she met Lucius through her.

"And by the request of Elizabeth, she leaves her brother, Severus Snape, her vault at Gringotts and may do whatever he wishes to the objects inside," Fudge's eyes revert over to Snape. "I am sure you know what her vault number is yes?"

With a stiff nod and a low 'yes,' Fudge continued on.

"Finally, on behalf of her husband, Damon Darklore, the Darklore Estate is to remain untouched by anyone and ownership is to be passed down to the eldest child when he or she becomes of age."

Severus had to hold back a snort. How typical of Damon, he would always strut his own home like it was some sort of prized possession once his parents died and didn't dare let anyone soils it.

Finally rolling up the parchment of the will, Fudge gave a nod, "I believe everything is settled-"

"Wait Minister, what of the child? She has just been orphaned," Narcissa quickly intercepts Fudge's speech.

There was a pause on the Minister's part, his eyebrows furrowed, obviously he had forgotten about the little girl.

"Ah yes, well, I assume she has relatives she can live with yes?"

"Only Severus is left."

Snape had stiffened. Oh Merlin no… He would not know what to do the minute they walk into his home at Spinner's End. He panicked.

"Absolutely not," he suddenly blurted out causing every pair of eyes to look at him in shock.

There was a grim silence between the adults and Severus mentally kicked himself for letting those words slip. You are a coward Severus Snape, he scolded.

"Severus," Narcissa struggles, "She's your niece, and you can not just abandon her like this,"

"Narcissa, do you honestly see me as the fatherly type? I cannot raise a child," Snape confesses, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You look after kids here though Severus, during your classes, how is this any different?" she beseeches.

"It is not the same thing, they're much older than she is and she nothing but a mere toddler who doesn't know any better."

"You do not know that Severus, she could very well be very intelligent just like her mother," Narcissa glares lightly at the man in black robes.

No more words were uttered between the two conflicted adults, until Fudge cleared his throat.

"Well, it seems that you need more time in discussing the matter at hand, I will leave you to decided and come back in a few days for your answer," he tells them before making a hasty escape from the heated argument.

"I think perhaps we should continue this tomorrow evening, with the drop of news this morbid, it weighs heavy on us all," Dumbledore suggested and Snape mentally couldn't agree more. He just wanted to get away. Coward.

---

Evening soon draped its dark veil over the blue sky as the sun began to disappear from the horizon. Snape kept himself in his personal quarters deep in the dungeons and kept his mind focused at the paper work stacked upon his desk. Angrily crossing off paragraph after paragraph of his first years' potion class, he cursed their neglect in reading their books and giving him pathetic explanations of the topic he had given them. Letting out a heavy sigh he places his quill down and closes his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose once again. Unfortunately his mind would not keep focused on the parchments every now and then and would wander off to the small child that sat in the Hospital Wing. He had to admit to himself, that he was concerned about her and wandered where she could possibly be sent to if he didn't take her in.

Probably the Malfoys', he rolled his eyes at that and frowned. If she were to be raised by them, he was very sure that Lucius would poison her mind about blood purity and she would definitely become the spinning image of Damon with arrogance.

Shaking his head he went to another alternative, possibly a normal muggle family to keep her safe and away from the wizarding world. With this she wouldn't become influenced with possible dark magic her family could have possibly passed down in through her veins.

He paused.

Accidental magic would ultimately occur; she is around that age to be showing signs of her magic that heavily ran through her veins. Groaning he had to cross off that option, he knew that ordinary children would bully her about her special abilities and possibly cause her foster parents to disown her.

Merlin was Snape caught in a dead end with no other choices.

Snape lets out another heavy sigh and stands from his seat behind his desk and makes his way out of his quarters. He didn't know what possessed him to suddenly get up, but he soon found himself walking the hallowed halls of the school towards the Hospital Wing.

---

The Hospital Wing seemed barren the moment he walked in, Madame Pomfrey must have been on an errand but he slowly strode over to the bed that contained the small girl who was asleep again, only this time, she was lying on her stomach and Snape was able to get a better look at the bandaging. Dry blood stained its white surface. Acting on instinct, Snape conjured a roll of gauze and very delicately he moved the sheets back enough to see her entire back. Her shoulder blade seemed to be the only wounded part on her anatomy and with a flick of his wand, vanished the stained bandages and right then is where he froze in place.

A scar had adorned her left shoulder blade, and he recognized its smooth appearance to be in the form of the Darklore family insignia. He quickly put the pieces together, from the smooth appearance and the obvious form; he knew that this scar was carved into the child's back. Rage and pity filled his black heart.

Damon Darklore had branded his own daughter; as if to be sure that everyone knew what family she had come from.

The frown never left Snape as he gently made the small girl sit up. Using one arm to keep her up and steady, he slowly began to wrap the gauze around her shoulder and covered up the horrid scar before placing her back down and placing the blankets back up to her shoulders to bring back some warmth around her small frame. He studied the child; he was merely surprised that she didn't stir from her sleep.

She must have been given a sleeping potion, Snape concluded.

She looked peaceful in her sleep, as if nothing was wrong with the world around her. Suddenly Snape felt a strange sensation overcome his senses, he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he was sure he felt a strong sense of care for this girl, and closeness. She was related to him after all, and the daughter of his sister.

She could very well be very intelligent just like her mother, Narcissa's words echoed in his mind. He had to cast off his hateful feelings towards the father of his child, and remember well that she is also his sister's child.

"Many people say that children are destined to follow in the exact footsteps as their parents," came a voice which made Snape snap out of his thoughts, but he didn't need to turn around to see who it was, he knew exactly who.

"But, if the child is raised with unconditional love and support, they will be able to grow up and mold into their own persona,"

Dumbledore now stood beside Snape and placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

"I know that you fear that this child will grow up to be exactly like her father, but, given the chance, if you raise her you will be able to help her become her own person as she grows."

"How can you be sure that I am the only one capable of doing that?" Snape sneers.

Dumbledore smiles. "You are a fine example Severus, you chose to not be like your father and you turned out to be a very decent man. Your past may not be the greatest, but I am sure that she will be able to look passed that and look to you when times will become challenging for her."

Snape said nothing, only kept his gaze on the girl in thought.

"However, I cannot be the one to make this choice, it is yours Severus. Whether or not you want to take on the duties of raising your sister's child is up to you, no one is forcing you to look after a child, but you are the only family she has left," he gently pats the professor's shoulder.

"I cannot imagine the loneliness she will feel, having the assumption that she has no other family left," Dumbledore adds in lowly causing Snape to seethe in frustration.

Damn his manipulative mind games… Snape hissed.

"I bid you good night Severus, I'll be waiting for your decision tomorrow morning," Dumbledore turns on his heels and leaves the two relatives alone once again.

Sitting down in a seat next to the bed, Snape runs his fingers through his greasy hair and groans quietly.

What am I to do?