Severus Snape sipped the remainder of his coffee in the small, front room of his home in Spinner's End. The world around him felt strange: almost as if it wasn't real life at all, but a dream. This wasn't his own life, but a fictional reality his brain had cooked up while he was snoozing soundly in his bed... Only he knew this couldn't be true.
All of it was real. He had recieved the letter three nights before. His brother, Fyrus, was dead. The Dark Magic he insisted on practicing had finally killed him. But Severus knew it was bound to happen. After all, one can only run so far from death. It's like a cat: Death lets you play around, and it plays with you, until it finally goes for the kill. It had finally gotten bored with him, and pounced.
But that wasn't the only worrisome news he had gotten. The letter also mentioned his niece, Eleanor. The Snape Brother's had no next to kin, and therefore, she had no place to go to except his home. Unless, or course, he put her in an orphanage, if they even existed anymore. Severus wasn't sure. It didn't matter if they did or not: he wasn't going to put her out on the streets. There was responsibility to be taken, and although it belonged to his brother, he was going to have to take it. The Ministry was giving him a choice, and he knew he had to make the right choice: He would have to take her in.
But he hadn't seen the girl since she was seven or eight, and that was only when she was asleep. She had never laid eyes on him. Not while she was old enough to remember. Fyrus had taken much care to make sure that she talked to him and him only, as mentally unhealthy as it was for her. Not that Fyrus was mentally healthy, either. He was parinoid about his past, and the Ministry. Severus would even go out far enough to say that he was crazy. It was hard to tell what state the girl would be in by now.
Severus was to pick her up at noon that day, at an address that Fyrus had had them meet at a few times in the past. The Ministry said that she would be there to pack up her possessions; as if she had any. He would have to take her to Diagon Alley to get proper clothing and a wand, as well as some school supplies while they were there.
There was another thing he would have to worry about: Schooling. According to him math, Eleanor should be around thirteen years old. She should be going into third year, but she hadn't had any schooling. She was way behind. He had briefly spoken to Albus Dumbledoor on the situation, and the Headmaster had agreed to give her a placement test. Although, for her to even place in second year opposed to third, she would have to study hard for the next few weeks. It would be almost impossible...
Severus sighed and stood up, walking to the kitchen. He put the now empty coffee mug in the sink and turned the water on. Although he prefered to use magic with most things, he always found himself washing dishes The Muggle Way. It was a comfrot to him, in a way, although he didn't realise it. Infact, he usually didn't notice that he wasn't doing magic when he did this. Perhaps it was out of force of habbit. What ever it was, it made him put a soapy rag into the cup, spin it a couple times, rinse it out, and put it on the drying rack.
Once that was over, he walked out of the room and down the hall, to his room. He sat down at the desk and took another look at the letter that he had read so many times over the last few days.
To Mr. Severus Snape,
It has come to our (The Ministry of Magic) attention that your brother, Fyrus Snape, has not only been practicing Dark Magic, but his practices has also resulted in his untimely death. It has also been brought to out attention that your niece, Eleanor Snape, is now left with no caretaker. It would be in her best interests if you would take her into your custody as her guardian, if you will.
If you have any qustions, feel free to contact me at the Ministry of Magic office.
Sincerely,
