Visiting the Dead (Anita)

It had been just under a week since David had come to the Snapes for Christmas, and he had to admit, it wasn't half as bad as he had thought, the whole family was quite nice, Severus himself did not seem as bad while not at school (Probably because he wasn't constantly breathing down David's neck to do well in Potions). The time had come, though, for David to find his Fathers grave. Since he was in a wizarding community, he thought he would try there first.

Once he found The graveyard, he began searching for the tombstone which would read "Ernest Moore". He walked up and down the aisles searching. he even came across Harry's parent's graves, but not his fathers.

While he was searching, he saw a woman standing in front of a grave he had yet to look at. he knew in that moment that it wasn't his fathers, so only glanced as he passed her. He froze though, when he read the words ERNEST MOORE on the stone. He had found it.. but who was this woman?

He stood beside her and looked at the grave, constantly giving side glances at the woman. "Did you know him?" He finally asked

Anita wrapped her coat around herself before leaving her home. In the crook of her arm was her handbag, and in her hand was a bunch of flowers. She knew that she could have created the flowers once she arrived, but she had always preferred picking them herself. When she was young, she had done so from her parents' garden, but now she had her own. She walked down the road, the chill almost tangible even though she wore a coat. Perhaps she should have placed a warming charm on it, but she didn't mind the cold.

Her boots sunk into the snow as she walked, and her eyes were on the ground to ensure that she wouldn't step on a patch of ice and slip. She had made this walk many times, and it had become like second nature to her. She didn't need to pay any attention as her feet brought her into the cemetery and soon enough she had reached her destination.

The woman reached down and placed the new flowers next to the old ones, before taking making the slightly wilted bunch disappear. She then stood and began to think, telling the person bellow the stone all about her week without saying a word. Anita was surprised when she felt a presence next to her, but feeling no threat she didn't even look their way. Nobody but her visited Ernest Moore, so she was sure that the person would continue on their way soon enough.

They didn't. Anita was surprised when she heard a young voice speak, and she looked at him. "Yes, I did. Did you?"

David wished he had brought flowers, but he had not actually expected to find his fathers grave. the next time he came, he would bring them. He would bring enough for the last two visits. When the woman said she knew him, and asked if David did as well, he didn't know what to say. He knew him, but didn't at the same time. After a moment's silence, he finally said "No, He died before I could get to know him... we're you a..friend?" He hoped she would not take that the wrong way and think he asked if she was a death eater.

Anita had never met the boy before, but something about him seemed so familiar. She shook her head and smiled at his question. She didn't exactly know how to answer, but she quickly found one, "He was my best friend.." And it was true. She had idolised Ernest her whole life, until the horrible day when she was told that he was never going to be coming home again. She had been devastated, but even afterwards she had still admired him. Anita turned and looked at the boy carefully, "What's your name?"

David nodded slowly.. maybe the woman could tell him more about his father, seeing as they were best friends. It also all depended on how long they had been best friends.. he was sure, given 10 years time, he would know almost every single detail about Mio Snape, if not Ian and Artemis as well. If this woman had known Ernest that long, she could help him out a lot. "David.. David Shuter.. and you?" He responded politely, if not a little timidly. Would Ernest have told her he had a son, and if so, what his name was?

Anita looked around to make sure that there was still nobody else there. She wanted to ask the boy what he was doing there alone, and didn't his parents want him to stay out of the cold? But she was stopped by his words. '..David Shuter.'  That name had floated in her head often since she was fourteen years old. It hadn't taken her long to believe that her nephew was gone, after her brother was murdered and she hadn't heard anybody of that name around since.

"I thought you were dead," she said plainly, looking at the boy with her head tilted and her arms crossing. He didn't look like he was lying, and there were features of his face that looked much like her brother's. Perhaps it was true that David was there, but she wasn't going to be opening up just yet.

When she said how she thought he was dead, he looked shocked "Why would I be dead?" He said automatically, then it finally kicked in "wait, you know who I am?" He asked, with a hint of suspicion. Did his father really tell his best friend about him being a father? Did he even mention David by name? Did she know his mothers name? There were so many questions floating around in his mind, the big one he actually voiced "Who are you?"

Anita looked at him sadly, "Because after your father died, I never even heard a whisper about you. Trust me, I was looking." She had exhausted every interest that she had to find her brother's missing child, but she had been unsuccessful. She chewed on her lip, before turning to face the boy. "My name is Anita Moore. Your father was my older brother." Although she didn't want to frighten him away, she knew that she had to be honest with him.

he raised an eyebrow, taking a step back, suddenly alert "You were..looking for me?" He said cautiously. Could this woman be an exe Death Eater? Did Voldemort want Ernest's entire family wiped out? Could she want to finish the job, now that she had found him? His jaw drop slightly, though, when she said that His father, was her older brother. She was his Aunt?! He had an Aunt?! "Your joking." He said, with not a hint of joking in his voice, he was dead serious. He didn't believe it/

Anita almost scoffed. Looking for him? Of course she was looking for him. He was her family, her beloved brother's flesh and blood. She had spent as much time and energy as she could in finding the boy until it proved to be fruitless. "Of course I was looking for you," she said, as she shivered. It was pretty cold out, and she had only intended to be out for a little while. But she would happily stand there for a while longer. "Not at all.."

David didn't know what to do. Part of him wanting to rush forward and hug Anita, and part of him wanted to run. Run away from it all. He settled with pulling a Gryffindor and stood his ground. He was cold, but did not allow himself to shiver. He said "You mean my mom knew nothing about you? She just packed up and left without telling you where we were going? I spent the last 9 years of my life in Canada. I just moved back last March for Hogwarts" He didn't know why he just opened up about his history like that to basically a complete stranger. How did he know she was not lying? Of course, he didn't open up about his life in Canada, or even at Hogwarts..yet

Anita frowned and looked at the boy quietly. She didn’t really know the answer to that, though she hoped that her brother would have talked about her to the woman that he apparently ‘loved’. “I don’t know, to be honest. If Ernest never mentioned me to your mother, then I will have a serious bone to pick with him when I meet him again,” she said, with a dry laugh. “On the other hand, perhaps your mother knew about me and left without a word.. well, maybe she had good reason. I guess that she was trying to protect you?”

He’d been in Canada. That’s why she hadn’t been able to find him, nor heard a word about him. If he’d still been in England, then there would have been no chance for a normal childhood for the boy. Many members of wizarding England knew all about her brother’s activities. She even remembered how it had affected her own life, even after Ernest had died. She flinched, but didn’t speak of that. Anita usually kept such memories from her mind.

David listened to Anita speak, and did not know if his father had ever told his mother about having a sister. "She didn't know I was a wizard" He blurted out, in his own mothers defense. "Nor Ernest." He added in an afterthought. His father had kept his whole life a secret from her. "She thought Ernest had found someone else, and moved away because she did not want him coming back and taking me. She had already lost the love of her life, she did not want to loose her only son as well." He said, yet again, defensively. All she had had for 10 years was him, and vice versa, they had grown protective of each other.

Anita frowned at David and shook her head. “I honestly meant to offense to your mother, or anybody really,” she said quietly, hoping that the boy hadn’t gotten the wrong impression. She sighed and added, “It was just really hard for me to not know where you were. I thought that you were dead, and until now I had no reason to think otherwise.” She chewed of her lip for a moment, before nodding slowly, “I can understand that. I admire your mother, though I do not know her, for doing it on her own. I suppose that it was better for you anyway. Trust me, being openly related to Ernest Moore was not something that anybody wanted to be at that time. I had to lay low for years due to threats on my life.” Anita didn’t know if it was the right thing to say, but she figured it was better to be entirely honest than hide things from him. It was no good to begin a relationship of any sort with hidden facts.

David calmed down a bit "Good" He said. he then listened to her say how hard it was for her. "um.. I'm sorry.." he said awkwardly, unable to think of anything else to say to the woman. He then nodded, knowing Ernest Moore was not a name to flaunt around. Only a few people knew of his heritage because of this. His friends, and Dumbledore. Now Anita did as well. "I understand" He said quietly. This was all very awkward for him.

The boy seemed like he was having trouble taking it all in, and she could tell by the tone in his voice that he wasn’t exactly enjoying their conversation. She didn’t want to force him to be around her, so rather than asking if he wanted her to leave, she decided that she just would. She crouched in front of the grave and wiped some stray dirt away before standing and looking at David. “I must be on my way now, David,” she begun, though she didn’t really want to leave, “You are my family, even if I am not yours. But feel free to send me an owl or something if you need anything or want to talk.” Anita then walked past the boy, and back in the direction of her home, a small smile on her face as she did so.

He didn't want her to leave.. but he accepted it. "I will..I want you to be part of my family" He said quietly. He was not prepared for this, otherwise he would have bombarded her with questions about his father. He watched as she walked away still shell shocked by all that had happened.