"Sorry." he realized there were tears stinging his eyes. He swallowed and brushed the tears away. "Sorry. Severus– Snape, he–" he closed the book softly, running his hands along the stained leather binding and taking a deep steadying breath. "Growing up, I didn’t know my extended family. The LeStrange’s were in Azkaban. Father wouldn’t let Aunt "Dromeda and her family visit cause she married a muggle born, so I never got to know my cousin before she died. And of course Sirius was in Azkaban as well– not that I would have been allowed anywhere near him either. Snape... He was like an uncle to me. The stern, don’t do stupid stuff and get in trouble sort- but as close as I had to someone who I knew I could talk to. I knew he cared for me, and we’d spend part of the summers together, especially later when he was working with Voldemort." he twisted the Slytherin Signet ring he wore on his pinky. Blaise had one just like it. "I knew there was a lot he kept from me, but I also knew I could trust him to keep stuff from my father as well." he looked up at her, his throat constricting "of all the deaths that day- losing Snape hurt the most. Nymphadora was second."