New story! Yay! Well I've been writing it for a while but new to you guys! So the Dark Lord sired a child and her life is put in the balance as soon as she is born. The story starts at the beginning of the child's life (well a year in but you know...) and until the final battle of the war. Hope you like this first chapter and stick with it.
It's 'T' for later chapters.
Oh, I completely nicked the prophecy Trelawney has about Potter and Voldemort - It may yet be very important.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..."
Friday 31st July – Saturday 1st August 1981
Friday 31st July
Spinner's End
Morning
"I'm dying, Severus. Your father saw to that some while ago, but that is not why I asked you to come here." My mother said in a level voice as if discussing her death was as normal as discussing the weather.
Ignoring her nonchalance and my anger at my so called 'father' I asked, "Why then am I here?"
"Your father was killed over a year ago by the one you call master –"
"Then he has done the world a favour after all." I wanted to tell her I was working for the light, I really did so that she would have at least one thing to be proud of me for but I couldn't. Should the Dark Lord come snooping here my secret could reach his ears earning me the most painful death he had devised yet.
"Indeed he has. That is not a matter we will discuss however. My dear boy, I ask one last favour of you."
"Anything." I said before I could even think about it. Anything. The same promise I had made Dumbledore almost a year ago. Anything, the promise that could cost me my life. Anything, the promise I so very rarely made.
"Severus, 'anything' is a promise you should only give those you love."
"Which is why I give it to you. Freely."
"After everything that happened? Oh my boy…" her mind seemed to wonder off into the past. Mine was on the verge of doing the same.
"What do you wish to ask of me, Ma?" my voice fell back into what it was before I trained myself to speak and enunciate properly. A poor working man's lilt. Comfortable and homely. I hadn't spoken like this for years.
"Upstairs there is a little girl, my angel. Her given name is Abigail Evelyn Snape though her true name is Riddle. Take her to Headmaster Dumbledore. Make sure that he hides her and I mean hides her. Lord knows what he'd do to her otherwise if you don't make him hide her. Can you do that for me, Severus? Will you do whatever it takes? She is your sister after all."
"Anything, Ma. Where is she?"
"Upstairs in your room. Just take her. I've held her one last time."
I rose from my chair knowing for certain that Ma would be dead by the time I was ready to leave. Already her eyes were closed and she was softly resting. Not asleep but resting. I took the two steps it took to cross the lounge and whispered in her ear.
"I spy for the light. I'll look after her myself. I promise."
Then I headed for the stairs. They were just the same as I remembered them from the very last time I was here – narrow and dark. The whole house was the same and always had been. Every wall was shrouded in a shadow and sorrow permeated the walls. This house had never been a nice place and I knew from experience that it was no place to grow up although that was because of my father. If it weren't for him I could have ignored the shadows and the dark skies and the dreary setting. If it weren't for him I probably would have been a Gryffindor and I would have known Lily for ever. There were many 'what if' scenarios he had to answer for only now was not the time to name them all.
When I looked up from my musings I came face to face with the door that led to what was once my bedroom. Even that space wasn't a safe haven for me when I was a child. This room was where the worst of it happened. Taking a deep, cleansing breath I pushed the door open with the palm of my hand.
Light. The whole room was light and not a shadow fell anywhere. The walls were a soft pastel yellow and white curtains framed the window. The carpet was white with a yellow daisy shaped rug in the middle. A white chest of draws stood against one wall and a cot stood against the other.
Seeing the cot made me realise Ma never said how young the child was. I had been hoping the child was at least five, preferably eight or ten. The cot, however, promised an infant. A baby. As it was I wasn't fond of children and I had no experience with babies. I had never desired to become experienced with babies, or children for that matter, but Dumbledore seemed to be conspiring against me even though he was providing me with safety. And now I had my own word against me. But no matter my reservations and, yes, even fears, I would stand by my word and fulfil my duty to the high standard I expected of myself.
With some trepidation I slowly waked towards the cot. The quilt was perfectly white except for the embroidery of her name in looped writing. My Ma's writing. Lying nestled amongst the quilt and pillow was my small charge. She was wearing white and had a white hat on almost covering all of her black hair. Her skin was a delicate shade of pink and tiny hands were closed into soft fists under her chin almost as if in prayer. Reverently I picked her up, quilt and all, marvelling at how a human being could weigh so little. She looked to be maybe a year old if seeing photographs of Lily's child at Order meetings was anything to go by. She began to stir but then thankfully went back to sleep.
I was about to Apparate to Hogwarts, Ma's warning about hiding her crashing back to the forefront of my mind, when a particular toy caught my attention. It was a small blue bear with writing in both of the hind paws. Severus Tobias adorned one although I do not remember ever seeing it and Abigail Evelyn adorned the other. I picked it up as it looked like a well loved toy.
"Apparently this was mine, Abigail."
She began to cry. I hadn't even realised she was awake which was a huge mistake coming from a spy. A man who was supposed to take in all of his surroundings all of the time. Having no idea what to do I waved the bear in front of her face for a moment but it had no effect. Getting her to someone who would know what to do with her seemed like the best idea and I wanted to leave immediately but I couldn't just leave Ma here. Alone. I began to stride out of the room but Abigail's wails heightened in both pitch and volume.
"Be quiet now. We're going to se Ma and she's probably asleep and you wouldn't want to wake her now would you?" I asked with an arched eyebrow.
She tilted her head to the side and although her lip trembled she stopped wailing. Instead she began to wriggle and I had to quickly adjust my hold on her so that I didn't drop her down the stairs we were walking down.
In the lounge everything was cold and much darker than before. The whole room seemed to be weeping. Taking a breath I walked into the room and in front of Ma's chair and knelt down. Abigail tried to reach out to her and climb onto her lap but I held her close to me.
"You mustn't do that, Abigail. Ma's passed on to the next life." I swallowed against the lump in my throat as Abigail began to cry again. "Do not worry. She will watch down on us from above until the day that we join her. Come now, Abigail, we must leave." I stood up and walked to the front door.
Before closing it behind us I sent a spell towards my Ma and she was gone. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. All that was left of her was the child in my arms and the promise I made to her.
Hogwarts
"Dumbledore! Dumbledore!" I yelled as I all but ran up to his office, a wailing child in my arms. She hadn't stopped making a racket since we Apparated to the edge of Hogwarts grounds. She wasn't splinched and I had run a diagnostic spell over her and there was nothing wrong with her but still she would not stop.
"Dumbledore!" I yelled again as I threw open the door.
Minerva was stood just the other side of it and looked astonished for a moment.
"Why, Severus, what's all this racket about?" she asked in her Scottish lilt.
"Ask her." I said holding Abigail out for her to see. I dropped the quilt and toy as she struggled yet again. "Listen here you perhaps one year old lump!" I snapped in exasperation as I turned her round in my hands so I could look her in the eye. "Shut up."
She stopped wailing and tilted her head. Then she began her incessant noise once again. I sighed and just kept holding her.
"Oh, Severus, don't make her cry." Minerva scaled and took Abigail from me after picking her quilt up from the floor. She then held the child close and began cooing over her. Slowly she began to quieten down.
"Now, now, my boy," Dumbledore started with that damned amused twinkle in his eye. "I believe you have a long story to tell me."
"My mother is dead, Abigail is her child and I promised to raise her." I snapped. The last thing I needed was Dumbledore being amused. Fortunately he and Minerva lost their curious, piercing gazes and were arrested with surprise and shock. Oh yes, Severus Snape, Death Eater and spy looking after a perhaps one year old child was most amazing indeed.
Dumbledore recovered first but all traces of amusement were still non existent. "Step into my office, my boy, I do believe there is more to tell. Lemon drop?"
I rolled my eyes and ignored the question.
"Would Abigail perhaps like one?"
"She is far too young to be eating boiled sweets, Albus." Minerva stated and rolled her eyes in my direction.
I sat in the chair that I had sat in many a time as a student. Dumbledore sat behind his desk and Minerva transfigured a stool into a more comfortable chair. She was still cooing over Abigail who was still whimpering for all it was worth.
"Her given name is Abigail Evelyn Snape." I began without preamble.
"Her father's joy." Dumbledore said even though I already new the meaning of her first name. "Evelyn means 'desired'. Her true name, Severus?"
I swallowed a lump before speaking. Ma had been concerned for her safety if I did not ensure Dumbledore simply hid her. "Riddle."
Colour left Dumbledore's face and he began to tremble. His fear tainted the air around us in palpable waves. Abigail began to cry again. This time she reached out for me and I took her suddenly only convinced of her safety if I was the one holding her. She clutched onto my black robes and I protected her as best as I could whilst facing the old wizard.
"I'm sorry." He said suddenly coming back to himself though no colour tinged his skin and there was still no twinkle in his eye. "I must have gotten carried away with my emotions. I knew a Riddle once. Abigail's father in fact. Tom Marvolo Riddle. Now of course better known as Voldemort."
"No!" I gasped. "No this…"
A night, eighteen months ago came crashing back to me. I had displeased the Dark Lord in some minor way and he had stormed out of the room saying my punishment could come back to haunt me one day. My punishment: my mother's rape on my shoulders and a child to look after and raise. Whilst the first was the worst punishment I could imagine the latter was starting to seem ever more like a blessing. I could finally sway Dumbledore to allow me to stay here for the summer, I'd tell the Dark Lord that he was keeping a close eye on me close to the beginning of the school term to ensure himself of my loyalty. I'd spend less time with the Death Eaters and I'd be able to raise a child knowing only the ways of The Light. If I died she'd fight for the right side at least.
"I am afraid this is entirely possible, my boy. Yet it cannot be so."
"What are you suggesting?" I snarled as Minerva gasped and shot out of her chair.
Abigail began to cry again.
"What do you mean, Albus?" Minerva demanded.
"Minerva, perhaps you could take my sister to Madam Pomfrey and look after her in the infirmary. I am sure one of us will end up down there if this conversation does not go the way I intend it too." I spoke dangerously softly.
Minerva took Abigail from me and left.
"I do not believe you are threatening me, my boy." Dumbledore said with a slight, irritating chuckle.
"It was not a threat but a promise. Just what would you do with Abigail if you were able to make the final decision?"
"She is dangerous, Severus."
"Her name is Abigail Snape, not Tom Riddle. I assure you, Dumbledore she will not practice the Dark Arts."
"She cannot be allowed to li –"
"Enough!" I roared not caring in the slightest I was shouting at and disrespecting the most powerful wizard on the planet. "You have no choice in this. She is not your child! She is mine to raise and mine alone. I will not allow you to harm her –"
"There are losses in war."
"Not my little sister! If I have to hide her from you as well so be it."
"Surely you can see –"
"No. I do not see. She is her own person, nothing like her abomination of a father. You gave me a second chance yet to you her simply existing means she should get no chance at all! I know you can be a bloody fool but I never took you for a hypocrite."
"Do not call me that!" he hissed.
"I'll call you whatever the hell I want when you threaten my family!" I hissed back. "My mother warned me of this. She told me to bring her to you but she was afraid of me doing so at the same time." I growled. "Now I understand why. The great Albus Dumbledore is myopic and afraid."
"Myopic perhaps. Afraid, yes." He was silent for a moment succeeding in only making my anger rise. "Very well, you may raise her."
"Thank you for giving me your permission." I snarled with heavy sarcasm. If reaching for my wand would have no repercussions I would have done it before now, however bad repercussions or not I was sorely tempted to do it anyway.
"However I wish to have a hand in raising her." he said in an off hand way.
"No. I will not barter her. Either you allow her to stay and I raise her by my self or with help if I so choose to ask for it… or you lose your spy."
"Live in the castle, at least."
"Very well." That was something I was planning on anyway so there was no point refusing the 'offer' but there was no point in telling him that. Let him think he has gained some sort of victory, I thought, he might shut up sooner.
"I am sure Minerva is enjoying herself but perhaps you should ensure both her and Poppy that medical services will not be needed."
"Yes I am sure that medical services are at the top of Minerva's worries even though you threatened to murder my sister whilst she was still in the room." I stormed out and slammed the door loudly even though there was a cushioning charm on it. Hell hath no fury like a Death Eater in a rage, someone had once said to me. Although I was no longer a true Death Eater I thought the phrase was appropriate.
Minerva apparently thought the same for she paled when she saw me enter the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was busy looking over Abigail and so did not notice me enter.
"Dumbledore has given me permission to raise her." I stated and folded my arms across my chest. "We will reside in the castle. Perhaps you could go to Hogsmeade and purchase all the things she will require, you understand a Death Eater cannot be seen buying such items."
"Of course, Severus. Who will look after her when you are summoned may I ask?"
"Perhaps yourself? There are not many I would trust and it seems even one of those people…" I sighed and walked over to where Madam Pomfrey was still running spells over Abigail. "She is well?"
"Oh yes, very well, Severus. She's a beautiful little thing, aren't you?" she cooed.
Why do people insist on cooing over infants? They're young, not stupid!
"I suspect her crying was simply from Apparating here. I suggest you don't do that again. The spell will tell us in a moment how old she is exactly. Feed her solids and give her milk and juice to drink. Ah here we go. Would you like to see it first?" she said holding the envelope that had just appeared that would tell us how old Abigail was.
Before I could answer I had to save her from crawling off the edge of the bed. Holding her in my arm I took the envelope from Madam Pomfrey. Abigail tried to grab it from me but I quickly held it out of reach and opened it up. 365 Days it said.
"Happy birthday, my one year old lump." I whispered.
Abigail giggled a musical note and pulled my hair. I glared a little and she instantly let go but her lip began to tremble.
"Don't pull my hair then."
She only went and pulled at my tie.
"Don't do that either." I said sternly and prized her hands from my tie. As I did so I scraped my finger along one of her nails. "Ah shi… nails like needles!" I exclaimed and put my bleeding finger in my mouth whilst the two older women giggled. "I can survive a meeting with the Dark Lord but not a one year old infant." I muttered to myself. Predictably Abigail began laughing as well.
"Come on, Abigail. Let's take you away from these bad influences." I said pointedly aiming my words at Minerva and Madam Pomfrey.
Madam Pomfrey busied herself straightening out the bed that Abigail had managed to make a mess of and Minerva composed herself.
"I will go to Hogsmeade immediately."
"I will endeavour to pay you back." I drawled somehow just knowing that she, the stern Head of Gryffindor, had fallen for the charm of an infant and would forget to be her normal prickly self.
Evening, almost dinner time.
"For the last time, Abigail, leave that alone!" I snapped and snatched her hand away from a bottle of a volatile potion. It was a blue bottle and the potion that was inside was hissing and spitting a little which was apparently interesting, but it had been doing that since I was seventeen.
"Severus! Are you going to let me in? I've been knocking on your door for the last five minutes!" a slightly disgruntled Scots woman asked from the other side of the door of my living quarters.
"Sorry Min – Abigail!" I shouted and picked the infant up and held her even though she squirmed and made her demand to be put down clear even though she could not talk. "Stop it." I commanded and opened the door.
Abigail immediately stopped squirming and put a cheeky grin on her face and made some noises that were close to speech. I swore to myself that she was only behaving because we had a guest. I gestured Minerva to come in and took one of the many large bags from her. We put them down in the centre of the lounge and Minerva started explaining what everything was. Even though it was all self explanatory I found myself studiously absorbing the information.
"Clothes are in that one there. I brought a couple of sizes and they should last her a while. In that one there's bubble bath and soaps and shampoo that will not hurt her sensitive skin as well as bowls and plates that are charmed against breaking, bottles and cups that will do the same and some cutlery. Toys are –"
"Eeeek!" Abigail screamed and pointed to the bag with toys in it.
Anything to keep her out of trouble for five minutes. I put her down and she began throwing toys out of the bag until she found one that she liked – a xylophone and metal bell set. When I kept listening to Minerva she began banging it against my leg. I looked down to her and she held it up to me and then banged it against my leg. Hard.
"If you want it opening all you need to do is ask." I muttered. "Pass it here and I will open it for you."
"You need to talk in the third person, Severus. It is the only way she will learn names."
Even though it seemed ridiculous I complied guessing that she knew much more about raising children than me.
"Pass it here and Severus will open it for you." I repeated. It would take some getting used to, however if it's what I had to do I would do it. I took the toys from her and took the paper packaging off it and put the bundle of instruments down in front of her.
"She will need a cot to sleep in which is in that box over there and the bedding is in with it. Now if you will excuse me I would like to shout at that fool for thinking he could murder the child." Minerva excused herself.
"Shall I let Madam Pomfrey know of your plan?" I drawled.
"I am sure the headmaster can look after himself quiet well. And he would not dare raise his wand to me." she shut the door leaving me alone with Abigail once again.
Forty minutes later I had cleared out what had once been a study and had boxes of books all over the living room and fifteen minutes after that I had constructed Abigail's cot and put her chest of drawers in place. The clothes would have to wait until later as I was already late for dinner with the staff. For a moment I considered putting the clothes away anyway but decided that was childish.
"Abigail, come now, we have dinner to get to."
I picked her up from the floor and took the bells from her that she had been making a racket with for the last hour. She began to protest and reached for my hand and tried to take a bell from me.
"No, Abigail. No noisy toys at the dinner table." She began to cry. "I – Severus said no."
She blew a raspberry in my face. And then sneezed.
"Thank you very much Abigail that's just what I needed before dinner. A sneeze bath."
She began to giggle and covered her mouth with her hands. Rolling my eyes I walked out of the room, putting the bells on the sofa, and made my way to the Great Hall for the first staff dinner I was to attend. With over a month before the beginning of the school year I was inclined to think it was a little early however these were dangerous times and Dumbledore perhaps wished to ensure that he still had a full staff and did not need to send out a search party… or find a replacement.
When I entered the hall I saw that Dumbledore looked suitably chastised and Minerva still looked slightly red in the face but triumphant. Suddenly my left arm began to burn. Oh not now, I inwardly groaned. The rest of the staff who had been my professors four years ago all looked shocked as if they did not know I was going to be teaching this year… Oh wait they probably didn't as Dumbledore had a certain liking for shocking people like this. Bloody great fool.
"You are late my boy." He said.
"And I will continue to be so as I have a potion brewing that requires my attention. Minerva if you could." I said passing Abigail to her.
"Of course." She smiled but in her eyes there was worry as she knew where I was really off too. No potion called me away from dinner tonight unless you counted putting a spy in front of the Dark Lord and seeing what happens as a potion – a potion likely to explode at any minute.
"Severus will be back soon." I said to Abigail and then swept out of the Hall.
Riddle Manor
"Your lateness is forgiven if you have a good reason." The Dark Lord said as I knelt on the floor before him with my head bowed.
"Dumbledore wishes to keep a closer eye on me as the school year approaches to reassure himself of my loyalty, my Lord." I lied.
"Understandable indeed. Rise, Potions Master and take your seat at the table."
I did as I was told immediately for fear of death. I already had much to hide from him, now I had Abigail to think of too. Now that I was here, actually in front of the Dark Lord, the weight of looking after her and protecting her seemed far greater than before. If he found out about her I was dead for sure for keeping her a secret from him.
And now Dumbledore's concerns haunted me too. What if Abigail turned out like him after all? Already at the age of one she had his exact hair colour. Her eyes were the same too but then Ma's eyes were almost black as well.
"Something is troubling you, Severus?" the Dark Lord asked.
"A trifling matter Dumbledore told me of the Order. They caught tale of Bellatrix's last actions purely by accident but it is concerning nonetheless." I smoothly lied once again. Fortunately I was the best Occulmens in the world – I needed to be as the Dark Lord was the best Legilimens and could easily sniff out a lie without using the talent. Lucky me I was an excellent liar. For my trouble Bellatrix stamped on my foot with the heel of her shoe. Inwardly I cursed whoever invented heeled shoes and outwardly told her to 'stop being so bloody childish'.
"Your perfect record has been broken I am sad to say, Bella." The Dark Lord stated. "That however is not as big a crime as our spy being suspected." He once again turned his eyes on me. "Correct this or you will be severely punished. Have you yet learned the where abouts of the Potters?"
"Forgive me, my Lord, Dumbledore is adamant that I do not know as I spend so much time 'dangling' on your arm as he so puts it."
"Fail to have the information by the next meeting and I will punish you myself. Leave us and go back to Dumbledore. Lucius you are no longer needed. Go back to your wife."
"Yes, my Lord." We both left and quickly hurried to the edge of the Dark Lord's wards. Once there Lucius took a hold of my arm.
"I have something I would like to speak to you about, Severus. Will you come to my house?" he asked.
"If it will not take long. Dumbledore is suspicious enough of me as it is."
"A few moments. That is all I ask."
I nodded my consent and he Apparated us to his house. It was an old, ancestral home of great magnificence and majesty. It was closer to being a palace than a stately home. Long gardens stretched out before and behind it with topiary gardens and white peacocks strutted at the edges of the paths. In silence he led me up the front steps and into a large entrance hall. He then took me up the grand, marble staircase and through the first door we came across.
It was a private study filled with books and records dating hundreds of years back. In a comfortable chair by the fire sat a woman I presumed to be his wife, Narcissa. Her hair was mostly brown with a blonde streak in it. In her arms was a sleeping child not much older than Abigail who I knew to be called Draco. He was my god son but this was the first time I met him. No doubt he'd grow up to look like his father.
"You're home." Narcissa smiled. It was a soft smile but her eyes shone with regret.
"Of course I am, my love." Lucius said as he strode towards his wife and took her free hand in his. "You're cold. Allow me to light a fire." He pointed his wand towards the fireplace and flames instantly sprung up.
"I hate it when you go to that place."
"It will all be over soon, my love. You need not worry."
"Just how do you know that, Lucius?" I asked in a threatening voice. Was there something I did not know? Was there some part of the plan the Dark Lord had not told me because I spent so much time dangling on Dumbledore's arm?
"Take a seat Severus." I didn't and crossed my arms over my chest. "Narcissa do you remember him? He started Hogwarts in our final year."
"He spent a lot of time with a Gryffindor girl."
"Get to it Lucius, I am pressed for time." I commanded.
"Cissy and I have been talking a lot as of late about the war. We have decided that we want out." he simply said.
I brought out my wand in an instant. "Legilimens!"
He didn't try to stop me and I was pulled into his mind. I appeared in a memory of an argument. Narcissa was heavily pregnant, had tears streaming down her face and was shouting.
"Fine then. Kill me! Kill me and our child if that is what Voldemort will have you do! Do it, Lucius! I'd rather we were both dead than living with him as our leader. Do it!" she screamed and held his wand to her stomach.
He was scared that much was obvious. Narcissa had put the wand in his hand and was asking him to kill her from the bottom of her heart. She meant it alright. Fear washed though him and he felt tears come to his own eyes.
"Never, my love." He soothed and threw the wand to the other side of the room. "Never. I would never hurt either of you like that."
"Oh Lucius, what are we going to do? I can't live like this anymore."
"Neither can I." he pulled her into his arms and smoothed her hair. "But you are going to do nothing and let me figure this out. You concentrate on having a baby and all the things expectant mothers do. I swear to you Mrs Narcissa Malfoy, I'll get us out of this. It may take time but the only time I will stop trying is when we're out or the war has ended."
Another memory swirled passed.
"The Dark Lord is trying to find out where the girl he loved once is hiding. Although he told me once that Dumbledore trusts him completely he has never been told where she is. I have suspected that there is a spy amongst us for some time and now it is all starting to make sense, Cissy! I will speak with him after the next meeting."
"You are sure he will help us?"
"It is a chance we have to take, my love."
Other such conversations passed between them on the same subject all springing up at various points of Narcissa's pregnancy and Draco's growth. All pointed to the same answer – Lucius was telling the truth and they were both sincere.
"You are certain this is the path you chose?" I asked.
"We want out, Severus. For us and for Draco." Narcissa said. "What can Dumbledore do for us?"
"He will offer you safety I am sure, beyond that I cannot say."
"I will come and speak with him directly if that is what it will take." Lucius said and stood to his full height as if to emphasise the point.
"I will come too." Narcissa stood beside her husband cradling her sleeping child.
"Very well." I said. I looked out of the window to see that all was dark. I must have been in Lucius's head for a few hours. "We will floo over to my quarters."
They both nodded and we all floo'ed over to my rooms at Hogwarts.
When I stepped out of the floo I saw Lucius being held at wand point by Dumbledore. He dropped his own wand to the floor, close to the wizard in front of him. Narcissa was in a similar position with Minerva only she was also holding a screaming Draco.
"They requested to come here. I do not know about you, Headmaster, but I prefer to offer my guests tea rather than death." I growled still angry with him from today's earlier events. How he thought it appropriate to be in my rooms after threatening to kill my sister was impossible to figure out so I did not bother trying.
"Sit down, Narcissa." I said and conjured a soft chair for her and gave Draco a toy Abigail had left on the floor. He quietened down and began gurgling. "Will you stop pointing that bloody wand everywhere?" I snapped at Dumbledore and snatched it from his hand.
Draco began wailing once more, Lucius thumped me in the arm, Minerva glared at me and Narcissa began rocking her child from side to side whilst telling him that I was only having a tantrum.
"If you like, Narcissa, there's a nursery down the corridor on the far left. He can share Abigail's cot if you think it is safe to do so."
"Abigail?" Lucius asked.
"A long story for another time." I conjured another chair and heavily sat down.
I then called and elf and ordered tea and sandwiches. Narcissa took a cup of tea than then excused herself to go to the nursery. Realising it was almost eleven at night I wanted to get things moving along quickly so I could get to bed myself as doing so much Legilimancy had tired me out. Then I remembered I had an infant to look after and if Lucius's memories were anything to go by I would probably get woken at some point during the night.
"Perhaps you can now explain what is going on?" Minerva asked looking not at me but Lucius.
He looked to me and I nodded once to tell him to carry on. Lucius then launched into his detailed explanation of why he was here, highlighting how sincere he and his wife were. It was a good explanation all things considered. Flawless almost. Dumbledore and Minerva listened attentively with equal astonishment.
"And how are we to know you are telling the truth, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked.
"I have seen his mind, Headmaster. I believe him." I said, speaking for the first time.
"I will offer you safety and ask only this: your wife and child may reside here permanently but I ask you to be a spy for the light. Unseen by Tom and the rest of the Death Eaters."
"Tom?" Lucius asked.
"The Dark Lord's true name." I replied.
"The question is, Lucius –"
"Excuse me?"
We all looked up to see Narcissa holding an almost asleep Draco in her arms. She was gently rocking him from side to side and patting his back.
"The child – Abigail – she's asking for you, Severus."
I excused myself and with Narcissa following made my way to Abigail's room. As I got closer I could hear her soft whimpering. When I stepped into the room I could see her standing up, holding the bars of the cot. When she saw me she smiled and held out her hands to me, opening and closing them asking to be picked up.
"Sev! Sev!" she called.
A knife stabbed through my heart. No one had called me that since I was in my fifth year. The year I lost Lily for good. Swallowing the pain I picked her up and held her close.
"You learned that fast." I murmured. "Did Ma talk about me?"
"Sev." She yawned and put her face in the crook of my neck.
I began to put her down but she clung onto me and began to whimper loudly waking Draco. So that he wouldn't cry I held her close once more and she quietened down.
"Shall we go back through? I believe they are close to agreeing on something." I stated and guided Narcissa back through the rooms and into the lounge.
She sat next to Lucius and I stood behind them.
"I do not believe Dumbledore understands me, Severus. When I say I want out, completely, he insists that I spy for him." Lucius growled.
"I assure you, Lucius, he understands you perfectly. He merely wishes to ignore you at present. However with my loyalty in question a new spy may be needed at the drop of a hat. You understand of course that spies are the only way to ensure his demise." Dumbledore looked at me in surprise. I wasn't defending him for himself but for the greater good. The war had to end, and it had to end soon. If it dragged on too long then there would be little of the Light left.
"Think on this, Lucius." Dumbledore began, "Even if we do kill him eventually he will come back and demand your loyalty on pain of death. He will include your family you can be assured of that."
"Then we are agreed." Lucius said and held out his hand to shake the Headmaster's.
The fool had agreed far too quickly. For all he knew Dumbledore could be lying to him for his own ends. However the more angry I got about Lucius's actions the more I believed Dumbledore and the more I believed Dumbledore the more I felt certain he was right.
"We do not wish to intrude, Severus." Lucius said when I insisted that he and Narcissa take my room.
"I gained a sister today, Lucius, I doubt you can intrude anymore than Abigail already has. Put Draco in the cot –"
"No." Narcissa said and clutched her child to her. "He stays with us tonight."
"Very well. You can find me in the nursery if you need anything."
Saturday August 1st
Hogwarts
Morning
I awoke to the soft clinking of potions bottles. Thinking that Abigail was possibly the one causing the noise I shot up to a standing position and rushed into the lounge. I only had one cabinet of potions in the room and it just so happened that that was the only cabinet she was interest in. There was a cabinet of refreshments and another of items I had collected over the years but they, the harmless cabinets, held no interest for her.
I opened the door to the lounge and stopped. Gone was the cabinet of potions and in its place was a bookshelf that blocked out the enchanted window. I could see the floor again now that there were no books on it. They had all come from Abigail's room which used to be the study and there were hundreds of books in there. How they all seemed to fit onto the small bookcase was at the moment irrelevant.
"What the hell have you done to my lounge, Narcissa?" I demanded.
Narcissa turned from the pile of wooden crates she was labelling and said in a serious tone, "They weren't safe, Severus. I left Draco alone for five minutes and he had got the lid off a headache potion. That much could have knocked him out for a month! And now the books are out of the way too, at least until you find somewhere else to put them."
"Who says I want to put them anywhere else? The potions were fine where they were – I was going to lock the cabinet, I just forgot last night that's all."
"You can't afford to forget, Severus. What you know as dangerous Abigail sees as fun, a toy. These need to go somewhere else, I'm sure as Potions Professor you have plenty of rooms at your disposal."
Seeing that there was no arguing with her I told her I'd find somewhere to put them once we'd had breakfast.
So that's the first chapter. I hope you liked it. I'm open to any suggestions and constructive criticism. If you have any questions or anything please just ask either in a review or a PM. I'm going to have her childhood move fairly swiftly until the war starts up again. Anyway, please leave a review with comments, feed back, tips for improvement... You know the drill.
J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter