Written for The Golden Snitch (Hufflepuff, Hogwarts). [Challenge] South Korea, between facts and fiction
Prince Yeoning ( the 21st king of Joseon)
Prompt 1: Write about someone meeting their father years later.
Word Count: 1233
Fathers, Meet Daughters
Severus Snape stared at the paper in front of him in complete and utter disbelief. He turned it between his fingers as if hoping that it would suddenly evaporate. It did not and neither did the ancient-looking man in a smart black suit sitting on his lumpy couch. Every time Severus glared at him, he just sent back a happy smile as if he was not the reason for the situation the Potion Master suddenly found himself in.
"I can assure you, this is real," he stated finally.
"Oh is it? And what am I supposed to do with it, pray tell?" sneered Snape.
The smile on the man's face did not falter. "The customary thing is to meet the child in question and then to take her in. I am sure, that you can make this place…habitable…with some effort."
Severus ignored the insult towards his home, threw the paper on the table and slumped down on one of the armchairs. For a while he wracked his brain over and over again, trying to make sense of the situation. And his mind came back to the same scene over and over again. It was the only thing that fit the date on the birth certificate.
It was a night that started in a seedy muggle bar, drinking horrible whiskey and thinking of Lily Evans. And ended in some hotel, in the arms of a woman he had forgotten soon after. Well, it seemed the woman had gotten something more permanent to remember him by, because she had given birth to a daughter nine months later.
"How did you find me?" Severus asked some minutes later. It struck him, that that was probably the insensitive thing to ask, given that there were so many other questions. Like what had happened to the mother and what was his kid like.
It seemed though, that the lawyer had seen all kinds before, for he stayed calm and smiled. "We have our ways. They knew you at the bar you two met. It wasn't that hard. Especially since you went back there after. So would you like to meet your daughter?"
That was a curious question. Did he? Not really. He was more than a little terrified at having this dumped on him the day after he found out that Dumbledore had hired Remus Lupin for the new schoolyear. He certainly didn't have time for some snotty kid-
And yet she was his blood…The old and overly friendly lawyer was still smiling and Severus snarled. Then he nodded. "Alright, yes. I'd like to meet her."
The man's face lit up and he leapt up with considerable agility and enthusiasm for his age. "Excellent, because she is already here!"
Of course she was. He'd probably planned it all Severus would not be able to say no. He folded his arms but he'd already said yes and it was the fastest way to get the lawyer the hell out of his house so he stood too.
She was sitting in his pathetic excuse for a garden, on a suitcase, her arms folded and staring at the street. There was something so horribly familiar about the scene that it made Severus stop in his tracks. The girl was small and skinny and disappearing in a huge black leather jacket. Her feet were stretched out over the lawn, big boots resting against a rock. As mentioned, her arms were folded and Severus saw that her fingernails were painted pitch black.
She either didn't hear them approaching or she didn't care. Either way she stood still and didn't acknowledge them. The lawyer, who's name still escaped Severus, took a step forward. "So, Arsenia, this is your father:"
"Oh, brilliant." her voice was just the perfect mixture of bored contempt that Severus knew. If he had been capable of that much self-reflection, he'd have thought someone had held a mirror to his younger self.
"Arsenia, please look at me. I'd like to introduce you two." the lawyer coax.
"Just tell me which boarding school I'll be shipped off to, and we can conclude this family reunion." the girl replied.
"Hogwart's." Severus went over it later in his head again and again and yet he could not figure out what had possessed him to say that to this muggle girl. She had to be one, because she'd have been showing signs of magic years ago if she wasn't so it hardly seemed appropriate to introduce him to the wizarding world right away.
Yet at least it got a reaction out of her. She turned around, her long brown hair whipping around in the wind and stared back at him with two hostile greenish eyes. "Really? The first words out of your mouth are the school you can stick me in so you don't have to bother with me? Not even a "hello, how are you doing, I'm your father"? That's just brilliant."
Severus arched an eyebrow. He was used to all kinds of annoying brats. He was even used to open hostility but he was not used to the memories that washed over him looking at the kid. He'd thought he'd locked the memory of his one awkward night with a stranger away tight but suddenly there it was. Then he managed to get back on track and replied in an irate voice: "Well, you did ask. And on the other hand you didn't say any of those things either." It was not perhaps the most eloquent answer but there it was.
On her part the girl actually smiled. Fine. Let's go again. I am Arsenia Blake, daughter of Margaret Blake. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"I am Severus Snape, your father." replied Severus.
The lawyer smiled happily. "There, now we are all getting along! I'll leave you to it!"
Severus opened his mouth to object but the man was far too quick for his age and he was out of there. Looking around, he didn't even understand which way the lawyer had gone.
Arsenia smirked. "Yeah, he does that. He thinks that if he is quick enough to disappear, then maybe this guardian will actually stick around. So far it hasn't worked out great."
"Yeah…" Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and looked down at her. "Well, then I guess you'd better come in."
"Or what? The neighbors will start to think bad things about you? In this dump?"
Severus froze and shook his head but she bit her lip. "Sorry, that was mean." she blushed slightly, then straightened and stood.
"Has it been many?" Severus asked, "Guardians, I mean." God, he hoped not. He couldn't possibly really take her in. She didn't fit in their world. At the same time he didn't want to be yet another in a long list of disappointments.
"A few. For some reason none of my mom's relatives want a moody teenager on their hands. But I'm sure you'll be different." he couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not and he didn't have time to figure it out, because suddenly she linked arms with him and smiled. "Now, shall we go talk over tea about this Hogwarts you're sending me to?"
And thus before the door even closed behind his daughter, Severus was already debating how unethical it would be to just obliviate some things our of her mind.