"We have to do this, Lily, to protect her. Though I don't like the man he's our best bet. Plus, with what we know… If you trust him then so do I. Just be sure that a glamour is put onto her so that she's not found out later in life."
"I know James; she's going to be fine. Now I need to go." The beautiful redhead says. He nods and snogs her gently then pulls the hood up of the midnight black cloak then kissing his baby girl's forehead as her brother upstairs started screaming.
They had wanted more children but after Harry had been born they were having trouble conceiving so they had done a blood adoption with the little girl who they had gotten just a few short months before. She was the same age as Harry. They had fallen in love with the little girl when they saw her so they adopted her right there using a blood adoption. She had dark brown hair and hazel eyes but a spunky personality.
Later on, they had done a magical test to figure out who her real mother and father were. They had a shocking discovery when that happened, which had led to their current decision of who they were giving Christi up to now.
James watches as she heads out then Apparates out of Godric's Hallow and over to where the man who they hoped would raise their baby girl.
Arriving in her destination Lily briskly walks over to house and shifts the toddler on her hip to hold her better on her then she knocks shifting from foot to foot nervously until the door opens and she looks. "Severus," she greets the man, "James and I need your help." She says desperately.
"Come in here." She nods and walks inside. "What's the matter Lily?" he asks.
"We need you to take our little girl and raise her. We can't risk losing both of them. I mean I know we're in hiding but still. Both James and I have a bad feeling that something is going to happen. Severus, please promise me that if something happens you'll raise her and not just go and dump her in some orphanage or anything. Please raise her like your own. Please Severus. Please." She begs him tussling the toddlers hair gently.
They had agreed not to tell Snape that Christi was really his daughter. They had found out that Christi's mother put her up for adoption because she didn't want her daughter to be ridiculed for being a Death Eater's daughter. The mother never told Snape, and James and Lily feared Snape wouldn't take her if he knew all of that.
"Lily…" Snape said weakly.
"Severus, please, if I was to trust my daughter with anyone it would be you. I'm s sorry our friendship was lost… Just… Please."
After a while Severus sighs and nods. "Alright. Is there anything specific that I need to know?" he asks as Lily transfers the sleeping toddler to him.
"She's a picky eater. I'll send a note with all of her stuff tomorrow through the Floo. Please don't tell her anything of her true lineage." Even though you don't even know her true lineage… Lily thought guiltily.
Snape nods, "You can trust me."
"Also tomorrow I'll be talking to James about signing over our parental rights to her as we adopted her if I can get him to agree please adopt her and make her truly yours. Please Severus." The fiery red head begs with tears glistening in her emerald eyes as the moon light shone into the room through the window. He nods looking over at the sleeping toddler on his shoulder. She was clutching a stuffed lion close to her. "Thank you so much. I need to get going. Thank you again Severus. We are forever in your debt."
"No need Lils, this is my repayment for you protecting and being my one true friend all those years ago."
She smiles a watery smile and kisses her little girls forehead then Severus' cheek. "Take care of her."
Severus nods and watches as Lily walked away then Apparate away. "Well now it's just you and me now little one." He said heading upstairs to his childhood room as he pulled out his wand.
Reaching the room, he opens the door and transfigures the bed into a crib and made the room suitable for a baby. Then he puts up charms and wards that would let him know if something was wrong with the young girl in the middle of the night.
After ensuring she was sleeping soundly he sweeps out of the room and right into the master suite then calls for his house elf. "Mitzy."
The elf popped in and looked at him. "Master Snape called for Mitzy?"
"Yes, there's a young child in my old room. I need you to check in on her every few hours and make sure she's fine. If not alert me right away."
"Mitzy will do that. May Mitzy ask how long young guest will be staying?"
"Permanently."
The elf nods with her ears flopping as she did then popped back out. Severus sighs and lies back on his king size bed. A toddler? He was going to raise a toddler? What was he thinking? Oh yea, Lily had begged him and he couldn't say no to her, especially with everything that was going on and she must clearly have faith in him or she wouldn't have brought her daughter over to him.
He pulls the sheets back then climbs into bed and gets comfortable and lies there thinking on how he could protect her from Voldemort. He gets up again and quickly dresses then calls for Mitzy.
"Yes Master Snape?"
"Watch the young child I'm leaving for a little bit. I need to speak to Dumbledore."
"Mitzy do that. Should Mitzy get you if young child cries?"
"No, only if something is immediately wrong."
"Yes Master Snape."
He nods then leaves and goes to Hogwarts. He goes up to Dumbledore's office. "Albus." He said walking into the office.
"Severus, what's wrong?" the elder man asks from behind his half-moon spectacles.
"Lily came to me tonight with her and James's daughter and asked me to take her and raise her since she and James can't lose both of their children… It doesn't make much sense to me. They both have a bad feeling that something is going to happen to them even though they're in hiding."
"What doesn't make sense?"
"Why they'd give me Christi and keep Harry."
"They obviously have their reasons." Dumbledore said knowingly. He knew about Christi's true parents as well, but wasn't going to reveal anything. "I'll be sure to keep checking in on them periodically. Are you going to raise young Christi?"
"Yes, I'll respect what Lily asked of me."
"Very good. You'll make a wonderful father and I'll be sure to put protection spells on you two."
Severus nods and sweeps out and back home. He gets home and checks on the young child. He walks into the room and leans over the crib watching her small chest rise and fall with every breath. He gently brushes some hair out of her face then pulls the blanket up and over her to keep her warm then he retreats to his room and gets changed for bed.
ƛNext Morningƛ
Severus wakes up to find the small girl standing there clutching the stuffed lion that she was brought in with rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"Hello Small One." She waves sleepily. "Are you hungry?" he asks. She nods as Mitzy comes padding in and Christi's eyes go wide and she holds her arms up whimpering. Severus picks her up and holds her close wondering what scared her as she buried her face in his neck clutching the stuffed lion. He looks over and notices Mitzy.
She's never seen a house elf before he thinks.
"Yes, Mitzy?"
"Packages are here for you Master Snape; Mitzy has put them in Master Snape's study. A guest is also here for Master Snape, Mitzy showed him to the study as well."
"Thank you Mitzy." He said with a slight frown he looks over and sees that she had fallen back asleep on him with a tiny arm wrapped around his neck the other clutching the stuffed lion to her tiny chest.
She nods and walks out. Severus gets up and quickly pulls on a bathrobe then picks up the small child and heads out into the hallway then down to the study.
Soon, he hears the doorbell ring. He was expecting Lily or James to come by with things for Christi.
He opens the door and sees James Potter standing there with a few boxes and two envelopes in his hands.
"Potter."
"Sni—" he cut himself off before calling him Snivellus, "…Snape."
"Lily would have come but she was busy with Harry. We really do appreciate this Snape. If Lily trusts you I do to. These two boxes are her stuff and one of these letters came from the adoption agency where we adopted her. It can't be opened until the right time for it to be opened. We don't know when but apparently the letter does so the seal will turn purple when its ready to be opened. This one is telling you essentials, like her picky eating habits, sleep habits, and everything else you'll need to know about her." explains James.
He nods gently shifting the toddler to his other hip as he took the letters. James smirks.
"She tends to do that if you carry her. Just don't let her get too used to it and she's starting the terrible two early. Her favorite word is no and she's incredibly stubborn. If I had to compare her stubbornness I would compare her to you. No offense."
James bit his lip, afraid that he might have given away something. He didn't. Snape only nods taking note of everything to remember with her. He and James speak for a while longer before James leaves and he looks over at the little girl sound asleep on his shoulder.
He smiles softly then he levitates the boxes upstairs then he goes and lies the small girl down in the crib then he sets the boxes down and starts going through them and sees a bunch of pink and purple stuff in the boxes. He thinks for a moment then he waves his wand and walls change to a light pink color. He knew he was going to have to start slowly brightening up the place or even move but he would do whatever he had to do to make sure she grew up well.
He finishes up getting all of her stuff out and ensuring the room was set up for a baby he goes and fire calls Albus. He talks to the older wizard for nearly an hour before hearing him promise to find a suitable place for the two of them. He pulls back and shakes his head. The older wizard was going to be the death of him one day.
How was he going to do this?