*These character are not my own, only the plot is. Everything you recognize is JK Rowlings.
Darkness flooded the room. Two faces were illuminated by candlelight. One with a long white beard and a twinkle in his eye the other with a sallow expression and a glare fixated on his face. The atmosphere was very dark and tense.
"How did he find out about her Severus?" Albus Dumbledore questioned as his rested his chin on his clasped hands.
A flicker of regret passed through Severus' eyes.
"It was my fault Albus. Bellatrix dropped by unannounced and saw her. That was all the confirmation she needed to go running her mouth. You heard the rumors seventeen years ago."
Albus nodded, "Where is she now?"
Severus crossed his arms and focused on the bookshelf behind the headmaster, "She's at Grimmauld place with the mutts."
Albus nodded, "Good, we'll keep her there until school starts and then she'll attend Hogwarts with Harry."
Severus shook his head, "Are you telling me that you're going to tell Potter and his friends about her? The only way we were able to keep her safe was to keep her a secret."
The Headmaster stood and walked over to his Phoenix. Trailing his hand across her feathers, "I believe they're old enough. Harry has the maturity," Severus snorted, "and his friends are trustworthy. Besides it's time for the Order to know about her and the more people in the Order who know the easier it will be for us to protect her and Harry."
"The more people who know about her the more danger she'll be in!" Severus jumped out of the seat and started pacing the room. His footfalls silent but deadly to the carpet that lay in the elaborately decorated office. She was his life and there was no way he would let her go. No way he would let her out into the world with that madman running around. It was all he had left of his love.
"Severus…"
"It's my fault she's in this mess. I should have never let Bellatrix into my house when she was in there."
"Severus…she'll be fine. She's got her mother in her."
He paused his pacing, "She does, but she also has Potter in her and that I can't trust. She's a trouble maker no matter what you say," he chuckled at the thought of her running around the house at age ten pulling the tiniest of pranks. Her green eyes alighted in delight.
He ceased moving when he felt Albus place a hand on his shoulder.
"She'll be fine. She'll make friends and will no longer be in hiding. I know the rumors that were flying around the Wizarding World were hard to get rid of and she'll be in the papers as will Harry. Everything will work out in the end."
Severus gave a tight nod and asked, "Is that all then? I'd like to head over to Headquarters now."
Albus nodded and removed his hand. Severus walked over to the fireplace while grabbing a handful of Floo powder. Standing amid the flames he yelled out his destination. Albus watched his body disappear and then he settled for sitting down in his chair. The twinkle gone from his eyes. Things were about to get a whole lot more difficult.
AN: Well? Tell me what you think. I'm hoping to go very far with this story :))