Disclaimer: The Harry Potter world is property of J.K. Rowling. Also posted in "The If You Dare Challenge".

A/n: So the inspiration from this story is based on my story, Origin of Symmetry on my other FF account. Like my other story, it will start in the summer before Order of the Phoenix and from there this story will diverge (not sure how much yet) from canon. Like in my other story, Tracey Davis will be Snape's goddaughter, however, unlike Origin of Symmetry, that relationship will not go awry here the way it did there. Snape will remain a mentor/father figure to Tracey.

A/n 2: Please review if you enjoy the story. Reviews are what keep me motivated to continue on with a story. So if you do like this, then I highly suggest you review, because I tend to have a short attention span when it comes to writing stories.

Prompt: Settling in for a Long Siege (#16)

"There's another world inside of me
That you may never see.
There's secrets in this life
That I can't hide.
Somewhere in this darkness
There's a light that I can't find,
Maybe it's too far away...
Or maybe I'm just blind..."

-Three Doors Down, When I'm Gone

Tracey Davis, never really knew her parents. They were there somewhere she knew, somewhere deep in her memories, but she couldn't find them. She couldn't for the life of her really remember them; she was simply so small when she lost them both, that they were a complete blur. Though, sometimes she dreamt of them. Dreamt of their warmth, their quiet happiness. Dreamt of being small and tucked in their arms, where she was safe and felt loved.

Having lost both her parents before she was even two, Tracey was raised by her maternal grandmother, the only living relative Tracey knew of. Being as her grandmother was a muggle, and quite a bit old, it was really inevitable... her death.

For Tracey, it hadn't exactly been hard losing the only relative she had ever known. Though, she loved her grandmother and had often enjoyed sitting near her and listening to stories of her mother, Tracey was a bright enough girl to know that her grandmother's death was ineluctable, and that it would leave her alone in the world. She had mentally and emotionally prepared herself for it, so that when it occurred before her eleventh birthday, it wasn't so hard. In fact, the only way Tracey remembered the funeral, was as if she were watching the whole thing from outside of her body.

Perhaps she was a cynical, if a bit morbid, child, but considering the events of her young life, it was all Tracey could afford to be. Tracey had hardened herself to life, because it was the only way she knew to keep going. She learned to put distance between herself and almost anyone around her, because she figured if she didn't allow herself to care for anything, that she could not be hurt.

After her grandmother's death, Tracey had numbly watched as her fate was decided for her. It was with dispassionate eyes that she took in one Severus Snape, who it turned out was actually her godfather. Tracey had never met the man before, and though his appearance was foreboding, Tracey couldn't help being curious about the man.

Curious about which of her parents he'd been particularly close friends with, in order that they had trusted him with the care of their daughter. Wondered if he were her godfather, where he had been all her life.

However, Tracey had quickly stomped on her curiosity. She couldn't really afford to be curious. Curiosity could give way to caring, and caring could give way to hurting. Tracey wasn't ready to allow that kind of pain in her life, after living so many years with a quiet longing that couldn't be fulfilled.

Though, Snape had turned out to be a somewhat cold, temperamental and distant man, Tracey found in the course of the next few years that as much as she wished to, she couldn't distance herself from him. Because despite the fact that he was a crotchety man, she found that in his own ways, he showed that he cared. Cared not only for her physical well-being, but her emotional well-being as well.

Perhaps Tracey couldn't fully heal, perhaps to all the world she was still an anti-social girl with a mean and even cruel streak that most didn't bother trying to get past, but she didn't get any worse. She didn't completely close herself off to the outside world, she didn't completely revert inside of herself and disdain all company, and she certainly didn't allow the bitterness, anger and hate to take hold of her completely.

~X~

"Are you all packed?"

Tracey didn't look up from her task. She didn't need to. Being as she and her godfather were the only inhabitants of Spinner's End, it was completely unnecessary as it couldn't really be anybody else. Besides, her godfather had a very distinctive voice, that it was too easy to recognize after four years.

"If I'd have known that I was going to be repacking in a matter of a fortnight, I wouldn't have bothered unpacking in the first place," Tracey stated through gritted teeth, throwing the last of her neatly folded clothes into her school trunk. It made a soft thud as it landed, but Tracey paid it no mind as she looked up and stared about her room.

In the last four years, the small spartan room that she'd grown to inhabit every summer and holiday Severus could get them away from the castle, she hadn't added very much to to the room. Apart from the small single bed, the desk, the book-case and wardrobe, there really wasn't much to the room and the only thing that was truly hers was the trunk at the foot of her bed and all the possessions it currently held.

"I think that is everything," Tracey finally said with a sigh, knowing that she couldn't put this off any longer. As much as Spinner's End was bleak and a bit decrepit, she had grown to think of it was home, even at times more so than Hogwarts was. At least in Spinner's End she could be alone with the only person she truly cared for anymore, and was afforded real privacy, which was never the case when you had to share a dorm with three other girls.

The idea that she would soon be sharing a house with... more people than she knew, and a considerable portion of them being Gryffindor's, made her highly uncomfortable and apprehensive. It was why she loathed the idea so much, but as Severus had pointed out to her, she didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

The Dark Lord was back. Severus would be working as a double agent. Spinner's End was no longer a safe place for her to reside, which was why he thought it best that he take her to the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters to spend the remainder of the summer. Tracey had been explained all this by Professor Dumbledore, and he'd trusted her discretion not to repeat anything she knew to anyone else.

Tracey mentally scoffed at this. As if she would. It wasn't as she really had any friends, and the few people she did talk to, she didn't trust as far as she could throw. All her friendships were shallow and anything but warm and trusting. Besides, she never spoke of her "home life" to anyone in Slytherin and over the years, her classmates had learned it was better not to ask, for all the good it did them.

"Well if you find later that you are missing anything, you can always tell me and I will bring it to you when I see you next," Severus stated form where he stood in her doorway, as he very rarely ever actually came into her room.

Shutting her trunk, Tracey turned to look at her godfather, her pretty features contorted into a scowl. That was the hardest part of the whole deal. Not only was she going to be shut away in a house with a bunch of strangers and Gryffindors, but Severus wasn't going to be there with her. He would only turn up to check on her now and then.

"Are you ready?" he asked, his dark eyes taking her in with well-hidden concern.

"As I'll ever be," Tracey responded, her large grey-green eyes turning to look at him with a learned apathy that was impenetrable, even to him at times. Looking away from the petite fifteen-year-old, Severus stepped into the room. Quickly shrinking the trunk, he pocketed the item.

"I'm going to have to disillusion you" he informed her. Tracey nodded her head, acquiescing though she didn't really care one way or another. As hard as if was for her to trust, she'd come to trust in Severus implicitly.

She felt a gentle tap on her head, quickly followed by a rather odd sensation like an egg had been cracked over her head, washing her whole being with a tingly, cool feeling. She watched with only mild interest as Sever repeated the process with himself before extending a black-clad arm to the visibly unhappy girl. Taking a deep breath, momentarily closing her eyes, Tracey straightened her spine.

Knowing what she was about to face, she mentally steeled herself up for it, and masked her face with her usual stony expression before stepping towards her godfather. Taking his sleeve in a slender hand with long dexterous fingers, she shut her eyes against the sensation of apparition.

It only lasted a moment, but when it was over and Tracey once more opened her eyes, she took in the building before her trying to ignore the sensation of nausea passing over her. Her godfather explained to her how the Fidelius Charm, which his the Order's Headquarters, worked. And given that Dumbledore himself had told her about the location, she watched with veiled fascination as number twelve Grimmauld Place suddenly sprang up between number eleven and number thirteen.

Tracey dropped her hand from his sleeve. It took mere moments for the place to fully emerge and situated itself between the two other buildings. As soon as it was done, a hand gently but firmly grabbing hold of her upper arm, quickly guided her across the street and up to the secret headquarters.

A tap of Severus wand, several metallic clicks, and a clatter of a chain later, and the heavy door of Grimmauld place creaked open. With his left hand still held around her arm, Severus guided Tracey into a dark hall which smelled strongly of rot, and dust. As the door shut behind them, it took a few moments for Tracey's eyes to adjust to the new darkness.

"I will remove the disillusionment on you now. Be mindful to always be very quiet in this hall," Severus said in low tones, before tapping her on her head to get rid of the Disillusionment Charm. Tracey nodded her head at the odd instructions, and paid no mind as Severus repeated the process on himself. Her eyes had now adjusted to the dark, and she was able to better see the hall, what little of if there was to see.

Tracey had to say that her first impression of Grimmauld Place was anything but favorable. Her stomach twisted as her lips snarled into a grimace as she took in the dark and derelict surroundings. Truly, it wasn't much worse than Spinner's End, but at least Spinner's End was clean. However, as Tracey took in the details in the hall... the old dusty chandelier, the threadbare carpets, the candelabra on a nearby table, the peeling wallpaper, the old gas lamps on the wall... she knew that this house had once been the height of expensive, if dark, taste.

"Come along," Severus directed in a quiet voice, walking ahead of her. Tracey dutifully followed, her light steps muffled by the worn carpet underfoot. She took note as she passed a large portrait covered by black curtains, and was careful avoid the distasteful troll-leg umbrella stand, before mounting the stairs which she noticed with morbid fascination was mounted with the heads of House Elves.

On the first floor, she followed Severus down a hall, past two doors before arriving at a door that was slightly ajar. Pushing it open, he quickly ushered Tracey in before shutting the door behind himself. As her godfather busied himself with pulling her trunk from his pocket and returning it to it's original size, Tracey cast a somewhat disparaging and hopeless look about the room.

Like the rest of the house, it was only lit by gas lamps and was decidedly dilapidated. However, as she looked critically about, she noticed that it was decidedly cleaner than the hall. It at least was several layers of dust lighter, and the bedding at least looked clean. Tracey guessed this meant that someone had gone to the trouble of preparing this room for inhabitation.

Apart from the bed situated in the middle of the room, a towel rack beneath the window at the far end, and a night stand next to the bed, there wasn't much else to the room. It was draped in dark, grey-blue wallpaper that was peeling like that of the entrance hall and the bedding was covered in dark grey and black covers.

Taking note of the single bed, Tracey guessed this meant that she wouldn't have to share a room. However, as she considered the size of the bed, which would fit two conformably, she decided to make certain.

"Will I have to share the room?" she asked aloofly, her naturally sultry voice heavier still in the dark room.

"No, I felt it was best you were allowed your own room. There is one other bedroom on this floor, which is currently occupied by Miss Weasley. However, as I understand it, Miss Granger will soon be joining the Weasley's, and it is best for all involved if Miss Granger shares a room with Miss Weasley," he explained as he finished with his task and turned to look at her once he'd situated her trunk at the foot of her bed. "As I understand it, Mr. Weasley is on the second floor, and the twins are on the third floor with their parents.

"I am telling you now, Tracey, that I do not want you to venturing up to the third or fourth floor. I know there is a Hippogriff somewhere on one of these floors and I do not want you injured," he stated in a tone, that was by no means a request but an order. Tracey merely nodded her head and looked about with further distaste. "I also expect you to be respectful and be mindful of Mrs. Weasley."

Tracey raised brow at this and tilted her head as her gaze snapped at her godfather. That was not a request she expected to hear from him.

"It would be in your best interest," he merely stated at her mildly questioning and disbelieving look. "You are now surrounded by Gryffindors, who will take any sign of disrespect towards their matriarch as an invitation to make your life miserable."

"Very well. I will endeavor to be... civil to the senior Weasley's," Tracey stated coolly, though she didn't wholly like it.

"I expect no more. Now come, I must introduce you to Mrs. Weasley's before I'm off," Severus, motioning for her to follow as he swept past her. Tracey fought to contain a sigh as she made to follow her godfather once more, shutting the door to her her bedroom- for the time being- behind her. She could feel her stomach tightening on itself.

Retracing their steps, Severus led her back to the ground floor. However, Tracey noted that instead of moving along the ground floor, he instead lead her towards the door, which led to another set of steps, these leading to what she assumed was a basement. Pushing the door open at the foot of the cramped, stone stairwell, Tracey was somewhat surprised to find herself in a kitchen area. A very gloomy kitchen area at that.

"Oh Severus, I thought it might be you," a plump, short woman with bright red-hair called, turning momentarily away from her task, which Tracey guessed was making lunch. Making sure her stony expression was in place, Tracey followed a step or two behind her godfather and a little to his left, as he stepped further into the room and approached the woman.

"Mrs. Weasley," he said, by way of greeting as he came to a stop, before motioning Tracey forward. "This is my goddaughter, Tracey. Tracey, this is Mrs. Weasley."

Mrs. Weasley turned her kind gaze from Severus and offered Tracey a full smile. Tracey for the moment was suspicious, until she noted with a detached sort of bemusement, that the smile actually reached the woman's eyes and was sincere.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Tracey stated, though her tone came out in deadpan as she reached a hand forward. Mrs. Weasley wiped her hands on her apron before shaking Tracey's hand vigorously, which somewhat appalled the young girl, but she made no outward show of this. Though she wasn't often given to displaying them, Tracey did know good manners and when she should use them. It all came with being in Slytherin.

"It's lovely to meet you too, dear. Has Professor Snape shown you around-"

"I have only shown her to her room, but I'm afraid I can't stay much longer. I must be going now," Severus interrupted, his tone cool but his voice velvety smooth. Tracey felt her stomach twist at the knowledge that now he would be leaving her but forced herself to shove it aside. After all, she was not a toddler who clung to the skirts of her guardian. "I only wished to inform you that my goddaughter has arrived and introduce you before I took my leave."

At this, Severus turned away from Mrs. Weasley and turned to Tracey. Tracey turned away from the red-head woman, only enough so that the woman was still in her periphery as she turned to return her godfather's look. "I will come and check on you, presumably in the near future and I expect to hear nothing negative about your behavior."

Tracey crossed her arms over her chest, straightening her spine while arching a brow at the dark-haired man before her. Her gaze darkened as she thought about the fact that he may as well be telling her to behave, and felt offended as he'd already told her this before. Tracey had never liked being repeated questions or instructions to and Severus knew better than to reprimand her before other's like this.

"That was already understood, sir," Tracey deadpanned, her tone at least free of the defiance in her stance and gaze. Severus narrowed his eyes, but merely chose to nod his head telling himself that she was at least mindful of not being more outrageously rebellious and refrained from calling him Severus, something she knew never to do in the company of other's.

"Mrs. Weasley," Severus said by way of goodbye, before turning on his heel and succinctly vacating the area. Tracey tensed as soon as the door fell shut behind him and was struck with the realization that she was alone with a stranger. Turning slowly, making sure her face was still a mask of perfect stoicism, Tracey turned to the woman who was smiling gently at her.

"Why don't you have a seat at the table, dear? I'm about to serve lunch," Mrs. Weasley instructed. Rather than say anything in response to this, Tracey turned and picked a seat carefully at the very long table that dominated the center of the room.

Before anymore could be exchanged, the door towards the kitchen opened. Tracey, who had purposely chosen a seat that allowed her to face the entrance to the kitchen, tensed as she saw a tall, red-head boy come in and stop as he spotted her. His mouth, which seemed in the process of saying something, had frozen, his jaw hanging somewhat open as he looked at her with clear confusion on his face.

"Oh, Ron dear. Could you run up and tell everyone lunch is ready?" Mrs. Weasley asked, from where she stood over by the stove. However, Tracey only saw her doing this form the corner of eye, as her gaze had remained trained on the Gryffindor boy before her.

Tracey'd of course recognized Ronald Weasley as soon as she he'd opened the door into the kitchen. Given that he was tall and decidedly ginger-haired, and best friend's with the-boy-who-lived, he was difficult not to recognize, even if she hadn't been in his same year at school. However, as she noticed his blue eyes still frozen on her in uncertainty she realized that he did not recognize her.

Tracey didn't take this personally as she arched a brow at the still frozen boy, trying to gather his wits. For the most part, Tracey kept to herself and outside of her house, she never really bothered to interact with anyone. As she neither took part of Pansy or Draco's personal vendetta against the golden trio, and always tended to stay in the back, silently watching the proceedings, she knew that she was virtually invisible to the other houses. Considering she was Snape's goddaughter and that life could become very complicated for her if that got out, especially with Severus' role in the current war, it was really for the best.

"Who's this then?" Ron finally blurted when he finally gathered his wit's enough to speak. Tracey was unimpressed by the boy's choice of words. However, it seemed that Mrs. Weasley was not pleased with her son's rude question.

"Ronald Weasley, what kind of manners are those?" Mrs. Weasley asked, her tone heavy with displeasure, as she started magically setting the table and placing food along the center as well. "Now you run up stairs and I will introduce everyone at once," Mrs. Weasley instructed. Ron hesitated for a moment longer, before a particularly threatening look from his mother, had him turning on his heel and running up the stairs. "I'm sorry about that, dear."

Tracey merely shrugged her shoulders before looking over at Mrs. Weasley. "It's fine," she stated uncaringly, while Mrs. Weasley went back to work.

Gathering her wits about her, imagining what was coming next, Tracey placed her hands carefully in her lap. Absently, she pulled in the long sleeves of her black, fitted robes and traced the the outline of her wand tucked in her right sleeve where it was holstered.

Sitting straighter in her seat as she heard the unmistakable sound of steps, Tracey made sure her mind was clear and her face expressionless. However, the sudden sound of popping preceded the door opening and had Tracey tensing in her seat.

"What this we here we've got a visitor?" a voice piped up as two people appeared next to Mrs. Weasley, who shrieked and jumped in the air just as the door into the kitchen opened. Tracey had a hard time keeping track of all the red-head's that suddenly appeared and felt her stomach twisting in discomfort. She felt the coming of a headache as she felt eight different sets of eyes on her as Mrs. Weasley started to shriek at the twin's who'd appeared at her side out of nowhere.

Tracey tried to remain unconcerned at the looks she was given, returning each one fearlessly and coolly before Mrs. Weasley instructed her children to sit down. "And where is Sirius?" she asked when the four Weasley children finally sat, the four gathered there choosing to sit on the table opposite of Tracey and still staring at her with questioning and evaluating eyes.

"He's feeding Buckbeak, but he said he'd be down in a moment," one of the twins said as they both fell in the seat's directly opposite of Tracey.

"This is Tracey Davis and she is going to be staying with us for the rest of the summer. Tracey, these are my sons, Fred and George, and of course Ronald is in your year. And there at the end is Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said distractedly as she finished setting the table.

"Hold on. In my year? I've never seen you," Ron stated, looking at her suspiciously.

"Well then I suppose you're not particularly observant," Tracey deadpanned, earning herself a dark look, but Tracey didn't really care. She'd never been particularly friendly, and she wasn't about to start. She wasn't even sure she knew how to be friendly.

"Why is Tracey staying with us?" one of the twin's asked, using her name much to her surprise. Though she supposed she couldn't be annoyed as it was her name, and it was probably better than any alternative they could come up with. Before Mrs. Weasley could answer, the door of the kitchen opened once more, admitting a tall and slender man with curls of dark hair and haunted eyes. Tracey eyed him warily as he shot her a brief look before making his way to sit at the far end of the table.

"It this her then?" Sirius asked Mrs. Weasley, motioning towards Tracey with a careless wave of the hand. Tracey arched a brow, taking in the man that looked like he was in the process of putting on weight he lost, as his features seemed a bit too gaunt to be healthy and were a bit pale.

"Tracey is Professor Snape's goddaughter and Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore thought that Tracey would be safest if she spend her summer here," Mrs. Weasley explained, shooting a look towards the dark-haired man who Tracey took to be Sirius Black.

However, Tracey wasn't concerned with Sirius Black or Mrs. Weasley as she was with the four red-heads sitting opposite her, gaping at her in shock and horror. Trace felt her lips twitching in the need to snarl at their staring. She had of course been aware that the revelation of her relationship with Severus would be necessary, but that didn't mean she liked it in the least.

Taking a deep and calming breath, Tracey returned each look given her steadily and dispassionately. She could see the suspicions, the wariness, and the open distrust. She had expected this, after all she was a Slytherin and she'd been dropped in a nest of Gryffindors. All there was for it was to grit and bear it.

TBC...