Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It belongs to the wonderful and talented Queen J.K. Rowling.

A/N: So, after watching Deathly Hallows Part 2, the intensity that the producers did it as well as Alan Rickman's fabulous acting made me wish that Snape had a little more love in his life after Lily died. And then, this story started playing around in my head. Originally, I didn't want to write this story because I thought it was too cliché. The whole "Snape has a daughter who went to Hogwarts the same time Harry and the others did" has probably been overused. But I just couldn't get this off my mind. So I decided to give it a try. I'm not gonna promise that it will be amazing or that I'm gonna update a lot. I just needed to get this off my chest so here it is. This will mostly be flashback and I will explain more thoroughly in the next chapter.

Chapter 1-Letters

Severus Snape, current Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and double agent for the Order of the Phoenix, had a feeling of foreboding as he strolled through the halls of his beloved school during class hours. He wasn't a seer like the crackpot Trelawney but he just knew, he just felt, that he wasn't going to last very long. The Dark Lord was getting stronger, becoming more and more confident ever since he acquired- no, stole- Albus Dumbledore's wand. Severus also knew that Harry Potter was going to arrive at Hogwarts one of these days and he must prepare to leave the school in the hands of the Boy-Who-Lived. The ex-Potions Master was no fool; he knew that the Potter brat could handle things by himself. But how would he react to knowing the truth? Would he run away, just like how Severus had done many times in the past? Or would he stay and embrace his fate, saving both the Wizarding and Muggle world? Again, Severus had no doubt that the boy would choose the latter. He was a Gryffindor after all. Hard-headed and always playing the hero. But most of all, it was because he was Lily's son.

Lily, he thought, longingly. Maybe I'll see you soon.

After all this time, he could never get rid of his deep feelings and devotion for the green-eyed beauty, who captured his heart since day one. She was his best friend and the only woman he would ever love. And she had been forcibly taken away from him.

Doors opened and students filed out into the corridors in a single line, stiffly and silently. Severus never told anyone but he hated it. He hated the fake formality of it all. He hated the faux respect the students had for their new Headmaster out of both fear and contempt. He missed the students' loud chatter and rowdiness as they headed to their next class. It was annoying, yes, and Severus never thought that he would miss it. But it wasn't like that this year. For this year, Lord Voldemort and his faithful Death Eaters had managed to infiltrate Hogwarts, the only safe haven in England at this point. And Severus was one of these so called Death Eaters.

He knew some of his colleagues despised him for what they believed was his betrayal by murdering their previous headmaster. But he had to abide by Dumbledore's orders; he had to protect Hogwarts from the Carrows.

"Lil! What haopened to you?" he heard the voice of Neville Longbottom ask.

Severus turned his head to see a group Gryffindors file out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Amycus Carrow's class. Snape's eyes narrowed as a raven-haired girl in front of Longbottom touched a bloody cut on her lip and winced before shrugging.

"Just the usual," she answered, shakily.

"Are you alright?"

"I'd say I'm fine but that would be lying," she told Longbottom, trying to smile but grimacing instead.

Before he could stop himself, Severus immediately marched forward and gently grabbed the girl's arm. "What happened to your lip?"

The girl, who had always looked at him with devotion and admiration, now glared at him before extracting her arm from his hold.

"Nothing, father," she replied, gritting her teeth. "I'm late for Muggle Studies."

"I'll walk you," Longbottom said, narrowing his eyes at Severus.

"Thanks." She flashed the older boy a smile which disappeared when she turned to Severus. "Have a nice day father."

Severus felt a knife cut his heart at the acid dripping from his daughter's tone. But before he could say anymore, Lillian Snape turned on her heel and walked away, Longbottom walking after her. Severus hid the despair that his daughter's hatred made him feel. Yes, she hated him too, just like her fellow Gryfiindors. Because in her eyes, he was the evil villain. Because just like everyone else at Hogwarts, she didn't know the whole truth. He didn't want her to know. That way, she'd be safe. But he didn't know how long he could keep pretending that Lillian's hatred didn't affect him. She was his only family and he missed her.

Harry Potter was in Hogwarts. Alecto had informed Severus that the Dark Lord suspected Potter was arriving at the school that very night.

This may be my final night, he thought as he solemnly finished his letter with a signature.

He looked it over once more in case he had forgotten anything before carefully folding the piece of parchment and placing it inside an envelope. He addressed it properly and sealed it before placing his quill down. Leaning back on his chair, he looked up at Dumbledore's portrait.

"You've been very brave all this time, Severus," the old man's picture told him, smiling. "Lillian would be proud of you."

At the mention of his daughter, Severus' eyes met that of a picture frame that held the laughing face of his daughter when she was eleven years old, wearing her Hogwarts robes as she waved at the camera. Her midnight black eyes, a trait she inherited from him, held a gentleness and joy that had never been found in Severus' eyes.

Would she really be proud of him? He, a man who ran away from everything until it was too late? He, who had killed someone who was like a grandfather to her? She would never forgive him.

As if reading his thoughts, Dumbledore's portrait said, "Once she knows the truth, she will understand. You know your daughter well, Severus. She's a kind, understanding soul and she loves you very much. Her anger will fade."

"I'd rather she remain mad at me," Severus murmured. "I have disappointed her as a father." He placed his hands on his face in despair. "I wish I could have done more for her, just as she has done for me. I have failed again, just like how I failed with Lily."

"Severus-."

"Argh!" Severus grabbed the left sleeve of his black robes and pushed it up. The Dark Mark was burning. Immediately, he knew what this meant.

With no hesitation, he stood up and turned to face the portrait of the previous Headmaster. "I might see you soon, Albus."

The portrait could only smile, sadly as Severus left the office for the very last time.

It was over. Harry Potter won. The light prevailed over the darkness. Lord Voldemort was dead and had the Death Eaters fled. Hogwarts was celebrating.

And Lillian had barely survived with all the injuries before and during the battle. Her Gryffindor shirt was bloody from the dead bodies she had helped moved and were torn at the sleeves. The hem of her jeans was tattered and the right knee had a giant hole through it, showing a large purple bruise. On her pale cheek was a band-aid that covered a scar from a spell that just about grazed her during the battle. Her right arm was still covered in a bandage from burns inflicted by one of the Slytherins and her back still ached from the welts she got from the Carrows during detention about a month ago. On top of all, she was dirty and sweaty and her long, black hair needed washing. But other than those, she was fine. Perfectly dandy. Except not really.

After helping herself to some dinner in the Great Hall, Lillian broke away from the celebrating crowd to find herself a quiet nook. She would have gone to Gryffindor Tower so she could lie down on her own bed but she wasn't sure if the dormitories had been damaged as well. Most of the castle had been torn apart and were crumbling to nothing but rock and gravel. Finally, she decided to head to the dungeons; there was a chance that it wasn't touched since most of the battle took place in the Great Hall, in the corridors, and the school grounds.

True to her suspicion, the dungeons were not as heavily damaged as the floors above. Only a few minors scrapes on the walls from stray spells or heavy footsteps from the giants. Exhausted and wanting nothing more than to sleep, Lillian sat down on the last step and leaned against the wall. She didn't know if she could handle strolling down the corridor where her father had often ventured. The dungeons were his domain and walking through there, knowing that he never would again…

Finally, the tears that she had held for the sake of fighting came in torrents from her eyes. Her father was dead. He was gone. And she would never see him again.

Lillian brought her knees to her chest and cried into her filthy hands, wanting nothing more than for the pain to go away. Her sobs echoed through the silent dungeons as her shoulders shook in despair.

She felt like hours had passed since she started mourning her father's death but it had only been mere minutes. How time seemed to slow down.

"Lillian?"

She raised her head and sniffled. "In here, Harry," she called out, weakly.

Footsteps echoed against the stone stairs and the boy-who-lived appeared, dirty and banged up all over just like her. He stopped halfway, hesitating and unsure if he was welcomed.

Lillian flashed him a small smile, which he took as an invitation. He settled himself on the stair next to her. Both were silent for several minutes, a quiet moment of mourning for the man who ruled the dungeons.

"Did he suffer?" she finally asked, quietly.

Harry hesitated again before answering, "I'd be lying if I told you 'no.'"

Fresh tears pooled in Lillian's eyes and she brushed them away.

"He didn't deserve to die the way he did," Harry continued. "He had done so much for the Wizarding world and they didn't know it." He looked at her. "I'll make sure that he gets the honor that he deserves."

Lillian smiled gratefully at the green-eyed boy. "Thank you."

"I… I guess now we know why he named you 'Lillian,'" he said, smiling back. "After my mother."

She sniffled before giggling softly. "I'm honored to have been named after a brave woman like your mom."

"He was brave too, your Dad," Harry whispered. "The bravest man I have ever known."

With those simple words, Lillian broke down once again, anguish tearing at her once more. Tentatively, Harry laid an arm over her shoulder and she cried onto his shirt as he rubbed her shoulder soothingly.

This was how Professor McGonagall found them. She asked Harry if she could have a word with the recently orphaned girl and the former obliged, promising that everything would be alright. As soon as he was gone, the Gryffindor Head occupied the space he left. She gave Lillian a motherly smile and opened her arms. The strict Professor was hardly affectionate but in this case, she could make an exception.

The young girl buried her face in the woman's robes, crying like she was a child again and had fallen and scraped her knee. Only this time, she wasn't a little girl and her father would never hold her again and tell her that everything would be alright.

Minerva gently rubbed her back the best she could, whispering comforting words, assuring the young orphan that her father was in a much better place, that he was no longer suffering with the burdens his role as a spy had given him.

Finally, Lillian lifted her head from her teacher's robes and wiped the tears from her red-rimmed eyes.

She cracked a small smile. "Thank you, Professor."

Minerva smiled back and stroked the girl's lanky, dark hair. "You're always welcome to stay with me until Hogwarts is rebuilt. You don't have to return to Spinner's End alone."

Lillian sniffled before shaking her head. "No, I don't think I can inconvenience you Professor."

"Not at all, Lillian. Before… Before Professor Dumbledore died, Professor Snape and I were good friends despite the rivalry between our Houses. And now that we know the truth, I feel that I owe it to Severus by taking care of you."

"Professor, I really do appreciate your offer but I can't take it. I… I think I'll just go to Mum's, like I did last summer. She has to know everything that happened and… well… someone has to take care of Spinner's End. I can't just leave it. Aside from Hogwarts, it's the only home I've ever known."

"Are you certain of this decision?"

Lillian nodded. "Yes. I'll be alright."

Minerva smiled. "You truly are your father's daughter. Brave and bold, though you'd never admit it." She reached into her robes and pulled out an envelope. "I found this in the Headmaster's office. It's addressed to you so I believe it's from your father."

The raven-haired teen took the letter and indeed, saw her name in her father's familiar neat script. She could feel the tears come again and she did her best to hold it all in.

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall."

Minerva patted her on the shoulder before standing up. "You should rest. I'm sure that if you go to Gryffindor Tower now, you'll be able to sleep with no disturbance. Everybody else is still in the Great Hall."

"Thank you. But I think I'll stay here a little longer, if that's alright with you, Professor."

Minerva nodded. "Take your time."

With one last smile, the newly-appointed Headmistress left Lillian to her thoughts.

The raven-head stared at the envelope for several minutes, turning it over and over in her hands. This letter was officially her father's last words to her. What would he say? Had she been a disappointing daughter to not see her own father's suffering? No, her father would never be cruel. He may have acted unfair to her classmates but she knew that he loved her as much as a father could love his daughter.

Finally, with a shaking hand, she broke the seal and took out the long sheet of parchment.

My dearest Lillian…

To be continued…