PROLOGUE

He strode from the cliff face, the darkened sky, thundering winds, and pummeling rain matching his worry and rage towards his master.

He was accompanied by another older man, who stood watching him, his gaze a mixture of disgust, pity, and slight amusement, who was keeping along with him.

"Well," began the younger of the two, "I shall be departing." he announced once safely behind the cover of a tree, his voice laden with stress and pain. Images were flickering in his eyes, as he constantly blinked out the rain, and he turned, holding out his arm.

"Severus." the elder spoke, and gripped the shoulder of the outstretched arm, forcing him to stay in place, despite how frail he may have looked.
The man turned, hearing the urgency in the silver haired wizard's voice. His black robes and long, greasy black hair billowed around them as he turned, the storm raising in violence.

"What, Albus?" he snapped, the urgency rising in his voice.

"I am about to entrust in you your first task; never reveal what I am going to say in a moment." Albus Dumbledore dropped his hand to his silver robes, his face solemn, despite the roaring of thunder and flashes of lightning.

Severus Snape opened his mouth to protest; nothing Dumbledore had to say at the moment could possibly be more important than Snape reporting back to the Dark Lord before he slaughtered more innocent witches, wizards, muggles, and magical beasts alike!?

"The boy ... Lily's son ... has a twin sister." Dumbledore murmured.

Snape snarled under his breath. "And what of this girl is so important?" he growled.

Dumbledore shook his head, and chuckled in a sad, dark tone. "She is not only Lily's daughter ... but yours, as well." he grimaced, yet a dim light shone in his eyes.

Snape stood as still as stone. "How ... dare ... you ... mock-" his voice shook, yet Dumbledore cut him off.

"Death Eater and Double Agent you may be, you have known me long enough to know I wouldn't mock you within a situation like this." his voice was harder now, firmer, and Snape simply stood, mouth agape, processing this news.

He immediately looked up. "H ... How ... How can ..?" his voice trailed, and he shook with shock.

Dumbledore grinned, the light within his eyes brightening. "The magic of love." he whispered, obviously enjoying the thought of new life through birth.

Snape then remembered. He and Lily had crossed paths on a cold wintry evening while he was being relieved of duties. Glances were exchanged, then words, and before he knew it, she was inviting him inside.

Somewhere within her heart, she must have seen that poor wizard boy from all those years ago, because her voice carried a fine, very fine, yet apparent line of care towards him.

James Potter, Severus's rival, was gone doing work a long distance away with his friend, Remus Lupin, and Lily was expecting him back early the next morning.
The two old friends caught up with each other, and before they knew it was late ... dark ... and yet they were snowed in.
It was also cold ... and they found themselves turning towards each other for warmth.

The next morning, Snape left early, asleep on the couch, all moments of the night before washed from his brain. All he remembered was the talking, the announcement of James's scheduled early return, the snow-in. The rest was a dark blur; Snape was too tired to remember anything.

He found a note from Lily, telling him she was leaving to prepare for James's arrival, and that, if he had awoken himself, to go ahead and leave to risk further trouble.
Now, rushing back to reality, Snape realized what that trouble was.

Tears sprang to his eyes. He had a daughter with the woman of his dreams.

"Where is she?" he murmured, his voice slurred with emotions.

Dumbledore's face fell. "The orphanage at Godric's Hollow." he said quietly.

Snape faced contorted into something harsh. "Why!? You could have brought her to me; I know the situation could have brought trouble to Lily and James, but she's my daughter, too!" he snarled, his voice fierce.

Dumbledore raised his hand. "It is the safest way to keep her from as much trouble as possible. You and Lily both grew up within harsh relationships; you don't want that for your daughter as well, do you?" he questioned.

Snape's gaze fell. "No." he whispered silently, his former position of anger slackening in defeat to reality.

"Good. Then, you must understand. McGonagall will watch over her until the day she, hopefully, will be able to arrive at Hogwarts, where you will teach her, as will she and I." Dumbledore spoke kindly.

At this happier thought, Snape's gaze grew hopeful, and he peered up at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore then raised his hand, stopping Snape from asking. "No. Unless she figures it out herself, she may never know the truth. It will protect her. She is but one innocent life of whom it is probably best to keep just that; innocent." he smiled warmly to Snape, despite the sadness and understanding in his voice.

Snape simply nodded, his hope decreased, but, luckily, not destroyed.

The two exchanged a glance, then simultaneously turned to leave each other.

Just as Dumbledore readied, he was startled out of apparition by Snape's voice.

"P-Professor ..?" he murmured.

"Yes?" Dumbledore asked quietly, his back still towards Snape.

"What ... what's her name?" he questioned faintly.

Dumbledore then turned to him, and grinned. "She decided upon Lillian Evans."

Snape's heart warmed. A small smile stretched across his normally dark and blank face. "Um ... Th-Thank you, Professor." he then turned back, the smile having stayed.
Dumbledore mirrored his movements, and the two apparated away from the dark cliff face, and from each other, yet they knew that, due to the promise Snape made, they would be caught within each other's lives frequently, their next meeting surely not too far off.