Prologue

Dumbledore discovered something odd in the school mail. He picked up the basket and note, reading over it. "Oh my..." With a curious and concerned face, he traveled down into the dungeons with the basket and note. He didn't want to interupt one of Prof Snape's classes, but he had no choice. This was rather important. He burst into the classroom and rushed to Snape, "Severus..." He spoke quietly. "I must speak with you."

Severus was rather annoyed when his class was interrupted mid lecture. He hadn't been teaching long, a year or two now and the war was over. His irritation turned to curiosity when he saw it was Albus who had interrupted his class. "Yes headmaster?"

"There's something you must see. Is there a possibility that I can speak with you in private?" He glanced at the students and moved the basket out of their sight.

He sighed, two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as he nodded. "Class dismissed." He watched the students pack up and leave before addressing the headmaster once more. "What was so important?"

He set the basket on a desktop and handed Snape the note. "These just came. They were sent to the Hogwarts mail, but your name is on it. I thought you'd know more..."

He quietly read the letter outloud, falling to sit on a nearby desk. "Severus, my love, I am sorry to inform you in this way. When you left for the school year I hadn't even suspected what might be happening. Neither of us did. The mid-wife and healer promise this and our precious cargo will reach you safely. I am sorry that i will not be joining you." He stopped a moment, noticing the handwriting had changed from hers to anothers. "Sakura did not last long enough to name the child. Take care of her. We have taken care of Sakura's funeral and some of her hair was name into solid, resizing bands for you and her child. Be healthy and visit with my grandchild when you can." The letter fell from his limp hand as he turned eyes slowly towards the small bundle in the basket.

Dumbledore looked over the child, watching her sleep. He looked up to Snape when he heard the silence, "Well? I didn't read the entire letter, since it was addressed to you."

"She... The child is mine. Sakura nor her father told me if the child was a boy or girl..." He was afraid to move.

He smiled and picked the baby up. "That's wonderful news. Severus, this child looks healthy. Do you want to hold her?"

He nodded, still looking a little shocked. "I was married to Sakura. People don't trust me still, so we thought silence would keep her safe." He smiled a little, looking to his child. "What do you think of Siusan Snape? Siusan is gaelic for lily..."

"It's a lovely name, well for this world." He handed the baby over. "I'm sorry you had to get her this way. It's going to be hard to raise her without her mother."

He nodded, cuddling the child close, a bit nervously. He looked up with a sinister smirk on his lips. "What potions do you think I can feed any boys that come near her?"

"At her age, Severus?" He laughed. "I think you can wait a fair bit before you have to fear any boys coming too close."

Siusan opened her eyes and yawned. She stared up at Snape and whined some.

He chuckled and nodded. Hearing the whine he looked down, tears coming to his eyes as he stared into brilliant violet eyes. "I see my little girl is awake... Albus, look at her eyes..."

Siusan squirmed a little and let out a hiccup.

Dumbledore leaned over and looked at the child, "Well... what do you think about that? I've never seen such lovely, yet odd colored eyes on any child."

"She has Sakura's eyes..." He bent down, placing a soft kiss against her forehead.

"Ah... They are lovely. Shall I cancel all your classes for the day?"

Siusan sputtered and grabbed his nose curiously.

His voice came out funny. "I only have one more class of first years and we aren't doing more than lecture at the moment. she shouldn't be inthe way."

"If you think you can handle it, I'll be on my way. Good bye, little Siusan."

She looked at Dumbledore, pulling on Snape's nose.

"Good day Headmaster." He shot a mild glare at his daughter. "Siusen let go of daddys nose please."

She gurgled and sputtered into a laugh.

He gently prised her hand from his nose, trying to send her another glare that he figured wouldn't phase her any more than it had her mother.

Siusan stopped her laugh and made a sour face, whining some.

"Daddy isn't really mad sweetie." He brushed his fingers over her forehead, moving to see what had been sent with her. "I would have been there for you both had she told me."

Siusan grunted a few times and started to squirm, as a foul smell started to lift off her.

"Oh MERLIN!" He had an idea of what that meant, having been around his godson. Looking through the basket he found what he needed and set her on his desk to change her diaper.

She looked at him, then around, reaching for a shiny vial of potion that was catching sunlight.

His hand shot out, movingit out of her grasp. "No Siusan, that isn't something to play with.

She grunted a few whines, grabbing on his sleeve and tugging.

He rolled his eyes and fixed her clothing. He hadn't let his class go too early and the next would be coming in soon. he carefully picked his daughter up, moving the basket to his desk with a flick of his wand.

She sputtered something in baby talk and looked around.

He raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out what was wrong with her.

She stared at him and reached for him, "Ma-ma."

He closed his eyes. "Baby... mama isn't coming back..."

"Ma... ba..." She whined some.

"hmm..." He moved to search through the basket and held up a bottle of formula in a self refilling bottle that would last a days time fluid wise. "Hungry?"

She eagerly reached for it, "Ma, ba!"

He let out a laugh as he put the bottle to her mouth. He didn't even notice the shock on the first years faces as they entered the class.

She gripped the rim and eagerly drank from it.

He smiled at his daughter and began his lesson.

Siusan drank until the bottle was half empty (and slowly refilling itself) until she pushed it away. She hiccuped a few times and started crying.

He stopped mid lecture, set the bottle on his desk and proceded to burp her.

Siusan squirmed in a cranky away until she had a burp slip out. She gripped his cloak and started to close her eyes.

He rubbed her back and continued his lecture.

She whined quietly and drifted to sleep.

AN: This was cowritten with a friend who likes to use Par Lucius when she signs stories online (mostly works from hidden realms forum). I used a name site so if Siusan isn't actually gaelic for lily it is gaelic and the only information on what it meant was the word lily. Next chapter likely to be a large time skip.