She Came on a Windless Night
She Came on a Windless Night
Fan Fiction by: Mikaela Fleming
Original author and owner of Characters: JK Rowling
Start date: June 12, 2008
Ch 1: The Agreement
"I don't think you under stand Albus." He whispered as he fiddled with his cloak. "I've kept this a secret for nearly 15 years!" He gulped trying to refrain from shouting at the man. No one understood. Severus gazed at the man before him. Old, wise, and a hell of a person, Dumbledore had caused him much grief in his life but also relief. But, this time he was going to far.
"Severus, I believe it will be good for the girl. She is an extraordinary witch. She needs training. You know as well as I do what could happen if she fell into the wrong hands. Do you want her to be used by the Dark Lord? I think not. Her powers are beyond mine or yours. Maybe even beyond young Harry Potter. Hogwarts is the only option." Snape glared at the man.
"She is not stable! She has just now stopped screaming at night and clawing at the sheets. No 16 year old should have to deal with this kind of pain!" Snape let is head drop into his hands. "I'm a failure. The girl is proof enough. If I had been a better man she wouldn't have been born with this disease" Dumbledore placed his hand on Snapes.
"Don't blame yourself. It's not a disease it's a gift. A gift with consequences and a gift that shouldn't have been hidden from me for so long, it will need to be controlled sooner than later. I know you can see the danger and power she posses. Please, trust me Severus." Snape looked up at him. Why should he trust the old fool? Sure Snape owed him his life but he felt like he had already paid him back. He was a damn spy for gods sake. He put his life on the line for Dumbledore every moment of the day. But no, He still owed him more apparently. Snape rose from his seat and turned on his heel.
"Will you enroll her or not?" Dumbledore asked at Snape's retreating back.
"Doesn't seem as if I have a choice" He muttered back through thin pinched lips. He sulked off black hair whipping by his ears. His midnight black cloak billowing behind him. The image was a sure frighting one. Snape could hear Dumbledore's chuckle as he left. Oh how Snape despised ever agreeing to stay with him. He despised ever agreeing on being his little spy. It caused more pain than it was worth. Severus pulled out his wand and whispered the unlocking spell. "Alohomora" he muttered to tired to use his key. Snape grabbed a few of his Potions Spell books and left the Dungeons office glad to be leaving the school. This place was more of a prison than a school for him. Severus continued to walk; his walk was very downward and cruel. Minerva McGonagall spied Snape and she gave a small wave of her hand. What was he doing here during the summer? Her question was not answered for Snape apparrated as soon as he was off of Hogwarts Grounds.
Snape opened his eyes. His home was a dark large moody mansion called Snape Manor. It was original owned by his good for nothing parents who died a while back. The house was much to large for just Severus and Severus alone. Only two people lived in that house. The house could have fitted 20 comfortably. Though the house was large Snape was not a buyer of grand things. The home consisted of the beautiful somewhat evil possessions of his parents but Snape had added nearly nothing. The Gringotts bank was overflowing with his money. He spent almost less then what was necessary for food and clothes. His Ancestors were greedy and held on to there money with tight fists and Severus hated them so. His goal in life was to be as unlike them as possible. He marched into the mansion with a sour look on his face. He was not in the mood for conversation. "Are you awake?" He barked out into the thin air. A small voice called from one of the many rooms upstairs. "Yes sir"
"Then get down here" Snape snarled. He sighed and pinched his lips together. He shouldn't have been yelling. He tried his best to be kinder around her but after his conversation with Dumbledore that was extremely hard. A pale hand turned on the light to the Dining Room.
"You called for me?" Snape nodded and put on his best bored face.
"As you know Albus summoned me today for a meeting at the School, He told me that I should enroll you in Hogwarts." He looked at the girl for some kind of reaction but she had learned well from him how to hide it. "So you will be enrolling when the summer is over." She gave a small gasp. Her face lost it's mask and she sunk to the ground.
"Really? You mean it! Oh my gosh. I've... I've never left this house before; I get to go to School?!" Snape tried to hide his hurt. This girl loved the idea of school when normally anyone her age would be turned off by the thought. It just proved to him how much of a failure he was. She stood up and gave Snape a wide huge smile. He could tell she wanted a hug but Severus was very stingy about hugs. He was already in a explosive mood so hugging was defiantly out.
"I'll be in my quarters if you need me" He muttered and pivoted onto his heel and left. She stared off at him as he left. Snape could feel her stares. Her long black hair was clumpy and a bit messy. Her face a pale milky color, she was very thin but not underfed. She looked like a girl who had never had a hug or gotten any sunlight. But, she was still beautiful. She would be getting enough sunlight for the both of them soon enough. Snape growled in his throat at Dumbledore. Dumbledore was right, he normally was, and this would be good for her. Snape looked on last time before entering his room at her,
Nikala his daughter.
Chapter 2
You learn something new everyday
"You're a whiney brat you know that?" Hermione screeched at Ron as she threw her clothes into her suitcase. "All you do is complain about everything! It's extremely annoying Ronald Weasly!" Harry watched from the window seal where he sat. He sighed a little with a tiny smirk and got up. His two best friends had been at it all day. Hermione yelled some more at Ron her brown curly hair bouncing with every word she spit at him. Harry felt a small nip at his shoulder. Hedwig! He had told Hedwig not to deliver his mail to him unless he was alone. He gave her a dark glare and took the mail from her leg. He hurriedly put it into the pocket of his shirt praying Ron or Hermione saw it. They were to busy fighting to have noticed anyway. Harry stood leaving them to there bickering. He had happier things to think about. He rushed into the small room he was staying in at the Weasleys. For once glad he wasn't sharing with Ron. He wanted the time alone to read the letter. He tore it open quickly making sure the door was locked. The parchment was a bit crumbled and dirty. Harry knew he had enough money to buy better parchment but was much too tight fisted to do so. Harry gave a small snicker and opened the letter.
Harry,
Do tell me you're staying out of harms way? I can not write a lot due to the fact you are staying at the Weasleys and I have much to do to ready myself for the upcoming year. Had a talk with Professor Dumbledore yesterday, nothing to horrible, but there will be a bit of a surprise awaiting you when you return to Hogwarts. Do not be angry with me because I warned you. Do study. Or you will regret it greatly when you return.
Yours,
Severus Snape
Harry put down the letter and gave a wide smile as he engulfed the fumes coming off of it. Severus had written to him. It made him almost giggle with glee. He really didn't want to burn this one but knew he had to out of fear of Ron and Hermione finding it. He tore off the part bearing Severus's signature.Severus had started ending the letter with yours, and Harry thought he was taking a big step in there relationship. Then another thought hit him. Was Severus just doing this to butter Harry up for the surprise Snape warned him about? Harry was very nervous at the idea of a surprise. Severus had sounded very upset about the surprise. Harry could tell, even through the paper. He knew his lover well enough to know when something was bothering him. Harry burned the rest of the letter and winced when doing so. He tucked the other part in is pants pocket. Harry walked out of the room and a new smell tickled his nose. The smell of roasting ham and pumpkin juice, Harry's belly growled involuntarily. This smell wasn't as satisfying as Snape's but it would do for now. Harry walked into the kitchen to find Mrs.Weasley hard at work.
"Harry dear! Please come set the table for me would you? I called everyone down here but so far no body was listening"
"Sure thing Mrs.Weasley" Harry said taking the forks and knives and setting the plates down. Harry had no idea who was all coming for dinner but it looked like they were having 9. He made a mental list in his head. Ron, Hermione, Mr. Weasley, Mrs.Weasley, himself, and Ginny were coming. "Are we expecting company?" Harry asked looking up from the table.
"Yes, Fred, George, and Remus will be coming." Harry raised an eyebrow to that reminding himself of his lover.
"Professor Lupin is coming? Why?" Mrs.Weasley gave a small laugh.
"Oh, just needs to talk to Arthur about his love life dear, nothing horrible" Harry almost laughed at that. Lupin and love, those to really didn't go together. Harry decided to ponder it later. Fred and George were coming? Yikes, Harry had just recently broken up with George; he didn't know how he was supposed to act around him. He decided to just wait and see how George acted. The sound of yelling and screaming came from upstairs.
"Those kids" Mrs.Weasley said with a small sigh. Harry smirked. Ron came thundering down the stairs with an angry Hermione behind him.
"You didn't have to go and kick my cat Ronald! He didn't do anything to you"
"She bloody bit me!"
"That's animal abuse Ron, and he wouldn't have if you hadn't been teasing him."
"Now honestly you to calm down and shush up" Mrs.Weasley barked narrowing her eyes at them. Ron and Hermione nodded and sent glares at each other from across the table. Harry sighed getting a bit tired of it. He sat down beside Ron as Mr. Weasley walked through the door with the twins at his heels.
"Boys!" cried out Mrs.Weasley running over and hugging Fred and George.
"Ahh... Cant breathe" cried out Fred. Harry found it much easier now to tell which was which after dating one of them. George was more mature and a tad bit quieter than Fred.
"Aw, look what the cat dragged in." Harry turned to see George behind him with a smile on his lips. "Long times no see Harry" Harry stood and George swooped in for a short friendly hug. Ron looked at them with suspicious eyes. "No Ron, were not secretly dating" George said narrowing his eyes. "I can still be friends with him even after a break up." Ron shrunk down into his seat. He had reason to. Harry would punch his face in if he said anything stupid. George took the seat beside Harry making Harry blush a bit. Fred took the seat beside George. That made Harry blush ten times more. Mr. Weasley sat patting Harry on the shoulders at the front of the table. Mrs.Weasley sat down as well passing the bowl of food around to everyone.
"I'd say to wait for Remus but I doubt he will be very hungry" Mr.Weasley said digging into his mashed potatoes. Harry wasn't really listening, he was to busy inhaling the delicious meal Mrs.Weasley had made.
"So, How you been Harry?" Fred asked munching on a carrot. Harry's mouth was full of ham and he swallowed quickly. "Oh um fine and yourself?" Fred laughed.
"Mum did you drug the pumpkin juice? The boy can hardly speak" Mrs.Weasley hit Fred with a dish towel.
"The boys just hungry Fred, those muggles don't feed him! He is intitled to stuff is face." Harry looked down embarrassed. He hadn't known he was eating so much. George patted him on the back.
"It's ok Harry, don't listen to that twin of mine." Harry just nodded and gave a small laugh. He was still uncomfortable around George. He sensed that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley could tell.
"Hello?" came a voice from outside of the door.
"Oh! That's Remus!" Mr. Weasley jumped from the table to unlock the door.
"Hello Arthur" said the familiar deep voice. Lupin walked in and took off his traveling cloak. Harry held in a gasp. Lupin's face looked grey and sallow. He looked like a man who had fought off a hundred death eaters. "Oh! Remus come here and eat something you look horrid."
"Now now Molly, I'm fine, just a bit tired." Mrs.Weasley clicked her tongue disapprovingly but said no more. Lupin walked in and gave a friendly wave to everyone but he wasn't meeting Harry's eyes. What had Harry done? He couldn't remember making Lupin angry. "Arthur, as soon as your finished id like to have that talk" Mr.Weasley nodded wiping his face on a napkin. "I'll hurry, sure you're not hungry….?" Lupin shook his head and stood in the doorway. Lupin didn't sit down at all during the dinner. He just stood there while everyone talked and chatted and ate. Harry wanted to talk to Lupin. It had been almost a year since they talked just one on one. George and Fred finished up there food and went to help there mom clean the plates. They were going to do it by hand so they would have time to talk to there mum. Hermione left glaring at Ron saying "I'm going to take a bath." Ron glared back.
"Want to play some Chess Harry?" Ron asked after finishing his ham. Harry shook his head. "Nah, I'm going to study for a few hours." Ron made a sour face and went up by himself. Harry felt bad for being rude to Ron but he wanted to hear what Lupin had to say. "Arthur?" Lupin asked eyeing him. Mr.Weasley passed his plate to Fred and walked with Lupin into the Wealsey's living room. Harry ran upstairs avoiding Ron and pulled on his Invisibility cloak. He slowly headed towards the living room. He creaked the door open and slide inside. Lupin was sitting on the coach his head in his hands and Mr.Weasley was looking at Lupin with sad eyes.
"Remus I'm really sorry about this. I wish I could fix it but there's nothing I can do"
"I know..." said Lupin his voice muffled. "I'm not afraid of what people will think, I'm already a disgrace because of me being a werewolf. I'm just afraid of what Harry will think." Arthur sighed and put his hand on Lupin's shoulder.
"I see how you can find this disturbing. But I think Harry will understand. He dated George you know, I don't think he will be to disapproving." Lupin just made a sad moan.
"That doesn't matter! It's his Godfather, Harry will never understand." Mr.Weasley pulled away from Lupin and gave a angry snarl. "Remus Lupin Shut your mouth, Harry Potter is a very mature boy and he's gone through hell. He will be able to understand. People ridiculed him because he was with George there's no way he would turn against you because of your feelings." Lupin looked up from his hands and narrowed his eyes.
" Arthur, I asked for your help I didn't come here to be yelled at" Lupin jumped up and began towards the door but Mr.Weasley grabbed Lupin's arm. "Stop, just listen to my advice, you need to tell Harry before he finds out on his own you know he's good at that." Lupin gave a small side sigh. "Do you really think Harry will understand? Do you really think Harry will be ok with me marrying Sirius Black?"
Harry fell to his knees at the last statement. Marry Sirius Black? That was crazy talk, why would Lupin want to marry Sirius. He could never remember Sirius or Lupin say that they were gay or even together. Then Harry remembered there hug back in third year when they found each other. When Lupin found out Sirius was an innocent man and free of Azkaban how happy he was! Lupin had never showed feelings for other women and that's why Harry thought it was strange for Lupin to even be having a love life, but apparently he did. Sirius had never mentioned a lady friend either. Harry looked through the door to see Lupin and Mr.Weasly coming his way. He jumped up quickly and ran up the stairs as quietly as possible. He went into his bedroom and slipped off the invisibility cloak. Harry closed his eyes and looked for loop holes but found none. But why was Harry judging? He was having a secret affair to, and his would be considered worse, Mr.Weasly was right, Harry would understand. It didn't mean he would have to like it but he understood. Harry closed his eyes and sighed. It was going to be a long week.
Chapter 3: A Close Call
"Wake up Nikala." Snape hissed pushing gently on her shoulder. Nikala made a sad whining sound that made Snape's shackles go up. "Nikala I'm not teasing. We have to go to Diagon Alley. One of Nikala's ocean blue eyes opened. "We?" She asked
"Yes, we, now hurry up, Id like to get there before all those annoying shoppers do." With that Snape left the room and entered his own. He was already dressed and ready but he decided that Nikala would take a while so he should check up on his lover. Nikala stood up and immediately her legs buckled under her from excitement. She was going outside! She was going shopping! She giggled and hummed a tune that she heard on the radio recently. She pulled out a purple silk dress she had made. Her father wouldn't let her leave the house and no one was supposed to know she exxsisted so she had to make them herself. She had gotten very good at it. She pulled out her purple matching boots that she had found in the garbage and painted purple. She looked into the mirror of her bathroom. The mirror's talked back and sometimes Nikala would hold conversations with them during the year when Father was away. "How do I look today Alan?" She asked combing her mess of a hair.
"Lovely dear" Nikala smiled and continued her brushing. Nikala was an optimistic kind of girl. You had to be to have gotten through fifteen years of isolation. She did her best to see the Brightside of everything. She loved singing and she wrote her own songs. She didn't think her life was horrible, just complicated. Nikala pulled on her black traveling cloak Father had bought for her. She loved it's silky texture. She heard odd noises coming from her Father's room. She walked timidly and knocked lightly. "Father?" She murmured.
"Are you dressed and ready yet?" said Snape from the other doorway. Nikala nodded but noticed he couldn't see her nod and she called out. "Yes"
"Then go out onto the lawn I'll be there in a moment" Nikala sucked her breathe in. She had never been outside in her life. She turned the door knob, she had been waiting for this for some time now. She could remember back three years ago how she would sit at the door and dare herself to just open it a bit. She never did though, she was very obedient. Nikala's foot stepped out onto the grass and she breathed in the smell of fresh air. Her face broke out into a smile. There was so much air she began to feel light headed. But she still engulfed it over and over again. She sat down on there concrete step and closed her eyes basking in the sun. While Nikala was enjoying the outdoors Snape was inside reading a letter from Harry.
Dear Severus,
Everything is ok here. What kind of a surprise? Ron and Hermione keep fighting and it's gotten very annoying. I'm thinking about blasting them to oblivion but decided against it. I have been studying, very hard thank you very much. I learned some disquieting news recently and it's been bothering me a bit. I cant wait for the Hogwarts term to start. I miss you, do you miss me? I feel a bit distant from everyone and I'm excited because soon I will be able to feel close to someone again. I cant make this to long, ive got some business to take care of.
Forever,
Harry
Snape burned the paper quickly when Nikala knocked on his door but not after tearing off the Forever, Harry part. He was going to keep it as blackmail. He doubted Harry would stay with him forever. When the day comes and the boy begins to leave I will show him this letter Snape thought to himself tucking it securely in his robes. Snape stood still pondering over the letter as he walked through the front door and nearly tripped over his daughter. "Shi...Nikala what are you doing down there?" Snape grabbed the railing preventing him from falling on her.
"I'm sorry Father" Nikala said jumping up. "I was just enjoying the fresh air" Snape sighed. "It's fine." He mumbled helping the girl up. "We need to hurry to Diagon Alley, we have to buy your supplies for school" Snape muttered with some venom. Nikala suppressed a squeal of delight. She wished her father wasn't so unhappy about her going to school. This would be a good thing! She could feel it.
"Take my hand" Snape mumbled with a bored tone. Nikala hesitantly wrapped her smaller pale hand around the larger yellow one. "We are going to apparate, I've told you about that yes?" He asked. Nikala nodded her hand and braced herself. She heard it was very uncomfortable. It was, but Nikala had felt worse. The squeezing and suffocating feeling was no stranger to Nikala. As soon as her feet touched the ground nearly a thousand sweet near aromas filled her nose. Was that pumpkin pie? The smells were driving Nikala wild and she was incredibly excited. "Come on" Nikala looked up to see her father nearly 12 feet away from her beaconing for her to move. Nikala jogged till she met up with him her black cloak blowing beside her.
"Sorry" she mumbled.
"We will first be going to get your School robes." Snape said as he opened a door to the shop. Nikala walked in and smiled at the lady in the back helping a young man.
"Professor Snape?" said the boy in the back. Her Father looked up and his eyes widened for a brief second then returned to there normal shape.
"Aw, Mr.Malfoy doing your school shopping I see." Malfoy nodded staring at Nikala with his grey buggy eyes.
"I'll be right with you...Uhh..."
"Nikala, Nikala Snape" Nikala said with a small smile. The lady clicked her tongue and looked over at Snape.
"So it should seem." The lady finished dressing Malfoy and said. "Off you go sir hope you find those robes up to date" Malfoy gave a sneer behind her back and walked towards Nikala and Snape.
"You have a daughter professor?"
"Obviously Mr.Malfoy now please go find your mother before she dies of Anxiety." Malfoy narrowed his eyes at Snape then turned to Nikala.
"Till we meet again" he said trying to sound charming but Nikala had the urge to punch his face.
"Are they all so revolting?"
Snape almost smiled at that. "Only the Malfoys" Nikala just rolled her eyes at him. So far, she didn't love the outside world so much.