So, the ever-wonderful Provider of HP Fanart *lily-fox on deviantART did this comic, featuring our beloved Severus Snape, who gets something of a do-over. When he dies in the shack (yes I know it's different in the movie, get off me), he wakes up in bed, at home, with his daughter telling him that Mummy says pancakes are ready. And the idea of Snape getting a second chance at happiness was such an appealing one to me, as I had just bawled my way through 76% of the final Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, that I had to write a spin-off. And lo, we have this monster.

It will be longer. Much longer. Stay tuned.

Disclaimer: The idea belongs to lily-fox on dA. The characters belong, for the most part, to JK Rowling, may she ever live in glory for her work of literary giantism. Evelynn is a joint creation of lily-fox and myself. This, fortunately or unfortunately, is mine.

The Road Less Traveled

Prologue

Severus felt Harry push himself up off the rotted floor boards. His wand lay several inches out of his reach, his fingers to weak to move to grasp blood pumping out through the puncture wound in his neck was painful, but growing ever less persistent. The knowledge that he was dying was frustrating, in a distant way.

"Goodbye, Professor," he heard Harry mutter as he moved to exit the shack, the floorboards creaking terribly as he walked over them. Severus wanted to admonish him not to screw this up with his Gryffindor sensibilities, but he couldn't find the strength to open his mouth for more than a gasp of the dusty air.

The door creaked, and slammed. His spine felt the floor melt away, and suddenly, nothing mattered anymore.

-x-x-x-

Something small was sitting next to him. The harsh floorboards had been replaced by soft cushioning, and the dusty, damp scent of rotting wood had been replaced by the smell of apples and cinnamon and baked goods and something vaguely floral. He blinked sleepily, a small girl fading into clarity. She smiled, and irrationally, he felt his heart swell with happiness.

"Hi, Daddy," she giggled as he stretched out a hand to her. "Are you awake?"

"Mmm, yeah," he said, his fingers meeting her soft red hair. It felt familiar, somehow.

"Mummy says pancakes are ready," she said, nuzzling into his palm.

"Tell her I'm coming," he said, pushing himself vertical. She nodded and scampered off, her nightgown swishing around her tiny, stout legs. Severus looked around curiously, examining the bedroom he'd woken up in. Everything seemed familiar, in a way he couldn't explain-the chair in the corner felt like a compromise, the bookshelf filled with everything from Franz Kafka to Alberta Grubbs, a potions master in Scotland who had been a Hufflepuff third year when he graduated, drew a swell of pride and contentment from his chest. Nothing felt threatening, and the smell of the promised pancakes reminded him of his empty stomach. He slid his legs from under the blanket and stood, his bare feet curling on the hardwood floors.

The stairs were wider than his home at Spinner's End, lit by several electric wall sconces as he descended. The girl from earlier was chattering happily in the kitchen, and a woman laughed. He paused-that laugh. One he'd recognize anywhere. "Lily," he breathed.

"Morning, Sev," she said, looking to the stairs with a smile. "Apple cinnamon pancakes-your favorite. C'mon, they're not getting any warmer with you standing there."

"I must be dreaming," he murmured, stepping into the kitchen slowly.

Lily laughed again and kissed his cheek. "No, but you're sweet to say so. Here, there's butter in the fridge." She pressed a hot plate of pancakes into his hand and turned back to the stove top to ladle out the remaining pancake batter. "Your apprentice sent an owl this morning, by the way. Something about the shop exploding and he's going on vacation with his mother?"

"Mm, convenient," Severus grumbled without thinking, a familiar irritation sparking at the news. "I wish I could fire him, but alas. His father loaned me start-up money I have yet to live down."

"The gift that keeps on giving," Lily chuckled. "Why can't you just tell Lucius to go use his defunct family name elsewhere? You are trying to run a business, Severus."

"Because Draco has potential, if he would just get his head out of his... Evvy, don't play with your food, sweetheart."

"Daddy's right, it's going to get soggy if you don't eat it quick."

"But I like 'em soggy," the girl Severus somehow knew as Evelynn protested, pushing her pancakes around in a lake of syrup.

"You know, Lily, I think I heard about something similar..." Severus remarked casually to Lily, slicing an edge off his own stack. "Oh! It was in the Daily Prophet a few days ago. A boy from a Muggle suburb was playing with his pancakes, and he kept poking at them to make them soggier, and they transformed into a Scottish pancake troll and ate him. There was nothing anyone could do once he'd aggravated the thing, it was tragic, really."

Evelynn dropped her fork with a terrified expression, staring at her pancakes. "Really?"

"Mm. Really."

Lily rolled her eyes. "No, not really, sweetheart. Your daddy is being stupid."

"Like when he told me that there's a goblin hiding in my wardrobe?"

"Yes, exactly like that."

"Hey, I know what I saw," Severus said with mock defensiveness.

"You know, Severus, most fathers spend their time telling their daughters that there aren't any monsters in their rooms, not creating them."

Severus grinned, the expression moving onto his face before he was fully aware of what was happening, and kissed her on the cheek after taking a quick peek at the clock on the wall. "Well. Regardless of my poor parenting skills, I need to get to work at some point today. Especially if my beloved apprentice has fled the country with his mother."

Lily smiled fondly and ran a hand through his shoulder length hair. "Go, remedy whatever mess Draco has left for you. I'll bring Evvy around for lunch?"

Severus had already moved to the table, leaning down to plant a kiss on his daughter's forehead. "I would love that, dear."

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