Chapter 1:
*Raven's POV*
"Mommy," my four-year-old daughter speaks to me one night as I pull up the dark covers to her chin.
"Yes, Lillian?" I asked her smiling softly and giving her favorite doll.
"Tell me a story, please," she says smiling back and hugging her doll.
"Okay, sweetie. What story would you like to hear?" I ask and sitting on her bed next to her.
"You and Daddy," her request surprises me gratefully.
I look at her surprised for a few moments before smiling to her.
"Well, I've met your daddy when I became a student at Mommy's work," I begin to say words from my love story.
*Flashback*
I'm entering the grounds of Hogwarts as a new student at the age of eleven. There were others like me going into their first year as well. Nervousness and excitement surround me. It feels so surreal. Years of wanting to be here have finally come.
First years arrive into the castle where we all are being led by a professor in her wiser years. A large room with five long tables greets us. Four of them stand the next tone another and the last one is facing them.
"Hello and welcome to your first year. My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall," she introduces herself smiling. "I'm the Head of Gryffindor and your Transfiguration professor. This right here," she pulls out a hat, "is the Sorting Hat. It'll sort you into a house base on your personality. If I call your name, please come forward." She goes through a list. "Cedric Diggory."
A boy next to me walks up to sit down on the stool.
She places the hat down on his hat.
"Hufflepuff!" the Sorting Hat calls out.
One table's members cheer, telling everyone that's the Hufflepuff table.
A few more names were being called and more cheers from different houses.
"Raven Nightshade," she calls for me.
I walk up and she looks at me startled a little but quickly smiles to me.
Huh, that was weird.
I sit down on the stool as she places the hat on my head.
"Hmm…..pure blood….intelligent…..quiet…..born in a highly respected family…..kind….brave….creative…..and you lean towards the dark arts…..Slytherin!"
Everyone cheers from the Slytherin table.
A smirk curls up on one side of my lips when I walk over there. Along the way towards the table, I can feel a pair of eyes staring at me.
I turn my head to the side to see a professor staring at me stunned.
He has shoulder length dark as night hair with dark eyes, pale skin, and wearing a black cloak over his black clothing.
An eyebrow raises up in confession at this before heading towards the table.
*Reality*
"Why were they looking at you weird?" Lillian asks confused.
"That will be answered for another time," I smirk to her.
"But Mommy!" she pouts at this.
"Shh, shh," I gently shush her and kissing her forehead. "It's your bedtime and tomorrow I need your help with errands, okay?" I smiled at her.
"Okay, mommy," she finally gives in smiling. "I love you, mommy," she says with a twinkle in her matching dark eyes she got from Severus.
"I love you too, my little princess," I tell her smiling. "Sweet dreams, Lillian."
"Goodnight, Mommy," she mumbles falling asleep.
After making sure she's sleeping peacefully, I give her one last kiss on her forehead.
Gently getting up on my feet without waking up the little girl. Her room was originally her daddy's when he was growing up here. So, having a part of him will feel it safe and protected, making me at ease of that.
Severus's presence and memory are everywhere in the Snape home even though it is faint.
A single candle is lite in my shared chambers, lighting up the black and gray bedroom. The selected book for tonight gets into my hands. One of my husband's favorites.
I get into bed on the right side and begin to read.
No more grading on homework and tests for the next few months means my mind and body can relax from work.
At some point of reading, the all too familiar smells of his hair and the overall scent of him came back to him. My head turns to his side of the big bed. I feel a tear run down my cheek.
"It's been almost four years since that horrible day," I whisper sadly as I place the book down. "We miss you terribly."
The candle blows out, letting the darkness help me imagine he's still here wrapping his arms around me.
The next day arrives and I wake up early as usual before Lillian wakes up. My morning routine is simple; wake to take a shower, get ready, get dressed, and wake up Lillian to get her ready for the day.
A black towel wraps around my freshly showered body. Everything's going on as normal until I look up from finishing up brushing my teeth. A figure of my husband looks at me through the mirror.
"Severus!" I called out happily and turning around, but when I did nothing was there.
Tears run down my face as I drop down to my knees.
"S-Severus," I cry out to him softly. "I miss you so much."
I cry for him for a few minutes before finally pulling myself together. He wouldn't want me to continue doing this for the rest of my life.
Back on my feet, the usual morning routine goes by on schedule.
The outfit for today is black jeans and a long-sleeved black top. Simple makeup of concealer, foundation, mascara, and black eyeliner around my eyes and into double wings. Black small earrings pierced my ears, the necklace, and bracelet he has given me on our wedding day. Small black beaded on sterling silver chains to match my earrings.
I slide on my wedding ring. A black band with designs of swirls to show my pale flesh through them.
A small tug curls up on my lips when I look at the ring. It's different than any other ring, but it matches our love and our personalities. This is perfect.
My dark blue eyes close again to prevent the tears from falling. I take a deep breath to calm myself down.
Lillian's still sleeping when I enter back into her room. The familiar tug of a smirk curls up on my lips. She looks very much like her father in appearance while her personality is a mixture of his and mine. Slytherin will definitely be her house if she gets accepted into Hogwarts.
"Lillian," I gently shake her to wake her up. "Lillian, darling, it's time to wake up."
Lillian stirs a little and opens her sleepy eyes.
"Morning," she says with a sleepy smile.
"Morning," I smiled back. "Today's a big day for us."
"What are we going today, Mommy?" she asks as she sits up.
"You and I are going to have a Mommy and Daughter day at the Diagon Alley," I answer her smiling and helping her up.
She gets ready by changing out of her black nightgown and into her outfit for today. Short puffy sleeved black dress covers her body as dark gray trousers cover her legs.
I help out with a couple of buttons on her chest along with the collar around her small neck.
"Mommy?" she speaks to me as she sits in front of me on her bed. "Could you please tell me more of the story?" she asks when I get her dark purple comb.
"Well," I say and combing out her long hair, "after eating some of the food from the first meal, your daddy walked over to me to tell me who he is…."
