Alright, here's my new story. This is an AU. In this story, Minerva adopted Severus when he was in his fourth year just to clear up the confusion. Scarlet and Scarlynn Rose are my characters but the rest belong to JK Rowling. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Nothing to Worry About

Twelve Years Earlier

Scarlet Rose was pacing in Minerva McGonagall's office. She was scared and trying to figure out what needed to be done in this situation. She finally stopped and took a seat across from the woman she had come to see as a mother. "I don't want to, but I think the only way to do this is to hurt him."

Minerva took a sip from her tea. "I have a hard time having you ask my permission to hurt my son."

"Damn it, Minerva, I don't want to, but what do I do? He was the one that became a spy. I can't help it that he wants to risk his life, but I will not risk the life of our child together. I want to keep this baby safe and the only way to do this is to make Severus believe that the child isn't his for the time being." Scarlet told the woman. "Lily and I already figured it out. Sirius agreed to pretend to be the father. He isn't around much anyway and it would be the perfect cover story just until Voldemort is defeated." She reached across the desk and grasped Minerva's hands giving her a pleading look. "I love Severus more than anything, but I love this baby more and I need to keep it safe. Please, help me."

Minerva let go of Scarlet's hands and leaned back in her chair, her eyes piercing the young woman across from her. "Severus was going to propose to you."

Scarlet's eyes widened in shock, "When?"

"Tonight."

Scarlet closed her eyes, "Then I'll have to do this tonight." Seeing the look on Minerva's face, she quickly said, "Minerva, this is killing me inside, you have to understand. Please, you don't have to approve of this, but I ask that you go along with it. I promise that someday I will tell him the truth, but I can't right now. It's not safe."

Both women sat there for several long minutes while Minerva thought about her response. Slowly, she nodded before saying, "I don't necessarily like this idea, but I understand why you are doing this. I promise you that I will keep your secret, but I need a promise from you."

Scarlet nodded, "Of course, anything.

Minerva smiled, "Make me the child's godmother. I would like to be a part of my grandchild's life."

That night, Scarlet met Severus for dinner at a small restaurant in Diagon Alley. They made small talk for a while before Severus put his fork down and asked, "Is something wrong, Scarlet? You've barely touched your food."

Scarlet placed her utensils down, "Sorry Severus, I guess that I'm really not that hungry tonight. I-um-have something to tell you, but I don't know how."

Severus cut her off, "I have something I would like to ask you first." Severus got out of his chair and stood in front of her before he got down on one knee. "Scarlet Rose, I love you more than anything. You have been through the good and bad times with me. You helped me get through losing my friendship with Lily and also gaining it back. You taught me how to have fun, how to love. So, I would like to ask; Scarlet, would you marry me?"

Scarlet felt the tears rolling down her face as she shook her head, "Severus, I'm so sorry. I've-I've been lying to you for months. I've been seeing Sirius Black and I just found out I'm pregnant. I checked, it's his not yours Severus. I'm leaving you for him. I'm so sorry, Severus." And, before Severus could say another word, Scarlet stood and was out the door.

Scarlet saw Severus for the first time months later at an Order of the Phoenix meeting. He was already at headquarters when a six month pregnant Scarlet had walked in with a five month pregnant Lily. They both were laughing, discussing their latest bought of baby shopping when they walked in with James and Sirius talking behind them about Auror business. The two women paused when they saw Severus sitting there. Lily greeted him, "Hello Severus, Minerva. It's good to see you both."

Severus ignored her while Minerva, who first gave her son a firm look, smiled at her, "Hello, Lily. You look wonderful! As do you Scarlet. Pregnancy suits you both very well."

"Thank you Minerva." Scarlet said while she sat in the chair that Sirius pulled out for her. "We were just buying things for the nursery today. It was a lot of fun picking out the furniture and paint for the baby's room. Did we tell you what we were having?" Minerva shook her head. "Well, Poppy told me at my last appointment. We're having a girl! I'm so excited! I decided to go with a light purple scheme for the walls and maybe paint some clouds on the walls."

The three women kept discussing baby details until Dumbledore called the meeting to order. After the meeting was finished, Severus was the first one out of his seat and gone before anyone had the chance to talk to him. Scarlet longingly looked at where he had just left, but Minerva put a hand on her shoulder. "He's hurting right now, but he shall be fine. Just give him some time." Scarlet only nodded in reply.

In June, Scarlet gave birth to a healthy baby girl whom she named Scarlynn Maggie Rose. She was the most beautiful baby that Scarlet had ever seen and she deeply wished that Severus would come and see her. She named Minerva Scarlynn's godmother and Lily and James her godparents. On the fake birth certificate Scarlet sent to the Ministry, it read that the father was Sirius Black and the godfather was Severus Snape. However, she kept a real one where the names where switched around just so her baby could one day know who her real father was.

Lily had given birth to her son Harry James Potter in July and a year later, the Potters were in hiding. By November, Lily and James were dead, leaving their fifteen month old son an orphan. Scarlet had offered to take in Harry and raise him as her own, but Albus Dumbledore had refused her. He had told her that Harry need to grow up away from his fame and live under the protection of the blood wards. He also told her that the Ministry would never let her take custody of Harry due to her affiliation with Sirius Black, the one who had betrayed his best friends and was the father of her daughter. So, Scarlet had packed up her daughter and moved to the muggle world where she became a High School Science teacher.

Present time

Scarlet smiled as she unlocked the door to her house and heard the music coming from the back room. Scarlynn was quite talented and this made Scarlet proud of her daughter. She closed the door with her foot and picked up the groceries and brought them into the kitchen. She set them on the table and walked to the back room where she stood in the doorway and watched her daughter play. She watched as her thin slender fingers seemingly danced across the keys. Suddenly, she stopped and turned to see who was in the doorway. Her daughter gave her a smile before asking, "What are you doing home so early?"

Scarlet walked over and ran her fingers through the long black hair. "Remember, it's Friday. My summer school class gets let out early on Fridays. Besides, I have an appointment with Poppy tonight then we are having dinner with Minerva, remember?" Scarlynn leaned back and stared at her mother with her onyx eyes and gave her another smile.

"I had forgotten about that. Oh, I'll have to tell her that I got my Hogwarts letter as well." Scarlet laughed as her daughter got up from the piano seat. "Mom?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you have to see Poppy again?"

The pair walked into the kitchen and Scarlynn began helping her mother unload the groceries. "Remember how tired I've been lately?" She nodded. "Well, Poppy is just going to make sure that there is nothing wrong with me. I'm sure it's just stress, but Minerva thinks it might be something else."

"Ah, so this is Aunt Min's doing? Figures," Scarlynn replied with a sly smile which made Scarlet laugh.

Scarlet rustled her daughter's hair and told her to run upstairs and get herself ready for they were leaving in half an hour. As she watched Scarlynn happily bounce up the stairs, Scarlet let out a tired sigh before sinking into the nearest chair. She didn't know why she had felt so tired lately. Usually around this time, she felt ready to take her summer break, but recently she just felt more tired than normal. She mentioned it casually to Minerva last week and she had, in Scarlet's opinion, blown it all out of proportion. She had gone off about all the different things that could be wrong with her and asked when the last time was she had seen Poppy. After a twenty minute discussion on the matter, Scarlet agreed to come that Friday and would bring Scarlynn with to see Minerva.

She closed her eyes and ran a hand down her face before standing up because she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Scarlynn walked in the kitchen with her hair in a braid and her traveling cloak on. It was probably too warm to be wearing a traveling cloak, but Scarlet's daughter wore it every time they went to see Minerva because the old woman had gotten it for her birthday last year. "I'm ready, Mom." She nodded as they both stepped towards the fire place.

Scarlet motioned her head towards the floo powder and watched as the black haired child grabbed a handful, threw it into the fireplace, and yelled, "Minerva McGonagall's office, Hogwarts!" And she disappeared in the green flames.

Minerva looked up from her paperwork and smiled when she saw who came out of the fireplace. While she was brushing herself off, Minerva got a good look at her goddaughter. She looked an awful lot like her mother, but she did possess some very distinct features from her father. She had her father's black hair and his black eyes. She also possessed his slender fingers and his quick wit. Minerva stood and came around her desk and embraced the young girl. "Hi there child, how was your day today?"

"It was great Minerva! I'm working on a new piano solo to play before I come to school. I got my letter this week! I know that you sent them, but I'm just so excited. I want to learn charms, transfiguration, and even potions." Scarlynn excitedly told the older woman. Minerva chuckled at the girl's antics.

"Child, where's your mother? Was she right behind you?" Minerva asked concerned.

"Oh, she should be coming. She just needed to make sure the house was locked and the lights were off. At least, I think that's what she was doing," Scarlynn told her, concern now etching across her face.

Just then, the fire place erupted in green flames and Scarlet popped out of the fireplace. Minerva was there and Scarlet grabbed her arm for support. Dizziness overtook her and she closed her eyes. Minerva steadied her, "Scarlet, are you alright?"

Scarlet took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and nodded, "Just a bad floo ride I guess." She gave Minerva a look and pointed her head towards Scarlynn letting Minerva know to drop it around her daughter. Minerva nodded and turned back towards the eleven year old girl.

"Scarlynn, I have an idea. Let's go up to Albus's office. He has a small piano up there and told me he would like to hear you play while you came to visit me today. How about we go up there while your mother goes and visits Poppy?"

Scarlynn nodded a little uncertainly, looking at her mother. Scarlet walked over and gave her a hug. "Don't worry, bud, I'll be just fine. Go and up and see Albus. I'm sure that he really wants to hear you play."

Scarlynn's face broke out into a smile and she grabbed Minerva's hand and drug her over to the fireplace. "Bye Mom, see you after your appointment. Good Luck!" And with that, she disappeared into the fireplace.

Minerva stayed back a moment and gave the woman a piercing stare. "Scarlet Rose, you had better go and see Poppy. I shall know if you don't."

"Quit worrying Minerva. I'm heading up there right away. Really, I'm sure that it's nothing." Scarlet brushed the older woman off.

"If you're sure…"

"Go and listen to my daughter. She's been practicing most of the day and wants you to hear it." Scarlet said while giving Minerva a slight nudge towards the fireplace.

"Ok, ok, I'm going. Just let me know if you need me," Minerva said then she too vanished into the green flames.

Scarlet shook her head in amusement before grabbing her own handful of floo powder and transported herself to the hospital wing. Upon entering Poppy's office, she heard voices out in the main area. She walked out to where the voices where coming from, but she stopped dead in her tracts when she saw who they belonged to. Poppy was facing Scarlet and, with his back to her, stood Severus Snape.

"Poppy, I can make more fever reducers if you wish, but I think one more batch will be all you shall need for the time being. I shall start making a couple of batches of nutrient potion and then some calming draughts if that is sufficient?"

Poppy looked at her cabinet before nodding. "I think I have enough fever reducers for the time being, so you can hold out on that, but I do think that if you make an extra batch of nutrient potions, that would be great." Poppy looked over Snape's shoulder and smiled when she saw Scarlet standing there. She waved at her before Scarlet could shake her head.

"Hello, Scarlet. I see you finally made your way over here to see me. How have you been?" Poppy asked her and when she did, Severus whipped around to face her.

"Well Rose, it has been awhile since we last met. Forgive me, is it still Rose, or did you marry that mutt before had got himself thrown into Azkaban?" Snape sneered at her.

"Severus! That is not—" Poppy tried to chastised the man, but Scarlet cut her off.

"It's alright, Poppy. Snape, you know very well that I never married Sirius Black, and I'm doing fine thank you for asking." Scarlet looked him up and down. "You appear to be your usual chipper self. What's wrong Severus? Not very excited to see your students after these long months of summer. Wait," she snapped her fingers as if she was figuring something out. "You're upset that Harry Potter and my daughter are coming to Hogwarts. What are you going to do, Severus, when both James Potter's son and Sirius Black's daughter both come to Hogwarts? It's too bad that Lupin didn't have kid as well, than you could get your revenge on three of the Marauders instead of just two."

"You go too far. You have no right to say such things." Snape sneered at her.

Scarlet put her hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, you are absolutely right. I have no right at all to be saying such things."

Snape gave her one last glare before turning back to face Poppy. "If there is nothing else…" Poppy shook her head. "Well, I shall have that ready in the next couple of weeks."

He strode and was about to leave when Scarlet stopped him, "Severus, you say that I have no right to use James and Sirius against you and the same goes for you. Harry is not James and Scarlynn is most certainly not Sirius. I expect you not to treat them like their fathers. Am I understood?"

Snape didn't even turn around to look at her. "Miss Rose, I shall treat the students in my classroom the way I see fit. If you have a problem with me teaching your…daughter, then I suggest you take it up with the Headmaster." And with that, he left the hospital wing, robes billowing behind him.

Scarlet turned to face Poppy. "I see he has only gotten more bitter with age."

"He has just gone through a lot of stuff in his life. It hurt him deeply when you left him and then when Lily died…" Poppy was saying as she led Scarlet to a hospital bed.

"Yes well, we've all had to go through a lot in the last couple of years, haven't we?" Scarlet said as she sat down on the bed.

"Yes we have," Poppy agreed, them she became professional. "Now lay back and relax. I'm just going to run a simple scan on you to see what's going on."

Scarlet lay down on her back and watched as Poppy ran her wand over her. Neither woman said anything while the scan was going, but Scarlet could tell that there was something wrong by the way Poppy's body became stiff and her face became serious. As soon as the scan was finished, Poppy looked at her patient and told her, "I'm just going to run one other scan. I found out what was wrong, but I just need to check something."

"Alright, you're that healer. Do whatever needs to be done." Scarlet told the older woman as she closed her eyes and let Poppy run the scan. About five minutes later, Scarlet heard Poppy lower her wand and she opened her eyes. Poppy looked at her with sad eyes, but her face kept that professional blank look. "What is it Poppy? What's wrong with me?" Scarlet asked as she sat up and leaned up against the headboard staring Poppy down with her blue eyes.

"Scarlet, what I'm about to tell you will be hard to hear. Is there anyone that you might want to come sit with you while I tell you what's wrong?"

Scarlet's head was spinning. Something was defiantly wrong with her and it wasn't going to be good. "Umm…Minerva. She's with Albus in his office." Poppy went over to floo Minerva, but Scarlet stopped her. "Wait, Scarlynn is up there with her. Don't make her worry, please." Poppy nodded and threw in the powder and stuck her face into to call Minerva down.

Albus was sitting in his desk with a large smile on his face and his eyes were twinkling. Minerva sat in a chair across from him with a very proud smile on her face. Scarlynn was sitting at the Transfigured piano playing the two the new song that she had learned over the week. It was a Mozart piece and very challenging. She could only play about half of the song, but that was alright. She mostly played for the fun and challenge of it. Just as she was playing the last measure, Poppy's head appeared in the fireplace. "Minerva, could you floo down here?"

Minerva rose from her seat and walked over to where Poppy's head was floating. "Is something wrong?"

Poppy looked at Scarlynn, who now had a worried look on her face, then back at Minerva and shook her head. "No. Scarlet is just being stubborn. You know how she is."

Minerva sighed. "Unfortunately I do know. She is just like Severus. Those two are some of the most stubborn people I have ever met."

Albus chuckled then waved Minerva on. "Go. Miss Scarlynn and I will stay here and talk about her starting Hogwarts here in about a month."

"Alright." And with that Minerva disappeared into the green flames. Upon entering the hospital wing, Minerva knew that Poppy had been lying. When she saw the scared look on Scarlet's face, she knew that Poppy had only said the things she had so as not to worry Scarlynn. Minerva quickly hurried over to Scarlet's bed, pulled a chair up and grasped the woman's hand. Scarlet's grip was firm and her face looked frightened. Poppy then walked over, pulled a chair up on the side opposite of Minerva, and sat down. "What is it, Poppy? What is wrong with Scarlet?" Minerva asked, miserably failing at trying to hide the worry in her voice.

"Scarlet, I'm sorry to tell you this, but…you have cancer." Minerva covered her mouth and gasped. Scarlet felt like her body had just gone numb. Her ears were ringing and she felt like she couldn't take a breath. Finally, after getting in a deep breath, Scarlet asked Poppy the question that was burning in the back of her mind.

"Is it treatable?"

Poppy didn't answer at first, but when she did, Scarlet already knew the answer. "No. No it is not."

Scarlet gave her a slow nod. "And…and how much time do I have?"

Poppy again hesitated before answering, "I would say about year. Maybe a little more, but I don't hold out much hope for it." The only response she got where the tears falling from Scarlet's eyes and she watched as Scarlet gripped Minerva's hand harder than ever.

Well, there's the first chapter. Review and tell me what you think.