Chapter 1:
*No One's POV*
Night terrors scare the almost eleven-year-old little girl in her sleep, but they aren't just normal night terrors. They are memories of her past. Sweat wets her ebony black hair and pale neck. Finally, her eyes open to show piercing emeralds.
She sits up quickly and feeling her heart racing.
Her window shows the night sky of stars and no moon in sight.
A sigh escapes her small lips a little annoyed that it happened again. A moonless night means nightmares from the past for the little girl.
Suddenly, she feels even more scared and lonely. There's only another person in the home she lives in. The summer night's coldness shivers her body even with the black long sleeved pajamas top and matching pants covering her.
Her pale bare feet try to make hushed footsteps towards where the sitting room is. She tries to keep herself hidden when she got to the door frame entrance.
Hogwarts' Potions master and professor, Professor Severus Snape, is reading a book from his collections of books with the fireplace lit up. He's wearing his sleepwear.
"You shouldn't be out of bed….this late of night," he speaks in his usual cold tone, startling her a little. "Come forward, daughter," he tells her while still reading the book.
She straightens up her posture before walking over to him with her head bowed. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she calls him by what she always call him for years, softly.
"Which one is it this time?" he asked her.
"Mother's and Father's killings," she answers quietly.
Severus finally looks up from his book to the sad little girl. "Zelenia," he sighs out her name and closing her book. "I have made a lifelong promise to your birth parents that I will raise you as my own daughter….and protect you from everything," he tells the truth.
Hearing that makes her smile a little.
"Come now, let's make some tea with a sleeping potion to help you," he speaks while standing up.
"Daddy, can you be with me while I try to sleep please?" she asked him, looking up to him.
"Of course," he smiles softly.
Zelenia smiles big with her eyes closed.
Severus always know that once a moonless night comes, his adopted daughter will be reminded by the horrible memories of her past before he took her in.
She watches her adopted father make her an earl grey tea with a small amount of the sleeping potion. He hates it whenever he gives her a potion that will only be food for one night and nothing else for countless amounts of time. It's not good for her.
He watches her take the tea with the potion.
The little girl drinks every single drop in her favorite black teacup. Her pale eyelids begin to feel heavy as the potion takes effect.
"Come now, Zelenia," Severus says softly, gently picking her up in his arms. "Let's go to sleep…..tomorrow is a big day for you."
Zelenia can barely hear his words as the potion takes full effect over her into a deep sleep.
*Next Day*
*Zelenia's POV*
The next day, I feel a little bit better than last night. Mainly due to that today I'm getting my school supplies for Hogwarts. I miss Hogwarts very much over the summer and now I can attend it as a student, not just hanging out with Headmaster Dumbledore or Madam Pomfrey.
The full-length mirror shows me my reflection when I begin to put on my outfit for today. A sleeveless black dress with a high neck covers most of my body as it falls to my knees when the black tights cover my legs. I place on a black cover-up shawl that is like a cape around my upper body.
Daddy's cooking of breakfast catches my attention.
I walk down the stairs to the dining room to see Daddy setting up the table with the food.
"Morning, Daddy," I greeted him with a smile. "Do you need help with anything?" I asked, offering help.
"Morning, daughter," he greets back softly. "You may help with setting up the table."
"Yes, Daddy."
The dining room table is set up for four people. It's always been like that since he was living here in his youth.
"Zelenia," Daddy speaks up, catching my attention. "We are going to meet up with the Malfoys at the Diagon Alley."
"Really, Daddy?" I asked him, surprised.
"Yes. It's been a while since we last saw them," he reminds me as he places down the remaining of the food.
"Yes, it has."
Daddy's friends with Lucius Malfoy, the patriarch of the Malfoy family, for years now. So, it's natural for me to be friends with them as well.
I even remembered the first time I have met them.
*Flashback*
*No One's POV*
Zelenia was just five years old when Severus took her to the Malfoy Manor. He holds onto her tiny pale hand as they walk down a street. He's wearing his regular dark clothing while she's wearing a long sleeved dress with a flowy skirt, black tights, and black mary janes. She also has an emerald green headband to keep her ebony black hair out of her pale face.
"Daddy, where are we going?" she asked him while holding his hand as well.
"We are going to meet some of my friends, who are also friends with your parents," he answers coldly. "They have a son around your age….you can play with," he explains as he looks down at her.
"Am I allowed to?"
"Of course, you are, daughter. I trust this family," Severus answers, making her nod her head.
When I heard that Daddy trusts, them, I knew immediately that I would have a friend for real.
Soon later, they arrive at a beautiful mansion like building. Zeleina's eyes widen at how big and grand it is. This is different than their home on Spinner's End.
"Come now, Zelenia," he says to me while looking down at her.
She nods her head again.
The grand doors open for them as a house elf greets them, "Welcome to the Manor, Family of Snape."
"Thank you, sir," the little girl smiles to the magical creature.
Her kind gesture surprises him a little. "I'll let Master Lucius that you two are here," he tells them, leaving her confused a bit.
"Did I do something wrong, Daddy?" she asked Servous, a little worried, looking up.
"You did nothing wrong," he answers, looking down at her.
That's when the Malfoys appear towards Severus and Zelenia.
She watches them a little shy and hides behind his leg.
Lucius is tall compared to her with long blond hair, gray eyes, pale skin, and dark dress robes. He's very handsome. Next to him is Narcissa, his wife. She has long dark brown/blond hair, dark eyes, pale skin, and she too is wearing dark dress robes. She's so beautiful. Their son, Draco, really notice Zelenia first. He looks just like a younger version of his father and wearing dark dress robes like his father. He looks around six-years-old.
His stormy eyes look over to the emerald green eyes of Zelenia. She looks back at him the same way he is looking at her. Their ears heat a little at the sight of each other.
"Severus! Good to see you again!" Narcissa greets him with a smile. "And who is this?" she asked about the little girl at his leg.
"This is Zelenia," he answers, placing his hand on her shoulder. "My adopted daughter, she's Larkin's and Rayne's daughter," Severus explains.
"Oh, our dear friends," Narcissa remembers them. "They were brilliant to us."
"Very much so," Lucius adds in. "Draco," he speaks to his son, who is still looking at the little girl. "Why don't you and Zelenia go play together while your mother and I can speak with Severus?" he asked him.
Draco didn't break the contact as he walks over to her. "Would you like to play with me?" he asked her softly.
Zelenia wasn't sure of how to answer him. So, the contact is broken as she looks up to her parental figure.
Severus looks down and nods his head.
"Okay," she speaks softly to Draco.
The little blond boy smiles big and leads her to where the playroom is. She begins to skip along the way there.
"She seems happy," Narcissa remarks about her skipping.
"Tonight's the full moon," Severus tells his friends. "That's when she's at her most happiness."
*Flashback Ends*