Disclaimer: Severus is still not mine. But Severus' wife and his daughters certainly are.
Notes: Chapter 2 is up. I apologise for how short it is, but, the next one will be longer. And it'll include Harry. Chapter 3 may be up tomorrow, but then again it might not. Again, I assure you this will be Snarry eventually. Also, I love reviews (hint hint, nudge nudge) and they help keep me inspired and interested in my own plot. So far, I like this story. And, next chapter, you'll get to learn all of the girls' names.
Severus looked around the semi-circle of girls standing in his living room. He hadn't seen most of them in years, only remembered them vaguely as loud, dribbling, and snotty children. But here they were, standing before him as beautiful young women. Except, the blonde girl and the brown haired girl in the midst of the horde certainly were not his. Neither was the red head. Severus frowned, then sneered.
"While you are here," Snape drawled. "There will be rules."
One of the girls snorted and Severus gave her an icy glare.
"You will not attend classes at Hogwarts."
"What?" The blonde girl exclaimed.
The red head slapped a hand over the girl's mouth and hushed her. Snape continued.
"You will not leave these rooms."
Severus was sure he saw a pair of eyes rolling in the mass of pale faces, but deigned no reply.
"My workroom, and ingredient storage rooms are off limits." Severus glared at all the girls one by one. "As are my private chambers."
A long pale arm was raised. Severus blinked at the girl, one of his own daughters, hiding his surprise with disinterest.
"Yes?" He snarled.
"Isn't this one of your private chambers?" Her golden eyes were steady, her face blank.
"You know what I mean." Severus growled.
Another hand shot into the air, this time belonging to the brown haired girl he was sure he hadn't fathered. Severus glared at her.
"Yes?" He ground out.
"Don't you want to know our names?" She cooed.
The simplicity of the request stunned Severus. Yes, he very much wanted to know their names so that he would know which patronizing creature he was addressing at any point in time.
"No." He sneered.
The girl looked hurt.
"Your room is to your left." Another hand shot into the air, but Severus ignored it. "You will find enough beds to accommodate all nine of you, and there is an attached bathroom."
The hand slowly lowered again.
"Do any of you have any further questions?" Severus snarled.
No one moved, although the brown haired girl had dissolved into silent sobs and was being comforted by one of her sisters.
"Go." Severus barked.
They all shuffled out of the living room and into the room he had prepared for them. Somehow he felt immeasurably lighter now that they had left. There was a small tug on his sleeve.
The brown haired girl was staring up at him, her eyes rimmed with red, little tracks carved by tears winding a path through her make up.
"I'm Anamarie." She told him bravely. "But everyone calls me Annie-
"Get out!" Severus thundered.
With a yelp, the girl turned on her heel and fled into the room with her sisters. He could hear her sobbing behind the closed door and recognized the murmur of soft voices as her sisters comforting her. With a quiet groan, Severus sank into the chair in front of his fire place. How on earth had this happened? He pressed a hand over his face and took a deep breath. With a twitch of his wrist a glass of red wine appeared in his hand, and he raised it to his lips. As the dark liquid swirled over his tongue, he heard the door to the girls' room open and close quietly.
"I thought I told you to go to your room." Snape grumbled, feeling better now on account of the fine wine in his stomach.
The red haired girl stepped in front of him, a confident smile on her long face, a twinkle in her pale blue eyes.
"I'm Acantha." She began, catching Severus' eyes and not letting them go. "Mrs. Stoneborough has asked that I watch over her daughters while they are in your care."
"She's married again, is she?" Severus drawled, taking another sip of his wine.
"Yes, Mr. Snape-
"Professor."
"Yes, Mr. Snape, she has remarried to Mr. Amery Golde." Severus glared at her over the rim of his wine glass and she offered him a cheery smile. "Your treatment of the girls thus far has been abysmal."
She paused as if waiting for him to make some sort of protest. Severus waved her on lazily.
"If you cannot allow them adequate space to move about, then you must at least learn their names." Severus held up a hand to silence her, but she pushed on. "No, Mr. Snape, I'm sorry. You may hate us, but you will not treat us like prisoners."
Severus rose from his chair in a great arc of black, billowing robes and towered over her.
"I will treat my daughters however I damn well wish," Severus growled, taking a step towards Acantha. "And you will not attempt to tell me how to act."
"I simply cannot allow you-
Someone knocked on the door. Acantha froze, mid-sentence and stared up at Severus.
"Go back to your room." Severus snarled.
"But-
"Now."
Acantha rushed off to the room, flung the door open and slammed it shut.
Severus stalked to the door, stopped in front of it, and listened carefully.
