Author's note: Whoo! Though I'll be replying individually in a few mins, I wanted to take this time to say thanks for all the reviews! I've found a new one in my mailbox every time I've checked my mail, and have gone from 3 to 12 in the period of a chapter! YAY!
Ok, I know I mentioned Melinda being part of a pre existing HP family in the last chapter, but Porcelain Prayer brought up a very good point in their review, thus I'm changing it. Melinda is now part of a completely fictional family (the Snyders, as you will later find out). I was going to put her in the Malfoy family, having Draco take the place of Kelvin, and Lucius would have been Loren. As Porcelain Prayer pointed out, this seems to take place before the books, given Severus' attitude/actions. I never actually thought of that.
As a result of the above, Melinda Snyder, Kelvin Snyder, and Loren Snyder are mine, given they're not in the original HP. And our friend Allan Lesesne from the last chapter is also mine. As per usual, anything you recognize is not mine. I'll stop saying this eventually, probably when I stop introducing characters.
And, something I just thought I'd clarify, given I got confused while writing this chapter out and had to look back at past chapters, the timing for this is as follows: Selina went to see Voldemort with her father one evening in mid summer (ch. 1). She came to a few hours later (ch. 2), which, as of this chapter to avoid going back and changing it, I see as the early hours of the next morning. Thus, when Eric said the healer was going to be by later, he means later in the day that this chapter takes place. Does that work, or did I lose everyone?
Hope you like it, and don't forget to review and let me know what you think. Criticism is always welcome if you'd like to give it, but be pre-warned, I may not heed it, depending on the extent. Don't take offence if I don't though, I do take everything said to heart.

Porcelain Prayer: Thank you so very much for pointing that out. I hadn't really thought of a time frame for this when I started writing it, I just let my ideas run off and write it, lol. I suppose, now that I think about it, it would be, as mentioned above, taking place before the books, probably before Severus turned spy as well. Given we don't know when that was exactly, we'll just say it's before he turns spy, lol, and hope that he was of a decent age to have a daughter of Selina's age before he did so if there ever is a date given. I know it says in book 5 that he taught at Hogwarts for 14 years, so…I dunno. Heh, I won't look too far into it, lol. Worst case scenario, he's…just being abnormally loyal to Voldemort and hates his daughter -shrug-

ghst.sama: I'm glad you like it, thanks for the review!

lovelylady: Lol, here's the more that you asked for. Hey, that rhymed!

ravenfairie (for your 2 reviews): I'm glad you like it, but I'm sure there's more out there that's like it. I'd be rather surprised if this was original original. Here's next chapter for you!

italianprincess1: Would you care to elaborate? Biologically speaking, it's impossible to decide the sex of a child.

Crazy-Physco: Glad you liked it! Thanks for the review!

Ashley: It definitely was nice of Eric to save Selina's life. He's definitely a different guy than he is in my other fics, though that one may change, mwhahahah! However, to avoid being killed by Eric (don't ask), I'll probably keep him as is. He may slip into a mild evilness once or twice, but he's gonna stay as he is for the most part.

me'shell: Thanks for the review, though I must say, if there was a hidden message, it was impossible to find it, lol.

A Disgrace Redeemed: Chapter 3

At about nine o'clock in the morning, Voldemort called a small group of extremely loyal followers to him; Selina's father, Severus Snape, a man named Loren Snyder, and another named Lucius Malfoy.
Loren and Lucius were to be told of the events of the previous evening, as they hadn't been present, and Severus was to be present for no reason other than to re live the moment and add things in where he felt he needed to.

Usually when Voldemort was holding his meetings, Eric would hold mini meetings with the children of his father's followers. His father said it was to prepare him for the day he'd take over.
However, this time, only two people joined him.

Kelvin Snyder, Loren's son, was Eric's age, and was Eric's most trusted friend and, so to speak, follower. Eric trusted Kelvin with nearly anything, and that was why he'd asked that Kelvin come along.

Melinda Snyder, Loren's daughter and Selina's best friend, had been asked to come along to keep Selina company while Eric talked to Kelvin.
Melinda was Selina's age and had been a Slytherin. However, she'd always been nicer to Selina than the others, thus how she became Selina's best friend. She hadn't stood up for Selina, yet had kept as quiet as she could when the teasing began, staying away from Selina in crowds and such.
She wanted to appear loyal to her father and Voldemort, yet felt sorry for Selina.

When Melinda and Kelvin arrived, Eric went and gently shook Selina awake.
"Selina, you have a visitor." He said.

Selina sat up groggily and looked towards the doorway, where Melinda had just entered.
"Melinda." She said tiredly.
"What are you doing here?"

"I'll leave the two of you alone." Eric said, leaving the room again and heading off down the hallway with Kelvin.

"Well, the dark lord called my father to a meeting of some sort. Apparently something about Eric finally finding himself a bride, though one that doesn't please him entirely. Eric only wanted to see Kelvin, but asked that I come to keep you company." Melinda paused for a moment, noticing Selina's tiredness.
"I know you usually don't take part in Eric's meetings because you don't want to have people making a scene, but don't you usually just hide out somewhere and read if you end up coming? Usually if you're tired, you just stay home."

"Well, I've been here since last night. I came to the meeting with my father." Selina replied.
"Really? Does that mean you know who Eric's bride is to be?" Melinda asked, sitting in a chair beside the bed.

Selina nodded.
"Well, don't keep it to yourself. Tell me! You know how nosey I am!" Melinda exclaimed excitedly.

Selina was silent for a few moments.
"Selina? Earth to Selina! You going to tell me?" Melinda continued.
"It's me." Selina said quietly.
"You?" Melinda gasped.

Selina nodded again, then told Melinda what exactly had happened the night before.

"Well, my father's not going to like that much. Though I'm happy for you." Melinda said when Selina had finished her tale.
"What do you mean?" Selina asked.
"Well, my father always wanted me to be the one who was with Eric. He asked me to try to get close to him and such, but I suppose he likes you more than he ever did me.
"To be completely honest, I'm glad it was you and not I. Maybe now everyone will stop bothering you so much." Melinda replied.
"Well, that's the thing. I'm not sure I want to be Eric's wife." Selina said.

This took Melinda by surprise, but she didn't show it. She'd vowed to be the ideal best friend, standing by Selina in every way she could.
"Why not? This is the chance of a lifetime." She said.

"Well, I barely know him. I mean, he seems decent and everything.
"He was like you when it came to the teasing at school. He never did anything extreme, but still did it.
"But who's to say he's as nice as he's appearing. Perhaps he's just trying to reel me in.
"And even if he is this nice all the time, I'm not sure I want to be the daughter in law of the dark lord. I know I'm supposed to at least pretend to be loyal to him because of my father, but I don't think I could live like that for the rest of my life, especially if Eric ends up taking over for him.
"But, if he does end up taking over for him, that wouldn't make him nice, would it?" Selina said, her words forming a verbal waterfall and rushing out in a rather confusing manner.
"I see the problem." Melinda replied.

While Melinda and Selina had been talking, Eric and Kelvin walked around the house and had a talk of their own.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about? Having second thoughts about whoever you finally chose?" Kelvin asked.
"No, not really. However, I am worried about her." Eric replied.

"Well, maybe we should start at the top and work our way down here. Who'd you chose?" Kelvin asked.
"Selina." Eric replied.
"You mean Severus' daughter? The one everyone sees as a disgrace and shuns? I thought you had everyone else's opinion of her." Kelvin said.
"Yeah, that's her. And no, I've never completely shunned her. I may have bothered her once or twice, but never to the extent of the rest of the Slytherins. I guess I've always had feelings for her." Eric said.

"Well, it's your life. I guess that explains why you're worried about her too. Scared your father might have second thoughts and kill her?" Kelvin asked a few moments later.
"That and that she'll try to escape, only to be attacked by anyone who's angry that I didn't pick them." Eric replied.
"You really think she'd try to escape?" Kelvin asked, wide eyed.
"If she disagrees with you that much, you might want to re consider what you're doing."
"Well, I can see why she'd want to, though I'm not saying she will. I mean, she barely knows me, why would she suddenly be in love with me? She probably thinks I'm just like my father; heartless, hateful, and all around evil.
"I want to show her that I'm not; that I'm practically the complete opposite, though still obedient to my father." Eric explained.
"I see." Kelvin said.

"So, why'd you come to me?" He asked a few moments later
"Well, I thought perhaps I could ask you to keep an eye on her. Act as a bodyguard of sorts. I know I can trust you to keep her safe if need be, and given you're her best friend's brother, I think she'd feel better having you in the position than she would if I were to pick someone that had bothered her all her life. You can start tomorrow if that's ok." Eric said.
"I think I can do that." Kelvin laughed.
"And here I was thinking you were going to ask me to force her to love you or something.
Eric chuckled.
"You know I'd never do that."

The two of them had found their way back to Selina's room at this point, and entered to find Selina and Melinda talking about what they'd done with their summers thus far.

"Hello, Selina. Feeling better now that Melinda's here?" Eric asked in greeting.
"I am, though I'd hardly say it was Melinda's doing entirely. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't feel half this well, if I could feel at all." Selina replied.

Kelvin winked at Eric.
"Looks like she likes you at least a little bit." He whispered, so low that only Eric could hear.

"What have the two of you been up to?" Melinda asked.
"Oh, Eric just asked if I'd mind keeping an eye on Selina and keep her safe. If that's ok with you of course, Selina." Kelvin replied.
"Well, if anyone needs to be keeping an eye on me, I'd rather it were you than anyone else." Selina replied.

Eric elbowed Kelvin and smiled.
"I would feel better knowing that nobody was trying to hurt you anymore." He said.

Melinda laughed, having noticed the elbow and the whispering.
"The way you two are acting, one would think you were plotting against the world or something."

The four of them had a laugh, and then Loren and Severus entered the room.

"It's time for us to go." Loren said, nodding to Melinda and Kelvin.
His face looked grim, and it was somewhat apparent that he was disappointed.
"I hear congratulations are in order." He continued, nodding to Eric and Selina.
Eric smiled.
"Thanks."

"Kelvin, Melinda, lets go." Loren said, heading out of the room again.
Kelvin and Melinda followed immediately, saying a hurried goodbye to Eric and Selina.
"I'll be back tomorrow, as you asked." Kelvin said as he passed Eric.
Eric nodded.

"Well, it seems you're nicely settled in here." Severus said when the three had left, looking darkly at Selina.
"I have, father." Selina replied.
"Good, because you are to stay here for as long as Eric asks you to." Severus said.
"Which, if the dark lord has his way, will be until you manage to make yourself loyal to us, if that ever happens. I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up dead like your mother. You're about as disloyal as she was, after all."
Selina looked away.

"And if I have my way, your daughter will be my wife, and I will not have you speaking to her like that." Eric piped up.
"Of course, young master Eric." Severus replied.

Eric didn't have as much control over his father's followers as his father did, but he did still have the power to make them obey him.

"Good, now leave us." Eric said.
"Goodbye, Selina." Severus said, turning and leaving, just as the Snyders had.

Eric sat down beside Selina and gently turned her head to face him. He found a lone tear rolling down her cheek and wiped it away.

"You haven't had a great life, have you?" He asked.
Selina shook her head.
"That'll all change, you know. Provided, of course, that you're ok with all this. I don't want to force you into anything." Eric said.
"I really don't know how I feel about any of this right now. I barely know you. In fact, it feels like we just met this morning. Before then, I didn't know anything about you except your name." Selina replied.
"I know, and I understand. And you can have as much time as you'd like to figure out how you feel." Eric said.
"I'll keep you safe and treat you as if you were my wife until you decide. Anyone who wants to get to you will have to get through me first." He promised.

"Does that mean I have to get through you in order to see my favourite assistant, whom I hear is stuck in bed after being injured?" A voice said from the door.
"Of course not, Allan, I trust you not to kill her." Eric replied, turning and smiling at the newcomer, Allan Lesesne.
"Well, I'd never kill her, that's for sure. Not in front of you at least." Allan replied, causing the whole room to laugh.

"And how is my favourite assistant?" Allan asked, approaching Selina.
"I'm fine, just sorry I'm not able to give you a hand today, Mr. Lesesne." Selina replied.
"My dear Selina, please call me Allan." Allan replied.

Selina laughed.
"Oh, alright, fine. I'll let you win this time. But only because you've finally come around and are calling me Selina." Selina replied.

Allan had refused to call Selina by her given name, and had insisted upon calling her 'Miss. Snape' up till now, thus Selina had taken it upon herself to call him 'Mr. Lesesne'.

"Well, lets have a look at you then." Allan said, beginning to check Selina over.

"Looks like Eric did a perfect job. I couldn't have done better myself. It's definitely not long before you're a fully qualified healer of your own, Eric." Allan said when he had finished checking Selina.
"Good to know." Eric replied.

"So, my dear Selina, I believe Eric already told you bed rest was the best for today, but you should be able to get up and back to your normal activities tomorrow. I won't expect to see you anytime this week though; please do keep yourself here or at home, don't bother coming in to help out. Take some time off to rest." Allan said.
"If you insist." Selina replied, looking rather disappointed about it.

"Ahh, the standard Selina, never stays home unless she's told to." Allan said.
"But I should be going, I have a few other things to do before I can head home for the day, so I'll see the two of you another time."
"Of course, and thanks." Eric said.
"See you next week, I'll definitely be there the very second I can." Selina replied with a laugh.
"But not a moment before!" Allan replied, while heading out the door.

Another Author's note: Alright, I think this is a good place to leave off for the night. Isn't Healer Allan Lesesne just a crazy guy? Lol, ok, maybe not, but heh, I thought I'd try to add a bit of humour in after the mildly tender moment (at least, I hope it was tender..), hope it worked! (Looks like I'm hoping for a lot of things here).
Don't forget to review and let me know what you think! Though, I know I already said that at the top, and I'm sure this is long enough as is, so I'll stop now..at just over 4 pages, lol.