I do not Harry Potter,
J.K. Rowling does,
I am merely amusing myself with her ideas.
And, of course, changing them a little.

Chapter 4- Shock

~o~O~o~

Severus led Lilith to Ollivander's. It was not a long walk, Ollivander's and Gringotts were fairly close to each other. But it took longer because Lilith kept stopping and staring at random things. She kept pointing at people and creatures.

"What's that?" She asked, pointing to a house-elf running towards them.

"That would be a house-elf." Severus said as the house-elf stopped in front of them. Lilith hid behind Severus, holding on to his robes. He stifled a chuckle.

"Mr. Severus Snape, Dobby is here to say that Dobby's Master, Mr. Lucius Malfoy has invited you to dinner tomorrow night."

"Hello, Dobby. If you could please tell Lucius I would love to come. However, I will be bringing a friend named Lilith. Lilith is turning eleven tomorrow, so that may delay me. Good-bye, Dobby." Severus said, patting Dobby on the head.

"At once, Mr. Snape!" Shouted the house-elf before he Disapparated. Lilith finally let go of Severus's robes when Dobby disappeared.

"Lilith, he's just a house-elf. They are… servants to prominent Pure-Blood Wizarding families. House-elves are harmless, and will never attack a witch or wizard, unless on their Master's orders. And I doubt any Pure-Blood family wishes to have a house-elf attack a girl who hasn't even started Hogwarts yet. Okay?"

Lilith looked at the spot where Dobby had vanished.

"Yes, I suppose you are right. He just looks like something I had a nightmare about when I was younger. Although, now that I think about, my nightmare creature was blue and a foot taller than him…" Lilith and Severus were still laughing about that as they walked into the Wand Shop.

"Welcome!" said a voice behind Lilith. Lilith shrieked and hid behind Severus again. Lilith stared at the odd, small old man.

"Ollivander! You really need to stop making a habit out of scaring children!"

"Yes, yes, you have a point Severus… How is your wand doing? Let me see… thirteen inches with a core of unicorn tail and wood of elm. Correct?"

Severus held up his wand for Ollivander to see. To be honest, Severus was still afraid of the strange man.

"Impeccable memory, as always. However, I am here to help Ms. Evans get her first wand." Severus said, ushering Lilith in front of Ollivander. Ollivander merely snapped his fingers and a tape measurer appeared. With another snap, it started measuring Lilith.

Ollivander left to go get some wands for Lilith to try out. Lilith didn't seem to notice Ollivander leaving, because she was too intent on watching the tape measurer. She seemed to hold it the equivalent of a dangerous spider that's just waving around her. Severus smiled as her saw her wary expression. Severus was again reminded of Lily Evans. The image of Lily watching the measurer suspiciously, just as young Lilith, floated across his mind. Severus sighed and tried to push the images away. The images refused to go. With a groan of defeat, he let the images surge.

Lily showing her sister Petunia the amazing things she could do with explanation.

Lily getting the letter from Hogwarts and running to show Severus.

Lily being Sorted into Gryffindor.

Lily sitting beside Severus on the edge of the lake, holding his hand.

Lily leaning over to kiss him.

And then, of course, the one that always assaults him whenever he lets himself think happy thoughts.

Lily running away from him after he called her a Mudblood.

Finding out Lily was the one whom the Dark Lord had set his eyes on.

Lily, his beloved Lily, lying dead in his arms, her eyes staring up, unseeing, unblinking.

And then Severus watching at her funeral. He remembered Remus Lupin, remembered the anger in his eyes when he saw Severus. Lupin had been about to kill him, and Severus knew it. Severus had wanted Lupin to kill him, so then he could see Lily again. Albus had spotted Lupin coming towards Severus, and stopped him just as Lupin had said "Avada Kedav-"

Severus used all his willpower to pull away from the memories, for they threatened to engulf him in misery. Maybe later, when he did not have a child to look after.

Ollivander finally came back, lugging with him a dozen or so wands. He snapped his fingers again and the measurer fell to Lilith's feet.

"Let's try this wand. 11 ½ inches, hawthorn wood, and a dragon heartstring core." Ollivander said, handing Lilith a wand. She waved it. Nothing happened. "Doesn't look like that one will work for you… How about this 14 ¼ inches, mahogany, and unicorn hair?"

Ollivander took the hawthorn wand from her and handed her the mahogany one. She gave it a wave and the windows imploded. Lilith threw her arms above her head and crouched down while Ollivander hid behind a shelf.

Severus just barely had the time to stand up and yell "Protego!" before the glass would have hit the three of them.

"Is getting a wand always this dangerous?" Lilith asked, slowly standing back up.

"Sometimes…" Ollivander said, coming out from behind the shelf.

"I'm so sorry about destroying your shop, Sir…" Lilith apologized, handing him back the mahogany wand.

"Oh, it's no problem. Severus? If you would?" Ollivander asked Severus, gesturing towards the windows. Severus waved his hand boredly towards the windows. The shards of glass lifted up and zoomed back into their proper places.

"Now let's try again…" Ollivander said, handing Lilith another wand.

Half an hour later, Severus was about ready to give the girl his wand so they could leave. Even Ollivander was beginning to get agitated.

Ollivander pulled Severus aside, leaving Lilith to sit in a chair. Severus didn't want to leave her, she looked like she was about to cry and it was easy to tell she was beyond embarrassed.

"Severus, are you sure she's even a witch?" Ollivander whispered.

"Her name was on the registry. Besides you saw what she did with that mahogany wand! She's definitely a witch." Severus whispered back.

"I have a few more wands she can try before I will be forced to try to make a new one specifically for your daughter."

"My daughter? I don't have any children, Ollivander."

"She looks like you." Ollivander said before walking away to grab another wand, leaving Severus stunned. Severus looked at Lilith. She did look like him with black hair and eyes… but plenty of people had black hair.

"Try this one." Ollivander said, handing Lilith a wand. He had long since given up on telling her the lengths and materials of the wands he handed her. The second Lilith touched the wand she felt pleasantly warm. She waved the wand at a pillow, so as to avoid any major damage. Green and blue sparks flew from the tip. She looked up at Severus, smiling.

"Excellent! We have found you a wand! 10 ¾ inches and rosewood."

"What is the core?" Severus asked as he fished out the bad of money from the Fund

"A rather odd core, one I do not like to work with, but always have a few on hand. Veela hair. Veela hair has a legend behind it. Only witches and wizards who will be exceedingly powerful and good at heart will be able to be chosen by a wand of Veela." Ollivander replied. Lilith walked over to Ollivander and hugged him around the waist. Ollivander patted the top of her head and smiled down at her. "Lilith, Lilith, Lilith… it seems you shall grow up to be an amazing witch. I wish you the greatest luck in Hogwarts. And Severus, that will be nine Galleons."

Severus handed the money over and grabbed Lilith's hand, leading her out of the shop. She stopped him and hugged Severus too.

"What was that for?" Severus asked, shocked.

"Saving me." Lilith said before letting go. Severus smiled down at her before kneeling next to her. He gave her a hug.

"You will be an amazing witch, Lilith." Severus said, standing back up. Some of the passerby's had stopped to stare. The Potions Master, Severus Snape, legendary for his cruelness, hugging someone. Severus looked around and saw some of his old students milling around, and even some that would be returning to school this year. "However, until we get a robe for you to wear, I would like to hold on to your wand so nothing happens to it."

"Do robes have pockets for them?" Lilith asked, handing over the Veela wand.

"Of course. Once we get to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, we simply tell Madam Malkin your wand size and she will stitch a holder into the left hand side of your robe, considering your right handed." Severus tucked Lilith's wand into a pocket next to his own wand.

"I thought I would never find a wand…" Lilith said, laughing.

"I knew you would eventually. It took me ten minutes to find a wand that liked me." Severus said.

"I have a feeling your one of the most liked teachers in the whole school." Lilith said matter-of-factly.

"Try least liked." Severus said, laughing.

"You must not show them your nice side very often."

"I don't have a nice side."

Lilith looked at him strangely but at that moment Dobby reappeared with a loud crack. Lilith threw her hands out in shock and Dobby was roughly thrown backwards, slamming into the door of Madam Malkin's.

Severus stopped. Did Lilith just do wandless magic? Impossible. Maybe small things, but the Knockback Jinx was not one of the things first years were expected to be able to do without a wand.

"Oh my Gosh! Dobby! I'm so sorry!" Lilith said, running over to the house-elf.

"Dobby is fine, Missus. Dobby is used to it." Dobby replied, sitting up. Lilith frowned. "Anyway, Dobby is here to inform Mr. Severus that Master Lucius okayed that he bring a friend and that they will throw her a party." Lilith grabbed Dobby's hand and helped pull him back up. Dobby looked at Lilith in shock. "Well, Dobby must go now Mister and Miss. Dobby will see you tomorrow." And then with a crack, Lilith found herself holding air.

"Mr. Snape, why did that house-elf say he was used to being hurt?" Lilith said, straightening up.

"Call me Professor, please. And because Wizarding families are not always kind to other creatures."

Lilith was quiet as they walked into Madam Malkin's. Madam Malkin was already working with some people, so they had to wait.

"So it would probably be best not to yell at Dobby's Master-what was his name?-when we go for lunch?" Lilith asked suddenly.

"Correct. It is how they've been raised to treat others, it is all they know, Lilith. And his name is Lucius. Lucius Malfoy. He has a seven year old son, Draco. You two will go to school together. He will start in your fourth year." Severus replied. Lilith sighed.

"If you really have an aversion to the way the Malfoy's house-elf, then how about you try to set an example tomorrow by treating Dobby with kindness?" Severus suggested.

"Good idea," she sighed.

"Well, come on… We need to get you into some formal wear…" Severus said, holding out his arm.

"Again?" Was all she muttered as she grabbed his arm. Severus merely smirked as they Apparated back to Spinner's End.