The Bonds of Blood

Chapter Seven Apprehensions of a Master

Severus Snape walked briskly through the dungeons on a cold Sunday night in December. His face was paler than usual, and with every movement he made his stomach rebelled against him. He opened the door to his quarters, and rested against the cold oak. His façade slipped from him almost immediately. The calm, collected face transformed; a cloud of anxiety and worry washing over him. Severus collapsed down onto his couch (black leather) and pulled something from the pocket of his black robes.

The mask stared up at him mockingly, reminding him of his mistakes and (more importantly) the information he had acquired tonight. He snarled silently, flinging it away from him. He slowly leaned back, a hand pinching the bridge of his nose.

Severus hated his double role as spy, and tonight was a good a reason as any for this loathing. The Dark Lord had provided entertainment. He could still hear the screams of the muggles, the laughter of his fellow Death Eaters. He repressed a shudder, and moved on in his silent examination for the night. There was one thing that stood out in his mind, a moment from before the muggles arrived…

MEMORY

The man walked around the circle, black robes streaming idly behind him as he twirled his wand with white, spidery hands.

"I would like to say well done to those who successfully took out the Order of the Phoenix's representatives in Paris. It should be a nice little blow to Dumbledore's ego!" His voice was high and cold, as was his laugh. It raised the hairs on the back of Severus' neck.

Some death eaters risked chuckling stupidly along with their Lord.

The man whirled around, facing a particularly witless follower. "Crucio!" the unfortunate death eater yelled, collapsing to the ground and convulsing in agony. "Do you think it's funny, McGregor? Do find it funny that your worthless colleagues can't do a Simple!" he flicked his wand and McGregor screamed, "Little!" another scream, "JOB!" he let the spell go, and McGregor lay still and silent at his feet. He had passed out. Voldemort turned from him in disgust, moving his livid crimson eyes around the group. "You are all pathetic. I ask you to kill one family of blood traitors and mudbloods, just one! And you cannot. I ask you- what self respecting Death Eater attacks a family… and leaves the child alive?"

One Death Eater stepped forward, trembling slightly. "M-my Lord… the girl was at school- Beauxbatons, w-we believe. We could not have possibly-" Voldemort striding towards him, and grabbing a fistful of his followers' robes cut him short. "Could not have what, Mortler? You are a Death Eater. You do what I tell you to do- possible or not. Is this clear?"

Mortler nodded, and Voldemort threw him to the ground before turning to face the others. "At the risk of sounding cliché my friends, I want this girl- dead or alive."

MEMORY ENDS

Severus sighed, and rose to his feet. A drink was just what he needed to try to calm his anxiety.

'It could not be them… Albus does not know about Sofia, and Christopher and Alison are not involved in the Order… Sofia is fine.'

Severus kept telling himself this- but neither the knowledge that his daughter was safe, nor the whiskey, was any help.

Sofia woke early on Monday morning, nerves eating at her insides.

'Today's the day' she thought 'today, I see my Father'

With this thought branded on her mind, she slipped out of bed, showered quickly, and dressed in her new uniform. It felt strange to wear black instead of blue, and she had a touch of trouble with her tie (weren't they for boys?) but soon she was ready. She quickly brushed her short raven hair, made sure she looked presentable, and left the room just as Lavender's alarm went off.

'Must be seven o'clock then' Sofia thought, quietly shutting the door before walking down the stairs to the common room.

She crossed the room, and sat on the window seat looking out over the grounds. The sun was low in the sky, lighting the mist swirling at the edge of the forbidden forest and over the lake. She could make out the hoops of the quidditch pitch to the right.

There was a THUMP from the boy's staircase, and a quiet sigh of "not again."

Sofia turned to see Neville Longbottom sprawled at the bottom of the stairs, one shoe half of his foot, the other lying beside him.

"Um… are you alright?" Sofia asked, pushing herself off the seat and moving to kneel by him.

"Oh, yeah; I'm fine thanks, Sofia." Neville pushed himself up, grabbing his shoe as he went.

"You sure? You just fell down a flight of stairs."

Neville blushed. "Um, yes well- I've had practise."

Sofia smiled; knowing of his supposed klutziness. "It's that bad?"

Neville smiled, although he was still somewhat pink cheeked. "It's that bad. I make it my business to greet the ground on a regular basis."

Sofia grinned. "I have a friend much like that- only Zoë walks into people, walls, people, doors, and people!"

Neville smiled. "Good to know I'm not the only one."

"Only what Neville?" a voice came from the staircase, and Ron appeared. He caught sight of Sofia, and scowled.

"Sofia was just telling me that she knows someone almost as clumsy as I am" Neville started to say, but Ron had already crossed the room, and slammed the portrait hole shut on his way out. In the silence left, they could hear the Fat Lady shrieking. "I never! In all my years- come back here and apologize, you... you... brute!"

Neville and Sofia looked at each other. "Did you do something…?" Neville asked. Sofia shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know… I've barely spoken two words to the guy!"

Neville shook his head. "Maybe he and Hermione had another fight."

"Do they fight often?" Sofia asked curiously.

"You have no idea," said a new voice.

Sofia and Neville turned to see Harry and Hermione coming out from behind one of the portraits of the Hogwarts grounds.

"Morning you two," Hermione said cheerfully. "And Ron and I do not 'fight': we debate."

Neville and Harry looked at each other, and promptly burst out laughing. Sofia raised an eyebrow at Hermione, who shrugged.

"S-sorry Hermione… but the words 'Ron' and 'debate' just don't go together" Harry chuckled. Hermione shook her head, and led the way out of the portrait hole. She was almost skipping.

"What's she so happy about?" Sofia asked Harry, and he grinned in response.

"Sofia- it's the last week until Christmas holidays- what's not to be happy about!?"

Sofia smiled.

'What's not to be happy about indeed…'