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Chapter 8- The Greatest Weapon

Severus went to visit his sister first thing in the morning. Remus greeted him when he arrived, a worried look etched on his face.

"How is she?" Severus asked in a low voice and Remus bit his lip.

"I don't think…I'm not sure." Remus struggled. "Her temperature spikes up and down…When it gets too high, she starts talking as if Sirius is still here." Remus watched Snape grimace before continuing, "She won't eat."

"How high is her temperature now? " Severus asked, running a hand through his dark hair.

"37.8" Remus responded looking a bit shaken, "but she is sitting up and lucid."

Snape nodded, contemplating the information, "I brought a potion that might help."

Remus and Severus walked to Grace's room and Remus softly knocked on the door before opening it up and poking his head in.

"Gracie, your brother is here."

Grace was propped up on her bed, looking at the album from her drawer and fingering the picture of Sirius and Sarah. Tears pooled in her eyes. She clearly had been deep in thought, but when she saw Severus, she laid the album on her nightstand, a small smile crossed her lips. "Severus" she whispered.

"I'll leave you two alone." Remus gave Grace a gentle look before exiting.

Grace watched her brother carefully, "You look worried, big brother."

"Perhaps, that is because I am." Severus said smoothly as he walked over to his sister's bed and sat down. He put a cool hand on her forehead and frowned at the heat that radiated from it. Opening his bag, he pulled out a vial and poured it into a cup.

"Here Grace, drink this. It's a fever reducing potion." Severus handed her the cup, but when he noticed her hands were shaking too much to hold it, he held it for her as she drank it.

"UGH, that's nasty Sev" Grace said as she wrinkled up her nose in disgust.

"Can I get you anything else?" Severus asked slightly amused by her reaction. In that moment, Grace looked like she was eight again.

"No, I'm good, thanks." Grace said weakly. "But I want to talk about Sarah though. Please Severus"

Sighing almost inaudibly, Severus put the glass he was holding down on the nightstand. Noticing a picture beside the lamp, Severus picked it up. It was a picture of Grace and Sarah that from the looks of it, it must have been taken recently. They were laughing and looked remarkably alike, down to their similar expressions.

Severus studied the picture. "When was this taken?" He asked curiously.

"Yesterday after the quidditch game when we took the kids out for dinner. Remus took it."

"She looks very much like you, Gracie." Severus drew an invisible circle around the picture, "except for her eyes."

"She is a Snape, Severus." Grace reminded him.

Severus put the picture back down on the nightstand and took her hand. "Yes, indeed. She has much of the Snape temperament, mixed with her father's propensity for trouble. Your daughter is something else."

"I know- she is impulsive and stubborn. And her temper…it needs to be gotten in control. But, she is fiercely loyal to her friends and she can really be sweet. She loves so deeply even at her young age. Remus and I had a great time having dinner with the kids" Grace shivered and Snape moved to adjust the blankets around her before sitting back down.

Severus studied her carefully. "I saw you at the game. Were you holding Lupin's hand?"

Even though her face was already flushed from the fever, it turned a deeper shade of red.

"Remus and I are friends. I'm married to his best friend. Sirius and I never divorced."

"That doesn't matter. Does he know that you are just friends?"

"I th..think so" Grace stammered. "I'm dying Severus. Remus and I are just finding comfort in being with each other. It's platonic. Besides, I know this is going to pain you to hear, but I am still in love with Sirius"

Severus stiffened a little before asking, "Still after all this time?"

"Some things never change. Hand me my wand Severus. It's in the top drawer." Severus walked over and pulled at her wand and handed it to her.

"I'm not sure it is a good idea for you to be casting any spells right now in your condition" Severus frowned.

Grace ignored him. "Let see if I can remember how to do this. I guess some things you never forget" she murmured as she uttered the patronus charm. "expecto patronum"

A dog came out of her wand and jumped around her. Grace laughed as the dog tried to lick her, "I know; I missed you too."

"I don't understand." Severus mumbled. "I know this has always been your patronus but why?"

"You will one day." Grace said vaguely.

"So, your patronus has something to do with Black?"

Grace rolled her eyes, "Perceptive big brother. "Do you still love Lil?" she asked him pointedly.

Severus reached for his wand inside his robe and cast his own patronus. A magnificent doe came forth.

Grace gasped. "Oh Severus, after all this time?"

Severus responded, "I will always love Lily Evans. I guess you and I are a lot alike little sister. Once we love someone, it's hard to stop"

They looked at each other awkwardly. At a few moments, Grace decided to change the subject. "It was a great quidditch match too. Though I'm sorry to say not so much for your snakes" Grace grinned and gave him a saucy look. "Or for you. You know my daughter and her friends thought you were trying to jinx Harry."

"I was trying to save Harry. Your daughter and her little friends decided to light my robe on fire as a reward."

Grace smiled. "Severus Snape being out witted by three first years." She paused before asking gravely, "Is Harry in danger?"

Severus nodded but didn't elaborate.

"Voldemort?" Grace prompted.

"It's only a matter of time before he comes back. It may not be this year or next, but eventually he will."

Grace shuddered. "You will protect him, won't you? For Lily? Voldemort will want revenge. But you won't take any unnecessary risks for yourself?" Grace looked panicked. She wanted Harry guarded, but at the same time, she wanted her brother safe too.

Severus sighed. "To protect Harry, I will have to take those risks. But I will do that."

"Even if you never get credit?"

"Yes" Sev said simply.

Grace squeezed his hand. "You are a good man, big brother."

Sev shook his head. "No, Gracie, I'm not. I've done unimaginable things"

Grace's grip grew tighter and looked her brother in the eyes. They looked so very much alike at that moment. Dark eyes stared into dark eyes. Grace's voice was low, but full of emotion, "Severus, when Voldemort marked you, he didn't burn all the goodness and love out of you. He told you it made you weak to feel love, but he was wrong." Grace moved her other hand and took Severus's hands in both her own. "You act like you are still in Voldemort's clutches, but you're not. You are free from it Severus. Showing your emotions doesn't make you weak, brother, it just shows that you are human."

Grace paused. "I'm not explaining this right." she sighed.

In that moment, Severus did something that would shock anybody that knew him except for his sister who knew him best of all. He buried his head in her lap and Grace released one hand to stroke his head in a motherly fashion. While growing up, the role was often reversed, every so often, Severus's defenses would be broken and Grace would do the comforting. "Sometimes I don't feel like I am anymore, Grace." Severus admitted brokenly.

"I know you don't. But you are. Please believe that." Grace pleaded.

As if become aware of himself once again, Severus quickly raised his head, swiped at his eyes, and nodded sharply and Grace took it as her cue to change the subject, "I have to tell you something about Sarah so when I'm gone, someone will know."

Severus felt his heart pound with dread, "what is it?"

"There is a prophecy that was made six months after Sarah's birth. Only Sirius, Dumbledore and I know about it."

"What does it say?" He feared her answer but he had to know.

Grace repeated, "Born of two children of light into the month of September, daughter of the pure of blood will defy the Dark Lord with words and deeds. Friend of the chosen one, she will marry into darkness yet fight for light. Though tested, her love will triumph over darkness and death to save the ones she loves. In that last battle, she will provide crucial aid to the chosen one and be the downfall of many eaters of death."

Severus abruptly stood up and began to pace, his robes billowing behind him, as he contemplated this information with a worried frown on his face. He stopped and turned back to her. "Are you certain the prophecy refers to Sarah?"

Grace nodded, "Sarah is the only girl born to Order of the Phoenix members in September. Dumbledore was the only one who heard the prophesy and he came straight to us. We agreed to have him be our secret keeper. Obviously in the wrong hands…"

"If the Dark Lord found out, she would be dead in a heartbeat." Severus stared at her, horrified at the thought that Grace's child in the hands of Voldemort.

"She needs you Severus." Grace said softly as she rested her head against the headboard. "You are perhaps the only one who can train her. She has potential; you know that, but as long as she is controlled by her emotions…"

"When the Dark Lord comes back, he will feed off of them and will use them to get to Harry." Severus replied.

"Please Sev, I know she reminds you of Sirius, but it has to be you. I know I have no right to ask this of you." Tears formed in Grace's eyes as her voice cracked from emotion.

Severus held up a restraining hand. "She reminds me more of you" Severus gave her sister a gentle glance, walking back to her bed and clasping her hand. "I promise you Grace I'll do everything to protect your daughter."

Grace let go of the breath she had been holding. "Thank you." She paused before proceeding wearily, "Severus, I hate to ask this, but as a mother, I have to. Will you love her?"

"You know I don't love easily." Severus sighed. "But with time, given the fact that she is your daughter, I think I could possibly. Though I will not coddle her" He added firmly.

"I don't expect you to. Anyways, that is not what she needs. When she finds out about my…"

"Grace please don't" Severus pleaded hating where this conversation was going.

"I have to Severus. When she finds out about my death, she will be hurt. She will lash out at all the people around her, especially you."

Severus took a deep breath, "that is to be expected. Gracie, don't you feel that it would be better just to tell her yourself? She needs closure."

Grace shook her head sadly. "I know what you are saying is right Severus, but after all Sarah and I have been through, I can't. I don't want her to remember me like this. She will be angry, but just promise me you won't give up on her." Grace urged.

Severus nodded, "you have my word Gracie Grace."

"and soon she will be going through some…um, well… changes…she is going to need someone to talk to"

Severus rolled his eyes. "I did go through it with you."

"Yes, but we never talked about it. That was one thing I always talked with our mother about. She is close enough with the Weasley boys, maybe Molly Weasley can take the lead on that."

"Fine" Severus replied.

"One more thing. She doesn't know about why Sirius went to jail. If she ever does find out, make sure she and Harry don't have a falling out. Oh, and speaking of her father…I want you to make sure the letter in the photo album in my first dresser drawer gets mailed to him. Give me your word Severus."

"You have it" Severus stiffened slightly at Grace's last request, but he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"And one more thing…"

"Ugh…Gracie" Severus let out an exasperated sigh. He was losing patience.

"I love you Severus. And I trust you." Grace reached for her brother and he tenderly embraced her kissing the top of her head.

"I love you too Grace Eileen" Severus Snape was not a man to show his emotions. But holding his dying sister, his heart was full. Sometimes he thought Dumbledore was right, love was their greatest weapon against the darkness. To truly love and feel love in return- all the power attained in this world could not match up to it.

It was the last time Grace and Severus would see each other. Grace Black died a few days later. Her heart finally gave out due to an illness contracted by her weakened immune system. Remus flooed Severus and told him to come immediately. He arrived with Dumbledore and at the sight of his beloved sister for the second time in his life Severus Snape was unable to control the tight reign he had on his emotions. He broke down in a sea of tears. The first time was when Lily Potter was murdered.