Serenity was tucked away in the corner of Severus' office, her nose to a book and a bowl of blueberries to her left which she was munching on occasionally. Her long ebony curls, falling in her face with a casual elegance. Her gray eyes flying over the pages. "What are you reading?" Severus asked glancing up from his stack of essays.
"Oh it's from the library, it's about dark creatures, like werewolves, vampires and all that." Serenity replied not taking her eyes off the book,
"I thought I told you that you're not to go to the library, we can't risk anyone seeing you." Severus raised a brow as Serenity tried to come up with a response.
"Well, everyone just thought I was a First Year, I mean I'm nine years old daddy, But I do look older." She tried brushing him off, flipping through the pages.
"I suppose they didn't ask why a first year was in the restricted section," Severus replied with a knowing voice. Serenity froze again. "Next time you want a book, tell me, or one of the ghosts. I'm not mad, but be good I have to go to class" Severus sighed, picking up his papers and walking out the door, reminding Serenity, Draco was expecting a letter.
Serenity grinned at the mention of Draco and threw her book onto the floor and ran towards the portrait covering her room. "Unicorn Tail." She spoke clearly to the portrait of a Mooncub. The portrait swung open to reveal the round bedroom that was painted a deep purple, charmed like the great hall having a ceiling to match the sky outside, the sun on the wall as it rose as the day went on. A large bed was pushed up against the wall, but you could barely see it under all the stuffed animals that moved around, never leaving the bed, though. She hurried to her desk, grabbing a quill and piece of parchment.
Draco, I really really really miss you, I can't wait for Easter, Daddy said he'd bring me to see you and that we could go to a quidditch game. Hogwarts is as amazing as ever, McGonagall (the transfiguration professor) let me try out her wand, It didn't go too well, but I did manage to turn a piece of yarn into half a worm, she thinks that once I get my own wand and start practicing for real I'll be brilliant, I'd like to say I agree, but I really think Potions and Herbology are my things, not to mention helping Hagrid care for creatures, get this, he says there are all kinds creatures in the forest at the school, they call it the forbidden forest. I wanna go in but dad won't let me, Says I'm not allowed. Maybe when we are both at school we can go. I'll write you again before we leave for Easter break.
Serenity hesitated before writing. 'Love Renny' She turned slightly pink folding the parchment in half and putting it in an emerald colored envelope and sealing it with a black wax. She'd have to wait for her dad to take it to the Owlery unless she took it herself. She suddenly felt trapped in her small room wishing she had chosen to spend the day at Hagrid's. She looked at the clock on her wall, everyone would be in class, she could totally sneak out without being seen. She grabbed her black cloak off the wall pulling it over her green jumper and leggings before taking the envelope and heading out the door.
She wandered out into the hallways walking past the portraits occasionally stopping to say hello to ones she particularly liked. She made her way towards the tower to the Owlery climbing up the stairs. The smell of owl droppings and hay were strong. "Oi, you come down here." She called and a large, handsome looking black owl flew down sticking out her leg. "Hey, Peaches." Serenity smiled at the owl, tying the envelope to its leg. "Take this to Malfoy Manor, and if Draco doesn't write back immediately, bite him." Serenity smiled as the owl flew away. She hurried out of the owlery, running down the stairs.
She ran to the front door of the castle thinking she was in the clear until she saw a girl with bright bubblegum pink hair sitting on a bench by the door, cuddled up with a ginger boy. Serenity was about to duck behind the curtain but the girl noticed her. "You ditching class First Year." She called and Serenity crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes as she walked towards her.
"I see you're not in class either," Serenity replied, an accusatory tone to her voice. They both laughed at her, but she didn't notice.
Charlie looked at the kid, "You're a sassy one aren't you?"
"I have somewhere I need to be, so I'm going to go, you didn't see me and I didn't see you alright." Serenity said before hurrying off out the front door.
"Weasley, you ever see that First Year before?" Tonks asked watching the small girl run out the door.
"No..."
"Should we say something to Dumbledore?"
"Or we could go to the kitchen?" Charlie grinned and Tonks nodded.
Serenity ran all the way to Hagrid's, pounding on the door, Fang barked excitedly. "Oi, shut it, yer dumb dog." Hagrid's voice muttered from inside the cabin. He beamed down at Serenity as he opened the door. "Hey, Renny." He led her into the cabin, Serenity took a seat on one of the large comfy chairs. "I thought I wouldn't be seeing yer today." He grabbed a bottle of pumpkin juice and passed it to Serenity.
"I got bored, I hate my dad's office, it's really creepy." Serenity whined and Hagrid laughed.
"Well, yer made sure nobody saw yer right?" He asked cautiously and Serenity froze.
"Well, this particular strange looking girl and this ginger boy did." Hagrid gave Serenity a disapproving look.
"How was she strange?" "She had pink hair! That's not normal!" Serenity shouted and Hagrid shook his head.
"That would be Nymphadora, she's a nice girl," He pet Fang absentmindedly, "Probably with one of the Weasley boys."
"Weasleys a strange name." Serenity said thoughtfully.
"Girl, yer think everything is strange."
Serenity smiled softly "Yes, but the strangest things are often my favorite things."
Hagrid looked down at her fondly. "I couldn't agree more."
Easter holiday came around and Serenity and Draco were once again joined at the hip, they were flying around the backyard on Cleansweeps and chasing the peacocks. Narcissa watched them for a long time, Lucius was sat next to her sipping on fire whiskey. "It's a shame isn't it." He said after a moment of silence.
"What is dear?"
"It's a shame Serenity isn't a pureblood, I just worry Draco will start to-"
"They're just kids they aren't thinking those things." Narcissa cut him off, hoping to relax him. This was a conversation she didn't want to have.
"I just wish we at least knew who her father was, he could've been a muggle-born for all we know." Lucius continued and Narcissa took a deep breath.
"Lucius, they've been friends since they were in diapers, they're brother and sister, and I thought you didn't mind him being friends with a half-blood."
Lucius sipped on his drink and didn't respond for a long time. "I don't mind if it's the right half blood, take that Potter boy, for example, he's half-blood, but I've told them both many times they're to be friends with him when they arrive at Hogwarts."
"Severus tells me Serenity has become quite a talented little witch, already can do Second-Year level potions," Narcissa said, a sense of pride in her voice, trying to change the topic. Lucius just nodded not saying anything.
"Well, I sure hope she has some formidable skill at least, I don't know of any decent pureblood family that would marry their son to a half-blood. But I'm sure if she finds a wizard whose half blood that'll do." Lucius said bluntly and Narcissa couldn't help but laugh.
"Lucius, she's nine. The only things she cares about is dolls and broomsticks."
"I know, but it's never too early to consider the possibilities."
Draco and Serenity ran back into the house after hearing Dobby call them in for dinner, both covered in mud; Narcissa stopped them both, using a spell to clean them. "No mud in my house."
Serenity muttered an apology, running to the dining room, Draco hot on her tail. Narcissa felt oddly shaken up hearing about her husband's pureblood mentalities, while she did agree Serenity was like a daughter to her and she hated hearing her husband describe her as less. She followed them to the dining room, sitting to the right of Draco, eating silently.
"Mrs. Malfoy, Is it true that some Hogwarts houses are better than others?" Serenity asked, catching her off guard.
"Slytherin is the best," Lucius answered before she could.
"Do you think I'd be put in Slytherin, Professor Flitwick told me I'm smart like a Ravenclaw." Serenity said innocently.
"You'll want to be in Slytherin, that's where all the best go," Draco said and Serenity nodded, biting her lip.
"Well, I would wanna be with the best."
Lucius gave her a nod of approval as he resumed eating.
"I heard Gryffindor was filled with Mudblood lovers," Draco said looking rather confused by the term 'mudblood'.
"Draco!" Narcissa shouted shocked by Draco's use of the word.
"Oh it's just a word Narcissa, and it's true they are." Lucius chuckled sipping some wine.
"What's a mudblood? Are they bad people?" Serenity questioned.
"They are, you'll do good to keep away from them, just dirty blooded they are," Lucius explained and Serenity furrowed her brows.
"Am I a mudblood, My mom wasn't a witch, but my daddy was a wizard, that's what-"
"You're a half-blood dummy!" Draco shouted interrupting her.
"Don't call her a dummy." Narcissa snapped at Draco.
"I heard my daddy was a pureblood." Serenity said absentmindedly and Narcissa froze, Lucius, on the other hand, looked rather curious.
"Did, did Severus tell you who he was?" Lucius asked slowly, silence fell over the room.
"No, he doesn't know who he actually is, but he said that he told my mommy he was a pureblood from some fancy house or something." Serenity said proudly and Narcissa kept sipping wine, not wanting to have to respond to that. She knew her father was pure as could be, her father was her own cousin.
"Shame you don't know," Lucius muttered, looking disgruntled.
Serenity was ten years old, her 11th birthday fast approaching, she'd be going to Hogsmeade with Severus that day, getting her first wand, finally learning real wand-waving magic. Serenity was up to Third-Year level potion making, she had also developed a love for Astronomy. She was beyond brilliant, Severus couldn't have been prouder.
It was late at night and Severus was up reviewing potions when she heard screaming from Serenity's room, dropping the potion he jumped up running to her room. She was on the bed thrashing, stuffed animals flying everywhere. "Serenity, wake up! It's just a dream!" He shouted shaking her.
She jolted up, eyes wide shaking. "He's in the library. You have to go now."
"Who's in the library? What are you talking about."
"He's in the library, he's gonna be crushed." Serenity jumped out of bed to run towards the door, Severus clutched her arm pulling her back. "Taylor, he's gonna get crushed to death." Severus froze staring at her. "Taylor Bell, he's gonna die if we don't go now." She was thrashing trying to get out of Severus's tight grasp on her arm. Taylor Bell was a third year Slytherin, Severus recognized the name at once, he was a remarkable student.
"What are you talking about?" Severus raised his voice as he pulled Serenity back to her bed.
"Please daddy, go to the library now!" Serenity shouted. He saw the fear in her eyes and finally jumped up running to the library, ignoring the ghosts and paintings who were shouting at him to be quiet. He got to the library and sure enough, Taylor was lying on the floor, under a shelf, coughing up blood. Severus immediately cast a Patronus to alert Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore, then levitated the shelf, lifting Taylor and laying him on a table.
Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore arrived moments later, Madam Pomfrey ignored Severus running to Taylor muttering a healing charm. "What happened Severus?" Dumbledore asked as he turned to him. "How did you know-"
"Serenity, she- she had a dream and woke up screaming and-"
Dumbledore raised a hand to silence him. "We'll discuss this later, why don't I go send an Owl to his parents. Pomfrey what happened?"
"He was up doing an essay, He went climbing up the shelves to get a book, the shelf came crashing down on him." Madam Pomfrey explained, still muttering healing charms "He's gonna be perfectly fine." Madam Pomfrey said after a long silence.
"We better get him to the infirmary."
Serenity hadn't slept all night. She stayed up watching the stars move on the ceiling. Taylor's parents had come via Floo Powder that morning and Severus finally was able to return to his office. He walked into Serenity's room, finding her staring up at the ceiling. "Serenity, we need to talk about last night."
"I'm a freak aren't I?" Severus hesitated, he moved to sit next to her stroking her hair soothingly. "I-I saw it happen, it was like I was there." She whispered leaning against him.
"You're not a freak honey, your godfather wants to see you." Serenity nodded, moving to get clothes from her wardrobe. Severus left to let her get dressed.
They hurried to Dumbledore's office early in the morning before the students would be awake. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk sipping tea. He smiled softly at Serenity as she entered the office. "Serenity, how are you doing?" He asked kindly, pushing a bowl of lemon drops in her direction.
"I saw him die." She mumbled and Dumbledore just stared at her.
"Well, he didn't, because of you. You saved him." Serenity sighed and grabbed a lemon drop. "Serenity have you had these visions before?" Severus pulled up a seat next to her.
"No, I haven't, is it normal?"
"Well seeing the future isn't exactly normal-"
"So I can turn a piece of yarn into a worm but seeing the future isn't normal-"
"Don't sass your godfather," Severus cut her off and Dumbledore just chuckled. "So much like her father isn't she," Severus muttered and Dumbledore stifled another laugh but Serenity just stared up at the both of them.
"You said my father was a bad man, I don't wanna be like him."
"Everyone has good traits dear, even if they're very deep down, It wasn't an insult," Dumbledore explained and Serenity looked apprehensive.
"But-"
"We're not having a conversation about your father." Severus interrupted.
"Severus, I'm gonna have Serenity stay here with me, Surprisingly I think Trelawney, will be most helpful, don't you," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "Serenity, you know her do you not?"
Serenity scrunched up her nose, "Trelawney's a weirdo." She muttered bitterly.
AN: For some reason paragraphs keep duplicating themselves no matter how many times I delete them. If you notice a chapter has been duplicated please tell me. Others also keep deleting themselves. (Basically, tell me if something is messed up)
