Severus Snape was an idiot. He hadn't realized it until a few days later when he read his staff calendar and saw that the first Quidditch game was scheduled for the first Friday in November. Right in the middle of the week of grounding that he'd levied on his daughter. The youngest Seeker in a century.
He'd been looking forward to the game, almost as much as she had. He didn't care that the Slytherin- Gryffindor match would create some challenging cheering problems for him. Luckily, Professor Snape did not cheer. He clapped politely for a job well done, and he supposed that he could do that for both Slytherin players and his daughter.
He couldn't let her play. Of course he couldn't. She was grounded. She'd endangered her life, willfully disobeyed Dumbledore and himself, and broken at least a dozen school rules. She'd forced his hand. She had to be grounded. It wouldn't be a punishment if she didn't miss out on some thing that she wanted to do. Too bad it felt like more of a punishment for him.
He remembered thinking that Albus felt some kind of righteous superiority when he upheld a punishment, like the time, during his sixth year, that Albus had grounded him for a month for going down the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow. Potter, in a gesture that Severus had never understood, had stopped him before reaching Remus, transformed into his other form. Severus hadn't known about Lupin's condition until then, and had desperately wanted to talk to his friend, but Albus had held firm that he would venture from his room for only meals and classes. He'd had to wait one horrible weekend until he could tell the other boy that he would do anything he could to help. He'd spent the entire month researching potions that could reverse the affliction.
Now he knew that keeping him under lock and key was probably not Albus' favorite thing. He wanted nothing more now than to ask his father for parenting advice, but the pride that Remus had pointed out to him on more than one occasion was standing in the way. She hadn't asked him to let her play. It was unnerving that she hadn't questioned him. Any excuse for letting her play sounded hollow. He knew he was being soft. He needed to talk to Minerva.
"Jelly Beans," Severus said at the staircase, rolling his eyes.
"Severus?" Albus poked his head out of his living space when he heard movement in the office. "Is everything alright?"
Severus made a mental note to come to see his parents more often. Clearly he didn't do it enough if Albus feared some kind of emergency upon seeing him. "Everything's fine, Father. I just need to speak to Mum."
"Well come in then," Albus opened the portrait wider and waved his son through. "What's on your mind?"
Severus sat heavily in a chair in the living room.
"Albus? Was there someone out there?" Minerva's voice came from her bedroom.
"It's Severus," Albus called.
"Is everything alright?"
Severus rolled his eyes again. "I'm fine, Mother."
Minerva came out into the room and sat, smoothing her robes. "Sit down, Albus."
"I think I'm making a mistake." Severus forced the words out of his mouth, and got exactly the reaction he'd feared.
"And you came to us?" Minerva moved to put her arm around her son.
"What is it?" Albus didn't seem quite as confused. It was not the first time Severus had come to him.
Severus took a deep breath. "After the troll incident, I grounded Elizabeth for a week."
"As well you should have," Minerva said sternly. "That child cannot put herself in danger like that. I don't care that it was an incredible show of Gryffindor bravery."
Severus rolled his eyes. "You were prepared to give her points." He sighed. "The problem is, her first Quidditch game is Friday."
"And?" Minerva narrowed her eyes.
"And I don't want her to miss it."
"It wouldn't be a punishment if she didn't miss something," Minverva said firmly. I knew I'd heard that somewhere, Severus thought. "It's not easy, Sev, but she disobeyed you, and she put herself in a dangerous situation that very well could have been fatal."
"Frankly, Severus, if her father wasn't here at school, I could have suspended her from the Quidditch team for that stunt. I didn't take any action as her Head of House because you were here to deal with her."
"You would never have suspended your star Seeker, mother. You would have given her a medal."
"I certainly will suspend my granddaughter if you go back on her punishment." She looked sternly at her son. "There will be other games, Severus."
*S*S*
Friday evening, Severus knocked on Elizabeth's bedroom door. Walking in, he saw her lying on her bed, reading her History of Magic text.
"History of Magic?" Severus sat on the edge of the bed. "You must be desperate for study material." He brushed the hair off her forehead. "I'll be back in a couple of hours. Is there anything I can get the prisoner?"
She shook her head. "No, sir. I'm going to finish this and go to bed."
"Alright." He kissed the top of her head. "I'll look in on you when I get back." As he walked away, Elizabeth caught sight of his ankle under his robe.
"Dad!"
He turned back. "What's wrong?"
"I thought you had Madam Pomfrey look at your ankle?"
Severus shook his head. "I did, but magical animal bites are difficult. It's just going to have to heal on its own."
Elizabeth watched him leave, and curled up on her side. She was devastated that she wasn't playing, that she'd let her team down, but she knew better than to ask Severus if she could play. She'd tried to take her punishment gracefully, hoping that at the end of her week, Severus would let her out. She'd once been grounded for 6 months at the Dursleys, because every time her sentence was almost up, her relatives had found another reason not to feed her, or to make her do extra chores.
She'd put away her text and changed into her pajamas when there was a knock on the door. Opening the portrait, she found herself face to face with her Defense professor.
"Professor Quirrell?" Elizabeth could think of no reason why Quirrell would be at her door.
"Your ff-father said that you mm-might be interested in ss-some extra cc-credit in mm-my cc-class, mm-Miss Evans." Elizabeth looked questioningly at him. Severus thought the idea of extra credit was ridiculous. He always said that students should complete the regular credit, and then they wouldn't need extra.
"No, thank you, sir." She tried to close the portrait, but he blocked it with his foot.
"Tt-that's nn-not vv-very ss-studious of you, mm-Miss Evans." He forced his way into the room and backed her against the wall near the door. Elizabeth felt her scar burn, like it sometimes did in class. The pain was so bad that she had to close her eyes. "I'm sure your father would want you to come with me." The pain in her head kept her from realizing his stutter had stopped.
"No, sir." She tried to back away, but she tripped over the leg of a chair and fell to the dungeon floor.
"What is going on here?" Severus' voice cut through her fear-fogged mind. She felt him lift her up. "Quirrell? What are you doing here?"
"I cc-came bb-by tt-to tt-talk about your dd-daughter's gg-grade," Quirrell said. "Ss-she ss-seemed a bb-bit dd-distrubed."
Severus didn't believe that for a minute, but he had to tend to his daughter. "Thank you, Quirrell. Leave us, please." When the other professor was gone, Severus carried Elizabeth back into her bedroom and laid her on the bed.
"How did you know I needed you?" She asked, pressing the heel of her hand against her throbbing scar.
"I charmed the door so I'd know if it opened. I thought you might try to come to the game."
"I'm grounded, Dad."
"I know," Severus used his wand to scan her for injuries. "You've been perfect. I was just being paranoid. I suppose it helped, though." He looked at the parchment from the diagnostic spell. "What's wrong with your head?"
"My scar… it hurts sometimes."
"How often is sometimes?" Severus sat on the edge of the bed.
"Couple times a week."
Severus gently pulled her hand away to look at the scar. Summoning a pain relieving cream, he used his long cold fingers to spread it on the angry red scar. "Does it ache?"
"More of a burn." She relaxed as the pain faded.
"Elizabeth, I need you to tell me exactly what happened tonight." He listened to her story, stroking her hair while she talked. When she was finished, he gritted his teeth. "I don't want you to open the door when I'm not here again."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm not angry with you," he assured as he pulled the blankets over her. "Go to sleep now. I'll be here." She rolled over on her stomach, and he rubbed her back until he heard her breathing even out. Then he pulled the armchair in the corner over to the side of the bed and sat down, settling in for the night.
*S*S*
Severus Snape would never be mistaken for a patient man. He'd somehow managed patience for his daughter on occasion, but he had none of the same feeling for Quirinus Quirrell. Severus hadn't had much sleep the night before, partly because he had been sleeping in an armchair instead of a bed, a position he'd been frequenting in the past few months, and partly because Elizabeth had woken twice from a nightmare she wouldn't explain. She'd been having nightmares all weekend, and Severus was mystified as to how to calm her.
Robes billowing, he stalked down the corridor toward Quirrell's office after sending his child to breakfast. He wanted to be absolutely alone with the man, and during a meal was the easiest time to assure that. Quirrell looked up when he came in. "pp-Professor ss-Snape, What a pp-pleasant—
"Save the theatrics, Quirrell, and dispose with the affected speech." Snape kept his hand on his wand. "I don't know what game you are playing, but you will leave my daughter out of whatever hackneyed plan you're working on."
"Severus, I was only attempting—
"I couldn't care less. You need to look closely at your loyalties, Quirrell. The Dark Lord is dead. I don't know what you want with the Stone, or why you think my daughter could help you, but let me be clear. You should watch your back, because I will be watching you." He turned on his heel and strode back down the corridor.
*S*S*
Ron took a sip of pumpkin juice Monday morning. "Lissy… do you think it's possible…"
"First of all," Elizabeth held up one finger, "not Lissy." Ron was still insistent on a nickname. He'd decided that "Elizabeth" was too long of a name, and she needed it shortened. Elizabeth, however, had rejected the traditional "Beth".
"I told you, Ron," Hermione chirped. "If she didn't go for "Lizzie", she wouldn't go for "Lissy."'
"What were you going to say, Ron?"
"We were talking last night…Hermione and I," he looked nervous. "Do you think that your dad might be trying… I don't know… to get whatever Fluffy is guarding?"
Elizabeth frowned. "He's a Professor. If he wanted it, couldn't he just go get it? I mean, couldn't he just ask Dumbledore?"
"When are you going to stop calling him that?" Hermione asked.
"What?"
"I mean, you've call McGonagall "Grandma" sometimes, but we ran into Professor Dumbledore in the hallway the other day and you called him "Headmaster"."
"He is the Headmaster."
"That I am." Dumbledore's voice rumbled behind them. "Elizabeth, I'd like to see you in my office after breakfast, please."
"I have Transfiguration this morning, sir." Elizabeth said uneasily.
"I will inform Professor McGonagall of your absence. You know the password."
*S*S*
"JuJuBes" Elizabeth said to the stairs, once Hermione and Ron had gone on to class. When she reached the office, she found Albus sitting behind his desk, and Severus sitting in one of the chairs in front.
"Sit, my dear." Albus gestured to the seat beside his son. "Lemondrop?"
"No. Thank you, sir."
"So much like your father," Dumbledore shook his head.
"Am I in trouble?"
"Did you do something I don't know about?" Severus raised an eyebrow.
"No."
"Well, then, I would imagine you aren't in trouble." Severus smirked. "I told your grandfather what happened last night while I was at the Quidditch game."
"Elizabeth, did Professor Quirrell threaten you in any way?" Albus leaned towards her over the desk.
"Not really, sir. I mean, he didn't say anything threatening…"
"But you were frightened."
"Yes, sir. He was very insistent that I come with him. He said that Dad wanted me to do some extra credit."
"And you didn't believe him?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "Dad hates extra credit. He thinks it's stupid."
Severus snorted. "I'm not sure that is the word I'd use, but the sentiment is right."
Albus leaned back in his chair. "Severus, I think we should give this some time."
"That man tried to attack her! I want her out of that class."
Elizabeth looked from her father to Albus and back. "Out of class? But you said Defense is important. Especially for me…"
"It is important. You will come to my office during your Defense period and I will tutor you." He glared at his father, daring the old man to challenge him. When he was met with no resistance, Severus stood. "I'll walk you to Transfiguration. When it's time for Defense, meet me in my office."
*S*S*
Elizabeth found that her father was even more driven a Defense professor than he was a Potions Master. He'd always made a point to avoid doing anything connected with Potions class at home besides reminding her to study, or tutoring her over a potion she'd ruined. But Defense was a constant onslaught of quizzing. She'd read and been questioned over the text in a month. As snow began to fall on Hogwarts, he'd moved to practical, practicing spells until she felt like her arm would fall off.
The second week in December, Minerva walked the tables at breakfast, asking for names of students staying at Hogwarts for the Christmas Holidays.
"I'm staying," Ron said around his mouthful of waffles. "Mum and Dad are going to visit Charlie, so the rest of us are staying here."
"I'm going home," Hermione said, using her wand to fill her glass.
"I…" Elizabeth looked at her grandmother. "I don't know, Dad hasn't said."
"He often stays here, but you can ask him and let me know. Or I could speak to him." Minerva scribbled something on the parchment.
"No, I'll ask. I have Defense this morning."
*S*S*
When she arrived at his office, she started to remove her robes as usual. "Not today," he said from behind his desk. "Today you practice casting with robes on."
"They're distracting, Dad. They get in the way."
"Is it not possible that you would be attacked while wearing robes, Elizabeth?"
"Yes, sir." Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
"And would it be reasonable to assume that an attacking wizard or witch would not give you the time to remove your robes?" The incident with Quirrell had shaken him to his core. She had to be able to defend herself against the forces that were so obviously against her. He reminded himself that she was not even close to her 12th birthday, but that just frightened him more.
"Dad?"
"Expelliarmus!" Severus disarmed her calmly. "Yes?"
"DAD!"
"You must always be ready."
"Okay…" Elizabeth let her Snape-given sarcasm leak into her voice, crossing her arms over her chest. "But Grandma was asking about who will be staying here over the Holiday this morning." She picked up her wand. "She says you sometimes stay here, but I'm supposed to ask you and let her know."
"It is my year to stay here and oversee students who are staying behind Your grandparents are going to go to their home, but I'll make sure they come back for Christmas."
"Okay." She straightened her robes. "Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Expelliarmus!" Snape's wand nearly flew from his hand. His daughter smirked.
"Not bad, my little lion," Severus praised. "You might have had me, except you have to stop narrowing your eyes before you cast. It's a tell. A bad poker face."
"I was focusing."
Severus frowned. "Focusing or squinting?" He picked up a book from the desk. "Stay right there. What does this say?"
Elizabeth squinted, and read the main title, but couldn't read the author's name.
"We're going to go see Poppy and have her look at your eyes."
"Dad, they're fine."
"They are most certainly not 'fine'. Let's go."
An hour later, Elizabeth Evans was the owner of a new pair of glasses. "Everything is so clear!" She said excitedly as Severus walked with her back to their quarters.
Severus stopped in the middle of the corridor and leaned down. "Elizabeth, is this why you have trouble with directions in Potions? Because you can't see the board? Why didn't you tell me?"
Elizabeth shrugged. "I had glasses. I thought my eyes were as good as they were going to get."
"What you were wearing could only charitably be described as glasses. I'd guess Petunia bought them at the dollar store to satisfy your school's mandate." He put his hands on her shoulders. "You need to tell me if these glasses start to fail. Eyes can change over time, and you will most definitely need new ones in a year or so." He straightened.
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"If we're staying here for the holiday, can I ask you for a favor?"
"You are staying in our rooms, but you may have Mr. Weasley over for tea during the day if you wish."
"Thank you, but that wasn't it."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "A favor that does not have to do with your boyfriend?"
"DAD!"
Severus smirked and gestured for her to continue.
"Can we not have Defense lessons? Please?"
Severus rolled his eyes. "I suppose, since it is a holiday, that I could refrain from forcing you to read or learn. But don't expect to be so lucky during the summer."
"Thank you, Dad." She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her forehead into his waistcoat.
"You're most welcome," Severus said quietly, knowing that they were no longer talking about a homework-free holiday.
