Disclaimer: Solas Moyle is a real place. Did a little research before I went and made up a rehabilitation center myself, and turns out there is one in Ballycastle. Thus, the address is real. I have no affiliation with Solas Moyle at all.

Severus naturally woke up every morning at seven o'clock. He'd shower, get dressed, and by seven-twenty, he'd wake up Grace, who would groan and whine and usually throw whatever was in arm's reach in his direction before he shut the door, shielding himself from her fire. Except for the one time it was Cas, and then he had no choice but to catch the cat, but before he could say something, her head was under her pillow, snoring away.

She was a pain in the ass to get up in the morning, he never knew how she'd manage to get down to the Great Hall every morning for breakfast during the school year. But, she did share a dorm room with about three other girls, one of which was Luna, who was disgustingly a morning person. Seriously, she was like a Disney Princess, singing to the birds with a bounce in her step. Unfortunately, none of that rubbed off on Grace, who was through-and-through a night owl.

Luna, when she stayed over, which was almost every night, was usually up when Severus was up and had gone downstairs to make coffee and tea.

Grace, ten minutes after Severus had woken her up, was still sleeping. So, Severus came to the conclusion that he had to get creative.

One morning he rushed into Grace's room, "Grace, there's a Dementor attack!"

"I already have depression tell them to fight me," she'd grumble into her pillow and then drift off again.

"Grace, Draco is here, you'd better get dressed!" he tried another time.

"If he can't deal with me at my worst then screw 'em!"

At a final resort, "Grace Audrey, if you're not up in three-seconds, you're getting the cold water treatment."

"You wouldn't dare," she said, but still didn't come out from under the covers.

"Aqua Eructo," he said pointing his wand at her, and a controlled jet stream of freezing cold water hit her before she could react to his words.

She screamed bloody murder, let out a stream of curses, and scrambled out of bed, now soaking wet, face red with rage.

"Morning, sunshine," he said closing the door behind him, not bothering to hide his smirk. She was pretty pissed at him the entire day though, sending daggers at him, and whenever their eyes would meet, she'd reach for her wand, revenge in her eyes. Severus knew full well she'd get him back, and much harder too, so he never did that again.

But usually, Grace would eventually roll her ass out of bed and come downstairs, still in her pajamas with her robe and slippers, her red hair a mess, and wouldn't talk for a good thirty minutes, except to wince at how hot the coffee was, no matter how many times Severus would warn her.

To say the least, they had created a consistent morning routine.

Except for this morning; this morning was different. Severus did not wake up at seven on the dot. Perhaps it was because he didn't sleep two nights before, but he definitely woke up later than usual, which never happened. And there was noise downstairs, which was also unusual, because if he slept in, Grace was surely enjoying her extra snoozing as well.

Severus showered and dressed, but when he went to wake Grace up, her room was empty. Weird, Severus thought. As he made his way closer to the staircase, he heard music and singing and laughter. Not just one voice, but three.

Downstairs, in the kitchen, now covered in flour, he found Grace, Luna, and Phoebe dancing around, covered in flour themselves, singing along to the music playing.

"I'm walking on sunshine, woah- Oh! Sev!" Phoebe stopped mid-lyric, jumping at the sight of a very amused Severus in the doorway and smiled wide. It was like she was constantly surrounded by light; she could make a room catch on fire just by walking in it. She poured him a cup of coffee and handed it to him, "G'morning. You look much well-rested."

"Good… morning, how'd you get in here?" his mind was spinning. Far too early for this. He glanced at Phoebe and then at Missy, who was frantically trying to clean the kitchen.

"She was with Miss Lovegood, Master. And Missy saw how Master was looking at her last-" he shot Missy a glare before she could finish. But Missy didn't cower in fear, instead, she hid a knowing smile. Damn house elf always in the know; she's worse than Grace.

"We didn't wake you, did we, Sev?"

"Hm? Oh, no, actually, I slept later than usual. What I'm most surprised is why the Hobbit is up so early," he pointed to Grace, who instead of cutting up fruit, was eating it instead.

"Sev, that's so mean!"

"No, it's true," Grace spoke up. "He calls me that because all I do is eat and sleep. And I'm short."

Phoebe raised an eyebrow towards Severus. He shrugged, "Fastest metabolism in the world, and I hate her for it. She's constantly eating her weight in food!"

"She's a growing girl, Sev!"

"How? She's five feet tall and will be forever, probably!"

"I'm right here, ya know!" Grace spoke up again.

"It's all of that coffee you drink, it's probably stunted your growth."

Grace gasped dramatically, as she does everything else, "How dare you insult my love for coffee? Have the potion fumes gone to your head?"

"If you two weren't related somehow in a past life, I'd be completely surprised," Phoebe laughed, Luna nodding in agreement.

Severus looked at Grace, "You still didn't answer my question."

"Hogwarts letters are coming today and we didn't wanna miss them."

"Why? Are you nervous?"

Luna called from the kitchen where she was helping Phoebe, "Fifth year is a big year! We have O.W.L.s at the end of the year so then we can be in N.E.W.T.s and-"

"And you both will be fine," Severus reassured them.

When the letters did arrive, the two of them just stared at them for a few minutes.

"How do they always know where we are?" Luna asked.

"McGonagall stalks us by owl, I heard," Grace answered.

"I heard it was by cat."

"Cat?"

"Yes, McGonagall is an Animagi; she can turn into a cat."

"I wanna turn into a cat!"

"Me too. Mine's heavier than usual. Does yours feel that way?"

Grace bobbed it in her hands, "No, I don't think so?"

"Girls, if you don't open them, I will," Phoebe interrupted.

"Fine, fine! Ready? One-"

"Two-"

"Three!" they both said in unison as they ripped open the envelopes. It was the usual acceptance letter, along with the books and supplies they'd be needing for their Fifth Year. But Luna had an extra piece of paper more than Grace.

When she unfolded the paper, she realized why her envelope had been heavier. Out fell a blue badge with the word Prefect across it. Luna, for once, fell speechless. She glanced at the badge and the letter, explaining to her that she had been chosen as Ravenclaw Prefect for her year.

"What? What is it?" Phoebe asked, trying to peek over her niece's shoulder.

"Prefect," Luna mumbled, still shocked.

"Prefect?" Grace clarified, Luna nodded. "Luna, oh my god, that's amazing!" she jumped up and down and then hugged her best friend. "I'm so happy for you, this is awesome!"

Luna broke out of her trance, "You mean you're not mad?"

Grace leaned back to look Luna in the eyes, "And why the hell would I be mad?"

"Because I thought you'd be Prefect."

Grace honestly could've slapped her for how ridiculous she was being, "What kind of friend would I be if I was mad about this? I'm extremely happy for you, Luna! And besides, Prefects have to deal with the First Years, and we all know I don't have the patience for that. Plus, you're hardworking, and caring, and know how to stay calm in a chaotic situation, and-"

"Okay, I think that's enough," Luna giggled.

"I could write a book of why you're going to be the best Ravenclaw Prefect ever. And plus, Rolf is a Prefect for his year, so maybe you two will be paired up for midnight strolls around the castle," Grace winked.

"Draco's a Prefect too, though."

"Yes, well, that," Grace looked at Severus, "is a fine example of what we call, 'favoritism!'"

"Brat," he turned his attention to Luna. "Congratulations, Luna. You deserve this, and I know you'll be a responsible Prefect."

"Thanks, Mr. S!" she beamed.

"Just realized I have two Prefect friends now, and a Prefect boyfriend, which basically amounts to curfew immunity, right?"

"Wrong," Severus answered immediately.

"Ugh!"

"Grace, have you practiced Quidditch at all this summer?"

"Hm, well, no, because you see, I've either been mentally distraught or hooked up to an oxygen tank. Or perhaps it's because I take pity on the dear Slytherins in my life because we all know that with Davies gone, I'm up for Team Captain, and I'm going to ensure Ravenclaw wins the Quidditch Cup this year," Grace said smugly.

"Go Eagles!" Luna cheered in addition.

"Mhm," Severus smirked. "Have you told your Slytherin Quidditch Captain boyfriend this yet?"

"No," Grace paled. She hadn't realized that her and Draco, both Seekers, would now be going up against one another as boyfriend and girlfriend. Awkward. "You don't like Quidditch anyway!"

"Since when?" Phoebe asked. "Um, your dad may have never been on the pitch, but he definitely liked going to the games and got very into it at times."

"Oh for the love of-"

"So who you gonna cheer for, dad? Huh? Slytherin or Ravenclaw? Huh?"

"Whichever is the winning team," he smirked.

"Soooo, Ravenclaw?"

"You'd better get to practicing then."

"I know, I know. Don't nag."

"I bet Draco's been practi-"

"Dad!"

Severus and Phoebe sat in the living room with the windows open so they could keep an eye on Grace as she rode her broom. Luna would release the Snitch and Grace would chase after it, diving, swooping and flipping. She also had much more new flashy tricks in her repertoire to show off once the season began. Severus couldn't decide if it was to win the adoration of the spectators or to baffle the opposing Seeker. Either way, they definitely had an effect on everyone.

But, as impressive as they were, they still made Severus anxious; they always have, even before becoming her father. Now that he was her dad, his heart stopped every time she did something remotely risky. Which is why his eyes followed her every move until Phoebe spoke up, "Hey Sev?"

"Hm?"

"Did you teach Grace Occlumency"

"What?" he gave her a questioning look. "No. Why?"

"Her mind is just, a wall. Like, Fort Knox— or the Tower of London— type walls. Impenetrable. Why would that be?"

Dammit, Phoebe, always the curious. "Uh, I think that's something for Grace to tell you."

"Sev, did something bad happen?"

"Feebs-"

She narrowed her eyes at him. She's so cute when she does that, he thought. Then her face paled and her eyes widened. Shit! Perhaps he wasn't the best at Occluding his mind around her.

"Holy shit, Sev…" her eyes started to brim with tears as she looked out the window at the happy teenager who had such a horrible past.

"Phoebe, please don't let her know you know. I think there are only three people in her life that actually know, and that's Luna, me, and I'm sure she told Draco. She's trying her best to just forget it all."

"She's trying to erase her own life and replace it with one based off the one she has now," her voice was strained now as if she'd absorbed all of the sadness she saw."

"If that's her coping mechanism, then so be it."

"She can't suppress all of that and just ignore it though, Sev."

"She already dealt with it. She had to stand in a courtroom full of strangers and tell what happened to her. And she's just trying to make a new life for herself, no matter how she has to do that, and I'm going to be with her every step of the way because she hasn't had that support since she was seven. I just want her to be happy."

Phoebe placed a hand over her heart and looked at Severus, "You're an amazing dad, do you know that?"

Severus smiled, he did know.

And then,

SPLASH!

Followed by a cackling laugh from Luna. They both rushed to the window to see Luna rolling in the grass clutching her side and Grace stomping up the hill soaking wet.

"Not funny!" Grace glared at the two adults through the window who were trying to stifle their laughs but were failing miserably.

Then she glared at her best friend, still laughing, and smirked to herself as she wrung her sopping red hair out on her face. That certainly shut her up.

"Agh, it got in my mouth!"

"Good! I've got water in my ear!" she tilted her head to one side and smacked her palm on the opposite side of her head, jumping up and down on one foot, trying to get the water out.

"Grace, don't do that! You'll give yourself a concussion! Come inside," Phoebe called out.

"It's all sloshy!" Grace said as she made her way inside. There was a side door in the kitchen, so she used that one so she at least wouldn't get water on anything valuable.

Phoebe placed a hot washcloth on Grace's ear, telling her to keep her head tilted and apply pressure with the washcloth for thirty-seconds before removing it for a minute and repeat until the water comes out. This, plus gravity, should do the trick.

"You don't want to go jostling your brain around any more than you already have done those tricks. And what on Earth were you trying to do?"

"Stand on my broom." It would've been really cool if Grace managed to do it, but she lost balance and fell. Thank god she at least fell in the lake and the water broke her fall.

"Are you insane? Honestly, Grace, you're going to give your father a heart attack and he's far too young! You put so much stress on him already and now I've gotta stress over you? You'll make us age another twenty years!" Phoebe did a quick check on the rest of Grace's body, making sure she had no cuts or bruises. Grace couldn't help but smile. Like the overprotectiveness Severus had over her, she rather enjoyed being fussed over; especially by someone who was so motherly as Phoebe.

Severus was great and all, a wonderful father, caring, kind (at least to Grace), and someone Grace could always rely on being there, but he wasn't a mother. And though she wouldn't let Severus know, she yearned for a mother-figure once again. Someone who wasn't Luna, and shouldn't have to be a mother to Grace; that wasn't her job. But there was so much that a mother and daughter shared. Not that Grace would necessarily know, but she'd seen it with Lorelai and Rory on Gilmore Girls and many others.

"I like having a nurse around here," she said to Severus.

"Me too," but he wasn't smiling at Grace, he was smiling at Phoebe, who had no idea he was looking at her the way he was. Luna and Grace shared a knowing look. There was no doubt about it, Severus Snape was in love with Phoebe Trigg.

Grace always saw it in movies; person A would look at person B with such love and adoration only when they weren't looking. Person B was completely oblivious to their feelings. But person B also had feelings for person A, only they didn't know of either one's feelings. And you sat watching this movie, yelling at the characters to just get on with it and confess their love to each other. But you sit through an agonizing two-hour movie, only for them to get together in the end and the screen fades to black, and the audience never knows what happens afterward.

This is what life at Snape Manor is now. Only, now person A and B have two annoying teenage girls to push them to confess their feelings. And there is life after they get together filled with endless possibilities.

Finally, the water came out of Grace's ear. "Are you going to be staying long here?" she asked.

"Well, I work at Ilvermorny, so I have to get back for that."

"But that's not until September first, right? Can't you stay until then?"

"Please, Aunt Phoebe? It'll be fun!" Luna pleaded.

"I mean, I suppose… But that'd mean I'd have to go get more clothes since I barely brought any."

"Yes! Shopping!"

Phoebe smiled, "Yeah, a girl's day out sounds nice. Plus, I'm sure Sev would like a break from all the females."

He smirked, "Just me and the cat."

The light mood didn't last, however. Not when an owl flew in through the window with a letter clutched in its talons.

"I thought the Hogwarts letters already came? Did they forget something?" Phoebe asked.

"No, that's Pidge. He belongs to a Squib who works at the postal office. He sends Muggle mail to Wizards, like magazines and all that," Grace answered. Pidge hooted in agreement.

Severus took the letter from Pidge and he flew off. He glanced at the letter, there was no seal, it was just an ordinary Muggle letter, but who sent letters anymore?

"It's for you, Grace," he said handing it over. "Who's Adina McClivert?"

Grace's face turned red, and then a ghastly white, and slowly started to turn green. She wanted her eyes to be lying to her, wanted her tears to have the magical power to make her read incorrectly.

Adina McClivert

Solas Moyle

62 Anne Street

Ballycastle, Northern Ireland

United Kingdom

She froze, the envelope dropped out of her hand.