Chapter 28 – Whose daughter?


"Pray you, sir, whose daughter?" – William Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost


The Dark Lord had gathered his Death Eaters together at the ruins of Blackmoor Castle to make a new announcement. It was a starlit night remarkably clear and unmarred by obscuring clouds. Here amongst the ruins of a once great fortress the Dark Lord delivered startling news to his followers encircling him.

Voldemort's scarlet eyes were focused on the Malfoys as he reprimanded them for their failure, "Due to the bungling of Lucius and Narcissa in this affair, I have instructed Severus to reclaim the child. He is, as it will surprise you to learn, the girl's natural father," he paused to allow the news to sink in.

"You bitch!" Rodolphus roared shoving his wife unceremoniously into the center of the circle.

"No!" Bellatrix cried out. "It's not true."

"Are you calling me a liar?" Voldemort asked coolly. "Do not fret, Bella. All will be made known to you. Or do you not trust me?"

"No, Master."

Voldemort raised his wand. "Crucio!"

And Rodolphus fell to the damp grass screaming in agony.

The Dark Lord lifted Bellatrix from the ground.

"You have been steadfast," he said to her and then turned to address the rest of his robed and masked minions. "We shall make no judgments about liaisons between two loyal members of my Death Eaters," he said as she retook her place in the circle.

Rodolphus stopped screaming and managed to stand up with the help of his brother. Through his silver mask, he stared venomously at his wife, who had so publicly cuckolded him.

"I expect you all to support Severus in his bid for paternity. The girl will be returned to us one way or another," Voldemort declared.


Professor Snape apparated on the outskirts of Hogsmeade to walk the familiar road leading to the front gates of Hogwarts. He whirled around with his wand at the ready as he heard the crack of another Apparition behind him.

Bellatrix pulled back the hood of her dark olive cloak. "How?" she demanded from him with her wand pointed at him.

Severus grinned nastily at her revealing his yellowish teeth in the moonlit night. "Do you need me to explain the birds and the bees to you?"

"I never slept with you," she hissed. "I'd sooner mate with a manticore than bed a greasy git like you."

"That's not quite, how I remember it. You begged me to take you," he snickered.

"Crucio!"

It was Snape's turn tonight to fall to the ground writhing in pain. His wand fell from his hand.

Bellatrix kicked it far from his reach and stepped on his hand with the heel of her boot.

"Now tell me what you did to me," she commanded. "Tell me!" She kicked him hard in the ribs.

"Polyjuice," he spat out.

"What?" she said taking a step back.

Severus sat-up gasping for breath as the pain dissipated from his nerves and joints. He feared for his wand hand though. "Master's orders," he spluttered out to her. "I took Polyjuice and pretended to be Rodolphus."

Bellatrix's face twisted in disgust. "I don't believe you!" she yelled. She waved her wand again. "Crucio! Tell me what really happened."

Severus fell over. His limbs twitched in agony. He groaned in pain. "It's true," he managed to say.

"I don't believe you! The Dark Lord would never betray me! You're a lying bastard!" shouted Bellatrix in an impassioned rage. "You're lying! You filthy slimy son of a Bludger!" She emphasized her swearing with kicks to Snape's lower abdomen.

Snape grabbed her by the boot with his left hand causing her to fall to the ground.

"Think, Bellatrix!" he said. "You were the one who wanted a baby. And the Dark Lord promised you one, didn't he?"

"A baby that was mine and Rodolphus's. Not this," her voice was strained with conflicting emotions. Tears welled in her eyes, but she pushed them back. "You," she said getting back up on her feet. "You raped me!"

Severus had by this time retrieved his wand while she had been distracted and shielded himself against the curse. "I did as the Dark Lord commanded," he retorted.

"I'll kill you for this Snape!" she shrieked raising her wand again.

"Kill me and the Dark Lord will take the girl by force. Is that what you want?"

Bellatrix lowered her wand. "What does he want with her?" Her ice blue eyes bore into his.

"I don't know," Severus admitted. "I am a servant of the Dark Lord. I do as he commands. And he ordered me to – "

"The Dark Lord ordered you to rape me," Bellatrix said softly as though she couldn't believe the words she was saying.

"Yes, Bellatrix," he confirmed. "Rodolphus was sterile. The potions and spells were proving futile. The Dark Lord believed it was the only way you'd ever conceive. You were never to know." He coughed throatily. Blood mixed with phlegm covered his one good hand.

"But I am his most loyal, his most faithful –" she said. Her eyes narrowed as she realized the extent of the betrayal against her. A loud crack resounded as she apparated into the night.

Where she went, Snape did not care, so long as it was far away from himself.


"Mr. and Mrs. Keating, Mr. Bailey," Aaron Montague, a balding wizard, greeted the couple as they entered his office. "May I introduce, Professor Severus Snape."

The tall pale man inclined his head towards them in acknowledgement.

The two parties assessed each other unabashedly. Rick wondered briefly if the man seated across from him suffered from vampirism. The professor had shoulder length black hair, black eyes, a hooked nose and sallow skin. He was wearing charcoal black robes with buttons up to the high-necked collar.

Severus, likewise, observed that Roderick Keating was three inches shorter, broad shouldered with sandy blond hair flecked with gray and light blue eyes. Alongside the man, was the lovely Mrs. Keating, her jet black hair was held up in a chignon. The Keatings could have stepped out of a Witch Weekly advert. They were a wholesome vibrant looking middle-aged couple.

Across from the trio sat their attorneys. Montague and Bailey each held a copy of the laboratory results. They were to be opened together to make sure the results were identical. They sat facing their clients and opened the envelopes at the same time. The papers were a jumble of numbers but all that mattered to them was the conclusion.

It is the finding of the Geneplex DNA Diagnostics Center that Professor Severus Snape has a probability of 99.99 percent of being the biological father of Seraphina Bianca Keating.

It is the finding of Fairfax laboratories that the subject Professor Severus S. Snape is the biological father of the subject Seraphina B. Keating with an accuracy of 99.9 percent.

Rick and Bev were crestfallen but they had prepared themselves for the possibility that the man wasn't a fraud. Bailey's research had turned up some disturbing information about the man's past.

"But she doesn't look anything like him," Beverly said her thought aloud.

"Appearances do not account for everything, Madame," Severus replied. Though to himself, he admitted that the girl had blessedly inherited the Black family's good looks. Sera was the spitting image of her mother Bellatrix with the exception of her eyes. In that regard, she took after his own mother, Eileen.

"What do you want?" Beverly asked, sharply turning in her seat to face the man.

"Custody of my daughter."

"No, you don't," Bev accused her hazel eyes ablaze with fury. "Do you want money? Just tell us how much. A hundred thousand? A million?"

"Mrs. Keating, I find your offer insulting. I do not want so much as a knut from you as I am not in the habit of selling my progeny," Snape replied scornfully.

"Why did you wait so long?" Rick questioned. "Where have you been for the past fourteen years?"

"I believed the child to have been stillborn. I only learned of her existence a few weeks ago from the trial. I assumed the Malfoys would win custody of her. However, when they lost, I decided it was time for me to intervene."

"Why do you prefer the Malfoys to us?" Bev demanded.

"My preference is of no concern to you. My fatherhood has been proven and I will invoke my paternal rights. Seraphina is my daughter. She is no longer your responsibility or concern. She will come to live with me at Hogwarts at the earliest convenience. There will be no compromise," he stated flatly.

"You can't just take her from us," Bev protested.

"In that you are mistaken Mrs. Keating, Professor Snape's legal rights supercede your own," Montague explained frostily.

Bev turned to Bailey for support but he only nodded in acknowledgement of the cruel fact.

"We'll fight you," Rick swore. "We know you were a Death Eater, Professor Snape. No court will give her over to you."

"How dare you!" Snape shouted rising from his seat.

Rick stood up as well.

Montague intervened before the two men fought a duel and wrecked his office. "Please gentlemen," he said. "Would you care for a drink?"

"Dry double scotch," Rick said retaking his seat.

"Firewhiskey," requested Snape.

Montague stepped over to the liquor cabinet and began pouring drinks.

"Mr. Keating," Montague said as he handed him the tumbler," my client has been exonerated of those charges. Professor Snape is an eminent Potions Master and teaches at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For the past fifteen years, he has been entrusted with the care of hundreds of students. And I believe, that the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore would be willing to testify on my client's behalf."

"But by all means, you may put up a fight. Subject the child, you claim to love, to the trauma of yet another trial. You won't win. And you know it," Montague said looking at Bailey and Rick. You shouldn't have won against the Malfoys, I daresay," he said downing his own glass of Firewhiskey. "The statute is clear. A father has a right to his own flesh and blood."


The Enchanted Teakettle – Updated as per request.

dancer8428 – I hope this chapter cleared up some issues for you. Yep, Sera is the illegitimate child of Snape and Bellatrix.

Dayz-n-Passions-luvr – No need to wait long this time :)

LMTran – I had been planning the Snape as father angle from the beginning, but I didn't want to giveaway the twist. There are more plot turns on the way. Bev's father will reappear later. He's the patient devious type. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter.

Thanks to all for Reading and Reviewing.