Severus focused on his hand where it came in contact with his daughter. He hadn't noticed it in his panic, but Potter was right. Maggie had somehow just come into her magic and he guessed that was the cause of the waves of power they were experiencing.

He shook the girl again, sighing in relief as her eyes slowly opened and focused on his face. "Thank Merlin, Maggie, you're awake…"

"Father?" Her eyes drifted over to Potter, "Harry?" She closed her eyes for a moment and a wave rolled through the room, though this one was much milder than the ones preceding it. "What happened?"

"We're not sure yet," Severus said. "We need to try to get you up and to the infirmary to have Madam Pomfrey look you over."

She nodded weakly. "I feel so strange," she said softly, glancing between the two men. Her gaze landed on Potter's hand in her own and she smiled up at the boy, "Hi, Harry."

"You scared us," Potter said, his free hand reaching up to brush a strand of raven hair from her face.

"Now is not the time for this," Severus snapped sharply. "Someone is bound to have noticed those waves of magic. I'm surprised no one has arrived here yet."

As if his words were a signal, McGonagall burst into the room, a piece of parchment clutched in her hand. She was breathing heavily and evidently had run down to the dungeons. "Maggie!" She hurried over to the trio and carefully knelt between Harry and Severus. "What happened?"

Severus quickly explained about the waves of magic and finding Maggie collapsed on the floor. "She seems to have come into her magic, Minerva."

The woman raised the parchment in her hand and Severus could see the Hogwarts seal on it. "I assumed as much. I was in my office grading papers when my book, the one which records all witches and wizards who are born, suddenly flipped back sixteen years and wrote in Maggie's name. Then the Hogwarts invitation letter wrote itself." She handed the paper to Severus. "Congratulations, Severus. Your daughter's been accepted to Hogwarts…"

A much weaker wave of magic surged from Maggie as Severus handed her the Hogwarts letter.

"Is this really happening, father?" she asked as he helped her to sit up. "Do I really have magic of my own now?"

"Indeed, you do," he replied, steadying her as he helped her to her feet.

"How, and why now?" she questioned, her gaze going between the three others in the room.

The others rose around them as he responded to his daughter, "I don't have any idea. Maybe…" he trailed off as one possibility came to him. "Oh no… Katrina…" he said softly.

In the silence of the classroom the other three all heard him. Maggie paled and Potter's eyes widened. "But Severus, there have been no reports of Death Eater attacks on wizards or muggles lately," Minerva said, obviously trying to reassure him.

"And who would report her missing?" he asked, scowling. "I have to check on her…"

"Severus, I'll send someone from the Order to check on her. I'm sure she's fine," McGonagall said calmly.

Severus nodded, knowing his daughter needed him right now. "I'm taking Maggie to the infirmary. Minerva, if you would hurry and check on Katrina, I would greatly appreciate it."

McGonagall nodded, "Be careful, Severus. The last thing you need is You-Know-Who getting wind of you having a daughter." She hurriedly left the room.

"I'm going with you to the infirmary," Potter said, addressing Maggie.

"Potter-" Severus began, threateningly.

"Father, please," Maggie cut him off. "I'd like it if he came with us."

Snape suppressed a growl, instead he simply said, "Come along then." He led the two students from his classroom and to the infirmary, his hand never leaving his daughter's shoulder.

-- --

Katrina placed her fork down as she finished the last bite of food. The meal was excellent as always. In fact, just about everything of her captivity could be considered 'excellent'. She cocked her head slightly as she stared across the table at Voldemort. "Ok," she said, breaking the silence of the meal, "Why am I here? What are you going to do to me?"

He smiled at her and it wasn't a pleasant sight. "I intend to bond you to one of my loyal followersss. He hasss yet to produce me any offssspring who I can mold into future followersss. I intend to rectify that. Sssadly, I will have to wait another week and a half or too many sssussspicionsss will be raisssed."

Katrina stared at him in horror. She watched him rise and banish the remains of their dinner. She was frozen in fear and revulsion as he left the room. She had to spend another week and a half here, her life being controlled by a madman? Then she was to be pawned off on one of his radical followers? She began contemplating ways in which she could get Voldemort to kill her.