A/N: This is my longest chapter ever! I'm soooo glad people are reading this now. And now, to answer a few questions.
Sue: As for Minerva's history with Stefan Malfoy, I don't know the specifics. She didn't impart them to me. I do know that he was like his son, evil and maniacal. Minerva and Stefan went to school together. He was bitter and evil and (probably) friends with Snape's dad. When she saw how Lucius turned out she assumed Severus was like his dad. As for any other history…maybe, maybe not. As to your other question. I did entertain the idea of Draco being some how related to Harry or Alathea or someone, but the way I ended up writing this one, it didn't work. Maybe next time.
Inca: This chapter is just for you. Yes Lily and Severus had a relationship, and this is the chapter that explains it. Also, Alathea is 22 (she's a little more than five years older than Harry. That makes this their seventh year). And yes I think 25-30 is about right for Bill. I went with the middle and decided he was 28, which compared to the age difference between our favorite 'ship, theirs is practically nonexistent. As for who Minerva and Albus's children are, well, your just going to have to wait. It won't come out for quite a while, but I'll be dropping hints all the way up until that point. If you think you've figured it out, your welcome to email me separately, but please don't post it anywhere.
Chapter 5: If at first you don't succeed…
Harry always hated potions, but today he was dreading it even more than usual. Unfortunately it was also his first class of the day. There had been no sign of his sister at breakfast, for which he was eternally grateful, although a treacherous part of his mind was hoping that she had gotten something to eat. When he left the Great Hall, with Ron and Hermione trailing, he walked as slowly as he could down to his potions class. He didn't want to see Snape, and he was sure Snape was going to be quite rotten to him, after he had walked out on Alathea.
They barely made it to their seats before class started. Instead of the lecture and loss of points he was expecting, he got an almost understanding look and a quiet warning. "Do try to be a bit earlier next time Potter." His professor recommended softly.
The three Gryffindors blinked and gave each other shocked looks, but quickly settled down to work, eager to take advantage of this almost kind behavior. Potions, for once, went off without a hitch. Gryffindor only lost twenty points when Neville exploded his cauldron. But aside from that rather unfortunate moment, their Professor stuck to the Slytherin side of the dungeon. At the end of class, however, Harry realized he wasn't getting off quite so easily. "Mr. Potter, a word?" Came the soft voice from the front of the class.
Ron gave his best friend a knowing look and Hermione squeezed his hand. "We'll wait for you outside." Ron whispered. Then he and Hermione grabbed their bags and left the room, closing the door behind them. Harry stared defiantly at Snape, and stood rigid.
Snape sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, as if he felt a headache coming on. "Harry, I have a good idea of what you're feeling right now. For me; for Thea; for your Mother." He looked up, but Harry's gaze showed no encouragement. "Hate me; be angry with your mother. But give your sister a chance."
Snape was pleading with him, Harry realized with a start. He was suddenly curious about what it was about his sister that could force Snape into such an act. "She was in the house that night too." The potions master continued softly. "She lived with your parents most of the time. I sent her away to keep her safe."
Harry looked surprised at that. It hadn't occurred to him that his father would have known. But bitterness slowly crept in. She hadn't gone to the Dursleys; she'd been allowed to remain in the magical world, probably with one of Snape's relatives. "Why couldn't I have gone with her?" He asked angrily. "Were your relatives to proud to take in a Potter?"
Snape blinked in surprise. "Alathea didn't go to any one in my family. She was placed in the foster care of a muggle family in America. She wasn't even allowed to attend a wizarding academy. She studied from the texts at night, alone with no teacher to guide her."
"Oh." It was all Harry could seem to say. "Why didn't she go with me?"
"Had she been found by Hagrid, she may have. She was found later, and just like James and Lily tried to hide you separately, I felt you would both be safer if you were separated.
"Can I go see her now?" He asked hesitantly.
"I'll take you to her." The exited the classroom together and Harry turned to his best friends.
"I'm going to give Alathea another chance to talk." He told them. "I'll see you guys at lunch."
They were halfway to where ever they were going when Harry thought of another question for Snape. "Professor…." Snape didn't stop walking, but he did turn his gaze to the boy next to him. "How did, you and my mum…" He trailed off, uncertain of how to phrase his question.
For once, Snape took pity on the boy and didn't force him to blunder on. "Right before we graduated from Hogwarts, your dad and mum got in a big fight and broke up. He wanted to go play professional quidditch, and your mum was going to university. She had this deep seeded desire to by exactly like McGonagall. And your mum wanted James to come with her. She was afraid he'd forget about her, but he put his foot down. So they broke up, he went to play quidditch, and she went to university. We happened to end up at the same university…."
Severus Snape looked up from his potions essay in irritation. Who ever the obnoxious student was who had decided to cry in the library was distracting him. He searched for the offender and was surprised to see, only two tables away from him a familiar red head. "Lily Evans?"
The girl looked up and despite the tears still streaming down her face she smiled at him. "Severus?! Oh am I glad to see you!" She picked up her texts and ran over to sit across from him. "I have this elementary potions class, and I know it's all very easy for you, but some of these formulas and recipes are just tripping me up completely."
He nodded. Lily had never been the most exemplary potions student. "Let me take a look." He turned the book sideways to they could both see it and began to break it down for her to understand.
"Your mother's strong suit never was potions. I tutored her the whole semester and we became very good friends. We'd always been on friendly terms, my feud with your father never extended to her, but without all of her other friends around, we became rather close. After the term closed, I asked her out." He took a breath and gave Harry something of a smile, as if his next sentence would contain a joke they would both understand. "I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when she said yes. We dated for another whole term, and it was at dinner where we were celebrating surviving the first year that she told me…"
She'd been quiet all night, eating little, toying with her napkin. Her eyes were guarded, as if she were nervous…or afraid of him. Snape fought a moment of panic. Had she found out? He'd been very careful that she wouldn't find out he was a death-eater. He knew her feelings on the subject. And even if his own feelings were truthfully fairly close to hers, he'd joined anyway, at a low point in his seventh year. It had seemed like a blessing, and now he didn't know how to get out…
He shook off that train of thought. Of course she didn't know, unless she was regularly contacted by McGonagall or Dumbledore, how could she, and even then, he didn't really know if they knew.
Severus placed his hand on top of hers. "Lil, you've been quiet all night. Is something wrong?"
"Depends on how you define wrong." She whispered hollowly.
He gave her hand a squeeze. "Just tell me Lil, we'll figure it out."
She gave him a tender smile. "I'm…pregnant Severus. We're going to have a baby."
She hadn't expected the joy that crossed his face. "Really?!" She smiled and nodded, caught up in his excitement. But the next moment his face fell. "We…can't…"
"Severus Snape, I will not have an abortion!"
There were tears in his eyes. "You don't understand Lily. I…I made a mistake…one day…it was a bad day…I joined Voldemort's side. Our seventh year."
The betrayal in her eyes left him in more pain than the cruciatus curse. "I know…I don't know why I did it…I…wish I hadn't…"
"Go to Dumbledore." She pleaded.
He shook his head sadly. "I can't. I don't want to go to Azkaban. I'm scared."
Tears sprang into her eyes as well. "Then this won't work. Goodbye Severus." She kissed his cheek as she stood. "I won't be with a death-eater. I'll let you know when the baby is born."
Harry was shocked to see the tears in Snape's eyes. Professor Snape had really loved his mum. "I blew it Harry." His voice was soft, and Harry wasn't sure he'd even known that he'd called his archenemy's son by his rightful name. "Six months later James came knocking on her door, he missed her, and he wanted her to know, because he was joining the Order of the Phoenix, and he was going to fight the Dark Lord. Lily forgave him, took him back and went with him. I stayed where I was. But my heart was in it less and less each day as I dreamed about my child. One day the letter came. A girl. I wanted to see her. Lily let me…"
He knocked on the door to the Potter's house. James opened it and scowled. Severus was to tired to even muster a proper insult. "I know James. I'm lower than scum, and I'm sure I'll be caught and killed soon." James looked surprised. "Please, let me…let me see my daughter just once before I leave."
James looked skeptical, but a little more understanding than he'd ever been. "Let him in James." Can the soft voice from behind the door.
Severus felt a lump in his throat as James stepped aside to let him in. There was Lily, still a little swollen from the little munchkin in her arms. She passed the bundle of blankets to him and he looked down. She already had a full head of black hair, and her eyes were green. "They were blue when she was born." Lily told him as she watched him stare into his daughter's eyes. "They just turned green about a day or two ago."
"What's her name?" He asked softly.
"We haven't decided." James admitted grudgingly. "Lily was sure you'd come and she wanted to have your input."
"What are the choices?"
"I like Galatea." Said Lily. Severus hid his smile. He'd once compared her to that perfect creature, it would be like her to remember it.
"I like Anna." James added.
"What about Alathea?" He suggested. The little girl gurgled happily.
Lily giggled. "I think she likes it."
They left him alone with the little girl, Lily more readily than James. He held her and spoke to her softly, falling more and more in love with his child. Realizing he wanted her to have a better world. He made his decision. He stood and found James alone in the kitchen. Severus passed the little girl to him. "Lily told you?" James nodded, his eyes were angry. "I'm going to Dumbledore today." This time his old enemy's blue eyes held surprise. "I want Alathea to have a better world. Take care of her Potter. Don't hold my life and my mistakes against her."
"I went to see the headmaster that very afternoon. He was merciful. I became his spy. Lily and James knew. Alathea lived with them. I was afraid of the wrath of You-know-who, should he ever find out about me, or my daughter. She used to visit me, weekends mostly, when school was in session."
Snape stopped talking as he opened a large door.
