Chapter Thirteen: Snape's Detention

Alysia and Draco made their way down to the dungeon at midnight for their detention with Professor Snape; both still stifling embarrassed laughter at being caught by their Potions professor. While Harry, Ron and Hermione had spent the entire previous day warning Alysia of the horrible detentions Snape concocted, Draco assured her that Snape went easy on Slytherins and that they would probably just spend the entire time having a long conversation.

"He likes to catch up with me from time to time. Don't worry, Aly. He won't make you do anything too harsh either," he assured her as they approached the dungeon. Professor Snape was sitting inside, looking rather annoyed.

"You are late, Ms. Karadhras. Five points from Hufflepuff," he announced, gesturing for the two of them to sit in the front row. "Since I'm in a generous mood this evening, your detention will be to write one roll of parchment on decorum."

Draco flashed Alysia a smile that said, "I told you this would be easy," and they began to write. Fifteen minutes later, Alysia's essay was complete, but Draco was still tapping his quill on the parchment. He finally laid his quill down and looked at Professor Snape inquisitively. "My parents have been wondering about you," he mentioned casually.

"Have they?" Professor Snape asked with a vague interest.

"My mother would like to know when you're next coming to visit," Draco explained. "She mentioned in her last owl that Griffin and Zel have been asking after you as well."

Now Professor Snape looked interested. "And how are they?"

"They're doing really well. I brought them to Alysia's house for Christmas and they haven't been able to stop talking about it since."

"They haven't?" Alysia asked, and Professor Snape sent her a glare.

"I suggest you keep quiet, Ms. Karadhras, unless you want your essay to be lengthened by a page and a half," he ordered. Alysia wanted to protest, but Draco gave her a look telling her not to worry about it. Instead, she glared at Professor Snape and pretended to be still working on her essay.

"At any rate, they loved Alysia's house and her family. I think she reminds them of their mother," Draco explained, leaning back in his chair.

Professor Snape looked at Alysia with a scrutinizing eye, and she scowled at him. "Yes, when she's not making such a fowl face, I can see the resemblance between her and Rosalind."

"Maybe that's why Griffin and Zel are so attached to Alysia. They always want her to come over again, but I can't risk it, what with my father. . ."

"Understandably so. Rosalind was always nervous about visiting Narcissa, knowing that Lucius wasn't very fond of her. If it hadn't been for Narcissa and I, Rosalind would not have lived as long as she did." Professor Snape looked at Alysia, who must have looked as confused as she felt. "Or did you not know, Ms. Karadhras, that Griffin and Zel are my children?"

Alysia nearly fell out of her chair. "What? How. . .?"

"I do not think you want to hear the details of 'how', but suffice it to say that Rosalind and I. . ."

"Wait, I didn't even know this!" Draco seemed indignant. "What happened between you and Aunt Rosalind?"

"As you are well aware, Draco, my family and your mother's family have been close since we were children. Narcissa and Rosalind were my closest childhood friends and that friendship was something none of us outgrew. It was, in fact, through me that your father met your mother, as you will recall that she attended Beauxbatons rather than Hogwart's as your father did," Snape explained patiently.

"I didn't know your mother went to Beauxbatons," Alysia whispered.

"Narcissa LancrĂȘt. She's French," Draco explained. "Go on, Professor Snape."

"When Rosalind met Stephen, I was completely opposed to whatever might come out of the relationship. Not merely because Stephen was a Muggle, but also because I knew that he came from a strict breed that didn't care for witches, magic or anything of the sort. Rosalind was hiding who she was. I warned her against it and begged her to reconsider. She refused to listen and went ahead with the marriage. I was heartbroken." Snape paused and drew in breath rather sharply, and Alysia suddenly realized that there was more to this professor than met the eye. She dropped her gaze back to the completed essay, pretending to be completely intent on it. Finally, Professor Snape began to speak again.

"I hadn't realized how deeply my feelings for Rosalind ran. And try as I might to ignore them, these feelings did not go away. I began to write to her weekly, then daily. At first, she seemed to consider me a mere acquaintance, then a dear friend. The more she trusted me, the more it pained me to read her letters. She began to divulge the dark secrets of her marriage to me-how she could only practice magic in secret, lest her husband discover. How even the slightest hint of magic would bring upon her a severe and violent beating."

"I never trusted Uncle Stephen. . .but I never thought. . ." Draco trailed off and wrote something down on his parchment. He looked up again. "When did you. . .you know. . ."

"It was about a year before you would start here at Hogwart's. Rosalind's last letter had been desperate. Stephen had broken her arm in their last brawl, and she didn't think she could stand any more. I invited her to come stay with me for a while, under the pretense of staying with her sister. She did and did not mention it to her husband. Needless to say, her visit was memorable."

Alysia blushed and pretended to be terribly interested in her writing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Draco turn away in an embarrassed manner. "So that was when. . .?" he trailed off.

"No, not quite. Christmastime. A week after the end of the holiday, Rosalind owled me to inform me of her pregnancy. The accident was a month later," Snape paused and looked up, seeming lost in the memory. "I cannot say that I was unhappy with this turn of events. Rosalind was safe and free now. Griffin and Zel were soon born and I was happily preparing to marry the woman of my dreams and raise my children."

Here Snape stopped, and Alysia looked up, dreading what would come next. He breathed deeply and continued. "It was early October, the year Griffin and Zel turned three. I sensed there was something wrong while I was grading papers, but didn't act on my impulse. I should have. That night, your mother owled me to say that Rosalind was dying. I arrived just in time to say good-bye to her, and that was all. She died."

Snape's last statement came out louder than Alysia had expected, and she jumped a little. It had cracked like a whip, and for a moment, everyone in the dungeon felt its sting. Then all was silent as Snape began his tale again in a colorless voice. "Even though it was never confirmed, I knew that Rosalind had died as the result of something Lucius did. She was a pureblood, of course, but he didn't care for her at all. I knew that my children would be next. So I made up a story and told Lucius that they had died. And I convinced Narcissa to hide Griffin and Zel in the West Wing of the castle."

"It's all so much clearer now," Draco muttered. He looked down at his parchment and tagged a period on the end of a sentence. "Here. I'm done." With that, he hurried from the room. Alysia, who had been lost in thought until she saw Draco leave, suddenly snapped back to reality.

"So am I!" she exclaimed. She hurriedly placed her parchment on Snape's desk and ran from the room after Draco.

"I can't believe it," he said at last, when they were well out of hearing range. "Professor Snape is Griffin and Zel's father."

"I know," Alysia breathed. "I wish things were safe for them so they could actually live with their father."

Draco sighed sadly. "I guess I must be just blind that I didn't see how horrible a person my father is before."

Alysia sighed and shook her head. "You love him and look up to him. It's a normal thing," she told him with a shrug.

"Looked up to him," Draco corrected, sighing again. Alysia gave him a small smile and put her arms around his neck.

"It's going to be alright, Draco. I promise you," she told him before kissing him tenderly.

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A/N: Okay, just kidding, I don't know .html code. Go figure.

Anyway, it's a short chapter, yes, but that's okay. Next chapter will be the Spring Ball. . .w00t! Hope you like it. Keep reading!