Author Name: Saerry Snape
Rating: PG-13, may be R in later chapters
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Inspired by Lady Erised's wonderful Snapefics (specifically The Prince Returns, When the Past Comes Back, and Betrayal), Constantine1453's Harry Potter and the Trials and of His Life, and my Snapefic Nothing But the Rain. The Dark Prince officially belongs to Lady Erised; I use him with her permission. Lady of the Night is the sequel to my fic The Dark Prince.
Summary: Sixteen years after Hermione Granger gave birth to a dark-haired, green-eyed little girl, the past has returned to haunt the victims of a time in September of 2002. The year is 2019 and The Dark Prince has been released…
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You were born to privilege
Licking on a silver spoon
Think you gotta buy all your friends
Just so you can tear up the room
Heart – The Wolf
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Chapter 3…born to privilege…
Snape found Helena sitting on the sill of a window a mere five feet from the entrance to the Headmaster's office. As soon as he approached her, she turned her emerald eyes upon him.
"More talk of me behind my back, Uncle?"
Snape did not bat an eyelash at her bitter tone. How could he when he himself had taught her each and every biting remark she knew? He had taught her how to be a Slytherin.
"Only of what you already know. I told you that I would keep no secrets of your past from you."
"Then why don't you train me? You know my powers. You've told me so yourself. Yet you don't tell me how to use them!!"
"Because they're dangerous, Lena. What if I taught you and you let it slip to one of Voldemort's supporters? One we don't know about? What then?"
Helena, Dark Prince's daughter that she was, fixed him with a gaze that could pierce metal and used a subtle spell to hold her godfather in place. She said, "But if you train me, I could protect myself against them."
The two of them eyed each other for a few moments before Snape waved off her spell and said, "Their waiting for us at the Burrow."
"You still haven't answered my question," said Helena, perturbed at how easily he had cast off the spell.
"I will," said Snape. "Later."
Helena swung her legs over the sill and slid down to the floor, eyes focused all the while on her godfather.
"I'm going to hold you to that, you know."
Snape slung his arm about her shoulders, smiling as the teen wrapped her own arm about his waist. They walked slowly towards the outside like this.
"I know, Lena. I know."
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
Dancin' in moonlight
Until the break of day, just
Let the rhythm take control
Can you feel the spirit
I know you can hear it
There's a fever in your soul
S Club 7 – Viva La Fiesta
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Chapter 4
…feel the spirit…
"Ron! Ron, get down here!"
"I told you I'm not coming down, Tash!"
"Ronald Weasley, you get down here right NOW!!"
"Yes, Mum!"
Natasha Weasley nee Bennett turned to her mother-in-law and asked, "How come he will never listen to me?"
Molly Weasley smiled warmly at her and replied, "Oh, he listens. He just doesn't want to come down here."
"Only because of Helena? Molly, what exactly does he have against her? She had no control over who her parents were or how she was conceived." Natasha frowned and asked, "Or is it Severus he's trying to avoid?"
Molly sighed heavily and set down her wand from where she'd been putting icing on Helena's cake.
"It may well be Severus, but Ron doesn't have a problem with Helena. It's the memory of his two best friends that haunts him when he sees her." She paused then continued, "Also, every time he sees her, he's reminded of Harry. We all are."
"She had his eyes," said Natasha.
"His mother's eyes," corrected Molly. "Now, where have Fred and George gotten to?"
Natasha noted how Molly wanted to change the subject and obliged the older woman.
"I'll go find them. You just finish Lena's cake."
Molly smiled and said gratefully, "You're an angel."
Natasha simply smiled in response and turned to go find the twins. As she went past their old room, she heard a loud bang and fiendish laughter from inside. Shaking her head, she cracked the door and peered inside.
Neither twin had changed much mentally over the years but physically was another story. George had obviously inherited their father's receding hairline but didn't complain as his wife, Angelina, said it made him look dashing. Fred, on the other hand, had inherited their mother's salt-and-pepper hair, his bright red hair scattered very lightly with silver and gray. At the moment the two pranksters were grinning fiendishly at each other.
"Its perfect!"
"Nothing less for our dear Helena!"
Natasha pushed open the door a little more and leaned casually agains its frame, deliberately making the aged wood creak. The twins jumped and whirled to look at her as she grinned at them.
"Why, Natasha," purred George. "Just the person we wanted to see."
"Yes," said Fred. "We need your…ah – womanly expertise."
Natasha arched an eyebrow and looked curiously at them. "Really?" she said in a disbelieving tone of voice.
"Yes!" cried George.
"Let me guess. You want me to tell you if you went too overboard with Helena's gift."
"No…"
"Of, course not…"
"We'd never ask…"
"…you to do…"
"…such as thing. Would we, George?"
"Of course not, Fred."
"Uh-huh. Tell me another one, boys. I've heard that one from Caleb and Cole so many times I know before hand when they're going to say it."
"You've caught us," sighed George.
"Are you sure you weren't a Slytherin?" asked Fred, arching his eyebrows.
Natasha laughed, tossing a lock of her silver-streaked hair over her shoulder.
"Merlin, no! I am as Gryffindor as you two. Now, what's this gift you want me to look at?"
The twins grinned and held it out to her and she gasped. Eyes twinkling, she beamed at the twins.
"Oh. She'll love it."
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
When Natasha returned downstairs, she found her twin sons attempting to steal a rather large slice of cake. Smirking, she snuck up behind them and grabbed their ears.
"Boys."
The two boys lookup at her in pure horror and it was so comical that Natasha had to bite back a laugh.
"What are you two doing?"
"Just trying some of Grandmum's cake, Mum," said Caleb.
"Honest," echoed Cole.
Natasha gave them her fiercest look and gently but firmly tapped the sides of their heads. "I told you," she said, "no cake until Helena and Severus get here."
"Aw, Mum. C'mon! They always take forever!!"
"Forever and a day," proclaimed Helena as she strode into the room, grinning brightly.
"Lena," said Natasha, striding forward and giving the girl a warm hug.
"Hello, Aunt Tasha."
"I've told you not to call me that," said Natasha, holding the teen at arms length.
There was a chuckle and Severus entered the room. He said, "But don't you know that she doesn't listen to what any of us say, Natasha?"
"Hello, Severus. How are you?"
"Stunning. What are you two tricksters up to now?" asked Severus, eyeing the two fourteen-year-old's.
Cole and Caleb looked innocently back at him and replied, "Nothing, Uncle."
Severus sighed and shook his head, causing Natasha to laugh.
"Sev!"
"Hello, Molly," said Severus as Molly came out of the kitchen to greet them. She hugged him and Helena then stepped back to look up at the both of them.
"Oh, you two are far too tall."
Helena grinned and said, "So's Aunt Tasha."
"Natasha is only an inch taller than me. But you two! Great towering buildings, you are! At least once you were shorter than me!"
"Even Severus?" asked Natasha.
"Yes," said Molly, planting her hands on her hips and eying the dark-clothed wizard. "I remember when Severus only came up to my waist. He was so cute!"
Helena burst out laughing at the thought of her godfather being called 'cute'. Severus glared at her out of the corner of his eye then said, "Thank you for bringing up such fond memories, Molly."
"Oh, it was my pleasure, Severus."
"Gods, you haven't changed a bit. You're still all…"
"Hush, now," snapped Molly, whacking him with her wand, sending off purple sparks. "Go help Charlie with the table outside. Cole, go get your uncle's. Caleb, go see what's keeping your father and tell him if he's not down here in two minutes, I'm going to come and get him. Natasha, would you mind going to tell Arthur we're ready?"
"Not at all, Molly," said Natasha, winking at Helena as she Disapparated.
Severus headed out into the backyard where Bill and Charlie were setting up tables while Cole and Caleb rushed upstairs. Helena looked at Molly and asked, "What can I do, Aunt Molly?"
Molly smiled and said, "This is your day, Lena. Why don't you head outside? I think Bill and Charlie and battling the tables again."
"I'd like to help."
"I've got everything in here. You go outside, dear."
Helena sighed and said, "Alright." She walked out into the backyard, taking a seat on a chair as she watched her godfather, Bill, and Charlie have the tables battling in the air.
A/N: Argh, I can't keep using 'Snape'. I must say 'Severus'. Anyway….
Artemisu – Correct on all points! Have a cookie! NO! MY COOKIES! *whacks Saerwy* Give the reviewer a cookie! NO! MINE! Stupid… GIVE ME THAT!! Muse wrestling! Two bucks for a ticket! *hands a chocolate frog to Artemisu* I suppose it'll have to be a chocolate frog instead of a cookie.