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…
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
I need a sign
To let me know you're here
All of these lines are crossed over the atmosphere
I need to know if things are gonna look up
'Cause I feel us drowning in this sea spell from a cup
Train – Calling All Angels
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
Chapter 13…lines are crossed…
Shrill, feminine shrieks ripped Evan from the arms of Morpheus and he opened one eye to blearily peer around. He was still in Helena's dormitory with the aforementioned girl's body pressed up against his side only there was a slight difference now.
There were other occupants in the room.
And the shrieks of the girls brought more.
First in was Cadius Malfoy, who smirked superiorly and remarked to a second-year who came in behind him, "Go get Professor Snape. I'm certain he'll be thrilled to know that we have a Gryffindor spy in our dungeons."
"Oh, go slither back under your rock, Malfoy," snapped Evan, coming into full wakefulness. "You've known I was here since lunch."
Cadius arched a white-blond eyebrow.
"Your point, Longbottom?"
Evan growled in the back of his throat and snarled, "Y'know, your father may have been able to scare mine but you can just stop trying to do that same to me. 'Cause, guess what, Cad? (Cadius bristled at the name) Unlike you, I'm not a perfect little copy of my father."
Cadius' blue eyes (the only feature he inherited from his mother and not his father) glinted and he snapped, "My father is a hell of a lot better than yours, Longbottom!"
"Is that why he's been rotting in Azkaban for sixteen years?" spat Evan with a feral smile.
Cadius bristled again and snapped, "I could say the same about Granger there!"
Evan's yellow eyes narrowed at that.
"Don't even go there, Malfoy."
"And why not, Longbottom? Shouldn't everyone know who's our dear spitfire's father?"
Evan began to pull himself away from Helena, growling, "I'm warning you, Malfoy. If you dare…"
"Mister Malfoy shall not do anything," snapped Snape as he entered the room, black robes swirling about him. "Mister Longbottom, may I inquire as to what you are doing in a girl's dormitory? For that matter, the Slytherin girl's dormitory?"
Evan coolly met the black eyes and replied, "You know exactly why, sir."
Several of the younger Slytherin's tittered at Evan's words, whilst the elder one's smirked, waiting for Snape to give the presumptuous Gryffindor a detention and take as many points as possible.
But that never came. Snape instead whirled upon the members of his House and ordered them out of the room, even the girl's whose dorm it was. As soon as they were out, he locked the door and cast an Anti-Eavesdropping Spell on it. Only then did he turn towards Evan, who was now sitting on the edge of the bed with one hand resting lightly on Helena's shoulder.
"Evan, what in Merlin's name did you think you were doing?" demanded Severus, frowning at the boy his goddaughter had long ago befriended. "They would have torn you apart had I not stepped in."
"I'm not afraid of them, sir," said Evan. "Being around Hel so much, its hard to be afraid of anything."
The dark eyes flashed to the still sleeping form on the bed and a small smile twitched across the thin lips.
"That it is. But still…in another House? There will be points for this, lad."
"I knew that when I came down here, sir. But I had to. I had to know that Hel was alright."
Severus gave the boy a measuring look.
"You feared for her safety? Here in Hogwarts?"
"Sir," said Evan with a serious look, "it wasn't her physical well being I was worried about. It was her mental."
Severus nodded, well understanding that. After Helena had finally explained to him and Albus about her dreams, he too was worried about his goddaughter's mental state. She was strong, like both her parents, but the gods knew there was only so much one soul could take.
"I see. Have your worries been…detained?"
"No, sir." Evan decided to be presumptuous and asked, "Have yours?"
Severus eyed the young Longbottom for a moment before saying, "No. Now I think it is time you return to your House. Twenty points from Gryffindor."
"Yes, sir. What excuse shall I give Professor McGonagall for the loss?"
Severus smiled at the boy and asked, "Have I ever once needed an excuse to take points from Gryffindor, Mister Longbottom?"
Evan smiled tightly in response and replied, "Never, sir."
"Too true. Now, head off, lad."
"Hel…"
"She'll be fine," said Severus. "I suggest you get out of here right now before I am forced to take more points." He accented this with a demeaning glare.
Evan ducked his head slightly and murmured, "Yes, sir." With that he turned and left, slipping past a lingering Cadius to exit out into the hallway.
Severus flicked his wand at the door, which snapped shut in someone's face judging from the yelp of pain that followed it. He smiled slightly at that then gently eased himself down onto the edge of his goddaughter's bed. Reaching out to touch her shoulder, he whispered, "Lena. Wake up."
"Mmm," murmured Helena, rolling over so she faced him. Eyes still closed, one of her hands snaked up and buried itself in the folds of his robes. Severus sighed and shook his head at this, remembering a little girl who used to do the same thing.
"Lena," he sighed as he watched Hekate slid off the bed with a hiss and a thump.
"U'cle?" murmured the dark-haired girl, blearily opening one emerald orb to peer at him.
"Childling, what in Merlin's name were you thinking, allowing him to stay in here?"
Helena blinked at him and said, "Evan? Where'd he go?" She began to look around frantically, pushing herself up onto one elbow.
"Back to his Tower, where he belongs," replied Severus. "He could have gotten into a lot of trouble, you know."
"Hey, I didn't call him down here," defended Helena. "He came himself. He was worried, Uncle."
"I know that. But you know that when the young Malfoy speaks, the rest of Slytherin jumps. He could have told them to hex our young Gryffindor and he'd have been in the Hospital Wing for two weeks."
"Malfoy knows not to piss me off, Uncle. And he's not yet seen me really mad."
Severus smiled grimly and ruffled the cropped despoilment of dark hair. She had done it without his permission, which greatly perturbed him, but it was her hair.
"No one had yet seen you mad, childling, and I dearly hope no one ever shall."
"Would it be that bad?" asked Helena in a sort of awed tone.
Severus nodded solemnly.
"Judging from what I determined of your father over his years as my student, yes, it would be quite the show." He gently took her chin in his hand and continued, "You've got power, Lena. You know that. And I…I think its time I taught you how to use some of it."
The emerald eyes lit up at that and Helena breathed, "Really?"
Severus nodded solemnly and held up a hand to stop her oncoming cheer.
"It will be difficult, you understand. Very difficult. You know from experience that I am a hard taskmaster."
Helena nodded and Severus rumbled, "I will be even harder on you during this. Whatever you learn, remember what the powers you have were originally intended for. And never use them in that fashion."
"Never, Uncle," swore Helena, throwing her arms about her godfather's chest. "I'll never use them that way."
Severus sighed and enclosed the girl in a hug, mumbling to himself, "That is what I am afraid of."
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
Do you pray in the night?
Can you appreciate the wind?
Well I won't care
I won't fight
I need you close to see
It's the same beginning
Cold – Gone Away
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
Chapter 14…pray in the night…
"Parry! Damnit, childling, parry!"
"I'm parrying!"
Severus slapped Helena's blade away with his own in a sharp movement and snapped, "That is not parrying. This is parrying." He showed her the move again and continued, "Now, do it!"
"I'm trying!" hissed Helena. "What does this have to do with you teaching me how to use my powers?"
"I'll get to that. But first…"
"I know, I know. Parry."
"Exactly. Again!"
Steel slapped against steel and Severus sighed as once again Helena missed the movement.
"Childling…"
"I'm trying, Uncle," sighed Helena, letting her sword arm fall. "I can't get it."
Severus frowned and said, "Yes, you can. Now, again!"
"Uncle…"
"Again!"
Scarlet flashed momentarily in the emerald orbs and Helena lifted her sword again, holding it lightly. Severus lunged at her and she successfully parried his blade away with hers. But she went even further, striving forward into his space, blade flashing. He went suddenly from offensive to defensive but wasn't worried. If anything he was proud.
"Halt," he commanded after a few minutes of this. Helena stopped, panting slightly, and frowned at him.
"What?" she asked. "I was doing good."
"You left yourself open seven different times," scolded Severus. "But we'll work on that tomorrow. At the moment, we're going to have some magical practice."
Helena perked up at the words 'magical practice'.
"Spells?"
"Now I never said that…"
Helena's face fell and she sheathed her sword in a swift, hard motion. Severus noted this and placed his free hand on one of her slender shoulders, his sword held loosely in his other hand.
"Be patient, Lena," he said in a gentle tone. "This will take time."
"Time we don't have," responded Helena in what was partially growl and partially sigh.
Severus sighed as well and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.
"Time waits for no man – or woman -, childling. We shall just have to make do with what time we have."