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…
Making my way downtown
Faces pass and I'm homebound
Staring blankly ahead
Just making my way
Making my way through the crowd
Vanessa Carlton – A Thousand Miles
Chapter 19
…blankly ahead…
"She's gone?"
"Apparently we underestimated how far Potter could get into her mind."
Dumbledore frowned and looked over at the tawny-haired teenager who sat sullenly near the window of his office.
"Evan?"
"Sir?" gasped Evan as he lifted his head from his hands. His cheeks were stained with tears and his eyes were red-rimmed.
"We will get her back, child. I assure you."
"Don't lie to me, Headmaster," hissed Evan, his yellow eyes narrowing.
Severus turned away from the two, his hands clasped behind his back. He closed his eyes and saw a memory in his mind's eye.
"Why did you call me, Miss Granger?" asked Severus.
Hermione, propped up on pillows in a bed in St. Mungo's hospital, gestured at the bundle in her arms. Severus looked at it then back to the woman before him.
"And?"
"I wanted to ask you to do something for me, professor," said Hermione softly. "Or…not really for me. For her."
"Her?" said Severus slowly. His eyes fell on the bundle in her arms and he added, "Your daughter. Potter's daughter."
"My daughter," corrected Hermione. "She'll have my name, not his. But I know he'll come after her. I know he will…"
"What does this have to do with me?"
"I – I wanted to ask you if you would be…no, if you would do me the honor of being her godfather."
Severus was dumbstruck for the first time in many years.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because you're the only one who can protect her if Harry comes after her."
"I couldn't defeat Potter nine months ago."
"Wizards get stronger as they age, professor. I've read that. Is it true?"
"Sometimes."
"Will you, then?"
Severus frowned at the bundle in her arms. He didn't need the responsibility that would come with caring for a child.
But he owed something to Hermione Granger, didn't he? She had saved his life when Harry was going to take it from him as he lay helpless.
He owed her a Wizard's Debt.
Severus found himself angry when he saw the smirk that twisted her lips. She knew she had him. Damn her, she had known it when she had asked him to come here!
He smirked. It was almost Slytherinly of her.
"Very well, Miss Granger," he said. "I accept."
"Thank you, professor," breathed Hermione "You don't know how much this means to me."
"I'm certain I don't. Now, if that is all…"
He turned and had started towards the door when Hermione said, "Professor?"
"Yes?" asked Severus without turning.
"Could you suggest a name? I – I don't know what to call her."
Severus turned slowly and eyed the bushy-haired woman for a long moment. Then he looked at the baby girl and said, "Helena."
Hermione smiled and looked down at the baby, her eyes shining.
"Helena Lillianne…"
Severus nodded almost to himself as he turned and went to the door, pulling it open. He paused in the doorway and called over his shoulder, "Oh, Miss Granger…"
"Sir?"
"That was very Slytherin of you to call me here knowing I could not deny you. Very Slytherin indeed, using my Wizard's Debt to you to get what you wished."
He could nearly sense her smile.
"Was that a compliment, professor?"
"Perhaps. Good day, Miss Granger."
"Good day," said Hermione to the closing door. She then smiled at her daughter and added, "He'll take care of you, Helena. Don't worry…"
"He'll take care of you…"Severus shook his head sadly and snorted.
Take care of her? Yes, he had done a good job of taking care of Helena.
So good that he had allowed her to slip right between his fingers.
No!
No, he had allowed Potter to slip between his fingers.
It would not happen again.
"Albus?" he said loudly, catching the old wizard's attention.
"Severus?"
He could sense Dumbledore frown on his back and smirked. Dumbledore would try to stop him. He knew he would.
But it wasn't just his Debt to Hermione that had prompted his decision. It was the magic that bound him to Helena as her godfather. And the fact that he loved the girl despite how she annoyed him with her mischievous ways.
He would also not allow a mere child to be dragged into the Dark.
Not against her will.
And not while he could prevent it.
"I'm going."
"Severus…"
"I'm going with you," said Evan, standing up.
Severus turned and gave him a long, hard look.
"Mister Longbottom, these will not be children I shall be facing. They will be fully-qualified wizards along with Voldemort himself. Not to mention Harry Potter, who is without a doubt one of the strongest wizards of this age. This is not work for a child."
"I want to go," said Evan. "I can help. I know I can. Please, sir."
"Evan…"
"I need to know she's alright," said Evan softly, staring up into Severus' dark eyes. "I need to tell her…" He trailed off and Severus nodded, knowing.
Evan had fallen in love with Helena.
But he couldn't allow a sixteen-year-old to battle against the likes of Voldemort and Potter.
Then again…Potter had done it at fourteen.
"Very well," said Severus. "But I warn you now, if you slow me down in any way, I will send you back here. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."
"Don't thank me yet," mumbled Severus. "Albus…"
"Go," said Dumbledore, knowing he couldn't stop either man or boy. "Be careful."
"As mice," said Severus, inclining his head towards the old wizard before he turned and left. Evan smiled reassuringly before he followed, closing the door behind him.
Dumbledore stared at the dark wood for a moment before he muttered, "And so it begins."
What is really when your falling over
Everything we thought was denied
I'm gonna be the one that's taking over
Now this is what its like when worlds collide
Are you ready to go?
Powerman 5000 – When Worlds Collide
Chapter 20
…when worlds collide…
"What are we going to do, sir?" asked Evan as he followed Severus out of the castle. The older wizard couldn't help but note that the young man was tailing him like a puppy – an apt description since he often used his Metamorphmagus skills to turn into a wolf.
"We are going to bring her back," replied Severus as he strode across the grounds.
"Uh…how?"
Severus frowned and pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose for a moment.
"I shall have to wait until I see what we will be up against. After that I can figure out a plan."
"Oh, that's good. Glad we're not rushing in there without one."
Close enough, thought Severus grimly.
Halfway through the gate, he paused.
Should he?
Should he don that garb again?
That mask?
Dare he?
A smirk crossed Severus' face.
Oh yes.
He dared.
"Sir?" said Evan, looking at him curiously.
"A moment, please, Evan," purred Severus as he walked over to the stone pillar that upheld one half of the gates allowing entry into Hogwarts. He pressed his hand against one of the stones and muttered something under his breath to it.
The stone slid aside smoothly, revealing a small indentation in the stone beneath it. A bundle of dark cloth lay there, a sliver of pristine white porcelain peering out from underneath it.
Gently, Severus reached in and pulled out the bundle, allowing the stone to slide back into place. He unfolded the jet-black Death Eater's robes he had put away sixteen years ago and slowly pulled them on.
As he buttoned up the front of the high-collared robes, he heard Evan suck in a gasp of air.
So the boy did know what Death Eater robes looked like.
"Sir…"
"I thought you knew that I was a Death Eater, Evan," said Severus softly as he looked down at the porcelain mask in his hands.
"I always suspected…but I never…"
"I see."
Severus slid the mask onto his face and took in a deep breathe. The mask smelled of old blood and sweat as it had the last time he had worn it.
Ah, memories…
Turning slowly, Severus looked at Evan from behind the slitted eyes of the porcelain mask. The teen gasped and took a step back as he saw the three gold lines slashed across the mask's left eye.
"Merlin's beard…"
"Yes, Evan," purred Severus, taking a step forward. "I was not only a Death Eater but the Dark Prince. The first Prince."
"Fuck me," gasped Evan. "Sir, I never…"
"Knew? Of course not. Now come."
Severus pulled off the mask, taking a deep breath of the cool night air to dispel the smell of blood and old battles that had settled in his nostrils. He slipped it into his pocket as he stepped out of the protective wards. Evan cautiously followed him, looking rather scandalized that he had not know the godfather of his best friend was the original Dark Prince.
Reaching out one long arm, Severus grabbed Evan's and jerked him close.
"Don't move," he growled as he whipped out his wand and Apparated the both of them.
Two minutes after they vanished with a subtle pop, the Hogwarts gates swung shut, locking themselves against intruders. The ward against those with Dark Marks entering the school grounds went up as well.
Hogwarts had set her defenses, ready for any confrontation.
It was too bad that those defenses had not saved Helena from her father.