(12)Return To Hogwarts

Merida collapsed into a chair beside the bed & stared! Everyone went silent a moment while those words sunk in. "W--W--What?" Merida finally exclaimed. "Back the Hogwarts Express up! WHAT?!"

Snape perched on the edge of the bed & buried his face in his hands for a moment. "Ohhhhh!" he finally groaned. "Merlin have mercy! Mmmm!" He looked up at Merida. "I wanted to tell you the first day you arrived at Hogwarts!" Snape started. "But then, then the Chamber Of Secrets was opened & I knew I could never tell you then. Every time I wanted to, the Dark Lord ruined everything & I had to remain silent. Then Bellatrix confirmed my worst fear when she told me they knew you were here! When you disappeared, I was so upset that I probably took off more points from Gryfindor than they deserved!" Snape surprised himself when he said that. He kept gazing at Merida, wondering if she would accept him or disown him. "I am your father, Merida!" he said again. "I wanted to tell you for so long! But I couldn't. The Dark Lord would find you & kill you!"

Merida glared at him! "Why does Voldomort want me dead?"

Snape glowered. "How dare you say the Dark Lord's name! My Master may be evil but his power still commands some respect!"

"Excuse ME!" Merida defended. "I can say MY master's name whenever I want! Or did you not read that word under my wing? If Tom only knew it was me!"

Snape felt ready to faint! Tom?!?! My own daughter actually knows the Dark Lord's original name?! "WHY YOU-------!!!" Snape glared at her. "Do you have ANY idea of how serious it would be if he ever found out you were his Phoenix? He will Cruccio you unto death! Way beyond insanity! For your information, I was never really a true Death Eater! I was a spy but I messed up once & the Dark Lord cast a horrible punishment on the Snape household! Everyone bearing that name must die, except me!" Snape sighed & said in a somewhat sarcastic manner. "He wanted me alive to suffer through it!" He glared back at Merida who was eying him closely. "Your mother & I hid you with some muggle friends of hers. She was a muggle-born of Ravenclaw House. When you came here, I thought you'd be safe but then you disappeared!" Snape suddenly remembered something. "Albus, I thought you said she was missing?"

"In a sense she was," said Dumbledore. "When you had been cursed with "Sweord", Merida had been with Harry & his friends & tripped over this ancient Sword of animagic. Long ago, animagic was only possible to whoever used this sword. They would be capable of changing into any animal. Then as its powers were learned, animagic became a special class where one animal shape was assigned to a person & Mystique was discarded. It was written that this old Sword was last scen in the Dark Forest. When Merida brought it to me after I received your note explaining Bellatrix knew she was here, I decided to hide Merida with the power of animagic," Dumbledore looked softly at Snape. "But i couldn't tell anyone, least of all you! You're her father so I had to protect both of you! I became her Secret Keeper & allowed everyone else to believe Merida was gone! Now," Dumbledore pushed up his glaces. "could either of you explain to me how Merida came to be the Dark Lord's pet?" He looked disapprovingly at Merida. "That was not part of the deal?"

"What?" Snape stared. "You mean you didn't know that Merida was his parrot?"

"Phoenix! You nut!" Merida spasmed irritatedly! Snape glared at her. Merida ignored him & turned to Dumbledore. "I--uh--well--hmm!"

"No need to be careful now!" Snape snapped. "We all know that you've been," he looked firmly into Merida's eyes. "UP to something? Hmm?"

"I hate you!" Merida finally said. "I really HATE you!" She turned back to Dumbledore. "I've been double-crossing everybody. I flew into an open window & didn't know where I was. Then Voldomort," she stressed that name to make Snape cringe! "found me flying helplessly in circles. He tried to release me but I couldn't believe my luck! What better way to spy on Tom," another stressed word for poor Snape! "then to be his Phoenix? I was the one who sent you those anonymous letters & don't say "I could have been intercepted!"" she warned as Dumbledore & Moody started to say the same thing at the same time!. "I never actually carried the letters except that first one with the law on it for Death Eaters. I would fly to my destination first & then write a note & carry it in to whoever needed to read it! Poor Mr. Riddle! He was swearing to know who betrayed him!" Merida sighed. "There, ya happy "father"? I said all his names for you!"

Snape froze at the word "father"! Stifled laughs could be heard all over the room!

"Well, we'd better leave you two alone for awhile," said Moody. "I know you've been waiting a long time for this, Severus!"

"Wait a minute!" Merida yelped. "You knew?"

"All the Professors knew!" said Mcgonagall. "Even Hagrid as well as the Order Of The Phoenix! Protecting what was left of the Snape family was one of our jobs!" Merida smiled sweetly at her favourite teacher. She had missed Mcgonagall!

"Some of us even took turns to be Professors here to keep an eye on you!" said Moody. "My turn got screwed up when Crouch took over with that polyjuice potion but at least Remus faired better!" Moody laughed. He & the others turned to leave but stopped & stared as Lupin appeared in the door, carrying Hermione.

Ron & Neville stared at Merida who smiled back but had an unhappy look in her eyes. "Snape's my dad!" she retorted to them as Lupin carried Hermione to Poppy. "He just told me!"

Neville's jaw was on the floor somewhere! "Your dad?!" he gasped. "May Merlin have mercy on you!"

"Thanks, sweety!" Merida didn't know wether to laugh or punch Neville to the floor! Ron, however, didn't say anything. Even though the adults never told the children about the Snape family, Fred & George's extendable ears had heard everything! "Anyway, what's wrong with Hermione?" Merida went on. "& what's wrong with you, Neville?" she added, noticing a deep wound in his side.

"Hmm? Oh---uh--nothing!" Neville hid his wound with his robe & hurried to Lupin's side with Ron & Merida.

"I'm sorry, Remus!" Madam Pomfrey was saying "It can only be the Avada Death Curse! There's nothing I can do for her!" Dead silence followed those words. Hermione was gone!

"With the Dark Lord around," Lupin tried to stay calm but burst into tears. "these things happen!"

"I'll send a letter to the Granger family," Pomfrey was crying herself. She sighed. "Is there anything else, Remus?"

Lupin stopped crying & glanced at Neville. "I---uh---I--I bite Neville last night!" He pulled Neville close to him.

"I can only seal the wound," Pomfrey started. "There is no cure for werewolf poison!"

"Don't worry, Neville!" said Merida. "It's not like it'll kill you! You'll just go nuts on full moons. You can keep Professor Lupin company!" Merida & Neville both laughed at that.

Lupin jumped. "Miss Hepburn? You're alright? & here I thought I had failed!" Lupin nodded to Snape.

"Oh, yeah! The Snape thing!" Merida muttered, hating the reminder. "He told me! So I suppose Hepburn was my adoptive name?"

"You finally told her Severus?" Lupin laughed a bit.

"Yes, Remus!" Snape snapped & then looked at Merida. "I had to erase all evidence of you so the Dark Lord couldn't find you! Oh, come on! I'm not that bad am I?"

"Oh, be quiet!" Merida snapped. "I'm not pleased with this at all! Yes, you're that bad! You're horrible! You're always picking on Gryfindor! You don't give anyone half the grades they deserve! You're mean to Harry! What's wrong with you anyway?"

"I'm strict & believe in discipline!" Snape stood up as tall as he could!

"No!" Merida declared firmly. "Professor Mcgonagall is strict & disciplinary & we all love her! She is good & kind to us & doesn't take points off for stupid things!!"

"Oh, how sweet!" Mcgonagall smiled.

"Stay out of this, Minerva!" Snape ordered.

"You, however, are just mean!" Merida went on. "None of us like you! Not even Draco likes you that much!"

"She's your daughter alright!" Lupin laughed. "She's inherited your lovely attitude, Severus!"

"Oh, shut up!" Snape & Merida both snapped at him!

"Ya mutt!" Snape added alone. Merida was to decent & to fond of Lupin to say that much!

"See what I mean?" Lupin said much to quickly! Snape & Merida stepped threateningly toward him. "Sorry!" Lupin yelped & focused on Neville. "Ahem!!" Lupin shifted nervously in his chair as he felt Snape glaring at him! "No hard feels, I hope?" Neville smiled at him & shook his head.

"If I remember correctly," Dumbledore started. "Isn't there a code among werewolves that if they bite a child, then they can claim the child as their own puppy if no one else accepts? Neville is all alone! He could use a father?"

Lupin & Neville glanced at each other. "I forgot about that!" Lupin managed to say. "Sure, I'll watch over him!" Neville smiled again. He was with Lupin now!

"Quick, Lupin! Bite me!" Merida yelped, somewhat jealous!

"Oh, you won't escape like that, Miss Snape!" Snape sneered. "Werewolf or not, you're still my daughter, so just forget about it!" Snape glowered at Lupin, warningly!

Merida groaned. She glared at Snape for a moment, then went over to see Hermione one last time before leaving. Out in the hall, she--or rather---Harry ran into her! "Merida?" Harry stared. "What? Where? How?"

Merida laughed in spite of herself as she pulled Harry into a kiss. "I've really missed you!" she said when he finally let her go. "But can we talk later? I'm in a REAL bad mood right now! Hermione has been killed by the Avada Death Curse---!"

"W--What?"

"--Neville is werewolf now & is Lupin's puppy!---"

"Huh?!?!"

"---& I am Professor Snape's blood-relative daughter!!!!!"

Harry stared! "D--d-d---dd-dd-d-d--!" he couldn't get the word out!

"Yes, DAUGHTER!!!!!" Merida yelped. "Goodnight!" She ran for the Gryfindor Tower but stopped & headed back to the hospital wing. "Forgot Mystique!" She snatched up the sword. "Oh, father dear?" Merida smiled sweetly at him but with murder in her eyes! "Next chance you get, could you touch the red points on this? I want to know just how deadly the poison is seeing as those Porcupine leaves didn't dispose of you! i thoroughly enjoyed ripping them out!"

Snape glanced awkwardly to Dumbledore. "The serrated edges have poison in them," Dumbledore explained. "That's what makes them red against the black blade! Oh, & there's no cure for it so be careful!"

"Tsk! Traitor!" Merida sighed. "You weren't supposed to tell!"

"Oh, sorry!" Dumbledore laughed!

"Did you run through those vines on purpose?" Snape asked Merida.

"Oh, yes!" Merida glared at him.

"Hmmm," Snape eyed her "& that would also explain your reaction to those giant spid---!"

"DON'T....say that word!" Merida squeaked. "I can't handle it right now!" Snape smiled evilly at her. Merida ignored him & glanced at Ron who had gone pale a narrowly missing the 8-legged s-word of dread!

Merida headed for the common room & was soon joined by Harry & Ron. Neville appeared moments later, but was a bit shy! The four of them stayed up late into the night, catching up on everything. "Oh, Harry?" I have a little confession!" Merida said. "I'm sorry for worrying you about your Parsle-tongue!"

Harry looked up at her. "That.....was you?"

Merida laughed. "Yeah, it was me! I was a hummingbird in the window & heard you & Sna---fath--HIM---whatever! Fighting so I flew upstairs & became a Cobra to keep you two separate but I didn't understand you! Oh & nice dream by the way! I can just imagine my.....father.....in a pink tu-tu!"

Everyone burst into horrendous laughter! "Let's tell that to the whole school!" Ron gasped for air! "He'd love that!" Ron finally gained control of himself. "You know? I was rather worried when I found out another Snape was coming to Hogwarts but you're nothing like him!"

Harry, Neville & Merida stared at him. "You knew?" Merida finally asked. "You knew all along & you never told me?"

Ron winced. "Fred & George had invented their extendable ears & we heard everything. All us Weasley kids know! But we were worried about the Dark Lord finding out so we kept quiet!"

Merida shook her head at him. Trust a Weasley to be the know-it-all of the castle! Then she thought of something. "What about my mom? What do you know of her?"

"Not much! She was a muggle-born Ravenclaw, that's about all we know," Ron shrugged. "I think there is only one person in the whole universe who could answer that questi---!"

"NO!" Merida yelped. "I don't want to talk to him! It's bad enough I'm stuck with im in Potions Class but now his my father? No! Not yet!"

Ron got up off the floor. "Well, I'm going to bed! Coming Neville?"

"I suppose so!" Neville said awkwardly.

"Oh, it's alright!" said Ron. "No one knows except us & if anyone else finds out just say you're with Lupin now!" Ron headed upstairs with Neville. Harry & Merida were left alone.

Merida sighed as she stared up the stairs to the girls dorms. "I don't know if I can go up there!" she said finally. "Hermione's bed was next to mine & now...."

Harry pulled Merida close. "I miss her too!" he said as he kissed her. "The Dark Lord effects everyone with his evil!" Harry sighed.

"Oh, about the Dark Lord!" Merida said. "My pendant served me well! It becomes part of me when I'm an animal. When Lucious used the Aveda Kedavra, the pendant protected me but now I've got my own scar. It looks like a half-heart!"

Harry stared. "Does it burn with Voldomort's rage?"

"Yes," said Merida. "Quite strongly at times!" she sighed. "I guess I should go up there," Merida said after a moment lying in Harry's arms. "Goodnight, Harry!" Merida finally pulled away & headed upstairs. She tried not to look at Hermione's bed as she got into her own.

Now that the aurors were all at Hogwarts, it was safe for Snape to return to the Potions Class. Everyone dreaded the next school day! Merida, the last one in every day & had changed desks to be at the back so she could be the first one out, too! The next few weeks were like a sort of dance between Merida & Snape, avoiding each other whenever they could. Neither spoke to the other during the only times they had to be together at Potions.

The Christmas holidays were drawing near & a thick blanket of snow kept falling from the sky with no intention of stopping. Finally, the last day of school arrived. Harry, Ron & Merida were heading back to the castle after their final "Care Of Magical Creatures" lesson with Hagrid.

"...& then," Harry was saying, telling Merida yet another story of what happened while she was gone. "Hermione said, "To ask a question, you silly Professor!""

"Oh my gosh!" Merida laughed.

"Harry asked her if she had gone insane!" Ron laughed. "I could only stare! Harry, what's wrong?" Ron & Merida both gazed into Harry's face.

"Ron," Harry said in a sweet voice. "Please tell me that my gasses need to be replaced!"

"You're glasses need to be replaced!" Ron said as ordered!

"Very funny!" Harry glowered. "Look over there! Am I seeing right?" Ron & Merida looked in the direction Harry was pointing. "Well?" Harry asked impatiently. "Are they kissing or what?"

Ron moved over to get a better look. "Oh, no, not at all!" Ron said when he returned. "It just looks that way from here!"

"Are you sure?" Harry glared at him. "Because it sure looks like Snape is messing with my Aunt to me?"

"Positive!" Ron assured him. "He isn't kissing her!" Harry glared at Ron but decided to believe him. Ron waited while Harry walked ahead before finishing what he was saying just in case Harry would punch him! Finally, he decided the distance was long enough!

"He's FRENCHNG her!"