Chapter Two-Leaving

The portkey took him behind the restaurant and he stood next to the dumpsters for what seemed like hours. In truth it was only a few minutes.

This was it. After this he would be a father, and he didn't have a clue about fatherhood. Years ago he had been prepared to learn, adjust as his daughter grew. Now... Shawna was grown and he still didn't know what to do. What if he was a complete failure? A disappointment?

Severus shook his head to clear his thoughts, running a pale hand through his hair.

There was only one way to find out.

He wrinkled his nose in disgust as he eyed everything around him with distain.

'Muggles can be such filthy creatures.'

Severus started his trek around the building, determined to appear calm and collected, but as soon as he opened the door...

The large man behind the counter was looking at him in shock and yet his eyes were expecting. Was this the one who took his daughter in the past year? Swiftly his gaze roamed the room. Empty, except for a number of waitresses obviously on break. There was an assortment of booths and tables and the smell of coffee hung in the air.

Finally, his dark eyes settled on the back of the young woman sitting in front of the man, a book bag on the stool next to her. From what he could see she was wearing those 'hip-huggers' so popular in the muggle world and a simple black tank top and boots. This was her. He knew it without a shadow of a doubt. Her aura was too much like her mother's.

The first thing to fly through her mind was the relief that he was neither a beach ball nor a stick figure. Next, she took in his features and compared them to her own. It was oblivious she got her hair color from him as it was exactly the same shade, even if his did have a greasy sheen. Her eye color must have come from her mother since his were a deep, piercing coal and, thankfully, so did her nose. His skin was pale, like hers, and contrasted greatly with the all black wardrobe. Emphasis on robe.

She was somewhat surprised at the anger that overtook her as she further examined his large, hooked nose. It had been broken, many times, and she wanted nothing more than to find the one(s) that did it and pay them back with interest. Shay deduced that it was a pride thing. You just don't mess with family.

All in all... He looked like a vampire out of a cheap horror flick, but he was hers. For the first time ever she had someone to call her own.

Severus could see the wealth of emotions swimming in her eyes as she examined him. Christina's eyes. He was hard pressed not to show the matching feelings but he refrained nevertheless. But then again this was his daughter.... Did it really matter?

Slowly, uncertainly, he opened his arms and nearly fell over as the teen jumped from her seat and shot towards him. His daughter's warm, solid body in his arms after nearly 16 years of believing her dead proved too much for even the stoic Potions Master.

Tightly he encircled her and rested a cheek on top of her head, content to hold her in silence. After so long....

Shawna was completely content to stay in her father's warm embrace but nevertheless reluctantly let him go as he turned towards Big D. Without hesitation he held out one pale hand.

"I thank you. For watching over her," his voice was solid, sure, and completely unattached, though his eyes showed his gratitude.

'Is that an English accent?'

Dave gave him a smile and took the hand offered to him.

"Not a problem, but I think I should warn ya..."

Snape's eyebrows furrowed and his frown deepened at Shawna's wide-eyed expression. A waitress walked over then and gave the burly man a stern glare, causing him to gulp and shut his mouth mid sentence.

"Now I know you weren't going to say anything to embarrass the girl. Were you, David?

"Not a thing."

"Good."

Lucy turned to the father-daughter pair, brown eyes softening.

"You take care, kiddo."

Shay moved in for a hug, her own eyes glistening with tears.

"I will."

Snape stood back, watching his child give her final goodbyes. Nearly ten minutes later he stepped forward.

"It is time. Where are your belongings?"

She pointed to the few boxes at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the apartment and the backpack.

"Need any help with those?" Big D asked, already moving.

"That will not be necessary," the wizard replied coolly, pulling his wand from his belt.

Shawna stared at it in fascination.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"A wand? Yes."

With a flick of his wrist and a few muttered words, the boxes floated towards him shrinking along the way. They landed squarely in him palm and he tucked them in a pocket.

Dave and the group of waitresses stood gaping at the display.

"Why are you all gaping?" Snape asked in annoyance. "Surely Shawna has done magic before."

Internally he huffed.

'Muggles. Everything is so damn fascinating.'

"Not with a... wand," a tall brunette answered hesitantly.

'Ahh. That's why.'

Dark eyes closed in understanding and he nodded his head ever so slightly.

Shay gazed up at her father, confusion apparent.

"I don't get it."

"I didn't think you would," the man sighed. "Wizards and witches use wands to help conduct the magic apparent in our blood. Wandless magic requires great amounts of energy and usually only work when emotions are running high."

"Then how come I can do it?"

Their audience watched in silence, absorbing all new information, when his body stiffened before his slumped.

He should have known she would ask. Should have prepared for it. The innocent question brought to mind his long deceased wife. The pleasure of her memory swarmed with the pain of her loss.

Christina. Hair like gold. Eyes like jade. Soft laughter. Playful aura. Wicked smile.

"Because of her mother."

Shawna stared into the eyes that looked down on her fondly, but not without pain. So it was true. It did hurt him.

"Your mother was a rare witch. A Wicca. Whereas the wizarding world completely set themselves apart from non-magical peoples, known as muggles, Wiccas lived among them, as one of them.

"They have no use of wands, having the ability to focus their magic on their own. They also have the ability to use the power of the natural world around us. They can pull energy from any living thing and use it to cast spells."

"Wow."

Finally she had answers. Answers to questions she asked all her life. Finally.

Excitement bubbled within her. There was still so much to ask. So much to know.

"More of your questions can be answered later."

The girl was becoming enthusiastic and while these muggles could obviously be trusted with their secret he didn't want them knowing too much.

"Come we must get you settled in the castle."

That stopped Shay's bouncing.

"Castle?"

A stiff nod.

"The school is a castle."

Shawna's shoulders slumped and she sent a glare to Big D as he chuckled. She turned disappointed eyes on her father, stood holding back a smile. Severus was pretty sure the reason for her disappointed.

"School? But why? I thought... I thought... we could... go home."

She just finished school. It was summer damnit! She wanted to go home. A real home with a real family."

Dave thought it was funny as hell.

"What's the matter, Shay? Thought ya loved school."

Severus was quite proud when his daughter spun on her heel and gave the man a sneer and glare worthy of any Snape.

"You know damn well that I believe that if you love school, with no ulterior motive, than there is something seriously wrong with you."

The ex-boxer just grinned at her. It was so easy to get the girl riled once you knew the right button the push. Luckily, she only got really violent when it came to her beliefs. Her father was just going to have to learn the hard way, like he had to. Let him be on the receiving end of her wrath.

The big man's grin slipped as he studied the wizard. While he looked down at Shay lovingly enough, his expression changed to indifference as he gazed around at his surroundings. Indifference... Dave had a feeling he was just being polite.

So... whatever "wickedness" Shay had it was obviously inherited from the man next to her. While it would be interesting to see how the two would "handle things," he had a reluctant feeling to be anywhere near the wizard when he didn't see the need to play nice.

The wizard in question turned to the upset teen.

"In order to stay with your age group you will need to learn the basics of 5 years of magic in 3 months. As such it would be more reasonable to be at the school."
"Others my own age? Meaning, otherwise I would have classes with the little kids?"

Snape nodded, pleased that unlike so many others his daughter was able to find reasoning without having to be told outright.

Shawna continued to stare at her father in silence.

'Basic magic of 5 years in 3 months... Living at a school that happens to be a castle in...'

"Where's the school?"

"The castle itself is in Scotland."

Giddiness galore.

"Scotland? Like... rolling hills, neato cliffs, funny accents, and guys in skirts, Scotland?"

Snape smiled slightly at the girl's obvious excitement.

"Yes, Scotland."

Shay grinned in pleasure. She's reunited with her father, learns she's a witch, and not just any witch but a hybrid of two different magics, and to top it off she's going to learn to better control her power at a castle in Scotland! Who would've thought the life of poor little Shawna could've turned out so interesting?

"AHHHHH!"

Severus' eyes snapped to the teen in shock and question, wand held defensively.

"Jesus Christ!" Dave shouted, clutching one hand to his chest while leaning heavily on the counter. "You tryin' to kill me early?"

"Sorry, Big D," Shawna giggled, grinning.

The large man returned it with one of his own.

"No you're not."

"You're right. I'm just being polite."

"We really must be going," Snape intervened.

After more tears and hugs the teenager followed her father out of the restaurant and back into the alley. Turning around Severus pulled out a wooden box and opened it.

"What's that for?" Shawna questioned, eyeing the bright pink sock with lime green hearts. A little backward in her opinion.

Snape stared down at the offending article with disgust. Why couldn't Dumbledore grow up?

"It's a portkey. Albus has an... attachment to socks."

Shay's analyzing mind kicked in.

'Albus... Dumbledore... Headmaster... letter writer... portkey... port... teleport... key...'

Severus watched as his daughter's pale eyes narrowed in concentration. Barely ten seconds later she took a breath and stepped closer. A slender hand stretched towards the sock but stopped before making contact.

"Dumbledore. Touch the sock and it'll teleport us to Hogwarts?"

The wizard once again looked down upon her with pride.

'At least her mind hasn't been slowed by these American muggles.'

"Close. It'll transport us outside the grounds, not to the castle itself."

"Why not?"

"There are wards protecting the castle. The school is one of, if not the, safest place on Earth." Suddenly a sneer marred his face. "Which is just as well or Potter would have been killed long ago."

"Who's Potter?"

'I wonder why he hates him.'

The hateful sneer deepened.

"Harry Potter is the boy hero of the wizarding world."

Black brows rose over wide eyes. Despite the intensity of her father's oblivious dislike and cold, dark exterior, she wasn't at all intimidated. After all, it wasn't directed at her, and besides, she could get just as nasty when she wanted to.

"Why?"

His face softened slightly as he looked down at her. The loathing was replaced by pain and guilt.

"He lived."

Slender brows creased.

"O-kay," her voice betrayed her confusion. "Well... that's good... I guess."

"Come, child. Let us go."

Shawna looked up. It was the first time anyone addressed her as "child" in a non-degrading way. Would it be strange to say she liked it?

Like her mother her green eyes were revealing. He preferred them that way. In all reality he couldn't imagine those eyes as dead and unresponsive as his own.

"On the count of three, touch it."

'Well here goes nothin'.'

"One..."

'Look out Hogwarts. Here comes...'

"Two..."

'Shawna Snape.'

"Three."

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HA! Took me long enough, didn't it? I have no excuse. So sue.

However, I do have the next chapter already done though, so check back in a week.