Disclaimer: All Harry Potter people, places, things, or ideas (Harry Potter nouns) belong to J.K. Rowlings. Olivia McGonagall, Ferris Longbottom, and Eudora are mine.

Chapter 10: Ominous weather visits.

In late August the stars sparkled like sequins in the sky as Severus and Minerva stood outside on her balcony. Livie had gone to bed and the two adults were enjoying the evening. "It's so quiet. Soon the school will be overrun with children again and peace will be difficult to come by," he mentioned wryly.

She chuckled and leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around her waist and they continued to look up at the stars. "I can't believe that Livie starts school this year. With all the excitement last year of Sirius Black's escape, the Dementors, and Peter Pettigrew resurfacing, I do hope that this year goes smoothly."

He sighed. "I don't think having an easy year is possible as long as Potter's here. And with Black popping up, our troubles are far from over."

When he spoke she noticed his acidic tone. "Severus, it's been years since the Marauders gave you trouble. I think it's time you let the dead rest, and also the past. You told me once that it wasn't my fault. Now I'm telling you that no matter who's at fault, you need to let this go."

Holding her securely, he nodded. "I know. It is difficult to get rid of so many years of bitterness though. Certain things don't disappear overnight."

"Then what really matters?" she asked softly as she turned around to face him.

He gave her a gentle kiss. "You and Livie are what matters to me now."

Minerva smiled. "How did she do on the placement tests?"

"She did quite well. She tested into level three of Transfiguration and level four of potions," he relayed.

"We expected that she would be ahead of the other first-years in a few subjects. I am glad that Albus agreed with us that she should be placed where she tests in order to be fair to the other first-years. They wouldn't be able to keep pace with her," she added.

"Yes. I wonder what house she will be placed in. I know you would prefer Gryffindor, but it isn't a certainty," he pointed out.

She raised an eyebrow. "I will cross that bridge when I come to it. I should take her to Diagon Alley to find her school supplies first."

Minerva and Livie had accumulated most of their school supplies except for a wand as they headed to Olivander's. Livie watched her great-horned owl with interest as they walked along. She had decided to name him Cicero because she liked the name. As they entered Olivander's, Livie looked up at the old clerk and smiled.

He glanced at her and then at Minerva. "Ah, I was wondering when you would be by. Let's find out what wand would suit you." He grabbed a few boxes off the shelf containing simple oak wands. Livie tried one and a light bulb exploded.

"I'm terribly sorry-" she began. The clerk interrupted her.

"It wasn't the right wand for you. You should have seen the mess that young Harry Potter caused when he was looking for a wand."

She tried two more wands and neither suited her. Then the clerk did something that Livie found peculiar. He looked at Minerva with a deep scrutiny and then turned his attention to Livie. He studied her face and then examined her hands. "I think I know what you need," he told her as he walked back into the storage area.

The clerk removed a dusty box from a high shelf and returned to Livie. He removed and intricately carved black wand and let her test it. To her astonishment, there was a glow and the clerk smiled. "I thought so. You have more magical abilities than you probably realize. But you must be careful, such power can be used for evil as well as good," he explained.

Minerva paid for the wand. "Thank you, and I am sorry about the mess."

He nodded. "It's no trouble at all. But I will tell you this," he paused, thinking Livie was out of earshot, "the wand that chose her also chose her father. She has his hands."

Minerva quickly left and Livie decided not to comment, only having heard the part about her having the same wand as her father. The curious visit to the wand shop soon faded and gave way to the excitement of starting school. Time seemed to pass quickly and before Livie realized it, she found herself at the sorting hat ceremony.

Livie watched two first-years ahead of her as they were placed in houses. Her heart hammered in her chest and her hands almost shook with nervous anticipation. Both children in front of her placed into Ravenclaw. She waited until she heard her name.

"Olivia McGonagall," Minerva called, smiling as Livie stepped up to the platform. Livie glanced over at Severus and smiled when he nodded for her to proceed.

Minerva placed the ratty hat on Livie's head and they listened to what it said. "This is interesting. I see you want to go to Gryffindor to join a few friends. I see you have the courage and sense of daring for it. However, you also have mischief and a tendency to go where you want when you please. I sense a stubborn will. Oh, and a bad temper when provoked. You have the ability to be a very powerful witch, you know. What's wrong with Slytherin? Your father's from Slytherin," the hat informed her.

"My father? What do you know of my father?" Livie asked the hat. Minerva inwardly cringed, wishing that the hat would be less talkative.

"Your father has never been far away. You only think that your last name is McGonagall, but all the answers you seek you will find in time," the hat told her quietly. "I think we should place this one in… Gryffindor!"

With a bright smile on her face, Livie hopped down from the stage to join Ron, Hermione, Harry, and also Ron's sister Ginny. "It's nice to be able to welcome you to Gryffindor," Hermione said.

"I'm glad to finally be joining you," Livie remarked. "I hope you don't mind a first-year tagging along on some of your adventures.

They laughed. "You'd probably come with us if we told you not to. We like your company," Harry told her.

After the children went off to their dormitories Minerva and Severus met for tea in her rooms. He watched as she sipped her tea and stared at nothing in particular. "Minerva?"

She set her teacup aside and looked up to face him. "Hmm? I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

He stood and walked over to where she sat on the couch. Setting his cup on the coffee table, he took her hands in his. "You miss her, don't you?"

She sighed and nodded sadly. "Terribly. It is far too quiet without her. I knew this day would come but…" she trailed off as her eyes began to water.

"I know. I miss her too. They'll look after her and, most importantly, she knows that she can come home if she needs to," he attempted to reassure Minerva.

Slowly a small smile found its way to her face. "I know what we should do."

He raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"You and I can return to our midnight chess matches," she said with a smirk.

Chuckling, he leaned toward her and kissed her warmly. "That sounds reasonable."

Livie was too excited to miss anyone as she followed the others to the dormitories. Much to her delight, when they reached the dormitories she learned she would share a room with Hermione and Ginny.

"I wonder if we have any classes together," Ginny said to Livie as they unpacked their belongings.

"We're probably in the same Transfiguration class," Livie replied.

The other girls raised their eyebrows. "You were placed in third-year Transfigurations?" Hermione inquired.

Livie nodded. "Yes. I've also been placed in fourth-year Potions. It's because of all the reading I've done growing up here, I suppose."

Ginny wandered over to the great-horned owl. "Livie, I love your owl. What's her name?"

"His name is Cicero," Livie corrected.

"I like it. The name seems to suit him," Ginny stated.

"Are you looking forward to your first day?" Hermione asked Livie.

The girl smiled brightly. "Most definitely. I can't wait to see what we learn in Potions."

Hermione stopped sorting through her books and faced Livie. "I hope you realize that Professor Snape the teacher is different than Professor Snape your godfather."

Livie laughed. "Of course I know that! I noticed it when I was six. I think it'll be more challenging for him and Mum not to call me by my first name."

She woke and dressed quickly, enthusiastic to begin her classes. When it was time for Transfiguration she sat next to Ginny. Livie enjoyed the class and was even allowed to participate in a few demonstrations. At one point Minerva smiled at her. Livie and Ginny giggled as they tried to turn a cup into a spider. The creature scurried off the desk and Livie stopped it by changing it into a rock.

Finally Livie entered the Potions classroom. Keeping in mind what Hermione had said, she quietly found her seat and watched Severus for further instructions. Having the Gryffindors with the Slytherins, there was a solid divide in the room. Livie had seated herself next to Hermione. Severus spotted Livie before he began speaking. Though he only glanced at her, their eyes met long enough for acknowledgment.

"Before we begin, you have an addition to the class. L-Miss McGonagall has shown talent in the area of Potions and will be joining this fourth-year class," he paused as everyone turned and stared at Livie. "Now, can anyone tell me the first five ingredients to a revivification elixir?"

To everyone's surprise, Livie raised her hand before Hermione. Severus tried not to appear impressed. "Miss Granger, it would seem that you have some competition. Miss McGonagall, you may proceed."

Livie recited the ingredients and he nodded with approval. "Very good. Today we will be discussing the properties of the elixir."

When the class ended, Livie wandered up to Severus' desk. "Unc-Professor Snape," she began, "I'd like to work on an independent project. I thought that the memory retrieval potion looked interesting."

Seeing no other students in the room, he was at liberty to smile at her. "Of course, Poppet. Why don't you work on it Friday afternoon? I'll just work at my desk here, should you need any help."

"Thank you," she called out, dashing out of the door.

Friday she sat on a stool with her cauldron in front of her and the ingredients on the table. The book was open to the correct page she read over the list again to see that all the ingredients were there. As she began working on the potion, Severus watched her with interest. She was focused and quiet as she added a few ingredients. There was something familiar about the way she was concentrating, but he could not define exactly what it was. Then the light she was using caught her profile as she bent over her work.

There was something about the profile he knew quite well. What grabbed his attention more than anything else were her hands. He watched her, then he looked down at his own hands and back to her. Minerva should have told me. I can't believe she kept this to herself, he thought as his frustration grew, having discovered the truth for himself. When Livie had finished, he saw that the potion was correct and she headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room while he dashed off in an irate mood to Minerva's office.

Knee-deep in reading essays from her fifth-year Transfiguration students, Minerva almost gasped in shock as her office door opened with such force that it hit the wall. She looked up to see a very angry Severus and all the colour drained from her face under his scrutiny. He marched over to her desk and stopped directly in front of her.

"Why didn't you bloody tell me?" he demanded.

She stood and furrowed her brow. "What are you referring to?"

Suddenly she realized why he was there and realized that she had said the wrong thing. He hit the desk with his fist and she jumped. "She has my profile! All this time and you didn't tell me! How long have you known? Don't tell me you don't know what I am referring to. I don't want any more lies from you. I finally noticed the resemblances as she was working on a potion. She has my hands!"

Minerva swallowed hard, knowing that she had evoked his wrath. However, she allowed her stubbornness to overrule her feelings of guilt. "How dare you barge into my office like that! For all you know I could have been talking with a student!" she shouted back.

"I want to know why you, a Gryffindor, couldn't find the courage to tell me that she is my daughter! Did you think I wouldn't help you if I knew? Haven't I proved myself to you by now? Haven't I always been there? When did you intend to tell me, when she bloody graduates?" he bellowed.

She tried to justify herself. "I didn't tell you because I was afraid that if the Deatheaters found out, they would use it against you and both of you would be harmed! I wanted to wait until it was safe!"

His fist contacted with the desk again. "I told you never to shelter me! I could have handled this! What you have done was astoundingly selfish because you not only denied me the truth, but you allowed your own daughter to think that she didn't have a father! What gives you the right to do that to her? Doesn't she deserve to know?"

"Get out! I'm not going to discuss this right now!" she snapped.

He took a deep breath and looked away for a moment. When he looked back to her, she saw not only the anger in his eyes, but also the sadness. "If you're not going to discuss this now, then I have nothing else to speak with you about," he said quietly as he stormed off.

Minerva sank down into her chair and buried her face in her hands. Why didn't I tell him sooner? Not only is he mad at me, but I hurt him. What have I done? I should have told him. Instead I've probably ruined everything beyond repair, she thought with deep remorse. She tried to stop the hot tears from falling, but failed.

(my thanks to MoroTheWolfGod, Lizella, Motet, excessivelyperky, Lou McGonagall, Clove, Crazy-Physco, for reviewing :D )