Okay, next chapter up. I think that it is very interesting, and I hope you will too. Please review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Rating: swearing and possibly some abuse later
Child of the Stars
Chapter Two: Dinner Is Served
She stepped into the parlor where her father was standing.
"Hello Sir, how was your outing" She asked as she took his coat and hat.
"Terrible. Terrible weather, terrible everything. Is he here"
"Yes sir, he is upstairs."
"No, Father, I am right here."
"Son! How are you"
"Alright I suppose. Terrible weather though.."
"I agree. Girl"
"Yes Sir"
"Start dinner, and make sure that there is enough for six people."
"Six sir"
"Yes, six. We are having the Black family for dinner. They have two sons. Now go."
"Yes sir" she said as she left the room to start dinner.
Once in the kitchen she leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh. For as long as she could remember her father had treated her like a servant. She knew all about her past. Her mother, her real mother, had told her about it once a long time ago. But when she had turned eight she was forbidden from seeing her mother again, another reason why she hated the man she called "Father".
She sighed again as she looked around the kitchen, wondering what to make for dinner. She decided to make some of everything they had, just in case. She started to make everything at once, glad once again that they had a huge kitchen. She was not glad, however, that she was the only one that used it, for the Snape family did not own house elves.
'Why should they when they have a human?' she thought somewhat bitterly.
Two hours later, when she had made pasta, roast beef, steak, potatoes, and every other thing that she could think of, she sat down at the counter, double-checking that she had everything.
She smiled when she had finished, glad that she only had to serve it now. Of course, she had to change her appearance. If anyone thought that she was somehow related to the family, things would not be good.
She walked over to the mirror above the sink and looked herself in the eye. Like Severus, she had dark black eyes, but hers were slightly different. She remembered him telling her once that when she was happy, or angry, or upset, her eyes would sparkle like that stars in the sky.
Her hair was also black, but not greasy. It was wavy and went to the middle of her back, contrasting nicely with her pale white skin.
She sighed as she waved her hands over her face and hair, changing their appearance. Her hair became short and strait, the color dirty blonde, while her eyes became a clear blue. Her skin became slightly tanned to match the rest of her new look.
She had always used this disguise when she couldn't look like herself. She laughed as she remembered what Severus had said.
'You look like a happy-go-lucky faery of the forest,' he said scathingly, but she knew that he liked it. She liked the way she looked though, so she only changed her appearance when needed.
Looking back in the mirror, she threw her short hair into a messy bun and put some hair pins in.
"Not the faery look again," Severus said as he walked up behind her.
"Oh, be quiet you. You like it and you know it."
"And what gave you that idea"
"The way you always pick on me when I use it."
He laughed silently. "Dinner smells delicious."
"Thank you, but I'm guessing you're not looking forward to it."
"At least he's not coming with his little accomplices" he spat.
"It can't be that bad."
"I guess we'll find out tonight. Father wants the table set and ready, they should be here soon."
"Alright."
He turned to leave, but she stopped him. "Severus? Remember, I'll be here after they're gone. I'll always be here for you."
He stared at her for a long time. "Thank you Sadira" he said before he quickly left the room.
She smiled as the door swung closed.
"Well, better get started" she said to the empty kitchen.
Five minutes later the table was set with six places and plenty of food. She had made a small amount for herself, but she would be eating in the kitchen, alone, as usual. Her head jerked up as she heard a knock at the door.
"Get the door" Her father yelled from upstairs.
She entered the parlor, but before she could open the door, Severus spoke form the shadows.
"Prepare yourself, the Black family is known for being particularly... Dark" he said softly. She nodded and opened the door, being careful to stay silently behind the it as it opened.
When they had come in she stepped up to take their coats.
"May I take your coats"
They turned around, surprised that she was there, before taking off their coats and placing them in her arms.
As she left the room to put them in the closet, she heard the woman mutter something into her husband's ear.
"I wonder where they got human help. It's rare these days, even if it is a girl."
She winced when she heard this, but she doubted anyone noticed– except possibly Severus, who had been expecting it. But someone else had also noticed.
Her father came down the stairs with a smile on, laughing as if he loved anything and everything in the world. His children saw this and suppressed snorts. Other people might have fallen for it, but they knew that he was only doing this on business.
After the formalities of discussing school and families, they made their way to the dining room, each of them breathing deeply as they walked in.
"Oh, Claudius (ANMr. Snape's first name...not sure if it really is, but it is a good evil name, especially if you have read Hamlet), it smells wonderful" Mrs. Black exclaimed as she sat down.
"Thank you."
"It is so hard to find good help these days. I noticed that instead of a house elf you have a young girl. How old is she"
"She's about sixteen now. Been with us since she was a toddler" he said with a chuckle.
"What happened to her parents"
Sadira could have sworn she heard one of the boys mutter "Like you care", but she couldn't be sure.
Her father froze.
'This should be good,' she thought as she looked over at her father from where she was standing in the shadows.
"They uh- They abandoned her, poor thing."
"Oh, how sad."
"You think that's sad? You should hear the rest of it" she mumbled under her breath. The same boy that had spoken before froze when she spoke but quickly regained his composure as his mother looked over at him.
(ANOkay, the table is set up as follows: Claudius is at the head, Mr. Black is at the other end, with Mrs. Black to his left. Severus is to the right of his father, and Sirius and Regulus are on the side opposite Severus. Sadira is standing by the wall on the same side of the room as Sirius and Regulus because Severus said that it would be best if he could keep an eye on her. Okay, okay, I'm leaving...)
"Claudius, could I get some more wine please"
"Yes of course. Samantha? Could you please get more wine"
She nodded and left for the kitchen. When the door had shut she had to refrain from screaming. The comments from the table had gotten to her, even though she knew she should just ignore them.
'Samantha? Is that the best he could come up with? Not Kliaradese, or something interesting?'
She sighed. They couldn't use her real name, they couldn't risk people finding out about her. She knew that, but still, never being able to just be herself was torture.
After taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down, she returned to the table with the wine. She quickly refilled all of the glasses and returned the pitcher to the kitchen before going back to her spot on the wall.
The conversation was dull, so she looked around the table. She caught Severus's eye and smiled, though, because he was at the table, he couldn't smile back. His eyes, however, lighted up momentarily, as if they were smiling back at her, and that was all that she needed.
Her eyes continued to roam, landing next on Mrs. Black. From what she had heard at the table she was a horrid woman, totally obsessed with Dark things. Her husband seemed to be exactly the same, as did one of the sons, but the other seemed different. She could only see the back of his head, but he did not openly agree with his parents, and he continually let his hair fall onto his face even though his mother kept telling him to keep it back.
A few seconds later he did it again, and his mother seemed to be getting irritated. Sadira smiled to herself, glad that he could not see her.
Her father was dressed in his finest suit. It was black with a green waistcoat and white shirt. He had a silver and green handkerchief in his pocket for decoration.
Sadira remembered Severus telling her once that those were the colors of a house at Hogwarts, and that he was in the same house.
"Samantha"
"Yes sir"
"Bring some coffee to the sitting room please, and then clear up the table. Would anyone like dessert"he asked the guests.
There was a chorus of 'Yes' so Sadira quickly left the room to make some coffee and dessert.