Author's Notes: This chapter is very important. Fifty points to anyone who sees where this is going.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Calm

"Psst! Ellie!"

Ellie thought she felt something poke her, but she couldn't move.

"Miss Winterbourne!" a stern voice called loudly.

That seemed to do it.

"What?" Ellie said confused as her head shot up from were it had been resting on her hands.

Professor McGonagall was bearing down on her. She didn't look happy. In fact, she looked furious. Ellie gulped.

"Enjoy your nap, Miss Winterbourne?" she asked. Several sniggers broke out around the class.

"Er…" Ellie said stupidly before realising that it would be a better idea to apologise rather than actually answer that question. She had a feeling if she told Professor McGonagall, "Oh yes! It was just what I needed!" she would find herself with a one-way ticket back to Amelia in London.

"Sorry Professor," Ellie mumbled, feeling like a total idiot. Falling asleep in class was definitely not a good move.

"See me after class," Professor McGonagall told her.

Ellie groaned and felt like kicking herself. She had been up most of the night trying to finish off homework because Snape had kept her so long in his office. She had been back at school for two months and every night had involved lessons with Snape. These lessons had been getting longer and longer. She was lucky to be back in her dormitory by midnight. As a result, she was starting to fall behind on her other class work. About the only time she had available to do her homework was when she should be sleeping. It was not just last night that she had not gotten much sleep – she could count the number of hours sleep she had gotten so far this week on one hand.

Maybe it was time to have a word with Snape about the amount of extra work he expected her to do. He was starting to smother her. She needed some time to herself – if only to catch up on her sleep.

The bell sounded for lunch, and the class began to file out. Ellie got a few sympathetic looks as she remained in her seat, but quite a few others tried to suppress giggles as they walked past her. Ellie stared straight ahead, ignoring them. When the classroom was empty, Professor McGonagall shut the door and came and stood in front of her desk, her hands clasped in front of her.

"So, Miss Winterbourne – tell me why you fell asleep in my class?"

"Er, well…"

Ellie knew she couldn't tell Professor McGonagall about Snape's lessons without his permission first. She didn't feel it would be appropriate to tell Professor McGonagall the lie she had been using with her friends about nightly detentions with Snape either though. For one thing, Professor McGonagall was the head of her house – she may be angry with her for having so many detentions.

Ellie was stuck. Professor McGonagall was staring intently at her, expecting her to give her an explanation but she had no reasonable answer to give.

"I just… I didn't get much sleep last night," Ellie muttered, knowing this was a very feeble response. Professor McGonagall obviously thought so too.

"Oh really, and why is that?"

"I… I don't really know."

"Are you ill?"

"No."

Professor McGonagall clicked her tongue.

"Detention this evening Miss Winterbourne. Come to my office after dinner."

Ellie groaned. Snape would murder her.

"Professor McGonagall, I'm really sorry…" Ellie protested, but Professor McGonagall didn't want to hear it.

"My office this evening Miss Winterbourne. Now, go on – off to lunch."

Perfect, just perfect, Ellie thought to herself. Now she would have to find Snape to tell him she couldn't come this evening for her lesson. She didn't have a class with him today so that meant hanging around the Entrance Hall hoping she could catch him after lunch.

Ellie sat glumly at the table, picking at her lunch. She didn't feel very hungry. She happened to glance up at the staff table and she saw Snape glaring at her for a moment. Professor McGonagall was sitting behind him. They were talking.

Ellie's head sunk onto the table and she groaned. They must be talking about her. Professor McGonagall had probably mentioned she had fallen asleep in class, and possibly her detention also.

"Ellie, you okay?" a voice asked. It sounded like Amy's.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just fine," Ellie mumbled, lifting her head.

On the bright side, at least she wouldn't have to explain to Snape about the detention herself. This thought wasn't much of a comfort to her, but at least it was something.

As Ellie made her way wearily out of the Great Hall, Snape's cold tone could be heard above the crowd of students, calling her.

"Miss Winterbourne, a word."

Ellie shut her eyes for a moment, praying for some miracle to cause her to suddenly be transported a hundred miles away. She opened her eyes, and saw a pillar of black in front of her. Her heart leapt for a moment, but when she looked up, she realised that she had no such luck. It was just Snape, who had planted himself right in front of her. He took a hold of her arm, and pulled her down a small corridor that opened off the Entrance Hall.

Snape stared down at her, and frowned.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"You look a bit peaky," he said.

Well it was no bloody surprise she looked a bit peaky considering all the work he was piling on her! Ellie held her tongue however, not wanting to rock the boat with Snape. Snape meanwhile didn't seem to require an answer to his question, as, after giving her one searching look, he moved on.

"Professor McGonagall told me you fell asleep in her class," he said. Ellie could tell he was annoyed with her.

"Yeah," she mumbled, her cheeks beginning to turn pink as Snape glared at her.

"That was a very foolish thing to do."

"Well I didn't plan it!" Ellie snapped, suddenly feeling rather annoyed herself, but then stopped, shocked with herself. Snape's eyes narrowed. Ellie made a mental note to bash her head against a wall later.

"You will have to make up for the work you shall miss tonight," he told her, and then swept away suddenly without another word.

Ellie moaned desperately. Make up for it! When? There weren't enough hours in the day as it is!

Professor McGonagall's detention that evening was worse than Ellie had imagined. When she had walked into Professor McGonagall's office, Filch was there too, an evil gleam in his eye. Ellie was put into his charge for the evening. He made her polish every suit of armour in the castle. Mrs. Norris kept by her side, meowing loudly if she stopped to so much as wipe her brow, which brought Filch to her side in a flash. It had been a nightmare. It was well after midnight before she got back to Gryffindor Tower, and she still had a pile of homework to do.

Ellie sank down at the table and, out of pure frustration, began to cry bitterly. She felt like screaming. She had been back at Hogwarts for only two months and she was struggling to get by – a struggle she was beginning to lose if Professor McGonagall's class was anything to go by.

She would have to tell Snape that it was just not physically possible for her to continue like this. They would have to cut back on the lessons. She had a feeling he would be angry – but at this rate, she would collapse from sheer exhaustion by the end of the week.

Again, Ellie did not have a class with Snape the following day, so she waited until that evening, when she was due to meet him anyway, to talk to him. When she got to his office and went inside, she told him immediately that she needed to talk to him. He looked surprised at this request, but he sat back in his seat, willing to listen.

"Look, don't get me wrong, I appreciate all you're doing for me – but this can't go on," Ellie told him. He frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"This! Us! All this work!" Ellie said desperately, gesturing between herself and Snape. He frowned again, and then rolled his eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous," he said. Ellie exhaled sharply, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"I'm not being ridiculous! I…"

Snape interrupted her, not listening.

"I have something I want to discuss with you."

Ellie sank back in her chair, shaking her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. He wasn't even listening to her!

"I think it would be best if you were to transfer into Slytherin House."

Ellie blanched in horror.

"You are joking!" she cried.

"Of course not," he snarled at her, annoyed by her reaction.

"But… I'm in Gryffindor!" Ellie exclaimed.

"At the moment, but if I had a word with Dumbledore…"

"No!" Ellie shouted, not wanting to hear anymore. She jumped out of her seat, panting heavily.

"Ellie, Slytherin is where you belong. Gryffindor is…"

"Is where the Sorting Hat put me! Don't you think it would have put me in Slytherin if I belonged there!" Ellie shrieked.

Her heart faltered for a moment, recalling that the Sorting Hat had considered putting her in Slytherin at first, but her gaze remained steady. She wasn't about to divulge this information to Snape. The important thing was the Hat had put her in Gryffindor – eventually.

Snape seemed to know what she was thinking however.

"Yes, you were sorted into Gryffindor… eventually. How long did it take? One minute? Two?"

Ellie glared at Snape angrily. Had he just used Legilimency on her?

"Even if I wanted to move into Slytherin, that kind of thing isn't allowed. Dumbledore would never agree to it!"

"If you expressed to Dumbledore your agreement then…"

"Wait a minute – have you already talked to Dumbledore about this?"

Ellie's face was red with shouting, and her eyes were blazing. Snape turned away from her for a moment, confirming his guilt in Ellie's eyes.

"I don't believe this!"

"It's in your best interests to…"

"I don't want to hear this!"

Ellie turned around immediately and stormed out of the room. She ran down the corridor, up the steps, and didn't stop until she was outside Gryffindor Tower, completely out of breath. She had to sink down against the wall for a while before she could try to gasp out the password.

Once inside, she went straight to her room and flung herself onto her bed.

Arguing with Snape had been the last thing she had planned – but wanting her to move into Slytherin! How could he have possibly thought she would go along with that? Why did he even want her in Slytherin anyway? It's not as if he had anything to be ashamed of by her being in Gryffindor – he didn't want anyone to even know she was his daughter!

Ellie hoped Snape would sit down, think about it and realise what a crazy idea it was for him to even consider it being feasible for her to move. Gryffindor is where she had been sorted, and in Gryffindor she was going to stay. She wouldn't move into Slytherin if she were paid to.

Ellie had Double Potions the following day. She kept her eyes low when Snape walked into the classroom, avoiding all eye contact with him. He stared in her direction a few times, but each time she ducked her head. She worked quietly, not joining in on the general chatter around her, lest Snape see it as an excuse to pounce on her.

When Snape walked around the class to inspect their work, he stopped in front of Ellie and tried to talk to her.

"This seems adequate."

"Thank you sir," Ellie replied, her eyes on her cauldron.

"Have you thought any further about my request?"

"I gave you my final word on the subject yesterday."

Snape let out an exasperated sigh.

"I expect to see you in my office this evening."

"Fine," Ellie muttered.

"Fine…" Snape said. Ellie knew what that meant. Snape was hinting that she should say "Fine sir," to him. Well, she was feeling rather sick of him, so she decided to annoy him, even though she knew there was a good chance she would regret it later.

"Fine…" Ellie began, and then lowered her voice until it was barely a whisper. "…Daddy," she finished, smirking at him. His chest swelled up so much he looked like he would burst. He hastily looked around, checking to see if anyone had heard, and then turned back to Ellie. His eyes were like slits, and he was breathing so heavily Ellie half-expected smoke to come out of his nose. He gripped her desk and leaned in to her until his face was almost touching hers.

"Never, ever, call me that again in public. Ever," he hissed. Ellie grunted in reply. He moved off, and Ellie smiled wickedly to herself. She would pay for it later, but it had been worth it.

Ellie's boldness had worn off by that evening. It had felt great to make Snape huff and puff at the time, but now she dreaded the punishment he might come up with – just when she wanted to get him on her side about the lessons too. As much as she hated it, she would have to apologise to him.

When Ellie walked into Snape's office, he gestured to a chair without saying a word. He waited until she was seated before speaking.

"What was that all about this afternoon?" Snape demanded.

"I'm sorry. I was just being stupid."

"Stupid? How would you have explained it if anyone had overheard?" Snape snapped.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise."

Snape seemed to accept this, and nodded.

"Now, about Slytherin…"

Ellie let out a disbelieving laugh when Snape mentioned Slytherin.

"You're not still on that? I've told you – I'm not moving!"

"If you would just consider…"

"No! If you would just consider that I have absolutely no intention of changing into Slytherin then that would be brilliant. Could you really see that working? You've seen me interacting with them, you know I don't like them and they don't like me!"

"If you are referring to Devin Farley…"

"I'm referring to the lot of them. Okay, there are three or four I've never talked to, but I know enough about the rest to know they're the biggest bunch of prats I've ever met!"

"Ellie," Snape began, sternly.

"Look, don't take this the wrong way Professor Snape, but Slytherin just isn't for me. I don't fit in and I never would. No offence, but I'd rather take a walk off the astronomy tower, and I think that would be better for my health than joining Slytherin."

Snape began to pace up and down behind his desk, frowning. Ellie watched him, silent, waiting for him to speak. After a minute, he came to a stop.

"Perhaps at the end of the school year we can discuss this again."

Ellie shook her head, wanting to laugh again, but she wanted to put the subject to rest.

"Fine. There's something else we need to talk about anyway."

"Oh?"

"These lessons," she stated.

"Ellie, one day you will thank me for the time I have devoted to your training."

Ellie winced, and took a few breaths. Snape had misunderstood her.

"I appreciate it now, I really do, but it's just…"

She sighed as she thought of the best way to explain her feelings.

"Look," she said at last," you said before that you wanted me to do well – that you thought I should be coming top of the year. Well at this rate, I'll be lucky to even pass half my subjects. I never have time to finish my homework unless I stay up all night – and that makes me too tired in class to pay attention. I just can't keep up with this pace. We need to cut back on the lessons. I'm not saying stop them completely, just cut them back."

Snape took a moment to consider what Ellie had said.

"I suppose," he said eventually, "that we could make it five nights a week inside of seven."

Ellie shook her head.

"I was thinking more along the lines of three."

"Three?" Snape uttered indignantly.

"Yes, three! Monday, Wednesday, Friday. That means there's a day in between for me to do whatever work you want for the next class, and I get the weekends to keep up to date with my schoolwork. You do want me to pass the year, don't you?"

"Fine," Snape sighed.

"Great!" Ellie said, and smiled at Snape. She thought she detected a hint of a smile from him in return but he turned away before she could be sure. Unknown to her, Snape had just been struck how much more she resembled her mother everyday, and it had filled him with a rather bittersweet feeling.

There was a silence between them, but it felt comfortable now that they had put aside the tension from the last 24 hours. Ellie felt bold enough to venture a question.

"Does it offend you?"

"Mmm?"

"When I call you 'Dad'?"

This time Ellie was sure she had seen a smile. Snape seemed amused by this question.

"Do you intend it to offend me?" he asked after a moment's pause.

Ellie chuckled.

"I suppose I do," she admitted.

"Why do you ask anyway?"

"I'm just curious," she told him. He nodded at this and his face began to adopt a more serious expression.

"Hey don't worry, I'm not about to make it a permanent part of my vocabulary or anything," she told him.

"It's too much fun to throw out when I feel like annoying you to overdo it," she added after a moment with a cheeky grin.

Snape shot her a disapproving look, but Ellie could tell from the way his eyes twinkled that he wasn't really angry.

"I do think that would be best. Also in future, if you want to annoy me I must insist you do it when we are alone."

Ellie nodded, understanding. He didn't want her uttering the "D" word in front of anyone else.

"I won't do anything idiotic again. I promise," she told him.

"Good. Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

"No, that's it."

"Fine then. We shall resume our lessons on Monday evening."

"Okay," Ellie said getting up, sorry their conversation was coming to an end just when they seemed so comfortable with each other. Still, it was good progress.

When she reached the door, she turned around, a sudden urge striking her. They were alone after all.

"Bye… Dad."

She shot him a cheeky grin and was out the door a moment later, chuckling to herself.