Disclaimer: Au and Ocs are my babies who are best friends with JKR's many kids.

Chapter 53

The sudden arrival of Healer Astrid Norman at the apparition point of Shell Cottage influenced two sets of emotions in two drastically different people. Amelia Bones and Severus Snape. Only twice in his life before this, did Severus Snape actually feel his heart pumping right with his trembling palms. Once, when he had arrived too late that night at the Godric Hollow only to cry over his Lily's dead body and the other when Nagini had managed to dig her fangs at his neck.

Amelia Bones had tasted power long enough to forget herself in its depths. It was habitual for her to bark orders, watch, men look up to her for guidance and actually relish the control she had over any situation.

The Minister opened her mouth to once again establish her stand, only to be halted midway.

"Madam Bones, your presence is the Ministry is warranted, as you already have to explain the press about the sudden demise of Miss Davis, you wouldn't wish to also add to your worries by explaining the circumstances of your presence at St. Mongo's, would you?" She stammered and for the first time realized, what power Severus Snape had over his students. She couldn't even manage to say something suitable in reply when the tall man left them stunned, grabbing Norman by the sleeves and apparating away in a moment.

It was by sheer luck that Severus had allowed Norman to think, for soon enough they found themselves in the specially dedicated apparition point reserved for Healers of the spell damage specialty ward. Snape broke into a run, his mind unable to think of anything, but reach out to his only daughter. Seeing him approach the familiar guard, Goldrang had swung open the door ahead.

By the time he had made it to the Circle, he was joined by Norman's assistant, Fed Mason, who without having been told spelled open the glass enclosure. Giving the room a quick look, the headmaster found the intern healers covering at one side and the ghostly faces of the Knights of the Undead lined up on the other side of the separating panel.

On his presence, they withdrew their swords but stood firm, not budging an inch off their ground. Looking over their skeletal shoulders, Severus could see Hermione sitting against the furthest end, rocking on her hip, her hair swirling by itself like thousand snakes and the gown clinging to her back, wet with blood.

Stretching his hands out, he begged, "Let me in, please, she is my daughter." To the utter shock of the dumfounded healers behind him, the ghosts parted, Perhaps it was Liza who exclaimed, "Daughter! Did he say, daughter…" But Snape could hear nothing less.

If the monitoring screens were blaring on the other side, the chaos on this side was ten folds intense. It was like he had apparated right over a tempest tossing the great waves of an angry ocean. He could hardly stand on his feet and doubled over, unable to tackle the onslaught of clashing magical fields. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on his magic and his mental shields. He saw them, five knights, looking like real men, pretty much alive, standing beside him, glowing swords in they hand pointed at the raising Obscurial that was steadily engulfing the panic-stricken young woman on the other side.

One of the knights on his right, turned to him and yelled over the howling wind," Say it Prof, say it again, that made it retreat, I say". Both confused and irritated, Severus shouted back, "Say what? Who are you?" The one on his immediate left elbowed him, "Seriously, Snape, now is not the time for introduction, say it, call her, call her, it worked the first time!"

They knew him! Shaking his head, he concentrated at the gradually blurring image in front and softly uttered, "Hermione, my child, look, daughter, look at me, Da.." gulping down his own raging emotions, he tried once again," Daddy is here, look up girl, look at me...come on, you can do it!"

The wind settled at once, making him sway forward. There was solid ground below his feet, not a miles-deep ocean grey and angry. Taking deep breaths, he looked up through his long disheveled black hair. An unseen spirit clashed against his body sending him backward, though surprisingly he felt it familiar for a second. Someone screamed from the other side, "Don't you dare, don't you dare, touch him," and saw to his utter relief and shock- Hermione Jean Granger, no his daughter, his fierce daughter, dressed in her blood-soaked hospital gown, arms raised forward, palms ready, magic sizzling over them. He could feel the same eerie spirit coming back at him in full vengeance and in that precise moment, the young witch bellowed, "Not him, not my father!"

Right in front of his eyes, he saw magical aura, red, blue, white golden clash against each other. The spells that had been protecting the enclosure, shatter in pieces of jarred icicles, the protection shield beyond that cave in and reduce itself into dust. He covered his head with his sleeves, throwing over his very own timely protection shield, which held on miraculously.

All went quiet, grappling at his sense of self-preservation, he peeped over his black sleeves. His obsidian eyes met with wet honey-dipped, jovial ones. Hermione Granger had crawled over to him. With chaffed parted lips she managed to say in a hoarse voice, "You came, you really came, it is not a dream…" Snape had never felt this sheer amount of joy at being welcomed so endearingly. But before he could respond, her eyes rolled back, her head lolled over and she would have hit the floor if he hadn't grabbed her hands and held her to his heaving chest.

Mumbling into her thick, tangled and matted, but real chestnut hair, he cried in earnest, "I came, I am here, Daddy is here. You are brilliant, you are magnificent, you are everything, I could ever dream of, I am right here, I won't give up, I won't leave, I promise, my baby's breath, I promise, Oh! Lily! I promise I will save her, I will save her! Like always! Always!"

For a handful of minutes, he sat down, holding his breath, he tried to strain and hear her breath. The small whiffs of air, made him ease along the floor. For the first time, he realized the pang of the parents at Platform 9 ¾, when they hugged their kids and sent them off to the school hundreds of miles away.

He realized why kids and parents both eagerly looked forward to the owls. Why every year the first years, sneaked out of their strange four-poster beds and sort to hide behind alcoves and tapestries. They missed the touch and the smell of familiarity and love. For long love to Snape had smelt like Lily, fresh and delicate. Now, it slowly, softly, and surely started smelling like vanilla and butterscotch. Like Hermione, even if she was covered with the smell of pungent and decaying death. But below all that, she was still there. Still fighting. Holding her tight, Snape sighed deeply and mumbled," I will save you, Hermione, I will save you."