Disclaimer : i do not own Harry potter

Sorry if there are grammar and spelling errors. this chapter is unbetaed

"I'm sorry." Harry whispered as he took the spot next to her. Quietly, Elizabeth moved closer and leaned against him, her head resting upon his shoulder. Harry tensed for a few moments, he was unfamiliar with the idea and the sensation that something, someone, wanted him to offer comfort. But as time passed, Harry relaxed and wrapped his arm around his little sister's shoulders.

For that brief period of time, all of the bad feelings, ideas, and memories seemed non-existent. All that mattered to him was Elizabeth. A small smile crept onto Harry's face as Elizabeth's arms slowly wound themselves around his middle. Harry had to admit that being a big brother was one of the best feelings in the world.

Harry felt a strange sensation when Elizabeth finally pulled away, the loss of body heat made him feel cold and somewhat empty. But he wasn't going to tell her that, she seemed to be miserable enough at the moment and he had no desire to make it worse.

"Are you alright?" Harry kept his voice even and calm as he watched his sister wipe her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt.

"I'll be fine." Elizabeth responded as she stared at her hands. " I just need some time to gather my bearings, that's all." Harry nodded, he understood exactly how the Slytherin was feeling, after all he had experienced it so many times when he was little.

"Do you want me to go?" Harry asked after what seemed like hours of silence.

"No." Elizabeth answered instantaneously. Her voice had returned to normal but her face was still flushed and her hazel eyes were getting puffy. " I don't want you to go."

EB

Elizabeth could not recall a time when she had felt this bad. Sure her stay at headquarters wasn't the best, but it hadn't left her in tears. Hell, even Dumbledore's ultimatum left her with dry eyes, but a comment by a Gryffindor, and a stupid one at that, made her crumble. However, she figured that would be normal after everything that had occurred over the last few months. Quietly she raised her head and glanced over to the boy who sat next to her. In all of the years she had known her friends, Elizabeth doubted they would have done what Harry had. She was certain that most of them would have done nothing but smirk and march off to the common room to bully the first years like they did every other day. With a deep breath, the young Slytherin shoved the thoughts of her friends away, now was not the time to think about it. Especially since she had more pressing matters at hand.
"Harry?" Elizabeth asked softly as she brought her eyes to meet his for the first time.

"Yes Elizabeth ?" Harry answered carefully resting his hand atop of her.

"Thanks" the potions' master daughter felt her cheeks heat up as she blushed. She felt childish for thanking Harry for something that should have been normal for siblings.

" Isn't that what big brothers are for." Harry replied softly as he squeezed her hand, causing Elizabeth to smile.

"I guess I should be heading downstairs now." Elizabeth announced, feeling slightly awkward for the way she had presented it, but she just needed to get away from the steps " Dad is probably worried since he hasn't seen me all day."

Harry nodded in agreement. " yeah I should head back to the common room before they send someone to come and find me"

With a quick hug, Elizabeth pushed herself off of the step and bounded down stairs, leaving Harry behind.

HP

Harry waited until Elizabeth was out of sight before pushing himself away from the steps. Slowly he made his way up the stairs. He was in no big hurry to make it back to Gryffindor common room and he was definitely in no hurry to face Ron. After all what do you tell someone who made some one you love hurt? What did you tell your supposed best friend after he hurt your little sister? Harry had no real idea, but he figured that no big brother really did. He doubted that an experienced older sibling even knew what to do. Silently the Gryffindor mused as he allowed his feet to carry him to the seventh floor.

Harry stopped and stared at the fat lady when he finally made it to the seventh floor. Time seemed to slow as the contemplated whether or not he should face his house. He was sure that the fact he had chased after a Slytherin had already spread from person to person like wild fire, but did that really matter? Did their opinion really affect him that much? After all didn't they just talk about him behind his back anyway? So what did it matter if they began their rumour mill again? Silently Harry contemplated that question, out right ignoring the fat lady's angry stares. And throat clearing. After a few moments of critical thinking, Harry muttered the password and entered, unsure of what he would fine.

EB

The dungeons were dark and cold as Elizabeth made her way down to her father's quarters. It seemed to be the perfect place to hide until dinner, and by then it would appear like nothing happened, and that was how she wanted it After all you could not a Slytherin if you left the world see you're human, right? With quick, precise steps, Elizabeth made it to her father's quarters rather quickly. With a deep breath, she whispered the password and entered quietly. At first it appear as if the room was empty: The lights were dimmed, the fire was out, everything was in its place, there was even no sight or sound of a potion being brewed. Which was odd considering that her father did nothing else in his free time.

"Dad?" Elizabeth called as she moved towards the hall. " Dad are you in here?" no response

"Dad?" She called a little louder, wincing slightly as her voice came out somewhat hoarse from her crying earlier. Still no response. The young girl began to worry. Her father always replied when she called for him, no matter what he was doing.

"DAD?" Elizabeth was almost yelling now and if he was near, she was sure he heard her, since the hall echoed. All of a sudden, Severus's bedroom door flew open.

"DAD!" Elizabeth stated as she ran down the hall, to the man who waited at the end.

"Ohh, Elizabeth " Severus stated as he felt Elizabeth collide with his chest. " what's gotten into you?"

SS

Severus was resting in his room. The massive headache that he had as slowly diminishing as he lay on the black silk comforter that adorned his bed. Everything that had happened was finally catching up with him and he knew it. With a sigh, he rolled onto his side and opened his eyes. He could handle fighting for Elizabeth when she was young, he could handle, the death of her mother, he could handle the death of Lily and Voldemort coming back, but it seemed he couldn't handle his employer preventing him from getting his son. The potions' master's ponderings were interrupted by a faint noise. Quietly he sat up trying to hear, after a few seconds, the sound occurred again. Several seconds after that, Elizabeth 's voice called loud and clear: "DAD". Severus rushed to the door and yanked it open to find his little girl standing at the end of the hall. Her usually happy countenance was replaced with sadness, and faint tear tracks could be seen. Before he knew it, Elizabeth had collided with his chest

"Oh Elizabeth ." he stated as he ran his fingers through her hair as he held her " What has gotten into you?" his question went unanswered and that unnerved him. Quietly he pulled Elizabeth until she was an arms length away and he examined her. The faint tear tracks he had noticed earlier were more apparent, her hazel eyes were puffy, and her hair was askew, her normally pale face held a little red hue.

"Elizabeth ?" Severus asked again, this time staring in her eyes. " What's wrong?" after a moment, all of the days events rolled off of her tongue and out her lips. Severus listened patiently, hiding the anger that was slowly growing in the pit of his being. He had always known that every Gryffindor, even the loving Weasleys, had a cruel side, and what his daughter had just reviled had given him the proof he needed. With a deep breath, he pulled his little girl close and place a gentle kiss upon her head.

"Everything is going to work out " Severus reassured his daughter quietly " Things always do"

HP

The Gryffindor common room was just as full as it was when he left. Harry just wanted to walk pass his 'friend' and get ready for dinner. He didn't feel like talking to Ron after what he had done to Elizabeth , but from the corner of his eye, he could see that the youngest Weasley boy had a different idea.

"Harry?" Ron Called just as the brunette had placed his foot on the first step that lead to the dorm.

"Ron" Harry retorted, refusing to turn around and face the taller boy

"Harry what has gotten into you?" The common room had become silent, and Harry silently wished that everyone would mind their own business.

"What do you mean?" Harry still refused to turn around and face him, face them.

"You defended that dirty snake! " Ron exclaimed, Finally making Harry turned around. He was angry. How dare Ron call his sister that. He Didn't even know her, or what she had done for him.

"So what?" Harry's voice was low and cold. " Since when did we step so low to act like they do? Do you even know who she is or what she is really like or are you just stereotyping, because if you are, then you KNOW NOTHING. " With is chest heaving, Harry turned and bounded up the stairs as quickly as he could, only pausing to throw open the dorm door and slamming in shut.