Severus stood silently in the shadows as he observed his fifth year Gryffindor-Slytherin potion's class. For the most part, they were behaving themselves, for the moment. As he waited for the few stragglers that seemed to enter his classroom mere seconds before the bell rang. His eyes flicked from student to student as he mentally paired them for their new assignment. It had been ages since he had actually paired students together, but this time it was necessary, he needed to see who worked better where. And besides, it would give him the chance to pay back Weasley for his stunt.

As soon as the last of the students took their place, he slammed the dungeons door shut. silencing the group almost immediately.

"Today you will be beginning your Strengthening Solutions" Severus began as he walked to the front of the room. " You will be working in partners of my choosing" A collective groan echoed through the stone room. " Silence. This is a very complex potion and it needs the utmost concentration. I highly doubt the partners you would have chosen would have benefited you at all."

Severus smirked as he felt the glares he was receiving from both sides of the classroom, but frankly he didn't they weren't suppose to like him anyway. " Potter- Brooks, Granger- Zabini, Weasley-Malfoy, Thomas- Crabbe, Finnigan-Bulstrode, Brown-Goyle, Parkinson-Greengrass" Severus was not surprised to see the glares of hate he received by both houses, but that never really bother him. He had received much worse when he had to tell Mikayla's parents she had died. Shaking the overwhelming feeling of sadness and dread, Severus flicked his wand towards the blackboard causing the instructions to appear.

"Get a move on it, this potions not going to make itself." Severus growled. in a blink of an eye, students were moving towards their partners, scowling and looking positively miserable, well all except for two.

There was a small smile on Elizabeth's lips as Harry made his way to her table. Severus had to note there was a change in the Gryffindor's demeanor as he moved to work with his sister. It seemed that spending time with Elizabeth, even a small amount of time with her, made him happy, even if it was just for a few hours.

EB

Elizabeth lit the flame under the cauldron as Harry began to prepare the ingredients they would need for the first half of the solution. As she waited for the water to begin to boil, she placed the already prepared ingredients in order of use. It was a habit she had picked up from watching her Dad all of those years, and it was extremely beneficial when it came time to make an actual potions in class.

"Elizabeth?" Harry asked as she slowly stirred in the first ingredient.

"Yes, Harry." She answered as she she quickly glanced up at the black board.

"Why do you think he paired us up like this?" Harry's voice wavered as he spoke.

"I think it's a way to make sure we spend some time together." Elizabeth responded as she added the next item into the bubbling cauldron. " Besides I think he wants a reason to give Weasley a detention."

Harry's head flew up rather quickly, giving Elizabeth the impression he probably just pulled something in his neck. His emerald eyes were rather wide, and had turned rather pale.

"Harry, he won't do anything to purposely cause your friend harm" Elizabeth reassured her brother. " He just wants your friend to do something stupid so he can punish him for it."

"He wants to punish Ron for hurting you doesn't he?" Harry asked rather low.

"Essentailly, yes" Elizabeth replied her voice low too. " He just wants to make sure it never happens again. He's afraid that in twenty years time I will end up like him."

Harry held her gaze for a moment. he seemed stunned that their father would go so far to protect her. She was sure that when the time presented itself, he would do the same thing for him.

SS

Severus stalked from station to station, lingering for a few minutes ensuring that the first few steps of the potion was completed correctly. As he neared Weasley and Malfoy's station, he could hear their arguing as it grew more and more heated. The solution was nowhere near the color it should have been for the step they seemed to be on. In fact it looked as if someone had poured in quick drying cement into the cauldron; the potion was a thick consistency that was slowly turning solid.

Maybe I don't have to wait long after allSeverus thought with a smirk. He was determined to give Weasley a detention, but he wanted to make sure he earned it before he gave the Gryffindor one for no reason. He was already on thin ice with Albus, and he had no real desire to tick off his employer before he had the chance to speak to him about the adoption and guardian paperwork. After one final disapproving glance he walked away. It wouldn't take long for the goo to solidify, giving him the chance he wanted anyway.

Severus wasn't surprised when he came to a halt in front of Elizabeth and Harry's potion. He knew his daughter was just as proficient at potions as he was at her age, and the fact she had the patients to work with Harry was amazing. She was willing to help him understand and teach him the ropes of the complex art of potion making. After a few moments of watching Elizabeth explain some of the ingredients and the importance of adding them in sequence,Severus asked for the stir stick in her hand. Without hesitation, Elizabeth handed it over, and waited. It was no secret that some of the Slytherin house thought he favored his little girl, and in truth, he did to a certain point. He had never actually favored her when it came to grading, in fact he graded her harder than everyone else.

*HP*

Harry watched as Severus examined the Strengthening Solution so far. He was worried that the Potions' Master would vanish it for the sheer fact that he had a hand in making the potion. He knew that the man was his father, but even that knowledge sometimes did little for his confidence when he was expected to perform decently in the classroom.

" Well I must say, this is the best solution I have seen this far today." Severus whispered as he handed Elizabeth back the stir stick. " I suggest the two of you continue to work as you were, any change in that might lead to a failure." Snape's onyx eyes traveled from Elizabeth, then to him, and back to Elizabeth before a brief almost smile appeared in his lips.

"What was that about?" Harry asked Elizabeth as they waited for the potion to simmer.

"It's his way of showing how proud he is of us." Elizabeth smirked as she tore her eyes away from the bubbling mixture. " He has never giving a straight comment before, so that is as close as we are ever going to get in the classroom."

"He's proud of us?" Harry's voice carried the note of disbelief, he doubted that Snape would ever be proud of him, no matter how much he wanted him.

"Of course he is proud of us silly." Elizabeth smiled in earnest. " He's proud of me for doing a good job, he's proud of you for your dedication." Harry felt a bit strange by the way Elizabeth emphasized dedication. he was sure that it just didn't apply to the work he was doing at the moment, but he wasn't entirely sure if it applied to how hard he was trying to make everything work with Elizabeth.

By the last five minutes of Class, Harry could understand why Severus had been proud of them. They had been the one pair to successfully finish the first half of the solution. Even Hermione and her partner didn't even make it that far. Harry waited patiently with Elizabeth as they waited for Severus to cast the stasis charm to preserve it until the next lesson, when an exceptionally loud bang interrupted the peace.

"WEASLEY" Snape shouted causing Harry to flinch before he turned to see what had happened. The table that had held Ron and Draco's caldron as covered in what appeared to be a green version of cement. Apparently the goo that they had been working with had been too thick to actually create a large scale explosion which was good when it came to their safety, but any explosion was bad for the student's health.

"Can't you read directions?" Snape sneered as he cautiously poked the mess with a stir stick from the closest table.

"Yes, Sir." Ron ground out,

"Well that's not what it looks like now is it?" Snape's voice was steady, but his voice was cold and fierce. " Because if you did or could there would not be a section of sidewalk covering one of my workstations now would there?"

Ron didn't say anything, neither did draco, apparently even that particular Slytherin knew it was better to keep your mouth shut at times.

"Two weeks detention Weasley, starting tonight. Be down here by Seven Pm no later." Snape stated, " or you will be sorry."

to Harry's amazement, Ron remained silent as Severus gave him his detention. It was unusual for Ron to not fight back, especially when it came to the punishments that Snape dished out.

" I wonder why he didn't fight back" Harry asked quietly as he packed up his things,

"Well you can't argue the fact that you justly deserve your punishment can you?" Elizabeth asked as she turned her head to watch the classroom empty. " how can he argue when he knows he's at fault for creating a sidewalk on one of dad's station?"

*EB*

" Did you achieve your goal?" Elizabeth asked as she watched Harry leave for lunch.

"I don't know what you are talking about" Severus's voice stated seriously from behind her, he was never going to come out and admit he wanted to punish Weasley. She had figured that out by herself when he had assigned partners at the beginning of the lesson. Truth be told, she really didn't mind the fact that he had done that. Besides it would have happened sooner or later, and she knew that. He was a Death Eater, seeking revenge was what they did best. especially when it came to protecting their children.

"So have any idea how you are going to approach Dumbledore yet?" Elizabeth asked, that was going to be the hardest part of getting Harry; getting past Dumbledore's manipulations in the ministry.

"No." Severus replied automatically setting his quill down. " But if he refuses to cooperate, i have another plan, one that he won't be able to back out of."

SS

It was well past midnight before Severus made his way to the headmaster's had just spent the greater part of the last five hours watching Weasley chisel away at cement like concoction that had coated one of his best potion's stations. He was sure he could have found a better, less time consuming detention for the Gryffindor to complete, but he enjoyed the fact that he was taking away from the boys free time and giving him a chance to think, if that was even possible.

He knew it was petty to give a detention to the child that had brought his girl to tears, but he had his reasons, he doubted they were justifiable in everyone elses eyes, but they were not a father, they wouldn't really understand anyway..

Severus stopped in front of the Gargoyles that guarded the headmaster's office and spoke the password " peppermint frogs" before proceeding. He knew he would be wasting his breath, but he at least wanted to show he attempted to work things out with the headmaster before he just went to someone who wielded more power than the headmaster.

The potions' master was up the stairs before they stopped moving and waited a few seconds before knocking softly on the door.

"Enter."

Quietly Severus opened the door and walked in, gently shutting it behind him. infront of him the headmaster sat at his desk, going over paperwork. As he moved closer, it became apparent that the Ministry had made several attempts at contacting Albus for at least five envelopes with the Child Services seal lay unopened in a pile at the corner of the desk.

"Severus, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Dumbledore sounded extremely happy, which was annoying even on a good day.

"I need to talk to you Albus." Severus stated firmly as he came to a halt directly in front of the rather large desk." it's important."

"I am sure it is Severus." Albus stated without withdrawing his gaze from the paper he was reading.

"it's about Harry." Severus stated quietly, causing the older wizards head to snap up in surprise. Apparently he didn't think Severus was still interested in obtaining his son,

"What about harry?" Albus's tone was light and carefree as if Harry was a used quill in the cup at the end of the desk

"It's about the fact I would like to adopt Harry." Severus felt pleased as the twinkle disappeared from behind the half moon spectacles and the older wizard was speechless. "Lily's letter stated she wanted me to be apart of his life, and I plan on fulfilling her wish"

By the look he received, that was not in the Headmaster's plan, but that didn't faze Severus. He was going to get Harry, even if it was the last thing he ever did. He was damn well ready to go over his employers head. He wanted that boy, that boy needed someone who would love him and protect him, he needed a family.

"I am sorry Severus... but with your record and the difficulty you had obtaining Elizabeth after Mikayla died, I don't think it will be possible for you to get custody of Harry," Dumbledore's face was emotionless. The old man was serious.

"That was years ago" Severus snapped " I was defected and I have been proven to be a fity parent, or have you forgotten all of those home checks after the war?"

"I am Sorry Severus. I can't help you."

AUTHORS NOTES:Chapter unbetaed

I am looking for a new beta, mine is currently on Hiatus. Plz PM me if you are intrested.

wow another chapter. There is a little more hints a Severus and Elizabeth's past in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it