Daughter
Severus flicked his wand as he walked from the infirmary.
"Expecto Patronum" he said softly as a beautiful silvery doe emerged from the tip of his wand as he spoke to it.
"We are leaving in less than an hour please be ready to go by that time, I will meet you at the gates" he spoke as he then directed the patronus to deliver the message to Chrystian Slate and sent it on its way before continuing his trek towards the dungeons.
Harry had been in the hospital wing for three days now and relief had filled him when the boy had woken earlier but he knew the child still had a long way to go. If he were to take the child in like he was intending to do he would have to sit down and actually speak to his other ward and adopted daughter. He had only been twenty and fresh out of his mastery program when the seven year old have been thrust into his lap after the death of her parents at the hands of his fellow death eaters.
Chrystian Slate was a unique child. She had long wavy brown hair and silvery blue eyes that seemed like they could pierce your very soul when she looked at you. She had been a very gifted and advanced child even at that young age. Her mother had been the product of torture, but the woman herself he had only known her to be nice. She had been a seventh year when he had first arrived at Hogwarts. The girls mother Gwendolyn Riddle had been orphaned, but Dumbledore of course knew who her father had once been and who he had become. The girls father was a wizard whom had been a great runes master Andreos Slate. During the rise of Voldermort the pair had married and had their daughter which had caught the attention of the Dark Lord. The girl was after all the last heir of Slytherin and as such he knew she would have been useful. He however had not foreseen the jealously of his own followers. Three lower ranking followers trying for a place of power only saw that their Lords proclaimed child was actively opposing him and on a foolish whim had decided that they would personally take care of them. They however sealed their fate at that point. While Voldermort had no care for this offspring or her husband the child was of use to him and she had come close to being killed herself. Needless to say there were three less followers…yet three more just took their place in his ranks so it was of no consequence to him.
Severus had been a follower for a few years and the Dark Lords personal Potions Master. Not wanting his granddaughter raised as a spoiled brat he took her and placed her in the young Potions Masters charge just before his own demise. Severus of course had been resistant and very unprepared for the task, the child however proved that she was very brilliant and he had found himself actually enjoying his new task.
Of course upon his appointment to Hogwarts it was clear that Dumbledore enjoyed the idea of keeping the only living relative to Tom Riddle close to him. Severus of course raised her as best he could and there were some days that her attitude mirrored his and now at the age of fifteen she was not only just like her biological mother who had been rather cynical and smart but also like himself.
Once he was ready to go he made his way towards the school gates. He spotted the younger girl waiting, she was dressed in muggle jeans and one of his old muggle band shirts, he had taken a liking to the Muggle band AC/DC much to his own personal pleasure. Her long wavy brown hair pulled out of her face into a pony tail and a simple school robe over the top of her muggle clothing. He rose a brow as he approached her as she gave him a bright smile.
" Ready to go papa!" she chirped as she of course was a perky child.
" How is the kid?" she asked as she looked up to him. She was however only about 5'4 and compared to his tall frame she looked tiny.
" He is getting better, but he has a long ways to go before he will be able to leave the infirmary…did you have any success in wooing a baby threstral?" he asked as he rose a brow and she flushed shaking her head.
" No…but I think I may have befriended a niffler" she stated as he shot her a look.
"Absolutely not…I will not have a clepto familiar anywhere near my quarters!" he stated as she giggled.
" I was only teasing papa…perhaps I can find a suitable familiar today at Diagon Alley?" she asked looking rather hopeful. Severus looked down at her and rolled his eyes.
" You try for one every time we go…now…stop jabbering and take my arm" he stated as the girl took his arm and snuggled close before they were going with a loud pop.
Diagon Alley was not as crowded as it could have been when they arrived. It after all was still early in the day and in the middle of the week. Stepping off of the apparition platform he shooed the girl off.
" I will meet you back here in two hours…do try to not get into any mischief!" he stated as she gave him a smile and wandered off into the crowd as he shook his head. He was way too young for this, yet felt way to old as well. Taking a breath he gathered his wits about him, one never knew who they would run into at any time at Diagon Alley and he would be ready for anything as he made his way towards the occulus, he would pick up the glasses first. Upon entering the quiet shop he waited to be acknowledged by the shop keep. A young woman gave him a bright smile.
" Hello, welcome to Occulus Repairos do you have an appointment?" she asked and he shook his head.
" I am picking up an prescription sent by Madam Poppy Pomfrey from Hogwarts" he stated as the girl checked a book and nodded.
" Oh yes…we were waiting for someone to come for that order…we will need you to choose the frames as no style had been chosen and are there any charms you wish to be added to them such as bend resistance or auto darkening?" Severus of course looked a the list of available charms as he was not sure what the child would need but checked off a couple.
" Yes these…" he stated as he then moved to view the various styles. He was loath to get anything that would make the boy resemble his father, no he opted for thicker framed ones with square style as he was sure that once the boy was better he would want to be active like most little boys his age and durability and functionality trumped aesthetics any day. It was not long until he was shown two pairs of glasses one was black framed and the other was a dark blue. He of course nodded and signed off on the charge for them.
" Will Madam Pomfrey be continuing the students eye exams in the future or will you be making an appointment at a later time?" she asked as healers were not as skilled as Master Occulens.
Severus shook his head.
"I am sure that she will send the student to you for his next eye exam…thank you" and with that he took the glasses and placed them in his robes and exited the shop. His next stop would be to purchase of clothes for the boy, he had not been shopping for children's clothing in a long time and when he stepped into the shop the matron perked and smiled at him.
" Professor Snape…it has been a long time since I have seen you here…what ever can I do for you?" the plump witch asked. HE looked down at her as he glanced around.
" I need clothing for a small child, male approximately the size of a six year old, here are the measurements that would fit him" he handed her a piece of parchment that had the numbers she would need as she gave an excited nod.
" Of course! Do you know what colors the child is fond of?" she asked and he shook his head.
" I do not think color will matter as long as the clothing will fit and can be extended upon, he is a growing boy after all" he stated and the woman gave a nod in agreement as she bustled around.
"I will need ten pairs of trousers, underwear, socks, shirts, jumpers as well as a couple of pairs of these" he motioned to overalls that were shorts, perfect outfit to play in after watched as the matron made her way around the shop picking various color and styles of course the final cut was up to him as he looked at trainers fit for a boy of his size. It was unclear if he would grow any but they were trying to get him to the size he should be but he was sure the child would never be a normal size.
"Severus…what on earth are you doing in here?" a female voice asked and he turned to see non other that Narcissa Malfoy looking up at him critically. Her aristocratic air almost made him want to gag but he only rose a brow as he eyes went to the boy that he called his godson who was already looking around the shop. With his attention going back to the woman he shook his head.
" I am acquiring clothing…I thought that would be obvious" he stated slowly as she narrowed her eyes at him.
" Do not patronize me Severus… I can clearly see that…however I was under the impression that the girl was to be heading to her sixth year" she stated as he gave a nod.
" She is… these clothes are clearly for a boy Narcissa as you should be able to see… a friends son is coming to stay with me for a while and I want to make sure he is fully accommodated for" he stated as he turned to pay for the items that were being bagged, shrinking his purchase down he gave the woman a nod.
" Do give Lucius my regards" he stated before leaving the shop. His eyes wandered the alley as he tried to think of anywhere else he had need to go as a small shop caught his eye and he went closer. In the window were toys. Entering the shop he looked around for a bit before settling for blocks and toys that would help stimulate the boys mind. The book shop was next as he picked up an order as well as a few children's books, after all Beetle Bard had been one of his favorites as a child.
Severus waited patiently at the two hour mark, he of course held a large basic that held some of his purchases from the apothecary. They had been his last purchases and now he was just waiting on his daughter to return.
"I'm here papa!" her voice sounded from his left as he turned and looked down at her a brow shooting up as she was holding a pet carrier.
" Lets see then…what monstrosity you managed to bond with" he stated as she huffed and held up the carrier. Blinking in surprise he looked to her and then back to the pair of Kneasle kittens, they would be huge when they got older that was for sure.
"Two?" he asked and she nodded.
"The black one is the one that bonded to me…the white one is her brother and the runt of the litter and I refuse to separate them so…perhaps the little kid would like him?" she said as she shrugged. Severus's eyes softened as he looked to his daughter, she really was a sweet heart.
"Very well…let us head back then…you can present it to him once he gets better" he stated as she gave a soft nod and took his arm before they appeared with a pop back at the gates of Hogwarts. The two kittens hissing and spitting as they clearly were not fond of that mode of transportation.
" Now…you know you are in charge of caring for them and when Harry is better you shall teach him how to care for his…understood?" Severus asked and Chrystian gave a nod.
"So…he will be staying with us once he is better?" she asked and Severus gave yet another nod.
"Will that be an issue?" Chrystian however shook her head and smiled happily.
"Nope…I just find it funny as who I am and who he is…staying in the same place" she stated as she knew perfectly well who her family was and had also made it perfectly clear that Severus Snape was her father and thee was nothing that would or could change that. It was obvious the girl was set in her ways and just like him she was perfectly fine with the things were.
Severus smirked and shook his head shooing her off.
"Go get those things settled…I must deliver these potions to Madam Pomfrey" he said and headed opposite the dungeons leaving his daughter to her own devices.
**Arthur's note - Thank you for reading and for the great reviews. This has been a brain child of mine for a while and I appreciate the positive feed back! You guys are great! **