The next morning, Severus Snape sat at the worn kitchen table in Grimmauld Place looking over the Daily Prophet. With all that had happened the night before, Molly had insisted that he was to take up a guest room for the night. Though he adamantly refused in the beginning, Molly had soon switched tactics and expressed how disappointed the "Young Alyssa" would be, if he wasn't there in the morning...soon all of his arguments ceased.

What was it about the child that pulled at his heartstrings? Was it her angelic face? Her quick wit? Her eyes, those Avada green eyes that he had stared into so much as a child? Or perhaps, it was just the girl herself. A childish squeal resounded down the hall, coming towards the kitchen.

"Alyssa get back here!" Harry's voice was heard, his shout ringing out after the squeal.

"Harry-"

"A small,-"

"Wet,-"

"Child,-"

"Is running,-"

"Down the hall!" The twins yelled from their bedroom door on the second floor, before looking at each other in childish glee, "We'll get her!" They yelled taking off after her, Harry close behind.

"Noooo!" screamed Alyssa, as she slammed through the swinging kitchen door. Suddenly Severus found himself holding a soaking wet Alyssa.

"Sev'rus!" she whined, looking up at the man, her green eyes sparkling "Don't let them get me! I don't want a bath!" Severus shook his head at her antics before stepping into the hall, Alyssa held at arm's length as to not wet his robes with the water that drenched her hair.

"Sorry little one," he said in mock sadness, "but sadly I must turn you over to your father." The child began to squirm in his hold, but Severus held firm. In a few short steps, they reached the door where the water trail led. Opening the door with his foot, Severus looked up to see a ruffled and exasperated Harry Potter standing in front of the grinning twins.

"I believe this is yours?" Severus said trying to not chuckle as he handed her over. "You should keep a better watch on your child, Potter. "

Harry grumbled under his breath mumbling something about "snarky dungeon bats" and how his child would become a "snake in no time with how fast she slipped from his arms," yet his face held a small smile as he looked down at his daughter, the twins disappearing.

"Come on 'Lys," Harry said adjusting his grip on the giggling and squirming child, "faster we get you washed, faster we can go to Diagon Alley." Alyssa's eyes lit up with excitement, having been told bedtime stories of the magical shopping district for as long as she could remember, "Really?!"

Harry gave a Slytherin worthy smirk, "If," he paused and looked up at Snape, who recognized the ill-covered laughter Harry was trying desperately to hide, "If, Professor Snape will accompany us." Severus looked incredulously down at Harry, unsure of what he was up to. Of course, he wouldn't go to Diagon with a bunch of children, what did Harry mean to happen?

"Please Snape? Pleeeease!" Alyssa begged, wanting nothing more than to go to the magical alley. Severus prided himself on his ability to ignore the wants of a child, an ability he had gotten from years of dealing with adolescent dunderheads. Yet, when faced with the pleading look in Alyssa's eyes, he could only nod his head and smile as Alyssa waved to him as Harry carried her back to the bathroom, desperate to finish her bath and go to the magical shopping district.

Severus stepped out of the hallway and back into the kitchen, quietly shutting the door behind him, only to lean against it when he realized what he had agreed to. He let out a chuckle and shook his head. What was it about this child?

After her bath, Alyssa swung her arms merrily as she walked down the hall towards the kitchen and stepped inside. Molly, who had been cooking pancakes for her all those staying in the house, turned to greet her and stopped short. Severus turned in his seat to see why Molly had frozen and not spoken and could only stare as well.

"What?" Alyssa asked, self-consciously and began tugging at her clothes, "Do you not like it...Papa said it was ok…" Gone was the oversized shirt that Alyssa had worn the day before and in its place was a pale blue dress which came to her knees and some ankle-length black leggings. Her dirt covered face now sparkled and her equally dirty hair was back to its original strawberry blond, and its slightly messy state – given to her from the blood adoption potion – was tamed by a French braid which ran down to her mid back, a pale blue ribbon attached to the end. All in all, she was a gorgeous child, and Molly couldn't help but want her for her own.

"You look lovely dear," Molly assured, smiling at her and cupping her face with one hand. Alyssa blushed at the compliment, yet stood stunned at the unexpected contact, affection from anyone but Harry was uncommon, but not unwelcomed.

"Who did your hair?" Hermione asked quietly, thinking it was most likely Ginny, even though she knew that the ginger girl didn't like the small child who had claimed Harry's heart.

"Daddy Harry did it," she explained excitedly, "and the Gred and Forge made Dudley's shirt into this pretty dress, I want to learn how to do it too!" Severus smiled at her, getting a feeling of light happiness in his heart that he hadn't felt for many years, unexpectedly glad that she was happy, better dressed and cleaned up.

Ron let out a snort of laughter, "Harry? Doing hair? Now that's funny."

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up," Harry muttered, arriving in the room with fresh clothes as well, "Her hair grows faster then mine does. It was either learn how to braid it or give an eight-year-old scissors. I could have used them because the Dursleys wouldn't have bothered with me but I didn't feel safe doing it." Ron quieted at Harry's comment; he might not like the fact that Harry had kept a secret from him, but even though he was still kind of annoyed about it he also knew that it wasn't fair to leave a kid in charge of a baby, no matter what.

"Do you like learning?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence in the kitchen. Alyssa shrugged her shoulders.

"Come on 'Lys," Harry started, nodding his head n thanks as Molly handed him two plates of pancakes, one smaller than the other, "If you weren't so Slytherin, you would certainly be a Ravenclaw." Severus stared in shock at how simple that sentence was to Harry, no judgment added, just a slightly teasing voice, James Potter would have cringed at the thought of his son in Slytherin, why was the Potter son so different? How had he not seen it before?

"Your kid's a Slytherin!" Ron shouted, shocked and upset. Harry just nodded her head and Alyssa beamed as if his assertion was praise.

"Yup, Alyssa stares at you with those wide green eyes and you instantly fall under her spell," Harry patted his girls head, "she gets anything she wants with one look. Just ask Snape." The room turned to look at the man in question who just glared at Harry, though it was easy to tell there was no real malice behind it.

"Mr Snape is taking us to Diagon Alley," Alyssa said, bouncing in her chair.

"After you eat all your breakfast." He said sternly, looking at her as she poked at her breakfast. Alyssa glanced at Harry to see him nod in agreement with his professor and, pouting, began to eat slowly, too excited to really taste any of the food.

"But she's a snake, why would you raise a snake?" Ron asked, still confused and outraged.

"Slyt…slythe…" Alyssa looked up at Harry for help.

"Slytherin, love," He said smiling.

"Yeah, they're the best! Papa said so." Alyssa said nodding her head. This made the room go quiet and Severus looked up at Harry to see his reaction to Alyssa announcement. Harry only nodded and sent Ron a look that said they'd talk later.

"So Diagon Alley?" Molly asked, pointing to the fireplace, upset at the revelation but, unlike her son, knew to keep quiet.

"Diagon Alley," Harry repeated, kissing Alyssa's forehead as she clapped excitedly.

The journey to Diagon Alley went easily, remembering his first experience with the floo system, Harry politely asked Severus to carry Alyssa through the trip. When they reached the Leaky Cauldron, Severus put a line charm on Alyssa, a charm that witches and wizards use to keep their children near them in busy places, usually parents stopped using them when the child reached six but since Alyssa was the size of a four-year-old she could easily get lost in a large crowd.

"Can you make it so that charm works with two people?" Harry asked as Severus applied the second part of the charm to Harry after explaining its use, "That way she could walk with you if she wanted, she wouldn't like the Quidditch supply store, and I have to grab a new repair kit."

Severus nodded "Alyssa Lily Potter et vinculum to Harry James Potter and Severus Tobias Snape," he said while waving his wand in a complicated motion.

"We're set to go whenever you want." He said when he was done. Alyssa began bouncing once more.

A/N- Hey just a little thing here. Google translate (as we know) isn't entirely reliable so I tried to be accurate but it might not be. Anyways, apparently et vinculum means and bond, but once again it may not be accurate. Please review. Thanks. :)

-MercuryStars