Three Years Later
Severus had been through hell after he and Lily had taken Harry from the Dursley's that fateful day, but even when the Ministry had attempted to remove Harry, the boy had refused to let himself be separated from Lily. It had been near instant that the two had formed a bond that was almost like nothing that Severus had ever seen before. Except for in himself. When he had fallen for Harry's mother at a young age, but something told Severus that was not the case here. All due to how he could see love between the two children but Severus preferred to think that was not something his daughter would be thinking about for several years to come due to how she was still his baby girl. Though he had to admit that it seemed the two were beyond the point of a handful, more so since shortly after removing Harry from his relatives house, Dumbledore had rushed to move Severus, Lily, Harry and Twinkle back to Hogwarts full time. Mainly due to how it was not safe for them to live where Severus and Lily had been because of how the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was determined to have Severus taken in for kidnapping and an investigation done into who his daughter was and to remove Harry back to his relatives. Though that had all been during the school year of 1985-1986. However when it had been made public that Harry had been abused and neglected by his relatives, he was allowed to stay in Severus' care under the insistence from Dumbledore, and even more so when the Auror's had tried to take Harry from where he had been beside Lily in the court room, Lily had shown her own magic as Harry clung to her.
Just the thought of everyone's surprise when that had happened brought a smile to Severus' face as he now sat grading papers at the table in the small living area he had at Hogwarts as he knew that his daughter and Harry were asleep in their room, since it was just a two bedroom living space they had been sharing one for the last three years. Though Severus shook his head slightly as he went to finishing grading the summer homework essays he had assigned to the second through the seventh year students. Though as he was reading an essay over the dangers of the improper brewing of a polyjuice potion, he felt his mind wander to that day in the court room. Several Auror's had been keeping Severus back as well as insisting Dumbledore stay back while another had gone over to where Lily and Harry were sitting on the benches with Hagrid who had come along to help the small children feel safe while Severus was having to deal with being questioned.
When the Auror had reached for Harry, both he and Lily had seemed to vanish just as there was a flash from a necklace that Lily wore. A second later when the light faded the two children were nowhere to be seen and it caused a major uproar that two children just vanished while within the Ministry. It took several hours of the Auror's, Hagrid, Severus, Dumbledore and several other staff of the Ministry looking for the children before they were found in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office happily chasing the department memos that were flying around the room under the supervision of Arthur Weasley. It had been Severus who found them as Dumbledore and Hagrid had been close behind him and caught up only to see Lily and Harry run over to Severus as he knelt down and embraced the two small children. Severus found himself thanking Arthur over and over for how he did not report the two children, more so with how Arthur said the two had just appeared out of thin air and had given him quite a fright. Though that he recognized Harry instantly when he had seen the boys lightning bolt shaped scar, and Lily because his eldest son, Bill, had described her to him after seeing her at Hogwarts during the school year.
Though with the thought of the Weasley's, Severus realized that after this next year he would need to find a suitable person to help since the eldest Weasley child was going to graduate at the end of this upcoming term. Sure there was the second and third Weasley children that could help since it seemed that Harry and Lily both were attached to them, well except for the youngest in the school at the moment since as Lily was always saying, "He is no fun!"
Just the thought of the look Lily made, a mix between a look of frustration and a pout brought a smile to Severus' face as he thought it was something beyond amusing that she had down at times even when she had been a small baby. However he did not get to linger on those thoughts all due to how there was a small pop sound only for him to hear the rushed squeaky voice of Twinkle, who insisted on remaining the Snape family personal house elf even though they had returned to Hogwarts. "What is it Twinkle?" he asked in a patient voice as what the small house elf had been yelling had sounded like nothing more than a jumbled mess.
"Master Severus!" Twinkle squeaked in a frantic tone. "I cannot find Master Harry or Mistress Lily anywhere! And Twinkle has looked all over the rooms and through the dungeon!" Twinkle said in a frantic tone as Severus was wide eyed, the quill in his hand falling limply from his hand as he looked toward the trembling elf. It wasn't that he was a violent man, it was just that Twinkle was a jumpy elf especially when it came to the safety of the two children, more so with Lily for some reason.
"Where was the last place you saw them?" Severus asked in a tone that showed he was fighting to keep himself calm.
Twinkle gulped as she looked up at her master. "I…I is seeing them when I put them down for a nap after they spent the day playing." Twinkle said as Severus knew that was likely when the two had managed to slip away from the watchful house elf. "When I went to check on them, both of them were gone, master." She said as Severus reached up pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger as he was going through a list of places that the two had a habit of disappearing to.
At the moment only two places really stuck out to Severus. Hagrid's hut and running around the school with or searching for the two eldest Weasley boys, Bill and Charlie. Figuring those two were likely the only options to helping find the two small children, Severus lowered his hand from before his face as he looked toward the frantic trembling house elf before him. "Twinkle, first I need you to calm down." He said as the house elf started trying to calm herself as best she could. "Now, I am going to check around the school, I want you to go down to Hagrid's and see if the kids are down there." He said as Twinkle nodded before vanishing with a faint pop as Severus stood from his desk and rushed from his private quarters to head out to find the two children who seemed to love playing hide and seek. Though part of him was not surprised since Hogwarts was a vast castle with numerous mysteries that would beyond fascinate any child, and with how Lily and Harry were both eight years old, it was possibly seen as the ultimate playground.
/
An hour earlier, Lily and Harry had been put in their room that they shared in the Dungeon quarters with Severus only for them to decide to sneak out of the room and go play since it was a nice day out. So they had managed to sneak out past the office in the living quarters where Severus was working as they then headed out through the door and past the portrait at the end of a short hallway. Lily peeked around the corner before gesturing to Harry who followed close behind her. Though as they ran up the corridor together, Lily's long black hair that fell to her shoulder blades moved about and behind her as her blue eyes shown with happiness at the thought of getting some fresh air, even more so as she looked at Harry.
He was still one of small stature, like Lily, but he had a healthier look about him now compared to three years ago when Severus and Lily had rescued him. His emerald green eyes were behind a pair of round spectacles as his black hair went in every direction, something that Lily always said she thought was unique about him. Since Severus' hair fell all but perfect but Harry's never did, not even when Twinkle fussed and tried to insist something be done to tame the boy's hair until Lily asked the frantic house elf to back down.
Though as the two found their way out of the dungeons, they glanced around before going to head toward the vast entry doors to the school only to hear a voice from behind them, one that the two knew all too well. The voice of the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.
Albus had been walking down the staircase to the entry hall only to see the two youngest residents of the school heading toward the large doors. "Harry! Lily!" he called as the two small children froze only to look back over their shoulders at the same time at the older wizard as he finished stepping down the stairs and walking across the entry hall toward the two. He had an amused yet curious look on his face behind his half-moon spectacles as his blue eyes seemed to be twinkling with amusement. "Where are the two of you going?" he asked as Harry and Lily glanced at one another with nervous smiles. "Does Severus know that the two of you are out alone?" Albus asked as he stood before the two children.
"Um…" Harry said nervously as he looked down fidgeting with the hem of his green summer sweater, the same style as Lily's blue one that she was currently wearing.
"He was busy so we thought we would go play." Lily said as Albus looked toward the young girl before shaking his head at her as Lily had a feeling that the headmaster was going to just escort them back to the dungeon quarters when the two wanted to go out and play near the lake. "You won't tell dad that we snuck out again will you?" Lily asked as Albus gave her a look while she was looking at him with a pleading expression as even Harry was beside her since both were just wanting to be allowed some fresh air.
After a few moments Albus smiled at the two children as he rested his hands on their heads. "I won't tell your father, Lily." He said as Lily looked beyond happy at that but then Albus continued. "On the condition that I accompany you and the two of you do not run off." Albus said in a serious tone as Harry and Lily both smiled up at the old headmaster while the nodded.
"We promise!" the two said happily in unison.
Once outside Harry and Lily both looked around with looks of wonder on their faces as Albus walked along behind them being sure to keep the two in his sight since sure Hogwarts was a safe place, but it could still be dangerous for two children venturing around even on the grounds unattended. Though after an hour of walking around the lake and the grounds Albus caught the two children stifling yawns as he figured that they were in need of a nap but not while outside so Albus started to steer the children back toward the castle as the doors flew open only for Severus to come rushing from the doors as Albus knew what the younger male was so worried about. So he drew his wand and sent some sparks that caught the younger man's attention as he came rushing over only for both Harry and Lily to hide behind Albus. Due to how both were worried they would be scolded for running off on their babysitter when she turned her back.
It was not long before Severus stood before the older wizard as he glanced down at where he knew his daughter and Harry were hiding. Though before he could say anything he heard the voice of Albus drawing his attention.
"You might want to start making time to bring them out to play or see if the Weasley boys will watch them or even Hagrid." Albus suggested as Severus gave the older wizard a bit of a confused look due to how it seemed almost out of the blue for the older man to say that. Before Severus could ask what he meant, Albus continued. "That is why they decided to sneak off because they knew you were busy but they were wanting to come out and play since it is a lovely day out." Albus said as he could see some of the frustration fading away from Severus' face at hearing that.
"That may be." Severus said in a low tone which revealed that he was still somewhat annoyed that his daughter and her friend had gone so far as to take off like they had when they surely knew that it was not safe for them to venture around unsupervised. "But it does not excuse them running off without at least asking for me to find someone to watch them so they could play." Severus said as Lily peeked around from behind the headmaster. "You should know better, Lillian Snape!" Severus said as Lily flinched slightly since she could tell from her father's tone that he was beyond upset still. "And you as well Harry Potter!" Severus said as Harry had moved to try and comfort Lily while she was upset. "Now say good bye to the headmaster, because the two of you are grounded for the next two weeks!" he said as Lily and Harry nodded and walked fully out from behind Albus. Though as they walked over to be closer to Severus neither noticed that there was still a twinkle in the headmasters eyes. However Severus did notice as he thought the man was insufferable with how he seemed to find amusement at what was going on. Granted Severus knew a dark secret with why the headmaster was the way he was toward Lily and Harry, and Severus wished to protect them from the headmaster for that reason.
Though as the two children walked over closer Severus grabbed Harry by the scruff of his shirt and grabbed Lily's hand before heading up to the castle with the two as Lily was insisting that they were sorry but Severus did not pay much attention to the pleas from his daughter. Though when they got back into the school he noticed that two Gryffindor students coming from the Great Hall, both were second years. Levi Lupin, a youth that was all but the thorn in Severus' side who had the face of his father, but black hair that framed his face but was cut short and blue eyes looking out from behind his hair that seemed to never hold warmth. The other was a youth in horn rimmed glasses with freckles and red hair, the youngest Weasley at the school at the moment, Percy. Without paying much mind to the two students, Severus turned and dragged his daughter and Harry down into the dungeons.
However before her father had gone to start dragging her toward the dungeon and down to their living quarters, Lily had glanced toward Levi. It was his second year and yet every time he looked at her he had a look of pure disgust whenever he saw her. Something that Lily did not understand since she had only once before interacted with Levi and that was the year before when she and Harry had been sitting in on a potions lesson that her father was teaching. Mainly due to how since Severus had exposed her to potion brewing since she had been very young since Lily found it fascinating, he sometimes had her walk around the room and see what the students were doing or walk around with him. However that day had been different.
Lily had left Harry's side as he was standing by Percy who seemed more intent on ignoring the boy than anything while he was leaned over his cauldron. Something that had led to Lily venturing away from the two boys. Though as Lily was walking she had abruptly tripped and fell to the ground with a thud as she fought back tears since she had caught the edge of the table leg on her head as she felt that her head was spinning at the moment. She leaned up as she could hear rushing footsteps, ones that she saw were her father as he knelt down beside her as she glanced at him and he stressed for her to remain still since she was bleeding from her head.
Though as Severus carefully shifted Lily, she heard Harry come over to check on her as well only for her to hear a new male voice speak from behind her father. "Should really watch where you are stepping, whelp!" the cold voice had said as Lily only saw who had said it when her father stood with her in his arms while cradling her close and turned toward the student. One who he towered over as Lily could feel the anger almost radiating from her father as he held her only for him to say in a low tone but was easily able to be heard through the entire dungeon classroom.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor and a week of detention, Mr. Lupin!" Severus had said before he had turned from the offending student. "Class dismissed! Everyone clean up and get out!" he ordered before he had grabbed Harry's hand and proceeded to drag the boy along with him out of the classroom to head up to the infirmary to make sure that Lily would be alright. However the whole way there she tried to insist to her father that she was fine but he wouldn't listen saying that she was bleeding bad. Which had been true since the crimson color was staining her midnight black hair and even radiating against her pale skin as it fell down her face as well.
It had seemed that from that day on any time Lily saw Levi he always seemed to glare or scowl at her as though she had done something to wrong him. Which had led to when she was allowed out of the hospital she had been unable to sleep that night so she had slipped from her room that she shared with Harry as she went to the living room to find her father there reading a book before the fireplace. She had hesitated for a second before walking over as her long white night gown that went down to her ankles shifted as there was small taps on the stone floor from her slippers tapping as she stepped, something that had drawn the attention of her father.
Severus had heard the small sound and glanced up to see that it had been Lily as he stood dropping the book to the table as he went over and scooped Lily up in his arms. "Lily, it is late you should be resting." He said in a worried tone before the young child shifted and threw her small arms around him as she was crying into his shoulder. "Lily? What is wrong?" he asked as he moved back to the couch and sat down holding her close while he could feel the small child shaking from her trying to keep her crying silent but he could still feel her tears soaking the shoulder of his shirt but he did not care in the slightest.
"W-why was that boy mean to me?" Lily asked as she shifted to lean back so she was sitting on her father's lap looking toward him as there were still trails from the tears down her pale face as she looked to be on the verge of crying again. "What did I do to him for him to be so mean?" she asked as Severus was at a loss for a few moments before he shook his head and forced away any thoughts to hurt the student who dared to act cruel towards his child for no reason, at least there had been no reason behind it in Severus' eyes.
After a few moments of thinking and trying to silently comfort his child, Severus spoke in a soft voice as he did not want Lily thinking that she had upset him in any way. "I am not sure why he was mean to you." He said in a gentle tone as Lily continued to silently cry into his shoulder, something that made his heart feel like it was about to shatter. All due to how he wished for nothing more than for her to know nothing but happiness. "Though try not to think about it Lily, because you did nothing wrong." He said before he started to slightly rock back and forth on the couch as he continued to hold Lily close until he felt her silent crying had stopped as she was still in his arms only for him to stand and carry her back to her and Harry's room. Harry was sound asleep as Severus quietly crossed the room to where Lily's bed was as he gently placed her down and brought up her blanket only to tuck it around her before he leaned over her and kissed her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams, Lil." He whispered before he left the room quietly closing the door behind himself.
Though Lily was torn from thinking of that when they started down the stairs as she looked up at her father with a sad expression due to how he seemed to be beyond upset with her, that or was it that he was upset because of how Levi had been giving her an annoyed look again for no reason? She was not sure but after a few moments, when they were only a few corridors away from the quarters in the dungeon, did Lily speak up. "Dad, we aren't in trouble for wanting to go play are we?" she asked looking up at her dad with her large blue eyes as Severus slowed down slightly to allow the two children to walk beside him.
"You are, because I have told you more times than I want to count that it is dangerous for you and Harry to go running off through the school unattended. You are both very lucky that the headmaster was the one that found you instead of anyone who might have hurt the two of you." He said as he was actually worried that those from his own house would not hesitate to hurt at least Harry since he was the one that had led to a lot of their parents being disgraced or family members thrown in Azkaban after the fall of Voldemort.
Lily lowered her eyes from looking at her father to look to Harry who looked beyond worried due to how when Severus was upset he could get very upset in a matter of seconds. That and when they did something they were not supposed to it was not that uncommon for him to enforce what seemed like odd punishments for them to teach them to not break the rules. More so since each time that happened he justified it as a way to help detour the two of them from breaking rules since once they were in school in the next few years then the punishments would be far worse.
Once they got back to the quarters Severus released Lily and Harry only to say for them to go to the couch and sit down. As they were walking over toward there Severus spoke again calling the frantic house elf. "Twinkle!" he said as there was a faint pop only for the house elf to appear in front of Lily and tackle the child to the floor while hugging her and wailing with tears streaming from her hazel eyes as she was yelling in her high pitched squeaky voice as Harry moved back away from the scene with a confused look on his face while Twinkle continued to sob.
"MISTRESS YOU WORRIED TWINKLE SO MUCH! TWINKLE WAS WORRIED YOU HAD BEEN TAKEN! TWINKLE IS A FAILURE AS A HOUSE ELF FOR THE MISTRESS!"
After that it all became pure unintelligible yelling as the house elf continued to say that she thought she was not worthy of even being allowed to serve the small family before Severus walked over and picked up the elf by the back of her uniform she was wearing allowing Lily to sit up.
"Get to the couch." He repeated as Lily nodded before standing and rushing over to the couch to sit by Harry as Severus sat down the frantic elf and straightened waiting for her to calm down as she was slowly calming down before Severus spoke. "Twinkle, we will not be dining up in the Great Hall, so I want you to go to the kitchen and fetch dinner for us so that we may dine here." He said as the teary eyed elf nodded before there was a small pop as she vanished while Severus turned and walked over to stand in front of the couch with his back to the fireplace where a small fire burned while candles in the room along with the fire helped to cast long shadows as his fell on the two children on the couch before him. "Both of you know why you are in trouble this time?" he asked as the two nodded but avoided looking at him as Severus felt they were going to need to learn a hard lesson, so this was going to be something that was going to have to be the harshest punishment he has ever given them due to how this time they had gone way out of bounds by sneaking off. So after a few moments of silence he decided on the punishment for the two. "You are both grounded until the Christmas holiday." He said as both looked up at him ready to protest but he gave them the look he at times gave his students that intimidated the two children to remain silent.
"I am grounding the two of you for that long because of how the two of you all but lied to Twinkle by faking to be asleep and then sneaking out without telling her or myself where the two of you were going. What if something had happened? Neither of us would have known where to even begin looking for you had something happened." Severus said as both Harry and Lily looked down with defeated looks as he figured that meant at least for the time being they had accepted their punishments. "So until the holiday, you are not allowed out of these quarters unless you are with me. You will not be allowed to go to the Quidditch matches between now and then-"
"But that isn't fair!" Harry blurted out only for Severus to glare down at the young boy who seemed to back down instantly when put under the full intensity of his guardian's gaze.
"That is exactly the point, Harry." Severus said in a low tone as he glared down at the boy. "Because the two of your broke one of the biggest rules I have in place to insure the two of you remain safe." He said as he noticed that for the time being the boy was going to back down, which was good because he did not want to have to punish too much further. Though that is when it dawned on him. "The two of you are also not allowed to visit Hagrid for the next two weeks, and even after that you are not to go alone but wait for a time when myself, or Twinkle can escort the two of you down to Hagrid's hut." Severus said as the two children before him nodded. "Now go get a start on your homework and I do not want to hear a word out of the two of you until dinner!" Severus ordered as the two slid off of the couch and rushed to their room only to shut the door. "Keep the door open!" he ordered as he heard the latch come undone and the door open back up.
A/N: I am so very sorry for the late update! I had hoped to have this up weeks ago but the scene in the middle of the chapter I had a hard time writing it, but I hope it turned out where everyone will like it. I want to say a very special thanks to Toraach for reviewing the last chapter. I hope that I will be able to update the next chapter soon since I think I have a good rotation figured out for my three active stories. Hopefully the next chapter will be up in the next week or two.