Truth

Just over one year had passed since the cruel letter from the Weasley's. Severus had gone to Dumbledore and voiced his displeasure at the way the letter was worded but the insufferable fool had said that the Weasley's had done what was right. That Harry was better not being around Lily, that she was better off isolated from everyone except for Severus since she was dangerous. So Severus had considered taking a hiatus from teaching but Lily had begged him not to during the first month of that summer since that would mean she would not be able to see her friend Tonks again. So to keep his daughter happy, Severus had burned his letter he had been about to send once they got home.

He had rushed getting things he needed to stock his lab at their house where they lived and then he had set to planning the best birthday party he could for his little Lily. He knew that she would not be able to have many over, so he opted to instead just invite Tonks once he had checked and made sure the full moon did not fall to close to her birthday. Toward the end of July, he got the confirmation from Tonks that she would be coming to the small party since she had already finished her summer homework, and because she had gotten the hint that Lily was very lonely from the letters the two were sending near constantly between them. However, one night shortly before the end of July, Severus had gone into Lily's room to find her sound asleep at her desk with what looked like a birthday card she had been working on. His heart ached in that moment since he knew that she had been making that card for Harry.

'I will just hide it and explain to her again in the morning.' Severus thought as he reached for it only for it to be pulled away as his dark eyes drifted up to see bright blue eyes staring at him. "Lily, we talked about this. We cannot send anything to him…" Severus started but Lily sat up and shook her head sending her shoulder length black hair about her slightly.

"I am not sending it to him." She said as she noticed her father giving her a confused look. "But even with me unable to send them, it would not feel right to not make something to celebrate his birthday…" Lily said as a few tears found their way down her pale cheeks while her small shoulders began to shake from her silent sobs.

Severus felt his heart ache even more due to how he could tell that love had started to be planted between her and Harry, and yet they were denied being able to see one another. "Lily…" Severus started only for the floo network to sound as he looked back over his shoulder before looking back to his daughter. "Stay here." He said before he left to go check on who could be trying to come through as he got down to the living room and opened the network enough for him to find out who it was only for a letter to come through. He knelt down and picked it up seeing that it was addressed to him as he stared at it in confusion. After a brief moment he opened it and pulled out the letter and proceeded to read it.

Severus, I need your help! I am planning to take Draco and leave Lucius tonight but we do not have anywhere else to go since once I leave him I doubt that any of my family will even spare us a glance. I know this is a lot to ask of you, but could you please help us as a friend? I am wishing to get Draco away from his father after how Lucius struck Draco for just not agreeing with him about the beliefs that his father has. If you are able to help us, please send a letter back using this method as soon as possible.

Narcissa

Severus stared at the letter for a brief moment as he knew his answer, all due to how he remembered all too well that Lucius could be unforgiving. "Twinkle!" Severus yelled as he rushed to the kitchen to find a quill and some ink while tearing away part of the letter so that he could send his response. While he was frantically scribbling the response to his friend, the small house elf appeared with a small pop beside Severus. Before she could speak Severus spoke in a rushed tone. "I am going to be leaving for a bit, but I need you to stay with Lily and insure that she remains safe!" he said as he finished writing the letter and ran to the fireplace sending it through the floo network the same as Narcissa had done with the letter she had sent him. "I will be back shortly with Narcissa and Draco." He said as he threw a pinch of powder into the flames only to step in. "Malfoy Manor!" he said since he did not wish to wait and risk Narcissa or Draco being harmed.

Once Severus arrived he found that the vast room was in disarray as he heard yelling upstairs. Without a second thought, Severus drew his wand and rushed up the stairs to find Lucius trying to curse Narcissa yelling how he would not tolerate her taking his son that she could leave if she wished but Draco was not going with her. Without any hesitation Severus raised his wand and sent a stunning spell at Lucius from behind causing the other wizard to crumple to the floor in a heap allowing him to see past him to a battle worn Narcissa and terrified Draco. "He saw my response didn't he?" Severus asked as he rushed over picking up Draco figuring that it would be far quicker if he carried the shaken boy and led Narcissa.

"Y-yes he did." Narcissa said in a shaking voice as she followed Severus while he rushed past the heap that was Lucius and down the stairs to the fireplace. Once before the fireplace, Severus handed Draco over to Narcissa as she mentioned how they did not have any of their bags but Severus urged her to go through, that they could replace that stuff, that the first priority was to get her and Draco out of the house. After throwing some powder into the flames they disappeared closely followed by Severus before the stunning spell could wear off.

/

The following day Severus took Narcissa, Draco and Lily to London and Diagon Alley to get a few things, mainly clothes for Narcissa and Draco as well as books for Lily since the child was reading through books faster than Severus could supply them for her. Part of him hoping that she wouldn't end up reading every book in the Hogwarts Library before she started school in just a few years. Though as the day went on Severus started to see having Narcissa and Draco around sort of helped with the hole that Harry had left behind in the small family. That and Narcissa had taken a near instant like to Lily once they got past how Lily was not used to older females around, something Severus knew was because he had never dated anyone and how her biological mother had died when Lily was barely a year old.

By that afternoon Lily was laughing even when Severus and Narcissa took the two children to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Though while watching Lily and Draco joke and laughing, Narcissa spoke to Severus with a smile on her face. "I do not think I have seen Draco this genuinely happy in a long time." She said as she noticed how Severus' daughter had a strange gift, one that made it so that she could make those around her happy with her sweet smile.

"Same with Lily, ever since last Christmas…" Severus said glancing to Narcissa as he knew that they were just friends but at the same time it seemed that in the few hours they had been out of the house that Lily had started to see Narcissa as one she could look up to. He wondered if it would be alright for Narcissa and Draco to come along with him and Lily when they returned to Hogwarts or if it would end up being where Narcissa and Draco would stay at the house while Lily and Severus left.

/

The day of Lily's birthday came as Tonks arrived by Floo as she arrived early to help Severus prep things for the party that was to take place that afternoon while Lily and Draco both were still sound asleep. Tonks had been shocked to see one that she knew was Narcissa due to how they were of some distant relation but to her surprise one who was her actually her aunt be kind to her since from what she had heard from her mother that when she had married a muggle that a good amount of the family had all but disowned her along with Tonks as the daughter of such a union.

However, while they had been decorating, Tonks had tripped and caused such a loud ruckus that ended up waking Lily before the decorating was done. Something that did not seem to phase the now nine-year-old child. More so when she jumped out of bed to hug her best friend not even noticing the decorations until Tonks had mentioned it to her. When Lily had looked around her blue eyes lit up with excitement at the thought of how everything looked in her room, with balloons everywhere, a banner enchanted to hang over her bed and an endless shower of confetti that she found out Twinkle had insisted on.

The day was spent in happy bliss, as it seemed for a moment that Lily was finally forgetting about Harry, even if that was only a feeble wish on Severus' part. He did not care, all he cared about was that for once Lily was actually happy again. That is until that night when the festivities had died down and Tonks departed to return home after an awkward visit with her aunt and cousin, with Narcissa asking if Andromeda would be up for a visit at some point to rekindle the relationship they had once had as children. Something that Tonks said she would relay to her mother and leave it up to her before she had left. Severus had busied himself with helping Lily wind down after all of the excitement, only getting her to bed after ten that night, as Narcissa seemed to be fighting the same battle with Draco since both children had been wound up and having a great time the entire day with Tonks. More so when Tonks kept changing her appearance to earn laughs and smiles from her cousin and friend.

Once Lily was put down to bed and started to nod off, Severus leaned over her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead wishing her sweet dreams and a final happy birthday before he quietly left her room. After visiting with Narcissa briefly he retired for the night. 'At least even if only for today, Lily was allowed to know happiness again.' Severus thought as he got into bed and found himself drifting off fairly quickly.

/

Within the short while between when Narcissa and Draco started to live with Severus and Lily, Andromeda had come by with Tonks to have an awkward visit with her sister. Things had been gradual and just a few days before Severus and Lily were to leave, Narcissa and Draco had left to spend time with their family. Lily had been sad and a bit envious that it seemed Draco was gaining more family while it was just her and her dad. Something she voiced to Severus the night before they were to return to Hogwarts, just a week before school was to start. Lily had ventured from her room after getting changed into her pink night gown that hung down to her knees as she crept down the stairs to find her father sitting before the fireplace reading a book.

"Dad?" Lily asked as she stood facing toward where her father was while she stood at the foot of the stairs. It seemed that her small voice had jolted her father from what he was reading as he sat it down only to rush over to her and kneel down so they were closer to the same height since she was still small for her age.

"What is wrong Lily? I thought you had already gone to sleep since we are leaving early tomorrow morning." Severus said in worry as he reached out double checking that Lily did not have a fever due to how the full moon was approaching again. A time when thanks to the potion she was able to remain as herself, but she would become very weak and even at times feverish.

Lily shook her head as it seemed to lightly force her father to lower his hand from her forehead. "I was just lonely…" she said as Severus gave her a sad look before he stood and held out his hand to her, which she placed her small hand in as he led her over to the couch where they sat down beside each other. Without hesitating, Lily spoke up again. "Because of how it is back to just the two of us. Where we had Harry for a few years, and then Draco and his mother but everyone keeps leaving." Lily said as Severus felt a tug at his heart hearing how Lily was feeling sad at that.

"Lily, even if it is just the two of us, you do know that we are still a whole family." Severus said as he reached out pulling Lily close for a hug. However, when only silence met his question he feared she was even more upset than he thought before he felt her shift to nod ever so slightly. "And you know I love you very much and will always be here for you." Severus said as he felt his daughter nod again, but something still felt like she was not fully happy. As Severus knew that in more ways than one, his daughter was not like other children her own age. Then again he had not really fit in really well when he had been a child, but for different reasons.

"I know, dad. It is just that I cannot help but feel like this will be what is normal. Where every time I get close to anyone that they leave." She said as she leaned against her father and even went so far as to wrap her arms around him. "Because of how even mother left us." Lily said as Severus felt a pang about how Lily did not know the full truth all due to how he had told her a lie on why she did not have a mother. That her mother had left them, leaving Lily in his care which was why he had been distant at first because of how seeing her reminded him of how things had once been.

'I will wait until she is older and able to better understand the full truth before I tell her of her true origins.' Severus had sworn to himself then and every day since. He knew that eventually the truth would come out, that Lily was not his by blood, only by law and even magic he had performed himself to bind them as parent and child. An old magic that he had found discarded in a box down in his lab. One that would allow those of no shared blood to be bound by something even stronger.

"When we go back to Hogwarts, I will need to stay in our quarters until when all of the students arrive in a week?" Lily asked as she leaned back slightly, her words and movement pulling Severus from his thoughts as he looked down at her only to nod.

"Yes, because after what happened right before the end of the last term, I do not want to ever go through that scare again." Severus said since in truth everything had been fine since Twinkle had said Lily was going to send the letter to Harry. That is until Tonks had told him that Lily had not been there only to be found unconscious in the Divination classroom.

"Okay." Lily said as she closed her blue eyes and leaned against her father again. "I just hope that things will go better." Lily whispered as she actually drifted off to sleep.

Severus sat there for a while just holding Lily to him as he knew she had drifted off to sleep, more so due to how her breathing was steady and peaceful. 'Am I doing the right thing hiding some things from her?' he wondered to himself as he knew that eventually certain things would come to light, even about his own past. He just hoped that when those things did that Lily would be able to see past them to see that he was still her father and had made mistakes in his youth.

/

Severus and Lily returned to Hogwarts without any incident, as Twinkle came along with them, intent to make sure that everything went smoothly for them with returning to the school while things were strained. All due to a rule that Dumbledore had told Severus he was imposing. That Lily was only allowed out of the rooms during one week a month when she was known to be safe due to her affliction. Severus had gone off on the older wizard insisting that Lily would never attack anyone and that he would still have Lily with him in classes because he did not wish to treat his child like a prisoner.

'It is like that old fool is trying to force her down the path he had wanted me to keep her from following…' Severus thought to himself as he had returned to his and Lily's quarters in the dungeon. 'She has never hurt anyone so why treat her this way…' Severus wondered to himself as he sat down on the couch.

/

It had taken a while, but Lily slowly accepted that she was not allowed to spend as much time with her friend Tonks as she had wanted. More so due to how the only times they were allowed was during Tonks free period from class unless she was too busy with studying or had homework to do. So for the most part Lily became more and more withdrawn, until one night shortly before Christmas break. They had packed all of their things sending them to the house with Twinkle so that the house elf could get things ready for them to return. During that time Severus had gone through their quarters one final time to make sure that he had gotten all that they would need until they returned shortly after the new year. Satisfied that he had not forgotten anything he headed back to the living room to find Lily sitting on the couch with a sad look on her face as she was staring down at her lap where her pale hands were folded together.

Severus knew full well that she was paler than usual on account that she had not been allowed to be outside that much due to Dumbledore deeming her as to risky to have around the students, and how the full moon was fast approaching. Something that prompted Severus to promise himself and mentally promise his precious child that he would find a cure for her so she could be allowed to lead the life she deserved.

Forcing that from his mind, Severus walked over and knelt before the couch so he was just under his daughter's eye level as he reached out guiding her to look at him with a gentle hand. "You think you are okay for us to travel by Floo?" he asked as Lily just mutely nodded, as only sadness could be seen in her blue eyes.

"Yeah…" Lily said as Severus knew that this Christmas would be especially hard for her due to how it was one year ago when Harry had been ripped away from them and placed where Dumbledore had thought was for the best. "Though why can't we go see Tonks and her family before New Year's Eve?" Lily asked in a small voice that had Severus not been so used to her soft quiet voice he might have not heard her.

For a few brief moments, Severus wrestled with how to answer Lily's question as black eyes stared into blue. After a brief moment, he settled on what he thought was the best way to describe it without just out right telling her the full truth. "It is because you have been showing that you have not been feeling well, and we would not want to spread it to Tonks and her family would we?" Severus asked smiling slightly as he saw something in Lily's eyes almost as though she knew more than what he wished for her to. All due to how his greatest wish was for her to know happiness and never be burdened or limited by an ailment that she did not choose to have but had been born with.

/

Just as Severus had thought, two nights before the full moon Lily had to be confined to her bed with violent convulsions, accompanied by her cries in pain. That night Severus did not sleep at all but gradually gave Lily the wolfsbane potion that helped to slowly calm her cries around three in the morning. Once she was still and silently crying, Severus gathered her up in his arms and held her close to try and soothe her so she could stop crying.

"D-dad?" Lily whispered as she snuggled closer to her father as he held her tight. As soon as she heard him utter a word that let her know that she had his full attention she asked a question that she had been wondering about for a while. "Am I a monster?" Lily asked in a whisper only to feel her father tense as he held her.

"Of course you aren't." Severus urged as he looked down at his child he was holding in his arms. "You are you, my precious child. Never doubt who you are no matter what anyone else says." Severus said as he held her tighter until he felt her finally drift off to sleep. Even though she was asleep, Severus stayed with her until shortly after dawn when he rested her down on her bed only to leave her room and rush down to his lab, missing a book that was laying open on Lily's desk.

/

On Christmas morning Severus was surprised that he was not woken by a happy and hyper child, so he got up from bed and headed across the hall to Lily's room to find that she had at some point that morning or during the night thrown various books and scraps of parchment around her room. Over on her bed she sat up in the furthest corner with her knees drawn up to her chest with her face hidden behind them. Severus was immediately on guard as he slowly approached the bed and sat down on the edge of it, not wanting to force close space with Lily since she was obviously upset. "Lily?" Severus called to her in a gentle voice only for her to flinch and draw further into the corner away from him. "What is wrong?" he asked since he knew that today would be difficult due to it being the year anniversary of when Harry was taken away from them.

"I am a monster…" Lily said as her small voice broke while she stayed where she was in the corner as far from her father as she could manage.

Severus stared at her in pure shock for a few moments before he shook his head at her. "You are no such thing!" he said in a firm but gentle voice. "Why would you think such a thing?" he asked near fearful that someone may have said something to her. Something he knew if that was the case there would be hell to pay for anyone who may have told his child that she was anything but an angel. However, when only silence met his ears, Severus inched closer to his daughter as she seemed to withdraw from him even more. "Lily, please tell me." He said as she looked up, her blue eyes having a few flecks of amber in them due to how the full moon was recent and how she was emotionally worked up.

"I am because of how I am a werewolf…" she said as Severus gave her a shocked look all due to how he had fought so hard to keep the truth from her for her own safety and happiness. "Right?" she asked as though to confirm the truth that she knew deep down was true. All due to how even with her being past the full moon, and how she took the wolfsbane potion each month she could still feel the wolf in her fighting.

Severus closed his eyes as he nodded since now there was no denying it. "Yes, but you are only a half werewolf." He said as he could feel his daughters questioning gaze on him as he opened his eyes to look at her with a defeated look on his face. "Which is why when you take the wolfsbane potion every month, it allows you to remain as you are rather than the wolf inside of you taking over, forcing you to become a physical wolf." Severus explained only for Lily to scramble past him and run from the room. "Lily!" Severus called after her as he stood and rushed from the room after her. When he got to the stairs a sudden gust of cold wind hit him hard freezing him in his tracks for a brief second. 'She ran outside!' Severus thought in a panic all due to how Lily had only been in her night dress for protection from the cold. Without any hesitation Severus rushed to pull on his boots as he yelled to Twinkle ordering her to help him find Lily because of how there were several inches of snow on the ground and it was still coming down steadily.

Lily kept running despite the stinging she was feeling from the cold. 'Is it because of what I am that Harry was taken away?' she thought as she continued to run through the trees as fast as she could only to feel the cold start to overtake her more and more. 'Because I am a dangerous beast…' she thought as she kept running until she ran full force into something sending her back into the snow, sending some up only for it to fall back on her as she was long sense past the point of fully feeling the cold.

"You are foolish to risk your health like this." A cold voice said as Lily looked up to see that it was a figure who was wearing a deep cloak so she could not see their face or any of their features. "Especially when you have a very important destiny that must be fulfilled." They said raising a skeletal hand and pointing at her as her blue eyes became distant. "I know you saw it once before, child of the moon." The figure said only to kneel before Lily in the snow as she continued to stare at them while her eyes were distant. "By your next birthday you will begin to awaken." They said as Lily's eyes began to close resulting in her falling back into the snow. "Though as said, I cannot have you die now." The figure said as they raised their arm as red sparks seemed to shoot forth from their sleeve before they vanished leaving Lily alone on the forest floor as the falling snow stuck to her dark hair and melted upon her pale skin.

/

While he had been running around, Severus found himself pleading, begging, praying, that Lily would be alright and that he would find her before she was overtaken by the cold. 'How could she have found out the truth?!' Severus thought in a near panic all due to how he had been so careful and she had not been one to interact with others due to Dumbledore's rule that she was to remain locked away in the dungeons of Hogwarts. With that thought, Severus stopped, wondering if there was something he was missing with how she could have found out, only for him to see red sparks shoot up into the air.

"Lily…" he whispered as he took off running toward where the sparks originated only to find Lily laying in the snow with some snow resting on her small form. Without a second though Severus ran to her and sank to his knees gathering her up in his arms only to feel she was ice cold. "TWINKLE!" Severus called as he rushed to stand only for the small house elf to appear beside him. "Start the fire back at the house and get lots of warm blankets to the couch before the couch. I will be right behind you." He said as without a word the house elf vanished as Severus took off at a full run toward the house. He knew he could try apparating but it would not do much good all due to how there were wards up around his home for his daughter's safety and how he did not wish to risk her resisting going with him and things being made worse.

Only a few minutes later, they were back at the small house as Severus rushed in as Twinkle rushed toward him carrying a large plush blanket that Severus did not accept until he was at the couch to find that near every blanket in the house was sitting there with warmth radiating from them. "Lay the one you have by the hearth and I will wrap her up in it." Severus ordered as he was worried that Lily had not even shown any signs of responding. Once the blanket was in place, Severus gently put Lily down on it and proceeded to wrap her up snugly before lifting her up to cradle in his arms.

"Will the Mistress be alright?" Twinkle asked as she stood close to Severus with a look of pure worry in her haze colored eyes.

"I am sure she will be fine once she wakes." Severus said not taking his eyes off of the pale face of his daughter as he spoke to the worried house elf. Even knowing the reason behind Twinkle's unrivaled loyalty to Lily, Severus felt relief that the house elf had come along with receiving his daughter so that she was never truly alone. But now, he feared, that she would feel more alone than ever before.

It was not for near an hour of constant silence that Severus finally heard a soft sound grace his ears. The soft angelic voice of his daughter calling to him. "D…dad…?" Lily spoke as she slowly opened her eyes to look up at her father with a confused look on her face. "How did I get back here?" she asked as Severus merely held her closer beyond relieved that she had finally woke.

"I found you out in the forest." Severus said as he leaned up but continued to hold Lily close. "Though how did you send red sparks up to let me know where you were?" he asked as Lily gave him a confused look. "You…you didn't send up the sparks?" he asked since he knew that his daughter's magic seemed to show in odd ways when she was upset or even when she was in trouble.

"I didn't do it." Lily said before her blue eyes went wide as she went to shift but she found she was unable to due to how her father had her wrapped in the blanket and was holding her close. "There was a man who was with me." Lily said as Severus gave her a confused look.

"Lily, there was no sign of anyone having been in that area of the forest besides you…" Severus said as he wanted to believe his daughter but from what he had seen unless someone had been there and then used a spell to cover their tracks or some other method, there had been no one there. "I am just glad that I found you before you froze to death." Severus said only for Lily to look away from him. "Lily…" Severus said in a near pleading voice due to the distant look he saw on his daughter's face.

"It would have been better hand I frozen…" Lily started only for Severus to shift and hold her tighter. "D-dad…can't…breath…" she whispered but her father did not loosen his hold on her.

"Don't ever think that again!" Severus ordered, almost pleading. "You know that me, Twinkle, Tonks and her family would be very sad should something happen to you. And I am sure that Harry is counting down the days until he can see you again." Severus said as Lily gave him a questioning look since in truth she doubted what her father said in that sense. "I promise that even with what you were born as, you are not a monster. You are the best thing to have ever come into my life, and you know I love you more than anything and would do anything to insure that you are happy." Severus said as Lily snaked her arms out from the blanket and wrapped her arms around him as best she could from where she was in his arms. Only for a few seconds later, Severus heard a soft voice whisper to him.

"All I want or ever need is you, dad."

A/N: I am so sorry for the delay in this story being updated. I have been very busy lately and have not gotten much time to work on my writing. I hope everyone likes this chapter, I want to add that Lily is FAR from fully accepting that she is a half werewolf, just that at the moment she is calmer and seems to be accepting it. There will be more with her steps to accepting it as time passes since this story still has a lot to tell. I am still planning to do the special but it may very well be late like the one for last year was. I am still working very hard on the updates for Blood Oath: Destiny, Second Chance, and Eternal Star. I am hoping to have the special up by this weekend and then the stories updated in the next week or at least one or two more updates scattered between the stories. Now I want to thank everyone who has been reading, favoriting, and following the story thus far. I also want to thank Harrypottercatlover who was a guest who reviewed chapter six and also reviewed the last chapter. I hope this chapter is to everyone's liking and that everyone will enjoy the special when I get it up. Until next time!