Spring Always Comes

After the harsh Christmas break, Severus returned to Hogwarts with Lily in tow as she seemed even more distant. He knew that she was still coming to terms with the truth about herself, that she was not exactly human. They had returned to the school by Floo only for Lily to insist that she was wishing to be alone, something that Severus hesitantly allowed. 'How much more can she take?' he thought to himself as he watched the retreating back of his daughter until she went into her room and closed her door. 'She starts school in just over a year and a half and yet she is being made to not even know what it is to let anyone in besides me.' He thought as he slipped from their quarters in the dungeons only to head to find the insufferable wizard that seemed determined to insure his daughter was suffering.

It did not take Severus long to get to where he was wishing to be, though he had a look of pure annoyance on his face by the time he got to the stone gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office. Through barely parted lips, he uttered the password as it stepped aside revealing the spiral stairs. Without any hesitation he started up the stairs only to barge through the door at the top without the curtesy of a knock. As soon as his eyes fell on the older wizard he seemed to glide over to the desk only to put his hands balled into fists on the desk while facing the older wizard who had his usual smug expression.

"Lily knows the truth. She knows that she is a half werewolf." Severus ground out as he glared at the older wizard who did not seem phased in the slightest by the news.

"It could not be kept from her forever. Though I must admit that I had thought you would wait until she was older to tell her the truth." Dumbledore said only for Severus to give the older wizard a look of pure loathing.

"I didn't tell her! She figured it out on her own!" Severus said in a low tone. While he spoke barely above a whisper, anger saturated every single word that he spoke.

"It cannot be helped. You allow her access to books that held the truth rather than keeping it from her." Dumbledore said as any sparkle that had been in his blue eyes were gone as they were now regarding Severus in a hard manor. "However, if you believe now that she knows that she will be a danger to anyone in this school I will have to enforce that she not be allowed from your quarters for any reason." Dumbledore said as Severus stared at him in shock and frustration evident on his face.

"Lily would not harm anyone!" Severus ground out after a brief moment as he had been stunned into silence. "You should know full well since you have seen how she is and that she is the gentlest child without any ill intent or ability to even conceive of anything against another."

"You are speaking as a biased parent." Dumbledore said earning a glare from the dark professor who stood before his desk. "Lily is exceedingly capable of what you fail to see her as able to do. She was born a dark creature that when turned by the moon gives itself over to instinct and has no control." Dumbledore said as he saw a forthcoming protest from the younger man but decided to not allow him to interrupt at the moment. "You know it is true. She is one destined to either bring about the downfall of everything that is good in this world or she will be a tool to be used by the chosen one."

"I do not care! You are setting her up to be a tool for those who would seek to bring about nothing but an age of darkness for the entire wizarding world!" Severus said in a frustrated tone due to how Dumbledore had been the one to stress that Lily know love and acceptance only to be the one keeping her from knowing it.

"My decision is final." Dumbledore said in a tone showing he would not budge on the matter.

/

For some time, Lily refused to come from her room even when Tonks had come to visit, Lily only spoke to her friend through the door. Insisting all along that Tonks was better distancing herself from Lily, that she was a monster. Even though Tonks always insisted that Lily was not, the young girl refused to listen. It was after one such visit, where Tonks had been allowed in the dungeon quarters to try and coax Lily out of her room that she approached the potions master.

"Um…Professor Snape, why is it that Lily is refusing to listen to me telling her that I don't see her as a monster?" Tonks asked nervously as she stood facing the dark professor while he sat on the couch facing the fire with a thick potions book balanced on his lap. "If it is not too intrusive for me to be asking this." Tonks rushed to say due to the cold look that Severus had given her.

"It is something that does not concern you and you do not need to know." Severus said after a moment of tense silence. When he looked to his student he saw a forthcoming protest at what he had said but he shook his head at her. "It is best that you not know the truth, for Lily's sake." He said since he was fearful that Tonks would turn her back on Lily if she found out what she was.

/

By early March, Lily started to show just how torn up she was about what she was. Severus would often wake in the middle of the night hearing her throwing things in her room or her crying out of frustration at what she was born as. The only nights that he found it to be quiet was when the full moon was fast approaching and Lily was confined to her bed unable to do much besides try to rest.

'How many more must she go through?' Severus thought to himself as he sat on the edge of Lily's bed as she was fitful in her sleep. He knew the wolf part of her was raging at how the potion kept it at bay each month and even with how Severus gave her the potion leading up to the full moon it never seemed to help much besides allowing her to remain as she was. Though as he looked down at Lily he saw some tears falling down her face only for him to gently bring his hand up to wipe away the tears, something that led to Lily slightly opening her bright blue eyes to look up at her father.

"D-dad…it hurts…" she said only to bunch up beside him as he rested a hand on her back rubbing circles to try and sooth her pain.

"I know it does, Lil." Severus whispered as he tried his best to will the pain away from his child so that she could once again know happiness. "I promise I will find a way to take the pain away." He said as Lily shook her head at him as he gave her a confused look. "Why would you not want me to take the pain away?" he asked since he hated to see her suffering like this.

"Pain is all I feel anymore…take that away and there will be nothing…" Lily said as Severus lifted her up off of her bed and cradled her in his lap.

"Please do not think that way. You know that is not true." Severus pleaded as he wished he could get through to his daughter since she was all but a prisoner at the moment with how Dumbledore did not let her venture from their rooms. Though in that moment a plan formed in his mind that he knew he would need to act on very soon to insure that he got through to his daughter before things got worse.

/

It was not until April after the full moon had passed that Severus managed to go through with his plan, which in his opinion was not a moment too soon. The weekend was planned to be a Hogsmeade visit, so he had pulled Tonks to the side after the last potions class that week to present his idea as she seemed to be all for it. Expressing that she missed Lily and was worried about the young girl she had come to see as a little sister she had never had.

So on Saturday morning, Severus woke early only to instruct Twinkle to fetch a light breakfast for himself and Lily to have after he got her up. Once the house elf had vanished with the usual small pop, Severus adjusted his house robe that was a deep green, a nice departure from his usual black attire. Though he did not think much on that as he left his room only to head to Lily's. Bringing up his right hand he knocked lightly only to get no response from his daughter. "Lily?" he called as he reached for the door only to open it ever so slightly to see that she was still sound asleep on her bed. 'The full moon this last time took more out of her than usual…I just hope she will be up to this since she has not been outside our quarters since we returned from the Christmas holiday.' He thought to himself as he went over to her bed, watching her sleep for a brief moment.

"Lily?" he called gently before he reached out lightly shaking her arm as he got a mumbled response as she shifted to be on her back allowing Severus to see that she had no color at all in her skin. Something that caused a very drastic contrast when compared with her raven black hair that she had been growing out a bit that was now easily past her shoulder blades. "Time to wake up." Severus said as he could not help but smile when he heard Lily mumble asking for five more minutes. "Sorry, but no five more minutes today." He said as Lily opened her blue eyes to look at her father with a look of curiosity.

"Why not?" she asked only to yawn. "You said I am already ahead on my studies." She said as it was true, Severus had kept her studying during her imprisonment as he had come to call it to himself. Sure she was not old enough to study magic yet, but that did not mean he did not aim to teach her basics that every child should know before entering Hogwarts, things that even muggles knew. Reading, math, and writing.

Those three he had found she excelled in, something he attributed to how she spent endless hours reading over the books for those subjects and even practicing them to the point of near no end. Where to give her even a small break from those studies, Severus had taken to having her help with some basic potions that he might be working on more than he had ever before just to insure that she remained occupied and trying to keep her happy.

"It is a surprise." Severus said as Lily gave him a confused look before she yawned again only to reach up and rub her eyes as she sat up. "So get around." He said with a smile as he turned to walk from her room. "And be sure you dress warm." He said as he glanced back at Lily to see she was looking at him with pure curiosity before he walked out of her room and shut the door.

Severus had gone about getting ready himself, a quick shower then getting dressed in his usual attire since he was to be one of the professors going with the students to the village today. He usually didn't but today he had volunteered so that he could take Lily with him. Once he was dressed in his usual black long sleeve shirt pants and matching shoes he walked out of his room only to hear the shower from the bathroom next to Lily's room as he could not help but feel slightly relieved that she was getting around without too much fuss. So he went to the kitchen to find that Twinkle had already placed out some coffee for him along with some hot chocolate for Lily.

'If it were not for that house elf we might have fallen apart after Harry was taken from us…' he thought to himself as he picked up the mug of coffee and sipped at it. 'Though even with how Twinkle was the house elf for the Lupin family before…why would she be so determined and dedicated to Lily and not Levi? Because both of them are Elizabeth's children so why Lily…?' Severus thought to himself not even noticing that the water from the shower had turned off during his pondering, or that the door had opened to the bathroom. At least not until he felt a small tug at his sleeve as he glanced to see that it was Lily.

He noted the faint flush in her pale face meaning she had taken a hot shower causing a hint of a small fever on her face but he knew she would be fine. "You almost ready?" he asked noting that she was wearing jeans and a casual shirt that matched her eyes as her long black hair now fell close to her mid back since it seemed she was wishing to grow it out a little. She merely nodded at him as Severus turned and put down his coffee mug and handed her the cup of hot chocolate. "Drink this and I will be right back." He said as he walked from the room only to turn and look to see that Lily was doing as he said with sipping the hot chocolate from the mug. 'I want to see you smile again from the heart not just to try and put up a front…' Severus thought to himself as he turned away and went to Lily's room to find a blue cloak that matched her dress in her trunk. He picked it up only to leave her room and head back to the living room to see Lily just outside of the kitchen putting the cup down on the table.

"Done." She said as she looked toward her father with a smile on her face but he could tell that she was not really smiling but just pretending. Though Severus let it slide while he walked over and moved the cloak around Lily's shoulders while she gave him a questioning look. "Why do I need to wear my cloak?"

"We are going outside; you need to get some sun because you are paler than even me." Severus said with a small smile on his face since it was true. Lily was becoming unbelievably pale due to her being locked in their dungeon quarters.

Lily looked at her father with confusion evident in her wide blue eyes as she was about to ask why they were going outside only for her father to turn slightly and hold out his hand to her only for Lily to reach up and slip her small hand into his. She looked toward him as they walked over to the door and out into the corridor as the door shut behind them. "Won't we get in trouble for me being out?" she asked nervously glancing around almost as though she expected the headmaster to come out from behind every corner they passed and scold her father for allowing the dangerous monster out.

"I do not care if anyone says anything. You need fresh air and I will simply curse anyone who dares stand in my way of taking you outside." Severus said in a firm tone as he tightened his hand around his daughter's ever so slightly as they got to the Entrance hall as Severus merely turned, leading his daughter towards the vast doors only for a voice he did not have the patience to deal with sounded from the other side of the hall.

"Severus!" an angered yet calm voice called as Severus stopped and turned only to pull Lily over behind him so that she was hidden from the sight of the insufferable old man. "I told you that Lily is not allowed out of your quarters for the safety of the students." He said only for Severus to scowl at him.

"She is not a danger to anyone, as it is nowhere near the next full moon and if she does not get some fresh air soon she may well be worse off." Severus said in a low tone as his other hand slipped into the pocket of his cloak gripping his wand since he was not about to back down from how he saw it as his daughter had every right to be outside.

Before anything more could be said the sound of someone tripping and hitting the floor met the ears of the three standing in the hall. When all eyes fell on the one that had caused the noise it was to see that it was none other than Tonks, who had apparently been running over only to catch her foot on the edge of the staircase leading to her falling to the ground before she got up as though nothing had happened only to run over. In doing so she completely ignored the headmaster standing not too far from Severus and her young friend. "LILY!" Tonks yelled as she leaned down abruptly once she was behind the Potions Master to pull her friend into a tight hug that Lily happily returned after a brief moment of hesitation.

"Now if you will excuse us, headmaster." Severus said as he turned only to usher his daughter and her friend out through the doors to the grounds as Lily quickly brought her hand up to shield her eyes that were no longer used to the light due to how it was dark down in the dungeons.

"Was it always so bright outside?" Lily asked as she was squinting behind her hand that was shielding her eyes ever so slightly from the sunlight that was near blinding to her.

"No, it is just that you have been cooped up for far too long." Severus said with a smile as Tonks skipped ahead only to look back as she seemed to be of the set of mind that if she was happy and full of energy it might help revive the Lily that she had first become friends with. The girl that was always smiling even if there was sadness hidden in the smile. "Today we are going down to the village just past the grounds of the school." Severus said as Lily gave him a confused look.

"Hogsmeade?" Lily asked as Severus nodded at her.

"Meaning I get to treat you to some butterbeer!" Tonks said in an excited tone before she tripped falling backwards as Lily pulled away from her father and rushed over to her friend who was still smiling ear to ear and laughing as she sat on the ground. "Guess that rock there just jumped out." Tonks said only to hear a small laugh as she halted in her own laugh as she looked to the source of it to see that Lily was laughing and that it was actually a genuine laugh.

Once Tonks got up from the ground she walked on Lily's other side holding one hand while Severus was on the opposite holding her other hand. Something that Severus knew was a first for his daughter. All due to how this was usually how a small family would walk, with the parents on each side and the child in the middle. Though he had never experienced it himself all due to how his childhood had not been one of any closeness from family due to various reasons. He did not linger on that thought as soon they were leaving the grounds and walking down the path toward the village as he allowed his daughter to walk ahead of him with her friend.

The day had gone by far too fast, as all too soon it was evening and the sun was beginning to set. Severus had walked with the two back up to the school only for him to dismiss himself and Lily from Tonks so they could return to their quarters to eat dinner because of how Lily was still not allowed to be in there even for meals. So they returned to their quarters in the dungeons as the whole way Lily was talking nonstop about how much fun she had during her day out with her friend, something that made Severus beyond happy. "I am glad you enjoyed yourself." Severus said as they got back to the quarters in the dungeon as he did not hesitate to call for Twinkle and ask the small house elf to bring them a simple light dinner and some pumpkin juice. During that time, Severus had grabbed some papers to grade once they had finished dinner as he sat down on the couch placing the papers down on the table before him only to feel something to his side. Looking down he saw that it was Lily. She had gotten up on the couch only to wrap her small arms around him in a hug as he brought up one arm and draped it around her holding her close.

It was not to long before their dinner appeared on the table as they moved from the couch and went to sit at the table to eat only for Lily to launch into a near over excited recount of when they had been in the joke store only for Tonks to accidentally set off one of the many magical objects on display causing a chain reaction of events. Then how she had loved the way the butterbeer tasted since it had been her first time trying it, and even how her and Tonks had a field day going through the sweet shop. All due to how even though Lily was not one with much of a sweet tooth she was always fascinated with how many different candies there were.

Once they were done with dinner Severus set to grading papers while Lily curled up beside him reading a book, one of many he had deemed to be far to advanced for her but he did not wish to have another incident like when she caused the book shelf to explode. Though glancing at which book it was out of the corner of his eye he saw that it was one about werewolves. Sighing, Severus put down the paper he was grading as he reached out for the book only for Lily to grip it tightly.

"Lily…" Severus said in a slightly stern yet worried tone. "I told you that I do not want you reading those kinds of books." He said going to take it again only for Lily to pull it away from his hand yet again. "Lily Snape…" he said in a low tone.

"I know you do not want me to, but…" Lily hugged the book close to her chest as she looked away for a second before looking to her father, all hints of the smile from earlier were gone. "I want to know more about what I am even if I am only a half werewolf to insure when I start school in just over a year that I will not be a danger to others in the same year as me." Lily said as she thought if she had an understanding of her curse that she could control it.

"That may be, but there is no reason to learn about them when you do not even turn into a wolf thanks to the potion you take every month to retain being a human during the full moon." He said only for Lily to relent and allow her father to pull the book from her hands. "And there is no reason for you to concern yourself with it when you know that I will one day cure you so that you can live the life you deserve." Severus said once he had placed the book on the far side of the table before turning to face his daughter more on the couch.

"But there is more to it isn't there?" she asked looking at her father with a questioning gaze due to how she was searching for an answer that she knew may not be there. "With how I am not one who is able to be around others despite how I am not one who goes through the transformation?" Lily asked only for Severus to reach out and pull her close in a tight hug. "Dad?" Lily said in confusion due to how she knew her father did not like this subject but it was a very pressing matter since with each day she was getting closer and closer to becoming an official student of the school.

"Try not to worry on that for now." Severus said as he leaned back looking toward an enchanted clock to the side of the room to see that it was already getting late. "Why don't you go to bed." He said as Lily nodded only to give him one more hug before standing from the couch and heading to her room as he soon saw the light from her room go out meaning she had gone to sleep. "Twinkle." Severus said in a low tone only for the small house elf to appear before him.

"Yes, Master Severus?" she asked looking up at the man as she could tell he was in a bit of a foul mood.

"Stay here and make sure Lily does not leave. I will be back shortly." Severus said as he stood from the couch only to storm from the dungeon quarters, his black cloak billowing behind him as he went to the door only pausing long enough to open it and close it behind himself as he headed to the headmaster's office as there was something that had been concerning him for a while and he was wishing to find out for sure if his suspicions were correct or not. More so with how the old man had acted upon seeing Lily out of the dungeon quarters earlier.

It felt like it took near no time at all for Severus to find himself approaching the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the office only for it to spring to life before he could even utter the password, meaning that the headmaster was expecting him. 'Best to get this over with.' Severus thought as he headed up the spiral stairs to the single door at the top as he did not even bother to knock but just let himself in as his eyes fell on the infuriating older wizard. 'Some may say he is the greatest wizard of the age, but he is not even close!' Severus thought darkly all due to how the man was determined to constantly alienate his daughter from others.

"Ah, Severus." Dumbledore said while sitting behind his desk with his hands folded up before himself while the candle light of the room reflected off of his half-moon spectacles as well as his long white hair and beard. "I had expected you a little sooner than this." He said only for Severus to storm over in a fluid motion as he was soon standing before the desk of the headmaster. "I assume you are wondering why I acted as such earlier today.

"Yes." Severus said in a low tone that would have sent any of his students running for cover, more so since he was glaring at the headmaster in a way that had actually led to a young Hufflepuff student, he could not remember her name, actually breaking down in tears.

"It is because of how as you surely are aware, Lily is a danger to everyone, even herself. So that is why I told you that she is to remain locked away in your quarters in the dungeon." Dumbledore said as though it were obvious but the look he saw on the younger wizards face did not cause him to waver all due to how he could be just as stern when it came to having things his way. Something he was determined to have happen because things were already set in motion and he was determined to insure that they remained in the course that they were. "So it is best that even when she starts school that she not be allowed to live in the dorms, but will remain living with you in your quarters no matter the house she should be sorted into." Dumbledore said as Severus looked beyond shocked before the anger set in.

Severus' dark eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as he was beyond livid at the audacity of the headmaster. "I told you before that Lily poses no threat to anyone! So why do you insist on forcing her to not have any connections with anyone when you yourself said should she be denied connections with people that she would become a tool for those with dark intentions to use her with ease!" Severus ground out since he was just wishing to protect his child and at the moment it was looking like he would need to protect her from the man before him.

"I have my reasons. Now if I am not mistaken, you have classes to prepare for since you have a full schedule in the morning." Dumbledore said dismissing Severus as the younger man continued to glare for a moment before he turned and left the office not noticing the slightly hard near cold look in Dumbledore's eyes as he watched the younger professor leave the office. Nor did he hear when Dumbledore spoke to his phoenix, Fawkes. "Not much longer and the pieces will begin to be in place." Dumbledore said before he got out his wand tapping it on his desk as a secret area opened to reveal an old looking orb that had swirling mist within it with a triangular eye etched onto it. "Very soon…" he said as a smile tugged at the corners of his face before the secret compartment closed yet again as though it was never there.

/

A/N: I looked back at the previous chapter and realized a huge typo. Where I put that it had been a year since Lily received the letter from the Weasley's but in truth it was that same summer. So this is still in the 1989-1990 school year, so it is still one more year before Lily, Harry and Draco start school. I want to take a moment to thank NatNicole (who reviewed as a guest), Harrypottercatlover, and Toraach for their reviews. I really appreciate your reviews and hope that each of you thought that this chapter was worth the wait since it has been since December that I updated. And I was wanting to set up a small poll for people to answer in reviews. Which house do you think Lily will go into? Should Draco still go to Slytherin since he is different from his cannon counterpart?