Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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Slowly, the years began to pass.
Severus managed to keep his little piece of happiness concealed from Voldemort's evil by following Dumbledore's radical plan of action and hiding his family in plain sight.
Death Eaters became a known threat around the wizarding world, although they largely remained a shadow organization.
People joined their ranks in secret.
Bodies were found of murders carried out under the dark cover of night.
Items were stolen and lives were ruined under the covert operations that Voldemort ran.
In addition to being a father, a spy, a teacher, and a husband, Severus was also largely a strategist when it came to inventing new ways of thwarting Voldemort and the villainy he often put Srverus in charge of undertaking.
The farm hadn't been the only sly attempt made by Voldemort's second in command to prohibit the devastation the Dark Lord sought to cause.
Harriet and Draco saw less and less of each other.
Once the Auror Department began to take serious measures on cracking down against the unseen wickedness that permeated the wizarding world, Voldemort all but stopped his large gatherings of his most elite officers.
The Malfoys and Snapes grew apart as each family became absorbed in their own survival, desperate to see their children grow to adulthood.
Lucius loved his offspring, but his disappointment in Draco was constantly expressed through the sneers and disapproving looks he cast his son.
Voldemort was not pleased with the Malfoy family's heir.
The Dark Lord saw Draco as lacking and as weak as his father.
Lucius wasn't sure which part of his dark master's opinion embarrassed him more.
Harriet, on the other hand, much to Severus and Lily's dismay, became a shining star in Voldemort's eyes.
Strong-willed, prone to anger, and quick to react, by the age of nine, Harriet wore glasses and had already demonstrated what Voldemort deemed to be a great aptitude for the Dark Arts.
Although Ellery was quiet and shy, he was as craftily cunning as his father, not to mention respectful, loyal……
Voldemort's hopes for Severus's children were much higher than his dreams for Draco.
Lily had learned to deal with the mind-numbing terror of watching her little girl linger at Voldemort's side over the years.
One afternoon, while Ellery sat at the table with her and read from the book in his hands, Lily nervously sipped her tea while she watched from the window as Voldemort and Harriet stepped through the piles of crunchy, fallen leaves that the recent rain had soiled.
The autumn afternoon was unseasonably warm.
Lily glanced at the clock and counted exactly how many minutes she had until Severus returned from his day of teaching.
It bothered her to contemplate why Voldemort had bothered to come when he knew well enough that his general would not be home yet.
Regardless, Voldemort seemed to enjoy his walk with Harriet as he watched her push her feet through the leaves.
"Mum and Dad told me I have two more years until I can go to Hogwarts." Harriet told Voldemort.
"Your mother and father are correct, little one." Voldemort chuckled as he watched Harriet pick up a leaf she found interesting, "...Though I may have another option for them to consider."
"What do you mean?" Harriet asked as she blinked up at Voldemort.
"Let your parents and I worry about that." Voldemort said with an evil sneer, "I intend to cultivate your great talents, little one. It would be a tragedy beyond understanding if they were wasted on foolish pursuits of menial undertaking."
"But I want to go to Hogwarts." Harriet frowned.
"And why might that be?" Voldemort asked curiously.
"So I can make friends." Harriet shrugged, "...And so I can meet the big snake."
Voldemort chuckled as he glanced at the little girl while they walked back to the Snape's cottage.
It had helped her win Voldemort's favor, that Harriet had proven to be a Parselmouth like him.
There were times when Voldemort nearly looked upon Harriet Snape as favorably as if she had been born his daughter instead of Severus's.
"Only the heir of Slytherin can command the Basilisk, little one." Voldemort chided as they walked along.
He purposely did not reveal his identity as the heir to the child in hopes of discovering what her next plan would be in response to that news.
Harriet casually shrugged, "Then I'll have to find the heir and befriend them."
As Voldemort opened the door and ushered her inside the cottage, he grinned to himself.
A part of him was undecidedly, unashamedly jealous, but what or who of, he wasn't entirely certain.
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Ellery glanced up from his book briefly but Lily immediately rose from her chair as Voldemort and Harriet rentered the cottage.
"My lord." She quickly nodded at Voldemort as Harriet sat her leaf on the table and went about her business as if the most evil wizard in the world wasn't standing right behind her.
"My apologies." Lily said to Voldemort as she curtsied politely, "Severus hasn't come home just yet…..I expect him any moment though."
Lily, or Laima, could no longer cling to the excuse of not knowing English.
Ten years had been plenty of time to learn.
Voldemort only chuckled at Lily's show of obedience before he gestured with a hand and replied, "There is no need for concern, my dear Laima. I have come to speak with Severus today on an important matter…….would it be quite alright if I were to wait for him here?"
He asked his question with a mocking sneer.
Both Voldemort and Lily knew the circumstances, their formal pleasantries were little more than a ridiculous joke.
Of course, Lily would agree and allow him to stay, what other choice did she have?
As one of Voldemort's loyal followers, how could she possibly refuse?
"Of course, my lord." Lily nodded eagerly, "It is a great honour to have you as a guest in our home. May I offer you something to eat or drink?"
Voldemort waved Lily away and sat down at the dining table next to the children.
During the next anxious hour, as the four waited for Severus to return home, Lily busied herself in the kitchen.
While she worked, she kept her emerald eyes focused on Voldemort and watched carefully as he interacted with her children.
Lily drew a deep breath as she saw the smile on Harriet's face and the glint of curiosity in Ellery's eyes.
Voldemort could be charming, persuasive, and amiable when he chose.
It was Lily's greatest fear that her little ones would fall for his tricks.
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Finally, the cottage door opened and Severus stepped inside.
"DADDY!" Harriet cried as she looked over with wide eyes as soon as she saw her father.
She leapt from her seat to abandon her conversation with Voldemort in favor of greeting her father.
"Dad!" Ellery echoed his sister as he stood from his chair and raced towards Severus too.
"Hello, sweetheart." Lily smiled tensely at Severus from the kitchen.
She saw a flash of anguished surprise pass over his face as his dark eyes moved from Voldemort then over to her while Harriet and Ellery flung themselves around his legs.
Severus instantly resumed his stoic demeanor as he patted his children on their backs and drawled, "Have you two behaved yourselves today?"
"Yes, Daddy." Ellery nodded as his dark eyes gazed up into his father's face.
"I haven't been particularly bad." Harriet shrugged.
"Severus, we've been waiting for you!" Voldemort announced as he stood from his chair in an unnaturally smooth motion.
An evil grin spread across his pale face as he watched his second in command interact with his family.
While others would have been touched by the tender scene, Voldemort enjoyed watching Severus greet his family because it gave him ideas about what he could use against his loyal friend for leverage.
To Voldemort, a man who loved was a man with vulnerabilities.
"My lord." Severus greeted with a polite bow. Voldemort sneered at his gesture before Severus met his gaze and asked, "Whatever brings you to my humble home on such a fine afternoon?"
"Perhaps your lovely wife can care for the little ones." Voldemort grinned as his eyes flickered to the children before they snapped back up to peer at Severus, "...While you and I retreat to the forest for a chat, Severus?"
"Of course, my lord." Severus nodded.
He gently pushed Harriet and Ellery towards Lily, both of whom giggled as they ran across the cottage to take their seats at the table again.
As Voldemort swept towards him, Severus cast Lily one silent look of longing.
Before the cottage door closed, Lily heard Severus whisper in her mind:
I don't know what this is about….If I don't come back, please know that I love you and our children more than life itself.
The pain on Lily's face was plain as she watched Severus walk off with Voldemort.
Harriet noticed her mother's forlorn expression and frowned as she asked, "Mum….what's wrong?"
"Nothing, dear." Lily replied as she quickly looked away, "...Nothing at all."
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"Severus!" Voldemort sighed as they strode through a deserted part of the forest, "You've done so well for me these past few years that I can hardly contain my gratitude."
"Thank you, my lord." Severus nodded.
"However….you are aware though that one of our main directives has so far failed?" Voldemort asked in a tone that conveyed much less glee.
"...Regarding the Potter child?" Severus asked.
"Indeed." Voldemort replied.
"Surely, my lord, our extensive searching efforts will one day locate the boy…...We are employing new strategies to aid our hunt all the time." Severus nodded.
"It is not enough, is it, Severus?!" Voldemort hissed as he came to an abrupt stop.
Severus blinked at Voldemort as he asked, "...My lord?"
"Two years from now!" Voldemort spat, "Only two more years and the Potter child will come to Hogwarts! It is then that I will count on you the most! To see him, to watch him, to know him…..to feed him to me! Surely you understand that?!"
Severus's stomach turned as he nodded, "...Of course, my lord."
Voldemort seemed happy with his pledge as he chuckled darkly and asked, "Harriet spoke of Hogwarts today…….Surely you don't intend to send your son and daughter to be taught by that old fool?"
"I see no other viable path for my children to receive a proper education." Severus blinked, "Unless you have a suggestion, my lord?"
"Perhaps their learning may not take place in a classroom, Severus." Voldemort sneered, "However, for your little ones, Severus, I may be willing to take on two young apprentices."
Severus resisted the urge to let his dark eyes widen in abject horror.
"A generous offer, my lord." He replied as he bowed, "And one my family is most unworthy of, though, it would hardly seem fair to young Draco."
"Draco Malfoy shows little promise." Voldemort coldly assessed.
Severus nodded as he spoke, "I would beg you to reconsider your kindness and remember how my children may be of help to your cause, my lord."
"...Of what do you speak, Severus?" Voldemort asked with a snarl.
"Perhaps when the Potter boy comes to Hogwarts….." Severus began, "My daughter may ensnare his heart and assist me with bringing him to you? My son would be glad to watch from the shadows and aid in any way possible."
Voldemort stared at Severus for a long moment.
Eventually, he cracked a wide grin.
A chuckle escaped his dry lips, then a laugh, before he bellowed his amusement to the vacant forest.
Severus breathed a quiet sigh of relief at his own small victory.
Escape by evasion remained the backbone of his survival plan.