I want to give Severus a friend out of the mainstream characters, other than Lucius as seen in some fanfictions, as I want that character to be an uncle/godfather to Elizabeth. I think there is so much more to Severus Snape that we don't get to see, and I love writing him a more in depth backstory. I don't often write Snily because if I'm being honest, I think he and Hermione have more in common, but we don't know a whole lot about Lily either, other than what Harry is told by other characters. So, this is my attempt to give him a more fleshed out backstory and to give Elizabeth more people she can turn to in the course of the series. Sirius will be her godfather in this story, but as he most likely will be killed off in the fifth story, I want there to be a more permanent character that will last all through the series. So the choices are

Arthur Weasley

Remus Lupin

Alaster Moody

An OC that will be created at a later time

Thank you all for your input! Please vote in the review section!

Elizabeth sat on the swinging chair, her legs crossed on the seat. She couldn't believe that all of this was her's, and she was waiting for her new-found father to take it all from her, like the Dursleys' would have. She had been told that he would not be taking anything from her, that it was her's and her's alone, but she was not entirely sure. Severus had left her to herself for a while, and she was a little nervous, though she was excited. She was finally away from her Aunt and Uncle, with someone who cared deeply for her, at least he seemed to, and she wanted nothing more than to be loved, just like he said he did.

She could hear the man-her father- she had to correct herself, moving around on the floor below, the old house creaky and just a little small. It was smaller than the Dursleys', but it was certainly cozier, from what she had seen and was perfect for the two of them who lived in the house. As an added bonus, the creaky floors would give her a warning if someone was trying to sneak up on her while she was in her new bedroom or in any of the other rooms, if she was being honest with herself.

She ran her fingers over the cover of the book in her lap, having explored the room a little more once Severus had left. She was nervous to say the least, but she was at least confident that she would no longer be worked like a slave.

"Elizabeth!" She heard him call for her from somewhere in the home, and on auto pilot, she unfolded her legs and put the book she held back on the shelf she got it from, before she shuffled down to the first floor, her head poking around the corner to scan the living room for movement, but there was none, but when she heard movement from the door on her left, she cautiously went forward, poking her head in the doorway.

There, she saw Severus with a towel over his left shoulder, standing in front of the stove stirring a pot of some kind. Upon her entry, he turned to see her, and smiled.

"Hello, love. Sit down, lunch is almost ready." He gestured to the place setting where he had laid out a full setting and a glass of milk.

"Yes, sir." She timidly walked to the table and carefully perched onto the edge of the chair, making sure she wasn't touching the table.

He poured a thick soup into two bowls, placing one in front of her with half a sandwich, along with bread to dip into the soup if she so wanted.

"Here we go. Eat as much as you can, but don't feel like you have to eat all that I gave you if you cannot."

"But that is a waste, sir." She picked up her spoon as she saw him do and gently stirred the soup he made her. Delicately, she took one bite and found the broth was thick and spicy, but not too spicy that it made her nose run, but enough that it warmed her insides.

Severus smiled a little and took his own sip of soup from the side of the spoon. "It's not a waste. If you cannot finish, we can wrap it up and pop it in the refrigerator for later. Just because you cannot finish a meal does not mean we will be throwing it away."

She looked unsure, but he smiled a little at her over his own bowl, gesturing for her to continue eating. "Madame Pomphrey said we shouldn't overwork your stomach until you're used to eating again. We need to get you to gain some weight, as you're dangerously underweight." He tore a piece of bread and dipped it into the soup. "We intend to give you some nutrient potions to make this process go a little faster."

"What are those, sir?"

"Nutrient potions?" He popped the bread into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "They're potions that help your body grow faster. In fact, you don't have to take them alone if you don't want to. You can, as I already have, mix them into food and drink. We have predicted that by the time you enter school you should be at our target weight for you."

"Oh." Elizabeth poked at the food in front of her, clearly not comfortable in the room.

"I wouldn't give you anything that would do any harm to you." Severus gestured to the food before her, gently reminding her to continue to eat.

Elizabeth nodded, taking another bite of her meal. "Yes sir. I just don't understand what the potions do exactly."

"The nutrient potions are going to give your body the key things it needs to grow, the vitamins and minerals that your relatives refused to give you are in the potions. It's going to help you gain weight along with the food that you will be getting here."

"Okay, sir. And I have to take them in the mornings or…?"

"You'll need to take them twice a day, but I'll be adding them to your meals, as they can taste rather dreadful on their own. You need to take the whole potion for it to work, so it's just easier this way."

The two sat in silence for a little while longer, before Elizabeth was alerted to Severus once more, as he got up with his empty lunch dishes. As he washed his dishes, he began to speak to her, keeping the water low so the splashing wasn't too loud for her to hear him.

"Now, I think while we're here, we should talk about some rules. Firstly, I want you to remember that this is your home and I want you to be comfortable here. So, with that, I have arranged the pantry here-" He pointed to a door on the left of the refrigerator that was cracked open. "With containers with snacks and there's always going to be fresh fruit in the refrigerator that you are always welcome to. Any leftovers are yours to take if you are hungry, you do not have to ask me permission. The only request about food is to refrain from snacking if I am already cooking, alright?"

Elizabeth nodded, dragging her spoon along the nearly empty bowl. Rules were something she could handle. She liked rules, it let her know what to expect, making sure there were no surprises that were going to be thrown at her. Her aunt and uncle were not good at following through with their rules, always finding some reason to either beat her and without food from her or to lock her in her cupboard for weeks at a time. This man, her father, was seemingly, the exact opposite.

Severus continued his speech on rules. "Now, I want you to remember that you are 10 years old. You are not going to be tasked with cleaning this house like you were in your aunt and uncle's home, but we can give you some age appropriate chores, like keeping your room clean, making your bed, helping me around the house with dishes and dusting perhaps, but nothing like you were doing in your aunt's home. The role you filled in that home was not one that I find to be appropriate, understand?"

"Yes sir." She ripped a small piece of her sandwich off and dipped it in the soup, chewing the tiniest bites.

"You can always ask me questions, okay? I never want you to feel like you cannot talk to me about something. If you have any problems with anything, tell me. Do not hide anything from me. Which brings us to rules. In this house, I have few rules. The biggest one is not to put yourself or someone in else in danger. If you need help, go to a trusted adult. Second, we don't lie here. Some other rules which I want you to try to remember, but I won't be too upset if they don't happen right away is most importantly not to go into the basement laboratory without asking me first. You are not to go down there without being slow on the stairs, they're open unlike the stairs to the second floor and they have no railing, and quiet and asking first. I have things down there that I don't want you getting into. If you're with me when we go down, that's fine, but I would prefer if you need something for you to holler down to me."

"Yes sir." She looked down at her empty bowl and plate before Severus took the plate from the table and began to wash her dishes for her. "Are things really going to be different now? What happens if I break a rule?" She put her spoon down nervously, twisting her fingers around and around.

Severus took her spoon and empty milk glass, placing them in the sink before he dragged a kitchen chair before her, sitting down and taking her hands in his own. "I'm not going to beat you, if you're scared about that. Groundings are appropriate for your age. Perhaps if the issue is large, I may give you a few swats on your bottom, but that will never be my first resort, and I cannot truly imagine a situation where I would ever raise a hand to you. Lose of privileges, extra chores, groundings, that's what I'm going to start with. Never will I raise my hand to you in a abusive way, I promise you." He smiled tightly at her. "You and I, unfortunately had a similar start in life. My own father, your grandfather was not the kindest to me or my mother, your grandmother." He patted her hands, before releasing her to finish doing the dishes.

"Yes sir. Ummm… I have one question…. what do I call you?"

"Well, when you were small, I was Dada or Daddy, and we are a little different now, you could call me Severus or Dad, when you're comfortable." He turned around to give her another small smile, then turned to the sink and quickly rinsed the plate and cup, leaving them on the drying rack.

"Come," he held his hand out to her, leading her into the living room, settling with her on the couch. "Now, when we go to school in September, things will be a little different. In class, you won't be able to call me anything other than sir or Professor Snape, but other than that, whatever you decide to call me is fine." He placed his arm carefully around her shoulders but kept it light enough that she could pull away if she wanted to.

"Yes, sir. I understand."

"I have a set of rooms at Hogwarts, and I was thinking that perhaps once we get a little more settled here, we can go to my- I mean, our quarters and decorate the room that I will be setting up for you, in case you want to have your own space."

"I get to have two rooms?"

"Yes, why wouldn't you?" Severus was confused. "It's not as if you can come here by yourself if you need your own space."

"Well, Dudley had two bedrooms, but I thought that was just for spoiled children… I mean…well… Never mind, I shouldn't have said anything." She looked down at her hands, trying to fight the urge to pick at her cuticles.

"Elizabeth," he put a hand under her chin and lifted her face to meet his eyes. "I don't want you to be afraid to talk about your life at the Dursleys'. It might help you overcome some of the trauma they inflicted if you do talk about it. You don't have to right now, obviously, but I will never get angry at you over something that you had no control over."

"But I-"

"No buts. There is nothing you can tell me that will make me angry about your time at the Dursleys'. Any anger I have is directed at them, not you."

"It's just hard to believe that's true."

Severus sighed and released her face. "I know." He said simply, reaching out slowly to card his hand through her tangled hair. She needed a shower and a good hair brushing, but there were more pressing things to attend to. As he spoke, he carefully untangled her hair with his fingers, subconsciously looking for any cuts or tender spots they might have missed in the hospital wing. "But my job is to take care of you, even if you have a hard time believing it. That's what good parents do. That's what your relatives should have done, and I am so sorry that they didn't. You deserve so much better than what they gave you."

Elizabeth bit her lip, staring off into the crackling fire in the fireplace. She had never had any adult in her life treat her with any sort of care. Her teachers were too scared of her uncle, so they never really reported any mistreatment and while Mrs. Figg was a kind enough woman, she could do very little except offer to babysit whenever the Dursleys' needed her. Elizabeth didn't like it too much over at her house, but at least she got to sleep and eat while she was there. It was strange to have an adult want to take care of her, to spend time and money creating a space for her to feel comfortable and wanted. It was odd to have adults give her medical attention, as her Aunt's philosophy when it came to her niece was what comes by itself, goes by itself.

There were more times than Elizabeth could count where she wanted to be comforted like Dudley was when he was sick, but she knew it was a fool's dream. Her aunt never touched her willingly. Elizabeth would be left to dose herself with cough syrup and to hug her flattened pillow to her chest, pretending it was another person, who would take care of her.

But these last two days, this man had taken her to a doctor, gotten her wounds taken care of, healed her and comforted her when she was scared. She was still scared, as she didn't really know who this man was, but she was more scared of her uncle's anger than the stranger she was now living with. He said he was her father, but if he was her father, why didn't he arrange for someone to take her if he was unable to? She didn't want to think too in depth about it, but it was hard not to. There was something he wasn't telling her, but she wasn't sure how he would react if she pressed. Plus, as much as she was wary around this man, the feeling of his hand running through her hair was enough to nearly knock her out and she really didn't want him to stop.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" Severus asked and Elizabeth heard him as if she was underwater.

"Hmmm?" She forced herself to chase the fog out of her brain and turn to face him, disappointed when he moved his hand away from her head, but refused to let it show on her face.

"You're a million miles away, dear. What are you thinking about?"

"Oh… I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything that's happened, is all sir. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry." He gave her a small smile. "Now, do you have any other questions for me?"

"How is everything going to go on now that I'm here?" She turned her eyes back down to her lap. "I know that my aunt and uncle got money for me living in the house with them, so I'm a little worried that they're going to try to find me and take me back."

"What do you mean they got money for you?" Severus' tone was tight, but he tried to keep his tone light.

"I saw a bank statement and an attached letter once, but I didn't mean to, promise!" Elizabeth's eyes shot back up and she looked afraid, as if he were going to slap her.

"You're not in any trouble, Rennie. I just want to know what you're talking about."

"Rennie?"

Severus smiled. "Your middle name is Renee, after your mother's mother. Your mother and I would call you Rennie when you were a baby. It made your grandmother crazy, so we did it more than we should have and it stuck. Even she called you Rennie eventually." He sighed and took her hand in his. "Now, I need to know what that letter said."

"It said something about the care of Elizabeth R Evans and the amount of money that was being deposited every month."

"Did it say who was giving the money?"

"Grin something. I'm not sure how to say it." Elizabeth looked panicked. "Am I going to get in trouble?"

"No, you're going to be fine. I'm not mad at you about this." He sighed. "I have to ask the headmaster a few questions, but in the meantime, why don't you go upstairs and take a shower? Take as long as you want. But I need you to stay in your room until I come and get you."

Elizabeth nodded, before trotting off up the stairs, obediently heading into the bathroom where she was greeted with an antique looking bathroom, complete with clawfoot tub. There were a stack of towels in a linen cabinet in the corner of the room and a series of soap bottles, some of which seemed out of place, as they were more feminine scented than the others. Elizabeth realized with a start that Severus had bought her her own soap, so she would have something of her own in the house. It was a small gesture, but one that touched her all the same. She never had her own soap before, always being confined to using the cheapest bar soap that made her skin itch and crack.

She reached out to the shelf that was mounted on the wall in the shower, taking one of the new looking bottles, smelling the light floral scent that wafted out of it when she opened the cap. With a smile, she went into the bedroom she was given and took a clean set of clothes out of the drawer, taking them with her into the bathroom.

She had never been told she could have all the time she wanted. Usually, she was the last in the shower, often only once a week, when the hot water was all used up and she was limited to at most 5 minutes. She wasn't brave enough to shower when her aunt and uncle were out, as she was nervous the water bill would be different, tipping them off to her using their hot water as they called it. Sometimes when she was alone, she would boil water on the stove and mix some cold water into it in the bathroom, bathing that way, but never was she allowed or encouraged to take her time.

Carefully, she peeled her clothing off, wrapping one of the large towels around her before she locked the door, more out of habit than anything. While she wanted to trust her new found father, she still was quite nervous to break her habit. After she tested the door handle a few times, she felt confident enough to turn the shower on, fiddling with the lever for a couple minutes, not willing to not be able to figure it out because then she would have to go down to Severus, who would with out a doubt think she was a moron who couldn't figure out something as simple as a shower.

Once she got the hot water running, she climbed into the tub, standing under the stream for a few minutes before she decided that it was a much better idea to sit on the floor of the shower and enjoy the heat and steam before she absolutely had to get out of the water. It was nice, she mused, getting to enjoy something that she so often considered a luxury that most would consider every day.

*S*S*

Severus remained downstairs, listening to the puttering of his daughter as she went back and forth between the bathroom and her bedroom, gathering her things to take a shower, he assumed. He wasn't sure if Poppy had made her a hairbrush, but one was not difficult to transfigure before they could go to Diagon Alley and Muggle London to get her school supplies and her casual clothing. He had at least had the foresight to get her a toothbrush and soap while he was out food shopping, but he had forgotten to get her a hairbrush and hair ties.

He supposed that he would have a lot to learn about raising a girl, since he normally pawned the girls off to the seventh-year girls' prefect, making sure they had everything they needed. In fact, even the girls who were starting their monthlies were sent to her, since he was nearly clueless on what a girl needed. He would just have to cross that bridge when he got to it, but he supposed Poppy would be more than willing to give him some insight, as well as Molly Weasley if he really needed the aid.

He strode to the fireplace and tossed in a handful of floo powder from the box on the mantle, calling "Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts" before kneeling before the fireplace and sticking his head in.

"Ahhh Severus, are you having any problems over there with young Elizabeth?"

"No Headmaster, but I need to speak with you about an urgent matter. If you would be so kind o step through, I can't exactly leave her unattended."

"Yes, I'll be through in a moment."

Severus puled his head out of the fireplace and stood, brushing the non-existent soot off his clothing before Albus Dumbledore stepped into his living room, stamping his feet on the mat just outside the fireplace on the hearth, before coming into the room and settling in the armchair his young college offered.

"What can I help you with today?" Albus turned his attention to Severus, who sat in his armchair on the other side of the couch.

"Elizabeth told me a very interesting piece of information today." Severus steepled his fingers, pressing the tips of them to his chin. "She told me that the Dursleys' were receiving monetary aid for her care, which they were obviously pocketing."

"Yes, they were receiving aid. I set it up. We didn't think there were any issues with her care since the Dursley parents are or rather were, now that Elizabeth is no longer in the house required to show how that money was being spent. They were sending us receipts every month proving that the funds were not misused."

"They obviously weren't being spent on my child, Albus!" Severus slammed his hand down on the armrest of his chair. "My daughter, who was supposed to be cared for and protected there was beaten and starved, barely clothes with what I can only describe as rags and has more trauma than any Slytherin child I have ever worked with throughout my decade of teaching!"

"I don't know what you want me to do about it Severus."

"Stop the payments, for a start. Make them pay back what they spent and force them to face justice for what they did to my daughter. It's the least she deserves. That money that should have gone to her, should be set into a trust for her once she turns 17 so if she wants to pursue further education she can."

"I don't think a trust is necessary, Severus-"

"And why is that? Because you'll have to admit to the failure of the system you put in place?"

"No, Severus, James Potter, upon his death, left the Potter estate to Elizabeth. She has more money that she will ever need and upon the death of Sirius Black-"

"Do not mention his name in my house!" Severus' eyes were dark with anger and he began to reach for his wand before Dumbledore waved him off.

"Upon his death, his estate will also be transferred to your daughter. In effect, she will be the richest woman in the Wizarding World." Dumbledore continued as if Severus hadn't interrupted.

"The Potter vaults are to be sealed until my daughter is 17. That is not money I want her having unlimited access to." He sighed. "Lord knows what I would have given to have that kind of money when I was her age."

"I don't think she'll be like that, Severus. She clearly wants a stable home."

"It was never about the home, Albus. When you grow up with nothing. No money, no food, not anything that is truly yours, when nothing is truly stable, when you have the money to live comfortably, it's a lot to handle. I will not put that weight on my 10-year old's shoulders when I could barely handle it at 17. She's been through too much hurt to have to add that to her plate."

"Do you think setting up a trust with that money would be a good idea then?"

"Yes, I do." Severus wiped a hand over his face. "It's the least we can do for her. She deserves that at least. If it were possible, I would go back and remove her from that home November 1, 1981. But I can't, so now, I am dedicating my time to making sure the rest of her life is as good as I can make it."

"I can see what we can do then." Dumbledore flexed his fingers, as if to stretch them. "I know we can stop the flow of money today, but they might try to take you and I to court. Elizabeth might have to testify against them."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." Severus sighed once more and stood. "I want documentation that they are no longer receiving money and I will be getting in contact with Gringotts to set up the trust for further payments to be sent to an account for her in her own name. I will be following up on this, Albus. I won't be trusting you blindly on this."

"Severus, do you think I wouldn't?" He looked mildly hurt and confused, but Severus held firm.

"Yes, I do think you wouldn't. It wouldn't be the first time you've lied to me." Severus got up and gestured to the fireplace. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work I need to do for the upcoming term."

Albus took his cue to leave, heading back through the fireplace before Severus went up the stairs, finding the bathroom door still shut and his daughter's bedroom door open. Peeking into the bedroom, he noticed the room was empty, meaning she was still in the shower that was on, steam coming out from under the cracks of the door. He knocked, pressing his ear to the door to see if she made any noise.

"Are you alright in there?" Severus called.

"Yes sir! I'll be right out!"

"No, no, take your time." Severus said through the door. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Yes, I'm fine!"

Severus nodded, as if she could see him, then retreated into her bedroom, sitting on the mattress, waiting for her to come out.

Elizabeth stood up in the shower from her position on the floor, intent on finishing her washing. She had lost track of time, wanting to be out of the shower before her father had finished whatever it was that she was kicked out for. If the headmaster was called, maybe it was about her and her new living arrangements. What if the headmaster wanted her to go back to her aunt and uncle's.

As she quickly washed her hair, she thought about her brief time in the hospital, where the Headmaster had barely spoken to her. What if he didn't speak to her because he didn't want her to live with her father? Or if he wanted her to live the same life as she was living at the Dursleys'?

She could feel her heartrate pick up and even though she was in the shower, washing the stink of the week and a half of unwashed skin off her person, she was beginning to sweat, even though she was bathing. The feeling of panic was a familiar one, one that she was too comfortable with. In her time at her aunt and uncle's, she would feel panicked when she wasn't in a panic attack. The idea of being sent back made her feel ill, like she would throw up or die all at once.

She carefully dried herself off, dressing in the clean clothes she brought into the bathroom. If she ignored the feeling, it would eventually go away. It usually went away if she ignored it. It had to go away if it ignored it.

*S*S*

Elizabeth sat in the living room, flipping through a book she had taken from the shelves in the living room, trying to understand what was being said. It was about potions, that much she gathered, but she had no idea what newt eyes were, if they were a plant or the actual eyes of a newt. Her father had for the most part, left her to her own devices, spending most of the day in the basement lab, where she was not entirely sure if she was allowed, but regardless, she didn't want to follow him around like a lost puppy.

As she sat reading the potions book, her stomach rumbled, but she ignored the feeling, the idea of getting food for herself was nerve wracking and she wasn't sure when or if she would ever attempt to take food from the kitchen for herself. She wasn't even comfortable sitting on the furniture, sitting cross legged on the floor, rather than any of the empty chairs and the sofa. It was a huge transition to go from being an unpaid servant in her own home to being someone who wasn't expected to deep clean the house, or mow the lawn or prepare the meals. It wasn't like her to have the time to just be still like she was currently, but she would ignore the feeling of uselessness for as long as she could.

Unfortunately, the feeling of hunger was getting stronger, but she rationalized it must be getting close to the time her father would begin cooking dinner, so she carefully got up from the floor, listening for footsteps coming up from the basement, before she left the book face down on the floor to mark her place, sneaking into the kitchen. There, she carefully dragged a chair over to the sink, climbing onto it and turning the faucet on, allowing a thin trickle of water to come through. It was from that she drank, filling her stomach with water rather than food, for water was easier to hide than food waste and wrappers.

"What are you doing?" Severus' voice came from behind her, startling her from her position on the chair, causing her to jump and hit her head on the cabinet above her head. "Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry!" She carefully climbed down from the chair and put it back at its place at the table, making sure to stay out of Severus' arms reach. She wrapped her arms around herself and slightly hunched over, as if she was trying to make herself a smaller target.

"You don't need to be sorry. We do have glasses in the cabinet you just hit your head on. You needn't drink from the sink like it's a water fountain. Now, come here so I can look at your head."

"I'm fine." She shook her head, reaching up to feel the spot she had just whacked, feeling a tender spot that made her wince.

Oh yes, you certainly look fine. Come here and let me see." He sat down in one of the chairs and waited until she came to him. When she finally came to his side, he gently turned her around to face away from them, his long fingers gently pulling the strands away from her scalp. "There isn't a cut, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was painful for a day or two. You hit it pretty good."

"Yes sir."

"Now why were you drinking like that from the sink? You know we have glasses, right?"

"Yes sir, I do."

"Then why were you-" He cut himself off. "You're hungry, aren't you?" He moved to the refrigerator and pulled the door open but didn't poke his head in just yet.

"I'm fine, sir." It was at that moment her stomach growled, causing Severus to smirk.

"I know it's hard to come in here and take food for yourself, but if you're hungry, that means the nutrient potions are working. You need to eat when you're hungry, love." He finally bent into the fridge and opened one of the produce drawers, taking out an apple. "Here, eat this."

"I really am fine sir."

"I know, but humor me." He offered her the fruit once more, but when she hesitated to take it, he proceeded to cut the fruit into slices and put a spoonful of peanut butter on a plate, putting it down on the table. "There, now please eat. The potions don't truly work when you aren't eating. If your appetite is growing, we, meaning Madame Pomphrey and myself, need you to take care of yourself."

"Yes sir." She finally sat at the table, perched once more on the edge like the chair was going to bite her, cautiously taking a bite of her snack.

Severus watched her for a moment before he went to the side cupboard and pulled out a large bowl, heading back toward the door with it in his hands. "When I come back up in ten minutes, I would like to see more of the food eaten."

"Yes sir, I will." Elizabeth kept her face pointed down at the plate, dutifully taking another piece of fruit and dragging it through the peanut butter.

Severus nodded once, then left, heading back down into the basement. Elizabeth heard the door click shut before she dropped the fruit back on the plate, carefully licking the peanut butter from her fingers. She had ten minutes till her returned, but what would he do if she hadn't finished the food? He promised never to hurt her, but hadn't all the other adults who had been in her life promised not to hurt her?

She shook her head, then picked the fruit up once more and ate the rest of the slice. No, things would be different here. She was being fed and cared for, which was leaps and bounds over what had been happening at her aunt and uncle's home. She had clothes that fit, though not a lot of them, but she wasn't complaining. She hadn't gone to bed hungry or cold last night and she couldn't remember the last time that had been the case. She was, for the first time, in a space where she didn't feel like an ugly stain on the perfect walls, like a shameful secret, like a burden.

But why was there still this heavy weight in her chest?

*S*S*

"Wash your hands and then you can help me set the table." Severus pointed to the sink where Elizabeth went to, standing on her tiptoes to reach the faucet, not for the first time cursing her short stature. "Here."

He waved his wand, conjuring a small step stool, which she climbed onto gratefully.

"Thank you, sir."

He nodded his welcome, before he returned to the stove, turning the asparagus he had been roasting in the oven over with a fork. "Have you ever had salmon before?"

"No, sir, I haven't." She dried her hands and went to the counter where he had set out a set of plates and cutlery, picking up the whole thing, carefully walking over to the table to put the plates in their proper places. "I've cooked it several times, but it's expensive, well my aunt said it was, so there was never enough for me to ste- I mean, there was never enough for me to try."

Severus bit back a comment about her aunt and how he felt about her and instead resorted to placing the vegetables back into the oven and pulling the salmon out, pouring a glaze over the fish before placing it back in the oven. "Well, there will be plenty for you tonight." He put a bowl with roasted rosemary potatoes on the table, sticking a serving spoon into it.

"But if its expensive…"

"That has no baring on me feeding you. I have meals on a rotating schedule, it's just easier for me with my line of work. I think it might make the food anxiety a little easier if I post the weekly meals in the kitchen for you? So there are no surprises?"

She smiled a little, ducking her head as if she hoped he wouldn't notice.

"I'll take that as a yes, then?"

She nodded, fiddling with a napkin, not wanting to look at him, fearing he would laugh at her. Instead, he shooed her into a seat while he brought the rest of the meal to the table, doling her out a serving. "Here you are."

She picked up her fork and began to poke at her meal, carefully peeling back the layer of fish, watching the steam come off the plate, warming her face.

Severus served himself, spearing a piece of asparagus, trying not to watch her pick at her meal, knowing from his own experience that being watched while eating would be a sure fire way to get him to abandon his meal. He was worried about her, but wasn't sure how to bring up the idea without her shutting down.

"Sir…. Can I ask you a question?"

Severus looked at her, his eyebrows nearly in his hairline. "Yes, of course." He waved his wand and poured Elizabeth a glass of milk, pouring a nutrient potion from his pocket into the glass. For himself, he had a glass of water, not wanting to drink wine like he normally would in front of her, not sure how she would react, if she hadn't been raised around people who drank.

"What were…" she cleared her throat with a small sip of milk. "What were you and the Headmaster talking about today?" She ducked her head back down, clearly nervous.

"I will tell you when the time comes, but right now, I don't know what is going to happen. All I know is that the headmaster and I are working on a solution. There is nothing for you to worry about." He said carefully, not wanting to panic her with the idea that she might have to testify against her aunt and uncle sometime in the future. He pointed at her plate with his fork. "Eat please."

She tried to follow his instructions, taking a bite of the salmon. It was delicious, but her nerves were making it hard for her to enjoy more of the meal. Her stomach felt like it was full of stones, but she had no idea how to put it into words to explain the feeling. She decided to do what she did best, and ignore the feeling, pretending she was a normal kid, having dinner with her father.

She just wasn't sure how much longer she could pretend that she was a normal kid though.

*S*S*

Later that night, Severus tucked her into bed, pressing a kiss firmly on her forehead. "Goodnight, Rennie. I'll see you in the morning." He left the room, leaving the door cracked open while she heard his feet go down the stairs to the living room. The light from the hallway came into the room from the crack, offering some comfort to Elizabeth, who was often locked in the cupboard in the pitch dark, which she wasn't truly afraid of, but it made her uneasy.

Elizabeth rolled onto her side, looking at the clock that was on the bedside table, watching the second hand tick forward, marching past eight thirty, nine and then crept into ten PM. Elizabeth had felt like this once before, after her aunt had told he that she was going to tell her uncle that she had slightly burned dinner and then had it late to the table when she had to remake part of the meal when he got home from his business trip. She had been locked in her cupboard for the last two days that her uncle was gone, and her anxiety was so high that she had been sick to her stomach, vomiting onto her bed. She had to beg her aunt to let her out so she could wash her blankets in the sink. Petunia had yelled at her for hours, smacking her upside the head while Elizabeth had tried to hold back her tears, knowing they would make her aunt madder than she already was.

She felt her stomach roll with each tick, her heart rate picking up. Her father's words rolled around in her head from dinner.

"I will tell you when the time comes, but right now, I don't know what is going to happen. All I know is that the headmaster and I are working on a solution. There is nothing for you to worry about."

She rolled onto her back, breathing deeply, trying to will the feeling to go away.

Ten thirty

Eleven thirty. Severus' footsteps came up the hall and stopped in front of her door. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, as he poked his head into the room. After a brief moment, he left, leaving the door the way it had been.

Midnight.

One AM

Two AM

When two thirty rolled around, she lost the will to fight her stomach, rolling over the side of the bed and vomited her dinner and everything else that was in her stomach. She gagged, retched and spat out the bile that was in her mouth, tears rolling down her face as she sicked up, snot pouring out of her nose as she tried to gain control once more. This had happened more than once at her old home, so as she spat to get the bile taste out, she looked around the room with limited vision, as her glasses were on the bedside table, trying to find a cloth to try to clean the sick up with. She supposed she wouldn't have to beg to leave her room this time, but she wondered how she would get the sick out of the rug without her father knowing.

"Elizabeth!" Severus ran into the room, throwing the light on, his clothes rumpled with sleep. Elizabeth jumped, not having heard him come into her room from the hall. "Are you alright?" He saw the pool of vomit on the floor, his daughter leaning over the side of the bed, and he climbed onto the other side, holding her hair out of her face.

"Shhhh, it's alright." He rubbed her back as she finished throwing up, laying her face on the mattress, gasping for air. "It's alright."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She cried, brushing her hair out of her face, trying to sit up, but Severus kept her down, shushing her once more.

"No, stay there. I don't want you to get dizzy if you get up too quickly. You just threw up, so just stay still." He waved his wand and cleaned up the mess, taking the smell with it. "There. It's all better."

"I need to get changed." She whispered, trying not to cry even harder.

"Did you get vomit on your clothes?" Severus looked her over, but it was hard from her position on the bed.

"No… I don't think so… But I…" She mumbled the rest and Severus got close to her face to hear her, not able to make out her words.

"Speak up, Rennie, I can't hear you."

"I had an accident." She pressed her face into the bed and cried, trying to get control of her emotions, but failing.

It was then that Severus could smell the urine and feces that she had released in her violent vomiting spell. "Oh dear…" Alright, let's get you up." Severus came around the other side of the bed and picked her up by her armpits, placing her on the floor. "I think a shower is in order, then back to bed." Before they left the room, he got her a new pair of nightclothes, taking them into the bathroom with him, where they were placed on the counter.

"You're not mad?" She followed him to the bathroom, where he turned on the light and started the taps. She watched him stick his head in the water before he turned the shower head on, fiddling with the temperature for her.

"Why would I be mad, love? This was an accident." Severus turned to her from where he was hovered over the tub, before he moved out of the way and into the hallway. "You can leave your pajamas in the bathroom when you're done, I'll take care of them."

"But they're my mess, sir, I can just wash them myself later."

"Elizabeth, it is not your job to clean up after yourself when you're not feeling well. You are a child and as an adult, it is my job to take care of you in this moment. I will take care of this when you get out of the shower." He took her upper arms in his hands. "I am not mad at you for this. Remember that."

She nodded, then stepped back once he let her arms go. Once the door was shut, she locked it behind her carefully, trying to keep the lock from clicking, as if it would anger him. She wasn't sure why he wasn't yelling at her for making a mess of herself and the new room that she had been given, but instead he had just cleaned up the rug and comforted her while she was getting sick.

She stripped her pajamas, leaving them a pile before the door before she stepped into the shower, washing herself in the second shower of the day. She made quick work of the shower, before stepping out and turning the water off, leaving the showerhead dripping. After getting dressed, she carefully stepped over the pile of pajamas, shuffling back to her room, coming to wait right inside the door.

Severus was seated on the edge of her bed, waiting for her to return. As she waited on the side, Severus got up and went into the bathroom, cleaning up her sleepwear, sending it to the basement laundry room to be washed while they slept.

When he returned, Elizabeth was still standing in the same spot, her arms wrapped around her stomach. Severus gave her a look before he waved his wand and conjured an armchair near her bed, settling in it before he beckoned to her with one hand.

"Come here, Rennie."

She shuffled forward, standing next to him, her eyes cast down at her feet.

"I said, come here." He pulled her in between his knees, taking her wrists in his hands, pulling them out from around her stomach. "Are you alright?"

"Yes sir."

"Rennie, you vomited all over your floor. I don't think you're truly alright." He let one of her hands go and pressed a hand to her forehead. "You're not warm, but I'm still worried."

"But I'm not sick."

"No but, it's not normal to get that sick for no reason." He smoothed her hair away from her face. "What's going on in that head of yours? And I don't want to hear you say 'nothing'. There is something wrong and as it's currently," he looked at the clock on her bedside. "3:08 in the morning, I would like to get to the bottom of it so we can both go back to bed."

"I don't know how to describe it."

"Well, try and I'll attempt to fill in the dots." Severus moved his hands from her wrists to hold her hands, looking at her with concern in his eyes.

"I was feeling worried all day and I was laying in bed, feeling kinda weird and then I threw up."

Severus looked thoughtful for a moment then carefully took her into his arms. "You've been having an anxiety attack all day and you didn't say anything to me?"

"I wasn't sure what I was feeling." Elizabeth shrugged as best she could with her body pressed into his. "I didn't know how to describe it."

"What made you feel this way?"

When Elizabeth shook her head, he pushed her away carefully and gave her a stern look. "Elizabeth, please, its late and I'm tired. I don't want to leave this conversation until later, but if you aren't ready to talk, then we can if you want to."

"It was your comment about the headmaster and about me not worrying." Elizabeth sniffled, rubbing her nose with her hand as it tingled, a sure sign that tears were going to start flowing. "My aunt used to tell me not to worry about things, and there was always something to worry about in that house."

"Oh Rennie." He crushed her to his chest, tucking her head under his chin. "I only said that because I genuinely don't know what's going to happen. Not that I need to disclose my personal conversations with other adults, but we were discussing what you told me about monthly money issued to your aunt and uncle and how we were going to stop sending them the flow of cash."

He rubbed her back as she buried her head into his chest, sniffling as if she was crying. When she pulled back, Severus saw her face wet with tears and he brushed them away with his thumbs. "You can always come to me when you're feeling this way. I will always explain things to you. I will always be there for you, no matter what."

"Promise?" She whispered, almost to herself.

She sounded young. Severus had to remind himself how young she actually was, and how much she had been through, more so than other adults that he knew. He had never met another who had suffered through the level of trauma she had. "I promise." He pulled her into his lap and rocked her back and forth, her head on his shoulder. When she started to relax, Severus stood with her in his arms, bringing her to her bed.

He laid her on the mattress and tucked her in once more, this time staying with her until she was nearly asleep.

"Sir?" She murmured, half asleep.

"Yes, love?"

"Thank you." She then let her eyes fall and her breathing evened out, finally asleep.