Severus wearily knocked on McGonagal's door. It was still quite dark and he had debated simply waiting until morning, but he knew he would feel better if Maggie passed the night in his quarters.

The door opened, "Severus! Thank goodness." Minerva gave him a small smile. "We were both worried," she continued, moving aside so the teenage girl behind her could come forward.

He had been summoned to Voldemort nearly at eleven. He and Maggie had been about to turn in for the night when he had felt the call through his Mark. He had brought Maggie to McGonagal's quarters before he had hurriedly left.

Voldemort had prattled on about something or another while Severus had knelt before him, wishing for nothing more than his warm bed. Finally, Voldemort had handed him the instructions for a complicated potion that would take a full day to brew. The Dark Lord had demanded that Snape begin it immediately.

Now it was nearly three in the morning and he knew he wouldn't get any sleep this night. "Thank you for watching her, Minerva."

"It was a pleasure, Severus," McGonagal said kindly.

He somewhat doubted her loss of sleep could be called a pleasure but he was too tired to argue, "Come along, Maggie."

Maggie followed him as he turned and headed for his chambers. She didn't have the invisibility cloak because he had hurried her out of the room and hadn't thought to bring it. He rushed her along the corridors, doubting any students would be wandering at this hour, but not wanting to take his chances.

They arrived back in his dungeon rooms unseen and he immediately ushered Maggie off to bed. He strode to his workroom that was adjacent to his classroom, downed an invigoration draught and began focusing on brewing the potion for Voldemort.

-- --

Maggie woke to the buzzing of the magical alarm by her bed. She sat up, intending to figure out how to shut it off, but it stopped of its own accord. It was still pretty early, but she had wanted to rise and shower so she could get an early start on lessons with her father. She knew she had to make the most out of this week. She had no idea what was going to happen between herself, her mother, and her father.

Grabbing clean clothes, she jumped into the shower. Exiting a short time later, she looked around for her father but he was nowhere in sight. She walked into the kitchen and found a scribbled note on the table, telling her he was in his workroom. Having been there the day before, she quietly headed through the door into his office and from there she saw the open door to the workroom. Her father was standing there, carefully chopping something or other. He had three cauldrons in front of him and he seemed rather focused on what he was doing.

Maggie silently went back to his quarters. She went into the kitchen to find something to eat, but she found no food there. She decided to ignore her growling stomach, instead returning to the living room and picking up the fifth-year potions book she had begun reading the day before.

Her father had already lent her the books for first through fourth year students and she had devoured each of them. She itched to try her hand at making a potion, although she was aware there were some she simply couldn't make without being able to do magic.

Her mind wandered back to the previous night as she tried to concentrate on the book in her lap. She had been somewhat frightened when he had rushed her to her godmother's rooms. She had taken advantage of the time with the older woman, though, using it to ask questions about the school, her father, and even about Harry.

Finally, she was able to focus on the book before her. She read through it, making mental notes of questions she would later ask her father. She had become absorbed in the text and didn't hear her father enter the room.

"Have you eaten yet?" he asked, startling her from her reading.

"Oh! No, sir," she said, placing the book aside. "I didn't want to disturb you and I wasn't sure how to… uh…"

He sighed and gestured her to follow him to the kitchen, "It seems I've been remiss." When they reached the kitchen, he indicated that she should sit. "To call any of the house elves, you need merely call them by name. Dobby!"

Immediately, the diminutive house elf popped into view. "Master Snape is calling Dobby?"

"Yes, Dobby. We need lunch and I will need a large pot of strong tea."

The house elf bobbed his head quickly before disappearing.

Maggie hadn't realized it was late enough for lunch. Before she could remark on it, the house elf was back with a laden tray and a large teapot. "Thank you, Dobby," she said with a smile.

"You is very welcome, Mistress Maggie!" The house elf beamed up at her before again disappearing.

"I will be indisposed for the rest of today," her father said, piling some sandwiches on a plate. "I apologize that we can not begin your lessons today."

"It's okay," she said quickly. "It will give me time to read some more of the student texts."

"I need to return to my workroom." He picked up his plate and the tea things. "If you are in need of anything else, you may come to me."

"I'll be okay," she reassured him.

He nodded briefly in response before hurrying from the room.

Maggie sighed lightly once he was out of sight. Okay, so the brilliant beginning to this adventure was over and reality was setting in. There was nothing for it but to accept it and make the best of it. For her, the best of it would be poring through as much of his library as she could and it seemed she might have plenty of time to do just that.

-- --

Snape sighed as he placed the final reagent into the left cauldron and stirred it clockwise five times. He watched it turn to the proper shade of gray before turning off the heat on all three cauldrons. Now, he simply had to combine them and he would be finished.

He poured the right cauldron into the left one, stirred that ten times counterclockwise before adding the center one and stirring fifteen times clockwise. The mixture immediately turned translucent and resembled water, except for the opalescent shimmers that gave the potion a rainbow effect. He carefully poured the entire potion into a beautiful glass flask and put in the stopper.

He was bone weary, having been on his feet for almost a full day. He wanted nothing more than to go to bed but he refused to leave his work area messy for any reason. He spelled the cauldrons and workbench clean. He moved the flask to a concealed cabinet, which was heavily warded. He added a couple new wards, closed it, and left for his living quarters.

Entering the living room, he found Maggie sprawled out on the couch, a textbook on her chest. He carefully lifted the book and neatly placed it on a side table. "Maggie, wake up," he said, gently shaking her shoulder. "You have to go to bed," he said quietly once she'd woken.

"Oh," she said, sitting up and rubbing at her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Almost three in the morning," he replied.

She quickly stood up, "I'm so sorry. You must want to sleep."

"It is alright," he said, moving to the couch and sitting down. He was too tired to even spell it into something more comfortable. "Good night, Maggie."

"Good night, sir," she said, leaving the room for the bedroom.

He sighed as he realized he had double potions with the third year Gryffindors and Slytherins in the morning. Some days, he almost wished Voldemort would kill him.