After sitting alone for a few hours of worrying, thinking and doubting, Tempus grew restless. She tried to tidy the quarters, but seeing how Severus Snape was only there long enough to sleep or have tea with his daughter, there wasn't much of a mess. Finally Tempus decided that she needed to speak to the headmaster. She had only met him a few times but he seemed to be the right person to talk to.

She locked her father's rooms up and walked about the school. When she finally managed to find his office she discovered that one needed another password to enter his office, only a stoic statue and not an animated painting guarded the entrance. She knocked on the door several times, but there was no reply. About to give up, Tempus rested her forehead on the cold stone in defeat. The door gave away, as if on accident. Tempus looked around in hopes of seeing whoever had opened the door, but to her surprise no body had. She tip toed in and shut the door behind her.

"Professor?" she called.

No one was in his office. Figures, she thought, No one's ever there when I really need them…

She decided to wait. He couldn't be gone very long. She took a seat across from his desk and surveyed the room. There was a strange looking contraption in the corner. It had folding mirrors and a bowl seated in front of it. Wisps of vapor sporadically rose from it. It appeared to be a pensive. Her father had spoken of one that Dumbledore had in his office. Next to the desk was the most beautiful bird she had ever seen, other than Loki, her owl of course. It was a ruby red Phoenix.

"Aren't you a pretty bird?" she cooed, standing to her feet. She reached her hand out tentatively and was immediately granted access. Animals loved her, as was quickly noticed by Hagrid. There was something in her countenance that the animals appreciated and took a great liking to. She stroked the bird's head gently. A loud rumbling noise came from the far end of the office. Tempus suppressed a startled gasp and turned to see where it was coming from. Fawkes raised his head and made a funny sound.

"Professor?" she called out again. No reply.

The rumbling occurred again, but this time where it was coming from was quite clear. A wardrobe. Tempus thought it a bit funny that there would be a wardrobe in Dumbledore's office, but then again, her father had one in his. He used his for spare frock coats and sweaters and things of that nature. Dumbledore spent most of his time in his office; it would make sense that he would have extra clothing handy. Tempus reached into the pocket of her jeans and ripped out her wand. She held it combatively.

"Is it a boggart?" she whispered, turning to the great Phoenix. Fawkes blinked knowingly and Tempus took this as a yes. What else could it be? She had been trained extensively in the Defense Against the Dark Arts; she knew, in theory, how to defeat a boggart. You just imagine whatever it shifts into as something comical and then use "Riddikulus!" to transform it. Laughter should destroy it. What if it wasn't a boggart? She thought apprehensively. What if it was an intruder waiting for Dumbledore? Shouldn't she try to protect him?

Caught up in these heroically brave ideals, Tempus, with a flick of her wrist, unlocked and opened the wardrobe's door.

"Come out, you coward," she spat.

A hand appeared on the door of the wardrobe as a shadowy figure immerged from the wardrobe. So it is an intruder! Tempus's arm began to tremble and her breath was catching in her chest. She knew how to defend herself, but she had never had to do it by herself. She gripped her wand more tightly and shuffled her feet ever so slightly.

As the figure immerged from the shadows, Tempus lost all the air within her. It was her father.

"Father?" she whispered. Severus Snape glared at his daughter and began to approach her. Tempus tried to swallow but couldn't under her father's disapproving gaze.

"Tempus, you stupid, worthless child. Why ever did you come here?"

Tempus tried to speak but couldn't. It's not your father Temp… she reasoned with herself, it's obviously a boggart…but why is my boggart my father?

"Answer me!" he bellowed, forever encroaching on her, "You are nothing like your mother, you disobedient, idiot girl! You are the bane of my very existence! It is your fault that your mother isn't here! It was you!"

Tears burned at Tempus's eyes and her wand dropped to the floor. The tears streamed down her face in torrents. The more the boggart yelled, berated and blamed her, the more she sobbed. She was inconsolable. She had shed a tear or so the other day but she had never cried like this. Not since she was a very small child.

"RIDDIKULUS!"

Her boggart father blanched and soon was dressed as a clown, doing black flips. Tempus turned to see who had done it. It was her father; real and in the flesh. In that moment she didn't care that she had been raised on the principles that those who wear their heart on their sleeves are weak, that it is better to bear your burdens silently because that was the courageous thing to do. She could only stand there, tears flooding her eyes and then rolling down her face, staring at her father.

"Is it?!" she practically shouted. Dumbledore, who was beside Severus, looked terribly interested and raised his eyebrows, Severus could only stare at his daughter. His was overwhelmed by the scene he had saw. His daughter's boggart was him? Was he that terrifying to her?

"Is it me?" she repeated, "Is it my fault? My whole life you have never wanted to talk about it, but I can't take it!! Was it my fault?!" Her eyes were red and were beginning to swell.

Severus opened his mouth to say something but he just couldn't find the words. He had envisioned this conversation many times in his head in many different ways...but never had he imagined that it would start this way. With Tempus angry and shouting and all of it caused by her boggart which had been him.

"Severus, I think it's time you answered her," Dumbledore said quietly, looking grave. He silently walked to his desk and sat down. He intended to play as the silent observer and also as witness.

Severus didn't reply but he nodded slowly and interlaced his fingers absent-mindedly.

"Perhaps you are right," he said at last and gestured for Tempus to take a seat. Tempus was struggling to fight back a fresh wave of tears but she managed to sit and choke back a few sobs. Severus awkwardly sat across from her, his mouth dry and his mind racking. He could barely string a coherent thought together let alone an explanation. An explanation he had been trying to develop for nearly fifteen years.

"Tempus, your mother isn't dead. She didn't leave either, at least, I don't believe that she did...I can't believe she did..."

Tempus felt like the wind had been knocked out of her.

"Where is she? What happened" she sputtered.

"I wish I knew, I-"

"You should've looked, searched, anything, everything!" she ranted frantically.

Severus inhaled sharply, her words stinging him like an angry bee. "I did look," he replied, his stoic mask flaking away, revealing a broken man. "Don't you think for one moment that I didn't look. I looked everywhere for her and clues of where she went or what could have happened to her. I even left you with Mrs. Whitacre for three weeks while I ransacked the damned country. I never truly stopped looking for her, not until you where eleven. I decided it would be more productive for me to focus all of that energy into furthering your education and raising you properly."

Things started to make sense to Tempus. There had been times when she had caught her father watching her study, read or brew a potion. When she was younger he had watched her play piano, draw, sleep and even brush her dolly's hair and now she finally knew why. All that time he was afraid she would just disappear- vanish from his life completely.

"Tell me what happened," she begged.

Severus had relived that day in his mind almost everyday since it happened, but he had never been able to talk about it. The look in his daughter's eyes was desperate and it tore at his heart. He could see that in trying to protect her, he had only succeeded in hurting her. It is time to tell her.

As Severus revealed the story to his daughter, he gradually forgot she was even there.

The day itself was not traumatic; the setting was not particularly melodramic. That morning Severus had been the first to wake. He had rolled over and admired the most glorious sight in the world, Anne sleeping. The gentle rays of sunlight were dancing across her face. She looked positively angelic lying there beside him. He had brushed the hair off of her forehead a planted a kiss where her hair had been.

"Good morning, beautiful," he had whispered. Anne's eyes fluttered open and grinned when her eyes finally focused and she saw him looking down at her. For reasons Severus couldn't even begin to understand, Anne adored him every bit as much as he adored her.

Tears sprang to his eyes as he remembered how she had replied with a simple, "I love you." A rare smile had spread across his face as he caught her up in another, more passionate kiss.

He had made her breakfast just like any day and they had eaten before a two year old Tempus had come toddling out of her bedroom. Anne had picked Tempus up and made her giggle and coo, while Tempus grabbed at her face with her pudgy fingers. In hindsight, Severus found it ironic that that very morning, Severus had watched his beautiful wife play with their beautiful daughter and he had wondered what he could possibly done right to deserve such a wonderful life. He knew he didn't deserve this perfection but he wasn't going to say something and ruin it.

Later that day, Anne had announced that she had an errand to run. She had kissed Severus good bye and told him she would be back in time for dinner. She had hugged Tempus and promised to bring her back a chocolate frog. Tempus had loved to watch them hop around and Anne and Severus had loved to listen to her melodic giggles. Severus hadn't thought much of her leaving and didn't get worried until about eight o'clock. She hadn't returned and he hadn't heard from her. Severus never had stopped hating himself for not realizing sooner that she was missing. The fact that she had been so happy all morning was the main reason why Severus had refused to accept the possibility that she had left on purpose. He was convinced that something had happened to her but he had never been able to prove it or figure it out.

When he had finally finished, Tempus leapt out of her hair and threw herself onto him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face. Severus stiffened then relaxed, he placed a hand on the back of her head and stroked her raven hair. He closed his eyes and a single tear slid down his cheek.