"I don't know that it's necessary," Severus frowned, reapplying pain salve to Elizabeth's forehead.

"Fred doesn't want to go alone," Elizabeth said, playing with her bracelet. "Why isn't it working anymore?" She held it up as Severus finished his attentions and stepped back.

"I've never had very many answers about this situation," Severus took the bracelet and inspected it. "Perhaps he's becoming too strong."

Elizabeth made a face, and stood to examine her forehead in the mirror. It was less red now, and her green eyes wandered to her long dark hair, falling perfectly straight down her back, and in a longish fringe across her forehead. She gathered the long hair into a ponytail and tied it with an elastic she'd had around her wrist.

"You need a haircut," Severus said, stepping behind her. "And to stop growing." He frowned down at the child who almost reached his chin.

"After the hospital?" Elizabeth looked at him hopefully.

Severus shook his head. "I don't want you traveling right now."

"You can come with me," Elizabeth offered, breaking out her negotiation skills.

"I'm monitoring the younger Weasley children."

"Dad," Elizabeth turned to look at him. "He needs me."

Severus frowned, looking down at her for a moment before putting his arms around her and hugging her hard. "You scare the hell out of me, Hatchling."

"What now?" Elizabeth tried to pull away, but he wasn't letting her go.

"Never mind," Severus murmured. "It's just… never mind."

"Dad," Elizabeth managed to pull back a little to look at him. "Are you speechless?"

Severus snorted, looking at an imaginary point past the top of her head. "Your mother would have wanted to go to the hospital with me, that's all." He said quietly. "And the fact that you have the kind of relationship we had… that's terrifying."

"Look at you, communicating," Elizabeth joked, ignoring the fact that the Potion Master's eyes had a suspicious wet sheen.

"Lily wasn't a smart mouth," Severus scowled.

"You know what terrifies me?" Elizabeth pulled out of his arms and looked up at him.

"Hmm?" Severus raised an eyebrow.

"The fact that you're doing things that hurt you, and you aren't telling me the truth."

"Elizabeth—

"What if something happened to you?" Elizabeth demanded, cutting him off. "What if something happened to you, and I didn't know where you were?"

"Stop," Severus snapped, crossing his arms. "I put an end to this discussion already. You seem to be forgetting who is the parent in this situation."

Elizabeth glared. "I'm going to stop telling you where I'm going."

"You will tell me where you are at all times, or I'll lock you in your bedroom until you come of age."

"Fine. I'll be at the hospital," Elizabeth grabbed her shoes from the floor.

"No," Severus waved his wand, floating her shoes to the top of the wardrobe. "I think your attitude could benefit from an afternoon of preparing ingredients in the lab."

"You're the one lying, and I'm the one in trouble?"

"Never mind. Clearly, you aren't civil enough to be around people right now," Severus stalked to the door. "You can stay here until you can speak appropriately." He left the room, closing it securely behind him.

*S*S*

Remus Lupin was thankful for Wolfsbane. Not just because it eased the monthly transitions, but also because it let him remember what happened during those times. Until he was receiving regular doses of the potion, he spent the days after his transformation wondering what he'd done when he was a wolf. Biting someone was the terrifying thought, of course. An obvious death sentence.

But he could remember, so now he didn't have to worry. Instead, he had to bounce back quickly so he could play referee between is best friend and his goddaughter. Headquarters seemed to be a pressure cooker, always resulting in an explosion between Severus and mini-Severus.

"She's being impossible," Severus explained, pressing both palms onto the desk in Sirius' study.

"Of course she is," Remus looked at Sirius as they sat in the matching armchairs, listening to the Potions Master rant.

Severus scowled. "I am her father."

"Yes, you are." Remus affirmed.

"She's acting as if she is in charge in this family."

"Isn't she?" Sirius looked at Remus, smirking.

"Shut up, Black."

"Severus," Remus sighed.

Snape was quiet for a moment, staring at the grain in the desk. "She's doing that thing where she's right, and she looks at me like she's reprimanding me for being wrong."

"'Fathers, do not exasperate your children'," Remus said, smirking.

"'Instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord'," Severus finished, rolling his eyes. "Don't bring Ephesians into it. It's not applicable."

Remus snorted. "The top of the quote was fine," he countered. "And how do you remember all that stuff? Few years of Sunday school cement every bible verse?"

"Lily liked the bible," Severus said, shrugging. "She used to read it to Elizabeth when she was a baby."

Remus stood. "I am going upstairs to talk to your daughter. You come up in 20 minutes and try not to be… you."

Severus glared, "If we're pulling verses, I believe there is something in there about children obeying their parents."

Remus chuckled to himself as he went up the stairs, knocking briskly on Elizabeth's door.

"Go. Away."

"You are just full of sunshine," Remus said, opening the door. "You and your father are cut from the same cloth, you know."

"I'm running away," Elizabeth said firmly, from her seat on the bed.

"Really." Remus surveyed the room. "Your packing skills leave something to be desired," he said blandly. "I don't even see a suitcase."

Elizabeth glared. "I'll be fine."

"Where are you going?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Fred and I will go, get married, and find some place to live."

"I'm pretty sure you need your father's permission to get married at 15," Remus said matter-of-factly.

"We can make an Unbreakable Vow," Elizabeth shot back. "We don't need permission for that."

"And money?"

"I have money," Elizabeth informed him. "In my vault."

"Which is technically your father's until you turn 17," Remus settled himself in the armchair beside the window.

"I'll sell my autograph," Elizabeth said, sounding more uncertain by the moment.

"Sure," Remus nodded. "You want to tell me why you're running away?"

"There's no reason for me to be here. Dad won't tell me anything."

"Sevling," Remus groaned.

"He's doing something where he's getting hurt, and he's gone all hours of the night," Elizabeth scowled.

"I know," Remus sighed. "But you have to understand that sometimes knowledge is dangerous. Especially when your mind is attached to Voldemort's." He looked at her meaningfully.

Elizabeth pressed her lips together. She hadn't really thought about that.

"Go easy on your father," Remus said, moving to sit beside her on the bed. "He loves you. I'm sure he wishes that he doesn't have to be doing whatever it is that he's doing, but he's trying to make sure that you can grow up. So that some day, in the distant future," he smiled at her, "you can get married and not have to worry about crazy wizards bent on killing you."

Elizabeth picked at the bedspread. "He's going to get hurt. Or killed. And I'm going to be an orphan again."

"Not happening," Remus shook his head. "I can't promise that he'll always be around. But it he's not, I'm here. And if I'm gone, you have Sirius, which I know isn't as good, but you're old enough now that when he accidentally leaves you in the store, you can make your way home."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but smiled a little. "He's actually not that bad, you know. He's… different when he's teaching me to fight."

Remus smiled. "He was brilliant when we were young," he said looking a little proud and wistful at the same time. "He would have given Moody a run for the title of 'Best Dark Wizard Catcher', I can tell you that. If things had been different."

A knock on the door jam pulled their attention to Severus, standing in the doorway, his black robes decidedly not billowing.

"You should get some robes that aren't black," Elizabeth commented, flopping back on the bed.

A smirk played across Severus' lips. "I'll take that under advisement."

Remus stood up. "I'll let you two discuss exactly how much color should be in Severus' wardrobe. I'm going to see if Molly has made it back yet." He left, clapping Severus on the shoulder as he went past.

Severus closed the door behind him and carefully sat beside his daughter. "It's the Dark magic in this house," he said blithely. "It turns conversations into arguments, I believe."

Elizabeth looked at him critically, then shrugged. "I'd rather you not die."

Severus nodded sagely. "I think we share that preference." He sat against the headboard and patted the spot next to him. "Come here, monster."

"I kind of like you, is all," Elizabeth muttered, scooting to sit beside him.

"Good to know," Severus wrapped one arm around her and turned to kiss her forehead when she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"You don't have to tell me."

"Good. Because I wasn't going to do so," Severus commented. "However, if you want to go to the hospital this afternoon, you may."

Elizabeth looked up at him. "Really?"

"Really," Severus nodded. "Against my better judgment, of course. And you'll take Moody and Nymphadora with you."

"She likes to be called Tonks."

"A gentleman does not call a lady by her last name," Severus shook his head.

"How long before you hire a permanent body guard for me?" Elizabeth sighed, putting one arm around his waist.

"You joke, but don't think I haven't considered it." Severus tapped his hand against her leg. "I'm still interviewing people."

*S*S*

Moody and Tonks were already in the kitchen when Elizabeth made it downstairs. Fred and George were sitting at the table, while Remus looked over a map on the counter. "How Muggles travel this way is beyond me."

"I'll help," Tonks moved to lean over the map as well. Elizabeth watched with interest as Remus stiffened a bit as the woman's head bent near his.

As they got ready to leave, Elizabeth sidled over to Remus. "You have a crush."

"Excuse me?" Remus raised an eyebrow.

Elizabeth smirked. "What will she ask people to call her if her last name is Lupin?"

Remus raised his eyes skyward. "We need to go."

"Of course we do," Elizabeth grinned evilly. "It would be awful if Tonks got so far ahead—

Remus growled and pushed her toward the group that had gathered by the door. "Let's go."

Elizabeth laughed to herself, catching Fred's hand as they all traipsed out the door.

*S*S*

"I feel absolutely fine," said Mr. Weasley, as they gathered around his bed, Moody and Tonks guarding the door. "If they could only take the bandages off, I'd be fit to go home."

"Why can't they take them off, Dad?" Fred asked; his hand still latched on Elizabeth's.

"Well, I start bleeding like mad every time they try," said Mr. Weasley brightly, waving his wand, conjuring extra chairs. "It seems there was some rather unusual kind of poison in that snake's fangs that keeps wounds open. They're sure they'll find an antidote, though, they say they've had much worse cases than mine, and in the meantime I just have to keep taking a Blood-Replenishing Potion every hour. But that fellow over there," he said, nodding toward the bed opposite, "Bitten by a werewolf, poor chap. No cure at all."

"A werewolf?" Whispered Molly, looking alarmed. "Is he safe in a public ward? Shouldn't he be in a private room?"

Remus cleared his throat, and Molly flushed. "No offense intended, dear."

"What happened, Dad?" Fred sat down in the chair nearest to the bed.

"Well, you already know, don't you?" Arthur smiled at Elizabeth. "It's very simple, really. I'd had a very long day, dozed off, got sneaked up on, and bitten."

"Dad," Fred said, in a low voice. "What were you doing?"

"We're not discussing this here," Mrs. Weasley interrupted.

"You were guarding it, weren't you?" said George quietly, moving behind his brother. "The weapon? The thing You-Know-Who's after?"

"George, be quiet!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.

"Elizabeth," Fred said softly, watching his father for a reaction, "Didn't you say You-Know-Who's got a snake? A massive one? You saw it the night he returned—

"That's enough," Mrs. Weasley cut him off. "Outside, all of you. The adults are going to talk for a while. You can come and say good-bye afterward."

"Fine," Fred muttered, leading the way outside, "be like that. Don't tell us anything."

"Here," George handed him a tangle of flesh-colored string as they closed the door.

"You read my mind," Fred grinned. "Let's see if St. Mungo's puts Imperturbable Charms on its ward doors, shall we?"

The three inserted the ends of the strings into their ears, while Fred released the opposite ends. "Okay, go!" he whispered.

The strings wriggled like long skinny worms, then snaked under the door. For a few seconds, Elizabeth heard nothing, then she heard Tonks whispering as clearly as though she were standing right beside her.

"… they searched the whole area but they couldn't find the snake anywhere, it just seemed to have vanished after it attacked you, Arthur."

"Evans saw it all happen?" Moody growled.

"Yes," Molly affirmed, sounding uneasy. "You know, Albus didn't seem surprised—

"Yeah, well, there's something funny about that girl, we all know that."

"Watch it, Moody," Remus' voice sounded tired.

"It's not her fault," Moody growled again, "But the girl's seeing things from inside You-Know-Who's snake… Obviously she doesn't understand what that means, but if You-Know-Who's possessing her—

Elizabeth ripped the string out of her ear, her heart hammering. She looked at the twins, who were staring at her, the strings still trailing from their ears, looking suddenly fearful.

*S*S*

"What are you doing?" Fred stood in the doorway of her room as she threw things into her duffle bag.

"Go away, Fred."

Fred raised an eyebrow. "Try again."

Elizabeth zipped up the bag. "This isn't working out."

"What isn't working out?"

"Us," Elizabeth snapped, "Move."

Fred snorted. "You are playing this part of the film really badly."

Elizabeth glared. "What?"

Fred smirked. "This is the part of the film where the girl breaks up with the guy because she thinks she's bad for him."

"I am bad for you," Elizabeth growled. "I'm possessed. And I should never have introduced you to films."

"Betsy—

"I can't stay here," Elizabeth asserted, pushing past him. "He could be seeing right through my eyes. He could see you, where we are, everything."

"You know that if you step one foot outside that door, I'm shouting for Snape."

Phineas Nigellus arrived in his portrait, looking at Elizabeth, standing half in and half out of the hallway. "I have a message for you from Albus Dumbledore."

Elizabeth ignored the portrait.

"What is it?" Fred asked.

"I have a message for her from Albus Dumbledore," Phineas said smoothly. "Dumbledore says, 'Stay were you are.'"

"Nobody asked him," Elizabeth snapped.

"Elizabeth!" Fred groaned, exasperated. "Listen—

"No!" Elizabeth threw her bag on the floor. "Everyone is always telling me to listen, to stay put, to just hold on while everyone else works out the problem! But I'm the one whose head is being invaded—

"What is going on up here?" Severus appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Nothing," Elizabeth grabbed her bag. "I have to go to Hogwarts." She started toward the stairs, only to feel her feet leave the floor as Severus effortlessly tossed her over his shoulder.

In one movement, he took her bag and tossed it into their room, before entering, kicking the door closed, and tossing her onto her bed. "Speak."

"Dad!"

Severus crossed his arms over his chest, raised an eyebrow, and fixed her with a level stare. "Mr. Weasley?" He called, eyes still trained on his daughter. "What is this about?"

"Moody said she was being possessed by You-Know-Who," Fred called through the door.

Severus pressed his lips together. "I thought we already had this discussion. You are not possessed by that monster. You know what possession looks like. You saw it in Miss Weasley. The Dark Lord does not apparate people against their will, change them into snakes, cause them to attack others, and then return them to their beds." He rubbed his temple, then sat beside her on the bed. "Remus said you were screaming for quite a while before he was able to wake you. You were firmly in your bed, Hatchling. You saw the attack. You didn't attack. I promise."

"It's dangerous for me to be here," Elizabeth said, curling in on herself against the headboard. "What if he can see—

"Then let him come," Severus snapped. "You, my child, do not carry this alone. Let him come. I owe him a few Unforgiveables, anyhow."

Elizabeth was quiet for a moment; then looked up at him, her green eyes meeting his dark ones. "You would know if He was coming, wouldn't you?"

There was far more to the question, and Severus knew it. He weighed the options of answering her for a long, silent minute. "Yes."

Pain, anger, and sadness flashed through her eyes, but they seemed to come to an agreement in that moment. They both knew the truth, and that they could never speak of it aloud.

*S*S*

Christmas morning, Elizabeth woke to the crack of apparation as Fred and George appeared next to her bed. "Merry Christmas," George said brightly. "Don't go downstairs for a bit."

"Why not?" Elizabeth sat up as Ron and Hermione came in, taking up residence on Severus' empty bed.

"Mum's crying again," said Fred heavily, sitting on her bed and looping an arm around her. "Percy sent back his Christmas jumper."

"Without a note," added George. "Hasn't asked how Dad is or visited him or anything…"

"We tried to comfort her," Fred waved his wand and levitated the pile of presents from the foot of her bed to within reach. "Told her Percy's nothing more than a humongous pile of rat droppings—

"— didn't work," said George, helping himself to a Chocolate Frog from the box in Elizabeth's pile of gifts. "So Lupin took over. Best let him cheer her up before we go down from breakfast, I reckon."

"Gives Betsy time to open her presents anyway," Fred said, appropriating a frog for himself. "Obviously, someone got you candy."

"Dumbledore," Elizabeth said, setting the box on the nightstand. "He's given up trying to find things I like, and now he just buys sweets."

She pulled a large set of books, tied together with a ribbon, from the stack. Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use Against the Dark Arts, from Remus and Sirius. Elizabeth flicked through the first volume, looking at the moving color illustrations of the wand work until Fred elbowed her in the side. "Hey, there are more."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but moved on to the rest of her gifts. A homework organizer from Hermione that chirped out annoying study-related quips. A brown coin-purse with fangs that snapped at her hand from Hagrid. A small, working model of a Firebolt from Tonks. A box of Every-Flavor Beans from Ron; the usual hand-knotted jumper from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. A truly dreadful painting that Elizabeth suspected was hand done by Dobby himself.

The box wrapped in emerald green paper was obviously from Severus, and that idea was confirmed by the card, wedged under the ribbon.

Elizabeth,

Merry Christmas, hatchling. I'm sorry I'm not there this morning. I'll be back before too long. In the interim, use the contents of this box wisely.

Love,

Dad

Elizabeth smiled, a little sadly. She'd heard him leave in the middle of the night, but she'd pretended to be asleep. It was just easier that way. If she was awake, she would have to question where he was going. And she knew were he was going. Even on Christmas Eve.

Inside the box was a SecretSaver, a journal that absorbed the words and didn't release them for anyone except the owner. Under that was a small bag of galleons, and a note promising "a mind-numbing trip to Diagon Alley" when it was safe.

Elizabeth was wondering how she could use the contents of the box unwisely when her hand brushed against something silky in the bottom of the box. Drawing out the fabric, she was greeted by the shimmering nothingness of…

"My invisibility cloak!" Elizabeth yelped, almost dropping it back into the box.

"Brilliant," Ron grinned. "There's an Order meeting tonight—

"Ron!" Hermione broke in. "She just got it back!"

"What's this supposed to be?" Fred asked, holding up Dobby's painting. "Looks like a gibbon with two black eyes."

"It's Elizabeth," said George, grinning. "Says so on the back."

"Good likeness," Fred laughed, dodging the homework planner that Elizabeth threw at his head. "Open mine while I play with this," he said, taking the cloak and throwing it around his shoulders.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, and reached for the last gift, wrapped in silver paper. She unwrapped the box and opened it to find an oval mirror, framed in silver. She looked into it, expecting it to say something, but instead she saw Fred's face. She nearly dropped the mirror in surprise when it started to speak.

"Amazing, right? Sirius had the mirrors, but I smoothed out the edges and framed them."

Elizabeth looked over to Fred, who threw off the cloak and held up his own mirror, this one showing her shocked face.

"They're two-way mirrors. We can talk anywhere, anytime. You just have to say my name into it. I set it up to work out of the box for the presentation value," he grinned. "But don't forget, say my name."

Elizabeth smiled, leaning over to kiss him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Fred smiled back.

*S*S*

They were loading the enlarged Ford Anglia to go back to St. Mungo's when Elizabeth's eye was caught by a man in black apparating into the bushes across the street. When the man didn't immediately emerge from the shrubs, Elizabeth grimaced. "I'm going to stay behind," she said to Molly as the older witch settled into the back of the car.

"Are you alright, dear?" Molly looked concerned.

"Headache," she said. "I'll stay and keep Sirius company."

Sirius had claimed that he needed to stay behind to clean after Christmas dinner, but Elizabeth knew that he was staying more out of his fear of hospitals than his need to do a few cleaning spells. In addition, he'd been fairly drunk after dinner, having celebrated the holiday with a little too much fire whiskey.

After the Ford lumbered off down the street, Elizabeth crossed the street, crouching down behind the bushes where Severus lay on the ground.

"You shouldn't be out here," he hissed.

"Yeah, well," Elizabeth put a shoulder under one of his arms and helped him to his feet, "you shouldn't be lying out here."

"I was waiting for the way to be clear."

"Sure," Elizabeth said, helping him limp into the house. When they reached the living room, Elizabeth staggered as Severus fainted, his dead weight sending her off balance. Elizabeth hissed through her teeth and managed to get him onto the sofa. She pulled off his robes and shoes. There were bloodstains on his clothing. Closer examination revealed large open slashes on his abdomen.

Hit with his own spell. Elizabeth uttered a few choice words that Severus wouldn't approve of. He needs a blood replenishing potion, Elizabeth thought to herself. And probably a pain relieving potion as well. Both would serve a problem to find, since Severus never left anything stronger than a headache draught within her reach.

"Sirius!"

There was no answer, of course. He was probably upstairs, sleeping off his celebration. Elizabeth swore again, and turned back to the prostrate Potions Master. "Don't move," she ordered, as if he was planning on running away. She went to the door of the stairs to the lab and pulled. Of course, it didn't open. "Stupid child lock," she muttered, yanking on the door again. "It's an emergency!"

With no warning, the door popped open. Elizabeth stared at it for a moment, before shaking her head. "Really, Dad? The password is 'emergency'?"

She went down the stairs, thanking her father's obsessive organizational system for the speed it allowed in finding the potions she needed, and some cotton to use as bandages.

Back upstairs, she tapped her father's face with her palm. "Dad, I need you to wake up and swallow these."

Severus didn't respond, and Elizabeth cursed the underage magic rule. Not that she knew how to transfer the potions directly into a person's stomach, like she'd seen her father do.

Instead, she pushed him up as far as she could, and sat behind him, tilting his head back against her shoulder. Carefully, she tipped the blood-replenisher into his mouth, and rubbed his throat until she felt him swallow. She'd seen Aunt Marge do it to her annoying little dog when it didn't want to take its heartworm pill.

The other potion went down without a problem, and Elizabeth set about bandaging the cuts, largest first. This part would have to be Muggle, for obvious reasons. She just hoped that it was enough to stabilize him until he woke and could give her more direction.