Elizabeth sat on the coffee table, carefully watching her father breathe, checking the bandages frequently. The bleeding appeared to have stopped, so Elizabeth felt confident in administering another blood-replenishing potion, knowing it wouldn't simply flow out through the slashes in his abdomen. She'd only brought one pain-reliever upstairs, knowing how careful Severus was with pain killers, and not wanting to inadvertently send him into a potion-induced coma.

His breathing seemed easier, and color was returning to his face, as much as the pale man ever had color in his skin. Leaving him on the sofa, she went into the kitchen to put water on the stove, hoping that he would wake soon and would need coffee.

She was not disappointed. Almost the moment she returned, he stirred a bit. With some verbal coaxing, he opened his eyes.

"What time is it?"

"Afternoon," Elizabeth said vaguely. "Don't talk." She laid two fingers on his neck, looking for a pulse.

"Do you know what you're feeling for?" Severus asked weakly, a note of teasing in his voice.

"Shh," Elizabeth commanded, counting the beats. "After school babysitting classes," she said when she was satisfied. She fussed with the blanket she'd draped over him.

"Where is everyone?" Severus asked, carefully pulling himself into a sitting position.

"This hospital. Where you should be."

Severus grimaced. "My wand?"

"Oh," Elizabeth picked it up off the table and handed it to him. "I'm going to get you something to drink. Do you need another pain reliever?"

"I'll get it," Severus winced as he dropped his feet to the ground.

"I cracked your lab code," Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Don't get up."

"It has to actually be an emergency," Severus said, sounding stronger by the moment. "It won't work now." He started to stand, then stopped as the bandages pulled at his abdomen. He pulled the cotton away and pointed his wand at the wounds, healing them.

"Any worse, and I would have had to try stitches," Elizabeth said, reentering the room with a glass of ice water and a mug of coffee.

"Muggles," Severus shook his head. "You would think they would have come up with something better than sewing their own skin." He took the coffee. "Are you here alone?"

Elizabeth laughed. "You're here."

"You know what I meant," Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Sirius is upstairs," Elizabeth shrugged. "He… had a bit too much at dinner."

Severus sighed. "I think I'll let Remus handle that when he gets back," the wizard attempted to stand again, but decided against it. Instead, he pointed his wand at the lab door. "The lowest level pain-reliever, please."

Elizabeth grinned. "When are you going to take off the child lock?"

"When you're not a child," Severus smirked. "However, if it makes you feel better, the lock is as much for Black as it is for you."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but went downstairs and fetched the requested potion. When she returned, Severus was standing, stretching out his aching muscles.

"Dad! Ten minutes ago, you were unconscious."

"And thanks to the future Healer, I'm recovering nicely."

"I am not going to be a Healer," Elizabeth asserted, handed him the vial. "You should be in bed."

Severus smiled, and pulled her into a one-armed hug. "If not a Healer, you will make an excellent nagging mother to someone," he chuckled.

"Everyone is going to be back soon," Elizabeth said. "If you aren't in bed, I may just let it slip to Mrs. Weasley that you were unconscious and bleeding on the sofa."

Severus scowled. "You really are my daughter," he kissed the top of her head. "What did you give me while I was out?"

"Two blood-replenishers and a medium pain-reliever." Elizabeth followed him up the stairs. "You were bleeding pretty badly."

Severus sighed, and directed her into the bedroom ahead of him before closing the door. Waving his wand, he changed his bloody clothing for fresh attire. Then he pulled Elizabeth into a hug so fierce she had trouble breathing.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Elizabeth paused. An apologetic phrase rarely passed the Potion Master's lips. "For what?" she asked, mirroring what he demanded to students who used "I'm sorry" as a knee jerk response.

Severus chuckled. "I'm sorry you had to spend your Christmas like this," he mussed her hair a bit. "I never wanted to be that father."

"What father?" Elizabeth pulled away enough to look at him.

"The kind of father who needs his child to care for him. It shouldn't be your job." He winced as a nasty flashback assaulted his mind, featuring his father, passed out on the sofa, as a seven-year-old version of himself turned the older man on his side.

"It's okay, Dad," Elizabeth assured, stretching a bit to kiss his cheek.

"It isn't," Severus sighed, releasing her and yanking back the blankets on his bed. "But I suppose it can't be helped."

"Sleep and food," Elizabeth prescribed. "And another pain reliever later, which you will need, so don't bother lying."

Severus snorted. "I will control my own medication when I am conscious, thank you."

Elizabeth shook her head. "You know, Dad, it's really up to you to model good post-torture behavior. Who else is going to teach me that?"

"Get out," Severus growled, leveling a glare that was completely ruined by the fact that he was lying on two fluffy pillows.

*S*S*

"What's wrong?" Fred asked, dropping onto the sofa. The excitement of Christmas had come to a close, and most of the house had gone to sleep, but Elizabeth was sitting, curled on the sofa, staring at nothing.

"Hmm?" Elizabeth looked over at him in surprise, not having noticed him come into the room.

"I asked what was wrong," Fred repeated, eyeing her critically.

"Nothing," Elizabeth shook her head. "I was just thinking."

"About anything in particular?"

"No," Elizabeth stood. "I think I'll go to bed."

"Betsy," Fred caught her hand as she started toward the door. She looked down at him, forcing a smile onto her face.

"I'll see you in the morning," she said, leaning down to kiss him goodnight, and carefully extracting her hand from his.

Fred looked worried, but didn't stop her as she went up the stairs.

The truth was that Elizabeth was worried. She couldn't talk about it with anyone, since Severus had made it very clear that no one was to know about his nighttime activities. It was too dangerous to trust anyone with that information, and still… Elizabeth yearned to talk about it with someone.

As she reached the door of the bedroom, it swung open, revealing Severus, hair tussled.

"I was just coming to look for you," Snape said, stepping back to allow her passage into the room. "It's late."

"It's not," Elizabeth yanked back the blankets on her bed.

Severus frowned, and sat on the side of her bed after she lay down and pulled the covers over herself. "Elizabeth," he said gently, smoothing the edge of the sheets. "Tell me."

"I can't," Elizabeth muttered, shrugging deeper into the bed. "We can't talk about it."

Severus sighed. "Look at me."

Elizabeth ignored him, closing her eyes tight, and singing the Hogwarts song over and over in her head.

"Elizabeth," Severus warned, but even his teacher-voice didn't seem to be getting through to his daughter. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly one o'clock, and while he'd slept for a while, he was still too tired to deal with the situation rationally. "This isn't over," he declared, brushing one palm across the bit of her head that he could see before retiring to his own bed.

"I has to be over," Elizabeth snapped, sitting up in a fit of Snape-inherited temper. "It has to be over, because everyone is going to die soon, and there's nothing I can do about it."

Severus rubbed a hand over his face and trekked back across the room. "Elizabeth," he grabbed her hands that she tried to wave him away with and looked at her. "This isn't fair to you. I won't pretend that it is. But it is where we are. It's too much for me to ask of you, and if there was any way that I could ask less, I would. I'll never forgive myself for not being able to keep you out of this. I'm sorry that you had to pick up the pieces today, and I'm sorry that I have to do some of the things I've had to do recently. But we have to win this."

If Elizabeth didn't know better, she'd think Severus Snape was pleading. But the Potions Master did not plead. At least not usually. But there was something in those dark eyes that broke her heart. "I know," she said softly, falling forward, resting her forehead against his shoulder.

"I promise," Severus said gently, rubbing her back, "that when this is over, you will have a good life. I'll see to it. No matter if I'm here or not."

He was answered by a sniff and a slight shake of her head.

"Elizabeth…" He shifted her away from him, surprised to see her face covered in tears. "Hatchling!" In one movement, he repositioned her onto his lap, rocking her as she cried against his t-shirt. "Everything will be alright," he whispered. "Brighter days are ahead, I promise."

"Probably not," Elizabeth mumbled into his shoulder.

Severus laughed humorlessly. "My little optimist." He tightened his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I promise, I'll only do this as long as I need to."

"You don't need to now," Elizabeth said, still muffled.

"I do," Severus said, his voice sad now. "We lost a main pipeline of information when I left… the army…"

Elizabeth snorted. "Mum would have been pissed that you joined… the army."

"True," Severus nodded, "and watch your language."

Elizabeth pulled away to look at him. "The army… it doesn't look kindly on deserters."

"No," Snape said quietly. "The… general… punishes disloyalty quite heavily."

Elizabeth grimaced. "I don't like it when you get hurt."

"Well then you know how I've felt every time you've come back from death-defying stunts."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "You have a mission, and I have "stunts"?"

"You are fifteen years old, so yes," Severus nodded, his voice lighter. "A fifteen-year-old who should be in bed at quarter-past one."

"I don't need a bedtime," Elizabeth protested, though her yawn caused the protest to be less than effective.

"The fact that you weren't in bed hours ago tells me that I've neglected my duties to you in this area," Severus said firmly, settling her back on the pillows. "Neglecting your health could add complexity to this already complex situation. Unless you would rather attend Umbridge's class with a raging head cold?"

"You'd make me go to class with a cold?" Elizabeth yawned again and scrunched the pillow.

"A self-inflicted one?" Severus raised an eyebrow. "Very possibly. Sleep," he ordered, covering her with the blankets and kissing her forehead.

*S*S*

"I want it to be known that I find these plans mean-spirited and completely below the Slytherin moral code," Severus leaned back in his chair, swirling the scotch in his glass.

"It's a good thing we're lions, then," Sirius grinned. "We dislike the Umbridge woman as much as you do. Making her pay for hurting Elizabeth will be our pleasure."

"I didn't say I didn't like the plan," Severus said smoothly. "I very much enjoy the plan. It contains a certain aplomb that I thought was lacking in most Gryffindor plans."

"Praise and condescension in one statement," Remus snorted. "Lovely."

Sirius downed the last of the drink in his hand, "I still think we should chop the woman into tiny bits with a dull axe I read about in a Muggle horror novel."

"That is the headstrong idiocy that I've come to expect from you, Black," Severus said dryly before turning to Remus. "I doubt the woman is going to allow any of us to cast a spell over her. Especially not a recurring one like we are considering."

"I'm tweaking the spell," Remus said. "I'm hoping to give it some kind of physical manifestation that we could pass off as… I don't know, a spa treatment or something."

"Or a blood-purifying charm," Sirius sneered, pouring himself another glass.

Remus rolled his eyes, but Severus stood quickly. "As much as I hate to say it, that is not a terrible idea," he waved his hand at Sirius. "Maybe the spell can be manifested into a potion, and it could be given to her as a protector from the students. You know how often first-year teachers fall ill."

"That's not what I said at all," Sirius shook his head.

"Yes, well, I improved upon it," Severus rummaged in the desk. "How do you find anything in here, Black?"

"I don't look," Sirius said matter-of-factly.

Severus located parchment and quill and began writing quickly in his elegant hand. "Pain is the easy part," he muttered to himself. "It's separating intention from action. To avoid her actually applying pain to others, it must be the very thought of doing so that causes her discomfort."

"Easy on the Dark magic, Sev," Remus warned.

"There are shades of Darkness, Remus," Snape said dismissively. "The woman sliced my daughter's body."

"True," Sirius said, staring at the ceiling with interest, then turning his attention to Remus. "We should chop her up!" He grinned.

"We already established that chopping the woman up is not possible," Severus rolled his eyes. "We're going back to Hogwarts this evening. There's still a bit of holiday left, but with the current climate… we'll be better off there."

"You mean somewhere there is a medical professional so your daughter won't have to patch you up again?"

"Anyway," Severus brushed off the comment, "I have preparations to complete for the new term."

"Elizabeth said you were restarting Occlumency lessons."

Severus nodded. "Her education thus far has been spotty at best, which is, of course, my fault. I intend to correct that."

*S*S*

"It's good to be back at school," Fred said, the night before term started.

"That wouldn't have anything to do with the lack of parental supervision, would it?" Elizabeth grinned as he pulled her to lie on top of him.

"Could be," Fred laughed, kissing her. "I like several layers of stone between your father and this bed."

"I'm glad we're back," Elizabeth agreed. "I don't like sleeping alone anymore."

"Have the dreams been bad?" Fred asked, one hand absently drawing circles on her back.

"It's fine," Elizabeth lied, rolling off him. "I just like your bed, that's all."

"Hmm," Fred propped himself up on an elbow and looked at her. "Betsy."

"What?" Elizabeth looked at him, green eyes pleading for him to leave it alone.

Fred sighed and wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head under his chin. "Maybe if we sleep like this, we can block him out."

"Maybe," Elizabeth mumbled into his chest.

"Good evening, boys," a female voice came from somewhere outside the curtain.

Elizabeth looked up at Fred, who met her eyes in alarm. "McGonagall," he whispered. Elizabeth went white. Fred got up, and yanked the blankets over her entire body and mussing the comforter to hide the lump she caused in the bed. He went out of the curtains, leaving them open as much as he dared, trying to look innocent.

Elizabeth tried to lie still, wishing she'd thought to bring her cloak with her.

"Is everyone settled in?" Elizabeth heard her grandmother's voice through the fabric.

"Yes, ma'am," the seventh years chorused.

"Good. Just thought I'd check in while I was checking on the First years," McGonagall said. "Mr. Weasley?"

"Yes, ma'am?" Fred and George both answered.

"I'm sorry," McGonagall said, amused. "Fred? I was just in the girls' dorm, and Elizabeth isn't there. Do you know where she is?"

"She usually sleeps downstairs now," Fred's voice was smooth.

Minerva seemed to buy the excuse, or at least she didn't say anything else about it, wishing the boys a good night's sleep.

Fred appeared back in bed, grinning. "You know, when Professor Crazy Future Teller says that I'm going to die a horrible death, I'm not at all surprised, and do you know why?"

Elizabeth laughed, returning the blankets to a position that allowed her to breathe freely. "Because one of my relatives is going to murder you in an incredibly painful way?"

"Exactly," Fred settled back into the pillows, pulling her firmly against him.

The curtains swung open to reveal George, grinning from ear to ear. "Sorry to interrupt the festivities, love birds. But now that McGonagall's first night bed check is over, we're going to Hogsmeade. Are you coming?"

Fred looked at Elizabeth. "Butterbeer?"

Elizabeth grinned. "I thought you didn't want me sneaking out of the castle."

"That was when we thought Sirius was trying to kill you," Fred shrugged. "What are the chances that Voldemort is hanging out The Three Broomsticks?"

"Give me a second to change," Elizabeth got up and grabbed clothing out of the drawer under the bed.

"You leave clothes here now?" George smirked. "You guys should get your own room."

"Shut up," Fred said, getting up and pulling the curtains to give Elizabeth privacy. He changed his own clothes quickly. "One-Eyed Witch or Whomping Willow?"

"Willow," George said, holding up his slingshot. "We have reason to believe that the One-Eyed Witch has been compromised."

The other boys were throwing on cloaks. "I'm going to get the Angelina," George said, all but dancing out of the room.

"Angelina?" Elizabeth looked at Fred, who grinned. "I thought she had a crush on you."

"Looks like she's settling for someone less good-looking," Fred picked up his wand and tucked it inside his robe sleeve.

"Good," Elizabeth said, tying her shoe.

Fred laughed and put his arms around her from behind. "Jealous, much?"

"Territorial," Elizabeth turned in his arms to look at him. "So what are we doing in Hogsmeade?"

"Zonko's is open until 11," Fred followed the other seventh years out of the door and down the stairs where George was waiting with Angelina. "Then a visit to the pub. Honeydukes if you are in the mood for fudge."

"I'm always in the mood for fudge," Elizabeth grinned, lacing her fingers through his as they headed out, two by two, through the portrait.