"Sit, and don't move," Severus said firmly, pointing at the sofa in their quarters.

"You can't be mad—

"Oh, can't I?" Severus crossed his arms over his chest and regarded his daughter with a look that mixed irritation with amusement. "I believe that I stressed the importance of discretion, Elizabeth." He tapped his index finger against his elbow.

"What's going to happen?" Elizabeth asked quietly.

"Do I look like the Divination professor?" Severus asked silkily, raising an eyebrow.

"Dad…"

Severus sighed, seating himself in his armchair, the stress of the day suddenly weighing upon him heavier than he'd realized. "As far as the Ministry is concerned, you were attempting to arm your fellow classmates in case Dumbledore got out of control. Fudge believed it, though I think Umbridge is still suspicious. You didn't make it easy for me, naming that group what you did, Elizabeth Rose."

"I didn't know they could find the Room of Requirement," Elizabeth said softly. "We thought it was the perfect place."

"The best laid plans often go awry," Severus said simply. "We'll have to see what the fate of your little project is after things settle down a bit."

"Where did Albus go?"

Severus stood, "Tea?"

"Dad?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, "Tea? Hot water, strained through leaves?"

"Dad."

"I don't know where he went, hatchling."

"Do you really not know, or are you just not telling me?"

"Does the distinction matter?" Severus busied himself with the teakettle.

"I guess not," Elizabeth shrugged.

"A quick practice while we wait for the tea to steep," Severus said, changing the subject while pulling memories out of his temple and depositing them into the Pensieve.

Elizabeth grimaced. "Do we have to?"

"Do you have to do as your father says?" Severus asked sarcastically, turning to face her again. "One round, maybe two."

Elizabeth groaned, but stood, only to be interrupted by the floo roaring to life.

"Sev," Remus said, stepping out and brushing off his robes. "We have a situation."

"I know," Severus said calmly. "But there's nothing we can do tonight. We have to wait and see what kind of Ministry fall out—

"What are you talking about?" Remus looked at him quizzically.

"Albus. Evading arrest. What are you talking about?"

Remus looked at Elizabeth, then dropped his voice as if she couldn't hear him from across the room. "We have a Sirius problem."

"Which is…?" Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Not a serious problem, a Sirius problem," Remus said earnestly. "Honestly, are we in an Abbot and Costello act?"

"I think my question still applies," Severus said.

"I just need you to come to the house," Remus said simply.

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth started toward the floo, but Remus caught her by the arm.

"You stay here," he ordered. "Your father will be back soon."

"Stay here," Severus said, kissing Elizabeth's forehead. "Do not open the door for anyone. I don't trust what is going on in the castle right now."

*S*S*

It's boredom that really killed the cat. Sure, it looks like death by curiosity, because curiosity is the result of boredom.

Elizabeth reread a Quidditch magazine. Stared at the wall. Drank the tea that Severus had left in the kitchen. And finally, in a stretch of boredom, her eyes fell on the Pensieve, Severus' memories still swirling from the interrupted practice session.

Severus could be back at any moment, Elizabeth's inner voice cautioned. But surely, if the situation was bad enough for Remus to come to Hogwarts late at night, he wouldn't be back for quite a while.

She took a deep breath and plunged her face into the surface of Severus' thoughts. At one, the floor of the room lurched, tipping Elizabeth headfirst into the Pensieve…

She was falling though cold blackness, until she landed in the middle of the Great Hall. Instead of being set of for meals, the Hall was filled with desks, each with one student, furiously scribbling in the silent room. There was a palpable feeling of stress in the year.

Elizabeth looked around, her eyes quickly finding Severus-the-teenager. He was leaned over, close to his parchment, his dark hair pooling on the desk.

"Five more minutes!"

Elizabeth turned to see Professor Flitwick, walking between the desks.

Elizabeth glanced at her father's paper again. "Ordinary Wizarding Levels."

So Severus was fifteen or sixteen. That meant… she looked around the room and saw Sirius, flashing a thumbs-up at a dark-haired boy Elizabeth didn't recognize. He was good-looking, even more so in this un-aged state.

She combed the surrounding seats and found Remus, frowning down at his paper, the same serious expression he wore in adulthood settled on his face.

The exam ended, and Elizabeth followed the students out onto the lawn. Severus settled himself in the dense shadows of a clump of bushes, while Remus, Sirius, and two other boys commenced general foolery under a nearby tree. Elizabeth watched the foursome until a sudden thought dawned on her. Wormtail, she realized. The small dumpy, nervous looking boy was the rat she'd chased two years ago. Which made the other boy… Prongs. James Potter. Then man that Severus had hated as a student, and hated even more as an adult when he thought he'd lost Lily.

Lily. Elizabeth looked around, but the redheaded witch was nowhere to be found.

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," Elizabeth heard Potter whisper. "Look who it is…"

In a moment of terror, Elizabeth thought for a moment that he meant her, but quickly remembered that she was not real in this memory. She watched Sirius look toward her… no… through her.

"Excellent," Sirius said softly. "Snivellus."

Elizabeth turned to look at her teenager-father, who had stood and was heading across the grass. Sirius and Potter stood up. Remus remained sitting, staring at his book. Elizabeth could tell he wasn't reading.

"All right, Snivellus?" said James loudly.

Severus reached so fast it was as though he had been expecting an attack: Dropping his bag, he plunged his hand inside his robes, and his wand was halfway into the air when Potter shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Severus' wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him. Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"Impedimenta!" Sirius said, pointing his wand at Severus, who was knocked off his feet, halfway through a dive toward his own fallen wand.

Students all around had turned to watch. Elizabeth opened her mouth to shout at Sirius to stop, but remembered that again, she wasn't real.

Severus lay panting on the ground. Potter and Sirius advanced on him, wands raised, Potter looking over his shoulder at the girls near the pond. Severus struggled, bound by invisible ropes, as the two other boys mocked him.

"What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?" Sirius jeered.

Severus let out a stream of swearwords that nearly knocked Elizabeth off her feet. Never had she heard her father curse like that.

"Wash out your mouth," said Potter coldly. "Scourgify!"

Pink soap bubbles streamed from Severus' mouth; the froth making him gag, choking him—

"Leave him ALONE!"

Elizabeth turned, recognizing the voice immediately, even if it was a bit younger than she knew it. Lily Evans stood, hands planted on her hips, her green eyes looking at Potter with extreme dislike.

"You think you're funny," she said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying jerk, Potter. Leave him alone."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," Potter said quickly. "Go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

Severus was starting to shake off the Impediment Jinx, and beginning to crawl toward his wand, spitting out soapsuds.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," Lily said firmly.

"OY!" Sirius shouted in warning, but it was too late. Severus had directed his wand straight at James; there was a flash of light, and a gash appeared on the side of Potter's face, spattering his robes with blood.

Potter whirled about; a second flash of light later, Severus was handing upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of graying underpants.

The crowd roared, and Elizabeth felt a clenching in her stomach, looking away.

"Let him down!" Lily's voice snapped.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," Potter said earnestly.

"Let him down, then!"

Potter sighed, as if this was a major favor he was doing, and jerked his wand upward. Severus fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.

"There you go," Potter said, as Severus struggled to his feet again, "you're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus—

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Elizabeth froze. Her eyes snapped up to look at teenage-Severus, sure that she'd misheard him. There was no way that Severus had said such a thing. However, before she could hear what she was sure would be an instant apology, she felt a hand closing tight over her upper arm. Wincing, Elizabeth looked around to see who had hold of her, and saw, with in a moment of horror, adult-Severus standing right beside her, looking less than pleased.

"What did I tell you about the Pensieve?" He questioned, as Elizabeth felt herself rising into the air. The summer's day evaporated around her, floating back up through the blackness before her feet hit the stone of the castle again.

"Well?" Severus shook her a bit, his hand still viced on her arm.

"That it had things you didn't want me to see—

"That's right," Severus snapped marching her to the door of her room. "Bed. Now."

"Dad—

"NOW!" Severus bellowed, nearly throwing her through the door with a roughness she'd never seen in him.

Startled by the sudden show of force, Elizabeth fled into her bedroom, and then into the bathroom, hoping to put as much space between her and a very angry Potions Master.

*S*S*

It had been a bad day for Severus Snape. Umbridge, Black, and now his greatest shame on display for his daughter to see. What she must think of him, speaking to her mother that way.

His mind swung between being consumed by shame and enraged that Elizabeth would dare to page through his private memories. He strode into his room, closing the door with a decidedly loud click, the adult version of the slammed door.

"Why are you shouting?" Portrait-Lily asked from her frame.

Severus didn't answer, shucking off his robes and clothes, down to his boxers and t-shirt.

"Severus?"

"Not now," he growled, going into the bathroom to splash water on his face.

Lily, recognizing her husband's brooding expression sat patiently, waiting for him to wrestle with whatever inner demons he was dealing with.

Two discarded books later, Severus, who was sitting against the headboard, leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "Albus had to disappear to avoid being arrested today."

"It's going to be worse than last time," Lily said simply. "Albus can take care of himself."

"It took some considerable yarn weaving on my part to keep Elizabeth from being expelled. Luckily, Umbridge and Fudge are idiots."

"I'm not sure I want to know about that," Lily shook her head.

"Nor do you want to know that Black was nearly sent back to Azkaban tonight, on the word of a captured Death Eater."

"Severus!"

Snape looked at the portrait. "What are you shouting at me about?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you were going to take care of that."

"By doing what? Whether we like it or not, he's associated, just as I am, for the rest of his life. There will always be those who don't believe in his innocence."

"Is that who you were shouting at before? Sirius?"

Severus shook his head, and slid down to lie on the bed. "Goodnight, love."

"Severus Snape!" Lily snapped. "What is going on?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Severus said, lying on his side, his back to her.

"Well. that's about the most petulant thing I've ever heard," Lily scowled. "How old are you?"

"Shut up," Severus muttered.

Lily laughed. Hard. So hard that she almost fell off the chair in her portrait.

"If you're finished," Severus rolled over and eyed her reprovingly.

"I'm sorry, honey, I just don't think I've ever heard you say 'shut up' before. Elizabeth is rubbing off on you."

"I'll be sure to update my resume to reflect my new skill," Severus said dryly. He stared at the ceiling for a moment. "I was shouting at your daughter, because I returned from saving Black's sorry arse to find her neck-deep in my Pensieve."

"Severus," Lily said softly, "tell me she didn't see a Meeting. Or anything you've… had to do—

"No," Severus shook his head. "Your daughter has a knack for finding the worst of whatever she's looking for."

"Severus, she's been 'my daughter' twice in the last ten seconds. What did she find?"

Severus trained his eyes on the ceiling again. "My worst memory."

"You've been through quite a bit, Sev. Do you want to be more expansive?"

Severus was quiet for a long moment. Then another. And another. "The day I lost you."

"Honey, you don't have that memory… you weren't there."

Severus shook his head. "Not the day you died, Lil. That day… in school… with Potter and Black…"

"Severus…" Lily sighed. "You are honestly embarrassed that your daughter saw you being bullied? James Potter was a jerk."

"That's not what I'm ashamed of."

Lily sighed again. "Severus, it was a long time ago. I forgave you. It's time you forgive yourself."

'"Never," Severus said firmly.

"Well, in lieu of that, perhaps you could refrain from being so defensive about it that you scream at our daughter."

"She went into my private thoughts!"

"Which you would have soundly scolded her for in any other instance," Lily said knowingly. "Perhaps given her some menial chore to perform. But I heard your tone, Sev. You sounded like your father. And it was because you were embarrassed, not because you were angry."

Severus gritted his teeth. "You don't know anything."

"Alright, perhaps that is the most petulant thing I've ever heard." Lily rolled her eyes. "Talk to your daughter."

"I'm going to sleep."

"You're impossible," Lily crossed her arms. "Your sixteen-year-old is in her room wondering why you violently overreacted to something she did. Let me ask you, Severus Snape, did she look like she was afraid of you?"

Severus snorted. "I'm asleep."

"Did she?"

Severus sighed. "I don't know, Lily, I was angry."

"Hmmm…" Lily assumed a mock-pondering posture. "Too angry to realize that he is hurting his child… who does that sound like?"

"Lily, it has been a terrible day…"

"By all means then, make it worse," Lily shrugged.

Severus opened his mouth to retort, but was distracted by a piece of parchment that slipped under the door.

Waving his wand, Severus levitated the note over to the bed, snatching it out of the air before unfolding it.

Dad,

I went back to the Tower. I'm sorry.

Elizabeth

Severus groaned, and stood. "I hate it when you're right, you know."

"I know," Lily grinned.

Severus pulled open the door, and crossed the living room, opening the door into the corridor. "Elizabeth Rose Evans, get back in here immediately," he shouted in the direction of the stairs.

He waited. A moment later, a pair of green eyes peered around the corner. He crooked one finger in her direction.

The teenager approached cautiously.

"I thought I sent you to bed," Severus said, pointing her through the door. He closed the portrait behind them and reached out to put his arm around her shoulders.

Elizabeth flinched away.

Just call me Tobias, Severus thought to himself. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, following through on his previous motion, pulling her securely against his side. "I have no excuse."

"I was just curious," Elizabeth said softly. "I'm sorry, I know it was private, and I wouldn't have stayed, but… I wanted to see Mum."

Severus sighed, "I'm annoyed that you were poking around where you shouldn't have, although I suppose I should be used to it by now. However… it was the memory, not you, that caused me to lose my mind."

"I'm sorry they treated you like that—"

"That's not it," Severus led her over to the sofa and sat with her. "I'm 36 years old. I've made my peace with schoolyard bullies. But that moment I spoke to Lily that way… that is my worst memory."

Elizabeth laughed softly.

"Pardon me?" Severus scowled down at her.

"So you always get mean when you feel bad?"

Severus leaned back, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm getting Dr. Freud from all sides tonight."

"Is Sirius okay?"

"Look how smoothly she changes the subject," Severus rolled his eyes. "We'll talk about it in the morning. When we talk about how to gut flobberworms. Which you will be doing tomorrow morning for two hours. I've found that the task reduces curiosity measurably." He stood and kissed her head. "Bed, please. It's been a particularly long evening."

"But Sirius—

"He's fine. He's safe for now." Severus prodded her gently toward her bedroom. "Bed."

*S*S*

Fred propped himself on one elbow and looked at Elizabeth who was nearly asleep as they lay on the roof of the Burrow. "I'm glad your Dad decided that the Burrow was safer than Spinner's End. Wouldn't want to spend Easter without you."

"I couldn't believe it," Elizabeth said sleepily. "But your Mum is very persuasive."

"So… I need to talk to you about something."

"Hmmm?"

"Betsy," Fred shook her shoulder, "I'm serious."

"You're never serious," Elizabeth protested, but opened her eyes. "What?"

"George and I… bought something today."

"What?"

Fred took a deep breath. "A building."

Elizabeth frowned. "A building?"

"Number 93, Diagon Alley, to be exact."

"For what?" Elizabeth sat up.

"Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes."

"But… school…"

"School is a joke. Umbridge won't let us learn anything, so it's time for us to go," Fred said quietly. "It was the right price and the right time… and we'll just be a floo away."

"Sure," Elizabeth said, pulling herself up and heading back to the window they'd climbed out of.

"Betsy," Fred called after her, "I was going to leave school before you anyway—

"Yeah," Elizabeth waved a hand and climbed through the window. "Whatever. It's fine."