Fred flopped onto his bed, staring at the slats of the bunk over his head. George's head almost immediately appeared, hanging over the side of the upper bed. "What?"

Fred shrugged. "Betsy's pissed."

"You told her about WWW?"

"Yeah," Fred rolled over onto his stomach and pounded his face into the pillow.

"And she's mad?"

"She says it's fine," Fred muttered into the pillow. "Which is code for 'I'm going to kill you in your sleep.'"

"Really? Because she said it was fine that I ate the last brownie earlier. Do you think I should lock the door?"

"S'not funny," Fred said from the depths of the pillow.

"She'll get over it," George said seriously. "We were going to leave eventually anyway."

"Maybe."

*S*S*

Elizabeth sat on the sofa in the Burrow's living room, digging her toes into the worn carpet. It was irrational to be upset with Fred. Her head knew it. But the rest of her was screaming about how he was choosing to leave her alone.

The stairs creaked, and Remus appeared in the doorway. "Hey Sevling."

"I'm not talking to you."

"I know," Remus said conversationally, sitting beside her on the sofa. "You haven't spoken to me, other than so say you aren't speaking to me, in days. Do you want to tell me why I'm getting the cold shoulder?"

Elizabeth stared out the garden window, silent.

"Elizabeth."

"Going to bed," Elizabeth stood without looking at him, padding up the stairs to the room she was sharing with Ginny and Hermione.

Remus sighed and followed her up the stairs; opening the door to the room he was sharing with Severus and closing it with a decided snap.

"Hmm?" Severus looked up from the book he was reading.

"I didn't say anything. Kind of like your daughter."

Severus smirked. "Haven't figured out what you did yet?"

"I didn't do anything," Remus growled, kicking off his shoes and dropping his wristwatch and his wallet on the dresser.

"Well, apparently, you did," Severus said, his smile getting wider.

"You're enjoying this," Remus accused. "You're enjoying the fact that she likes you better for once."

"I can't say that it hasn't crossed my mind," Severus put down his book. "Maybe she's just being a teenager."

"Or maybe she's mad that I didn't let her go to Sirius the other night? But you wouldn't let her either—

"And the teenage mind is so rational when it comes to things like this," Severus rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Lupin, I'm spending the week surrounded by the Weasley clan, I come up here to get away from anyone with red hair, and now you want me to dissect my daughter?"

"Maybe not," Remus rubbed one temple.

*S*S*

Elizabeth slid into her seat at the breakfast table at the last possible moment, having spent considerable time in front of the mirror. She'd obsessed over the fit of her jeans and the Quidditch t-shirt she changed three times.

"What is everyone up to today?" Molly said brightly, passing food around the table.

Elizabeth listened to Hermione ramble on about a potion she'd found in a book that Severus had leant her, wheedling the Potions master to supervise her brewing sometime during the day.

Severus remained non-committal, watching his daughter across the table. She was sitting strangely, her head cocked to the side as if she were trying to eat and pose for a portrait at the same time.

"Quidditch," George said simply. "Me, Fred, Ron, Elizabeth—

"No," Elizabeth cut in.

George looked at her like she had three heads. "You don't want to play Quidditch?"

"No," Elizabeth said, tossing her hair.

Severus cast a sideways look at Fred. The boy was watching the proceedings with a look that could only be described as irritated confusion.

Snape stood, dropping his napkin on the table. "Elizabeth, I'll see you in the study when you're finished."

"I have homework."

Severus fixed her with a glare that made it clear that her insolence wasn't welcome. "Ten minutes," he ordered, and then nodded to Molly before stalking off to the study. He wasn't sure what was going on with his dark-haired child, but he aimed to put a stop to it immediately.

Precisely ten minutes later, Elizabeth arrived, arms crossed, pushing open the already-ajar door with her shoe. "Yeah?"

Severus' already somber expression darkened. "Pardon me? Were you raised in a zoo?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Sorry."

"That is certainly doubtful," Severus said wryly. "Have a seat," he motioned to the chair opposite the desk.

Elizabeth sat, arms still crossed.

Severus leaned his forearms on the desk. "Anything you want to talk about?"

"No," Elizabeth shook her head.

"You've never turned down a chance to play Quiddich in your life," Severus said, raising an eyebrow. "Especially lately, when you've been banned at school."

"I don't feel like it."

"You haven't felt like doing several things lately," Severus said gently, stretching his long fingers. "Remus says you're still not speaking to him."

"I'm not," Elizabeth confirmed, a flash of fury in her eyes.

"That worries me, hatchling. What happened?"

Elizabeth frowned. "I don't want to be with him," she said, glaring at the edge of the desk.

"Nor with Mr. Weasley at the moment, it seems," Severus commented. "Are the two instances related?"

"No," Elizabeth shrugged.

"You aren't giving me many pieces of the puzzle," Severus sighed. "Talk to me."

Elizabeth dropped her gaze to the floor. "You can't tell Mrs. Weasley."

Severus paled a bit, contemplating what a girl wouldn't want her boyfriend's mother to know. "Elizabeth."

"Fred and George are leaving school."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "To do what, may I ask?"

"Open the shop they've been planning. They've had a good business at school, everyone loves their stuff, even better than Zonkos," Elizabeth looked a bit proud for a moment then, remembering herself, squashed the expression. "They've bought a place and everything."

"And Molly doesn't know?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Fred didn't say, but I haven't heard any screaming, have you?"

Severus smirked. "I suppose you're right. You're angry with him for leaving?"

Elizabeth shrugged again. "He says with Umbridge in charge, school will be useless anyway, so they might as well get started now. But I don't know why they can't stay a bit longer."

Severus looked at the threadbare rug beneath the desk, the mismatched chairs in front of him, the peeling paint on the baseboards. He knew very well why the twins were eager to leave school and have an income. He'd considered the same thing before his mother died. Being a burden to parents with little money was an uncomfortable position.

There was a knock at the door and Remus' voice floated through the wood. "Sev?"

"Come in," Severus called back, looking at Elizabeth. "Work this out," he said, his voice low, giving her a pointed look. "Everything all right?" he asked as Remus opened the door.

"Mostly," Remus nodded. "Molly said you two were in here," he looked at Elizabeth. "Are you still giving me the cold shoulder?"

Elizabeth looked at Severus, who raised an eyebrow. She seemed to battle internally with whether or not to speak, or whom to speak to. She finally seemed to settle on Severus.

"How can you be friends with him?"

Severus looked taken aback. "What?"

Elizabeth glared at Remus. "He just sat there and let them mess with you. What kind of friend does that?"

Remus looked at Severus. "What is she talking about?"

Severus groaned. "Elizabeth…"

"Dad! They tortured you, and he was their friend! And he's still friends with Sirius—

"Stop," Severus held up a hand. "Stop right there. You cannot make judgments based on a two-minute snippet—

"What is she talking about?" Remus asked again.

Severus sighed. "Your goddaughter took a little unauthorized trip into my pensieve the other day."

"And she saw…what?" Remus looked from his friend to Elizabeth and back again.

Severus looked at him meaningfully. "The afternoon of our Defense OWL."

"Oh," Remus pressed his lips together. "I suppose that memory didn't include you being a right prat to me that morning."

"It did not," Severus affirmed.

"Your father was in a mood that day," Remus shook his head. "Snapped at me that morning if I remember correctly, something about being a damned lion."

"So you were punishing him?" Elizabeth looked incredulous.

"No," Severus shook his head. "He wasn't."

"It's complicated," Remus said, sitting in the chair beside Elizabeth.

"What's complicated?" Elizabeth glared at him. "Mum spoke up."

"And see the thanks she got for it," Severus said quietly. "The circumstances were such that it was in Remus' best interest to stay quiet."

"What? So he could be popular?" Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"So I could stay in school," Remus said quietly.

"Rem—

Remus waved away Severus' interruption, focusing on Elizabeth. "You know there's anti-werewolf feelings in the world. You've seen the lengths we go to in keeping my 'condition' a secret. Before the Wolfsbane, not only was it harder to hide, but I was young and in school. My parents didn't want to send me, and there were other parents that wouldn't have been comfortable sending their children to school with me if they had known." He paused. "James and Sirius knew about me, and they were supportive in ways that no one else could be. But that support came with risks… James was a prat a lot of the time, especially to Severus, but I couldn't afford to lose him as a friend. It couldn't risk him getting angry and shooting his mouth off to someone."

Elizabeth pressed her lips together, and Remus sighed. "I know it wasn't very Gryffindor of me. But if I couldn't go to school, I'd have spent my whole life in my parents' house." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "And by the time we grew up, both of them had grown out of being idiots….mostly. I'm not proud of a lot of moments with them… but I can't change it now."

Elizabeth thought she'd never seen him look so old and worn before. "Okay," she said softly.

Some of the tension seemed to drain from his shoulders. "So…" he said, giving her a tentative smile. "What's Fred in the doghouse for?"

*S*S*

"Hey," Fred poked his head in Elizabeth's bedroom door.

"Go away," Elizabeth said, tossing a shoe into the open trunk in the middle of the room.

"Packing?"

"We're going back to school tomorrow," Elizabeth said, irritation clear in her voice. "Go away."

"Bets… come on," Fred sighed, leaning against the doorjamb.

"No," Elizabeth said simply, piling her books into the trunk. "And don't shorten my name anymore than you already have."

"Betsy…I know you're upset—

"Yeah, I'm upset," Elizabeth hurled another shoe, but her aim was off and it ricocheted off the edge of the trunk and into the wall.

"It's the right time—

"And it wouldn't have been the time in a couple of months?" Elizabeth finally turned to face him, another shoe in her hand.

Fred looked warily at the shoe, but decided to take a chance. "Umbridge has it out for us," he said, reading himself to duck if necessary. "Do you want us to stay and risk getting expelled? We can't start the store with snapped wands. If I can't start the store, I can't support you—

"I can support myself, thank you," Elizabeth turned her back on him again. "Do whatever you want."

"Betsy, it's for us. You and me."

"It's for you, and your immature attitude," Elizabeth slammed the trunk closed. "You just can't wait to be stupid on a larger stage."

"Excuse me?" Fred narrowed his eyes. "This has been our dream, George's and mine, for a long time."

"Yeah, so you can have your own playground."

Fred frowned. "Well, I suppose it that's how you feel about it, then it's a good thing you're not coming with us."

"Good thing," Elizabeth agreed, pushing past him and down the stairs.

*S*S*

Betsy,

We're leaving today. I'm sorry I'm going without being able to talk to you. I miss you. Not being with you is like missing my right arm. I hope you'll understand eventually. I'll wait.

My life is nothing without you, Betsy. I swear that I'm not doing this to hurt you. In fact, I'm hoping that this will put me in a situation to spend the rest of my life with you. Of course, you'll have to forgive me first. Or I'll be an incredibly lonely old man. Not to guilt-trip you or anything, but the next letter may include pictures of my very sad face.

I love you, Betsy. Even when you're mad at me.

Fred

Elizabeth lay on her back, staring at the ceiling above her bed in the dungeon. Stupid boy, she thought to herself. It had been hours since the twins had escaped, leaving their portable swamp in their wake and Filch screaming because he was robbed of being able to punish them. She'd returned to her room at the end of the day to see the letter, sitting on her bed. It wasn't owl-delivered, so Fred must have placed it there himself. Or given it to Severus, which seemed unlikely. Although, sneaking into Snape's quarters was a bit suicidal. Either way, only Fred could write a letter that was both sweet and stupid at the same time. "Guilt-trip indeed," she grumbled to herself. "Shouldn't talk to him at all. He should be guilty. Stupid boy."

She sighed, rolling over on her stomach and punching the pillow a few times before reaching over and opening her bedside table drawer. Pulling out the small mirror that was inside, she rolled back over onto her back and spoke into the glass.

"Frederick Gideon Weasley."

Almost immediately, Fred's face appeared. "Hello, beautiful."

"Don't be cute, I don't like you very much right now."

"I know," Fred said quietly. "But I'm glad you called anyway."

Elizabeth scowled, running her finger along the edge of the mirror.

"We started moving in tonight," Fred said, carefully searching her face for a response. "We're going to set up a flat above the shop."

"I don't care," Elizabeth said.

"That's only until you graduate, of course," Fred went on. "Then George can have the flat and we'll find our own place somewhere else. London, or wherever you want."

"You seem awfully sure that I'm going to marry you," Elizabeth commented.

"Maybe because I'd rather be married to you, even if you hate me, than not married to you at all."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, and shrugged. "I don't hate you. I want to poke you repeatedly in the eye. Maybe kick you in the shins. But I don't hate you."

"Good. And you can kick me in the shins any time you want," Fred grinned. "Maybe not other places. Let's talk before any kicking goes on."

"Don't act like you're off the hook," Elizabeth smirked at him. "Consider yourself on probation."

"What does this 'probation' entail?" Fred asked, smoothing his face into seriousness.

"Gifts couldn't hurt," Elizabeth said snottily.

"I'll see what I can do," Fred smiled.

Elizabeth paused, picking at the bedspread with the hand not holding the mirror. "I didn't mean it," she said quietly. "You know I'm happy about the shop. I know it's not a playground for you."

"I know, my moody little thing."

"Shut up," Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"Elizabeth?" Severus' voice called from the living room.

"Dad's home," Elizabeth whispered into the mirror. "I better go."

"I love you."

"I love you," Elizabeth tucked the mirror back into the drawer.

"Elizabeth?" Snape's voice was closer now.

"Coming!" Elizabeth stood, going out into the living room. "What?"

Severus raised his eyebrow. "Good evening."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Hi."

"It was an eventful day, if I hear the gossip correctly."

Elizabeth shrugged. "I guess. Fred left me a letter."

"He didn't tell you it was going to be today?"

She shook her head, "I think he didn't want me involved, in case it didn't go well."

"I suppose I have to respect that," Severus nodded. He pulled off his robe and hung it over his desk chair. "However, I want to make something clear. Are you listening?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth sat on the arm of the sofa.

"When did you start speaking like a street urchin?" Severus asked sharply, unbuttoning his potions jacket.

"I'm listening," Elizabeth amended, sliding off the arm and onto the cushion.

Severus nodded briskly, leaning against the edge of his desk in his shirtsleeves. "I want to make it clear that while Mr. Weasley may have made an appropriate decision for his current situation, you will not be making the same choice. I don't want you to get any ideas about following him, do you understand?"

"Dad—

"Elizabeth Snape, it is a 'yes' or 'no' question."

"Yes, I understand, but—

"No," Severus held up a hand. "There are no 'but's here. You will finish school. End of discussion."

"Dad!" Elizabeth shouted, plowing on through his disapproving glare. "I'm not arguing with you!"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "You're certainly using an inappropriate tone with me."

Elizabeth lowered her voice. "I'm trying to tell you that I'm wasn't thinking about leaving school."

"Good," Severus tapped one finger against his elbow. "But?"

"But what?" Elizabeth looked at him.

"You were protesting for some reason," Severus said knowingly.

Elizabeth shook her head. "I was just saying that Fred isn't trying to get me to come with him. You don't need to worry about that."

Severus unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and pushed them up his forearms. "My full-time job is worrying," he said, crossing the room and sitting heavily in his armchair.

"I thought you were a professor," Elizabeth smirked.

"That's my second job," Severus said evenly. "I do that on the side to keep a roof over my mouthy daughter's head."

"Fred wants to get a place after I graduate," Elizabeth said conversationally, stretching out on the sofa.

"Where does he plan on living for two and a half years?" Severus asked idlely. Then, sitting forward in his chair, "Wait… with you?"

Elizabeth laughed. "Of course with me."

"Elizabeth Rose Evans Snape."

"Are you just adding stuff to my name now?"

Severus set his forehead in his hands. "I'm trying to avoid saying something I'll regret," he said quietly, staring at the floor.

"What are you upset about?" Elizabeth frowned. "You and Mum got together right after school."

Severus looked up. "You make my head hurt."

"Dad, you knew we were serious. You said you were okay with that."

"I said nothing of the sort," Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. "I have resigned myself to the fact that I cannot expect you to be a child forever. I have accepted the fact that you could certainly do worse than Fred Weasley. However, the actual reality of you moving in with him does not sit well in my psyche." He leveled a stern gaze at her. "I don't care how old you are, young lady, you are not moving in with your boyfriend while I'm still walking the earth."

"He wouldn't be my boyfriend," Elizabeth said, rolling her eyes.

"You're not getting married at 17."

"You did," Elizabeth challenged.

"I was 18," Severus shot back, "and we're not talking about me, we're talking about you."

"When I'm of age, I'll do whatever I want," Elizabeth scowled, starting to get frustrated with the turn the conversation was taking.

"You'll do what I tell you," Severus snapped. "No child of mine is going to throw her life away over some boy—

"Throw my life away?" Elizabeth was incensed.

"You'll get married, have children, and you'll forget that you have potential to do something with your life—

"So Mum didn't do anything because she married you and had me?" Elizabeth rolled her eyes and stood up.

"That is not what I said," Severus said tightly.

"Whatever, Dad," Elizabeth shrugged angrily and went into her room, slamming the door.

Severus rubbed this temple. That didn't go as planned, he thought, leaning back in his chair and breathing deeply.

He waited until he heard the shower stop running, and heard the rustling of dresser drawers cease before he approached the door, knocking briskly before entering.

The scene had become irritatingly familiar. Elizabeth, buried under the covers, upset with him.

It doesn't matter if you're right, Sev, Lily had told him once. Of course you're right. You're the adult. But girls require a little more… finesse than you're used to.

Sighing, he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the blankets back from her head. "Never, not for a single moment, did your mother or I regret being together or having you. That wasn't the point. You are the best thing we could have done with our lives. I hope that someday you can experience that." He smoothed her hair. "I don't think you can fully understand what goes through your mind when you have a child. All the plans and ideas…" he paused a moment. "Yes, when I was holding you as a baby I had fantasies about walking you down the aisle. I want to do that. I'm glad you found someone who will be there when I'm not. Every father wants that for his daughter."

Severus waved his wand, drying her hair before continuing. "But I also had visions of taking you to university. Watching you become whatever you wanted to be."

"University?" Elizabeth rolled over and sat up, the look on her face making it clear that she'd never thought about the possibility. "Like Muggles?"

Severus nodded. "There are wizarding schools for advanced training," he fiddled with the edge of the blanket. "But your mother and I always had this idea of university being a goal, growing up in Muggle houses. Or at least semi-Muggle." He smiled a little. "They make up a majority of the world. An educational connection could do your future good."

*S*S*

University was an interesting notion, but before Elizabeth could think about it more thoroughly, there was something she needed to do first. The dreaded O.W.L. season was upon them.

"Care package delivery," Remus said cheerfully, stepping out of the floo with a box of snacks and study materials. "Your dad said he had you confined to the books down here."

Elizabeth looked up from her History of Magic book. "Do you want to quiz me on the Goblin Wars?"

"If I didn't know you better, I'd think you were actually studying," Remus teased, setting the box on the table and sitting on the sofa.

"I am!" Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Just because I don't study like Hermione doesn't mean I don't study. Plus," she handed him her History book, "it matters to Dad. I don't care that much, but he's kind of stressed out right now."

Remus laughed. "So what else is new? Who is the source of most of that stress?"

"Umbridge," Elizabeth said sassily. "I'm nothing but sunshine and light. Just ask anyone."

"Maybe later I'll take a poll," Remus chuckled. "Anyway, I was thinking that after your last exam, we could stage a prison break and go to Hogsmeade for dinner. Celebrate two weeks of hand-cramping exams."

"Deal," Elizabeth yawned.

"You've been sleeping alright?" Remus asked, opening a box of chocolate frogs.

"Fine," Elizabeth shrugged.

"Hmmm," Remus raised an eyebrow.

"You talked to Dad?"

Remus nodded. "You have to work harder, kid."

"I am," Elizabeth asserted. "I just can't do it when I'm asleep."

"He's been active lately?"

Elizabeth nodded. "He wants something. I don't know what, but he wants something. I think Dad has a theory, but he won't tell me. Probably means I'm going to die."

"Elizabeth," Remus said sharply. "That's not funny."

"It wasn't really a joke," Elizabeth shrugged. "It always seems to come back to me."