Chapter 3
Siniva had always been a secretive girl. She didn't like to share her deep thoughts with people. Even as a young child, she preferred to keep her thoughts in her head and didn't write even a single one down until later in life. She felt like it would be a better idea to avoid telling people about the thoughts that ran through her head. But now, talking to Draco, everything felt different. Siniva, for once, felt like she had a friend that she could trust with her secrets.
"I mean, can you believe it? He thought I couldn't handle coming to school here." Siniva said. "Uh, nope. Can't believe that." Draco said. "It's as if he thinks I'm such a loner that he has to tell people to be my friends. I'm just glad it's not like that with you." Siniva said. "Yeah...It's not like your dad told me to keep an eye on you or something." Draco said. After hearing what had slipped his mouth, he regretted saying anything. "What?" Siniva asked, turning to face Draco. "Nothing." Draco tried. But salvaging the conversation at this point was an impossibility. "My dad told you to keep an eye on me?" Siniva questioned. Draco really wished he hadn't said anything. "No, of course not." he lied. "I knew it! My dad doesn't trust me and he still treats me like a child!" Siniva said, flustered. She stormed off in the opposite direction, down the way of the dungeons. "Siniva, wait!" Draco called, following her. Crabbe and Goyle were approaching Draco, looking rather sweaty. "Oh, there you are, Draco-" Goyle started. "Not now, you blokes!" Draco said. "What's his deal?" Crabbe asked. Goyle shrugged in reply. Draco tried to keep following Siniva, but now he couldn't find her. "Damn." he muttered, thinking of where she had gotten to. Draco ran as quickly as he could to the dungeons when he heard yelling from Snape's office. And Professor Snape wasn't the one yelling.
"Honestly dad, why can't you just let me off the leash for once? I'm starting a new life here now, and with you constantly trying to watch me, I feel like a caged owl! I need a little independence and I need to learn to figure things out for myself. I'm not a baby anymore, so you can stop trying to hold me back from my life! I need to grow up, dad!" Siniva yelled. Draco was too late to stop her. The damage had been done. The office door opened and Siniva stormed out. Professor Snape appeared in the doorway, looking sad. Draco hadn't known it was possible. "Professor, I didn't mean-" Draco started. Snape said nothing, shutting his office door. Draco, head down, walked out of the dungeons and back to the Slytherin common room. Maybe there was something he could say to Siniva so she knew he never meant any harm.
"Leave me alone, Draco. I don't want to talk right now." Siniva said. She refused to look at him in the Slytherin common room. "Siniva, please-" he started. Siniva stood up and walked to her dorm. Draco couldn't go in there if he wanted to. "Malfoy, there you are." Crabbe said. "We've been looking for you for half an hour." Goyle added. "Yeah, well, you found me." Draco said, a slight roll in his eyes. "What's with you?" Crabbe wondered. "Nothing." Draco replied, crossing his arms. Crabbe and Goyle exchanged glances but said nothing further.
Snape sat in his office, still thinking about what Siniva had said to him earlier that day. Did she really think what she said? Even if she did, she couldn't stay mad at him forever. Snape thought back to a time when protecting Siniva was easier. When she was little. When she needed him the most. She still did need him, even if at this moment she didn't want to think so. Snape thought back to the bright-eyed, expressive little girl he used to know. Back before his world turned, before Siniva's world turned. It was almost too much to think about. So why not relive it instead? Even if Snape couldn't go back in time, that didn't mean there weren't alternative ways of looking into the past. Right now, the pensieve was his best option. And apparently, his only option.
As soon as he started looking back into the past, Snape could remember it vividly. There was a time when he felt like a man on the run. On the run from his haunting past, his ghosts. But he stopped running because his life got better. And he could thank Siniva for that.
Snape stood at the front door of the house on Spinner's End, wearing a heavy black cloak. A small bundle was concealed in his arm, something he was trying to hide. For now, anyway. Where he would go was unclear, but this was something he had to do. And Snape took off in the rain, on that early, foggy morning.
Snape arrived at a small building. Or, in reality, a rather large house. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy's house, to be exact. He knocked on the door three times. The door opened and Snape was face to face with Lucius. "Severus. Come in." Lucius said. "I need your help, Lucius." Snape said, walking inside. "My help?" Lucius questioned. "Yes." Snape replied. "What is this about?" Lucius asked. "The Dark Lord is persistent about what we do, I worry that he will one day try to drag me down with him. And if that happens, Siniva will have no one." Snape started. "And what if something were to happen to you?" Lucius asked. "That's what I've come to ask of you. What I'm saying is that, should circumstance have it, I would want someone close to me to take Siniva in, someone I can trust." Snape explained. Lucius nodded. "I understand." he said. "So you agree?" Snape asked. "Yes. If an inopportune fate were to befall you, Narcissa and I will take Siniva in." Lucius replied. "Thank you." Snape said. "But in return, I must ask of one thing from you." Lucius added. "Anything." Snape decided. Lucius looked over his shoulder and suddenly quieted his voice. "No matter what they say about me, never let any rumors center around Narcissa and Draco. If I'm living a life full of lying rumors, it doesn't mean they have to." Lucius said. Snape nodded, understanding. "Thank you, Severus." Lucius said. "I'll be off now." Snape said, turning to walk out the door, back to the darkened streets, to Spinner's End.
A sudden knock on his office door disrupted Snape's reverie. He sent the pensieve back to its hiding spot and walked towards the door. He turned the knob and was somewhat surprised to see Hermione Granger standing there. But she wasn't alone. Someone was standing behind her. "Sorry to disturb you, professor, but I just thought you'd like to hear something." Hermione said, stepping aside. Siniva stood behind where Hermione had just been, looking with a facial expression of something between sadness, anger and regret. "Miss Granger, I would like to speak to my daughter alone." Snape said. "Yes sir, I'll just be going." Hermione said, leaving the dungeon in a quickened pace. Snape walked back into his office, cloak sweeping behind him. Siniva followed, shutting the door behind her. "Siniva, what was so important that you needed someone to announce it for you?" Snape wondered. "There...There wasn't anything I wanted to say. She made me come down here." Siniva responded, folding her arms over her chest. "Do you understand that I'm only here for other students to teach them?" Snape asked. "Yes." Siniva replied. "And what reason do you think I have to be here for you?" Snape asked. Siniva said nothing and shrugged. "Siniva, I'm here for you because I'm your father. I'm here to protect you, not just to teach you the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane." Snape said. "They're the same thing. You don't have to intentionally say incorrect things to make me feel smart." Siniva replied. "I'm just trying to prove a point. You mean everything to me." Snape told her. "I know I do." Siniva said, looking down at her feet. "I just wish you would trust me more." Snape sighed. "I do trust you." he informed. "I meant enough to not stick someone to babysit me." Siniva said. "Trust has to be earned." Snape told her. "I know it does. Haven't I earned your trust, dad?" Siniva asked, looking up at him again. "You know I have a hard time trusting people." Snape said, lowering his voice to hide the shaking. "Just tell me how I can earn your trust." Siniva implored. Snape stood. "Just don't shut me out. Trust me, so that I can trust you." he responded. Siniva nodded. "I promise." Snape looked down at Siniva and hugged her. "You're all I have left. I don't want to lose you." Siniva hugged him back. "And I don't want to lose you." After a few quiet minutes, the two let go, having sealed their mutual agreement. "I'll leave you back to your work." Siniva said. She opened the door, stepped over the threshold, kicked the door shut again and walked away. Snape returned to his desk, to return to his memories.