A/N: Again with thank to my Beta, Lady Lanera. A big thank you goes out to Daughter of Aries for her writing the part of Eileen in this chapter. I couldn't stop laughing.


Erin felt like a kid in a candy store as she stepped out of the alley with her Aunt Cissy. The Muggle street was crowded with children dressed in all sorts of costumes, while their parents followed close behind. Some houses had simple decorations: A pumpkin, bale of hay or fake spider webs, while others looked like haunted houses.

"Now, Erin, there are a few rules you must follow, or else we are going straight home," Narcissa said as she glanced around. "Stay close to me and you are also not to eat any of the sweets you acquire today until Either I or your mother check them."

" I know, Aunt Cissy. Mummy went through this with me before we left." Erin rolled her eyes. "Can we start now? Please?"

"Keep up that attitude, Miss Snape, and we will go home now." Narcissa raised a challenging eyebrow at her niece

"Sorry, ma'am." Erin bit her lip. "May we please start?"

Narcissa took Erin's hand and led her down the street to the first house. "Go on, and remember to say thank you."

Erin grinned up at her aunt before skipping to the door and knocking. Narcissa smiled as she watched Erin. It took a few simple Transfigurations to turn the girl's clothes into an exact replica of a Slytherin uniform. Adding a pointed black hat with a green ribbon had been Erin's idea to make her look more like a 'Muggle' version of a witch. Narcissa laughed to herself as Erin excitedly skipped back and showed her the treats she received. They continued to the next house and then the next.

Soon they had completed the left side of the street, and Erin grabbed Narcissa's hand and nearly dragged her across the street. Narcissa didn't have the heart to scold the child, who was obviously enjoying herself immensely.

Erin smiled up at her aunt once more before skipping to the first house on this side of the street. Trick or treating was so much fun, and she already had nearly a whole bag full of sweets. She hoped her mum would let her keep it all. Of course they had to hide it from her father.

Erin frowned as she thought of her father. She would be in so much trouble if he found out where she was and what she was doing right then. Not to mention how much trouble her mum would be in. She hated when the two of them fought and knew that there would be the world's biggest fight if he found out. Erin sighed before heading to the next house, praying to Merlin their secret lasted at least until she was finished trick or treating.


Severus walked into the kitchen and placed the bag he was carrying on the table. "Erin, could you come into the kitchen please? I have something for you." He frowned when he didn't hear her small footsteps coming down the stairs as he expected. "Erin?"

Having heard her husband calling for Erin, Demetri came inside from the back garden and headed into the kitchen. She glanced at the bag on the table that had the unmistakable logo of Honeydukes printed on it. She smiled at Severus to hide her confusion. "I thought you said you were going to be at the Apothecary doing inventory today?"

"I planned on staying all day, but I couldn't help but think about Erin and her wanting to go trick or treating. I thought she would enjoy it if I hid some candy around the house, and she went to find it. So I stopped at Honeydukes and then headed home." He tilted his head almost as if listening to the house. "Is she taking a nap?"

Demetri swallowed hard before leaning against the counter. "No. She was getting on my last nerve so I sent her over to Narcissa's for a while." She shrugged. "She knows Cissy won't take any sass from her."

Nodding, Severus walked out of the kitchen heading for the sitting room. He was just about to grab the pot of Floo Powder when Demetri spoke.

"What are you doing?" A hint of panic colored her words.

Severus turned, a handful of Floo powder in hand. "Having Erin come home. I wish to show her what I have for her." He turned back to the Floo and threw down the powder, calling out Malfoy Manor before putting his head into the green flames.

Demetri quickly walked over to him and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why not let her stay for awhile, love? It's not often the two of us get the house to ourselves."

Severus barely heard her as he called out for Narcissa a second time. Narrowing his eyes, he caled for one of the Manor's house elves. The creepy little creature popped into existence inches from Severus' face, making him flinch. "Bloody idiot. Where is your mistress?"

The elf wasn't fazed by the insult. "Mistress be taking the little miss out, sir. Miss Demetri be dropping off the Little Miss and telling her to have fun and leaves her sweets with Mistress before coming home."

"Did she now?" Severus growled before pulling his head from the Floo. He slowly stood and turned to face his wife. "Narcissa isn't home."

Demetri bit her lower lip and sighed when she saw Severus' eyes narrow. "Maybe she took Erin with her on an errand or to the park?"

Severus slowly walked around his wife, something he used to do to make others nervous when he knew they were lying. Stopping behind her, Severus leaned forward to whisper into her ear. "Don't. Lie. To. Me."

Demetri turned to face her husband. "I'm not lying, Severus. I don't know where they could be." She took a step away from him, but he stepped with her.

Taking her chin in his hand, Severus did something he swore he would never do to his wife or child. "Legilimens." She tried to fight him, but he broke through her shields like they were paper. His anger grew as he saw the conversation between her and Erin the night before. He hated being disobeyed, but he hated being lied to even more. He angrily withdrew from her mind, causing Demetri to cry out.

Stumbling backwards, Demetri gripped her head as a pounding headache began. "You son of a bitch." She picked up a book from the coffee table and hurled it at Severus, but he sidestepped it.

"I can't believe you let her go out after I explicitly said no. You two conspired against me and lied to my face." Severus snarled.

"I wouldn't have had to lie if you weren't such a baby about Halloween," Demetri spat back.

Severus snarled, "You know perfectly well why I despise the bloody holiday."

"Yes, I do know. You're still hung up on a dead woman! Grow the hell up, Severus, and move on! Everyone else has."

Severus saw red . "How dare you!"

"How dare I? How dare you! What the hell do I have to do to get you to move on? Shall I get a pair of Gryffindor robes and a red wig? The Mudblood bitch is dead Severus. Deal with it."

Severus snarled and grabbed Demetri by the front of her robes. "Don't you ever use that word in my presence again, especially when talking about her."

Demetri tried to get out of his grasp."That's right, only you are allowed to call her a Mudblood."

Severus let her go as if she burned him, causing her hip to hit the corner of the table. "You Malfoys are all the same. Arrogant fools who think everyone else is dragon shit on the bottom of your boots. You are no better than your brother and father, Demetri."

Demetri stepped forward again and slapped Severus hard enough to make her hand hurt. "Fuck you."

Severus stared at her with cold eyes. "Only if you promise to wear that red wig."

Demetri's eyes went wide, and she went to slap him again but Severus grabbed her wrist. Yanking her arm back only to find that he wouldn't let go, she brought her knee up and caught him in the groin.

Swearing, Severus let her go and stumbled away from her. Before he could recover, Demetri grabbed the container of Floo powder.

"I should have left you in Spinner's End to die." Demetri stepped into the Floo and called out her destination, grateful the flames hid the tears that began to fall.


Severus stormed up the cobblestone walk of his mother's home, his gait not as smooth as it normally was due to Demetri's knee earlier. Reaching the door, he nonverbally unlocked it and stood in the entryway. "Mother? Damn it, woman, I know you're here."

"I know I taught you how to knock, Severus Tobias Snape," Eileen said, coming around the corner without wearing a shirt or bra.

Severus spun around to face the door. "Merlin's fucking beard, Mother. Put a shirt on! I will Obliviate myself of that mental image while you do so."

"Go back outside and knock like a proper gentleman, and I will."

Severus growled. "I do not have time for these games, Mother. I need to find Erin and Narcissa."

Eileen put her hands on her hips and glared at her son without saying a word or moving to put on a shirt.

Severus turned around, swore again and fixed his gaze at a spot on the far wall. "Mother, I know you know where Narcissa took Erin," he growled out between clenched teeth.

"I'm not in the habit of repeating my instructions, young man."

"And I am not in the habit of playing your games, woman. I know you and both of the Malfoy females plotted against me. Now kindly tell me where my child is or I will have the three of you reported for kidnapping.

Eileen took a step closer to her son and smacked him soundly upside the head.

"Go outside. Calm yourself down. Then knock on my door. I will not repeat myself again."

"Damn it, Mother!" Severus sighed and counted to ten...twice in his head before speaking again. "Mother, please. Where is Narcissa and Erin?

With a flick of her wand, Eileen propelled her son outside, thinking he very much deserved the hard landing on his backside. Closing the door behind him, she locked it securely against any spell he might try.

He landed with a thud and swore for the third time. Picking himself up off the ground, he stared at the door, trying not to lose his composure again. "I swear to Merlin, Mother, if anything happens to Erin it's on your head!"

Eileen rolled her eyes. Such dramatics. "Knock on the damn door, boy. And be polite."

"You are one to talk," Severus muttered before knocking. "Mother dearest, are you home? I wish to inquire about whether or not you happen to know the whereabouts of my sister-in-law and my child," he added in a sarcastic tone.

"Drop the sarcasm. You're wasting time."

Banging his head on the door, Severus pictured all the many ways he could kill his mother and get away with it. "Mother, please."

Eileen slowly put on a shirt and made him wait for several more minutes before opening the door. Who said one couldn't put her children in time out when they grew up? "Are you ready to behave?"

"Only if you are." He crossed his arms over his chest.

Without a blink, Eileen slammed the door in his face.

Severus glared at the door before turning on his heel and walking back down the walk. He aimlessly walked around the neighborhood for two hours before turning back and once again knocking on his mother's door. " I'm sorry, Mother. Please tell me where Narcissa took Erin."

Eileen opened the door, fully clothed, and gave her son a hug. "Tell me what happened."

Severus sighed before explaining the fight with Demetri and the fact that she had dragged Erin into this lie.

"You deserved that kick to the groin, young man."

"That woman lied to me, went behind my back, and convinced Erin to lie as well. " He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "I had enough back stabbing to last a lifetime during the war, Mother. I don't need anymore from my own family."

"Then you should have tried to be reasonable. Erin is a little girl who wants to be just like her friends. The same way you used to want to be like all your classmates. Now, I'll tell you where they are, but you have to promise you'll try and stay calm and listen to what your wife has to say."

"There are other ways for her to be a little girl that doesn't include going around door to door to get Merlin knows what in the form of candy. Add to that there are adults in masks and costumes who could want to do harm to Erin or any child out there." Severus sighed. "There are still people out there that wish me dead and wouldn't stop at harming my child to get at me."

"I know, love, but tell me. Has all your yelling and fighting gotten you anywhere with either your wife or daughter? "

"No, but I shouldn't have been lied to. I came home with treats for Erin and was planning on taking her out myself as a surprise." He shook his head. "I guess the surprise was on me."

"Maybe next time you'll let your wife know when you're going to surprise your daughter." Eileen shook her head. "Narcissa, Demetri, and Erin are out trick-or-treating in the area you and Lily used to trick-or-treat in. Try not to be an arse when you find them. If I find out you were after they get done with you, you'll have to answer to me."

"Of all the places she could go, it had to be there." Severus ground his teeth at the thought of having to go to that neighborhood. That choice had to have been his mother's doing. "I'll behave as long as they do. Thank you, Mother."

Eileen cleared her throat and turned her head expectantly, as her son started to leave.

Severus snorted and rolled his eyes before kissing her cheek. "Good night, Mother."

"Goodnight, Severus. I love you, but be sure to behave yourself! " Eileen called after him as he walked out the door.

"Yes, Mother. I'll make sure I don't eat any sweets before you check them and look both ways before crossing the street," he said over his shoulder before ducking down an alley and Disapparating.


A/N~ Reviews make me happy.