FLSAHBACK
"You wished to see me?" I asked, stepping into Dumbledore's office. I had never seen it before, but it was like another magical world inside this already magical world.
"Very much so. Come on in, Dear!" Dumbledore stood up, waving me over to his desk.
Getting closer, Dumbledore put his hands on either side of my face.
"Your Father's face, but not his eyes."
My eyes went wide. How would Dumbledore know who my father was?
As soon as my heart started racing, the door to Dumbledore's office swung open, and I saw my father flying in with his long cape flowing behind him.
"Ah, Severus, glad you could make it!" Dumbledore exclaimed.
I was trying not to panic. If Dumbledore had found out about our secret, who knows what would happen. Would I even be allowed to go to the same school that he taught at? Did his being a teacher have something to do with my out-of-the-blue acceptance letter?
"Please, have a seat." Dumbledore stood behind his desk and motioned for Snape and I to take the two seats sitting in front of the desk.
"So, as the three of us know, you two share a special bond. Father and daughter."
I stared at Dumbledore as so did my dad. I didn't even care to turn my head to see his reaction. It was probably his usual blank stare. So I replicated the same blank stare.
"I'm not mad, Severus." He looked Snape in the eyes. "In fact, I sent Miss Everly her acceptance letter personally. I know you had no intentions of her attending this school."
So it wasn't Snape who sent the acceptance letter.
"It was no use in the two of you being separated. Both very powerful wizards, or, so, will become," he winked at me. "But no one must know."
"We covered that." I said, trying to reassure Dumbledore.
"Did you cover the role your father plays here at Hogwarts?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Potions professor. There's not much more to it is there?" I shook my head, finally looking over at Severus. I tried taking deep breaths so that I didn't seem too nervous, even though it felt as if my heart was beating out of my chest.
Dumbledore shot a look towards Snape that said more.
"I play various roles at Hogwarts. Potions professor is just the surface." Severus started talking, slow as always.
"Surface of what? Are we going to go beneath the surface or not?" I sat on the edge of my seat.
A few moments of silence passed between Dumbledore and Snape.
"I think it would be best for you to get to know your classmates first. Then, we can talk about this at a later time." Dumbledore advised.
"So, my classmates have something to do with this?" I asked.
"Not to their knowledge," Dumbledore shook his head. "Not yet, at least."
"Please, tell me, Miss Everly. How is your occulmency?"
PRESENT
Despite rising suspicions, particularly mine about the Order of the Phoenix that Harry Potter mentioned, Snape and I had not planned another meet-up. We hadn't met after class or after curfew since the first time on Sunday. And now it was well into the school week, and my curiosity was getting the best of me.
Walking into Potions class, everyone was trying to find their newly assigned seating. Apparently, my father had finished his seating chart.
"Seamus Finnigan." I groaned, quite noticeable actually. For my father wanting me to be good at potions, he doesn't give me the most qualified partners.
"Don' ya worry, Ever. I wan't too happy 'bout it meself. Secund class we're together. You'd think they learn, huh?" Seamus was already seated at our table, the sparkling cauldron of impending doom sitting in front of us.
"I feel your pain." I sat down next to him.
And what made it worse, Severus Snape assigned Draco Malfoy to sit at the desk next to us. On my side.
I would have to see his annoying blond head out of the corner of my eye everyday. It was either that or face towards Seamus 24/7, and that might be dangerous.
Fortunately, Draco's person of interest today was Harry Potter. So I was pretty much clear of hit list, at least for today.
"Can you let me take the lead today?"
Seamus scoffed. "I need to get better, Everly, if I'm going to pass the OWLs."
I rested my face on my hands. I knew what that meant. When Seamus wanted to be a part of something, he liked to control it. That was just a trait of his that I knew of far too well, at least as far as Potions go. And let's just say, so far, his track record hasn't been too good.
"Settle down." My father shut the door after sweeping into the classroom. He began to explain OWLs, which were taking place in June, to which I heard Seamus' breathing hitched. I don't know why he wanted to do so good. He never really cared for Potions before. "Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'acceptable' in your OWL, or suffer my…displeasure."
He continued to give instructions on how to mix the Draught of Peace, which I'm sure Seamus and I could both use.
"The ingredients and method are on the blackboard. You will find everything you need in the store cupboard. You have an hour and a half. Start."
The class was a breeze for me. I just sat back and mentally pointed out every step Seamus was doing wrong.
Thankfully, this time, I was nothing that could explode. Just catch fire possibly. But that was nothing new. I had my wand tightly gripped under my cloak, ready to extinguish any flames.
All the attention was on Harry Potter though. I didn't even care to listen as Snape scolded him once again on failing one of his potions. I rolled my eyes, wondering why Severus even cared. It was almost like he wanted Harry Potter to have some interest in Potions.
Of course, I knew the history between Severus Snape and Lily Potter, who Severus told me numerous times was not my mother. I just didn't know what it meant for the future of Snape or Harry.
From experience, I knew that Snape expressed his emotions very differently from anyone else I had ever met, but how he treated Harry was a new dimension.
I could only imagine if Snape took on Harry as his own son, then he would probably make Harry come after class for extra tutoring too, until he got every potion perfected. Like I said, I guessed from experience.
"Ever, Everly!" Seamus' voice brought me out of my thoughts.
Whipping my wand out, I involuntarily snuffed out the flames Seamus started.
Without any words, I just glared at Seamus, who was slinking back in his chair from disappointment.
"Homework: twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making." Snape assigned before sweeping out of the room once again.
I sighed. I guess that still meant we weren't going to talk. I rolled my eyes in frustration.
Often, I had to remind myself that Severus really did love me, and he was avoiding me out of preservation. Gathering my books up, I headed out of the dungeons.
Trailing behind the trio, Hermione, Ron, and Harry, I overheard parts of their conversation.
"I've always thought Dumbledore was cracked trusting Snape, where's the evidence he ever really stopped working for You-Know-Who?"
I rolled my eyes again. Clearly, this day was putting me in a great mood.
I rounded the corner to go to lunch and ran headfirst into what I thought was a post.
"Hey, it's my favorite fifth-year!" Not a post. But, indeed, Fred Weasley.
"Good morning." I muttered.
"Well, if that's how you see it, but I see it as a day half spent. Got to make the most of the rest of it while it lasts. Suns still up, students fresh bored out of their minds, scoundering through the halls. Perfect tricks and treats breeding ground if you ask me. Say, what's got you so down?"
I guess I was being particularly quiet for a normal conversation with Fred.
"Nothing. That's it. This day has been so utterly boring and uneventful that it just seems void of anything engaging."
Fred chuckled. "Well, you need to spend more time with me I guess."
I chuckled too. "I know no one more intriguing." I winked at him.