{Chapter 5}
Moony and Moody

"Professor?"

"Yes, come in, Draco." Snape said to the teenager standing just outside his office.

"I thought you would like to know that the family of blood traitors are filling Trixi's head with rubbish." Draco stepped in and took a seat in a spare chair.

"I was there to witness the mishap." Snape replied icily.

"Can Trixi get transferred yet?" Draco asked.

Snape scowled. "I have been told that my daughter has accepted the house she's been sorted into."

"Her decision wasn't a fair one." Draco sneered.

"I always assumed she would get sorted into Slytherin." Snape thought aloud. "She has such passion to succeed."

"I don't see any Gryffindor qualities in your daughter, sir." Draco said for good measure. "I still think we can change her mind."

"We will try to persuade her." Snape appeared not to have heard Draco. "By showing her that we are the better of the two."

"That won't be too difficult." Draco smirked.

Snape nodded. "Draco, if you see my daughter around Potter, do me a favour and separate the two." He requested in a dark voice.

"That had already occurred to me, sir."

"Excellent."

* * *

Professor Lupin was becoming everyone's favourite teacher. His students quickly took a fondness to the charming man. He laughed a lot, and was very encouraging.

The first years loved their second class when he allowed them to take turns tripping him. Most of them -the ones with siblings, Trixi had guessed- already had the spell memorized.

The students laughed, giggled, and squealed as their professor struggled to walk. They couldn't hurt him though. Professor Lupin had charmed the room with the cushioning spell, forming a soft, springy, invisible surface along everything. They had too much fun with this also, bouncing around to see how high they could jump while waiting in line to cast on their teacher.

Trixi, as fun as the class was, refused to cast the spell when it came to her turn.

"You're not going to hurt me, kid." Professor Lupin told her.

"I don't want to do it." She said glumly.

"Try it, I bet you'll like it." He sent her a smile.

That didn't work though; she stood in her place, waiting for him to excuse her. Which the professor did finally do, but not without giving her an odd look.

Professor Lupin then told them to pair up so they could cast on each other. He instructed them to not use the shield spell that they had learned the other day just so they could experience the effects of the tripping charm.

"Ready?" Thomas asked Trixi with excited eyes. Thomas, being a muggleborn, liked anything to do with magic. He hadn't had a lot of it growing up, so this world was new and exciting for him.

"Take your best shot!" She taunted.

Thomas said the incantation, and Trixi was instantly swept off her feet. She felt her stomach do a tickling, flip flop before falling face down and bouncing up once from the cushioning.

She giggled. "That's pretty fun!"

"Try me! Try me!" Thomas bounced in place.

Trixi hesitated. The idea felt frightening; casting a spell on someone. "I can't." she said quietly.

"Come on, Trixi!" Thomas begged. "Please!"

She gave him a doubtful look.

"Do it! Do it! Do it!" Thomas chanted.

"Okay." She said slowly, raising her wand, then said the spell.

Thomas' feet didn't fly out from under him like Trixi's had. Instead, he just lightly stumbled, like someone had given him a small shove from behind. Thomas was trying to keep his balance but gave up quickly and allowed himself to fall. He was giggling like a little girl.

"You are not very good at this, are you?" Franilda Wildnox asked Trixi, who was practicing next to them, her opponent being a short girl with black hair.

"I guess not." Trixi shrugged with a smile.

Franilda stepped out of the path of her opponent's spell and quickly shot one back. The girl didn't see it coming and tripped backward, landing with a bounce on her back.

"You are brilliant!" Thomas exclaimed. "And you have nice hair too." He added with admiration.

Franilda gave him a snobbish sniff, but politely said, "Thank you."

"Are you a Metamor-"

"Yes, I am a Metamorphmagus." She interrupted Trixi with exasperation.

"What's that?" Thomas asked. "Is that why you have blue hair?"

"Metamorphmagi can change certain aspects of their appearances." Trixi explained to Thomas.

"Whoa! Wicked!" Thomas exclaimed. "Can you show me?"

Franilda gave him another sniff before rolling her eyes. "Watch." She touched an eyebrow to indicate where to look. Franilda closed her eyes and pursed her lips in concentration. One by one, strands of her eyebrows changed from blue to green.

"Whoa!" Thomas gasped. "Can I touch it?"

Franilda's eyes flew open. "No, you may not!" She huffed.

Franilda suddenly reminded Trixi a little of Professor McGonagall, only more snobbish and rude.

"Well, thanks for showing me anyway." Thomas said.

"As interesting as Metamorphmagi are, I should remind you that we are in class right now." Professor Lupin smiled down at the trio.

"Sorry." A unison of three voices followed.

"Miss Snape, if you have time after class, I would love it if you can stay behind for a few minutes."

"Yes sir."

"What'd you do?" Thomas whispered.

"Nothing." Trixi quickly answered." At least I don't think..."

"Come trip me again, Trixi!" He hopped back a few feet so they had some distance between them. "Go on then!"

She sighed and lifted her wand; all she would do was make him stumble.

* * *

"So what's your story, Trixi?" Remus eyed Lily's daughter with a smile. The tiny eleven year old looked so much younger than she was. Other than those beautiful eyes of Lily's, she had the misfortune of looking just like her father did twenty-two years ago. At least the child hadn't inherited Severus' greasy streaks of hair, proving that it was very likely due to poor hygiene maintenance.

"Pardon?"

"You appear to have a problem with spell casting?"

"I can cast spells perfectly." She said indignantly.

"Then let's see one." Remus crossed his arms casually.

"Why?" Her innocent, emerald green eyes looked up at him.

"Because you appear hesitant in my class, and it's my job to find out why." he explained.

"It's not defending myself when I trip someone." she grumbled.

That is an odd thing for someone to say. Remus thought. "You have a problem with casting spells on people?"

"If they are harmful."

"This spell isn't harmful though."

"It could be." Trixi argued.

"How so?" Remus smiled slightly. Lily had been this same way, always arguing her points with them as they were growing up, especially with Sirius-

Sirius...! Anger roared through him. That prat of a traitor! It took all his strength not to curse in front of the child.

"They could fall and break a bone." Trixi's voice suggested, pulling him from his thoughts. She was eyeing him carefully.

"You want to talk to your dad about this? He might help you out better than I could." Doubtful. Remus thought, but she was Severus' daughter; it was not his place...

"No, I am not talking to Daddy right now!" Her arms folded across her chest in a huff.

"Oh, right." He quickly remembered what happened the other night in the Great Hall.

"You're going to make me talk to him, aren't you?" He heaved a sigh. "He's not going to like this."

"Am I in trouble?!"

"What?" He asked slightly confused. "Oh! Not at all."

"Then why would Daddy be upset?"

Remus smiled. "Don't worry about that. I'll take care of it."

Trixi's eyes fell to her feet.

"What's wrong?"

"Please don't tell him."

"Why not?" He heard his curious voice ask. She didn't answer him though. Her eyes seemed glued to the floor.

"He should really know about this." Remus pressed when she didn't answer. "DADA is an important class, and you should learn the spells."

"I don't want to talk to him." she said stubbornly as she narrowed her eyes. "I'm still mad."

Remus had to stop himself from shuddering, she looked too much like Severus then. Way too much. What in Merlin's beard had Lily seen in that man anyway?

"Oh, I didn't mean to upset you, Professor, I'm sorry." The girl gave him a worried look.

Remus smiled softly. "It wasn't you, I was just thinking."

"Professor Lupin, If I don't go soon, I'll be late for History of Magic." Trixi told him.

"Right, go along then. If you're late, tell Professor Binns I kept you."

She nodded and made a quick exit.

Strange, that one.

* * *

"Draco, I said-" Severus stopped himself when he seen Remus standing at the doorway. "Oh, it's you." He sneered.

"Good afternoon, Severus." Remus said slowly to avoid calling Snape by his childhood nickname.

"Come in, then." Severus ushered him into his office.

"I had a lesson with Trixi today." Remus said casually.

"Tea?" Severus asked as he poured a cup.

"No thanks."

"So what about my daughter?"

"Good kid." Remus felt extremely odd complimenting the man. "Bit strange though." He added for good measure.

Yeah, that feels better.

Severus gave him a dark look.

"She's confusing." Remus said. "Teetering between you and Lily."

"How is that confusing?" Serverus snapped.

Remus shrugged, not sure how to explain his meaning. "I still can't believe you haven't told her about Harry and Lily."

"She already knows."

"Really?" Remus asked, surprised.

"That bloody Hat told her."

"Is that why she-"

"Yes." Severus cut him off shortly.

Remus chuckled. "Fine way to find out about your mother."

Severus shot him an unamused look.

"They were going to find out about each other eventually." Remus pointed out. "And what you did wasn't fair to either of them."

"You want your potion or not?" Severus asked threateningly.

"I didn't come here for that." Remus said, waving him off. "I came here to talk about Trixi."

"It had better be important, Lupin." Severus' quiet voice was dangerously icily. "I am not in the mood for to exchange verbal jabs today."

"She's a bit reluctant using spells in my class." Remus went straight to the point.

"Continue." Severus drawled, suddenly interested.

"It appears she's afraid of harming someone."

Severus' eyes glazed over, staring off in space.

He's gone batty again. Remus knew Severus was deep in thought; whatever he'd said must have triggered something.

"I thought she got over that." Severus finally said, his eyes still out of focus.

"Are you going to tell me? Or are you just being cryptic again?" It made Remus uncomfortable that he knew Severus more than he wanted to.

Severus came back from his trance. "There was an accident a year ago. Trixi had been practicing the Verzengen spell and my House Elf came in the room then. I forgot to charm him with the freezing spell. He ended up with some serious burns."

"Oh, my!"

"Trixi is a bit attached to the creature, too attached for my liking." he grunted at this. "But the house elf is a very good servant, so I can't say much."

"The house elf didn't die then?"

"Thankfully, no. We nursed him back to health."

"We?" Remus raised an eyebrow.

Severus shot him a smug look. "Obviously, Trixi is advanced when it comes to potions and remedies. "

"Like her mother was..."

"And Father." Severus pointedly reminded him with a growl before continuing. "So, Trixi took it hard, she did not want to duel anymore after that, but I would not have thought that Year One spells would affect her."

"You said she was casting Verzengen?" Remus was suddenly astonished. That was a Sixth Year spell.

"Yes."

"I suppose that's a good reason why that is an upper level spell." Remus gave him a look of disapproval.

Severus scoffed. "Already forgotten everything you and your friends did when you were young, did you?" His sneer was dark as he surely was remembering the pranks that were pulled on him by the Marauders.

"You weren't so innocent either, Snivellus." Remus usually refrained from calling him that horrible name, but sometimes it just would make a slip. Especially, if Severus spoke about Remus' old friends; a subject Severus knew was a sore one.

"Nor do I pretend to be!" Severus snapped.

"How did you get past the radar?" Remus chose to ignore his outburst.

"That's my secret, Lupin." He smirked, clearly pleased to know something he didn't.

"She was successful at the spell?"

"Very much. We practised often."

"Well, something is wrong then." Remus said with a frown.

Severus met his eyes for a moment. "What is it, Lupin?"

"Trixi's tripping spell is the weakest one I have ever seen." He explained. "Especially after finding out she can do a Sixth Year spell."

Severus cursed under his breath. "We'll have to fix that."

"We?" Remus questioned.

"Yes, 'we'!" He snarled. "I already have a full schedule, and it's your class she needs help in, Professor Defense Against the Dark Arts." Severus said the last bit with a touch of jealousy.

"Maybe it's your help she needs more. This clearly is an emotional issue." Remus argued.

Severus didn't say anything to that.

"Most of her other spells seem advanced." Remus noted. "Funny how those two are alike, huh?" He added, speaking about Harry and Trixi.

"Quit fantasising, Remus."

"You know those boggarts are scary creatures." Ron said at dinner that night. "We had one in our house last year, it took both Mum and Dad to get rid of it."

"Professor Lupin did say it was best to attack a boggart with more than one person to confuse it." Hermione reminded him.

"Neville dressing Snape up in his grandmother's clothing!" Ron started laughing.

"Too bad we missed that." Fred said wistfully.

"Yeah, that would have been great!" George said.

Trixi wrinkled her nose at the thought of her father in a dress. "I bet he looked really weird"

Ron snorted. "It made him look better to me."

Trixi sent him a look.

"Snape's coming." Harry warned.

The group turned to see Professor Snape stalking up the aisle.

"What's he want?" Ginny asked.

Trixi turned back to her bowl of soup, suddenly finding it to be the most interesting thing of her day. The Gryffindors near her went silent as he approached.

"Miss Snape." He greeted coolly. She could tell by his tone that he did not want to be standing there.

"Yes?" She twirled her spoon through her food; a habit of hers since she was old enough to hold her own cutlery.

"I would like a word."

"I'm not finished eating."

Her soup instantly vanished from her bowl. "Hey!" She snapped her head up to look at her father.

His lips curled into a smug look. "It appears you are finished to me." He said dryly.

"I'm not talking to you." She muttered.

"Alright then, I suppose your..." he paused trying to find a word. "housemates would love to know about the time when you decided to have a finger painting session-"

"Fine!" She shrieked and stood up from the table. Her face hot with red as she avoided the interested looks of her friends.

"I thought you would change your mind." Professor Snape said, his eyes glittering with amusement.

"After you, sir." Trixi grumbled.

She had to hurry after him with his long strides down the Entrance Hall and into the Defence Against Dark Arts classroom.

"What are we doing here?" She asked when he shut the door using a spell.

"I have been informed that you are purposely withholding your power while casting in Professor Lupin's class." His eyes narrowed down at her with disapproval.

"I do well in it." She argued. "I have the best shield in the class."

"And the worst tripping spell."

She looked down, saying nothing to his accusation.

"It is not because you don't know how. So you will stop performing weak spells as of right now."

"I don't want to."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't care. I want you to do your best in school, and you are not doing your best in Defence Against the Dark Arts."

"I'll hurt someone!" She cried. "Please, Daddy!" She looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"Trixi," Professor Snape started sternly. "the spells that you are doing in Lupin's class are hardly harmful. They are used as training spells for more complicated ones that you will do later in school."

"Good, we have substantiated that I can control the First Year spells, so I shouldn't have to do them." She crossed her arms.

"Wrong." He said coolly, his lips barely moved. "You're going to do them. I will not allow you to get out of practice."

"Could it be instead that you want to make sure everyone knows how good I am?" Trixi snapped.

"That's just a mere bonus, my dear." He smirked. "Anyway, I have arranged two sessions a week for you to personally train with Lupin. I expect to hear positive results."

"Aw, Daddy! Tutoring?!"

"Until you show him you don't need it." His eyebrows raised. "How long that takes is up to you. Now then, I want you to trip me."

"I don't want to."

"Quit whining, and just do it." He growled. His patience was becoming thin.

Trixi pulled out her wand reluctantly knowing she couldn't talk him out of this. The wand was very similar to her mother's, only shorter.

"You still have your Mother's wand?"

"Yes, Daddy." She patted her side. "I have never used it at school, you said I couldn't unless I absolutely needed to."

Professor Snape nodded. "I was just making sure you are carrying it around." He adjusted himself into a defensive stance, and gave her a stern look with his eyes. "Whenever you're ready, Trixi."

Trixi raised her wand, pointing it at her father. She said the incantation, and Professor Snape was knocked from his feet before she knew it.

"Daddy!" She screamed and ran to him.

"I'm fine, child, great Merlin, would you calm yourself." He grumbled as he pulled himself back to his feet.

"Why didn't you block it!?" She demanded angrily.

"I wanted to make sure you didn't hold back." He said as he dusted his robes off. "The House elves have been slacking." Professor Snape made a sound of disgust. "Now, then, Trixi, you do that to Professor Lupin, and I doubt he will say another word about how weak your spells are."

"Oh, but I'm not doing that in class!" She gasped.

"You will." His voice sounding suddenly dark. "You will not hold back."

"No, but Daddy, I could hurt someone!"

Snape put a hand to his forehead trying to sooth an oncoming headache. "Trixi..." he started as calmly as he could. "I don't doubt that Professor Lupin has made all the precautions necessary to make sure you and your classmates as safe from harm as possible."

"But-"

"Accidents happen, yes, It's part of the experience in going to a wizard school, but, I won't say this again, so listen closely." He closed his eyes with a pause, gathering up the words from somewhere deep within. Very quickly, with a voice so quiet, it was hardly audible, he said, "I trust Lupin enough to ensure your safety and the others."

Trixi didn't know the past those two had, but she knew her father did not like the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher one tiny bit. He also had issues with giving compliments to people, and in his odd way, this was a compliment to a man he hated.

"I am not telling you to do anything higher than Year One, Trixi." he added, when she remained silent. "I won't make you do anything higher if you feel it's too much."

If he truly meant this, it wasn't a bad compromise. "Alright, Daddy," she said slowly, finally caving. "I guess I can try."