Chapter four: Home
Severus and Dove settled into their new life together quick and seamless. She'd only been there four days and already they were perfectly in sync. He found himself thinking of her as his; the daughter he should have had and she liked being part of a family, even if it was a small one. The Malfoy's were over every day and they all fawned over Dove, adopting her as their own as well. Zara doted on her every moment, making her treats and playing with her as she had Severus. She called her Missy Bird, which Dove found made her feel warm inside. Dove was allowed to help Severus in his lab as he began brewing Wolfsbane, though not having contacted Lupin yet. Dove had her own desk in a corner where she could get a head start on her school texts. Severus insisted she read out of them at least two hours a day. He told her about the House system, the ghosts, the portraits.
"What House were you in?" She asked, stirring a draught he had going.
"I am the Head of Slytherin. Lucius and I were there as boys. Narcissa was in Ravenclaw. Lily and James were Gryffindors."
"Will you be upset if I'm not in Slytherin?" She asked quietly.
"Not at all. I expect you'll be in Gryffindor like your parents, but I would be happy with whichever house you are sorted into."
"How do we get sorted?"
He smirked at her. "That, is a secret. I suppose I could tell you, but then I would have to dissect you and use you in my Potions." Dove huffed. "So, your birthday is tomorrow." He said. She gave him a slightly confused and surprised look.
"I suppose it is."
"I invited a few people over," he said. "Not many. Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, Draco and his parents, and a few people I want to introduce you to. Professor McGonagall is Gryffindor Head of House and she teaches Transfiguration. Also, a friend of James and Lily. He was very close to Potter." Dove had gathered he didn't like her father, though he never spoke ill of him in front of her. It was in the way he stiffened at the name and said as little about him as he could without it being obvious.
"Okay," she said. Severus looked at the time. Lucius and Narcissa were coming with Draco to stay with Dove while he tracked down the Wolf. He didn't want to, but knew if he didn't now he wouldn't ever and that made him feel guilty. Like he would be disappointing Her. This would be the first time he and Dove were apart since she came, but it felt like it had always been like this. Besides, he knew she hadn't celebrated her birthday since she was a baby and he felt the need to do it.
When the fireplace sounded that someone was coming in through the Floo, the two went back upstairs. Draco had brought with him Exploding Snap to teach her how to play and a diagram he made to explain Quidditch. Severus ran a hand through his hair only for Narcissa to smooth out.
"Calm down," she scolded gently. "You're doing this for her. Neither of you are children anymore and I'm sure he will be happy to be a part of her life."
"What if I don't want him to be? I could just tell her horror stories of Potter and never have to deal with any of them again."
"You could," Lucius conceded, earning himself a smack on the chest from his wife. "But if you are then you need to decide and decide now, because once you choose either way you will have to stand by it. Parenting is about consistency. You must set a good example. It is not just you anymore."
Severus nodded, of course Lucius was right. He almost always was. "I know. I'm going. Dove."
She looked up at him from her game. "Yes, sir?"
"You be sure to mind your manners and listen to everything they tell you, okay? I have an errand to run, but I'll be back this evening." Immediately her face scrunched up and sucked in her bottom lip.
"Can't I come with you?" She asked in a broken voice. He kneeled to her level where she and Draco sat on the floor.
"Unfortunately, you cannot, little dove. I promise I won't be too long. Look," He dug out his pocket watch and held it out to her. "When this says 5:00 I will either already be here, or walking through that fireplace."
"Promise?"
"I promise." He said, with a feeling of impending doom. Then he departed, the last thing he saw being a tearful girl being comforted by a blonde boy and his parents. This had better be worth it, and he'd better be back by 5.
Lupin's last known residence was in a rundown Muggle neighborhood just outside of Chester. Number 23 in a line of identical houses all with peeling paints and brown lawns. Severus supposed it wasn't much different from Spinner's End, but he had the resources to move he just hadn't felt the motivation. Though now that he had Dove he might actually revisit the thought. He stood on the doorstep for a good ten minutes before taking a deep breath and knocking thrice firmly. Almost immediately the door opened to show a thin man with a tired, scarred face and haunted eyes. He gave Severus a weak half smile. "I wondered when you would finally knock, you've been standing there for fifteen minutes. Come on in."
Severus swallowed and followed him into a sitting room with stained furniture and bare walls. "I, uh, I have something I'd like to discuss with you," he stuttered anxiously. His palms sweated and his heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. Remus sensed the man's extreme discomfort and slowly sat down on the other side of the room to give him space. Severus relaxed a bit.
"What is it that was able to convince you to come find me? It must be important."
Severus moistened his lips, darting his tongue over them. "A second part of the Potters will has been found."
Remus was on his feet in a moment and Severus' wand aimed at his chest. Remus held his hands up in a surrendering and non-threatening pose before resuming his seat. "My apologies. You were saying?"
Severus lowered his wand, breathing heavily. "She named me. Lily named me as second for her daughter."
"That means- "
"Yes. Albus and I went to get her Sunday. She's at my home now with a friend." The room filled with a heavy and tense silence. "I can't tell her stories about Potter. I can not even think his name without wanting to go out and kill something. You, however, have plenty of stories I'm sure."
"Then why not just tell her nothing. Or tell her how we treated you?"
"You know why." Remus nodded sadly. "I'm offering, if you want it, a chance to be in her life."
Remus took a deep breath. "I want to, Merlin I do, but it might not be safe. I don't want to put her in danger."
"Do you think I would let you near her during the full moon?"
"It isn't just the full moon, Severus. It is always. Moony is always on edge and I am always the wolf." Severus placed a large vial on the coffee table lined with rings.
"I can brew Wolfsbane, and I have. I don't want there to be any reason you refuse except that it's your choice."
"I don't know what to say. You come here to let me near James and Lily's daughter, offer Wolfsbane, what do you want in return?" Remus was cautious. He'd thought about Dove a lot, his best friends' daughter growing up an orphan.
"I don't know what I'm doing," Severus admitted, and if Remus hadn't been a werewolf he wouldn't have heard it. "She was abused before I got to her. She's skittish, unsure of everything, and yet at the same time thinks she's ten feet tall and bullet proof. You, for all your faults, are good with people. I am not. Her birthday- "
"Is tomorrow. I know, I was there when she was born."
"Right. Well, a few people are coming over and I told her you would make an appearance. Should you actually show up is on you."
When Severus went to leave, Remus called him. "What's she like?"
"She's Lily's daughter."
Severus stepped through into his living room just as a vase crashed against the wall beside him. The sitting room was a disaster and getting worse. Dove was sitting on the floor with her knees up and her head resting on them, surrounded by a revolving vortex of furniture, books, and other random objects- his pocket watch in her hand. Zara was standing in front of the Malfoy's where there was a distinctive cut off from Dove's outburst. It wasn't even three yet. He ran to Lucius, narrowly escaping a book's sharp corner to the face.
"Oh, thank Merlin you're back." Narcissa said in relief. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into their bubble.
"What happened?" He asked. "Is she hurt? Is she okay?"
"She's fine, Severus," Lucius assured him. "Right after you left she just collapsed, wouldn't let anyone near her. Draco tried to hug her and she screamed. She thinks you aren't coming back."
"So it's just been like this for the last two hours?"
"This just started half an hour ago. Before that she just sat there crying."
Severus ran a hand through his hair and stood up straight. Dove obviously hadn't noticed he was back. Zara tugged on his robes. "Missy Bird is thinking you left her like Missy Bird's Fire Girl."
"Fire Girl?" He asked, hoping it wasn't what he thought.
"Missy Bird's dream about the green flashes and the girl with fire hair." Zara used to call Lily Fire Girl when they were kids. Dove had said she'd never seen what her parents looked like, and he had yet to show her the picture he kept on his bedside table or the ones collecting dust in the attic. But, she was dreaming of that night. He doubted she fully understood what they meant, just that they were bad. He stepped toward his surrogate daughter and laid a hand on her back. Everything in the room dropped and her head snapped up. Dove launched herself at him and held him tightly.
"You came back." She said into his neck.
"I promised, didn't I?" He pointed out, sharing a look with Lucius over her shaking shoulders.
That night, an hour after Severus finally made it to sleep after his inner turmoil, his door squeaked open and a sliver of light fell on his bed from the hallway. His eyes flew open, but he was able to stop himself from throwing a curse, remembering Dove. Sure enough, her silhouette made its way to the side of his bed and a tiny, but persistent, finger poked his face. "Yes?" He asked with closed eyes.
"Um, well, you said if I needed anything- "
"Did you have a bad dream?" Narcissa had warned him this might happen. She nodded. Severus sighed and slid over to make room for her. She didn't hesitate to climb up, snuggling close to him and falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Severus let out another heavy sigh and stared up at the canopy above the bed. Some people just had that skill, but now he was awake again.
After a restless night in which he was attacked by sharp elbows not once, not twice, but seven times, he dragged himself out of bed. She was still sound asleep, not having woken up once since coming to his room. He brushed some hair out of her face and smiled, before leaving to complete his morning ablutions. When he came back she was sitting up with a picture frame in her lap and her hair down around her face. It was of Lily and him during fifth year, just before their O.W.L's .
"That was your mother." He told her, sitting beside her and putting his arm around her.
"She was pretty."
"Yes, she was. I swear you look just like her."
"Except the hair."
Severus played with the end of her hair. "No, Lily would wake up with perfect hair on a humid day. It was against the laws of nature for her hair to be out of place, even when we were kids."
"Did you love her?" She asked. His heart skipped a beat and he nodded.
"More than anyone's ever loved another person."
"Do you love me?"
He closed his eyes. He did, there was no doubt, but he did not say it. This was Lily's daughter and just like Lily she would break his heart. Instead, Severus kissed her head and stood up. "I was thinking about making some French toast for breakfast. Would a certain Birthday Girl like to help me in the kitchen?" Dove seemed to understand and followed him downstairs excitedly.
The Malfoy's arrived early bearing a gaily colored gift and just in time to share breakfast. Afterwards, Aunt Cissa came up to her room to help her get ready. She combed Dove's long hair and braided it to the side. Dove chose a lilac tea dress Cissa suggested and the two rejoined the others where she twirled for her adoring audience. Draco handed her the present and she hugged him before unwrapping it very carefully, wanting to savor the moment of her first gift. It was a wooden box with her name carve intricately into the lid, and inside were all sorts of paints, brushes, and canvases. She gave a watery smile.
"I-I don't know what to say." She said. "Thank you so much!"
"You'll have to paint us something," Narcissa replied. Dove nodded and Severus pulled her to the side, giving her a much smaller box.
"I gave this to your mother a long time ago," He told her. "Well, we had a bit of a falling out, but I thought you might like to have it."
Dove pulled out the long, delicate chain with the gold heart shaped locket. It was beautiful with an engraving on the back that said, 'To Lily with love, Sev'. Inside were two pictures, one of a young Severus and Lily, and one Lucius must have taken of Dove and Severus in his lab. Dove threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Daddy."
Severus nodded before going upstairs for a minute to compose himself.
The first to arrive was Remus, as per his and Severus' agreement it would be better to introduce them privately, and they hit it off immediately. When he saw the locket, he shared a look with Severus. Remus brought with him a box of old pictures and knickknacks from the Marauders days to give to her. He could see she was the perfect balance of her parents, minus James' obnoxiousness and Lily's shallowness. Dove thanked him for the pictures, captivated by the one of her parent's wedding day. He was telling her and Draco a story about how the Marauders stole and rehomed every left sock of the Headmaster's, hiding them in random places around the castle, when said wizard came through the Floo. He said nothing, but his ever-twinkling eyes suggested he'd already known.
With him he brought Professor McGonagall and a pair of purple warm socks with silver stars. Professor McGonagall told Dove how wonderful it was to see her and how happy she was that she'd be starting Hogwarts this year with Draco. There was a commotion outside the door and Severus suggested she go see what it was and was rewarded with a smile when she opened it to find four red heads. Severus had, reluctantly and with much protest from Lucius, contacted Molly Weasley and told her about Dove's meeting with the twins and asked if they would like to come over. She also brought with her her youngest son, Ron, who would be starting with Dove and Draco. She crushed Dove in a hug and patted her cheek before scolding Severus on how skinny the two of them were.
"Madam, I assure you I am perfectly healthy and she will be as well."
She waved him off. "Oh tosh. You need some meat on your bones! Find yourself a nice girl to settle down with."
Severus blushed and Narcissa and Lucius both laughed heartily. Lucius shook her hand. "I commend you, ma'am." He said. "And we've been telling him that for years."
"I'm perfectly fine on my own," Severus huffed, though he maintained that he did not pout. "I don't need some girl running my life for me, I can do it perfectly well on my own."
"Ah, but you have the child now. You must think of her."
"Finding a partner merely for the sake of having one would be more detrimental I think than not having one and being perfectly content. Now, if you'll please excuse me."
"Did anyone else notice he said 'partner', not 'wife'?"
Dove was surrounded by people who seemed to care about her and couldn't remember ever being happier. No, she knew she'd never been happier. Fred and George traded mischief stories with Remus, unknowingly inspiring the three eleven-year olds for future reference. Dove, Draco, and Ron befriended each other fast as both boys had instantly taken a liking to Dove and followed her around the room. Hagrid arrived, carrying a large cage with a snowy owl sleeping inside and a manic grin.
"'Appy Birthday, Dove!" He boomed. Draco and Ron stared at him in awe.
All in all it was an amazing day and when everyone had gone home, Dove fell asleep on the loveseat categorizing every detail not wanting to forget a second. Severus found her there after cleaning up and carried her to her bed, laying her down and tucking her in. He laid a hand on the side of her head and kissed her forehead. "I love you," he whispered into her hair, but she was flying over Bristol in a motorcycle car.