This chapter didn't quite go the way I wanted it to, but I'm feeling a little off. I'm also learning to take my time with these slow burns. Thank you for all the reviews. I hope I continue to meet your expectations!

. . .

Snape aimed his wand at Isobel with a cruel twist of his lips.

"Stupefy!" For what felt like the hundredth time that day, Snape shouted at Isobel.

She instinctively responded with a defensive, "Protego!" Her attempt at a shield charm failed to prevent the sting of the painful spell, but rather than knocking her unconscious like earlier in the day, it simply blasted her off her feet, where she promptly landed on some pillows Snape had conjured at the last moment.

She growled as she stomped back to her feet. Lifting her chin in defiance, Isobel declared hotly, "I'm done for the day, so if you've quite had enough! I don't see why I have to learn defense anyway."

Snape stared down his nose at her with quiet vehemence. "The wizarding world can be a very dark place, and you need to be prepared! I know hopeless Gryffindor students who could've shielded that spell by now!"

If possible, Isobel's chin went up higher. Severus knew Isobel enough now that he recognized a glint in her eyes revealing she was on the verge of tears. He hated to push her so, but the Dark Lord would stop at nothing until he was wreaking havoc all around them again. His daughter would be prepared, even if he died trying.

"You have to focus, Isobel. Feel the spell."

Huffing in irritation, she retorted as she swiped her straight black hair behind her ear, "I am focusing, but it's giving me a headache, like it's trying to suck something from my brain." She glanced about as if trying to explain further, then continued, "I'm going to my room to study some more. This is a waste of time."

She turned to leave without permission, and Severus was strict on permissions, but Isobel had ceased to heed what she knew. She was simply that tired. Snape rarely let up on her when he wasn't ready for her to finish.

Sure enough, and already anticipating his reaction, Snape shouted the spell at her as she was half turned from him, "Stupefy!"

Isobel felt a familiar anger rush up inside of her reminiscent of the days living with her mother and turned to face Snape. She held her left hand up and shouted, "Stop it!"

The headache that had been winding tighter and tighter as the day progressed finally released like the snap of a rubber band. Snape's black eyes widened in shock a split second before the spell not only shielded her completely from the spell, but it was sprung up so strongly that Snape's spell bounced back at him.

Fortuitously, not at maximum force. It hit him on his shoulder, which spun him off balance to bring him to his knees. He was breathing heavily, as if winded, but he didn't say a word as he pushed himself back on his feet and dusted off his robes.

Straightening his lapels, he strolled over to Isobel and drawled, "I think we need to have another talk."

Then he walked into the house, leaving Isobel to stare after him. Had it only been a week since their last talk over her transforming into an Animagus?

Resolute, she followed him. She couldn't deny that everything with Snape was educational, even their talks about her abilities.

. . .

Isobel was at the miniature desk in her bedroom working on the finishing touches of her essay work Snape assigned on the use of wandless magic. The roll of parchment barely fit on her desk, but she managed.

Finished, she eyed her work critically as she was still growing accustomed to the use of a quill rather than a ball-point pen, but she was satisfied with the work. Snape had also given her a warning to keep her wandless magic to herself along with this assignment and a few more books on the subject. Which took away from time to read the subjects required at Hogwarts, in her opinion, but she understood the reason for the instructions.

To her, it felt as if the Summer were flying by far too quickly, and her first year at Hogwarts was nigh on its way, whether she felt ready or not. Her father -she was still getting used to this thought- encouraged her not to worry and felt confident in her abilities. There was also a growing desire to make Severus proud of her accomplishments.

He never said the words, but she could see the pleased gleam in his eyes when she perfected assignments.

So engrossed in checking over the parchment assignment, Isobel didn't hear the knock on the door downstairs.

Downstairs, Severus Snape placed the newspaper aside and regarded the door impassively before walking to the door as if it were the least important thing for him to do.

Standing before him was a tall and imposing wizard dressed all in the finest black, a snack cane held tightly in his black gloved hand.

"Lucius," drawled Snape at the man on his doorstep.

With a slight incline of his head, the man with hair so blond it was nearly white, stepped through the door as if quite certain of his welcome. "Severus, my apologies for the unexpected visit," Lucius replied while inspecting the inside of the house suspiciously, as if looking for something. Or someone.

Snape watched him mutely from the entryway corridor as Lucius inspected the sitting room and glanced quickly in the kitchen. Realizing there was nothing to say other than the truth, Lucius rhythmically tapped his fingers on the top of his cane while eyeing dusty tomes on the walls. Clearing his throat, he admitted, "Severus, I have to say there are whispers going around that you've acquired a young ward. That this young ward is your child." Finally, Lucius stared directly into Snape's seemingly cold eyes. When Snape said nothing, he continued more softly, "I must admit that when I heard this, I found myself hurt that you yourself did not reach out to me. That I should hear this from others instead."

At that confession, Snape twitched and opened his mouth to speak, but before any words were uttered, Isobel chose that indelicate moment to make her rather loud announcement. "It's finished! Now can we work on Potions? I think we should…," Isobel trailed off from the doorway as she finally noticed the stranger in her peripheral vision. "Oh." Unsure what she had interrupted, Isobel glanced from the stranger to Severus. She chose to remain silent.

Snape's eyes never left Lucius, watching him as he critically studied his daughter. He watched as Lucius took in the same pale skin, straight black hair and dark onyx eyes, all of which were unmistakably his genes. He mumbled to himself, but Snape heard every word, "I see that the rumors are true, my old friend." There was a hint of sadness lurking in the depths of his blue eyes.

That's when Severus finally interjected, "Yes, Lucius, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Isobel." He glanced at her, made eye contact and continued, "Isobel, this is Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a long-time friend of mine since school. I apologize for the delay, but I'm sure you can understand and trust me when I say that we have been quite busy."

Lucius strode forward and held out his gloved one. Isobel automatically took his hand when Lucius tucked the cane under his arm and squeezed her small hand between his two larger ones as he enthused, "It is such a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Isobel."

Isobel said nothing.

Lucius raised his arched eyebrow at Isobel and let go of her hand, then smiled. "And what year will you be attending Hogwarts?"

Isobel continued to stare mutely at Lucius, so Severus answered the question smoothly, "She'll be going into her fourth year, Lucius."

Lucius beamed as his eyes gleamed with unsurpassed excitement, "Ah, that's wonderful Severus! You'll be attending classes with my very own dear son, Draco." With an air of superiority, "I assume you're in Slytherin?"

Snape stiffened and glanced sharply at Isobel before folding his hands calmly in front of him. "No, she's in Ravenclaw." Lucius failed to contain his expression of shock, and his widened eyes landed on Isobel. "Now Lucius, I will inform you, in confidence, that Isobel was originally sorted into Slytherin, but Dumbledore and McGonagall both felt that she, as my one and only daughter, should not be favored and kept in my House."

Lucius bristled in barely contained outrage. "So that old fool took away her very heritage of a long line of Slytherins simply because of a possibility of favoritism? I daresay you'd be harder on her than any of your other students." He gazed out the blackened window before continuing, "Never you mind, Severus, I'll make sure Draco knows where she truly belongs. All the Slytherins would welcome her with open arms, being your daughter, and I would loathe to withhold that from her." His severe countenance landed thoughtfully on Isobel before his face softened.

"Thank you, Lucius. I trust your judgement. Of course, in the end, a well-balanced education is key."

"Yes, it is, but we've had many conversations on this subject. What school did she attend prior?" Lucius ended curiously.

Severus directed his attention to Isobel. "Isobel, please return to your room and correct your werewolf assignment, then read the 3rd book on the list. When you finish, you may return." Isobel contemplated him for a moment before spinning on her heel and walking out of the room. Her werewolf assignment was perfect, and he knew it, but she wasn't going to argue. He clearly wanted to speak with his friend in private.

Snape watched her leave and start up the stairs before turning back to Lucius and motioning toward one of the armchairs. Unsurprisingly, Lucius remained standing, patiently waiting.

"Isobel has never attended a wizarding school before. Hogwarts will be her first experience."

"What? Why ever not?"

"She was raised by her mother and refused access to a proper education because her mother feared her magical abilities."

Lucius inhaled sharply with a look of clear disdain on his face. "Was her mother a Muggle, Severus?" There was clear admonishment in his voice, something Severus knew he deserved. Lucius had never approved of Lily either, yet he had looked the other way out of respect for their friendship.

"I thought so, but in fact, her mother's family comes from a long line of witches and wizards. Her mother just happened to be a Squib."

Appalled, Lucius said wonderingly, "And your daughter? What of her?"

Unbeknownst to both wizards, Isobel had stopped near the top of the steps and crouched down to eavesdrop. She listened, curious and holding her breath as much as she dared.

"Isobel is quite gifted. I had my concerns at first, I won't lie. Albus has given me permission to tutor her for all the years she missed, and she has surpassed even my expectations. I have pushed her hard, but she needed the pressure, and I'm proud to declare she is ready enough for her 4th year."

Lucius exhaled with relief. "I shouldn't have expected anything less. She is the daughter of Severus Snape, a brilliant man I'm proud to call friend."

Severus finally gazed at Lucius quite seriously, his voice lowering, "Isobel is exceedingly talented. I worry for her, Lucius, in a way I have not worried for quite some time, should her talents be discovered. I have researched her ancestry in my spare time, and I am awed and fearful, not of her, but what she is capable of and how the wizarding world may react given our history. Her grandmother's line can be directly linked back here, and it is…" Snape paused midsentence.

Isobel continued to listen with bated breath, but suddenly, it felt as if someone had plugged her ears with cotton, a distinctly uncomfortable sensation.

She knew immediately that she had been caught, and Severus had cast a unique Muffliato spell. With a huff, she stomped upstairs, thinking to herself, so that's what he'd been doing when he randomly disappeared from the house. What had he discovered about her ancestry? How was it different than any other wizarding line?

Isobel had a new goal.

. . .

Some time later, Lucius strolled slowly from the sitting room, glanced thoughtfully up the worn stairs, and turned back around to Snape. "You know, Severus, all of my past offers still stand on the table. There's no need for you to live in such a hovel."

Severus arched his brow and straightened his shoulders, "I will consider it."

The nearly white-haired man exclaimed lightly, "I will hold you to that consideration. At least think of young Isobel. You may have time to consider my offers, but here's an offer that I must insist on." Lucius gazed affectionately on the Potions master and said, "I'm going to speak with Narcissa, and ask that she fetch the girl and take her to London. Isobel deserves respectable clothing befitting a young witch of her standing in the wizarding world. You wouldn't want her looking like the Weasleys, now would you? Someone of her prestige deserves the best, you know. Anything for the daughter of Severus."

A small smile creeped onto the Professor's face, "You always do right by me, Lucius. I'll inform Isobel of her upcoming trip to Diagon Alley, then."