Harry walked into the kitchen the following morning, having showered as fast as she could to have more time to choose her clothes. She didn't have any occasions to dress for but she still found having a choice overwhelming and so needed to take her time. She was not feeling adventurous enough so she ultimately went for jeans and a plain dark red T-shirt. This morning she found the kitchen empty. Not only was Snape not there but the table wasn't set the way it had been every other day. Confused, Harry didn't know what to do so she walked into the living room to look for Snape.

”Professor?” she called, but there was no reply.

This had been a great morning up until now. Although Harry had barely been able to sleep last night due to the sheer excitement of having finally chosen a name she eventually dropped off and had a quiet night. She had been woken up by the bat knocking on her door and commanding her to be ready in twenty minutes as he had done previously but now there was no sign of him. Could he be in the lab? Harry was just about to go a check when she remembered that Snape would probably kill her if she did. Fortunately she didn't have wait long before Snape stepped through the door leading to his office.

”I see you're ready. Come with me. We will be having breakfast in the Great Hall,” he sneered as he took notice of her.

”Huh?” They would be doing what and where? Hadn't Snape said yesterday that she couldn't go outside? Or wait... Was that only until I had a name? Still, her face fell. He would take her to the Great Hall and meet all the staff at once? They are going to stare at me. She had always hated the stares. She never asked to be famous or a freak but people stared at her anyway and whispered behind her back. How would the teachers react to seeing her now? Suddenly Snape's words about 'interrogation' from the previous night made sense to her. They were not only going to stare, they were going to ask her questions as well. If she had been weird to people before, what would she be now? She had wanted to go out but she hadn't planned on seeing anyone other Hagrid or her friends, who were coincidentally the most accepting people she knew. Now, she could feel her stomach turning at the prospect of being introduced to the entire staff.

”I do not have the time to stand here and explain to you what the definition of breakfast is. Hurry up,” Snape continued, glaring at her.

And what has gotten him so upset? I didn't even say anything!

”Professor!” she cried a little louder than she meant to. Snape, who had been heading for the office door, stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at her. ”It's just. Can I stay here?”

”I don't believe it,” muttered Snape. ”You pester me about going out and then refuse to go when you are told to.”

”It's not the same!” Harry argued. ”I just wanted to go outside alone or maybe visit Hagrid. I don't want to go to the Great Hall!”

”And why is that?” asked Snape as he crossed his arms. ”Speak up! I didn't quite catch that,” he continued when Harry mumbled her reply.

”Can't I just stay here? You can go without me?” she tried.

”Where I go, you will follow. It will be that way the rest of the day,” Snape reminded her.

”Please stay then,” she pleaded. ”Please stay.”

The man's expression seemed to soften ever so slightly as he looked down at her. Harry bit her lip and hoped for the best.

”Why?” Snape pressed.

”I...” she mumbled. ”I don't want them to look at me.”

Snape stepped towards her and was now towering over her, causing Harry to look away.

”They will need to see you at one time or another. Besides, you have been gawked at by your adoring fans for a year and I didn't see you complain then.”

”I complained plenty. Just not to you,” Harry muttered. Then she started as Snape cautiously placed a hand on her other arm. Instinctively she looked up at him and instantly regretted it.

”Why do you not wish to go?” he pressed a bit more impatiently.

”I just... I just don't want them to look at me like I'm some kind of freak,” cried Harry as she tore herself away from Snape and turned her back on him.

”I see,” Snape said pensively. ”Take a seat, Miss Evans.” Harry turned back around in surprise to find him pointing to the couch.

Last night was the first time she had ever heard someone refer to her by that name and when Snape said it then she didn't know how to feel. She supposed it was just the oddity of having been so near Snape for so many days but it had felt a bit dismissive when he'd said it... or perhaps a bit strained? Still, Harry thought she might as well get used to it. She moved over and sat down on the couch not exactly knowing what to expect. Why couldn't he understand? Who was she kidding? This was Snape. People made fun of him all the time and he never cared at all. Well, except when you did it to his face. Snape paced a few times back and forth in front of the couch before he came to a sudden stop. Then he sat down next to her and took a deep breath.

”I can only assume you've picked up this idea about being a freak from your relatives?” he began and when Harry opened her mouth to lie as best she could about the subject, he stopped her. ”Regardless of who told you this I am telling you now that you are no such thing. I realize of course that I am not the best person to have such a discussion with you but I will not have you believing such nonsense. The staff wishes to see you because they worry about you. They do not think so little of you and neither should you. I will admit your new appearance likely has them curious but they mean you no harm,” said Snape, slowly making his way through the sentences as though they caused him great pain.

Harry was speechless. How was she supposed to respond to that? How could she possibly explain to Snape that he was wrong without telling him why she knew that? She knew what it meant when people stared at her. She'd lived with it all her life. She was always singled out and never had that been a good thing. She was singled out at Hogwarts too, although in a different way. During the school year she had grown more confident and managed to partially overcome her fears of being found out but only because she had Ron and Hermione by her side. At the Dursleys she had lived with a different fear. Not the fear of being found out, for everyone already knew she was a freak, but she had to watch her back constantly. Maybe the teachers meant no harm but that didn't change the fact that she was a spectacle and they thought so too. Harry was certain that pity was every bit as horrible as disgust or loathing. When she remained silent, Snape continued:

”We may see if you feel better about going out at lunch time then.”

She could breathe more easily. A few more hours.

”Thank you,” she whispered.

”I know enough about that sorry excuse for a man they call your uncle to be disgusted and your aunt was always a horrid woman,” Snape mused, seemingly out of nowhere. Harry was a little taken aback by this a first and then more than a little annoyed that she hadn't successfully steered Snape away from that topic. There was quite a bit of venom in Snape's voice and that roused her curiosity.

”How do you know? Did you know her well? Before... This summer?”

”I'm sorry to say I did.”

”But...” Harry was shocked. ”You never told me. You never speak about her.”

”Neither do you,” Snape countered and arched an eyebrow at her.

”That's different!” she replied.

”Perhaps, however, should you one day decide you wish to talk about your time with your relatives I would be very interested in hearing that story.”

Why does it even matter? Harry couldn't see why she couldn't just forget she had ever been there. She had a sneaking suspicion that despite Snape and McGonagall's assurances, she would somehow end up back there and she wanted to forget about them and enjoy her Dursley-free time until then. But then she had another idea. Should could make demands too couldn't she? Snape had been in an awful mood all morning for some reason so Harry was cautious but the opportunity had to be taken.

”I'll tell you about it if...”

”If?” Snape echoed.

”If you tell me about my mum and why...” She didn't have to finish that sentence. The look in Snape's eyes told her that he understood. Why were they ever together? She dared to glance at him several times while waiting for an answer.

”I shall consider it,” Snape nodded. ”Come now. I will order us some breakfast.”

---

Severus momentarily left the girl in the living room to clear his desk in the office. It had been a difficult morning. He had woken up early as usual and after washing and dressing he had gone to his office to lay out the day's work before leaving for breakfast. When he arrived, several messages were already on his desk and they had likely arrived during the night. Now, as he entered the room he glared at them. Yes, his colleagues had likely gotten quite a shock when the Headmaster told them and inquired after her but had Dumbledore really needed to tell them she was with him? He knew they were worried but he also disliked impatience in others. He had read a few before leaving the rest behind. These particular letters had been from Pomona and Hagrid and while the giant's letter for some reason had been completely unreadable and water-damaged, Pomona seemed to have had a panic attack on paper and inquired about her health and safety to such a degree that Severus was pretty sure he'd been indirectly accused of everything from neglecting to feed her to locking her in a cell and he did not appreciate it. The girl was fine – more or less. Didn't they trust him with protecting a child? Or could he only be trusted with the Slytherins whom they didn't care much for anyway?

Furthermore he found himself experiencing and odd sensation as he looked down at the letters. He never appreciated having his abilities doubted but now he was more than usually agitated. It was one thing for them to question the number of detentions he handed out or whether he was too harsh on Miss Moore during exams. They had no right to tell him what to do with this girl. They had no right to interfere with how he took care of his daughter. He knew, of course, that they were unaware of this fact and what did it matter anyway?

Minerva's words echoed in his mind, reaching the deep corners where more darkness than any man should know was hidden away. He would see that she grew up to live a happy life but Severus was beginning to doubt whether just knowing that she would be safe and sound would be enough. A part of him wanted to be there himself and see it happen. The problem was that every time he tried to imagine this he didn't know where to place himself in relation to Victoria and her new family. Furthermore he couldn't imagine her welcoming him there and so Severus convinced himself that not only was it better for everyone if he did not entertain such silly ideas but in fact he didn't want to know her either! But still...

He didn't know what to do about her fears either. He had promised to bring her along to the Great Hall but he most certainly wasn't about to drag her there – at least not when she felt that way. He knew what it was like to be looked at as though you were subhuman. As though you were nothing if not an object of ridicule and amusement to others. Her fears were not entirely unfounded. He knew no one in the staff would treat her badly – not even Filch, well, not any worse than he treated everyone else at least and if any did dare to ridicule her, he wasn't sure whether Minerva, Poppy or he himself would get them first. He found himself choosing between trying to convince her that no one would tease her and trying to convince her that when they will tease she would be protected. The truth about the reaction she could expect was somewhere in between. Severus knew she would not suffer at the hands of the staff but what about the students? The rest of the wizarding world? To tell her that she was completely safe was a lie, but perhaps it was a necessary one for the time being? After all, she would have to go out at some point.

He grabbed the letters and threw them into his desk drawer. He was tempted to throw them in the fire unopened but he decided that out of respect for his colleagues he would skim them later.

---

Harry was fidgeting on the couch. She had eaten breakfast in silence with Snape watching her closely and she had been fairly quick about it because she was constantly fearing that he would change his mind and she wanted to be able to say that she couldn't go because she had already eaten. She even willed herself to smile as she took the potion to show him that she was grateful for staying. If Snape was affected by that, he didn't show it. She was getting impatient. Snape had simply told her told stay there and left for his office. It hadn't been more than two minutes but it felt like so much more to Harry. What was he doing? Was he going to talk to someone? No, he said he wouldn't leave without her. What then? She got up from the couch and looked about the room. It was odd. Not many hours ago she would have sworn that she hated these rooms. Snape's rooms. That she hated being close to him. Now they felt safe. As much as Harry despised living with the uncomfortable truth that was personified in Severus Snape, she realized that perhaps something far more terrifying awaited her.

She walked up to the door and paused before knocking. She wasn't sure whether that could even be heard from the other side when the door was only visible part of the time. When no one answered the door, she opened it slightly – thereby causing it to appear on the other side and knocked again. This time Snape flung the door completely open, causing Harry to stumble backwards.

”Which part of 'Stay here' do you not understand?” he snarled.

”Umm,” Harry replied.

Snape sighed. ”I suppose you may come in now. Hurry up. We need to have a chat.”

Harry most certainly didn't like the sound of that and she gulped as she made her way to the smaller desk by which she had already spent too much time for her liking. Snape sat down behind his desk and steepled his fingers pensively.

”I assume you realize that you will have to face the word at one point or another?”

Harry silently nodded but when Snape simply kept staring at her she replied: ”Yes, sir.”

”I meant what I said earlier. You are not a freak and nothing you have been through makes you one. I'll allow your upbringing has been not only unconventional but also unacceptable, still, this does not mean anything is decidedly wrong with you - except maybe your abysmal skills in potions class.”

She smiled faintly at that comment but the smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

”Do you remember the story?”

”I think so,” Harry replied. She tilted her head as she tried to remember the details.

”Retell it to me,” Snape demanded.

”Umm... I am James Potter's stepdaughter,” Harry began. ”But he knew about that and no one knows who... who...” Harry glanced at Snape unable to say the actual words with him there.

”Your father?” Snape offered impatiently. Harry didn't fail to notice that he grimaced ever so slightly as he said it.

”Yes, sir. Who he is,” she nodded. ”And James filled in my birth certificate wrong and so everyone thought I was a girl and my relatives couldn't contact you about it so they made me a boy so no one would think I was weird.”

”Why would they do that? Isn't it a bit strange?” Snape questioned her.

Harry shrugged. ”They are pretty strange people. They also hid my magic.”

”That answer will have to do,” Snape nodded. ”You chose your mother's name – why?” The question was not only one he imagined she would get but he also wanted to hear the answer even if it was a lie and the truth was she felt she had no other choice.

”Because I wanted to...” Harry began but paused when she realized she didn't have a good answer for that one. ”I guess, I wanted to... honor her? Feel more like her?”

”Either of those will do,” replied Snape.

Just then the fire flared green and four letters flew through it and landed gracefully on Snape's desk. The professor sneered at the sight of them before he grabbed them and unceremoniously dumped them in a drawer.

”What's that?” inquired Harry.

”None of your concern,” Snape snapped. Then his features softened again and he looked at her thoughtfully. ”The staff is worried about you. I have been receiving letters all morning,” he explained.

”Oh,” she replied in surprise. Did they know she was with Snape? Did they really worry that much about her?

”They are naturally anxious to see you and have it confirmed that you are well,” Snape added. ”In any case, Miss Evans, both Professor McGonagall and myself will be present. You have nothing to fear.”

”Okay,” mumbled Harry, her eyes still fixed on the drawer. What did they say? Exactly whom were they from?

”Okay?” repeated Snape mockingly.

”I mean: Yes sir. I'll go to lunch,” Harry amended.

---

She took a deep breath. Harry had spent the last couple on hours reading and taking notes at Snape's dinner table while the man read the paper or sorted books and she had actually managed to push the impending meeting out of her mind. Now she was standing in front of the doors to the Great Hall with Snape at her side and she could feel her stomach turning inside out as she waited for the doors to open.

”Are you ready?” inquired the professor and Harry, being lost in her thoughts, jumped at the sound of his voice.

”Yes, professor,” she mumbled, biting her lip nervously.

Snape nodded and stepped closer to the doors, raising his wand. The doors flung open and the pale light from within shone through the doors, momentarily blinding Harry. Once her eyes had adjusted to the light, Snape had already entered the hall and was making his way towards the head table where several people sat in silence. Equally afraid of entering and being left behind, Harry picked up her pace and followed the man in the billowing robes. The doors closed behind her as she walked towards the table. The four house tables were completely empty and there were no decorations in the hall which made it seem bare and unfamiliar to Harry. She looked up at the table and saw Dumbledore there in the middle. She momentarily locked eyes with him but quickly shifted her gaze to McGonagall who was sitting at his side, giving Harry a faint encouraging smile.

”Severus,” Dumbledore greeted the Potions Master. ”We were expecting you this morning.”

”Good afternoon, Miss Evans,” smiled Professor Flitwick quickly before Snape could reply.

Harry mumbled something which vaguely resembled 'Good afternoon' and quickly shifted her gaze between all the professors before settling on her shoes. She was very much aware of how strange it had to be for them. She wasn't used to her new face either.

”Why don't you take a seat here?” continued Flitwick a gestured to an empty chair between himself and Madam Pince.

Grateful Harry nodded and moved around the table to sit down. It was only then she realized that Both Snape and McGonagall were sitting several seats away from her with McGonagall on the other side of Dumbledore and Snape near the end of the table. Madam Pomfrey was not present. Harry sat down warily, trying to recall whether this seat was usually occupied by Madam Hooch or professor Babbling. The seat next to Professor Snape where Quirrel had sat was also empty and Harry suddenly wished she had sat there instead. An awkward silence ensued which only Snape and Dumbledore appeared to be completely unaffected by.

”May I say...” began Professor Sprout. ”That you look absolutely lovely.”

”Yes, I quite agree! Very lovely indeed!” added Professor Flitwick.

Harry didn't know whether it was the compliment, which was a new experience in itself, or the uncomfortable attention but she blushed scarlet at the words.

”Did you add the alterations to your lesson plans, Professor Snape?” said Professor Vector, not at all addressing the elephant in the room.

”I am busy enough as it is,” growled Snape, more than a little displeased that the conversation topic was turning to him.

”Miss Evans, if you wish to make use of the library during you stay here, please inform me,” said Madam Pince coldly. Harry couldn't tell whether she was simply being kind and offering her some help or whether she knew that two books had been taken without permission and was subtly accusing her. Either way Harry nodded.

”Thank you, Madam Pince,” she replied as respectfully as she could to the stern librarian.

”Is it true then? Will we have a resorting?” asked professor Sinistra rather loudly.

Harry's face fell. She wouldn't say she'd forgotten about that – more like suppressed it. Snape seemed very occupied with cutting an omelet into tiny triangles and did not answer her. Dumbledore put down his glass and nodded at Sinistra.

”Harry volunteered the information that the Sorting Hat preferred her in another house. I have since then spoken to the hat and it has confirmed this to be true.”

”I thought the hat wasn't permitted to repeat its conversations with the children nor recount its considerations,” said professor Sinistra.

”It is allowed to speak to the Headmaster about it,” explained professor Flitwick.

”But Slytherin? I always took him... her to be a Gryffindor!” exclaimed professor Sprout.

”That is hardly the most surprising thing about this! Really, Pomona! Harry Potter turns out to be a girl and it's that which worries you the most?” snapped McGonagall.

”Perhaps we should change the subject?” inquired Flitwick.

”But you must allow... You said yourself last year that Severus' methods were...” At this Snape didn't even move a muscle but McGonagall visibly tensed. ”... and now? She will need guidance!”

”Severus is perfectly capable of handling the situation!” replied McGonagall icily.

Flitwick, who noticed that Harry had frozen and wasn't eating anything from the bowls and trays around her, leaned closer to her.

”Pay no attention to them, Miss Evans. If it wasn't this, someone would be arguing over the price of silk socks or the relevancy of Bartholomew Screech's teachings in modern society. I swear they are a rowdier bunch than you children most of the time. Now, I say you should try one of the peaches. They are especially good this season,” he smiled and quickly placed two plump peaches on her plate. Harry smiled back at him, the first true smile that day.

Other members of staff joined McGonagall and Sprout's discussion but Harry was now able to ignore them and heard nothing of it except Sprout loudly declaring that something a woman with thick glasses and lots of shawls said was utter nonsense. She concentrated on her peaches as best she could and didn't look up from her plate except to nod at Flitwick and occasionally glance at Snape. She made sure not to look the Headmaster's way. Flitwick was talking quite cheerfully about a charm he had once invented to make fruit juice itself and how he had never successfully used it on peaches. Harry's mind was too occupied to really listen. What was Snape doing? He hadn't said a word to her since they arrived. He hadn't even acknowledged her presence. The man was glaring at his food and Harry was pretty sure that the chicken salad was about to make a run for it. She had lost count of the times during the school year when she had glanced at the head table to find him starring at her and giving that she had lived with him for days now it seemed odd to her that he should now completely ignore her.

”You have been writing,” said professor Flitwick somewhere behind her as Harry glanced at Snape.

”Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, professor, what did you say?” she replied and she turned her head back.

Flitwick extended his small hand, leaned slightly forward and tapped Harry's right hand lightly with his wand. Harry looked down at her hand in confusion when she noticed the newest ink-stains – the result of the morning's petty attempt at taking notes.

”Is your quill leaking?” the charms professor asked.

”Oh, I... No, sir. It's just I can't seem to hold it properly anymore. It's like my hand shrunk a bit.”

”That is not a problem which cannot be overcome,” Flitwick nodded. ”It is quite an extraordinary change. I wonder, was it entirely charms based or were there any potion elements?”

”I don't understand, sir,” she replied.

”Hmm... Did it hurt when you changed?”

”No, not at all, professor,” Harry shrugged.

”Is that so? Very interesting, very interesting indeed!” said Flitwick and thoughtfully scratched his head.

”Is that important?” Harry asked. This wasn't the line of questioning she was expecting.

Flitwick exchanged glanced with professor Vector and the witch rolled her eyes slightly before returning to her lunch.

”No, Miss Evans, not important at all. Forgive an old professor's little oddities,” Flitwick smiled.

Harry didn't know what to make of that at all but she didn't have long to think about because suddenly a woman was standing in front of her. She was covered in shawls and jewelry and wore a pair of thick glasses that made her eyes enormous. Harry had seen her earlier but she didn't know her name. In fact, she could not remember having noticed her during the school year. Was she new?

”Oh, my dearest!” a soft ethereal voice spoke. The woman extended her hand to Harry. She assumed the older witch wanted to shake hands with her so she held out her own to her. However, the woman simply grabbed her hand and began turning it around, studying it.

”Oh, no, no, no! Tsk... Tsk... This looks grave indeed! Oh, my dearest, you have been through so much and the blood moon is rising! I see danger! A stranger in the mist! Beware, beware! Oh, a great change! A grave change! This year is in the sign of the snake. Oh, the tragedy!”

”Sybill!” the voice sent chills down Harry spine, which was why she was so surprised when she found the voice belonged to McGonagall. ”Will you stop that and sit down!”

Harry just gaped at the strange witch and an tried to pull her hand back but the other tightened her grip.

”Dear child, I see death in the horizon!”

Just then a loud bang resounded through the hall as Snape slammed his goblet into the table and rose from his seat. He didn't even have to moved from his position before the woman let go of Harry's hand.

”Sybill, why don't you try the cherry tea?” a surprisingly blissful Dumbledore suggested.

”I cannot drink fruit teas near the full moon, Headmaster!” replied the woman as if that was a good explanation and she had given many times before.

As the woman got back to her seat, Snape turned to Harry for the first time. He walked over behind her and placed the now familiar vial next to her plate.

”Eat some bread, Miss Evans, the potion needs something to work with and be quick about it will you? I wish to deliver you back to your rooms so I may return to the dungeons.

At first Harry didn't really understand what he was referring to. Her rooms? She only had the one! The she suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be staying in a guestroom and not actually be living with Snape.

”Oh... Yes, sir,” answered quietly.

”Severus, I may easily walk her back if you are in a hurry,” offered Flitwick.

”Filius, as I explained to you the location of her rooms must remain a secret to anyone but Severus, Minerva and myself,” Dumbledore reminded him.

”Then she may finish her lunch in her own time and I will take her to Severus so he may see her back,” countered Flitwick.

”That will do,” nodded Snape. ”See that she takes that,” he continued, pointing to the vial.

Harry grimaced. He made her sound as though she either couldn't be trusted or was going to put up a fight. Snape strode out the hall and not five minutes later the strange woman excused herself and left as well. Harry could breathe more easily after that. Still, this entire experience proved to be unsettling in completely different ways that she had anticipated. The rest of the lunch she ate in semi-silence while she listened to Flitwick and McGonagall discussing some seminar they were both considering attending in autumn.

---

Severus closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a moment. How can they expect this from me? How am I supposed to bear this? The entire experience had been awful. For all the other professors knew he still despised the girl. He had done his best to appear indifferent to her throughout the lunch but Trelawney certainly wasn't making it easy. As soon as that incompetent hag had approached the girl, Severus wanted to hex her all the way to France.

He really shouldn't have left her behind. Not only did he not feel comfortable leaving her there, he also knew he was sending the wrong message to her, leaving her behind after specifically stating she was not to leave his side. He just couldn't take it anymore. He had to get out of there. Bringing the girl would have been easy enough, had Filius not interfered. It felt so terribly strange. He had imagined this to be no big deal but he quickly realized that he had only considered things from Victoria's perspective. Her job in this was to join join, get comfortable with being as much as possible and answer any questions she might get with the rehearsed story. His job was to appear to be the unwilling yet dutiful protector of a future Slytherin. Severus found that being so focused on getting the girl to play her part had left him completely unprepared.

He stepped away from the door and sat down behind his desk with a sigh. Minerva would have to handle it. He found he could easily ignore everything around him in such a situation. He could easily remain unaffected but that was it. He was grateful to Minerva who had stepped up to deal with many of the concerns and defended him. He knew if he had been the only dealing with it the danger of him losing his temper had been incredibly high. Additionally, having the Headmaster there was getting to him. Severus had the strange feeling that something was going on. Perhaps he was just being paranoid having just discovered that not only was Harry Potter a girl but also his daughter but he could not ignore it either. His instincts had saved him too many times to be disregarded.

He really should have brought the girl. Severus now felt terribly uncomfortable knowing that she was there with the Headmaster and he kept reminding himself that Minerva was there to keep himself from returning to the hall to retrieve her. That brought him to the main reason why he had left. Severus didn't know what to do with these feelings. He couldn't suppress them. Not with her right there. He felt like he did during those final meetings with the Dark Lord after he had switched sides. That game of life and death when any moment his former master might have seen through him. Why did he feel this way? He had felt this way once when P... Victoria had nearly flown into the castle wall. He had felt this way when Quirrel tried to hex her off her broom and he had felt this way running through the corridors with the other staff members because someone had gone after the stone. Back then he would have called it shock or perhaps even anger but this time there was no immediate threat to her – at least not a visible one. Was he... worried? Severus shook his head to himself. No, it couldn't be. There was no reason to be. He was clearly just losing it. Too much stress. Peace and quiet, that's all I need. But how he was going to get it with a preteen girl running amok in his quarters, he didn't know. All he had to do was pull himself together.

Determined, he left the office and once in the living room poured himself a glass of firewhisky from a small cabinet built into the bookcase. He drank it down as fast as he could and but the bottle away. Sufficiently calmed, he returned to his office just in time to hear the knock on the door. Severus raised an eyebrow it wasn't more than twenty minutes since he left the hall. Was she already back? He walked over and opened the door manually to find Flitwick standing there next to the girl.

”As promised, Severus,” nodded Flitwick. ”The Headmaster was so kind as to escort Sybill back to her tower – you know how coming downstairs upsets her! Not that she should have imposed herself on Miss Evans that way.”

Severus huffed. ”The woman is a talentless fraud.”

”If you say so, Severus,” Flitwick smiled, nodding at the girl. ”Until we meet again, Miss Evans.” With that he stepped backwards to allow her passage but still he lingered there.

”Go inside. Before I take you to your rooms we need to have a discussion about your homework and books,” commanded Severus. He needed an excuse to take the girl inside instead of immediately taking the girl to the room which they pretended she occupied and he had been meaning to talk to her about that anyway.

”You're not going to give me any more, are you?” said Victoria, narrowing her eyes. ”I already did the list and...”

”I am not,” Severus interrupted her before she could say anything revealing in front of Flitwick whom she seemed to have forgotten was present. ”But I cannot guarantee that I won't if you don't hurry up.”

”Not doing any more,” muttered the girl as she made her way to the door. ”All I do is read and write.”

Flitwick let out a chuckle in the back, alerting the girl to his continued presence.

”Oh, professor! I...” she began as she realized how she had been acting in front of an audience.

”It's quite alright. None us like to work constantly, do we? Now, you run along, child. Mind your father.”

Severus wasn't sure who was more surprised – him or Victoria. At least the girl had the sense to escape into the office as soon as she got over the initial shock but Severus was left there with the other professor.

”Excuse me?” he tried – doing his best to neither confirm nor deny what had been said in case he had misunderstood the meaning.

”Oh, Severus,” chuckled Flitwick. ”I wasn't born yesterday, now was I? I can see why the Headmaster would keep this a secret and so you have little to fear from me. Your secret is safe.”

”How?” was all Severus managed to get out. He was terribly confused. Had the girl told him? The Headmaster?

”You bring the girl along and promptly ignore her the entire meal despite the fact that she was clearly longing for your attention? That in itself is curious. I was there, Severus! An unknown father indeed! I only ever saw Lily Evans speak regularly with three boys during her time at Hogwarts and Severus, the child looks awfully like you.”

”She does not. She looks like Lily,” sneered Severus.

”She looks like both of you,” said Flitwick, raising a bushy eyebrow.

”It cannot be known,” he replied.

”It won't,” promised Flitwick. ”But if there's anything...”

Severus nodded. He didn't really know how to address this. He would have to speak to Minerva but that would have to wait.

”Will we see you tonight?”

”Tomorrow,” replied Severus after a short pause. Then the two professors took leave of each other and went their separate way. Flitwick left mentally wishing the girl good luck and Severus returned to his office thinking only one thing: Does she really look like me?