The constant, reassuring hum of students talking over breakfast plates settled into the background as Lacy Underhill scratched at her food with a fork. The bacon and eggs looked unappetizing to the seventeen-year-old Slytherin girl.

"What are your plans for today, Draco?" Pansy Parkinson asked, dark eyelashes fluttering.

Draco adopted an air of nonchalance. "Oh, not much. Visiting the Shrieking Shack for sure," the boy answered.

There was a murmur of awe and surprise from his Housemates at the mention of the presumably haunted house on the edge of Hogsmead. Lacy rolled her hazel eyes towards the ceiling of the Great Hall. Slytherins could be so-o-o dramatic, she thought distastefully.

"Hey, Loren, what about you?" Pansy elbowed Lacy in the side.

"It's Lacy, not Loren," the girl corrected for the hundredth time. "And the answer is nothing much. I need some more food for my owl."

"Owl pellets, is that all?" Pansy grimaced and turned away in disinterest.

Lacy scratched her nose with the handle of her fork, then let the utensil clatter to the table. The teenager stood to her feet and stepped over the bench. Eating was boring and she wanted to get outside where she could sit alone. The Great Hall was large, but packed full of bodies, and it always gave Lacy a sense of claustrophobia.

Once outside the old castle, the Slytherin girl circled the centerpiece of the courtyard before perching herself on a corner bench. Lacy breathed deeply through her nose, the smell of country air and fresh peppermint from the herb garden lifting her spirits.

"Settling in, I see."

Lacy glanced up at her father, the potions master of Hogwarts, and patted the bench at her side. With an inclination of his head, Severus Snape took the offered seat and smoothed out his robe. Lacy Underhill had been brought to Hogwarts against her will - not that her father had wanted it that way. The girl leaned her head back and studied the blue sky far above.

"I guess," she agreed. "Though, I still prefer London."

"Yes. I remember, Lacy," her father said softly. "I had hoped you would grow to... like it here."

"Mm," the girl wrinkled her nose. "It's boring."

Severus made an ‘I see, now' noise in the back of his throat. There was not much the man could say to encourage his daughter. After having lived at Hogwarts for almost thirty odd years, the man could only agree with his the teenager's succinct assessment. Hogwarts was boring.

"I don't think the other Slytherins like me very much... maybe I should try staying at a different house."

Black eyebrows migrated up Snape's forehead. He waited for her to continue - suggest an alternative, perhaps - but she did not.

"It is customary for the children of any Head of House to reside within that House, but exceptions can be made. If that is what you really want."

"Would you mind terribly?" Lacy asked, looking her father in the eye. "It might help."

"Consider it done," the man said with a decisive nod of his head. "I will make the arrangements tonight."

"Thank you, daddy!" the girl wrapped her father in a sideways hug.

Severus hugged her back for the briefest of moments before he pulled away and stood to his feet, expression blank. It hurt for him to see the young woman so excited about leaving the House he had watched over for many years. Lacy continued to grin from ear-to-ear, oblivious to her father's disappointment.

"I will talk with the headmaster immediately," Snape said.

Without another word the man left Lacy alone in the courtyard, the sound of his footsteps retreating on the flagstone. The teenager felt suddenly like singing. Color and life had been returned to the gray world she had occupied since leaving her mother's house two weeks before. Finally, the magical world promised something other than boredom and meaningless wizard politics.

- - - -

Nervous energy bubbled up inside the Slytherin-soon-to-be-Gryffindor as she approached the portrait hole, the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. It had taken only five minutes of hearing her father droning on in a sermonic tone about the merits of each House for her to latch onto three words: Idiotic, courageousous, and loyal.

Now, here she was, about to come face to face with her new housemates. Fidgeting with her sleeve cuff, the girl with raven black hair spoke the password.

"Are you new here, Dear?" the Fat Lady asked as her portrait swung to the side, revealing the entrance.

"Yes," Lacy answered in short.

"Welcome to Gryffindor, Dear." The portrait's voice became muffled as she returned to guard the door.

Lacy paused in the shadow of the doorway and watched the small group of boys and girls that were seated in various areas around the common room. After the dank, damp of the dungeon rooms, Lacy was ecstatic to see actual sunlight pouring through tall windows. With a smile, the teenager left her sanctuary of shadows and entered the honey pale light.

A girl that appeared to be around Lacy's age looked up at her approach. The girl had long, thick blond hair and her blue eyes twinkled with intelligence.

"Hello," the blonde greeted.

Lacy gave a small, shy wave. "Hi."

"You must be our transfer student. I'm Hermione Granger, we will be in the same year."

Putting aside the book she had been reading, Hermione stood to her feet and held out her hand. Lacy shook it hesitantly. The girl appeared likable, but it was still odd to be thought of as the "new student" after weeks of living in Hogwarts. Lacy brushed a stray black bang behind her ear and smiled at the other students who were watching the two young women exchange greetings.

It felt awkward, but at least it was not boring. For that Lacy Underhill was grateful.

"Let me show you to our rooms - all the sixth years share a dorm," Hermione said, leading the way towards a flight of stairs.

Lacy followed. "Thanks, that'd be great."

They went up several flights of stairs, passing many doorways that lead into the dorms for other years. A couple of giggling first years brushed past them, pigtails bobbing. Lacy began to relax.

"Where are you from?" Hermione inquired. "We're just in here," she added as they reached a large closed door at the top of the stairwell.

Lacy's pencil thin eyebrows raised as they stepped into a large room that had been positively saturated in pink, maroon and gold. The colors clashed terribly, but the resulting effect was strangely cozy. Between each bed there were large fluffy chairs and against one far wall were several small love seats. Lacy grinned at the homey atmosphere.

"London. I live there with my mum - she's a muggle," Lacy finally answered as she explored the shared bedroom. "She had to go to America for her work and my dad got stuck with me. He teaches here, so it was kinda expected that I attend Hogwarts."

"Oh? Who is your dad then?" Hermione asked, intrigued.

Lacy walked over to one of the tall windows and marveled at the beautiful view of the Black Lake. She touched her hand to the warm glass and smiled. For a moment she forgot about the kind girl waiting for a response. The whole world shrank down to just the view and delicate touch of the window pane. After a moment, Lacy blinked and turned away.

"Severus Snape," she answered.

Hermione gasped in surprised. "Oh, wow."

Lacy frowned at the girl's shocked response. She hoped that having a teacher for a parent would not cause too much awkwardness. The blond Gryffindor sat down heavily on the edge of a bed looking stunned.

"It's really no big deal," Lacy said reassuringly, "I don't expect people to treat me special just because my dad is a professor here. It's not going to be a problem... is it?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not at all." She smiled. "A little unexpected, though. I didn't know the professor had a family."

Lacy made a sound in the back of her throat. "No. He wouldn't let on. Dad seems to think that if something is ignored long enough it will simply disappear... Don't get me wrong, he's a good dad in his own way," she added quickly.

"How are you liking it?" Hermione asked, still taking in the knowledge that her potions professor was a family man of sorts, "Hogwarts?"

Lacy shrugged and picked at the fabric of her blue jeans - the girl was waiting for her new school robes to arrive by owl.

"I guess you didn't notice... I've been here for two weeks, staying with the Slytherins."

Hermione sucked in a breath through her teeth. "You might want to keep that bit quiet around the common room," she cautioned.

"From the way my father reacted to the news I'm expecting a little backlash from the Slytherin side of things too," the black haired girl said, "but I'd rather deal with some teenage drama than be stuck down in that miserable dungeon any longer."

Hermione gave her new friend a reassuring smile. "Well, I can assure you that there is always an adventure waiting to happen up here in the Tower."

Lacy grinned. "Perfect."

The two girls continued to learn more about each other, Lacy being particularly encouraged to know that Granger was muggle-born and therefore familiar with their customs. By the dinnertime, Snape's daughter was feeling much better about her current placement. .

- - -

Harry frowned. Hermione was giggling behind her large book of Ingredients For Cold Potions and whispering feverishly with the new girl. The Boy-Who-Lived had a sinking feeling that they were talking about him. Lacy's quick, chocolate eyes had flicked to his forehead - right where the scar should have been visible if his hair were not covering it - and then away, again. The boy sighed heavily. He hoped she was not one of his fans.

"Your turn, Harry," Ronald Weasley said.

Harry turned his attention back to the chess board that sat on the small table between himself and his best friend. They should have been studying, but the game had become a welcomed distraction. Harry moved his bishop with a self-assured flourish.

"Check."

"Hey! You can't do - oh.," Ron bit his complaint off as he studied the board, "um, never mind."

Harry chuckled at his friend's predicament. It was not often that he won in the frequent games against the redhead. Lacy Underhill. Harry wondered where she was from. Hermione had only said that the girl was muggle raised and new to the area. For the briefest of insane moments, Harry wondered if she was a spy for Voldemort.

The suspicion of others had become as natural as breathing to the teenager. He had lived through too much to take anything at face value. It helped to know she was related to a teacher. Hermione had let that slip as well, but she had ignored Harry's questions about whom precisely of the faculty she was talking about. It was frustrating to know so little about someone staying in the same Tower, and a bit frightening, also.

"Harry, you'll have to just get used to her," Ron said under his breath, not wanting to be heard by anyone else in the room. "I know it's weird, but there are other kids here with parents as teachers. I'm sure it will be fine."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Ron, I'm not worried about it."

"Uh-huh," the other boy made an unconvinced sound in his throat.

"I'm not!"

Ron shrugged, letting it go. "Whatever. Your turn."

Harry's frown grew deeper and he knocked over a pawn savagely with his knight in a fit of pique. Ron carefully removed the white chess piece from the board before it could roll to the floor.

"No reason to get so touchy about it, mate," the redhead said sharply, "I'm only trying to help."

Harry sighed and bowed his head. "I know, Ron... it's just... I really don't have a problem with her. She's just a bit gray is all - no real information on her and Hermione refuses to answer my questions."

Ron glanced quickly over at their friend who was still talking animatedly with Lacy Underhill. The boy bit his lip, trying to quell the jealousy he felt at seeing Hermione so happy with someone else. The irrational feeling took him off guard and he cleared his throat, moving his king back to safety.

"Well, maybe Hermione won't tell you because it's not something she has any right to say. Why don't you talk to Lacy if it really bothers you so much?" Ron suggested.

Harry nodded slowly. "I think I might just do that. Your turn."

"Good. Now you can focus on the game... you've left your queen wide open."

Harry groaned as Ron moved his castle to the left and took out the powerful black piece. The evening slowly faded into night and the Tower grew darker until someone spelled the fireplace to life. As they were putting away the chess board some time later, Harry caught sight of Lacy at the edge of his vision. He looked at her then, the orange light of the fire highlighting her high cheekbones and nose. Her raven black hair had a bright shine to it and he felt his heart leap in his throat. She reminded him of someone, but he could not quite place it.

At that moment, he decided to confront her after their first class the next day. He had to know who the beautiful girl next to his friend was and where she had come from.

- - -

Students shuffled out of the potions classroom, all in a hurry to reach the Great Hall before lunch started serving. Lacy tripped when someone pushed against her from behind and she would have fallen face first on the flagstones if Harry Potter had not grabbed her elbow, steadying her.

"Thank you," Lacy said with a smile to her rescuer. "You're Harry Potter, right?"

"Yeah," the dark haired boy replied with a shorter, but equally bright smile. "Lacy... right?"

"Yeah."

There was a moment of awkward silence and then they both broke into chuckles. Harry could not say precisely why they were laughing, but it felt right. The air around them grew less strained.

"We better hurry," Harry suggested around a laugh, "I don't want to miss lunch."

Lacy readjusted her tan shoulder bag and nodded. "Me, either, I'm starving."

They walked in companionable silence up several flights of stairs as Harry mentally worked through several conversation openers. Finally, giving up on sounding charming, the boy asked the questions that had been burning his thoughts.

"Who is your dad? I heard it was a teacher... If you don't mind my asking," he added when her face fell.

Lacy shrugged. "I don't mind. It's Severus Snape."

Harry's eyebrows shot up faster than he could stop them. Schooling his expression to remain neutral, the Gryffindor boy tried to appear nonchalant.

"Oh. That's brilliant."

Lacy shot him a glare. "No, it's not. Everyone looks at me weird after they find out. That is anything but ‘brilliant' in my book."

"Sorry," he apologized on behalf of the other students.

Her gaze softened. "It's not your fault. I guess I should have expected it, but I've never really lived with him before."

"Oh?"

"He and my mom split when I was really young. I think the commitment scared him more than anything else. He sent me letters on my birthdays and stuff, but... but he never really visited. I was mad at him for a long time."

"What changed?" Harry asked curiously.

"Nothing. A lot. I mean, my mom started having to travel during the summers for her job and I would stay with dad at Spinner's End. We got to know each other, that's all."

They were approaching the Great Hall's double doors and Harry sprinted the last few steps so that he could open the door for Lacy. A warm glow spread across the girl's lightly freckled cheeks.

"Ladies first," Harry said with a playful bow.

"Brawn before brains," the girl replied, taking the door from him and motioning for him to enter.

With a laugh, Harry walked past her and together they made their way to the Gryffindor table. Hermione motioned for Lacy to take a seat next to her and Harry took the empty spot on the opposite side beside Ronald.

"Lacy, do you play Quidditch?" Ron asked around a bite of chicken.

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Ronald Weasley, chew your food before you talk."

Ron glared at the blond before turning quizzical eyes to Lacy Underhill. "Well?"

Lacy picked at her food with her fork. "Nah. I tried out a broom once, but it wasn't very pretty. My dad forbade me from getting on another until I'd had a proper lesson."

"I can teach you," Harry volunteered, surprising himself.

Lacy smiled shyly. "I'd like that... if I can convince my dad."

"Who is he? I'm sure we can think of something. Harry can just pop in and I'm sure whoever your dad is would be thrilled to know the Boy-Who-Lived will be teaching you," Ron said.

"Um. Yeah. I don't think that celebrity status will work in this case," Harry said with a grimace.

"Definitely not," Hermione agreed, "we will have to try something else."

"Why don't I try asking him first and then we can come up with a cunning plan if that doesn't work out?" Lacy suggested with a laugh.

The four friends continued with their lunch, small talk about upcoming Quidditch matches and homework filling the conversation. Harry watched Lacy over his glasses, captivated by her shy smile and delicate features. She seemed so happy and vibrant, it was strange to think of her as the daughter of Severus Snape.

Harry glanced up at the head table and then looked away quickly when he found Professor Snape's disapproving glare directed at the small group of Gryffindors. It was obvious that Snape was not happy about his daughter's choice in friends.

- - - -

Severus bit into his chicken with a ferocious pull, chewing quickly and then swallowing. The teacher was hardly aware that he was eating, all of his attention focused on the Savior of Wizard-kind and the other two troublesome students that his otherwise level-headed daughter had chosen to consort with. It was extremely troubling for the man to consider the possibility that his daughter might be somehow influenced by Harry Potter.

"Lacy looks like she is fitting in nicely - I've heard nothing but good news from the Tower," Minerva McGonagall said, leaning towards Severus in a conspiratorial manner. "It seems she has been welcomed with open arms."

"By the Potter trio," Snape bit out in disgust.

"Severus," Minerva admonished, "now, none of that."

The potions master glared at his fellow teacher and frowned. "I am simply worried that she might get injured while in the company of such... riff-raff."

"That is a legitimate concern," Minerva agreed with a heavy sigh. "They do seem to be in the middle of trouble whenever it starts."

"Precisely!" Snape said, stabbing his fork in the air for emphasis.

"Still, it should be comforting to you that they always make it out of the aforementioned scrapes relatively unharmed."

Snape's eyes darkened. He remained silent and after a moment Minerva gave up on expecting a response. The two teachers continued with their meal, Minerva turning to Sprout for a quick chat about that day's syllabus and Severus staring at Harry Potter. If he stared long and hard enough, perhaps the boy would leave, the man thought with some comfort.

Lacy was talking Granger and the two girls were obviously enjoying the conversation. Then something unexpected happened. Severus watched as Draco Malfoy left the Slytherin table and walked over to Lacy's side. The two exchanged words for a moment and then Draco was leaving with Snape's daughter in tow. The girl was frowning and the Potter trio looked disconcerted.

Alarm bells going off in his mind, Snape pushed his chair away from the table and went after his daughter to make sure everything was alright.

- - -

Lacy followed Draco Malfoy out of the Great Hall against the advice of Ron and Hermione. The girl tried to assess the blond boy's mood. Obviously, he was upset about something, but other than that, Lacy could not discern anything from his expression.

Draco led her into the first empty room they came to and closed the door. She felt her heart beat faster, reaching into her front jean pocket for the wand her father had insisted she take. It was old, a family heirloom, but the power of it flowed through her at the touch. She felt more confident then as she faced Draco.

The blond teenager began to pace back and forth on the stone floor, shaking his head. Finally, he stopped and faced her with an accusing glare.

"You've disgraced my godfather," the boy stated matter-of-factly. "How could you insult him by turning away from the House he has spent years perfecting!? How could you spit on his name by joining up with the likes of Harry bloody Potter?"

Lacy felt like she had been slapped in the face. "I-I didn't know.."

"Don't use that excuse!" The blond boy pointed an index finger at her nose. "Not with me. You may not care about your father, but he means a great deal to me and you have disappointed him - eviscerated him with your betrayal of Slytherin."

Lacy raised a single eyebrow. "That's a bit dramatic, don't you think?"

Draco straightened his robes and drew himself up. "No. I don't." He took a calming breath. "Now, I want you to go and apologize to him and tell him you've changed your mind."

"Just like that?" Lacy asked, having no intention of doing so.

"Either you do it on your own or I will make you!" Draco threatened, bluffing poorly.

The door to the room swung open to reveal an angry Snape. His wand was in hand and a dangerous anger lit his eyes. For a moment Draco was motionless, gulping soundlessly and then the boy tried to appear nonchalant.

"Hello, sir." Draco tried to smile. "I was just having a friendly little chat with Lucy."

"Lacy," Snape corrected in a dangerously low voice. "If you know what is good for you, Mr. Malfoy, you will leave us immediately. I will expect you in my office after class tomorrow morning... we need to talk," the last word was enunciated in such a way that it sounded more threatening than strictly necessary.

Draco nodded and quickly brushed past the professor. Lacy watched him go and her pulse slowed to a more normal beat. Her shoulders slumping in relief and sadness, the girl could not bring herself to look at her father. She had not meant to hurt him by asking to be placed in a House that better suited her personality, but she knew her father would not speak up. He would carry the disappointment silently.

A hand came under her chin and gently raised it until she was looking at his dark eyes. There was nothing but fatherly love and a sliver of pride.

"You did nothing wrong, Lacy. Draco was mistaken."

"How long were you listening?" she asked, voice catching.

"Long enough to know that I need to have a long talk with my godson," he replied with a grimace. "One that I am not looking forward to."

Lacy tossed her hair over one shoulder, suddenly feeling awkward. She had not meant to hurt her father, but now that she knew his true feelings, it made her feel horrible for choosing Gryffindor over Slytherin.

"I knew you kinda had a thing against Gryffindors, but... honestly, I thought it was minor, not like..." her voice trailed off.

Severus sighed. "Wizard politics - and my role in them - should not come between us. I will try to be more open minded about your choices and... your new friends."

Lacy grinned and hugged her dad quickly. "Thanks. Um, dad?"

"Yes?"

"On that last note, do you think it would be possible for Harry to teach me to ride a broom? He offered at lunch."

"Absolutely not!" Snape exclaimed.

Visions of his daughter's mangled body on the Quidditch Pitch filled the professor's mind and he closed his eyes briefly, willing the nightmare away. It had been a knee-jerk reaction to deny her, but in an effort to remain unbiased he took back the words.

"Actually, if you keep me informed concerning how and when these lessons will take place... and you promise that an adult will be within hearing distance... I will... consent to it." Those were the hardest words Snape had ever forced himself to say.

"Thank you, so much!" Lacy shouted, hugging him again and then running out the door. "I'm going to go tell my friends!" she called over her shoulder before disappearing towards the Great Hall.

Severus stared at the stone floor for several long moments. It was a turning point, a time in his life when he could put aside some old grudges to help his daughter or hold on to them and push her further away. Snape hoped that in the coming months he would make the right choices for Lacy's sake.

- - - -

"He said yes!" Lacy informed Hermione with a squeal of excitement.

The blond-haired girl grinned in response. "That is splendid. Harry and Ron are already on their way to Charms, but I know they'll be thrilled."

"Charms, ugh." Lacy shuddered dramatically. "That class is really hard... I don't think I'll ever get the hang of it."

"I can tutor you on Fridays - there's a group in the library."

Lacy nodded. "That would be great. I never really thought about the magical stuff I used to do by accident. My mother and I tried to make things as ‘normal' as possible and, honestly, I think magic was a painful reminder of my father. Mom always insisted on me going to a muggle school."

"Did you miss it... the magic?"

"It is a part of me I never had an opportunity to truly explore before the last few weeks."

"Hm. That's a pretty amazing story. You really are new to all of this."

Lacy fingered the butt of the wand sticking over the edge of her jean pocket. "It's been cool. I think I'm starting to like it... for him."

"Your dad must be very proud of you. Not just anybody could go from a muggle life to being taught at Hogwarts so late and take it as calmly as you have."

"If I close my eyes during History of Magic... and pretend Binns is saying ‘colonials' instead of ‘trolls', it is almost like my old school."

Hermione laughed at that.

"Besides, the credits don't exactly transfer, so I'll be studying all summer to make up my grades at school. I don't actually have to pass any of the tests here, so, there isn't a lot of pressure. I'd still like to impress him though. My dad."

"Well, I don't want to boast, but you could not have picked a better friend for quick tutoring," Hermione said with a blush.

The two girls walked to Charms class sharing conversation about the weather and class schedules. It had turned gray and stormy outside. Lacy hoped that it would clear up in time for Harry to teach her to ride a broom. The muggle raised girl looked forward to mastering the flying device.

- - - -

After Charms class, the Gryffindor friends made their way out to the Quidditch field. Ron had brought along his broom for Lacy to borrow and Hermione had even agreed to join them, but instead of a broom she brought a large tome.

Sitting in the otherwise empty stands, the blond girl watched her friends far below as Harry explained to Lacy Underhill the basics of magical flight.

- - - -

Severus stood on the ramparts of the castle, leaning against the uneven stone so that he could make out the students on the Quidditch Pitch far below. Wind whipped around him, sending dark locks into his eyes, but he ignored the weather. This was the only place where the pitch was clearly visible and he was not going to let his daughter out of sight until he was sure she would be safe.

Lacy's first flight had been riddled with disaster. Snape grimaced at the memory. His daughter had dislocated a shoulder and sprained her ankle. The broom had been a worse for wear as well.

The girl had wanted to fly - had spoken about nothing else for days on end until, finally, Severus had given in and promised to teach her how. The broom had been older, but sturdy and he still smiled at the way her eyes had lit up when she took the object in her hands. That light of childish innocence seemed to have disappeared, lately.

Severus brushed a hand over his face to discourage the flying strands of hair. He wondered if Lacy knew just how much he loved her. Somehow, he doubted she did. After all, he had been the one to leave. Lacy had chosen to take her mother's maiden name and after the Dark Lord's return Severus wouldn't have had it any other way. In Voldemort's eyes, a family was a weakness, because it could be exploited.

Snape had fought hard to keep Lacy away from Hogwarts. He had even offered to pay for someone to watch over the girl during her mother's absence, but Lacy had insisted on staying with him. She had missed him... wanted to "re-connect" with him.

An ache filled Severus' heart when he saw his daughter soar up into the air in a graceful arc. She was so smart and funny and beautiful, just like her mother. It hurt him so badly to know he had let himself miss some of the most important years in her life. He hated himself for it and vowed to do better for her in the future.

- - - -

After an hour on the pitch, the students were on their way back to the castle, walking through the outer corridors and talking about flying.

Harry clapped the girl on the back with a proud smile. "You did great up there, Lacy."

"Why thank you, Quidditch Captain," she said with a cheeky grin.

"Indeed." Severus stepped out of a shadowed doorway. "You did exceptionally well for a beginner."

Lacy grinned. "It was really fun, dad! You should join us next time."

"Unfortunately, that will not be possible," Snape drawled.

Harry and his friends started to move past the couple, letting the father and daughter have some space, but Severus put out a hand to stop the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Wait, Potter." Severus gave his daughter a smile. "I will see you at dinner, Lacy." The teenage girl was dismissed.

"Sir?" Harry asked nervously, once his friends had all moved on.

Severus glared down his nose at the boy, choosing his words carefully. After all, he had promised his daughter to be nicer to the Gryffindors. It was now a question of degree.

"You seem to be getting along well with my daughter," Snape stressed the last two words.

Harry ducked his gaze, unsure if he was in trouble. "Yes, Professor."

"Be sure that you do not drag her into any of your... misadventures." Dark eyes glared daggers into the student. "I promise you, Mr. Potter, that if anything should happen to my daughter, I will hold you and your little friends personally responsible."

Harry swallowed. "Yes, sir."

Snape straightened to his full height, standing a bit on his toes just to add to the intimidation. He needed to be sure that the boy was paying full attention. Crossing his arms over his chest, the professor looked down at the Gryffindor.

"I'll be watching." Severus smiled, showing his teeth. "Run along now, I'm sure you have plenty of homework."

Harry nodded and scrambled back, feeling all at once intimidated and relieved. Snape watched as the boy made a quick escape back to the castle proper.

Lowering himself back to his heels, the professor shook his head. It would be better to just forbid Lacy from becoming friends with Harry Potter before something disastrous happened. He would have to wait and see if the dunce of a Gryffindor felt threatened enough to stay in line, because otherwise he might be forced to take drastic action.

"Your move, Mr. Potter," Snape muttered under his breath.

Pulling his cloak close to ward off the chill of evening, Severus Snape started back to his quarters in the dungeons of Hogwarts.

0o0o0

It was raining outside the next day, so the Gryffindor friends decided to use the room of requirement for a little broom practice. Filch was outside within hearing distance, cleaning up some particularly nasty hex leftovers that would take hours to scrub off the ceiling. Hermione was sitting in a corner on a bed of large pillows that had been there when the room appeared, curled up around a large book. Ron was sitting next to her playing a game of chess with the distracted witch.

Harry sat on his broom several feet above the ground, his toes just brushing the soft mats that made up the floor, and talked Lacy through the mounting process again. She needed a few prompts to keep her balance, but after a moment she was fine.

"I think I'm starting to remember," the girl said shakily. She gripped the wooden handle tightly, knuckles going white. "I just got to keep the magic in my mind, because it's easy to forget that I'm what's keeping this thing afloat."

"Yes." Harry nodded his head. "You have to always feel that connection between yourself and the broom. I picture it as a energy ribbon that invisibly links me to my broom."

Lacy closed her eyes and tried to imagine what her magic must look like. A red line fluctuating between translucent and opaque flickered through her mind and she grasped the image tight. She could feel it like a real thing. The black-haired girl gasped.

"That is amazing."

Harry grinned as he watched the girl's face light up. He knew what she was experiencing. He had felt it the first time he held his wand. A burst of something coming from his core... something alive and so very strong. It was intoxicating. A slightly red aura blushed across Lacy's body before disappearing. The broom raised another foot and Lacy shrieked in surprise at the unplanned ascent. After a moment, both teenagers burst into shared laughter.

"So, now that I've got the basics down, why don't you teach me a trick or two," she said.

Harry rose with his broom until he was at equal height with hers and then he carefully maneuvered until he was hovering at her side.

"Alright, what I'm going to show you is easy to do in tight spaces and it doesn't take a lot of speed, but it looks brilliant out on the Quidditch field," he explained. "Now, the most important thing to remember is that your broom is an extension of yourself. Do you understand?"

Lacy nodded. "Yes."

As Harry went on to show Lacy a simple dip and pivot move on her broom, he was unaware that Severus Snape was on his way to check up on his daughter. The potions master had heard several Gryffindor third years giggling about Harry and a black-haired girl disappearing into the room of requirement together. The man was furious. He had given the boy strict instructions for how and when to be with his daughter - alone in a room that could turn into anywhere had never been on that list. Striding through halls and up stairways, black cloak billowing out behind him like an angry cloud, Severus found himself getting more and more angry with every second that passed. Harry bloody Potter had some explaining to do!

- - - -
"Harry Potter!" the voice followed the bang of doors bursting open. "Return my daughter to me immediately and report for..." Severus stopped.

Four teenagers were staring at him in complete shock, two of them from a bed of pillows in the corner and two from near the ceiling. The potions master blinked.

"Dad?" Lacy asked, her voice wavering uncertainly, "are we in trouble?"

Severus shook his head. "No." He cleared his throat, eyes wide and searching for an excuse. "I was merely checking.. up... on you... four." He tried to keep his tone firm and smug.

"Then why were you yelling at Harry?" his daughter asked with a frown.

The man cleared his throat again, trying to find a way out of the hole he had dug himself into. He really should have checked before assuming that his daughter and Harry were doing anything... untoward. Lacy let her broom land in a graceful arc and she dismounted, Harry following suit. Growing anger brightened her eyes.

"I was merely wanting to be sure that... I was... We will discuss this later," he ended weakly.

Lacy raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to one side. "Just what did you think we were doing in here, anyway, dad?"

Harry blushed at the implication. Severus paled. He had promised to try harder and had failed miserably. She had every right to be angry at him, but his pride left him grasping at the shreds of his dignity.

"That is not important, young lady," he said, shaking his finger at her, "what is important right now is that you come with me and Mr. Potter here goes back to the Tower with his little friends."

"But why?" Lacy asked, hands on hips.

"Because I am your father and I said so," Severus answered, regaining the bite in his tone. "Now, come along."

Lacy threw down the broom and it clattered against the stone, chipping the tail, and then she stalked past her father. Severus glared at the Gryffindors before turning on his heel and going after his daughter. Harry stood in stunned silence for several long seconds. After a moment Hermione and Ron got up and walked to his side.

"Well, that was interesting," Hermione commented.

"I've never seen Snape that flustered," Ron added with a gulp, "or that angry."

The Gryffindors abandoned the room of requirement and headed up to the Tower. Harry carried both brooms, one in each hand, wondering if he would see Lacy Underhill before school the next day. The blush that had crept through his skin at the innuendo Snape had left unsaid kept his cheeks pink as he moved through the corridors. In a back corner of his mind, Harry let himself imagine what it might have been like to sneak off with Lacy - alone in the room of requirement.

"Harry, why are you smiling like that?" Hermione asked curiously.

Harry found himself grinning from ear to ear. "Just thought of something funny, that's all," he lied.

The girl shrugged and moved closer to Ron. "I'm going to study in my dorm and see if Lacy returns there tonight."

"Alright, see you 'Mione," Ron said.

Harry wished the girl a goodnight and as they reached the portrait hole all three parted ways - Hermione towards the stairs, Ron for the couch and Harry to his bed. Lacy was nowhere to be seen.