Snivellus

56

'Darah.' Snape looked directly into her eyes. 'The thing about the Malfoys is that you cannot trust them. They will do anything to help themselves.'

'Then why'd you let me stay with them and hang out with Draco?'

Snape tilted his head at her. 'Why did you sneak out to that party?'

Darah gulped. 'Why were you at the party?'

Snape stood up from where he was crouching. 'There is business that you need not know, for good reason. You might not realise it now, Darah, but in the future, you will come to realise that what I say and do will benefit you. I don't want you to end up like every other Slytherin. I never wanted that life for you.'

***

Draco sent Darah letters everyday for the rest of summer, secretly. She replied back to every single one: it was mostly just random jokes and stories about what they had been doing during the summer.

On the last day of summer, Darah and Snape sat down together to play wizards chess.

'We haven't played in forever.' Darah smiled as she set everything out.

'Yes, it's because you know I'll win.' Snape half smiled at her.

Darah picked up a pawn and made her first move. 'Who's defence against the dark arts teacher this year, do you know?'

Snape made his play. 'Dumbledore has an auora coming in.'

'Really?' Darah was taken a little aback, she didn't expect someone with such a high ranking job to me teaching at Hogwarts of all places. 'Anyone special?'

'Moody.'

'I don't think I know them. Unless... you don't mean-' her eyes widened as she came to realisation.

Snape's mouth curled up into a smug smile. 'Mad Eye Moody.'

Darah's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe the Alistor Moody would be teacher her at Hogwarts. 'I'm going to ask him all about being an auror.' She gawped, imagining classes with him.

'So you want to be an auror now?' Snape raised his eyebrows half interested, half pretending to be offended that she didn't say potions master.

She shrugged. 'I think it's pretty cool. I don't know if I'd be good at it though. I panic a lot.' She fidgeted.

'Darling, whatever job you pick, you'll be perfect at it. And do you know why?'

She shook her head.

'Because you're my daughter. Back in my day, they used to call me the half blood Prince.' He winked proudly.

'Half blood Prince?' She rolled her eyes sarcastically.

'Are you making fun of me?' He pursed his lips, pretending to be angry.

Darah laughed. 'Yes.' She grinned, getting up off the floor and running for safety as Snape got up and started to hunt her down and use the tickle charm.

In the end, Snape won the game on wizards chess to which he sat with a smug expression on his face the whole of the afternoon.

They sat down and had the final dinner together before school the next day.

'Tomorrow, you're coming with me to Hogwarts.' Snape informed Darah, in between gulps of food.

She gave a puzzled look. 'Why?'

'Some business I want to take care of.'

'Why do I have to come then?'

'You don't. But I'm telling you, so you're coming.' He said sternly.

She huffed and continued to eat her food without a fight; she knew she would lose.

***

'Darah!' Snape shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

'Coming!' She shouted back. The morning had been extremely chaotic; Pooky had accidentally broken a jar in the kitchen and was insisting on punishing himself, Darah's school work was not packed and she had lost a few pieces of homework, forgetting where she had put everything, and her tie was missing so Snape had to hurry to Diagon Alley to buy her a new one.

She dragged her suitcase hurriedly down the stairs, letting it bump all over the place.

Snape shook his head in disbelief and tiredness. 'How many times do I have to tell you to use your wand?'

'Sorry.' She breathed.

And with that, they walked into the living room and threw the floo powder onto the fireplace, letting the green flames swallow them up and take them to their destination.

They landed in the ministry of magic. Darah felt extremely out of place, she had never been to the ministry before and was completely in awe of everything around her and the busy floods of people travelling in and out.

'Come.' Snape ordered and she followed along behind him, twizzling in circles, taking everything in, like a giddy seven year old.

'Severus.' One man nodded to him as he wondered past.

Once inside an empty elevator he gave Darah instructions. 'Do not speak to anyone, do not make eye contact with anyone and if they ask who you are, you tell them you're here with me for Hogwarts business.'

She nodded, still holding her suitcase in one hand.

'And if you lose me, somehow, then make your way back to the fireplaces and head home if you can.'

The lift doors opened and the two stepped out.

'Oh, hello Severus. Lovely to see you here with... who is this?' A woman with fuzzy pink clothes said in an annoyingly high pitched voice as she eyed Darah suspiciously.

'A student. Hogwarts business that you needn't worry about, Dolores.' Snape spoke through gritted teeth.

'Yes, well, she's very peculiar. Strange hair.' She moved her hands around flamboyantly as she spoke.

Darah narrowed her eyes at her, feeling insulted.

'There is nothing wrong with her.' Snape spoke in a cold tone.

'Very well, Serverus, whatever you say I guess.' She hiccoughed and exchanged places with them in the elevator.

'I bloody hate her.' Snape cursed under his breath as he and Darah walked away, making Darah smile soundlessly.