Being His Daughter CONTINUED

Avoid and Control

I thought about just not showing up to Snape's detention at all, but first of all, I had to or he would probably go look for me, and second of all, I thought I owed it to him since he really did take it lightly on me. I was looking forward to knowing why by the end of the detention.

It was about eight at night the next day when I knocked on the door of his office. Not even a minute later he pulled the door open. "Finally," he said. "I thought I was going to have to go and pull you out of the common room."

I stepped into his office. "No," I said simply, taking the seat across his desk. He went behind it and sat down. We stared at each for a bit, me looking at him with an expectant expression. "So am I supposed to write lines or-"

"Sierra, do you have any idea how serious this is?"

"It was just a duel, okay?" I said, rubbing my forehead.

"No!" he barked, making me jump. "It was not just a duel. Ms. Parkinson is still in the Hospital Wing and it happened yesterday!"

I glared at him, trying not to let my face soften even though what he said struck a cord in me. She was still in there, and I hadn't even gone to see her.

"If you're wanting to go and see her, I don't think you should," Snape said as if he were reading my mind. "Madam Pomfrey knows it was you who put her in there so she may start asking you questions." Completely ignoring his statement, I-

"Did you look into my head?!" I asked angrily.

"I wanted to see if your Occlumency was working-"

"I'm not even using it right now," I mumbled, slumping back in my seat.

"Well you should be," he responded coolly. I rolled my eyes.

"It's only necessary around Dumbledore." I picked at my fingernails as Snape scoffed.

"And your skills proved to be wearing down last year when he looked into your mind and he almost saw what really happened."

I looked up at him quickly. "How did you know what happened?" I asked slowly.

"That's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about," he said, shifting in his seat in order to get more comfortable. "Dumbledore told me. He's very perplexed as to why a third year like you could cause such pain to another student. He also told me how he thinks it's very suspicious how he can't look into your mind easily. He seems to have completely thrown away the possibility that you know Occlumency, since even the most advanced wizards have trouble perfecting it. And you being able to keep out such a skilled wizard like Dumbledore, well, he just doesn't believe it at all."

"Well that's good isn't it?" I asked. "He doesn't think I know how to do it so he won't think I'm anything--weird-"

"Oh, he does think something weird is going on. Which is why I'm going to order you to stay as far away from Dumbledore as you can. Avoid him at all costs. I'm sure he's going to try to speak with you if he sees you and I can help you sometimes if I'm there but not all the time. That would be too suspicious on my part. Do you understand?"

"Well, I already try to avoid him as much as I can so-- I don't think it'll be that big of a problem. But, uh--word choice, Snape. You said you order me...?"

"Okay, ask you," he gritted out. I nodded my head.

"That I will do, then. Is that all? Can I go now?"

"First of all, you still have detention, and second, no, that is not all. Sit down."

I sighed, lowering myself back down into my chair as he cleared his throat to continue speaking. "I also wanted to talk to you about losing your control during your duel with Parkinson. Well, I wouldn't even call it a duel since she didn't even fire I single spell at you. What was it all about?"

I looked down at my lap. The last thing I wanted to do was tell Snape I got mad at Pansy because I thought she was snogging Draco. I kept my eyes away from Snape's, knowing he would probably try to look into my head. "Sierra, tell me so I can help you fix it. You can't have any more of those outbursts."

"I know how I'm going to fix it," I said quietly. "And there's nothing you can really do to stop it anyway."

"Was it something over Draco?"

I looked up at him with narrowed eyes. I instantly wanted to scream that I didn't fancy him out of instinct since everyone had been coming to that conclusion, but instead I asked, "Why do you assume that right away?"

"Well it's true isn't it? I see the way Parkinson is with him, I thought it was only a matter of time until one of you exploded. Of course, it was you who actually did something about it. Since the look on your face gives it all away, I'll assume I'm correct."

I shifted my face to a blank expression but he continued: "But you're also right. I can't stop the girl from obsessing over Draco, and neither can you. Who knows, maybe the duel you two had last night will have smacked the idea that she should get over Draco into her mind, but if it hasn't, you cannot lose your control over it anymore. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head slowly. "But my father-"

"You will tell your father that he should let you do as I say so you won't lose your cover."

I cracked my knuckles nervously. "Alright. I guess it sort of makes sense..."

I looked back up at him and he smirked. "Good, if you feel like you're going to go off again, I suggest you just get away right away. Do we have a deal?"

I nodded my head again. "Sure," I said, cocking my head to the side and grinning. The grin was wiped off my face as he pointed behind him to a mop and bucket.

"Your detention duty awaits."