The Truth is ... (A Severus Snape Fanfic)

Chapter 6 -The New Headmaster

Severus Snape's P.O.V.

    He rest back against the chair in the headmaster's office. He had been appointed new headmaster by Voldemort after he took over the school. The staff wasn't happy about it, but it was that or they get killed, so they accepted, but hated him all the same. He let out a sigh, there was less then three weeks left until school started and he knew that he would have to face her again. This time he would explain everything to her, let her know why he had done what he had. He would tell her the truth, let her know that it was her grandfather's wish, though he doubted she would believe him. He had seen the hate, and the anger and the betrayal on her face when she saw what he had done. She had shunned him away, told him she hated him and never wanted to see him again. He had hurt her worse then he had hurt anyone before. He rested his hand against his chest as it began to ache. He knew what it was that ached, it was his heart, and he knew as cheesy as this sounded, he knew it was breaking.
    He sighed deeply as he looked up at the ceiling. He had things to do and school to prepare for, but nothing felt right. It felt so wrong and he was loosing control. He thought everything was going to alright in the end, but he knew it wasn't. He knew now that things would never be the same, he had lost control of his life and he knew when it happened. The night he slept with Andromeda his life started to spiral out of control as he began to fall in love with her. Damn it he thought to himself, he had screwed up, done the one thing he should never have done. He allowed himself the use of his emotions and he fell in love with a student, and not just an ordinary student. He meant that she wasn't an extraordinary person, she didn't have any special abilities, she didn't have powers that would change the world, but she was Albus Dumbledore's granddaughter. As the granddaughter of Albus Dumbledore she will have a lot of influence in the magic world when she's an adult.
    He began to busy himself in his work so much so that the three weeks before school past by so fast and he found himself so nervous. He was never nervous, but today at the beginning of the first day he was scared to death. He didn't care if other students hated him, but knowing she was coming to school and that fact that she hated him caused him a lot of pain. He sat in the headmaster's chair behind the the teacher's table as he watched the students come in. There was no happy chatter, no laughing kids, everyone came in quietly and solemnly. They went to their chairs. He looked around until he saw her, she looked beautiful, if not a little thin. She was thinner then the last time he saw her, and she looked tired, but other that that she was beautiful, gorgeous even. He watched her sit down at the table between Neville Longbottom and a girl named Luna Lovegood. From what he could see Neville was keeping a protective arm around her shoulder, not like a lover would, but a friend, a really good friend.
    He wanted to go over and ring the neck of the boy, but he knew he couldn't. She glanced at him and he saw shock on her face, then anger, her mouth forming a thin line as her face went pale. Her blue eyes gazed sharply at him as he stared back, never once backing down from her stare. He didn't have to explain himself to her, in words or in action. He stood up to speak after the first years were sorted. He got through his speech with no issues as no one dare speak. He looked around and saw that the Potter boy and his two friends were not there. He mentally shook his head, he knew what they were doing and he hoped for the sake of his family that he succeeds. After the meal was over and everyone had gone to their dorms he called Andromeda to his office, and he had her escorted so she couldn't say no. Minerva McGonagall brought the girl to his office but refused to leave the vicinity so he allowed her to stay outside his office as he talked with Andromeda.
    "Miss. Dumbledore" He spoke with a soft voice, but it was cold and he hated how he talked to her like that. He gestured to the chair across from his desk and she sat slowly, almost cautiously, her eyes never leaving him. "I was wondering about your health, you seem thinner then last time we met"
    "I am fine, thank you" She spoke in the same tone as him, matching the look on his face. In the five months she had lived with him, she had learned how to be like him. He knew that because he had taught her, had told her she'd need to learn to be emotionless if she got caught by Voldemort, but he had promised her that he would never let that happen.
    "And... the... the child?" Severus wasn't sure how to ask about his daughter and how she was. He was new to this parent thing and he hadn't even seen her since she'd been born.
    "oh you mean your daughter?" Andromeda snapped at him. "really Sir? Now you ask? No letter, no nothing just to inquire about her even if i was mad at you? She is not fine"
    "What do you mean?" His voice changed to concern for the moment, he wanted to know what was going on.
    "What do i mean?" Her blue eyes burned into him. He wanted to shrink back into the shadows and pretend he wasn't having this conversation, but that wouldn't do him any good. She stood up from the chair anger and hate swirling in her eyes once again. "She died, before she was even born she was dead. Because of what happened that night I had to bury my ... our daughter before she was old enough to take her first breath. Goodnight Headmaster."
    He let out a breath, a noise somewhere between a gasp and a no, he wasn't expecting to hear that from her. His heart sank, now he would never get to see his daughter. He lowered himself into his chair and didn't say anything as she turned and left the room, the door slamming behind her. He felt tears, something he wasn't used to, slide down his cheeks, but he didn't move to stop them or wipe them away. No one would come in to his office unless he allowed them, so for now he would let the tears fall for the daughter he would never know.

Andromeda Dumbledore's P.O.V.

    She got off the train to Hogwarts with Neville Longbottom holding an arm around her shoulders protectively. He had taken it upon himself to protect her and she was flattered, she knew that he was being more brotherly then nothing. She smiled at him as she wondered to herself about who was running the school. She had assumed it would be Minerva, since she was next in line to take over the school. She would never be prepared for who was running it now. She followed the rest of the students to the great hall where she sat down next to Neville and one of her other friends Luna. She looked at the empty chairs that would be where Harry, Ron and Hermonie sat and immediately missed her friends, but they had something to do, and she was hoping they would succeed for the sake of her daughter. She was saying something to Neville when she looked up at the table to see who was headmaster.
    She let out a small noise as she saw Severus Snape sitting at the table. She swallowed softly before her eyes met his. His dark eyes met hers and she saw sadness and regret, but she was so angry with him she didn't care are the moment. She felt the blood drain from her face and she forced herself to frown in order to keep herself from crying. She turned her head to place it against Neville's chest. She let the tears fall from there as he kept an arm over her shoulder, shielding her face from view of everyone. She was grateful to him.
     After Severus had given a speech to the students they all moved to go to the dorms. It wasn't long after Andromeda had gotten ready for bed that Minerva came into the Gryffindor common room to get Andromeda. She told her that Severus had called her to his office and sent her because he refused to take no. So Andromeda pulled on her robes and followed Minerva without a word to her grandfather's... no to Severus's office. After Minerva pretty much threw a fit, Severus allowed her to stay outside the office when Andromeda entered.
    "Miss. Dumbledore" He spoke colder the normal motioning to the chair across from his desk. She took a seat but she never took her eyes off him. She had learned well from their last encounter to be on her toes, to not to trust easily. She watched him with suspicion in her eyes. "I was wondering about your health. You seem thinner then when we last meant"
    "I'm fine thank you" Her tone cold, emotionless, just like he had taught her. She watched him from behind a curtain of red hair. She had let her hair grow out longer then its normal shoulder length and now it rested down to just above her waist. He had promised to protect her and he didn't. Instead he had hurt her so bad she couldn't stand to look at him, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
    "And ... uh... the child?" He asked. She could tell it was awkward to ask about their daughter. Severus had never meant their daughter and she would keep it that way. She promised to protect her child and now she was going to do it.
    "You mean your daughter" Andromeda snapped at him. She was angry if he couldn't tell. "No letter, no nothing just to inquire about her? No she is not fine"
    "What do you mean?" She could hear the confusion and the worry in his voice, but refused to recognize it. How could he be so cold hearted.
    "What do i mean?" She stared hard at him, hoping he would get the point to how angry she was feeling. She wanted him to cringe with fear as she stared at him, but she wouldn't get the satisfaction and she knew it. "She was dead before she was born. Because of what happened that night I had to bury my... our daughter before she was old enough to even take her first breath"
    With that she turned and left the room slamming the door closed behind her. Once she was out of the room she started to cry. Minerva put her arms around the her shoulders and led her to her office. Andromeda couldn't believe what she had just done. She had lied to him, told him their daughter was dead. She hated lying to him, but she was thinking about their daughter, about their Sofia, she was going to protect her even if that meant from her own father. Minerva put her in a chair and summoned an elf to get her a cup of tea.
    "What happened?" Minerva asked after she handed Andromeda a cup of hot herbal tea. Andromeda smiled gratefully and took a sip.
    "I lied to him" She looked down at the cup in her hand. "I told him that Sofia was dead. I had to" She felt more tears fall down her face. "He killed him, Aunty Minnie, he killed my grandfather, i had to lie, I couldn't let him take Sofia to Voldemort."
    "I know" Minerva rubbed Andromeda's back gently as she let her talk, telling her everything.
    "I mean, Molly's going to take good care of her for now," Andromeda leaned against Minerva. "I want her to be safe and i want her to be loved and I love her more then anything. I have to protect my daughter. Sofia will live to grow up and she will have her education here, but not while he's in charge. I hate him... god i hate him, but auntie, i love him so much it hurts"
    Minerva could only nod and Andromeda knew that she didn't understand, she hadn't felt the kind of love that Andromeda felt towards Severus. Andromeda looked around Minerva's office and sighed. She should get sleep she knew it. Tomorrow was the first of classes and she needed her sleep, though she doubted she would sleep much. She hadn't been sleeping since her encounter with Severus. All she could see was her grandfather falling off the clock tower and his voice in her head saying those two words that had destroyed her life in one night.
    She went back to her dorm and lay awake throughout the whole night her eyes staring up at the ceiling. The castle was scary at night and she went down the common room to sit in front of the warm glowing fire. Neville was there reading a book, obviously he couldn't sleep either. He looked as exhausted as she felt. She smiled as she took a seat on the couch next to him. He put his book down and pulled her into his arms. She leaned into him feeling comfortable with him. He was like a brother, he was protective and he was trying to keep her warm as her body was shaking. She also knew he was in love with Luna and he would never see Andromeda as more then a friend, which was fine with her.
    "How did things get so messed up?" She spoke softly as he pulled a blanket up around them. She felt him shrug. "People are dying everyday and there's nothing that can be done?"
    "There is, but its already being done, we have to sit and wait" Neville sighed watching the fire.
    "But i feel so helpless, i want to fight him, I want him to feel what I'm feeling" Andromeda pulled the blanket closer to her body. She lay warm in the arms of her best friend while her friends were out in the cold trying to find a way to kill Voldemort, but at this moment in time she wasn't talking about Voldemort and Neville would know that. Neville was one of the few students that knew the truth to her reason for being absent last year.
    "I know and one day you will" Neville moved slightly as Luna came down from the girl's dorms. She smiled at them and sat down next to Neville. "Together we will do what needs to be done in order to be free"
    "I know" Andromeda sat with her best friends and watched the fire. Together they would do what was needed, even if that meant killing him. If it was what they had to do to free themselves, they would do it. She knew it, she would protect her life so that she could go home and take care of her daughter, the one thing that has become her reason for living. She sat on the couch and sighed, content for the moment just to be in the company of people who knew what she needed to do and were willing to help her.