atelophobia • {HP universe} (BOOK 1)

~ two ~

"It's about time you left my house, Liliana. You've caused nothing but trouble, you're a rotten apple."

"I've been here for two weeks, Rita."

Liliana was shoving her duffle bag into the trunk of one of the child services cars to be taken to Severus's house, as Rita tried to get the last word, fighting with Lily.

"I'm simply stating that I feel bad for whoever gets unlucky enough to have to take care of you." Rita replied.

Lily huffed as she sat into the car.

"If you hate kids so much, why do you foster them?" She said, more to herself. She watched as Rita waddled back into the house, her nose sticking up into the air like she was the queen of the world.

"You all buckled up and ready?" The child services lady asked, and Lily gave a nod. The car began moving, for the journey ahead.

The truth was, Lily was nervous. Very nervous. She relaxes once she knows the caretakers punishment methods, and how strict they are, but with Severus Snape, she had no idea. Also, the man claims to be her father, which just adds to the anxiety. After all these years of torment and broken homes, the excitement of the idea that Lily has a father was completely covered with fear. One time, she once stayed with a man who was apparently physically abusive, and after that, she was never the same. Lily would find herself flinching at the smallest movement, and getting a rush of anxiety at the smallest sound. Her one rule was no crying. She was currently eleven, and hadn't cried for six years. Lily found that sometimes when people would hurt her emotionally, it was almost equal to the physical pain.

Of course, Liliana has been with some very nice caretakers. Lots of them. But after odd things constantly seemed to happen around her, and after they were around her negative vibe for too long, they no longer wanted to care for her.

As a slow song came on the radio, Lily decided she needed sleep. Her eyes closed, as as she drifted off into her dreams, but all that occupied her mind is what could go wrong.

—

"Lily, wake up. We've arrived." The sweet voice of the child services woman rang.

Although she was tired from just waking up from a nap, Lily sprang out of the car, and her fear was taking over once again.

"Now, I think you should go in by yourself, because the circumstances are... different. This will be your permanent home." The lady said.

Permanent.

Of course it would be, this was her real father. Why hadn't she put the pieces together?

The kind lady gave Lily an encouraging nudge, and Lily's numb legs took her to the front door with her duffle bag, just as she saw the car she was previously in pulling out of the driveway. Great. Now she had no choice but to knock on the door in front of her. After a few seconds, Lily raised her fist to knock, and the door swung open. Lily froze for a moment in the position that she was about to knock in, and realized: this was definitely her father. He had the same eyes, and the same hair, and there were other small similarities that Lily couldn't quite name, but they were there.

"Hmph." The can called Severus uttered, then walked inside. Lily stood there frozen for a bit, wondering what to do.

"Are you trying to let the bugs in?" Severus said in a very slow voice. Lily had a relatively slow talking speed too. She immediately entered the house and shut the door behind her. She walked a little further to where Severus was standing, and he motioned to a couch behind her.

"Sit." He said, with absolutely no emotion in his voice. Lily quickly sat down, and looked up to where her father was, and he sat down across from her.