The Potion Master's Daughter

Year One: Chapter two

It was not to much longer after Serena received her letter, that she now found herself standing in Diagon Alley for the first time. It was everything she imagined and even more.

Serena looked at all the shops in amazement, she never seen anything quite like this. Mostly because she never was allowed to leave her neighbor hood, so it didn't surprise her that much.

Severus watched as Serena ran up to the broom shop and look inside it, he had told her about Quidditch, so seeing her looking at the brooms almost brought a smile to his face. But he didn't let one form.

When Serena was born, Severus always pictures himself standing in Diagon Alley, but he always pictured he would have someone by his side. But now he stood there, watching his little girl get her school supplies for the first time alone.

“Serena, come with me” said Severus, drawing Serena's attention away from the broom shop. Obeying, Serena walked over to her father with a wide smile. She was so happy that her father was allowing her do to this.

As they walked, Serena wondered what Hogwarts would be like, and if she would end up in Slytherin like her father. Or perhaps the house her mother was in, but what house was that? Her father never said, just that she went to Hogwarts with him.

Her once scattered attention halted when Serena felt a hand on her shoulder, she stopped and looked up at her father, who had stopped walking. Her curious gaze shifted to a man who stood before her, he had pale blond and grey eyes and he seemed to know her father.

“Lucius” said her Father, it came across as merely recognition or perhaps the greeting of an old friend? Serena wondered how they knew each other as she kept her curious gaze on him for a moment longer.

Serena's eyes suddenly snapped towards a boy who looked about her age, he appeared to be bored, like he didn't want to be there. How could someone not want to be there? Serena thought it was amazing.

When the boy noticed Serena was looking at him, he raised a brow and smirked. Serena tilted her head slightly, who was he? And what was she supposed to say to him? She wasn't allowed to have friends growing up, so she had no idea what she was supposed to say.

“Who are you?” asked the boy, almost as if he was reading Serena's thoughts. Hearing that made Severus remember he never actually introduced them, though he knew that Lucius met Serena when she was very young.

Severus' hand tightened slightly on Serena's shoulder, drawing her attention away from the boy, he was about to do something he hasn't done in years “This is my daughter, Serena” he explain.

Realization filled Lucius' eyes “Young Serena” he said, with a smile that felt cold to Serena, and his eyes had the same look to them “My have you grown since I last saw you.” he added, making a puzzled look cross Serena's face.

“I've met you before?” asked Serena, she didn't remember ever meeting him, she was sure she would remember his almost cold eyes. And why didn't she ever seem him anymore afterwards?

But before he could reply, Serena took a step back then looked up at her father. She didn't feel comfortable around him, but was that because of the lack of interaction she had with people growing up?

Severus sensed her discomfort, but he didn't move right away, he wanted to give Lucius time to respond before he took her away. And luckily for them both, he did “Once when you were young.” answered Lucius at last “This is my son, Draco. He will be attending Hogwarts this year as well” he added.

While saying nothing, Serena just nodded, she looked pleadingly at Severus. Now she just wanted to get her stuff and go home, despite her once enthusiastic attitude “We must get going, have to get her stuff” said Severus.

Serena looked back at Lucius and Draco a polite smile and a small wave, she didn't want to seem rude. But part of her wasn't sure if that was too late, did she come across as rude before now?

Without another word, Severus whisked Serena away to one of the shops. When he saw how Serena seemed so uneasy around Lucius, it made him think about how much he and Lucius were alike.

They both were, and still are death eaters, they both were fathers. And Severus knew that there was a part of them both that was evil, there had to be, they were his followers after all.

If Serena wasn't comfortable around Lucius, as if she sensed something about him that wasn't good. Would she react that way when the secret Severus kept for so long was finally found out by her?

Would she fear him once she found out that he was a death eater? Would she hate him when she found out he was a follower of the man that killed her mother and nearly her? Severus could only hope she didn't hate him once all of it comes out.

After they walked Flourish and Blotts, they received curious and confused looks from other Hogwarts students when they noticed Severus. They wondered if their eyes were playing tricks on them, or perhaps that he had to help a muggleborn get their supplies, they didn't know that he was there with his daughter.

“What if I don't get sorted into Slytherin?” asked Serena suddenly, not looking at Severus, but at all the books that surrounded her. How she find the books that she needed in this place?

Knowing how much she wanted to be in Slytherin had always brought a sense of pride to Severus, that she wanted to be in the house he was in when he was in his Hogwarts years, the house he was the head of.

Severus looked down at her “It won't matter” he said, he didn't really care what house she ended up in, but of course he hoped she would be a Slytherin “Your mother was in Gryffindor.” he confessed.

Hearing this made Serena's eyes lit up in surprise “She was in Gryffindor and you were in Slytherin?” Serena asked, she never knew that her mother was in Gryffindor, she had always assumed that she was in Slytherin like her dad.

But then again, she didn't know much about her mother, very little in fact. Serena only knew what her mother looked like from the picture in her locket, and now that she was in Gryffindor. She didn't even know what her voice sounded like.

Severus didn't talk about her, and whenever Serena would ask about her, he would always change the subject. He had to hide the sadness on his face whenever he heard her name or even thought about her, but he was sure that he couldn't hide it in his eyes.

He knew that Serena deserved to know more about her mother, but It killed him thinking about her. Even killed him talking about her, but he knew that he couldn't keep details like that hidden forever.

There was a change that while Serena was at Hogwarts that she would meet someone who knew of her mother, who would be able to tell her what she wanted to know, something that his broken heart could do.