Blood is Thicker Than Water (REWRITTEN)

CHAPTER EIGHT: Father and Daughter

Severus sat in his classroom preparing his class for the fifth years. Since the morning, he had not stepped foot into the hospital wing. He didn't dare ask how his daughter was during breakfast nor did he ask at lunch.

The door creaked opened and the tabby cat strutted in and jumped onto the desk. The cat placed it's paw on the papers in front of Severus and meowed.

Severus glared at the cat, "I have work to do,"

The cat meowed again.

"Is she awake?"

The cat remained silent. Severus didn't express any emotions but continued to do his work. "My class is about to start, I appreciate if you were to leave. The cat watched him work for a few more seconds before doing as it was told.

She strolled out of the dungeons and at the top of the staircase she was greeted by the headmaster. "Did you have any luck?"

The cat bowed its head. Dumbledore sighed, "I have a meeting, but go look after her,"

The headmaster watched as the cat ran fast towards the hospital wing. He turned his gaze to the dungeon floor where the door to the potion master's classroom was. He did not know how to convince Severus to spend time to know his daughter before it was too late.

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After a long day of dealing with dunderheads, Severus only wanted to curl up with a book and forget about the reality that was set for him. He sat in the leather, armchair in his study. He couldn't focus on the words on the page nor could he fall asleep.

Once his eyes were closed he could his wife and the child that was taken away from him. He knew he shouldn't but he had to see her. One last time before he became her teacher and nothing more.

He just hoped it wouldn't be as hard as walking those last few steps to the hospital wing. Students walked past him, none asked why their professor stood to stare at the set of double doors. His hands hovering over the handles.

He took a breathe and opened the floor to ceiling doors. He slowly walked to the back of the hospital wing. He gently pushed back the curtain hiding his daughter.

Silvia Strega was asleep on the edge of the girl's bed, their hand's intertwined. Severus walked around the bed and sat on the nearby chair. He reached over for his daughter's free hand but quickly pulled it back. He ignored his fears and clasped his hand in her small one. She stirred and moved closer to him but did not wake.

Her hand wasn't cold like her mother was, her chest slowly rising every now and then. Severus's lips twitched. His daughter was alive and was in front of him. Using his other hand, he tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

He studied her features. Her hair and nose were his, as well as her eyes when they were open but everything else was her mothers. Her lips, the dimples and the ears. Severus allowed himself to smile, maybe it would be safe to know his daughter.

"She recognises you, Severus," Silvia whispered. "It is ok you know. It is ok to not be afraid and love your daughter and take her in. It is ok to be a Father. Serena would want you to,"

"She would want me to keep her safe. I loved Lily and now she is dead. I loved Serena - my wife - and she too is dead," Severus looked away from his daughter as he rose from his seat, "If I love her, she too will pay the price. I loved her before she was even born but even then, she was taken away from me,"

"Say her name, Severus," Silvia growled. "Aliah is a person, your daughter who believes she is an orphan teenager. She needs you, Severus," 

"Don't ever speak to me like that! I will do whatever to protect her!"

Silvia smirked and backed away. "You never said you wouldn't love,"

Severus glared at the witch before storming out of the hospital wing.

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The bags under his eyes made it clear that Severus had not slept the previous night.  All he could see were the dead bodies of his wife and daughter.

It was rumoured between the staff that his daughter would wake this morning -yet there was no sign of that happening. Severus had a hope that the rumour was true. He wanted to know what the girl was like. Was she more of her father or more of her mother?

During breakfast, he watched as students piled into the room and sat at their respective house tables. He wondered where his daughter would have been sitting if she grew up in the castle.

Would she be in Slytherin like him? Or would she have inherited from her mother and be a Gryffindor? Maybe be completely different and be in either Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.

At the table, Dumbledore nor Minerva was seated with the other staff. Severus narrowed his eyes and pushed back his seat. He left the Great Hall by the side door and used the abandoned corridors to go to the hospital wing.

Outside the open doors, he heard voices - four. He walked in and saw his daughter on the bed with her skin a ghost white colour. He walked into the room where Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall stood along with the Strega's.

Their conversation stopped when he met them at the foot of his daughter's bed. He narrowed his eyes but they softened when he heard a weak voice. His head turned to the left where he was met with a reflection of his own eyes.

Neither said a word but confusion was evident in the girl's eyes.

"Aliah," Silvia said softly as she sat in the chair next to Aliah's bed. "This is Professor Snape - he teaches potions,"

"This is a dream," Aliah whined. Severus's heart clenched at how broken her voice sounded. "My parents are not dead and I'm home sleeping and magic is not real,"

"Aliah you could always tell when someone was lying to you, now tell me do you honestly believe you are in a dream?"

"It has to be," Aliah felt hot tears slide down her cheek, "if this is not a dream that means I am alone and - and I don't want to be alone again. Please, Mrs Strega, I don't want to be alone," She rolled to her side and curled into a ball.

Minerva looked over at Severus with glassy eyes. He knew she was silently asking whether to tell her granddaughter who she is but Severus shook his head. It was painful to do so but he would not allow his daughter to be in any danger.

He turned to the girl. Something did pique his interest. What did she mean by being alone again?

Silvia pulled Aliah into her arms. "You are not alone Aliah. No matter where you are - you are never alone,"

A heavy silence fell into the room before Professor Dumbledore spoke. "Aliah, I would like you to study here. Under the guidance of our professors - we believe that we can help you discover your true potential as a witch,"

"Is it true Professor? Is all this real?"

Dumbledore bowed his head. "It is Miss Holt. I am very sorry for your loss."