IN JUST A FEW short weeks, Hogwarts had changed for the worst. As Professor Umbridge had been appointed as High Inquisitor, this brought along a number of Educational Decrees that no student was fond of.
"Educational decree no. 82 — all Students will submit to questioning about suspected illicit activities"
Daisy had avoided talking about anything relating to magic with her friends, afraid she would slip up and mention Dumbledore's Army. Harry and Hermione had come up with a plan to use a galleon style coin to state next meeting times, avoiding eavesdropping around them. They all didn't dance being subject to questioning by the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.
Daisy had chosen to skip the group's usual Hogsmeade weekend to stay behind. She had felt the coin burn in her trouser pocket, signifying the change of date and time for the next meeting.
Friday at 6pm, usual place. She would be there.
Daisy used her free time to visit her father in his classroom. Despite being in the same place, Daisy didn't spend enough time with her father anymore. He was the reason she was safe and sound, the reason she felt so loved. All those years ago, he had accepted the girl and taken her under his wing, not realising she was his biological daughter. The daughter that was undoubtedly his and Lily's child. Daisy Snape was a spitting image of her mother and father. The dark hair from Severus, but those piercing green eyes from Lily. She was a talented witch, with kindness that had been a gift from her mother. Severus Snape was truly proud of his daughter. She had remained strong throughout every life challenge thrown at her. It was that courage he admired. He just knew Lily would be proud of her.
Daisy knocked on the potions classroom door, the door slightly ajar as she poked her head through the gap, seeing her father sat in the far corner, reading through a textbook. "Come in," his flat tone filled the room as he looked up, noticing his daughter enter the room. "Daisy, hello." As she made her way into the room, Daisy noticed a student sat in the corner of the room, cleaning out caldrons without magic. "You may leave now, Bartlett. Hopefully this will teach you a lesson to pay attention in class. Five points will be taken from Ravenclaw." The boy got up, nodding as he placed the last caldron away, hastily preparing to leave the room without another word.
Daisy sat down at the desk in front of her fathers, crossing her legs under her on the wooden bench as she noticed several portion ingredients laid out in front of her. "Hi Dad." she spoke as the door shut behind the boy, the room falling to a comfortable silence.
"Are you okay, Daisy?" the girl nodded, studying the ingredients. Her dad looked at the girl closely, seeing her in deep thought.
"I'm good." she paused briefly, "What are you brewing veritaserum for?" Daisy questioned, noting down each ingredient in her head, knowing today was a new moon thanks to her Astronomy homework.
"Professor Umbridge has asked for a supply as part of her new decree. Something about getting the truth out of students." Severus shook his head, closing his textbook. The sound of wood scraping against stone flooring filled the room as he moved from behind his desk and in front of Daisy.
"Is that even legal?" Daisy chuckled, her father sitting down next to her as he shook his head.
"Absolutely not, but I'm not here to question the ministry. I'd much rather keep my job." Severus chuckled slightly, giving his daughter a light smile. "How did you know these ingredients were for Veritaserum?" Daisy looked up at him.
"Well, being your daughter means I have read every single potions book to exist." He raised an eyebrow, Daisy chuckling at his amused expression. "Those N-E-W-T books are a good read."
"Did you want to help me brew it?" He questioned as the girl's face lit up. She nodded.
"I will not say no to brewing such a potion." She pulled up her sleeves as Severus prepared the rest of the ingredients needed, weighing out the powdered moonstone.
"I'm sure you will have no problems under my guidance. Us Snape's have always been fine potion brewers." He smiled, but Daisy noticed his face drop slightly.
"What about your parents? Were they good at potions too?" Daisy asked as Severus placed a textbook in front of her, showing the steps of the potion. He froze, frowning. "Sorry, I don't obviously know much about your past." Daisy sunk back, feeling like this was a topic she shouldn't bring up.
"Don't apologise, you didn't know. You're my daughter, I should be honest with you about my parents, you're related to them too." Severus closed his eyes for a moment, in deep thought. "My dad Tobias was a muggle, not a nice one of that. I feel so bad that I let my own child go through something I swore I'd never let happen again."
"You mean your dad was like the people that adopted me?" He nodded softly, diverting his eyes away from her.
"When I came to Hogwarts all those years ago, it was like a new life for me. I spent as much time here as I could with your mother. I was much more welcome here than at home." Severus stood up, fetching two iron caldrons from the shelf behind him.
"What about your mother?" Daisy was curious.
"Her name was Elaine, she was a pureblood but disowned for marrying my father. She was a lovely woman but gave into my father too much. They both struggled with me growing up, but it doesn't matter now. The most important family I have is here, right in front of me." Daisy's eye's welled with tears as she smiled at her father, nodding her head. "I honestly have no experience with raising children, but I am trying my best for you. I just wish I knew about you sooner, so you didn't have to go through all that." He sighed, running his hands through his jet black hair,
"It's okay dad, you are doing such a good job. I couldn't ask for a better father." He gave a half smile, looking deeply at the girl. "I'm so grateful to have a father like you." Daisy looked down at her book, noticing the steps of the potion. 28 days to brew.
"I love you Daisy. I just wish this life was kinder to you. With everything going on, the future is uncertain." He scratched over his forearm, knowing what was underneath. Voldemort wanted his daughter as a secret weapon. He wanted her against her own brother.
"I know Voldemort wants Draco and I on his side. I can't speak for Draco, but for myself I will make the decision in my own time. I have to think about Harry, too. He's my brother after all." Severus nodded as he lit two caldrons, adding standard potioning water to both of them.
"Let's not think about that now." He paused, looking down at the caldrons. "We're going to let these simmer for a moment, then we will add that vial there into the caldron. I've already weighed the ingredients so you should be okay." Severus pointed to a dark vial labelled as "ptolemy", before looking back at his daughter. "How are things with Draco?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow at her.
"We're both good, great actually." She smiled, thinking about the blonde boy. How he helped make her the happiest, how he cared so deeply for her. Severus knew that the boy cared a lot for his daughter. He had told him weeks prior. He trusted the boy fully.
"How comes you decided not to go to Hogsmeade today?" The man questioned, seeing Daisy's face scrunch.
"I wanted to spend some time with you. I see my friends all the time." She half lied, thinking about the coin that sat in her pocket. Would her dad be mad if he found out she was using her free time to practice magic? He nodded in response, going back to brewing the potion that had now been simmering for enough time.
It wasn't long before Severus was guiding his daughter on how to properly bottle the potion, ready to store in a dark place until the full moon. "See, I knew you could do it." Severus cleared away the last of the ingredients before using magic to tidy the surface around them.
"That's because I had the best potions master help me." She smiled. Daisy could see the sun setting out of the window, realising she had been here for some time. Draco would be back soon. "Thank you, dad." Daisy sat in deep thought, feeling grateful for the time she got to spend with her dad, doing the things she loved the most. She thought back to how several years ago she would never feel like the way she did today. Her heart swelled, the warmth inside her grew. She was healing. "I should head back to the common room now, I'm sure my friends will be back soon." The girl stood gently, throwing her arms across the bench and over her father's shoulders, squeezing tightly. "You're the best dad I could ever have asked for." The man hugged her back gently, a smile etched on his face. He was happy.
"I love you, Daisy. Your mother would be so proud of the witch you have become." It was true. Lily would have been lost for words seeing her own daughter produce such fine magic at the age of fifteen.
"Love you dad, see you soon." The hug soon broke apart, Daisy exiting the room with a wave as she skipped along the corridor, down towards the portrait to the Slytherin common room.
"Serpent." Daisy spoke, well hissed, the password as the door opened, faces crowded in front of her as students leapt across the room to show their friends their new purchases from Hogsmeade.
"There you are, Daisy! We wondered where you had got to." Pansy greeted the girl as she engulfed her in a hug. She hugged her back, before quickly breaking apart as Draco popped up behind her, quickly falling back down into the black, velvet chair.
"We thought you might have got lost or something." Draco smiled, holding out his hand for the girl. Daisy gently placed her hand in his, falling down onto the seat next to him. He placed his arm around her tightly as her head fell to his shoulder.
"I spent my day making a potion with my dad." Daisy responded, shuffling closer to Draco as he brushed his fingers against her arm gently, raising an eyebrow at the girl.
Pansy and Blaise had gone to their own sofa, sharing a box of every flavour beans, forgetting the two friends in front of them. "So nice of them to be so in love that they forget we are right here." Daisy chuckled, snapping her fingers. No reaction.
"So what potion did you make?" Draco questioned, facing the girl. She moved closer to him, grabbing his face gently as she whispered into his ear.
"Veritaserum." She spoke softly, pulling back from the boy.
"You mean that really advanced potion we don't get taught at Hogwarts?" Daisy nodded. "How did it go?" He questioned, feeling a sense of pride. He, much like everyone around them, could only recognise Daisy Snape as one of the most talented witches they had ever seen. It was true she was destined for great things.
"Well, it has to settle for 28 days now but it was the right colour when we bottled it so hopefully it will be okay." She beamed, thinking back to how she had made the potion textbook perfect.
"You're incredible." Draco hugged the girl tighter, placing a delicate kiss on her cheek. "Really, you're so talented. Is there anything you can't do?" Draco questioned, beaming up at the girl.
"Well actually, I can't decide whether or not to hug you right now." Daisy shrugged playfully, chuckling to herself.
"Let me help you there." Draco shuffled against the girl as he brought her in for a hug, taking in her warmth as she moved closer against him, her face resting on the crook of his neck as he ran his fingers through her jet black hair. "You seem happy." His voice muffled by the girls hair as he rested his head atop hers.
"Very happy." She smiled, closing her eyes. She wished she could stay like this forever.
"You deserve that all the time, you know. To experience nothing but happiness. You deserve it more than anyone." He held onto her even tighter, forgetting the world around them existed. "You're smart, incredibly talented. I feel so proud to call you mine." Daisy chuckled against him, looking up at Draco's face.
"Stop being so soppy, you'll make me cry." He grinned, moving the hair away from the girls face, tucking it gently behind her ear.
"Well we can't have that, can we." He raised an eyebrow, the smile never leaving his face. "Let me make it up to you." Draco leaned down, their lips brushing against each other's as he delicately cupped her cheek, slowly lowering his lips on her own. Daisy's eyes closed and she let herself completely melt into the boy she loved so much. Everything in her life was slowly falling into place, despite the challenges she had faced previously. In that moment, the world stopped around them. Everything was meant to be. The weeks of stress from their new professor, the secret Dumbledore's army, all the hurt from their previous year at Hogwarts. It all disappeared into thin air as Draco made it known just how special she was, not just their classmates, but him. He was her always and forever.
And he wasn't going to let anything or anyone get in the way of that.