Chapter 24
~ Dumbledore's Office ~
Snape marched into the headmasters office, closing the door curtly behind him. His black robes rippled out with the breeze as he made his way discreetly towards Dumbledore's desk.
"Ahh, Severus! I'm glad you could make it. I wasn't too sure you got my message you see, my wands been a little tricky recently."
"I reveived your message, headmaster. It was regarding an urgent matter, am I not correct?"
"Yes, you are correct. Please be seated. It was merely to discuss a few important issues with you. The first one - which is the most urgent matter - have you been foretold of anything regarding Sirius Black?"
"Nobody on the other side is positive where he is, sir, but I can only assume with what happened the other week, that he's close. He has been sighted, headmaster, but you already know that. Is he... is he after the boy?"
"Harry? Well, I presume so." Dumbledore looked a little weary, which was unusual. "I feel that, after what he did to James and Lilly, that he's back seeking retribution on their only offspring. I need you to keep an extremely close eye on Harry for the rest of term, and you already know what to do when and if the time comes... Now, to less pressing matters, how is Miss Snape?"
"Lillian?"
"Why who else," Dumbledore chuckled from the depths of his hoarse throat.
"She's well, I guess."
"You guess? It should be your duty to know exactly how she is. Has she finished all her detentions?"
"No, she still has a few more before the end of term. I'm not too sure what to do about her holidays, headmaster. Last holiday she... she didn't come. She said -"
"I remember quite well why she didn't go: it was because she thought you didn't want her to go. That was the reason. The girl sees her father in you, Severus, and I fear that it's not a good thing. I know how you feel for her, deep down, just like you do for the other one. Sometimes, even a strong and wise wizard, needs to let loose. We can't always be so noble. There was once a time when I sat happily on this chair reading a muggle magazine on gardening. Fascinating people, I'm sure. But that was many, many years ago. My point is that you can't go on hating the girl, Severus. After all, even though she sees her father in you, she still sees you as her father."
"But, headmaster! I don't really know how to look after. The summer holidays are in a few days! She might not even want to come. I don't know why she would want to come back to my home anyway!" Severus glared at himself, looking out of Dumbledore's wide window, where he peered over the fine view of the serene lake which was afore him.
"It will be painful, but she has to face up to it sooner or later. And you have to help her."
Severus nodded.
"On to my last matter, have you found out about Lupin's midnight walks in The Forbidden Forest?"
"Oh, that I have. I've set the class an essay on it, as well. I find it only fair for the DADA students." Snape grinned, telling himself how glad he'd be when Lupin was caught. "How he managed to hide it for all these years, I'll never know."
"You see, that's the art of a Wizard: our trails are yet to be found." Dumbledore chuckled, and looked up at Severus, whose lean back was facing him. "You've got to let go, and learn to accept. Let go of the past, and accept Lillian. Accept your daughter!"