You and Fred both landed on the soft snow that lay beneath you, thankfully the fall didn't do any damage to the two of you. You were covered in bruises and cuts as it was you really didn't want anymore. Fred was already on his feet as you were sitting up on the soft ground, he held his hands out for you to take so you could stand on your own two feet with his support. Taking his offer you wrapped your arms around his torso as you stood up, keeping his close to you. Fred followed suit and wrapped his arms around your body, kissing your head as he did so.
"It's okay darling, you're safe ... I'll never let her get to you like that again." He ran his hand up and down your back, trying to soothe you. "I'll always protect you."
"Thank you, Freddie." You muttered into his chest before pulling back to take in your surroundings. "We're in ..."
"Hogsmeade." Fred finished your sentence. "It's close to Hogwarts and it's got a few pubs where we can stay for a while. You need your strength -"
"What about Luna?" You spoke with urgency in your voice. "She's still there!"
"She'll be fine, c'mon -"
"No," You quickly cut him off. "I need to see him and we need to help Luna -"
"Not like this." Fred's tone turned dark. "Come on, we'll stay in one of the pubs for a few nights then we'll attempt to sneak on."
"Attempt?" You raised your brows at your boyfriend who was now supporting you so you didn't collapse with exhaustion. "Fred Weasley never attempts to sneak into anywhere because he knows he'll always succeed."
Fred smiled a large bright grin at your words as he now started to take small steps towards The Three Broomsticks Inn, hoping you wouldn't fight him too much on the decision to make you rest and much to Fred's wishes, you chose not to fight him on it. He was right, you did need rest but when you've just found out the truth about your father it's hard not to want to find him and confront him about the past, especially when he was in the school just walking distance from the Inn the two of you were staying at.
"I say attempt because I'm with you darling." He sent you one of his signature cheeky smiles as he pushed the Inn door open and made his way over to the bar so he could enquire about a room.
Meanwhile, you took a seat at one of the small nearby tables, scanning the pub as you did so. Behind the bar, you noticed a large poster with bold writing ... the poster was of Harry. Since infiltrating the Ministry, Harry was now wanted and not to mention it was now being run by Death Eaters which meant anyone who was associated with Harry was bound to be on the run too which explains why you and Fred were targeted. Since reading the poster it seemed as if everyone had their eyes on you like they were the ones who planned to throw you back to the Death Eaters.
"You ready?" You snapped your head towards the sound of the voice and there Fred stood holding what looked to be a rusted old key.
"Yeah." You gave him a small smile, standing up and following him upstairs to the room the two of you shared.
That night you slept as if you'd never wake up again. It was probably one of the best nights of sleep you've ever had which despite only resting for a day, made you feel like you could singlehandedly take on every Death Eater at once. You didn't care if Fred wanted you to rest longer, you simply couldn't wait any longer to see Snape, you needed answers.
That morning you woke up before Fred and began to get dressed if you needed to sneak out without him knowing then you would. You were putting the last few things in your bag when Fred awoke and saw you. In the mornings he'd normally mope around and beg for you to stay in bed with him before he had work but when he saw you just about ready to leave he bolted upright with his eyes wide like a deer in headlights.
"What are you doing?" He raised his brows, still with a panicked look on his face.
"Getting ready -"
"For what?"
"To go and see Snape." You replied bluntly, still packing your bag as Fred now jumped up from the bed and began to throw this clothes on.
"No, you aren't." He spoke in a dark tone. "You aren't strong enough ... (y/n) you went through months of torture you need to rest for more than one day -"
"Fred I'm fine!" You fired back. "You aren't my mother I can take care of myself just fine."
"I'm your boyfriend, I care about you."
"The bare minimum, well done." You muttered.
"I can hear you -"
"Good!" You shot back, now standing up straight to face him. "I'm going and if you want to come with me you can, if not then stay here."
"You aren't going!" Fred started to raise his voice. "It's far too dangerous! How do you expect to even get in -"
"Did you forget I've known you since I was eleven? Not to mention I've lived at Hogwarts my entire life and believe it or not Fred you weren't the first to find the secret tunnels throughout Hogwarts."
"I think you forget who actually stole the map in the first place."
"I think you forget who told you about the map in the first place." You fired back, leaving Fred speechless. "I'm going -"
"No, you aren't!" Fred took a step closer. "You need to rest -"
"You can't make me stay here."
"Oh, I think I can." His dark gaze quickly turned suggestive and a smirk spread across his face.
"Not the time Fred." You hard gaze didn't soften at his comment unlike his.
"You know I'm right -"
"Shut up Fred!" You screamed back at your boyfriend who was driving you insane with his comments.
"Make me."
"Right, that's it!" You snatched your bag off the floor and threw it over your shoulder as you began to walk to the door.
"C'mon (y/n)!" Fred started to follow you. "Listen to me for once -"
"I do listen to you!"
"You never listen to me!" He shot back. "He probably doesn't even want to see you! Look at how he abandoned you, acted like you weren't his child and not to mention he's a murderer!"
"He didn't abandon me you prat!"
"Oh yeah?" Fred started to raise his voice even more as it grew dark again. "Then how come you had to have another bloke come in and act like your father?"
"Another bloke?" You were beyond annoyed at him at this point. "You mean Sirius Black? The man who was my father -"
"Your father? He was as bad as your real Dad! He left you when you were two then he turns up and expects everything to be all dandy again!"
"Abandoned me? He was bloody arrested you blithering idiot! He was framed and suffered for twelve years!" You took a step closer to Fred, staring straight up at him. "You know Fred not all of us are lucky enough to be born into a family with two parents and a loving family that's all in one piece." Not letting him say a word you spun on your heel and slammed the door shut in his face, not caring if he followed you or not as you left the inn and began to walk to Hogwarts.
You'd shifted into your animagus form in order to not be spotted as easily plus four legs got you to Hogwarts much faster than two. Crawling up onto one of the banks that sat just outside of Hogwarts you observed the changes your father had made. Students were now lining up and marching into Hogwarts like it was some sort of army base.
None of the children looked at all happy or cheerful to be at Hogwarts which was an unusual sight to see. Normally they'd all be happy and filled with glee at anything that happened at Hogwarts, it was such a magical place who wouldn't be happy? But now everyone was full of fear. Dementors flooded the sky above the school, clearly on the lookout for Harry and the rest of the trio. Thankfully you were an unregistered animagus so even if they were looking for you, you'd be able to sneak right past them much like Sirius had once done.
You began to trot to a small door which was stood within the walls that surrounded the school, you easily opened the door just by standing on your hind legs and pushing it open with your paws. No one ever locked that small side door, you were certain Sirius had definitely used it so sneak out once before he'd made the map.
You slipped into the school rather easily but getting caught was your worst fear. Shifting back you kept yourself against the wall as best you could in case you heard a noise and at that moment you did. Turning around you held your wand tightly in your hand as your breathing hitched, scanning the corridor you saw no one. You lowered your wand thinking you were safe but that feeling of closure quickly faded when you felt your back collide with someone.
"(y/n)?" The confused yet familiar voice called out as you turned around and held your wand to their throat.
"Neville?" You lowered your wand, a smile growing on your face. "Neville!" You threw your arms around the boy and he quickly did the same.
"I can't believe it!" He smiled, pulling back to look at you almost as if he was making sure you were real. "How did you get here?"
"I had to -" You cut yourself off not wanting Neville to know the real reason why you were actually at Hogwarts. "that doesn't matter ... what happened to you?" You pointed to a cut on the side of his face.
"Oh ... Snape made us use curses on the first years and well ... I refused and this is the result."
Did Snape really do that? Was he really like that? It broke your heart and maybe Fred was right about him.
"That was brave of you Neville." You complimented him earning a grin out of the Gryffindor boy. "Where are the others?"
"Here." Neville grabbed your arm and pulled you with him down several hallways until the two of you came across a large door that started to open just at the feeling of Neville's presence. As the door swung open to reveal most of the students from all houses expect Slytherin. They all looked beaten and bloodied up, clearly all victims of the alleged torture.
"Blimey!" Seamus called out, grabbing everyone's attention. "It's Professor Gryffindor -"
"I'm no Professor at the moment so please call me (y/n)." You spoke.
"(y/n)!" Ginny yelled, a smile across her face as she pushed past everyone to fall into your arms. "Thank Godric you're okay!" She pulled back and looked behind you. "You're alone?" She was clearly disappointed. "Is Harry not with you? Or Fred?"
"No ..." You sighed. "I came alone."
"Alone?" She looked as if she didn't believe you at all. "But Fred would never let you come alone, he loves you too much for that."
"He's got a funny way of showing that." You muttered. "No he isn't with me but I'm glad you're safe."
"Is Mum okay? And Dad? And Bill? What about Fred and George? And Ron -"
"They're all okay." You sent her a smile. The truth was you didn't know if anyone of the Weasleys were okay because you were yet to contact any of them for months. You didn't even know if any of them tried searching for you and Fred. George probably would have tried looking for you but he would have kept it quiet from Molly because she'd only worry about the two of you.
"Are you here to rescue us, Miss?" A small first-year Hufflepuff looked up at you with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
Kneeling down so you were face to face with him you pulled your wand out and patched up his tattered uniform and a few cuts he had before sending him a sad smile. "Unfortunately I can't get you all out by myself but it won't be long before you're all free." You now stood up straight again to address everyone. "In order to defeat Voldemort, we need to destroy Horcruxes then we can defeat him and we'll all be free. This version of Hogwarts will rein no more once he's gone. I need to find Harry Potter and that's when I'll come back to help. I'll be back with an army."
"Dumbledores Army," Dean spoke up, mirroring your smile. "We'll all fight together."
"We will but until then you all need to stay here and keep out of trouble as best you can."
With that conversation, you started to use simple healing spells to patch up everyone's injuries. You patched up their clothes that were ripped and looked as if they hadn't been washed in weeks before teaching those same spells to the students in the room. This way they'll be able to look after themselves whilst they endured the last moments of hell at Hogwarts.
"Want me to help you out?" Neville asked as you walked over to the door after bidding your goodbyes to the students.
"You've done more than enough Neville." You smiled at him. "Keep their hopes up for me, yeah?"
"Of course." He returned the smile.
"Oh and Neville if you ever need food," You kept your voice low to him as you spoke. "tickle the pear in the portrait and take the tunnel to the kitchens and when you're there find a house-elf called Twinkle, tell her (y/n) Gryffindor sent you for food. She'll take care of you like a king when she hears my name come from your mouth."
"I will." Neville and you shared one more hug before you slipped out of the door and headed to what used to be Dumbledores office but was now Snape's office. You got to the entrance but another problem struck, you didn't know the password. You couldn't wait another moment otherwise you could have easily been caught. Ready to guess another voice cut you off.
"Pureblood." It belonged to a woman. "The password's Pureblood." It was McGonagall.
"Mum!" You flung your arms around the woman, holding onto her like a lost child that had just found their parent again.
"You still call me that?" She smiled. "Even after finding out about your real mother."
"Of course." You returned the smile. "You did raise me for most of my life. You are a mother to me."
Her smile grew as she asked another question. "What are you doing here?"
"Well ..." You debated telling her the truth, perhaps she already knew but you highly doubted it. "I came here to find the sword of Gryffindor, I need the sorting hat to get it."
"Why on earth do you require that?"
"I need it to destroy the Horcruxes that Voldemort created. It's the only way to defeat him."
"And did you bring one of your partners of crime with you on this mission?" She raised her brows as she referred to the twins and Lee.
"No, I came alone."
"Normally I would bid that as a wise decision but now I would have wished you would have brought one of those idiots."
"I never thought I'd hear you say that." Your smile grew and so did hers before she turned back to a serious expression.
"Go and get that hat now." She turned her head to check for anyone in the hallways. "He'll come back soon and Godric forbid what he'll do to you if he finds you."
"I'll be fine." You gave her one last hug before muttering the password and climbing onto the stairs. "Be safe Mum."
"You too dear." She quickly took off as if she'd never been there in the first place as you entered Snape's office.
Thankfully for you, Snape wasn't in there which gave you time to look around for the sorting hat which thankfully was still sat upon the top shelf of the cabinet. Stretching up you snatched the hat off the shelf and quickly stuffed it away in your bag that was attached to your side.
"Do you enjoy snooping around others property whilst they aren't around to witness it?" A dull voice pulled you out of the task at hand. You pulled your wand out of your pocket and held it up to the sound of the familiar voice. He emerged out of the shadows with his wand by his side, clearly not threatened by your presence. "Put the wand down Gryffindor, you know better."
"Can't say the same for you." You fired back. "You killed Dumbledore -"
"And you've come to avenge him have you?"
"Not yet." You gripped your wand tighter as Snape started to take a few steps over to you. "I know." You simply stated.
He raised his brows with visible confusion as you spoke. "Know? Know what?"
"Know that you're my father!" You raised your voice.
Snape seemed to soften his gaze as he hung his head, almost as if he was ashamed that you now knew. He placed his wand on his desk showing you that he didn't want to fight before he eventually met your gaze again. "How do you know?"
You lowered your wand as you spoke. "When Arthur Weasley was attacked we went to the hospital to visit him on Christmas day, that's when I saw my mothers delivery room and Fred decided to do something about it. He told me we'd go to my mothers grave so we did. That's when I met Danny ... and my grandmother. The two of them told me everything." You took a step closer to him. "Who else knew?"
"The Malfoys knew." He sighed. "They were the only ones who knew."
"Why?" A small tear started to well up in your eyes. "Why did you keep that from me? This whole time I grew up thinking my real Dad was some Ravenclaw who abandoned my mother when she died then I had to go through losing Sirius who has acted like my Dad for the past eighteen years! All I wanted was a family, a blood-related family ... why?"
"Why?" He furrowed his brows. "Why what?"
"Why keep it from me?" You spoke with a bold tone. "You were always around so why hide it? Why not come clean about it and be there for me like a father should be -"
"I had to keep you safe." Snape now seemed to let his guard fall as he explained himself. "If the Dark Lord knew what I was really doing and if he found out you were truly my daughter he would have used you against me. The Dark Lord knows that real pain is emotional pain. The two most important women in my life are you and Lily. I already lost the woman I cared so much for and I'm not going to lose my own daughter too., I hope that when this is all over the two of us can rebuild our relationship to father and daughter."
"So this whole time ... you were protecting me? Watching over me as best you could?"
"Always." He did his best to show you a small smile. "I've always been protecting you like a father should do."
You wanted to cry at his words. He was being genuine with you and you could tell, it reminded you of when you first met Barty Crouch Jr, your Godfather. It took you back to the time where he explained himself and despite how much wrong he'd done in this world you just went up and hugged him. It meant the world to him especially because you knew how much he adored your mother.
"I did my best." Snape's voice took you out of your thoughts. "You opened up to me like I was a friend, I did my best to look out for you. I always applauded you when you won Quidditch games despite getting strange glances from other members of staff. I made sure detention was never a bore when you were with me, I tried (y/n), I really did."
"I know you did." You finally spoke up, tears now threatening to fall from your eyes. Not caring if anyone walked in or what anyone would think at that moment you tucked your wand away and ran over to him, crashing into him for a hug.
You never expected Snape to wrap his arms around you in a hug. He pulled you close to him like it was the last time he'd ever get to hug his daughter. Tears fell down your cheeks as you held onto him tighter. You weren't sure how long the two of you had embraced for but you wanted it to last forever.
"Wait ..." You pulled back. "I told you everything ... about me and Fred ... YOU SAW THE MARK HE LEFT ON ME!" Your face grew hot with embarrassment but Snape just smiled at you. "AND YOU LEFT ME IN THE FORBIDDEN FOREST WHEN I WAS FOUR!" You shoved your Dad back slightly and his smile only grew brighter.
"Even though you never knew I was your father I still wanted to have some fun as a parent -"
"FUN? I COULD HAVE DIED -"
"But you didn't."
"THANKFULLY!" The two of you broke into large smiles at each other's words.
"(y/n) I don't have much time and neither do you. You need to get your presence out of this castle before they find you. I need you to know I'm on your side, Dumbledore asked me to kill him, please I can't explain it now there's no time. Please." His eyes were full of plea. "I need you to be safe. Go to him, go home to Weasley and stay safe."
Something told you he was telling the truth so you trusted him. The two of you embraced in one last hug before pulling away. "Look after yourself." You smiled at the man who you now knew to be your real father as you backed over to the door.
"Always."
You sent each other one last smile before you took off out of the office and back into the halls of Hogwarts. Part of you felt guilty for taking the hat without him knowing as he'd spotted you just after you'd hidden it well, so you thought. Which made you believe he was telling the truth, why would he let you take the hat that could potentially lead to the sword if he was on their side?
Walking through the halls trying your best to avoid any noise or students that walked the halls alone that was until someone called your name.
"(Y/N)!" You knew that voice from anywhere. You'd been hearing that voice since you were eleven. It was your boyfriend, Fred Weasley.
"Fred?" You narrowed your gaze at him, annoyed that he was being so loud and the fact that you weren't yet over your argument from earlier. "Keep your mouth shut you, bloody git!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" His voice grew quieter. "Hey ..."
"Hey?" You repeated his words. "YOU SAY I NEVER LISTEN TO YOU! YOU GET ANNOYED AT ME FOR NO REASON NOT TO MENTION WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT SIRIUS AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS 'HEY'?" You grabbed your bag and started to hit him with it. "YOU COMPLETE AND UTTER PRAT FRED WEASLEY!" You were about to hit him again when this time he grabbed your wrist and pulled you into his chest before backing you up into the nearest wall.
"Wanna try that again sweetheart?" His smirk grew on his face which only fuelled your annoyance.
"You utter -" You were about to continue when a large dark figure appeared in the corner of your eye. You looked to where the figure was and there stood a Death Eater. "Fred ..." You kept your gaze on the Death Eater which prompted him to follow your gaze where his eyes widened too when he saw them.
"Run!"
"Good plan Freddie."
---
A/N: I am so sorry this took so long to get out I had uni essays to complete and it just drained me but now my next essay isn't due in until the end of December so I've got some extra time to update Infinity for the next week or so hopefully :)))