The Traitors Daughter (Completed)

Chapter Ten

Lilliana wept on her bed. She had heard Snape come in but she didn't respond. She couldn't believe she had told him that. Its not that she couldn't tell anyone, she had. It didn't help, it just got worse. She moved out of her room after about half an hour and decided to explore the rooms she would be staying in for Christmas. Lilliana was immediately enraptured by Snapes bookshelf. She hadn't seen it the night before. It filled a whole wall and was ceiling to floor high.

Lilliana ran her hand across the spines of the books on the shelf at arm height, eventually stopping when she reached a tatty copy advanced potion making book. Pulling it off the shelf she flipped open the front cover, her eyes noticed a name written scruffily on the first page, 'property of the Half Blood Prince'. She nearly laughed at the name. She placed it bac on the shelf and grabbed the book next to it called 'Tending to Potion Plants'. Reading the back of the cover, she realised it sound interesting so she settled into the sofa and began reading.

Not a moment later did Snape come through the front door. Severus almost smilled upon seeing the young girl curled up on his sofa reading one of his books but he kept it too himself.

'I see you have made yourself comfortable' He stated. Her head whipped round and she stared at him for a while, scrutinizing his face. Her faced turned back to the book before she spoke.

'You have questions, ask them'. He glanced at hr surprise. Maybe he had needed to take that extra walk around the dungeons to clear his head.

'Yes I do, two in fact' He tried to not let his surprise show in his voice, 'The first one you wont want to answer and the other –' She cut him off and he glared at her.

'It was my teacher. She would punish us for the littlest thing, what was the other question?'

'Thankyou for telling me and if you hadn't cut me off you would know'

'Sorry' she mumbled. Snape hmphed.

'Dumbledore has asked me if you remember Remus Lupin?' He spat out the name.

'When would I have met him?' She questioned. She tried to think back if she had ever met anyone with that name.

'Probably when you were three or younger' he replied.

'You expect me to remember something from back then? I mean off the top of my head, I don't remember him but if I do ill let you know.'

Severus agreed with her. He was positive she couldn't even remember what she at last night so he wasn't holding out for anything. Now it was the struggle of what to do now. He needed to have the discussion about adopting her however he really wanted someone else to do it for him. It was an awkward situation one he would prefer to avoid. He would sign whatever was needed but would prefer to stay out of it if necessary. Lucky for him he didn't have to approach the question. Lilliana turned to face him on the sofa opposite his chair.

'You really don't mind me changing my last name to Snape?'

Once again Severus stared at her. He cocked his head and rose and eyebrow.

'I didn't think you were serious about it?' He questioned back.

'Why wouldn't I? The only reason I have the same name as the Warrens is because the orphnge didn't know my last name. The Warrens didn't even adopt me, just fostered. Its why I could move in with my grandma last year but I couldn't take O'Reilly as my last name.'

'Why?' It was safe to say that Severus' interest had been spiked.

'Its my mothers name, not my fathers. My father was the wizard so its tradition to take his last name. And since your going to become my father I want to take yours.'

Severus hid behind his paper to avoid the look he had on his face. He didn't want to show Lilliana that her words had touched him.

'I suppose you can take my last name then'

'You suppose' she teased. He chuckled.

'You can, you little minx. Now I know for a fact you have homework to do so go and do it.' Lilliana started groaning and was about to whine, but Severus flipped his newspaper down. 'If you finish it before dinner then I will let you see you friends on Christmas eve and Christmas day against Dumbledores wishes'

He laughed quietly when he watched her rush into the bedroom to get her work done. He knew that his proposition would work.