Saved by Love (Severus Snape / Original Female Character)

The Test

Summer vacation

July 1977

That summer had all the makings to be a miserable one, but Florence tried her best to distract herself from the painful growing gap in her chest caused by Severus' absence in her life.

She took her time rediscovering Hogsmeade and easily understood why her mother loved that village so much - despite the wet and foggy weather.

Hogsmeade was as magical as one could expect it to be, with its quaint little shops and welcoming people that greeted each other in passing by their names, making Florence feel at home.

She walked around the beautiful village every day, had tea at Madam Puddifoot's and read under a tree at the border of the Forbidden Forest – where she oftentimes talked to centaurs, heard the scream of mandrakes in the distance, and even saw a rare baby unicorn once.

She loved that peaceful life, she could easily see herself staying there forever, opening a clinic in the village to help the people and being an active member of that small and loving community.

So she had a plan, once she finished Hogwarts next year, she'd study medicine.

She liked that plan, it was bittersweet like all the others she could think of – for she didn't let herself dream of having a family of her own anymore; whenever she thought about her future, no matter how much she wanted a family of her own, she couldn't see herself with any other man but Severus.

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August 6th, 1977

It was a very hot Saturday afternoon, so Florence met her godmother for ice cream at the Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour in Hogsmeade.

Eileen and Florence were chatting and enjoying their ice-creams in the packed shop when a strange man entered the place and walked towards their table.

"Excuse me," the man spoke, and Florence raised her head quickly, her fight or flight instinct activating as she recognised his voice but not his face.

She stared into the stranger's eyes and frowned. The man spoke again as he sat in front of her, "Hello, daughter," he slowly turned to her godmother, "It's very good to see you too, Eileen," he didn't hide his displeasure as he looked at her.

Eileen didn't respond, looking from Florence to the man, fear paralyzing her on the chair.

No one in the ice-cream parlour seemed to notice the tension between the teenager and the tall stranger.

Florence cast: "Arresto horam," and everyone, but her godmother, herself and her father, seemed to froze in time. Then she pointed her wand to the stranger's face, and he didn't even flinch, knowing what she was going to do. She cast: "Polyfluis reverso," and the effects of the Polyjuice Potion worn off immediately, the stranger's face melting into the familiar face of her father, "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Lord Peverell smiled, conjuring a spoon and helping himself to a bite of Florence's ice-cream, "I'm curious to know how my daughter's been doing."

But Florence didn't buy that for a second, "What do you really want, father?" she narrowed her eyes at him.

He sighed, "Alright, I want to let you know that I've been made aware of your... affairs."

Florence didn't let her face show the fear she felt inside; using occlumency to hide her thoughts, she reminded him: "I told you I'd befriend muggleborns and half-bloods. We have a deal, remember?"

"Yes," he agreed, "We do have a deal, but I'm rescinding it. And I'm here to tell you that I'm glad you dumped the half-blood."

Eileen inhaled sharply, her heart pounding as she was certain he was talking about her son.