Half-Blood Princess Book One

Chapter 3 - News to Break a Man

Third Person POV

January 31st, 1981

"Avada Kedavra." A green flash of light came from the wizard's Wand and hit Tilly directly in the chest. She lies lifeless on the ground. Severus runs to his daughter's side, kneels and cradles her still-small figure. She was only a baby.

The sound of a scream wakes Snape from his nightmare. Panicking to check on his daughter, praying his nightmarish hell was wrong. Swiftly turning the corner, he lunges over to Tilly's crying figure, picking her up and cradling her in his arms. She soon stops crying and falls back to sleep in his arms. Severus had never felt such worry for anything or anyone until he heard Tilly's cries. Severus wanted to shield Tilly from everything wrong in their world, but Severus knew that wasn't possible, especially with her powers.

"You're going to stay in my room, close to me, where I can always see you." Severus had become a very overprotective father. He loved his daughter more than anything and was always kind to her.

Snape moves the crib into his room, lying Tilly back down and going to lie down himself as well. As the father closes his eyes, the baby's piercing cries ring through the room. Hoping up, Severus smiles at his baby, lifting her into his arm. "Just for tonight, okay?" He smiles softly as she crawls closer to him when he places her down on the other side of the bed, using a few pillows to prevent her from rolling off the side. Snape pulls the baby onto his chest, and both drift off to sleep peacefully.

Nine Months Later – October 30th, 1981

It was a peaceful night around; no sound could be heard. Not the hoot of an owl. Not the creaking of a door. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop on a pillow. It was not quite in either the Snape or Potter homes, however. Severus always dreaded the beginning of the week. He had to say goodbye to Tilly while she stayed with Lily. Unbeknownst to Severus, Tilly also didn't like being away from him. She liked the life they lived. The calm, quiet life. She didn't mind seeing Harry or even Lily, but she was still cold towards James. Less so, as he had allowed her to stay with Severus, but James hurt Severus when they were younger, and Tilly can't forgive someone fully if they hurt someone she cares for, especially as James doesn't entirely regret what he did to Snape.

"Daaaadaaaa" Tilly cooed, gaining Severus attention.

"Yes, Pumpkin," Severus replied, using the nickname they decided on.

'Do I have to go?' Tilly's voice echoed in Severus's mind. Tilly could only say a few words out loud but could construct tiny sentences in others' minds. Over time spent with Severus, Tilly had only grown stronger. Severus allowed Tilly to play around with her powers in a controlled environment as long as he was there. The one thing Snape would not let happen was her getting a snake. Albus had told Snape it would help her, but Snakes reminded him of Nagini, and Snape would put off getting Tilly one for as long as possible. Snape had become the Potions Professor at Hogwarts last September, which meant he had to spend less time with Tilly; it pained him to be away from her. Luckily, his godson, Draco Lucius Malfoy, was born in June last year. Narcissa was kind enough to babysit for Snape, as James only wanted to look after Tilly occasionally. For reasons Snape couldn't find, the Malfoys were very welcoming to Tilly as if she was actually his; then again, Tilly had been with Severus since she was six months old. Draco and Tilly are very close in age, so Snape expects them to grow close through the years and become best friends.

"Pumpkin, as much as I want to stay with you, I have a few things to do, and you'll have Lily and Harry," Severus said calmly to his daughter.

'I know Lily and Harry are your friends and mine. But they're not you. They're not family.' It was hard for Severus to know Tilly had blocked the memories of her life before him, or she couldn't remember. 'I just have a feeling something bad is going to happen.' Tilly explained to Severus why she didn't want to leave him. She was scared.

"Hey, Tilly," he said softly, lifting the still-small child into his lap. "I will be back with you faster than you will know." Tilly slightly nodded her head, still not happy.

'Always?' Severus and Tilly devised a way to say 'love you' without saying it, making it more comfortable for them as they were both closed-off people.

"Forever," Severus replied. Tilly's genuine smile spread to Snapes. "Okay, come on, let's go." The father mutters to his daughter, grabbing their things and apparating to Godricks Hollow, walking down the dark street, this time with Tilly in his arms. He approaches the Potters' homes and taps the door three times. Lily is the one to answer, smiling at Severus and taking Tilly out of his arms.

"James and Harry are asleep. I thought you'd come late, dramatic entrance and all." Snape lets out a small chuckle.

"Take care of her and you," he says, pointing to Tilly. "Behave." He then turns to Lily and says, "I don't have much to do, so I'll see you in a few days."

"No problem. We love having Tilly." Lily says, looking at her daughter, who has forgotten her. Snape nodded, not believing the woman. He believed she enjoyed the girl's company, but her husband? Not so much. Snape turns back to his daughter once more.

"Always."

'Forever,' Tilly replies, a small, sad smile crossing her features. She waves goodbye to her dad as if it were the last time.

Snape fights the urge to turn back, run to Tilly, his beloved daughter, take her from Lily and return to Spinner's end. Snape apparates to the residents of The Dark Lord. Voldemort had requested – like it was even a choice - for Snape to join him. Lord Voldemort has something worth telling Severus. Snape's nerves ran high. Severus knew Nagini could hear his heart rate, and both the slimly beast and her master, Voldemort, would sense his fear. Snape pushes through the front doors, standing in the cold hallway, waiting to be summoned in.

"Come to me, Severus." Letting the air escape his lungs, Severus sighs, his fear leaving his body, only confidence and coldness to be seen. He strides over to The Dark Lord, his cloak flowing behind him.

"You requested me here, My Lord." Snape drawled his words in his monotone voice, with his flat facial expression not wavering. The tall, beady, red-eyed, bald with pale white skin retaliates.

"You did well to tell me about the prophecy." Telling 'The Dark Lord' about the prophecy was the worst thing he has ever done. But it wasn't like he had much choice; not only would Voldemort have killed him, but Dumbledore also forced the man's hand. "I have discovered who the prophecy is about. It was between the Longbottom's and the Potters." Hearing that Lily might be in danger makes it hard for Snape to keep his composure. However, it wasn't only Lily who was at risk; Tilly was too. "I was confused as the prophecy speaks of two born at the end of the seventh month, but then I learnt that the Potters have a daughter." Snape swallows thickly, unsure how the man found out. Besides the Potter's close friends, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin and, of course, Dumbledore, no one knew Snape had adopted Tilly as his own, but then the father reasons. Peter Pettigrew. "I'm right in my knowledge that you have taken care of the Potter's daughter? As your own? No, Severus?" Voldemort raises his near-gone eyebrows. "Don't try to lie; Wormtail has told me everything."

"Yes, My Lord, that is true." Before Snape could be cut off, he continued, "With good reason, My Lord. James Potter duped me into meeting him, and I discovered that the girl is of great value."

"How?" Voldemort says in a scary, cold voice, as Snape thinks on his feet, trying to find any reason that might prevent the evil man from harming his daughter.

"She is a Parselmouth. Matilda has no connection to her birth parents, physically or emotionally. She does to me, however, and I-" The Dark Lord was having no more; he had heard enough.

"Severus, what you say, I won't lie, it does intrigue me." The horrible man mutters, knowing many things the man before him does not. "But, if that girl stands in my way, I must eliminate her. I can tell you care for her; that is a weakness. I don't tolerate weakness." Voldemort snaps, knowing all too well what weaknesses such as love can bring. He fell for it once, which deeply wounded him; he will not let it happen again. To him...or his followers.

(Edited)