Rockabye (Serenity)

Severus inhaled a deep breath as he finished making the tea for himself and his little girl. He had been at the hospital with Miles less than an hour before, and the events of the day were still overwhelming to him. But as hard as it had been for him to realize that Miles was actually his son, and he had not known it for his son's entire life...it would be even worse for Serenity. In fact, that was most likely the understatement of the century.

And this was what necessitated the calming potion he was lacing into her teacup. Knowing his little girl, she would most likely run. Funny, now, to think about how alike his two children were. Miles had done the same thing. So this evening, Severus would give her the calming tea, and he had already charmed all of the windows and doors to open only to HIS touch. And other than that, he would just have to handle her reaction as best as he could. He knew she loved Aurora as if she was her mother, so that was a good start. But his Rennie would not be happy that he had kept this from her.

He heard her come in the front door and he went to greet her. He pulled her in for a hug, possibly a little longer than a normal hello hug, then guided her to the dining room to sit.

"We need to talk, Serenity...It's about your mother."

It was the weekend, so that meant she was going to get to come home and spend some time with her father. Her dad, however, had been out for some reason or other. But that was nothing out of the ordinary. So while he was gone she had taken it upon herself to walk around muggle London. She knew that her father would not mind, and she always brought her wand in case one of his Death Eater buddies wanted to mess with her or fool around. However it was starting to rain and she knew that if she stayed out too late in this kind of weather her father would kick her Slytherin butt.

Turning from the park she began heading home and pulled the front door open. Only when she walked through she was surprised to find herself landing in her father's arms. Smiling a bit she rested her head on his chest and savored the close contact with her father. She loved when they got this chance to be together, but then he said her mother...and she almost dropped right then and there.

"W-What?" she asked, shocked. "Daddy...what...what are you talking about? She's alive? You saw her today? Was that where you were, daddy?"

"Let's sit for a moment, love. I will tell you everything, but you need to promise to hear me out first."

He took a deep breath and handed her the tea, before pulling her hands into his and sitting next to her. He smiled at her and was once again reminded of how much she looked like her mother. There were a few things she had gotten from him, but she definitely resembled Aurora as well.

"Your mother is alive. When you were born, the Dark Lord was in full power. The only way I could keep you safe was to raise you myself, so that you could have my undivided attention, as well as protection. Your mother loved you more than any mother could. That is why she allowed me to take you and raise you alone. Because she knew that I would be able to offer you more safety than she could. I loved your mother at the time and it was very hard to let her go...but for your sake, we did what had to be done."

He knew it wouldn't all make sense now, and it wasn't meant to yet. But he wanted to focus on Aurora's love for Serenity before anything else could be discussed.

"So knowing all of this, that we both loved you very much, and we had your best interests at heart...I believe you can finally know who your mother is. And I think if you thought about it hard enough, you would figure it out on your own."

He inhaled and spoke with a shaky voice. "Aurora is your mother, Serenity."

Serenity's eyes widened and she felt like she might vomit. She wasn't disgusted with the fact that Aurora was her mother. She loved Aurora after all, no what disgusted her was the fact that her FATHER had hid it from her for fourteen years and only sought out to tell her now! And why?! Why was he telling her this now!? What had prone this conversation and this amount of information?! Surely that if she hadn't known all these years then it was best that she never knew! Even if it was Aurora, Serenity did not care! The fact that they had hid it right under her nose just made her more angry!

Taking the cup in her hand she didn't think twice and chucking it at the wall she stood up and glared at him. Her chest heaved up and down and she could see the world turn red as her fury coursed through her. Her magic was volatile and she couldn't even form the words that were just bursting to come out of her! She clenched her fists to the point that her nails were puncturing the thin skin.

"HOW COULD YOU!?" she screamed. "HOW COULD YOU HIDE THIS FROM ME?! DOES MILES KNOW!? DOES HE FUCKING KNOW THAT WE ARE HALF BROTHER AND SISTER?!"

She could not believe this! And she knew that she would probably get it later for swearing, but at the present moment Serenity was too angry to even think. Her body was stuck in anger, and it was to the point that it almost hurt to move or breathe.

Severus looked at his daughter in mild surprise, but he had honestly expected this reaction. The issue of Serenity's mother had come up often as she was growing up. And now that she knew who it was and that he had kept it from her for all these years, he expected fireworks. And he would give some room for leniency. But only to a certain extent. She knew better than to destroy their personal property.

He stood and placed both hands firmly on her upper arms to center her and he looked sternly into her eyes.

"Serenity Evans Snape, you know not to behave that way. And you watch your language when you are speaking to me, I am still your father. Now I understand that you are mad at me, but I will not have you acting like a spoiled brat. I told you that we kept you in the dark for your own protection. Now as to the reason why all of this is coming out today, that will have to wait a moment. I need you to sit down again. Please, Rennie. Try to keep your anger at bay for now."

He sat down and gestured for her to sit next to him. He wasn't going to force her to sit, but he did hope that she would see reason enough to hear him out now.

"Serenity, Miles was attacked earlier today. I happened upon him soon after and took him to the hospital. He was very nearly bleeding out..."

His voice cracked and he had to fight not to lose control over his very tense emotions. He had just found out he had a son, and he had almost lost him. If that was not enough to shake a person, he didn't know what was.

"They asked me to do a blood transfusion because we have the same blood type. And that was when I was told that Miles is...well, he's my son, Serenity. Aurora and I were together for a time in school, but we parted ways and she never told me he was mine. I won't go into details about our situation then, but it was highly tenuous with the Dark Lord in power. I came back to her when I thought it was safe enough, and that was when we conceived you."

He knew that most children did not like hearing about when they were conceived, but it was a necessary evil for Serenity tonight.

"Miles is your brother, Serenity. Not just by half. And though this is quite a shock to you, I am sure, he is also quite put out from this. And he is in the hospital. I think you should go and visit him, love. I believe that it would do you both some good. And then maybe you can see Rory as well. I know that she would like to speak to you when you are ready to do so."    

Serenity felt like she might vomit. She didn't know how to handle all of this information, didn't know how to process anything that was going on. Her eyes filled with tears and she glared at her father. She knew him well, he had probably sealed off everything around them so she could not run. So this meant that she was trapped in the Hovel with him...she was trapped. Once more she glared at him, and before another word could be utter she shot up the steps to her bedroom and locked herself in her own bathroom. She knew that her father would try and magically unlock it, but at this point she wasn't thinking sensibly.

Sitting down on the cold floor she rested her head against the rim of the toilet. She didn't know how to react! Well she knew how to react, but none of it was appropriate. She needed Harry...Harry would help her calm down, he would talk her through this. He would hold her, and kiss it all better! Her boyfriend was so level headed compared to her. She needed someone...someone that wasn't her father or...or mother.

With tears in her eyes she squeezed her face as more tears streamed down her cheeks. She hated crying...absolutely hated it...and if she could help it she would never cry. However if she didn't she would probably explode. Sniffling softly she buried her face in her knees. She needed her Harry...she needed her Harry...she needed someone...

Severus sighed and looked after his daughter. He knew that she just needed time to accept what had happened. And she needed a friend she could cry to. Because it wasn't very often that she did so. He could hear her crying now and he wanted more than anything to go comfort her. But he knew his prescence would only upset her more.

He mentally went down the list of people who could help his baby through this. Aurora and Miles were obviously out of the question because of his injuries and that he would most likely be staying overnight. Dumbledore would possibly be able to help, but tonight, Severus knew that only one person would be able to help out his little girl. And that person was Harry Potter.

Severus felt his lips curl almost involuntarily and he had to swallow the bile that had risen up in his throat. Saint Potter now really was a saint to Serenity. And it made Severus ill to think about his baby with that arrogant, bratty child. Potter. The very name made him cringe. But he knew that tonight, she needed someone who could comfort her. And to him, that was more important than actually approving of the Gryffindor hero.

He floo-called the Gryffindor Common Room and asked for Harry. A random first year was the one to see him.

"Go now, child! I need to speak to Potter!"

Harry was in shock that he had actually been forced to speak to Snape over the floo. But as soon as he heard Serenity needed him, he was ready to go. And the fact that the old bat had actually condescended enough to call him, really meant that something was wrong. 

He went through quickly and was directed up to Serenity's room. It was really creepy being in this house. Even just a few months before this, Harry would never have been caught dead here. But his girlfriend changed a lot of things in his life. And he would have walked through fire for her.

He knocked on her door and waited for a response.

"Sere? It's me, Harry. Can I talk to you for

Serenity looked up in mild shock when she heard Harry's voice. She could not believe that he was actually outside of her room. At first she thought it was a joke, that her father would never actually resort to calling her Harry. And yet here he was...outside of her bathroom door. But she didn't want him to see her like this. She was still in tears and she couldn't let him see her weaknesses. Wiping her face on a washcloth and splashing water in her face several times she felt that she could open the door.

Taking a deep shuddering breath she opened the bathroom door and gently pulled him inside. She didn't want to chance her father coming upstairs while they were alone. Not because they were going to do anything, but because she wanted to talk about him and the last thing she needed was for him to hear her complain about him and then try to bring it up later. After she pulled him in and pushed him to sit down she rested her head on his shoulder. Sniffling softly she closed her eyes briefly as they began to glaze over with tears.

"I...I found out...who my mother was..." she whispered.

Serenity

Harry knew that she had been crying. He could see it in the redness of her eyes and the swelling of her nose, just the tiniest bit. But he wouldn't dare mention that he knew, or she would get even more upset. He took her hand and pulled her in closer to him.

"You want to tell me about it?" He asked gently. 

He didn't really want to think about Severus Snape with a woman...ever. But he did think Serenity deserved to have her mother around.

"I'm guessing he hid it from you this whole time? I don't know why adults do that to us. You could have handled knowing your own mother, I'm sure. Well...whether you want to tell me or not, I'm here for you."

He pulled her to sit down next to him on the floor and he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. Whoever Serenity's mother was, she had to be pretty spectacular to make his beloved. Because he knew she didn't get her compassion from her father, that was for sure.

Serenity rested her head on Harry's shoulder and sniffled. She knew that if she told Harry who her mother was it would just make him want to dump her. She had too much Slytherin in her for her own good. Her father was a Slytherin Headmaster, her mother was a Slytherin Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that had been a Slytherin student and was also in Slytherin House. Serenity didn't have a speck of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or (thank Merlin) Hufflepuff blood in her. And sometimes she hated it. People thought she was a runner up to be with Voldemort, that's why no one wanted her to date Harry. They thought that she was going to be the one to kill or hurt him. When in all reality she loved him deeply and didn't want to do any such nonsense.

Sighing she felt more tears come to her eyes and her breath get caught in her throat. She did not want to cry anymore, but every time she thought of her father or her mother...it just made her heart hurt. She wanted to believe that her father never lied to her, that he always kept her in the know...but now that this had happened how did she know that he was telling her the truth after all. He was a very skilled Occlumens, and even though she was being trained to be one as well that didn't mean she could out lie him. He was able to hide his mind from Voldemort, surely he could hide it from her.

"Harry," she whimpered. "It...my mother...it's Professor Maddox."

Closing her eyes she buried her face in her hands and just submitted to her tears. If she held them back any longer she thought she might explode, and with magic as volatile as her own that was not a good thing to happen. Her father had at one time had a nice hole in his bedroom wall because she had repressed her emotions at the age of five. It was not that he made her, no her father encouraged her to cry and share her emotions with him, but she was a Snape. And if Severus Snape could not do it, then his daughter Serenity Evans Snape sure as Hell could not do it.

"He hid this from me," she sobbed. "All these years I knew her...I knew her and she had known! And they never told me! And...and Miles...Miles is my brother! My FULL blood brother! Because Aurora hadn't told me father...that...that he was HIS son too! All these lies! He has NEVER lied to me! NEVER!"

Harry pulled Serenity close and just held her as she cried. Honestly, he didn't always know what to do when the girls in his life started crying. Hermione had done it once or twice, and Ginny. But he had never seen Serenity cry. He knew he needed to do something highly heroic and charming, but all he could really do was rub her back as he sat there.

"Serenity...I'm sorry, I know you're hurting right now. I wish I could help you."

He didn't know how long they had been sitting there, while he tried his best to awkwardly whisper sweet nothings to her. But he knew that they would get nowhere if he just sat here stupidly. So he sat her up and looked into her eyes.

"Sere...You like Professor Maddox, don't you? You said she was practically your mother anyway. And Miles might be a git sometimes, but I don't think having him as a brother would be so bad, would it? I think the main problem is that your trust was broken. But I've heard you talk about your dad. You love him very much, and...and I know he loves you too. Otherwise I wouldn't be here. At some point, you'll have to forgive him."

He was not an expert on forgiving Severus Snape. In fact, he didn't think he ever could completely after hearing from Sirius exactly how the old bat was in school. But Serenity needed comforting words, and he could not afford to be negative about Snape right now.

"Do you want to go talk to him? I'll come with you, if you like."

Serenity held onto Harry and sniffled. She knew that she would eventually have to face her father, she could not just hide from him forever. Especially since he was really the only person she had to hold onto when it came to living arrangements. Sighing a bit she turned to Harry and kissed him softly on the lips. She knew it was strangely forward for her, but she just could not help it. Sniffling once more she rested her forehead against his own and sighed.

"I know...he...he loves me," she whispered. "You don't have to tell me that Harry, I just...I hate when people lie to me."

She knew that Harry would be able to sympathize with her, he knew better than anyone else what it felt like to be lied too. Half of his life was a lie, and he didn't even know it yet. Closing her eyes she took in another shaky breath and nodded.

"Okay," she whispered. "I'm ready."

Severus sat with his empty teacup in hand, lost in thought. He couldn't believe that he had been forced to resort to Potter for help with Serenity. They had been up there for what seemed like an eternity. And he was going back and forth within himself about whether he should go check on them. He trusted his daughter with all of his heart. It was that boy he didn't trust. Severus Snape had seen James Potter in action. He knew the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Harry was no angel, that was for sure. He decided he would give them five minutes before going upstairs and stopping them.

He kept glancing at his watch over the next few minutes and as soon as the designated time had passed, he stood up to go upstairs. But she was already here, along with Potter. Severus was speechless for a few moments, unsure of whether she was ready to forgive him or not. He found that he was nervous. And it was not an emotion that sat well with him at all.

"Hello," he said, not knowing what else to say. "Would you like some more tea?"

He went to his cupboard and brought out two new teacups. He filled them up and set them out for the two teenagers, before pouring himself another cup.

"Serenity, I've had a call from your...from Aurora. She said that Miles is sleeping now, but he requested you. So if you'd like, I could take you there in the morning."

The last thing he wanted to do was push her. But he also knew that she needed her brother.

Serenity didn't touch the tea, and she found herself not even able to look at her father. The tears began to form in her eyes once more and she desperately fought against them...only weak people cried in Severus Snape's eyes. She had heard him lecturing another Death Eater one meeting when she had learned she had lost her husband...she did not want to have her father saying something that cold to her. Biting her quivering lip she continued to stare down at her feet. The tears began to fall and she watched saddened as they dropped down to the hard wooden floor.

"No...thank you..." she whimpered.

She could still feel Harry standing next to her, but at the moment that did not make her feel better. As far as she was concerned, she was still distraught by what her father had kept from her. And the awkwardness of Harry and her father being in the same room was starting to set in. She wondered if Harry and him would ever just put aside their differences and try to get along.