Still no sign of Potter, Weasley nor Granger appearances for days now. Since their escape, its been all quiet and Voldemort is on edge since Potter got hold of the locket. I overheard that they destroyed the locket and Voldemort was in pain. We all basically sat on our asses until we got a new lead but other deatheaters went to vandalized and killed more.

Lucas and I were playing on the piano. He kept missing a couple of notes, but he was learning. He watched as I started to play softly.

"Isnt she amazing?" Draco said as he leans on the piano. I blushed.

"So talented." I saw my father come in, he leans against the wall. "Play again." I did what I was told. Lucas got up and headed to my father. Draco took his seat and joined. No offense to Draco, but he was worse than Lucas, but I didn't mind. I looked to see Lucas brushing his mouth with his hand. He was upset. That wasn't a good sign.

"Daphne, im going home to get some of my belongings, i want your help." My father said. I nodded my head and gave Draco a kiss.

"Ill see you soon." I made my way to my father. I grabbed his arm and appeared at home. I followed him to his room. "What are we packing exactly father?" I turned around to see my father casting a spell on a bag and started stuffing his things in.

"Anything important. You can start on the side table."

"Say, why are you packing your things?" I asked. I started looking through the drawers.

"I mean we're barely here, i just want to bring things I need that are important." I chuckled as I saw a drawing I made for my father when I saw child. It was him and I, holding hands in the garden.

"This important?" I showed him, handing it to him. He looks down at the parchment, smiling.

"Of course it is." He folds it and stuffs it in the bag.

"Im surprised you kept it all these years, I thought you threw it away." I said, going back to the drawer.

"Why would I? I could never throw away a beautiful piece of artwork. You know, every artwork you gave me, i still have?" I saw more of my work in the drawer. It felt good to see that he still had them. He cared.

"Glad to see that you kept them." I saw picture of the two of us. My father was young, so happy. He was smiling as he looked at me. I headed to him to give it to him but he declined.

"Keep it." He nods. "I have the memories." I looked at the picture again. I haven't seen him smile like this ever. I stuff the photo in my jean pocket. "Lets go to the office." I raced to pick up the bag. "Daphne I can carry it."

"With your old man arms? I don't want you breaking an arm." I joked around as I carried the bag to the office. The room stayed the same like it had for years. Seemed like nothing was touched. "You know for years I thought you just found me annoying because I didn't stop bothering you while you were working in here, thats why you never let me in here." I sat on the desk chair. My father stared at me.

"I never thought you were annoying." I gave him a look. "Maybe once." He chuckles. "You were little, i didn't want you picking the wrong potion."

"Fair enough." I looked through the drawer and saw the photo of him, Lucas, Katherine and I, you know, the one that was ripped. "Trash?" I handed him the picture.

"No. You know, this was taken the day you were born?" He puts down the picture. "I was ecstatic that day. Lucas was more, he finally can have a mini him." We chuckled, of course he would be. "Katherine couldn't even put you down." He traced the rip with his finger. "I did that when Fiona left. I don't know what I was thinking about when i was with her."

"It happens."

"What I didn't regret in that relationship is having you. You gave me hope."

"You're just saying that." I kicked my feet up, as I looked through letters from Hogwarts, some potion recipes and letters from Lucas and Katherine. My father headed to the potion cabinet and starts picking them out.

✷ ✷ ✷
Severus' POV
Cox Castle 1986

"Hello?! Hello can you hear me? This is Daphne Lilith Snape calling!" I can hear her voice from downstairs. She was testing out this toy that Lucas got her, the only reason why he got that for her is so she can annoy Katherine and I with it. Classic Lucas.

"I can hear you Daphne." I hollered back. I heard her little feet pattering up the stairs. She comes into the office and sits on the desk chair.

"Did you hear me father?"

"I did. Let's hope you didn't wake up Katherine." Her eyes widen and I smirked. Shes scared of her, when Katherine is mad, Daphne hides.

"I hope not." I was in my office, finishing some potions for my upcoming classes for this year. An hour later, I put Daphne asleep, since she was already nodding off, watching me make some potions. It was dark, only the candle lit up the room, writing down notes, potions bubbling. A screech boomed through the castle, made me drop everything and run to Daphne. I opened her room door to see her so scared.

"Father." She opened her arms, i ran into her, holding her close.

"Are you alright? What happened?" I examined her, no cuts, nothing. She just looks at me scared. "Daphne?"

"I had a scary dream." I put her down, her sad eyes looked up at me.

"What happened in this scary dream?"

"That a woman, she looked like me, but much older, she came and took me away and we did bad things." She grabs her sheets in fear, whispering in a soft voice. "And then at the end, she killed me." I have never seen her so scared before. "Shes a scary lady."

"Its just dream, nobody is going to take you away from me." Fiona is far from us, away from Daphne.

"Would you wake me up from a dream like that?" She looks up to me.

"Of course."

"And keep me safe?" That made my heart break.

"Of course."

"Dont leave me." I pulled her close to me, kissing her head.

"I would never. I am your father, I will always protect you. I will sacrifice my life for you to be happy and live a life you deserve."

"Can you stay here for tonight? Please?" I tucked her into bed again. I brushed her hair back.

"I will." I sat on the floor as she held my hand. She took awhile to go back to sleep but she did. She cuddled with my arm. I didn't mind it. Katherine comes in, i put my finger on my lips, telling her be quiet.

"She alright?"

"Had a nightmare, thats all." I looked back at her. She look like an angel. "Im going to stay here tonight, do you mind turning off the flame in the office, please Katherine."

"Yes Severus. Good night." She closes the door.

✷ ✷ ✷

Daphne puts her feet down as they finished looking over things and packing. She grabbed the bag again and head to the door.

"You go, meet me downstairs, i need to check something before we go."

"Alright." She shrugs and headed down, waiting for him in the foyer. Severus wait until he didn't hear anymore footsteps. He grabs a letter from his cloak and places in the top drawer. The Letter had Daphnes name written on it. He closes the drawer and pats on it as he leaves.

When they got back, Daphne put his bag in his room and headed to see Draco again. Lucas was waiting for him. Severus and Lucas went to a room to talk.

"Did you tell her?" Lucas crosses his arms. He didn't. Lucas rolls his eyes. "You spent hours with her and you wont tell her that you are leaving? Why are you doing this? If you do this, shes not going to forgive you."

"Thats the point, im trying to make her hate me." Severus looks down.

"What? Why? She bloody loves you! And you leaving her-"

"So when I die, it'll make it easier for her." Lucas took a moment.

"No, i cant let you do this!" He pointed a finger at his face.

"You dont have a word in this." They started to argue. "Im leaving tomorrow. I knew risks, i did Dracos task because I know Voldemort will kill him. Draco can make her happy again. He'll kill me instead of him and Daphne wont be in pain anymore." Lucas brushes his hair back, trying to keep his cool.

"You plan this?" He squinted. "Thats why you made me do the vow." He laughs. He should've seen this coming. "She's going to lose it when she finds you dead, think Severus think! She already is in pain, don't give her more."

"Look what ive done. Im doing this for her. She will be happier in a world without me in it."

"Sir-" they both snap at the door. Draco stood there. How long was he standing there? Was Daphne with him?

"Draco." Severus coughs.

"The dark lord needs to speak to you professor. About you being headmaster." He lost eye contact with Severus.

"Yes." Both Severus and Lucas took a glance at each other before Severus left. Lucas was angry.

"How much did you hear?" Lucas pinches his nose as he asked Draco.

"I just heard what the professor last said, thats all." Lucas pats his shoulder.

"Wheres Daphne?"

"Shes with my mother." Lucas swore under his breath and heads out.