A Knock at the Door

A Knock at the Door by Pearle

Disclaimer: The characters, settings, etc. of the Harry Potter series are not mine they belong to J.K. Rowling and Co. I promise to return them when I am through. Well, most of them anyway.


~~~~~~ A Knock at the Door ~~~~~~

Chapter 3. Slytherin, Gryffindor..or….?


Madame Pomfrey was in her office, intent on finishing her paper work for the evening. She would have Miss Granger check the storage room in the morning and verify that all the supplies they would need were present. It would not do to have an injured student and not have the proper potion or salve on hand when they needed it. She would no longer have to rely on Professor Snape for any of her potions needs this year. Hermione was quite accomplished at potions and could maintain the levels they needed during the year. Merlin knew they would be running short of Pepperup Potion as flu season approached. There never seemed to be an adequate supply on hand. She was pleased to have Hermione assist her in the Hospital ward. She was interested in discussing the alterations Hermione had mentioned in the Wound-Cleaning Potion. It still smoked purple but was said not to burn on application any more.

Hermione Granger. Madame Pomfrey had never expected to see her again. She was rumored to have been a casualty of the war when she originally disappeared. And now she turns up with a child in tow. Silenus Granger seemed to be a pleasant child, a bit on the quiet side. Still it was hard to tell. She had only observed the girl for a short time that morning. Rumors were running rampant as to the identity of the child’s father. Harry Potter was the leading favorite among the witches in the castle. ‘They most all be daft. One look in the child’s eyes should tell them.’ She thought. ‘They wouldn’t see the nose on their own faces if they had to.’ She cackled quietly to herself. ‘Noses, the child had definitely lucked out there!’ Madame Pomfrey was not a gossip, but she did have eyes in her head. She knew who the father was. She would not discuss this with Minerva or Irma in the staff room tomo. Sh. She planned on keeping her own counsel. But she knew.

The sound of boot heels striding past the Hospital doors drew her attention. She looked up and caught a glimpse of black cloth flowing by in the window of the door. She smiled broadly to herself. This may have confirmed her suspicions but it also created a myriad of unanswered questions. She rose quickly from her desk and headed for the hospital corridor.

Severus Snape was glaring at the portrait in front of him. His wand was at the ready. “Madam, I am expected. If you do not immediately tell Miss Granger I am here, I shall be forced to….”

“Is there a problem Severus?”

Snape tuned to see Madame Pomfrey standing in the doorway to the Hospital. He groaned inwardly. Could his life become any more complicated? He was just about to respond with a scathing remark when the portrait popped open on its hinges to reveal an open doorway.

“Severus, why are you still standing out here? Oh, good evening Poppy.” Hermione had just noticed Madame Pomfrey standing to the side.

“Good evening Hermione, Severus.” Madame Pomfrey’s chuckle could be heard as she turned around and walked back into hos hospital. Snape glared at her before following Hermione through the doorway. “Bah. Witch.” He muttered under his breath.

Severus Snape stood in the sitting room and looked around at his surroundings. The room was comfortable. Books lined most of the walls. A large orange…cat? was sleeping on the hearth. A small black kitten was amusing itself by trying to catch the orange tail as it flicked up and down. His daughter was not in evidence. Why was he having trouble breathing now? He had faced Voldemort and lived to tell about it. He took a deep breath and turned to face Hermione. “Miss Gran……Hermione.” He bowed formally to the woman in front of him. His stance was stiff and unbending, tension evident in his every move.

Hermione had been watching the Potions Master. She was not sure what to expect of this meeting. She knew Snape, intimately. The persona of snarky bastard was real, etched into his bones. Ever the lioness, her concern was for her daughter, not the man in front of her. “Severus. I will call Silenus out in a moment. Please have a seat.” Hermione had guided Snape to a chair by the fire. Hermione sat across from him on the sofa. A tea service sat ready on the side table.

“I would like you to understand this may be a difficult meeting for Silenus. In a matter of a few days her life has changed drastically. First moving from America and now meeting you.”

“And you would wish me to……what?” Snape was unsure how to proceed. What did she ? Wh? Why hadn’t the blasted woman just stayed where she was and let him live his life out in peace?

“I do not wish you to do anything. I just want you to be aware of the facts. Please remember she is still a child.” Hermione’s eyes had take on a steely quality.

“I will not use her as a potion ingredient if that is what you fear.” Really, things seemed to be spinning out of his control much to easily today.

Hermione laughed. “You don’t change do you?”

Severus remained quiet. Obviously the woman in front of him had changed considerably. Hermione called to her daughter. “Silenus. Honey, could you come in here a moment?”

“Sure mom.” MOM. The flat vowel sound of the word accosted Severus’s ears. Mom. Oh Gods, his daughter was born in America, that thought had slipped his mind.

Silenus walked into the room and looked at her mother and the dark man sitting in the chair. Her mother had showed her pictures of him in Hogwarts: A History. She knew this was Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master…..and her father. She was a tall girl and moved with a fluid grace. She crossed the room and sat on the sofa next to her mother.

“Silenus Granger I would like you to meet your father, Severus Snape. Severus this is your daughter, Silenus.” Tension crackled in the air as Hermione made the unnecessary introductions.

Silenus meet Severus eyes. “Hello.”

There was that voice again, flat vowels and a Mid-West ring to it. Severus tried not to cringe. “Good evening.” Hermione watched the interchange between father and daughter. Snape and Silenus sat quietly, appraising each other.

“Do you play Wizard’s Chess?” Silenus asked indicating the board in the corner.

“Yes, I have been known to partake in a game now and then.”

Hermione laughed. “Maybe you two can have a game, I am afraid I am not very good. Silenus normally wins.”

“Indeed. I believe a game can be arranged at some point in time.” Snape said.

The small black kitten had wandered over and was twining in between Silenus’s legs. She reached down and picked up the kitten, dropping it gently into her lap. Snape raised an eyebrow as he looked at the cat. He was now at a total loss for words. Hermione jumped into the void. “This is Ink. Silenus’s new familiar. I am not too sure Crookshank is pleased with him. We arrived in London on Friday and stayed at the Leaky Cauldron. I took Silenus shopping for robes and school supplies in Diagon Alley.”

School…that was a safe subject. Snape addressed his daughter. “Have you reviewed your texts for the start of the new term?”

“Yes, I have sir. I am particularly looking forward to taking charms and potions.” The child was not forward, but she did not shy away either.

Potions? Hermione did say she liked to mix things. “Can you tell me what potion you produce when asphodel is infused in wormwood?” Snape had unconsciously switched to his teaching voice.

“Really Severus, classes do not start until Monday.”

“You produce a Draught of the Living Death sir.” Came the quiet reply.

Severus was impressed. The child was just like her mother had been. Thirsting for knowledge. “That is correct.”

“Silenus has quite a knowledge of potions and charms. She helped in my lab when I was working on the alteration for the Wound-Cleaning Potion. She has even been known to write a few feet of parchment for some of the older students at the school I was working at. For a fee of course.” Mother and daughter exchange looks at this comment. Hermione’s look was one of amused annoyance while her daughter feigned innocence.

Snape raised an eyebrow at the implications of this comment. For a fee, for the older students, before she had ever attended school. Well, that eliminates Hufflepuff, thankfully. She obviously had the intelligence for Ravenclaw, but her entire demeanor was defensive. She was unconsciously projecting loyalty to her mother. But she had charged upper classmen a fee to write their parchments. Gryffindor or Slytherin? It was an interesting question to say the least. Hermione’s influence or his DNA? Of course, there were plenty of times while they were together Severus had thought Hermione should have been sorted into Slytherin instead of Gryffindor. The next nights sorting would prove most interesting.

“May I inquire as to what alteration you are referring to?”

“The Wound-Cleaning Potion. It still produces purple smoke but now it does not burn on application. After much experimentation, I found if you combine three drops of aloe gel with chopped dragon’s liver and then increased the amount nettles used from three to five, the wound cleaning potion would not burn on contact with the skin.” Hermione had started to pour tea for the three of them as she explained her research to Snape.

“Aloe?”

“Yes, aloe vera. It’s a Muggle plant used to soothe sun burned skin. The leaves of the plant contain a gel that can be extracted and used in potion making. It has been in use for thousands of years. It has been called the plant of immortality and the medicine plant.”

“And Muggles use this?” Snape asked in surprise.

“Use, you can buy aloe at most drug stores in the Muggle world.”

“I seem to recall an article published in Ars Alchemica some years ago regarding this breakthrough. But I believe the name of the researcher was Helen Evans if I am not mistaken.” Snape was thoughtful as he sipped his tea.

“Evans was the name Silenus and I were using when we were in hiding.” Hermione said.

“Evans was Uncle Harry’s mother’s last name.” Commented Silenus as she continued to stroke her kitten.

Snape’s eyes bulged and he choked on his tea. Through his coughing, he managed to ask, “Uncle Harry?”

Hermione sat back amused. Obviously Albus had not given Snape any of the details of the last 12 years. “This could be fun.’ Thought Hermione. “Yes, you remember Harry Potter, don’t you Severus? We couldn’t very well have used Granger could we?”

Snape wanted to throttle the woman in front of him, never mind the child that was present. Bloody Harry-pain-in-the-arse-Potter, The Boy Who Lived and Continued to annoy him, had known where she had been hiding. Barely able to contain himself, Snape hissed through clenched teeth, “Potter knew where you were.” It was not a question, more a statement of fact. Potter had known where Hermione was when he couldn’t find her. Potter had seen his child growing up. Never mind the fact that he was unclear as to his feelings regarding Granger or said child. What was his was his. Snape was possessive with his property whether he wanted it or not.

“Who else knew?” Snape’s voice was deadly quiet.

Hermione decided not to let Snape suffer. He looked ready to explode. She re did did not care about his feelings, but she did not what Silenus upset. “No one knew. Harry did not know where we were until just a few years ago. I would not have endangered Silenus by allowing Harry to know where we were hiding. He discovered where I was quite by accident.”

Snape was somewhat mollified. The thought of Potter being with his child would never sit well with him. He knew Granger and Potter were close friends, but he did not have to like the twit. He supposed if he were to maintain any type of contact with Hermione he would be forced to endure Potter’s presence at some time or another. ‘Uncle Harry.’ Best not to think about that now. He decided to change tactics and ponder this revelation later, when he could give it his proper attention. Hermione Granger, hmmmm.

“You have decided to return to the name Granger?” Severus replied stiffly.

“Yes, I thought it would be for the best if we were to use our real name when it was decided we would be returning to Hogwarts.” Said Hermione.

“Your real name. Well, I shall contact my barrister on Monday.”

“Pardon me?” Hermione started to become annoyed. She thought she knew what he was getting at, but she wanted to hear the words come out of his mouth.

“My barrister. Granger is your real name, not Silenus’s. I shall contact my barrister so that he may take care of the legalities.”

“And what legalities would that be?”

“Silenus is a Snape of course.”

“She is my daughter Severus.”

Snape sighed. Well, he could be modern if that was the way she wanted it. “Very well, we shall change her name to Granger-Snape. Will that suffice?”

“No. That will not suffice! Her name is Silenus Granger. Not Granger-Snape. Thank you for the contribution of your DNA, but that does not give you the right to make any decisions.” Hermione’s voice had started to take on a nasty tone and increased in volume. She caught sight of Silenus shifting in the seat next to her.

Silenus had been sitting quietly watching the two adults. “Thank you Professor, but I have lived with my Mother my entire life. I believe I would prefer to stay a Granger. Perhaps that will change at a later date. I hope I may still take you up on the offer of a game of Wizard’s Chess?” Silenus’s eyebrow was raised and her black eyes danced with amusement.

‘You never have a camera when you need one.’ Thought Hermione. It would have been nice to record one of the few times in life that Severus Snape had been at a total loss for words. His mouth opened and then snapped shut.

Silenus rose and kissed her mother on the cheek before turning to the astounded Professor. “Thank you sir. It has been most interesting. I look forward to your classes and to when we can meet for a game of chess. I still have a few things to review before the start of term. Good night.”

Snape managed to choke out a strangled, “Good night.” He watched the girl leave the room before turning to the woman in front of him. “She is still a Snape.” Snarled Severus. “ I still plan on contacting my barrister on Monday.”

“You may contact whom ever you like, Severus. I would have to sign whatever papers are drawn up to make them legal. You know that’s not going to happen. You heard Silenus. I would hope her feelings count for something.” Hermione had no intension of signing any thing any way; she just did not feel the need to press her point any further.

Snape sat quietly regarding Hermione. He had always under estimated her. Now was not the time to continue to do so. He was aware he needed her co-operation for any legal papers to be processed. He would still send an owl to his barrister to alert him of Silenus’s existence and to see if he had any legal avenues available to him in the Wizarding World. He would bide his time. He would not press the issue until the proper time. He was the Head of Slytherin after all. He knew the merits of waiting and playing your hand close to the vest. Snape’s motives were as far from altruistic as they could be. He had been told no, and this was his version of a temper tantrum. His concerns were not to establish a paternal relationship with the child, just that she had said – no. This did not rule out the fact that they may very well come to some sort of amicable relationship in the future, the problem was she had said no now.

“Fine.” Snape bit out. “I will wait to take any further action until Silenus has had time to think. It is late Madam. I have duties to attend to before tomorr fea feast. I should like to speak with you again, if I may?”

Hermione chuckled. She knew Snape would not let this go, but she was content for the moment to let it be if only to maintain some sort of affable relationship. “Yes, of course Severus. It is a big castle, but I’m sure we will see one another.” Hermione smiled, she could afford to be magnanimous, Silenus was her daughter, not theirs. True he had missed out on her growing up, but Hermione doubted Snape would have ever been warm and fuzzy about having a child around. Hermione sighed, “Let’s just let things take their natural course. Shall we?”

“Fine…Gra…..Hermione. May I ask one question of you?” Severus was looking intently into her eyes.

“Yes?” Hermione had a feeling she knew what was coming next. It was a question she had often asked herself, a question she wasn’t sure she had an answer for.

“The war has been over for more than seven years, I understand it took quite a long time before all the Death Eater were rounded up and Voldemort’s supporters were properly dealt with but…….” Severus held up his hand to forestall the words that seemed about to burst forth from the woman in front of him. “Could you not have contacted me? I understand your concerns during the war and immediately after, but what of the last few years?”

Severus stood still waiting for her answer. The intensity of his gaze frightened Hermione. She gave a heavy sigh as she shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure I have an answer for you. At least not the right answer anyway. It’s hard to explain.”

“Indeed. Attempt to enlighten me.”

Obviously he was no going to let it go that easily. “When I left England I was frightened. Frightened for me, for the child I was carrying. We weren’t a couple. We had never talked of the future or what would happen when the war ended. I have never thought of you as warm and fuzzy where children were concerned.”

The remark drew a chuckle from Snape. “No madam, I do not believe those words have ever been used to describe me.”

“I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. The war ended and we still couldn’t return. One day turned into the next. There were several times I put quill to parchment with the intention of telling you but something kept holding me back. It seems the longer you wait the harder it gets to change things. We were happy in America, I guess I didn’t want things to change.”

“I see. I will speak to you in the next week if that is acceptable.” Snape expression was unreadable as he turned to leave.

Hermione stopped him at the door, a mischievous gleam in her eyes, “So what do you think, Slytherin or Gryffindor?”

Snape couldn’t help himself, as he laughed unfettered. Obviously she had analyzed Silenus in her mind too. “It is difficult to say. She is fiercely loyal to you and Gods help me, ‘Uncle Harry’, that would be a distinctly Gryffindor trait, but selling parchments is pure Slytherin.”

Snape drew himself to his full height and haughtily said, “DNA sample or not, she is my daughter, she will be a Slytherin. Good night Hermione.” A smirk crossed his features as he heard Hermione’s laughter on his way out the doorway.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Hermione closed the portrait door and turned back into the sitting room. She waived her wand and the tea service with all of its accouterments disappeared. She wondered how Silenus was feeling about meeting Snape. All in all Hermione felt the meeting had gone a bit better than planned. She had never expected her daughter to yell out Daddy and go running into Snape’s open arms. That was never an option for either of them. No, all in all things were progressing nicely.

Hermione knocked on Silenus’s door. “Can I come in honey?”

“Sure mom.”

Hermione opened the door and looked at her daughter lying face down on her stomach on top of the bed, books and papers were strewn around her. A wave of love washed over her for the child in front of her. “Did you want something Mom?”

“I thought you might like to talk about Professor Snape. Meeting your father tonight?” Silenus appeared to be studying the bedspread in front of her, rather than answering her mother.

“Silenus?”

With a sigh, Silenus turned towards her mother. “Well, as I said, it was interesting. Do you think he’ll play a game of chess with me?”

“He said he would, I am sure he will keep his word. Silenus, there must be other things on your mind right now than Wizard Chess. What did you think of him?” Hermione was almost afraid to ask the question.

“He’s rather……I don’t know. Distant?”

Distant was probably a good word to describe Snape thought Hermione. “And?”

“Well, I’m just not sure! I can’t tell if I like him or I don’t like him. He seems very hard to know and not too friendly at that, but he seems interesting enough. I mean he is a Potions Master. Maybe he’ll let me assist him in his lab like you did mom?” Silenus frustrations were causing her voice to break unevenly.

Hermione gave her daughter a hug. “Maybe. I was going to mention I wanted to use some of his personal lab space for some research I planned on working on. He has a gold cauldron I will need to use for the next stage of my research. Perhaps if you help me, you can get to know him better if he is in the lab when we are, and then we shall see.

“Mom, what am I supposed to call him? We didn’t really talk about that.”

Right. Good question. “I’m not sure honey. You can’t call him by his first name, that would seem disrespectful. And since you don’t know him, I would think Dad or Daddy would be out.” Witch or not, an eleven year old is still an eleven year old. Silenus rolled her eyes at her mother. “I suppose Professor will do for now until we figure something else out.”

“Alright. Night mom, love you.” Silenus smiled as she turned back to her books and papers.

“Good night. I love you too dear. Get some sleep, tomorrow is a big day.”


Hermione left the room and closed the door. She leaned back and closed her eyes. ‘Merlin, I hope I’ve made the right decision for us when I agreed to return here. Why hadn’t she contacted Severus before now? Slytherin or Gryffindor?’ She would be awake a long time tonight reviewing this evening’s events in her mind.


^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

On the other side of the castle, Severus Snape was lying in bed contemplating the same issues as Hermione. ‘She had not offered any apologies, merely stated the facts as she saw them. He was not “warm and fuzzy” as she put it. He had no concept of what he would have done had she contacted him. Silenus Granger. The child was his and she was a Snape, whether he took an active role or not. She had his eyes, build and coloring. But not his nose.’ Snape chuckled to himself. ‘Granger is right, thank what ever deity she received Hermione’s nose. His nose may have suited his face, but it would have been hideous on the face of an 11-year-old girl. But looks were superficial. It was her mind that intrigued him. She had possessed an air of quiet confidence and her eyes radiated curiosity and intelligence. He was sure the child would be sorted properly; he just hoped she had not been influenced too much by Potter or her Mother. Hopefully, her voice would even improve in time.’ Snape groaned. It was going to be a long night.


The war was far enough in the past for Slytherin to have distanced itself from its Death Eater heritage. The current crop of students regarded Slytherin as merely ambitious nothing more. Certainly not the evil reputation it once had. Gryffindor was still the most popular because of Harry Potter. He was a war hero a long with Weasley. Weasley. Hermione and Ron had been at odds with each when she disappeared. He wondered if that would ever be resolved. Because of his efforts in the war as a spy and the potion that helped to bring about Voldemort’s end, Snape had received an Order of Merlin, first class with the idiotic duo.

Snape sat up in bed. Hermione had been awarded an Order of the Merlin posthumously when her part in creating the potion was revealed after her disappearance or her believed demise. Did she know about the medal? He would speak to Albus about it. Surely Minerva would have informed her golden girl of the honor by now. Potter would probably be in attendance tomorrow night. He came yearly to attend the opening feast as a guest of the Headmaster’s. Perhaps he had told her. For some childish reason, Snape wanted to be the one to tell her. Sleep was a long time coming.

TBC

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A/N: My apologies for having to break this chapter in half. I wanted to due justice to Sev and his daughter meeting for the first time. They had a lot of issues to cover. Part 2 of this chapter - Hi ho, hi ho, a sorting we will go, will be up in a few days. Before you ask, Snape eliminated Hufflepuff because they are just and true, odds are they wouldn’t write a paper for someone else, definitely not for a fee.

If you would like to know more about aloe, here is the web site I used http://www.kcweb.com/herb/aloevera.htm

I have two questions:
1. What do you think - Will she be Ravenclaw, Slytherin or Gryffindor? (The hat hinted to me but I’m not telling!)
2. Several comments have been made about Silenus’s name and its origins. I will the open the question up to you.
Keep the name or change it? What do think, drop me a line if you have minute.

Even though this chapter is not betaed, I decided to go ahead and post it anyway for those of you wondering about the meeting. Thank you to those who offered their services. I have contacted some one and I am waiting for their owl, ….uhm, their e-mail. I will repost after it is betaed. In the mean time, thank you to all who have reviewed. As always thoughts, comments, reviews, whatever are always welcome.

Regards,
Pearle