The Bonds of Blood

Chapter Nine Mistake

Severus Snape was in a bad mood. He had had a wonderful three hours sleep, after worrying all night about what Voldemort was up to, and how Sofia was faring. When he finally fell asleep, it was nearly five in the morning. His alarm had not gone off, so he had dragged himself out of bed at the murderous time of eight o’clock. Classes started at twenty past. He had showered quickly, and (having missed breakfast) asked a house elf to bring him some eggs. The house elf had quivered and said that all the eggs were gone: something to do with Peeves, a wooden spoon, and kitchen cricket. So, snarling, he had left his quarters at quarter past eight, stomach empty, and simply wishing he could crawl back into bed. It was days like this one that could end up giving him a nervous breakdown.

He had no idea.

Sofia followed Hermione into the Potions classroom, her heart pounding a tattoo against her ribcage. She felt almost sick with nerves. How would he react? Would he recognise her? Did he even know she was here?

Sofia took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.

‘Behave’ she told the gnomes in her stomach (who were currently catching and eating the metaphorical butterflies), and sat next to Hermione, two rows from the front. Harry sat in front of them, and he turned around to face them.

“Hey… you ok Sofia?” he asked.

She was very pale, and a few beads of sweat were visible on her forehead.

“Yeah- I’m… I’m bloody nervous.” She whispered, and Harry smiled comfortingly. He patted her hand. “Don’t worry- it’ll be fine.”

“Yeah- everything will work out Sofia.” Hermione said, setting up her workspace.

A curly haired boy sat next to Harry, and he gave one last pat to her hand before turning to the boy with a cheerful “Hey Ernie.”

Sofia looked at Hermione, and she too began to set up her workstation. She had just put her ink and quills on the desk when the door slammed open, and a tall, pale man entered the room briskly. He did not look at her. In fact, he did not look at anyone, simply stalked to the front of the room, and sat behind his desk. This was him. Professor Snape.

Her father.

His eyes were tired and glaring as they started down the role, ticking off each name on a piece of parchment as he went.

“Hermione Granger”

“Present”

Tick

“Daphne Greengrass”

“Present”

Tick

“Ernie MacMillan”

“Present”

Tick

“Draco Malfoy”

“Present, Sir.”

Tick

Sofia glanced over to the pale, flaxen haired boy, before turning back to the front.

“Theodore Nott”

“Present”

Tick

“Harry Potter”

He said it with such loathing that Sofia almost winced, but Harry answered coolly

“Present.”

Tick

“Sofia Sna-”

Snape’s face paled, and his wrist jerked, knocking over the inkwell. It clattered to the ground, echoing in the silence.

He stared at the name before him.

A mistake, a mistake, surely, it’s a mistake…

Severus Snape looked up, for the first time unsure as what to say in his classroom. Her green eyes met his, and he felt his chest tighten.

‘Sofia… why is she here? Christopher and Alison… no. it’s not possible.’

He remembered those chilling words from the previous night.

What self respecting Death Eater attacks a family… and leaves the child alive?

You do what I tell you to do- possible or not.

He was still staring in shock. The silence grew with every second- the students were glancing at each other, confused. Some were turning in their seats to look at this new girl, who had rendered their Professor speechless. He had to do something. He cleared his throat, and tried again.

“Sofia Snape.”

Sofia could see her Father’s mind working, trying to figure out why, exactly, his daughter was sitting before him, bashfully meeting his eyes. His eyes snapped back into focus after a minute or so, and he cleared his throat.

“Sofia Snape.”

Sofia felt her hands clench into fists.

“Here, Sir.”

Tick