The Power of Words
–Do you think you can manage to stay with me while we are out?†Severus asked, looking down on the four-year-old standing before him.
Zoe nodded her head vigorously.
He was standing in the entryway of the house, holding her little cloak, gloves and scarf in his hands. He wanted to make sure that she understood the protocol for their outing before the excitement of the event inevitably made her unable to pay attention. Thus, the holding of her cloak; she knew she couldn’t go out in the frigid December weather without it and she would therefore stand calmly and listen to his instructions.
Stand calmly, but not still, for it did nothing to keep the girl from fidgeting, however, and putting those damned fingers into her mouth again. Severus reached out and pulled her hand away.
–Even if I am not holding your hand? I will be working and talking with other people and I want to know that you are capable of staying by my side while we are in Diagon Alley.â€
Again, Zoe nodded her head and widened her eyes dramatically in apparent exasperation at being asked this so many times. Growing more fidgety by the second, she held out a hand for her outdoor attire with an air that was something akin to the attitude of an adolescent. My gods, is she four or fourteen? Severus wondered inwardly. He raised an eyebrow at her impudence, but handed her her gloves, nonetheless.
A few minutes later, the two of them were bundled up and standing on the front stoop of 38 Spinner’s End. Disillusioned from the prying eyes of any of the neighborhood Muggles who might happen by, Severus held his daughter close to him and spun on his heel, Disapparating away.
It took only a second for the pair to appear in the narrow mews between Eyelops Owl Emporium and Fenwick’s Formal Witch Attire. It took just a bit longer for Severus to become fully conscious of the fact that they had arrived intact and taken down their Disillusionment when Zoe disengaged herself from his leg and abruptly retched onto his boots, the hem of his robes, and down her own front.
Severus cringed. He didn’t really know why it was that he could dissect and pulverize the most repulsive of potions specimens, but still found that the mere thought of a child’s vomit, snot, and bogies disgusted and annoyed him. Closing his eyes briefly and swallowing the impulse to curse aloud, he pulled his wand from within his pocket.
He had scourgified the both of them clean before a glance down at his daughter made him acutely aware of the fact that Zoe had just Apparated for the first time and he hadn’t prepared her for it. The girl obviously hadn’t taken to it well. She cried openly and loudly with fat tears rolling down her face--whether from the fearsome sensation of the mode of transportation or because she had thrown up all over the place, Severus couldn’t be sure.
He could have kicked himself. What had he been thinking? He could have at least warned the child that Apparition was likely to be an uncomfortable experience. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. Now that he thought about it, he wasn’t entirely sure that children as young as Zoe were technically supposed to travel by such means. He’d most definitely heard that pregnant witches were advised against Apparating unless absolutely necessary, but he’d never read any literature discouraging Side-Along with a small child.
This would be just the sort of information Minerva would know… He’d have to ask her the next time he saw her, and do his best not to reveal that he’d actually Apparated with the girl before being sure of the safety it. She’d give him an earful, to say the least.
Severus looked around briefly, but nobody seemed to have paid any mind to the two of them in the two to three minutes he and Zoe had stood in the mews. Therefore, he knelt down to his daughter’s level, pulled his handkerchief from his robes and began wiping at the girl’s tear-streaked face.
–Zoe, do try to calm down,†he said. –You’ve done nothing wrong. It is perfectly normal to vomit after your first Apparition. I am at fault; I should have given you a potion so you wouldn’t be ill.â€
Zoe nodded her head, simultaneously rubbing one of her eyes with one gloved hand and bringing the other up to pat his arm. Severus smirked at her forgiving gesture.
She continued to whimper, however, and tears persistently leaked from the girl’s eyes. He wrinkled his brow, confused. After all, the four-year-old had completely dispelled her lunch and, typically, the nauseous feeling of Apparition eased completely after losing one’s last meal.
–What is it? Do you still feel unwell?â€
Zoe nodded. Severus sighed and stood.
–I shall get you something for your stomach at the apothecary. Do you think you will live until we get there?â€
Again, the girl nodded and the promise of something to ease her discomfort seemed to ease her tears as well.
Severus nodded resolutely and, with a hand on Zoe’s shoulder, he led her out into the bustle of Diagon Alley.
As they walked down the famed, cobbled street, there was evidence of the coming Christmas holidays all around. Twinkling fairy lights adorned the windows of nearly every shop and great, holly wreaths were attached to doors and hung from the gaslights. Those children too young yet for Hogwarts ran unhindered from shop window to shop window, gazing in at toys and broomsticks and clothing, memorizing exactly what items they would be asking for for Christmas.
–I want that broomstick, Mum,†he heard a small boy say to his mother as they walked briskly past Quality Quidditch Supplies.
–You’ll have a nice jumper and be glad of it,†the exasperated witch said tersely. Severus smirked inwardly, grateful that Zoe had yet to start whining for things in shops.
He glanced down to his left often as they walked and was pleased to see Zoe keeping up with his pace. From time to time, he would feel a tug on his cloak as she latched onto it in order to keep from getting lost as they pushed through groups of people on the pavement.
It was as the Snapes approached the front of The Leaky Cauldron that they were forced to stop completely. It seemed that, with the holiday buzz, there was quite the crowd waiting for entry into the pub to make use of the Floo channels. The wide queue came out the door, into the street, and flowed to the other side of the relatively narrow shopping area. There didn’t seem to be any way around it; they would have to go through it somehow.
Perturbed, Severus put a hand on the back of Zoe’s head and brought her close to him as he looked around trying to spot an easy hole to push through. It took him less time than he thought it would.
–Here, sir. Are you trying to get through?â€
Severus looked down directly in front of him. There was a short, elderly witch in fuchsia robes trying to get his attention.
–Yes, you sir, with the little ‘un. Do you need a way through?â€
–I-- yes, indeed,†Severus responded, oddly perplexed at having been noticed.
The woman beamed. –We can clear a gap for the child and her daddy, I think. What about it, ladies?†the witch asked looking around at her friends.
It was then that Severus noticed that the witch was a part of a larger group of women all in similarly-colored robes and all of the elderly witches were staring down at Zoe kindly.
–Move around, Agnes,†the first witch said, clearing a wide enough gap for others to walk through. –There you are, sir.â€
Severus quirked an inquisitive eyebrow at the woman’s kindness for he couldn’t recall a time when someone had gone out of their way to make his day any easier. He nodded politely to the woman and, with his hand still resting on Zoe’s head, he led her through the gap to the other side of the queue.
–Thank you, Madam,†he said as he passed the elderly witch.
–Not at all, my dear. You have a darling child. Have a nice day.â€
–Er…you as well,†Severus responded rather awkwardly. He glanced down to Zoe once more before proceeding down the Alley.
Luckily, the pair ran into no more barriers after that and they were soon stepping into Constantine’s Apothecary.
The shop was empty, but as the bell above the door chimed, a man walked out of a door behind the counter and smiled at his new customers.
Aldous Constantine was a middle-aged wizard with greying, light-brown hair and muttonchops. Once a notable Potions Master in Europe, he had fled to America upon the outbreak of the War and had returned to open his apothecary in Diagon Alley shortly after the fall of the Dark Lord. Since starting up his own potions business, Severus had come to rely on the man’s knowledge of rare herbs and other ingredients. In fact, Mr. Constantine had become his primary supplier.
–Ah, Mr. Snape. It’s a good thing you walked in just now. I was about to close up.â€
–Good afternoon,†Severus said, doing his best to steer his suddenly mesmerized four-year-old up to the counter. –I would be obliged if you could remain open just a little longer in order to fill a slightly rare order for me.â€
–Of course,†Constantine stated jovially, looking down to Severus’s side. –And who is this young lady?â€
–My daughter, Zoe,†Severus said, maneuvering Zoe out from beneath his travelling cloak where she had chosen to hide from the new acquaintance. Constantine looked up at Severus with a look of bafflement.
–I didn’t know you had children,†he said. –I always assumed you were more of the career-driven, bachelor type…â€
–Just the one child,†Severus said distractedly, pulling the hood of Zoe’s cloak off her head and loosening the girl’s scarf for her.
As he looked up at the apothecary, Severus suddenly felt a strong downward tug on his cloak and he was forced to look down once more. His daughter was staring up at him with an uncomfortable look upon her face. She rubbed at her stomach and whimpered.
–Yes, yes, I haven’t forgotten,†he said a bit irritably before looking up to Constantine. –First, I’ll need a child’s dose of Anti-Nausea.â€
The apothecary smiled. –I can do you one better. Just give me a second.â€
The man went through the door and came back a moment later holding a small, green lollipop. He handed it over to Severus who eyed it suspiciously.
–It’s my newest range of common remedies made specifically for children. It’s a sweet infused with the Anti-Nausea. I’ve found that children take to them much better than a bitter, liquid potion.â€
Severus narrowed his eyes skeptically, but unwrapped the lollipop nonetheless. He handed it down to Zoe. –It will soothe your stomach,†he said reassuringly.
It didn’t take much to get the girl to take it and she began to suck on it. After a moment, her facial features relaxed and she leaned against Severus’s side contentedly.
Severus turned back to the apothecary. –Thank you. Please, add it to my credit for the month, if you will.â€
–Nevermind that,†said Constantine, waving a hand nonchalantly. –Clearly the girl feels better, and that is payment enough for me.†He looked up at Severus. –Now, tell me about this rather rare order, Mr. Snape.â€
Severus inclined his head in appreciation and took from his pocket a list of ingredients. Most of them were rather common--like the monkshood--but many were not seen in common potions and were therefore rarely purchased together. It was a tribute to Aldous Constantine’s intelligence and dedication to his profession that he took one glance at Severus’s list and looked up at the Potions Master with a knowing smirk.
–Have a new client, do you? A lycanthrope.â€
–Clearly,†Severus stated.
Constantine took a deep breath and nodded as he looked down at the list. –This should be easy enough. I have fresh stocks of most of these. The wolfsbane’s a bit old. I don’t have a lot of demand for it. I’m sure you understand.â€
Severus nodded. –Indeed. If I may, I’ll-- Do not touch!â€
He had just glanced at some movement to his right and done a double take as he saw Zoe--with the lollipop still stuck in her mouth--reach her hand up towards the spines of a rare plant called a demon’s cactus. The neon orange spines, in addition to being very sharp, could also secrete toxins that caused temporary blindness if entered into the bloodstream.
Severus strode toward the four-year-old and harshly pulled her away from the plant. Zoe was startled by his reaction and, as she looked up at him, her lower lip immediately started to tremble and her eyes filled with tears. A second later, she was sobbing for the second time in less than twenty minutes and, once again, Severus bit back the urge to curse aloud.
Zoe collapsed dramatically onto the hardwood floor of the shop and buried her face in her hands--an action that did little to muffle her loud, exaggerated cries. Severus frowned and shook his head. He shouldn’t have snapped at her, he supposed. It wasn’t as if he had given the girl any instructions detailing the proper decorum for being in an apothecary, after all. How was she to know not to touch anything? Merlin, could he not do anything right by her today?
–Kids, eh?†Constantine commented dryly as he went about filling Severus’s order as if there wasn’t a child throwing a terrific tantrum in the middle of his shop.
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, growling in frustration. Despite it all, Zoe’s reaction to his reproach was a bit much, in his opinion. Why did the child have to be so bloody dramatic? He’d merely pulled her away from a dangerous plant; it wasn’t as if he’d given her a smack--though he wasn’t going to pretend that the impulse to do so hadn’t been there initially due to his brief panic, or that it wasn’t there now because of her current conduct.
Taking a deep breath, Severus looked down on the little girl on the floor.
–Cease this at once,†he ordered.
The child didn’t respond--whether because she was ignoring him or because she’d failed to hear his command over her own wails, he couldn’t be sure. Severus crouched down beside her. He pulled her up into a sitting position with very little effort and held her chin between his thumb and index finger in order to be sure that he had her full attention. The fact that her crying stopped almost immediately substantiated the theatricality of the whole situation.
–That plant is toxic and can make you very ill,†he explained, not nearly as kindly as he probably should have. –There are many things in this shop that are harmful and that is why you are to stay by my side and why you are not to touch anything. Do you understand?â€
Zoe’s dark blue eyes were still moist, but after a moment’s thought, she nodded her head. Severus looked on his daughter sternly and lowered his voice.
–Now, how do I feel about tantrums?†he asked.
Zoe looked a bit sheepish as she shook her head.
–That’s right. I don’t tolerate them,†Severus said. –You’ll have another time out when we return home for that little spectacle.â€
Zoe nodded her head in understanding and bit the index finger of her right hand apprehensively while bringing her other hand up to pat his arm once again. This time, Severus knew it was to show penitence for her behavior.
He nodded once then pulled the girl’s hand from her mouth. –Stop that,†he scolded. –Are you a chipmunk or a little girl?â€
Zoe looked away and shrugged. Severus rolled his eyes.
–You’re a little girl and one that knows the proper manners for public outings. I suggest you start acting like it.â€
Zoe fidgeted and nodded once more.
–Stand up and stay close to me.â€
Zoe did as she was told. In fact, she was practically attached to his side for the duration of their time in the apothecary.
After coming to an accord on the pricing of the ingredients for the Wolfsbane Potion and arranging for the delivery of a fresh order of monkshood, Constantine smiled down on Zoe and handed her another sweet. Severus immediately snatched it away before the girl could devour it.
–Infused with beneficial potions or not, one sweet a day is plenty, I assure you, Constantine,†Severus said sourly.
–Of course, Mr. Snape,†the apothecary said kindly. –Have a good evening. And do owl me and let me know how that new brew turns out.â€
Severus inclined his head as he and Zoe exited the shop.
Once out on Diagon Alley again, Severus was pleased to note that many of the shoppers had made their way home making his and Zoe’s commute toward The Leaky Cauldron to use the Floo (for Severus had no intention of Apparating with the girl again so soon) much less frenetic, though there were still many people about.
Again, Severus didn’t hold Zoe’s hand for, after their talk in the apothecary, he was quite certain that she had learned her lesson and fully expected her to stay by his side as she had before.
What a fool he was.
Barely twenty feet from the door of Constantine’s shop, an enchanted toy bearing a likeness to Father Christmas on a racing broomstick zoomed directly in front of Severus’s face, missing the tip of his nose by a mere centimeter or two and causing him to stop abruptly. This also had the effect of catching Zoe’s attention and, as the toy flew away shouting ‘Happy Christmas’ and ‘Ho Ho Ho’ to anyone within hearing range, she giggled and ran after it.
–Zoe, come back here,†Severus called, but the girl continued to jog ahead of him.
Severus hadn’t enough time to react, to try to grab her, and before he knew it, she was lost in the crowd. Inwardly cursing George Weasley, whom he was certain was the merchant of such an aggravating toy, Severus quickly started after his daughter.
Lucky for him, Zoe’s giggles seemed to permeate the low buzz of passersby making his effort to stay on her trail relatively easy. It was catching glimpses of the little girl that proved most difficult. Just as he would spot her dark head, she would zip in the opposite direction from him and he would lose sight of her again. At one point, he even managed to get a hand on her cloak, but he soon lost his hold when a group of Quidditch-talking, twenty-something wizards accidently bumped against his shoulder.
–Pardon me, sir,†one of the brutish men said in apology. Severus had merely scowled at the man.
Now outside of Gringotts, he realized that Zoe’s giggles had ceased entirely.
He stopped in his tracks and listened. He could hear nothing distinctive to his child over the sounds of the other life in Diagon Alley. He turned in various directions and looked over the heads of the remaining holiday shoppers, but couldn’t see her.
Growing more worried and aggravated by the second, Severus began to walk briskly past shops--Twilfitt and Tattings, Potage’s Cauldron Shop, Poke’s Telescopes and Monocles--peeking into windows and glimpsing around rubbish bins. He even walked fully into Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor where he had hoped to find the girl mesmerized by the sugary treats, but found only elderly witches filling up on mint sundaes.
Severus ground his teeth. He was beginning to think that, once he finally found Zoe, he might be reevaluating his disciplinary practices to include smacking. After all, the girl was supposed to stay with him; he was sure he had made that quite clear more than once that day and he was certain that she had understood those instructions. And he was quickly losing patience with her disobedient curiosity.
Where had she gone? For she couldn’t have gotten far in the few minutes since he’d lost sight and hearing of her. She had to be somewhere close by.
Stopping for a moment and rubbing his head, he pulled his wand out of his robes and placed it flat on the palm of his hand.
–Point Me to Zoe,†he said softly, silently willing his magic to seek out his child.
The wand hovered above his palm for a moment, then spun 360 degrees before settling and pointing just over his right shoulder. Severus turned around and, as a crowd of Ministry wizards passed by him, he saw her. If it hadn’t been for the distinctive green color of her scarf, he may not have thought it was his daughter at all but, there she was, standing beside a man with a dirty-blonde ponytail and brown robes--a complete stranger--who was crouched down to her level.
The man had his back to him, but as Severus approached the scene, he felt his anger rise at the same time that relief seemed to flood through him--he had finally found his daughter, after all. The man held Zoe’s arm just above her elbow securely with one hand, while the other held the Father Christmas toy. He seemed to be talking quietly to the little girl who was stealing furtive glances around her, a clear look of uncertainty and distress on her flushed face. Severus scowled and held his wand securely in his hand.
–I beg your pardon,†he said in a growl in order to get the other man’s attention. –Unhand that child.â€
The wizard immediately let go of Zoe’s arm, stood, and spun around suddenly to face Severus, whose heart nearly stopped when he caught sight of who stood before him.
–Snape,†the man said emotionlessly by way of a greeting, his voice deep and gruff. Yet, his expression and demeanor conveyed the sense that he had been expecting Severus to show up at any second.
Zoe whimpered then, but didn’t move. Her chin was down, but she looked cautiously up through her eyelashes at her father and the stranger.
–This little girl seemed to be lost. I was just asking her her name--â€
–She doesn’t speak,†Severus said briskly, pulling Zoe away from the wizard. He put a hand on her head to bring her close to him as he stepped between her and the other man before looking back at one of the Dark Lord’s most vile followers. –Yaxley. Last I heard, you were in Azkaban.â€
Yaxley’s features hardened and he narrowed his eyes at Severus. He took a step forward in an attempt at intimidation, but considering Severus was several inches taller and far from intimidated, he stood his ground.
–Not all of us were as privileged to have the backing of the Boy-Who-Lived to keep us out of prison,†he said lowly, with disdain. –However, some of us had the…ah, foresight during His reign to… how should I say this? Cover our tracks.â€
Severus allowed a single eyebrow to rise. –Probation on a technicality, then? Bravo, Yaxley,†he said dryly. –Tell me, what defense did you plead to the Wizengamot? Imperius Curse? Confundus Charm? Brainwashing?â€
Yaxley smirked darkly and looked down at where Zoe was peeking out from behind Severus’s cloak.
–So, she’s your girl, eh?†he asked, completely ignoring Severus’s jibes. –I hope she’s of a decent, uncontaminated birth, if you know what I’m saying.â€
Now it was Severus’s turn to narrow his eyes. –Do enlighten me.â€
Yaxley continued to stare down at Zoe with a malicious gleam in his eye that unsettled Severus much more than he dared to let on to the other wizard. –Such a pretty child,†Yaxley said offhand. –I’d hate to see the daughter of such a powerful wizard--†The man cut off then and looked back at Severus pointedly. –Well, let’s just say I hope her father made a good decision in regards to her mother. After all, being the child of a turncoat is already quite tarnishing.â€
Yaxley had taken one last look at Zoe before walking away. Severus sneered at the man’s back; it took every available ounce of his self-control not to hex the wizard and ultimately, he took a deep breath and escaped behind an Occlumency shield that he hadn’t used in years--settling his emotions. Several moments passed by and Severus continued to stare at the spot where the man had vanished into the crowd, but not seeing anything or anyone. He allowed the words spoken to sink in.
What had Yaxley been talking about? Blood purity and other such dogmas of the Dark Lord’s regime, certainly, but the Dark Lord had been dead and gone for nearly twelve years now. Severus knew, of course, that that didn’t mean the ideals had died away with him, but he had thought…no, he had hoped that such nonsense wouldn’t reappear for many, many years from now. At least not until well after his daughter was grown--preferably well after her own lifetime.
Suddenly, a downward tug on his cloak brought him out of his thoughts. Speak of the little devil. As he dropped out of Occlusion, he felt his previous annoyance and ire with her coming back to the surface of his emotions and he pulled his wayward daughter out from beneath his cloak to stand before him. He held her upper arms securely in each of his hands and knelt down to her level to address her.
–You do NOT run away from me,†he scolded menacingly, shaking her slightly. Zoe flinched.
–When I say you are to stay with me, you stay with me. You do not run ahead following silly toys and causing me to give chase. When I call you, you are to come to me. Do you understand?â€
Zoe flinched again as his voice became lower and she nodded her head ardently. Severus released her and stood. He looked down on her sternly.
–Come along,†he said, sweeping away in the direction of The Leaky Cauldron once more.
He hadn’t even realized the girl hadn’t followed along after him until--
–Papa.â€
Severus froze. Slowly, he turned back to see his daughter standing exactly where he had left her. Her eyes conveyed apprehension and it occurred to Severus that she was too frightened to move. He furrowed his brow and turned to face the girl completely.
Zoe looked around frantically for a few moments and then looked back up into his eyes.
–Papa,†she said again, as single tears fell from each of her eyes.
There it was. She had called out to him; she had spoken. However, the waver in her voice worried Severus and in no time, he had closed the space between them once more. Zoe hastily held up her arms to him and he acquiesced, lifting her and bringing her to his chest as she simultaneously wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his scarf.
–I wanna go home now, Papa. I don’ wanna see the scary man again.â€
Severus didn’t have time to wonder at her sudden bout of verbal communication, as he was more preoccupied with the fear in her voice.
–Yes, we’re going home,†he said softly and, making a quick decision, he rubbed a hand up and down Zoe’s back reassuringly before turning on his heel and Disapparating away.
The Power of Words by MetamorphmagusLupin
Chapter Notes: And, here is chapter two, I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter Endnotes: *Insert desperate plea for reviews here*
**Note to self: Try not to seem too desperate.