Learn to Fly

Alora awoke the next morning to something tickling her face. She opened her eyes to find a pair of large yellow ones staring back.

"Gah! What the-?!"

She tried to scramble away but proceeded only to entangle herself in the blanket and fall to the ground with a thud.

"Ouch!"

Alora lifted her head in time to see a very pissed off ginger cat stalk out of the room.

"Bloody cat," she mumbled as she untangled herself.

Looking around, she got a tingle up her spine.

I don't like the feel of this place. It's creepy.

Re-tracing her steps to the kitchen, she found a plump redheaded woman at the table, drinking a cup of tea. When she entered, the woman looked up and smiled.

"Hello, dear. You must be Alora. I'm Mrs Weasley, Ron's mother. I'm told you met him last night."

Alora blushed.

"I-I'm sorry about the black eye."

To her surprise, Mrs Weasley laughed.

"Nonsense. Ronald needs to learn to watch his mouth. It used to be cute, but now he's down right cheeky!"

Alora smiled. She liked this woman.

"Would you like some breakfast, dear?"

"Yes, please. Would you like some help?"

"Oh no, dear. Just go and sit at the table. The others will be down soon."

Alora sat down at the kitchen table and waited. Sure enough, someone entered the room. It was Hermione.

"Hello, Alora."

Alora nodded.

"Hermione."

"Listen, if you're staying here, we should all try to get along."

Alora scowled.

"Who says I'm staying here? Soon as Dad gets back, I'm going home."

Hermione began to plead.

"Alora, please? When I met you, you weren't like this."

Alora glared at her.

"Yeah? Well, it's amazing what a horrid nights sleep and a few whispered insults can do. Your boyfriend needs to watch his mouth."

Hermione sighed.

"He's not my boyfriend and I tell him off all the time for that."

Alora eyed her thoughtfully for a minute.

"Hmm. Well, I suppose we can get along. But don't expect me to keep my fists to myself should he say something...unsavoury."

Hermione laughed.

"Deal."

"Oh, and Hermione?"

"Yes?"

Alora smiled.

"It's Ally, not Alora."

*

Severus Snape walked into the kitchen and found, to his surprise, Granger and Alora chatting away happily. Once he had gotten over the initial shock, he cleared his throat to announce his presence. They both turned to face him, Granger cautious, Alora grinning.

"Hey, Dad. Guess what? Hermione and I have something in common: we both think Pansy Parkinson is a complete cow!"

Severus scowled to hide his grin.

"Alora," he growled in warning.

Granger yelped. Alora laughed.

"Oh, ignore him, Hermione. He's just overprotective of his precious Slytherins. I'm probably a disgrace to the family, being a Ravenclaw."

Severus couldn't help chuckling.

"Not at all. If fact, I'm grateful you're not in Slytherin. You get into too much trouble and it's enough to deal with you at home, let alone school."

Alora laughed mysteriously.

"You don't even know the half of it, Dad."

Granger stared between the two of them, as if she was seeing them for the first time.

"Alora, there are some issues we need to discuss. If you would follow me into the other room?"

Alora smiled fondly at him.

"Sure thing."

She jumped up and followed him out of the kitchen.

*

"So, you gonna tell me what happened last night?"

Severus asked her to sit and began to pace, wringing his hands. He then stopped and faced her.

"The Order of the Phoenix is an Anti-Dark Lord movement organised by Dumbledore. This," he gestured with his hands, "is the Order's headquarters."

He hesitated then continued.

"There's a reason why I'm hardly ever home."

"Yeah, I know. You've got work to do. Big deal."

"That's not exactly it. You see, I do a lot of work for the Order. It takes a great deal of my time."

Alora's eyes widened with interest.

"What do you do?"

A sad look briefly crossed his face and his eyes looked empty.

"Do you know what a Death Eater is?"

"Yeah, who doesn't? They work for Voldemort."

Severus hissed angrily.

"Don't say the name!"

"Oh, come on, Dad! The Headmaster says it's stupid to fear a name. I'm more frightened of the dude himself."

"Nevertheless, please refrain from saying it whilst in my presence."

"Sorry. Now, you were talking about Death Eaters."

Severus sighed.

"I'm going to just say it, so please don't say anything until I'm finished. This is hard enough as it is."

Alora nodded, the look of interest never leaving her face.

Severus spoke so quickly that Alora just caught what he was saying.

"I'm a spy for Dumbledore. I give information to him about the Dark Lord. I'm a Death Eater."

It took a moment for her to realise what he had said. When she did, Alora was horrified.

"No. It can't be true. You're pulling my leg, right? Dad?"

"I wish I was, but I'm not."

He sat, hid his face in his hands and continued.

"I was pressured to join when I was fifteen. This was when the purity of blood was a major concern and everyone thought the Dark Lord's cause was for the common good. This was before he showed his true colours. He wasn't a wizard set out to purify our kind, but a cruel psychopath who was hell bent on gaining power. To make sure nothing could lure his followers away from him, he destroyed what meant the most to them. For me, it was my mother. My father was killed also for good measure. Not that he was far off from drinking himself to death. I hated the Dark Lord after that. I still hate him. He made me an orphan at sixteen and I was forced to live at the castle. I wanted vengeance and I wanted to be sure this would happen to know one else. So I went to the Headmaster and offered my services.

'When I was nineteen, the Dark Lord had lost his powers for the first time, due to Potter. The propaganda was immense and I was in danger of being singled out by the media. The Headmaster suggested I disappear until things calmed down. So I took leave and headed to Australia, the furthest I could think from England. That's when I met your mother."

His face softened.

"I proposed and we planned to be married, but then Jes saw the Mark."

He subconsciously rubbed his left arm.

"I thought she hated me. I thought that was why she left, but before she passed away, she told me the truth. She did it for you. She knew when the Dark Lord came back, I would be forced to serve him again. If he ever discovered I was a spy, you and Jes would have been the first to be hurt.

'That's the real reason that you must keep your identity quiet. The professors that know are members of the Order so it was safe to tell them.

'As you know, the Dark Lord has come back to his original form. I made you leave so hastily last night because a group of Death Eaters were due to show up on my doorstep after very short notice. Your discovery would have been your death sentence."

He stared at the floor.

"I'm sorry you have to go through all this. I'm the one to blame for ruining your life."

Alora suddenly ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck in an awkward hug.

"You haven't ruined my life and I've never been more proud of you. I'm blessed to be your daughter."

Severus's eyes stung as he blinked back the tears.

"I think I got the better deal. Anyone would be proud to be your father. I know I am."

He stood and returned the hug.

"Love you, Dad."

"Love you too, Sweetheart."

*

When they left the room, two very humbled boys peered out from under an Invisibility cloak.

"I didn't expect to hear that. This is scary, Harry. For the first time in my life, I actually feel sorry for Snape."

Harry gazed at the door.

"I wonder how long she's been with Snape? He's obviously had to raise her himself."

Ron scratched his head.

"Yeah, that did cross my mind. Never thought in a million years that Snape would be a single parent. If he was ever going to father kids, I thought he would've left the raising to someone else."

Harry gave a small smile.

"He must be doing a good job. They really seem to care about each other."

"Oh, come on, Harry! She's probably desperate! I mean, you'd have to be if Snape was your father."

Harry's green eyes flashed with fury.

"What would you know, Ron?" he hissed angrily. "You've always had your parents. I never even knew mine. Alora's lucky to even have one. Does it matter who he is? He loves her, for crying out loud! What more proof do you need?"

"Harry! Calm down! I didn't mean it like that."

His emerald eyes were now full of sorrow.

"You don't know what I'd give to have someone care half that much about me."

Ron laid a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Mate, I-"

"Don't. Just don't."

Ron removed his hand. Harry looked at him and smiled softly.

"Come on, let's go get some food. I'm starving."

Ron nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, and better not mention this to Hermione. She'll hex us for sure."

Chuckling, they left the room, Harry carefully tucking the cloak under his jumper.