Armilla

Chapter 19

Snape stopped dead in his tracks, staring at Dumbledore with a hard expression. Dumbledore continued to look at me, waiting for some sort of reaction.

I looked back at him with as much calm as I could muster, which was not a great deal but enough to be respectable.

"Don't I have a say in any of this?" I said quietly, willing my voice not to get shaky. "Why do the people who know the least about all this get to decide what happens?"

"Because they have that happy power," Snape snapped. He pulled his chair out roughly and sat down at his desk again.

"Severus," said Dumbledore, a hint of warning in his voice. He turned to me again. "I cannot overrule the ministry, Armilla. I know you are aware of the Order and my current reputation with the ministry, but these people think that there is absolutely nothing wrong with our world. If your brother and I were to come forth and claim your father is a Death Eater and certainly not suitable there would be serious consequences. Aurelius Snape has a terrible amount of influence at the ministry...he can cause all sorts of notions to be passed if he feels like it.'

Dumbledore sighed. 'I'm afraid I can't keep you from him, Armilla. We have to be very careful. Anything we claim could threaten the positions of Order members, especially Severus' position as your father would think Severus is working to keep you from him. He already doubts Severus' position."

"Headmaster," Snape interrupted, looking extremely agitated. "I do not think Miss Kemp needs to know all this."

What? I don't need to know all this? So if Dumbledore put up a fight to keep me from my father he would probably lose anyway? My father could have anything he wanted? If Snape put up a fight it would threaten his position with the Order and consequently his life? I suddenly found myself wishing Merle was alive again and I didn't know who I really was. I never dreamed that something like this would happen if I found out who I was. But then, I never dreamed I would be a Snape.

So it looked like my father would have to have custody of me for everyone's sakes. The issue of my guardianship seemed to involve whether Light would conquer the Dark. As long as I went to my father, the Order could run smoothly and without turmoil. I shouldn't really think about myself then. How could I make a fuss and refuse? I would have to bear it. I didn't want to be responsible for Dumbledore or Snape ending up without jobs or in worse positions.

"She needs to realise what sort of position we are in, Severus," said Dumbledore.

I looked at him. "I do realise the position," I said, trying not to sound bitter. "There's nothing we can do."

Dumbledore was tracing his mouth with his index finger. He looked thoughtful. "Well," he said. "I think I can use my power as your current guardian to request that you attend Hogwarts for the rest of your schooling. That is, if you brother wishes you to remain here?" He raised an eyebrow at Snape.

Snape nodded slightly. "Of course," he said.

"As I understand it, you will be seventeen before you start your final year and so you will not have to remain with your father."

I nodded. It wasn't as if I would have to spend a lifetime with the man. It was really only the summer holidays until I turned seventeen.

"Also," Dumbledore continued, "I am going to try my best to make sure Severus is granted some responsibilities." He looked at Snape. "You don't have a bad rapport with the ministry. I dearly hope to secure a joint custody, claiming that Armilla would be more comfortable with that."

Comfortable with Snape? Oh sure, he's simply a dear.

"I will put my case forward," said Dumbledore, "that you have requested joint custody of Armilla at the very least, and that Armilla herself wants this as of course, she knows you better. I hope I can do this without too much trouble. Do both of you approve of that?" He looked directly at me.

I didn't answer at first. Of course, I was not going to be comfortable with the whole thing. But given the choice, I would rather stay with Severus Snape than Aurelius Snape. But I knew that Snape didn't want me at all. I hated knowing that I was a sudden inconvenience that had appeared in his life.

"Yes," I said uneasily.

Dumbledore's eyes bored into mine. "You're not sure about Severus agreeing to be responsible for you. Do you feel you have become a burden to him?"

Ah well, there's the proof the man could read minds.

"Yes," I said quietly.

"And how do you feel about all this, Severus?"

Snape leaned back slightly in his chair. He glanced at me briefly and then directed his attention to Dumbledore.

"I suppose you cannot control what life deals you," he said. "The position we are now all in calls for sacrifices on all our parts. I did not think the role of parent was suited to me, but I do not want my father to have complete responsibility over a fifteen-year-old child. If taking on a certain amount of responsibility myself means that I can deprive my father of it, then I approve of the plan."

It seemed to me that Snape only wanted shared custody so he could get revenge on his father. I felt like I was stuck in the middle of a family war - my family's war, actually. Snape didn't really speak to his father, except at Death Eater gatherings. He would surely have to renew that contact if they were both going to have guardianship. That is, if the ministry approved it.

Dumbledore got to his feet. "I have another meeting with them tomorrow and I will propose this plan. Until then, say nothing of what we have discussed to anyone. Though I daresay, now that the ministry and your father know, it will become common knowledge before long."

That meant all the students. My friends would know. My teachers (those who didn't know already) would know. And the House of Slytherin would know that I was the daughter of Aurelius Snape, the only Slytherin possibly more powerful than Lucius Malfoy.

Snape must have been thinking along the same lines, for his face had contorted into a scowl. Everyone would know that the evil Potions Master had a fifteen-year-old sister in Ravenclaw. Oh the shame!

"I trust that Armilla will be down here again tomorrow evening?" said Dumbledore, standing in the doorway of Snape's office.

Snape had stood up too. "Yes, she will be. We will be here after dinner."

"Good, I will come down and see you both. Goodnight." Dumbledore left, closing the door softly behind him.

I got up to leave, seeing as I'd already been dismissed when Dumbledore had come in. I felt sick, really sick. I hadn't even met my father and I already was cringing at the thought of spending time with him. The fact that he knew I existed made me shiver.

I must have looked troubled as I made my way to the door because Snape called me back.

"Miss Kemp," he looked uncertain. "I suppose I'll have to begin calling you by your Christian name if we are to appear convincing to the ministry."

I nodded slightly.

"We cannot pretend that there will not be hard times ahead. My father...our father is a very powerful wizard, both in magical power and influence. To live with him will require a significant amount of strength on your part."

I nodded again. If I opened my mouth, I might cry.

Snape looked like he was having a hard time himself - having to say things through the role of my brother rather than my teacher.

"No matter what happens, the Order will not leave you out in the cold...I will not leave you out in the cold. I do acknowledge that you are my sister, but that is something I have still to get used to."

I nodded yet again. I wanted to say something, but I just didn't know what.

Snape nodded. "You may go."