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The school was proving to be as challenging as the staff had imagined at the beginning of the year. By Christmas the Carrows continued to hand out as many 'detentions' as they wanted to, even with the teachers actively choosing not to punish students. Even Filch found the sheer number too much. The Slytherin informants often fed information back to Carrows in order to win house points or a good word with the Dark Lord.

The rebirth of Dumbledore's Army was not a surprise and proved to be an amusing thorn in the Carrows side. The Weasley joke products would often find themselves in the Carrows classes and the staff would excitedly retell the events. The only person would did not find the pranks funny was Severus.

'Must they do such ridiculous pranks?' Severus said, frustration evident in his voice.

Florence sighed, 'Come on, Sev. It's nothing worse than what the Weasley twins did to Umbridge.'

'That was different! There was nothing at stake. Besides Albus was here to protect the students. There is only me… and I'm not enough,' Severus exclaimed, holding his head in his hands, 'Albus needs me to deliver something to Potter tonight.'

Florence knelt down in front of him and kissed the top of his head, 'It's okay. Just calm down. What do you need to deliver?'

/

'I did not expect to be creeping around the Forest of Dean in winter,' Florence hissed.

'You didn't have to come,' Severus replied.

'Minerva offered to babysit to give me a day off. Was I supposed to turn it down?'

They stopped at a clearing and Florence gasped as the clear frozen lake. It was a beautiful site and she almost wanted to step across the ice and savour the moment, 'It's lovely here.'

Severus hummed, 'I am inclined to agree. However, I need to help Potter 'stumble' upon this,' he pulled out the sword of Gryffindor from his robe's pocket.

'Where can you put that?'

He looked out at the lake, 'I reckon this should be sufficient.' Severus cast a spell and a hole in the ice formed in the centre of the lake. He levitated the sword over and let it fall into the hole, sealing it back up. Florence could just see it glistening under the ice, almost like a hidden gem the merpeople had scavenged. He cleared his throat before casting his Patronus. A delicate doe appeared and danced around them, causing Florence to laugh softly, 'You know what to do,' Severus whispered, not looking at it. He almost looked ashamed of the doe.

The doe darted away to wherever Harry and his friends were camping, 'What do we do now?'

'Potter will be here soon. Dumbledore is always right.' On cue Harry appeared and the doe paused above the sword, 'Let's go. Potter will get it.'

Florence stood, transfixed by the scene unfolding in front of her. She watched as Harry dove into the lake and sighed in relief as Ron Weasley raced after his friend.

As always, Dumbledore was right. Not that it helped Severus' conscious.

/

Florence had been catching up on her reading when she had a knock on the door. She frowned as Severus would normally Floo and anyone else would typically let her know they wanted to drop by.

'Who is it?' she called out.

There was no reply and another persistent knock. She sighed, 'Probably some students pulling a silly prank,' she opened it, expecting to see the backs of students running away when instead she greeted by a man in his fifties with slightly matted hair, 'Erm, can I help you?' she asked politely.

The man smiled widely, 'I'm surprised you don't recognise me, Florence. How is my grandchild?'

Florence stomach dropped in fear and she slammed the door shut. She closed her eyes as the man started knocking on the door again, 'Go away! I don't want to see you!' she yelled through the door.

'Come on Florence. I just want to talk to you. I've missed you and I want to meet my granddaughter. Please?'

Florence groaned, 'I need to think about it.'

'You've had a lot of time. If I remember correctly, I sent you a letter a few years ago… you never replied. Then I had to get the delightful Carrow siblings to hand-deliver a letter. Which, again, you never replied to. I am not leaving,'

'I've been rather busy. The OWL and NEWT students require my full attention, as does my family. Something which you wouldn't understand,' Florence snapped, rolling her eyes.

'Do you want me to break down this door?' he hissed.

Florence laughed, 'Not quite the caring fatherly figure you were portraying yourself to be, Arnold.'

'The Ministry has given me permission to visit my long-lost daughter and I look to keep coming back until I do.'

Florence sighed in defeat and cautiously opened her door, Misty was by her side and growling softly as the man came in, 'You have five minutes before I summon my husband to come here.'

'How welcoming. Not an offer of a refreshment. Your mother would be oh-so disappointed.'

Florence narrowed her eyes, 'Can you get to the point please? I'm rather busy.'

'Fine, fine. I obviously wanted to see you and your delightful family. However, my boss is wanting to meet you. I spoke so warmly of you and your mother and he has decided that he wants to meet you.'

'And who is your boss?' Florence asked sharply.

'All in good time. He requires your… abilities,' Florence went to protest but her father interrupted, 'there is no point denying it. Your mother was very happy to inform me of my death and there is a rumour you process the same ability.'

Florence sighed, 'I do not know what you mean. Rumour is just a rumour.'

He snorted, 'Come now. I'm not stupid, my dear.'

'I cannot leave the school. I'm far too busy. There is Christmas coming up... my husband's birthday. I'm sure there will be the Malfoy Christmas party as well.'

Albert quirked his eyebrow and smiled slightly, 'How disappointing... I'm sure I will see you and your delightful husband at the Christmas party. After all, I walk in the same circles now... I shall see you soon, my dear,' he turned before he left, 'I will get what I came for.'

Florence was still sitting in the same spot when Severus came back to her quarters. Her face was frozen in horror and her eyes puffy from crying, 'What on earth is the matter!' Severus exclaimed, hurrying over to her.

'He's been here. The fucking Carrows ratted me out. He wants me to use my unpredictable powers on You-Know-Who. He's going to come back... He even said he'll be at the Malfoys Christmas party,' Florence whispered, her eyes still fixed on the rug, 'I don't know what to do.'

Severus kissed the top of her head, 'I'm sure it'll be fine. The Carrows are preoccupied with detentions at the moment and trying to stop Dumbledore's Army. The Dark Lord is more concerned about the Horcruxes than getting a prophecy.'

'I don't know, Sev. He was so persistent... And cold. He didn't come here to see me or Eileen. He had a motive and he isn't going to stop,' she looked at him, 'it's the first time I've seen him since I was a baby and I thought he might... It's silly really. He never cared about me.'

Severus kissed her again, 'I do not think it's silly. You deserved to have a father and it is his loss. You do not owe him anything at all. In fact, he owes you. Just as my father owed me a lot. Not that he saw it that way.'

Florence rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, 'I love you,' she said sleepily, the events of the day had worn her out.

Severus smiled, 'I love you too. Why don't you have a nap and I will collect Eileen?'