Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related. J.K. Rowling does…

Clarissa Valko Brewtrix sat in the living room of Snape manor as she liked to call it, reading the Encyclopedia of Bestiary that she had been working through again for the past month. The manor was quiet except for the off squeak or two and Clarissa found that she was more bored and nervous then anything at the moment. She sighed and put the book down beside her on the couch. "Would the Mistress perhaps like a cup of tea? Maybe a sweet?" Clarissa smiled as she turned her head to look at the house elf she happily dubbed Granny when she was four. "That sounds lovely Granny." The house elf nodded with a smile and walked off to go get the tea and sweet for her young mistress. Clarissa meanwhile lay down on the couch with a groan. For the last two years and a half she had been trying desperately to get Severus to allow her to go to school. To Hogwarts to train her magical abilities, had he even considered the idea? No, and that's all he had said to her in every letter and meeting for the past two years and a half on the subject of Hogwarts, no. she reached under the cushion of the couch and pulled out her letter from Hogwarts smiling at the writing when she thought of the look Severus would have when he saw it.

Ms. C.V. Brewtrix

Trouble Maker of "Snape Manor"

Spinner's End

She quietly laughed at the humor Professor McGonagall put into the letter. It was very amusing to read it through no doubt Severus would find it anything but amusing. She loved the man dearly as he had been the one to truly raise her since she was four and her parents had given her up. Taking time out of his life for her, spending time with her and doing things with her even through she knew for a fact he sometimes hated them. He also always made sure she was happy, she could remember many a time when she asked him something and his response would be "whatever makes you happy". She never took advantage of this and had always been happy with Serverus. Well, that was until two years ago when she got her first letter from Hogwarts, she had been so excited to go. To learn new things and explore even stranger ones, to sneak off into the dark forest and explore it with her friends…through she would never tell Severus this and in her happiness to be able to go Severus stood and said one word. No. She sighed, he had won the first time and the second, he went back to Hogwarts to teach for the school year, to teach her friends and she remained home schooled by some idiot whose name still escapes her. He was not going to win this time however; she didn't care if she missed her first and second year. She was invited to go again for the third time and she was going to go.

Granny came back then carrying a tray which Clarissa jumped up to take but was quickly swatted at in her efforts. So she sat down once more as Granny placed the tray on the coffee table. The house elf then turned and smiled at her before spying the letter in her hands. She cleared her throat shyly and reached out a hand to Clarissa. "If I'm not imposing Mistress, may I have a look at your letter?" Clarissa smiled and handed her the letter. "No prob Granny…is that chocolate marshmallow cake I spy?" Granny laughed gently as she took the letter from her mistress's hand. "Yes it is Mistress, Lock made it this morning." Clarissa reached out and picked up the plate and a fork while Granny took the letter out of its envelope. She read it over and quietly laughed before placing it back in the envelope. "Planning on leaving us Mistress?" she asked and Clarissa only smiled. "If the master of this house would allow it, only for the school year." Granny nodded in thought. "He still doesn't want you to go mistress?" Clarissa shook her head no as she chewed on a piece of cake before swallowing. "He thinks something bad will happen to me, or that I'll make similar choices that he made while attending school." Granny nodded in understanding, she knew of the mistakes her master made when younger and how he now suffers for them. "How are you planning to get the master to let you go?" Clarissa laughed as she placed the plate and fork down. "I plan to make him realize that if I'm not allowed to go this year, it means war. Which I will help you clean up the remains of tomorrow."

That night Clarissa made sure to wear a long flowing gold skirt with green designs on the bottom and a long shelve yellow dress shirt. She then placed on an over coat similar to Snapes but only blue with green dragonflies on it. Smiling at herself in the mirror she quickly rushed to pin her short brown hair away from her face and pull on her ankle boots when she heard the door to the house open and then slam shut. She hated dressing like this but she knew it made Severus happy to see her in anything that wasn't muggle clothes. Just then the door to her room cracked opened a bit and Granny peeked her head inside. "The masters asking for you." She then took in Clarissa appearance and choice in clothes before breathing in deeply and smiling. "Oh mistress you look just like a little princess." Clarissa sighed and walked over to Granny. "I would much rather look like a mud ridden trouble making hooligan. But if my plans are to work then I must play the part for them." Granny shook her head as Clarissa smiled once more and then took off down the hallway and stopped at the top of the stairs.

At the bottom stood Snape handing off his cloak to another house elf named pumpkin. He turned towards her and smiled despite himself to see her again for the first time in a few months. Clarissa then launched herself down the stairs and into Severus's arms. "Welcome home Sev." She said as she wrapped her arms tightly about him in a warm embrace that Severus openly returned. "It is good to be home Clarissa." He pulled back and Clarissa released her hold on him and he held her at arms length looking her over. "What is the occasion for such a tidy, cleaned and primed Clarissa Brewtirx?" she laughed and smiled back. "I just felt like it I suppose."

Not long later the two were sitting at the dinning room table eating dinner and catching up. When they finished Serverus decided it was time for him to go to bed and calmly walked up the stairs to his bedroom. Clarissa made her way silently to the living room to retrieve her letter from under the couch cushion before sneaking upstairs and peaking into Serverus's room. He was standing in front of his wardrobe picking out his sleep attire. She smiled and silently pushed the door open to lean on the door frame. She then removed the letter from its envelope and started to read.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Ms. Clarissa Brewtrix

Trouble Maker of "Snape Manor"

Spinner's End

Dear Ms. Brewtrix

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the third time. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

"Well I'm sure you know what the rest is." By this point Severus had long since turned around to stare at Clarissa with a piercing disapproving glare. "Your not going." He growled, she however merely smiled at him at she walked over and hugged him. "More words then simply No this time, I'm honored." She laughed lightly and then leaned up to whisper in his ear. "However they are in vain, I already sent Fleta and Flit in with my reply, I'm attending this year Professor Snape. Failure to let me do so will mean war, this I swear." She then pulled back and smiled at the look of pure rage on Severus's face before leaning up once more, pecking his cheek, giving him one last hug and then going to bed herself.

Over the next several weeks things were tense between Snape and Brewtrix. Living up to her swear it had indeed been war between the two, from Clarissa ruining Snape's potions to Snape hiding the sweets in the house from her. Both were playing dirty and when Fleta and Flit returned from dropping off her letter Snape gave them one of his own for Hogwarts and sent them off. Not realizing that the two owls fiercely loyal to Clarissa flew away out of sight then ripped up the letter and circled back to the house. During this time the two small owls received extra treats from Clarissa who was always more then happy with them. Then one day after not having spoken to the other in over three weeks and with only four days to go before school started Snape appeared at her door and asked if he could enter. She nodded and he walked into her room holding a box which he handed to Clarissa. He then sat down in front of her on her bed, and watched as Clarissa stared at the box before moving to open it. The moment the lid was removed something akin to a tactical shot out but was easily caught by Clarissa with one hand. She smiled at the snake in her hand that continued to still snap at her. She reached her other hand up and put her fingers by its month which it moved to bite. When its head was close enough she closed her fingers and now held the black snakes jaws shut.

She brought the snake up to her face and kissed its head with a fond smile before releasing its jaws slightly to it could slip its tong into the air. Fleta and Flit now curious at what their Mistress held flew over to sit on either of her shoulders. And then just like that Clarissa released the snake and fondly dubbed him Ink for his Black and grey coloring. Fleta and Flit hooted angrily at Snape for bringing this snake into their mistresses' room, their nest but were quieted quickly by Clarissa who now had Ink resting in her lap. She lightly patted their heads with a smile. "don't be like that, Ink is just like you or me and he will be treated no different now that he is apart of our family. Kay?" Snape watched in slight fascination as the animals seemed to hang on her every word and then quietly regarded each other before the two small Owls that Clarissa's got when they were still eggs hoped off her shoulders and down into her lap with the snake he purchased for her. The three settled into her lap together and then that was the end of that. The animals were now ok with one another and it appeared as through they were even all the same species.

"You really do have a way with creatures." Severus said softly and Clarissa smiled. "Yup, so I'm guessing Ink is a peace offering for sending that letter to the school to cancel out mine right?" Snape nodded and sighed "Yes, I'm sorry Clarissa; I know you want to go but if you havent noticed now is not the best of times for you to attend school. With that murderer Sirius Black on the loose..." Clarissa cut him off "Don't worry about it Sev, your letter never even got close to the school." He stared at her confused before realization dawned on him. "You destroyed it?" he jumped up and glared down at her. She wasn't fazed in the least and simply went back to stroking her little companions. "I didn't do it, Fleta and Flit did. Don't worry about anything Severus I have it all covered, I had Granny run and get me my supplies and I already have a wand. I've sent my trunk ahead of time and am going to be privately sorted as to not make a spectacle. Everything's covered but if you want you can drop me off at the station or see me off. That is if you're not busy, I understand if you can't." Snape stared at her in shock before storming from the room. Clarissa shook her head and looked down at her companions "Me thinks the man is enraged."

Granny entered the room then holding a tray with tea and sweets which were strictly contraband. "I do agree with you there Mistress."