Lilith Snape

Severus woke Lilith at 8 a.m. the next morning. He had brought her some clothing more befitting a young lady than anything she had with her.

"Albus expects us to meet him for breakfast at 8:30." He said. "I figured you would like the chance to clean up and get dressed before we go."

"Thank you Father." Lilith said taking the clothing and going to the showers.

As the young lady showered she worked toward assimilating everything that she remembered from her parents before she was born. She figured that Mother hadn't had the chance to completely come clean before she died and Lilith dreaded the coming revelation to her father.

-----

The two Snapes met at the Gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office at 8:29. As they rode up the spiral stairway Severus spoke.

"I see coming into your inheritance did wonders for your punctuality." He said.

"I am always on time for the headmaster." Lilith said. "It seems the only time things go wrong and delays me is when I have a meeting with you. Funny that."

Severus was reaching forward to knock on the door when they heard "Come in Children."

"One day you're going to have to tell me how you do that Headmaster." Severus said.

"Before we get to the reason for our meeting I think we need to eat." Albus said.

The aged Headmaster sat them down at the circular table that was covered with food and wouldn't think of doing anything that would spoil the meal. The food and dishes had barely been cleared away when he spoke.

"When you told me that Corax could remember everything their parents knew up until the point they were born inspired me to do research into the race." Albus said.

"You could have asked Headmaster." Severus groused.

"I don't believe you would have known that what I found was something that was required to know." The old man said. "I found out that it was very rare for two Corax to marry but it wasn't so unsual for a Corax to marry someone related to the tribes. So I began looking into the family lines of several people and I found something interesting."

"What did you find Albus?" Severus asked.

"I think I know Father." Lilith said. Taking a deep breath the girl began. "I remember you and mother talking about bonding me to the Malfoy child if one of us were born male and the other female. I need to know if this happened."

"Of course." Severus said. "Your mother insisted upon it. Now I understand why Draco just couldn't leave you alone. He has never shown any interest in same gender relationships but he couldn't get over the feelings that he had for you as his bonded."

"I need Draco here." Lilith said. "There was something Mother couldn't tell you before she died. The Tribe she was related to and I was born into was the Blood Raven Tribe."

"So someone in my family is what I've always been accused of?" Severus said with a blank look on his face. "So you need Draco to help you fight off the more violent tendancies of the tribe that bonded to Vampires too many times."

"Exactly." Lilith said. Changing the subject she turned to Albus. "How are we going to explain 'Harry' disappearing?"

"We're going to let everyone believe he's dead." Albus said. "I will be informing the Order this afternoon. It is imperitive that you not let anyone into the secret. I've also had a new wand made that incorporates two Phoenix tailfeathers. One from Fawkes. The other from Hedwig. It is believed that the combination should make one of the most powerful wands since the founders."

"I will need to explain this to Draco." Lilith said. "I know now that Lucius was a spy and I owe Draco many apologies for some of the things that I have said. I also need to let him know what's been going on so that he can understand."

"I think this can be allowed." Albus said. "The laws for Bond-Mates are special anyway. Unfortunately you cannot tell anyone else. Now you've been assigned quarters adjacent to Severus' so I will let you settle in."

The two left the office to arrange the move.