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The Life Of Brian By Echo Part One: As far as first impressions go, I give it an 'intense' on a scale of disastrous... Dawn adjusted her black robes before the mirror one last time. She patted her hair into place even though there was not a strand that would dare to be wayward from her expertly done French plaits that were woven into a swirling bun at the base of her skull. "Dawn, we will miss the train!" "I'm coming, Dad!" *~*~*~*~* Severus looked up as the girl who had woven her way into 'daughter' to him in just four short months came barreling down the stairs. He still could not get used to her calling him Dad. She did it with such ease, like she was his real daughter, like it had always been so. He always half wanted to turn and peer over his shoulder to see who she was calling for. "Ladies do not stampede, dearest." "Who said I was a lady, pops? They lied, you know." Dawn said playfully as she stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. She would not be allowed such things at Hogwarts. They'd had this conversation. He had an image to uphold. There was to be no kissing, no touching, and definitely no playing. And she was respectful and called him Father or Professor. "I have told you repeatedly not to call me 'pops'. Either Dad, Father, or Snape." She suddenly fidgeted and wrung her hands. "What if they don't like me, Dad?" "Not like them back." He said with a quirk of one eyebrow. "It worked for me." Dawn blessed him with a wide grin. He arched his eyebrow further. Her grin morphed into the smuggest of smirks. "Come along." Dawn squealed and grabbed his offered arm. She was so excited. Wizard school. It was just too awesome for words. And they were riding on the train to Hogwarts with all the other students. He'd been preparing her all summer for this. *~*~*~*~*~*~* "Stop fidgeting." "I can't help it. I'm all excited." Severus fought back a grin. Dawn was so fresh to his world. Everything was so new to her, and all of it caused wonderment. This was going to be a tough year. She amused him way too much. He was just glad that she seemed happier these days. She cried at night less and less often. They got along well. Way too well. Severus was getting to where he could interpret her mood by one fleeting expression. It was as if he had known her all her life some days. And Dawn was the same with him. She joked that she knew all of his frowns and snarls by heart. The door to their compartment slid open, startling him. He did not jump or gasp or anything inappropriate like that, but his hand did go into his robes for his wand. Severus gaped at who stood in the doorway. "Professor Snape?" "Hello, Mrs. Malfoy." He peered slightly behind her. "Draco." Dawn studied Mrs. Malfoy and... Draco? Interesting names. Loosely translated the guy's name meant dragon of bad faith. It seemed fitting with the look he had on his face. Draco could have been Spike as a teen save the gray eyes that glinted like harsh steel. This was not a happy person. His white blonde hair was in a disarray, and his arms were folded across his chest. He was draped from head to toe in black. His face would have been handsome if it wasn't set to scowl. He would be very handsome if he smiled just a little. He was a lot taller than his mother. Several inches taller. Mrs. Malfoy was lovely. She was a girl Spike. Blue eyes and all. The same shade of blue even. Dawn felt a pang for her vampire. The woman's platinum blonde hair was twisted into a loose bun with several wisps hanging free. It was the same pale shade as Draco's. She wore blue robes so dark they were almost black. She carried carpet bag in her well-manicured hands that held lovely designs in blue, green, and black. "I did not know you were with a student. Draco and I were just looking for a place to sit. I apologize for intruding." She turned to leave. Snape stood. "Not at all. Please. Join us. Dawn's not a student... yet. She's my... er..." "Daughter." Dawn supplied. She stood and held her hand out to Mrs. Malfoy. "Dawn Summers." The woman took it as shock still radiated from her entire person. "Narcissa Malfoy. This is my son Draco." Dawn nodded at Draco and smiled. He scowled at her. "You will have to forgive him. He's angry at the whole world today, and not speaking to me or anyone else apparently." Dawn's grin went up a notch. "S'ok. I've been there. He'll get over it." If possible, Draco's scowl intensified. "Professor Snape, I had no idea you had a child. Forgive me, but she looks nothing like you." Narcissa said as she and Draco moved further into the compartment. Dawn moved her stuff and took a seat next to Severus. "Please. There is no need for us to be so formal. Call me Severus." "Then you must call me Narcissa." Draco rolled his eyes as he took his seat across from Dawn, and his mother took hers across from Snape. "Indeed. Narcissa, Dawn spoke in half truths. She is my step daughter." "I did not know you had gotten married." "I am married no longer." "Oh?" "She died." Dawn abruptly looked out the window and fought the lump that suddenly welled up in her throat. She would not cry in front of strangers. Especially mean ones. Actually, Narcissa Malfoy seemed very sweet. It was Draco Dawn refused to cry in front of. "Oh Severus, I am so sorry. And for you as well, Dawn." Dawn just nodded, still looking out the window, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see Draco Malfoy was not scowling at her any longer. His face bore no expression whatsoever, but the scowl had vanished. Dawn felt Severus's hand clasp hers where it was hidden under the voluminous material of her robes that were so like his own it was uncanny. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, and she felt better instantly. "How old are you, Dawn?" Narcissa asked. Dawn looked at her. "Fifteen. I'll be sixteen in January." "Ah. Draco's sixteen. He'll be seventeen in January as well." Draco's brows furrowed as he looked at his mother out of the corner of his eyes. What on earth was she doing? This whole thing was irritating. His father was still missing. The Malfoy estate had been seized. And he was feeling bad for some muggle twit that Snape had adopted. Now his mother was trying to make small talk with the girl. Her pleasing manner irritated him these days. You'd think she'd never been married to a Death Eater at all... not that Draco really missed the cold fish she used to be when she had been playing her part. "Narcissa, forgive me for prying, but what are you doing going to Hogsmeade?" Severus asked. "Well, Draco and I have nothing now." Draco's jaw clenched. Here we go. "So Albus offered me a position at Hogwarts." "Oh?" "I'll be secretary to him and Deputy Headmistress McGonagall during the morning hours and assist Madam Pomfrey in the infirmary during the afternoon." Severus nodded. He was a bit shocked. He had always heard that any sort of labor was beneath an ornament like Narcissa Malfoy. Severus was glad for her though. So many of the wives of Death Eaters who had not been implicated with their husbands had been left to ruin. With nothing for themselves, nothing for their children. And many of them had no skills to do anything about it. "I'm just relieved they didn't take everything. If Arthur Weasley had not stepped in... I just don't know. We were lucky, I suppose. Not like Esme Flint. Thank the gods her son Marcus changed his spots. She's staying with him in London now, I hear. And poor Elaina Pucey. Her husband and her son Adrian both were put into Azkaban. Just dreadful. They had to put a sedating charm on her when the Aurors came to take them away." Draco Malfoy looked like he was about to shatter into a thousand angry pieces. He was clenched so tight that if you stuck a lump of coal up his ass in ten minutes you'd have a diamond. "Perhaps we should talk of less unpleasant things." Severus said, noting Draco's posture. "Indeed. So will Dawn be doing her muggle schooling by correspondence?" "I'm not a muggle." Dawn said softly as she pulled open her outer robe to reveal her wand tucked into the black leather belt encircling her waist. "Oh, my dear. I do apologize. I did not realize your mother was a witch." "She wasn't." Draco Malfoy spoke his first words then. "You're a mudblood?" Dawn knew from the reactions of Draco's mother and her step father that whatever Draco Malfoy had just called her wasn't for polite conversation. Narcissa gasped as her hand flew to her throat, and Dawn wasn't sure, but Snape might have actually growled. She didn't know from exactly what part of her that her reaction came from though. All she knew was that Buffy would have been quite proud. In a flash Dawn's booted foot was stretched across the compartment and pressing down on Draco Malfoy's Adam's apple. She was up in the seat on her other knee for balance, and her hands were fisted and tucked up as if she had taken a fighting stance. "Dawn..." Severus said weakly. He knew they had made her of the slayer. Snape just hadn't realized how much 'slayer' might be in her. She was fast. He knew she would be involved in many a secret duel this year because she was 'Snape's daughter', and he had been fearful for her. Now he was fearful for whomever was fool enough to dare it. Draco reached for his wand. Dawn was quicker with hers. "Expelliarmus!" She had him disarmed and pinned with her foot. His hands moved for her ankle. Dawn pressed until he gagged. "Don't." The door opened again. "Anything off the tro..... Oh. I'll come back later then, dears." "Dawn." Severus said in a low voice. "You're hurting him." "Good." She ground down a little harder. "Dawn..." Draco was going red in the face for lack of enough air. "Draco, pet, say you're sorry." "I doubt very much he can say anything, Narcissa. Dawn, please." She released the pressure. Draco started choking. "You little bi-" "Draco!" Narcissa snapped. "Watch yourself, Mr. Malfoy." Severus said in an overly even tone. "Bitch." Dawn finished for him. "And don't you forget it, Spike Junior." He glared at her again while rubbing his throat. He'd have one hell of a bruise later. Narcissa was about to say something when the door slid open yet again. "There you are, you little bitch." Everyone turned. The brown eyes of a very pissed off teenage girl were boring down on Dawn. Severus Snape glared. "Now listen here Miss-" "Back off, super goth." The girl said as she stalked into the compartment and loomed over Dawn. "You and I need to have a little chat, don't you think, Dawnie?" Dawn was just staring with her mouth hanging open. Teenage girl. Very familiar face with brown eyes and chin-length honey blonde hair. She was wearing a yellow sundress that hit her mid-thigh with a black button-up sweater embroidered with bumblebees around the collar over said dress. Her legs were encased in white over the knee socks and black mary janes were on her feet. "Anya?" "Right in one, little bit, why don't you and I take a walk?" "I think not." Snape said. "Dad, It's ok. It's Anya." Severus looked baffled. "Anya from Sunnydale." His eyes went wide. He did not recall Anya being a fourteen or fifteen year old girl. Dawn grabbed her arm and hurried the former vengeance demon and former adult out of the compartment. "We'll just be a few minutes." Dawn slammed the door before her step father could react. The two girls hurried through the train. The only place that seemed able to afford them any privacy was the loo. Anya shoved Dawn in and closed the door. "What happened?" Dawn asked. "You tell me! I fell asleep in bed with Xander after sex one sunny afternoon the day after you left, quite grown up with boobs and everything I might add, and woke up later in England! Fifteen and tit-less! Again! I don't remember fifteen the first time because it's been too long, but so far this time around... it sucks honkin' red baboon ass!" "Anya, calm down." "You calm down! You aren't the one who's fifteen!" Dawn gave her a baleful look. "Oh. Right. Except that you are. What am I gonna do, Dawn?" She sounded so panicked. "You're gonna calm down and just breathe. You're gonna tell me everything that's happened since... the big change. Then we'll figure it out. We're Scoobies, after all." "Yeah. At least I don't have to do this alone anymore." Something prickled in the back of Dawn's mind. "Well, sort of alone anyway. I mean, I do have a sister." Dawn gaped at her. "What?" "This body has an older sister."
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