Chapter 1
“Excuse me?” Calla-Lily AKA Calla asked, staring at her headmaster like he grew a second head. Dumbledore looked at her calmly with a twinkle in his eyes. “My dear, I know this is hard for you but this is the only choice for you and for us” Dumbledore said to her not sounding at all bad for what he was doing
“Snape hates me” Calla had to keep herself from screaming. How could he do this to her? Wasn’t it bad enough that the Ministry is making kids in 5th year and above marry because they’re worried about the Dark Lord? Isn’t it bad enough that after a year of calling her a liar everyone suddenly believed her, once the Dark Lord showed up in front of people and they could no longer deny the fact he was back? Isn’t it bad enough that her godfather died protecting her?
Now Dumbledore wants her to marry Snape? She will not marry Snape, she won’t let him humiliate her. She understands that her father did something to him when he was in school and that Snape wanted to get revenge but hadn’t he made her suffer enough? He is the reason her dad and mom are dead, isn’t that enough for him
“Professor Snape, Calla-Lily. And, he doesn’t hate you. It was just a cover so that Voldemort wouldn’t doubt him”
“He is the reason my parents are dead”
“He realized his mistake and will do everything to make you happy after you get married. You don’t have any other choice, Calla-Lily. If you don’t marry Severus, the ministry can choose anyone and he can be a death eater too”
This couldn’t be happening. Stupid Ministry, they saw Voldemort was back so their solution was for people to get married and have babies right after Hogwarts instead of making plans to take the dark lord down. The Minister is also pressuring her to fight when he isn’t doing anything to lend a hand, now they pass this new law to ‘help’ the magic that every sixteen year old will have to be married before their Sixth year or else the ministry will find them a suitable bride or groom. No choice at all
Ron is marrying Hermione. Neville is marrying Luna even if she is a year younger. Dean and Seamus are marrying, Calla was surprised but happy that they can marry the same gender since there are potions to allow a person to carry. She doesn’t know who else is marrying who, and she doesn’t care, all she cares about is that her future is going to be in the hands of someone who hates her
Hermione and Ron have made it clear that they don’t like same sex marriage so how are they going to react when they find out she’s going to marry Snape
“Headmaster, there must be anyone else who can marry me. There are so many men out there” Calla pleaded “We can’t trust everyone and even though you are number one in the eyes of boys, most are afraid of marrying you in case Voldemort attacks. Severus is the only one who I can trust and who is willing, he is a skilled duelist as well, he can take care of you” Calla tensed up at that phrase “I’m sorry but you have to marry Severus whether you like it or not” Dumbledore tone made it clear there was no changing him hand
Calla glared at him, hate shining in her eyes making him lean back a little before Calla left
This is so stupid. Ron and Hermione are going to hate me for marrying Snape, Calla thought while walking to her common room. She didn’t see where she was going till she collided with a hard chest. She looked up to apologize only to meet the black eyes of Snape, looking at her with some unknown emotion. Calla swallowed, she could go toe-to-toe with Voldemort but for some reason whenever Snape looks at her she feels so small
“I guess the headmaster had told you of our marriage, Miss. Potter. Or should I call you Mrs. Snape?” He asked with a smirk. Calla swallowed again and tried to move away only to be stopped when his hands on her waist- that she didn’t even notice- tightened stopping any movements from her
Snape leaned closer to her “I can’t wait for our bonding and wedding night” He almost purred. Calla tensed but didn’t move away despite their close proximity, for some reason she felt a small pull towards him but ignored it. Just like she’s been ignoring it since second year
“Please, why are you doing this? You hate me, you made that very clear” Calla asked searching his eyes for any emotion
They were in a dark corridor, alone, no other sound could be heard expect Calla shaky breathing “Because, I want to and I can” He kissed her head before trailing down to her cheek and neck making her shiver “Professor” Calla gasped as he pushed her against the wall sucking on her neck
Severus hummed pulling back looking the the mark already forming on Calla neck “You should call me Severus from now on” he told Calla pulling back just a little bit but still keeping Calla pinned to the wall
Calla blushed bright red, hand going up to her neck “Profes-” Calla cut herself off at the look Snape sent her “Severus” Severus nodded telling her to go on “Please. Please reconsider. The bonding is for life, if you’re doing this for revenge please don’t. My father and godfather are already gone. What else do you want?” Calla voice shook “Please don’t do this”
Severus’ mentally frowned hearing her voice shake but moved on “You think I’m doing this because I want revenge?” He asked with a raised eyebrow. Calla slowly nodded “I forgave them long ago when Black apologized after a meeting and your father leaving me his shares in a potion store in his will. I’m not doing this out of revenge Calla”
Calla looked at him confused, if this wasn’t for revenge then why was he doing this “Wait. Did you say Sirius apologized?” Snape nodded “Then why are you doing this? You made it very clear how much you hate me” Calla ignored the way it felt like her heart was being crushed when those words left her lips
“Oh Calla” Severus brushed his finger against her cheek “I don’t hate you. I never had and I never will”
“Then why are you so mean to me?”
“I am sorry. I was harsh because it was what was expected from me. You will know soon why I want to marry you and I hope you can expect it when you do learn why” Calla looked into his eyes trying to find any lie, but she found none. Snape leaned down and kissed her head before letting her go and vanished into the dark corridors
Calla leaned against the wall for a minute thinking over what just happened. He doesn’t hate her, he doesn’t hate her father or godfather, he was mean because it was expected of him. For some reason her heart skipped a beat knowing that. He wasn’t doing this for revenge, he was... gentle with her, he could have done a lot worse than leave a small hickey on her neck when he trapped her against the wall but he didn’t.
He is powerful and he does seem to want to make me happy, Calla thought as she started walking again Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if- No. Everyone said he was in love with my mom. He couldn’t love me Calla shook her head before noticing she was standing in front of the common room
“Apple Blossom” The fat lady swung open. Stepping into the room, she saw Ron, Hermione and Ginny talking with some other students talking. “Hey Lily” Calla flinched at the nickname “Ron” Ginny hit her brother “How many times does Calla have to tell you. It’s Calla or Calla-Lily. Not Lily” Ron rolled his eyes as Calla gave Ginny a thankful smile, the redhead girl might be a year younger but she is one of Calla best friends
“So, what did the headmaster want?” Hermione asked her rolling her eyes at her fiancée “Nothing. I don’t want to talk about it” Calla told her friend moving to the stairs to go to her dorm “Wait, Lily you didn’t answer Hermione” Ron called out. The room became silent as Calla stopped.
It was noticeable to all but Hermione and Ron, but ever since they turned their back on her last year during the tournament and this year- even if they did believe her, they didn’t stick up for her when people were bullying her and only came to her for help- how frosty her relationship was with not only her two supposedly best friends but also the others in the school. The only ones she wasn’t cold to were Ginny, Luna, Hannah, Fred and George and Neville, the ones who never turned on her.
Calla took a deep breath and turned around looking straight at Ron “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you, for you to get it through your thick skull but my name isn’t Lily. It’s Calla or Calla-Lily!” Calla snapped her magic sending a slight pulse making the room shake. She hated being called Lily.
She loved her mother, she did, but she didn’t want to be seen as just Lily Potter’s daughter. She wears her name proudly, it’s a reminder that she has the name of the woman who died forher.But just because she loved her mother doesn’t mean she wants to be her and when people call her just Lily, she feels like they’re trying to make her into her mother. Into someone she can not fully remember
“Calla” Hermione stood up, about to scold her ‘friend’ when Ginny cut her off “Oh shove off Hermione. Calla has stated many times not to call her just Lily and if someone” Ginny glared at her brother who leaned back “Can’t remember or respect that than maybe he shouldn’t talk to Calla at all” Hermione looked at her soon-to-be sister-in-law in disbelief
Ginny shook her head at Hermione before moving to her best friend “Come on Calla, let’s get you packed” Calla nodded and let Ginny drag her up to her dorm room
Once the door was closed, Calla flicked her hand and her wand was in it. Throwing up silencing charms, Calla looked at her best friend before she started crying “Oh Calla” Ginny sighed, moving to hug her. Calla didn’t say anything as she cried into her friend shoulder
10 minutes later, the two were on the older girl’s bed each with a cup of hot chocolate that Dobby had gotten for them “Now, do you want to explain to me what happened in that meeting?” Ginny asked. Calla kept her eyes firmly on her drink “Dumbledore wants me to marry Snape” Calla told her. Ginny gasped, eyes going wide “What?! But Snape hates you”
Calla winced at that but didn’t show any other emotion “I know that’s what I said, but Dumbledore said it was the only way to ‘keep me safe’” Calla scoffed, like she’d believe that, Dumbledore just wants to control her “But Snape he” Calla sighed rubbing her head. Ginny took her cup from her and set both of them on the bedside table
“What did he do?”
“He cornered me in the hall. Told me that he never hated me that he did what was expected of him. He wasn’t doing it out of revenge that he forgave my father and godfather long ago and that I’ll understand more later on” Calla looked at Ginny who hadn’t said anything. She looked thoughtful and Calla didn’t say anything not wanting to disrupt her thinking
“I think you should marry him,” Ginny finally said. Calla looked at her best friend shocked “Just hear me out, things aren’t as they seem, we know this” Calla nodded knowing what Ginny was talking about “Snape seems different and if he really wants to protect you let him, you might get answers on why you feel a pull towards him, no matter how small it may be”
Calla stayed silent playing with her necklace that Sirius got her for Christmas. Snape did seem to want her happy and protected and maybe she can find the reason of the pull, and Ginny doesn’t seem disgusted so maybe it’s not that bad “Okay” Calla cleared her throat “I’ll do it” Ginny smiled at her “Alright, let’s get you packed”
The next morning Calla sat in between Neville and Ginny talking softly with her best friend and godbrother “If he hurts you, I hurt him” Neville told his sister after finding out that she was to be married to Snape. Calla and Ginny laughed but both knew he would do it if Calla was hurt. Calla was happy that Neville supports her if marrying Snape was going to make her happy, he doesn’t care who she marries as long as the person protects her
Calla felt someone watching her and looked around the hall only to see Snape’s eyes boring into her. Calla locked eyes with him, emotions passing through hers, he was nice to her last night and gentle, how did that happen? She looked down at her food playing with it, already eating what she could handle. Ron and Hermione entered the great hall and took their seats across from the trio. Ron glaring at Snape every chance he could and Hermione reading a book
Soon, Ginny, Neville and Calla were walking to the carriages with Ron and Hermione following behind them when a voice stopped them “Miss. Potter, a word, please” Calla nodded and handed her trunk to Neville moving towards Snape when someone grabbed her wrist. Calla looked at Ron who was glaring at Snape while holding her wrist
“Why should she talk to you? You’re a snake” Ron spat, tightening his grip when Calla tried to remove it. Calla winced, feeling his nails digging in her skin “Ron if you don’t let go of me right now, I will show you why people who touch me, fear me” Calla said calmly though they could see the fire in her eyes. Ron immediately let go
Ginny shook her head and grabbed her brother by his cloak and dragged him away with Hermione following, trying to get her to let him go. Neville gave Snape a once over before leaving. Calla rubbed her wrist walking over to Snape “I will pick you up from your relatives in a week. Our bonding will be at Godric’s Hollow waterfall, a few people will be there. You will be fitted for your dress later this week with Lady Malfoy, the Malfoys are my only family and I want you to be civil with them.”
Calla shifted in her spot, she can be civil with them, if only to keep Snape happy and hope he won’t hurt her if she did something wrong “Draco promised to be civil towards you. The wolf Lupin will be there and he will be the one to give you away” Calla smiled slightly, while she never thought Remus would be the one to give her away she was happy it was someone she thought of as family “You can invite who you want”
“Probably won’t be a lot” Calla muttered playing with her brown wavy hair. Snape raised an eyebrow at her making her shift in her spot “I don’t have a lot of people I consider family. Ginny, The twins, Neville, Luna, Arthur and Remus” She shrugged wrapping her arms around her waist like she was protecting herself
“Not Granger or Weasley?” If he was being honest, Severus thought those two would have been the first people Calla named but they weren’t even on the list, neither was Molly or Dumbledore who always said Calla thought of them like their mother and grandfather
Calla shook her head “No. I’ve never thought of them as my siblings. Just... friends” If Snape noticed the way Calla hesitated on her wording her didn’t say anything “Alright, owl me if you want anyone else, if not I will work on the invites” Calla nodded and moved to leave when Snape grabbed her wrist making her flinch at the sudden touch “Apologizes didn’t mean to scare you” Snape frowned, he didn’t like the way Calla flinched when he touched her “I just wanted to give you something”
Severus pulled out a bracelet “I had the Goblins spell it. It has protection spells and runes carved to protect you from physical harm and harmful spells” Severus told her flipping her hand over to clip the back of the bracelet on, Calla pulled her wrist away holding it to her chest. She eyed him for a moment before looking down at the bracelet
It was a beautiful bracelet. Small diamonds were on the sides while in the middle was a pretty blue diamond in the middle. She could see the runes carved into the back “You got me this?” Calla whispered looking at the bracelet in awe, never gotten something so pretty from anyone expect Sirius necklace
Severus nodded a small smirk on his lips, glad he got her something she liked. He knew women liked diamonds but he also knew Calla was different and didn’t know if she liked the same things other girls did “I did” Calla smiled at him “Thank you” she whispered letting her arm fall to her side just as the warning bell went off
“I need to go” Calla looked at the carriage where Neville, Luna and Ginny were before looking back at Severus who nodded “I’ll see you soon” Calla said slowly before leaving. Severus watched her get on the carriage joining her friends before he left, he needed to start planning their bonding
