Hello there. This story is after Voldemort was defeated and is a little strange to say the least. This is result of listening to songs from Annie for too long and having an obsession with Harry Potter. I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters you may reconize. I do own the ones you don't reconize though. By the way, the Beatrice mentioned in this chapter is not Lestrange, it is a different one. Just FYI. Enjoy, and please don't be too harsh.

Screams filled the night as the moon rose on the first day of school for the students of Hogwarts. No one could hear them, nor the fast movement of running feet to escape the screaming.

The sorting ceremony occurred sorting the newest first years into their houses, and the feast began. Suddenly the door flew open and several children ran in dressed in horrible clothes, no shoes despite the rain outside, and they seemed terrified.

They glanced around the room, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

Another scream came forward, more like a warning. "Hide," someone yelled before screaming again.

The children instantly found places in the Great Hall to hide, the smallest choosing to hide under the Head table at the feet of Severus Snape. Snape wasn't happy about this child being so close to him, but when he saw the reason why, he didn't mind as much.

A witch walked in carrying her wand and a rope. She was an older witch dressed in the finest green emerald dress and cloak. Behind her was another girl. This one was different. She was older and her clothes were ripped and dirty. Her long hair was stringy and hanging around her face. Her face was covered with dirt and grim, but the most noticeable thing about the girl was the injuries. This girl had a black eye, a cut on her left cheek, a split lip, and her arm looked broken and was bloody, and she was limping.

The witch pulling the girl along on the rope that was tied around her neck had a look of anger and revenge on her face before she noticed Dumbledore sitting at the Head Table. Once she saw him, she smiled and walked up toward him, pulling the girl behind her.

"Hello there Albus," The witch said. Dumbledore stood and looked at the witch and then at the girl behind her. The girl's eyes remained fixed on the ground.

"Hello, Beatrice. What are you doing here?"

Beatrice smiled and pulled the girl behind her closer to her, causing her to fall to the ground.

"Nothing much, just teaching discipline to some unruly children. By the way, have you seen them?"

"Who?"

Beatrice smiled. "The orphans I am in charge of. They ran away from me because I was making them eat spinach."

The girl snorted and Beatrice turned to her and slapped her across the face. The girl took the slap without a word. Beatrice turned back to Dumbledore.

"This one is the worst. It is the worst thing to do to a woman such as myself, don't you agree Albus," Beatrice said flirting shamelessly with Albus. The girl watched through her hair while making it look like she wasn't watching.

Beatrice placed her wand on the table to flip her hair a bit, to turn Albus's eyes away from the girl on the floor. That was her mistake.

Instantly the girl on the floor jumped up and waved her hand. A surge of power flowed from her and hit Beatrice, knocking her into the wall and then dropping to the floor. She was unconscious.

Every eye in the room moved from the unconscious woman to the girl who stood and removed the rope from her neck. She continued without any thought to anyone else in the room. She turned from the Head table, giving the professors the perfect view of her blood soaked back. The girl walked over to Beatrice and reached into her robes.

After rummaging around for a bit she found what she was looking for, a leather whip. She carried it over to Dumbledore and placed it next to Beatrice's wand.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your meal. I'll take the other children and leave."

Snape was angry. He had endured the Crucio curse more often than he would like to remember and had been tortured, but never had he seen such pain inflicted on one person. The child under his seat had grabbed onto his leg when she head Beatrice's voice. She hadn't let go yet.

"It's okay," the girl standing in front of Dumbledore said. "You can come out now."

The children who had hidden prior to Beatrice's entrance had begun reappearing and running to the girl in front.

"Roxanna, Roxanna." They yelled as they pounced on her with hugs. She winced a bit, but returned their hugs with her good hand.

Roxanna looked around at the other kids and counted them.

"Where's Lilith?" she asked. All the others shrugged and looked at each other. Snape stood and turned to the girl.

"Excuse me, but does she have blond hair and blue eyes?" Roxanna turned to the silky voice and saw a man standing with piercing black eyes. She limped over to him.

Snape was surprised by the girl's determination, but was stunned by her beautiful dark green eyes. They were filled with life and hope, despite what she had obviously been through.

"Yes," Roxanna said. Snape nodded. "It appears that Miss Lilith has taken refuge by attaching herself to my leg."

A few giggles were scattered around the Great Hall at this. Roxanna grinned lightly before turning her expression back to one of non-caring. She bent down and looked under the tablecloth. Sure enough, Lilith was attached to his leg.

"It's okay, Lilith. I'll protect you. You know that."

The little girl turned her blue eyes to Roxanna and released Snape's leg and attaching herself to Roxanna's neck.

"I'm sorry," she said crying. "Please don't be mad at me."

Lilith was crying in Roxanna's arms. Roxanna tried to stand but with only one arm and a hurt leg, it was a little difficult.

"I'm not mad at you Lilith. I can't get mad at you for this, it isn't your fault. I promise that I will protect you, all of you," Roxanna said. Snape was watching them with interest.

'What is she talking about?'

Lilith released Roxanna and all the boys in the group came over and helped her stand. When she was on her feet again, Roxanna turned to Snape.

"Thank you for protecting Lilith. She is the youngest and the beating was meant for her."

Roxanna turned to leave when the amount of blood lost caught up with her and she fell down in front of Snape's seat. Blackness clouded her eyes. The last thing she remembered was a silky voice telling the children to stand back and a pair of black eyes.