Everyone has always assumed that Harry Potter was the 'Chosen One', that destiny had hand-picked him to destroy the most evil wizard of all time. Even I believed it. It was a fair assumption, but it was also one based on a severe lack of understanding. I was shocked to discover that the truth was something completely different, but then again, so was Lord Voldemort...
Prologue
"Come on Alysia, you'll be late!" a voice behind me drawled lazily. I spun around to see my older brother lounging in my bedroom doorway, feigning a look of slight boredom. I rolled my eyes and turned back to the mirror. I pretended to ignore him as I checked to make sure I didn't have any lipstick on my teeth for what must have been the millionth time that minute.
Okay, I'll admit that I'm a little obsessed with my appearance, but it's only because I'm not drop-dead gorgeous like my best friend, Lily. I've always been very conscious about how I look, especially since my second year at school, when a certain group of boys started making fun of me all the time.
"Alysia, at this rate, you won't get there until the kid starts school!" my brother exclaimed, frustrated.
"Okay, Sev, calm down! I'm almost ready," I told him.
"Just like you were almost ready half an hour ago?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
"You're just jealous because Lily didn't invite you!" I retorted childishly. My brother frowned and stormed off downstairs.
Uh-oh. I definitely shouldn't have said that. My brother never likes it when I remind him that Lily hates his guts.
Right, I probably should explain.
My name is Alysia Snape. I'm a nineteen-year-old metamorphmagus, currently living with my parents and my brother, Severus. He's two years older than I am. We both have the same straight, slightly greasy black hair, but that is where any similarities in our appearance end.
Severus' hair is about shoulder-length, whereas mine is at least three times longer. He is also two and a half inches taller than I am. My brother's unusual black eyes and hooked nose make him look quite sinister, although he isn't really (at least not unless he is very annoyed). My eyes are slightly wider than his are and are a very pale blue. When we were little, Dad used to call me Angelique, because all our relatives used to say that I looked like a miniature angel. It was a nickname I hated, and still hate, with a passion.
Not far from our house used to live a girl called Lily Evans. She and Severus first met years ago, before they even started school, and our families became quite close, though I always privately thought that her sister was a stuck-up little…
But where was I? That's right; Lily and Severus started hanging out together. Though they were Sorted into rival Houses at school, they were best friends; at least, they were until their OWLs came up.
Severus was being teased by a couple of boys in his year. Lily tried to stand up for him, and Severus called her a, well, let's just say he said something that really upset her. I happen to know for a fact that Lily is still reeling from it. Severus has tried apologising loads of times, but Lily won't listen. That's why Severus is upset now, I guess. It doesn't exactly help that I almost constantly remind him of the fact that Lily is permanently ignoring his existence (accidentally, of course). Quite frankly, family loyalty and everything aside, I don't blame her. I probably wouldn't want to know someone either if they called me a, well, what Severus called Lily that day.
Sighing, I smoothed out my dress and went downstairs. My parents were waiting for me; knowing Dad, he'll probably come up to my room and kick my door down if I don't come out soon.