AUTHOR'S NOTES: I have aged the time period about 10 years in which the Harry Potter stories take place to more closely correspond with the time in which the movies were released. For example, instead of Harry starting school in 1991 he would have started roughly in 2001. Likewise, Deathly Hallows in this story takes place roughly in 2008 not 1998. The M ratings is for later chapters.

All characters except those I created, of course belong to J.K. Rowling.

Chance meeting

On an almost empty street, Severus Snape sees a pretty black Muggle headed his way apparently talking to herself. He mumbled to himself as she approached, ''Muggles and their strange ways.''

Getting off her mobile phone, her mind a million miles away, Jennifer almost ran into the oddly dressed man. He was clothed from head to toe in all black wearing some sort of medieval looking costume, complete with cape.

Now seeing who he was and without thinking she uttered, "excuse me Professor Snape.'' After she had uttered the words she realized her mistake and tried to walk away as fast as possible, praying he hadn't heard her. He spun around without missing a beat and she suddenly felt as if she was bound by rope while being simultaneously turned around with a forceful jerk.

"WHO ARE YOU? HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?'' His wand in hand, he pointed it a few inches from her face.

She was utterly terrified and mumbled, ''I'm sorry I didn't mean to.''

''WHO, ARE YOU?''

''My brother told me who you were. Please don't kill me, PLEASE!'' She was begging and sobbing, ''I won't tell anyone I saw you, please don't hurt me.''

''Who sent you?''

''No one''

''Don't lie to me!''

Her voice was almost in a whisper again, ''no one sent me.''

He couldn't make out the rest of what she was saying she was almost impossible to understand now. Her frantic rambling was offering little in the way of an explanation. Using his limited ability to correctly use Legilimency he tried to glimpse her actions just before she past him. Her heightened fear was all-consuming and made it almost impossible to obtain any useful memories. He could see a replay of himself shouting at her and only a few vague memories. He was able to clearly see her hugging what appeared to be an older Muggle women and getting on an airplane. Still unable to tell if she was a Muggle, Squib, or Witch he continued to probe her mind. He saw a young man who looked similar enough in features to her to indicate a close blood relation and he was apparating in and out of a room with her looking proud and clapping enthusiastically. He saw her at about age 8 playing with some muggle toys alongside one or two low level but clearly magical ones. He then saw an older man who he assumed was her father telling her to put them in a small locked wardrobe before he let another child inside the room. He looked are her clothes and heard her trembling and barely coherent babbling and un-froze her.

Stepping closer he stared at her with those black penetrating eyes and she started backing away all the while stammering. ''Please don't kill me. I won't tell anyone.''

Her breathing steadily increased and she was shaking so hard she tripped and fell backwards. Her heart was racing and she felt as if she couldn't catch her breath.

Severus saw this pitiful woman before him and decided to put his wand away. He listened as she continued to mutter some gibberish about her magical brother and he thought she is obviously terrified of me. Nothing but a harmless Muggle and apparently, the sister of a Muggle-born wizard. The commotion was starting to get the attention of some people walking by so he waved the people off telling them ''she just fell.''

They seemed satisfied and quickly moved on. She was beginning to hyperventilate so he bent down putting one hand on her shoulder, trying to relax her. In all her 33 years of living she couldn't remember ever being this afraid for her life. Before she knew it, her bladder gave way and she felt warm liquid running down her legs.

His repugnance showed on his face as he now detected the unmistakable stench of urine. ''You need to calm down,'' he said in a matter of fact way ignoring that she was now in her own filth. She appeared to be having a panic attack of some sorts. He'd seen some of his more anxiety prone students have these during exams. Normally he ignored them or sent them to Madam Pomfrey but since neither of those options were available he decided on a different approach. In a very stern tone he said, ''just concentrate on breathing in and out.''

Instead of doing this she turned her head and vomited on the pavement.

Giving her his handkerchief to wipe her mouth, he tried to reassure her again by speaking softly, "I'm not going to hurt you.''

Jennifer's heart still felt like someone had grabbed it with a hard squeeze but gradually she did slow her breathing and calm down. For the first time, she thought he might not kill her after all. He was more annoyed than genuinely concerned about her. He thought to himself, if she parishes on the street in my presence there would surely be an investigation. Another suspicious death attributed to Severus Snape, he could envision the headline now. A witch or squib was one thing, but a Muggle would be an entirely different matter.

He helped her stand up "are you alright?''

''Yes, I think so.''

He picked up the bag she dropped and guided her to a bench, "do you live very far?"

She shook her head yes afraid to speak any more than was necessary.

''In which direction?''

She pointed and he was quickly losing his patience. ''Are you incapable of speaking? Where do live?''

''Just a few blocks away'' then she uttered in a very weak voice, ''thank you...for not killing me."

He spat out indignantly, ''I wasn't going to kill you and waste my time on a Muggle.''

She didn't react to being called a Muggle, but he wasn't certain if she was actually familiar with the word, or just too afraid to say otherwise. Still looking into her terrified face, he softened. "I didn't mean to frighten you, I just need to find out how you knew my name. I'll walk you home, you barley look like you can make it.''

''You don't need, to I'm fine."

''Never the less, it would be irresponsible to neglect basic precautions.''

They walked in silence for a few minutes,'' your brother told you about me, is that correct?''

''Yes'' She was still shaking but tried to hide it. She tried to walk as far away from him as possible because even she could smell herself now.

For the first time, he noticed her American accent.

"What's his name? I don't remember meeting him.'' He wanted to catch her in a lie if she were doing so, as he only remembered meeting a handful of American wizards, all of whom he detested and none of them were black.

''He just moved here about three years ago,'' She was hoping to change the subject but he was back like a flash.

''Where is this brother of yours?''

Answering much too fast to be believable she exclaimed, ''he's away.''

Smirking, ''he left you here? Alone with a dangerous Muggle killing professor on the loose just a stone's throw away?"

They were now standing in front her building and not knowing what else to say she blurted out, ''well I'm here now'' and tried to run up the stairs wanting to rid herself of him as soon as possible.

''Not so fast'' he said catching hold of her elbow before she could leave. Her heart sped up again and her shaking was obvious even to him.

She slowly turned around, ''look, he pointed you out to me so I could avoid you.'' She then went up the 5 or 6 steps and once a safe distance away she turned to face him again.

He went to take a step up but changed his mind and with a slight smirk, ''as it stands you haven't followed his instructions very well have you."

''No I guess not''

''It's appalling the way you Americans feel the need to casually violate our most sacred laws.''

He knew he should be saying this to her brother but she would suffice. He held American Wizards in the lowest regard. Their informality and seemingly endless fascination with Muggles left little to admire. He turned around and walked away without so much as glancing in her direction. Jennifer stood just inside the door trying to calm down. She thought she either just narrowly escaped certain death or her brother Charles had gotten that man all wrong. He was surly and condescending but otherwise made no real attempt to hurt anything other than her feelings. She took a shower so ashamed that she'd wet herself in front of a perfect stranger.

Jennifer thought of contacting her brother but changed her mind thinking he would be upset about her careless mistake and didn't want to hear his voice right with her head still spinning. ''God I'm too old for this'' she said to herself, ''nothing is more pathetic than drinking too much and making a fool of yourself.'' Still needing some kind of comfort, she called her mother back in Norfolk on the pretense of being homesick.

''Hi Mama, how are you and Daddy?"

''We're fine, I just wish you kids, were home. Where is your brother?

''He's working, mama."

''Jennifer Diedra Nelson, you don't have to cover for him. Why does he keep leaving you all alone? You know I worry about you.''

''I'm fine mama, he's in Poland, with his new lady. He'll be popping in sometime tonight or tomorrow I guess.''

''And you aren't bothering anyone?''

''No''

''You know you have a temper, you can't be overseas acting the way you do here.''

''Mama I haven't been messing with anyone.''

''Good, and you make sure you stay away from his strange magical things, they aren't toys you know. They can be dangerous, you remember what happened that one time.''

"Mama I'm an adult." Jennifer was regretting calling home. Only your parents could make you feel 11 years old.

"I still worry"

''Alright, mama I need to go.'' Jennifer rolls her eyes at her mother's warnings.

''Okay, I'll talk to you later sweetie.''

After reassuring her mother she wasn't messing with any of his things she got off the phone. If her brother had any strange objects she couldn't tell. He had several cups and plates that automatically refilled themselves and a talking full length mirror that gave excellent advice but other than that it was pretty average. Her whole family used a few magical things even though it was against the rules. There were certain things they just couldn't live without. She hadn't given it much thought since she had essentially grown up with these harmless things. They each held a small amount of self-contained magic even muggles could use.

You would think having a brother who could perform magic had made Jennifer's life interesting but it was fairly average one she thought. In the beginning when he came home from school he used to spend hours trying to get her to do the simple things he had learned because he thought she only needed practice. Their parents explained to her, that her brother was more or less a fluke and was born to do magic. He would need to go to a special school to learn to control it so he wouldn't hurt himself or anyone else. She and her parents were the only ones that knew his secret. Her parents told the rest of the family he was at some type of military school and they shouldn't ask him questions about it. Perhaps they thought no one would believe he had won a scholarship to a boarding school as Charles wasn't the best-behaved child. Their extended family and friends thought the school gave him discipline and order when his behavior had improved so dramatically. He later told her their parents threatened to withdraw him from school if he misbehaved so he had no real choice. Over the years, she became less interested in his outside magical life as it didn't seem exciting to her. The magic he could do became mundane while she was still an adolescent and only being of interest when it was useful to her.

After apparating back home to Spinners End Severus ate a simple meal and continued his earlier search for a book. He quickly forgot about his strange Muggle run in. Though it had been two years since the battle at Hogwarts, he was still recovering. The healer had told him he simply needed time, but he figured there was a potion or something that could aid his recovery and bring back his magic. He'd been methodically searching for weeks now thinking he had overlooked something. He hasn't been able to brew even the simplest potions since he was bitten. His hands would shake and he was no longer able to fully concentration on the delicate task. He'd spent his entire adult live desiring to teach defense against the dark arts but he no longer cared enough to teach it.

Reflecting on the past year, he had received offers to teach at Drumstrang and Australia as well as an offer to write a book. Hogwarts had sustained heavy damage during the battle and a small portion hence forth would always remain in ruin as a tribute to those who fell. The following term, the school remained open but most parents opted to keep their children home for the entire school year. Those few that attended this term were taught by a few professors as the rest had elected to take leave along with most of the students. As the acting headmistress who took over after he fled, McGonagall agreed that in general the students could benefit from the extended time away but she insisted the school needed to remain open for all those who wished to attend.

Severus now spent most of his days trying to work out various potions, practicing his defenses, and transforming simple objects while also working as a consultant for N.E.W.T Level exams. That slanderous Rita Seeker's book Snape: Scoundrel or Saint? had just been released and had called into question his loyalty again. He still received the occasionally angry owl upset that he'd escaped Azkaban but nothing more serious than that. It was bad enough that the entire wizarding world was made aware of some of his most private memories thanks to Potter's big mouth so he didn't need a book fabricating lies about the rest.

Thinking himself on the verge of death after Nagini's bite, he had released his memories to Harry Potter. He was secure in the knowledge that Potter would understand his true motivations all these long years and be able to defeat the Dark Lord. He showed him those things that he couldn't bring himself to reveal during the final years of his life. It's true that your life flashes before your eyes as you approach death but he didn't die. He laid there feeling a suffocating black cloud engulfing him, then it gradually retreated and he woke up in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies. He was found barely alive by Potter who came back to retrieve his body. The bezoar soaked in phoenix tears, he carried had saved him. He had just enough time to swallow it before the poison spread slowing the effect. He'd taken to carrying the bezoar and using various protection charms after he was appointed headmaster because it was a very real possibility one of his colleagues would try to harm him. He'd lain in St. Mungo's for a solid two months going in and out of consciousness. He faintly heard snatches of conversation, recognizing the voices of Potter, McGonagall and even Hagrid. The beazor slowed the poison but the healers assured him should have died and was lucky his mental facilities were still in place.

He spent another four months unhappily convalescing and wishing he hadn't released those memories at all. The staff thought it would do him some good to interact with his former colleague and allowed Gildroy Lockheart a few visits. Lockheart who thought himself a healer, paid him several visits using a plain stick he though was his wand and tried to heal him. Losing one's mind is such a terrible fate even for Lockheart, so he permitted his presence out of pity. This was one of the new emotions he now found himself capable of expressing. The worst part was Potter. Much to Severus' irritation Potter insisted on visiting him in the hospital for weeks after he awoke. His memories about the Dumbledore's most difficult request were stored in the Ministry of Magic but Potter had personally shown them to the remaining Order members to make sure his name was no longer disparaged.

Although Harry no longer hated the man for killing Professor Dumbledore, he still couldn't say he liked the man. The war had matured him, but Harry could have sworn Snape hated him only slightly less than he had in the past. Sitting alone in the hospital, Snape no longer looked like the fearsome professor he once knew. Each time Harry visited the two of them merely sat there in awkward silence unless he had a message from Hermione about one of her lessons. Severus did at least admire the little know it all for continuing her education after all of this. She'd been the only 7th year to return to finish her schooling, and she routinely sent him owls about his former subjects. Each time he sent her a reply, he sent it with a howler telling her not to disturb him again. Sadly, it never worked and her next message was usually a parchment longer than the previous one.

The poison combined with the releasing of so many memories at one time had weakened him. The healer said his difficultly remained psychological, not physical but Severus had other ideas. The acting Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt allowed him to remain at St. Mungo's while on trial and stationed Aurors there for both his protection and his confinement. The trial was essentially a formality and he was found innocent of Dumbledore's murder and various other crimes. Most of the Dark Lords most dangerous followers had been killed or were imprisoned for long lengths while the rest fled the country and went into hiding. Unfortunately, the Malfoys weren't on that list. They surprised everyone by refusing to leave. The ministry decided that stripping them of their wealth to pay for the repairs to Hogwarts would be of more use. Lucius only served about nine months while Draco and Narcissa were not deemed a reasonable future threat and didn't stand trial at all. The ministry had changed staff, but wealth still had many privileges. They were levied huge fines and their only wealth was now their home and little else. They had to sell most of their extravagant furnishings to pay the large fine and thought this more shameful than Lucius' sentence.

After all of this, Severus simply wanted to put it all behind him. Once the gossip died down most people found themselves firmly in one of three camps. They believed once a Death Eater always a Death Eater and he and got off easy. There were those that trusted his story completely as they trusted Dumbledore. The majority fell someone in between, believing elements of both. Professor McGonagall and a handful of others that personally knew him were concerned about his welfare, but since he'd never cultivated any type of friendly relationships he saw no need to spend any more time with them since his mission was now over.

Turning back to his search for the healing book and leaving his past year's memory behind, he finds it but picks up another on the shelf. Next to it is a book on international wizarding history. Flipping to a brief section on America, he finds it woefully out of date only mentioning that the wizarding world and the Muggle world are much more closely intertwined than European countries. His thoughts once more turned to the woman he ran into today. Only an American would have the gall to tell a Muggle about him even if she was his sister. Her reaction to meeting him was perplexing and she'd piqued his curiosity. He had presumed that he was the only wizard in the area and hated the thought of others knowing his residence. Strangely he actually felt somewhat disappointed that some death eater sympathizer hadn't finally taken notice and come to finish him off for good. This skewed logic was a constant thought he couldn't escape because he no longer had a purpose.