Chapter One
Chapter One
January, 1991
The Great Hall was alive with cheerful chatter at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The students had just returned from their Christmas holiday and were excitedly discussing their family celebrations and the presents they had received. Even the teachers were in a cheerful mood, for they had a visitor this evening. An extra chair had been put at the staff table for one Remus Lupin.
Remus Lupin had gone to Hogwarts with Professor Severus Snape, who was currently glaring at him from two chairs away. Remus was a werewolf and needed to take a potion called the Wolfsbane Potion to prevent him from harming himself and others during his transformations. Snape had invented this potion and reluctantly supplied it to Remus every six months on Headmaster Dumbledore's orders. They hated each other. This was Remus' reason for being at Hogwarts tonight. No one could have ever guessed that someone else from the past would be joining them.
The main doors to the hall burst open with a loud bang as gamekeeper and half-giant Rubeus Hagrid entered. He has kicked the door open because his arms were full of a thin brunette woman. That hall instantly quieted as everyone stared at the flailing woman. She was most upset.
"Let me go, damn it!! Who are you!? What are you!? Where am I!? Put me down, I'm a police officer; I have a gun!!" Hagrid set the woman down in the middle of the hall just as her tirade ended. People were staring open-mouthed, now.
"Thank you!!" she huffed. "Now, would anyone like to explain to me where I am, and how I got here?" Someone besides the stranger finally spoke.
"Hagrid?" Dumbledore asked.
"I found 'er in the forest, 'eadmaster sir. Just outside the apparition bound'ry. Just layin' thar, sir; don't rightly know where she come from! Figured I ought ta bring 'er in 'fore the critters got 'er." By this time, the woman had calmed down somewhat. She was looking around in shock and wonder. Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Remus jumping from his chair and rushing to the woman. He hugged her hard, and she stiffened in shock.
"Haley, oh, Haley! I know you'd come back, I knew it! They all said you were dead, but I never gave up! I knew you were just lost. Oh, Haley!" The woman put a hand on either of Remus' shoulders and gently pushed him away.
"Um…listen, guy. My name isn't Haley, and I've never seen you before." Remus looked confused.
"But…don't you remember me? I'm Remus Lupin; I'm your best friend." The woman shook her head sadly; she felt bad for this poor confused man.
"I'm afraid I've never seen you before." Remus' face fell. He opened his mouth to say something more, but he was interrupted by the sound of a chair scraping across the floor. Everyone looked up at the staff table as Snape rose from his chair and slowly made his way down to the woman and Lupin. He pushed aside the nearly weeping werewolf and stared at the woman for a moment before speaking softly.
"Look at me closely. Do you recognize me at all?" She shook her head.
"No. Should I? Who are you?" Snape bowed his head and seemed to be debating on what to say next.
"My name is Severus Snape. I…am your husband." The Great Hall exploded in shocked whispers as the woman slumped to the stone floor.
End of Chapter 1
Author's Note: So? Love it or hate it? I know it's dreadfully short, but things'll get longer; I promise! Please, review!