Many people who began the New Year at Hogwarts had resigned themselves to a year of Same-Old-Same-Old. And for many, this would be a reality, but for a select few, the arrival of a 17 year old from California would change their worlds forever. This shaker of foundations was named Lainey Deschanel, who, following the tragic death of her adopted father, had come to England to find her Birth Parents.
She had nothing but names to go on, but she was a smart girl, and in the end she had tracked town the town in which her natural mother had died.
It was while standing at the grave of said mother that an old man with a massive white beard had come over to her, from where he had been standing a few headstones back. The old man asked who she was and who she was here to visit. Lainey had introduced herself, and explained that this was the mother she had never met. The old man introduced himself as Albus Dumbledore, and then he added "I knew your mother when she was alive. And is this not your father?" gesturing to the grave beside them. Lainey shook her head. "No. That's not him. How did you know my mother?"
Albus smiled gently. "I was your mother professor at school. And later in life, I was proud to be her friend."
Lainey smiled back. "Oh. And did she ever mention having a daughter?"
Albus shook his head. "I'm sorry my dear, but she never mentioned any such thing to me."
Lainey nodded. "Its ok. Normally parents who have put their kid up for adoption don't really want people to know about them. Would you know my father, maybe?"
"What is his name, my dear?" Albus asked, tenting his fingers.
"Uh.." Lainey consulted a scrap of paper. "Severus Snape?"
Albus nearly fell over from the shock.
Lily Evans and Severus Snape?
Inconceivable!
"Oh yes, I know Severus very well. Would you like to meet him?" Albus was shocked still, but his meddling mind was whirring at the tearful reunion he hoped for when he introduced Severus to his daughter. At least there was no danger of taking the girl to Hogwarts, as she positively reeked of magic. Albus looked at Lainey, while giving her a moment to say goodbye to her mother. She had long black hair, dead straight and shiny, and pale skin. That seemed to be all she had inherited from Severus. The rest was all Lily. Right down to the large green eyes that Harry had been so often complimented. And Harry! He had a sister. This was going to be a delicate situation to explain.
A talk with Severus was going to be on order, so they could correctly ascertain the events leading up to, and including the adoption of Lainey.
Albus nearly chuckled at what Severus would say when he realized his daughter was called Lainey. Something along the lines of a conniption fit, he foresaw.
Albus held out his arm for Lainey to latch onto while they apparated. Lainey, however, had no idea of what apparating was, and thus let out an entirely undignified squeal at the awkward sensation that was apparating.
Oh man, had Albus been surprised to learn she'd never magic like that before.
He was interested however, when she said she'd done Wicca magic all her life.
Well, nearly all her life. See, her father had owned the magic shop in Sunnydale, until he'd been killed. She'd kind of grown up with magic all around her, and had met Spike, and the two had become friends, even though he'd been evil at first. But once he'd had that chip put in, the two of them had spent many a night hunting and killing demons. They were best friends. And then Dawn had joined in, and Lainey and Dawn became friends as well.
It was a secret, illegitimate Scooby gang of their very own. They killed the creatures of the night, all the while staying away from Buffy and her crew, 'cos Dawn would be killed, and Lainey would be subjected to all kinds of stupid questions. No fun for anyone involved.
The meeting with Severus had been interesting, too. Severus had been called to Albus' office, under the impression that they would discuss some plan of Voldemort's. He gave Lainey a strange look from where he stood, and gruffly consulted Albus about what had dragged him away from his potions.
"Albus?" Severus asked when Dumbledore tried to stifle a laugh. "Severus, please allow me to introduce Miss Lainey Deschanel. I met Miss Deschanel earlier today, and I think you'd be very interested as to who her parents are." Albus teased.
Severus rolled his eyes at the old man's antics, as he was want to do from time to time, but this time decided to humour the Headmaster, and said. "Very well. Who are her parents?"
"Wouldn't it be more polite to ask her that?" Albus suggested with an evil little twinkle in his eye. Severus sighed, but acquiesced.
He turned to Lainey, and looked at her properly. She looked vaguely familiar. Perhaps she was a Black? "Who are your parents?" he asked wearily, now eager to return to his potion.
Lainey looked at her long lost father, and saw so much of herself there. She'd often wondered where she got her looks from, and now she knew. She looked Severus squarely in the eye, and green met black, as she said "My mother was Lily Evans." She paused to see Severus' reaction to this news. He'd paled somewhat, and had to steady himself on Albus's desk. Severus suspected what came next. "And your father?" he steeled himself for the news.
"Um, you." Lainey stared up at Severus from her seat, looking hopelessly innocent and vulnerable.
Sev looked at her long and hard, trying to sort out his emotions when it came to this girl. Eventually, he had calmed somewhat, and sat, prepared for anything that would come next. This young American girl was his daughter, and nothing would change that. She was his and Lily's, and thereby his very own living memory of the woman he had loved since he was eight.
A lot of storytelling took place after that, with Sev explaining why she'd been adopted out, and Lainey explaining how she'd found him. But after that, the two had warmed up to each other. They got on quite well, and Severus had done the protective doting father thing. They spent the time before school started catching up, telling each other about their lives.
Severus had been wary when Lainey had told him that her best friend was a Vampire, but he'd said that Spike could come and visit, since she was going to be a student at Hogwarts now.
Yep, she was a schoolgirl again. Well, she was one anyway, but now she had a wand and everything. (Elm, Unicorn tail, 13 inches, springy.) Lainey didn't like using it though.
She felt wrong with it in her hands. Severus kept trying to get her to use it, telling her she'd get used to it, but to no avail. Magic didn't even work when she tried with it. Spells she'd been using since she was five completely failed her.
The big shock, however, had been that she had a brother. She didn't ask too much into that though, cos that was a whole big kettle of fish she didn't want at the moment. Better for her to get used to her new family before she went searching the world for some half brother.
She wrote letters to Dawn and Spike, explaining to them about everything, and had asked Spike to come stay with her soon.
Eventually though, the 1st of September came around, and Lainey was all dressed up in her new uniform, the dreaded wand tucked safely into her pocket.