Chapter 1

A/N: First Fanfic ever. Hope it doesn't suck. :)

"Daddy, why can't I ride the Hogwarts Express like all the other students?" Vanessa Lilly Snape asked.

"Because," answered her father, Severus Snape, "I am already going to the castle, so there is no need for you to take that silly form of transportation."

"But how am I going to meet the other first years?"

"You shall meet them when I drop you off in Hogsmeade to ride the boats across the lake. Now, no more questions of you arrival at school, it will happen as I say it will happen."

"Fine," Vanessa replied. She moodily looked out the window of their home at Spinner's end. She had been having this argument with her father since he took her school shopping at Diagon Alley on her Birthday, July 31st. She had never left the house, because Snape was always worried for her security. So when Vanessa was finally able to leave the house, see gapped and all the shops and stores (after recovering from the Side-Along Apparition). Snape took her to Gringotts, the wizarding bank, so they could take out money for the days shopping. After leaving the bank, they traveled to Madam Malkins for Vanessa's school robes, then to the Apothecary to fill both Vanessa and Snape's supplies, and then the duo travelled to Olivanders, where Vanessa received a 12 inch wand of Elder wood and phoenix feather core.

A thought popped into Vanessa's head. "Can I ask a different type of question?" Vanessa asked.

"I suppose," Snape answered, "What is on your mind?"

"What happened to my mother? You always said you'd tell me on my 11th birthday, and that was almost two weeks ago."

Snape sighed. He had put this off for long enough, and his daughter had a point, he had promised. "Alright Nessa, let me tell you the tale of your mother."

Vanessa's face brightened up as she dragged Snape into the sitting room. She plopped herself down on the carpet, brushing her fiery red hair out of her green eyes. "It is a long story," Snape began, "You're mother was visiting an old school friend with you on Halloween, almost one 10 years ago. A man broke the charms around the home, looking for the son of your mother's friend. She hid you in an upstairs room, with the son. The man killed your mother and her friend, but not before she was able to hide you a little better. The man attempted to kill the young boy, but was unable to. The man was killed, and I travelled to the house with a colleague of mine and took you home."

"What was the man's name?"

"His name was Lord Voldemort. He was a rising Dark Lord, and this barley-a-one-year-old somehow defeated him."

"What was the boy's name?" Vanessa inquired.

"His name is Harry Potter"

One month later

"Harry Potter," Professor McGonagall read off the list, while the sorting hat sat on the bench.

Vanessa watched as a young boy, with messy black hair and round glasses. He turned and watched the fellow first-years watched him walk to the sorting hat. Vanessa saw his eyes and they looked so familiar. As she tried to remember where she had seen the eyes, the Sorting Hat dropped over Harry's eyes. She could see the Hat and Harry having a conversation, and she was curious as to what it was about. Fear struck through her. Maybe daddy was lying and there really was a sort of quiz to get sorted or not. What if she didn't get sorted?

As Vanessa was facing her inner dilemma, the Sorting Hat yelled "Better be… GRYFFENDOR!"

Harry walked towards the cheering table, and Vanessa heard McGonagall say "Vanessa Snape."

Vanessa walked towards the Sorting Hat, and sneaked a glance at her father. His face showed no emotion, but she knew that her dad was proud that she was here. She sat down on the stool and McGonagall place the Sorting Hat on Vanessa's head.

"Ah, Very interesting," the Hat said, "You were raised against of what you were born."

"What are you talking about," Vanessa asked.

"Your father only explained part of your story. You have a brother. A twin. And he is here, but he believes you dead."

"WHAT?!"

"Yes and maybe you'll find out who it is, but until then, you shall live in GRYFFENDOR!"

Flabbergasted, Vanessa walked to the same table that Harry had arrived at, and sat down next to a bushy-brown-haired witch, with a slight over-bite. "I'm Hermione Granger," she said

"Vanessa Snape."

"Are you related to the potions master?"

"He's my father," Vanessa said. She looked down as the food appeared on the golden plates. A red-haired boy sitting across from her began to fill his plate, and then his face. Vanessa vaguely remembered her father saying something about a red haired family that had given him problems in the past. "Are you a Weasley," she asked.

The red haired boy swallowed is overly full mouth of food. "I'm Ron. You probably heard a lot about my brothers, Fred and George."

"Yes," Vanessa said, "I recognize those names. They are generally followed by a string of curses in my home."

Two identical red-haired boys stood behind Ron. "Do my ears deceive me," one of the boys asked, "Does our lovely potions master refer to us in his humble home?"

"I believe you heard correctly, Freddie my dear boy," the other said, "And our names are followed by curses. We are so flattered."

"You two realize that he hates both of you, right?" Vanessa asked.

"Of course. But if he didn't, it wouldn't be fun, now would it?" one of the twins replied.

After the twins left, the meal began to quiet down. Dumbledore cleared the tables with a wave of his hand and began his pre-term speech that Snape said he would give. Vanessa tuned out the Headmaster as she thought about the days' events. Not only had she been sorted in to Gryffindor, the opposing house to her father, she was told that she had a twin brother in her grade. Who could it be? She had no idea, but Vanessa planned to do some research. But first, a good night's rest would help her aching mind.