Hello everyone! Think of this as a sneak peek at my Harry Potter character Bella Darling. This is also a sneak peek at where I could have taken her story but I didn't go this way because it would have changed everything. You'll see why in a minute. Enjoy!

Bella Meets the Author

Bella walked through the doors at the end of the hall. Through it was a happy family, or what she assumed was a happy family. There was a red headed woman sitting on the couch carefully wrapping a green and silver blanket in Christmas paper. Standing close by was a black haired man holding a small baby girl. He was carefully rocking the child and humming quietly. Soon the girl fell asleep and he left to put her down in her crib with the woman following.

"What is this?" Bella wondered aloud. Neither of the two people noticed her, nor did her voice disturb the sleeping child. Bella turned suddenly when she heard a small noise behind her, almost like a small intake of breath.

"Who's there?" she questioned loudly.

A young woman, barely a year older than her stepped from the shadows of the hall. The girl was shorter than her by several inches and had dark brown eyes that possessed a sad wisdom.

"Hello Bella," she said quietly.

Bella took a step back when the stranger said her name. "How do you know who I am?" she asked quietly.

"Oh Bella, it wasn't supposed to be like this. You weren't supposed to see what could have been," the girl said sadly, ignoring Bella's question.

"Who are you?" Bella asked in bewilderment.

The girl gave a soft smile. "I have many names, one of which is yours, but you may call me Alelie. It is the only name I've never been able to give away," she answered mysteriously. "You need to go back Bella. You still have a lot to live and fight for."

"What do you mean?"

Alelie sighed. "I can't tell you a lot; you'll to find out for yourself in due time," she answered as she turned to leave.

"Wait!" Bella called. Alelie turned back. "Can you at least tell me what this is?" she asked as she gestured to the room behind her.

The mysterious girl gave Bella a knowing smile. "I thought you'd ask. Come with me but don't let go of my hand," she answered as she took Bella's hand and stepped through the doorway.

Alelie led Bella after the couple and the child into the nursery. They were just setting the child in the crib when Bella and Alelie came through the door.

"Do you recognize them?" Alelie asked Bella.

Bella looked closer and gasped. The red headed woman was her mother but several years younger. Tears began to stream down her face as she remembered when she had last seen her.

"But Bellatrix... she killed her..." she trailed off as she watched her mother and the black haired man cover up the child in the crib. "How?" she asked as she turned to Alelie only to see her crying too.

"I'm sorry Bella. I didn't realize you were that old already," she replied. "This is what would have been if he had stayed and turned away from the Dark," she continued as she gestured to the man.

Bella looked closer at the man and could just see the much younger face of her potions master.

"Snape," she breathed as she watched him smile. He seemed so different, so happy.

"Yes," Alelie broke her from her thought. "In this reality he still betrayed Lily but he did not leave Delilah. He made up for his mistakes by staying there for the two of you. You're not even two weeks old yet," she ended sadly. "It's Christmas Eve tonight; he's going to propose soon," she continued. "But it won't last. Voldemort will find out about him in this reality and he'll be killed before you can even remember him. You will grow up in hiding with your mother, even after the war is over."

Bella started at this revelation and tried to pull away from Alelie but the girl would not let her hand go.

"Bella, don't fight me." Her voice had changed. It had taken on a ring of authority that froze Bella in place. "If you let go, you will become that child. You will lose your father before you even know him and never have the chance at a normal life."

"How do know all this?" she asked hesitantly.

Alelie gave her a mischievous smile. "That is a question I cannot answer. Now it is time for you to go home. It's time for you to wake up," she told Bella as she led her back to the hallway. "Your father will be there, as long as you do not force yourself to wake or fight the waking feeling. This is one time where you will have no control," Alelie told her as she shut the door to the reality and locked it from even herself.

"How do I wake up?" Bella asked her, once again hesitant.

"Just close your eyes and go back to sleep," Alelie instructed her quietly. "You'll be back before you know it. And you won't remember any of this."

So Bella closed her eyes and the next thing she knew, she was lying in the Hospital Wing with her father in a chair beside the bed, looking like he hadn't slept in days. Bella tried to recall what had happened but she never remembered and soon the remnants of the memories disappeared forever.

Yes, I know I'm wierd for publishing this but I just had to after I spent an hour writing it. I would like to thank for the inspiration for this story (which was snape singing). Please do us both a favor and read her story "Becoming a Marauder". It's really well written. Thanks for reading!