Author's Note: Don't own Harry Potter, though I wish I did.

This is my strange take on the Marauder era, though this & Part 4 are technically Post-MWPP. I started writing this fic about a year or so before OoP came out, so it is definitely from that particular era. So, sorry if parts of the fic are utterly cliche now, but they weren't when I started this fic!

This fic will make absolutely no sense if you haven't read Parts 1 & 2. So, if you haven't already, go check them out, 'k? The Prologue's fun, while you're at it.

In this section, I send a couple characters to America in exile, where they have to adjust to a foreign culture. I know that reeks of Mary Sue-ism, but it's really not. I simply needed somewhere to send them, & the former colonial areas of Virginia seemed like cool wizarding areas to explore. Besides, the idea of Snape in a sub-par apartment complex was far too funny to pass up!

The Prequels make sense by themselves, but I think that it'd probably be better to go to my author page, start with my first fic, my Year 5 one, then work your way back through the prequels. That's what several of my readers tell me is the easiest way to understand everything off the bat is. But, if you like a little mystery, read on! All will most definitely be revealed...

Sorry if Parts 3 & 4 aren't posted up here or finished when you get to them; I'm working backwards from my Year 5. So eventually, I guess you'll end up there with unanswered questions!

Please don't forget the lovely Review button at the bottom of your screen...

Chapter 1

A narrow beam of light shone through tightly closed curtains, waking up Isabelle. She instinctively rolled over and pulled the covers over her head to sleep a little longer. Suddenly, the previous night's events flooded her mind and she sat up, alarmed. She jumped up, looking wide-eyed at her surroundings.

She stood in a small, rectangular stone room. A brightly burning fire roared in the fireplace, taking away the late fall chill. Beside the bed sat a small portable crib that contained a peacefully sleeping Gracie. Not wanting to disturb the baby, she quietly crept to a table set up in the corner with various snacks and drinks. She grabbed a glass of pumpkin juice and a piece of toast, settling in front of the fire.

Before she could fully wake up to wonder what was going on, a herd of feet stampeded past her. Loud, joyous voices filtered through the heavy door, but Isabelle couldn't make out a single word anyone said. Frustrated, she returned to staring at the fire.

Early this morning, around three thirty, Severus snuck the three of them into the castle using a secret entrance that Isabelle suggested. Using the cover of night, they crept to Dumbledore's office, where he was surprised to see them, at the very least. After hearing their story, he led the girls to a room where they could rest. Then, he and Severus disappeared, and haven't been back yet.

She didn't know how long she had sat on the rug when she heard a series of clicks. An extremely somber looking Professor Dumbledore walked into the room. When his eyes met hers, she instantly knew that something was horribly wrong.

"What is it?" she asked tensely.

He smiled kindly at the teenager. Ever since her first day at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore had had a soft spot for Isabelle Evans. No matter what she did, he knew that she possessed a truly gentle and caring spirit. Which is why he turned a blind eye to most of her pranks and wild behavior.

"Well," he began in soothing tone, "there was a Death Eater attack last night."

She frowned. "But, I know that. Mr. Snape saved us from the attack."

"Yes, and no. A group of Death Eaters was about to attack your house to kill you and little Grace, when they heard about the results of another attack. They got scared, and left."

"Where was the other attack?" She closed her eyes tightly. Professor Dumbledore put his hand over hers.

"Your sister Lily's house." He heard her sharp gasp, and paused for a second before continuing. "Lord Voldemort found the location of the Potters' house, and killed Lily and James."

"What about Harry?" she asked in a tight voice, blankly staring at the fire.

"Miraculously, he survived." He briefly explained as much of the events of the previous night as he knew, firmly believing that she needed to know the whole truth. When he finished, she nodded tensely.

"And Sirius?"

"The Ministry of Magic took him into custody about an hour ago. They're questioning him now."

Isabelle's head whipped around. "Questioning him? For what?"

"For betraying the Potters to Lord Voldemort," Professor Dumbledore said quietly.

"Betraying?" she repeated. "He wasn't the Secret-Keeper, I swear. It was Peter Pettigrew. I was there when they performed the charm."

"Unfortunately, Peter won't be able to confirm or deny your story." He told her about how Sirius attacked and murdered Peter in broad daylight, killing several Muggles in the process.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius may be a bit of a loose cannon, but he would never hurt innocent people. He's being set up by Peter to take the fall for my family's deaths," she said emphatically.

"Hmm," he mused. "Your story is identical to Sirius'. Very interesting."

"It's not interesting. It's the truth!" she said loudly, waking up the baby. She rushed over to a crying Grace and picked her up. "Shhh, everything's alright."

The professor's eyes twinkled as he watched Isabelle interact with the toddler. They were both very bright and promising children, and didn't deserve to have their lives ruined because of the events of one night. But, he thought sadly, life is not always fair.

"If you're sure of what you're saying, I'll go speak to John Thompson and try to arrange a trial," Dumbledore said carefully.

"A trial? You can't mean that Mr. Crouch is sending Sirius to Azkaban without a trial! That's illegal."

"I wish it were," he shook his head sadly. "I can't make you any promises Isabelle, other than I'll make sure you, Grace and Harry are well taken care of no matter what happens."

"Thank you for that kindness, Professor Dumbledore," she said politely, but sincerely.

He nodded, and left the room quietly. Isabelle fed and dressed the baby, mentally and emotionally unable to process what she had just heard. She couldn't scream, get angry, or even cry – she felt completely numb.

-----

Severus nervously paced up and down Professor Dumbledore's office. A tight knot formed in his stomach as he waited for his former headmaster to return from the Ministry of Magic headquarters. Instinctively, he knew that his future depended on this meeting. He tried to sit down more than once, but had too much nervous energy to stay still. When the older wizard appeared in the fireplace and walked into the room, he was actually relieved. No matter what happened to him, at least the waiting was over.

"Good evening, Severus," he said pleasantly, offering him a chair beside the fire.

"Good evening, Professor," he managed to choke out in reply.

Instead of sitting behind his desk, as was his custom, Professor Dumbledore pulled up a chair to the fire and sat across from the young man. He studied his former student carefully. Although he had heard all of the rumors and whisperings that Severus Snape was among Lord Voldemort's followers, he didn't actually believe them until the young wizard showed up in his office with the girls.

"How was your meeting with the Minister of Magic?" Severus asked, trying to make conversation.

"Unproductive." He shook his head sadly. "John Thompson is absolutely convinced that Sirius Black is Lord Voldemort's second-in-command. He's so embarrassed that he supposedly let such a high-ranking Death Eater run the Intelligence Division of the Ministry, that he's not even entertaining the notion of a trial."

"I see."

"Severus, was Sirius Black a Death Eater?"

He couldn't lie. "Not that I knew of. Honestly, he had no reason to turn to Voldemort, unless it was jealousy of James. Maybe he wanted to get back at him because his life fell apart at the seams while James became even more successful and happy."

"May I ask a personal question?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"Sure," he answered, swallowing nervously.

"Why did you turn to Lord Voldemort, Severus?" The older wizard actually looked hurt that one of his former students would turn to evil.

"My wife." He took a deep breath. "She contracted a rare heart disease that required a great deal of medical attention. Her family and I have never gotten along, so I didn't feel comfortable asking them for money to pay her medical bills. Voldemort needed a potions master, and I needed money. Simple as that. I never really agreed with his political philosophies, but once you're a Death Eater, pretty much the only way out is death. Also, he protected me from my in-laws and their never-ending quest to send me to Azkaban."

"I didn't know that you're married," Professor Dumbledore said, quite surprised.

"I'm not." His face fell. "The Ministry found out that she married a Death Eater. So, if she stayed with me, she would've been sent to Azkaban as a political prisoner. I didn't want her to suffer, so I divorced her. The whole situation went away quietly, and she remarried a few years later."

"To Sirius Black," he finished with a knowing twinkle in his eyes. Severus nodded.

"He and James both blame me for Regina's death. But, I swear that I never would have done anything to hurt her."

"Or her daughter, the poor child. Her mother's dead, and her father's suddenly the most notorious criminal in recent history. Not to mention Isabelle, who's lost everyone she cares about. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what to do with them."

"Well, it's not fair for the baby to live with the stigma of Black being in prison," Severus said compassionately in spite of his hatred for Sirius. "Or, the Evans girl, for that matter. They'll be social outcasts."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. "I agree. Harry will be able to live a fairly normal life, as opposed to the girls. So, I am going to send him to his Aunt Petunia's house to live amongst Muggles until he's old enough to come to Hogwarts. Then, he'll be mature enough to understand what happened to his family."

"Muggles?" Severus wrinkled his nose. "But, they won't have a clue about—"

"Precisely. Which means that they'll treat him like a normal child, not the Boy Who Lived. That's a lot of emotional baggage for such a little boy. Hagrid's supposed to bring Harry to his aunt's house tonight, and there he will grow up."

"Are you sending the Evans girl there, too? To go to Muggle school?" The professor smiled internally. Throughout this conversation, he'd been testing the young wizard to see where his loyalties truly lay. And, he discovered to his surprise that they were to a woman who died years ago, but whose legacy still remained in his heart.

Perhaps those loyalties could be bent to include someone else, he mused, deciding to propose a mutually beneficial deal with Severus.

The Death Eater would have everything to gain by accepting his offer – an acceptable way to leave Lord Voldemort's service, employment, and most of all, a family. Yes, he thought, this arrangement could work nicely.

"I could," Professor Dumbledore said noncommittally. "But, I understand that Isabelle and her sister Petunia have never gotten along, which is how she came to live with Lily in the first place. And, it's unfair to ask Isabelle to turn her back on her own culture and return to the Muggle world after living as a witch for so long."

"So, are you going to have her come back to school here, then? Under some sort of alias?"

"If I did that, she would still have to live with the knowledge that everyone blames her own guardian for her sister's death. I don't think that's a healthy environment for her."

"Probably not," Severus agreed.

Professor Dumbledore changed the subject slightly. "It'll be difficult for you as well, won't it? Most employers aren't willing to give the benefit of the doubt to former Death Eaters, even thought Lord Voldemort is thought to be dead."

"Yeah, that's true," he said quietly, looking out of the window.

"Most," the older wizard repeated. "I believe everyone makes mistakes, and deserves a second chance. If you could somehow prove your trustworthiness, I'm sure I could find you suitable employment somewhere."

Severus' face whipped around with eyes full of hope. "Oh, I'm trustworthy, I swear. I'll do anything to prove it to you."

"Anything?" His face broke into a grin. "In that case, I have a little proposal for you. If you take Isabelle to America, and personally ensure that she becomes a fully qualified witch, I'll find you a job."

"Me? Raise a teenage girl?" All the color drained from his face.

"I didn't say it would be easy. And Isabelle is a little, oh, how shall I say this, high-spirited. She's a handful and a half. But, you've lived in American culture and can help her acclimate to new surroundings. She needs adult guidance. So, is this arrangement agreeable to you?"

Severus stared into the fireplace, thinking. He had zero experience with children, especially teenage girls. The concept of parenting was completely foreign to him. However, he needed a job, and without Professor Dumbledore's help, he didn't stand a chance of finding one.

And, he knew this young girl was the reason that Black didn't move to New York all of those years ago. Part of him despised Sirius for always choosing Isabelle above Regina when push came to shove. She deserved better than to play second best to a child. What better way to get revenge on Sirius than to take away what he loved most – the children?

"Yes, I'll do it," he said resolutely. "What's to become of the baby?"

"Like Harry, I plan to put her in a Muggle foster home. But, I think that if her identity remains hidden, she will be able to come to Hogwarts and live a fairly normal life."

"How do you plan to do that? She's the most photographed baby in the world."

"With a Fidelius Charm to protect both girls' true identities from the world. It's better for them if we let the rumors that Isabelle Evans and Grace Black died last night continue. That way, they can begin new lives with a clean slate."

Severus nodded. "Who do you plan to choose as a Secret-Keeper?"

"You."

"Oh."

"Yes, I believe that we should perform the spell now. That way, the children can take supervised walks around the castle. I'm sure they have cabin fever by now. Also, I need to explain everything to Isabelle, and the sooner, the better."

Professor Dumbledore smiled internally as he quickly performed the Fidelius Charm. Deep in his heart, he knew that Severus and Isabelle would get along just fine.

-----

Hidden by the Invisibility Cloak, Isabelle quietly plodded along the familiar road towards Number Four, Privet Drive. Thankfully, Professor Dumbledore left her to her thoughts, and let her follow him silently. He concentrated instead on putting up anti-Muggle detection security measures, in case Hagrid decided to bring Harry to Privet Drive in an unusual, magical way. And knowing Hagrid, he wouldn't consider the impact of his actions on the Muggle population, so the more secure the environment, the better.

Isabelle blinked back tears. Just a short hour ago, she said her goodbyes to Gracie, which nearly tore her heart to shreds. The little girl was smart as a whip, and it didn't take long for her to figure out what was going on. Isabelle wanted to rip her out of Severus' arms and run away with her. Although she knew that Professor Dumbledore would make sure that she was provided for, she wished that she could raise the little girl herself. But, everyone agreed that Isabelle needed to make a clean break, a chance to have a 'normal' youth.

Whatever that is, she thought glumly. What about my life has ever been 'normal'?

She demanded to be able to say goodbye to Harry, and she planned to spend the night looking after him until Petunia woke up and discovered him. What if he woke up and was scared, or lonely?

Isabelle adored her nephew, and couldn't bear for him to endure the same neglect that she suffered at the hands of Petunia. But, Professor Dumbledore promised that Harry would have somewhere decent to sleep, food and clothing. Most importantly, Harry would be taught to speak English, and would go to school. No running around half-wild, confused and people-shy; he deserved much better than that.

She tuned out Professor Dumbledore's conversation with Professor McGonagall as they waited for Hagrid to arrive. The last thing she wanted to hear was a reminder that her family was dead, something she still hadn't processed yet. In fact, Dumbledore worried about the fact that she still hadn't reacted at all. Eventually, she would crack, and he feared that she would have a complete breakdown.

Which is why he allowed her to accompany him to the Dursley's house. Perhaps seeing Harry one last time would bring some finality and closure to the situation. Or, at least make it real to her.

Suddenly, Hagrid appeared in the night sky, riding Sirius' motorcycle. At least, Isabelle thought that it was Sirius'; she didn't know anyone else who charmed a motorcycle to fly. She allowed herself a small grin, remembering all the fights he used to have with Regina over it.

They became legendary, and Isabelle rather looked forward to them. For once, Sirius defied the great and powerful Regina, and it was a great show. He would huff and puff about how the bike is perfectly safe, and she would scream about how he was going to make a widow out of her. Eventually, one of them would storm off somewhere and brood. It was almost a ritual of sorts.

Personally, Isabelle didn't see what the big deal about the motorcycle was. So what if he was reckless, impulsive and generally unpredictable? To her thinking, that could get him killed just as easily on the ground as in the air. Or get him sent to Azkaban, she thought with a shudder. She quickly pushed thoughts of Sirius in prison out of her mind, and focused on Harry.

She impatiently waited for Hagrid to say his goodbyes to the little boy. Considering that he would see him again at Hogwarts, she didn't know why he was so torn up about it. He wasn't saying goodbye to her beloved sister's baby forever. Finally, the giant climbed back onto the motorcycle, and rode off into the night, presumably to take the bike back to Sirius.

Professor Dumbledore didn't quite have the heart to tell him that Sirius was in prison, and probably would be for the remainder of his life. Hagrid was emotional enough; that knowledge would likely send him into a frenzy. Better for him to find out in a non-Muggle environment, he decided.

Isabelle tapped her foot as Professor McGonagall left to attend the parties. She regretted that she couldn't say goodbye to her and the girls. Over the past few years, she had grown incredibly fond of the McGonagall family, and would miss them terribly.

She watched Dumbledore walk up the stairs of the Dursleys' house, and place him gently on the porch. He turned, and she lowered the hood of the Invisibility Cloak. Isabelle rushed up the stairs, kneeling beside a peacefully sleeping Harry.

"I want to stay with him tonight," she said, without looking up. "I'll sneak back to Hogwarts in the morning. You have my word."

The old wizard smiled, knowing that she would keep her promise. Besides, it was a good idea for Harry to have company throughout the night. So, he simply nodded, and headed back to the castle.

Isabelle watched his retreating form briefly, and then turned her attention to Harry. She smoothed his hair with her hand, fighting the urge to giggle when his hair flattened for a second, only to stick back up again. The lightning-bolt shaped scar fascinated her, primarily because she wondered why the Killing Curse didn't work.

Unlike the rest of the wizarding population, she refused to believe that something purely miraculous kept Harry alive. Thanks to the Fidelius Charm, she could freely move about the castle all day, and what she heard amazed her. The students spoke of Harry as if he was some messianic figure, born to deliver them from Voldemort's terror.

Not only was that sacrilege to Isabelle's Catholic values, it just didn't make logical sense. So, she racked her brain, trying to figure out what really happened while she watched Harry sleep. Around three o'clock in the morning, the answer hit her. In Lily's last letter, one of the charms was the Declino Charm – the Deflecting Charm.

She must've deflected the Killing Curse back onto Voldemort, Isabelle thought. But, perhaps it hit Lily as well, killing her and Voldemort both. The more she pondered the idea, the more convinced she became that that was what happened. But, why would Voldemort want to kill Harry first?

Before she could think about that question, Harry stirred restlessly. To keep him from crying, Isabelle began softly singing an Irish lullaby she learned from her nanny.

Over in Killarney
Many years ago,
Me Mither sang a song to me
In tones so sweet and low.
Just a simple little ditty,
In her good ould Irish way,
And l'd give the world if she could sing
That song to me this day.

Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry!
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby.

Harry yawned and smiled in his sleep upon hearing Isabelle's familiar voice. Encouraged, she finished the lullaby and continued singing to the toddler. The first rays of sun peeked over the horizon, reminding her that very soon, he would be taken away from her, presumably forever. Deeply distressed and saddened, she chose a song to match her mood.

Oh Harry boy, she changed the words to the familiar tune,
the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Harry boy, oh Harry boy, I love you so.

And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

The front door suddenly swung open. Petunia stared at the baby for a minute in shock, the milk bottles limply dangling from her hand. Dazed, she removed the letter from Harry's fist and skimmed it briefly. She dropped the note and screeched loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear. Isabelle's ears rang from the noise.

"Petunia, what on earth is going on?" came Vernon's voice from the living room.

"I-it's my sis-sister's b-baby," she stuttered, causing her husband to rush to the front door. His beefy face turned beet red at the mere sight of the little boy, and he roughly grabbed the letter off the porch.

"Well, seems we have no choice but to take in the brat," he said angrily.

"Hopefully he isn't one of her kind." Petunia whispered the last two words.

"Why wouldn't he be?" Vernon spat. "Look at who his parents are. Hmm, it looks like both of your sisters died in the attack."

"Good riddance, if you ask me."

Tears stung Isabelle's eyes. She knew there was no love lost between she and Petunia, but to actually hear her say that she was glad that she and Lily died broke her heart. Much as she despised her oldest sister, she would never delight in her death.

It took all of her self-control not to take Harry and run. How could they not want him? He was such a sweetheart. She winced watching Petunia pick up his carrier and take him inside as if he was an alien life being. The door slammed, and just like that, Harry was gone. Shattered, Isabelle turned to go back to Hogwarts to begin her new life, finishing the song as she went.

And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

I will come back for you Harry, she vowed, giving Privet Drive one last glance before jumping on the Knight Bus to Hogsmeade.

-----

Severus shifted the baby in his arms, and knocked on the door of a rather large, well kept home in a nice, quiet neighborhood. A young woman, perhaps a couple of years older than him, opened the door and invited him in. Her eyes lit up when she saw the little girl, who simply stared at the woman in response.

"Good evening," he echoed her greeting, looking around the home.

It appeared to be beautifully furnished and clean. Much as he hated Sirius, he didn't want Regina's daughter to be neglected or abused in any way. He owed that much to her. When he carried little Grace into the living room, a nervous-looking man stood up to shake his hand. Severus put the baby down to let her explore her new home, and accepted a cup of tea from the woman, a Mrs. Granger, if he remembered correctly.

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice," Severus said, taking a sip from the cup.

"No, thank you," Mrs. Granger said gratefully. "We've been trying to have a child for years, and recently found out that we can't have children at all. And our first few attempts at adoption failed miserably, and – please forgive me. I'm babbling."

He waved his hand dismissively. "It's quite alright. Just so that you understand, this isn't an outright adoption, more like a permanent foster placement. My—er—agency wants to reserve the right to remove the child from your home in the event that this is no longer a suitable environment for her."

"We understand, sir. We're just happy to have her," Mr. Granger replied.

"Could you tell us a little bit about her and her family?" his wife asked. Severus nodded, and thought for a minute.

"Her medical information is in this paperwork," he held up a folder, "but I'm guessing that's not exactly what you wanted to know. Her mother was an artist, and an extremely good one at that."

He paused, trying to think of something decent to say about Sirius, but was drawing a complete blank. "Her father was a civil servant. He worked for the government."

There, he thought, immensely proud of himself for managing not to insult Sirius.

"Are her parents alive or dead?" Mrs. Granger inquired quietly.

"I'd rather not say," he answered honestly. "But, neither of her parents are able to care for her any longer. Is there anything else that you'd like to know?"

"Yes. What does she go by?"

As Severus opened his mouth to answer her, he suddenly realized that he had his revenge on Sirius. Finally, he would know what it felt like to lose everything that he loved. And now, he had the opportunity to twist the knife. He smiled internally.

"Hermione. She goes by her first name," he lied, fully knowing how much Sirius hates that name.

"How unusual," Mrs. Granger mused, playing with the baby.

"It's from the Shakespeare play The Winter's Tale. Her mother loved Shakespeare. The name means good luck," Severus explained.

"You knew her mother then?" she asked.

"Yes, I knew both of her parents. And, I'm sure that they would be pleased that she's been placed in a good home," he said, standing up to leave.

The couple smiled, thrilled to pieces with the toddler, who was being surprisingly quiet. Usually she was a chatterbox, but she hadn't really said much since she left Isabelle earlier that evening. He said goodbye to the Grangers, walking out into the cool night air.

As the door shut behind him, he smiled ironically. He truly enjoyed being the person who severed Sirius' parental ties to his daughter. For all intents and purposes, Grace Black really was dead, transformed into a little girl named Hermione Granger.