Disclaimer: All these characters are JK rowlings, im not smart enough to
make any of them up.
Severus Snape surveyed the scarlet train with distaste. It was the train that would take him to Hogwarts, the English school for witches and wizards. Severus was starting his second year there, and was not looking forward to it. He hated being in Slytherin, with no one to talk to but Lucius Malfoy, a pureblooded, conceited pale-faced wizard. And then of course there was James Potter, who seemed only to exist to make Severus' life miserable.
Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew. What a team. They were all in Gryffindor, and the biggest troublemakers in the world. They lived to tease Severus, especially Black. And then, as if they knew Severus was thinking about them, James Potter and Sirius Black came running through the barrier on the muggle side, followed by a black-haired girl Severus had never seen before.
She had blue eyes, and was extremely pretty. She said something to Potter, who laughed and answered back. She gazed at Black looking scared. Black nodded. She ran off, looking frightened beyond her wits, while potter and Black laughed.
Severus boarded the train with a feeling of pain, and set off for Hogwarts.
Later that Night.
Severus hadn't been paying much attention to the sorting. He found it all very boring, aside the fact that the hat had a new song. He didn't even look up until he heard,
"Potter, Rachael!"
It was the girl from the train. He realized with a sinking feeling that she was James' little sister.
"Great," he muttered to Lucius, "just what I need-another Potter."
Potter's sister sat on the stool for about half a minute before the hat called out,
"Gryffindor!"
Potter's sister went over and joined Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, and James' girlfriend (Severus thought she had lost her marbles- James Potter?), Lily Riley. Rachael looked as though she would fit right in.
Still, Severus couldn't get over how pretty she was, even for a Potter.
(A/N: Okay, we have now jumped 8 years into the future, two years after Heather Potter graduates from Hogwarts. This part will switch views, so watch out. ***means the story has switched views. Back to the story.)
Rachael Potter was lucky. After graduating Hogwarts, she had been able to find an Auror to train her as an apprentice-her brother, James Potter. He was an Auror of three years, with lots of experience. She felt honored to be learning under him.
Rachael had a small flat just outside of London, near James'. This made it easy for them to get together. They usually got along really well, but not today.
"D*mn it, James! You are not going to that thing alone! I am going with you whether you want me to or not!"
"You are not going with me! It's too dangerous! You could be killed!"
"Oh, I see now," said Rachael sarcastically.
"See what?" replied James, just as, if not more, sarcastically.
"It's okay for you to die, but not me. That makes perfect sense, brother dear!"
"No! That's not it! I'm not planning on dieing-I just have more experience than you, and-
"So? You are not going to go off and get yourself killed! What about Lily, huh? Or have you friggin forgotten that you're engaged?"
This was the last straw for James. "You are not going, and that's final! No leave and.just go!"
"D*mn you.mother." Rachael burst out of James' apartment, leaving him staring after her. D*mn you, too Rachael, he thought, d*mn you too.
***
Severus Snape was not quite as lucky. True, he had a paying job, but now where near as well paying as, oh, say, an Auror would be. He had a job other that his job at the potions shop in Diagon Alley; a very important job, in fact.
After graduating Hogwarts, Severus joined the evil Dark wizard named Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters to please his father. The Snape family was traditionally very involved with the Dark Arts, and Severus had been expected to "uphold the family honor", or something like that, anyway.
But Severus soon realized that being a Death Eater was not for him. So, only a year or so after joining the ranks of the Death Eaters, Severus went to see Dumbledore. Dumbledore told him that he could turn spy against Voldemort and work for the other side. Severus knew it was dangerous work, but he didn't care. What did he have to live for? He had no real friends, his parents could have cared less about him, and he didn't have a girlfriend, but he didn't mind that. Who would go out with an idiot like himself?
But at the moment, Severus could have cared less about all that. In fact, he had something else weighing heavily on his mind. Something crucial to his survival; for if he failed, Voldemort would surely kill him.
Severus had to go to Knockturn Alley and fight a load of Aurors that were showing up there. Voldemort knew this, of course, not from Severus, but from other spies he had, which was one of the reasons his job was so dangerous. If one of the spies found out he was a spy.Severus shuddered. He didn't even want to think about what Voldemort would do to him.
Severus was worried he would actually harm one of the Aurors; he had killed someone before, and even though he deeply regretted it, he would do it again if tempted. Imperius and Cruciatus, too. He had learned that when people messed with Death Eaters they usually ended up dead, if not worse (DEMENTORS). Being a Death Eater required that you used these curses on a daily basis. Experienced Death Eaters performed the Unforgivable Curses as though they were doing a simple Levitating Charm. It was all very frightening to Severus, who got this awful feeling of guilt every time he used one of these awful curses.
Just then, an owl came through the window. It was from Dumbledore; it had the Hogwarts Crest.
Severus,
I know that you are going to the "fight" on Sunday with the Death Eaters, and I have some instructions for you.
Firstly, after the fight, come directly to Hogwarts. Do not apparate to the door, that can be traced. Apparate instead to the middle of the forest. Do not worry nothing can hurt you. You will then walk the three-day hike to Hogwarts, where you shall remain indefinitely.
Secondly, you will quit your job at the store in Diagon Alley. I have come up with a solution to keep you at Hogwarts with Voldemort's permission. If he agrees, you will assume the position of Potions Master at the school, giving you an opportunity to be safe while seeming like a spy.
Good luck and be careful.
Professor A. Dumbledore
Head master of Hogwarts.
Severus stared at the letter with disbelief. Him? A teacher? If that's what Dumbledore wanted.but still. Him? A teacher? Unbelievable.
***
Rachael was fuming. How dare James speak to me like that! I can do whatever I want to do! For goodness sakes, I'm 18, not three! And he's my brother, not my father!
A smile began to appear on Rachael's face. James wasn't her father. He couldn't control her. She could-and would go with him, but the trick was to do it unseen.
Suddenly, the answer hit her. She would use her Invisibility Amulet. This amulet she had invented, and even though she hadn't tested it for very long periods of time, she was sure it would be fine. She could go unspotted by anyone. She wanted to know what this big secret was. All she knew was that it was is Knockturn Alley.
Sunday Night; 7:oo P.M.
Rachael slipped the amulet around her neck and slipped out of her flat. She saw James running down the street to the deserted alley nearby. She stealthily followed him. She heard him say the apparition spell, then heard a small pop! and he was gone. She quickly followed in suit.
She arrived at Knockturn Alley and let out a soft gasp. She had turned around, there before her eyes.
Severus Snape surveyed the scarlet train with distaste. It was the train that would take him to Hogwarts, the English school for witches and wizards. Severus was starting his second year there, and was not looking forward to it. He hated being in Slytherin, with no one to talk to but Lucius Malfoy, a pureblooded, conceited pale-faced wizard. And then of course there was James Potter, who seemed only to exist to make Severus' life miserable.
Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew. What a team. They were all in Gryffindor, and the biggest troublemakers in the world. They lived to tease Severus, especially Black. And then, as if they knew Severus was thinking about them, James Potter and Sirius Black came running through the barrier on the muggle side, followed by a black-haired girl Severus had never seen before.
She had blue eyes, and was extremely pretty. She said something to Potter, who laughed and answered back. She gazed at Black looking scared. Black nodded. She ran off, looking frightened beyond her wits, while potter and Black laughed.
Severus boarded the train with a feeling of pain, and set off for Hogwarts.
Later that Night.
Severus hadn't been paying much attention to the sorting. He found it all very boring, aside the fact that the hat had a new song. He didn't even look up until he heard,
"Potter, Rachael!"
It was the girl from the train. He realized with a sinking feeling that she was James' little sister.
"Great," he muttered to Lucius, "just what I need-another Potter."
Potter's sister sat on the stool for about half a minute before the hat called out,
"Gryffindor!"
Potter's sister went over and joined Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew, and James' girlfriend (Severus thought she had lost her marbles- James Potter?), Lily Riley. Rachael looked as though she would fit right in.
Still, Severus couldn't get over how pretty she was, even for a Potter.
(A/N: Okay, we have now jumped 8 years into the future, two years after Heather Potter graduates from Hogwarts. This part will switch views, so watch out. ***means the story has switched views. Back to the story.)
Rachael Potter was lucky. After graduating Hogwarts, she had been able to find an Auror to train her as an apprentice-her brother, James Potter. He was an Auror of three years, with lots of experience. She felt honored to be learning under him.
Rachael had a small flat just outside of London, near James'. This made it easy for them to get together. They usually got along really well, but not today.
"D*mn it, James! You are not going to that thing alone! I am going with you whether you want me to or not!"
"You are not going with me! It's too dangerous! You could be killed!"
"Oh, I see now," said Rachael sarcastically.
"See what?" replied James, just as, if not more, sarcastically.
"It's okay for you to die, but not me. That makes perfect sense, brother dear!"
"No! That's not it! I'm not planning on dieing-I just have more experience than you, and-
"So? You are not going to go off and get yourself killed! What about Lily, huh? Or have you friggin forgotten that you're engaged?"
This was the last straw for James. "You are not going, and that's final! No leave and.just go!"
"D*mn you.mother." Rachael burst out of James' apartment, leaving him staring after her. D*mn you, too Rachael, he thought, d*mn you too.
***
Severus Snape was not quite as lucky. True, he had a paying job, but now where near as well paying as, oh, say, an Auror would be. He had a job other that his job at the potions shop in Diagon Alley; a very important job, in fact.
After graduating Hogwarts, Severus joined the evil Dark wizard named Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters to please his father. The Snape family was traditionally very involved with the Dark Arts, and Severus had been expected to "uphold the family honor", or something like that, anyway.
But Severus soon realized that being a Death Eater was not for him. So, only a year or so after joining the ranks of the Death Eaters, Severus went to see Dumbledore. Dumbledore told him that he could turn spy against Voldemort and work for the other side. Severus knew it was dangerous work, but he didn't care. What did he have to live for? He had no real friends, his parents could have cared less about him, and he didn't have a girlfriend, but he didn't mind that. Who would go out with an idiot like himself?
But at the moment, Severus could have cared less about all that. In fact, he had something else weighing heavily on his mind. Something crucial to his survival; for if he failed, Voldemort would surely kill him.
Severus had to go to Knockturn Alley and fight a load of Aurors that were showing up there. Voldemort knew this, of course, not from Severus, but from other spies he had, which was one of the reasons his job was so dangerous. If one of the spies found out he was a spy.Severus shuddered. He didn't even want to think about what Voldemort would do to him.
Severus was worried he would actually harm one of the Aurors; he had killed someone before, and even though he deeply regretted it, he would do it again if tempted. Imperius and Cruciatus, too. He had learned that when people messed with Death Eaters they usually ended up dead, if not worse (DEMENTORS). Being a Death Eater required that you used these curses on a daily basis. Experienced Death Eaters performed the Unforgivable Curses as though they were doing a simple Levitating Charm. It was all very frightening to Severus, who got this awful feeling of guilt every time he used one of these awful curses.
Just then, an owl came through the window. It was from Dumbledore; it had the Hogwarts Crest.
Severus,
I know that you are going to the "fight" on Sunday with the Death Eaters, and I have some instructions for you.
Firstly, after the fight, come directly to Hogwarts. Do not apparate to the door, that can be traced. Apparate instead to the middle of the forest. Do not worry nothing can hurt you. You will then walk the three-day hike to Hogwarts, where you shall remain indefinitely.
Secondly, you will quit your job at the store in Diagon Alley. I have come up with a solution to keep you at Hogwarts with Voldemort's permission. If he agrees, you will assume the position of Potions Master at the school, giving you an opportunity to be safe while seeming like a spy.
Good luck and be careful.
Professor A. Dumbledore
Head master of Hogwarts.
Severus stared at the letter with disbelief. Him? A teacher? If that's what Dumbledore wanted.but still. Him? A teacher? Unbelievable.
***
Rachael was fuming. How dare James speak to me like that! I can do whatever I want to do! For goodness sakes, I'm 18, not three! And he's my brother, not my father!
A smile began to appear on Rachael's face. James wasn't her father. He couldn't control her. She could-and would go with him, but the trick was to do it unseen.
Suddenly, the answer hit her. She would use her Invisibility Amulet. This amulet she had invented, and even though she hadn't tested it for very long periods of time, she was sure it would be fine. She could go unspotted by anyone. She wanted to know what this big secret was. All she knew was that it was is Knockturn Alley.
Sunday Night; 7:oo P.M.
Rachael slipped the amulet around her neck and slipped out of her flat. She saw James running down the street to the deserted alley nearby. She stealthily followed him. She heard him say the apparition spell, then heard a small pop! and he was gone. She quickly followed in suit.
She arrived at Knockturn Alley and let out a soft gasp. She had turned around, there before her eyes.