New Beginnings
Chapter 1
*DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the Harry Potter characters, only the ones I invented (Sun Snape, Isabelle Ridley etc). The story line is different; some characters do not die, others do...etc
It was the start of a new school year and the Golden Trio were ready to take on anything! Well, almost anything. It was their sixth year at Hogwarts and they had received their timetables. They had all their classes together. That was the good news. The bad news? They started with Potions. They walked to class silently and waited in the dungeons, for the classroom door to open. Instead of Snape opening the door, it was a lady. She had jet black, knee-length hair, ice-blue eyes and fairly pale skin. She wore all black and dark eyeliner, making her eyes pop. She wore a deep burgundy lipstick and her nails were painted the same colour. Hermione thought the woman looked beautiful, yet intimidating.
"Alright, students. Find your seats." She announced. "Not a word."
Hermione, Ron and Harry found their usual spots at the back of the classroom and took out their textbooks, just like Snape always told them to do. The lady looked over the desks to see if anyone was missing, then walked back to her desk. "I'm impressed." She said. "No one has asked where the Potions Master is." Hermione cautiously lifted up her hand. The woman looked straight at her and turned her back to Hermione, completely ignoring her. She sat at the desk and scrutinized the students. She was almost as creepy as the Potions Master, yet something about her glare seemed familiar. "I am Professor Sun Snape, the new Potions professor. You will treat me with the same amount of respect as you treated your last professor, if not more." She glared at Hermione for a brief moment, then continued speaking. " You won't be seeing Professor Snape very often, I'm afraid. He had some... buisiness to attend to away from the school." The class smiled slightly. "I know all of you from what I've heard. But those who aren't in Slyhterin, haven't met me yet." She sneered and Hermione couldn't help but feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "I am Professor Snape's twin sister. We are both gifted in Legilimency and mind-speak, if any of you, I suppose, step out of line... You will not be treated with any mercy. Is that clear?" She asked. The students nodded quickly. "Excellent. There shouldn't be any problems then." Hermione looked at the new professor with an odd look on her face. Snape was away? Since when did that happen? And why is his sister replacing him, when Slughorn could have taught instead? The day dragged on and Hermione was lost in thought, only listening to half of her lessons.
"Hermione, are you okay?" Ron asked. He had noticed that Hermione had been acting strangely and felt worried for his friend.
" I'm fine, Ron. I'm just trying to find out why Snape would have left the school. I mean, he's been teaching here for about 20 years now. You'd think he'd have stayed." Hermione answered.
" Oh, just let it go. " Ron said. " You should be glad he's gone! "
" Right. " She answered.
The next few weeks went by in a blur and suddenly the unexpected happened; Snape had returned. He barged into the Potions lesson one day, limping and looking quite disheveled. He looked surprised to see his sister there, but recovered quickly. She looked him over once and looked into his eyes in anticipation. He shook his head slowly and the lady's beautiful face wore a look of heavy desperation. He hobbled to his office and slammed the door. " As I was saying... " The teacher continued with the lesson as if nothing had happened.
" Harry? " Hermione whispered, while the teacher was speaking.
" Yeah? "
" Do you have your invisibility cloak with you? " she asked hopefully.
" Of course I do. I always keep it on me. " Harry whispered back.
" Could I borrow it? " Hermione asked.
" Sure. Here. " Harry handed her the bundle of soft material under the table. She took it and rested it in her lap. The class finished and Hermione stayed behind, pretending to put away her books. The teacher gave a quick look at the empty classroom, and made her way to the office. Hermione slipped on the cloak and followed her. She slipped through the door before it closed and tried not to make any sound. The teacher walked at a brisk paced, past the desk in the office to a black door near the back wall. Hermione followed her and slip past her when the door was open. She pressed herself against the wall so as not to be seen and let the professor walk by her. She opened another door and went through it. The thin corridor Hermione had stayed in was now completely dark. Hermione whispered Lumos, and her wand lit up. She looked around in amazement, the walls were covered in ingredients from floor to ceiling. She was in Snape's stores. She started reading some of the labels, but remembered what she was trying to do. She continued down the corridor, until she saw a green door. She tested and it was unlocked. She slowly opened it enough for her to get through and slipped in. She looked around and saw a roaring fire in the fireplace, bookshelves filled to the brim along every wall, potions bubbling along the back wall and a green chair with a high back which somewhat resembled a small throne. It looked quite comfortable, maybe a reading chair.
Focus! Hermione thought to herself. She scanned the room and saw another door slightly ajar in the back. Hermione walked towards it and pressed her ear against it. She heard two people talking. Bingo! She had found them. She slipped through the space in the door and stood against the wall. She saw Snape sitting in a chair with his sister bandaging his bleeding arm. There was a big chunk of flesh missing and you could almost see the bone. It was all Hermione could do to not throw up.
" How did you manage this, Severus? I thought you were going to visit Stella. " Snape's sister said. Not raising her eyes from her work.
" I was. But I ran into some trouble. " He answered.
" Obviously. " She said. He winced when she moved his arm. " Sorry."
Hermione looked closer and realized that Snape and his sister didn't have that much in common physically, but characteristically, they were identical.
" Alright your arm's done. That was the worst of it. I'm glad you came to see me instead of going to see that ridiculous Poppy Pomfrey. " She stated. She looked at her brother for a moment then asked the question Hermione could tell was bothering her. " What happened to Stella? "
Snape looked at his sister carefully, then bowed his head. " She's dead. "
A single tear rolled down her beautiful face and she nodded. " I thought so. "
Her brother held her hand in his free one. More tears streamed down her face as she silently cried. She sat in her brother's lap and cried against his chest. He held her as her body shook with grief. Hermione felt as though she were intruding and wanted to leave, but she needed to know... Who was Stella?
**Writer's note
So that was chapter 1. Lots more where that came from! Let me know what you think and if I should continue! I'll take idea requests for this one and maybe I'll choose a few!
Thanks,
-Sun :)