The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 1

"It is time – time for you to take your rightful place among us. You know what you must do."

"Yes Father, I am ready."

The two dark figures parted in two different Apparition spells.

The year is 1987. It is a new year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As students begin to flood in through the gates of the school, Scarlet Grindelwald watched them from the window of her quarters. As the students, laughed and smiling with excitement, she wondered what her first year as a teacher would bring. "I cannot lose sight of why I am here," She thought to herself.

That evening in the Hogwarts dining hall, the students were whispering among themselves as they noticed a new face at the teachers' table. Sitting next to Professor McGonagall, waiting patiently for the evening to commence, was a woman, dressed in a silver dress and black cloak, as her almost white wavy hair draped over her shoulders and pale blue eyes scanned the room, sat Scarlet Grindelwald. Considered the most beautiful creature that has ever existed – her reputation was as famous as that of her great-grandfather, Gellert Grindelwald.

Professor Dumbledore stood up from his seat and walked to the podium. His voice echoed through the hall, "Good evening to you all and welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. I trust that this year will be the best year this school has ever seen. Before we begin our glorious feast, I am sure you have all noticed that there is a change among the staff sitting at this table. I am also sure that you are all wondering why. I would like to call upon our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Scarlet Grindelwald to address the change that has been made. Professor."

Has Dumbledore stepped aside, Professor Grindelwald took to the podium. "Thank you Headmaster Dumbledore. Good evening. You should all be aware of my family's history by now; from the shortcomings of my great-grandfather to the redemption of my grandfather and father. Professor Dumbledore has asked me to take on this position and I assure you that I intend to see it through. What I do request from all of you is to look past my family history and to understand that for three generations my family has made an amicable effort to correct the mistakes of Gellert Grindelwald. We may share the same family name, however, we differ in heart. I myself attended this school, as did my brother before me and my father before him. The best years of my childhood were spent in the corridors of this castle. I hope that you will take everything you can from your time here at Hogwarts. Thank you."

As Scarlet sat back down on the left of the table while she was given a round of applause, she looked over to find Severus Snape staring at her with a cold gaze in his eyes. She smirked as she looked away.

"Let the feast commence!" Dumbledore announced.

Snape sat, staring at the woman on the other side of the table. As much as he tried his Legilimency did not work which meant only one thing – she too was a Legilimen. Irritation washed over the professor. Now there was no way to know what the real reason was for her presence at the school. Scarlet, still feeling his gaze on her, looked back at him with a smile. This boiled his blood even more. He remembers her as the quiet girl who was two years behind him. She would sit in a corner reading, trying to avoid any interaction with others. The only interaction between her and other students would be when they would tease her or try to provoke her. As a boy, Snape pitied the girl; however, as an adult, his feelings could only be described in one word: distrust.

After the feast it was time for the students to return to their dormitories and for the teachers to patrol the castle to make sure that every student was where they should be. The teachers split up in opposite directions. Scarlet walked through the corridors remembering her days at the school. The conversations she would have with the paintings and the skills she learned. Of course none of her peers who would come near her; all but one. Lily Evens, became her mentor and friend. They were never seen out in the open conversing and interacting as Lily was in Gryffindor and Scarlet in Slytherin. Scarlet was lost in thought when she felt a presence walking towards her. She stopped as a dark figure stood before her, only but an arm's length from her. She looked up to find a dark haired, pale Severus standing before her. "Good evening Professor Snape, I trust you have covered your part of the castle?" she said with a smirk. Snape stood still, only looking down at this creature. A few seconds passed, not one of them averting their gaze. Finally, Severus spoke, "I am watching you. Where ever you are be assured that I will know. Whatever it is you do, I will know when and where." Scarlets face relaxed, with a voice filled with disdain she replied, "On the contrary, it is I who am watching you, Professor. Good evening to you." Grindelwald sidestepped a stunned Snape and walked away.

"He knows I am one of them." She thought to herself as she entered her quarters and shut the door behind her. That night she wrote to her father:

Dear Father,

I have infiltrated the school. No one knows why I am here, no one but one. I have found him, however, he now knows my ability. He already knows my objective because of my family name. I have realized this mission will take longer than predicted. He is just as cold as I remember. He is the same if not more broken than he was when we were children. I suppose it has something to do with Lily's death. He seems to be keeping a keen eye on me. Snape has made multiple attempts to intimidate me. He will not break me. He underestimates me just as you said. It is time.

Your loving daughter,

Scarlet.