Prologue

Unknown P.O.V

a beautiful woman stood on the corner of a dark street, her red hair billowing behind her from the light breeze. She jumped in fright as she heard a noise behind her and whipped around, her one free hand on her wand, ready to pull it out and use it within seconds. She froze as she spotted the familiar shape of the one she was waiting for. Letting out a breath of relief she put her wand away and walked towards the figure.

"Severus, you came" she breathed happily, relief rushing through her at the sight of him. The tall, dark haired man raised an eyebrow "yes I came, Lily what is this about?" He asked confusion in his voice. Lily looked at the bundle in her arms; a small child lay in her arms, sleeping peacefully with her head against her mother's shoulder. "Severus, I need to ask a favor of you" Lily said simply, starting to get nervous about his reaction.

She watched as he seemed skeptical of the girl that lay asleep in her arms, but he nodded slightly "what do you need?" He asked, although he had a suspicious feeling of what the favor was. Lily took a deep breath before plunging into the fray "I need you to take her" she said, indicating the girl in her arms. Severus stiffened "Lily you can't possibly think I'm the one for this! There are better people out there!" He exclaimed.

Lily sighed "there may be people who are better suited for this, but Severus; I don't trust many other people, your one of the few people I trust at this point. Please, take her for the love of Christ. Believe it or not but James agreed to this almost immediately!" She said in a moment of panic, thinking that he was going to refuse and she would have to find someone else that she didn't trust as much.

Severus sighed before speaking the next words that would change his life "I'll do it Lily, for you" he said, making it clear that he didn't care about James approval or not, he only cared about Lily's. Lily let out a shaky breath of relief "thank you Severus" she said as she moved closer to him. She hesitated for a second before she gave him a hug, being careful of the girl that rested in her arms. Severus hugged her back as he thought about what was going to happen, he was probably going to regret this but there was no turning back now.

Lily pulled back and jumped to explaining "You don't have to worry about at night, she already sleeps through the night" she said, in a hope that it would make the situation better, considering the circumstances. Severus chuckled softly "well that's good to know" he said, a bit amused as he looked at the child, she looked to be about two to three years old. "How old is she?" He asked he would need that to keep track of how many years. Lily smiled softly "She's turning two on July 31st" she said. Severus filed that information away, her birthday and age.

"What about her name?" He asked, not expecting Lily to stiffen up and tears to spring to her eyes. "She'll need a new one, I can't have her in danger and her name will do just that, for others might make connections." she said softly, kissing her daughters head gently as she shifted her around, before handing her over to Severus. Severus nearly cringed as he took the girl; he adjusted her in his arms so that she was settled like she had been on her mother. "She must be a heavy sleeper" he mused softly.

Lily nodded, holding back tears. Severus could see how much this was paining Lily, by the way she trailed her hand through her daughters hair and down the girls back, and the way her voice wavered when she spoke. "Look after her Severus, please make sure she doesn't get hurt" Lily said softly, looking up into Severus's eyes before she gave her daughter one last kiss on the head and turned on the spot to apparate out.

She left Severus alone with the girl; Severus stared down at the girl, her jet black hair cascading down her back. He curled his lip slightly, it reminded him to much of James, he shook away the thought and turned on his heal, apparating to his home, keeping a strong hold on the girl to make sure that nothing happened to her. Once they arrived Snape walked through his house till he reached the spare room that was down the hall from his. He slipped inside and got out his wand. Adding a bed, changing the color of the walls and adding anything that was needed for a young girl.

After settling the girl on the- her bed and putting the blanket over her, Severus left the room, thinking of what to call her. He was still thinking when he passed by an old family photo, he turned his head and stared as two of the names stood out. Selena and Ana. He smiled after a few moments of thinking and settling on a name. "Welcome home my dear Selana." He murmured as he looked back at the room where she was asleep. He flicked his wand once again and her new name appeared on the door. Selana Snape...

~ Somewhere in London ~

A tall, dark haired and handsome man stood in the shadows of a building, holding a young, red haired boy in his arms. The man looked around like he was expecting someone, and, in truth, he was. Hearing the sharp crack of someone apparating nearby he turned around, raising his wand in the process in case it was someone who wasn't exactly friendly to him or his son. He relaxed as he spotted his old friend; the very one he was waiting for.

"Remus!" He said, relief in his voice, but he made sure not to raise his voice to high, as he didn't want anyone nearby to know. Remus came up, his eyes curious, wondering why his friend had called him here at this late of an hour. "James, what is it?" For a second alarm flared in Remus's eyes "Is Lily hurt? Are the kids..." he trailed off as he saw the boy in James arms, his alarm fading to be replaced with confusion once again.

"James, what is he doing here?" Remus asked quietly, one eyebrow raised in question. James shifted his arms to move his son into a more comfortable position. "Remus, both Lily and I agree that our home isn't safe. We're putting our kids into safe homes" he said quietly, fidgeting slightly. Remus blinked at his words "and what does this have to do with me?" He asked, although he was already suspecting what James was getting to.

"Remus, I want you to take him" he said suddenly, his eyes staring into Remus's, he could see the doubt and fear in them. Remus raised in his hands and backed up a little bit "But James, you know what I am, I'll be putting the boy in more danger than ever!" He exclaimed. James sighed "Remus, please, I don't know who else to turn to, Sirius might be taking Harry, you're the only other person that I would trust with one of my sons" James said softly, looking at the boy who had his mothers red hair and his father's blue eyes.

Remus sighed and ran a hand through his hair, thinking about what he was about to do and what he could do before he answered "I guess I can work something out" he said skeptically. James smiled, relief showing clearly in his eyes before slight amusement crept in "if you can turn him into an animagus, he'll love that" James said softly, brushing his hand gently over his son's hair in a loving jester before he handed him over to Remus. Right before James apparated he spoke once more "oh and Remus, give him a new name, no one can connect him with being a Potter" James said before disappearing from site, followed by a loud crack.

Remus sighed and apparated himself, appearing with a small pop to his home that was out of the way of other homes. He went inside and went to the spare room he had in his small house, thinking to himself *good thing I lived here alone* as he used his wand to make the room into a bedroom for the young boy. Remus set the boy onto the bed and pulled the covers up to tuck them around the boy's chin. Remus then sat back and studied the boy for a few moments before smiling softly. "I know just what to call you. Nicolas Lupin" Remus said softly, his eyes soft before he exited the room.

He put a hand to his head and rubbed his temple "this will be a hard thing to handle but I'll always try my best, this is for Lily and James" he said to himself as he looked back at where the boy slept once again before he slipped into his room.