Snake and Wolf: Harkening Home

by Terion

{Sneak peek!} Thirteen years after Prophecy Bound. The twins are fifteen now and going into their fifth year at Hogwarts. Harry and Hermione’s eldest daughter is starting as a first year along with Draco and Ginny’s son and Ron and Amara’s twin so

Title: Snake and Wolf: Harkening Home

Author: Saerry Snape

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Anything that you know isn't in the books is mine, k?

Summary: Thirteen years after Prophecy Bound.  The twins are fifteen now and going into their fifth year at Hogwarts.  Harry and Hermione's eldest daughter is starting as a first year along with Draco and Ginny's son and Ron and Amara's twin son's.  Those at Hogwarts had better start praying…

Chapter 1

"Cassandra!  Cassandra!!"

"What is it, mum?"

Hermione Granger-Snape frowned at her eldest child and snapped, "Are you packed for tomorrow?"

"Yes, mum."

"Everything?"

Cassandra Snape rolled her eyes and said, "Yes, mother."

Hermione eyed her then said, "Alright," and vanished into the library.  Cassandra shook her head after her then ducked back into her room.  A second later there was a knock at her door.

"It's open!"

Harry Snape poked his head in and smiled when he saw his daughter.

"Cassie."

"You heard?"

"It's hard not to hear your mother."

"Yeah, I know," muttered Cassandra as she sat down on her bed.

Harry watched her for a moment then entered the room and sat down beside her.  They sat in silence for a few moments until Cassandra spoke again.

"Where's Nicholas and Sinead?"

"Off at Ron's with Evan, Alex, and Rebecca."

"That's not good."

"No, that's never good."

"And the twins?"

"Oh, they're here.  Last I heard Saerry was taking them outside for a game of three-player Quidditch."

Cassandra looked at her father and said, "And they didn't ask you?"

Harry smiled at her.  "I have work to do, Cassie.  Tomorrow we have to head up to Hogwarts, remember?"

"Yeah, I know.  That's what Mum was yelling at me about."

"Mmm."

"Where's Granddad?"

"At Hogwarts already.  He is the Headmaster, you know."

"I know."

"Anyway, I've got to get back to work on the silly lesson plan.  I don't know what your Granddad was thinking giving me the Defense job."

"That'd you'd do a good job," said Cassandra innocently.

Harry smiled and ruffled his daughter's black hair, earning a moan of protest.  "Maybe.  I actually think I'd rather be back playing Quidditch than teach."

"You'll do fine, Dad.  Besides, Mum won't let you play Quidditch until your injuries from the last game heal, remember?"

"I remember," grunted Harry, ruffling her hair again.  "And they're almost healed, thank you."

Cassandra poked him in the ribs and he winced.

"Yes.  They are healed, aren't they?"

Harry eyed her and rubbed his ribcage.

"Gods, sarcasm.  What shall be next – satire?"

"I'm working on it," said Cassandra with a grin.

"May Merlin help us all," muttered Harry then left the room.  Cassandra sat on her bed for a few moments after he had left then got up and pulled her Potions book from her trunk.

/…/…/…/…/…/…/

"Cassie!  Cassie!  Mione, go wake up Sin.  No, Sin, Mione!  I'll get Cassie.  CASSIE!!"

Harry entered his daughter's room and saw her slim figure sprawled across the bed, one foot poking out from under the blankets.  Smiling, he reached out and….

"DAD!!!"

"Up, my dear daughter!  Morning is here and it is time to go!"

"Hades, Dad, can't we wait one more hour?"

"No, because if we do that, we'll miss the train."

"You mean I'll miss the train," said Cassandra irritably, sitting up.

"Possibly.  Now, up!  I'll take your trunk downstairs."

"Okay, okay."

Harry smiled at her then grabbed her trunk and dragged it out into the hall.  Cassandra sat in her bed for a few moments then rose and got up, padding over her soft green carpet to the dresser.  She pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans and a black sweater she had nicked from her father's things.  Grabbing a hairclip, she moved over to her mirror to tie her hair back.

Cassandra looked very much like her father, great-aunt, and grandfather with her high cheekbones and pale skin.  She had gotten her father's rather aristocratic nose and her grandfather's thin mouth.  Her eyes were as black as her hair, which was rather frizzy, a trait she had gotten from her mother – the only trait she had gotten besides her love for books.

The mirror said, "You look wonderful, dear."

Cassandra finished pulling her shoulder length hair into a ponytail and said to the mirror, "Sure," before turning and walking out.

/…/…/…/…/…/…/

"Okay, where's the platform?"

"Cassie, calm down.  I told you, it's down by Platforms Nine and Ten."

"And where, pray tell, are they?"

"Cassie," said her father in a warning growl.

"Alright, alright."

"A touch less on the sarcasm, pet."

"Sorry."

"Oh, I don't mind you using sarcasm.  Your Granddad uses it all the time."

"Then why…?"

"Here we ar-reee!" cried Evan in a sing-song voice.

"Shut up, Evan."

"You, Alex."

"You."

"You."

"You."

"Yo…"

"Boys!"

"Sorry, Dad."

Ron Weasley shook his head and looked at Harry.  He asked, "How are you going to handle teaching these three?  Plus Dagon?  I don't pity your job, my friend."

Harry grinned and replied, "Very carefully.  They can't possibly be worse than we were, can they?"

"They can try."

"Please, Ron, I'm trying to be lighthearted here.  A little help would be…"

"Helpful?"

"Yes."

Ron laughed and clapped Harry on the back.

"Sorry, Harry.  Let's see, lighthearted….  Well, they probably won't all go off on brooms to go save a kidnapped friend."

"Ron."

"Oh.  Sorry."

"There's the platform!"  Nine-year-old Rebecca Weasley bounced up and down, tugging on her father's hand all the while.  "Look, Daddy!  The platform!"

"Yes, I see it, Becka.  Alex, Evan, stop fooling around.  We're almost there."

The twins immediately stopped but started pushing each other again a few minutes later.  Ron sighed and said, seemingly to the sky, "I don't know why I bother."

Harry grinned and said, "Worse than Fred and George?"

"So close it's scary.  No, wait….that is scary!  Gods, my children are my brothers!"

Harry laughed and patted her friend's shoulder then turned to Conall and Deirdre, who were talking softly to each other.  He called, "Okay, you two first.  Show the youngster's how to do it."

Conall grinned and said, "Of course, Uncle."

Harry shook his head as Deirdre echoed her brother.  The twins had called him 'Uncle' ever since they were four.  He had never stopped them from doing it, even if he was actually their cousin.

"Alright, Conall, let's go.  Then you, Deirdre.  Cassie, Alex, Evan, you watch them.  C'mon, Con."

Conall grinned at his younger cousin's then pushed his trolley with his trunk and owl towards the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten.  The younger Snape and Weasleys blinked as he disappeared when he should have hit the barrier.  Harry chuckled at them then said, "Okay, Deire, your turn."

Deirdre ran for the barrier, a crowd of Muggles walking in front of her.  When they were gone, so was she.

Harry then said, "Okay, Evan, you next."

"I'm not Evan, I'm Alex."

Harry gave him a skeptical look.  Evan sighed.

"Alright, alright.  Testy, aren't you, Godfather?"

"Hmm.  Barrier.  Now."

Evan ran, followed swiftly by Alex.  Harry sent Cassandra through then said goodbye to Ron and Rebecca before heading through the barrier himself.

/…/…/…/…/…/…/

"Hey, Cass!"

Cassandra looked up to see her two friends Samuel Sykes and Thomas Finnegan running towards her.  They had met at the school in Hogsmeade when they were seven and had been friends ever since.

"Sam, Tom!  Jeez, you grew!"

Thomas grinned up at her.  He was the shorter of them, a full head shorter than Samuel, who was just a few inches shorter then Cassandra.  Though Cassandra wasn't that short, having inherited the gangling form of her great-aunt.

"So, what've you been doing, Cass?"

"Oh, this-n-that.  Being annoyed by Evan and Alex mostly."

Samuel grinned and said, "Hey, your lucky enough to be related to the Terrible Duo."

"Sam, my dad is their godfather.  We're not related.  My only relations are the twins."

"Evan and Alex?"

"No, you twit!  Conall and Deirdre!  My great-aunt's kids."

"Oooooh," said Samuel and Thomas at the same time.

Cassandra shook her head and muttered, "Idiots."

"Cassie!"

She looked up and saw her father striding towards her, green eyes brightening when he saw Samuel and Thomas.

"Hello, Sam, Tom."

"Hello, sir."

"Hello, Mr. Snape."

Harry smiled and said, "It's Professor Snape now, boys."

"What?"

"What are you teaching?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Cassandra rather proudly.

"Whoa!"

"Cool!"

"Yes, I thought you'd like that.  Cassie, your trunk's loaded up.  Are you going to sit with these two?  I think I'm going to try and find an empty car."

Samuel asked, "Your riding with us?"

"I'm here, am I not?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then, yes, I am riding with you on the train.  I used to ride it too, you know."

"A long time ago, right?" asked Thomas.

Harry looked at him and said, "I only graduated thirteen years ago, Thomas.  I'm not that old.  Now, get on that train.  It's going to be leaving soon and your three don't have a flying car."

"A what?" said Samuel and Thomas in shock while Cassandra burst into laughter.

"Cassie can tell you.  Now, up!"

The three eleven-year-old's scrambled onto the train and Harry swung up after them.  A few second later, the train began to move.

/…/…/…/…/…/…/

"Check."

"Bloody heck-it, Cass, where'd you learn to play chess?"

"My godfather."

"Whose that?"

"Ron Weasley."

Samuel blinked.  "How come I've never seen him at your house?"

"Because he doesn't come when you two rascals are there," said Harry from behind his book.  The four of them – Cassandra, Samuel, Thomas, and Harry – had all ended up in the last empty car.  Harry sat in one of the seats, his long legs thrown up onto it, reading a blue book with tattered edges.  Samuel and Cassandra sat on the floor with Thomas' wizard chess set, with Thomas hovering over them.

"Why not, sir?"

Harry shrugged and looked over his book at them.  He then said, "Move your knight to F5, Samuel."

"What?"

"Trust me."

Samuel frowned at him then turned back to the chessboard.  "Knight to F5."  The knight slid forward then bashed the castle in the spot it was aiming for to pieces.

"Thanks, sir!"

Harry smiled then ducked back behind his book as Cassandra shrieked, "Dad!"

/…/…/…/…/…/…/

"Firs' years over here!  Firs' years!  'Arry!"

Cassandra, Samuel, and Thomas all jumped as a giant of a man with eyes as black as Cassandra's and tangled black hair with a bushy beard hiding most of his face strode over to them and enveloped Harry in a bear hug.  The three eleven-year-old's backed up, each staring wide-eyed at Harry, who was grinning in the giant man's grip.

"Nice to see you too, Hagrid," came Harry's muffled voice from where his face was pressed against Hagrid's moleskin coat.  "But…if you wouldn't mind putting me down now so my soon-to-be students don't think I'm going to go easy on them."

Hagrid chuckled and let Harry go, clapping him on the back.

"Yer a right sight ye know.  I haven't seen ye in years."

"Twelve years, to be exact.  And shouldn't you be going?  The first years are waiting."

"Yeh.  I'll talk to ye later, 'Arry."

Harry nodded and said, "Of course."

Hagrid grinned widely behind his bushy beard then turned and called out again, "Firs' year!  Firs' year this way!"

"Dad?"

Harry turned to Cassandra and said in a drawn out way that sounded rather like a snake's hiss, "Yes?"

"Who was that?"

"Rubeus Hagrid, Groundskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor.  He also was the one who told me I was a wizard and brought me from my aunt and uncle's.  Now, off with you three!  Off!"  With that he turned and stalked off towards a horseless carriage that stood on the road leading up to the castle.

Cassandra turned to Samuel and Thomas and said, "Let's go."  They ran quickly to catch up with the rest of the first years.

/…/…/…/…/…/…/

"Harry!"

Harry blinked as someone with blazing red hair bounded up and clapped him into a bear hug as he entered the entrance hall.  He grabbed their elbows and tried to pry them off – with little success.

"Nice to see you too, Gin, but I can't breathe."

"Oh, sorry, Harry.  It's just been so long since I've seen you!  It's not good for you to stay cooped up in the old castle."

"Arx Serpens, Gin.  And it's the…"

Ginny waved a hand.  "Yes, yes, I know.  The ancestral Snape home.  I don't understand why Severus didn't take it."

"He did, remember?  Then he decided he liked the Manor much better.  Something about the castle holding too many memories."

"It does.  If you don't recall, you almost died there."

Harry winced and reached up a hand to trace the faded scar that snaked over his temple.

"I do recall.  Quite well in fact.  I have this to remind me of it."  He indicated the scar then added, "Along with another little tidbit from my oh-so-loving ancestor."

"Harry…"

"No pity," barked Harry.  "I don't want it.  Now come on.  Hagrid should be here soon with the first years."  Ginny nodded numbly and the two of them walked towards the Great Hall.

/…/…/…/…/…/…/

As Harry entered the hall and went up to the Head Table with Ginny right behind him, he heard snippets of conversation from the students already there.

"Look.  Look!"

"Is that…?"

"Yeah, that's him."

"…who…"

"The Headmaster's son!"

"Snape has a son…?"

"…wow…"

"They look an awful lot alike."

"Shut up, you lot!  He's looking our way!"

Harry scowled mildly at a small cluster of Ravenclaw's then turned his gaze up towards the Head Table.

"Merlin, they do look alike!"

"Hey, what's up with the scar on his forehead?"

"Haven't you heard?  That's Harry Potter!"

"What?"

"Harry Snape, actually."

"…whoa…"

Severus Snape rose from his seat as Harry got close and said softly, "Quite the rumor mill, aren't they?"

Harry nodded and replied, "Quite.  The water is flowing and the wheels are beginning to spin.  By tonight they'll have made up all sorts of stories."

"Hmm.  Is Cassandra with Hagrid?"

"Her and Evan and Alex.  I don't know where the twins have gotten to."

There was a sudden explosion at the Slytherin table and a loud whoop from the Gryffindor that sounded oddly like "Alright, sis!"

Severus groaned and Harry said, "Okay.  Now, I know.  How do you put up with the two of them in the same house with you?"

"Oh, those two aren't half as bad as you and Draco…."

"Hey!"

Severus smiled and said, "It's good to see you again, son."

Harry returned the smile and clasped his father's hand in his own.

"You too, Dad."

/…/…/…/…/…/…/

"When I call your name, you will sit here and I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head.  Abrams, Jennifer!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"What house do you think you'll get, Cass?"

"Annett, Warren."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"I don't know, Sam.  My mum and dad were Gryffindors and so was Uncle Remus.  But my granddad was a Slytherin and Aunt Saerry never came to Hogwarts."

"Benson, Shae."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"What?  Why?"

"Well…"

"Benson, Shane."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"…my dad said that my granddad thought she had died when a fire burned down Snape Manor."

"Hold on…burned down your house?"

"I told you…"

"Caput, Charles."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"…, silly goose.  The Manor was just rebuilt when my dad was fifteen.  And I don't live at Snape Manor.  We just happened to be visiting there when you decided…"

"Chamberlain, Michael."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"…to drop in on us."

"That wasn't my fault."

"David, Lamar."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"I don't care.  I've told you time and time again we live in Arx Serpens."

"What sort of…"

"Ebbs, William."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"…name is that?"

"It's Latin!"

"For what?"

"Serpent's Keep."

"You live in a castle…"

"Farrell, Tamara."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"…called Serpent's Keep?"

"Sod off."

"Finnegan, Thomas!"

"Tom's up!"

"I know that!"

"Shut up, silly goose!"

"You shut up."

"If you don't shut up I'll use one of the curses Granddad taught me on you."

"You wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't I?"

"Your evil, y'know that?"

"Trait of the Snape line."

"Gods…"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"GO, TOM!  WHOOOO!"

"Stupid!  Be quiet!"

"You hit me again and I'll show you be quiet."

"What in Merlin's name are those two doing?" asked Severus, leaning towards Harry, who was sitting to his right.  Harry looked at his daughter and her friend arguing and put his head in his hands.

"I don't want to know."

"Malfoy, Dagon."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"What the…?"

"Dagon's a Gryffie?  Whoa.  That's a surprise."

"You're telling me."

"Well, that was…."

"Surprising?"

"Yes.  Draco's son – a Gryffindor."

"Blame it on Ginny."

"I never said there was anything bad about Gryffindors.  Your mother was one after all."

"Eh."

"Still, it's hard to believe.  How do you think Draco will react?"

"Mmm.  Scream, send a Howler to Dagon, then finally calm down after Ginny placates him."

"Ah, yes.  The placating."

"Dad?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Shut up."

"Sod off, Sam!"

"You sod off, Cass."

"Shut up!"

"You!"

"Jerk!"

"Git!"

"Arse!"

"Sod!"

"Bloody frickin'…"

"Snape, Cassandra!"

"Bloody 'ell!"

Cassandra sprang up onto the stool and McGonagall let the Sorting Hat fall onto her head.  A moment later, she heard the voice.

"My, my.  What a mind you have, child.  Ambitious, aren't you?  And such a temper!  I haven't seen as such since your grandfather.  Ah, bravery.  Get that from your father, do you?  And brains!  Your mother, no doubt.  Now, where to put you?"

Cassandra waited as the hat thought, waiting for it to speak again.

"Hufflepuff wouldn't suite you and Ravenclaw is out of the question.  Hmmm.  You could go equally into Slytherin or Gryffindor.  Ah, but what is this?  Oh, you inherited the famous Parseltongue ability.  The first female descendant of Slytherin to do as such.  Alright, I think I know where you should do now…."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Cassandra felt the hat lift away and she jumped down from the stool, walking over to the Slytherin table.  Her eyes flicked up to her grandfather and her father, both of whom were smiling at her and applauding.  Flashing them a smile, she took her place at the table.

"Well, now, that is not surprising."

"Not at all.  I think she just might be you reincarnate."

"Hades help us all if that is so.  What will Hermione say about this?"

"About Cassie being in Slytherin?  Nothing."

"And you?"

"I don't mind Cassie being in Slytherin.  You were a Slytherin and so was Draco.  Saerry probably would have been too and I almost was one."

"Wrong."

"Pardon?"

"Saerry would have been a Gryffindor.  Nothing else."

"Good point."

"I always make good points, Harry."

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"Sykes, Samuel."

A moment's pause….

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"What?"

"Okay, now that's another unexpected thing.  Did you expect that?"

"That one of Cassie's best friends would end up a Hufflepuff?  One of the Terrible Trio?  No."

"Neither did I."

"And apparently neither did Cassie or Thomas.  Look at them."

"Dre!  He's a Hufflepuff!"

"Yes, Cass, I know."

"But…  A Hufflepuff?  Samuel?"

"My dear cousin, perhaps you do not know your friend so well."

"Oh, sod off, Deirdre."

"Cassandra!"

"Don't 'Cassandra' me.  You use profanity as much as I do."

"Yeah, but I get in trouble from Uncle Severus for it."

"The joys of not living with Granddad."

"You lucky bastard."

"Hey, I was born in wedlock."

"Funny."

"I'm a funny kid."

"Cass?"

"Yes, Dre?"

"Shut up."

"Hufflepuff?"

"C'mon, kid.  It's not that bad."

"Not that bad?  Sam's a Hufflepuff."

"And your point is?"

"My point is, Con, that I have no idea how he ended up a Hufflepuff."

"Don't worry about it, Tom.  Everybody thought me and Dre would both be Slytherins.  But look!  I'm a Gryff and she's a Slyth."

"I don't see your point."

"Nevermind."

"Weasley, Evan."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Weasley, Alex."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"As if that wasn't going to happen."

"Weasley's are always Gryffindors."

"Perhaps that explains why Dagon is."

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Just start the bloody feast."

"Language…"

"Oh, sod off.  You can't give me detention anymore."

"I can give you good cursing."

"Damn you."

"Yessss, heh heh."

"Just start the sodding feast.

"Fine.  Welcome back to Hogwarts!  As I'm sure you're all quite hungry…"

"Damn straight."

"Ahem…we shall let the feast begin."

"Thank you."

"Oh, shut up, you ungrateful little brat."

"Dad?"

"What?"

"Pass the ham."

/…/…/…/…/…/…/

"Now, for a few announcements.  As always, the dark forest is forbidden.  I suggest some of you remember this."

Deirdre and Conall shot each other looks across their tables.

"And, we have a new professor.  Professor Snape, who shall be teaching you Defense Against the Dark Arts for a year until his Quidditch injuries heal.  Then I am sure we may all enjoy…"

"Liar," hissed Harry.

"Shut up…enjoy his skill on the pitch once again.  Now, off with you!  Prefects, lead the first years."

"Come on, you lot!"

"Dre?"

"Yes?"

"Why are ours dorms in the dungeons?"

"Because, Cass, they just are.  The Gryffindors have a tower, Ravenclaw is rumored to be hidden behind the library, and no one really know where Hufflepuff is."

"But why in the dungeons?"

"Cass, you live in a fricking castle.  I'm sure you can handle the dungeons."

"Hmmm."

Deirdre rolled her eyes at her younger cousin then spoke.

"Dragon blood."

Part of the wall in front of them simply slid down into the floor and Deirdre led them inside.

"This is the Slytherin common room.  Boys dorms are through the door by the grandfather clock, girls are through the door by the dragon tapestry.  The bathroom is through the door in the middle.  Any questions?  Right then, to bed, all of you!"

Cassandra and three other girls walked through the door by the dragon tapestry and entered the door that had 1st Years on a plaque above it.  The room was rectangular, with the beds all on one side with a cabinet to the left and their trunks at the end.  Cassandra had gotten the end bed by luck of the draw.

"Hey, what's your name?"

Cassandra turned to look at one of the other girls, who had long blond hair, lime green eyes, and a slightly pinched face.

"Cassandra."

"And your last name?"

"Snape.  Yours?"

The girl's eyes widened.  "Y-your Harry Snape's daughter?"

"His oldest daughter.  I have a brother and a sister who are a year younger than me.  And it's Professor Snape to you."

Another girl smirked and said, "Any relation to the Headmaster?"

Cassandra smiled and said, "Yes."

"How?"

It was her turn to smirk now.

"He's my grandfather."

Holding in laughter at the looks on the other three girl's faces, Cassandra pulled off her robes and changed into a baggy t-shirt she had snitched from her father's closet.  Leaving her jeans on and kicking off her shoes, she climbed in bed and watched the far wall until she fell asleep.

A/N: Wow, that was fun…..