Hello there! This is the first fanfiction that I've ever published, so I would like reviews, please! I don't have a beta, so if you see any mistakes, do give me a shout!
The only thing that belongs to me is the OC Cassandra Black, any other character, location or adventure that you recognize belong solely to J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros, Bloomsbury Publishing, etc.. I'm just doing this for the fun hehe ~ Picture on the left from pxleyes . com

So, this is a multi-chaptered story, it has Man x Man (yaoi) has the primary couple, so please leave if it's not your thing :)

Main paring: Severus Snape x Sirius Black (pre-established relationship); Minor pairings: [will be adding as the story goes]

Warnings: Rated T for mild cursing; other topics will include child poverty, abandonment and mistreat [will be adding as the story goes]

Warning 2: Good!Snape [will be adding as the story goes]

Text: "Speaking"; Thinking

The morning light was soft and started to take away the bite of the night's coldness. The sky was turning into a pale blue shade and there were some white clouds in the sky, indicating the start of a new day. A few shops started opening their windows and doors, making the street seem to wake up with the sun.

A small girl, not much older than seven, was forced to wake up as she collided with the rough unpolished stone ground of Knockturn Alley, by a boy in his late teens. "Get up you lazy bitch. Time to start working. Go!" The girl scrambled to her feet and saw him take away the ragged cardboard she had been sleeping on, as well as the thin blanket. She hugged herself for a moment, before deciding that a beating was not the way to start the day.

She slowly started walking towards the end of the Alley, and decided to sit near the entrance, making herself visible from those who started to lazily walk Diagon Alley. She sat, with her knees against her chest, shivering in the still cold morning; it's no matter that it was already May, it was still cold in the early hours of the day, and her clothes didn't really provide any protection against the elements. She was looking to the floor when a shadow came down on her; it was so early, how come someone was already stopping by her? Maybe she could get enough Knuts today that Matthew would give her a thicker blanket! She looked up, giving her best besotted eyes from under dark eyelashes, grey eyes shining softly.

The man was tall, and seemed to be dressed fully in black; the colour seemed to be innate to him, since his hair and eyes were also black. He was standing very straight and still, most probably thinking. She heard the man gasp when she looked at him, and he crouched himself, to be able to look her in the eyes. Now that she looked more closely, the man's eyes weren't black but a very dark brown; he was also wearing a deep frown, and she could only hope that it wasn't bad news to her. There were many witches and wizards that liked to take their frustrations in those who couldn't fight back.

"Hello there." The man's deep but velvety voice was obviously trying to soften itself, in an effort not to scare the child. She tightened the arms around her legs. "Hullo…" Her voice was soft and a bit trembling. She was used to people 'speaking' with her on the streets, but never had anyone gotten this close to her for a simple talk. "What are you doing here? Are you lost?" The man looked around, but none of the few people that were walking around seemed to be desperately searching for a child. She shook her head. Ah, homeless then.

The Potions Master did not expect to find such a small child so early already in the street, and, for some reason, this particular girl was pulling at his heartstrings. It wasn't uncommon for homeless children to loiter around this area, for this was the entrance for Knockturn Alley, and the homeless were many. But those eyes… I know those eyes… "Where are your parents?" The man was almost sure of her response, and another shake made him sigh. Of course, the girl had no parents, she wouldn't be here so young if she had.

There was a long moment of silence between the two, who were quietly assessing each other; the girl was wondering why the man seemed to be worried. He would be the first one. Odd. She tilted her head a bit, still half hidden behind her knees and tried to understand why the man was looking so deep inside her eyes; the Potions Master seemed to be debating himself with his memories. Where do I know those eyes from? Maybe some Hogwarts Student… Or a Death Eater… Maybe some wizard I crossed in a street… There are so many possibilities. But why do they seem so precious to me?

Suddenly, a loud growl filled the air, making on this dark eyebrow to rise, and a corner of his lip to twitch upwards. "That was quite the roar. How about we get some food on you, hum?" Those grey eyes suddenly seemed even deeper and went from sky grey to almost molten silver, as they got wider open. A shiver crossed the Potions Master. For Merlin's sake Severus, what's happening with your memory? Where have I seen those exact same eyes?! He got up and stretched his hand, waiting to see if the girl would come with him.

She blinked once. Then again. And once more. Her eyes were wide and she seemed frozen. He's offering me food?! Why? She looked at him, then his hand, then at him, and repeated this motion several times, while the man kept his hand patiently stretched. He gave a very small smile, really, it was nothing more than a miniscule upturn of the corners of his mouth, but it seemed to wake the child from her apparent trance. Finally willing to risk it, she took his hand and he gently pulled her up gently from the ground. Poor thing, weights nothing…

"My name is Severus Snape. And yours?" The girl looked upwards and in the softest of voices answered "Cassandra. Cassandra Black."