Okay, I am totally flabbergasted with the response from y'all about the story. The amounts of favorites and alerts in my email box completely astounds me. Y'all are amazing. Thank you so much!

I do not have a beta, so all mistakes are mine. If find one, I'm sorry. I try my best to catch them all. But if it really bugs you enough, let me know!

Disclaimer: This isn't my sand box, it belongs to J.K Rowling and the lovely people at Warner Brothers. The plot, however, is mine. I make no money off of this creation.

Responses to Reviews:

LIGHTNSHADOWS: Firstly, I know we share another fandom! NCIS ftw! And I promise all your questions will be answered in time. I've got quite a few chapters outlined so its just getting them from my crazy notes and into text/chapter form. But I do promise, all will make sense as the time passes. Hopefully I won't lose you explaining it though.

Joytiger: Thanks! And heres more for you to enjoy!

SeulWolfe: The fate of Harry will be revealed and in this world Sirius didn't die in the Ministry, so that will also be explained. Lucius' children will be revealed in the next few chapters. Yay for Dramaaa!

Now on with the story!


Storming through the halls, Severus grew angrier with each step. How could his little girl want to dabble in something that would hurt her without knowing how it worked. To say it was the scariest thing Severus had to deal with as a parent, was an understatement. Mixed in with his anger was fear. Fear of what might happen to his daughter if she went through with such ancient magic, there was no telling what would become of her. She could become a toad for crying out loud!

Pushing open the library doors, Severus stomped back to the very back of the library passing by a disgruntled Madam Pince. As long as Lily had been alive, she'd come to one section of the library. There wasn't anything special about the spot, no alleyways out of the school or any special hidden books. The corner she sat in was much like many of the other sections of the library, but over the years she'd found it to be "her" spot. Knowing the spot well, Severus moved on auto-pilot to his daughters location.

"And what in the name of Merlin do you think you are doing?" Severus shouted once his daughter was within earshot. Thankfully for Lily, no one else was around to hear her scolding.

Lily looked up from her book and locked eyes with her father. "I found the book Papa. Grandfather says the book was only a legend. I can bring them back!"

Dropping in the seat across from his daughter, Severus continues to glare at his only child. "Again, I say, what in the name of Merlin do you think you're doing? I refuse to let you do something as undeniably dangerous as this!"

Pushing the book onto the table beside her, Lily reached across and held her fathers hand. "I know it could be extremely dangerous. But Papa….if you had the chance to bring him back, and to bring Uncle Sirius back, wouldn't you do everything in your power to make things right again! It's not fair that we've had to live our lives without them. It's just not fair!"

Shaking his head, Severus replied. "Life is not always fair Lily. I had to learn that very young in life. We can't always fix things. There are some things that aren't in our control to fix. It is a part of life."

Lily squeezed her fathers hand and shook her head. "That's where you're wrong Papa. This is in my control. I can do this. My father fought for what he believe in and I will fight for what I believe in. The book talks about a way to bring them back, but first I have to Awaken the founders. There are a few pages missing from the book, but I've been reading this book and researching for weeks. There's something about this that just feels right."

"Foolish girl. You're too much like your father."

A quiet laugh escaped her. "I've heard that one before. Just please, think about it? Talk to Dad if you must, but I feel like this is right. The book wouldn't have come to me otherwise."

To exhausted to argue more, Severus leans over and kisses his daughters forehead. "Give me some time. You're enough like your father to go behind my back and do something crazy. I won't lose you too."

"You won't father, I promise."

"I hope you can keep your word." With that Severus stood from his chair and walked back out of the way he came, much slower then before.


Plopping down on the ground, Severus leaned against the headstone behind him. Looking out at the horizon, he watched as the sun started to set before he spoke.

"I know it's been a while since I've been here, but things have gotten really crazy." Taking a deep breathe, Severus continued. "Your daughter has managed to find a book that everyone believed to not exist. She's also determined to enact an ancient spell to awaken the Founders of Hogwarts. With the founders awakened, there's a way to bring you back. I don't know exactly what has to happen, but the mere idea of an ancient book in the hands of our daughter makes me scared."

Taking a deep breath, Severus picked at the grass by the headstone. "I don't know what to do Harry, I miss you so much. You'd know how to handle her headstrong nature. I just see red. I don't want anything to happen to her."

Turning around to face the stone, Severus gently ran his fingers over the name that adorned the stone. "Harry, I don't want to lose the only reminder I have of you. Our daughter might as well be a walking, talking you. She's brilliant and charming, completely headstrong like you. The only thing that reminds me she's my daughter is the fact she's in my house. Although she can be a bit stubborn when it comes to come things. She makes me so mad sometimes that I forget she's only fourteen. She's growing up to fast Harry and I don't know how to stop it. She wants to bring you and the mutt back, but I'm so scared to lose her."

Wiping away the tears that had pooled in his eyes, Severus takes a deep breathe. "She's so much like you that I know that if I don't support her, she'll do what she wants anyway. She'll find some way to move around my judgment and disagreement. She's do the damn thing right under my nose if she could."

Taking a deep breath, Severus looked at the name intently. "I can see why she wants to do this, but I can't help but be scared. She's my baby." He paused. "According to Albus, the castle wouldn't have given it to her if she wasn't worthy of it. The castle protects its residents, so why would it give a young child a book that could possibly hurt them?" Taking another pause, Severus rubs his forehead. "I can understand why she wants to do this. She didn't have the chance that we had. She didn't get to know you like I did. She's wise beyond her years, she sees peoples emotions even if they hide them extremely well. I think she got that from your mother. Your mother could always see past what others saw. Hell she was my friend for years. I think I know what I have to do. I promise to come and visit more…Unless of course this hair-brained idea actually works."

Kissing the cold stone, Severus got off the ground and headed back towards the castle.


Unlocking the wards that covered his daugthers bedroom door, Severus softly knocked. Hearing a muffled 'Enter', he opened the door slightly.

"Can we talk?"

Waving her father inside, Lily laid Minx down on the book in front of her. "I guess so."

Coming into the room, Severus takes a seat on his daughters bed. "I need to get this off my chest and when I'm finished, we will have a civilized discussion. Firstly, I'm sorry I shouted. I couldn't believe the story when Albus told me. I was wishing it was a cosmic joke at first, something that didn't have the possibility of taking away all I had left in this world. I went down to see your father and I understand that even without my permission you might just do it under my nose to spite me. You always did find a way around rules, too much like your father. He was always getting into trouble. He would be as proud of you as I am, you've grown up so much. However, in the course of the day I've realized just how much you've grown and how close you are to slipping through my fingers."

"But papa I'm right here!" Lily interrupted before Severus could start anew.

"Lil, wait a moment. Let me finish. I don't know what could happen when this ritual…spell…whatever it is, is over. I do know that whatever happens, you're still my little girl. Nothing will ever change that, I will love you regardless of what happens. If you do this, please promise me you'll stay true to yourself and to your values. Your father died protecting us and this family and I won't see you slip away from it."

Nodding, Lily replied. "I know Papa and that's why I know I have to do this. I don't believe he should have died that day. When Voldemort died, Dad should have been fine. He should be with us today. He should have been at my sorting and all the other events he's missed. He belongs here."

"I'm sorry Lil, I wish he could have been there too." Severus replied as he opened his arms in invitation.

Moving into her fathers arms, Lily couldn't help the tear that rolled down her cheek. "It's not fair."

Severus laid his cheek on the top of his daughters head. "I know baby, I know."


Glancing around at the gathered group, Lily almost lost her nerve to tell everyone. Late last night she had sent owls out to everyone that would be involved in what was happening with the book. From her seat in the front of the group Lily could see Lucius, Hermione and her husband Fenrir, Her Papa, and Albus. It didn't seem like a large group, but it was all the people who would be impacted by her choice to go through with the ritual. With a deep breathe, Lily cleared her throat.

The room quieted and everyone looked at her. "I'm sure you all are curious as to why I've brought all of you on such short notice. I know my letter to each of you was vague, but it needed to be. The information that will come from this conversation cannot and will not be common knowledge. I can't let anyone know about what I've recently acquired."

Her statement was met with many curious faces.

"What's going on, dear?" Hermione asked, concerned about the young woman.

Taking a deep breathe, Lily began. "Recently while exploring the castle I came across something, that according to Albus, was thought to be purely legend. I'd never heard of it before I'd yanked the thing into my lap! Upon opening it I was overcome by the amount of knowledge I now held in my hands. The book I found was written by the original founders."

"Surely you jest." Lucius spoke up.

"No Uncle Lucius, I almost wish I was. You see, the book I have in my posession has a ritual written in it, that when enacted will awaken the Founders of Hogwarts."

Silence settled over the headmasters office, even Fawkes was absent his normal cooing.

"What…what do you mean Lil?" Hermione was first to speak after a few more moments of silence.

"The Awakening Ritual will awaken the founders and bring them back to Hogwarts. They've trapped themselves into a painting knowing that someday they may be needed again. It's actually quite brilliant. But this isn't the major part of all this. The founders found a way to bring back the lives of others if they died on the grounds of Hogwarts. Mind you, the technique isn't perfect, but that's why I thought Hermione might be able to sit down with them and try to figure out what might backfire. I hope to bring back my father and Sirius."

More silence descended on the room.

The first to speak this time, was a bit of a surprise to Lily. "You seem to be missing one thing, young lass. The grounding man."

This time it was Lilys turn to look surprised. "What are you talking about?"

Fenrir rubbed his chin. "If memory serves me right, that book you're speaking of talks of a grounding man. A man that would keep the painting safe and in return would have all the life needed to do so. A groundskeeper, actually, if I recall."

Lily wasn't sure how to answer that. There's no way that Fenrir could know about Alexander! "The grounding mans name was Alexander Slytherin. He is the brother to Salazar. He also was the first Groundskeeper here at Hogwarts."

Fenrir nodded. "Yes, he was Salazars twin to be exact."

"The book doesn't say anything about that." Lily had read the book almost too many times to count, there was no mention of Alexander being Salazars twin brother!

"That's the part good Godric left out, silly fool. He most likely also left out the fact that Alexander would be covered in runes."

"That must have been what was on the missing pages. They must have wrote them, then ripped them from the book." Lily added with a look of understanding.

"There were a few things that would need to be figured out on ones own. It's part of being worthy of the Founders. I'm sure they will find you worthy, since the Castle does." Fenrir said with a smile.

"Here's the thing, I've done my research and beyond being the first Groundskeeper, there isn't much record for Alexander. It's like he dropped of the face of the earth." Lily had researched his location almost as much as the task itself. He was like a Ghost.

"He didn't drop of the face of the earth, I think I married him." Hermione said with a frown.

Lily looked at Hermione like she'd become a three-headed dog. "What are you talking about?"

Fenrir looked at his wife with love and adoration before he turned back to Lily and said, "I am Alexander Fenrir Slytherin."


So another piece of the puzzle revealed and a few questions answered. Hopefully you've enjoyed this piece of the puzzle as much as I have. The update took a little longer then I hoped, but it's all good now.