Well, dear readers, chapter 8 is finally here.

Maybe now I can work on getting a better computer as mine is troublesome right now….

Chapter 8

People always assume that S. is the father, but I know better. I try to deny it even to myself, but I find that even all the power I possess cannot refute this fact. S. and R. have been in a silent feud lately, between themselves and me, as they feel it is my betrayal that brought this about. I do not deny my part in it, but I cannot be all to blame. I sense strange forces at work in this. Whether they be good or evil, I have no idea. All I want is for this to not work out the way things did for me, as my lady mother died with us enemies as bitter as Kevin the Bard and Morgaine.

-From the journal of Lady Aster Jean Keeney, dated 3 November 1980

It was an odd sight, Ron thought, seeing the group gathered around a fire pit they'd dug. Malfoy had cornered him after dinner and asked him if he'd like to come. So here he was, feeling somewhat like an outsider. "Hey," Neville said, "You want some S'mores?"

"Er..what is that?" He asked taking a seat next to Hermione Granger. "Roast a marshmallow, put it between a graham cracker and some chocolate, and enjoy. Apparently Abigail's mum picked it up on a visit to the US and it's been a back-to-school tradition ever since. " Neville said, watching as his caught fire. "What the-?" he blew it out and it was mostly coal black to the amusement of the others. "Great." he said, quashing it between to halves of his graham cracker anyway. "Tastes like soot." he said between bites.

"Remember that time you ate the one on fire, Harry?" his sister asked, plucking a pleasantly warm brown one of her stick. "Why'd you do that?" Ron asked, not sure if he wanted to know the answer.

Harry grinned. "For a bet." he replied, passing around some more chocolate. Ron took his perfectly melted marshmallow off the stick and, following Neville's example, took a bite.

"Wow, thisisgood." His words were barely audible as he tried to keep up with the marshmallow as the edges spilled over the sides. "How often do you guys do this?" he asked, grabbing another graham cracker from the package.

Malfoy shrugged. "Every now and then. Everyone back at Avalon does this first weekend after classes start." He grinned. "It's the welcome-back-beer-party. Last year, some bloke called the Avalon Guard on us."

"Why'd they do that?" Ginny asked, taking a sip of Butterbeer. "It's not like the fire was spreading and we had a permit."

"Ah, he's an old coot, that's what." Abigail said, trying to save time to melt the chocolate and marshmallow all at once. "Damn." she said as it dropped in the fire. "Ah, well," she stole Draco's off his stick as he pulled it back. "C'mon, gimme my mallow." he whinged, in a way Ron knew would have his father cringing.

The rest of the night passed in a haze of talking and Ron, for the first time, felt accepted.

{PAGEBREAK}

"I can't find anything," Remus Lupin said, slamming the book shut. "Nothing,"

"I'm sure I've heard that name before," Sirius Black said, going over the records again. "It's got to be here." he turned a page. "Here we go, '…the last known…attended Hogwarts…Eileen Prince married-" he stopped short. "No way." he breathed. "Just, no way."

Remus looked over his shoulder. "I can't believe it." he said.

The book read:

Eileen Prince ( 1939- 1973) m. Tobais Snape (1939-1974)

{PAGEBREAK}

Meanwhile, a Muggle walking home from a pub in the middle of the night, turned quickly as he saw a shadow move across his vision. "Who's there?" he called, wondering if it was all he'd had to drink.

A dark figure flashed again. He jumped. "Hello?"

"Hello," a cold voice said behind him. The last thing he saw was the glimpse of cold, calculating eyes.

Oh my. Death Eaters, and parents, and schoolwork-oh my! Anyone interested in reviewing? Please? Just a little something for a poor part-time working college kid?

See you next week!

Respectfully,

R2-D2106