DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, but the plot and a few new characters. The rest I just borrow…
Summary: A new student enters Hogwarts as a 6th year after her mother disappears. While learning new spells she may unravel a secret. Is her mother's real name Perdita? Or Hermione? And how is Snape involved?
"Miss Prince…? Wake up… There's a strong girl."
"What….?" Serena opened her eyes and found herself in a blurry room. She blinked several times and realized it was the Hospital Wing. That strange woman, Madame Pomfrey, was gently placing a cool cloth on her head.
"She's awake," Madame Pomfrey called over her shoulder. Snape stood in a corner of the room looking as frightening as ever. Slowly he stepped towards the bed.
"I'll take it from here, Poppy," said Snape.
"Humph, I don't understand why, Severus," replied Madame Pomfrey, "I'm perfectly capable of healing her myself. She's not even one of your Slytherin's for Merlin's sake!"
"You heard Minerva's orders," he replied. "And it was my class that this chemical reaction occurred."
"What reaction?" asked Serena with rising panic. "Where's my Mum? She was here! Where is she?" Serena attempted to rise when Snape raised his wand and suddenly she found herself unable to lift her head from the pillow.
"Your mother is not here, you were hallucinating," said Snape. "And Poppy, I have to insist that you leave. Take it up with Minerva – not me."
Madame Pomfrey released another frustrated "humph" before angrily exiting the room.
Snape waved his wand again and cast some type of spell – perhaps making sure they would not be overhead. Then he turned to face Serena. "I will allow you to move soon, but first you must listen. Your mother is not here. The illegal dye in your hair caused a reaction with your potion. The side-effects of this reaction were kept to a minimum because we managed to rinse your hair in the water exceedingly fast. However, very rarely, hallucinations and short comas can occur. You experienced this. Now, I will release you soon and I want you to recount what you remember after your potion exploded. Do not panic, scream or anything else overly dramatic or I will re-due the spell and leave you to rest quietly. Is that understood?"
Not waiting for a reply, Snape waved his wand once more and Serena was able to move.
"After... after," she cleared her raspy throat. "After the potion exploded you dragged me over and dunk my hair in water before sending me to see McGonagall... Then when you were talking you came into her office and wanted a word with her. I saw a photo on her desk. My mum… My mum is…"
Snape watched her intently. "Say the name," he ordered.
"Her - Hermione Granger…"
Snape's mouth twitched, but he expressed no emotion. "Continue," he barked.
"You… you and McGonagall said you knew her… You took me someplace… someplace strange," her voice was shaking. "You looked at my memories… and said somehow it was her! She survived the attack… McGonagall left and then this wall or painting or something opened and my mum appeared and that – well – that was what I remember."
He frowned and looked away. Serena held her breath.
"Miss Prince," his mouth twisted over her name. "I did not perform Occlumancy on you against the wishes of the headmistress. Although I am often cruel, I would never violate any student in that way. However, after conducting a thorough investigation into your background we believe it is highly likely that your mother is indeed Her – Herm – who you think she is… we will conduct further tests when your recover."
He cleared his voice and frowned. "Yet, your mother is not here – she never was. I did not take you away from Professor McGonagall's office, and the only time she left the room was after you slid to the floor and began screaming." He looked back up at her. "Do you understand?"
"So, she's really not here?"
"That is what I just said."
"Oh… but you knew her? You knew my mother?"
"Yes," he grimaced. "I did, as did most of your teachers."
"So you'll help me find her?"
His mouth twisted and his hand clenched. "Yes… if she wants to be found."
"What do you mean?" Serena sat up and yelled despite her hoarse voice. "Of course she wants to be found!"
"Control yourself," he barked and waved his hand. The pitcher on her bedstand lifted itself and poured some water into her glass. "Here," he thrust the glass into her hand. "Drink and rest."
"My mum wants to be found. She wouldn't just leave me! How dare you – "
"Your mother has left before" he whispered angrily. "Why wouldn't she do so again?"
Serena froze as she processed what Snape just said. He turned and was quickly approaching the door. She called out, "What do you mean that she – "
Snape slammed the door behind him.
Serena did not like being ignored. Immediately she rose and ran to the door despite her throbbing head. She threw it open and scanned the halls. There was no sign of Snape. She was about to run for the dungeons when someone grabbed her arm.
"Miss Prince!" It was Madame Pomfrey. "You should be resting! Back to bed with you."
"But Snape – he – I need to talk with him!"
"Professor Snape has classes to teach, but I'm sure you can chat with him later if it is absolutely necessary. Until then, off to bed!"
Serena did not see Snape for several days. Anisa and Arlo came to visit her in the hospital wing, along with Professor Flitwick. Even McGonagall – who refused to comment on anything related to Hermione Granger – stopped by.
Once every last ounce of dye was gone from Serena's head, and all her strange dreams of that magical room stopped, Serena was pronounced healthy.
That's when Snape finally reappeared – although Serena strongly believed McGonagall forced his involvement. He examined Serena personally and eventually agreed with Madame Pomfrey's assessment of her health.
"She is fully recovered."
"Is it safe, then, for us to proceed?" asked McGonagall.
Snape glanced at Serena. "Yes."
"Proceed with what?" asked Serena.
"We need to confirm our… theory of your parentage," replied Snape. "I have prepared a potion that is somewhat similar to a paternity test in the muggle world, except it will reveal the identity of both parents."
"Are you sure it will work?"
"Yes," he sneered, "I am – after all – the resident Potions Master at Hogwarts, Miss Prince."
"Severus," warned McGonagall. "Enough. It will be absolutely painless, correct?"
"Indeed. All Miss Prince need do, is drink this vial and it will be over in a few minutes. Her body will be covered in two different colors. One will represent her mother, the other will represent her father. I have procured a brush with some of Miss Granger's hair still on it."
He set it on a nearby table. "If she is indeed Miss Prince's mother, then the potion will react with the brush in some way. Are we ready to proceed?"
"Yes," answered Serena. "But how do you plan to find the identity of my father? Do you know who he is?"
"No," Snape responded sharply. "And I don't intend to – at the present. But this test does not allow me to exclude him. Now may we proceed?"
"Alright."
"Very well." Snape handed her a potion in a deep purple vial. "As I was saying, after you drink this then two colors will appear on your body. If you are indeed related to Hermione Granger than one of those colors will react with the brush. Now, bottoms up."
Serena drank it.
Nothing happened.
Serena took a breath, McGonagall looked anxious, and Snape was scrutinizing Serena with such intensity that she was afraid to move.
That's when it happened.
Slowly, Serena's skin started to glow with a white light that was becoming brighter. Serena looked at her hands and saw they were enveloped in a white fire that gradually transformed into a gorgeous yellow before turning back to white. She gasped.
The yellow-white fire slowly formed a ribbon extending from her left hand and slowly weaved its way across the room to the brush – which began to glow. Serena's stomach did a flip, but then the colors changed. The flame on her right hand shifted from white to gray-ish blue.
Serena watched as the gray-ish blue flame also formed a ribbon that weaved across the room to touch Snape – who quickly stepped back. But the ribbon followed him and eventually he was enveloped in the light as well.
Snape was shocked. He examined his hands before looking at Serena with terror in his eyes.
"What's happening?" asked Serena.
"Now we know who your father is," answered McGonagall.
"What?" demanded Serena. The flames around her body flared bright blue. Snape winced and the fire faded to gray.
"Miss Prince," began McGonagall. "Your mother is definitely Hermione Granger."
Serena didn't move. "And my father?"
"Is… well…" McGonagall fidgeted.
"Me." Snape answered. The fire died.
"No."
"The potion doesn't lie."
"No! You are not my father." She was adamant.
"Then who is?" Snape crossed his arms.
"A muggle! Some muggle! Any muggle! Not you. It couldn't be. You were her teacher!" protested Serena.
He looked pained.
"Miss Prince," McGonagall stepped forward. "There are certain facts about your mother that you don't know."
"This is not one of those facts! I know my mother would never – "
"Are you a Ravenclaw?" asked Snape.
"What?" Serena was confused. "Of course I am – "
"Then aren't you interested in facts?" interjected Snape. "Ravenclaws usually want to learn as much as possible. But you're making that impossible! Be quiet so we can tell you what we know. Protesting and fighting the truth will only delay our efforts to help locate your mother."
"Fine." Serena bit her lip and folded her arms.
"Yes," sighed Snape. "Your mother was once my student. However, I would like to make it clear that no other relationship – aside from the one between student and teacher – existed at that point. We became close after the war when she was helping me recover from wounds I sustained during the final battle. First we were friends then – well – she ended up marrying me. Hush, don't interrupt. Professor McGonagall was at our wedding if you desire a witness."
McGonagall nodded.
Snape continued, "I never knew she was pregnant, thus I had no idea who you were. She went to visit her parents when they were attacked. I planned to join her later, but I was too late." He paused and cleared his voice. "I arrived in time to see the house on fire moments before the explosion. I saw her body… and… tried to reach it, but that's when the explosion went off…."
"Are you certain it was her?" asked Serena.
"Positive. I was within several meters of her. If I hadn't put up the shield fast enough I would've died as well."
"But then… how?"
"I don't know!" he exploded.
Serena stepped back. McGonagall watched him with concern. His body was rigid, but then slowly he lowered his shoulders and unclenched his hands.
"I don't know," he repeated softly – almost pitifully. He looked like a wounded animal in agonizing pain.
"Oh, Severus." McGonagall approached him, but he held up his hand.
"Enough, Minerva. Enough. We need to get to work. If we can determine who else knows about Hermione's secret, then we might be able to save her."
"How?" asked Serena.
"With your help." Snape straightened his posture and all emotion faded from his face. "Miss Prince, events have occurred these past few weeks that I could never have anticipated. Indeed, even now I can scarcely process them, but it must be done. We have little time, but I must ask you to help me. I know you dislike me and don't trust me but I need you to try to learn to trust me if we are to find your… your mother. In turn I will be as honest as I can and answer any questions you have about her. I cannot guarantee that I will be any less frightening or likeable, but I will give you facts. That is all I have to offer. In exchange I need your help. Can you do this?"
Serena bit her lip, but then nodded. "I think so."
Sorry, it's taken me so long to update this. It's actually been sitting on my computer since my last update, but I forgot about it. Also, I will never abandon this story because it drives me crazy when authors do that, but sometimes real life might interfere with how often I update my stories. Please review though! That's always encouraging. And thanks for reading!
