Chapter One

Kelsey stood anxiously in the overly large doorway, her leg bouncing up and down in anticipation. Letting out an annoyed breath she switched from her left leg to her right just as her father walked into the room. Kelsey's eyes narrowed seeing him alone before quickly questioning the whereabouts of her mother. Scowling she stomped to the bottom of the large winding staircase to shout for her mother, missing the look of amusement that flashed across her fathers face. This was an important day and Kelsey refused to be late for it. It was typical that it was her mother they were waiting for she thought, scrunching up her nose as she watched her mother slowly glide down the steps.

"Will you calm down," her mother chuckled, fiddling with her earring and ignoring the sound of indignation that exited her daughters mouth. "We have plenty of time, Sweetie. In fact if we leave now we'll most likely be early."

"I'd rather be early than late." Spinning on her heel she made her way to her stuff, picking up her case and practically bouncing with excitement. Rolling her eyes she turned to her husband who had seated himself to watch his daughters little display. Raising her brows she nodded her head to their daughter - he simply snorted as he stood, towering over both girls. Making his way to the fireplace he grabbed a pot of green powder, waving his daughter over who had seemed to have lost her excitement and had gone back to being anxious.

She didn't move.

"What?" he said, looking down at her. "I thought you wanted to go now?"

"I do." she replied quietly, biting her lip slightly. "It's just, I've never been before. What if I don't like it - or what if I don't make any friends and I'm all alone and sad and-"

"Okay, I need you to be quiet now." He cut her off grabbing her shoulders and steering her towards the fireplace. "You are one of the nicest, friendliest people I know. Of course you are going to make friends. Who wouldn't want to be your friend?"

"You have to say that, you're my dad."

"No I don't." he laughed. He shook the pot in front of her face. "Well I think Gryffindor is out of the question for you." He stated when she still hadn't made a move to grab the powder inside. Scowling she raised her hand to take a fistful before stepping inside the fireplace. Once she saw her fathers kind smile she threw down the powder and called out her destination. Scrunching up her eyes as the powder floated violently up into the air she tensed up her body. Floo travel was not her favourite at all. It seemed to take a lifetime but she eventually stumbled her way out of another fireplace into a lavish office. Coughing, she brushed the soot off her shoulders. Looking around the room she couldn't help but think it was both strange yet wonderful. There were artifacts she hadn't seen before, books jam-packed in bookshelves, portraits lining one side of the wall, a glass cabinet with strange objects inside, a large desk with... Kelsey paused.

Eyes wide she slowly made her way towards the desk. Perched atop it was the most beautiful bird she had ever seen in her entire life. Glowing in magnificent red feathers it watched her watch it. She knew what creature it was of course but never dreamed she might ever seen one with her very eyes. In the distance she heard the sound of the fire igniting, signalling her parents had followed behind her. Their voices sounded next, they were talking to one another. She wanted to reach out and touch him with everything she had but she knew she couldn't. He wasn't hers and Phoenix's were very proud creatures. He might not like her on sight and freak if she touched him.

"Ah, you're early. I apologize for not being here when you arrived." Kelsey heard a deep, calm voice say. Raising her head she watched as the man descended the stairs. Albus Dumbledore, her new headmaster. That brought back the reason she was here and along with that; the nerves. He had a kind smile on his face as he reached out to pet the bird, who automatically seemed to croon and rub his head into his hand. Standing to the side she allowed her parents to greet with the man who just seemed to radiate power until his eyes landed on her and she couldn't help but feel at ease. "I see you like many others have marveled at the wonders of Fawkes."

"Fawkes?" she squeaked. He smiled warmly, using his arm to motion to the bird currently grooming himself. "Oh. Yes, he's beautiful."

"It seems he likes you." Dumbledore commented but Kelsey didn't get to ask how he knew that, as the older wizard motioned for her to sit. She did. As he welcomed her to the castle and gave her an introduction to the school, rules and classes the girl couldn't help but eye the tattered old hat sat to the side. Frowning she watched as the headmaster picked it up. "Now time to get sorted I think." And then he placed it gently upon her head. It was silent for a few seconds before she heard a deep voice reverberate through her head.

"Hmm, interesting." it said. Kelsey held her breath as it spoke. She didn't know how she felt about some weird object rifling through her head. The more he spoke the more she hated it, until finally it was over. "HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted to the room. The young girl saw Dumbledore smile before turning to her parents. Her father seemed especially proud, he had been a Hufflepuff himself. Her mother had been in Gryffindor. Whilst she was congratulated by her parents, her head of house was informed and arrived to the Headmasters office. Professor Sprout fit the Hufflepuff description to a tee, Kelsey thought. She was kind, warm and bubbly. She was also weirdly adorable.

Soon enough she said goodbye to her parents and shown to where she would be residing for the next three years. The common room was cosy, was her first thought. Very warm and homey. Entering her dorm that she would be sharing with the other girls she found both her things already piled neatly next to a bed but also her dorm mates. After a quick introduction Kelsey grabbed a book before making her way back to the common room and settling down in one of the comfiest chairs she had ever sat on in front of the roaring fire. Two pages into her book she was suddenly interrupted by a tap to the shoulder. Marking her page she looked up to see a boy around her age sitting on the couch beside her.

The boy was cute, she thought to herself as she took in his dark hair and sky blue eyes. Hmm, dimples she noted as he gave her a smile. She did like dimples on a guy. "Hi, I'm Adam and you I have never seen before."

"Kelsey. I'm new."

"I know." he replied. "What's the situation there?"

"Are you always this blunt to people you have never met before?"

"Yep." he responded with a blinding smile. "Better to get to the point isn't it?"

"I guess." Kelsey hummed, putting her book to the side and folding her legs under her. "I've been home schooled my entire life-"

"Really, I didn't even know you could, seems like a lot of hard work." Adam interrupted.

"My mom's idea. She wanted me close but I kind of put my foot down and told her this year I wanted to go to a proper school. Make some friends, you know."

"Yeah, sound lonely." Adam agreed, sitting back and relaxing into the couch. "How come your mom wanted you close?" Kelsey paused, wondering if she should divulge this boy she had just met. She probably shouldn't but he emitted a very trusting aura. Giving in she told of how her big sister died when she was small and of how her mother became a little too over protective and over bearing, not wanting her out of her sight in case she lost her too. Clearing her throat she gave an awkward smile.

"Sorry, bit heavy for someone I've just met."

"Don't apologize, I did ask." Silence erupted between the two, who Kelsey just realised were the only two left in the common room. Casting a quick tempus she grabbed her book. Wishing Adam a goodnight she made her way to her room, got ready for bed and slipped under the thick duvet. It took some time to calm down enough for her to fall asleep but she managed to do it, but the nerves of actually having proper lessons kept waking her up throughout the night so when she awoke all she wanted to do was go back to sleep.

The morning seemed to fly by as she went from class to class. What she feared might happen happened: She didn't speak to anyone at all except Adam in her second class. Though she tried to placate herself by reminding herself it really was only the first day, and it hadn't ended yet. Trying to feel proud she had at least made a friend in Adam she trudged her way to her next class now lunch had ended.

Standing outside of the classroom Kelsey heard the rest of the students coming before she saw them. Definitely boys, she thought as she folded her arms tightly across her chest. Once in the room she situated herself at a desk near the windows, trying to ignore the volume of the group of boys near the back. Turning her head she saw a pretty red head sat to her left who looked just as annoyed by the unruly lads as her.

Suddenly they caught eyes causing Kelsey to start. "I'm sorry about them." the red head said softly with an eye roll. "They're always like that."

"Who are they?"

"James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin." The girl informed her as she pointed each of them out. Kelsey had to admit they were very good looking. Well, three of them. James Potter had messy black hair that looked extra soft, Sirius Black had that sexy kind of bad boy look about him, Remus Lupin seemed quieter than the others, an attractive air circling him with sandy hair brushed neatly across his head. Finally there was Peter who seemed to be the odd one out. Whilst oddly cute despite being a little chubby, he wasn't anywhere near the league of the other three boys.

"I'm Lily Evans, by the way." the red head introduced herself, putting out her hand. Taking it Kelsey gave her a smile as she introduced herself too. It turns out Kelsey really liked Lily. She was kind, funny, smart and just all round a genuine person. A little bit of a rules person but that didn't have to be necessarily a bad thing. Plus they seemed to be the only ones, except Remus Lupin, who was actually taking notes in History of Magic. Everyone else was either napping or talking amongst themselves quietly.

The only interesting thing that happened during the entirety of the lesson was right at the end when everyone was packing up. James Potter had decided he was going to rush up to Lily, swing his arm over her shoulder, give her the cockiest (yet attractive) smile ever before proceeding to flirt and try ask her out. This event ended when the fiery red head snapped at him and threw a hex his way causing him to yelp. Lily then grabbed Kelsey by the hand and dragged her off.

"Sorry about that," she apologized, letting go of the girls hand. Running a hand through her hair Lily grimaced. What a way for the new girl to see her, she thought. Acting like a lunatic. "It's just that boy annoys me to no end and since last year he's been asking me out any chance he gets."

"Oh don't worry about it." Kelsey laughed, thinking about how high pitched Potter's voice went when the jinx hit him. "It was kind of funny."

"What do you have next?"

"Potions."

"Oh, I have transfiguration." Lily pouted in disappointment before demanding the smaller girls schedule for comparison only to pout for the second time to learn they only had History of Magic together. "Well, at least I finally have some to sit next to in there who seems to actually enjoy it."

Her next few classes passed by in a blur and she finally reached her last class of the day: Charms. This class seemed to be with the Slytherin's she noted. They all seemed to be stood slight away from her own house like they were a disease, she realised in amusement. Yet within that social apartheid there seemed to be another. Stood within the group, yet alone, was a thin boy with dark lank hair and a strange aura that made her not want to approach him yet she was strangely fascinated. He was simply ignoring everyone as he focused on the book he was holding delicately in his hands.

Snapped out of her thoughts by Adam she followed him into the room. Dropping her bag onto the floor she raised her body only to stop short when she saw the guy she had been watching out in the hall sat right next to her. Again he wasn't paying any attention to the people around him, only focusing on organizing his things. Suddenly his head turned in her direction causing Kelsey to snap her head back around. Kelsey cringed, she could literally feel the blush staining her cheeks. After a few seconds she peeked to her right, thankful that he wasn't looking at her anymore.

Kelsey didn't know why she felt so drawn to this boy sat beside her. There didn't seem to be anything extraordinary about him. He wasn't attractive (but nor was he ugly), his nose was slightly too large for his face, his hair looked like it needed a quick wash, his skin was slightly too pale and he looked in need of a good meal. Plus his eyes were so dark they were almost black. And then there was the air he carried around with him. This sort of dark ominous aura that made you not want to get too close. So with all of that, why was she so fascinated?

She found herself studying him further throughout the rest of the lesson. From the way his face changed as he concentrated to his hands. They were pianists hands, she mused. Long fingers that you would assume would make the person a fumbling mess and yet his movements were strangely graceful and practiced, like every move was calculated.

Suddenly Kelsey realised the class had ended and she hadn't done anything. Grabbing her things she rushed from the room, embarrassed from her weird watching of the strange boy. Praying he hadn't clocked on to what she was doing she made sure not to look at him as she left the room, ignoring Adam as he called her name. She just wanted to get to her dorm and wallow about what a weirdo she was.

Karma came to bite her on the ass the next day when Lily excitedly claimed, and begged of her, that she wanted to introduce her to her friend during lunch. Who she found was not who she was expecting. Out in the courtyards, sat on one of the stone benches, was the boy from Charms class. Their eyes suddenly met and Kelsey was swarmed with the overwhelming feeling of yes, yes he did know she was watching him yesterday. And no, he didn't appreciate it.

A/N: Hi, so this is my first story on here and boy will it be a long one. It won't all be in one book because it will be spanning from Severus Snape's 5th year at Hogwarts until the last Harry Potter book. I wanted to see what I could accomplish with him if he had someone other than Lily and I wanted to make it realistic too so I hope you guys will join me on this journey because trust me I wont quit on this massive project.

I am always open to hearing ideas from you guys about what you might want to see in future chapters.

Follow me on instagram: Michaela . jl . brown (no spaces)