Seven weeks later, Hogsmede, England
Professor Severus Snape waited at the Hogsmede station for his niece to arrive from America. Professor Albus Dumbledore was with him to greet a girl that he has never met. Snape was very nervous because he didn't know how to treat a young girl except how he treated the student in his classes.
"Here comes the train, Severus," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes watching his Potions Master intently.
"Why, oh, why did I bring her here?" Snape said. "All the students will shun her."
"I don't think so, Severus, remember the outcry from the students when Remus Lupin left, no one will care," Dumbledore reassured.
"Well, I'll leave the decision to let everyone know, to her," Snape decided.
The train came to a stop and a young woman that was around fifteen-years-old stepped off it. She had shoulder length brown hair and hazel eyes that were sorrow filled. She just tried to keep her grief inside and worried about meeting an uncle her father said was a traitor and an evil person. She was afraid of how he will accept her for her affliction and whether or not he will lock her up at each full moon.
"Miss Ashley Snape, I am Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, and this is your uncle, Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master," said a man with a long silver beard and half-moon glasses.
"Hello, sirs, thank you for letting me come here," she said in s small voice. She averted her gaze from the cold look in her uncle's eyes.
"Come. Get your stuff and we'll go to the school. The term starts tomorrow," Snape ordered.
She grabbed her trunk and other items and followed them to a carriage. Dumbledore levitated the luggage to the top of the buggy and they got in. Ashley just stared out of the window at the passing forest. She didn't know if her uncle liked her.
They arrived at Hogwarts and went inside. The two professors led Ashley to the Great Hall. There she saw five tables and a ceiling that looked like the sky outside. She also saw that there was a bunch of teachers at one of the tables.
"This is the Great Hall, you will have meals here and any important gathering will be held here," Snape said. "Tomorrow night, you will be sorted with the rest of the first years, even though you're in fifth year."
"Okay, uncle," she replied quietly.
She sat at a table that he pointed to and waited for the food to be served. She looked at the teachers and studied them. She wondered if they knew about her curse. There was one teacher who looked very weary, he looked like she felt after her first transformation. She hoped that the other students wouldn't notice how she looked once a month.
The food magically appeared on her plate and Ashley ate her fill. She then took out a book that she had in her pocket and started to read. She was waiting for her uncle to find out where she was staying for the night.
"Well, girl, are you going to stay here reading all night or are you going to grace us with your presence in the Headmaster's office?" her uncle hissed quietly in her ear.
"I'm sorry, uncle, I didn't see you get up."
He led her to a gargoyle, a few corridors from the hall. He muttered a phrase and the statue jumped to the side. She followed her uncle up the stairs and into an office that had the headmaster and two other professors. One had on some emerald green robes and the other one was the one who looked tired.
"Here she is, Albus. Ashley, this is Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress, and this is Professor Remus Lupin, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. We are here to explain to how your monthly transformations will be handled."
"Miss Snape, let me tell you that I can be of great help to you," Professor Lupin started, his eyes alit with understanding. "I'm a werewolf, also. I will answer any question you may have and I will accompany you to the Shrieking Shack for our transformations. We will also take the Wolfsbane potion."
"I had one transformation and they kept me in a cage, sir, even though I had the potion, they thought that I would hurt others, I was treated like an animal." Ashley tried not to cry.
"You will not be treated that way, niece, I will not allow it. I will see that you are treated with the respect due a Snape," her uncle stated with quiet anger in his voice. "Will you try our plan?
With a small movement of her head, she agreed.