Thanks for the reviews, keep at it! This is chapter number 5 and I have big plans for finding out what happened with everyone in the coming chapters, but you won't get them if I don't get some more reviews.

Blackmail – It's the American way.

To Hpluvva: Adora isn't starting Hogwarts, she's going because Snape has taken a new teaching position is all. I understand about you saying she acts old for her age. My cousin, Becca is 6 going on 16, but I'll try and make her act a little younger. You also have to realize she's had to unintentionally grow up prematurely because of circumstances at home.

To: Liesel: Thank you for the correction on Snape's age. I always forget that he went to school with Sirius and James and Remus because he acts so much older. I'll take it into account as I continue.



Chapter 5

Less than a week later Severus was on his way to Hogwarts. As the scarlet train pulled into the Hogsmede station, the candle lights began burning brighter, to illuminate each carriage against the onyx sky. He stooped down and looked over the lake, which was lit by a pale yellow full moon and stirred by the heaving winds and light rain. He stepped out onto the cobblestone platform and walked off, leaving his elves to carry several of his and Adora's bags. Peachy would be staying to watch after Adora, and as Severus found a carriage to take them up to the castle, Peachy clutched the young girls' hand tighter and tighter among the much older and taller wizards and witches. Adora was overwhelmed and knocked down by a boy, not quite a first year.

"Get out of my way!" He shouted pointedly.

Severus heard the commotion and walked over immediately. Adora was on the ground clutching her knee which was a crimson as he robes. The boy had joined his father and they both stood, looking down at Adora and up at Severus. Snape instantly recognized the older of the pair as the man who'd taken his position when he had retired, Draco Malfoy. The younger of the two was only about 9, and looked exactly like Draco, same pointed features with a short and particularly sharp voice for one so young. Draco stepped forward and looked down on Adora who's hood was pushed back enough to see her face, lit by the moon. He placed a graceful hand on her chin and looked at her.

"You'll catch your death down there little one," He said smoothly, looking at Severus the entire time. He looked back down at her and frowned most decidedly. "You look like your disgusting mudblood mother," He looked back at Severus and continued. "Snape used to be an honorable name, but now. Now it isn't worth the dirt on my shoe." He spat at Severus' feet and walked back to his son. "Let's go Adrian." The pair turned on their heels and walked off. Severus knelt down and picked up Adora. She quaked under his touch, and both had a look of astonishment that he had done it. After some hesitation, she turned and warped her arms around his neck and buried her face in the crook of his neck. He sat her inside the carriage and climbed in. They began their journey up to the castle that was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He looked at her knee and shook his head. He pulled his seldom-used wand out from his robes and pointed it towards her bruised and bleeding knee.

"Curatio" He said gently and her knee began to heal.

"Thank you." She whispered under her breath. He nodded to her and took notice that they were at the gates.

"Come on, we're here now. The elves will take everything to our rooms, but you and I are going to dinner."

"I'm tired"

"So am I, but you haven't had anything proper to eat all day."

"I did on the train." She argued, crossing her arms as she jumped out of the carriage onto the bottom step leading to the castle.

"Cauldron cakes and pumpkin juice hardly constitute a meal." He retorted back to her and placed his wand back in it's proper pocket. "You don;t have to eat, but you're still going. You need to meet everyone here."

"I don't like that boy." She huffed, jumping from step to step.

"I don't like him either. Or his Father for that matter, so it looks like we're in the same boat together."

"What's a mudblood? And how did that man know Mum?" Snape looked down into his daughter's large coffee colored eyes.

"I'll tell you when you're older." He didn't know what else to say. He hadn't thought that his daughter would have to deal with such prejudice so young in her life. He hadn't thought she'd have to deal with any of it, coming from such lineage that he had in his history. He was obviously wrong and he didn't know what he'd do when it came time for Adora to be sorted. Surely Adrian Malfoy would be in Slytherin, but what about Adora? If she wasn't in Slytherin she'd be the first not to be. Except for his younger sister, Atra, who he hadn't talked to in years. She was a History professor at Durmstrang and had been sorted into Ravenclaw, but was quickly taken out because of such a disgrace and sent to Durmstang, where she matriculated into House Malificarum, one of 4 houses there. (the houses at Durmstrang are as follows: House Malificarum, House Temperantiae, House Perfectaum and House Fiedei.**)

As they made their way into the great hall, they were greeted with the scent of hot food on the tables and the heavy air of excitement and tension from all students, who clamored to talk to one another after being gone all summer. Also from the first years who were mostly afraid to disappoint parents and siblings by not being in the same house as everyone else in the family was. Severus walked straight into the Great Hall and made way for the Head Table without stopping to look around. Adora one the other hand was completely dumbstruck. She walked, mouth agape and eyes wide staring at the ceiling and all of the kids they fit in one room.

"Adora!" Snape shouted back to her and she ran up to her father and grabbed his robes to stop her from running head-first into the table in front of her. The weight pulled him down on one side and his eyes widened at the prospect of falling in front of the student, so he quickly stood up and grabbed Adora's arm, to prevent her from falling over.

"Ah! Severus! So nice to see you again. Your chair has been brought back from your old rooms, which have also been kept for you. It took the house elves quite a bit of cleaning to clear out 10 years of dust, but it was accomplished and I hope you enjoy your quarters. We also hope that you will take on the task of being Slytherin's head of house again. We all agreed that professor Malfoy didn't have the experience to be head of house, and the position has been vacant the ten years you have been gone. You will also be please to know that your legend is still around and many of the first years are a bit spooked to see you, since most of them have been reassured that you wouldn't return, so you can go about your usual business terrorizing them, and it won't take as much effort." Dumbledore smiled and lifted his goblet to Severus. "Welcome Back."

Severus let a sly, corner-of-mouth smile slip to Dumbledore and bowed.

"Thank you very much for allowing me to return after all that has happened."

"Well I must say the letter was a bit dated, but it is better that you join us later than never."

Adora stood there watching the two men talk, quickly glancing at the cold, cruel stares that Malfoy senior was giving toward her and her Father. She reached up and grabbed Severus' hand and hid her face in his billowing robes.

"He's looking at me." She shouted into his robes.

"Well then why don't you go sit in my chair and wait for me, I'll be right down and we can eat dinner, and then go see your room." She gave him a questioning look and did as she was told, with reluctant strides.

"There will be tension between you and Draco?"

"There always will be." Severus replied to the Headmaster's question.

"Oh yes, I remember now. You did a little bit more than rob the cradle." He chuckled and looked at Severus with his kind blue eyes. "You must both remember that nothing can be done about it now. You both have beautiful children and you both should be happy."

"Yes." Severus said, not breaking eye contact with Malfoy, and he went to his seat.

** Each house I made up for Durmstrang is a Latin name (forgive me I don't know Latin, so I got them from an English-Latin dictionary) and has an equivelant at Hogwarts.

Malificarum would be Slytherin;

Temperantiae would be Hufflepuff;

Perfectaum would be Ravenclaw;

Fiedei would be Gryffindor.