Last updated on February 14, 2003
Except for Mariannah who is obviously my own creation, all the other characters here belong to J.K. Rowling.
This chapter was revised! :-) Please check out the news on "Author's Notes & News updated every now and then" (which is usually the last chapter of this story).
I'd like to thank the Harry Potter Lexicon () for all the invaluable resource, which helped me make this fan-fic. I'd also like to thank John Williams for creating such an excellent score for the Harry Potter movies. They were fuel for my imagination as well. Finally, thanks to all the other song artists and fan-fic authors. Without them, this story wouldn't materialize at all.
Discoveries
"My lord," said the death eater, bowing low towards Voldemort. "I have some news which may interest you."
"Speak, Malfoy," said Voldemort, eyeing the death eater. "And make it worth my while."
"I have received an owl from my son. He says they have a Gryffindor Guardian as one of their new professor." Voldemort stared at Lucius Malfoy icily. "For your sake, Malfoy, that news better not be a joke." Malfoy kept his head down, afraid to look at the Dark Lord. "But it's true, my Lord!" he exclaimed. "Mariannah has returned."
Voldemort nodded a bit. "I see. So, she survived. Very clever girl." Voldemort smiled. "Too bad she isn't one of mine. It would have been nice to have an intelligent death eater again." Voldemort's face was stern as he looked at Malfoy.
"Get up," he ordered. Malfoy obediently stood and looked at his master. "Ask your son to tell you more about the Guardian. What she has been up to for the past fourteen years. It's time we get reacquainted with our former comrade."
Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the Great Hall for lunch. Harry scanned the High Table for Professor Potter. "She's not here," Harry told his friends. "Maybe she's just late, Harry," said Hermione. "Come on, let's take our seats. I'm starving," said Ron as he headed for the Gryffindor table.
They were already through the middle of lunch when Mariannah arrived. She scanned the hall until her eyes rested on Harry. "Hey, Harry," said Ron. "There she is!" Harry looked behind him and saw the professor walking towards his seat. "I'm sorry for being late, Harry," apologized Mariannah. "I completely forgot about lunch. What time is your next class?" "About an hour and a half from now, Professor," answered Harry.
"Good," said Mariannah, smiling warmly at Harry. "Just enough time for that chat I promised you. When you're finished with lunch, just approach me at the High Table, OK?" Harry nodded. Mariannah ruffled Harry's hair before going over to the teacher's table to have her lunch. Like before, Mariannah took her seat beside Severus.
Mariannah put some salad on her plate. Then looked intently at Severus' platter. Severus soon noticed this. "What?" he spat at Mariannah. "Nothing," she said. "Just wondering how soon you'll be finishing your lunch. Otherwise, you won't mind if Harry sat with us, yes?" Mariannah smiled as Severus almost choked on his food. Severus shot a nasty look at Mariannah. "I promised to talk to him during lunch," explained Mariannah as she started to eat her salad. "I was late again, as you can see. So I told him to just come over here when he's finished so we could talk." She daintily speared a slice of tomato and brought it to her mouth. She was still smiling at Severus, amused at his reaction.
"He can't sit up here!" sneered Severus. "This table is for teachers only!"
"Oh?" Mariannah then turned to look at Professor Dumbledore. The headmaster was talking to Professor McGonagall when he looked at Mariannah. He then nodded and winked. Mariannah smiled and faced Severus again. "There. I have the headmaster's permission now." Severus scowled. "Oh, come on now, Sev. It's just this once."
"Don't. Call. Me. Sev!" growled Severus. Mariannah was still smiling at him. "Besides, he has no place to sit here."
"Severus, most of the people here are about to finish lunch, as you can see." Some of the teachers were now standing up to go back to work. Most of the students were also leaving the hall now.
Severus wanted to swear at the woman next to him but thought twice about it. Not with the headmaster looking at the two of them. Bloody hell! thought Severus. Even Albus is smiling! "Here comes Harry now," said Mariannah. Severus turned his head to see Harry timidly walking towards the table. Harry was unsure of coming up to the table at all. Not with Professor Snape next to Professor Potter. Severus scowled at Harry, finished the rest of his pumpkin juice and got up from his seat. He then strode off.
Damn Guardian! Annoying as ever! thought Severus as he went out the hall doors.
Bloody death eater! Mariannah thought in amusement. She then turned her attention to Harry. "Come, dear," invited the professor. "Sit beside me. We have a lot to talk about."
"Hello again!"
"Argh!" cried out Severus. He had almost put a little too much armadillo bile into his potion. He turned around to face who ever distracted him. "You again?" he yelled at Mariannah. "Yes, me again," she said sweetly.
"Why do you always keep popping up every time I'm trying to work?" snapped Severus. Mariannah didn't answer. Instead she smiled at him again.
"Well?" said Severus.
"I just like to know," started Mariannah. She stopped whatever she was about to say, looking at Severus intently.
"Go on, girl! Know what?" Severus said impatiently. "Come on now! I haven't got all day!"
"I'd like to know how far I can go before you start running away from me like a raving lunatic." She smiled impishly at the shocked young man.
"Wha- What?" Severus was surprised. "You... this is your idea of... fun?" The girl nodded. Severus stared at Mariannah. "You... like... irritating... people?"
"Oh, no!" said Mariannah, still smiling impishly. "Just certain people. James, for instance. But he's busy with Quidditch practice. So I went to you instead."
James! Next thing Severus knew, he was running towards the Quidditch field. "James!" yelled Severus. "Come down from there! We need to talk!"
"Hey! Can't you see they're practicing?" shouted Sirius as he, Remus and Peter moved towards Severus.
"Stay out of this! This is between me and Potter!" sneered Severus. The Marauders can clearly see that the man was furious at something.
"OK, Snape," said James as he flew down to the ground. "What is it?"
"Your sister is totally annoying!" spat Severus. "She keeps popping up out of nowhere. Scaring me out of my wits. Distracting me from my work. She's absolutely bloody annoying!" James looked at Severus, amused at the news. "Oh! So now she's doing it to you!" James and the other Marauders started to howl with laughter. "Oh my! For a moment there I thought she's still being nice to you! Well, at least she's found a new victim."
Severus stared at him icily. It took some time before James could stop laughing. "Still," James continued, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I don't know if I can take that as good or bad news."
"What do you mean, Potter?" said Severus. "To put it bluntly, Snape. She only annoys people to death if she really likes the person," stated James. Severus was now quite confused by what he heard and James was quite aware of this. "Severus," James said staring into Severus' eyes. "She. Likes. You."
Severus stared back at James, dumbfounded and mouth agape. "Honestly," said James. "I don't know what she sees in you. But if it's making your life miserable, I guess that's a consolation for us. Now, if you'll excuse me." James got back on his broom and returned to Quidditch practice.
Severus was still in shock as he walked away from the field.
"Ah!" said Remus to Sirius as they watched Severus walk away. "This is definitely going to be one interesting year!"
Mariannah looked at her watch. "Well, you better be running along now, Harry," she said. "It's almost two o'clock." Mariannah and Harry had been talking for a long time. Yet, Harry felt that it wasn't enough. There was so much to learn about his aunt. Mariannah read his thoughts again.
"Don't worry, Harry," she told the boy. "We'll have time for another chat again soon."
"Thank you, Ma'am... I mean... Aunt Mariannah! I look forward to that," said Harry, and proceeded to go to his next class. Mariannah smiled as she watched her nephew leave the Hall. "Well, my dear?" asked an elderly voice beside her. She looked to see that Albus was still in his seat. "Albus!" she said. "You're still here?"
"Of course!" said Professor Dumbledore. "It's nice to see Harry getting to know about his aunt." The Headmaster got up to sit closer to Mariannah. "What about you, my dear? I noticed that you kept Harry entranced with your stories." The old man smiled at Mariannah. "Ah, well... yes," said Mariannah, a bit embarrassed to know that the headmaster noticed that she was reading Harry's thoughts. "So, what do you think of your nephew?" queried Professor Dumbledore.
"He definitely has been through a lot, Albus," said Mariannah, her voice filled with concern. "But he's a strong boy. A bit bullheaded. Has a great dislike for Severus. Can't say I blame him though. Loves Quidditch. A great flyer." Mariannah laughed. "It's like being with a younger James," she exclaimed. Her laughter died down as she said that. Suddenly remembering the good times she and her brother had long ago. Then Voldemort. Godric's Hollow. She could have stopped it all. She could have saved them. If only she wasn't...
Albus held her shoulder, waking her from her thoughts. "Mariannah," he said in a fatherly fashion. "There was nothing anyone could have done. As I told you before, it was never your fault." Mariannah nodded at Albus. "Excuse me, Albus," she said, standing up. "I have to go now. I need to get ready for my class." With that she walked out of the hall. Professor Dumbledore sighed deeply and shook his head. "Time has not yet healed your wounds, has it?"
To be continued...