The clamor at these words were unlike any Harry had ever heard. It was louder than when Gryffindor had snatched up the House Cup in his first year, roared higher than when the Quidditch Cup had been won in his third. The noise would deafen any that stayed in it for longer than five minutes. However, it was silenced quickly, by Sirius and Lupin leaping out of the staff table and racing towards their friends. Once they had sprinted the length of the Great Hall, Sirius grabbed James in a tight embrace while Lupin practically choked Lily. Harry sat there, grinning from ear to ear, bright green eyes twinkling looking, to everyone around him, as the happiest person in the world. If he had looked in the Mirror of Erised at that moment, all he would have seen was himself.

~~~

            Maria watched the happy reunion sadly. She looked, to Hermione, as if she was still irritatingly listening for them. However, Maria sat, alone at the end of the Gryffindor table, wishing for the first time that she was normal, that she could have friends like this. That thought was quickly dismissed, as it was impossible. As she looked away she caught Harry's eye, and for the first time, he understood.

~~~

            Harry looked away from Maria. Then, as his parents took their seats at the staff table, he relocated his. A she sat next to Maria, she started to speak.

            "My mother was a very nice person," she began, answering the unspoken question, "She died when I was seven. Her brother, my Uncle, is also very nice and caring. He watched me and took care of my when my father hit me. Last summer, when he realized what my father was planning, he arranged for him to be killed. He lives near Hogwarts and that's why I'm here now." Maria finished speaking and rose. As she walked out of the Great Hall, Harry watched her with a new take on the girl. She still seemed very odd, and had left him with more questioned than she had answered, but like he had kept Neville's secret private, he would hers. And he would try and convince his friends to give her a chance.

~~~

            Half way back to the Gryffindor Common Room, Maria was stopped. "Are you feeling alright?" Snape asked the girl.

            "Yes, Uncle. I'm fine. Just a little…" As Maria looked up at her uncle with tears in her brown eyes, he sighed.

            "I promised my sister I would look after you. I've failed you for nine years, but I will make it up to you, Maria. I swear. As soon as I can stop this spy game for Voldemort, I will devote every moment of my time to living up to my word. I just wish you were in my house." Snape swept his niece into a hug and held her their.

            In the shadows of this compassionate performance, Harry was shocked. The man, who for the past five years he had thought incapable of compassion was not only comforting some one, but vowing to make their life better. As he watched this display, Harry felt a tear run down his cheek. All these years, he had been sad about being an orphan. She had to put up with more.

~~~

            The next morning, Harry woke up groggy. Until 5:00 that morning, he had been talking with his parents. Two hours of sleep wasn't enough, but luckily he had Defense first thing. He walked into the Common Room, expecting it to be its usual bustle, but the only person there was Maria. "Where is everyone?" He asked as she wrote something on a roll of parchment.

            "Breakfast," she replied, "Everyone wants to see your parents."

            "Oh," he responded, taking a seat next to her, "So, your Uncle is Snape?"

            Maria signed the roll of parchment with a flourish, "Yes. And I own him one Galleon."

            "Why?"

            "Because I bet him that you weren't eavesdropping or if you were you would have the courtesy not to mention it."

            "Oh, er, sorry." Harry stammered.

            "That's alright," Maria sighed, "Just don't tell anyone, and the stuff I told you last night too, okay?"

            "Sure." Harry headed down to breakfast. When he got there he sat with Ron and Hermione who were, once again, complaining about Maria.

            "She just sits there! And somehow she got a CD player to work inside Hogwarts! She mouths to the music on her headphones so none of us know what it is!" Hermione complained.

            "CD player? Headphones? What?" Ron was very confused.

            "It's a muggle thing that plays music, but only so one person can hear it." Hermione explained.

            "Oh. I thought you said muggle things didn't work at Hogwarts." Ron was still bewildered.

            "There not suppose to. That's the problem!"

            "Good morning." Harry joined his friends.

            "Hi Harry. Have you thought any more about my Maria-Snape Relation Theory?" Ron joked.

            Harry sprayed the pumpkin juice he had been drinking everywhere, "Uh, complex named," he covered.

            "Yeah, I guess," Ron looked at his other friend even more confused than before.

            Snape walked by Harry, eyeing his with concern. As he reached the doors they burst open.

            "SNIVILLUS!" James Potter called.

            "Oh no," Harry sank in his chair, remembering Snape's worst memory.

~~~

A/N~ I revealed a little more in this chapter than I met to. Oh well. Sorry that the first paragraph is really cheesy. Snape is turning out to be compassionate? Odd I never liked him that much. I guess I wanted to set it up for Harry's dad. More explanations later.