Ann looked around her father's sparse quarters. There was a small area that contained a desk with a bunch of assorted half-filled bottles and rolls of parchment on it. By the fire was a single chair and off to the side was a door leading to the bedchamber. "Where will I be staying Father?"

Snape moved to the back of the room and raised his wand. "Invendio," he said. Instantly a second door appeared and he opened it. "I hope this will be satisfactory." Ann peered into the room. It was bright with a bed in one corner and a small table and chair on the opposite side.

"This will be fine, until I get sorted into my own house and can be in the sixth year dorm," she said.

"About that, Ann." Snape began. "I don't think that you attending Hogwarts is the best idea."

"But, Father," Ann interrupted.

"I'm sorry, Ann. But your mother had her reasons for wanting you to attend another school and I believe she was right."

"Well I don't. I never did understand why I couldn't attend Hogwarts. It would have given us more time together. A few lousy weeks during the summer is hardly enough time to get to know my father."

"I can arrange for you to come back for the winter holidays and of course the summer if you wish."

"No. I'm not going back to school. I've already set it up in my mind that I would be staying. Father, I don't have anyone else in the world but you. Why do you want to send me away? I always thought it was Mother who kept you away, but maybe it really was me."

"Ann, that's not true. I know it's been difficult for you, but your mother had her reasons for keeping me away. It had nothing to do with you."

"Then why? Why weren't you there?"

Snape looked uncomfortably at his daughter. He really didn't want her to know about his past. She was one of the only people who didn't look at him with doubt and mistrust in their eyes. "You may stay."

Ann moved toward him and wrapped her arms around his back. "Thank you, Father. Thank you for not sending me away."

Snape returned the embrace awkwardly. "Perhaps, we should go to dinner."

They left Snape's room and proceeded to the Great Hall. The students were all already assembled and eating. When Snape and Ann entered all eyes were on them. Ann looked curiously to her left and to her right. She could see the four house tables and looked to see which was the Gryffindor table. She spotted through the sea of black the concentration of maroon and gold that identified the Gryffindors. Once she found them it wasn't hard to spot him.

She had expected Harry Potter to be in the middle of the throng of Gryffindors, but surprisingly he was off to the far end of the table with the girl and boy she had seen him with at Hogsmeade. She kept her eyes on him as she and her Father passed the table and boldly looked back at him as she passed by. Harry looked up as they passed and caught her eye. She stared directly at him for several seconds before he turned away. She smiled to herself and returned her gaze forward.

Her father brought her up to the head table and began introducing her around. Professor Dumbledore rose and greeted Ann warmly, as did Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and several others. Then her father guided her around the table and pulled out a seat for her.

She sat between him and the Headmaster. She wasn't really hungry. She hadn't been properly hungry since her mother died. The thought brought a golf ball size lump to her throat. 'I'm not going to think about that now,' she told herself. She forced her mind on other things, like the students who were all very openly staring at her. She didn't really care. She stared right back.

In the middle of her musings, Dumbledore turned and spoke to her. "I hope your journey was well."

"It was sir, thank you," Ann returned.

"I was sorry to hear about your mother."

Ann could only nod.

"I remember her when she was in school. She was an excellent student. One of the top in her house."

Again Ann nodded.

"How long will you be staying with us, Ann."

Snape leaned in interrupting the rather one-sided conversation. "I actually wanted to speak with you about that Headmaster. Ann has requested to remain at Hogwarts and if it is ameniable to you I would like her sorted and situated in her house as soon as possible."

Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "I can't recall the last time a student came to us this late in their schooling."

"I did get my letter before first year," Ann interjected.

"I remember. I don't see that it will be a problem, it's just unusual. But, considering the circumstances, I think I agree with your father. It would be best to get you sorted and into a normal schedule as soon as possible. Why don't we go up to my office and sort you right after dinner."

Ann smiled relieved. She had not expected to get her way this easily. She knew she would be able to get her father to agree to whatever she asked, but she was certain that Albus Dumbledore would have thrown a few road blocks in her path. Ultimately though, she knew that she was going to achieve her goal of staying. Whenever Ann set her mind on anything she was able to pull it off. It was how she got through life, one goal at a time. She was completely single-minded in this regard and she had been this way as long as she could remember.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After dinner Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all sitting around the fire in the Gryffindor common room. As usual Ron and Hermione were bickering.

"I really don't understand what the problem is, Ron," snapped Hermione.

"You don't understand," he retorted.

"No, I don't."

"Do I have to spell it out for you?"

"I wish you would."

"Fine," said Ron going red. "I don't want you to write to Viktor Krum."

"You're being absolutely ridiculous. We're just friends."

"Well that's not what he wants."

"Oh how would you know what he wants. You haven't seen him in three years and even then you couldn't speak two civil sentences to him."

"I know because he's a guy and we're all the same. Come on Harry, back me up."

Harry was staring into the fire barely registering the words coming from his two best friends.

"Harry." Ron repeated.

"Wha?" Harry jumped and turned to Ron.

"My God. Where were you?" Ron asked.

"Trying to tune the two of you out," Harry said irritatingly. "Honestly, can't you two ever give it a rest?"

Ron turned slightly pink, but Hermione turned her full attention to Harry. "What's the matter, you've been in a fog since dinner."

"Nothing," Harry muttered.

"Come on, Harry. We're your friends."

"No really, it's nothing. I was just thinking."

"About what," Hermione insisted.

"About that girl," Ron supplied. It was Harry's turn to go pink. "Hey, it's ok, mate. I saw the way you were looking at her."

"It's driving me nuts. I mean, who is she? How does she know Snape?"

"Wow," said Ron. "You've got it bad."

"I have not," said Harry defiantly.

"Ron," said Hermione warningly.

"What," said Ron and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Anyway," he continued ignoring Hermione's rolled eyes. "I think maybe you better leave it alone, Harry."

"Why?"

"Because, she's with Snape. Whoever she is, it's pretty obvious they know each other. He's probably already warned her about the arrogant, big- headed, always-in-trouble, boy who lived."

Harry laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he said. Though in his head he was already planning a way to get introduced to the mysterious new girl.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After dinner Ann accompanied her father and Dumbledore up to the latter's office. Dumbledore drew her up a chair with his wand and she sat. Then he went to one of his many bookshelves and lifted a tattered ancient looking hat down and brought it to Ann. Carefully he placed it on her head and instantly she could hear a voice.

'Ahh, a little old to be sorted, aren't we,' said the voice. 'Interesting, another Snape. I wondered where you were six years ago, but better late than never. Now, where to put you. I see, yes indeed. You my dear are more complicated than you appear at first glance. Your father was much simpler. A true Slytherin through and through. You possess many similar qualities, a strong inner drive and of course willingness to do whatever it takes to get what you want. But what's that? Repulsed by that my dear? You fight against your true nature, but you are who you are no matter how you might fight your inner demons. Yes, I can see there is no other choice.' "Slytherin!" The hat called out clearly.

Ann watched her father's face as she was sorted into his own house and noticed a twitch at the corner of his mouth and a crease in his forehead and she couldn't tell whether the announcement made him proud or worried.