Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters.
"I can infiltrate Voldemort's ranks! I can gain his trust Albus…just let me!"
"You will do no such thing, he thinks you are dead. If he were to find out your true identity you would be killed in a slow and painful manner and I don't want to risk it. We have someone in there already your skills will be put to use in a much more productive way. You will gather information. You are invisible to the wizarding world and to Voldemort, you can move through the different dark circles undetected. You will NOT join the death eaters, you will spy on them…you will gather information…you will train to become a warrior for the light." Albus was right and she knew it. She would do as he asked and when the time came for the bastard to die…she would be the one to do it.
"Yes, headmaster. Just tell me what to do."
"You remember your old connections, Alli…use what knowledge you gained from your housemates in school and go. Do not tell me where you are…I don't want to know. Just keep yourself out of trouble and keep me informed. I will contact you with information regarding meetings of the inner circle of the Order, but the less contact I have with you the better. We don't want anyone to find out until it is absolutely necessary."
"Alright." At that point Alli began to go through the multitude of information that she had gained from the more irreputable of her school mates and phased out the conversation going on around her. It was just as well because it was a conversation about the betrayal of the Potter family and their imminent burials. Alli tuned back in when Sirius began to speak for the first time that evening.
"I couldn't find him, Albus. He wasn't there. There's no explanation for it…he just wasn't there."
"I don't know what happened to Harry, Sirius. I can only assume that Voldemort killed the child and destroyed his remains. The only way there would be no further risk to him, I'm sure he wanted to rule out any possible complications in the future."
"But why Harry? Why James and Lily? Why were they so important?" asked Remus in a pleading tone. His face was drawn and his eyes were wide with grief.
"There was a prophecy, about a child born as the seventh month died that could defeat Voldemort once and for all. That was why James and Lily went into hiding, Sirius."
That night Alli left Hogwarts, not to return for two years upon the death of Albus Dumbledore.
It was a slightly older and much more worn looking Allison Sullivan that passed through the decrepit gates of what used to be Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The iron that used to spike into beautiful patterns on the entranceway was now rusted and bent into an ugly mass of metal that Alli couldn't help but cringe as she passed by.
The Order had succeeded in beating Voldemort's forces off of the school, but at a high price. The death of most of the Order and it's leader. The Hallways were full of debris, walls were destroyed and most of the paintings were torn and empty. As Alli passed through the corridors her feet echoed on the stone floor, and more than once she had to change her path because some passage was blocked by the remainders of war.
When she finally reached the headmasters office it was to a somber scene. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black were seated by the fire and looked battle worn. Their clothes were tattered and they had a multitude of cuts and gashes across their skin. Minerva was seated in the headmaster's old chair and simply stared out the window not even looking up when Alli entered the room.
"Is this all that is left of the Order?" Alli asked softly. She wished that she had been here…been able to help in some way. She had received Albus's request for her and had come as quickly as she could, but China is a long way to travel. She had not arrived in time to save her old mentor.
Minerva snapped out of her stupor and looked at Alli with grateful eyes, it would be good to have her back within the folds of the Order. She had missed the girl and her warrior spirit.
"No, we're all that remain at the school now. There are others that survived, they've all gone to our new headquarters. We were simply gathering what little there was left." She replied, looking sadder with every word.
"Will you be staying this time, Alli?" asked Remus quietly. She had come into contact with him a few times over the years she had been away and their friendship had grown. She had missed him.
"Yes. I think I'm needed more here at home now."
"That is good news, I must tell you Allison." Said Minerva in a grateful tone as she cracked the first smile Alli had seen all day. "We will be needing your skills to train the newer members, Remus tells me you've acquired quite the reputation in China."
"I'm sure he was over exaggerating, but I did manage to gain a small groups alliance in the war. They aren't very big but they are powerful wizards, should we ever call on them they will be useful."
"We need to get out of here, before Voldemort finally finds a way to break Albus's wards and takes over the school." Said Sirius as he spoke for the first time since Alli's arrival. He slowly and carefully rose from his chair and grimaced as he put weight on his right leg. "We need to head out to the grounds. The floo is surely being monitored."
The group of four emerged from the ruins of what used to be the greatest school of magic in the world with looks of remorse. This had been a home for each of them at some point and it was very difficult to leave it with the intention never to return. Even if they did win the war and got the school back, it would never be as it was. It was somehow tainted now…darker. The towers, instead of inspiring awe as they once did now looked menacing under the gathering storm clouds and all four hurried away from their crumbled past.
"Where are we going, Minerva?" asked Alli as they walked through the deserted streets of Hogsmeade.
"We're going to the Three Broomsticks to floo to Diagon Alley and from there a member of the Order will be waiting with a port key for us." She replied as they entered the pub.
There were very few patrons currently in the once bustling pub and Alli couldn't help but think back on her school years when they would come in here and cause mischief. She remembered the Marauders pulling pranks on the Slytherins and Miss Rosmerta who waited tables there. The sight of it now was tearing her apart and she wanted to leave the building as soon as possible.
The four cloaked figures approached the fire place and threw in the necessary powder to turn the flames green before flooing to Diagon Alley. Thankfully this was one place in the wizarding world that had not yet changed. It was as busy as ever, but there was a hint of depression in the air. The people were not chatting, simply walking quickly to their destinations in silence and this unnerved Alli more than anything she had seen in the Three Broomsticks.
They were not twenty feet into the alley before they were approached by a young man who looked to be about sixteen. The boy had red hair and a kind face that was covered in freckles. He mumbled something to Minerva that Alli did not hear but when he ushered them into a deserted back street she knew this was the man they were waiting for. He held out a piece of old parchment and soon everyone was pulled to the new headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
The five were greeted upon their arrival by only one person. A dark and imposing figure to most, but to Alli he was just the scrawny smart ass that she went to school with.
"Severus!" she yelled as she jumped upon him and enveloped him in hug. The thing that left everyone else's jaws dropping was that Severus Snape (bastard extraordinaire) actually smiled and hugged her back.
"Welcome back to the living Allison." He replied.