A/N: Here's the first chapter of the story! I hope you like it and will review!!

Much had happened since that faithful night of October thirty-first. Many Death Eaters had been captured and sentenced to certain times in Azkaban Wizarding Prison, others had gone free. Aurors had died at the hands of these people, and those members of the Order of the Phoenix who had survived, wept for the death, dismemberment and sanity of their comrades. For Annelise, however, things were much different. On the night in question, the woman had walked for miles along concrete roads, waiting for any sign of civilization. She walked for hours until a young college student making his way home from school spotted her. His being a kind heart, he pulled over and examined her rugged and travel worn appearance before offering her a ride. They had exchanged names, the students being Henry Granger, and he opened his home to her and little Hermione.

"You, um, you can stay with, um, me if you like," Henry had said, shyly and uncertain.

"Thank you," said Annelise, smiling at him, causing him to blush furiously and keep his eyes on the road.

"A-are you married?" Henry managed to stutter out after a moments pause.

"I was," said Annelise, her voice low and soft. "But I'm not anymore."

"If you don't mind me saying, you look awful young to have been married already. I mean, you look nineteen or maybe twenty," Henry trailed off, coughing so as to not embarrass himself further.

"I married young, right out of school. I'm nineteen by the way," said Annelise, not meeting his eyes, which were in aw at a woman such as she.

Indeed, Henry was in aw. Annelise was unlike any woman he had ever met, and from first glance he fell in love with her. To say that his feelings were reciprocated would be a lie. She did love him, in time, but not the way she did Tom. She was not destined to love this kind muggle, but rather the harsh and loving wizard whom had been taken away from her so cruelly.

Henry took Annelise to his home in a small muggle town. He made sure that she and Hermione were settled in before he went back to school, commuting every day to the out-of-town dentistry college. As time passed, Annelise grew accustomed to the ways of muggles and soon worked as Henry's assistant at his dental surgery once he graduated. Henry's love for Annelise grew day by day, as did his love for her daughter, and soon he took advantage of their close friendship and took her out to dinner. Months past, and the couple married, and then, when Hermione was six years old, Annelise gave birth to a son. The boy, who had by no means any Riddle blood within him, looked so much like Tom is was almost painful. He had his mother's ebony locks and his fathers deep brown eyes, and as a baby, when he smiled, Annelise swore she could see her long dead love in him. Of course, all notions were ludicrous.

In order for Annelise to keep her identity, as well as that of her children, from the wizarding community, she fashioned herself a glamour. This glamour would cover herself, Hermione and the boy Tom for an unknown number of years until it wore off to revile their true selves. So, in order to look like the natural family they were not, Annelise soon found herself with shoulder-length brown hair and pale blue eyes. Hermione looked similar to her mother, except she had the eyes of her so-called father, Tom being the same. As of now, years later, everything had gone smoothly. Hermione's introduction to the world of magic had been once of equal ignorance from her parents and now that Tom had reached his eleventh year, he was due for his own letter of acceptance from the prestigious school known as Hogwarts. All was well for the Grangers, until a simple mistake ruined it all.

Annelise awoke on the morning of her son's birthday, August seventeenth, with the unsettling feeling of worry in the back of her mind. She rose as per the usual, careful not to wake her sleeping mate, and made her way to the adjacent bathroom. Upon entering, switching on the lights, she looked at her reflection in the mirror with utter horror. The glamour was gone. What once was was no more, and she was Annelise Snape-Riddle once again. Ebony locks trailed down her back in soft ringlets and onyx eyes were wide and frightened. After all, once the glamour was fashioned, Henry knew not the actual appearance of his family. An obliviate charm had taken care of that. Every detail in their home, every picture, every memory, was of a household of brunettes and not that of the prominent wizarding family that Annelise belonged to.

Racing out of the room, down the stairs and into the den, she saw everything changing around her. Pictures of Tom as an infant, of Annelise and Henry on their wedding day, and a formal picture of Hermione as the flower girl morphed to their original forms. Still photographs of Hermione and her friends changed, as did those of the occasional moving photo. Everywhere she looked, there was more proof of the life she once held, and it scared her horribly.

"Mummy!" cried a small voice from upstairs, and Annelise rushed up the single flight to see Tom standing in the hall, toothbrush in hand, dripping peppermint foam onto the hardwood.

"Honey, are you alright?" asked Annelise.

"Yes mummy, but I look different. What's going on?" asked the eleven-year-old.

Before she could answer, there was a cry from her daughter's room, and the door was flung open to revile a beautiful young woman whom Hermione Granger, upon retiring to bed the previous evening, had not been.

"Mum, what is going on? What the hell is happening?" asked Hermione.

"Get downstairs and I will explain everything," The two children nodded and Hermione took her brothers hand and led him to the den.

Once seated on the sofa, Annelise went into her office and took a key from her purse. With a single glance, she placed the small silver key in the hole and opened up the only locked drawer of her desk. Inside, dusty with age, was her wand. She picked it up, feeling the unfamiliar surge of power that she got when touching the finely crafted ash, and left the room, leaving an empty drawer with nothing but a thin outline of dust in her wake.

"I have many things that I must explain to the both of you, and as the glamour has worn off I see this as the appropriate time to do so." Both children gaped at their mother and the elegance in which she spoke.

"Many years ago, my elder brother became involved in the close circle known as the Death Eaters. In doing so he first introduced me to the leader of this circle, Tom Riddle. My brother and I had a difficult decision to make, one that would decide our futures, to be neutral, on the side of light, or the side of dark in times of war. Of course, he chose the dark, and my love for Tom brought me there as well."

"You were in love with Tom Riddle? With V-voldemort? The most hated and despicable man to ever walk this earth!" cried Hermione, outraged at the words that she heard.

"You forget Mia, that this was a time different to this one, and Tom was a different person then,"

Hermione sat back with a frown on her porcelain face. Annelise smiled at her daughter, and continued.

"This occurrence, however, had happened the night of my graduation from Hogwarts, when I pledged my loyalty and love to Tom Riddle. After that, Tom and I soon married, for he was not always a man of power and hatred. He was actually one of love and compassion, and we loved each other more than life itself. No matter the words others said about our marriage, I knew he loved me.

"When I was eighteen years of age, eight months after my marriage to Tom, I was introduced as his wife and queen at a grand ball at Tom's manor, one that he had acquired over the years that held no ties to his family. When I was introduced, I also introduced you, Mia, for you see, by that time I was seven months pregnant with you."

Hermione stared open-mouthed at the woman who she thought she knew everything about. All these years of her life she had thought herself to be the daughter of two dentists, a muggleborn witch, a plain girl in the eyes of the opposite sex. Now, she was the daughter of Lord Voldemort, the dark lord of the wizarding world. She was not a muggleborn, but a pureblood, at least to her knowledge, and she was no longer plain.

"Hermione, a year after you were born, shortly after your first birthday, Tom left me for an evening as he sometimes did. I didn't question, I didn't pry, but rather I let him go and do what he had to do. I never saw him again. That was the night he was to kill Harry Potter, the night the Potter's died and the night when he was lost to me. Aurors attacked and my brother ordered me to leave the manor, with you, and I did. I have never returned and have only been in contact with my brother for the past few years. Since you entered your first year, Mia."

Annelise, by then, was slightly teary and whipped her eyes with the back of her hand. In truth she had been in contact with Severus since Hermione's firth year at Hogwarts. She had gotten all of the wizarding news from him and news about her daughter through the potions master. She had been receiving more and more letters, as well as reciprocating them, after Lord Voldemort's rise two years prior. Tom was back, and she had no way of contacting him. Per Severus' orders, she had remained in hiding, presumed dead by the rest of her family, friends and the entire wizarding world. Up until Hermione entered Hogwarts, she all but was.

"You mean I am the daughter of Lord Voldemort. His child, his one and only child. W-why didn't you ever tell me? Why didn't you say something? Why did you let me go through life believing that I was a mudblood when I clearly wasn't? Why did you do this?" cried Hermione in frustration.

"I did this to protect you and Tom. Tom Riddle shouldn't have died that night for you were too young to fulfill your duties as heir. It wasn't the right time. No one could know you existed, and no one but my brother and I know that either of us are alive." Annelise said.

Hermione paused for a moment, her brow creased with thought. Suddenly, a thought struck her and she looked up at her mother with question. "Who is your brother?"

Annelise smiled. She knew that the reaction of her daughter would not be a pleasant one. After all, she had despised Severus since the moment she had laid eyes on him and that was not going to change with the news of their relation. Although, it might help to soften their relationship.

"The brother I speak of is the second eldest in the family. I am the first-born daughter and my brother Salazar is the eldest and heir. My sister Lenore is the youngest and my brother Severus, is the one that I have been in communication with for the past six years." Annelise waited with bated breath for her daughter's reaction, trying to suppress a smile.

Hermione was going through a range of emotions. From angry, to disgust there was none she did not hit. She was only partly happy, as she new the vial Slytherins would no longer call her mudblood, but to think that she was in any way, shape or form related to the slimy git of a potions master was just too much. He was her uncle, and there was nothing that she could do to reverse that, no matter how much she desired to.

"What about me?" asked Tom, who had been forgotten about in all of the conversation.

"Tom, love, Henry is your father, but you are still a Snape. You have nothing to worry about my darling," said Annelise, earning a grin from her son.

"Mum, what do we do when dad wakes up?" asked Hermione, biting her lip in the habit of which she'd grown accustomed.

Annelise frowned. She had other business to tend to before she could share it with her husband. His explanation would have to wait until a later date. "I want both of you to remain in your rooms until he has gone. I will place a small charm on myself to ensure that he does not notice the disappearance of the glamour. Only come out when I deem it safe," said Annelise.

With an awed nod, the pair left the den and relocated to their rooms where they feigned sleep until their father had gone. Downstairs, Annelise cast a charm and hid her wand in a kitchen drawer next to the steel ladle and salad tongs. Within minutes, Henry had awoken, dressed and come downstairs to greet his wife and children. However, being the summer holidays, he assumed that they might still be off in the land of dreams.

"Morning," said Henry, walking into the kitchen and kissing his wife's cheek.

"Good morning," Annelise returned, smiling at him in such a way that Henry thought he was twenty again and head-over-heels in love with the beautiful stranger.

"I have to be at the office today for a few appointments. I know, horrible on our own son's birthday, but it has to be done. Do you think you could hold off on the celebration for when I get home? I can handle all this on my own." Henry informed.

"Of course. Tom wouldn't want you to miss his eleventh birthday," said Annelise, smiling once again.

"I'll see you when I get home. Tell the children good-bye for me and a happy birthday for Tom," said Henry, disappearing moments later out the front door.

Annelise waited until Henry had driven away in the station wagon before waking the children. Some time later, the trio were dressed and seated in the den facing the brick fireplace. Annelise was scribbling on a sheet of parchment with a blue quill, floo powder by her side. Once she was done, she folded it up, scrawled her brother's name and lit and fire with a few words and a wand wave. Throwing a pinch of powder into the flames, she called out Severus' quarters at Hogwarts and tossed the letter into it, the parchment disappearing within seconds.

"What did you say mum?" asked Hermione, seated on the sofa once more, trying to avoid her brother slurping chocolate milk in the vicinity of her ear.

"Be patient," was all Annelise said.

At once, a dark figure emerged from the flames, growing with each step he took. Soon, the figure of Severus Snape stepped out of the fire and brushed soot off his pristine robes. The letter was in his pocket and he looked his normal, surly self, but upon seeing his sister, his face broke into a smile.

"Anna," said Severus, gathering his sister into a hug right before Hermione's very eyes.

"Severus, it's been too long," said Annelise. Even letters couldn't replace seeing her brother in person.

"Now what, pray tell, is so important that you have called me over here at this time of the morning?" asked Severus, breaking the hug.

"The glamour wore off. Hermione and Tom know everything," said Annelise, smiling sheepishly.

Severus held his sister at arms length and looked at her, then looked at Hermione, whose transformation was far more shocking than he could have predicted. "Well, so it has," was all he said.

"Severus, what are we going to do when Hermione returns to Hogwarts? What will happen when Tom leaves? He cannot carry the name of Granger looking like a completely different person, and neither can she. Something has to be done," said Annelise with worry.

"Has Tom received his letter yet?" Severus' brows were knitted together in concentration.

"No, not yet," said Annelise.

"He will. There isn't enough muggle in him to make him a squib," Severus began to pace. "We could conjure another glamour, one that would last only a years time and then can be replaced over the summer months. Or,"

"Or what, Severus,"

"Or we could leave them exactly as they are. No one knows Tom, so he will not be thought any different. Hermione, however will have slightly more difficulty, especially with those friends of hers." said Severus.

"That is a possibility. We could change Tom's surname to Snape and then there will be no question. After all, he does appear similar to you," said Annelise.

"If that is the case I would have to inform the headmaster, but what about Hermione?" said Severus.

"Um, excuse me, mum, professor, but we're sitting right here. Wouldn't it be better to talk to us about it?" Hermione interrupted.

"Ah yes, that would be somewhat better. Don't you think so Severus?" said Anneilse with a smirk.

"Um, yes, I suppose so," mumbled Severus.

The four reconvened to the kitchen table and continued their discussion about what to do with Annelise's children. In the end, they settled on the following: Tom would be known as Tom Snape, Severus' nephew, and would go through his schooling as such. Hermione would wear a temporary glamour that would have to be re-applied at Christmas. Only when all was safe, when the war was over, would the glamour be removed and the truth told. Until that time, she was to remain Hermione Granger, nothing more.

"Now that that is settled, what say we start with proper introductions? Severus, these are my children Hermione and Tom, children, this is my brother and your uncle Severus." Annelise said, motioning to each one in turn.

"I believe Hermione and I have already been introduced Anna," scowled Severus.

"And it was not pleasant," said Hermione glaring at her professor.

"Now now, both of you, just because you have had some bad history which I can't for the life of me assume why, doesn't mean you cannot put aside your differences and re-start your relationship as not just teacher and students, but uncle and niece," said Annelise.

Hermione laughed, "And call him uncle? No thank you," she said.

"My sentiments exactly," mumbled Severus menacingly.

"Severus Snape you will not treat these children as if they are the so-called lowly students that you are forced to educate. Please, put some effort into getting to know my children outside of a Hogwarts setting," said Annelise, who did not take kindly to the tones of her brother and daughter.

"Anna, if I must," said Severus, arms crossed.

"Mum, I am only doing this because I love you," mumbled Hermione, deeply displeased.

Annelise smiled. Even if they were to be civil to each other only to please her, it was enough. An effort was all she asked for.

"Oh, before I forget, happy birthday darling," Annelise smile, pulling Tom out of his chair and into a hug.

"Thank you mummy," said Tom, though his mother's grip was quite crushing.

"Yes, happy birthday kiddo," said Hermione, hugging him as well.

"That's right, it is your birthday. Must have slipped my mind," said Severus, eyeing Annelise who blushed under his gaze.

In accordance to the eleventh birthday of every magical child, a great owl swooped in through the open kitchen window. He landed, dropped two letters onto the table and flew off once more into the mid morning. Annelise picked up each, reading the names written in glittering emerald ink. After a moment or two, she handed the letters to her children, each receiving one. The pair scanned them over and, as odd as it may seem, their breath caught in their throats.

"I got in! I'm going to Hogwarts!" cried Tom, bounding over to his mother and hugging her fiercely.

"Congratulations Tom, that's wonderful," said Annelise, returning the gesture.



As Tom leapt off walls and danced around the room in happiness, Hermione sat in her seat as quiet as the dead. Her letter was clutched in her hands and a look of utter shock and bewilderment rested upon her face. Severus had his head bowed, not meeting the eyes of his family, but if one looked closely, they could see the beginnings of a smile on his normally solemn face.

"Mia, darling, what is it?" asked Annelise with worry.

"I did it. I'm Head Girl," said Hermione in something akin to a whisper.

"You did?" said Annelise, her smile growing.

Hermione nodded her head and Annelise, in a very unladylike fashion, jumped out of her chair and hugged her daughter until the girl was beginning to develop a need for oxygen. Tom, despite knowing the meaning of her words, hugged his sister as well. Severus, however, remained seated, shaking with silent laughter, which was a rarity.

Annelise looked over to her brother and frowned, "Did you know about this?" she asked.

Severus nodded his head and fought back the unyielding urge to laugh out load. When the time had come to choose the Heads of the student body for the next year, Hermione had been the obvious choice. The entire staff, including Severus himself, had been very pleased with the decision, as Hermione was an exceptional student, wise beyond her years. Indeed, it had taken most of his restraint, finely honed over the years, to not tell Annelise and Hermione outright. Now that they knew, there was little point in hiding his feelings akin to that of a proud parent.

"How long?" asked Annelise.

"Albus, as per the usual, asks each member of the staff whom they would recommend. Despite my feelings for Hermione, I chose her as a suitable candidate. In other words, a month or so," said Severus, breathing deeply so as not to break the usual calm exterior in front of his niece and nephew in only minutes of their meeting.

"Severus, last I spoke to you it was the middle of July. Why, pray tell, did you withhold this information from me?" asked Annelise.

"Simple Anna; you would enjoy nothing more than to tell Hermione early, and that would spoil the surprise of which I have just been witness," said Severus, smiling at her.

"Sev, how could you think I would have ruined it?"

"Oh yes, very wrong of me. I can picture you now, quietly holding the information that Hermione has longed for during her entire Hogwarts career. You're right, I should have told you," Severus drawled sarcastically.

Annelise glared at the man, more upset at how well he knew her than the situation itself. He was right, she would have told Hermione if she had been privy to the information before this moment. Oh how she hated that.

"Speaking of Albus, he has informed me that for the remainder of the holidays, Hermione is to go to Grimmauld Place to stay with Potter and the Weasleys. For protection until she returns to school." Severus informed them.

"When do I leave?" asked Hermione quietly.

"You are to be there no later than the end of the week," said Severus.

"Mum," said Hermione, who needed a fixed date, not some time frame.

"We can purchase your school things tomorrow, as well as Tom's, and you can leave the day after if you like," said Annelise, forlorn at the news that her daughter was leaving her. She had so much to tell her.

"How about the day after that mum? I would like to stay here a little while longer," said Hermione, trying not to sound like a child who wants to remain with it's parents until it is forced to leave.

"That sounds wonderful," Annelise smiled. "But remember, I will see you at the station on the first."

Hermione nodded and glanced at her uncle, who had conjured a piece of parchment and a quill and was scribbling furiously.



"Anna, do you think you can perform the glamour yourself?" asked Severus.

"Yes,"

"Alright, I must speak with the headmaster. I'll owl you this evening to give you further details." With that, Severus rose from the table and walked into the living room, the others trailing behind.

"Goodbye Sev," said Annelise, embracing her brother.

"Bye Anna, I'll owl you as soon as everything is settled," said Severus.

"Goodbye professor," said Hermione.

"Hermione, if you have not already noticed, I have dropped the formalities. Please try and do the same when we are not at school," said Severus in his usual manner.

Hermione scowled, "Alright, uncle,"

In a display that caught Severus completely off guard, Tom moved forward and hugged him. Unlike most, Tom was an affectionate child, and through the brief visit between Severus and the Grangers, he had begun to like him. Of course, Tom hadn't had any aunts or uncles since birth, as Henry was an only child, so this sudden appearance of family was something he favoured.

"Bye Uncle Sev," said Tom, breaking away from his shocked uncle.

"Um, goodbye Tom," said Severus, smiling nervously at the boy.

With that Severus threw a pinch of floo powder into the still lit flames and walked in, flooing himself to his office. After he was gone Annelise put out the fire, hid her wand and set about making breakfast and going over her children's lists of school items. However, Tom and Hermione were not so easily distracted and began the long and tiresome process of questioning Annelise about the past they never knew.

A/N: I know, I rushed it a bit, but I just wanted to get it out of the way so that the rest of the story can continue. In reference to the formality of the Snapes, I thought that families of higher class, the Malfoy's, Snapes, etc, would be quite formal and proper to each other and speak somewhat differently than the average wizard. They are the aristocratic part of wizarding society.

Also, since I'm back in school now, chapters for all fics will not be getting out at rapid speeds. For instance, I had nothing to do this weekend, so I finished the prologue and wrote the second chapter of Riddle. Other times I might focus on CFFG, the ninth chapter being in progress as we speak, or ESLO, which also has an unfinished chapter in the works. Just to tell you, with these three projects plus schoolwork, social life and sleeping and eating, fics will take longer to update. I'm sorry.

Thank you's:

chalkolatte- thank you! I've been trying to update my writing style, and if you compare this fic, ESLO and possibly CFFG to my previous stories you will see a drastic difference.

DanishGirl- thank you!

Banana Flavored Eskimo- thank you, and as I said before in the prologue, I know this has been done before. What can I say, I've been bitten by the Snape bug and now I want to write a fic that centers on him and his family. The plotline will change don't worry. I promise. By the way, I love your fic!

Dream Serpent- thank you! As you can see, I've updated.

paprika90- thank you!