Author's notes - The main character of Abby is my own, however, I have borrowed some great characters from the Harry Potter series written by JK Rowling. I am basing my story on her series background, however, please excuse any errors as I have taken liberties in order to make this story my own.

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They reached the opposite shoreline and brought the boats to rest against the banks. One by one, Hagrid and Grawp pulled each boat to dry land, as the boathouse had yet to be repaired. The students then lined up following Hagrid to the castle doors, with Grawp posted as lookout behind the group. They where taking no chances with Malfoy's new school being so nearby.

The children stepped into the entranceway and looked around, marveling at the site of the stained glass window above the stair well. Abby stood in silence, staring at the portrait of her father. His eyes twinkled although there was only moonlight filtering through the colored glass. He was smiling, and in his open hand lay one of his infamous lemon drops. Gazing at her father, Abby felt as though she was truly being welcomed into Hogwarts.

Because the window took up so much of her concentration, she did not notice right off that several ghosts had appeared in the great chamber. Sam tugged gently on her robes to gain her attention.

"Oh!" Abby exclaimed as she came face to face with her first ghosts. Gathered in front of her where at least twenty ghosts, some she recognized from the book, others she did not. Two ghosts floated up to her.

"I'm Luna Longbottom and this is my husband, Neville. We are the house ghosts of Gryffindor and we want to welcome you, Abby to our home. I know you still have sorting and all that, however, I am as positive that you will be in Gryffindor as I am that three toed Snukelflips actually have four toes."

Another ghost came flying up to her, as Neville pulled his wife away, both of them floating towards two large doors, which Abby guessed, housed the Great Hall. She was about to follow the Longbottoms as well as the other children, when the short ghost floated into her way.

"Missy, me name is Peeves and I am head mischief maker in this here castle. However, what I am wanting to say to you is not any joke. Your father was a great man. He let Peeves here get away with lots of stuff no other Headmaster would, as long as I never endangered the children. It was an honor to know him."

Peeves then flew into the air above Abby, "Now, that's all the seriousness you'll ever be hearing from me!"

He then blew a raspberry at Abby and flew into the ceiling.

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Hermoine slipped through the door at the end of the teacher's table and took the seat next to Harry. She shook her head at questioning glance as he motioned to the imaginary watch on his wrist. "Hair" she whispered at him.

As she turned to watch the sorting ceremony, she thought about the real reason that caused her to run late, Severus. It still felt a little strange, using his first name, especially within the walls of the school. However, alone together in bed each night, his name escaped her lips over and over again.

She had left him in their dungeon chambers. She felt bad, not telling her friends about him, while they continued to search for him, yet she knew that they would not believe the truth. The truth was that Severus was on their side. Yes, he had killed Dumbledore. Yes, he had taken Abby's mother to Texas. Yes, he had bound Abby's magic. He had admitted to these things and even more, following the first night they had spent together.

The morning after that night, Hermoine had awakened to find herself in the arms of her ex-professor. She looked into his sleeping face and knew that she loved him. She could never have given herself to him if she hadn't. No, she wasn't a virgin, however, she still believed that sex was something to be shared only with someone you really cared for. However, loving him did not change the fact that he was a dangerous man, whom everyone had been searching for.

Hermoine had risen from the bed, dressed and then transformed the bed right out from under the sleeping man. Before he could open his eyes, Hermoine had changed the bed into a chair. Before he could think to reach for his wand, she had placed a petrifying spell on him. Then, after gathering his wand she placed an old spell that Fred and George had taught her. When she released him from the petrifying spell, Snape found that his butt was glued to the chair, while his feet where glued to the floor. He was only able to move his upper body, his arms, and his head.

He only had to look into her eyes to know that she meant business. He also knew that he loved the little chit. He had watched her grow from an insufferable know it all to a very intelligent woman. She had always been maturer than her fellow students, especially after the time turner incident had aged her an additional 2 years.

Knowing that he had told too many lies in his lifetime, and that he could not tell anymore, especially to the woman he loved, he broke down and told her everything, everything about his death eater days, why he had even joined. He explained how he knew Abby's mother and why they had ended up in Texas. And then he began to explain his role in Dumbledore's murder. As she watched his naked form break down, Hermoine had released the spell which stuck him to the chair and then transfigured the chair into a large sofa, where she wrapped her arms around him as he cried over the death of his mentor. He explained how they had planned the details of that night. He had explained where things had went wrong, and when he realized that he actually had to kill his only friend. He then went on to tell her how he and Draco had arrived at Spinner's End, and how the death eaters had turned on the boy, for not following his orders. How they had escaped and then went into hiding not only from the good side but also from the bad. And he explained how they had been caught, and Draco had been killed. He went on to talk about how he had come to Texas, to be a teacher and how he had returned to his homeland the night before and released Abby's powers.

Hermoine knew that he had told her the truth, most of what he had said was too shocking to have been untrue. She held him in her arms that night, as he released his guilt and grief over the events of his life. No one had ever held him, his own mother had turned her child's care over to her house elf. She had been too distraught over the fact that her family had disowned her for marring a muggle. She had been the one to train him all those years ago against muggles. She had been the one who had encouraged him to join Voldermort and his group. She was the one, who had conned Bella into seducing her eldest son, so that he took the mark, before he even realized what the group was all about. She had even went as far as dying in child-birth when Severus was a young child by giving birth to a bastard son, fathered by an anonymous death eater, who could ensure 'pure' blood.

After Severus' father had given the child to his mother's parents to raise, he then sent Severus away to boarding school. After living in solitaire for so long, he was used to being a loner, when he entered Hogwarts a few years later.

Knowing that she could not leave this man alone any longer, she informed him that she was going to help him by taking him with her to Hogwarts. He told her she was crazy. They had argued for days, until he finally admitted defeat and listened to her plan. He had now been secluded in his old chambers for the past few days, keeping himself busy brewing potions while Hermoine went about setting up her duties within the school. She knew that soon he was going to need to do something to prove his innocence.

Hermoine looked over the group of first years, smiling at Abby who towered over the other children. When Abby moved to the side, Hermoine sucked in her breath. Standing beside her was a dark haired child who could have easily belonged to the man she had left sleeping in her bed. As Remus called each child's name out, and placed the hat on its heads, she waited with suspended breath until she heard him call, 'Samantha Prince'. Slipping out of her chair silently, she slid out of the door and rushed back to her chambers, where she woke Severus and told him the astonishing news.

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As Abby's name was called after Sam stepped down, she looked towards Harry. She noticed that Hermoine's seat was empty but figured the woman was worried about her first day of teaching and had left to prepare for the next day. Harry gave her a thumb up sign and blew her a kiss. Several students saw this a giggled. She blushed as she took her seat. Remus started to lift the hat towards her head, and halted in confusion as the hat appeared to be laughing.

Indeed, a few seconds later, the magical hat rumbled with laughter. It spat out in it's old crackle of a voice, "A bit old for our lady here to be needing me. However, even Peeves would know the daughter of Albus Dumbledore would be a Gryffindor!"

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Sorry, for the long wait between chapters. I have been working a lot of overtime lately and have been too tired to think. Once again, please, please, please review.