Chapter 1: Unexpected Guest

"Potter! Be careful!" Professor Sanpe yelled, "You'll replace the ingredient of any jars you break out of your own pocket."

Harry rolled his eyes. First week of sixth year and he already had detention with Snape. Just his luck really. He had been cleaning and organizing Snape's jars of ingredients for half an hour already and he still had a ways to go before he finished.

"Oh my Potter," Snape said with malicious glee, "Failing marks on another essay. Just because a potion is complicated doesn't mean that its antidote has to be as well." Harry didn't even have to turn around to see the sneer on his potions professor's face. He twisted to loosen up his back but stopped dead when he saw a girl standing in the doorway.

"I didn't say you could take a break Potter," Snape began when he heard the clink of jars stop, "And you still have—" he stopped when he saw the girl.

"Hi Uncle Sev."

Uncle Sev. He hadn't heard anyone call him that since…

Twelve Years Earlier

"Sev! You came!" Morgan almost knocked him over as she embraced him, "It's been far too long!"

"Yes it has," he said with a small smile, "You haven't changed a bit." Just then a blur of blond hair flew around the corner and jumped into Severus' arms.

"Jason! Be careful!" Morgan scolded the six year old lightly. Severus looked at the boy in his arms and smiled.

"You're so big! When did this happen?" Severus almost laughed at his own words. This typical uncle talk was not something he was used to.

"That's not all that's happened since you've been gone," Morgan said secretively.

"What have you done?" he asked. Knowing his little sister, anything was possible. She smiled in response and pointed to the backyard as Jason jumped out of Severus' arms. Severus' eyes followed the boy's path until they met the round face of a four-year-old girl.

"Morgan! Why didn't you tell me!" Severus exclaimed.

"I wanted to surprise you!" she said, gazing at her daughter, "but you were gone longer than I expected." She trailed off and they both gazed at the children at play.

"What's her name?" Severus asked.

"Row." Morgan looked at her brother as his face showed a flicker of shock which was quickly replaced by a carefully guarded expression. "She's named after her. I hope you don't mind."

Severus allowed her a small smile and said, "Not at all." He looked back outside where Row was running around in circles, Jason in tow. She slipped but Jason was just behind her and caught her easily.

"Two years apart," Severus sighed wistfully, "Just like us. Jason seems to be handling her well. Having a little sister can be a pain you know." Severus laughed as Morgan playfully punched him in the arm.

"He's dealing with it splendidly. He's her favorite toy." The sliding glass door opened and Morgan scooped Row into her arms. "Row, this is your Uncle Sev." The small child looked at him with bright hazel eyes and stretched out her arms trustingly. Severus accepted her gracefully. A child's simple trust never ceased to amaze him.

"Hi Uncle Sev."

"Uncle Sev?" the voice drew Severus out of his reverie, "Uncle Sev are you alright? It's me, Row."

Severus blinked once and looked again. The sixteen-year-old standing in front of him bore little resemblance to the four-year-old baby that he'd held in his arms twelve years ago. But those hazel eyes were the same.

"Hi," Row said as she saw Harry. He nearly dropped the bottle of scarab shells he was holding. Severus finally noticed him too.

"Potter your detention is over," he said briskly. Harry nodded and left the room as fast as his legs would carry him, glancing over his shoulder as he went. The girl smiled and walked inside and he had just enough time to see a trunk follow her as he turned the corner.

Once Potter left Severus turned to his niece.

"What are you doing here? Where's your mother?"

"Mom's fine, she's just worried," Row said as she sat down.

"Why's she worried? What happened?" Severus was trying very hard not to panic.

"Jason pulled one too many pranks and they kicked him out of Dragonfly Academy," she paused, "They kicked me out too. Guilty by association I guess. Mom was going to send an owl but I thought that a plea for my education would be better delivered in person."

"What about Jason?" Severus asked.

"Dragonfly academy has an eight year option for students who want it. It gives them time to study a chosen field of expertise or more time to choose one. Jason was just looking for one so he's already done with his education," Row explained.

"Does your mother know you're here?" Severus asked, half dreading the answer.

"I left her a note," Row responded. Severus groaned.

"You know she's going to come marching up Hogwarts' s front steps tomorrow demanding to see you."

"I know," she said lightly, "I'm just glad she's not fond of howlers." Severus chuckled inwardly as he remembered his sister's expression every time she got a howler at school.

"How's your father?"

"He's been away on a business trip for a while but we got a letter yesterday saying that he was really disappointed in Jason. Jase was furious and wouldn't talk to anyone for hours. We're trying to see if his expulsion will matter as it was in his 8th year," she sighed slightly.

"What about yours? Yours will show up," Severus said worriedly.

"Yeah but it was for a stupid reason and no one will care if I spend my last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," she said with a sly smile.

"You are your mother's daughter," Severus said lightly, "Come. I'll take you to the headmaster.