Disclaimer: Don't own it, unfortunately…..
Thanks to my two beta's: Kaydon and MakalaniAstral
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Chapter Two
New Beginnings
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Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office sitting at his desk. The headmaster, who usually had a twinkle in his eyes, was gazing sadly at a picture held in his hands. It was a picture of him, his wife, and their little girl Aurora. They were sitting on a couch inside their house. Aurora was sitting on her fathers lap with a wide smile and blue twinkling eyes. Her parents were sitting side-by-side smiling at their little girl. He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. The door to his office opened and his wife walked in with a sad expression on her face that matched his own. She walked around his desk and laid a hand on his shoulder and kissed his cheek. She noticed the pictures, of their little girl, that littered his desk.
"Oh Albus….." she said as her eyes started to water up.
He sighed, not looking at his wife of over thirty years. "It still hurts the same as it did the day she died. I can't get over it, our little girl and our grandchild…..gone."
Albus couldn't say anymore as he picked up another picture. It was a picture from her wedding day, him and his daughter dancing the father-daughter dance at the reception. They were slowly dancing talking, laughing, and crying. She was absolutely radiant that day. She had worn a beautiful sleeveless dress that fit her perfect. Her dark hair was held up with flowers and her face was framed with curly strands of hair. Her blue eyes had never been as bright that day.
The two of them looked over more pictures of their beloved daughter and thought of what could have been if she had not died.
In an office a few floors below the headmaster's office, another man was mourning. He was mourning the death of his wife and unborn child. Aurora had brought him so much joy in his life that he was constantly overwhelmed with emotions that were now so unfamiliar to him. At times they became difficult to deal with, but, she was always there to help.
The pictures he held were a little different than the ones that were being looked at in the headmaster's office. He was looking at their honeymoon pictures that were taken while they were in Greece. They were sitting under a large umbrella on the beach. His wife was in a green bikini, smiling and drinking a drink with a small umbrella in it. He was sitting beside her, scowling slightly while applying sun screen. He came across another picture, taken a few months later. They were outside sitting under a large tree. She was nestled up beside him and he had one hand across her shoulders and the other was on her stomach where his child was growing. Every now and then he would lean down and plant a kiss on her stomach and talk to the child. He started to think about the first time they had met.
They had both been in Italy vacationing when they first met. They were viewing the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel when they bumped into each other. The conversation they had with each other was like none they had never had with anyone before and from that day on they were inseparable when they were together. When they weren't they would write each other frequently. Even though they had both gone to different schools, him to Hogwart's and she to Beauxbaton's they would still talk to each other.
On August 24, 1979 Severus Snape's life was completely changed. He had lost his wife and their unborn child. It still pained him to this day thinking of what could have been. Of course they had talked about names for their child. If it was a boy he would be named Sebastian and Natalie for a girl. He had dreamed many dreams about what his child would have looked liked. His dreams never ended in actually seeing his child's face, he had always awoken before he had gotten a good glimpse at his child. It was as if fate deemed it necessary for him to never see something that never had a chance to live.
His child would be 15 and in their fifth year of school. It hurt deeply to see all the first years in 1991. If his child had been allowed to live he or she would have been in that group that night. But no, life had never been easy for Severus and this was just the icing on the cake.
On August 24th the three mourning adults would have another shock to deal with. The alarms went off throughout the school notifying the teachers, who were still planning their lessons, that there had been an attack on a school in America and that students were being transferred to the grounds via emergency portkeys.
Dropping what they were doing, all the professors rushed outside to see 3 groups already on the grounds looking around in awe at their location. The headmaster was the first to arrive at the group of bewildered children.
"Children, what has happened?" he asked.
A teenager who had shaggy blond hair, brown eyes, tanned skin, and who looked to be the leader of one of the groups came up to the headmaster. "Sir, my name is Jacob Wiley and we were attacked by a group of cloaked men at our school."
"Which school was attacked?" Dumbledore asked anxiously.
"The York School of Magic in America. Hopefully there are more groups coming. We tried to grab as many students as we could but it was just so hectic that I don't think we all made it."
Just as he finished speaking, three more groups popped onto the grounds. All of the students ran toward each other, finding friends and siblings and talking about what had happened to them during the attack. Some of the teachers had tried to talk with the older students while others tried calming the younger ones. A few minutes later a final group of students arrived. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the group of students. There were six students in this group. Four were first years holding each other and the other two looked to be fifth years. One had their arms around the other. He had short brown hair, blue eyes and fair skin. He was consoling his friend who had his head down and shoulders shaking. His friend looked up with tears coming out of his piercing black eyes.
"Alex, shhh, it will be alright. We're safe here." Michael said a little shaky.
"She's dead." Alex whispered. He ran a hand over his short black hair and then rubbed away his tears. "I watched him kill her. I could have saved her." He started crying again and this time Michael drew him into a hug and let Alex cry until he passed out.
The thirty-seven students that arrived at Hogwarts were ushered into the Great Hall. Madam Pomfrey checked over all the children and healed any scraps or bruises that they might have gotten throughout the day. While she was taking care of the children the rest of the staff was conversing at the head table.
Albus was sitting in the head chair looking around at his staff as they were talking simultaneously about what should be done.
"Quiet, quiet. I'm sure we can figure out a solution to this situation."
Minerva looked sternly at Albus saying "Well we cannot just throw them out. They must stay here and continue their education. You had an agreement with Headmaster Ollerton. You promised him to look after his students if something happened to the school."
He sighed looking at the children near the door. "I know and I agree we should keep them here."
Small Professor Flitwick piped up saying "But Albus where will they stay? Do we have enough room for them in the dorms?"
Professor Sprout glanced at the students huddled together and then back at the headmaster. "I think that they should have their own house. They have come to depend on each other more in one day than most houses do in the seven years they are here. Look at them. They need to be with each other because only they can understand what happened to them."
Even Severus had to agree with her assessment of the new arrivals. Minerva spoke up first saying, "Albus, I think we should discuss this matter with the older students. They might be able to give us an idea of what would be best for the lot."
He nodded and looked to his Potions Master, "Severus, would you please gather up the oldest students and bring them here. Filius will you take the rest of them and show them around the grounds?"
"Of course," they both replied.
While the youngest students were taking a tour of the castle and grounds the elder students were meeting with the headmaster.
"Now, I know that this is a difficult time for you all, but, I think we should discuss a few things that will affect you and your classmates. Now, can you each tell me your names and how old you are?"
"Samuel Banes, sir" the oldest of the group who had dark skin, strong facial features, and short brown hair spoke up, shaking hands with the headmaster. "This is Natalie Jones. We are in the same year."
"Hello sir" Natalie said trying not to break down. Her long, blonde hair was a mess in her pony tail and her green eyes were blinking away the tears that had resurfaced.
"Alyse O'Rourke, sir. I'm a year younger than Nat and Sam." She shook hands with the headmaster. She looked over at another boy her age that looked like her. They both had brown hair (hers was long and wavy and his was shaved close to his head) and brown eyes with the same olive colored skin. "This is my cousin Brandon Wyman."
"Hello." Brandon said shaking his hand.
"Matthew Lamb."
"Maria Lyons."
Alex finally spoke up for him and his friends. He leaned over and shook hands with Albus. His piercing black eyes gazed at the headmaster "Alex Barneo. These are my friends Jacob Wiley, Michael O'Neil, and Allie Patterson." He gazed at the four friends who seemed to be rather close, even before the attack.
Taking in each teen as they spoke Albus knew they were a tough group. "Well you all seem to be in the right state of minds to make certain decisions. Now the first thing you should know about Hogwarts is that we have four different houses that students get sorted into. I don't think you all need to be sorted right yet because I think it might be best if you all stay together and help each other out through this difficult time."
"Yes sir I think that would be a perfect solution; if it isn't too much trouble that is." Samuel said after he saw all the others shaking their heads in agreement.
Smiling brightly the headmaster clasped his hands together, "Perfect. We have a tower on the east end of the castle that will be able to house you all. Now we have another issue to discuss. Since you will be attending classes you will need to purchase books and uniforms. I know some of you may not have the money at the moment so we will take care of that for you."
"Thank you" a few of them said at the same time.
"Well it's settled we will take you all to Diagon Alley soon to purchase your items. But, now I think you all need to get settled in a rest for a while. Please join us tomorrow morning for breakfast. We dine in the Great Hall together for meals."
The next few days the new students were told all about Hogwarts and what classes they would be taking. Dumbledore had taken each group of kids and talked to them separately about what had happened that fateful day at their school. The younger kids had taken it very hard and had many questions that Dumbledore patiently answered. During his talk with the newest fifth years he was asked more specific questions.
"Now, I know you all have questions about what happened a few days ago and I will answer them all; but first, I want to hear what happened from you four."
Jacob and Allie were together when the attack happened so their story was the same. They were in a corridor on the second floor when the alarms went off and the teachers started sending the students by the portkeys. They were each sent with one group of younger students.
Michael was in the owlery sending a letter when it happened. He saw the cloaked men arriving and the fight that ensued with his professors. Running as fast as he could he dodged curses and ran outside the doors. There was a group of younger students that didn't know what to do. The cloaked men were advancing on the students so he started to help them through the window and into the school. He had just finished when he saw his friend just staring at the battle.
Alex took over the story from there. He told the headmaster how sent a group of younger students by the portkey and then he was standing outside on the steps as he watched his mother being murdered by a cloaked man, and that the cloaked man had long blonde hair. They climbed through the window, ran to the basement and took a portkey to Hogwarts.
The headmaster sat listening to their stories contemplating all that had happened. "Do you have questions for me?"
Alex spoke up quickly, "who were the cloaked men?"
"The cloaked men you speak of are known as Death Eaters. They work for Lord Voldemort who has recently come back into power. He is an evil wizard who believes in the purification of the wizarding world by eliminating all muggleborns and half-bloods."
"Why did they attack us?" Jacob asked.
"That I am not completely certain about. He has been laying low over here and he might have decided to attack the United States, in particularly, your school, as his first move."
"Are there students here who support this Voldemort?" Allie asked, suddenly worried.
"I am afraid that there might be certain students that are sympathetic toward Voldemort's cause."
Alex sat listening as the questions continued when he finally asked, "Sir, do you know any person who is in league with Voldemort who has long blonde hair?"
"I think I might. Why do you ask?"
Looking the Headmaster right in the eyes he said, "He killed my mother. Who. Is. He?"
Leaning back, Dumbledore answered calmly, "I'm afraid I can't tell you that."
Standing up suddenly he replied with anger in his voice. "Fine, don't tell me. I'll figure it out on my own and when I do, I'm going to kill him." Alex then walked out of the office slamming the door behind him
Albus sat at his desk going over the many conversations he had with the new arrivals. He couldn't forget the conversation with the fifth years, in particular, Alex Barneo. The boy had gotten very upset when Albus didn't tell him who the Death Eater was who killed his mother. Of course, Albus knew exactly who had killed his mother just by the mention of long blonde hair.
Alex's outburst was not unexpected. Albus knew he would get a reaction from him, he just wasn't expecting that reaction. The only other person, who reacted that way, when information was withheld from him, was Severus. There had been the same fire in his eyes that Severus usually showed when he was angry.
He would have to make sure of two things this year. One, to keep Lucius Malfoy from coming into contact with Alex, and two, to convince Severus he needed an assistant while making potions for Poppy.
Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door, followed by the entrance of Severus Snape. He took a seat in front of Albus and waited. Albus almost chuckled at his son-in-law, but decided not too, he looked irritated as it was. "Severus, I do wish you would take on an assistant this year."
Sighing, and slightly rolling his eyes, he replied, "Albus, I do not need an assistant. I have never needed an assistant and I will never have an assistant."
"Severus, I don't understand why you work yourself to the bone. An assistant would greatly reduce the pressure you face daily. Don't say you aren't under pressure, I know you well enough to know better."
Severus shifted slightly under Albus' accurate observation. "What would you have me do? Pick one of the dunderheads that roam the halls?"
"Well, I know you would never consider Miss Granger," Severus glared at the mention of her name, "so maybe you could find a decent assistant in one of the new arrivals?"
"If it will get you off my back I will look closely at the new students and see if any of them have potential. I'm not promising anything old man, just that I will look."
Smiling at Severus' friendly nickname for him he replied, "Thank you Severus, that's all I ask."
The rest of their discussion was on potions and how well Severus' lessons plans were progressing.
The next morning after breakfast the newest students of Hogwarts were taken in groups to Diagon Alley by different professors. Alex and his friends were taken to Diagon Alley by Professor Snape. He felt that they were old enough to figure things out for themselves and left them to get their things and wander around for a few hours. They were grateful that they did not have someone like Professor Sprout taking them who seemed to be very concerned about everything they were doing, treating them like porcelain instead of human.
They had purchased their robes and were headed to Flourish and Blotts to find their books. In the bookstore Alex got preoccupied looking at the many tomes. Not watching where he was going he bumped into someone, knocking them to the ground.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there," he said quickly as he reached his hand down to help up the person he knocked down.
"It's alright I wasn't paying much attention either. I got caught up in looking around," Hermione Granger said as she stood up straightening her robes.
Alex leaned down and picked up her book, Transfiguration Year 5. "Do you go to Hogwarts?" he asked as he handed it back to her.
"Yes I do. I don't think I've seen you around the school. Are you transferring?"
"Uh, kind of. Could you help me find my books? I will be in fifth year too." he quickly tried to change the subject. He didn't want to tell her that his school had been attacked. It would remind him that his mother had died that day and all he had done was stand there.
Hermione had helped them gather all the books they would need and left them a little later to join her friends. The four of them had some ice cream and finished their shopping buying potions ingredients at the apothecary. Severus collected his charges and took them back to Hogwarts where they prepared for the first day of classes.
