Chapter 1

The summer break was coming to an end, this meant the professors at Hogwarts would be returning to Hogwarts from all over the country, they were returning to the school early this year as the school would be hosting the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Dumbledore wanted to prepare for the tournament without the students underfoot.

Severus stood inside his bedroom packing his clothes to return. He clicked his trunk closed finishing the packing for the day. He exited the room, closing the door behind him. When he turned to look down the narrow hallway, there were two other doors on the floor. The closest to him was the bathroom but the door directly across from his was his spare guest room that remained shut at all times.

He made his way down the stairs that were directly next to his room. Children's voices could be heard from outside, he peered out the window on his front door seeing a group of young muggle boys riding their bikes past. He had chosen to reside in his childhood home and town, once his parents had passed on. Cokeworth appeared to continuously have a misty sky…this seemed to drift over from the dirty river that was wound between overgrown, rubbish-strewn banks. The house was like most of the occupied houses that lined the streets of Spinner's End, they were row houses made of the various colors of red brick with dark, dull windows. Several broken street lamps and several abandoned homes lined the streets, as well. It was not the safest area, but it was home to him. The house could do with tidying, but with him being gone from the end of August till mid-June; he rarely returned home during the school breaks as he chose to be one of the few professors who stayed behind to monitor the children who chose to remain at Hogwarts. With him rarely home he found no point to truly tidy things besides the light housekeeping he did while in residence. The whole house possessed a lingering musty smell and the temperature remained cold, almost damp feeling despite the summer weather occurring outside. The walls throughout the entire house remained bare.

He made his way to the cellar to grab one of his many bottles of wine, which he received yearly as gifts from Dumbledore for Christmas, Easter, and his birthday. He returned to the main floor with a bottle, pouring the dark red liquid into a glass from the kitchen. Carrying both back to the study, he set them on the side table closet to his chair placed directly near the fireplace. He lit the fire to illuminate the room ever so slightly while he grabbed his paper from his mahogany desk, the paper had remained there from that morning. He had been busy packing all day and was just now getting the chance to sit down. He could have used magic to quickly pack his things, but something about the simple task was slightly relaxing. Once settled in his chair, he rested the paper briefly in his lap to reach for the glass to take a sip of his wine just as the glass reached his lips then though he caught the glimpse of the front page's picture. He paused from his sip removing the glass from his lips before any liquid entered his mouth. He picked the paper up with his empty hand to observe the picture more closely.

Splashed across the front page was a family standing on the gangway disembarking a ship at the London docks. A family of seven, two parents: mother and father with their five daughters. He focused briefly on the mother, dressed in a well-pressed dress with silky, brunette locks that cascaded around her delicate, smooth-skinned face. Cassie Banks or as he knew her growing up as Cassie Rice. She was considered the definition of beauty and brains, at least that is how the upper wizarding class described her during their years at Hogwarts. Although they stopped for a few years when her parents disowned her for becoming pregnant. Pregnant out of wedlock and with a half-blood's child at that. His child.

His eyes darted from Cassie to Peri King. Peri was beautiful like her mother but did not share her overall features. Her hair was an almost midnight black color with a slight wave to the texture, which she had inherited from himself as he had a slightly wavy texture to his own hair as a child. Her eyes were a dark brown almost black color similar to his own.

Peri was his everything. Despite him meeting her only once at the wedding of Cassie. He had been invited to her wedding to Richard Banks, his family was considered to be almost wizarding royalty. He was only invited due to his name remaining as one of those still alive that were part of the Order of the Phoenix. He had debated not attending after ending on bad terms with Cassie. He wanted to see Peri though. It was his own fault for not being a physical part of her life. Cassie sent letter after letter after letter to him informing him of her pregnancy and updates until some point before March 1979 she stopped sending letters. He kept every single letter she sent. Dumbledore and McGonagall gave him the few pictures they were sent of Peri throughout the years for him to have. It was never confirmed to anyone that he knew that Peri was his own but the resemblance was too obvious to deny the fact that she was.

His eyes moved to the headline that read Wizarding Royalty Move to England. He froze dropping the wine glass on the ground, shattering it into a million pieces. This brought him back to reality, he magically cleaned it before proceeding to read the article.

Wizarding Royalty or perhaps they are better known as Cassandra and Richard Banks arrive in London after their move across the pond from The Big Apple in the United States of America. Cassandra and Richard have accepted transfers from the Magical Congress of the United States to the Ministry of Magic. There have not been given any reasons for the sudden move, especially with five young daughters. Three of them were currently attending Ilvermorny, but with special permission from Professor Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic, the girls have been accepted to attend Hogwarts in the coming school year.

Their eldest daughter, Periwinkle King (15), is Cassandra's from an unknown relationship she had before meeting her husband. The twins (14), Hallie and Holly Porter were adopted by Cassandra in September 1981 after their parents were unfortunate victims of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Richard adopted them once he was married to Cassandra. Their two youngest are Mallory (11) and Alicia Banks (10). Mallory will be entering Hogwarts as a First Year in September.

The family is currently staying in London before moving to their newly renovated home in Ottery St. Catchpole.

Severus glanced up at the clock on the fireplace mantle, it was nearing dinner time. He stood up and apparated to The Leaky Cauldron, the paper might not have specified where the family was staying but there were very few actual wizarding hotels. Typically everyone chose The Leaky Cauldron no matter how much they made.

He arrived in an alleyway just outside The Leaky Cauldron, on the streets of London. He exited the alleyway making his way inside. He scanned the busy, nosiy room full of people consuming the meals and chattering about the upcoming Quidditch World Cup. He nearly gave up and decided to leave when his ears heard from over all the noise a group of high-pitched girls squealing in the back corner. He looked in their direction and there sat the five girls having their dinner with their parents who were speaking in hushed voices to avoid anyone listening to their conversation.

"Mom. Mom," the youngest of the girls said.

Cassie turned away from her conversation with her husband to her youngest, "Yes, Alicia."

"Can we have some money for ice cream?"

She giggled handing Peri a small bag of coins, "Go together and behave please."

The girls all stood, "Yes, mom," her daughters said with the younger two running out of The Leaky Cauldron towards Diagon Alley while the older three simply walked out. The blonde carried a book with her, he was unsure which twin was which but he knew that she was like her mother in appearance and personality. Although he was quite positive Ann never actually read the book she carried with her at all times, it just made her appear intelligent. She spent most of their days at Hogwarts either with Cassie or Patrick, her boyfriend at the time who would later become her husband.

Severus followed them out into Diagon Alley to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, where the five girls stood at the counter ordering, "Peri! Peri! Get the chocolate one," Alicia said hopping up and down.

Peri looked at her, "Do you need any sugar?"

"No," this made the whole group laugh.

"I will get the coffee flavor please," Peri told Florean.

Florean nodded, "Yes, ma'am," he magically scooped the ice cream into a cone.

"Do you need any coffee?" Alicia teased her older sister.

Peri smirked at her, "Nope," she took the cone giving it a lick, "But that will not stop me either." The group of girls laughed as Hallie, the brunette and much shorter twin, ordered strawberry ice cream, "Strawbery? Really? Is this because it is pink?" Hallie was dressed in a pink sundress with white sunglasses placed perfectly on top of her perfectly straight hair, she was clearly going to be the newest popular girl at Hogwarts. She had that picture-perfect look to her.

Hallie accepted her ice cream, "Just because it is my favorite color does not mean everything I have is pink. Plus this is healthy and vegetarian."

Holly looked up from the book she was reading, she was going to a competition against Granger in the incoming school year. She exchanged looks with Peri before looking back at her twin, "I am sorry what?"

"This has fruit in it. That makes it vegetarian."

Peri smirked again, "I want to tell her."

"Hallie…"

Peri beat Holly to the point, "That has milk!"

"What?" she looked at it, "How?"

Severus knew this girl was not going to be the smartest student at Hogwarts…actually she might be the least smart one there. Clearly, her twin inherited the brains.

"Milk. Ice cream is made from milk."

Mallory took it from her, "Thank you!" she giggled going over to a table with Alicia who had gotten chocolate-peanut butter. Hallie snatched the bag of money from Peri and left with a huff.

Holly shook her head accepting a simple vanilla cone as her and Peri turned to join their younger sisters at a table, Peri nearly bumped into Severus who stood just behind them acting as if he was trying to think of what to order, "Oh my gosh! I am so sorry," she apologized for nearly ruining his clothes.

He was silent for a moment then spoke gently, typically he would have lost his anger but towards her never. "Quite alright. No one got hurt…you go enjoy your dessert."

Peri was the one to be silent this time as Alicia looked between the two from her seat at the table. She broke her silence, "Um…yes," she stepped away from her joining her sisters at the table just as Hallie re-entered the parlor with a fluffy, all-white cat, "Really? A cat?"

"Yes, meet Diamond. I needed her."

Peri rolled her eyes as Snape exited the parlor glancing over his shoulder as the door shut. He was determined to know her this time. She was back in England now. This was his second chance to be a proper father.