Hogwarts July 1995

Snape sat at his desk making notes for potion experiments he wanted to test now that Hogwarts had just finished its latest school term. The new term wouldn't start until September so he finally had some peace away from all the pestering students that drove him mad.

He was actually making some progress with his theories on how to further improve some potions when a peacock Patronus that he would recognize any where came barging into his office stopping before him.

When it opened its mouth Snape heard the voice of his best friend Renee, it had been years since he had seen her.

"Severus! I'm in Forks Washington please I beg you, come immediately. My daughter is missing she was staying with my ex-husband and I found him dead. Please I can't lose her."

A daughter? He didn't know she had a child but at the moment it didn't matter. His friend who had always stuck by his side needed him. Snape jumped up from desk with his wand in hand, he ran to his potions cabinet and grabbed anything he thought might be useful. Once he had everything he might need, Snape closed his eyes thinking of Renee. The only noise in the room was a loud POP has he apparated to his friend.

Once he landed in the new location, he opened his eyes in time to see a woman come barreling towards him. Renee grabbed him and sobbed loudly. While Snape patted her back trying to calm her he took in his surroundings and found himself repulsed. It wasn't the small muggle dwelling that sickened him no, it was the corpse of a dead male muggle that was strewn about the house in multiple places. Blood was already dried and crusted to the ceiling and walls.

"Merlin…." He gasped. What the hell had happened? Snape pulled the woman out of his arms and shook her lightly to get her attention. "What happened Renee? You need to tell me everything now if we are going to have a chance to find your daughter alive." His eyes softened towards his long-time friend. "If its not too late already." He whispered

Renee choked back her sobs. He was right, she knew it. Severus was always the more rational one.

"I don't know Severus. Charlie…." She sobbed taking a glance at the severed head on the coffee table. "Said that Bella had been depressed lately and I was hoping to plan a birthday surprise for her with him to cheer her up but I kept calling and calling. Nobody ever answered. Bella stopped sending me emails. I was worried! So I came to see her early but I…. I found this instead but I never found Bella."

"We will find her. I swear to you."

Severus waved his wand, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" They watched has a crow formed from his wand. "Find the girl that lived her. Quickly." The bird quickly blew through the entire house before launching out the back door and towards the woods. Severus ran after it with Renee quickly on his heels.

"Thank you Severus, I was never as good at magic and patronus was never has strong as yours."

He glanced back at her as they swerved through the trees. "I told you I would always be there if you needed me besides whatever took your daughter is obviously a threat and you were never good at dueling. You would have gotten yourself and possibly her killed."

"I know…"

"You remember how to stupefy at least?"

"Yes."

"Good. When we get there I will go in first, you stand back and stupefy anyone who tries to escape. I doubt there may be only one."

Renee nodded solemnly following quickly behind Severus.

They ran for an hour deeper in to the woods till he could see an old cabin in the distance where his patronus sat quietly on the roof.

He stopped and crouched down signaling Renee to do the same. Severus tried to see if he could notice any movement but instead an ear-piercing scream echoed through the air. Turning to Renee he quickly placed his hand over her mouth before she could gasp, knowing that was probably the daughter they were looking for. He leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "Stupefy ANYONE."

Once she nodded, he waved his wand casting a silencing spell around them so their footsteps wouldn't be heard. He snuck slowly to the door and stopped, at the moment another scream ripped out in agony angering him. There would not be another, he wouldn't allow it.

Severus kicked the door open, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" Bright light shot out from his wand landing on a red headed woman, disintegrating her instantly.

There was movement to his right but it was so quick that his eyes couldn't keep up.

"STUPEFY!" He heard from outside and smirked. He missed the escape but Renee hadn't.

A groan caught his attention and he twirled quickly; wand raised but quickly lowered it when he saw the body of a young woman crumpled on the ground covered in blood. Severus quickly ran to the woman and dropped to his knees. She was chained to the wall like a damn animal causing him to snarl. Sickening he thought.

"Alohomora." His spell making the chains fall away. He gently turned the girl over and pushed the hair from her face, his eyes widening. "Lily?" He whispered.

The girls' eyes fluttered open slightly and her gaze met his for a moment but instead of the blue he was expecting to see, this girls' eyes were brown and warm like caramel.

"Thank you." She croaked out in pain before blacking out.

"BELLA!" Renee came running in crying at the sight of her daughter. "Severus please tell me she's still alive."

"Yes but barely." He removed a couple potions from his pocket. A potion for pain and for replenishing blood. It was obvious she would need it, there was so much blood all over the place and she was as pale as the ghosts at Hogwarts.

Severus took his time pouring each of them in her mouth and rubbed her throat till she swallowed. When she was breathing better and didn't seem to be in as much pain, he gently lifted her in arms.

They started walking slowly back to the house so as not to jostle her. His eyes never left the girls. He took in all her injuries and catalogued them but when his eyes got to her face again, even covered in blood and dirt the resemblance was too similar making his brows furrow.

Severus didn't even bother to look at Renee when he spoke, "You have some explaining to do." He growled. Even from the corner of his eyes he could see her visibly flinch. She was definitely hiding something.