Hello!! Here's chapter 2, I hope you enjoy!! ️

My past has tasted bitter, for years now.

So I wield an iron fist.

Grace is just weakness.

Or so I've been told.

I've been cold, I've been merciless.

But the blood on my hands scares me to death.

Maybe I'm waking up, today.

I'll be good, I'll be good.

And I'll love the world like I should.

I'll be good, I'll be good.

For all of the times that I never could...

Holly woke up and groaned at the sunlight attacking her eyes behind their sockets. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked heavily at the light flooding into the room. So she wasn't on the sofa anymore. Great. She closed her eyes again harshly to push back the tears that remembering yesterday's events caused and sat up. The door was slightly open and the smell of breakfast was making its way to her nose. She could hear voices downstairs. Two masculine sounding voices if she wasn't mistaken, one that was more than likely Severus. Now was the other Lucius, or Dumbledore? And could either be trusted? Those were the questions she needed to ask now.

She cautiously got out of bed and sneaked to the door. She pulled it open slowly and peered around the door frame. She couldn't see anyone so she slid through the door and moved towards the stairs on her left. She looked through the banister and could see the once white front door she'd entered yesterday and the hallway leading to the living room. A shadow of a man and a swish of bright purple fabric caught her eye. Dumbledore then. Awesome. Well, this should be fun. She didn't know if Dumbles was a bad guy or a good guy so hopefully she'd be able to find out today with some subtle questions.

"- urrently have a guest. She's sleeping upstairs, so quickly Albus. I don't want her to wake up and come down stairs to find you here!" That was Severus, obviously talking about her. Although he didn't tell Dumbles about the books and her knowledge of them. So he doesn't fully trust him. Interesting.

"A lady Severus? I see. I shall be quick then I only need a minute of your time. I only wished to enqire about how you were but I see the approach you have taken to Lily's death. Just remember that you need to feel whatever you feel, my boy. And using women to divert your attention isn't the way to go about it. " Holly guessed that Dumbles was giving Severus a very disapproving look over his half moon glasses. And how dare he assume that's why she was staying with Severus! Severus wasn't the type to just sleep around like that!

"Albus! That is not why she is here! She looks only just 18 anyway, let alone the fact that she's just lost a lot of very important people in her life and needs me right now. She's vulnerable. Not that it's any of your business." Severus sounded just as angry as she was.

Suddenly there was a muttered word and a green flash and Holly wondered what had happened. Had Dumbles just killed Severus or something? She started creeping down the stairs slowly and a body gradually came into her view. It was Severus. She could recognise his black hair and his tall stature. She could also see his wand on the floor a short distance from his collapsed body. The old man wouldn't have just killed Severus, he was still useful and he needed his spy so it must have been Stupefy or Petrificus Totalus. She continued climbing down the stairs but as she stepped on the fifth one from the bottom a low groan came from the floorboards. Dammit. Well, now she's screwed.

"There you are! Hello there young lady, I'm Albus Dumbledore, Severus' boss. And you are?" Dumbledore asked her with that stupid soft smile and his twinkling blue eyes. Gods, he was so annoying!

"Heather Ortiz. Would you like to explain why my friend is passed out on the floor? Or should we cut to me bashing you over the head with a frying pan and tying you up like Flynn Rider?" She didn't have time for Dumbledore's stupid mind games. She wanted answers for whatever the hell that was!

"Ok, I shall get to the point then, as I can see you are not the most friendliest of people," His expression suddenly shifted, from the genial, old grandfather to something much more dangerous. He looked powerful and greedy. Like he wanted her and he was getting her. She leaned back instinctively, that expression was the most crude thing she ever been faced with. And she'd lived with her farther all her life. "You intrigue me. I can sense your magic and it's strong. And I do need another Horcrux. Fawkes is not nearly enough. So I'm going to use you. And maybe my deluminator shall make a good one as well. Come here I can't kill you on a staircase now can I?"

He roughly grabbed her arm and yanked her down the remaining stairs and let her go so she was on the ground near Severus' body. Dumbledore made Horcruxes?! And the deluminator being one explained why Ron had reacted so strongly in Deathly Hallows. Because he had two Horcruxes on him, not one. And Fawkes being one also made some sense. Dumbledore pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at her forehead. She had to do something! She couldn't die now! She hadn't even saved anyone yet! And if Dumbles was this evil she needed to take care of two Dark Lords and not just one. She couldn't just leave poor Harry by himself! She hit something hard with her hand and she caught sight of Severus' wand just next to her left hand. Well, it was worth a shot! After all, Dumbledore did say she had magic. She snatched it up and pointed it at Dumbledore's face and screamed the first spell that came to mind.

"IMPEDIMENTA!" A purple light flew out of the wand and hit Dumbledore, sending him flying back into the hallway wall. Holly stared down at the wand in surprise. It worked. Huh. Well, she didn't have any time to wonder why that worked she was just glad it did. She clumsily got to her feet an shakily made her way to Dumbledore's body. She pointed the wand again and cast Incarcerous and Stupefy, just to be safe. She then turned to Severus and cast Enervate.

Severus woke and was immediately aware of a massive headache. Why was he on the floor? He remembered Albus coming over and wanting to talk to him and then he turned to make a cup of coffee and then blankness. Did Albus do something? Was Heather alright? He opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of Heather leaning over him, his wand was in her hand. He sat up and snatched it back.

"Why do you have my wand Heather," He then noticed Dumbledore tied up behind her. "Why is Albus unconscious and tied up, Heather?"

"He attacked you and was going to kill me but I grabbed your wand and used the Imendiment Jinx and then Incarcerous and Stupefy just to be safe. But more importantly, they worked. I've got magic Severus! I don't know how but I've got it!"

She was ecstatic! She had magic! She could see Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade! And go to Hogwarts... Oh, no she couldn't because she was 18 not 11. That was disappointing. She could still see Hogwarts though. And maybe she could be a teacher there someday. It wouldn't be the same but she'd take what she could get.

"It worked? Well, we'll have to do a Parentage potion for you then. It should help us discover how you have magic. But now we have to wipe Albus' memory, I'm just hoping it'll work, Albus is powerful and a master in the art of Occlumency, a bad combination for us. " He was also a master at both Occlumency and Legilimency but he wasn't as powerful as Albus and that meant it might brake and Albus would be able to see the memory again. And then he'd kill the both of them. He got up and was about to do the spell when Heather stopped him.

"Wait, let me do it." She wasn't certain why, but she felt like something was pushing her to do it herself, she had always been independent and wanted to be her own person so she didn't really read to much into it.

"If you're sure...go ahead." Severus wanted to let her have a go. It would be good for her to get a feel of Legilimency before he taught her Occlumency. And he'd need to now, otherwise Albus could just see the memory in her mind. And then there would be no point to hiding it.

Holly stepped forward and closed her eyes. She felt her mind, her consciousness, and reached out for Dumbledore's own mind. She felt it, it was a little weak, probably because he was unconscious. She slowly got closer to it, and when she was in reach she tried to simply grab the memory and replace it with one of Albus and Severus having a nice conversation and then him leaving. Erasing her presence completely. She didn't know if it had worked but it was the best she could do for the minute so she retreated back into her body and opened her eyes.

She was sitting on the floor and she could see Severus drinking some coffee and reading the paper at a small table in the kitchen which was joined with the living room. She stood up and walked over to him.

"I'm all done. You going to check it or shall we eat and then go?" She asked. She hoped he'd say eat as she hadn't eaten anything since two days ago and she was starving. She sat down in the other chair across from him, she picked up the knife and fork and dug into the classic English breakfast in front of her.

"Yes, I shall check your work. Eat that quickly though, we'll be flooing to my office in Hogwarts soon." Severus, who had finished his food, put down the paper and stood up. He made his way towards Albus. He pulled out his wand and cast Legilimens. He tried searching for the memory but only found one of him and Albus having a conversation about two nights ago and how he should stay at Hogwarts. If he didn't know what actually happened he'd totally believe it was a real memory. He was shocked, she must have some natural affinity for Legilimency. That Parentage potion seemed infinitely more important now.

Once he'd finished he stood up and checked on Heather. She hadn't eaten much. She'd left a few things half eaten on the plate. He was a little concerned but they had bigger issues right now. So he ushered her towards the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder out of the pot on the side.

"You know how this works right?" He didn't want her getting lost after all, that would be another complication to their already crazy day and he didn't feel like scouring the entire country for her.

"Yeah, you throw the floo powder in and say your destination clearly and hope you come out at the right gate." She knew how this worked, she was a little worried about stepping into actual fire but as long as she didn't do a Harry and clearly mispronounce her destination she'd be fine.

Severus held onto Dumbledore's arm, he stepped forward and threw the floo powder at his feet. He then stated "Severus Snape's office, Dungeons, Hogwarts" and disappeared in a flash of green flames.

"Alright, easy as pie..." Holly muttered to herself as she grabbed her own floo powder and threw it into the flames. "Severus Snape's office, Dungeons, Hogwarts!" And she was gone. It felt like she'd been sucked into the grate and was now flying past millions of fireplaces. Colours hurled by and blended together in her vision. She kept falling, faster and faster until she stumbled out of another grate and fell to the floor, coughing and spluttering up soot.

"There you are. Come on, get up we haven't got all day!" Came Severus' annoyed tones from her right. She looked up and glared at him. How could he be so blazé about it? She felt sick and her head was pounding. All those flashing colours had really hurt her eyes. She stumbled to her feet and made her way to where Severus was stood with Dumbledore next to him.

"Now I am going to make him invisible and we shall walk up to his office, can you levitate him over us, as I might need to deal with anyone we come across?" Severus asked her.

"Yeah I can do that, I think. What will you do if we run into one of the students? We surely will, this is a school after all." Holly didn't want to blow this and if she got stared at her focus on levitating Dumbledore might waver. And she didn't fancy seeing how the students would react to their headmaster being dropped 20 foot, even if it would be amusing.

"Most of them should be in classes. The only ones I can think of would be the year 7's and they've got exams and are probably studying in the library." The only one he could think of that might be skipping would be the Tonks girl, but she was secretive and wouldn't say anything if he asked. Or more like demanded. He didn't want Heather bombarded by questions.

"Alright," they executed the plan, Holly casting a wandless Wingardiun Leviosa, and started making their way down the corridors and up stairs to Dumbledore's office, Severus pointing out any trick stairs so she wouldn't get stuck. Holly was amazed by the intricacies in the walls. The founders surely did put a lot of work and love into their school. No wonder they were so proud of it. It felt a bit surreal to her, to actually be inside THE Hogwarts. Millions of people would kill to be where she was right now. "So, um long term. I don't know what I'm going to do. I clearly have magic and I don't know how to use it very well, I know the theory, but I could do with lessons but I'm too old to be a student."

" I'm sure I can figure something out. I could always ask the teachers to help you in their free time or I could train you myself," Severus would prefer to do it himself, but he wouldn't be able to teach her things he didn't really know himself nor would he have the time to teach her everything. " I'll create a plan for you and I'll ask Minerva and maybe Filius as well."

" No, I wouldn't want to take up you and the other teachers free time. I'll just teach myself. I'm sure I can do it." Holly knew she was being stupid and that she couldn't possibly teach herself but she didn't like the thought of taking up so much of other people's time.

" Don't be idiotic, Heather. You couldn't possibly teach yourself. You'd fail miserably. I shall teach you, it's not like I, nor the other teachers, have much else to do in our free time anyway." Severus could teach her Defence against the Dark Arts, Herbology and Potions, Minerva could teach her Transfiguration and History of Magic and Filius could teach her Charms. She could learn Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes or Muggle Studies later on if she wanted, once she'd got the basics of the others down.

"Oh alright then, thank you for offering. Will I stay at Hogwarts then? As I'm being taught by Professors who work there. Will I get sorted?" She was excited to see the Slytherin Common Room. Or the Great Hall, she'd get to see the floating candles and the enchanted ceiling! She was getting so hyped!

"Yes I suppose you will, though we'll have to get you your own rooms. You don't want to be sharing with some eleven year-olds do you? I'll ask them to be close to mine, after all you might get lost or something sour might happen." He told himself that anyway, not because he genuinely didn't want her to get hurt. No, he had a responsibility to look after her and that was it.

"That would be nice. I don't really like the idea of sharing with some children. Even if I know them." She would have said more. But they had come across a young girl with bright blue hair and blue eyes, she had a Hufflepuff coloured tie on and was dragging a cart of, what looked like, water balloons.

"Ah, Miss Tonks. I thought I'd be seeing you. Let's make a deal. I won't ask about those," Severus pointed at the cart, " as long as you don't ask about her." He then pointed to Heather and gave Tonks a look.

Tonks tilted her head to the side, staring at Heather, as if weighing up her options. She eventually looked back to Severus and said, "You ask one question, I ask one question. That's fair."

"Fine," Severus agreed. "Will I have to clean it up?"

" As long as your not on the fifth floor then yes. Are you two dating?" She asked like it was a perfectly normal thing to ask.

Holly spluttered "What!" She asked incredulously. " No of course not, we've only just met a few days ago!"

Severus was staring at Tonks like she'd lost her mind. He turned to Holly and looked her up and down. He then turned back to Tonks and simply stated. " Excuse me?"

At that Tonks took off like the grim was on her heels, she was cackling madly in a way that reminded Holly of Bellatrix. That little devil child. Now that Holly thought about it, that was quite funny. Hilarious, even. She started giggling. Severus turned to stare at her and narrowed his eyes at her hand covering her mouth in a vague attempt to stop laughing. "And what exactly, are you laughing at?" He asked her. Glaring at her bitten lip that was slowly slipping.

At that question Holly cracked, she started laughing, tears where in her eyes by the time she'd finally stopped laughing. " I'm sorry, but I just couldn't help it. It was kinda funny..."

"How? I didn't find it that funny. How dare she assume such things! Albus assumed the same thing, can two people of opposite genders not be friends without having questions and expectations shoved upon them?" Severus was actually offended. The audacity of some people!

"I completely agree, but your reaction and the way you glared at her, she just took off!"

They had reached the stone gargoyle now. Severus muttered the password (Acid Pops) and they made their way up the stairs and into Dumbledore's office. Holly sat the old man down and let Severus levitate him into the desk chair. Severus then cast disillusion spells upon the both of them, and Holly cast a wandless Enervate and then they carefully slipped out of the room an Dumbledore came too.

Once they had made it back to Severus' quarters, thankfully with no running into blue haired rascals, Severus told her he had classes in ten minutes and so he gave her a list of books to read off of his shelves and left her to it. She spent the next 2 hours reading books and listening to Spotify. Which miraculously still worked, even though FaceTime didn't. At 12:04 a small pop sounded next to her and she looked over to find, what she presumed was a house elf.

"Hello there! What's you name?" She was always going to be nice to the poor house elves. Even if they liked serving wizards and witches it shouldn't mean they get treated horribly.

"My name is Eten, Mistress. Eten be bringing you food on Master Severus' orders. Eten bring you what they be eating in the Great Hall." Eten placed a plate of lamb chop and vegetables on the coffee table in front of her place on the sofa. The house elf then placed a goblet of orange juice next to it and left with another small pop. She ate and drank in relative silence until, just as she was eating the last bite of her lamb, Severus entered through the door.

"Good, Eten brought you some food like I asked. I've got an hour before I have the 3rd year Hufflepuffs and Slytherins. So we shall do the Parentage potion now. Come on, my personal lab is this way." He passed her and walked down the hallway and into the door at the very end that had stairs that spiraled down on the other side. She stood up and followed him down the stairs and into a long thin room with benches either side. On the benches lay cauldrons of all sizes and materials. There was another door at the opposite end to the one they had just walked through.

"Stay here, I'm going to get the ingredients we need,"Severus strode off down to the door an entered the room beyond. Holly only had to wait for 5 minutes before Severus came back out holding a tray stacked with different plants. He then segregated them into two piles, one bigger than the other and put both on the bench on her left.. He pointed to the smaller one. " You shall copy what I do with these ingredients to the best of your ability but you will not be making the potion as it wouldn't be good enough on your first try. Understood?"

She nodded to show she got what he was saying. He grabbed a long stick with big leaves on the end. It reminded her of a leak. He had a sharp knife in one hand and started chopping it diagonally. She saw an almost identical knife to her left and she picked it up an followed what he'd done, cutting in a diagonal line. He then grabbed the cut up pieces and placed them in a cauldron. He turned the flame on at the bottom an poured a large amount of a brown liquid into it. They proceded to cut, squash slice an dice the ingredients until Severus had finished with the potion. 45 minutes later Severus stirred the potion twice clockwise and then he turned the heat off.

She grabbed a vial off of the shelf behind them and handed it to him. He levitated it over the cauldron and filled it with the potion. After he had gotten rid of the unused potion and started cleaning the cauldron with magic. He grabbed some parchment an asked her to prick her finger with a sterilised needle. She picked up the needle and gently prodded her left pinkie until it started bleeding, she placed it over the vial and watched her blood drip into the potion. After three drops Severus healed her finger and cleaned the needle. He poured the potion onto the parchment and they waited until thin lines started appearing.

"You're related to the Lestranges, the Blacks, the Tonks' and the Malfoys. Wow, I didn't expect that. Though it does explain why you are so powerful. More powerful than Albus. You have so many ancient lines and the mix of muggle blood through your grandfather. The magic missing out your mother must have made it stronger in you." Severus explained.

"My parents are there, Maria and Raymond. My sister, Rose, and my grandparents, Erin and Thomas, they're french. We never knew what happened to my other grandparents I was told they died before I was born. I wonder why my dad never told me his family was magical. I would have understood. All those times I read about the Black family tree and he never mentioned he was a Lestrange!" She was upset by that, she could have known Harry Potter was real sooner if her dad had told her. And her Grandma as well! She was Walburga Black's sister! Wait, that meant Sirius was her cousin once removed... Oh my god! That's so cool!

"He might have had his memory wiped. Or his family made him swear not to tell anyone. They could have also cursed him not to tell you as well. Or he could have been angry, or ashamed of his family, we should be going now, I want to look into how you got here. I want to try and see if it was accidental magic." Severus was trying to get her mind off such a dark topic. 'What ifs' and 'buts' are never good things to focus on, she should just move on. It would be better for her in the long run. And he and other things to do before he had to teach his next class.

"Alright, lets go then." Holly picked up the parchment and followed Severus back out of the lab. She was also interested to see how she managed to time travel 39 years back. It was quite a feat to manage! And something she thought was impossible until yesterday. But Holly did have a knack for the making the impossible possible after all!

Thank you guys so much for reading! I've been working so hard to get this chapter out there. I really hope it doesn't sound too out there but I do have explanations for the weird stuff that happens, you'll just have to wait and find out! Posting a chapter every three days is going to be a bit stressful for me so I'm going to have to cut it back to once every Sunday, unless my brain decides to actually work and then I can post it a little earlier. Bye! ️