"So Selena, are you excited to see our dormitory? It might be a little gloomy for your taste but if you don't mind the cold in the dungeons, I suppose you will be fine!" a dark-haired girl named Laura, said in one breath, clearly excited for making a new friend.
Selena walked beside her going lower in Hogwarts to darker halls until they reached the dungeons.
First years were as excited as Selena was, thinking that this castle clearly could be gloomy and lighted at the same time.
Once they reached a huge portrait a boy said with a clear voice: "Pureblood". The lady in the portrait nodded and the door opened.
'Gloomy huh?' Selena thought to herself.
Once they all entered the dorm, Selena wandered a bit around the main hall, taking in the dark beauty and the quietness of the room. It was definitely gloomy but she loved it. Black was one of her favorite colors. Most of the furniture were black with silver and green hints in them. There were many marbles around her and a marbled snake shaped statue was in the middle of the room. It had shiny emerald eyes.
"So? How do you think princess?" a voice suddenly stopped her thoughts.
Selena turned and saw a boy with brown hair and brown eyes smiling smugly at her. His eyes were narrow and his face a bit pointy. 'he looks like this snake' she mockingly thought to herself.
"Definitely suits my taste even though I am no royalty. Keep in mind that" she glared at him angry for calling her a princess with that tone.
"Oh… someone is grumpy on her first day here" he replied.
"Be careful boy. Do not mess with me" she said as cold as ice.
The boy froze in his position for a moment, and then turned for the boys dormitory.
"Well that is definitely troublesome Selena. No one messes with Claude Javis. He will remember that." Laura sighed and looked at Selena with a pity.
"Well no one should mess with me either. I hope he does" she said clearly offended for underestimating her.
As the girls joined their rooms to settle in Selena took in a moment to stare out of the window to the beautiful waves that hit on the rocks near a boathouse. The rest of the girls were discussing their schedules but Selena could not hear them clearly. She felt sleepy after such a long day, but then she thought that she could at least give a quick look at it.
As she read her schedule she found that she had picked Advanced potions (thank god she loved that lesson) correctly. Severus Snape was the teacher and she was more than excited to be in the classroom with him. Does he remember her? Does he remember their time together? 'Nah… probably he erased from his memory our little time together. After all so many years have passed…' she thought and sadness came over her.
As she was staring out the window she felt her eyes closing. The moisture of the dungeons and the smell of the whole castle brought a small smile on her lips while she fell asleep…
The next day all of the students went for breakfast in the Great Hall. She sat next to her new friend, which was clearly clinging to her since they met. While eating her very delicious pancakes she felt a burning sensation, like a whole was forming on her head. She turned just to see two black orbs staring at her. She felt herself blushing and quickly turned the other way to her friend.
After eating a very delicious breakfast, it was time for their first lessons. However a mocking voice was heard behind her.
"Well, well goodmorning… princess. Was your breakfast enjoyable my lady or still not to your … tastes? Please forgive our humble servants we will punish them later!" he said with a smirk on his face as all of his friends started chuckling.
Selena stood up and stared into Claude Javis' eyes coldly. As she tried to pass right next to him he grabbed her arm forcefully and told her with anger "Did you not hear me, your Majesty?"
"Obviously I do not waste my time with worms like you. Royalty doesn't give a damn about peasants like you Claude" her eyes were slits and its was like a lighting could be seen in them.
He squeezed her arm forcefully as he was about to say something nasty but he was cut off by a hand grapping his.
"Remove. Your. Hand. Now" said a low voice almost threatening. Selena saw a black figure standing next to her and she took in his scent deeply. A smell of sandalwood soil and cologne. Severus Snape was grabbing Claude's hand tightly and his eyes threw daggers at him.
"I… I am sorry professor" he said releasing her immediately.
"If I see you again touching any girl, you will regret the day you came to Hogwarts Mr. Javis." Said with a stone face.
"Y…Yes, Sir" the boy replied clearly terrified.
As he run out of the hall, Selena was now observing the dark figure in front of her in awe.
"Thank you… Professor" she said to him and smiled at him.
Snape who have not removed his eyes from the door where Javis Claude left, now turned to her. His black eyes locked with her blue ones. She felt an electric pulse going through her body and she blushed deeply.
She couldn't tell what the man was thinking or feeling. He was as emotionless as the statue in her dormitory.
"You will be late on your first day Miss Dumbledore. If it was my lesson you would get detention" he plainly replied before leaving the great hall.
Selena watched him gracefully leaving the hall with his robes billowing playfully around him. This man was driving her crazy.
Laura snapped her out of her daze shouting "Selena we will be late for Transfiguration! Hurry!"
Both girls run for their first lesson. The rest of the day passed calmly around them. Both girls were reprimanded for arriving late in classroom but Professor McGonagal let them off the hook for this time. Selena had managed to transform in a beautiful white tiger with blue eyes perfectly. Laura was clearly jealous of her since she could not even transform her hand to anything.
"I always sucked in this lesson. Ughhhhh…. What is the point in transforming into something else?" she said frustrated.
Selena giggled at the dark haired girl thinking she was overreacting a bit.
"You are laughing but you managed to transform to a very rare animal easily"
"Oh… because the white tiger is my patronus" Selena said plainly.
"YOU MANAGED TO DO THE PATRONUS SPELL?" Laura almost shouted in surprise.
"It is not that hard Laura…You just need to practice… a lot actually" she smiled at her.
"How lot?" she smiled back
"like… 3 years" Selena giggled.
Both girls laughed and went off their way to the next lesson.
After all lessons were finished, Professor Flitwick asked Selena to go to Dumbledore's office.
She was more than excited to meet her grandfather after all this time, alone.
As she entered his office she noticed a phoenix flying at her. She stretched her arm and the phoenix sat on it. He started poking and rubbing his head on hers, which made her laugh and caring the red bird.
"He seems to like you my dear" Dumbledore said as he came out, clearly, of nowhere.
"Grandpa!" She screamed and went to hug the old man with such force that the bird was knocked away in a second.
"I have missed you so much Selena. So many years have passed since you have come here last time. Do you remember it? You had a very nice time here after… after his death" the old man said with a pain on his face as the last words came out of his mouth.
Selena had the best time of her life here. Of course she remembered everything. How can he even ask her? As she was about to say something the door opened and her beloved professor came in view.
"Ah… Severus you came." Dumbledore said smiling.
Snape nodded at the old man and looked the blonde girl next to him, his eyes becoming a bit softer but his face still as cold as ever.
"I am sure that you remember Selena. She had visited Hogwarts, while you were a student here on your last year." He declared and his eyes went to his granddaughter. "So, do you remember Severus my dear child? You had taken quite a liking to him back them." He said a smile playfully appearing on his hips.
Selena felt her blood rushing to her veins and she started panicking. How could she admit to him that she has never forgotten him. Not even one day has passed not thinking about him and longing to see him again, to hug him. How could she admit that she left her life in Russia just to be with him again?
"I am afraid I do not remember many things from childhood grandpa." She lied.
Snape was observing her intently, as he was trying to spot the lie. He could not, could he?
His eyes seemed angry but Selena could see sadness and disappointment in them. Did he want her to admit she remembers him? No that cannot be. Why would he care? He would never care about a little girl he met 14 years ago, when he had the love of his life around him. Selena knew of the rumors that Snape loved a woman deeply. And that she died a year and a half after they met. Selena remembered her. She remembered the beautiful girl with the red hair and green eyes. Her warm smile and big hug. Lily Evans. Oh yes, she remembered how much she cared for Selena when she came to visit. She was her friend and spent so much time with her. She was jealous of how he looked at her though. With such love, such tender. She was jealous of how Lily Evans had won his heart. Of how she could never replace her.
These thoughts made her sad. Dumbledore seemed to notice the difference in her face as Snape did.
"Is everything ok?" He asked her with worry in his tone.
"Yes I am fine just a bit tired. May I leave grandpa?"
"Of course my dear. Professor Snape is the Head of your House so if anything troubles you, you can always go to him, or of course pay a visit to your old man." He said and winked mischievously at her. Selene chuckled at her grandpa and replied with a warm smile "of course Headmaster. I would love to catch up with this old man since I missed him terribly." Dumbledore smiled back warmly at the girl. "Severus will escort you back to your dorm safely" he said and turned around to get a cup of tea.
Snape nodded and opened the door for her. She passed him quickly and went down the hall. She could feel him behind her that familiar burning sensation, that he is looking at her back. They went silently down the stairs to the dungeons and Selena couldn't stop her thoughts from remembering the past….
"Lily! Lily!" a little blonde girl shouting and held a red head's robe tightly.
"Selenaaaa! I told you no running in the halls. I don't want you to get hurt." Lily said calmly with a smile on her face.
"Pfffff. But I wanted to tell you that we can go to the lake! Grandpa allowed us to go play by the lake!" the young girl pouted her lips and frowned her little nose.
"You are so cute when you frown like this, missy! Okay lets go!" she replied chuckling.
Lake was beautiful that time of year. It was surrounded by beautiful flowers that made it even more magical. Selena was so happy running around and rolling on the ground while picking flowers for Lily.
She tried to pick a lily flower and give it to her friend, as her hand had touched another one.
A boy with black hair and black eyes was standing in front of her, their hands touching.
A light breeze removed the few strands he had on his face showing clearly every detail of his beautiful face. It was at that moment that Selena knew this man was the only one for her. That moment when a simple touch meant the whole world to her.
"Hi" she said shyly.
"Hi" he replied.
"I am Selena. Who are you?" she asked curious.
"I am Severus. I know who you are little girl. Whole school says you are Professor Dumbledore's granddaughter." He asked looking deep in her eyes, trying to find similarities with the old man.
Selena nodded a bit and pointed at the flower they were both touching.
"Do you want this flower?" she asked
"I wanted to give it to a friend, since her name is also Lily but you can take it." He replied.
"But Lilies are rare. You may not find another one soon Severus." the little girl said with big eyes feeling guilty for the flower.
"I can't say no to such a cute girl like you. I would be cursed to refuse you a flower, when you look at me like that, even if it was the last one." He said chuckling and a small smile appeared on his lips.
Selena was so happy hearing those words and in return she gave him her warmest and brightest smile.
"Thank you Severus. Will you be my friend then?"
He thought about it for a moment, then he noticed a red head coming to their way.
"Of course Selena but you have to keep a secret that I gave you this flower. Okay?" he said.
"Deal" she replied grinning.
As days were passing, Selena was clinging to Severus all the time. Even when he was studying at the Astronomy tower away from the rest of the students she was there with him watching him or sleeping in his lap. Lily was searching almost all the time for her. Sometimes all three of them would hang out, but Selena didn't like it. She didn't want to see Severus looking at Lily with such eyes. She knew that he loved her, she knew that he wanted to give that flower to her, yet she was happy he didn't. She knew Severus would never look at Selena as he looked Lily. Selena would always be the little girl that cheered him up during her visit in Hogwarts.
…..
Selena found memories coming to the surface, memories she tried to bury deep inside her. Memories that saddened her more than anything. Because she knew both of her beloved people had suffered. Lily suffered the night she died in vain, in Dark Lord's hands, and Severus… he probably still mourns for his long-lost love. These thoughts brought tears to her eyes and she tried to not let them flow. Not while Snape was around her at least.
It was too late though, as he seemed to have noticed the tears in her eyes, grabbed her arm and turned her towards him.
"Why do you cry Miss Dumbledore?" he asked softly.
"I don't cry Professor. It is my allergy to moisture and seems dungeons have lots of it." Selena lied, hoping he would believe her. He didn't.
His eyes wandered on her face for a moment and wondered why would she suddenly cry. If she didn't want to tell him, he would not push her. Not tonight. She clearly already lied about not having many memories of her childhood.
"I have many potions for your … allergies. You can stop by anytime and pick one as I do not want troubled students from their first day." He said annoyed and released her arm.
He motioned for her to move forward towards Slytherin's common room and she went ahead of him, feeling his anger and disappointment heavy on her shoulders. As they reached the common room, Selena stopped in her tracks and turned slowly to him. The strays of moonlight that came through the window made her look like an angel that just descended from heaven, making her beautiful pale skin glow and her blue eyes to pop. Severus felt his heart stop for a moment. 'breathtaking' he thought to himself.
"Goodnight Professor Snape. Thank you for accompanying me" she said smiling a bit.
Severus still unable to talk nodded to her and turned abruptly to leave. He made huge steps until he felt air going through his lungs again. 'she will be the death of me, I need to get myself together' he thought.
Selena went directly to her room and fell on her bed thinking the happiness they once shared many years ago. With such dreams she fell asleep…