Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter books, that all belongs to J. K. Rowling.

Thank you everyone who reviewed.

Note: Italic is thoughts in whomever's point of view. I will also be referring to Hermione as Amariel/Miss Undomiel in speak.

Previously:

(Severus Snape's Point of View)

As I began my journey down to my dark and foreboding dungeon quarters, though I did not see it that way, I began to think of the woman who I encountered before my meeting. I decided against asking Albus who she was just in case she was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. However, there was something about her that intrigued him. He did not know what it was; possibly the mysterious ere that was about her, or the way that she seemed to be a ghost in extremely physical way. What was for sure what that he would figure out who she was, and soon.

Alternative Identity: Chapter Seven

At the beginning of the school year, students get this exited feeling. The apprehension of what the upcoming year will bring, whether the classes will be hard, and what drama will occur, and so forth. In addition, it is a much looked forward period of time, while also being an extremely dreaded start of an even more dreaded school year. On one hand, everyone is reunited with their friends and is able to exchange information on what they did over the summer and what has changed in their lives. One the other, they have to go back to waking up early, doing homework, cramming for tests and quizzes, worrying about their grades, and consequently their future.

Students are not the only ones to dread the beginning of term. Teachers have to begin to plan their schedules, assign and grade essays that are an equal burden to grade as it was to write for the student, patrol the halls at night to look for people who are out of their common rooms after curfew, and assign detentions. They no longer have as much free time as they wished they did to just do, what they want to do. Be that sipping a brandy in front of the fire while immersed in a book, visiting a far off country, or just sleeping in on a Wednesday morning.

Despite the undertone feeling of trepidation that everyone felt, there is an almost overwhelming feel of excitement for the first feast in the school year. The first years can be relieved of the anxiety of what house they will be sorted into and how they will be sorted; the older years can be reunited with their friends for the first time in three months to share their sorrows and their happiness's.

Two people who would spend the next year in the walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, however, did not share these minute feels. Severus Snape did not worry about hurting people's feelings or feeling embarrassed about catching his students in an intimate act in the corridors, frankly he did not care. He did not feel bothered about assigning detentions and having the students serve it with Mr. Filch. He did not care for grading homework and saying nasty comments and using more red ink then the student used black, as grading was a sort of stress relief for him. His worries were held in if he would life out the year. If he would be able to fool the Dark Lord, also known as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, for another nine months. If the Last Battle would occur this year, and if he would live to see who won. He never contemplated what would occur after the battle, as there was no guarantee that he would live to put his plans in action, if he made any plans that is.

The other person, with whom the miniscule and slightly degrading feelings that a new school year would bring did not affect, was Amariel Undomiel, more popularly known as Hermione Granger. She frankly, could care less, which was the polar opposite of how she used to feel. When she used to get stressed out when a test was coming, Amariel could probably find amusement in the test. Where Hermione would spend hours on end on an essay, Amariel could whip one out in a matter of twenty minutes that would be equally good, if not better. Where Hermione would cringe to break any rules in fear of being caught and punished, Amariel could find enjoyment in sneaking around the castle, never getting caught. The list could go on about the differences in the very similar, but very different identities of one woman. This woman, with whom, so many were friends with, would be coming back to Hogwarts, unbeknownst to all of who she used to be acquainted with, to ones again help protect the under protected.

Hogwarts Express

The compartments of the fast moving train were mostly all full to the capacity; the impending battle and the havoc that the Death Eaters had caused had not caused many students to be pulled out of one of the safest places in the world.

A compartment in the self-made, generally, Gryffindor section of the train contained Harry Potter, also known as the Boy-Who-Lived, his sidekick, Ronald "Ron" Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood. The compartment was mostly silent except for the occasional turn of a page of a magazine in the direction of Luna, the munching noises coming from Ron, or the soft snores coming from Neville. However, they all shared the same thoughts in their head, whether subconsciously or consciously. That being that this was their last year at Hogwarts, that this could possibly be their last year on this earth, and that once again, their best friend, Hermione, was not here to share in another year at Hogwarts.

"I still miss her," Harry said randomly but no one asked him who the female was in the comment. "It has been over a year and I still feel like she should be here with us in this compartment, asking us if we finished our summer homework or looking through a several hundred page book."

Ron swallowed the crisps that he was previously munching on, "I have to admit that I miss her as well. I never realized how much we depended on her until she was gone."

No one said anything after his comment but everyone knew what he was referring to. They all depended on her for their homework, on their little adventures, on advice, and for support. She was always there to listen to their troubles and always there to lend her assistance when needed for homework. Consequentially, they all no longer ventured out for adventures after a particular accident where Ron somehow ended up in a growth of Devil Snare and only ended up surviving from his experience from first year and that was, indirectly, with the help of Hermione as well. The boys actually paid attention during school, as their resident note taker no longer could provide them with in depth notes and their essays were no longer a copy of hers.

The silence that prevailed after Ron's comment was broken by a sudden and louder snore from Neville. A few minutes later, an announcement was made informing the students that they would be arriving at Hogwarts in about fifth-teen minutes. The girls started to gather their clothes to change into their uniforms, Neville was woken up, and guys stayed in the compartment to change into their robes.

Fifth-teen minutes later, the train came to a screeching stop in front of the train station that was used for the school. Students started to trickle out of the train, the older students going toward the thestral drawn carriages, while the first years walked toward Hagrid who was yelling, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" (A/N: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, page 111).

The five compartment buddies all went into the same carriage to endure the long carriage ride to the school.

"I wonder who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be." Ginny said, in an effort to break the silence.

"Hopefully Dumbledore will not appoint Snape," Ron said. "That would finally fulfill his dreams and make our lives even more of a living hell. Since he would be within his rights to use us as test subjects."

"Do not be ridiculous Ronald," Ginny said with a sigh. "If Dumbledore did appoint Snape, he would never allow us to be used as guinea pigs."

"I agree with Ron though Ginny," Neville said with a hint of fear in his voice. It was popular knowledge that Neville feared Severus Snape above anyone else, except for maybe Lord Voldemort. "He would find a lot of enjoyment in making us suffers from his hexes."

"Dumbledore, however, would never permit it." Harry said, agreeing with his girlfriend Ginny. "Snape would never be able to get away with it, or at least with as much as he would want to get away with."

"I do not think it will be Snape," Luna spoke up, for the first time in the entire trip from London. "I have a feeling that it will be someone that has already taught here before." She said as she looked over her upside down magazine, before immersing herself in the Quibbler.

"Regardless," Harry said. "We will find out tonight and hopefully it is not Snape."

And so, they arrived at the Front Doors and made their way into the Great Hall to wait for the rest of the school and then the first years.

Once everyone was seated, the first years were ushered in by Professor McGonagall for the sorting. As they lined up in front of the stool with the old and ratty Sorting Hat on top of it, the school quieted down so that the Hat could sing it's customary before sorting song.

The Sorting Hat opened its mouth and began to sing:

A thousand years or more ago,
When I was newly sewn,
There lived four wizards of renown,
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.

Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!

I sort you into houses
Because that is what I'm for.

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends;

Take my warning, though

Oh know the perils, read the signs,

Beware of strangers,

And new comers alike;

For they present dangers,

Though they may not be tyke;

Befriend them if you wish,

For you have already,

For she is a witch,

With whom you are steady.

I have told you, I have warned you.
Let the sorting now begin.

There was a low murmur of voices as the Sorting Hat ended its song, before Professor McGonagall started to read off the first years.

"Abbot, Mary," Professor McGonagall said in a steady voice. A small girl with dirty blonde hair walked to the stool, sat down, and the Sorting Hat was placed on her head.

A short period of time later, the Sorting Hat called out, "Ravenclaw!" The Ravenclaw table gave her a polite applause as she walked over and said down.

"Barrington, Steven," Professor McGonagall called. And the process continued as usual. A name would be called, a child would sit on the stool and be sorted, there would be applause from their respective new house, and it would repeat.

Near the end, Ron started to complain about how long it was taking and why could they not hurry up the process so that he could eat. His sister, Ginny, responded to his comment by smacking his arm.

There ended up being an approximately even distribution of the new first years for all the houses, though there were a few less in Slytherin.

Headmaster Dumbledore then walked to the podium to do his normal speech before the beginning of the feast, which commonly known to be short.

"I would like to begin by saying welcome to all the first years and welcome back to all our returning students. As per usual, the Forbidden Forest is, just that, forbidden as some of you may know." He sent a look in the direction of Harry and Ron, who blushed faintly. "Also, there is a list of prohibited items in front of Mr. Filch's office and he would like me to remind you all that any product of the Weasley Twins is strictly prohibited. I would also like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, Professor Lupin and Professor Preto, however they were both unable to make it to this feast today. I was also hoping to introduce a new seventh year student of ours, but it seems that she was also unable to make it today."

After he said this, however, there was a loud bang as the doors leading to the Great Hall were flung open. Several teachers jumping up in attention to defend if need be. There, however, was only one person in the door way. The figure was covered in an elegant black cloak, with the hood up, and was wearing (from what people could see) black underneath.

"No need to skip introduces, Headmaster," Amariel/Hermione said as she moved gracefully up toward the front of the hall. "Sorry to delay the feast, I was held up." She said as she neared the steps leading to the podium.

Albus silently motioned for the Professors to sit down, once he realized that they were on the alert. "It's no problem, Miss Undomiel." He said quietly as she moved to stand next to him. After clearing his throat in order to start to give the promised introduce, which he of course made up as they could not say who she truly was. As he was about to start his speech, there was a sudden gasp from the student body, and a more silent one from the teachers section. He looked over to Amariel to see that she had taken off her hood to reveal her appearance. Looking back at the student body, it was easily seen that they were entranced by her. I guess it will be easier for them to trust her than I thought, Albus thought.

"This is the new student that I was referring to a few minutes ago, her name is Amariel Undomiel." Albus began to say, as way of introduction. "She will be joining us for an indefinite period of time, for an authorized exchange between her own school in Italy and our school. Since it is undetermined how long Ms. Undomiel will be staying with us, be it a month or a full year, she will not be sorted into any house. Please show her every courtesy available. Also, since she is not to be sorted, she will be either eating with the professors or at one of the house tables, so please make room for her is she chooses to sit with you. Thank you all for listening and sorry for the delay. Enjoy the feast." Albus finished as the tables became magically filled with foods of all sorts.

He turned to Amariel and offered her his arm, she gracefully accepted it. Albus moved to his normal seat in the middle of the Head Table, while Amariel moved to the only seat that was unoccupied, that being the one next to Severus Snape.

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I am terribly sorry that I have not updated sooner. I had spring break, a research paper that was due, an early exam that is/was coming up, and a bunch of drama that I really did not want to deal with in my life. However, I have finally updated and hopefully you all enjoyed it. The Sorting Hat song is a combination of excerpts from Year One, Four, Five songs and a small bit from me. Please also note that "Preto" as in Professor Preto, means Black in Portuguese (and no I do not speak Portuguese, though I wish, it just sounded cool) and the new Professor is Sirius Black in disguise, hence the "Preto" bit. Please let me know what you think of this chapter by pressing the review button. Also, if anyone has any suggestions for songs that are/can be played on the piano that can be incorporated into the story please let me know, as Hermione plays the piano (if you are confused as how it will work out, just wait and see).