Author's Note – Here is finally another chapter. I would like to apologize for the serious lack of update. I had half of this chapter written long ago but then my computer crashed and I lost all that I had written and tried numerous times to rewrite something as good as the original. In my opinion I think this chapter could have been better but I am content with it. I would have gotten it out sooner but personal issues arose and I haven't had much time to write. But I do plan to continue this story because I am enjoying writing it.

Now on a note of the story, I have decided who will get guardianship of Kori at the moment. But all three of the people I had you all vote for will have a role in her and Harry's life and will all help in raising Korrine.

Special thanks to my beta Nellis Daughter of Athena for being amazing and editing all of the chapters of this story.

Chapter Nine – Guardianship

Albus, Minerva and Severus silently entered the headmaster's office and took seats around the desk. Albus stood behind it while Severus and Minerva took the seats in front of it. Suddenly a tray with tea and biscuits appeared on the desk.

"Please help yourselves." Albus said with a weary wave of his hand as he settled into his big chair. Minerva silently picked up a cup of tea and took a sip while Severus and Albus left theirs untouched. The three professors sat in silence for a moment processing the new information they had just received.

"Albus… how could this have possibly happened? There are wards on the house and people are supposed to check up on them I don't understand." Minerva started finally breaking the silence.

"Minerva my dear I am sad to say it is entirely fault. The wards are in place to protect the children from any dark wizards I never thought that they would be harmed by their own family. As for someone checking up on them I have Arabella Figg watching over Privet Drive." Albus said to his colleague.

"And Arabella never said anything to indicate anything amiss Albus?" Severus questioned and from the heavy sigh Dumbledore let out showed that Arabella had in fact mentioned something in the past.

"She had mentioned that she had seen both children working in the garden in the front yard often and that they obviously were not pampered and that they seemed underweight and often had bruises. I thought nothing of it, that she was embellishing I mean many children get hurt from playing. As for the rest I figured they simply had chores and were being treated like any other child. Obviously it was a grave a mistake." Albus explained to them.

"Had I been aware of the situation I would have done something about it." He added.

"Well it doesn't matter now what's done is done; we have to focus on what we are going to do. We will have to find a place for her to live…" Minerva started putting her emotions aside to go about things logically.

"She has to go back." Albus said softly with a sigh to the other two occupants in the room. Both Minerva and Severus looked at the headmaster as though he had had finally lost his mind.

"Albus I beg your pardon. You can't be serious about sending the girl back there to those people can you?!" Minerva started. Her Scottish accent came out as she began to become angry. "It is insane! Madness! You'd be sending the girl to her death if you leave her there a second longer! I told you from the beginning they were the worst kind of muggles." she continued outraged at the thought of Korrine going back to the Dursley's.

"Minerva while the living situation is not ideal it is the only place she will be safe until she comes to Hogwarts. The blood wards will keep her safe from any danger…" Albus started and Severus let out a scoff.

"Yes it will keep her from being harmed by dark wizards. But what will keep her from being harmed by her own family Albus?!" the potions master asked harshly, unable to actually believe that the man before him was seriously considering sending the girl back to the Dursley's. While Severus had a great respect for the man before him, at times especially at the moment he couldn't help but question the man and what he did. "I agree with Minerva you would be sending the girl to her death. Did you not see the condition she was in when we found her she was on the brink of death!" Severus ranted.

"Calm down my boy I'm not planning on just sending the girl back I would have to have a serious conversation with the Dursley's before doing so." Albus started and Severus let out an uncharacteristic snort.

"Yes because giving child abusers a stern talking to is going to make them change their ways." He said sarcastically.

"Albus surely there is another way. There are many magical families that would be willing to take in the girl." Minerva said intervening before a full agreement could break out between the two men.

"Yes Minerva I'm sure there are but there is the matter of security for the child. Not a lot of families have the magic needed for wards to keep her safe." Albus told her.

"I myself would take her in if I could but I don't think I would be able to handle a nine year old." Minerva stated sadly trying to thinking of another person. "Perhaps the girl's godfather, Remus Lupin, could take her in?" She offered.

Severus scoffed again, "Please there is no way that the ministry would let the girl who lived be raised by a werewolf. Besides the man doesn't have a job and can barely take care of himself let alone another human being." Severus told them.

"Well then the Weasley's perhaps or Augusta Longbottom?" Minerva suggested after giving Severus a slight glare.

"I'm sure the Weasley's would be more than happy to take the girl in but they have enough mouths to feed as for Augusta she is much too old to handle a nine year old." Albus replied. "I'm afraid there is no other option than to send the girl back. I do not want to but I see no other way. Not until she is old enough to come to Hogwarts." Albus said and Minerva began to protest.

Severus sat silently for a moment thinking of who could possibly take the girl in, he would not allow the girl to go back to those people he would do anything to prevent that. He had made a promise when Lily had died that he would protect her children and by the current situation they were in he had failed so far. There was a voice in the back of his mind telling him what to do, to take the girl in; he shook his head slightly having an internal debate. 'There is no way on earth that I will take care of Potter's spawn.' He thought to himself and the voice simply said to him, 'She is not just James daughter. She is Lily's little girl.' Severus frowned at that he knew the voice was right; the small girl wasn't just the daughter of the man he had hated but also the child of the woman he had loved, his best friend.

He had been wrong about the elder Potter, while he had been so sure that the boy would be exactly like his father, a mean arrogant bully. Instead Harry Potter was an abused child; he should have seen the signs being the head of Slytherin he'd seen many cases of abused children. Now that he thought of it the signs where all there it should have been obvious but his unreasonable hate towards the boy had made him unable to see what was right in front of him.

His thoughts then turned to the youngest Potter, who so much resembled Lily, the same eyes and auburn hair. But at the same time looked nothing like her, Lily had been happy and joyful while Korrine was covered in bruises and had a look of pain and fear in her eyes. It pained him to think about how the small girl had looked, the pain and fear in her eyes, her pale skin covered in black and blue bruises and how light she had felt in his arms. No child deserved to be treated like both the Potter children had.

No, Severus could not allow her to go back to those people and he couldn't allow Harry to either at the end of the school year. He had made an oath to himself, protect Lily's children and it was time he started doing so. Before he even realized what he was doing he said, "I will take in the girl."

With those six words the agreement between Minerva and Albus ceased and both turned, completely stunned to look at the potions master.

"What?!" Minerva finally spluttered out after a couple moment of silence.

Author's Note -

I was gonna add more but I really wanted to get this chapter out. So I hope you all enjoyed it and the next chapter should be coming out soon. Remember to review! They make me happy and write faster.