A/N: This fic may move a bit slow and, obviously, a female Severus is quite different to the Canon fans either love or hate. There will be slight changes in history (even storyline, perhaps.)
I'd be interested to know, however early on it may be, if people would wish for Sirius to have a short-lived appearance as we've witnessed in the books and on film or if he should survive. I'm always open to ideas and it's always interesting to have feedback.
Chapter Two: The Letters in the Foyer
It had seemed a little strange that Dinah Snape and her son were staying at a hotel when they only lived half an hour's walk away. The boy had contemplated this unusual activity, but, then, he did know Albus Dumbledore (about as well as any other student did) and, while the elderly wizard was a little strange, Rigel was aware that Dumbledore only really did things in the best interests of another.
He also happened to know that Harry Potter, renowned as the 'Boy-Who-Lived' throughout the wizarding world, would be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in just a little over a month. Rigel wondered if perhaps Dumbledore had planned for his mother to keep an eye on the boy; assess his relatives, which would account for the current activity that made little sense in general.
It wasn't a fact universally acknowledged, but, as her son, Rigel Black did know certain things that so many wizards and witches didn't. His mother preferred to keep to herself; not to divulge anything if she could help it. She had learned at a young age that many things she said could, and no doubt would, be used against her. However, what she hadn't said he'd been able to figure out in his short thirteen years of life. He liked to call himself 'One of the Few,' in reference to the small number of people who knew who she really was. He did wonder sometimes if even he knew who his mother was, though.
When considering the somewhat negative exchange between his mother and the 'other woman…' (what was her name…? Petunia Evans…? Or was it Dursley now…?) he had wondered how they knew each other and what had happened in the past to cause the hostility he witnessed. He had to admit the 'other woman' appeared rather haughty when she felt more confident striding through that doorway. Had she not stuck her nose in the air, scoffed and continued on her way? Why would anyone snub his mother? Come to think of it, he could think of many who would; most people were generally just scared of her.
He was brought from his musings at the sight of the family he'd seen yesterday, as they took their seats at a nearby table.
Out of the corner of his eye, once that 'other woman' had locked eyes with his mother, she sniffed in disgust and blocked her own view with the menu.
"I don't think she likes you much, Mum," he whispered.
"I don't think she likes me very much," Dinah responded. "I don't much care for her presence myself, but I'm not here for her," she added, buttering some toast.
Rigel couldn't help but notice that his mother had focused her attention on the small boy with the glasses. He didn't look like the others. He wasn't big and bulky - well, for want of a better word, obese - like the other two males sitting at the table. His hair looked as though it hadn't been combed for several days; perhaps even a couple of weeks, and his clothes were entirely too large. It was almost as though the boy inherited whatever the larger one got too fat for.
He didn't much resemble the snooty woman who snubbed his mother either. Yes, that was fitting. From now on Petunia Dursley would forever be titled 'Snooty Woman Who Snubbed My Mother,' he decided.
Returning his attention to the boy, he once more spoke to his mother. "Is that him, Mum? Is that Harry Potter?"
With a long pause and a sad tone in her voice, Dinah uttered a plain "Yes."
"He doesn't eat much, does he?" Rigel observed, as he watched the boy he now knew to be Harry Potter himself nibbling on half a round of dry toast.
"I don't believe it's by choice," Dinah whispered. She hadn't intended to say that at all, but now it was out there she couldn't exactly retract it. She was fortunate, however, that only her son was present.
Their breakfast continued in silence, Dinah, every so often, sadly looking at the skinny boy (almost too skinny, one might say) until a member of staff entered the restaurant.
"Excuse me," she called, "is there a Mr. H. Potter in here please? There are some letters waiting for you at the front desk." With that she left.
Rigel had to stifle a laugh. "Define 'some,'" he chuckled. "That's Dumbledore for you," he grinned.
"Professor Dumbledore, Rigel," Dinah corrected. "In any case, letters are written by enchanted quills. There is no one to monitor the frequency of letters; particularly not after the first was sent and ignored."
Dinah had an idea of why the first letter had been ignored, and indeed every letter after that. It all boiled down to envy.
She knew what Petunia had wanted the most all those years ago and been denied. She resented her own sister for having a gift that she didn't. The unfortunate thing was that this gift had robbed Lily of her life, along with her husband. Dinah could never say that she particularly cared for James Potter, especially not after how he treated her, but she managed to tolerate him, if only to preserve the friendship she had with Lily and her romance with Sirius.
Bringing herself back to the present she knew what was going on; she'd realised a decade ago what would have happened to him. She'd fought her hardest to prevent Harry from living with his Aunt and her family; tried to reason with the overheads at the Ministry (even with Dumbledore himself) but no one had listened. She hardly had credibility as a Death Eater and did not have legal guardianship of the boy. Sirius was Harry's godfather, but his godmother was Alice Longbottom, who had been incapacitated not too long after the killing of the Potters.
James Potter had shuddered at the thought of his nemesis ever being a godmother to any child of his, so Dinah had been overlooked.
Bringing herself back to the present, she looked to Harry, her eyes shining with tears. Harry had been neglected (most likely abused) for having the same gift as his parents. All negativity of the world from which Petunia had been barred had been thrust upon Harry. She and her family were using that hatred, though their son perhaps not understanding why but following in the footsteps of his parents, as an excuse to abuse the small boy Dinah herself had fought tooth and nail for years ago.
"Mum?" Rigel's worried voice broke Dinah from her musings and she fought the urge to cry for Harry Potter and the life he missed out on when her own Master had gone against his word and killed the boy's parents.
Dinah left her seat and abandoned the room as quickly as possible. A confused Rigel hurried after her, tripping over his shoelaces as he went, which had caused him to plough into the Dursley table.
Receiving a glare of annoyance, Rigel hastily got to his feet and followed his mother.
Once he'd caught up with her, his eyes fell on the desk and the piles of letters that had arrived for Harry. "So this is what ignorance looks like," he said.