Author's note:

Finally finished rewriting! -Grins widely- I changed the first person pov to third person pov (but still focused on Renee) like I've said on the a/n on the prologue -yes i do have a prologue now!haha!- . Thanks for waiting and the encouragements you gave me!

As a gift, I'm presenting you this side story. This chapter is not Renee's POV, so I placed it as a side story. But nevertheless, enjoy it as much as I do! (It is my favorite chapter so far!)

this side story happened between chapter 20 and 22 but different perspective. just to give you guys a glimpse what is happening behind Renee's.

Enjoy reading! XD

Side story part one:

Behind those facade faces

Severus Snape was still as sour as he usually does on dinner. No, the word was really an understatement. He was livid at everything…or confused from what is happening. And it wasn't even about his job as a double agent but in fact confused by a single student on the same room with him.

He observed her at dinner, the only time he has seen her for two days. Merlin knows why she did disappear on weekends; she even didn't get to her classes today. He felt knots on his stomach as he had seen the headmaster and her co-worker Minerva silently looked for her around the castle, along with the golden trio and a certain woman. He wanted to help, but the headmaster had already assured him that they have it control. That made him somewhat useless for the headmaster had not asked for his help, which he thinks that he could have been a great help for looking at the missing student. Secretly looking for the girl made him suspicious more at the identity for the new student, like she was having special treatment…more than the Potter boy has having.

Another thing that bothers him was the familiarity he was feeling to the mysterious visitor.

Renee felt some eyes on her back and looked at the origin of it. Severus stiffened on his seat as the bright green eyes met his black orbs. It was only momentarily, but he saw the hollowness on the girl's eyes. She ducked her head on the plate as she broke the contact with him.

Severus suddenly felt the urge to go at her side and ask the girl what seems to be her problem. Severus had been observing the student and he had never seen her so empty in all those two months now. He can't help to be protective to the girl, she had been under his care on all those extra lessons she was having with him. Renee looked so drained like a Dementor had been sucked her souls out, he noted. The last time he had seen her like that was the Halloween incident.

He felt a curl on his stomach as he remembered that night. Severus had been so harsh to the girl who was merely worried about him, which he mentally listed her as one of the few people who genuinely worries for him. And he had shut her out, like everyone else. He knew it was his fault for not telling her in advance that they will not be having lessons that night because of his usual traditional remorse for Lily. But he still can't deny to himself that he was angry to the girl for keeping her nose out her business.

At the other side of the table the headmaster caught Isabel's eye on the Gryffindor's table, which he could clearly tell that her old student wants to talk with him. He bid goodnight on his staffs and headed to his quarters. Severus barely noticed that, though he did notice the same woman who stood up and followed the headmaster to his office. Severus swears he knew that woman, but something was keeping him to point it out. He followed the golden trio with his black orbs stood up as they finished eating with Renee behind them. She walked like a dead corpse; he noticed as he gazed at the girl's back and cursed himself for being too attentive to her.

His trail of thoughts was cut off when he heard the transfiguration professor beside him signed.

"That girl will really be the death of me" Minerva signed, and Severus can't distinguish it if that sign was out of relief or exhaustion.

"Care to enlighten be Minerva?" Severus asked in his warily tone, making his face like he was not merely interested with it.

"The girl has been missing for two days! And harry and his friends were trying to cover her, only to find out that they didn't even know where she had gone to! And she was hiding on the room of requirements. And I thought that she might be on Hogsmeade that some fugitives kidnapped her" Minerva began to rant her heart out.

Minerva didn't know how her friend Isabel had handled herself so well while looking for her missing daughter while there are fugitives were so interested on teen girls these days. She had known Isabel ever since they were teens, yet she still didn't know how her friend's mind works, Isabel just popped up suddenly with headmaster one night on her office, when she all thought that her friend was already dead many years ago. In fact all of the old members of the order knew that she was dead. Her friend had told her she has a daughter, who just transferred recently. That was then she felt the familiarity of the new student, like she was her nearest relative.

Isabel had just told her that it wasn't really her fault in Renee's disappearance, yet she felt so responsible for the girls behavior, Renee was under her house after all. She felt pity for the girl, having a vision outburst was too big for the girl could handle.

Severus curly nodded and dropped the issue as he could see that her co-worker was already lost on her thoughts. He made a mental note to himself to ask about the missing girls on the nearby village to the headmaster.

Isabel went her way to the headmaster's office to talk to him. She had underestimated Renee's vision outburst that she didn't expected for Renee could see such a drastic vision. She had attempted to get a vision of Hogwarts years ago that she was confident that Renee couldn't see such vision like that when the time comes.

I looked into that before the Dark lord got resurrected; he surely is the reason behind it. And I thought Renee will be safe here¸ she thought as she gave the password and saw Albus Dumbledore looked up from his half moon spectacles as he saw his old friend.

"Ah Isabel, it's nice to see you" He greeted as he motioned her to sit.

"Thank you Albus" Isabel managed to smile despite of her problems. The headmaster had been her friend and mentor for so long that she was already used to her witty attitude.

"I assume Renee was fine"

"Yes…barely. We found her at the room of requirements. She just got a vision outburst" Isabel signed and mouthed thank you at the headmaster as he gave her a cup of hot chocolate.

"What did she saw?" That made the headmaster interested.

"Upcoming war…at Hogwarts" Isabel signed once again. Albus leaned back on his chair for a while and stared at the fireplace. No one spoke for a while, of course they had known about it for years and just waiting for the time for that, which another war will broke again after long years of peace.

"She was overwhelmed about it" she said, taking a sip on the cup.

"Yes, that was a very powerful and disturbing vision for such a young age like her" Dumbledore agreed at the woman.

"I've been thinking of home schooling her again" said Isabel and looked at the older man.

"Do you think it would be best for her?"

"I don't know if she could take another vision outburst like that. It was too much for her"

"You're too protective of Renee" Dumbledore noted.

"Perhaps I am, despite her father could be…she still comes from me and this is the only thing I could do for her"

"Being too protective is not be doing well for her. She needs to stand up on her own feet. Sooner, she will be fighting for herself…her fate" the headmaster said, his eyes twinkling again behind his spectacles.

Isabel felt that Renee will be an addition as Albus's piece of chess. But in spite of that, she knew the old man was right.

"Don't worry about Renee too much. She's really a smart girl" Albus chuckled, trying to make the atmosphere light.

"Yes but a little stiff! She doesn't know how to loosen up. I don't even know if she was really my daughter" she threw her hands on the air on defeat. Dumbledore chuckled once again on her old student.

"Perhaps you could advice her how to do so. I remember you knew very well how to loosen up" He smirked.

"I could give her a few advices about loosing up. Be ready for that…she might be doing detention until the vacation" she snickered.

"Your advices might be too loosening up. I was afraid, along with my co-workers that you might have, what the muggles say? 'lose a few screws on your brain' " he quoted and both of them laughed.

"I'll be asking about her opinion about this" Isabel said after regaining from the laugh they both shared.

"Whatever the decision would be, I will be still supporting you both" Isabel genuinely smiled on her mentor.

"Thank you"

"Do you have any developments on the mission?"

"Renee's vision was so limited, since it was only a dream vision. But we managed to locate the two girls and made them hide for a while"

"That's good, as I expected from you. Getting along with Sirius Black I assume?"

"Black's an ass, I still can't believe you partnered me with him. You knew I could work on my own" she scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"You need to understand him; he just got out of Azkaban. He just need some company" Dumbledore knew it was a lie. He could see on her eyes that she was become fond of the escaped man.

"Yes, and that made him 'lose more screws than I am'. To think that he still have some remaining and not lose of them while still on Hogwarts. Though he was the one who thought about the plan in ambushing the kidnappers" Isabel added.

"You already had a plan?"

"Yes, glad that you mentioned it. We actually needed some extra people on it" Isabel smirked, one of her expressions that she had planned something good.

Severus Snape made his way to the headmaster's office and asked about the girl's disappearance as someone had told the headmaster that it was headed by death eaters. He remembered the headmaster had already told the order that he had send someone for it, though he had never told anyone who this person might be.

He wondered who the person was; the headmaster had always been open about his members of the order…but not this one. However that person is, he became very useful to them, giving more information than he usually gives and the tips were saving members from the death eater's raids.

Is this person from the inner circle? A question was stuck to him.

Before he could utter the password, the goygle opened and revealed the same woman who followed Dumbledore.

Isabel was shocked she would see Snape so easily today and she was glad that she put another layer of charms on her appearance before going out. Her blood started to boil when she remembered the last occlumency lesson's with her daughter. Renee was surely getting too comfortable with the man, and she didn't like an inch about it.

It was dangerous for the both of them, but she was more worried for Renee than the man. His face still betrays no emotion, so guarded to his feelings even though he was not the presence of the dark lord, she noted. She remembered the last time she saw him wavered, and it was almost fifteen years ago. It kind of sickened her, seeing the same man who she had seem him kneeled in front of the dark lord and asked to spare Lily's life. Now, the man seems gotten strong as years go by.

But all of his emotions seemed escaped from him, she noted again.

The thought of Renee might be fancying this man sickened her, a mother's protective instinct showing, as Dumbledore was saying a while ago. She knew Renee's taste of men were not the same as to the girls the same age as her, but not like this one!

Though at least it was not Lily's child, those words keep her relieve. That would be a great danger for them in the future.

But that doesn't mean I will accept this man! She countered herself.

Severus just raised his eyebrows on the collided woman. The woman just merely gazed at him from head to toe that it irritates him. He could feel that she was studying him like a toad. She stepped away from his way and walked further into the corridors. Snape watched the leaving visitor and irritates him even more that he couldn't guess who this person might be. He walked to the stairs and saw the headmaster on his desk. He noted that the headmaster was quite surprise to his sudden appearance.

"Ah, Severus…what a surprise, what did I deserve to have so many friends to visit me today" He beamed at his old student.

"Good evening headmaster" Snape timidly said and notice an empty cup on the table.

"Lemon drop?" asked Dumbledore as he could see that Severus was eyeing on the empty cup.

"No thank you" Snape answered automatically, already used to the headmaster's high behavior.

"Ah, still no fond of sweets" He beamed and Severus just scowled as Dumbledore took one and ate it.

"I still didn't hear about the girl's kidnapping on the dark lord. Are you really sure it was done by death eaters?" asked Snape.

"Positive. My informant had already confirmed it" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his spectacles.

"And you still don't want to share who might this informant be? I must know" Snape insist once again.

"You know I can't disclose her identity right now. We both know it was still not safe" he said thoughtfully.

"Her? So this informant is a girl"

"My boy, I couldn't even let my guard down on you" he chuckled, as he found it amusing every time Severus tried to guess who the informant is.

"I have strong occlumens shield. I don't think I could even share it to the others"

"I know and I don't doubt your ability about it. And I know how capable our informant is. I can even imagine how livid she could be if she knew I already told you"

"She don't have to know"

"Ah, but she has her own way to know. She might be already seen it by now"

"Hmm…" he scowled once again, he didn't like going into circles.

"Though I was glad you asked about her. She says she needs some extra help for her plan"

"Oh now she's asking for help after she kept the mission to herself" Snape said sarcastically.

"She asked me personally about it, and I know she was capable on doing it. She just needs some stronger dose of polyjuice potion…a lot of polyjuice potion"

Severus did as Dumbledore told him, making a stronger dose of polyjuice potion for Merlin knows why. The little informant didn't even disclose the plan on the headmaster on his dismay. And what it irritates him more is that the headmaster was fine with it, fully trusting the informant. He still doesn't trust this person, yet he still have to brew something for her that it almost make him insane.

He looked at his cauldron and let out a long sign. That girl should be here helping me right now, he thought. Another thing that maddening him was his student suddenly didn't come to the extra lessons even though it was her who asked for it. After what happened to his quarters, he rather expected that this would happen. Yet, he would still stay on the potions lab the same time for their extra lessons like a mad man and wait for the girl. He was practicing his speech in humiliating the girl for the time she would step on the room, but she never came back. Severus can't even tell those on her regular class, he doesn't want to repeat what happened the last time he slipped some words that didn't even pertaining for her.

But the most irritating part for him was the new student seems to not care at all. She didn't look at him anymore on class or on dinner time like she would usually did before. His fellow professors always talking about her, being attentive to their classes and picking up the lessons so well and it irritates him much more. The student wasn't like that on his class; she would always duck her head on the cauldron make a perfect potion and get out of his class. He was used people scared to him, but not really ignoring him like he was invincible.

How dare she ignore me!

He could see how cheerful the girl was on the great hall, even making jokes on the Weasley twins. Severus even saw her playing Quidditch, which he very well known that she loathed flying and the game itself. Yet she did play with the Gryffindor cubs, laughing as carefree as she would clumsily fly through the air. It maddens him how the Potter boy held her broom on the air, assisting her flying and instructing what to do and the girl would sweetly grin to him.

The grin that was reserve for me on the extra lessons we had.

Severus felt that he was prying too much on the new student but he really couldn't stop himself for observing her. She was too much cheerful for her liking.

He once saw her on the grounds alone and could see the far look on her eyes. Severus just know the girl since the last two months but he finally knew on the she was just faking her cheerfulness.

She was hiding something, he was sure of it.

"Hermione let your Gryffindor's courage out and get over it!" Hermione muttered to herself, clutching the pile of parchments from McGonagall as she stood at the potion's master's office.

The parchments were just really an alibi. She was here to talk to the professor. She only have a few minutes before the carriages will leave her and that might be lead her on walking on the way to the train station.

But she risked it all just to the see the potions master. No, it wasn't really for her, but for Renee. It was hard to see Renee to façade a cheerful face for everyone to see though she was breaking inside. And she also knew Renee was already considering not coming back next year, she could see it by how her new friend made their remaining days before the holidays memorable. Merlin, she already even gave her Christmas presents for everyone! It was like she was really saying goodbye to them all.

And all of that was because of Snape¸ she thought angrily.

Hermione doesn't like Snape, though she didn't hate him at all. Sure he had saved them all since first year but she couldn't let the feeling that there was something bad going on his head, even though Dumbledore had already said that he was a spy for he-who-must-not-be-named. Renee was one of her first real girl friend that could really relate to her. She love books like she do, and they have similar interest that they both get along instantly at her first week.

The most maddening part was the potions master ignoring the poor girl and Renee was really fine with it! But her eyes were telling she was not fine, not at all. Renee would glanced at Snape like a sick puppy dog when he was not looking and Snape would looked at her when she's not looking or while Renee was busy on getting her cheerful mask in place.

It was frustrating to watch.

Hermione knocked softly on the door and waited for the usual icily voice occupying the room. She kept her gait business like as possible, knowing the said man doesn't like dunderhead looking students.

"Enter" she gulped and signed heavily before she opened the door. Brace yourself!

Severus eyed at the Gryffindor girl and signed inside. Why would I think that ungrateful brat would come here?

"Professor McGonagall sends me to bring you this professor" said Hermione, handling the parchments to the potions master.

Severus took the parchments on her hands, not even glancing to the girl. He doesn't know whether he was irritated to the insufferable know it all or to himself who can't even brace himself for thinking that the new student will come here before she would leave.

Ungrateful brat!

"Do you still have something to say Miss Granger?" he sneered as he noticed that the Gryffindor girl still wasn't leaving.

"With all your due respect, I would like to express something to you professor" Hermione swallowed hard and didn't tear her eyes away from the professor.

Severus finally looked at her.

"Whatever you are trying to say I am—"

"I don't know what happened between you and Renee but I should think you should apologize to her-"Hermione started her memorize speech she had made with her eyes close.

Here it comes, not turning back this time! Hermione shouted to herself while reciting her speech.

"Miss Granger I don't know what-"

"She wasn't even her own self! She broke almost sixty rules in just two weeks and…"

"Granger what in the name of Merlin-"

"She even gives us the Christmas presents like she won't be contacting us anymore-"

"GRANGER if you don't stop your ridiculous babbling of yours you're going to have detention until the end of the term"

"Did you even know that she might not be coming back next year because of you?" Hermione finally finished talking and take a deep breathe afterwards. Snape narrowed his eyes on the student in front of him.

Now that made him shut up, she thought.

"What are you trying to say Granger?" he sneered at her. Hermione shivered at the dangerous tone Snape has right now.

"Renee's not coming back" Hermione simply said.

Severus could feel several knots on his stomach. He tried to composed himself to the student in front of him.

"I don't know what are you talking about and I don't even care if that Gryffindor will discontinue her studies. If you don't have anything to say I suggest you leave my office, now" Hermione could feel the dangerous situation she was in right now. She nodded and hurriedly exited his office.

Severus leaned on his chair as he looked at the spot where Miss Granger has left. How dare she shout at me! He stood up angrily and pours firewhiskey on his glass and gulped it on one shot.

She doesn't have the right to tell me what I should do!

He threw the glass and stared at the shattered broken pieces. Severus was angry, though he couldn't understand who should he angry too. He remembered Renee's grins, her senseless complains, her eyes that studying him or worried to him, their conversations…I will not see all of those anymore

Severus exited his office, though he doesn't know where he was going. All of the students had already left now. His feet lead him to his classroom and yanked it open. It was empty. Why did I come here in the first place? All of the students were gone now.

Then he saw something peculiar. Severus went at his table and saw a little package on it. He read the piece of parchment at the top, and revealed the small handwriting that he had already memorized for almost two months now.

Professor,

I know it was quite too late to say this, but forgive me for everything... I know you don't fancy receiving gifts…you could do anything about the gift, though I was hoping you would like it (since it wasn't like any other color than black).

Happy Christmas sir

His hands were trembling as he opened the package; it was simple pair of black gloves.

"She even gives us the Christmas presents like she won't be contacting us anymore-"Granger's voice echoed through his head.

She was really leaving.

It was the first time he felt he how empty he was. It made him realized that he had driven another person away from him; how he had made the same mistake he had done several years ago. Severus slumped on the nearest chair and covered his face with his hands.

History was repeating itself again.

a/n: way to go Hermione! XD that's why i tell you everything has a reason in this story. -grins evily-

review?