FLASHBACK
My teeth were chattering. I couldn't tell if it was from the freezing cold dungeon air or the fact that I was nervous about my first detention. I had barely been at Hogwarts a month, and I already got myself into trouble.
It wasn't even bad trouble. So? I flunked my first Potions assignment. I was purely muggle! I didn't know a thing about potions or elixirs or even cauldrons!
"Do you know why you are here, Miss Everly?" Professor Snape had his back turned to me as he continued writing on the chalkboard at the front of the classroom.
"I got a bad grade in your class, Professor. I will study harder. Promise." I said. Honestly, Professor Snape terrified me. Almost as much as Neville Longbottom. Rumor has it, within his first month of Hogwarts, he ran two times from Potions in tears.
"You do understand the importance of potions, do you?" Professor Snape glanced over his shoulder to me, his long black hair falling over his shoulder.
"Sir, I am merely muggle-born. I have not one idea abou-"
"You are not muggle born!" Professor Snape darted up to my desk, scaring the living daylights out of me. That is, until I noticed the tears swelling up in his eyes.
"You're not muggle born," his voice cracked. "You're my daughter."
I put my hand over my mouth as the tears began to fall from my eyes.
"I never knew.."
"And no one must.." Snape said, as his chestnut eyes bore into my green ones.
This was the day. All the wizard and witch students would come back to Hogwarts for another year. And for my class, year five.
I couldn't believe how quick time flew by. Five years ago, I found out Snape was my true father. Five years ago, I hadn't the slightest idea what a polyjuice potion was or how to mix a wit-sharpening potion. And now, here I was practically running the whole project.
That is, getting everything in order for the sorting ceremony.
I waved my wand around, lighting all the candles in the Great Hall and levitating them to place. The past week I had spent getting all the dorms ready.
Of course, no one still knew I was Snape's daughter. But I was very involved in being teachers' aides that everyone just passed off our relationship as just that. Officially, I was McGonigle's aid, but even she did not know of my being Snape's daughter. The only ones who knew were Snape, Dumbledore, and I.
It was strange being at Hogwarts near completely alone, bar the few professors who came in to catch up on curriculum early. Not including Snape. He hadn't told me why he hadn't come to Hogwarts early this year.
Just mentioned it being of utmost importance.
While my father has been absent, so has Rubeus Hagrid. And I, in the meantime, was in charge of taking care of his magical creatures.
I prided myself in my knowledge of the beings.
Even though right now my left arm is bandaged from a minor incident.
All in all, getting ready for another year at Hogwart's was beyond exciting, despite rumors going around about Harry Potter and Dumbledore.
Rumors claiming that both of the wizarding celebrities are verging on mad.
Being shrouded in a world full of secrets, I hadn't had much time to befriend many other students at Hogwarts. In fact, 90% of my time I'd say has either been studying in the library or helping the various teachers. But Harry Potter and his trio was a group that I had grown immensely fond of.
Hearing my father speak of Harry's mother was like hearing something straight out of a fairy tale. But seeing as Harry took much after his father, Snape wasn't always the most fond of Harry.
I tried to stick up for Harry, even when I knew Harry might be in the wrong. Minor things, of course: speaking out in class, giving into Draco Malfoy's taunts. I was hoping my optimism would rub off on Snape.
Slowly, I could see his heart warming up to Harry, even if it is minisculely.
As for Dumbledore, he was the only one that knew of my being Snape's daughter. And I very much admired him for keeping our secret.
I remember him distinctly saying, "The bond between a daughter and father- I see that becoming the foundation of an uprising." With his Dumbledore smirk and twinkle in his eye.
He always mentioned our family ties being brought out at the right time. I was always anticipating when that right time would be.
To everyone, I was just a muggle-born witch straight from a foster family. Knowing that my father was one of the greatest potion masters alive, it put things into perspective. As well as enhancing my confidence.
Without even my wand, I raised tapestries onto the wall to hang there. I straightened out frames on the wall.
"Oh, Miss Everly," I heard McGonigle's voice from the entrance to the foyer.
"Professor McGonigle," my eyes lit up in a smile. "I am delighted to see you here."
"Quite lonely here all alone, is it not?"
"I have made quite the acquaintance with Filch and the ghosts." I laughed. Ever since I first started being Professor McGonigle's aid, we always have been really close. That and being a Gryffindor probably had something to do with it. She was one of those people that I don't know how she'd react if she knew Snape was my father. They didn't seem to be the best of friends, to say the least.
"Come now, the students are boarding the trains." She ushered me towards the Gryffindor common room.
Once I was decorated in my Gryffindor robes, I walked down to the Great Hall. I was surely going to be the last of the students to arrive. I didn't like getting caught into the commotion of the many students squandering to get to their house table and finding a place to sit with their friends.
I rounded the corner and found the doors to the Great Hall still wide open as the ceremony was about to begin. Thankfully, my closest friends weren't too difficult to spot.
I plopped on the bench in a small spot between Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan.
"Fancy finding you lot here," I smiled at the Hermione, Neville, Ron, Harry, and Seamus, all the while flipping my long, black hair over my shoulder. The humidity was making it get even more uncontrollably curly, and I'm pretty sure it was smothering Seamus' face as I tried managing it.
Hermione smirked at me. "You seemed to arrive just in the niche of time."
"Funny how that happens?" I smirked, remembering the time that Hermione had a time turner that she used to save numerous lives in Third year. I wasn't actively involved, but she sure loved to tell the tale.
"God, Everly, your hair!" I felt Seamus swatting my hair away.
"It gets uncontrollable in this weather," I said, looking up to the Great Hall ceiling, where you could see the clouds and storm that were beyond the roof.
"Care for a mood band?" I heard a familiar voice from the other side of Seamus.
"And what is that, Fred?"
"Two purposes, when you put it on your head, it matches the color of your mood. And another, it'll push your hair back and we can see your face better."
I lightly blushed at the fact that Fred wanted to see more of my face. But I probably took it too much to heart. I took the band anyways and shoved my hair underneath it to get it to stop hanging in my eyes."
"What's red mean, George?" Neville asked, examining the band on my head.
"Loved. Here ya, have a go." Fred tossed Neville another band. He ignored the fact that Neville got him and George mixed up.
Sooner than later, they were passing bands around the table, judging everyone's particular mood. Everyone started calming down as first years started lining up towards the front of the Hall.
I eyed my dad carefullly as he was seated next to a stumpy lady sporting the most hideously bright pink outfit I had ever seen in my life. It was a great contrast to the complete black my dad always wore.
Engrossed in my thoughts, I finally realized how silent it had gotten. You could hear a pen drop from around the room.
All of a sudden, the sorting hat that was sitting on a stool in the middle of the stage burst into a loud and enormous song.
I'm pretty sure my huge gasp made Neville wet his pants more than the Sorting Hat randomly bursting into song had.
"Geez, Everly!" Neville turned to me with a scowl on his face.
I went to apologize, but he wouldn't have been able to hear me with how loud the Sorting Hat was belting. We were forced to listen to it explain the different houses' stories and traits.
"And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you...
Let the Sorting now begin."
As soon as the hat was done with its long spiel, msot students clapped, but whispers also filled the air. That wasn't the usual routine of the sorting ceremony.
"I think we're pretty united, don't you?" Neville turned to me.
"Of course!" I feigned a grin. It was true, except for the fact that no one had any idea that I was Snape's daughter. And that half my friends would shun me if they found out my secret after so long. Much less that my father was as Slytherin as they could get. Most of my friends didn't appreciate Slytherins. I didn't even exactly appreciate them myself.
But my father was constantly showing me that not all Slytherins are malicious and caniving.
The whispers silenced as Professor McGonagall started the long list of incoming first years.
My attention was taken from the center of the room to the side where my father was. He was seated next to a rather stumpy lady, adorned in all pink. Pink blush. Pink cardigan. Pink skirt. Pink heels. It was rather unnerving seeing someone so bright next to the dark blackness of my dad.
I couldn't help but laugh seeing the look on Snape's face of utter disapproval. He never budged in his chair, but I could tell by the dullness in his eyes that he was thinking about how thick she would be. She was posed properly in her seat. Just as such judgmental glances Snape was giving her, she was giving them right back to him.
Once the first years were sorted, Dumbledore stood up and gave a few words, shortly to dismiss us students.
He started off his spiel, of course, covering which areas of Hogwarts were restricted.
"Mr. Filch, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door."
I cringed at some things I had observed previously that might be on the list. And some I may have partaken in.
"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons."
I nodded my head. That I was familiar with, seeing as I had been caring for the creatures for the past few weeks, anticipating the relief of making rounds to the multiple animals each day.
"We are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
Students applauded. I attempted to hold my snicker back at Snape's scowl. He truly was a Slytherin. I glanced back over my shoulder to see the numerous other Slytherins scowling in judgment at Umbridge's peppiness.
Dumbledore went on about Quidditch tryouts when Umbridge cleared her throat and stood up out of her seat.
Dumbledore respectfully sat down. I'm pretty sure he was the only one on staff to allow Umbridge to overstep her boundaries, which was exactly what she was doing in my opinion.
"Thank you, Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome."
I cringed at the pink lady's airy voice. Luna, one of my Ravenclaw friends, had an airy voice that I just loved. But this lady.. her voice seemed to be a cover for something that goes much deeper. And that's not pertaining to her voice.
"Ever," I heard my nickname called from down the table, only by the one person who ever calls me it. Fred.
"What?" I asked him, partially upset that he pulled me out of my suspecting thoughts.
"Galleons upon Galleons!" He said, holding up a piece of paper.
I rolled my eyes and waved my hand for him to leave me alone.
As I turned my head back, I once again heard my name being called.
"Ever! Everly Smith!"
"What is it, Fred!?" I tried to whisper, but we were verging on yelling. I'm sure no one noticed, as other students started whispering as well. Everyone was obviously uninterested in Umbridge's speech.
"Shut up!" Seamus next to me, slugged me in the arm, making me jump back and bumping harshly into Neville.
"I'm so sorry!" I turned to Neville, helping him pull his robe back over his shoulder as it had fallen off a little bit. I patted his back, and before I could turn back to Fred, the ceremony was dismissed and everyone started getting to where they needed to go.
I made eye contact with Snape who just managed to shake a head of disapproval at me. I gave him a sorry face and was pushed along my way to the Gryffindor dormitory.