Long after the feast, Mrs. Norris strolled along beside Filch up a spiral stair case. They were making a few rounds of the castle and had gotten up to one of the more uncommonly used towers. It was small, had small four windows in it, but it was good enough for their needs.

Mrs. Norris leapt into the middle of the room and changed into a youngish woman the same age as Filch (A/N: I don't think they ever really said his age in the books and I always thought he was the same age as Snape). She had stress induced gray streaks in her otherwise light blonde hair. It went a little past her shoulders and had obviously not been cut by a real hair stylist in years.

She looked worse off than Filch. There were also gray streaks in his slicked back, brown hair, but he wasn't as unhealthy looking as her. His clothes, although they were a little shabby, fit right. She had on a white dress that hung loosely on her thin body. Her cheeks were pale and there were obvious signs of sleep deprivation in her light blue eyes. Behind his thin rimmed, gold colored glasses, Filch's brown eyes didn't even look anywhere near as tired as hers.

Filch made his way over to her and said, sympathetically, "Alison, you should really get some sleep."

"I'm not going to be able to get to sleep now." she told him. "Isaac's coming here, Argus. That is one more person from our past, one more of our friends, that we'll have to hide who I am from."

"Severus hasn't suspected anything yet." Filch reminded her. "Why would Isaac?"

"Because he's not Severus," She told him, desperately, "For all we know, as soon as he sees me, he'll recognize that it's me and then…" She sighed and pressed her hands against her forehead.

"I don't think he would sell you out." Filch admitted. "We were friends."

She looked back at him and smiled sadly, "But it's been years, Argus. And, even if we told him, that would put more of a distance between him and Severus. And I really don't want to get Ashley's daughter mixed up in all of this either."

"Neither do I." Filch confessed. "But Isaac wouldn't have to tell them. Maybe, he would understand. Severus has made it sound like Isaac still likes helping people. He's apparently very protective of their niece."

"Yes, and Severus used to make it sound like he wouldn't become a Death Eater." Alison paused and stood very still. Her eyelids closed slowly. When she opened her eyes again, she asked Filch, "What if Dumbledore's also going to use Isaac to spy on You-Know-Who?"

Filch shook his head, "No. He would never agree to join him."

"But he wouldn't really be joining him."

"He'd still have to see Severus being a Death Eater. He would never be able to handle that." Filch insisted.

Alison told him, "But, maybe, he would just make himself do it, if he thought it would help Severus." She said in a low voice, "Remember when he first found out that Severus had become a Death Eater?"

Filch also spoke quietly, "No one could forget that. At least I know I never will."

She insisted, in a normal voice, "You know he would go to great lengths, if he thought it could get Severus away from You-Know-Who."

"Alison, I don't think he would go as far as to join You-Know-Who and his lot, even if it was to help Severus and to be another spy for Dumbledore."

"We don't know that he wouldn't, Argus." she said. "Think about all the things he's done."

"Yes, but all those things were reasonable."

"Not all of them." She looked him dead in the eyes, "Think about what he tried to do to Remus Lupin."

"He deserved it. Always acting so innocent. He could have tried to stop his friends at least once. He probably did know about that prank Black pulled." Filch insisted, "I still think we all should have done the same thing Isaac did."

"You don't really believe that." Alison told him. "There's a reason none of us did what Isaac did, Argus. Because we all knew it was wrong."

Filch shook his head, "No, we were just to scared. We were cowards."

She half-smiled, "So, I'm a coward now?"

He looked defeated, "No."

"And neither are you." she told him.

Filch admitted, "Well, I don't really feel that brave. We all should have tried to help Severus, like Isaac did."

"Yes, Argus, we should have. We all knew that. But do you honestly think Isaac had the best way of handling things?"

"Well, the best we ever did, when things were getting bad, was yell at Severus for calling Lily a mudblood."

Alison insisted, "He deserved it, Argus. You should believe that more than anyone."

"Why?" he asked her angrily. "Because I'm a squib? You don't think I felt bad after what happened. I'm the only one who saw it happen." Then, Filch paused and looked like had been hit with petrificus totalus.

"Argus…" she said, in disbelief. "You saw it happen?"

He sighed and then said, "Not all of it. I came by and saw some of it happen from a distance. Even after Severus called Liliy a muidblood, I went and got Dumbledore. But I just couldn't bring myself to tell Severus I saw what happened. And I didn't want to make any of you keep that a secret from him."

"But what about when Severus told us all about it?" She added, "I never understood how you didn't look that upset or angry."

"I wasn't surprised." he admitted. "It was weird because I always thought it would hurt, if one of you finally turned against me for being what I am."

"I would never turn against you because of that!" she insisted, immediately. "And there's no way Silvia, Alice, or Frank would have either." She added a little uncertainly, "And I don't think Isaac and Ashley would have, back then."

"They wouldn't have. I'm sure they wouldn't do it now either." Filch said, without a doubt. "But we all knew who Severus was hanging around with, when he wasn't with us or Lily."

"But he was always telling us how much they scared him and that he hated all the things they did." She asked, "How did you know he was starting to join them?"

"I didn't. Or I thought I didn't." He looked around the room, "But when I heard him call Lily a mudblood…" Filch suddenly started to silently cry a little and so did Alison. Filch locked eyes with her and confessed, "It just made sense. I didn't want it too. But I guess, for so long, I knew but I was in denial about what was going on, just like Isaac was."

Alison nodded and looked down. She took his hand and squeezed it.

"I think I'm lucky to have you." Filch said. "No, I know I'm lucky to have you."

She looked in his eyes and smiled, sadly, "Me too."

"Not really." he told her. "Who would want to be around me?"

"I would." she insisted.

Filch smiled a little and kissed her. A tear slid down his cheek and Alison felt it. She pulled away to wipe his eyes and then resumed kissing him.

Lupin was sitting up in his bed, fully dressed, trying to read a book. He kept rereading the same lines over an over. His trunks were by the door and he hadn't bothered to unpack.

He looked up from his book and stared at the wall. His breathing sounded loud and any little noise made him tense up and look around. Lupin gave up on the book, closed it, and put it on his night stand.

Snape was laying on top of his black comforter. There were green sheets beneath them. The pillows were also green, with a black and silver silhouette of the Hogwarts crest on them. His cloak was draped over a wooden chair by the door and his shoes were under his bed.

His hands were folded on his stomach and he was looking up at the ceiling. Snape took a deep breath and turned on his side. He pulled some of his comforter over him and kept trying to sleep.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had waited until after all the other Gryffindors had gone to bed, the first night back, to start swapping theories. Ron was stretched out on the couch, while Harry and Hermione sat on the floor.

Ron said, "I mean one Snape's bad enough, now we have to deal with two more of them."

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore's thought this out." Hermione insisted. "Maybe, this is for the school's benefit."

"Yeah, because I'm sure it will make everyone feel better to have more Snapes around. Why he's at it, why doesn't Dumbledore just have some Filch's relatives come and work at the school?"

"We don't even know if Professor's Snape's niece will be old enough to work. She's probably going to be a first year." Hermione added authoritatively, "And don't forget that Professor Snape tried to save Harry in our first year."

"Yeah, and back in our third year Snape was all for Fudge giving Sirius to the dementors." Ron argued.

Ron and Hermione widened their eyes. Harry looked down. Ron turned to Harry and back to Hermione. Hermione shrugged, hopelessly.

Ron looked over at Harry and said, "Sorry, mate."

Harry flicked his eyes up at Ron and forced himself to smile a little, "It's fine, Ron. It's what Snape did."

"I wish we had been told more about Professor's Snape's relatives." Hermione added, "Like why they're coming here."

"What if they're Death Eaters?" Harry asked, suddenly.

"Then, Professor Dumbledore might have just turned them, like he did Professor Snape." Hermione concluded.

Harry turned to her, "We don't even know if Snape's really stopped working for Voldemort."

"Professor Dumbledore trusts him, Harry!" she insisted. "You've got to stop thinking Professor Snape might still be a Death Eater. Think about what you're actually saying. If you think Professor Snape's a Death Eater, then you don't think Hogwarts is safe."

Harry looked into Hermione's eyes. Ron watched them, suspiciously.

"I never really thought of it like that." Harry admitted. "But, even if he really isn't a Death Eater anymore, it doesn't mean he's on our side."

"He's a part of the Order of the Phoenix." Hermione reminded him.

Ron sat up a little and asked, "Harry, do you mean you think Snape might just be on his own side?"

"I guess I do." Harry said. "It would make a lot of sense. Maybe, he never really believed in what Voldemort had to say or even Professor Dumbledore and the order."

Hermione admitted, reluctantly, "I think you might be right, Harry." She pointed out, "Well, it really is horrible the way he treats everyone who isn't a Slytherin and especially," she turned to Harry, "you and Neville."

"I wonder how Neville's taking it." Ron commented.

Harry told them, "That's probably why we haven't seen him that much. Every time someone starts talking about Snape's brother and niece, he suddenly has somewhere to go."

"I noticed that too." Hermione sighed. "I wasn't sure how he'd feel if I asked him outright about it. I mean he hasn't said anything about it to me."

"Maybe, he wants to try and fight his own battles." Ron offered.

Harry changed the subject by admitting, "Something doesn't make sense about Snape's brother and niece coming to Hogwarts." He asked Ron and Hermione, "Why haven't we ever heard of them before?"

Ron sat up, "That's right. Why didn't Lupin say anything about it to us back in our third year, when he told us about that prank…" Ron stopped talking and looked down.

Harry asked, knowingly, "The prank that Sirius pulled on Snape?"

Ron looked at him, uncomfortably, and nodded, "Yeah." He added, "I mean, you'd think since he pulled that prank on Snape, that Snape's brother would have gotten involved somehow."

"And another sibling," Hermione added, "Professor Snape and his brother have the same niece, so they have to have at least one other sibling."

Ron fell back on to the couch and moaned, "I didn't even think about that. Yeah, there's another Snape we have to worry about."

They fell silent. Ron stared at the ceiling, Hermione fidgeted with her prefect badge, and Harry sat very still.

Harry began, "I…" Ron and Hermione turned to him, so he continued, "Last year, when I was getting Occlumency lessons from Snape, I saw a few memories of his." Harry paused, like he couldn't believe his own memories. "I didn't see any siblings. I thought he was all alone." Harry reluctantly confessed, "I think—well, I thought Snape was an only child and that he came from an abusive family."

A wave of concern came over Hermione's face, "What exactly did you see, Harry?"

Harry replied, "I saw him as a child, sitting in the corner, crying. There were two adults, a man and a woman. The man was yelling at the woman and she looked really scared. I just assumed that was his only family."

"Maybe, his siblings were hiding somewhere." Hermione suggested.

"But that's not the only memory I didn't see them in." Harry told her. "I saw my dad…" Harry looked down and his lower lip quivered.

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other.

Then, Hermione asked Harry, "You're dad, Sirius, and Peter Pettigrew bullied Snape, didn't they?"

"Just my dad and Sirius," Harry looked up and explained, "Peter Pettigrew would just watch an encourage them , while Lupin would just act like it wasn't happening."

Ron commented, "But Snape was probably as much of a git as he is now. I bet he hung out with a bunch of future Death Eaters."

Harry informed them, quickly, "My dad jinxed him and hung him upside down in the air and pulled down Snape's pants so that everyone could see his underwear."

Harry was trembling a little, staring at the floor. Hermione and Ron looked at each other, helplessly.

Harry asked, "Where could they have been all those times?" He looked up at his friends, "They were never with him. The only person I saw try and help Snape was my mum, but Snape called her," he looked apologetically at Hermione, "a mudblood."

Hermione inhaled and didn't breathe out. She didn't blink either.

Ron clenched his fists, "See? He really was a git." He reminded Hermione, "Think about when Malfoy gave you those big fangs in our fourth year, Hermione. Snape said that he thought your teeth looked like how they normally do. I always thought he went too far there. Now, we know he did it because of your parents."

Hermione asked Harry, "How did Snape react, after he called your mother a mudblood?"

"He didn't really have time to react." Harry replied. "That's when my dad put him up in the air."

"He deserved it." Ron decided. "You're dad wasn't being a bully, Harry. Snape probably attacked muggle-borns. My dad says Lucius Malfoy used to do it all the time."

"Maybe, Snape wasn't that bad." Hermione said, without looking either of them in the eyes. "He was probably just confused. Professor Dumbledore lets him teach here and it's not like Snape only targets muggle-borns."

Ron and Harry shared a worried look.

"Yeah," Ron said for Hermione's sake.

"He didn't really look like he could be a threat to anyone." Harry added, "It didn't look like anyone was afraid of Snape either and my mum was friends with him."

"I'm getting tired." Hermione said, getting up. "We have classes in the morning. We should all be well rested for them or we won't be able to concentrate."

Harry and Ron got on their feet.

"Hermione, we can talk about this." said Ron.

"You have a right to be upset, Hermione." Harry told her. "You don't have to hide it from us. We're you're friends. We're here to help you."

Hermione still wasn't making eye contact with either of them. "I'm going to bed." she told them.

They followed Hermione to the stairs and tried to get her to talk it out with them, but she got up the stairs and into the girls' dormitory without a word.

"It's not like she's completely alone up there. I'm sure Ginny will comfort her if she needs it." Harry said.

Ron told him, gloomily, "Yeah, but Ginny's always been a heavy sleeper."

For Hermione's sake, the next day, Ron and Harry didn't mention outright what Harry had seen Snape do, the next day, but they did suggest that they all skip Potions.

"It should really be made a crime, us being forced into the dungeons, when the weather's so nice." Ron said.

"If we use the invisibility cloak," Harry told her, "I'm sure we could get outside and then we could find some nice tree to sit under."

"We can't miss Potions," Hermione didn't look them in the eyes. "Besides we could get into a lot of trouble for skipping any of our classes." She added, "Just think of how Snape's brother and niece would think of us if they knew we skipped his class."

Ron and Harry exchanged a hopeless look, but still tried to convince Hermione that it would be fun to skip class right until they were in the room.

They were the first ones there, except for Snape. He was sitting by his desk and looked up to regard them as scornfully as usual.

"Good morning, Professor Snape." Hermione said, calmly.

Snape told her, dryly, "Good morning." Then, he looked at Ron, "Weasley." He looked at Harry next, "Potter." Snape told them, "It might do the both of you some good to copy some of Miss Granger's actions. She doesn't only know how to be an insufferable know-it-all, but she can actually show people respect and make it seem like she's truly being sincere."

The trio didn't respond. They just claimed one of the back tables for themselves, with a space left for Neville.

After Potions, the next class for Harry, Ron, and Hermione was Defense Against the Dark Arts. They ran to Lupin's room and successfully managed to be the first students there.

Ron walked in first, followed by Harry and Hermione who were next to each other. Lupin was standing in front of the room, smiling at all of them.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming back?" Ron asked him.

"It wasn't a sure thing." Lupin explained. "I didn't want to get your hopes up," he added, "or mine."

Harry told him, "We're all glad everything worked out. At least we won't have to worry about you trying to kill us."

The four of them chuckled, but the trio had the uncomfortable realization that Harry's comment had made Lupin feel uneasy.

Hermione asked Lupin, "What are we going to be learning first, Professor?"

Lupin smiled appreciatively at her, "About Professor Dumbledore's defeat of Gellert Grindellwald. Professor Dumbledore has asked me to keep it short. Just between the four of us, he told me he doesn't want me giving all of you the impression that you should view him as hero."

The acted like they thought it was funny too, that Dumbledore was so humble. But it wasn't like any of the trio still viewed Dumbledore as a complete hero anymore.

Neville didn't partake in exchanging theories about Snape's older brother and their niece. After the first day of classes, he had gone back to the common room only to find Dean and Seamus talking about Snape's relatives.

Seamus had looked over Dean's shoulder and motioned for Neville to join them, "Neville! We were just talking about Snape's ruddy brother and niece. I think Dumbledore's making 'em both new teachers, but Dean-"

Dean cut him off, "I think that his niece is probably just a first year."

Seamus asked Dean, "Then, why didn't she come on the Hogwarts express with all the rest of us?"

Dean turned around to face Seamus and explained, "It must have something to do with Snape's brother; business or something. Maybe, he works for the ministry."

"You really think Dumbledore would let the ministry back in again?" Seamus snapped.

"It's not like he had a choice last year." Dean pointed out.

Seamus was about to say something, but he decided to turn to Neville instead, "What do you think, Neville?"

"I don't know." Neville shifted his weight on either foot. "I just remembered though that I wanted to ask Hermione some questions. I should probably go find her now."

"It won't be that hard, finding her." Seamus smiled, "Just go to the library."

Neville nodded and raised his hand slightly, before he turned around to climb out of the portrait hole.

He steered himself down random hallways and way past the library. Neville loosened his tie and clenched his teeth, anxiously.

It was already bad enough that Snape treated him worse than any other student, except maybe Harry. But Harry was at least an average student. Neville figured he was the only person who Snape wrote See me after class to on exam papers. At least Harry had Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the class with him, when Snape went after him. Neville knew how embarrassing it could make anyone feel, but it was nothing compared to having to face Snape alone.

"Look me in the eyes and try not to stutter this time, Mr. Longbottom. It might do you some good. You might finally learn how to handle things without Miss Granger's help."

Neville clenched his teeth tighter. He wasn't only afraid of Snape, he hated him. And he hated Dumbledore for hiring him and for letting two more Snapes come to Hogwarts. After so many years, wouldn't Dumbledore have at least heard one complaint about Snape? Everyone knew Dumbledore was pretty close with Harry. Harry must have said something to him, over the years, about Snape.

"Neville?"

"What?" Neville snapped, only to realize he had just yelled at Ginny. She looked a little taken aback, like he had fired a hex at her. "Ginny, I'm really sorry."

She nodded, "That's ok, Neville. I just thought you looked a bit worked up about something." She smiled, awkwardly, "Well, are you worried about what it's going to be like when Snape's brother and niece get hear?"

Neville felt dumbfounded. He moved his mouth around, but couldn't form an answer.

"I know how Snape treats you, Neville. You and Harry." Ginny explained, cautiously, "Ron's always raving about it at home."

"I suppose he tells you about how pathetic I am." Neville said.

"No." she said, a little too quickly. Ginny shook her head, "No one thinks you're pathetic."

"I can't even stand up for myself. At least Harry-"

"You don't have to feel like you're not as good as Harry." She reminded him, "You were just as good last year, in the DA, when we fought all those Death Eaters." Ginny shrugged, "Maybe, this will be your year where you win against Snape and his brother and niece."

"I couldn't even get through today's class without messing something up." Neville explained, "Snape came around and told me I had got some of my notes wrong. Hermione already lent me hers so I can fix mine. But in class, I just couldn't focus."

"No one could." Ginny offered, sympathetically. "I bet if Snape had checked anyone else's notes, there would have been something wrong with them. I don't even see why the teachers bother making us do work this week. We're all just too curious about what Snape's brother and niece will be like."

Neville considered what she said. Then, he asked, "Do you think they'll be at all like how Professor Umbridge was last year?"

Ginny shared an apprehensive look with Neville.

"I don't think they'll be that bad." She reminded him, nervously, "Professor Snape was never as bad as her."

Neville gave her a sad look, "Professor Snape's never had Fudge to back him up. I was in the common room before and Seamus and Dean were talking about their theories. Dean had the idea that maybe Professor Snape's brother works for the ministry. That it might explain why they didn't show up on the first night back."

Ginny looked down and swept her eyes up to look at the wall, "I was really hoping Dumbledore wouldn't let something like that happen, after last year…"

"I don't really think it has anything to do with him. And he lets Professor Snape keep teaching here. He let Professor Quirrell teach hear the year before you came to Hogwarts. You know about him?"

She nodded, "Ron told me all about him."

There was a pause, while they stared at each other.

Neville asked her, "Do you think things we'll be as bad as last year."

"I hope not." Ginny told him.