Don't own the HP sadly.
Trickster32- Yep, Luna's mom joins the fold. As for Tom, he doesn't have a job there, it was when he was trying to get Dumbledore to hire him. It didn't work this time either.
Severus looked around the train platform for his friends, Petunia and Rin had spent most of the summer with him and his grandparents. But spent the last part of August with their families. That was good because Severus had to visit his parents in that time. His father didn't recognize him, the healer said it was because his body didn't absorb the potion like Severus' had. Instead it had poisoned him, now that they flushed his system his memories were all but mushed.
He thought Severus was still a baby, back when he started getting the potion. Because of that, his grandparents stayed with him during the visit. Severus felt bad for the man and wanted him to get better but told him that he wanted to stay with his grandparents, not that his father understood. After years of being terrified of the man, Severus could finally say he was moving past it. Sure, he still had nightmares about the abuse, so much that his grandmother started giving him a potion for dreamless sleep.
But visiting his mother was something he didn't want to do again. She just looked at him with cold, unfeeling eyes. Stranger's eyes almost. The whole time he was there she didn't say anything to him, just looked at him as he was nothing. He begged his grandparents not to have to see her again. With her trial before the Wizengamot nearing, he suspected that he would have to see her one more time at least.
"Where are they?" he asked his grandparents.
"They'll be here soon, love," his grandmother said sweetly.
Looking around again, he couldn't see them. He had a very bad feeling, he couldn't describe it. Gregor yowled from his crate, his grandfather demanded it because Gregor didn't do well with people he thought as outsiders. With his size, he was quite scary.
"Severus!"
He turned just in time to see a familiar girl with long blonde hair coming towards him. She had two tall, slender people following her, from the resemblance they must be her parents.
"Hi," he said, giving her a small wave.
"Nexus, Flora," the man said, smiling.
"Eugene, Alma," his grandfather said as he shook the man's hand while his grandmother embraced the woman.
"This can't be little Pandora, she was just a baby, I remember," his grandmother said, pinching Pandora's cheeks. Pandora didn't look amused.
Soon his grandparents and the other couple were lost in tales of their recent years. Severus caught Pandora trying to get his attention, she nodded for them to move away from the chattering group.
"I hate when people pinch my cheeks. If I went around doing that I would be admonished."
"She didn't mean anything by it. If I got angry every time she pinched my cheeks, I would be angry all the time."
"I know. But I'm thirteen, practically a woman."
He laughed, but her scowl made him stop. "Sorry," he said quietly, although it was loud she stopped scowling and smiled, letting him know she heard.
"Are you waiting for your friends too?" he asked.
"I don't really have any friends?"
"What do you mean?"
"Just that. People think I'm too odd. I like to study and create. They seem to think I'm a bit of a know it all."
Severus knew the feeling, besides the people that he was helping, he was treated that way, sometimes even by the ones he helped. But there were some things he just couldn't relent on, and that was his studies. He was going to be the youngest potions master ever; that was going to take a lot of work and dedication. Although he did have a love for defense of the dark arts. He didn't tell anyone though, that was his secret. It was the class Potter and Black shined more than him, although he knew more.
"Do you want friends?" he asked her.
"I don't know. I like my work but it might be nice to have someone talk to every once and awhile. It's why I liked our time together. We have so much in common."
"My friends are really nice, you'll like them. Rin is smart, if a little quiet until you know him. Petunia is a bit bossy but she'll fight to the death for you if break through her hard exterior. There's also Gideon and Remus. I guess Potter, Black and Pettigrew too."
"James Potter and Sirius Black?"
"Yes."
"The Black family is dark as they come."
"Well, seems Sirius is the black sheep. You know, Gryffindor and all that." He decided not to tell her about what Sirius had done to him. That was only a secret he and his two best friends kept. They were the only two he knew for sure had his back.
"There you are, I've been looking for you," a high-pitched voice chastised.
He looked up and saw Lily standing there with her hands on his hips.
"Hi, Lily," he said, looking around for Petunia but not seeing the older, taller Evans sister. "Where's Petunia?"
Her face took on a crushed look. "Oh, it's the worst thing, Petunia was injured last night. Mother and father are at the hospital with her now. Our neighbor Mrs. Kramer brought me to the train station.
"Injured! What happened?"
"She fell down the stairs, she wasn't paying attention. It was the strangest thing. One minute she was standing on the top landing laughing. The next it was like she was thrown down the stairs."
"Is she alright? How will she get to Hogwarts?"
"She broke her arm and leg. I guess she won't be able to come to Hogwarts. She'll be too far behind after she heals to come back to school," she said, sniffling.
"Wait? Why don't the healers just give her a bone mending potion? She'll be better in no time," Pandora said.
"A what? I'm sorry. Who are you?" Lily asked.
"This is Pandora Dean, my friend. I have to go tell Gran about Petunia. Maybe she can go and tell your parents to bring her to St. Mungo's," Severus said, turning and running back to his grandparents.
"Gran. Gran. Petunia's been hurt."
"What? Oh dear. Is she at St. Mungo's?" his grandmother asked.
"No, Cokesworth Hospital, where we live," Lily said as she neared.
"Nexus, you must go and help," his grandmother said.
"You too, Mum," Pandora said. When Severus looked at her she explained. "Mum's a very talented healer, she is one of St. Mungo's best."
"Please, you have to help Petunia. Lily said that she's so hurt that she won't be able to come to Hogwarts."
"Oh no, you must hurry, Nexus," his grandmother said, gripping his grandfather's arm.
"Right away," his grandfather said before turning to Severus. "You have a nice trip to Hogwarts. Don't worry too much about Petunia, I will take care of her, I promise." He leaned over and kissed Severus on the cheek.
"Grandfather," he grumbled, as he blushed. Right there in front of everyone. Now people would think he was a baby.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. Take care, write often." With that, he turned and was gone.
Pandora's mother said her goodbyes and was gone too. It didn't take much longer for the rest of their goodbyes.
Once on the train they found an empty compartment to sit. It was just the three of them and Gregor, who was now lying between him and Pandora.
He hadn't really spoken to Lily since the early days of Hogwarts the year before. Now looking between her and Pandora, he went with the one he had the most to talk about with.
"How was your summer, Pandora?"
"Oh, excellent. We went to Cyprus, mum has a friend there. She's a master wandmaker. Beautiful work. It's really interesting watching her work. It's not something I would want to do but I can see the pull to do that kind of work."
"I'm sure. What do you want to do after Hogwarts?" he asked.
"I'm not really sure, but I know I want to create. Mum wants me to be a healer like her. Father wants me to work in the Ministry, can you imagine?" she asked laughing.
"You following rules and regulations? Never."
"What about you, Severus? What do you want to be?"
"I know I want to be a potions master but after that I'm not sure. I don't want to teach, I want to create also." He didn't say want he really wanted to do. He was embarrassed. He wasn't brave or strong like Potter and Black who always talked about fighting for the light. He wasn't a fighter, but he had a feeling deep inside that his battles were just starting. "What about you, Lily?" he asked so she didn't feel left out.
"I really like potions but not enough to become a potions master., but I don't know maybe if I can't find something I want more."
"Not a lot of people can be, it takes a lot of work and determination to become a potions master. You have to want it with every part of your being," Pandora said.
Severus looked at her, she looked a little perturbed by the way Lily said the occupation like it was a something to do if your other plans don't pan out. He didn't like what she said but he was used to it, sometimes Lily just didn't realize what she was saying. She wasn't raised by wizards. At least he had his mother. That thought made his mind sink back to other things. Which reminded him.
"It works," he said to Pandora.
"What?" she asked curiously.
"It works," he said, lifting his arm, showing her his bracelet covered wrist.
"So, you were around someone?" she asked, not saying the 'evil' word.
"Yes. My mother." It had been the only time the bracelet got hot. At least now he knew, she wasn't what she pretended to be his whole life. Caring mother was just a mask she wore.
"I'm sorry."
"Someone what?" Lily asked.
"It's not important," Severus said.
Just then the compartment door slid open and Rin walked in. His face was paler than usual. He put his trunk away and all but collapsed on the seat beside Lily.
"Where have you been?" Severus asked.
"St. Mungo's."
"Why were you at St. Mungo's?" Severus asked. His stomach was knotting up.
"I was walking down back the lake near my home yesterday. I don't know what happened but it felt like I was pushed in the water. Then no matter what I did, I couldn't break through the water. It was like glass over me. I couldn't breathe. I died. They told me I died. My brother had come out to yell at me for something or other. That was when he saw me floating face down in the water. They said it was lucky he was able to remember a spell to remove the water from my lungs. My father came out then and used a spell to restart my heart. I take back every mean thing I've ever said about my family."
"That's terrible," Pandora said. Severus and Lily nodded.
"How did you finally break through the water?" Severus asked.
"I don't know. I think it disappeared when I lost consciousness. Where's Petunia?"
"She fell down the stairs last night. She broke some bones, it was lucky the fall didn't kill her. I thought for sure she was dead. I was at the bottom of the stairs. I raced up and was able to stop her from falling the full way down. I would have done magic, punishments be damned if I knew what to use," Lily said sadly.
Severus saw the truth in her eyes. But then something else occurred to him. If Lily hadn't been there, maybe the fall would have killed Petunia. If Rin's brother hadn't gone outside at that exact moment, Rin wouldn't have been able to be brought back.
As if reading his mind. Pandora said, "Isn't that strange? Both having near death experiences on the same day."
"What's strange about it?" Lily asked.
Rin and Pandora both looked at him with the 'we'll talk about this later' look. He just hoped his grandfather and Pandora's mother would be able to heal Petunia, she was so looking forward to her first sorting ceremony, even if she wasn't in it.
