Disclaimer: I do not own HP, and the OC of Athena Potter is just one of my imagination.

Author's Note: This is something that I have been thinking about a lot, especially considering that Snape would have been 31 during Harry's first year. These first few chapters will be back story and then we will start getting into the actual story. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 1: An Introduction to A New World

Athena watched anxiously as the first years filed into the Great Hall. She finally saw him next to who she assumed was Fred and George's younger brother Ron and a curly haired girl she hadn't met. She thought about riding with them on the train, but thought it best that he make his own friends. She couldn't believe that only 2 years ago she had been in his shoes. Absolutely terrified but utterly thrilled to discover a whole new world.

2 years ago…

Athena sat in her room upstairs and waited for her aunt and uncle to leave before going downstairs. They were keeping Harry in the cupboard under the stairs even after saying she would take the tiny, sorry excuse for a room, but the solution they proposed was Harry sleeping in the yard. While it was probably no more than a threat, they had done crazier things to remind both of them that they were not welcome. The only reason she got a room was because there wasn't enough room in the cupboard for both of them now that they were older.

The room was sparsely decorated and contained a bed and a wardrobe. As much as she was thankful for a place to live, she often wondered if they would have been better off without their aunt and uncle. She couldn't remember much about her parents, but there were glimpses every now and again that made her feel warm and loved. Much different than her current environment.

The closing of a car door caught her attention and she looked out the window to see them leave the driveway. Uncle Vernon was going to work and Aunt Petunia and Dudley were off to some mommy and me day camp. One last chance for her and "Dudikins" to spend time together before term started. Harry and Athena were considered nothing but a nuisance, and nuisances did not get to have fun.

Athena made her way down the stairs and opened the door to the cupboard. Harry sat on his bed reading a children's book that was for kids half their age, but it was one of the only ones he had and the only entertainment he could really find. When he saw his sister a big grin made its way across his face. As much as they did not like doing all the chores for the Dursleys it was worth it to have time alone without them.

Now that Athena was eleven, the Dursleys no longer asked Mrs. Figg across the way to watch them. Why spend money on the help when you can just have one of them watch the other? Usually Petunia and Dudley were there to give them things to do or tell them not to be in the common area, but on the rare occasion when every one was out of the house, the siblings would get everything done early so they could have time to sneak a board game out and play. They didn't dare play any of the games that Dudley loved or that the family would play often for fear that they would be discovered. But there were a few that were always left untouched.

Athena helped Harry off of his cot and led him into the kitchen to begin the day of never ending chores. They started in the kitchen and made sure to wash all the dishes from the morning's breakfast. Then it was on to the silver drawer to polish everything in case Vernon decided to host a dinner with people from work soon. Soon they were done with trash, vacuuming, dusting, laundry, and gardening. All they had left was the bathrooms, so they split up and each took one.

Athena was scrubbing the tub when a thud against the window scared her out of her day dream. She looked towards the window but saw nothing. She stood slowly and made her way to the source of the sound. She looked out and couldn't see anything flying around, so she decided to finish up the tub later and check the back yard to see if a bird was injured. She made it to the backyard, but found nothing. She looked at the bushes under the bathroom window and couldn't see or hear any animals.

"Must've flown off," she said to herself and went back inside.

She ran into Harry as she made her way back into the house.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked curiously.

"I thought a bird flew into the bathroom window upstairs and I thought I would come down to check on it," she pointed to the backyard, "but there's nothing there."

"Are you sure it was a bird?"

"I don't know for sure, but that's the only explanation I have," she shrugged before pulling him to her side, "I'm almost done with my bathroom. Why don't you set up the game while I finish up?"

Harry nodded enthusiastically before setting off to grab their favorite game at the moment, Candyland. It was a simple game, but it was more than enough for the two of them. There weren't many moments that they both got to be kids, so the little things were always more special. Soon they were sitting around the table laughing at Harry pulling a character card and moving his way up the board. Just as they were about to name a winner, the timer that Athena had set earlier went off.

"Well, it looks like it is a draw for now," she said starting to clean up the game in front of them, "We have about 15 minutes before they get back if you want to play outside."

Instead of answering, Harry grabbed his sister and hugged her tight. Athena returned the hug and when he didn't let her go, she looked down at him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Athena asked gently.

"I wish we still had a mom and dad, Thena," he said quietly, trying to hide the fact that he was now fighting off tears.

"So do I," she said sadly, "It'll get better. As soon as I can get us away from here, I will."

She had been promising him that since he was five and the Dursleys had started their abuse on him as well. All she could ever hope for was a way to get them both out of this situation, and if there was a way to fulfill that promise at the ripe old age of eleven, she would.

"I'll put the game away," Harry said breaking away from her and quickly putting away all evidence of their fun.

Soon the Dursleys walked in the front door, and Athena and Harry went back to serving their family. Dinner was made quickly and while the Dursley's sat and ate, Harry and Athena cleaned the dishes and ate in the kitchen out of sight. Everything was normal until there was a squawking coming from the front door.

"What was that?" Vernon said from the dining room.

"It- it sounded like a…bird?" Petunia said with a look of displeasure on her face.

"Go shoo that blasted creature away, boy," Harry didn't wait for Vernon to finish his statement before he was walking to the front door to check on the noise.

As he opened the door, a large owl that was sitting on the front stairs took flight leaving behind a single letter. He picked it up carefully before looking in the direction the owl flew. There was no one standing around watching and no sign of the animal. He turned it over in his hands and saw his sister's name in black ink on the front.

Ms. A. Potter,

4, Pivet Drive,

Little Whinging,

Surrey

On the back, there was only a wax seal with an intricate letter 'H' and a crest with "Hogwarts" written above it.

"What was it, boy?" Vernon called from the dinning room.

"It was an owl," he said while sneaking the letter into the kitchen to give his sister, "it's gone now."

"Good," Petunia said.

"What is this?" Athena whispered as she took the letter from Harry.

"I'm not sure," Harry shrugged, "the owl dropped it and flew away."

Athena studied the letter before opening it and reading it aloud to Harry. As she read each line, it became harder and harder to understand.

"What is Hogwarts?" Harry asked a little too loudly.

Before she could hide the letter, Vernon and Petunia came rushing in to investigate. Before she knew it they were being sent to their rooms and her aunt and uncle could occasionally be heard arguing about her parents. She had talked to Harry about going and while she had initially be adamant about not going, Harry practically begged her to go. She tried to tell him that she would not leave him, but he said it could be their way out. He told her that this could be their chance to leave, and she couldn't argue about it. There was a possibility that she could find a way to bring him with her or even find someone else to care for them.

It was only a few weeks later that she was reluctantly being sent to the train station and being told to "figure it out." She had been terrified to leave Harry alone with them, especially knowing that now they would make him do more. Her thoughts were full of nothing but Harry…well and trying to figure out where in the world platform 9 3/4 was. She was lost…at least she was until she met a mother and her children talking about wands and supplies for potions.

She took a chance and went up to the mother. She introduced herself and the mother gasped a bit before introducing herself. That was the day she met Molly Weasley and her twin sons George and Fred as they were preparing to start their first year at Hogwarts.

Present…

"Gryffindor!" Athena cheered as she watched Harry walk towards her and the twins.

He had the largest smile on his face and she couldn't help but match it. He was safe here with here for the term, and he was happy. He finally got to experience what she had two years ago. An escape and an absolutely wonderful new world that they could share together. A world that both their parents had been a part of.

"This is amazing," Harry told her after settling into his seat, "I can't believe this is all real."

"It is," she smiled at him and pulled him into a side hug, "I heard about Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon trying to hide your letter."

"Yeah, they tried alright," he laughed, "but the owls made sure I got one…or a thousand."

They both chuckled at that.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," she said with regret in her voice, "I knew they wouldn't take lightly to your letter given how much they have hated me being here. I told Professor McGonagall and Hagrid about it, and that's why Professor McGonagall sent as many letters as she possibly could. And Hagrid wanted to be the one to get you when the letters weren't going to work."

"It's okay," he smiled at her, "I know you were invited to spend a week with your friends. And Hagrid took care of the rest. I did get a gorgeous owl! I named her Hedwig and she is the most beautiful snowy white."

"I'll have to take you to the Owlery soon so you can visit her," Athena said.

Soon Dumbledore signaled the start of the feast and she watched as Harry's eyes grew to the size of saucers. This was the first actual meal that he didn't have to cook or only eat the unwanted leftovers.

"First years, please find your prefect and they will lead you to your common room and give you further instructions," Dumbledore said at the end of the feast.

"Have fun," Athena winked at him before standing with the twins.

"If Percy starts bossing you around," Fred told the three first years.

"Feel free to tell him to shove it," George finished.

The three of them made their way of the Great Hall as the first years gathered near the prefects that raised their hands to direct the crowds.

"He's going to be fine," Fred said while grabbing her shoulder.

"Our brother may be a little daft, but he will be a good friend," George added.

"I know he will," Athena reassured the twins, "I just hope that he doesn't get into too much trouble. All of this is new to him, and he is more impulsive than I am."

The twins smiled at each other and before they could say anything, Athena interjected.

"That does not mean that you are to corrupt him," she said sternly, "if I see even one firework in his possession…"

"Understood," they said in unison.

This was going to be an interesting year.

TBC…