A/N: I DO NOT own the Harry Potter series. That honour belongs to J.K. Rowling. I only own the plot and original characters. Some of the characters will be OOC (Nice Dursleys [Wizard (and not Obese) Dudley]), Free Sirius, non-Supremacist Malfoys, Lestranges, and most of the death-eater families, Good Voldemort).
Another Day, Another What?
Sertori Mansion
After an hour of working out, the Snape sisters exited the gym dabbing their faces with their towels and chugging their waters. Mia was in an oversized shirt and sweat bottoms, thus the reason for her sweating more than the other two. Chloe was decked out in a blue sports tank and loose drawstring bottoms with her hair in a mid-pony which was messed up from exercising. Meanwhile, the baby of the sisters, Katelyn, was in a grey sports bra and black short shorts which complimented her small and firm body. She also had her hair in a messy bun, made messier by the earlier events.
"I don't get it," Mia shook her head as they headed upstairs. "How are you both so thin? Chloe, you had a baby, and you look as if you've never been pregnant!"
The oldest sister chuckled as stopped outside Carly's door, "There's a cream that gets rid of stretch marks during the pregnancy while improving health for mummy and baby," she sang. "I also worked out when it was okay. Well, got to check on baby!"
As she entered the room, the younger two headed to Mia's room where the blonde immediately stripped off her younger sister's clothes with the wave of her hand.
"And you," Mia continued grabbing her waist. "you have the body of a ballerina, and your hip bones and ribs are showing a little. Is that even healthy?"
Katelyn sighed as she lay on her sister's bed, "I've been to doctors and healers, and all of them said I have nothing to worry about."
"Yeah, they said the same about me," the door opened and revealed Astoria entering the fray. "Of course, Daphne still worries for me."
"As for everyone in my family. I love you all to death, but I feel like a lab rat whenever I'm being stared at. It's making me self-conscious."
Rolling her eyes, the blonde waved her hand and her own clothes instantly vanished, "Feel better now?" she chuckled, lying beside the already nude brunette.
"Slightly," Katelyn quickly rose to straddle her blonde twin before pinning both her wrists to the bed with one hand while stroking her face with the other.
Lying underneath her younger sister, Mia let out a sigh as Kate leant down and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before rolling onside of her.
"How about a nap?" Kate yawned as she laid her head on the blonde's chest before turning her gaze to the youngest. "Want to take a nap with us, Stori?"
"Sure!"
With that, the eleven-year-old vanished her own clothing before joining the other two for a short nap.
Middleton Farm – Canterbury, Kent
K.C. and Jenna were both in the latter's bedroom snogging on her bed. With Lisa working a double shift at hospital and Jenna's brother away selling goods at the market, the couple had their respective homes to themselves. However, since Jenna's been occupying the Gunden flat ever since getting back together, she felt a change of venue was in order. Also, while K.C. may be annoyed by her pink and green walls, he'd appreciate that her room had more space.
Shivering at her boyfriend's hand sliding up her shirt, a moan escaped Jenna's lips while she massaged his back. This caused Kieran to groan as he slowly moved his hands to hers, pinning them to the bed as they continued to snog.
Sinead's Cottage – Isle of Man
As the sun shone on the lush garden of veggies, flowers and herbs, the redhead owner happily walked into her home with basketfuls of fresh vegetables, a mixture of flowers, and herbs. After placing the peonies in a vase of fresh water and setting it on the dinner table, Sinead then did the same with asters, placing them in the living room and bedrooms before washing the veggies and herbs.
"I hope Callisto will come to see me," she laid the washed herbs on a towel to dry as a snap was heard behind her.
"What can I do for you," Sinead turned to see a pale and freckle-faced man with hair the colour of straw blonde formed in a messy classic style with his hand on his hips.
The man before her just shook her head while sitting at the kitchen island, "Just came to check on you while your daughter was at work."
"Well, I appreciate your gallantry, Bartemius," the redhead started cutting tomatoes. "but we both know why you're really here."
"I know it's near the time you normally cook. So, what's on the menu, mother?"
Sinead placed the produce in a pot of boiling water before tuning on an oiled pot, "Jambalaya," she said taking the cut chicken and sausages from the fridge. "and Barty?"
"Yes?" he raised his wand to make the pan heat faster.
"Thanks, sweetheart! You and my daughter aren't married yet, and you don't have to be so formal. Sinead works fine."
He shook his head at that, "It's a force of habit, My Lady," he levitated the pot of cooked tomatoes to the sink before transfiguring the scalding water into ice water. "and out of respect for My Lord."
"Tom already holds you in high regard, honey. He's always been thankful for those who never deserted him, especially you!"
"You've spoken to him, then?"
Nodding, Sinead was finishing up the meal prepping before smiling at her future son-in-law. "He can think of no other man more deserving of our daughter's hand."
Wilcox Home – Darley Dale, Matlock, Derbyshire
With their mother at work, the Granger sisters had the house to themselves for the most part. Ryan and his girlfriend, Cornelia Nash, were upstairs with Amy and the baby while Rainey was in the backyard writing an outline for her next book. She'd normally type this on her computer in her room so she could write and look to the outline for reference, but since she's returning to Hogwarts come September, she's sticking to pen and paper because she doesn't own a laptop yet.
Sipping her mint-cucumber lemonade, the seventeen-year-old raised her head momentarily to see her youngest sister sitting at the other table filling out forms of some kind. The blonde just shook her head with a smile as she returned to writing. Ever since mum declared that Hermione was staying at Manchester for her magical schooling, the bushy-haired brunette had been obsessed with the school library and travelling to Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade whenever she could to get new material.
As she continued her brainstorm, Rainey couldn't help but sigh as she remembered Hermione's anger about not being allowed to attend Hogwarts two years back. She pitched a massive fit, saying that Snape was long fired, and she shouldn't have to miss out on the main Wizarding school just because her older sisters had a terrible experience.
In the end, in order to keep the peace, Jeanette allowed her youngest daughter to travel to Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade whenever the opportunity arose just to get her to drop the Hogwarts idea. While getting extra material for her studies calmed her down, it barely filled the void since there were no "actual" teachers to give her a grade and praise her for her work.
Midway through her outline, Rainey shut her notebook and stood to stretch and take a walk. As she treaded along the lush walkway leading to the woods, the blonde was chuckling to herself at how she let the professor who chased her and her younger sister out of Hogwarts talk her into giving the school and essentially him another shot, even starting over in NEWTs.
Taking another breath, the seventeen-year-old sat at the base of the Willow straddling her property and the woods before thinking back at her time as a student.
*Six Years Ago*
Eleven-year-old Rainey was standing in front of her mirror trying on her Hogwarts uniform for the umpteenth time and had just finished plaiting her long hair into pigtails before doing a twirl to Amy's cello playing down the hall and placing on her cloak to finish off the look.
"You look beautiful," Hermione said, walking in and sitting on her bed. "I wish I could go with you!"
Shaking her head, the blonde went to her younger sister and lifted her into her arms, "It's only four more years, Hermione," Rainey ruffled her hair. "then you'll be able to go and show everyone what the Granger girls are made of."
A few days later, dressed in her brand-new blue and white checkered-print collared dress that reached right below the knees, white nylons, black Mary Janes, and pink knit cardigan, Rainey was at King's Cross Station in front of Platform 9 ¾ giving her mum a kiss goodbye before doing the same to her Gram and Grandpa Wilcox, thanking them for the black owl they gifted her.
"Nothing less for our grandchildren," Grandma Wilcox laughed, planting a kiss on Rainey's forehead.
"Or my children," Jeanette smiled before pulling her oldest into a bear hug. "Have a great term and don't be afraid of writing too much!"
"I'll write as much as possible," tears streamed down Rainey's face before she turned to her sisters. "You want to see me off?"
Nodding at this, Amy placed Hermione on her back as Rainey ran through the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10 with them following after her.
With her trunk shrunk and placed in her carry-on slung across her shoulder, the eleven-year-old set down Ebony's cage before placing her hand on her sisters' shoulders, turning her soft blues to the ten-year-old, "Amy," she tried to force a smile. "you'll be here next year, so I'll send you copies of what I'm assigned to prepare you better. But keep studying your way and continue with your music. You rock at the cello and piano."
"You got it, Rainey!" she smiled while choking back tears.
She then turned to Hermione, whose eyes went big and batty, to which she chuckled. "You want me to send you copies of my assignments too, Hermione?"
The bushy-haired seven-year-old nodded with a pout.
With a nod, the eldest Granger sister hugged her sisters and kissed their cheeks before boarding the train, waving to them as it started to move.
By the time the Sorting Ceremony began, Rainey had already met up with Ryan Kramer and Cornelia Nash. They'd known each other from the Manchester School but only in passing. Spending the train ride together talking and getting acquainted sparked a friendship between them, and Rainey cheered the loudest when the sorting hat roared, "Gryffindor!" for both Ryan and Cory. Of course, they returned the favour when she was placed in Ravenclaw.
When the start of term feast came to a close, the blonde was so excited that she wrote to her family about the friends she made and her house sorting. She expressed in her letter that year would be the best yet!
If only she'd known.
Within the first few days, Rainey's dream had turned into a nightmare. Her first potions class caused her to run afoul of the teacher despite not even saying anything to him. When Snape had them do the boil cure potion, she had done it easily since she had done this potion when she was eight. She had even taught Amy and Hermione to make it. Expecting a good grade and maybe a praise for a job well done, the eleven-year-old blonde gleefully handed over her vial to Snape.
Then Potions Master examined the contents of the vial before vanishing it with a wave of his hand.
"10 points from Ravenclaw for cheating, Miss Granger," he sighed, "and a zero on the assignment."
Rainey was forced to take a step back upon hearing that, "I-I don't understand. How could I have cheated. I made this fair and square. You saw me."
"I know you've worked on this ahead of time since you didn't look at the instructions. So, you will fail this task. Return to your seat!"
Feeling the oncoming tears, the blonde swiftly turned and ran out of the room sobbing.
Shifting back to the present, the seventeen-year-old silently shed tears at the memory. Rainey locked herself in the bathroom stall after running out of class and crying alone on the floor for hours. Professor Black found her when she didn't show up for lunch and fed her some soup and sandwich since the dining hall was closed, along with a chocolate trifle. He also gave her some advice on how to deal with Professor Snape and talked to her Head of House so she wouldn't be in too much trouble for missing classes.
After that, Rainey moved to the back of the class and didn't draw attention to herself unless when asked a question. He still sniped at her but never accused her of cheating again. Of course, she wasn't his only victim; there were other students facing his wrath, but she and the Gryffindors had it worse. When he insulted her again, another Ravenclaw stuck her to her seat so their house wouldn't lose points for her running out of class. That meant she had to sit there crying and her grades suffered because of it, barely passing in all her subjects.
Cory and Ryan were also hurting academically from Potions because he never wanted to acknowledge that Gryffindors deserved high marks. Those two were told that Snape was always antagonistic toward their house and favoured only his precious Slytherins. They managed to pass for the first year, as with Rainey, but considered quitting Hogwarts and returning to Manchester their second year. Looking back on it, Rainey contemplated doing the same but decided to stay since Amy was attending the following year.
Within the first few days of the trio's second year, Rainey was headed to the Great Hall when she saw Amy in the corridor with her head in Cory's lap sobbing her heart out.
She immediately rushed to her sister and asked what was wrong.
"Pressor Nate," she jumbled.
"What?" Rainey moved closer to her weeping sister.
"Professor Snape!" Amy wailed, allowing her sister to take her into her arms. "He said that I cheated because I complete the potions without looking at the instructions and gave me a zero!"
Rainey's jaw dropped as she pulled her sister closer and stroked her hair. "Amy, I'm so sorry! I had hoped if you'd sit in the back and answered questions when asked, that he would leave you alone."
She shook her head, "He said he figured you'd warned me about him and was ten step ahead," her breathing was erratic. "He called me a 'good-for-nothing cheating tart' and said he would fail me no matter how good I was!"
The flames were rising inside of her as she sent Cory to get her mom and tell her to come to school immediately. She then told Amy to return to Gryffindor tower and pack her things before stomping to the Great Hall, spotting Snape as he headed towards the staff table.
"Hey! Snape!" she thundered, causing everyone in the vicinity to gasp at the sudden outburst.
He ignored her and continued to his seat, causing her nostrils to flare and to follow him before saying. "FACE ME, YOU SPINELESS GREASY DUNGEON RAT!"
Hearing that, Snape quickly did an about face and dashed towards the twelve-year-old with tightened eyes and arms crossed, "What did you just say to me?"
"Did you call my sister a 'good-for-nothing cheating tart'?" her fists were clenched and body shaking.
"She shouldn't have perfected her potion while not having to read the instructions," he drawled, leaning in her face. "Or maybe you taught her the potion. Cheating must run in your family, Miss Granger."
That's when Rainey saw red, "What is wrong with you?! I learned that from the magic school in Manchester and taught it to my sisters and other kids! We never cheated a day in our lives!"
"Well, it's done now, Miss Granger. I cannot regrade the assignments once submitted, nor do I want to. So, you and your sister will have to live with your failing grades and start pretending to be the lowest of dunderheads I hope to turn you into because I won't have students who are smarter than me, especially a stuck up Ravenclaw bitch and her obnoxious little Gry- UGH!"
Snape found himself hunched over and wide-eyed while cupping his groin area where Rainey's foot struck. Despite the excruciating pain, the man in black growled at the twelve-year-old before lunging at her, to which she tackled him to the floor and bent his arm over her knee, breaking it immediately before repeatedly smashing his face in with her fist.
*Present Day*
Shaking her head at the incident, the seventeen-year-old closed her notebook and headed inside.
Looking back at it, she was glad her mother had arrived just before Snape insulted her and Amy. She pulled them out of Hogwarts along with Cory (with her mum's consent) while Ryan's father did the same with him. They immediately returned to Manchester and continued studying independently, albeit it took a few months before they continued Potions.
"I need to get out of here," Rainey sighed as she grabbed her car keys.
Knowing that Katelyn lived nearby, the blonde decided to pay her a visit. Therefore, she walked out to her black 2003 Grand Cherokee with her bag in hand and made the twenty-minute drive to the Sertori Mansion in Wirksworth.
Sertori Mansion
After waking up and taking a shower, Katelyn decided to leave her hair down and tied an aquamarine silk headband around her head to keep it out of her eyes. Staring at her super long curly locks in the bathroom mirror, she formed a smile before going to her bedroom and changing into one of her Wellesley tops, dark blue jean short shorts with a ripped hem at the bottom, and white trainers.
With Mia still asleep in her room and Astoria downstairs with Carly, the brunette was about to head down herself when a hand on her shoulder shook her spine. Turning around, she screamed upon seeing a brunet man in his late twenties wearing and blue tracksuit staring her down with his intense blue irises before grabbing her, causing her to throw him down and pinning his arm to his back with hers and holding him to the ground with her knee.
"What the hell?" he gasped as Chloe and Haley rushed in with wands drawn.
Heart pounding, Kate dug her knee deeper into the man's back. "Back at you, dumbass! Why'd you sneak into my house."
The man groaned in pain at Katelyn's strength. "I mean no harm, Katelyn Snape," he gasped again. "My name is Sawyer Hale! Peri Grace is my niece!"
It was at that moment that, Snape came in and pulled his daughter off the man before forcing him to his feet and pinning him against the wall.
"What business do you have with my daughter, Hale!" Sev gritted his teeth.
Catching his breath from being pinned down, Sawyer turned to the thirteen-year-old with big eyes, "I'm sorry for barging in like this," he rasped. "but I need your help!"
A/N: How do you like the Granger sisters' (minus Hermione) past pertaining to Hogwarts? Barty's relationship with Callisto? How Peri's uncle shows up at the Snape's? Let me know in the comments.