Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. I do not own Harry Potter. Any new places or names that are not mentioned in HP are made up. I'd also like to say that at some point, some M-rated action will happen in the bedrooms in this story. However, I do not intend to go into extreme detail when the time comes.
Summary: Aurelia Lights is a squib. Her fraternal twin sister Flora, inherited the magic gene and as a result, has caused her mother Clara to one day run away with her. Leaving Aurelia alone with her father. Life goes on regardless, and with some losses, Aurelia is one day given a letter—an invitation to teach at Hogwarts Human Studies. With nothing to lose. Aurelia agrees.
FYI: Voldemort died the night he tried to kill the Potters. The potters are alive.
This will be a Severus Snape, and the main character love.
Chapter 1: Losses
Aurelia stood in the pouring rain, her umbrella a feeble shield against the downpour. Her fingers gripped the edges of her raincoat pockets, and her gaze fixed on the gravestone before her. Her eyes, though dry, carried an emptiness that no words could fill. Six months had passed since her father's death, and yet it still felt impossible to accept. The reality had been stubbornly elusive, slipping away every time she tried to face it. Denial had been her refuge, her armor. Why, after all, would the only person she had ever truly loved be taken from her? The man who had been her everything—the one who had given her the strength to carry on. How could she ever say goodbye to him, when he had been a constant in her life, the one who had given her her name and, in so many ways, shaped the person she had become? He was the one everyone said she resembled, a living mirror of her own reflection.
A single tear slipped down her cheek, unnoticed by the cold wind. Once again, she found herself alone in the world.
She wiped her eyes quickly, unwilling to allow her grief to show. She had always tried to be strong—always. "I hope you're happier now, Papa," she whispered, her voice trembling, though she forced a smile. "As long as you're happy, I'm happy." The words felt hollow, a fragile echo of a promise she had never been asked to make. Without another glance at the gravestone, she turned sharply and began walking back to her car.
The drive home was silent. The hum of the engine was drowned by the whirlwind of thoughts racing in her mind, each one more chaotic than the last. Her windshield wipers beat furiously against the deluge, and the streetlights blurred into streaks of color, their reflections dancing on the wet pavement. The world outside seemed as unsettled as the turmoil inside her heart.
Nine years had passed since that life-changing event. Her mother—a witch—had kept her magical heritage hidden from her father, a Muggle, until the moment Clara, her mother, had discovered she was pregnant. The revelation had thrown him into a spiral of confusion and hurt, but he had eventually come to terms with it, swept up by the excitement of becoming a father. When they found out they were expecting twins, the joy was overwhelming. But as the years passed, things began to shift.
Flora had been the one to show signs of magic first, and her mother's excitement had been boundless. Slowly, the attention that had once been shared between the two sisters began to focus solely on Flora, who, as any child would, sought to soak up every ounce of it. At first, Aurelia had tried to keep up. She had studied magic the way Flora had, but on their eleventh birthday, only one letter had arrived. The Hogwarts letter, is meant for Flora alone. Aurelia had understood at that moment that her path was different from her sister's. She wasn't magical.
So she threw herself into other things—studying, excelling in school, dominating in sports, learning to play instruments, dancing, and painting. She tried everything, hoping to find something that would capture her mother's attention. But each new venture was brief, a fleeting interest that quickly fizzled out. As the years went by, Aurelia had come to accept that nothing would ever fill the space Flora had taken in their mother's heart. And then, one morning, when Aurelia was fifteen, she woke up to find everything gone. Her mother had vanished, leaving behind nothing but an empty bed and closets stripped bare.
The confusion had been overwhelming. She hadn't understood what she had done wrong. Why had she been abandoned? But at that time, she had only thought of herself—her own hurt, her own loss. She hadn't thought of her father, not at first.
Looking back now, she felt a deep pang of regret for not considering his pain. For resenting him. After her mother's departure, he had buried himself in work, throwing himself into long hours that left her alone in the house for days at a time. The responsibilities of cooking, cleaning, and caring for the house had all fallen on her shoulders. But one day, something had shifted.
He had picked her up from school, a smile on his face, asking her questions about her last year of high school. He asked about her plans for university and if she had any romantic interests. She had been quiet, retreating into herself, but he hadn't let that stop him. Slowly, gradually, they had rebuilt their bond, becoming inseparable once more. And it had been that way until now.
She pulled into the underground garage of her flat, the engine's hum fading as she cut it off. The silence that followed was deafening. With slow, deliberate steps, she made her way up to her small, modest apartment, hanging her umbrella by the door and slipping out of her raincoat.
"I'm back," she called out to the emptiness, her voice barely a whisper in the quiet.
The apartment was small—just a kitchen, a dining nook, a living space, and a bedroom. Everything was in its place, though it all felt so much bigger in the silence.
She undressed slowly and collapsed onto the couch, throwing her head back with a deep sigh. The weight of the day seemed to press on her chest as she closed her eyes, allowing herself a rare moment of stillness. She had a lot of work to do—more than she could handle, really. As a ghostwriter, her popularity had grown exponentially, and her inbox had become a constant stream of requests, inquiries, and quotes. She had created an automated response to handle the flood of emails, a simple message explaining that she was currently on leave and not available for new projects. But as much as she wanted to step away, she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep it up. Work, in any form, would be a welcome distraction—anything to keep her from facing the emptiness that lingered just beneath the surface.
Her phone buzzed, pulling her from her thoughts. She groaned, glancing at the screen. It was her ex-boyfriend again. Of course. Even her phone had become a source of unwelcome noise. Her friends had been relentless too—constantly texting, bombarding her with questions, offering unsolicited advice. "You need to get out more," they'd say. "Come spend time with us." As much as she appreciated their concern, all she wanted was peace. She didn't need their well-meaning suggestions, didn't need the pressure to "move on." Right now, all she craved was solitude.
Her five-year relationship with him had ended abruptly. She had been the one to end it. She knew he wasn't perfect—he never had been, and neither was she. But after her father's death, the rose-colored lens through which she had viewed everything shattered. She finally saw him for who he truly was—selfish and inconsiderate. When she needed him the most, he wasn't there. And when he was, it was always about him, his needs, his demands. She had nothing left to give him. He constantly used the same excuse, telling her, "It's your fault for wanting to wait until marriage. If you'd just sleep with me whenever I wanted, I wouldn't need all this extra attention."
That was the moment she knew it was over. She couldn't ignore the reality any longer. And so, with a heavy heart, she ended it right then and there.
It seemed the boy regretted it. Aurelia glared at her phone, her finger hovering over the screen before she turned it off completely. She had no interest in dealing with him tonight. With a sigh, she pushed herself off the couch and made her way toward the bedroom.
But just as she reached the door, a faint tapping sound caught her attention. She frowned, glancing toward the window. The room was dark, the curtains drawn tight. The tap came again, soft but persistent. Was it him? Had he lost his mind?
Her heart quickened as she slowly approached the window, ready for whatever confrontation awaited her. She yanked the curtain open—only to find nothing. The tapping came again, but this time it was lower.
Aurelia's gaze dropped. There, perched on the balcony railing, was a brown owl. Her eyes widened in surprise as the owl hooted at her, its beak slightly open. She stood frozen for a moment, unsure of what to make of it.
Without thinking, she unlatched the balcony door, swinging it open just wide enough for the owl to hop through. It landed with ease, hooting once more, as if greeting her. She stared at the creature in confusion, the events of the night suddenly feeling surreal.
What in the world?
The rain was coming down in sheets, the sound of it pounding against the window. Yet, despite the torrential downpour outside, the owl perched on her balcony was completely dry, its feathers sleek and well-kept. Aurelia blinked in surprise as the owl lifted one of its feet, revealing a small, rolled-up letter tied to its leg.
Her heart skipped a beat. This wasn't just any owl. The pristine condition of the creature, the manner in which it carried the letter—it was clear this was a magical owl. A wizard or witch must have sent it. But who?
A rush of thoughts flooded her mind. It had been years since she had written any letters, the last one sent to her mother and sister with no response. The most recent letter, however, had been about her father. Could this finally be a reply to that? Had they decided, after all this time, to acknowledge it?
Her hand trembled slightly as she reached out, gently petting the owl before taking the letter from its leg. The owl gave a soft hoot in response, as if approving of her actions. Aurelia slowly unrolled the parchment, her mind racing with anticipation.
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as one of our candidates for the position of Muggles Studies professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Should you be interested in this opportunity, please follow the instructions below to attend your interview.
Something small slid out of the envelope and fell to the floor with a metallic clink. Startled, she glanced down and spotted a coin glinting in the faint light. She crouched to pick it up, holding it between her fingers, the cool surface smooth and weighty. An intricate design etched on one side caught her eye—a serpent coiled around a wand, its scales shimmering as though enchanted. She turned it over, her curiosity piqued, then returned to the letter.
The next lines explained:
Inside this envelope, you will find a Portkey coin. At the designated time, simply hold it firmly and say the incantation: Interview thrice. The coin will transport you directly to the location.
Your interview is scheduled for tomorrow at 1 PM. Please ensure you are prepared. We look forward to meeting you, Miss Lights.
Sincerely,
Professor Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
She read the letter twice, her heart pounding louder with each pass. Hogwarts? The name itself sent a flood amount of memories of her sister many years ago. The professors and classes she had taken. To think they were considering her for a teaching position was almost surreal. How did they even select her? She stared at the owl as if waiting for it to tell her. But it tilted his head and hooted at her instead.
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