"Tell me more about them!" Severus demanded.
"I will not answer that," the voice of William responded. "I've already told you what I am willing to share."
Frustration filled Severus to the point that he wanted to punch the hologram, even if it was his father, "All you've said is their name and that you are connected to them. That's not just small, that's barely anything of use."
The recording of William stared at him with a neutral expression, "I understand your frustration. But you must also understand that I am protecting you by limiting your knowledge. I forbid you to get involved."
"How I am supposed to protect myself when I have no idea what these things are?!" he almost shouted, pacing around the room. "What do they want?"
"I will not answer that."
"What's your connection to them?"
"I will not answer that."
"Dammit! Just tell me something!"
"All you need to know is that the Forsaken are a threat that will kill you if you get in their way. Do not pursue or engage with them in any way."
"Are they with the Death Eaters?"
"No."
"Are they some kind of rogue Dementors?"
"No," William shook his head. "As long as you remain hidden and out of their way, you will be safe."
Unable to keep himself calm, he walked up to the hologram of William and stared at him with just a couple inches in between, "Judging from my memories, you and Derek had something that they wanted. What was it?"
"I will not answer that."
Severus began to take a few deep breaths, "Alright, fine. Was Abraxas Malfoy involved?"
William frowned, "Involved? If you are speaking of your aunt's engagement to him, then yes."
"Not about that. I meant was Abraxas involved with the Forsaken."
"No."
"Were the Forsaken after Helena or Eileen?"
"Not directly, no."
"How do you know any of this?"
William raised an eyebrow, "I will not answer that."
"Quite the catchphrase," Severus sneered. "Tell me about what your plans were to disappear from the Forsaken."
"The plan was to reconnect your mother and aunt with Maximilian, to have him protect all of you until it was safe for me to come back. I found out he was in Salem, and I was already in the process of reaching out until the Forsaken got involved."
"Did you contact him before that night?"
"No, but I told your mother and aunt how to in the event I was killed or taken. The plan was to go directly to him without notifying him. Reaching out beforehand could have exposed our plans."
Severus nodded, "Why wasn't Derek there that night to help?"
William sighed, "He was cut off from me. All entry and exit points were very limited once the Forsaken had gotten involved."
"Entry and exit points? What do you mean?"
"I will not answer that."
He struggled not to yell, despite having already put up a Muffliato charm around the room. He glared at how William watched in amusement.
"For how 'last message to the son' are usually supposed to go, this one is the most frustrating! I'm getting nowhere talking to you!"
"Because you are not asking the right questions. I've already told you. I will not answer anything about the Forsaken or how I am involved with them, which includes your uncle. Try asking other things. Surely, you have questions beyond those."
Taking a deep breath, he began to calm himself down again, especially after his outburst already helped in relieving him some of the stress.
"Mother wanted to name me Eric?"
William smiled, "It was one of her favorite singers."
"And you wanted to name me Michael?"
"An old friend of mine. I wished to honor him. Didn't have to wait long to do that."
Severus remembered the memory. And as much as he wished to bring it up, he felt the need to not bring it up until the time came. Instead, other questions began to surface in his mind.
"How did you and mom meet?"
Despite already knowing, he wished to hear of that day from his father's perspective.
William's smile grew, "It was a sunny day at the beach. I threw a volleyball directly at her."
Severus frowned, "You say that like you meant to throw it at her."
"Because I did."
Silence followed as he raised an eyebrow at him, "I see you had quite the tricks up your sleeves."
"It helps when you've worked out and have good looks to pull in the ladies."
Suddenly, his thoughts began to fill with James Potter and how he did similar things, especially at the expense of using him to get Lily's attention. Closing his eyes, he pushed those thoughts away and focused on himself.
"Melina implied that you and your brother were the secretive types. Judging by the fact that you know how to hide and were able to find Maximilian, you aren't like normal people."
William paused, like as if he was unsure how to respond, "My brother and I... we're more like mercenaries. Although not the kind you may be thinking of."
"Alright, how did you come into being... like mercenaries?"
He watched as his father remained silent, debating how to response, "All I will say is that your uncle and I were out for vengeance for what was taken from us. Don't ask me what happened, because I will not answer that."
He nodded, "Fair enough. Wait, you said that you and Derek were out for revenge. Against whom?"
Apart of him was already guessing who it was and what his father's answer was going to be in regard to responding to him.
"We started hunting the man we held responsible, but he was part of a group known as the Guardians. The only way to get close to him was if we joined the opposition. But when we learned the truth behind those who were backing us, we were forced to switch sides and thus abandon our revenge."
This caught Severus by surprise. He was suspecting that it was the Forsaken, only to be proven wrong. And in place of that guess, he was now met with more questions.
"Who are the Guardians?"
"A group tasked to observe and protect. I won't say anything else beyond that."
"Protect?" he frowned. "You just said that one of them did something terrible that made you desire revenge."
"It's not a perfect organization and not every member is good, but they serve a larger purpose. Without them, none of us would be here."
"Then where were they when Grindelwald was causing so much mayhem? Or the Death Eaters, in terms of today?"
William sighed, "What they protect all of us from are the threats you don't even know exist. The kind of threats that Grindelwald and the Death Eaters could never measure up to."
Although confused, Severus felt a chill run up his spine, especially with the serious expression his father had.
Pushing such thoughts away, he continued asking questions to his father throughout the rest of the day. Some he got straight answers, and others he did not. By the time evening had arrived, Severus had run out of questions to ask, aside from the ones he wished to ask again, although he knew he would only receive the same response as before.
Suddenly, the device started to beep.
Startled, Severus asked, "Why is it doing that?"
"The self-destruct sequence. It has been engaged due to the time limit. I'm sorry for this but it's for your own safety."
Severus sighed, "It wasn't like I was going to be able to ask more questions anyway."
The beeping got louder and faster.
"I meant what I said, Eric," William continued. "I love you. I wish I could be there. All I ask is that you don't pursue anything I've told any further. Just live your life and be happy."
Suddenly, the beeping stopped, and a clicking noise went off from within.
"Program terminated."
The device imploded and was shrunk into a small ball, squeezed together from the force.
Covering his face, Severus lowered his arms and saw what the device had becoming, sighing in frustration as he approached it and kicked it to the corner of the room.
"Thanks for very little... dad."
Rubbing his face, he went to the bathroom and took a long shower, letting the events of the last day finally process through him. Despite learning more than he did two weeks ago, he was still at a loss and nowhere near to discovering the full truth. If anything, the only thing he found was more questions and pieces to the puzzle that just got bigger.
Feeling tired, he dried himself off and fell to sleep in his bed, where the nightmares returned to haunt him. He had hoped they would go away with time, or that knowing some of the truth would make them easier to bear. But they instead only got worse. Just knowing more to the story of his family's past filled his heart and mind with fear of the unknown.
Turning and moaning in his sleep, Severus's hands gripped the sides of the blankets, sweat covering his entire body and staining the bedsheets. Different voices and images appeared before him as he struggled to sleep.
"Please, don't do this!"
"Because I know what they'll do!"
"It's a secret. Mommy and daddy told me not to tell anyone..."
"And what does Lord Septimus Malfoy II get from this marriage arrangement, exactly?"
"If anything happens to me or William, I need you to promise me that you'll protect them-"
"Your brother is at Salem-"
"Abraxas Malfoy!"
"Tell Derek that his efforts have been in vain."
"Convergence is coming."
"WHERE IS 'IT'?!"
Severus almost jumped off the bed as he awoke, leaning up as he breathed heavily. Closing his eyes, he brought his Occlumency walls up and began to calm himself down, lowing back onto the wet sheets beneath him. Looking out of the window, he saw that it was still nighttime, although it seemed that dawn was not so far behind.
He brought the palm of his hand to his face, frustrated with the state of his mind and sleep. But he pushed those feelings aside and got up off the bed as he made his way to the bathroom. Undressing, he took a long shower, allowing for the hot water to run over his head and shoulders, hands pressed up against the wall.
He lost himself in his thoughts, analyzing everything that had happened and the decisions he had made.
Even with so many thoughts going through his head, Severus couldn't help but feel anxiety creeping its way into his mind. He felt his heart sink as he began to worry about all that he had learned in the last two weeks. So much had changed that it felt like a lifetime had passed him by.
But he was no closer to knowing exactly what was going on, or what had happened a full decade before. What started off as a dream had spiraled out of control. It made him long for the days when things were simple, when he was friends with Lily and all he had to worry about were the Marauders.
Pushing his thoughts to the back of his mind, Severus held firm, vowing to follow through with his plans and make himself stronger in all the ways he needed to be. But first, he needed to prepare for what lied ahead of him. Today was the day that he was heading to Salem, where he would begin his new life.
While a part of him wanted to stay in Santander and visit Miss Beverly again, he knew that all the information he could gain was achieved. He had no more reason to stay and possibly draw more attention to himself. He had already said his goodbye to Beverly, so there was nothing more for him to do.
Once finishing his shower, he combed his hair, dressed in his best robes, and put on some cologne. When he looked at himself through the mirror of the bathroom, he couldn't help but notice how much he had changed. No longer was his hair greasy or messy, it had a style to it. His facial figures had really improved, thanks to the makeover he had back in Diagon Alley. Even the robes he wore only added to making him look good.
He began to understand why that girl, Lucia, had taken an interest in him back at the library.
Once getting everything he needed, Severus grabbed his bag and was used the portkey to travel back to the Prince Mansion once he found an alley to do so, just as the dawn was approaching.
/
It was midday as Lily sat in the living room of her family home, reading one of the books she had bought from Hogsmeade. Because her parents were out, the whole place was left to her and Petunia, who was up in her room. As always.
But what should have been a peaceful afternoon, was filled with conflicts of the mind. Ever since Lily had come home from the slumber party the previous day, she couldn't get Severus out of her mind, especially after what her parents told her that night.
/
"Oh, Lily, I almost forgot to mention," Elizabeth was playing a game of chess with her husband, while Lily watched a show on the television. "Severus came over the other night for dinner."
Lily's eyes widened as she looked towards her mother, muting the tv with the remote.
"What?!" her voice almost squeaked. "He didn't say or do 'anything', did he?"
Elizabeth and Richard sent their daughter a confused look, wondering what she meant.
"Oh, no dear, he was actually on his best behavior," Elizabeth responded, before sending a teasing look at her husband. "Unlike some men I know."
"Hey!" Richard raised his eyebrow. "You do know I'm going to make you pay for saying that."
"Bring it on, loser-boy."
"Loser-boy? Who are you calling loser-boy, overachiever?"
"Mum, dad!" Lily got their attention. "What did Severus actually say and do while he was here?"
"Severus came over to say hello," Elizabeth answered, moving one of her chess pieces. "He didn't plan on staying for dinner, but your father and I persuaded him to stay-"
"If you can call 'dragging-him-inside-the-front-door' persuading," Richard teased.
Elizabeth sent him a glare.
"Back on the subject," Lily rolled her eyes at her parents. "What exactly did he say?"
Richard decided it was his queue to jump in, "We talked for a while, saying his parents had another fight, that he might be leaving for the summer. Nothing much of importance."
"I think we should pay his home a visit, see if everything is okay," there was a hint of worry in Elizabeth's voice. "A few days ago, one of our neighbors said that there was a murder-suicide in Severus's neighborhood a week back."
She suddenly gasped, "You don't think that..."
"Honey," Richard reached over, patting her shoulder. "I'm sure everything is fine. Severus would have told us if anything happened. Nor have the papers said anything."
Elizabeth nodded, reassured.
'But Severus was never one to share anything that happened inside his very home, or his heart', Lily thought before speaking, "So... everything was fine then?"
Richard turned his attention towards his daughter again, sending her a look that said that he knew more than he was letting on, "Yes, Lily, everything was fine. But I highly recommend you calling him sometime, or even just meeting him in the park, like you two used to do. I know it'll mean a lot to him."
That look and his words sent a shiver down her spine, making her wonder if Severus may have told him what happened at Hogwarts between them. She also feared that maybe he told a twisted version of the truth, one that made her look like the one who was wrong.
"I'll think about it," she sat back down on the couch, unmuting the tv.
/
Setting the book down, Lily buried her face into his hands and sighed, wondering what to do about her feelings towards Severus. She was very clearly mixed, both angry and sorry. She still resented Severus for what he did but felt sorry for not giving him another chance. There was a part of her that still wanted to be with friends with him.
Suddenly, a shadow appeared over her, grabbing her attention.
Lily turned to find Petunia, looking down on her.
"Hi," she said shyly, touching the side of her hair.
"Hi," Lily replied, surprised by her sister's suddenly change in attitude towards her. She got up and approached her, trying to think of something to say. "How was your school year."
Petunia shrugged, "Ah, you know, the same boring stuff, only fun days are Friday and Saturday. Although I'm sure your school is fun every single day."
Lily sensed some hostility in her voice with the last part, but also saw some regret in her eyes once she said it, turning away with a flash of red on her face.
"I'm sorry," Petunia forced the words out, keeping her face away from her sister. "I didn't mean to say it like that."
Lily was taken back, never once getting any form of apology from her like this. Ever since she had first found out she was a witch, something broke between them. Petunia started ignoring and avoiding her, only speaking when she needed to. There were times when she become hostile towards her, some that required their parents to get involved.
But now here she was, actually trying to treat her like a... human being.
First Severus starts acting weird, then Remus grows a backbone and stands up to James Potter, and now Petunia is starting to treat her nicely. Lily felt like she had gone to an alternate dimension.
But she wasn't about to let this one slide.
"Um, Tuney, are you okay?"
"Yes!" she replied too fast, slowly turning to look back at Lily. "I mean... I don't know."
Frowning, Lily approached her and took her hand, "Tuney, you can talk to me. In fact, how long has it been since we last talked to each other, aside from the usually 'helloes' and 'goodbyes'?"
Petunia shrugged and finally faced her, looking into her eyes.
"I've always envied that you got the better looks in the family, you know."
Lily was shocked by her words, definitely not expecting to hear her admit something like that.
"Um, thank you, I guess," she struggled to find the right words, not wanting to upset her. "But you don't look too bad yourself."
Petunia scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Oh, come on, you and everyone else know I'm hideous. The only eyes I attract are the ones who can never get a chance with a girl like you. I mean, look at you, Lily! I bet you have boys at that school of yours begging to ask you out."
If only you knew about the annoying, arrogant ones that come my way, she thought.
"Tuney, if you're worried about your looks, I came help you. In fact, I know a few places in Diagon Alley that specialize in making people look good, for a price at least."
Petunia backed away from Lily, her expression hardened, and her face lit red like a cherry.
Oh no! Lily immediately became worried she pressed the wrong button.
"I'm not letting any unnatural freak touch me! If natural intended for me to be ugly since birth, then that's how I should be."
Lily wanted to laugh at that logic but kept herself from doing so.
"Tuney, there is nothing wrong with letting magic change your appearance or even do things for you. Why is it wrong of people like me to do great things with magic, when Muggles do amazing things very single day? In the past century, Muggles have created cars, television, found cures for diseases, sent men to the moon, and even created phones. This kind of stuff would have been considered unnatural back in the Dark Ages.
"The Wizarding World works in similar ways, just with magic. We may not have machines like Muggles do, but we can build entire structures in minutes that would take months or even years to accomplish, we can travel great distances within seconds or minutes. And those are just tips of the iceberg, underneath is a whole world of wonder and imagination. Why is that so bad?"
Petunia was taken back, blinking as the words sank in for her.
"I guess I never thought of it like that," she whispered, looking towards the floor. "But how does it all work? Where does that kind of power come from? How can it be explained?"
"Why does it need to be explained?" Lily giggled, taking her hand once again. "We can't see air, yet don't question where it comes from. We drink water, yet we don't question how or why it's good for us. We see and live under the sun, yet we don't question how it lights itself. Magic is the same thing, it has wonder just as much as those things do. I don't know how it works or where it comes from, but why does not knowing suddenly make it an evil thing?"
"But it can be used to hurt and kill," Petunia countered. "I've heard about those stories from that newspapers you read."
"And the Muggles haven't once caused any form of death or destruction?" Lily countered right back. "Muggles have created weapons used to destroy, just as much as they've created things to save and create life. The same is with the Wizarding World, there is both wonder and darkness to everything that there is."
For once Petunia had no words, she could respond to that logic, angering her on the inside. But there was a sense of curiosity as well, something deep within her stirred, wanting to know more. For once in such a long time, she felt interested and even a little excited in knowing that there were other ways to do things. She even hoped that maybe she could change her physical appearance as well.
Lily smiled, knowing she had her attention.
"If you want, I can take you to Diagon Alley some time. I can see if I can get you an appointment with one of the shops and see what options there are. If you don't like it, then they change you back to your original self. And who knows, maybe you'll get lucky in the relationship department. I can even vouch that there are some pretty hot guys in my world. Especially when it comes to the Quidditch teams."
Petunia raised an eyebrow, "And you know this... how, exactly?"
Lily brushed, "Oh, you know, I sometimes happen to be passing by the practice fields."
"Yeah, sure," Petunia giggled.
"Anyway, I'm bored," Lily sighed. "I could use some outdoors right now."
Petunia nodded, "I couldn't agree more. On the boring part, at least."
"Want to go on a walk, or at least sit in the park, or something?"
Petunia shrugged, "I'm up for anything really."
"Well, then, I guess it's decided," Lily squealed with excitement, happy that the two of them were going to get some privacy to themselves. "I'll go change into something more presentable."
"But isn't what you're wearing good enough?" Petunia asked, eyeing her loose shirt and jeans.
"During the summer, I prefer shorts and lighter shirts," she ran from the living room and up the stairs. "I'll be just a couple of minutes."
Exactly three minutes later, Lily appeared back down the stairs, dressed in shorts that outlined her upper legs and a new t-shirt that reached her hips. Grabbing her wand, both she and Petunia were on their way to the park, enjoying the beautiful day as they walked down the concrete sidewalk. Once they reached the park, they sat on the swings and talked, exchanging stories of how their year was like.
By the time they realized that the sun was getting lower, they headed on back to their family home. During dinner, both Elizabeth and Richard were shocked at how well their daughters were talking to each other, let alone the fact they sat nearly shoulder-to-shoulder at the table. In fact, it was the first dinner where everyone was actually laughing and having a good time, Petunia including.
When dinner was over, both Lily and Petunia volunteered to do the dishes together, which surprised their parents even more, although they were more than willing to use the break from leaving the kitchen for a change. While their parents were in the living room, both girls talked, losing themselves in their work and conversation.
At one point, Lily accidently dropped a pan back into the water, sending a wave at them both, soaking their clothes on the front side. At first, Lily was afraid she had pushed Petunia back into her angry mood again, but when she looked at her, she only found her laughing at the ordeal and actually teased her for it. Wanting to pay her back, she used her hands to throw some of the dish water at her face, laughing at the bubbles that covered her.
For a few seconds, Petunia stopped laughing, which worried Lily once again. Then she saw a wave of water being splashed on her face as well, hearing laughter as she rubbed the soap bubbles from her eyes and mouth. When got a good view, she saw Petunia laughing as she wiped the water and soap from her face as well. They both laughed together, not noticing the audience of their parents at the entrance of the kitchen and living room, who were smiling at them.
After cleaning up their mess, they all sat down together to watch an episode of Star Trek on the television, something they hadn't done since both Lily and Petunia were kids.
Once it was time for bed, both Lily and Petunia went to sleep with smiles on their faces, making plans to spend more time together the next day.
/
Arriving back at the Prince Manor, Severus packed everything that he had and mentally prepared himself. After checking with Crashwell to inform him that he was leaving for America, he bid farewell to him and the two house elves, who cried that he was leaving so soon. He knew that Clawlock would see to his letters being sent off the moment he activated his portkey that his new friends created to transport him to Salem, Massachusetts' of the United States.
Dressed in fancy clothing and with a bag over his shoulders, he took the silver cup portkey and was transported from just outside the Prince Manor, feeling himself flying through the air. After a bit of time, he finally found himself approaching solid ground and prepared himself, his feet landing on the concrete sidewalk as he did a little run and came to a stop, dropping the silver cup, which dissolved the moment it hit the ground.
Taking in his surroundings, he realized that he had arrived at the outskirts of the Salem Academy school of the United States. Where it was getting dark in London at the moment, the sun was still high in the sky where he currently was. He knew it would take some time to getting used to the time-zone changes, but he had far more important things to take care of in the next two months ahead.
First, he had to find another Inn to sleep the night in, in preparation for the meeting with the Director of the Salem Academy the next day.
Seeing a group of Salem school witches, he approached them and asked, "Um, excuse me, I was hoping you could point me in the right direction of the nearest wizard inn."
The moment the girls turned their attention towards him, they began to blush and giggle.
Confused, Severus didn't know what to make of their behavior towards him. But then he remembered the makeover he went through a while back and realized that they were admiring his new look. It felt so weird and awkward to have girls paying so much attention towards him, since he never got this kind of attention back at Hogwarts.
One of the girls slightly shook her head and replied, "Ahem, sorry, what was your question again?"
Severus raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes, "Um, I asked if any of you know where the nearest wizard inn is?"
The same girl was distracted by his facial figures and the sound of his voice before she finally answered his question, "Um, yes, its just on the other side of the school. They keep the wizarding shops and inns close by for visitors."
Severus bowed to them, once again making them giggle, which he rolled his eyes to. Figuring it was time to leave, Severus said, "I'll be on my way then. Thank you for your help."
"Please don't go," he heard one of them whisper, almost missing it.
Immediately turning away, he began to walk down pathway, hearing the same girls giggle and begin whispering about him.
"Did you see how hot he was?"
"His voice... Oh my god, I think I died and went to heaven the moment I heard it..."
"Do you think he's going to school here?"
"Screw if he's a student, I want to know if he's single or not..."
When he got far enough away and out of sight, he began to jog, passing tons of students along the way, getting the attention of a few girls who smiled and/or blushed as he passed them by. Once he arrived the first wizarding inn he saw, he went on inside and paid for a room for a couple of nights.
The moment Severus was inside his room number, he dropped his bag and threw himself on the bed, allowing himself to drift to sleep. In the morning, he would have a lot to do, but for now, he needed to rest.
/
The sun rose high in the sky over the city of Paris. With no clouds to be seen, the sun shined over everything, creating a hot day for the summer.
Staring out the window of the wizard hotel of her room, Angelina Ivory moaned to herself in despair. Her fingers tapped the table, feeling the heat of the sun's rays on her skin.
While others were enjoying the time of the year, Angelina couldn't wait for her return to Hogwarts. The trips to Diagon Alley only helped as much as they could for her. And it most certainly didn't help that her parents took her on their trips every year. She already had to put off returning to her waitress job at the wizard restaurant for the time being.
Hearing the door to her room open, she turned to find her mother walking on in, dressed in a fancy wizard robe.
"Oh, there you are! Your father and I need to speak to you."
Sighing, Angelina rose from her seat and nodded, "Yes, mother."
Following her to the living room of the large suite they were renting, she saw her father on the couch, reading the wizard newspaper. Once sitting down on one of the sofas, both her parents looked up at her with happy smiles.
"We have some news to tell you," her mother said.
Her father leaned forward, folding his hands, "We've decided on a suitable husband for you. By the time you graduate from Hogwarts, you'll be marrying Jacob Mulciber."
Angelina felt her heart stop at hearing the name. A rush of fear filling her.
"Mulciber? But... he's... he's-"
"Angelina, dear," her mother spoke with a calm and gentle tone. "You should be proud. This marriage will continue the bloodline for years to come and gain favor with... the right people."
Angelina scoffed, "You mean the Dark Lord and his gang of murderers."
"Watch your tongue, young lady!" her father warned. "Keep talking that way and I'll take away your privileges to leave the manor for now. We don't want make us enemies with those we can't afford to upset. Times are changing, and it's best that we change with 'em."
"But why Mulciber? He's a creep and a bully."
"You're being too judgmental on the boy," said her mother. "How could you truly know him if the two of you never really spoke."
Angelina opened her mouth to protest but stopped at the last second. Memories of what happened to Severus Snape entered her mind. Including the time when Mulciber and his gang cornered her for helping the boy they tortured and left her immobilized. The hair on her arms stood up at just the memory of it.
"We've made our final decision on the matter. You will marry Mulciber in two years' time and honor our family name to be his wife. The arrangement will be made official as soon as possible."
She sighed in defeat, "Yes... father."
Standing up, Mr. Ivory straightened his robes, "Now, we should be getting back home. I've had enough of Paris for the time being."
It was one of the very few times that she agreed with him.
Giving out orders, a group of elves began carrying their luggage from their rooms.
Once they were ready, they used a Portkey to travel to their small manor in London, landing in the middle of their living room.
Wanting to get away from parents, Angelina ran to her room and slammed the door shut. Jumping onto her bed, she began to cry, getting her blankets wet with her tears.
After a while, a knock came from her door.
"Who is it?" she sniffled.
An elf's voice could be heard from the other side of the door.
"Madame? A letter arrived for you. It was specifically instructed to be given only to you."
Taking a moment, she rose from her bed and opened the door, taking the letter from the elf. Closing the door, she walked to the edge of her bed and sat down, opening the envelope to take out the parchment inside.
Her eyes widened at reading the sender's name.
Severus Snape
Unfolding the paper, she began to read.
/
Dear Miss Angelina Ivory,
I wanted to thank you for helping me after what happened in the Common Room. I felt that my gratitude could have been better the last time we spoke to one another. You helped me when no one else did and got humiliated for it by the very people who caused it,
So, I decided to leave you with something. A way to repay you for the kindness you showed me. On the second piece of paper is a record of an account I opened up in your name. Inside this vault will be one hundred thousand galleons waiting for you. All of it is yours to use as you see fit,
When you go to Gringotts, ask for a goblin by the name of Clawlock. Present him with this letter and the second sheet as well. He'll help you with whatever needs to be done. After this, the vault account and money will be officially yours,
However, this isn't the only reason I wrote,
I deeply apologize for only telling you this in a letter instead of in person. But at the time, I felt it was necessary to keep my plans secret for the time being. I will not be attending Hogwarts any longer. I've decided to attend a new school and pursue a new life. So, we won't be seeing one another at Hogwarts anymore,
You once told me that you wished to start a new life of your own. Consider this as a chance to do so. Live your life as you want to,
Take care, Angelina. I hope you find happiness in whatever decision you make,
Severus Snape
/
She reread the letter a couple times. Unable to trust her eyes or her mind to believe anything on the parchment.
Realizing she wasn't imagining what was written, Angelina jumped up and down with joy, letting out a loud squeal. She held the letter tight against her chest in her excitement.
Checking the time, she changed into a new pair of wizard clothes and ran out of her room, just barely missing her mother on the flight of stairs to the main floor.
"Dear Merlin, what's the rush, sweetheart!"
"I'm going to Diagon Alley for a little while."
She heard her mother sigh, "Okay. But please be back before dinner. Your father has invited guests."
Despite how much she wanted to miss such an event, she forced herself to reply, "Alright!"
Arriving in the living room, she grabbed some Floo powder and stood in the middle of the fireplace. Shouting, "Diagon Alley", as she threw the powder down to her feet.
As the green flames consumed her, she arrived at famous wizard shopping location of London and made her way to the Gringotts Wizarding Bank as fast as she could. Rushing through the doors and approaching the main desk, she was forced to wait a few moments before the goblin took notice of her.
Asking for the Senior Financial Advisor, Clawlock, the goblin left and came back a few minutes later, with the person she needed to see.
"Miss Ivory," Clawlock nodded to her. "I've been expecting your visit for some time now. But first, before we precede, I would like to see the document that came with the letter."
Nodding in return, she took out the two sheets of paper and handed them over.
Once the goblin had analyzed and confirmed the document as legit, he then led her on down to the vaults beneath the bank. Arriving at the correct vault number, he used a key to open it and then gave it to her, for future use and confirmation of her identity.
Angelina's mouth dropped at the sight of galleons all around her. Despite seeing such wealth before, she couldn't believe it actually belonged to her.
"All of this is now officially yours, Miss Ivory. It would seem you have a powerful friend, who cares for your well-being."
On the verge of weeping with joy, she forced herself to remain calm.
"Do you know where Severus Snape is, by any chance?"
Clawlock shook his head, "I'm sorry, my dear. I cannot confirm, nor deny knowing of his whereabouts."
Though disappointed by his answer, she nodded.
"Can you deliver him a message for me?"
"If it doesn't violate his wishes, then I can."
"Tell him... thank you..." She sniffled. "And... that I would like to speak to him..."
Clawlock nodded, "I will raly the message to him. But I make no promises that he'll grant an audience with you."
"I understand."
The goblin walked to vault door, "I'll be waiting outside, until you are done here."
Once he was out of sight, Angelina covered her mouth as she looked around the vault room with awe. Enchanted by galleons that surrounded her. She began making a withdraw, taking a large sum to spend.
Leaving the bank with a smile on her face, she went shopping for a little while. Even paying a visit to the wizard restaurant to talk to the manager, who immediately gave back her usual job as waitress for the summer.
Even when she arrived back home, she couldn't stop smiling.
But as dinner drew near, her happiness quickly started to fade. The announcement of her engagement to Jacob Mulciber came back with a vengeance, creating a black hole within her chest. A reminder of what she might have to do in order to get out from under her parents' control.
Dressing in proper outfit for the evening, she made her way down to dinner. The moment she reached the dinning room, her eyes widened the moment she saw who the guests of the evening were going to be.
The Mulciber family were deep in conversation with her parents, with their son standing close by.
Frozen with fear, her eyes met Mulciber, who smiled at her. Scoffing, she avoided eye contact and approached her parents.
"Angelina, dear," her mother greeted. "Meet your intended's parents."
"Mr. and Mrs. Mulciber," she bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."
"The pleasure is all ours," Mrs. Mulciber greeted back. "We look forward to getting to you and your family better."
Taking their seats, they started eating the food that the servants would bring from the kitchen, beginning a series of conversations that made Angelina bored.
As the hour passed with dread, she avoided looking at Mulciber the best as she could. She could feel his gaze on her, causing goosebumps to rise on her arms and legs.
Waiting as long as she could, she excused herself from the table and began walking back to her room, having had enough for the evening.
Before she could make it to the stairs, a voice stopped her.
"Is this how you treat your future husband?"
Angelina rolled her eyes, as she turned to come face to face with Mulciber.
"Like you'll ever give me the same respect."
"Oh, but I promise I won't disappoint."
She glared at him, "This marriage will never happen, Mulciber. One way or another, I'm not marrying you."
"Oh, you think so, do you? Last time I checked, you have to obey anything mommy and daddy says. Or else you risk being disowned from all of this."
"I'm willing to take such a risk. If it means never being your wife. Or anything having to do with you."
Mulciber's face slowly turned dark and serious, "Now, now, Angelina-"
"It's Miss Ivory, thank you."
"-I'll call you whatever I like. But as I was saying, you shouldn't do anything rash or stupid. You might end up getting hurt."
"Like you did to Severus?"
His face lit up with anger, "Oh, trust me. That little traitor will get much worse than you. He won't survive the next school year."
She smirked, "Oh, I have an idea he just might. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm retiring for the evening."
"Want some help in that regard?"
She scoffed with disgust and ran up the stairs as fast as she could, throwing herself onto the bed after making sure to place locking spells on her door. As she laid there, her mind wondered off.
She knew that she needed to confront her parents about this and try to make them call off the wedding to Mulciber. She couldn't marry someone as terrible as him. But fears of being disowned entered her mind. She didn't want to lose her parents or her friends from Hogwarts. But she feared being forced into a loveless marriage so much more.
Making a decision, she decided to begin looking for a place to buy in Diagon Alley. If she could get something suitable enough and could fit within her income she would receive from her summer job, she would be able to live a life outside of her parents.
Losing consciousness, she fell to sleep.
/
Dumbledore sat in his office as he rubbed his beard, enjoying the moment of peace and relaxation for the time being before he was to do an interview with a possible hiring.
Hearing the gargoyle door open, he watched as the Professor of Muggle Studies, Roland Victor, entered his office.
"Apologizes for disturbing you, Headmaster."
Dumbledore shook his head, "No worries, Mister Victor. What can I do for you today."
The professor took his seat and said, "I don't wish to burden you with this, but I came to let you know that I have decided to step down as the Muggle Studies Professor. I feel the need to travel the world once more. I fear I was never one to stay in one place for so long."
Dumbledore sighed and nodded, "I understand. But is there anything I can do to convince you to stay?"
"I'm sorry, but no. My mind has already been made up. I'll stay until the beginning of August, but I plan on leaving as soon as possible."
"Very well. As Headmaster of Hogwarts, I thank you for your service to this school and to its students. You will be missed, Victor."
Nodding, Victor rose from his seat and walked back to the doorway.
Sighing, Dumbledore began sorting through his mail, hoping to get his mind off the workload for once. For hours he read the large stack, until he came across one that caught him by surprise.
Taking the envelope that read the name of the sender as Severus Snape, he opened it and took out a series of papers. Sorting through them, he found a letter.
/
To: Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore,
I wish to inform you that I have recently been able to claim emancipation, so I will not require your permission to go to another school of my choosing for my last two years. And I also am able to repay you for the money you gave in helping with my mother's funeral arrangements. I've transferred the exact amount spent on the funeral. Consider it a way to repay your kindness,
Sincerely,
Severus Snape,
/
Dumbledore's curiosity rose as he began to wonder how the young Snape had managed to come into possession of the money needed to pay back the school, even though no such debt would have been put onto him. But he was even more surprised by the fact that he was able to achieve emancipation, which freed him from any guardian and thus made him an adult at the age of fifteen. He made a mental note to keep an eye on the boy, fearing what kind of problems could arise in a potential Death Eater who was capable of all of this in such a short amount of time.
For now, he was happy that summer holidays had begun. It was the only time Hogwarts was at its most peaceful. But if someone were to ask him, he would most definitely say that Christmas was his favorite holiday, as it represented the end of a long year and the beginning of the new.
Despite the peacefulness of his room, he was wary of the Ministry of Magic trying to get him involved with the growing threat of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. And while he had every intention of going after the new Dark Lord, he planned on doing it on his own terms. He already had plans of creating a new organization to face the threat at hand but had very little time to find members at the moment.
Putting these thoughts aside, he prepared himself for an interview with a former French teacher in the next hour, who was arriving to discuss teaching at Hogwarts. He considered using her to replace Roland Viktor but worried that it will not be her best expertise.
Almost an hour later, the door to his office opened, Dumbledore stood up and walked around his desk to greet the guest, Professor Janet Woods.
"Welcome, Professor Woods," Dumbledore nodded, folding his hands behind his back. "Please, come take a seat."
Professor Woods smiled in reply and walked to one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk, taking a seat. Meanwhile, Dumbledore walked back around and sat in the master chair, getting comfortable for the interview.
"Well, I've reviewed your past work at the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and I believe you're more than well suited to become a staff member of Hogwarts. However, I must sadly tell you that the Potions position isn't available. As of right now, only the Divination, the Apparition, and Muggle Studies positions are available for next year."
Professor Woods silently sighed to herself and replied, "Well, I am interested in the Divination position. One of my distant relatives was a seer."
"Excellent," Dumbledore clapped his hands together, smiling. "But I don't want to force you into a position you don't want, Professor. Hogwarts isn't the only option."
"Oh, no, Headmaster, I'm fine with Divination," Professor Woods smiled. "I have some experience, it's just that I so rarely get any visions. In fact, I don't even remember th-"
Suddenly, Professor Woods stopped talking and her face became expressionless, forced into a prophetic trance. She remained silent for a few seconds before she started to speak again, except she sounded different and deeper.
"The prophecy has changed. No longer will it be the destiny of the 'Boy-Who-Lived' to determine the fate of the world, but the destiny of the 'Half-Blood Prince'. The last of an ancient dynasty will unite against their enemies. And from the ashes of their war, for better or for worse, a new era will arise!"
Left speechless, Dumbledore tried to gather himself as he tried to process what he had just heard.
"-em after they happen. And- Headmaster, are you alright? You look ill."
Dumbledore blinked and replied, "No, I'm alright, dear. Can you reply what you just said, please?"
Confused, Professor Woods shrugged and repeated her words, "I don't even remember them after they happen. Are you sure you're okay, Headmaster?"
Dumbledore was awestruck that she couldn't remember the words she had spoken. But he figured it was part of the side-effect to being a descendant of a seer, as they never seem to remember exactly the prophecy they tell. He forced himself to push the matter for the side at the moment, not wanting to frighten the Professor at the moment.
"Yes, my dear, I'm alright," he stood up from his desk. "Let's take a walk to the Divination classroom and see if you are truly up for taking the position."
Through the rest of the interview, Dumbledore couldn't stop thinking about the prophecy he had just heard. If he heard it correctly, then the prophecy wasn't the first one. It was a new one, most likely a reaction to a change in the timeline. Whoever the 'Boy-Who-Lived' was, they no longer had any part in the war against the Dark Lord. But now it was in the hands of someone known as the 'Half-Blood Prince'.