Can't Catch Me Now/ Severus Snape - Rissarosewrites - Harry Potter (2024)

Chapter Text

"Whats that look for?" Severus questioned.

"Mail came." Lilith offered easily as her gaze dropped from the ceiling. Harry's footsteps came running down the steps.

"Happy birthday my love
"Happy birthday my love." lilith declared. Harry hugged her tight before she held out the letter that had come.

"It's really here." Harry declared.

"It's really here." Lilith agreed kissing the top of his head. Harry opened it carefully.

Dear Mr Snape,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Harry screamed! Which had Aria running in from the backyard, Ser Pounce hot on her heels demanding what was wrong.

"It's really happening!" Harry declared.

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk. A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot. Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling. A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch. One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore. Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger."

Harry was so excited as he read off every book and every item. Lilith and severus shared a proud look as Aria walked off already bored to get a snack.

"Mama I can't reach the cookie jar!" Aria demanded.

"For good reason." Severus agreed but he went to help her fetch a cookie all the same.

"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander. The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble." Harry went on, he smiled up at Lilith as she stroked his hair.

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand, 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2), 1 set glass or crystal phials, 1 telescope, 1 set brass scales.

Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK.

"I feel like that one is directed at you mum." Harry remarked.

"You need a broom, thats just a stupid rule." Lilith countered.

"Owl, cat or toad..." harry remarked looking at their pets. "Well we have three owls." Aria marched back into the room with a cookie in her mouth.

"What?" Aria demanded.

"Mouse or Pip?" Harry questioned.

"They are mine." Aria corrected.

"You have Ser Pounce." Harry corrected nodding to her black cat purring between her legs as they spoke.

"No, you can't have my owls. Ser Pounce loves them." Aria corrected.

"But I'm going to school-"

"We always go to school." Aria corrected. "Besides you know that they are too little to be carrier owls."

"We have a cat and three owls. I want a pet. I'm allowed a pet Aria." Harry corrected.

"HOotie is mama's owl." Aria corrected. "Besides you can get a new one. You know mum and dad will get you one."

"And if I want the one that we already have?" Harry countered. Aria rooted little hands on little hips.

"Too bad, I'm in charge." Aria corrected.

Stone
1
"First year students will require: three sets of work robes, one wand." Harry remarked.

"Essential bit of equipment, Harry." Severus agreed. Harry smiled up at him.

"I cant wait to finally get a wand." Harry declared before looking back at his list of supplies. "All students must be equipped with...one standard size two pewter cauldron-"

"The best thing you will get-" severus agreed.

"After a wand." Lilith countered.

"-and may bring if they desire either an owl, a cat or a toad." harry read on.

"What do you want my love?" Lilith questioned.

"I want another cat." Aria declared.

"My other love." Lilith corrected kissing the top of arias head.

"An owl could be cool." Harry offered.

"Than an owl we shall get you," lilith agreed.

A white and grey speckled owl stuck out to harry. He nestled against harry cooing into him.

Books piled high in severus hands and dumped into the cauldron- it was also a great basket while shopping- and they were off to find harry a wand.

"I wondered when I'd be seeing you, young Mr. Snape. Hello Mr and Mrs Snape and oh a little Snape."

"Im Aria." She declared.

"Hello little miss." Ollivander answered before looking to lilith and severus again a smile on his face. Lilith remembered that day too she came with Lily and they ran around in a fit of giggles that this was their life now. "It seems only yesterday that your mother and father were in here buying their first wands." Ollivander remarked looking to Lilith and severus. "Ah. Here we are." Harry held it, but it did nothing. "Well, give it a wave." Harry smiled waving it around like he saw his mother and father do. This caused most of the boxes to come flying out and crashing down. Harry jumped and hurriedly put the wand back on the counter. Aria shook her head clearly disappointed in her brothers lack of skills. "Apparently not". He got another wand from a box. "Perhaps this." Harry waves at a vase, which shatters, startling aria back into severus legs. "No, no, definitely not! No matter..."

"Come on Ollivander you used to be better at this." Lilith mused. He smiled back at her and got a wand from a box, but stopped and stared thoughtful back at them.

"Got mine on the first try." Severus agreed.

" I wonder." Ollivander whispered. Lilith narrowed her eyes as he handed the wand to Harry. No sooner after he touched it, the wand suddenly glowed in his hand, blowing his hair up and several of the paperwork in the background.

"Ding ding ding we have a winner." Lilith declared. Ollivander looked a bit surprised however.

"Curious, very curious."

" Sorry, but what's curious?" Harry questioned.

"Yes. Do tell." Severus agreed examining the wand more carefully.

" I remember every wand I've ever sold, young Mr. Snape. It just so happens that the phoenix, whose tail feather resides in your wand gave one other feather, just one. It is curious that you should be destined for this wand when its brother gave you that scar." Points to the lighting bolt scar on Harry's forehead. Lilith tensed.

"And...who owned that wand?" Harry whispered already knowing the answer but not wanting to believe they were connected.

"Oh, we do not speak his name. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Snape. It's not always clear why, but I think it is clear that we can expect great things from you. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things...terrible, yes, but great." he handed Harry back his wand. Harry looked to his mother her lips pursed and brow furrowed but she forced a smile.

"Its just a wand my love. A powerful wand at that. For a powerful wizard such as yourself." Lilith assured. "Come on, lets get supper in town before we have to head off."

Lilith tried not to focus on the twin wands, tried not to focus what that might have meant. She pushed the thoughts from her mind, holding to Harry's hand as they got the final few things for class. Aria jumped around excited for her own first year but Lilith had to keep reminding her that was a long while away.

Harry could sense his mothers worry and gave her hand a squeeze.

"It's just a wand." He repeated. Lilith smiled down at her.

"Thats right, now today is a special occasion." Severus declared. "Our boy is starting at Hogwarts. We need-" Aria jumped up pulling on Harry's opposite hand.

"SAY CHOCOLATE!"

2

"Okay. I can do this I can do this. Not so scary- hey Draco."

"Why are you fretting snape?" Draco questioned. "You are a slytherin legacy."

" you mean you are not nervous at all?" Harry countered.

"Nah slytherin through and through." Draco assured.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you house points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup."

" It's not real, the ceiling. It's just bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History." Hermione was telling as McGonagall leads the first-years to the front where the Sorting Hat lay on the stool.

"Will you wait along here, please? Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words." Minerva added, Harry looked to his parents and sister at the head table, LIlith smiled when she saw him.

"Our boy." Lilith whispered, Severus reached behind Aria's chair and grabbed LIlith's hand.

"Our boy." He agreed.

" I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce. The first years please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that the 3rd floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you." Dumbledore remarked before sitting back down.

"He has an old kitty cat." Aria remarked.

"Yes he does and he is very possessive over her." Lilith added.

" When I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses. Hermione Granger."

" There isn't a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin." Rom remarked.

"My parents are both slytherins." Harry corrected.

"Oh... ummm." Ron looked away awkwardly.

"Ronald Weasley."

"Thats me." Ron ran off. Harry looked to his mother wondering when he would be called, the names were never in order, chronological like LIlith would have preferred. It seemed to be completely random so Harry waited for his name to be called taking slow deep breaths. Draco was called up and the hat barely touched his head before it shouted Slytherin. Draco nodded heading to the green slytherin table happily.

"Harry Snape."

"My baby!" Lilith declared. Harry turned red. "Sorry honey." Lilith cooed.

"Hmm...difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage I see, not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes, and a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?" The hat remarked. "Hmm... better be... Gryffindor!" Harry looked shocked as he stood up. He looked to his parents but they were clapping for him. Gryffindor?

"Say, Percy, who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?"

"Oh, that's Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house." Percy remarked.

"What's he teach?" Hermione questioned.

"Potions." Harry answered.

"But everyone knows it's the Dark Arts he fancies. He's been after Quirrell's job for years." Percy informed them.

"Hes my father." Harry added. They all looked to him. He never felt so out of place in a house the hat deemed he was meant to be in. They all seemed to hate slytherins.

"I thought Harry was going to be in Ssssslytherin." Aria questioned confused. "He's with the lion heads."

"He is." Lilith agreed. "But thats okay."

"Is it?" Severus teased. LIlith whacked him.

"It's a fine house." Lilith agreed. "Eat up, I'm not cooking you a midnight snack." She informed Aria. Aria piled more food onto her plate. Harry kept glancing up at the head table and at Draco, already making a ton of friends it seemed but harry had got off on the wrong foot just by being born a Snape.

"Hello, Sir Nicholas. Have a nice summer?" Percy questioned.

"Dismal. Once again, my request to join the headless hunt has been denied." Nick remarked as he floated away.

"I know you! You're Nearly Headless Nick!" Ron declared. Harry smiled up at Nick.

"I prefer Sir Nicholas if you don't mind." he corrected. "Hello Harry. I see you are in Gryffindor this year, well done."

"Thanks." Harry whispered but he didnt feel like it was worth a congratulations.

"Nearly headless? How can you be nearly headless?" Hermione countered.

"Like this." He grabbed his head and pulls it to the side. His head is hanging on just by a thread. The kids jumped back.

"Ahh!" Ron shouted.

"Gryffindors, follow me, please. Keep up. Thank you." Percy remarked as he kept going.

"Ravenclaws, follow me. This way." another head boy remarked.

" This is the most direct path to the dormitories. Oh, and keep an eye on the staircases...they like to change." Percy warned. "Keep up, please, and follow me. Quickly now, come on. Come on." the staircase began to move under them.

"Seamus, that picture's moving!" Neville declared.

"Look at that one, Harry!" Ron agreed.

"I think she fancies you." Harry teased giving his new housemate a nudge. Ron scrunched up his face. Maybe harry could win them over.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." One of the portraits declared.

"Password?" the fat lady questioned.

"Caput Draconis." Percy remarked. The Fat Lady smiled and nodded in confirmation. The painting opens up to reveal a doorway in the wall, leading to Gryffindor Tower. "Follow me, everyone. Keep up, quickly, come on." they gathered around looking at their common room, red banners.

" Gather 'round here. Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room. Boy's dormitories, upstairs and down to your left. Girls, the same on your right. You'll find that your belongings have already been brought up." Percy informed them.

Harry moved to his room, he was bunking with Ron, Seamus and Neville and another boy he hadnt met yet. He let Hedwig his new owl out of his cage and let him fly around. But as his new roommates got ready all chatting happily Harry realized how much he missed home already. Even though Hogwarts was his home, he was down with his family, now it was going to be like an endless sleepover with strangers.

3
"Open up." Lilith commanded when she got to the gryffindor common room. She knocked on the protrait. "Open up."

"Password?" The fat lady demanded.

"Open up or I break you frame." Lilith hissed. The fat lady grumbled opening up.

"Always pleasent Evans." She hissed.

"Harry?" She knocked on a few doors before she found him. "Sorry to interrupt." Harry ran to her hugging her tight. "Come on let me steal you for a moment." She requested. She brought him down to the common room and he leaned into her sad eyes staring up at him.

"Whats wrong baby? Do you not like your bunk mates."

"Its just not what I expected." Harry corrected. "They all think slytherins are awful-"

" That's only because Gryffindor and Slytherin are main competitors. They don't actually mean it."

"Ron said that no one good came out of Slytherin."

" well, he is a Weasley and that should be all I need to say about that." Lilith offered.

"Are you mad?"

"Mad?" Lilith countered confused.

"Im in griffindor. Not slytherin." Harry remarked.

"Oh honey. Your aunt and uncle stinky were in gryffindor. It's a good house." She assured.

"But you and dad-"

"You are your own person my love." Lilith reminded him.

"The hat said, that I could have been slytherin." Harry admitted. Lilith stroked his hair back from his eyes, a smile On her lips. "But thought griffindor would be better."

"The hat did the same to me." Lilith admitted

"It did?"

"I almost begged for gryffindor because your aunt lily was already placed there and I wanted to be with my twin but he declared slytherin. Im glad the hat did because I met your father. Had you. Everything found a place I don't think I would've fallen in love with your Father if I hadnt been put in slytherin. The hat knows what hes talking about harry." Lilith assured.

"Thanks mum." He hugged her tight.

"Im here whenever you need me. Your father and I will try not to embarrass you too much." She added kissing his forehead. "Its going to be strange not kissing you goodnight ever night."

"Its going to be strange not staying in the dungeons." Harry added.

"True." Lilith chuckled. "You get a nice view from up here though." Harry shrugged. "Your room is still your room. Your father and I wont change it. Its yours. Your sister wants to turn it into a ballet studio but I wont let her." Lilith assured. "You can come back anytime. No one will know if you come sneaking out honey. Or you can say you were summoned by those awful slytherins." She mused.

"I love you mum." He held her tight.

"I love you so much baby." Lilith agreed. He smiled up at her feeling better already.

"I think draco is disappointed. He was looking forward to having you in his house." Lilith remarked nodding to draco outside the common room where she didnt close the portrait all the way.

"Gryffindor? Come on mate!" Draco shouted. "You are aslytherin legacy. The hat is an idiot. Back me up Ms Lilith."

"Curfew loves." Lilith countered. "Don't stay up too late."

"Night mum!" Harry called out.

"Night Harry. Night Draco."

"Is it weird or cool having your mum here?" Draco questioned waving her off.

"I love it." Harry assured. "My little sister however thats going to be annoying." He teased. "My dad said hes not going easy on us in potions too."

"Please we got this. Hogwarts is going to be our playground."

4
Lilith got back to their chambers and severus rose up from his chair beside the fire.

"Aria asleep?" Lilith questioned as his lips met hers.

"Yep. Her and the cat. She was dressing him up in a tutu." Severus added. Lilith pushed him back to his seat and curled up in his lap.

"Maybe he wants to be in ballet to." Lilith suggested. "You dont know." Severus chuckled holding her hostage in his arms.

"How is he?"

"Nervous but okay. Draco was with him when I left... apparently his new house mates think us slytherins are evil."

"What? How strange." Severus mused.

"Yeah well thats Gryffindor for you." She agreed. "I'm sad I dont get him in my classes yet."

"You honestly think he wont spend his free period with you?"

"He's growing up, he wont need us as much as he used to. "Lilith corrected.

"He will always need his mother." Severus corrected kissing her gently.

"You arent going to go easy on him are you?" Lilith realized.

"He should know more than them." Severus agreed. "I'm holding him to higher standards-"

"Sevy," Lilith whined. "Remember being in school and not just at school are two different things, he is going to be nervous."

"I can't show favorites. You know my reputation." Severus corrected.

"Yeah, but he is your son and he will report back to me if you are a dick." Lilith corrected.

It was harder for Lilith to let go. Of course it was, harry was her first baby. Severus got to see him in classes every day, to continue to teach him and mentor him. Lilith never hated ancient runes so much.

"Would you like me to concoct a sleeping draft?" Severus questioned.

"I'm fine." Lilith countered.

"You are clearly not." Severus corrected. "You have been tossing and turning for hours my love."

"I'm just worried about this year. Quirrell has been squirrely."

"He always is." Severus countered.

"He was-"

"I know what he was but Albus would not have hired him if he didnt believe he was reformed. Like myself." Severus reminded her. Lilith nodded laying back in bed again before shooting up and moving to Aria's room. Aria rubbed at her eyes as Lilith picked her up bringing her back to their bed. Severus moved over as Aria snuggled in between them.

Aria didnt complain or ask why she was being woken up and transferred to their bed, she would gladly sleep snug between her parents.

Lilith lay back down and snuggled Aria close.

"She's not allowed to go to Hogwarts. She is going to stay my little girl forever." Lilith instructed. Severus chuckled.

"I think she will have some complaints to that." Severus countered.

"You think Harry is going to be okay?"

"Honey, please. Relax, we are right here." Severus reminded her. "We can keep an eye on him."

"I know, I know I just... I miss him being right here, in the next room. So I could go in and check on him and kiss him goodnight and make sure he went to bed at a reasonable time and wanst up until midnight reading, because he has class in the morning." She added.

"Honey, we raised a smart and capable young man-"

"He's a child. Not a man. Don't age him up." She begged. Severus chuckled.

"Harry Snape is going to thrive here."

"I hope so." Lilith agreed leaning into him.

"Guys." Aria begged. "I'm trying to sleep here!"

"Sorry honey," Lilith kissed the top of her head. Severus reached out a hand and grabbed LIilths. He leaned past Aria and kissed Lilith.

"Goodnight, my love."

"Night." She whispered reaching out and touching his cheek, running her fingers down his arm and grabbing his hand again.

Everything else would be a tomorrow problem. They needed a good nights rest. Tomorrow was the first day of term after all. Anything could happen.

5

Aria yawned stretching out and punching severus in the stomach in the process.

"Ohh," severus groaned back.

"Ahh," Aria countered happily. Lilith held aria hostage in her arms a moment longer. "Mummy," aria whispered. "I cant breathe." Lilith reluctantly let her go. "And im free!" Aria shouted jumping up and jumping on the bed.

"I want to bug harry at class." Aria decided.

"You are with me little miss. Harry is in school now. He has tests and classes. A real schedule." Lilith corrected.

"Boo!" Aria corrected.

"Come on get dressed." Severus insturcted and aria flew off the bed as if she was a bird. "Shes going to break something one of these days." Severus realized.

"Yes. Luckily for her we can fix her broken bones easy enough." Lilith agreed.

"Hey," severus grabbed her arm gently and pulled her back to him. Kissing her gently. "I will keep an eye on him."

"I know you will." Lilith assured. "He loves you so much. He wants to be just like you." Severus chuckled shaking his head. "You remember when we first got to Hogwarts? Harry wanted to check on you that first day. Make sure you were alright. Thought you might be lonely.... I just have a bad feeling and maybe its just..." lilith shrugged. "Maybe its not anything. Maybe its just me being a mother that doesnt want to let go but-"

"I feel it to. I love you and the kids. I would do anything to protect you three." He added. "Try not to worry. Its just the first day. What could go wr-"

"Everything!"

"Mama im ready and my tummy is grumbling!" Aria declared.

Severus held back a smile as harry and draco came into the classroom. He waited until the students were seated before standing up straighter and taking control of the room.

"There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few..." Severus remarked looking at Draco and Harry, who smiled in return. Severus liked that they sat together still. "who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper..." Draco smirked elbowing harry. "in death." Draco rose his eyebrows. "Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confidant enough to not... pay... attention." Severus went on moving towards Ron, as he yawned out tipping back in his chair.

"Weasley no doubt." Severus remarked kicking rons chair back down to the ground. Ron nodded nervously. "Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Severus questioned. Hermione rose her hand. Ron shrugged. "You don't know? Well, let's try again. Where, mr weasley, would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?" Harry rose his hand.

"Umm umm umm," ron stuttered nervously.

"And what is the difference between monkshood and wolfbane?" Severus pondered. Hermione was practically jumping out of her seat.

"Mr Malfoy? Harry? Can you enlighten the class?" Severus quizzed.

"asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful, it is known as the Draught of Living Death." Draco remarked proudly.

"A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons." Harry added. Severus wished lilith was here to see their son now. "But monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite." Harry declared.

"Very good you two." Severus agreed. "Well?" Severus questioned the students. "Why aren't you all copying this down?" Quickly they all got their quilled out writing down what he said. Severus returned to his desk, and dips his quill into some ink. "And thanks to both Gryffindors and Slytherins knowledge- Mr Draco and Mr Harry five points will be give to both your houses." There was a little cheer of excitement.

Harry hung back after class, waiting for everyone to leave. It wasnt a surprise or a secret to anyone. He was Harry Snape after all but there was a reason why severus called him Harry and not Mr Snape.

"Hi dad."

"Harry." He answered giving his shoulder a squeeze. "You did well today."

"Thanks." Harry whispered

"You have charms next dont you? You dont want to be late."

"I know... how is mum?" Harry questioned. Severus chuckled.

"She misses you already of course. She would love that you asked about her." Severus added. He hugged him quickly before sending him on his way. Harry waved back at him from the door. Severus smiled reciprocating his affection.

6

"Eye of rabbit, harp string hum. Turn this water, into rum." Seamus declared, he looked in cup and shook his head. "Eye of rabbit, harp string hum..." Seamus chanted.

"What's Seamus trying to do to that glass of water?" Harry questioned.

"Turn it into rum. Actually managed a weak tea yesterday, before-" but Ron was cut off when a mighty flash and bang occurred. The cup had exploded in Seamus face. Rob laughed as Hermione fanned away the smoke with her hand. Suddenly, a flock of owls started coming into the hall from the rafters above.

"Ah. Mail's here!" Ron declared. Harry looked to Hedwig but he didnt know why, everyone he loved was already at Hogwarts. Hootie was coming in though but Harry assumed it was more for socialization and getting pet rather than being useful. Mouse and Pip were still little things, They basically lived on Aria's shoulders when she was strutting around their chambers. Aria, the smart mouth that she was, was right. They wouldnt have been good carrier owls.

The owls soared by, dropping parcels to students. Ron got a parcel, Harry noticed the wrapping of Ron's mail was the newspaper.

"Can I borrow this?" Harry questioned pointing to the paper. Ron nodded "Thanks." Neville was unwrapping a gift. It is a clear glass ball with a gold banner around it.

"Hey," Draco sat beside him. "Look what my father sent." harry looked over the pocket watch.

"Cool... what are you going to do with a pocket watch old man?" Harry mused. Draco shoved him.

"I'm sophisticated." Draco corrected. "OH!" He declared grabbing the paper from him. "You call me old but you are reading the paper." Harry snatched it back.

"Hey, look! Neville's got a Remembrall!" Dean declared.

"I've read about those. When the smoke turns red," Hermione remarked as the smoke turns red, "-it means you've forgotten something."

"Nerd." Draco coughed out.

"The only problem is, I can't remember what I've forgotten." Neville remarked looking into the smoke.

"So a useless gift." Draco agreed.

"Draco look at this somebody broke into Gringotts, listen." harry instructed as he read. "Believed to be the work of dark witches or wizards unknown, Gringotts goblins, while acknowledging the breach, insist that nothing was taken. The vault in question, number 713, had in fact been emptied earlier that same day..."

"Of course they would say nothing was stolen." Draco agreed. "They are not going to say they lost the sh*t."

"What if it was emptied?" Harry countered. "And someone knew it was about to be stolen."

"Then they must be skilled in divination." Draco decided. "Come on, lets go." Draco pulled Harry up.

"I have Herbology next-"

"So do I. Dont worry. Come on." Draco assured.

"Where are we going?" Harry countered.

"I dont like that Draco." hermione muttered as Harry ran off.

"He is settling in well. Likes his classmates. It's nice to see." Severus remarked. "Likes his housemates too."

"I know, I'm so glad. I have had Hootie spying on him for me." Lilith admitted. Severus laughed out. "I'm serious." She added.

"What does Hootie say?"

"Nothing, she is an awful spy." Lilith declared. Severus continued to laugh, holding tight to her.

The next thing she knew, his tongue was tangling with hers and his fingers were wrapped around her hair, pulling it taut and forcing her head at a better angle for him to devour her. It was hard. It was intense. It was a preview of how Severus was in bed. She squeezed her hand between their bodies and cupped his hard co*ck. Severus let loose with a half groan, half growl before grabbing her by the hips and pushing against her from the front. He released her hair and snagged her wrists and held them out to the side, her palms pressed against the desk, so she couldn’t touch him as he rocked against her. It was good—f*ck that, it was amazing—but not enough. Never enough. She needed more. She needed to feel him against her core. What she wouldn’t give to wrap her legs around his lean hips. Lilith smirked up at him.

Desperate to devour more of her, he tore his mouth away, missing the divine torment of her lips the millisecond he broke contact.

"Lilith," he groaned against the delicate curve of her jaw. Her throaty chuckle vibrated against his tongue as he licked and kissed his way down her neck.

"Severus.” she answered. A soft nip of her tender flesh turned her teasing words into a sultry moan.

"Damnit." He pulled away hearing the creek of the floorboards.

"What?" Lilith countered breathlessly.

"We are not supposed to be- oh!" Harry declared. Lilith sighed leaning back into Severu.

"You might want to take a seat unless you want harry to see your boner." Lilith suggested. Severus glanced down, cleared his throat and moved around the desk.

"We are seeing my mum." Harry realized.

"Duh," Draco agreed. "Knock knock its your faves- Hey professors."

"Hi mum!" Harry ran towards her and she enveloped him in a hug.

"Hi baby, I missed you. But you shouldnt you two be in class?" Lilith questioned.

"Shouldnt you be teaching?" Draco countered looking between them. Severus lips pursed in answer. "Sorry, just wanted to say hey... Hey." he repeated.

"Get to class." Severus begged leaning back in the chair, trying to relieve the ache between his legs by shifting his position to something less straining.

"By dad." Harry agreed. "Come on," they ran off and lilith spun back around to severus.

"Lock the door."

7

Gryffindor and Slytherin, were lined up in two rows with brooms by their sides. The teacher, Madam Hooch, came down the line. She had short hair and hawk yellow eyes. She stared back at harry.

"Finally your year huh Snape?"

"Yes ma'am." Harry agreed.

"Good." She agreed before moving along the line of students. "Good afternoon, class."

"Good afternoon, Madam Hooch." they echoed.

"Good afternoon, good afternoon. Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up. Stick your right hand over the broom and say, up!"

"Up!"

"Up!" After Harry said "Up"!, the broom immediately flew into his hand. He knew how to fly. He flew with his mother and father all the time. But now it was his turn to fly by himself. No restrictions. Harry smiled back at draco across the way. Hermione stared at harry amazed herself as she was struggling to ger her broom in hand.

"Up!" Draco demanded and the broomstick flew up and Draco smugly grinned back at his friends. Harry waggled his eyebrows back at him.

"With feeling!" Hooch instructed.

"Up. Up. Up. Up." Hermione begged as her broomstick slowly rose.

"Up!!" Ron shouted and his broom immediately shot up and whacked him on the nose. "Ooh!" he groaned out, Harry laughed ''Shut up, Harry." Ron griped before laughing himself.

"Now, once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it. And grip it tight, you don't want to be sliding off the end." Hooch instructed and the class mounted on their broomsticks. "When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, and then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle...3...2..." She blew the whistle. However, Neville's broomstick somehow lifts him off the ground. Neville immediately lifted off. He was terrified.

"Oh..." Neville murmured as he got higher.

"Mr. Longbottom." Hooch demanded.

"Neville, what are you doing?"

"Neville...Neville..." The students called up to him.

"Longbottom. What can you expect?" Draco questioned.

"Cravings are just as important today you each have a stome tablet in front of you-" lilith remarked. "We are going to try and etch-" liliths gaze shifted seeing a whoosh of red cloak and hearing a scream. She kept talking as she moved to the window. Flying lessons were always filled with visits to the medical wing.

"We're not supposed to take off, yet." but Neville was soaring away uncontrollably.

"M-M-Mr. Longbottom! Mr. Longbottom!" Hooch shouted. Neville screamed out as Hooch was being quite useless repeating his name over and over again like that was going to do anything while he was flying and screaming and out of control and clearly in need of more help than his name being shouted out. He didnt know what he was doing after all.

"Help!" Neville begged.

"Come back down this instant!" Hooch demanded. Neville fell with a thud. " It's a broken wrist. Tch, tch, tch. Good boy, come on now, up you get." Hooch instructed helping neville up.

"Harry, how about a race?" Draco questioned.

"We are not supposed to Draco." Harry corrected.

"Thats why it will be fun." Draco agreed. Harry watched him fly up and he climbed on his own broom.

"HARRY NO!" Hermione shouted.

"I have been flying for years Hermione." Harry corrected. "You are on Malfoy." Harry decalred.

"Around the clocktower." Draco challenged. "On three?"

"One, two-" Harry took off.

"See!" Draco shouted chasing after him. "YOu should have been slytherin!"

"Professor Snape?" John Shelby questioned raising his hand.

"Yes John?"

"There is a boy flying outside the window." John pointed to draco and harry as they flew around. "And i highly doubt they are supposed to be." Lilith glanced back out with a smile.

"Dont worry thats just my miscreant." She mused "alright now hold the chisel- whats funny anout ancient runes is that its actually a bit of muggle skills. Magic could damage the carvings if not done gently," lilith went on.

"Harry Potter?" McGonagall demanded marching towards them. The group fell silent. " Follow me." Harry sullenly followed her. The slytherins nigg*red out, ohh's of you are in trouble.

"Sorry." Draco chuckled. "Maybe mummy can get you out of McGonagalls prison!"

Harry walked off sluggish as Minerva led him along.

"Im really sorry," harry offered.

"If your mother saw you-"

"She would be happy." Harry assured. "Think it was great fun." Minerva rolled her eyes but knew he was right.

"An iguana s-such as this is..."

"You wait here." Minerva instructed at the defense against the dark arts class.

"... an essential in-gredient." Quirrell stuttered out.

"Professor Quirrell, excuse me, excuse me. Could I borrow Wood for a moment, please?"

"Oh. Y-yes, of course." He dismissed Oliver and continued with his lecture.

"And the vampire b-bat... "

"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood, I have found you a Seeker!"

"SEVY!" Lilith declared leaping at him. He held her up stumbling back from the shock. "HARRY IS ON THE TEAM!"

"What?" her feet landed back on the ground.

"THE QUIDDITCH TEAM! SEEKER!"

"Have you heard? Harry Potter's the new Gryffindor Seeker. I always knew he'd do well." Sir Nick remarked as he floated by.

"Seeker? But first years never make their house teams! You must be the youngest Quidditch player in..." Ron realized.

"A century, according to McGonagall." Harry agreed. "I have to tell my mum."

"Oh I think she knows." Ron countered seeing Lilith beaming back at them.

"You did it!" Lilith declared running towards him. "I saw you and draco flying around. What happened?"

"Draco challenged me to a race and professor McGonagall saw us... brought me to the quidditch captain."

“Oliver Wood. Good lad. Skilled quidditch player.” Lilith agreed. “Highly motivated on quidditch.”

“And he said im in.”

8
" What's happening?" Harry demanded.

"The staircases change, remember?" Hermione recalled.

" Let's go this way."

"Before the staircase moves again." Ron agreed. They opened a door and moved down a dark corridor.

" Does anyone feel like...we shouldn't be here?"

"We're not supposed to be here. This is the 3rd floor. It's forbidden." Hermione agreed. Mrs Norris came meowing up to them and they jumped.

“Clean up your plate please.” Severus instructed. Aria grumbled bringing her plate to the dishwasher aka her mother. “Thank you Aria.” Severus agreed. Lilith shoved it in the stack of dirty dishes and waved a hand turning back to Aria. The dishes started cleaning themselves.

“Im bored without harry.” Aria remarked plopping down by ser pounce. “Him and draco always played with me now they are in school… its no fun.”

“Narcissa was telling me about a preschool program for littles like you…” lilith remarked. “We could look into it. You could be with kids your own age for a few hours a day…” although she hated to let her baby go for even an instant.

“No that sounds boring.” Aria corrected and lilith let out a relieved breath.

"LETS GO!" Harry demanded. Mrs. Norris meowed alerting their presence.

"It's Filch's cat!" Hermione realized.

"Run!" they got to a door thinking they could hide but it was locked. " It's locked!" harry tugged uselessly.

"That's it, we're done for!" Ron realized.

"Oh, move over!" Hermione pulled out her wand. "Alohom*ora." The lock opened for them.

"Alohom*ora?" Ron questioned as they headed in.

"Standard book of spells, Chapter 7." Hermione agreed. "SHouldnt you know this?"

"I get nervous under pressure." Harry countered. “Come on lets get out of here.”

"Does he not love us anymore?" Aria questioned as she threw a toy mouse for Ser pounce. He pounced on it.

"Who my dear?" Severus questioned.

"Harry. He is never around anymore."

"He loves us but hes dealing with his studies." Severus reminded her.

Lilith wiped her hands on her pants as she sat down beside severus on the couch. It was hard letting harry go. Of course it was. They were such a close family and harry being so far away in the gryffindor tower was daunting. They were in the same building butnit was a castle.

“Just wait until his first quidditch game honey,” lilith remarked. “We will be seeing so much more of him out on the pitch.”

“Okay…” aria agreed softly. Pip and Mouse landed on the top of the door and stared down at the toy mouse that ser pounce jumped on eagerly. Hootie was nestled into her bed. Yes a bed not a nest not a perch. She had a luxurious dog bed where her and the little owls snuggled up in.

The door pushed open and severus head snapped around to the door.

"Hey mum... dad.” Harry said from the door.

"Baby boy!" Lilith declared jumping up from the couch. She hugged him tight.

“Harry!” Aria shouted running to him.

“Hey, I missed you too Ari.” Harry said as she hugged him.

“We were just talking about you.” Severus remarked getting up as well.

“Ummm can I talk to you two for a moment?” Harry questioned nervously.

“What happened?” Severus demanded.

“Aria honey can you get your pjs on?” Lilith questioned. “Then you can play with harry before bed.” Aria slumped off before running to her room to change.

"I sort of... stumbled into a... I was somewhere I should not have been but it wasnt my fault." Harry decided.

"Okay... great start." Lilith mused. "Keep going."

"I was with Hermione and Ron and well... they... I dont know how to explain it." Harry admitted.

"Just tell me where you ended up."

"The third floor."

"Obvoiusly." Lilith agreed.

"And we unlocked a door we shouldnt have and there was this dog but it wasnt a dog-"

"The three headed dog." Severus agreed.

"yes." Harry agreed. "What is that doing here? Children could stumble upon it and get killed! Me! Me in partiuclar." harry declared.

"And now you know why its restricted." Lilith agreed.

“Mum-“

“Dont go up there. He is there for a purpose.” Lilith assured. “Trust me.”

“Okay.” Harry agreed as aria came back out.

“Im ready to play!”

+

" Quidditch is easy enough to understand. Each time has seven players, 3 chasers, 2 beaters, 1 keeper and a seeker. That's you. There are three kinds of balls." Oliver remarked and picked up a red ball, "This one's called the Quaffle. Now, the chasers handle the Quaffle and try to put it through one of those three hoops." he Pointed to the hoops in the Quidditch pitch in the distance. "The keeper, that's me, defends the hoops." he threw the ball to Harry. "With me so far?" Harry threw it back. Aria lifted her hands. Oliver threw her the ball.

"My mum played quidditch.” Harry reminded him. “I know the game I just havent played it in the air before.”

“What do you mean?”

“What are those?” Aria pointed to two squirming chained down balls.

"You better take this." oliver remarked and handed Harry a small bat. He bends down and releases one ball. With an angry growl, it flies off into the air. The two boys watch it soar. "Careful now, it's comin' back." Aria screamed as The ball came whizzing down, and Harry cracked at it with the bat. Aria cheered out. The ball soars off through a statue, surprisingly without damaging it. Oliver looked up impressed before looking back at harry. Lilith and severus stood in the archway arm in arm.

“Hes good. Got my skills thats for sure.” Lilith whispered.

“You were the best seeker there ever was.” Severus agreed.

“I was very focused.” Lilith agreed. “On winning so I could get back to kissing you.”

"Eh, not bad, Potter, you'd make a fair beater... Uh-oh." The ball zoomed down, and Oliver grabbed it, wriggling to get it back in the box. He succeeded in securing it back down but looked to Harry out of breath.

"What is that?" Aria questioned. “We just use fake balls when we play. They dont move magically.”

"Bludger. Nasty little buggers. But your brothernis going to be a seeker, and the only thing I want you to worry about is this... the Golden Snitch." he handed Harry a walnut sized golden ball.

"I like this ball." Harry agreed. Aria snatched it from him.

“Its pretty im going to keep it.” Aria decided

“Its not yours to keep Ari.” Harry corrected. She grumbled handing it back to harry.

"Ah, you like it now. Just wait. It's wicked fast and damn near impossible to see."

“Then what good is it?” Aria questioned. “What donyou do with it? Are you sure I cant keep it?”

"Im going to catch it before the other team's seeker. I catch this, the game is over. I catch this, and we win."

9

" It's Levioooosa, not Leviosaaaar." Ron declared mimicking Hermoine as they walked through the courtyard. "She's a nightmare, honestly. No wonder she hasn't got any friends!" Hermione rushed past Ron, hugging her books and sniffling in tears. Harry's shoulders slumped.

"I think she heard you."

"You having fun Draco?"

"I wish harry was in my house. Then it would be awesome but yeah..." draco shrugged. "Its going good."

"Good." Lilith agreed. "Severus says you and harry are top of his class for first years."

"Better be." Draco agreed. "I spent a hours in that class pretending to study." Lilith laughed out. “What? Harry and I were learning just not what we were supposed to.”

“My honest boy.” Lilith touched his cheek.

“Watch out losers im super girl!” Aria declared zooming through the halls. “Harry! Harry! Where is- oh harry!” Aroa declared whipping her cape around. “Where is your costume?”

“Im not wearing a costume Ari.”

“Clearly thats why i asked where your costume is.” Aria agreed. “Its Halloween night,” aria reminded him. the great hall had floating Jack O'Lanterns in place of the candles. Harry noticed an empty spot on the bench.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked peering around.

“Getting her costume on no doubt.” Aria declared.

"Parvati Patil said that she wouldn't come out of the girl's bathroom. She said that she'd been in there all afternoon...crying." Neville remarked. Harry glanced at Ron with a disapproving look on his face; Ron shrugged taking a large bite of food.

“What did you do Ron?” Aria shouted.

“Me?” Ron squeaked back.

“Yeah my harry isnt a butthead.” Aria agreed. Harry smiled back at her.

“I will get a costume on.” Harry agreed. Suddenly, Professor Quirrell comes running into the Great Hall in panic.

"TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! T-TROOLLL IN THE DUNGEON!!" Quirrell declared breathlessly. Lilith looked to severus hesitantly. Dumbledore rose from his seat in concern. Everyone looked at Quirrell and he stopped and there was utter silence. "Thought you ought to know." He added before he passed out falling to the ground with a thud. The room was silent before everyone jumped up screaming and running, mass chaos.

“Bumbling idiot.” Lilith muttered.

" SILLLLLEEENNNNCEEEEE!" Albus demanded and everyone stops and calms down. Just slights but it was clear the room was still very tense. "Everyone will please, not panic. Now, Prefects will lead their houses back to the dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons." he added.

“Aria!” Lilith demanded.

“Coming mommy!” Aria shouted running on the table to get to the front among all the kids trying to go the opposite way.

"Hufflepuff, this way!"

"Stay together!"

“Harry-“

“Honey he will be safe in his common room.” Severus assured. “Take Aria to-“

“Im not going to the dungeon. The troll wont be there.” Lilith corrected.

"Gryffindors, keep up please. And stay alert!" Percy demanded.

"How could a troll get in?" Harry questioned.

"Not by itself. Trolls are really stupid. Probably people playing jokes." Ron added. But Suddenly, Harry stoppd and pulls Ron aside. "What?"

"Hermione! She doesn't know!"

The two separate themselves from the crowd. They run down corridors. They start running down a hall when they stop, because there is a grunting noise and a large shadow on the wall.

"I think the troll's left the dungeon!" Ron whimpered nervously.

Harry pulled Ron into a doorway, they peer out to see a large, ugly troll thunks by into a room.

"It's going into the Girl's Bathroom!"

“Mummy is harry going to be alright?” Aria questioned.

“Of course… as long as he doesnt stray from the path.” Lilith assured.

"Help! Help!" Hermione shouted. The boys started throwing wood pieces at the troll. The troll had broken a lot while rampaging through the bathroom.

"Hey, pea brain!" Ron shouted. Ron threw wood and hit the troll on the head. Hermione escaped from the stalls to under a sink, but the troll saw her and went to smash her. It cracked the sink and barely missed Hermione.

"Ahhh!" She bellowed "Help!"

“Donyou hear that mummy?” Aria questioned.

“I do.” Lilith agreed. “I suppose me telling you to stay put is useless.”

“Piggy back ride.” Aria declared. “We fly in and save the day. Super girl and super mum!” Harry got out his wand. He ran forward and grabbed the troll's club, but was lifted up.

"Whoa!" Harry landed on the troll's shoulders, and was hurled around, back and forth. Harry's wand shot up the troll's nose. The troll groaned in disgust.

"Ew!"

“What in the-“ lilith looked between the troll and the kids.

"Swish and flick!"

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron declared with a Flick. The club was lifted out of the troll's hand and hovered above its head. The troll looked at his hand and opened it, then looked up, confused, just as the club came crashing back down. "Cool." Ron whispered.

“Get out of its way.” Lilith shouted. She lifted her wand and spun him around he hit his head again and he dropped. She held him down a foot on his back as he grumbled out. Aria jumped on the trolls back declaring herself the victor.

"Is it...dead?" Ron whispered.

"I don't think so. Just knocked out." Harry remarked, grabbing his wand, it was covered in a thick layer of mucus. "Ugh! Troll bogies."

“Thank you professor Snape.” Hermione added.

“You had it handled.” Lilith assured.

“Doubtful,” hermione murmured.

"Oh! Oh, my goodness! Lilith what- oh you three. E-Explain yourselves, both of you!" McGonagall demanded rushing in with Severus and Quirrell. Aria ran to severus jumping into his arms.

"Well, what it is..." the boys began stuttering for a good excuse.

"It's my fault, Professor McGonagall." Hermione spoke up.

"Miss Granger?" McHonagall countered in disbelief.

"I went looking for the troll. I'd read about them and thought I could handle it. But I was wrong. If Harry and Ron hadn't come and found me...I'd probably be dead." Hermione offered sadly. “We were all lucky however that professor Snape came.”

"Be that as it may be...it was an extremely foolish thing to do." McGonagall remarked, Hermione noticed Severus leg, which has the trousers' leg torn and a large cut on it. Severus noticed his stare and covered it up, glaring back at Hermione. "I would have expected more rational behavior on your part, Miss Granger. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for your serious lack of judgment." she however turned to Harry and Ron. "As for you two gentlemen I just hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many students could take on a fully grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale. Five points...will be awarded to each of you." She chuckled dryly as the boys shared a grin. "For sheer dumb luck."

“Yep.” Lilith agreed. “Now everyone back to you common room please. What a fun hallows eve.”

“Daddy I jumped on the troll.” Aria declared proudly.

“I saw.” Severus agreed.

"Good for you to get us out of trouble like that." Harry remarked.

"Mind you, I mean, we did save her life." Ron corrected.

"Mind you, she didn't need saving if you hadn't insulted her." Harry corrected giving him a pointed look. Hermione looked to Ron he smirked in return.

" What are friends for?" Ron agreed with a cheeky grin.

“Off to bed!” Lilith repeated.

“I cant believe our harry has been getting into trouble. Draco hasnt gotten into trouble. None. Harry gets placed in Gryffindor and he is constantly in trouble.” Severus barked as they got ready for bed.

“You remember us our first year?” Lilith chuckled. Severus let out a tight breath as he met her gaze.

“I remember years four through seven so much better.” Severus countered.

“Year three I snuck you out of the dorms with Lucius and Narcissa.”

“Yes I remember the detention after that well.” Severus countered.

10

"Take a bit of toast, mate, go on."

"Ron's right, Harry. You're gonna need your strength today." Hermione agreed.

" I'm not hungry." Harry corrected as Severus came up to Gryffindor table.

"Good luck today, Harry." Severus gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Then again, now that you've proven yourself against a troll, a little game of Quidditch should be easy work for you... even if it is against Slytherin." Severus remarked as he limped off.

"Thanks dad." Harry called after him. Severus smirked back at him. "I know you are going to root for me."

"That explains the blood." Ron whispered.

"Blood?" Hermione countered confused.

" Listen, last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a diversion so he could try and get past that 3 headed dog. But, he got himself bitten, that's why he's limping." Ron decided.

"But why would anyone go near that dog?" Hermoine countered.

"Stop it! My dad is not a monster." Harry corrected.

"I dont harry, the facts are all lining up, your dad is sketchy." Ron corrected. Harry shook his head looking to Draco and the rest of the slytherins before eating his breakfast.

Hedwig screeched as she entered the Great Hall. She was carrying a very large, long parcel. She dropped it off at the table.

"Bit early for mail, isn't it?"

"But I-I never get mail." Harry reminded them. "everyone I know is already here."

"Let's open it." Ron begged and inside revealed a broomstick.

"It's a broomstick!" Harry declared in awe.

"Thats not just any broomstick, Harry." Ron declared, and Harry recognized it from the window when he was shopping with Lilith. "it's a Nimbus 2000!"

Harry smiled up at the front table. LIilth had the biggest smile on her face. He got up running to the head table hugging her. Severus ruffled his hair.

"Good luck honey, we wanted you to have the very best." Lilith assured.

"Thank you both so much, this is too much."

"Not for my son." Severus corrected.

Harry didnt care what his classmates thought, his father wanted what was best for him. But he did notice the limp too.

"Dad what happened to your leg?" Harry questioned.

"Nothing you need to worry about." Severus assured.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, now go get ready." Severus urged.

"We will be cheering you on!" Lilith declared. "But I dont have an Gryffindor colors yet, but I'm always cheering for you!"

+

"Scared, Harry?" Oliver questioned.

"A little." Harry admitted.

"That's all right. I felt the same way before my first game."

"What happened?" Harry pondered.

"Er, I don't really remember. I took a bludger to the head 2 minutes in. Woke up in the hospital a week later." Oliver admitted with a sheepish grin.

"Can I fly?" ARia questioned.

"not without us." Severus corrected. "Come on, lets get your scarf before we head out.

"Can I fly with Harry? He got a nice new broom." Aria countered.

"No, he is not skilled enough for carrying you." Lilith corrected. Aria groaned.

"Do I have to wait forever?" Aria questioned impatiently. "Before I can fly? I have to wait forever, that is what you are saying." She realized.

"That is not what we are saying." Lilith corrected, Severus grabbed her hand as they walked.

"Just older." Severus agreed.

"So forever." Aria agreed. "Great, I'm going to be an old lady and still never able to fly."

"I think you will survive until you get to fly yourself." Severus assured.

"How do you know?" Aria sassed. "How do you know?"

"I... dont have an answer for that." Severus admitted ushering her to the door. "Get your scarf and hat." Aria marched off.

"She is going to be trouble." Lilith realized.

"She already is." Severus mused.

"Okay I'm ready." Aria declared holding out her scarf and hat. Lilith wrapped her scarf around and severus tugged the hat on her head. "Now that it has certainly been forever... can I fly?"

11

"Come on lets get to our seats- oh lucius, I didnt realize you would be here." Severus remarked. Lucius rose up.

"Yes I wanted to come to support your Harry." lucius agreed.

"While wearing green?" Lilith tsked and lucius looked at liliths own outfit. "Touché. I have never cheered for gryffindor. This just feels wrong but its my boy so Im going to cheer him on all season. But when hes not playing..."

"Slytherin better win." Severus agreed.

"But today..." lilith agreed holding to arias hand.

"Harrys gonna win!" Aroa declared.

"Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season! Today's game Slytherin versus Gryffindor!!!" Lee declared the crowd cheered out even more. "The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps out onto the field to begin the game."

"Now, I want a nice clean game...from all of you." Hooch declared looking pointedly as the Slytherins. She kicked the trunk, and the bludgers zoomed out.

"Here we go." Severus whispered as they got in to position.

"The bludgers are up...followed by the Golden Snitch. Remember, the snitch is worth 150 points. The seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game." Lee declared. The snitch zoomed around each Seeker's head, then disappears. Hooch grabbed the Quaffle.

"The Quaffle is released...and the game begins!" Lee shouted.

"Lets go Gryff- gah, the words just wont come out. Its stuck in my throat." Lilith mused.

"I completely understand." Lucius agreed. "What happens next year when draco is on the team?"

"I cheer for them both but harry is a legacy seeker." Lilith reminded him. Lucius rolled his eyes.

"It hasnt been one game yet. Lets not say hes a legacy yet." Lucius countered.

Gryffindor took possession of the ball and a chaser, Angelia Johnson, zoomed past the Slytherins towards their goal, and throws the ball, and scores! Ding.

"Angelina Johnson scores! 10 points for Gryffindor!" Lee declared, he pressed a button and a 10 shows up beside a plaque with Gryffindor's name.

Lilith looked to harry above. Harry, in the air, clapped for his team.

"Slytherin takes possession of the Quaffle. Bletchley passes to Captain Marcus Flint."

Flint dodges people and throws for the Gryffindor hoops. Oliver appears and whacks the ball away with his broom. He smirks at Flint, who glared in return. Johnson and Katie Bell pass the Quaffle back and forth as they strategize to score. Johnson took it, throws, and once again scores!

"Another 10 points to Gryffindor!"

"Im glad we are rooting for Gryffin... dor..." lilith choked out. "Slytherin is getting creamed."

The Slytherins decided to get messy. They dodge, kick, and try to score. Once again, Oliver blocks.

"You know what slytherins do when they start to lose." Lucius countered. Severus pursed his lips as the slytherin team got aggressive.

"Give me that!" Marcus demanded, he grabbed a beaters bat from one and whacks a bludger right at Oliver. It hit Oliver directly in the stomach and he plummets to the ground, knocked out. There was a very loud boo from the audience.

"As long as they stay awau from harry." Lilith grumbled.

"Mommy im bored. Harry isnt doing anything. He is just sitting there." Aria whined.

"He is looking for the snitch. Remember?" Lilith countered.

The Slytherin members headed off. One jumped over George or Fred no one could ever tell them apart and scored. Lee adds 10 points in the plaque with Slytherin's name. Then another point another wicked slam. The crowd boos. Slytherin scores once again.

"Whats he doing? Dancing?" Aria questioned. Lilith followed her gaze.

"Sevy whats going on with harry?" Lilith questioned. "Whats wrong with his broom."

"I think I know." Severus muttered before he started a counter curse.

"What's going on with Harry's broomstick?" Hagrid questioned. Hermione looked through binoculars at Harry, then at Snape, who was visibly muttering.

"It's Snape! He's jinxing the broom!" Hermoine remarked as Harry flailed around.

"Thats his father." Hagrid countered.

"I know a curse when I see one." Hermione countered.

"Jinxing the broom? What do we do?" Ron questioned.

"Leave it to me." Hermoine remarked as she got up.

Lilith screamed horror flooding her as Harry was knocked and thrown around, then fell. Her baby boy fell from his broom. Lilith got to the edge of the sky box, harry dangling by one arm from the broom now.

“Sev.” Lilith felt like she couldn’t breathe.

Hermione was hurrying up in the tower structures. She appeared underneath severys and touched his cloak with her wand.

"Lacarnum Inflamarae." Hermoine said quietly. A spark ignites and severus cloak caught fire. Hermione quickly headed off her mission done.

"Fire! You're on fire!"

"What? Oh!" Severus stood up knocked the man back, who fell into Quirrell, who then also fell. Lilith spun around as severus stomped out his cloak. Severus bat out the fire before looking back to the match as if nothing happened. The broom stopped bucking, and Harry climbed back on. The Slytherin seeker was already after the Snitch. Harry took off.

“God that boy,” lilith whispered.

Harry rammed into the Slytherin Seeker, then was butted out. He returned, smashing the Seeker again as the Snitch dived down. The boys followed, but they approach the ground quickly. The Slytherin Seeker backed out, and Harry pulled up his broom as he followed the Snitch, just mere feet above the ground.

“What is he doing?” Lilith questioned to no one in particular. Harry stood up, and stepped forward, trying to grab the ball. He went too far, and toppled off the broom with a yelp, tumbling on the ground. Lilith shouted for him. This was a very bad idea. No more qidditch. But He got up and lurched. Lilith ran down to the pitch.

"Looks like he's gonna be sick!" Hagrid declared. Harry lurched and the Snitch pops out of his mouth. It landed in his hands.

"He's got the Snitch! Harry Potter receives 150 points for catching the Snitch!" Lee declared. Hooch blew her whistle whilst riding on her broomstick.

" Gryffindor win!" Hooch declared.

“Mum did you see me?” Harry questioned as she hugged him.

“You were phenomenal.” Lilith agreed.

12
"They thought your father was trying to kill you?" Lilith demanded. "Argh! I do not like these gryffindors." She decided. "Idiots!"

"I told them dad would never hurt me." harry agreed. "But they saw him... I dont know what they saw."

"He was preforming a counter curse. Someone else was trying to sabotage you and I don't know why." Lilith remarked. "I take it back."

"Take what back?"

"You should have been in slytherin." Lilith demanded. "These gryffindors are complete and total-"

"Mum." Harry begged.

"I can talk to albus and-"

"Mum its okay. They just know what their parents know. Which is false information." Harry remarked. Lilith thought of severus faded death eater mark on his forearm.

"There you are." Severus remarked. "Are you alright?"

"We won." Harry agreed hugging him. "I saw you with a gryffindor flag." Harry added with a cheeky grin.

"It was your mothers. I was holding it." Severus decided.

"Shut up. You were rooting for our son." Lilith assured. "We are so proud of you honey." Lilith gave him a big kiss on the forehead. She felt strange rooting for gryffindor after all this time but she would do it for Harry.

"You did well. I wish I could have enjoyed the match instead of being worried about someone trying to kill you." Severus muttered.

"Who wanted to throw me off my broom?" Harry questioned.

"Dont worry your father and I will track the wizard down and handle him." Lilith assured kissing the top of his head.

"We will." Severus agreed.

"You looked really silly." Aria remarked. "You were like-" she wiggled around like a goof. "And then you ate the ball! Why did you eat it?"

"I didnt mean to." Harry countered "i just sort of fell on it."

"It has wings." Aria remembered "did it feel like you swallowed a fly?"

"It was weird. Fluttering around in my mouth." Harry agreed.

"Best use some mouth wash tonight. Dont know where that snitch has been." Severus suggested. Harry ran to the bathroom.

“Dad can I-“

“Use mine.” Severus agreed.

“I have a disney princess mouth wash you can use!” Aria declared. “Its cinderella! Its blue like her dress!”

“Im gonna use dads. Thanks though Ari.” Harry countered.

“Quirrell is the only loose end.” Severus murmured holding tight to Liliths hand.

“You need to speak with him.” Lilith agreed. “Get inside his turban head.”

“You think he really would try… I dont even want to think such things… but why hurt our boy?”

“Why would anyone want to hurt our boy?” Lilith hissed. “Harry hasnt done anything wrong. He is perfect. The sweetest. Sev, I just dont understand.” Lilith whined.

“Me either.” Severus whispered hugging her. Harry peered out and his face turned down. His parents were worried. Someone was trying to hurt him and they didnt know why.

“You think it has anything to do with…”

“I will speak with Lucius.”

“And if he doesnt know?”

“We will keep pushing until we get answers and get some sort of… Harry honey. Why dont you relax while I get dinner started.” Lilith suggested. Harry nodded plopping down on the couch.

“Whats wrong?” Aria questioned as Severus and Lilith bickered under their breaths. “Do you still taste that ball in your mouth?”

“No.” Harry corrected as Ser pounce jumped up in his lap. He stroked his fur mindlessly while Lilith banged around in the kitchen. Much more aggressive than usual. “Mum do you need help-“

“Im fine!” Lilith choked out. “Just relax. You had a busy day honey.”

Harry slumped back into the couch. Straining his ears to hear them but aria was blanbering in his ear and ser pounce was purring like a motor the owls were having an in dept conversation and making it impossible to hear his parents. The only thing he did hear was lilith calling out that dinner was ready.

13

"Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Ring the Hogwart bell. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas..." The ghosts declared as the kids filed out.

Hermione looked from the massive Christmas tree as Flitwick used his wand to put another ornament on the tree to Harry and Ron as they played Chess.

" Knight to E5." Harry demanded. The Knight moved to its destination as Hermione walked up behind Harry.

"Queen to E5." Ron countered smugly. Hermione watched as Ron's queen went over to Harry's knight and whacked the knight with her chair. Ron grinned.

"That's totally barbaric!" Hermoine declared shocked.

"That's wizard's chess." Ron agreed he looked to her. "I see you've packed."

"See you haven't."

"Change of plans, my parents decided to go to Romania to visit my brother Charlie. He's studying dragons there." Ron agreed.

"We were going to go home but mum caught a flu and hates apparating while sick." Harry remarked with a shrug. "So im here too."

"Good, two can help each other then. Harry is going to go and look in the library for information on Nicholas Flamel." Hermoine agreed.

"We've looked a hundred times." Ron whined.

"Not in the restricted section." hermoine corrected leaning over and whispering to them. "Happy Christmas."

"I think we've had a bad influence on her."

Lilith was not woken up with kids jumping in the bed on christmas morning. She yawned blowing her nose before seeing the steaming mug of tea beside her. She breathed it in taking a long sip. Lilith slipped on her slippers and robe. Bundled herself up to hear severus telling the children his version of a christmas story. She laughed bringing her mug to the main room. Aria was curled up in severus lap. Harry beside them. Ser pounce playing with the ornaments on the tree. Lilith leaned on thr back of the couch kissing the top of severus head.

"Mama! Its time for presents!" Aria declared.

"Merry merry christmas my loves." Lilith declared.

"You look better." Severus remarked touching her cheek.

"We let you sleep. It was awful! Daddynsaid we had to wait. But we have been waiting forever! Mama! Forever!"

"So very sorry." Lilith agreed. "My harry," she cooed kissing his temple.

"Presents!" Aria declared running to the tree. She started tearing through her gifts.

"Alright harry this next one is special." Lilith nodded to the box.

"Thanks." He whispered pulling at the ribbon.

"Your uncle stinky..." Lilith remarked. "I..." she chuckled looking to severus. "We had some fun with this, I hope you like it."

"Ummm mum?"

"Fun, innocent fun, dont give me that look." Severus corrected. harry pulled out a blanket like object, confused he wrapped it around himself. It wasnt very warm. Aria squealed though.

"I want it!" She shouted.

"Its just a- My body is gone!" Harry shouted. "An invisbility cloak!"

"Now you know why it took us forever to find it." Severus agreed.

"This was uncle stinky's?" Harry questioned.

"Yeah but I stole it often to sneak out with your father." Lilith agreed. "This was a bad idea." Lilith mused. "Give it back I dont want you getting into trouble."

"Mum! I promise! This will be so much fun. I cant wait to show draco!"

"Oh thats trouble waiting to happen." Severus corrected.

“Sevy open your present.” Lilith requested.

“Which one?” Lilith pointed to the little one on top of arias big present. Severus grabbed it before sitting back down. Lilith smiled kissing his cheek as he pulled open a little box. Severus pulled out a sleek black watch engraved with ‘our love is timeless.’

“Oh Lils thank you.” Severus put it on and admired it on his wrist. “It’s beautiful.” She leaned in kissing him again.

Lilith pulled out complete box set with sprayed and detailed edges. She gasped when she saw it.

“These are going to look great on the bookshelf!”

“You got books? Do they have pictures?” Aria questioned. “Ohh pretty.”

“Open the big present aria.” Severus instructed and she ran to it drumming her hands over the box.

+

"Famous fire eaters... 15th Century Fiends... Flamel... Nicholas Flamel... where are you?" Harry picked up a book and opens it. A man's face appears from between the pages, which screamed madly and loudly. Harry immediately slammed the book shut and put it back.

"Who's there?!" Filch shouted. Harry whiped around, and quickly grabbed his cloak, causing the lamp to fall and shatter. "I know you're in there. You can't hide." Harry put on his cloak and crept around Filch. "Who is it? Show yourself!"

Harry ran but Mrs norris was following him. He ran around the corner as Severus pushed Quirrell against the wall, Harry faltered back.

" Severus... I-I thought..."

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell." Severus warned.

" W-what do you m-mean?" He stuttered back.

"You know perfectly well what I mean." Severus corrected. Severus felt a presence and noticed the shimmer of the cloak, he looked to it a moment longer and harry ran off knowing he was in big trouble. "We'll have another chat soon... when you've had time to decide where your loyalties lie." he added as Filch arrived, carrying the broken lantern.

"Oh, Professors. I found this, in the Restricted Section. It's still hot. That means there's a student out of bed."

"It's the holidays, I think a student reading in the middle of the night can be excused this once." Severus assured before heading off.

"I'm sorry!" Harry declared when Severus got back to his chambers. "I have already placed the cloak on your bed and I promise never to-"

"What were you looking for?" Severus countered.

"I didnt want to bother you with it." Harry murmured.

"Harry." Severus commanded his tone dark.

"Nicholas Flamel."

"Why?" Severus questioned.

“You wouldnt believe me if I told you.” Harry countered.

“Try me.”

14

"What is it?" harry questioned.

"The mirror of Edised." Severus answered. "What do you see?"

"Us." The happiest man on earth would look into the mirror and see only himself, exactly as he is. "But I'm in green too." Harry admitted. "I like Gryffindor I do but..." he shrugged. "Sometimes I feel like I would be better in slytherin."

Severus smiled, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

"You know what your mother sees?"

"What do you mean?"

"She sees your aunt lily and uncle stinky." Severus remarked.

"So, then it shows us what we want? Whatever we want?" harry questioned.

"Yes... and no." Severus answered. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desires of our hearts. Now you, who have never known your family, you see them standing beside you. But remember this, Harry. This mirror gives us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away in front of it, even gone mad. That is why tomorrow it will be moved to a new home, and I must ask you not to go looking for it again. It does not do to dwell on things we cant change, Harry, and forget to live."

"What do you see?" Harry questioned.

"I see my mother and father. Meeting you and Aria. Getting to see you both grow up." Severus offered.

"You dont talk about them a lot." Harry remarked as they headed back.

"I miss them. Like your mother misses her sister."

Severus stared at the shimery cloak on their bed. Ser pounce curled up on top of it lilith reading a new book.

"Would you boys like to tell me what happened tonight?" Lilith questioned.

"Im so sorry." Harry agreed.

"Baby did you test out the cloak already? Less than a week thats a record. I stole it from uncle stinky the day I found out he had it." Lilith recalled.

"You are not mad at me?" Harry questioned.

"No. You didnt do anything bad did you?" Lilith pondered.

"Just wanted to see if I could get past Mr Filch without..." there was no use lying. "I was in the library in the restricted section. Hermione suggested it."

"Gryffindors!" Lilith demanded. "What were you looking for?"

"Anything on nicholas flemel." Harry answered. "Do you know him?"

"Nicholas was a French wizard and famed alchemist... he was the only known maker of... i am assuming you already know." Lilith realized.

"the Philosopher's Stone." Harry agreed.

"Why are you looking into the stone?" Lilith questioned.

"Is that what the three headed dog is guarding?"

"My smart baby boy. But dont go digging. Its safe. Its hidden for a reason my love. Its dangerous." Lilith warned.

"Okay... I wont go digging anymore."

"Yes you will." Severus corrected knowingly.

"Wicked!" Draco declared. "Let me try it!"

"Be careful!" Harry countered.

"Can you see me? Woah! Look at my body!" Draco declared

"I cant see your body." Harry corrected.

"Out of all the losey gifts I got.... Nothing compared to an invisibility cloak." Draco declared spinning around. "This is awesome! What are we going to sneak into first?"

"I kind of..."

"You used it already!" Draco shouted flabbergasted.

"Yeah..."

"For what!" Draco demanded.

"I sort of snuck into the library-"

"You ge tthe coolest gift ever and you waste it on the library?" Draco dead panned.

"The restricted section." Harry corrected.

"He is to much like me." Lilith decided.

"Trouble? Yes." Severus agreed.

"You like my trouble." Lilith assured.

"I do."

🪄

"Dismissed! Good work today- HARRY!" Lilith squealed as he knocked on the door. "Everyone else out, out you know your assignments." Lilith assured.

"Am I interrupting?" Harry questioned.

"No, we were done." Lilith assured. "Baby come here! How are you? Is something wrong?"

"No, I just missed you and had some time before charms." Harry assured.

"Oh, well I'm glad you came by." Lilith remarked.

"Do you want help cleaning up?" Harry questioned looking around.

"That would be lovely." Lilith agreed. They cleaned up the stone tablets and the clay. Harry smiled running his fingers over the carvings. Lilith smiled kissing his head.

"I cant wait for you to be able to really take my class. You will wont you? Your third year?" Lilith pondered.

"Of course. I wish i could take it now." Harry agreed. "Is aria as good a helper as I was?"

"Shes bossier than you were." Lilith teased. "But she did-" lilith looked for what aria had drawn for harry among the piles on her desk. "Make you this, this morning before she headed down to your fathers class." Harry smiled as he looked at the picture of him... falling off his broom stick.

"Shes so sweet." Harry laughed out.

"Shes a dork but we love her."

15

"Look at you playing with your cards. Pathetic! We've got final exams coming up soon." Hermoine tsked.

"I'm ready! Ask me any question." Ron countered.

"All right, what are the three most crucial ingredients in a Forgetfulness Potion?" Hermoine quizzed. Ron hesitated.

"...I forgot." Ron answered.

"And what, may I ask, do you plan to do if this comes up in the final exam?" Hermoine pondered.

"Copy off you?" Ron offered.

"No, you won't! Besides, according to Professor McGonagall, we're to be given special quills bewitched with an anti-cheating spell." Hermoine tsked.

"That's insulting! It's as if they don't trust us!" Ron declared.

"Harry you have been really quiet," hermione added. "You found the mirror and more about Flammel. Why wont you tell me?"

"My parents dont want me messing with it. Its dangerous." Harry answered.

"I wonder why?" Ron mused looking at Hermione.

"Are you sure you dont want us looking into it. I know with finals-"

"Hermione. My parents know best. They have been at this school for ages." Harry assured. Neville Longbottom came hopping into the Great Hall with his legs stuck together as the other students laugh at him.

"Leg-Locker Curse?" Ron pondered.

"Draco." Harry realized. Neville approached them amidst laughter from the other students. Draco smirked back at him. Harry gave him a disapproving look but Draco kept laughing.

"He had it coming!" Draco called back.

"You have got to start standing up to people, Neville." Ron decided. Neville was wobbling uncontrollably.

"How? I can barely stand at all!" Neville countered. Seamus jumped up, wand at the ready.

" I'll do the counter-curse!" Seamus decided.

"No, that's all I need... you to set my bloody kneecaps on fire!" Neville muttered. Seamus slammed his wand down.

"Why are you walking so funny?" Aria questioned skipping down the fall.

"I don't appreciate the insinuation, Longbottom. Besides, if anyone cares to notice, my eyebrows have completely grown back!" Seamus reminded them all .

"I found him!" he handed Ron a Chocolate Frog card of Dumbledore. ''Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark" Wizard Grindelwald in 1945–'" Ron read off.

" Go on." Harry agreed.

"Oh, can I have the frog?" Aria questioned. "Where are the frogs? These are just cards, what fun is that? I want the chocolate." she whined pouting up at Harry.

"-for his discovery of the 12 uses of Dragon Blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner Nicolas Flamel!'' Ron declared.

"I knew the name sounded familiar. I have seen it on the card probably a hundred times but i only ever cared about the chocolate" harry realized.

"Thats because the chocolate is the best part." Aria agreed.

"Follow me!" Hermoine declared getting up and they ran out.

"Hey, wait, where are you going? What about the counter-curse?!" Neville questioned.

"Are we getting chocolate?" Aria questioned but groaned when they got to the library. "Hey mommy!"

"Hey baby, what are you doing in the library?" Lilith questioned looking up from her work.

"I thought we were getting chocolate." She murmured. lilith looked to Harry and his friends.

"Oh I see, well I'm hungry," LIlith remarked. "Perhaps some lunch before chocolate?"

"Chocolate first?" Aria bargained.

"You sound like uncle Mooney."

" I had you looking in the wrong section! How could I be so stupid? I checked this out a few weeks ago for a bit of light reading." Hermione dropped down a stack of books.

"This is light?" Ron countered.

"Of course! Here it is!" She flipped open the book, as she reads the description in the page "Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"

"The what?" Ron questioned.

Harry knew his parents spoke to him about it but he didnt want to give that away, they would only think his parents were evil again for knowing so much.

"Honestly, don't you two read?" She commanded "The Philosopher's Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It will turn any metal into pure gold and produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal."

"Immortal?" Ron questioned. Harry knew why his parents didnt want him looking into it suddenly.

"It means you'll never die." Hermione drawled.

"I know what it means!" Ron assured.

"The only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist, who last year celebrated his 665th birthday! That's what Fluffy's guarding on the 3rd floor. That's what's under the trapdoor...the Philosopher's Stone!"

"We shouldnt go digging. Leave it to the grown ups." Harry decided.

"They are the ones being shady," Ron countered.

"We are children!" Harry corrected. "What are we going to do? If there is someone trying to steal it, we should tell the headmaster, tell my parents-"

"You can't tell your parents harry."

"They are good people!" Harry demanded. "They are just trying to protect me. Why wont you listen to me?"

"Because your father was a death eater."

16
"Because your father was a death eater."

Harry grabbed Ron's shirt and gave him a hard shove against the bookshelf.

"CAREFUL OF THE BOOKS!" Hermione demanded.

"Yeah, lets not worry about Ron!" Ron sassed getting up. "What the hell Harry!"

"My parents were right. You two are no good." Harry hissed marching off. "If i want answers, I will get them from my parents. They tell me the truth."

"You can't ask your parents, dont be ridiculous. They are to smart." Hermione corrected. "We need to ask Hagrid, he is easily manipulated and confused. Like Ron."

"Oi!" Ron shouted.

"You two are driving me crazy!" Harry shouted. They were hushed by the librarian.

"Where is Harry?" Severus questioned. "I thought he was joining us for supper?"

"I thought so too." Lilith agreed as she cleaned up the plates. "He is busy, has a life without us... when Aria starts school what am I going to do?" Severus chuckled. "I love when they are little and need me," Lilith declared. "When she starts at Hogwarts I'm going to be... I'm... I will serve no purpose, she is going to be her own independent little woman."

"Nonsense, they will always need their mother." Severus assured.

"Hagrid always wanted a dragon. He told me so the first time I met him."

"It's crazy. And worse, Malfoy knows." Ron remarked.

"I don't understand. Is that bad?" Harry questioned. "Draco is my friend."

"It's bad."

"Sorry Harry." Draco remarked. "It's more them than you. You understand." They looked to Minerva, annoyed and in her night dress.

"Good evening." McGonagall remarked. Inside McGonagall's classroom, the three are now standing in front of McGonagall's desk, while Draco was feet away, smirking. Harry would have gladly gotten Ron and Hermione into trouble after all the sh*t they were barking about his parents. He didnt blame Draco.

"Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions, 50 points will be taken." McGonagall decided.

"50?!" Harry countered flabbergasted.

" Each." she added and Harry gasped "And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all four of you will receive detention." Draco nodded, then his smile vanished with great concern.

"Excuse me, Professor. Perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said..."the four of us." Draco questioned concerned.

"No, you heard me correctly, Mr. Malfoy. You see, as honorable as your intentions were, you too were out of bed after hours. You will serve detention with your classmates."

" A pity they let the old punishments die. There was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming." Flitch said the night. "You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest."

"Whaat?" lilith demanded.

"No!" Severus agreed.

"They are already out there, should be back-''

"Thats my son!" LIlith demanded. "You think LUcius isnt going to make your lives hell if Draco is hurt out there too?"

"They are perfectly safe."

" Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony."

"Well, that's good, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind." Harry questioned.

"Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania?" hagrid whimpered. Draco rolled his eyes.

"He will get over it." Draco assured.

"What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby, after all."

"Oh, for Gods sake, pull yourself together, man. You're going into the forest, after all. Got to have your wits about you." Flitch demanded.

" The forest? I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are..." Draco stammered as a howl sounded around them echoing off the trees. "...werewolves!"

"There's more than werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that."

"I'm going out there." Lilith remarked, she grabbed a lantern.

"Put some real shoes on first." Severus requested and lilith looked down at her slippers before waving her wand and they were replaced with combat boots.

"You wait till my father hears about this. This is servant's stuff." Draco declared.

"If I didn't know better, Draco, I'd say you were scared." Harry remarked.

"Scared, Snape?! Me? Come on." He scoffed but they heard a howl "Did you hear that? Come on, Fang. Scared." The boys jumped. "Okay, lets run." Draco decided. "HARRY!" He begged tugging on his arm. Fang ran off. 'Even the dog has the brain to run, come on your mum will kill me if I leave you here to die!" They saw a cloaked man, glaring back at them, blood dripping from his mouth. "HARRY!" Draco begged.

Suddenly, there was the sound of hoof-beats. A figure leaps over Harry and lands near the cloaked figure. It is a silver centaur called Firenze. It reared, and the cloaked figure retreats, flying away.

" Harry Snape, you must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at this time. Especially for you."

"But what was that thing you saved me from?" Harry countered.

"Can I go then? Or am I safe?" Draco questioned nervously.

"A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. You have slain something so pure that the moment the blood touches your lips, you will have a half-life. A cursed life." Firenze answered.

" But who would choose such a life?" Harry questioned.

"Can you think of no one?" He countered.

"Do you mean to say...that that thing that killed the unicorn...that was drinking its blood...that was Voldemort?"

"Dont say his name!" Draco declared.

"Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?" Harry stared back at him confused but then realization hit.

"The Philosopher's Stone." harry answered.

17
"Harry!" Lilith declared. She rose her wand up seeing a creature before her son.

"Hello Lilith Evans... my how you have changed since I last saw you." Firenze remarked. "Your son isnt safe out here." Lilith pulled Harry and Draco behind her. "The threat still lingers, I hope you know you have friends in the forest. But we can't cover every inch of it."

"Thats why I'm getting them back to the castle." Lilith agreed. "Thank you, Firenze." He nodded his head to her. "I'm going to kill Filch." LIlith hissed bringing them back to the castle. "Severus!" she called out as they walked, he appeared from the forest edge, a relieved look on his face seeing Harry in one piece. Severus moved to him, hugging him.

"I'm okay dad." harry assured.

"You had your mother in a right fit." Severus corrected.

"As if you werent just as worried." Lilith corrected. Severus ruffled Harry's hair.

"HARRY GOT TO SEE A UNICORN!" Aria screamed stomping a foot down on the ground with a little thud of outrage. "NO FAIR!"

"Bed time." Severus corrected.

"It wasnt... alive." Harry countered.

"You killed a unicorn!" Aria demanded, she was even more furious now.

"Bed time!" Severus picked her up leading her to her room.

"I can't ever sleep now! There are people killing unicorns for sport, like they are boar!" Aria demanded.

"Harry are you sure you are alright?" Lilith questioned.

"Yeah... Firenze... is that his name?"

"Yes. He is a protector." Lilith agreed. "I'm glad he was there."

"Me too." Harry agreed. Harry hesitated. "Can you tell me whats after the stone?"

"You already know." Lilith countered as Severus came back out of Aria's room. Severus frowned moving to Lilith's side wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Voldemort's out there, right now, in the forest..." Harry whispered.

"But he's weak apparently." Severus agreed. "If he's living off the unicorns."

"So whoever is after the stone... doesn't want the Stone for himself; he wants the Stone for Voldemort. With the Elixir of Life, Voldemort will be strong again. He'll... he'll come back." Harry realized.

"We won't let that happen." Lilith corrected.

"But, if he comes back, you don't think he'll try to... kill you, do you?" Ron pondered when Harry told them what his parents told him.

"I think if he'd had the chance, he might've tried to kill me tonight." Harry whispered. Ron gulped.

"And to think I've been worrying about my Potions final." Ron murmured.

"Hang on a minute." Hermoine countered, "We're forgetting one thing. Who's the one wizard Voldemort always feared?" Hermoine questioned they stared back at her. "Dumbledore. As long as Dumbledore's around, Harry, you're safe. As long as Dumbledore's around, you can't be touched." she gave him a reassuring smile.

"I am going to put more faith in my parents than old man Albus- sorry, thats what my mum calls him when she is upset." Harry murmured. He leaned back in his chair.

"I'd always heard Hogwart's end-of-year exams were frightful, but I've found they're rather enjoyable." Hermione remarked. Ron gave her a pointed look. Harry was ready for bed but he couldnt find the strength to move.

"Speak for yourself. All right there, Harry?" Ron questioned, as he rubbed his forehead right where the scar burned brightly.

"My scar. It keeps burning." Harry admitted.

"It's happened before..."

"Not like this." Harry countered. He should have asked his mother and father but he didnt want them to worry.

"Perhaps you should see the nurse." Ron suggested staring at the bolt scar.

"I think it's a warning. It means danger's coming." Harry said before a look of realization filled his face, "Ah... Oh! Of course!" Harry no longer tired jumped up and Hermoine and Ron ran to catch up.

" What is it?" Hermione demanded.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have one? I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pocket? Why didn't I see it before?" Harry declared. "Hagrid, who gave you the dragon egg? What did he look like?" Harry demanded.

"I dunno. I never saw his face. He kept his hood up." Hagrid countered.

"This stranger though, you and he must have talked." Harry corrected.

"Well, he- he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after. I told him, I said, after Fluffy a dragon's gonna be no problem." Hagrid offered.

"Did he seem interested in Fluffy?"

"Well, o' course he was interested in Fluffy! How often do you come across a three-headed dog, even if you're in the trade? But I told 'im, I said, I said, 'The trick with any beast is to know how to calm 'im. Take Fluffy, for example, just play him a bit o' music, and he falls straight to sleep.' I shouldn't have told you that." Hagrid realized as they ran off. "Where are you going? Where are you-?"

"yes well, Lucius will surely already have gotten an owl from Draco and I wouldnt be surprised if he made some threats, you know Lucius." Lilith remarked.

"I do unfortunately." Minerva agreed.

"Where is albus? Does ht know what you and Filch-"

"I didnt know what he was doing." Minerva countered.

"You know full well the dangers around us and you put my son in the line of fire.' Lilith hissed, Minerva saw a darkness in lilith's eyes. "If anything happened to him, I would bring the fires of hell to Hogwarts. Make no mistake, Minerva. You dont want me as an enemy."

" We have to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately!" they declared running to professor McGonagall's classroom. Lilith turned on her best smile and it took Minerva back. How easily she could turn on a dime.

"I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London." She answered.

"He's gone! Now! But, this is important! This is about the Philosophers Stone!" Harry demanded and McGonagall looked shocked they he knew what that was.

"How do you know-?" she began.

"Someone's going to try to steal it!" Harry shouted. "Mum, you believe me right? Someone is going to steal it, did you tell her?"

"I was busy threatening her." Lilith countered honestly with her sweetest of smiles.

"I don't know how you three found out about the Stone, but I assure you it is perfectly well protected. Now, would you go back to your dormitories, quietly." McGonagall begged.

"I will walk them." Lilith agreed.

"Mum." Harry begged.

"I will check on it." Lilith assured. "But you need to stay away from it, please. This is for your safety. Promise me, Harry."

18

"That was no stranger Hagrid met in the village. It was someone inside Hogwarts, it has to be, who else would be able to get into the school undetected and find? Which means, whoever it is knows how to get past Fluffy." Hermione decided.

"And with Dumbledore gone-" Ron began.

"We have to tell Harry-"

"You still think its Snape."

"You dont?" Hermione countered.

"Of course I do and did you hear his mum? Saying she was threatening McGonagall." Ron declared. "They are all crazy."

"Good afternoon." Severus voice appeared from behind them. "Now, what would two young Gryffindors, such as yourselves, be doing inside on a day like this?" They jumped spinning around.

"Ah, w- w- w... we- we were just-" Hermione looked nervously to ron.

"You ought to be careful. People will think you're... up to something." Severus warned before walking away.

"Harry," Hermione whispered. "Someone is after the stone."

"Clearly." Harry agreed.

"Now, what do we do?" Ron countered.

"We get to it first. We go down the trap door, tonight." Harry said with determination.

"Your mum-"

"I didnt promise." Harry corrected. "And I dont want her getting hurt either. Together we figure this out and I prove that my parents are not the bad guys here."

"I hope you are right." Hermione remarked. "For your sake."

"But we are fully prepared to say I told you so when we find your father stealing the stone." Ron added.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Lilith questioned.

"You know, tired. Long day." Harry yawned out.

"You are a bad liar my love." Lilith countered. "But alright. Give me a hug." she squeezed him tight before letting him go.

"They are going to go digging." Severus realized linking his hand with Lilith's.

"I fear the same." Lilith agreed softly as she leaned into him. "What do we do?"

"I dont know." Severus admitted. "I suppose telling you to stay away from the stone is pointless as well..."

"You think its Quirrell?"

"I do." Severus agreed honestly.

"Then we keep him from the stone. We prove he is working for Voldemort and I handle him as I see fit." Lilith decided. Severus smiled kissing her.

"I like dark side Lilith."

The three friends came down the stairs and began to walk across the floor, slowly, softly, trying not to be heard. They stopped when they heard croaking.

"Trevor." Harry realized.

"Trevor shh! Go, you shouldn't be here!" Ron demanded.

"Neither should you. You're sneaking out again, aren't you?" Neville realized turning around in the chair.

"Now, Neville, listen. We were -" Harry began.

"No! I won't let you!" Neville declared standing up. "You'll get Gryffindor in trouble again! I-I'll fight you." Neville held out his fists.

"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this..." she took out her wand. "Petrificus Totalus." Neville froze and fell backwards onto the ground. Hermione put her wand back.

"You're a little scary sometimes...you know that? Brilliant, but scary." Ron remarked.

"Let's go." harry instructed walking by Neville. "Sorry." he whispered.

"Sorry." Hermione echoed.

"It's for your own good, you know." Ron added. Harry got them under the invisibility cloak he had got for christmas as they snuck along the corridor.

"Knock, knock," Lilith remarked peering into Quirrells chambers. "Are you here you stuttering mess?" Lilith called out. Severus peered around looking through the trunks and drawers for some proof.

"He's not here, Sev." Lilith realized. "I'm going to find him, you keep looking for proof."

"Lilith," Severus countered reaching for her.

"If he gets the stone," Liliths chest felt tight she fisted her hand bringing it to her chest, tapping gently over her heart. "I can't lose my baby, our baby boy Sev." Lilith whimpered.

"Alohom*ora." the door opened for them and they headed in.

"Wait a minute...he's...." Ron stared around the darkness. "Sleeping."

"Someone has already been here. He's put a spell on the harp." Harry noticed the harp strumming along. They approached the sleeping dog.

" Uh. It's got horrible breath!" Ron declared.

"We have to move its paw."

"What?!" Ron spat.

" Come on!" Harry instructed. He grabbed a paw, which was blocking the door. "Okay. Push!" They strained to move it. But they opened the door, huffing and puffing for breath. "I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign." But Fluffy's eyes opened. "If something bad happens, get yourselves out...Does it seem a bit...quiet?"

"Something isnt right." Lilith realized.

"You feel it to." Severus agreed.

"Harry isnt in bed anymore." Lilith realized.

"Should have made him promise, he never breaks his promises to you." Severus remarked He grabbed her hand as she tried to leave.

"Stay here, if Quirrell doesnt get to the stone then he will try again and I need to nail him to his coffin at the end of this." lilith demanded.

"Be careful."

"The harp. It stopped playing." Drool from one of the three heads came down on Ron's shoulder.

"Ew! Yuck! Ugh." Ron pulled at it trying to get it off him. All the kids look up and see Fluffy standing there. Fluffy barks and growls, thrashing. It breaks the harp and dives at them.

" Jump! Go!" They all jumped through the trapdoor.

19
"Hey fluffy." Lilith remarked singing him a song. "My boy come through here?" Fluffy stared back at her as she hummed. "Quirrell come through here?" She looked to the harp in the corner. Harp... "Who plays harp?" she waved her wand and the harp started to play. "Excuse me, I'm running a bit behind."

"What is that?"

"I don't know. Sounds like wings." They entered into a room filled with golden keys with wings.

"Curious. I've never seen birds like these."

"They're not birds, they're keys. And I'll bet one of them fits that door." Harry remarked nodding across the room. They came upon a broomstick, suspended in the air.

"What's this all about?" Hermione questioned.

"I don't know. Strange." harry agreed. Ron crept over to the door and took out his wand.

"Alohom*ora!" Ron declared before rattling the lock, he shrugged. "Well, it was worth a try."

"Ugh! What're we going to do? There must be 1000 keys up there!"

"We're looking for a big old fashioned one. Probably rusty like the handle." Ron offered examining the lock.

"There! I see it!" Harry pointed "The one with the broken wing!" Harry moved to the broom.

"What's wrong, Harry?"

" It's too simple." Harry admitted.

"Oh, go on, Harry! If Snape can catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You're the youngest seeker in a century!" Ron declared.

"Since my mother." Harry corrected "And my father is not after the stone. I'm going to enjoy proving you both very wrong." Harry demanded. Harry grabbed the broom but suddenly all the keys went off in one direction, right at Harry. He climbed on the broom, swiping at them.

"This complicates things a bit!" Ron admitted. Harry pushed off into the air. He flew off, after the key. The others follow him. Harry grabbed the key.

"Catch the key!" Harry shouted. He zoomed by and threw the key to Hermione, who caught it and headed for the lock while Harry distracts the other keys. Hermione puts it in the lock.

"Hurry up!" Ron shouted.

The door opened, and Hermione and Ron rush through, followed by Harry. They shut the door just as the keys slam up against it.

"I hated herbology." Lilith murmured. "Stupid plants..."

"Where is mama?" Aria questioned. Severus jumped.

"You are supposed to be in bed." Severus corrected.

"Whats that?" Aria questioned.

"I think I found our culprit." Severus remarked. "I just have to test the blood."

"I can help!" Aria declared as they headed to the potions class room. "What kind of blood is it?"

"Unicorn." Aria gasped.

"You know who this unicorn killing monster is?"

"I hope so." Severus agreed. "I hope your mother can handle him if she sees him."

" This is no graveyard." Ron sighed "It's a chessboard." They walked out onto the marble board and flames light, illuminating the board and giant players.

"There's the door."

They started to walk across the board, towards the door. Suddenly, as they reached a line of pawns, the pawns bring up their swords. The three jump and back up. They were blocked in.

"Now what do we do?" Hermione questioned.

"It's obvious, isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room. All right. Harry, you take the Bishop's square. Hermione, you'll be the Queen's side castle. As for me, I'll be a knight."

"What happens now?" Hermione questioned, Ron looked around aboard a horse.

" Well, white moves first, and then...we play." A pawn on the other side moves forward. Ron studied the game.

"Ron, you don't suppose this is going to be like...real wizard's chess, do you?"

"You there! D-5!" Ron shouted, a black pawn moves forward, diagonal to the white pawn. The white pawn rose its swords and smashed the black one. They jumped. "Yes, Hermione, I think this is going to be exactly like wizard's chess!"

"Gods I havent been on a broom chasing after a snitch in ages." Lilith grumbled. "Where are you f*cker?" She looked around for the key, ignoring the fact that there was no broom, surely harry had grabbed the key and headed off quickly, these keys were dreadful little buggers. She walked past the keys and looked to the broken one fluttering around the door. "Oh you were waiting for me. Thats so nice, because I'm kind of in a hurry."

"Castle to E-4!" Smash! " Pawn to C-3!" Smash! Boom! The Queen turned and smashes a piece! The kids winced. The white Queen turned again. Both Ron and Harry study the game.

"Wait a minute." Harry realized what Ron was doing.

"You understand right, Harry. Once I make my move, the Queen will take me...then you'll be free to check the King." Ron decided.

" No, Ron! No!"

"What is it?" Hermione questioned.

"He's going to sacrifice himself!" Harry declared.

"No, Ron, you can't!" Hermione begged, Ron closed his eyes. "There must be another way!"

""Do you want to stop Snape or not? Harry, it's you that has to go on. I know it. Not me, not Hermione, you." Harry nodded. "Knight...to H-3."

Ron's horse moved forward, slides and stopped. Ron stared up nervously.

"Check."

"Well!" Aria questioned.

"It unicorn." Severus agreed. He pursed his lips.

"Who is this monster?"

"Your mother and brother are walking right into the serpents nest." Severus realized getting up.

"We have to help them!" Aria declared.

"No, you need to go back to bed." Severus corrected. "I will handle this."

"But-"

"Aria please." Severus begged.

"You never let me do anything fun." She grumbled crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm sorry baby girl but you and me both would be in so much trouble from your mama if she found out you went on a rescue mission." Severus countered.

The Queen turned and advanced. Ron breathed faster while everyone else held their breaths, clutching the steel reins. The Queen stopped. SMASH! Ron went flying off the horse and landed on the floor, unconscious.

"RON!" Hermione began to get up but Harry shouted at her to stop.

"NO! Don't move! Dont forget, we're still playing." Harry countered and she turned back to her place. Harry walked the diagonal in front of the King. "Checkmate." The Kings sword falls onto the ground victory. Harry breathed out and then the two run to Ron. They bend beside him. "Take care of Ron. Then, go to the owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore. Ron's right...I have to go on."

" You'll be okay, Harry. You're a great wizard, you really are."

" Not as good as you."

""Me? Books and cleverness? There are more important things. Friendship, and bravery. And Harry, just be careful."

"Open damn it." Lilith muttered. "Didnt I tell you I was in a hurry?" The keys fluttered as the broken key was shaking in her hand, the lock off its axis. making it get stuck. "Bloody hell." Lilith took a step back.

"Bombarda!"

The door exploded.

"I should have started with that," she murmured walking through the smoke.

20

Harry walked down the stairs slowly. Halfway down, he winced, feeling his scar burning, and then he saw Professor Quirrell standing before the Mirror of Erised.

"You?" Harry questioned, Quirrell turned to face him. "No. I-it can't be."

"Yes. Who would suspect p-p-p-poor st-stuttering Professor Quirrell?"

"That day, during the Quidditch match, it was you" Harry realized. Quirrell smiled evilly.

"Yes, dear boy. I tried to kill you." he admitted. "And trust me, if Snape's cloak hadn't caught fire and broken my eye contact, I would have succeeded, even with your father muttering his little countercurse." he hissed.

"I knew he was trying to save me." Harry demanded, told you so, Hermione.

"I knew you were a danger to me right from the off. Especially after Halloween." he muttered.

"Then-then you let the troll in." Harry realized.

"Very good, Potter, yes." Quirrell agreed. "Snape, both Snapes, your parents... unfortunately, wasn't fooled. While everyone else was running about the dungeon, your father went to the third floor to head me off. He, of course, never trusted me again." he turned towards the mirror again. Harry winced as his scar burned again brightly. "He rarely left me alone. But he doesn't understand. I'm never alone, never." Quirrell stared deeply into the mirror. "Now, what does this mirror do? I see what I desire. I see myself holding the stone. But how do I get it?" he grasped out for it.

"Ron? Hermione? Gods is Harry under all this mess?" Lilith demanded.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione questioned.

"I know who is after the stone and knew you lot wouldnt be idiotic." Lilith hissed. "Where is harry?"

"Can I have a doctor?" Ron countered.

"Tell me where he is?" Lilith demanded begging him not to be buried under the rubble of the game.

"He went on." Hermione remarked and Lilith marched off.

"Use the boy." a voice from the unknown whispered out, Harry looked around, wondering where the voice was coming from. He was alone. Quirrell turned sharply to Harry.

"Come here, young mister Snape. Now!" Quirrell demanded Harry slowly walked down the stairs, towards Quirrell and the mirror. "Tell me... what do you see?" Harry looked into the mirror, and for a few seconds, sees him standing next to Quirrell, then his reflection reached into its pocket and pulls out a gleaming red ruby, the Philosopher's Stone. Harry stared in amazement as his reflection smiles and winks, then puts the stone back in its pocket. Harry felt his pocket and realized the Stone really is in his pocket, then looks up again at Quirrell.

" What is it?" Quirrell glanced at Harry while speaking "What do you see?" Harry looked hesitantly at Quirrell, then back at the mirror, determined not to let Quirrell know that he had the Stone.

"I-I'm shaking hands with Dumbledore. I've won the House Cup." Harry offered hoping to sound more confident than he was.

"He lies." The voice hissed. Quirrell was outraged.

"Tell the truth! What do you see?! Quirrell demanded shouting and grabbing tight to Harry.

"Let me speak to him." the voice hissed.

"Master, you are not strong enough." Quirrell whispered pulling away from harry.

"I have strength enough for this."

Lilith slowed her footsteps as she heard voices, a strained voice that sounded similar to a monster she hoped had been defeated years ago, but that was so foolish.

Quirrell reached up and started unwrapping his turban as he turned so his back was to the mirror. Harry turned toward the staircase into the room, wondering whether he should try to escape, then turned towards Quirrell again. He was almost finished unwrapping his turban, save for a piece covering the back of his head. Finally, he removed the turban, revealing a scary-looking chalk white face, he realized it was Voldemort. He craned around and opened his eyes.

"Harry Snape, we meet again." Voldemort said his voice weak, scratchy.

"Voldemort." Harry realized, Lilith couldnt breathe.

"Yes. You see what I've become? See what I must do to survive? Live off another, a mere parasite. Unicorn blood can sustain me, but it cannot give me a body of my own. But there is something that can, something that, conveniently enough, lies in your pocket." Voldemort remarked, realizing Voldemort was referring to the Philosopher's Stone, Harry turned and ran back up the stairs.

"Stop him." Voldemort instructed. Quirrell snapped his fingers, instantly causing fire walls to block all the exits, trapping Harry in the room. "Don't be a fool! Why suffer a horrific death when you can join me and live?"

" Never!" Harry shouted. Lilith ran forward, this monster was not allowed to hurt her baby.

"Haha. Bravery. Your parents had it, your aunt and uncle too, must run in the family. Didnt you lilith?" Voldemort questioned and harry glanced to the mirror seeing Lilith running forward in the reflection. "Kill her." Voldemort demanded but Lilith wasnt one to go without a fight. Harry squinted as light emitted from his mother and Quirrells wands. "Give me the stone and I wont hurt her." Voldemort suggested.

"He doesnt have the stone." Lilith corrected. "And you are not my downfall old man." she hissed. Voldemort chuckled weakly. Before Quirrel sent a spell at harry, lilith lunged blocking it with her own body, she lay beside harry bleeding and in pain but Harry was always.

"I can fix her." Voldemort assured. "I just ask for something in return."

"Mum?" Harry rasped as Lilith choked for breath, her lips dry her fingers grasping for her wand just out of reach. Harry took the Stone from his pocket.

"That's it, Harry. There is no good and evil. There is only power, and those too weak to seek it. Together, we'll do extraordinary things. Just give me the stone!" Voldemort demanded. Lilith looked to Harry trying to sit up.

"You liar!" Harry shouted.

"Kill him!" Voldemort countered.

Under orders, Quirrell soared into the air and grabbed hold of Harry with one hand on his throat. They fall to the steps, causing the Stone falls out of Harry's reach as Quirrell choked him. Harry strained and squeaked. Suddenly, Harry put his hand on Quirrell's hand in an attempt to get him off. Smoke furled from under his hand as Quirrell winced. Quirrell screamed and backed up away from Harry. His hand was crumbling into ash and dust.

Lilith moved to her wand doing a quick healing spell on herself, it would have to do for now as she pulled herself up.

" What is this magic?" Quirrell demanded, his hand disintegrating before him.

"Fool! Get the stone!"

Quirrell walked forward towards Harry, but harry smashed his hands against Quirrells face, causing Quirrell to scream in pain, and especially Voldemort to wince. Harry looked on horrified as Quirrell backed up with his face horrendously burned. He moved to his mother who held up her wand hesitantly, she didnt understand what was going on either.

Quirrell crumbled as he walked forward, turning his body completely into ash and dust, and fell to the floor, leaving only his clothing. Harry gasped, as he looked at his own hands and hurries over to the stone. He picked it up and sighed.

"I got it, mum." Harry remarked.

"This is not the end." Voldemorts voice hissed out. "You can't stop me, Snape." Lilith spun around, dust clouds formed from Quirrell's corpse, dust clouds with Voldemort's face rushed forward screaming and went through Harry and Lilith. Voldemort flew away, as Harry fell back unconscious, Lilith held him up sobbing out as she checked for a pulse. Harry still held the Stone in an outstretched hand.

21
"I'm fine," Lilith murmured. "I just need Harry to wake up."

"Let me double check your wounds." Madam Pomfrey countered. "There is nothing i can do for your son right now, let me check on you." Lilith grumbled lifting her shirt. Severus held tight to her hand. "Healing nicely."

"As I said." Lilith sassed pulling her shirt back down.

"Excuse us." Severus agreed.

"We need to be play on the defensive, we have been playing pretend for too long, he is here." Lilith whispered. "He is getting stronger, that was close."

"Why did Harry's touch burn Quirrell?" Severus whispered.

"I dont know." Lilith whispered. "And I dont like what I dont know." Lilith pursed her lips, her eyes widening.

"What? You thought of something." Severus realized. Lilith nodded slowly as she pushed away the bile rising in her throat.

"Voldemort." Lilith answered. "He wasnt full, he was... they are connected maybe... but... I dont know." Lilith whispered moving back to Harry's bed and laying beside him. She kissed his cheek holding gently to him. "I just want him to wake up." She whimpered. "I need him to be okay."

When Harry blinked awake Lilith was curled up beside him. Severus was asleep in the chair and Aria was rummaging through his gifts. Harry touched his mum's arm but she didnt wake.

"Good afternoon, Harry. Ah. Tokens from your admirers?" Albus remarked touching the candy and flowers.

"Those are mine, I claimed them." Aria corrected grabbing a chocolate from him.

"Admirers?" Harry questioned. "Is my mum okay?"

"What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows." Albus offered.

"Harry." Severus remarked sitting up, they had been up most of the night and morning so of course the moment they took a nap he woke up.

"Dad." Harry reached out for him and Lilith hummed shifting in her sleep.

"You are okay, you feel okay? You hurt?"

"I'm okay." Harry assured.

"Ah, I see your friend Ronald has saved you the trouble of opening your Chocolate Frogs." Albus remarked. "Or perhaps it was your sister."

"They are hard to open, they hop away. I lost one of them and gave up." Aria agreed.

"Ron was here? Is he all right? What about Hermione?"

"Fine. They're both just fine, your mother found them before heading to you."

"But, what happened to the Stone?" Harry whispered.

"Relax, dear boy. The stone has been destroyed. My friend Nicholas and I had a little chat and agreed it was best all around." Albus assured.

"But Flamel, he'll die, won't he?" Harry realized.

"He has enough Elixir to set his affairs in order. But yes, he will die." Albus agreed sitting on the edge of harrys bed. Lilith felt the shift of the bed and her eyes peeled open.

"How is it I got the Stone, sir? One minute I was staring in the mirror, and the next..."

"Harry," Lilith rasped. "Oh my baby boy!"

"Mama," Harry felt like a child again as he held her. He felt her tears on him.

"I was so worried about you." Lilith whimpered.

"I'm okay mama, I'm okay." Harry assured. "Do you know the stone works?"

"What?" lilith countered confused.

"How I got it." Harry clarified. Lilith looked to Albus.

" You see, only a person who wanted to find the Stone, find it, but not use it, would be able to get it. That is one of my more brilliant ideas. And between you and me that's saying something." albus informed him.

"Does that mean, with the Stone gone, I mean, that Voldemort can never come back?"

"Ah, I'm afraid there are ways in which he can return." Albus corrected and LIlith tensed. Not if she had anything to say about it. "Harry, do you know why Professor Quirrell couldn't bear to have you touch him?" Albus pondered, Harry shook his head, lilith was wondering the same thing. "It was because of your aunt Lily." Severus took a step closer confused. "She sacrificed herself for you, and that kind of act leaves a mark." Harry touched his scar. "No, no, this kind of mark cannot be seen. It lives in your very skin."

"What is it?" Harry questioned.

" Love, Harry, love." Albus answered before standing up. "Ah. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. I was most unfortunate in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one, and since then I have lost my liking for them. But I think I could be safe with a nice toffee..." Albus took a brown bean and ate it. "Mm. Alas. Earwax."

"Your aunt lily and uncle stinky never had children." Lilith remarked softly. "She loved you like a son... the son she always wanted. That awful night she... she did everything she could to save you, that much was clear." Lilith agreed. Harry saw the pain in her eyes as she remembered that night, remembered her sister dead before her, Lilith could hear Harry's screams and cries, could see his little tears as a scar burned on his forehead. Lilith blinked away the memory tears falling down her cheeks.

22
"This was too much of a year, his first year and look at everything that had happened!" Lilith huffed out pushing her food around her plate. Severus poured her more wine for her nerves. "He can come back. He basically said he will be back and I can't stop him." Lilith hissed.

"Lets focus on the win, he is gone for now and Harry is safe." Severus begged as Albus stood up moving to the podium.

"Another year, gone! And now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarded and the points stand thus. In fourth place: Gryffindor, with 312 points!" There was a medium applause from the crowd. "In third place: Hufflepuff, with 352 points!" The applause for Hufflepuff is slightly louder than the clapping for Gryffindor. "Second: Ravenclaw, with 426 points!" Applause again, this time with a slight cheer from some students as their points got higher. "And in first place, with 472 points: Slytherin house!" A loud roar rose from the Slytherin table, as students stood up and clapped for themselves. Hermione scowled with her hand to her cheek. Severus and Lilith applauded the students of their house. But LIlith looked to Harry, he was clapping for his Slytherin friends though, because he was just that good of a boy.

"Yes, well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin. However, recent events must be taken into account and I have a few last minute points to award." Albus added and the cheers subsided. "To Miss Hermione Granger, for the cool use of intellect while others were in grave peril: fifty points!" Hermione looked surprised, while the other Gryffindor students applauded her. Harry congratulated her.

" Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years: fifty points!"

"What is he doing?" Severus whispered.

"Giving brownie points." Lilith offered.

"And third, to Mr. Harry Potter, for pure love and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house: sixty points!

"We're tied with Slytherin!"

"And finally: it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I award ten points to Neville Longbottom!"

"What the f*ck?" Draco countered. "This is bullsh*t."

"Assuming that my calculations are correct, I believe that a change of decoration is in order!" He clapped and motioned his hands towards the Slytherin banners, where they flap heavily, until the banners have changed completely to red and gold with the Gryffindor symbol. "Gryffindor wins the House Cup!"

"This is the first time in seven years, someone other than Slytherin has won the House Cup." Lilith remarked.

"Has it really been seven years?" Severus questioned. Lilith chuckled clapping out.

"Well..." Lilith pretended to do calculations in her head. "We all know Slytherin was the best until our son got here."

+

"I'm really sorry I thought your parents were evil." Ron remarked.

"I dont mean to say I told you so, but... I TOLD YOU SO!" Harry shouted. "Just trust me next time guys."

"He was being sneaky." Hermione murmured.

"He is my father, he loves me." harry corrected. "You are going to miss the train."

"Write me, okay?" Hermione questioned as she hugged harry goodbye and jumped on the train.

"You want to come the burrow this summer?" Ron questioned. "We could hang out?"

"I would like that." Harry agreed. "Maybe I can beat you at chess for once."

"Doubtful, I survived real life wizard chess, I'm basically a professional now." Ron corrected. "See you soon mate!"

"Bye!" Harry waved them off but Draco came up nudging him.

"You guys are such cheaters." Draco declared.

"Lies." Harry countered.

"You saved the day and the stone and broke all the rules to do it and got bonus points, I think thats cheating." Draco countered. "You should have been Slytherin." Harry laughed out. "I got to go, father isnt picking me up, he's busy so I have to take the stupid train," He mumbled.

"You can come over we are leaving in a little while, mum is cleaning up her classroom for the summer but then we are going out for dinner, come with!" Harry requested.

"Yeah, that sounds better than the train with a bunch of idiots."

"Be nice." Harry countered.

"What fun is that?" Draco countered. "Oh just wait until next year when we are playing against each other for quidditch, I'm going to kick your butt."

"What position are you trying out for?"

"Their seeker just graduated, we are going head to head."

"If you get in." Harry mused.

"IF? Oh, you wound me!" Draco demanded. "Hey second parents, I'm coming home with you."

"Okay second son." Lilith agreed. "Help clean up so we can get out of here."

23
A summer day in the life of Harry Snape always started with his little sister pushing open his door the moment she was awake and jumping on his head.

"Wake up sleepy head!" Aria declared jumping on harrys bed.

"Stop it I dont have to get up yet." Harry whined. Aria kept jumping on the bed though.

"WAKEY WAKEY EGGS AND BACEY! " Aria shouted.

"It's summer! Let me sleep." Harry grumbled.

"Sleep well?" Severus whispered kissing along Lilith's neck. She hummed her agreement, his hands wrapped around her, sliding under her shirt. "If the kids are still asleep I say we jump back in bed... what do you say?" Lilith spun to face him, kissing him eagerly. Aria jumped off the bed and ran to the kitchen.

"Morning my love." Lilith cooed. "Back to bed no more.' She whispered back to Severus, his hands pulled free from her shirt.

"Can someone tell Aria she doesnt need to wake me up every single day?" Harry groaned. "She doesnt listen to me."

"Of course I dont listen to you." Aria agreed.

"SEE!" harry declared. Severus kissed Lilith's shoulder before turning back to the stove, and mixing up the eggs. AN owl hit the window and they all turned. "Thats Ron's owl." Harry remarked. Hootie moved to the window taking pity on the old owl and plucking the letter from him. Aria ran to the window picking up Ron's owl and snuggling him close.

"I'm going to call you Breakbones." Aria decided. "Since you want to break the windows."

"He has a name and he isnt ours to keep." Harry corrected as Hootie dropped a letter in harry's juice. "Hootie!" She hooted back at him bored.

"Be glad she delivered it at all." Severus countered. "Dont you sh*t in my food," Severus swatted a hand away as Hootie flew towards him. "Drama queen.' He muttered.

"Could I see Ron?" Harry questioned curiously. Severus and Lilith shared a look before turning back to their morning tea. Harry cleared his throat. "Loving wonderful parents, might I go visit Ron today?" Harry requested louder this time. He waved the raven. Ron had been asking and asking for harry to come and visit and it just hadnt been the right time. "It can be an early birthday gift." Harry enticed. "Please."

It wasnt just the fact that Ron and hermione thought that Harry's parents might have been evil most of the term that made Lilith and Severus hesitant to send him off alone to Ron's house, it was the fact that the Weasley's although lovable and adorkable humans, they were not known for their love of slytherins and Snapes. Lilith just worried what would happen but she shouldnt be because Harry had declared time and time again that his parents were good and the rest of the his class was stupid for believing that all Slytherin's were evil.

"I suppose thats fine." Lilith agreed softly. Severus stared back at her though.

"Cool." Harry whispered.

"He could come here, I know they have what is it, a zillion children, it will be cramped." Severus countered.

"He wants me to see his house, its like really tall, not big like Draco's house but big like... tall."

Lilith hated dropping him off. Aria stared up, up, up at the Burrow. Harry was excited. Percy answered the door and Lilith remembered how much she liked the majority of the Weasley children, it was just Ron that was a problem it seemed.

"Professor Snape!" Percy declared. "I did all the assigned reading and I'm going through it again, I had some questions on the secret passages of london if you have a moment?"

"I do." LIlith agreed.

"You said we were getting cookies after we dropped Harry off." Aria grumbled stomping a little foot on the uneven floor boards.

"Please come in." Percy declared pulling the door open wider for them and gesturing them inside. Lilith looked around cautiously as the Burrow. Shoes, coats and mismatched socks lined the entryway, pictures hung crooked on the walls and every floor runner was slanted or curled under itself. Lilith liked order and the weasley house was anything but.

"Is Ron around?" Harry questioned.

"Up in his room." Percy agreed pointing to the stairs.

"Percy who was it?" Molly questioned her son. "Percy!"

"It's Professor Snape, mum!" Percy answered.

"Snape? Heavens what does he want- oh... Lilith." Molly corrected.

"Harry and Ron have been writing, Ron invited Harry over to play-"

"Mum, we not kids we dont play anymore, we hang." Harry corrected.

"Okay my little man." Lilith agreed.

"I play." Aria countered.

"Yes, harry! Ron has told us so much about you!" Molly declared. "And percy speaks highly of his Ancient runes class as well. Harry, ron is up stairs- oh Ginny! Ginny, can you show harry to Ron's room?" Ginny stared wide eyed at Harry. Harry gave her a small wave and she ran up the stairs with an embarrassed squeak. "Well go after her."

"Bye mum."

"I will be back in an hour-"

"Two!" Harry countered.

"I will bring you boys up a snack!" Molly called out. "Might you stay for tea?"

"I promised cookies.'' Aria grumbled.

"I would but I should get going, is it alright if I pick Harry up in an hour or... two?" Lilith questioned.

"Certainly, more than happy to have him." Molly assured.

"Great. Sorry Percy. Read the mystics hidden desire, its very educational." Lilith suggested.

"That sounds like a romance novel." MOlly countered appalled.

"Read it backwards." Lilith added softly. Percy's eyes went wide. "Plenty of muggle books that it turned around hold true mysteries in them. Good luck, I expect a full report before term starts again."

"This place is so cool."

"You think?" Ron questioned.

"You got stuff everywhere! My room is so clean." Harry blurted out.

"You calling me messy Snape?"

"A bit, yeah." harry agreed.

"Come on, I will show you all my games." Ron pulled open his trunk. "Mainly hand me downs from my older brothers, they dont all work but some are hidden gems." Ron assured pulling out a little device.

"What's that do?" Harry questioned.

"Not a clue, I keep banging it against the trunk to see if that would work, turn it on." Ron shrugged.

"Are you counting down the minutes?"

"The Weasleys are fine people, a bit strange but fine." Lilith countered. "I just... Ron was a sh*t head this whole past year." Lilith barked out.

"I know." Severus agreed kissing her cheek. "But now that they know we are not the bad guys and harry has always known we are not the bad guys, things will be okay." Severus demanded his words to be true.

"What about Voldemort?"

"What about him?" Severus countered pouring a tall glass of whiskey, this seemed to have turned into a whiskey type of conversation.

"He is trying to come back... he has people that want him back... what do we do? How do we keep our family safe?"

24

"What a bore!" Draco countered. "You should have come here." Aria was already piling her plate with sweets.

"It was fun, he had all these broken Knick knacks." Harry offered.

"No way! Broken knick knacks!" Draco declared. "You know whats better than broken knick knacks?" Harry grabbed a drink from the table.

"What?"

"Literally everything." Draco dead panned. "Come on. I'm taking harry outside to show him my new broom!" Draco shouted back.

"Thank you for having us over, its nice to get out of the house." Lilith remarked.

"I remember when you were a little thing, you loved coming over here when mommy was on her trips and your daddy was at work." Narcissa remarked, crouching beside Aria.

"You left me here?" Aria questioned.

"Narcissa did some babysitting," Severus agreed. "Then I picked you up and you came home and slept like the baby that you were." Severus added. Aria looked to LIilth.

"You left me alone with daddy in charge?" Aria questioned incredulously.

"Yes and he kept you alive." Lilith agreed. "That is a win."

"Thats low standards." Aria corrected crossing her arms over her chest.

"Is this the new one?" Harry questioned.

"Yeah, brand new. I told you, I'm going out for the seeker position this year and i"m going to beat your butt." Draco declared. "I needed the best. It only seemed fair, you had the best last year."

"I dont think I need an upgrade just yet." Harry offered with a chuckle.

"My dad works at the ministry, he gets paid like a lot, what do teachers make?" Draco questioned.

"Not as much as your father." Harry offered. But Lilith and Severus had a nice nest egg because they didnt spend their money on frivolous things like mansions and fancy cars no one drove anyways. They had everything they needed and more.

"Oh I was thinking, Lilith," Lucius cooed reaching for her. Severus rolled his eyes.

"Dont be jealous, he has always adored Lilith." Narcissa remarked as Lucius and Lilith spoke.

"And thats supposed to make me feel better?" Severus mused.

"But Lilith has only ever had eyes for you." Narcissa agreed. Severus knew it too. Lilith smiled his way.

"You are trouble." Lilith countered swatting at Lucius.

"It doesnt bother you?" Severus countered. "Their friendship?"

"If I didnt know how loyal Lilith was to you," Narcissa countered.

Lucius was known to flirt but he would never cheat on Narcissa. No one else would put up with Lucius for as long as Narcissa did.

"Mommy!" Aria demanded running up to them. "I want to fly with Draco and Harry."

"Umm..." Lilith glanced outside at the boys. "That is a new broom lucius."

"Top of the line, best for my boy." Lucius agreed. "And because you are like family." Lucius nodded to the broom in the corner.

"You really shouldnt have." Lilith countered but she moved to it.

"It's for you, not harry, dont worry." Lucius teased.

"MAMA!" Aria demanded. "We fly?"

"We can have harrys old broom, he is going to need the best to compete against draco this year." Lilith remarked. She kissed LUcius cheek. "You are so sweet old friend."

"LET'S GO!" Aria demanded pulling liliths arm.

25
"What a beautiful daughter you have, I havent claimed this one yet."

"Leave her alone." Lilith barked.

"But I need them. I need them all. I am a collector you see and I need their souls... I will keep them safe in hell, hold them tight until they can no longer breathe." He chuckled his eyes narrowing in on her. She felt rooted to her spot unable to run to her daughter. Aria cried reaching for her but Lilith couldnt move.

"I am the collector, I will come for you last Lilith." He smiled, oh that smile was the most devilish thing lilith had ever seen. Harry sucked in a tight breath and when he let it out he screamed. Aria screamed. Lilith looked between them and their faces were turning blue.

"BREATHE! BREATHE!" lilith begged as she failed to get to them.

"I will keep them forever and ever... don't worry. Once you are the last one, I will take you too. But not before you pay for your sisters sin."

"She got rid of you, that was a blessing upon this world." Lilith hissed.

"Can't get rid of me... I'm the dark lord. I hide in the shadows, I lurk in the tunnels, I am coming for you Lilith, I am coming for your children and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

"Let them go." Lilith rasped her chest felt so tight, her lungs, she felt like she couldnt draw in breath.

"You can't catch me now, lilith... You can't catch me-"

Lilith woke from a fever soaked dream, shivers over took her and she felt a wash of dizziness come over her as she sat up, ser pounce rolled off her as she sat up, so that was the pressure on her chest. She groaned out rubbing at her head as she flopped back down. Severus sucked in a breath turning his cheek to her.

"Lil," He whispered reaching out for her.

"I'm fine, sorry." Lilith whispered, trying to get her racing heart to slow. "Go back to sleep."

"Lilith," Severus begged.

When she was in the dream it was so real, so vivid, so powerful, but coming out of it she felt so hopeless and helpless still. She hated that everything she witness in the dream could one day be a reality.

Voldemort would be back and he would try to take her children from her, he would try to take everything from her. He would take her life too. He would kill Severus no doubt and then what? All their hard work at trying to keep their family safe would be for nothing. If he came back there would be no stopping him, surely. Everyone said it, the dark lord was coming back and considering how Harry's first year went, LIlith was not excited for his second to start.

"I'm fine, just a nightmare." She assured him.

"What about?" Severus pondered.

"It doesnt matter, its never coming to light." Lilith assured.

"What do you mean?" Severus countered.

"Voldemort." She hissed.

"I hate that monster, even in death he torments you." Severus seethed holding onto her, she let out sharp breaths as she tried to calm her racing heart.

"Even in death... he's not completely dead anymore, Sev. I dont know that he ever was."