Fan Fiction ❯ Severus' Neice ❯ Severus Snapes' Neice ( One-Shot )

Lead by Professor McGonagall in a straight line to the front of Hogwarts' great hall, were the new first years, each face looking around at the magically decorated hall, with other knowing faces watching them enter from their houses tables. The Young eager faces stare towards the front as McGonagall dragged a four legged stool to the front carrying the old and battered sorting hat, as a hush silence fell over the house, as the headmaster, the great Albeus Dumbledore rose to his feet to say his usual speech.

After the speech, and the song from the hat, the sorting began as Professor McGonagall pulled a long roll of parchment and began reading the names off, applause erupted as the sorting hat bellowed which house each child entered. The line got shorter, and swiftly approached a well hidden girl somewhere closer to the end that was clearly older then the rest, as the line finally reached her, she stood there, calm, not eager, staring at the hat. The whole hall fell silent as her name was called from Professor McGonagall called her name, and it softly reverberated around the hushed hall.

"Kuro, Lorallie." McGonagall voice said calmly yet firmly.

The young girl, with a pale face, and even paler blue eyes, walked forward slowly. Her posture straight, her steps sure, everything oddly quiet. She had no relatives here, nor any proceeding members of her family, and no one had ever seem to have heard of her, or remember her on the train, her uniform wasn't even quite similar to all the other girls wore. Her skirt went all the way to the floor and was made of a airy black material, the torso of the dress was slightly stiff with a high collar and shiny black buttons, the sleeves were tight only her thin arms, and softly belled a bit, white peeking out atop the black of the collar and the edge of the sleeves, the traditional black cloak of Hogwarts school draped over the dress. She sat atop the stool; old fashion pointy toe boots peeked from under the long skirt, as all eyes were on her. She had long black hair, that was very dark, two strands that had a pail lavender color to them were pulled back in a delicate braid that formed a bun on the back of her head, thick lashes encased her fair eyes, she was pretty but had an eeriness about her. The sorting hat was placed atop her head and it slid a bit down as it was always to big, and stopped right above her eyes, casting a shadow over them, yet they seemed to dimly shine from the darkness. Folding her hands in her lap, she waited the hats words.

"Hmm…silent type, calm and reserved…" Said the hat thoughtfully. "Slytherin." Said the hat flatly, as she stood up removing it and placing it on the stool. All the teachers behind her nodded slowly, Professor Snape the feared and dark teacher of potions at the school and Head of the Slytherin house, seem slightly pleased, and oddly comforted that she ended up in his house. Draco Malfoy, with his fair blonde hair sneered, something about this girl disturbed this already disturbed boy, as she walked over to the table and sat the furthest she could from anyone. On the other side the infamous trio, Harry, Ron, Hermoine, whispered to each other about the strange girl.

"There's no way she's a first year!" Whispered Hermoine excitedly.

"Is it just me, or does she favor Snape a hell ova' lot?" Questioned Ron, screwing up his face.

"I don't know…but he looked glad she's in Slytherin." Harry whispered throwing a side-glance at Snape.

At the other table, where the new girl sad, alone and quiet, hands in her lap, looking at the golden plate as the table magically filled with the welcoming feast. Malfoy, Harry Potter's dreaded rival, has just got done muttering something two his two lumbering offish cohorts, Crabbe and Goyle. He stood up and headed over to the girl, his over large shadows closely behind him, he sat down in front of her and grabbed a piece of chicken leg and looked at her. She didn't look up, nor did she fill her plate with anything, she sat there, like a statue. This caused Malfoy to raise a brow to his two friends, whom only could shrug back.

"My names Draco, Draco Malfoy…. yes my father is Lucius Malfoy." He added with a snobbish tone. Crabbe and Goyle simply snigger. She looked up, her cold eyes piercing through Malfoy.

"And is that supposed to impress me boy?" She said, her voice a soft cold tone, melodic, but chilling all the same, equal to the cold stare in her eyes. Draco stammered looking at her with great disgust. Crabbe and Goyle just looked in disbelief as she just stood up and moved further along the table to rid herself of the boy.

"Who does she think she is?" Goyle grunted looking at her and then to Draco whom was angrily chewing his chicken.

"I bet she's a mudblood, …" he grunted grabbing a goblet of pumpkin juice and drinking it down hurriedly.

After everyone had eaten and conversed and was ready for bed Dumbeldore stood again and said his closing speech, and directed all the Head boys and girls to direct their house back to the dormitories. And in long lines, and chatter that woke any snoozing paintings and ghosts they headed back. Everyone settled in, hanging their posters and pictures and what ever they wished to make their dorm's more like home for the time they stayed at Hogwarts. Lorallie was in the girl's wing of the Slytherin house, and was kneeling in front of her locked trunk. The trunk was large and made of a black wood with silver metal joints, the key hole was oddly shaped and old, there were stickers from different places all over the trunk. All the other girls were sitting on one bed, conversing, she separate from them.

"She's so creepy…" Said a girl with short brown hair and man freckles, whispering so not to be heard. "Is she a first year?" she asked looking to a blonde girl.

"No, she's a fifth year, transferred here from somewhere, though no one is quite sure." She said looking at the girl also.

Lorallie had opened the trunk using a silver key that was around a carefully concealed silver bracelet on her left wrist. Reaching in, she pulled out a picture frame of a dark silver color, brushing off the glass she stood, slowly and graceful, heading to the bed stand and placed it facing her bed. She stood looking at the picture, before turning back around and continuing to unpack her trunk. Her attention was distracted as she was hanging up a glass shadow box full of interesting butterflies pinned in with silver pins, each label with a small slip of paper. The girl who seemed to know the most about her had come over and softly cleared her throat, Lorallie turned and faced her, lifting a brow in question.

"Hello my name is Jessie." She smiled and held out her hand, which Lorallie looked at suspiciously. "Ahem, yes…ah…is that a picture of your Mum and dad?" She asked grasping the picture frame and turning it to look at her, her face went white, as she just stared at the picture.

"Yes." Came the soft reply from Lorallie. The picture Jessie was looking at did not have a picture of the normal family, but Lorallie was in it, as a very small child. The picture was moving, she was sitting with her knee's to her chest, wearing a dress similar to what she wore now, but definitely in a younger fashion, her head was tilted looking at Jessie sadly, on either side of the little girl with black pigtails was two large loaming headstones, dead flowers in front of them. The names read Deckard Kuro, and Liia Kuro, with the dates of their births and deaths. The other girls had come up behind Jessie and were staring at the picture also, they all in turn in stunned voices, mutter how pretty the picture was.

"You don't have to lie, I know it's odd." Lorallie said softly, pulling the picture from Jessie's hands. "They both died the week after I was born, murdered, I was six when I took that picture." She said putting the picture back on the stand and heading to the trunk and pulling out two more pictures, handing them to the girls. Like the first picture, there was a younger version of Lorallie, this time looking to be about the age of 8, without pigtails but a long solitary braid. This time she was standing to the left of a rounded top headstone with the name Gregory Lane. "That's my Uncle…he was also murdered, that was taken a week after his funeral." Sure enough the dirt in front of the grave was freshly laid with fresh flowers. The last picture was a muggle one, ripped in several places and the color was off. It was a picture of the 10-year-old Lorallie, wearing a muggle school uniform of gray and white plaid; she looked sadder then ever. Her hair pulled back in a tight bun, but the signs of her lavender bangs were there. The tall man was squatting down holding her shoulders, smiling at the camera, he was an old, with salty colored hair, and bright blue eyes, and he looked like a definite relative of Lorallie, and was wearing all black also. "That's my Grandfather, his name is Cornelius Kuro…he died last month." She somberly taking the pictures away and placing them on the bedside table.

The girls all stood there, speechless, watching her unpack the rest of her things, they finally noticed on the other side of the bed a large black iron birdcage.

"Oh! Do you have an owl?" One of the girls asked trying to get to a less somber subject.

"No…my grandfather left me his Raven…but it works just like the owls." She said pulling a Slytherin scarf and a pair of thin wire silver frame glasses. "His name is Nycto."

"Oh." Chimed all the girls, they turned and decided to stop questioning before something else strange was learned.

Everyone was unpacked and in they're nightclothes, in their beds, with their dark green curtains drawn around them, softly snoring, Lorallie wasn't asleep. She was lying there in a gray long sleeve, high collar nightgown, staring at the ceiling of her four-poster bed. She could hear everyone sleeping around her, she was thinking back on all the people who stared at her, and the questions, and wondered how her life at Hogwarts would turn out to be, and how many more people would die, for knowing her. After a few hours of pondering and listening, fitful sleep finally came over her. Her dreams were no better then the nagging dread of being awake. She kept seeing the graves of her family, and crying out, she was alone, and all the random people passing the graves, would not look at her, she could hear strange hissings, and whispers of threats. The graves of her dead family began to shake and crumble, and the dirt unearthed their rotting coffins, and she was being sucked into the ground. She woke with a start, sitting up straight in her bed, an hour before she had to be awake, knowing better then to actually go back to sleep, she slipped from bed, her feet touching the cold stone floor, and began to get dressed in her long gown, and tying her hair back in it's usual fashion. Slowly as the sky turned to it's color of morning and the girls all began to wake, to find her perched on the edge of her bed, reading her Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5. After all were the girls were dressed and had their books they all headed down to the Great hall for breakfast, but failed to ask if Lorallie would like to walk with them. So, she walked alone, her books tucked under her arm, looking tired, and walking slow. She reached the hall shortly after all the food appeared, she was walking towards the empty end of the table when Professor Snape cut into her path, looking up she gave a quizzical look.

"A word if you please Miss Lorallie." He said in a calm tone. She nodded and followed him from the hall.

At the other table away from Slytherin, was Harry watching Snape walk away with the young girl. He couldn't help but notice she wasn't at all intimidate with him, usually Slytherin students weren't but on occasion they always had some sort of face when a teacher had to conference with them alone. He wondered what they were talking about, and wondered why he had a nagging feeling that Snape knew this girl before she came to school.

"Don't hurt yourself…" Came Ron's voice jokingly. Harry turned and saw that both he and Hermoine were staring at him. "Something interesting we should know?" he asked, leaning in and shoveling some scrambled egg into his mouth.

"No, it's nothing…just…"He paused, stirring the food around on his plate in thought.

"They look related don't they?" Came Hermoine's voice. "And she's not wearing Hogwart's uniform either…"

"That's because she's a transferee." came Jessie's voice as they turned and faced her. "She's really creepy too, all her family pictures are of her next to a grave, except the one of her Grandfather…"

"Do you know where she came from?" Ron jumped in.

"No, I didn't want to ask, she was giving me the creeps, I wish I didn't have to share a room with her." She said angrily and turned away, going back to her friends at the Slytherin table.

"Why do you suppose she came over here to share that with us?" Hermoine said looking at Ron and Harry. Both boys gave a shrug of their shoulders and went back to eating.

In Snape's office sat he and the new girl, it was dark and quite, and both looked quite comfortable there.

"Dumbledore has agreed to allow you to continue wearing your old uniform, and is holding a meeting with the other teacher to see about getting yourself your own room." He said calmly. She nodded, staring at her hands, which were folded in her lap.

"Thank you, Un…Professor Snape." She said softly, he stood up, the black cloak he wore billowing behind him as he went to the front of the desk, leaned on it and folded his arms.

"You don't look well, you need to eat child." He said, not in a parenting tone, but a short matter-of-factly way.

"I can't, all those people keep whispering and staring at me. They don't like me." She whispered, a tinge of hurt in her voice. Snape sighed and pulled his wand out from his cloak and summoned a tray of tea and toast, offering her a silver cup and saucer, and taking some himself as he went back to sit in his desk.

"I'm aware of that." He said taking a drink. "But that can't be an excuse to let yourself wither away."

"Yes, Professor." She said, drinking some of the hot tea.

Soon a knock at the door sounded, and Dumbledore entered, nodding to Snape before he could stand up, Lorallie had turned and was looking at Dumbledore, a bit of fear in her fair eyes.

"No worries child, you aren't in trouble. I came to tell you, you now have your own room, the teachers seemed to agree that since you are still grieving the loss of your grandfather, that you can have you own room, we've also took in the fact that you have those night terrors, and it would be best if you had you own quarters."

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore" She nodded politely. Dumbledore smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Severus, I'm to understand you are the last of her family, a very distant uncle, am I correct?" He said looking to Snape who simply nodded. "Yes, so I'm under the impression that come summer holiday, she will be leaving with you?"

"Yes." He replied.

"Good then, all is figured out, and she should hurry along now, the bell will ring any minute." He said, shaking Snape's hand and patting Lorallie on the shoulder before leaving.

Lorallie was staring down into her cup of tea, watching the steam rise from it; Snape stood and walked over to her.

"Don't fret Lorallie, everything will turn out fine, it usually does here." He commented as she stood up having finished the remaining tea and handed him the cup, gathering her books, and wand. "Here, take this for later." He said holding a handkerchief of white and black with the toast points from the tea. She accepted it, nodding to her Uncle and left the classroom heading to her first lesson, which was with the Gryffindor's. Snape watched as she left the room, he couldn't help himself but to feel sorry for the child, she was in truth, family.

She finally reached class, and was actually the first person in. Her first class was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. She had taken her seat and was waiting for the lessons to begin, when McGonagall came over and took her attention away from the surface of the desks.

"Is everything alright dear?" She asked, a little bit of care in her voice, as other students began filling in.

"Yes Ma'am." She nodded, looking at the woman.

"Good, I hear you're a very good student, and shouldn't have trouble at all catching up." She said smiling.

"Yes, Ma'am." Lorallie replied politely as the rest of the class, including Malfoy and his two goons, and Harry, Ron, and Hermoine came in taking their seats. No one sat near Lorallie, and by the looks of it, no one wanted to anyways. McGonagall noticed that and frowned slightly, and went to the front of the class.

"Students, I am sure you've all noticed we have a new student to the Slytherin House. Lorallie Kuro." She said motioning to the still Lorallie, whom didn't look up. "I'm sure each and everyone of you will try your best to make her feel welcomed here at Hogwart's." She said, taking a moment to glare at Draco Malfoy, whom was whispering behind his hand to Crabbe.

After the introduction, class began, it was uneventful, Malfoy was snobby and tried to show off, Hermoine was as good a student ever. And no one paid mind to the new girl.

Harry, Ron and Hermoine we're heading to their Care of Magical Creatures, still with Slytherin like last year. As They Approached Hagrid's hut, they saw he was busy talking to someone, at first they thought it was Snape, but realized the person was to thin and to short to be him, and thanks to Hermoine's keen eye, they noticed it was Lorallie. Hagrid was talking and motioning, and she was standing still, only a nod every now and again. Hagrid turned and noticed the three approaching, rather early.

"'Allo there Harry, Ron, and Hermoine!" Hagrid chimed cheerily; Lorallie had turned and faced them. "How are you three?" He questioned, they all replied with a fine. "I'm sure by now you've seen Lorallie around `ere, she was just tellin' me how she got herself her own room…" He smiled, as she nodded slowly.

"WOW! Your own room how did you manage that?" Hermoine asked baffled.

"I have terrible night terror's, Professor Dumbledore said it would be better for me to be alone, so I won't disturb anyone. Besides, I don't think the girls I was put with like me very much." She said softly.

"Yah, but since there ain't any vacant rooms in the Slytherin girls house, she's going to be in the girls wing of Gryffindor, One of the Head Girls volunteered her room, isn't that nice?" Hagrid chimed in.

"Quite." Said Hermoine. "I'm Hermoine Granger. " Directed to Lorallie. "That's Ron Wesley, and he's Harry Potter." She said pointing to each as they gave small waves and smiles. Lorallie nodded to each, and it struck Harry as slightly odd that she didn't stare at him, or try to see his scar.

"Hello." She said softly as the rest of the class came towards Hagrid's hut, complete with Malfoy and his two brutes. Who immediately began to whine about Hagrid's bad teaching skills and what type of dangerous creature he would be forcing the children to mess with.

After the classes that were schedule, Lunch was called; Harry, Ron and Hermoine were all gathered together conversing about their classes and the anything else that was available. Hermoine had just mentioned she was probably going to stop into the library for some light reading, which drew out groans from Ron and Harry.

"Excuse me?" Lorallie's voice rang from behind Hermoine, all three of them turned. "Hermoine? Is it?" She asked, with a nod from Hermoine. "I was wondering if you and you friends could help me move my things from the Slytherin house later?" a delicate blush rose on her cheeks. "I've already asked Unc…ahem…Professor Snape if it was alright, and though he was very reluctant he agreed."

"Sure, we'd love to help." Ron chimed in, smiling as sweetly as he could.

"No problem, after last class?" Hermoine asked, looking rather cheerful.

"Yes, if it's alright, I can meet you in front of the stairs." She replied, and they all nodded. "Thank you." She gave a short bow and returned to the Slytherin table and fixed herself a small glass of pumpkin juice.

"She doesn't seem to be typical of the Slytherin sort." Harry said looking to Ron and Hermoine.

"Well we can't all judge her against the others can we?" Hermoine said matter-of-factly.

"Was it just me…or did she almost say Uncle instead of Professor?" Ron said a very confused look on his face, as they all watched Lorallie leaving the great hall alone.

As planned all three of them met together at the foot of the Stairs, Lorallie was the first there.

"Hello Lorallie!" Hermoine waved, as they all got close. "We're all ready."

"Ok follow me." She said as she turned and lead them to the picture saying the password, entering the lobby of the Slytherin house. Making sure to shut the door behind them.

"What are THEY doing here?" Came a rather irate voice, which was all to well known to these three. They all turned and faced Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, whom were trying to appear intimidating. "They aren't allowed in here! Get out before I get Professor Snape! Or better yet, stay!"

"Oh get off it Malfoy." Came Lorallie's voice from behind the tree, she was slightly shorter then the boys, but she gave a more powerful position standing nose to nose with him, and glaring at him.

"Oh and what if I don't!" Sneered Malfoy. "What do you plan to do about it?" Goyle and Crabbe both cracked their knuckles behind him for further intimidation, Harry, Hermoine, and Ron just watched in slightly stunned silence.

"I don't find your under-evolved knuckle cracking friends the slightest bit intimidating, and you, Malfoy, cannot scare me into submission by flashing around who your father is." She snapped at him as he stammered dumfounded. "Now I suggest you move you and your `friends' out of my way, or else." She said, her voice getting lower and more chilling.

"I...I...I don't have to stand for this!" Malfoy said and turned stomping off towards the dormitory wing for the boys with his cohorts in short trot behind him. Lorallie turned and faced the three and said softly, kindly, no iciness left in her tone.

"He is just the most foul creature I've ever come across…" She said flatly.

"That was bloody brilliant." Ron exhaled as they all headed to her soon to be ex-room.

After gathering all her things and carrying it to the Gryffindor girls wing, and teaching her the password, they were all sitting in the single room as Lorallie darted here and there placing pictures down and now hanging a large black and purple and blue fabric tapestry of the constellations, which Hermoine was standing in front of and most likely memorizing their positions. Ron and Harry were sitting on her bed, looking at the pictures.

"I really want to thank you for helping me, no one else wanted to." She said after closing and locking her trunk.

"No problem." Harry said as the other agreed. Suddenly there came a tapping of a beak on her window, they all turned and looked out but couldn't see a bird there. Lorallie swiftly moved to the window and pushed it open, in flew a massive black bird, cawing harshly with something tied to his leg.

"The hell is that?" Ron squeaked watching it circle around the room, then landing on it's owner's shoulder.

"Nycto, my Raven." Lorallie said, petting it as it gave out something of a purr. "My grandfather left if for me, he wasn't to keen on having an owl, so he never got one."

"A raven, wow…" Said Hermoine. "I've read somewhere that ravens are some of the most intelligent bird species around…possibly even better then Parrots!" She chimed as Lorallie began removed the scroll from Nycto. After being rid of his package he hopped into the air and took flight into his black iron cage in the corner of her room, landing on the perch and getting some water.

"He doesn't enjoy the owlery…I think the owls tease him." She said unrolling the parchment and reading it. She frowned slightly, and the other noticed.

"Are you in some sort of trouble?" Harry asked.

"No, it's just a notification that I'm now under full custody of my distant Uncle Severus." She read plainly leaving off the last bit of information at the bottom of the scroll, before rolling up the parchment and placing it into her dresser drawer. She looked up and saw on all three faces a look of shock and utter confusion.

"Severus…Severus Snape?" Ron asked his face growing more shocked.

"Yes? Is there something the matter?" Lorallie said tilting her head.

"Y-Your related to Professor Snape?" Hermoine asked.

"Well…yes he's my very distant uncle." She answered.

All three of them just sort of stared at her, in disbelief, it hadn't occurred to them that Snape would have family, let alone a niece that could possibly be nice, or normal looking. The Raven let out a loud caw, which broke everyone's stupor.

"Oh dear, it's getting late, you should go before anyone gets in trouble for dilly dallying." Lorallie said, walking them the few steps to the door. "And thank you so much for your help, and I'll…understand if you don't want …me to speak to you in public…" She said offering a stale crooked smile, which all three blinked at her confusedly.

"No, we would love to have you as our friend! After the way you stood up to Malfoy, we'd be insane to not have you as a friend." Harry said with the other agreeing. Lorallie delicately blushed and offered the first genuine smile since coming here, they all bid farewell and she shut the door behind them, walking over and shutting the window, and speaking to her raven.

"Well Nycto…perhaps staying here won't be so very bad after all." The bird offered a purr of sorts in agreement as Lorallie sat down on her bed to begin her first days homework.

"Run!!" Came a booming older male voice from nowhere, there was a baby crying as the patter of hurried feet sounded on wood, someone was being chased. A loud roar sounded behind the people, one whom was a male with long black hair flying wildly, gray eyes feverish with fear, the lady running next to the man holding the crying bundle of rags had long black hair and bright blue eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks as she ran, behind them a large black creatures with burning red eyes was bounding closer and closer. Then it pounced inches from landing upon them.

With a start Lorallie sat straight up screaming, causing Nycto her raven to caw loudly and flap around the room. After a few moments of confusion Lorallie ran her hand over her sweat-soaping forehead looking around her room, as the bird settled. In her lap were three books, one that showed spots of wetness, which was from the sweat and tears. She hurriedly whipped her hot face and pushed the books off, one fell to the floor with a loud thud. She climbed to her feet and walked over to a mirror and peered in.

"You look a mess dear…nightmare?" Came the sleepy voice of the enchanted mirror. Lorallie didn't reply but moved some of the stray hair from her face, closing her eyes; she could still hear the screaming and crying. Pushing off from the wall she was leaning against, turning to an old fashion wind-up clock next to her bed. It was ten o'clock even, she had ushered her new friends out around seven.

"Perhaps they are still in the commons room?" She asked herself, but the mirror felt the need to reply.

"Perhaps dear, why not go and see." It said calmly.

Lorallie walked out of her room, Nycto returning to his sleep, and walked down to the common room and sure enough she found Hermoine, Ron and Harry all huddled near the fire in the best chairs talking about their classes. Apparently Ron was having trouble in Transfiguration, but Hermoine was proceeding to suggest many ways to fix it.

"Lorallie!" Came Ron's voice having seen her walk down from the stairs behind Hermoine, they all turned and faced her. "Are you ok? You look bloody awful…" Said Ron wrinkling his nose slightly.

"Oh that's very thoughtful Ron." Said Hermoine, but agreeing nonetheless. "But you do look awful."

"It was nothing…nightmare." She said whipping her forehead again. "I was wondering if I could borrow Hermoine for awhile?" She asked folding her hands together.

"Ah…" Ron stammered.

"Certainly!" Said Hermoine. "What can I do for you?" She said standing up and gathering her books.

"Ohm…I was wondering, if…" She blushed. "If you'd care to come and…talk while bathing?" She blushed more. Ron and Harry exchanged very odd confused looks with each other.

"Well, I do need a bath, but the tubs for the common students are far to small." Hermoine said like it was nothing, which it wasn't. Girls usually flocked together to the bathroom, and sharing a bath was nothing, kind of like sitting in a Jacuzzi, the only reason Lorallie blushed was because she isn't really that outgoing.

"That's ok, I have permission to use the head girls bath." Lorallie said.

"Well ok then, let's go, Harry, Ron I'll be back later, you don't have to wait for me." Hermoine said walking with Lorallie back up the stairs. Finding the appropriate placement of the picture, saying the password and entering the large extravagant bath. Lorallie pointed across the huge bath to a golden faucet head.

"I'll start the water, turn that one for the bubbles." She instructed, going to the faucet head that had the warm water. AS the tub was filling, Hermoine went about the tub turning on various other things to see what happened, once the tub was filled with steaming warm water, lavender bubbles that smelt like wild flowers Hermoine turned her back on Lorallie whom was placing a small stack of fluffy white towels near the large tub. Lorallie turned as she heard the water move and saw Hermoine settling into the bubbles her wild mane of brown curls pulled up and back, our of her face.

"Mmm…this feels nice." Hermoine sighed. A chuckled came from Lorallie who was undressing, Hermoine set about splashing handfuls of the water on her face, when she felt the water rise she looked over to see if Lorallie was getting in. What she saw was Lorallie lowering herself into the water, she saw the expanse of her bare back, and on her shoulder blades something very peculiar for a girl her age. Two large ornate red wings, tattooed into the pale skin of her back, in between the two wings was a fancy glyph of sorts. "Wow! Is that a tattoo?" Hermoine had to ask.

"Mhmm, it is." Lorallie said, turning as she was submerged almost to her chin in bubbles, and smiling to Hermoine.

"When did you get it?" She said moving some of the tall purple bubbles out of the way.

"Shortly after my Uncle Gregory died." She said sadly, rubbing some of the sweet smelling flowers along her neck and shoulders. "I was just about…13 at the time, forged the permission slip that they require at muggle tattoo shops, and got it in memory of him." She sighed softly. "He was a good person, didn't deserve to die that way…he used to love birds. Said they were angel's in disguise." Tears were gathering in the corners of her eyes, she blinked them away.

"I'm sorry." Hermoine said moving closer so they could talk. "So, how do you like Hogwarts?" She smiled.

"It's nice, very bi…" Her sentence was cut short by a low moaning sound coming from around the faucet heads of the bath. Lorallie looked around confusedly, as a knowing look donned on Hermoine's face.

"Hello Myrtle." Said Hermoine as a young girl in Hogwarts uniform appeared out of the faucet.

"`Ello Hermoine, long time since I've seen you, been to busy chasing Harry and Ron `round I suppose." She said sneeringly before noticing the second person. "Oh! Who are you? I've never seen you before." She said getting close. A shiver passed over Hermoine as the ghost got so near, but Lorallie looked unnerved.

"I'm Lorallie Kuro. Pleasure to meet you Myrtle." She said smiling sweetly; she had a look of complete comfort. "I do hope the after life is fair for you."

"My word." Myrtle said softly, and sat back a bit in the air, tilting her head. "A live one, so courteous of the dead. I never…" Sounding flabbergasted.

"Myrtle died from the stare of the basilisk, in one of the other girls lavatories." Hermoine said in reference to Myrtle. "Harry destroyed the basilisk in our third year here at Hogwarts. Apparently it was being summoned by He-who-must-not-be-named." She nodded as Myrtle let out a soft moan of despair.

"Wow, a basilisk? That must have been terrifying." Lorallie said to Myrtle.

"It would've been if I had actually registered that I saw one. It was very fast." She said turning her cheek slightly.

Soon a whole conversation about death, and monsters, and Harry broke out, Lorallie learning of their misadventures, and befriending Myrtle. Hermoine learning about Lorallie's life at a muggle school and learning wizardry only form her Grandfather. And so on, unfortunately they lost track of time and soon it was late, past the time they should've been in bed, so after a quick wash and redress, Myrtle left through the same pipes she came in, Hermoine snuck off hurriedly towards her room, and Lorallie half way to her room, realize she left her bracelet with her key on it, in the bathroom. She turned back, waving to Hermoine to fetch it, after searching the bathroom and finding it in a far corner, and returning it to her wrist she began her way back to the Gryffindor portrait hole. She was just around the corner from being there when a hand fell on her shoulder, being scared as she was, she let out a scream and whipped around falling and landing on the floor scuffing up her hand. She let out a whine of pain and clutched her hand at the wrist close to her chest, starting to cry.

"Please...d-don't hurt me!" She whispered out between her clenched teeth. In front of her, her would be "attacker" knelt down in front of her and his face came into view. "Uncle Severus…why…you scared me!" She said a few tears spilling over her pale cheeks leaving behind trails. Her hair was still in the messy bun she used when bathing, a few tendrils of her purple hair fell free.

"I'm sorry child." He said a tinge of care in his voice, but still looking stern, he grabbed the hand hurt hand she was cradling and looked at it, his hands were icy cold, but his touch was somewhat warming to her. "Tsk…you've scraped your palm." He said taking out his wand, pointing it at the red patch of scuffed skin and uttering the needed magical word to heal it up quickly. He helped the still slightly sniffling Lorallie up.

"I know it's late uncle…I was taking a bath and talking with Hermoine…" She was explaining as He cut in.

"That god awful know-it-all? I do not want you to associate with that …that girl and her friends." He sneered down at Lorallie.

"Uncle!" She said in a slightly scolding tone. "She is the only girl in the whole forsaken school other then the ghost Myrtle who have shown me any sort of common courtesy. Her and her friends helped me move into my room and have openly accepted me as a friend!" She said her voice a high whisper.

"But that Potter boy is forever causing trouble and getting away with it!" He softly snapped back at her.

"I don't care Uncle Severus, they didn't judge me! As a matter of fact they seemed surprised I was your niece!" She said tears appearing back in the corners of her eyes, as her fists balled up next to her side. "I've been told about how mean and down right rotten to them!"

"They deserved it! They think they are better than everyone else! Just because of that…that Boy!"

"I'm am well aware that `boy' as you call him is the son of the late James Potter! And I'm full aware that you detest him for that!"

"They all treat him as if he's some sort of last scion!" He said his voice lifting a bit. "I must be hard on him, otherwise his head gets to big!"

"Yet you plainly inflate that deplorable Draco Malfoy boys head!" She said turning her back on him. "That boy should be the one you hate, and all because his father is that despicable Lucius Malfoy." She said her voice getting low.

"Now see here Lorallie!" He almost yelled at her.

"Uncle…the kids here…they stare at me and judge me, the same way you judge Harry, all because we share blood with someone. People openly hate me because the blood that runs through my veins, runs in yours." She said softly, which caused Snape's face to soften, and the anger to face away; he walked up behind her and placed both his hands on her shoulders. "I want to be friends with them, they didn't hate me, they didn't judge me, and even if I'm related to the most feared and hated teacher in Hogwarts." She said softly, a tear sliding off her cheek. Snape sighed softly and kissed the top of her head, a show of affection that no one would've believe even if they saw it.

"Lorallie…as your last blood relative and now care taker, I only want to protect you. I won't stop you from being friends with them, and I'll…" His face contoured with slight disgust. "I'll try to curb my tongue when dealing with them, but!" he said as sternness came back into his eyes. "I still dislike them and will watch them like a buzzard! If they as so much as make you cry! Or...or!"

"Uncle, I can take care of myself, but Thank you." She said wrapping her arms around his torso and leaning her cheek against his chest, hearing his heartbeat.

"Well…" He stammered, and then pushed her back gently trying to look stern and angry, but failing miserably. "You shouldn't be walking the halls this late at night! Get right back to your room or I'll take five points from Slytherin AND Gryffindor!"

"Yes Unc…Professor Snape." She said bowing her head and turning on her heel heading around the corner and through the picture of the fat lady. Snape watched her leave, hearing her foot falls silence behind the picture, and couldn't help thinking to himself.

She really is a nice girl…tried to promise myself that I wouldn't be so attached…I hate children, but she's different. Either way! Next time she's caught out after hours it's five points from the house, even if it is my own. He thought as he turned around and head back towards his patrol route towards his house.

Lorallie fell down on a stone floor with a hard thud, feeling her right arm crack under the thrown weight she screamed in agony. He dress was ripped and tattered, her face tear soaked and strained, she was in terrible pain, crying and trying to crawl away, when two hard strong hands picked her up, she couldn't see the face through all her tears.

"Please! Please have mercy!" She screamed and tried to hit him with her left hand. Again she was picked up and flung against the wall, her head hitting it with a sickening crack sound, blackness threatened to cave in on her. She fell to the floor in a crumpled heap; the feet of her attacker approached and then kicked her hard in the gut, causing all her breath to rush out in a loud wheeze.

" This time you die." A harsh growling voice sounded off, as she tried to look up, her eyes widened in fear as she began screaming blood-curdling screams, bright blinding yellow light filled her vision.

"NO!!" Lorallie woke with a start, sitting up straight in bed, drenched in sweat and shaking with chills, Nycto was out flying about and the window was open, her hair was down and tangled, she ran a shaking hand over her face, hot with fever, tears were streaming down from her eyes like waterfalls, with a sudden lurch in her stomach she covered her mouth, then with another gag, she sprang from her bed rushing to the lavatory set in the wall of the room and expelled all the contents of her stomach. When she was emptied, she sank to her feet, near fainting on the floor, shaking, she was so cold, her teeth chattered, her head hurt, her stomach hurt, everything hurt, her arms were burning like wild fire, she laid her head on the floor, and curled into a little ball, and cried. What she did not see was the deep red wetness blossoming on the sleeves of her white nightgown, spreading like a flower. Soon she fainted from the fever, and the exhaustion and the anxiety of the dream.

"Have you seen Lorallie yet?" Hermoine asked Ron as they approached Harry near the Care of Magical Creatures class.

"No, not at all...and no one else has either." Ron replied shifting his books to a more comfortable position, they stopped in front of Harry who carried the same curious yet slightly worried look on his face.

"You haven't seen her either have you?" Harry asked both who simply responded with a sad shake of their heads.

"Hello `Arry." Came Hagrid's booming voice as he approached the trio, carrying a large bucket of some sort of slop. "Hermoine, Ron." He nodded to each. "How are ya?"

"We're good, Say Hagrid, you haven't seen Lorallie Kuro have you?" Ron asked lifting brows in concern.

"Sorry can't say I `ave Ron." Hagrid replied pouring the slop into troughs. Soon all of the class was in attendance, with exception of Ms. Kuro, and under way. After the explanation of their new creatures and their care, the students were paired in three's to tend to an animal. When sudden a harsh screaming caw broke the low buzz of conversation, as it angrily flapped in front of Hagrid making quite a ruckus pulling at his mass of hair.

"What in the name of Dumbledore…" Hagrid said swatting at the bird angrily. "Ge'off you blinkin' buzzard!" Hagrid said it wasn't normal for Hagrid to ever say anything unkindly of an animal.

"That's Lorallie's bird!" Hermoine gasped dropping a head of lettuce onto the mud. Suddenly without warning the bird took off, cawing loudly, disappearing behind a wall of the school. "Something's wrong." Hermoine said then took off without explanation or warning, chasing after the bird. Harry, Ron, Hagrid and the rest of the class just stared in dumbfounded speechlessness as Hermoine rushed away.

"I wonder what's up?" Harry said to Hagrid and Ron, neither replied, but Hagrid had a concerned looked in his eyes.

Panting, her lungs burning and a stitch in her side, Hermoine nearly tripped over the last stair to get to Lorallie's room, when she did she immediately tried the door, which was locked.

"Lorallie!!" She screamed pounding on the door, she peeked through the keyhole and saw her lying on the ground not moving, barely breathing, and could hear Nycto in the room cawing madly about. "Damn." She said as she turned around and bolted down the steps taking three at a time, she landed on the ground with a loud thwack of her shoes and took off down the halls, throwing open classroom doors only the find them empty, she had just thrown open the door to Professor Snape's class and failed to see him sitting beside the fire in a dark chair, a quizzical and made look was on his face as she ran in and looked around.

"Where are you, you stupid old git?" She gasped out looking about wildly.

"Miss Granger!" Snape barked as she whirled around and came nose to chest with the teacher. "That will be 50 points from Gryffindor for insulting a teac…"

"I don't have time for the nonsense babble! Something's wrong with Lorallie!" She screamed and turned bolting out the door knowing full well Snape would follow, and he did.

They reached the door to Lorallie's room and he tried the handle.

"It's locked and only she has a key!" Hermoine said biting her nails, footsteps could be heard behind them in the stairwell, no doubt someone over heard her yelling.

"Why didn't you use the un-locking charm?" He growled as he pulled his wand out and undid the locks with the simple incantation.

"I-I-I don't know! I was…" He cut her off by opening the door and freezing in his tracks a Nycto came flying out towards the stairs cawing loudly.

"Oh God." Hermoine said as she saw the blood on Lorallie's sleeves and how pale she was. "She's not…she didn't?" She stammered. Snape had walked over and placed two fingers on her neck feeling for her pulse.

"Go get Dumbl…" Snape turned

"I'm already her Severus." Came the calm tone of Dumbledore. "Hermoine go notify Madam Pomfrey to ready a bed in the infirmary." With that Hermoine spun on her heel and left, the Raven following her, but this time silently. Snape was standing; worry all over his usually stern and emotionless face, in his arms was the limp body of Lorallie.

"She to light…she hasn't been eating." He said softly as Dumbledore approached. Dumbeldore placed a hand on her forehead and clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, she's burning up, come we have to hurry." He said turning and leading Snape away amidst the crowd of students that now lined not only the hall but also the commons room. As they walked to the infirmary they passed Ron, Harry and Hagrid.

"Is that Lorallie?" Ron said as they entered the infirmary to a waiting Pomfrey and Hermoine. "She looks dead." His face was pale white and he turned Harry who had slightly blanched himself. Soon Hermoine came out, red cheeked and almost caught up with her breath.

"What happened?" Harry asked as Hermoine swallowed deeply.

"I don't know, I found her in her room collapsed, no one would've found her if Nycto hadn't caused such a racket." She replied watching was the door closed and all the students that were standing around murmured to each other about what wild speculations they could come up with.

"Everyone please disperse." Came the tone of Professor McGonagall, as she began ushering people out of the way. Reluctantly everyone left going on their own ways, including the three friends of Lorallie with one last glance at the Hospital doors as McGonagall entered.

The dinner that night was all a buzz with conversations about the dramatic finding of Lorallie. Hermoine was still quite pale from finding her; Ron and Harry pushed their food around and ate sparingly as the sat and listened. At the professor's table Snape, and Pomfrey were missing, the rest were all conversing amongst themselves. No one noticed Snape sneak in through a side door and come up behind Hermoine who was drinking from a cup.

"Ms. Granger…" He said to her as she turned to face him, worry in her face. "I must apologize for being so…harsh earlier, and also came to inform you that Lorallie wishes to speak with you three. Madam Pomfrey is quite against it, being she is still very weak, but she won't cooperate." He said as they hurriedly stood up and followed after Snape, everyone watching them leave, which spurred more conversations.

Approaching the hospital wing they could hear commotions that could only be Madame Pomfrey rushing about and trying to medically aid Lorallie, who as said before, was no cooperating. The four went into the infirmary and immediately came to a halt by a tall muscular tanned young man no one has ever seen before.

"No is to be admitted!" He snapped, but Madame Pomfrey came over, and grabbed Hermoine.

"Hurry child, she needs to take her medicine." She said, sounded exhausted. As soon as Hermoine reached Lorallie's bed, she stopped fretting about and turned looking at her, at first confusion only swept across her unnaturally pale face, her eyes were glassy with fever and sickness.

"Lorallie?" Hermoine said her voice shaky.

"Who are…Hermoine?" Her expression went to angry confusion to half recognition. "Hermoine…tell them! Tell them grandfather is here!" She said grabbing the front of her uniform and pulled weakly, her hands were so thin; from elbow to wrist she was bandaged thickly. "Tell them he's here!" She squeaked out hoarsely, Madame Pomfrey was beside herself pacing worriedly, kept muttering stuff about being delirious with fever.

"Lorallie, what happened?" She asked as Harry, Ron, and Snape approached the bed side, Hermoine looked over and couldn't help but be shocked to see how worried sick Snape was, almost as soon as he reached the bedside he left, beckoning Pomfrey to follow him, as they conversed Lorallie spoke again, in whispers.

"They came for me! HE came for me! Take care of Nycto, Grandfather can't walk anymore." She said her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fainted from over exhaustion. The three exchanged looks and turned around as the strange man who tried to stop them from entering came over, looked at the fainted Lorallie and then walked over to Pomfrey and Snape. Pomfrey walked over and ushered the three out to the hall.

"Who is that guy?" Ron asked peeking around Pomfrey.

"He's an old graduate from here, he works in a muggle hospital, but we still hold taps with him for emergencies." She said shutting the doors. "Did she say what happened?" Her brow knitted together with a worry.

"She said someone had come for her…"Hermoine had no idea, she just knew something was very wrong.

"What's wrong with her?" Harry asked worried about his new friend.

"She's very anemic, and hasn't been eating, now she has a severe fever and…oh dear…" Pomfrey rung her hands together and walked back into the infirmary without a second glance.

"This is bad." Ron said looking at the doors.

"Very bad." Said Hermoine. Harry said nothing but looked at the doors sadly.

10