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Chapter Text

In a weak illuminate room,a white  almost transparent orb sits in the center. 

This room was very special for the Wizarding World , basically, it allowed an individual to time travel at some point in time, without returning back in their own time and not breaking their own timeline.

There were a lot of cases of this type. Of course the public didn't know of even half of them.

They know about Will Timothy, a wizard that come forward in time before he could be hanged for having magic. 

Of Melania Frog, a witch that wished desperately for a child, that after almost killing herself wake up there.

Alec Javier,  who after escaping prison wanted to be know as a free men.

And many more. There were cases were children appeared not even Hogwarts age, when teenagers did and attended school or when elderly did and just lived without a care.

After they were identified or given an identity,  they were forced to wear a personalized item that will stop them from talking about the future or  past they had. It could be anything from jewelry to clothes or an artificial eye. Spelled to be indestructible by Unspeakables they can't take it off or get rid of it. 

Now we should begin our story but before that we should go back in time a little. 

Severus Snape could say that he hated his life. Truly why did he though it was a good idea to go into slavery was beyond him, let's not even talk about the fact he is still loving a married woman and still lives in his childhood house,empty and miserable. 

Really it wasn't wasn't a surprise that even his Death Eaters colleagues took pity on him and tried to put him up with a woman. Despicable,after all how could he when Lily was,is, always the only one.

When he left the horrible date,meeting, he entered a  Muggle bar his mind ready to get drunk. Muggle alcohol was so much better than Wizarding one. He drink,and drink and drunk until his eyes got hazy and his mind was filled with grief,longing and hatred for himself. He tried to forget Lily ,he really did...at some point..but now..

" Hope you aren't gonna throw up there"  beside him,a woman spoke

She looked tall,close to himself, with short dark hair, dark skin and brown eyes. 

Almond shaped eyes not doe-like ones.

Dark short hair not long beautiful red.

Brown eyes not  forest green ones.

Tall with a Greek nose not petite with a button one.

With an indifferent look and heart shaped lips not gentle air and thin ones.

With board shoulders and a confident air around her not cheeky smiles and small figure.

And so when she looked  at him straight in the eye and smirked with strangely fanged teeth, Severus though

ah..maybe..that's what I need..

He really didn't need this. This small,too small squirming baby girl that didn't even have a name, at this doorstep, in a bloody basket with just a single envelope with her. Of course stating that she couldn't possible raise her and she leaves for who knows where now. At the very last she put her  birthday  there.

He really didn't need this. Not after he just sold Lily away, found out that his only friend died in a mission and the threat of Lily dying was on his shoulders.

So Severus named the girl a name (a tuff of black hair and violet eyes) that he truly hoped will bring her luck, hired a house elf on a five year contract, got himself that blasted job as a Professor and let himself forget about her. He did pretty well until he come back because of an injury and found her sitting curled on a chair in front of  his window, she sleeps in his room apparently, looking still too small and lonely. So so lonely.

Severus took his heart between his teeth, beat himself half an hour than begin to search for his father old cooking book. It was the only thing he has from his Romanian heritage, and begin work. 

He wouldn't be a good father overnight and he has no excuse beside being a coward for not being there, but he would try now. For better or worse.

Athena Snape,  liked her name since she first understand that it was hers. It was the only thing her father ever give to her.

For five years, since she know herself, Athena lived in a empty house with a energetic house-elf looking after her. There was no one there that could treat her bruised knees or elbows, that could put a bedtime for her, that could praise her drawing or that could scold her for dirtying the floor with mud or her hair with whatever she rolled into. That could control what she could read and what not or what she could bring in the house or not. There was no one that could correct her words either, the fact that the house was close to the slums wasn't helping. There were always small animals crawling an the floor, it made the house more lively. Like the brown bunny she stole from the neighbor, or the injured birds found on the streets, or the hamster's that she found in a dumpster one time,even the big orange cat that visited sometimes.

Mipsy, the house-elf her nameless father left her with, always made sure she eat, that the house and Athena were clean. Those were her priorities. Clean the house, make food, clean the Young Mistress.

Athena hated being called Mistress, it made her already puffy eyes ache and the hole in her chest grow. Was she really that nasty that her father didn't want her?

When she hit five years old Mipsy disappeared and she though she would actually die of loneliness, until her father, tall, imposing and scary, appeared before her. In a second she was under her bed, trembling all over because

why did he look like that at her? Should she leave? Maybe he didn't like the animals in the house?

The sweet, savory smell from the downstairs made her get up and stretch her legs, she stayed hidden almost eight hours, maybe it was safe now. Trying to soften her steps, Athena follows the heavenly scent and finds her father still there, with a strange looking bread in front of him.

'' Eat.'' his voice was smooth and low, not like Mipsy's or anyone she head before. He still looked scary with dark robes and dour look. At last she know where she get her hair from.

She eat the sweet bread, it was the best thing she even had. Her father talked, smooth voice filling the air and with the warm food filling her stomach, her eyes begin to drop and she fall asleep at the table. Big hand cradling her head before she could hit the hard wood.

6 years old

Her father, took a two year sabbatical so he can stay with her. Living with him was..different, she wasn't really sure if it was a good different. He always made her eat her greens and didn't allow any other animals in the house. He spend a lot of time in the basement and comes back with weird hair, he cooked all her meals and always eat with her. 

When he saw she meddled with her grandmother,apparently, romance books as first reading material, he brought her fairy stales and princess story's. She drowned over them with bright colors and made dogs and bunny ears on each pages. The slight twitch of his lips was enough of a reward.

When she begin to paint the house walls he brought her a small chair and canvas's, he put them in the basement making a small space so she can work with him there.

7 years old

The basement was ugly. It was dark, with strange jars and smelled weird, her hair wasn't having a good time either. But the bubble charm around her space helped.

Her father who at some point she begin to call him Da, give her a pair of small dragonhide gloves and put her to chop the potion ingredients. Experience he called it. He told her about how a potion could be better if this is used like this, or how it could be worse. Then he told her about her gloves and what they are made of. Her gloves were more interesting than the potion in the cauldron.

Later that year they go clothes shopping and after staring at a big red and gold t-shirt, her Da buys it with a strained expression. 

8 years old

Her Da come back home on vacation and every weekend, and every three days nights. When Da is not home Athena draws, hides new animals around the house and looks at movies on TV and just eats whatever is in the fridge. Sometimes she goes outside but the other kids were weird or just plain boring, so she stayed at home with her bunny's,hamsters and pigeons. Sometimes her Da joined as well and they fall asleep on the sofa Athena hidden in her father chest fast asleep.

It wasn't that lonely anymore.

9-10 years old

She was shit at potion. She know it, her Da know it even the bunny's know it.

'' I'm sorry..'' Athena said after another potion exploded  

'' It's no matter-'' her Da said expression tight and narrowed eyes  '' What about the others?''  

Before Hogwarts, her Da wanted her to try the simplest spells from the first year with his wand. The feather she tried to lift changed color instead. She liked mouses too much to turn them into buttons. Forgetfulness Potion exploded. They didn't have a Devil Snare to handle.

'' ..do you remember that movie? With the man fighting in ring? Rocky.'' Athena nodded enthusiast, it was her favorite after all '' Good stay there-'' he moves her limbs until she stays in a wide stage, her father wand in hand  ''- at my signal say 'Protego', it's pronounced  'pro-TAY-goh'.''  he moves in front of her in a similar pose and says

'' Expeliarmus!'' 

'' Protego!'' the red spells it's absorbed by the shield around Athena and sizzle away. She didn't realize she closed her eyes, but when she opened them her Da proud expression filled her with warm and excited she said  

'' Again..?''

11 years old

Before her Hogwarts letter could arrive her Da took her in Bulgary, where the Annual Dueling Champion competition happen. It didn't take long to realize she was the only kid there and that others adults were appalled by that fact. She didn't care though, after all her Da took her here.

She looked star eyed at their moves and spells caste. At their footwork looking so similar with Rocky. At the complicate spells, at the simplest ones used. She looked at the proud expression of the winner, at the trophies and applause and though.

i want that  she tighten her hand around her Da  i want to be the best, there could be

The hat barely touched her head before it screamed for all to hear

SLYTHERIN

The first time when she REALLY meet Harry Potter was on a Monday afternoon in the library. He looked quite sad and was staring at the book shelf viciously, green eyes hard with fury. 

'' Hello.'' green eyes looked at her surprised than hardened again. '' Here-'' she throw at him a chocolate bar, her Da makes them so she can grow taller and stronger ''-you look like you need it.''

Athena didn't really know how to talk with others her age, especially now when all Slytherin students treated her formally, too scared of her Da. She also didn't know how such a young boy could have so much..emotions bottled up. 

One week later he cornered her in the library. He looked three inches taller and not thin like a sparrow anymore.  They made homework secretly and shared candies and soda in a corner. They didn't really talk, they bickered if anything else. Harry was very curious about anything there could be when he wasn't hold down by Weasley whining or Granger nagging. They bonded over Dueling.

And so Harry Potter become her first friend and the world tilde just a little bit too much.

Dueling Junior competitions, her proud Da figure. Making friends with  Draco Malfoy in her third year after finding him trying out dresses. Teaching Mione to throw a punch. Praying at Greek Gods to protect Harry against the dragons. The slight disappointment when seeing Ron and not herself being dragged out of the water. The terror of Voldemort being back. Her Da terrified face when he give her books about war strategies.

Meeting Sirius Black, an awful, guilty, sad man that called her names thinking she was someone else. Her Da   blasting Black fingers away for calling her an abomination. The Golden Trio reacting as well, Harry voice filled with disappointment, her Da patting Harry back.

Beating Ron at chess.

Fury, rage at that pink toad. Throwing her out with the other students, getting evidence and throwing in the voice of the Ministry, Skeeter by her  side,blackmailed of course.  The toad woman wand snapped and getting herself in exile. The twins graduated. She tried to make a Sleepless Potion for Harry just to turn his hair pink. 

'' Snape! You fucking bitch get your ass here!'' a mop of pink hair running after her, laughing madly. 

Leather,bright colored clothes, spiked  chokers, dyed hair, good music. That's how they forget about the imminent war.

War. Her Da chocking in his own blood, Fred dying, Dumbledore falling, Ginny disfigured, Draco died. And Harry..

Running, trying to escape the country, Athena stopped.

why does she run for? didn't she, they, fought until the last one fall? weren't they Hogwarts last defense? weren't they the best?  

So she turns around,despite her father words,back on the bloody battlefield, cast spell after spell, throws potion after potion until the Death Eaters backed down most of them killed, forming a line separating a side from another. She didn't stop.

Her clothes were ripped, just her pants and the bind her Da made for her didn't fall. Her long hair chopped, cursed cuts littering her skin. Her legs trembling from the cruciatus.

'' ATHENA!'' a hoarse voice shouted at her. From the corner of her eye she saw Harry, bloodied and looking worse than her but still alive. She though he come to fight with her, to watch each other backs, until he smashed an all too familiar  necklace on her chest. Gold sand and glass sinking in her skin.  

'' You fucking idiot Potter.'' she said her voice too quiet, vision fading. Harry warm, battered hands hold her face and the last thing she saw were his too bright eyes for that place,a teasing grin and muffled words.  fucking dunderhead

Back in the white room, the orb filled itself with purple and for the first time in history a crack appeared on it. The orb broke spatting out a girl. Chopped,dirty black hair, blood on her face and arms, barefoot, tight pants and a black bind on her chest. Tall, with board shoulders, Greek nose, pale skin and startling, royal purple eyes. Surprisingly enough her lips were painted with a bright red lipstick.

Chapter Text

She opened her eyes and immediately tried to take off. It didn't work. Her legs were still trembling, she was leaning  down on a soft bed, wearing a hospital gown. The fact that it was silent in the room made her stop and think.

She was alone in a hospital and apparently not death. Ah right, Harry. 

She lifts her hands to her chest and feels the scars. There were tiny scars on her arms, pink marks on her pale skin and on her chest a bigger one that after a closer look, they looked more cigarette burns gathered together. She had one on her tight because of Draco, he had the habit to let them on the Common Room sofa.

Before she could inspect herself any further a door opens and a plump woman dressed in white  robes enters.  She  had a  small smile and a calm air around her, a healer.

It was at that moment she realize that her wand nor her belt of potion were with her. But she wasn't a Snape for nothing and without hesitation she dived in the woman mind. Her strength wasn't that great but it was enough to realize that all this includes Unspeakables and the Department of Mystery. 

She fainted again.

The time when she wake up an Unspeakable was on a chair beside her bed. It wasn't a pleasant sight to wake up with.

" You were quite violent with our Healer so it was better for me to seat here. You also can't enter any mind for the time being." They said upon seeing her awake  " Your protection shields are most impressive though."

Her Occlumency shield are one of her greatest pride, beside Dueling and the fact she can down half a liter of cider or wine in one go. The nights were the Slytherin students got themselves smashed were the happiest in that House. She worked on those shields after second year and finding out that soul eating diary's. If you looked in her mind to climb a never ending wall, just to realize that the wall itself holds all her memories and thoughts. Her Da was very proud of it.

'' Why I'm here? What business has the D.O.M. and the Unspeakables with me? What happened with Hogwarts?'' Athena asked not even trying to find this person name, they never reveal their real one.

The Unspeakable hums and say ''You are here because you needed healing. We, the Unspeakables want to help you and monitories you until we are sure you have a stable life and no change of suicide. And the last time I saw Hogwarts, she was still standing waiting for the next year batch to come.'' they say quite amused 

'' Standing..?'' her last memory of Hogwarts was the walls painted in blood, pieces of rubble falling apart and body's filling the ground. It wasn't a pleasant sight.

'' Let me begin then.'' they get up and stand in front of the bed, maybe they wanted to intimidate her with their height. But she was sure if she could stand up there would be at last 5cm between them.  '' My name, for you at last, will be Roy and I'm in charge of looking, healing and helping you accommodate with this time period. And -'' he continues before she could interrupt  ''- you Miss, are a Time Jumper. A Time Jumper is a person that can go back or forward in time without breaking their own timelines. Essentially, you are in a parallel timeline. Everything depends if you want to change who you are or any significative events. And I'm telling you in advance that there's no way for you to go back where you come from. That doesn't mean you need to root by yourself in a corner of your mind.'' they finish in a gentler tone

Athena tried to wrap her head around it all. The fuck did Potter do to her? Did he know about this? Did her Da? Does that mean Potter is fighting a war back home and I'm just stuck here.. what should she do now...she need to do something, anything..Maybe..?

'' What year is it?'' she ask trying to straighten her back, voice void of emotion

'' Oh.'' they mutter then continue in a normal tone '' 1977. Exactly a month before school year starts once more.''

Beginning of sixth year..

'' I see.. '' she say the same emotionless voice

'' I will go and bring you this year newspaper. There is a Calming Draught right there-'' they point towards the drawer ''- we can discuss later w-''

'' I'm going to Hogwarts.'' Athena say burning purple eyes  '' I'm joining Hogwarts as a sixth-year.'' a smirk tugging at her lips

The Unspeakable sighs dramatically  ''Thanks for making my work harder. Can I have a name at last? You can change it though, but if you want to remain with the same one than the Headmaster will be notified and the arrival of a Time Jumper will be announced.'' they said warning her 

She tildes her head to the side and just now realize that her hair was cut above her shoulders, the same length with her Da. The slowly knot in her chest grows larger. Despite that she doesn't falter, not in front of whoever this person was exactly. She smiles her fanged grin and with her mind turning and breaking apart searching for a plan, something, anything she answer

'' Athena Snape. Tell the Headmaster that another Snape will join Hogwarts this year.'' and more confidently than all this situation happened she say '' There is a spot in Slytherin waiting for me.''

The Unspeakable smiles and can't be sure if they should be happy that this one doesn't want to destroy the world or themselves. The chaos that will follow this girl will make this world tremble for the time being.

After they left, Athena curled in the bed and with soundless,breathless sobs she mourned her father. Her foolish best friends,that were either death or who knows what Potter was doing. Her second home that was falling apart. The student body's, from the small eleven years old to the seventeen ones, that was scattered on the ground,lifeless body's trampled over.

For a timeline,a life that was stolen from her.

She cried without stopping for two days, then she stared with empty eyes at the white walls felling like she was going crazy for another one. She never once touched the Calming Draugh sitting on the table. How could she trust other potions that her father didn't make.

When Roy come back at the forth day she cursed herself for actually being happy to see them.  It was clear she wasn't the first Time Jumper they ever meet.

Strangely enough that made her just more angry.

After being forced to swallow three nutrition potions,  eat a full meal and showered, Athena feel a little more human.

She was brough in a bright room, Roy at her side explaining what will happen. There so many Time Jumpers over the years that they have an entire procedure for them.

The room itself was more like a library, the shelves were full of names and their suppose memories.  It looked a little like the Prophecy Room from her fifth year. The procedure plied  extracting her most important memories,that are later sealed in her blood and should destroy itself if someone else tried to view them. Then Athena makes a Vow of Silence,swears in blood and magic, that she will not reveal the future, she will always wear a piece of cloth,jewelry of her choice that will maintain her silence and if needed punish her.

She didn't like the idea to be a treated like a tamed dog by them, but she learned to live with loopholes all around her.

She chose the first gift Harry and Draco give her. It was the first time Dravo did something by himself without his mother or elves help, and also the first time Harry chose something for someone without Molly and Hermione meddling.  She lost it fighting Rokwood. A black leather, silver spiked choker. Her Da hated the bloody thing.

At the final of the first week, three weeks before school begins, the exact same thing was brought by Roy. The announcement that without it she wouldn't get out of that white room made the choker feel a little to tight.

" You will be given a budget for school supplies and clothes. It will be enough for 2, maxim 3 years, until you graduate. You need to get a job, start a business or just make your own money. The newspaper revealed that there is a Jumper, nothing else,  but once you begin school it will be clear. You will remain here until Hogwarts, rest ,heal and try not to lose your mind. The fireplace will work just for the Muggle World. Please don't interact with other wizard kind until it's time to take your school supplies. "  Roy say giving me a pair of plain,loose clothes

" I got it. Thanks Roy...um, my wand?"

" Ah..it broke when you arrived, there was nothing salvageable of it. Ollivender will help you though.

Right.. deep breaths. 

Before the second week could begin Athena stared all night at the walls.  And when the sun finally rose, she smiled satisfied. A chaotic,kind of insane and a little bit suicidal of a plan nestling in a corner of her mind.

Chapter Text

From the next three weeks she bitterly toke potions that variated from vitamins to anti depressive, switched crying and panic with working out and late, sleepless nights with war strategies. 

Her plan was to shake up the Wizarding World with her arrival. The last Time Jumper that resided in Britain and actually revealed themselves died  seventy years ago. And the last Jumper that got noticed beside the automatic fact that they are from another time was around the 1700.

She would make Voldy more interested in her, not letting her Da become a Death Eater, destroy the soul pieces and everything before it could begin. Her time limit was  31 July 1980, it was self-explanatory.

If she was careful enough she would finish this mess on the war side and have no need to meddle with politics after. Her situation implied that there's no luck on her side though.

But before anything else she has priorities. And that means clothes. Because at the end of the day outside appearance was the most important in making yourself noticed.  She needed to attract attention at first glance and no one looks at a ugly person and thinks it would be a good idea to talk with  them or be seen with them.

She has a limiter budget and no way of going to Diagonal Alley ,that means thrift-shop. It was a good thing that it didn't matter what size the clothes were and that she learned the nonverbal Adjustment Size Charm with Draco in fifth-year.

She finds t-shirts, tops, v-lined or over a shoulder. White, black, dark purple ,pale blue and green. Jeans ,ripped or simple. Loose blouses, soft hoody's, leggings and a pair of worn out leather boots. She finds a forgotten leather jacket and can't help but take it with her. She stoles a couple of silver rings and a bright red lipstick.

After that she readjusted her clothes, works out and reads that year newspapers that Roy brought. She locked away all the nightmares with eerie green eyes and a bleeding necks. 

There were four days until Hogwarts begin and she finally get out of that of that place. She ignored all the brightness around and didn't even notice the stares from the passerby ,when she arrived in Diagon Alley. .  She was wearing a pair of  pale blue jeans, the boots that were her only shoes actually, black top and white shirt. The shirt was tied exposing a little of her waist. It wasn't a surprise that she was  stared at, usually muggleborns avoided wearing too obvious muggle clothes. That like usual, doesn't mean that it didn't happen.

Her first stop was Ollivander. She desperately needed a wand, Athena wasn't really sure if she could go longer than this without one. She was aware though that there will be slim changes of having the same wand once more. Ollivander was thinking the same think after having his windows blow.

'' Let's see...how about this.'' he gives her a startling white wand. Straight to say Ollivander didn't have anymore windows now.

'' This one.'' Pitch black wood, dragon heartstring

'' This one.'' Applewood, thunderbird feather

'' This..?'' Cedar wood, unicorn hair

'' ...''  oh,  this, this is nice

The wand wood looked pitch black, it looked like it was split in two and intertwined once more. At the first touch , her entire arm filled with goosebumps and a constant warm feeling traveled through her body. Stupidly enough it made eyes quite moist.

'' An old friend of mine had her. He give it to me after losing his wife. It seems she choose a new owner . Blackthorn with Rougarou hair, unyielded. There will be a long and hard path you walk on, but she will hold you up in any battle, Miss Snape.''

She left the shop thinking of his ability of knowing names without being spoken. In her newly brought wand holder, the wand thrums and a small smile blooms on Athena face.

-

Athena first meeting with reality come in the form of a boy. Messy curly short hair, short ,skinny stature ,brown eyes. At first glance he looked like the nerdy  mouse type, at second glance though it was like all the air was sucked out of her. This boy that looked at her flabbergasted, with mouth hang open and paling face was without a doubt Peter Pettigrew. His sixteen years old self at last.

If her Da wouldn't have considered a proper punishment reading Hogwarts Rule Book, identifying potion ingredients and his old  D.E. colleagues, she wouldn't have a fucking clue. She still doesn't have a fucking clue how this happened, she just wanted to buy her school books and he just popped beside her...or was he there the whole time. Huh, no wonder he was a spy with that weak presence.

'' Can I help you?'' Athena asked when he didn't move or...was he even breathing?

'' A..-'' he say finally out of his daze  ''- you just look really familiar..'' he pales further a quickly adds  '' I'm sorry! I didn't mean-and i know i have no right- just you look so...''

'' Familiar eh?''  she say sarcastically. Inside she was trashing though, it was so obvious, so fucking obvious. If Athena didn't know what this guy could do she would actually let her guard down, but looking closely she could already see the signs. Clenched fist, tight eyes, too earnest apologies and hands that wants to come too close for comfort. Fucking hell.

'' Just a feeling! Nothing more- and I already- think I misspoke!'' he stops fiddling with his fingers, his nails were chipped ''- how about shopping with my friends as an apology? '' he tries to step closer to her, to take her arm but Athena straighten herself at full height making Peter look up  and freeze for a couple of seconds. She was at last 10cm taller than him, that made him automatically to take a step back.

Using your height to your advance is one of the first things her father though her to do. And she always made sure to use it as it fullest.

'' No thanks.'' she grabs the rest of her books and gets out of the shop before she could bump in a Marauder.

Her next stop was Parchment and Ink, were her bad luck strikes again and literally bumped in Alice Longbottom or Fortescue I suppose. At the very last Lily Evans wasn't trailing after her.

'' I'm so sorry!'' Alice had the most stereotypical feminin voice she ever heard, it was kind of disturbing really  

Both of them begin to gather Athena writing supplies from the ground, all the while Alice chattering away about her friends

'' - and  there's my friend, Marlene has clothes so similar with yours is so excited, she has this pair of leather pants that make her look fabulous and her make-up skills are the best in our school-''

Athena tries to escape she really does, but with no escape. Frustratedly enough she couldn't even get mad  at her, the girl was just so bright and cheerfully looking so much like Neville when talking about plants that it actually made her homesick.

In the end she couldn't finish all her supply list. Potion ingredients and robes remained for the next day. 

Alice Fortescue was like a Neville that never had his confidence crushed and talked about plants at every change. They even have the same habits, talking with their hands all over the place. 

She was lucky though, not meeting  Black or James or worse her father. She know at some level what the situation between them was. She know about fifth year and the hanging in the air thing. Her father though, never talked about any of those, no matter the situation. And so all she know about this was told by Harry or yelled at her by Black. It was plain bullying, she never found what the actual level was though.

She exercised with her new wand that night. Shields most of all, then transfiguration. Surprisingly enough transfiguration worked much easier with this wand or was it herself?

-

Next day she was standing for her uniform and like usual or at last since she arrived here, she was sure her luck wasn't that bad before.

Athena didn't really recognize this boy now buy he sure looked almost sick, pale sick, staring at her. He was tall, at last 5 cm over her, with sandy blond hair, muscular body, strong jaw and straight nose, warm whiskey eyes. There were some scars poking our of his sweater and some of his hands as well but for the live of her she couldn't recognize him.

He was painfully handsome. Like that guy that could be the softest marshmallow and still have a mean hook.

His robs were ready faster than hers and so with a last glance at each other they parted ways without exchanging a word. Athena couldn't stop the painful little stabs in her stomach all day.

Two shops away from Madam Malking Robe's, the sandy haired boy was trying to regain his breathing. He was gasping like he just runned around the Forbidden Grounds all night and got to classes without breakfast. 

He isn't sure if he is stupidly happy and can't control his emotions or if he is just plain terrified.

Athena spend her time the same since she got in this timeline with additional reading ahead of her school books, destroying a wall or two of that blasted white room and calming her emotion. She can't, under any circumstance, sob on his father younger self.

And so when it was time to enter the train, she dressed herself in the plainness  clothes she has, a black outer robe and with her Featherless chest in one hand and her wand pulsing warmly on her skin she stepped on the train and begin to search for a compartment.

Chapter Text

Finally she was lucky enough to find an empty compartment and after spelling it locked and soundless, Athena begin to occupy her mind with other things. 

Like the joys of Transfiguration that just now begin to work with her. She spend an entire hour changing her writing supplies, the curtains and even parts of the window in ice. She wasn't always paying attention to McGonagall lessons but the idea of using Elemental Transfiguration was always intrigued for her, the professor being a Master in Earth Manipulation herself. George and Fred Weasley were one such example, using Fire and Earth Manipulation together in the battlefield. When Fred died, George covered himself in fire and just throw himself in the middle of chaos. 

When the second hour of travel begin Athena hear was already beating to fast and her hands were trembling a little too much. How was she suppose to make an appearance like this? She can't embarrass her father younger self by being a mess.  She spend another hour organizing her thoughts and locking away unnecessary feelings. 

An hour before they would arrive at Hogwarts, Athena took with her what she needed and begin to walk calmly to the bathroom. Before she could enter, a boy, tall wearing a leather jacket runned past her, bumping in her shoulder. He didn't stop to apologies or anything, but behind him, at Athena feet a Muggle eyeliner was rolling innocently on the ground. Athena snatched it before she could lose it.

'' Hmm...'' she say looking in the bathroom mirror. 

in the meantime, with the Slytherin's

'' Do you think they are coming at Hogwarts?'' said a petite boy with a bored expression and curly, soft black hair. '' Or maybe they are a very old person like Europe Jumper? What do you think Cissa? '' he continued, soft voice and grey eyes burning with curiosity.  Regulus Black, prettiest boy in the school, overprotective of his friends, ranked forth in Black Madness

Cissa was calmly filling her nails, being careful to make them the same length  '' Maybe. Who knows though? Maybe they are not bigger than a toddler this time.-'' she blows softly on one of her hands  ''- or we won't even recognize them, Reggy.'' she finished beginning working on her second hand. Narcissa Black, always with a soft touch for her dear ones, could poison an entire bloodline to protect them, third ranked in Black Madness

'' You realize that there's a spell for that, don't you?''  another boy with dirty blond hair and blue eyes said shaking his head absently at her. Cissa scoffs softly and retorts 

'' Well, I want them at the same length. Not different from one another.'' she said not taking her eyes of her nails

'' Whatever.''  Evan said rolling his eyes but not commenting further  '' Putting the Jumper subject on the side, where is Snape?'' Evan Rosier, due for a gay awaking, threatened his family with cutting his dick off if he gets set up for marriage

'' Trying to apologize to the Red Bitch once more, just to be throw aside and get himself bullied by Potter and his crew.''  Regulus said crossing his arms, his voice hardening  '' And then! is my, I mean our fault if we interfere with his bloody ritual like the bloody fool he is!''  he finish getting himself worked up

Narcissa raises her eyes of her nails, putting the it aside and looking at her  dear cousin.  '' We did promise that we will not meddle in that thing he has.''

'' He was ready to put us to swear in blood.''  Evan said hesitantly trying to pet Regulus shoulder 

'' That doesn't mean he should torture himself doing this.'' Regulus said breathing harshly, putting his head on Evan shoulder and sighing  '' We are friends all those years and he still keep us at arm length.'' he mutters making himself comfortable beside Evan

'' Sometimes.'' Narcissa said playing absently with her file  '' Love is like a disease.'' she said thinking of her own sisters, one running away from who she was and another being unfaithful to her family for an outsider.

'' Your love is beautiful though.'' Regulus says softly, smiling at her cousin 

Before she could answer the door opens and a pitiful Severus Snape enters the room. Severus Snape, at sixteen years old, was a tall gangly teen with almost sickly white skin, obsidian eyes with the beginning of dark circles around his eyes, a Roman nose, a strong jaw and the beginning of greasy hair. If you looked at him from behind you would see, even now as a teen, a tall, imposing figure with board shoulders, strong legs and shoulder-length hair.

He took a careful seat beside Narcissa and after a couple of seconds he said sarcastically 

'' Yes let's stare at the heartbroken guy. He looks like he could give some life saving advice.'' he say making Evan snort, Narcissa shake her head and Regulus pout dramatically all the while raking his eyes over his body for any visible injuries.  Inside the three of them were cursing Lily Evans, the disease in Severus life

'' Nothing hurts...psychically.'' Severus adds looking at Regulus. Before any of them could say anything more he says  '' I'm sorry I couldn't be there for your weeding Cissa.-'' he says turning towards her. '' - I do hope you liked the gift though.'' he adds almost shyly

Narcissa laughs loudly and says smiling brightly  '' Seven bottles of Felix Felicis? -'' her smiles soften and she takes Severus hand in hers stroking it gently ''-We loved it. Thank you.''

'' It was a beautiful weeding.'' Evan says sincerely, all three of them enjoying the usual elegant and cold girl turning red

Narcissa Black, newly aged 16, married one Lucius Malfoy, aged 21 in the summer. The motive for the rushed weeding was because of her sisters, Andromeda Black, was suppose to marry Lucius two years ago. She run away with a muggleborn before that though and the fall was left on Narcissa. The contract she was on now made sure that she should begin to bear heirs after Hogwarts, Lucius request. That also mean that she will not benefit of her family name, in power, until she bears her first heir. On another note, Severus Snape, being a halfblood and both family being furious on one another made impossible for him to attend, no matter how much they wanted.

'' He is a good man, Lucius. Always makes sure I have what I need, listens to my problems, even talked with the Dumbledore to be called a Black in classes. ''  Regulus sighs wistfully  and leans more on Evan, not minding how tense the other become

'' You scored with him-'' Evan says making Severus snort amused  ''- I mean it! He is actually the most decent pureblood you could have married.''

'' His competition were Rabastan, Carrow and some old French cousin.'' Severus said smirking at Evan  offended expression

The room was filled with talk about the weeding, the summer homework, a brief talk about the new Jumper. They will leave deeper subjects for the privacy of their House.

same time with the  Gryffindor's

'' I can't believe Sirius! '' light green, almond eyes with a tint of blue narrowed dangerously on the dark haired stupidly handsome boy  '' It's the fifth time you lost it.'' she huffs looking no less beautiful making the boy wince slightly  

'' Marls, Marls my love. I swear I - ouch! Woman!''  she doesn't wait for his excuse and just leaves him there with a red check. His three friends were trying their hardest to not laugh at the common scene, somehow every time is just become more funnier. 

Sirius sighs looking at her backside leaving, tight leather pants hugging her form.  

'' How did you lost it this time?'' untidy black hair and hazel eyes, James asked grinning. On his lap was a blank piece of parchment, his wand swinging lazily between his fingers

'' Dunno-'' Sirius seats heavily ''- I did my art and the next thing I know I was here and the eyeliner wasn't.'' he shrug, batting his eyelash exuberantly. Subtle line that accentuates the exterior coner of the eye, upper and lower eyelid at the same time, a double-up.

Sirius claps his hands and makes all the boys to put their thinks away. James the Map, Remus the Alchemy books and Peter the Summer homework.

'' What's with you?'' sandy blond hair, whiskey eyes and scars poking out under his clothes '' Another scheme to make Marlene sleep with you?''  Remus Lupin, the most canine individual obsessed with chocolate and the least interested in sleeping around of his friends, the most likely of them all to get married and actually have a stable life

'' I'm not turning into my form to sneak in the girls dorm. I don't care if it's works, they have a bloody Anti Rodents charms at every door.''  messy curly  short hair, short ,brown small eyes '' They bloody hurt.''  Peter Pettigrew, biggest eater but still the skinniest of his friends, he wants to sleep around but no luck whatsoever , possible carrier for the future : scumbag.

'' I know that look. ''  unruly dark hair, hazel eyes, athlete stature  '' Is a new prank...or you are just really horny.''  James Potter, obsessed with a muggleborn girl or halfblood boy, still not sure, the birds mistake him with their own when he fly's,  sooner or later he will get a vasectomy at this rate

'' Fuck off, Prongs! '' darkly handsome good looks, jet black hair, striking grey eyes   '' It's neither, I just waited until now so I could look good when I say it.'' Sirius Black, dumb but pretty, second ranked in Black Madness after Bellatrix he just doesn't recognize it, more likely to have kids in multiple country's than actually settling down

'' I...know something about the new Jumper.'' he say grinning madly

'' No fucking way! '' all three of them exclaims wide eyes and disbelieved looks. After some seconds of silence James ask '' Well?''

'' They...are not old. And there's a 65.07% change to be a woman as well.'' Sirius said convinced  '' And 50% change to not be a pureblood.''

'' Wait.'' Remus said narrowing his eyes  '' How do you know that? Isn't it suppose to be like the utmost secrecy?''

'' It is. But I was at little Cissa weeding this summer, with that snake-peacock guy, and Malfoy  cousin, some Pandora girl with possible mental problems or what I like to call trace of Divination, kind of blabbered about it all night.'' the extenuated sigh from Remus, nor the facepalm from James could deter him  '' Who wants to bet?!'' he yells getting snorts in return

'' I do. '' Peter said making Sirius turn to him '' In exchange you give me your summer homework. I bet... she has short dark hair...like until here.'' he said pointing to his shoulders.''

'' Then I say she is blond with... brown eyes.''

'' Deal!''  Sirius said not the last discouraged.

Peter smiled satisfied, after all a rat instincts are much stronger than a dogs.

with the girls,  Gryffindor's

'' I can't believe you made him wait there for two hours, Lily.''  long blonde hair and green eyes, Alice Fortescue , the only one with common decency and everyone favorite

'' I can. '' Marlene McKinnon, second best duelist of her year  '' I passed by him on the hall, he looked miserable.''

'' He earned it.'' long red hair, petite, thin lips, doe-like green eyes, button nose  '' What did he except even?''  her vicious answer made the girls wince. Lily Evans, being spiteful is a family treat 

'' Be honest Lils, you like it.'' high cheek bones, bright blue eyes, a thin nose, flawless skin, and pouty lips.  She looks at Lily indifferent expression and sighs. Mary MacDonald, not sure who she is actually, but she is great at Herbology apparently

after first year sorting

'' Welcome! Welcome all new and old! This year we have a new student joining us and I want to say that Hogwarts will always open her arms to any and all. It's a great honor to have another Jumper, after so many years, join Hogwarts-'' the hall was filled with shocked noise and excited chatter, their eyes fixed on the lone, tall person. No matter how much they tried they couldn't see clearly their face or gender feature.  '' I hope you will find great friends and family this time as well.'' he raise his hand to silence the students, making sign to McGonagall  to continue

McGonagall next words made the students fall silent.

'' Snape, Athena!''

The clouding spell fall apart the closer she walked to the Sorting Hat. Tall, board shouldered girl, with straight black hair, long beautiful legs, walking with her head held high but in no way haughty, her steps the only sound in the hall. She was wearing tight black ripped jeans, with a white t-shirt over her shoulder exposing an all too familiar skin color, a black tie, tied loosely on her neck and a black outer robe, old leather boots, silver rings on her right hand, a choker, black leather and silver spikes around her neck.

And when she turned around to seat on the stall, expressionless face making some students shiver in their seats or glance at the other Snape, bright red lips, almond shaped royal purple eyes contoured by an Egyptian style eyeliner, a Greek nose and a familiar strong jawline.

The Hat didn't wait more than a few seconds 

SLYTHERIN

She grinned, reveling her fanged teeth and with the school robe swinging behind her she walked to the green table and plopped beside Severus Snape.

The Great Hall exploded.

Chapter Text

Athena smiled at the chaos around her, the Gryffindor's with the Ravenclaw's being the loudest, while the Slytherins were just blatantly staring once in their life. The Hufflepuff's were looking cautions at her. She put a hand under her chin and just smiled again at their dumb faces. 

She turned her head towards her Da-fath- Severus, towards Severus and  royal purple eyes clashed with obsidian black ones. It  was a good thing she spend all that time for this moment, she wasn't even glancing at his neck. 

'' It's good to see you.'' she said quietly making sure he was the only one that could hear her. Severus eyes were the widest they ever were.

The noise in the Hall become more and more louder 

'' His wife?!''

'' If she wasn't beside him I couldn't even see it!''

'' There's no way she come out from that Death Eater!''

'' Maybe she changed her name! It's a possibility you know!''

'' How did Snape of all people catch a girl like that..''

'' Mate! Mate! His bloody grandmother.''

In the end the general idea was that Athena was his wife, child or a cousin.  Strangely enough the wife variant was the most used.

Severus looked at the girl in front of him that despite smiling looked ready to burst with anger or in tears. He looked at her jaw, her skin, her stature, her hair! god's  her hair and his first though was

she looks healthy

He mask his expression faster than he ever did before and nods towards the girl, Athena, and turns his attention on the Headmaster not minding the students staring back and forth between the two of them.

Dumbledore finally silenced the students once more  '' I know it's quiet the shocking situation for all of you, others greater than most. But! Let's not forget the Unspeakables procedure, anyone that it reported or found out of trying to force the future... or past out of Miss Snape, will go through a meeting with the Unspeakables and in the worst case expelled. Now! Tuck in!'' clapping his hands once the food appeared on the tables and after a little over a minute the students finally begin eating and stopped staring at the new Jumper.

'' I can't believe it...'' James muttered still looking at Snape, the girl one. She didn't look  bothered in the slightness, eating her fill and putting her veggies on Snivellus plate

'' I can't either.'' Peter said nudging Sirius  '' I just did my Summer Homework and I didn't do anything.'' he said making Sirius grimace 

'' Fuck you Pete.''  Sirius turns James around and makes him look away from Snape  '' What do you think?'' he ask griping his best friend shoulder 

James leans a little on his catching the eye of all his friends   '' I think...that this year it will be double fun.'' he said smiling innocently. Beside him Sirius laughed, making Peter snicker and Remus to sigh and shake his head.

   It wasn't a surprise that after last year, he has a stronger desire to stop his friends...pranks. 

'' Wouldn't we get in bigger problems if you mess with a Jumper? A girl at that?''  Peter asked pilling his plate with potato's and cheese.

Sirius scoffs and James rolls his eyes  '' What are you talking about Pete? They are just pranks.''

'' Yeah-'' James adds  ''- we are just making people laugh. There's nothing wrong with it.''

'' It is.'' Remus interrupt's, looking surprised with himself. He doesn't stop though, almost chocking on his words  '' It's not funny humiliating people.''

Sirius sneers and jabs his finger at the scarred werewolf  '' You didn't mind it until now did you?'' he asked sarcastically

Before things could escalade further James attracts attention to himself and brightens the atmosphere, making sure there are no squabbles between the four of them.

Peter never tells them of his encounter with Athena Snape. Nor does Remus.  One of them remembering her scary face and the feeling of being small when he wasn't and the other remembers the attractive scent of dark chocolate and the alluring aura around her, it was no wonder his wolf howled all day back then.

'' She is hot.'' Marlene stated chewing on her chicken, beside her Mary nodded absently

'' Maybe a little too hot.'' Mary says making Marlene snort 

'' Say Lily were Snivelous parents hot like that?'' Marlene ask 

'' Snape looks more like his Muggle father. The only think he has from his mom is his skin color, his father has a more darker tone.'' Lily said absently trying to not look to much at Athena

'' Look at her... I know she can't say anything of her time but aren't they obviously father and daughter?'' Alice said nodding towards the two Snape. At some point Severus begin to berate her for 'sharing' her veggies around the other plates beside her own. Regulus Black was laughing the most, Rosier barely keeping him up.

'' Or a spoiled wife.'' Marlene said. She nudge Lily '' What? Lily-flower doesn't have any comments for this? I'm so surprised.'' she said sarcastically making Lily beautiful face grimace 

'' Just because she is his possible wife or daughter doesn't mean his mistakes are hers.'' Lily said sipping her glass, beside her Marlene rolls her eyes and Alice nods emphatically  

'' If she goes around with Mulciber or Black ilk than you will eat your words Lils.'' Mary said making the girls nod

'' Being a Death Eater or a general scumbag must run in the family then.'' Marlene said finishing that topic

Lily stomach was burning all night she wasn't sure why was she feeling betrayed or upset for that matter. She just know that the mere sight of Athena face make her want to scream.  She should get some sleep.

Athena could barely shallow her food, the crispy chicken scratching her throat, the pumpkin juice almost coming back and the bloody green beans that appeared on her plate. Apparently in this time period the house elves put a type of greens on every plate before they could appear, making some students eat at last half healthy.  So trying to not throw up, Athena begin to scoop them up and share them with the closest to her. And if those were Narcissa bloody Malfoy, ger father younger self and a young maybe-already-Death-Eater Mulciber than it wasn't her problem. 

At last the pretty boy in front of her was having fun and her Da wasn't that tense anymore, he just looked like she was in for a scolding.

'' Evan likes green beans as well.'' the pretty boy in front of her said making her glance at the dirty blond haired teen beside him. Evan wasn't having any expression so she give him her last scoop of beans and begin to chew on the chicken she got. She wanted to give this one away too, but half of the Slytherin's already looked angry with her so she hold back.  They weren't like her boys.

'' Thank you.'' Evan says holding a hand at her  '' Evan Rosier, pleasure to meet you.'' she shook his hand with a firm grip. Apparently this was the cue for the others to begin 

'' Regulus Black, it's a honor to meet a Jumper like yourself.'' his hand was thin, his bloody wrist was thin but despite that his handshake was firmer than Evan's.  Unbothered by his name Athena smiled and returned his greeting

'' Narcissa Malfoy nee Black.'' a quiet voice said beside her. Narcissa was a beautiful teen, like all the Black really, with a two toned hair,  flawless skin. Narcissa was the closest thing Athena ever had as a mom, now she shakes her dainty hand with perfect nails  '' Myself and Regulus are fifth-years.'' 

Athena taps Severus foot under the table making him look at her, just to sighs and say  '' I'm not playing your charade.'' he said icily so familiar with his older self

'' That's mean Severus.''  so weird, calling her father by his first name. Her answer made the students whisper once more, making rumors under rumors '' You played right into my hand.'' she whispers making Severus glare at her but before he could interfere the Headmaster stand up, announcing the end of the night

The walk to the dungeons was familiar and her long legs guided her there, making the others speculate even more of who she was in her time. 

'' Pureblood.''  this was the password for the first two months of the year, it was  so the new spoiled first year  wouldn't remain outside in the cold

The Common Room was unchanged, same dark green curtains, same green and black sofa and armchairs, same silver and green carpet. There a couple of flags on the walls and a student board beside the fireplace. A fake cough wakes her up from her daze and she curses herself for that moment of weakness. Around her the students blocked all her escape routes, they weren't blunt enough to cage her with the student body.

'' Such a warm welcome.''  Athena said lazily, letting her eyes roam lazily around them. Her young- Severus was there as well, with the all too familiar expressionless face, beside the other three that introduced themselves before. Such a sad fate they got, Athena never heard of Regulus Black, beside Harry search or Evan Rosier from her father. 

'' Indeed.'' a seventh year said pompously, their nose looked familiar but not strong enough to actually know who she talks with  '' To be sorted two times in the same House, must make you feel terrible confident...Snape.''  

'' We won't meddle with your Jumper affairs, we already  understand enough but we have our limit. As a Slytherin , we hope you understand that this-'' he shows towards the room  ''- was a necessity. Prove us your worth as a Slytherin and we will let you be part of this House.''

The silent gazes mocking her, Narcissa cold one , the mad glint in Regulus eyes and the curiosity in Evan's. Athena wasn't sure when did she lose control of her emotions but she thinks that at that time her younger fath- Severus, Severus indifferent, with a slight disgust, gaze made snap. It was quite similar with her namesake.

'' My worth? To you and your little friends? ''  she takes a deep breath and says mockingly, remembering why he was so familiar  '' Hah, you have quite the attitude Parkinson. Guess what? I don't give a fuck about proving my worth to you, to any of you.'' 

Parkinson face reddens at her disobedience and like a fool he turns at Severus.  '' I see you won't even educate your own child, I suppose your breeding shows the most here.'' he say turning his nose at Severus face

In a instant the tip of Athena wand was at his throat making him choke the rest of his words. The two around him took some steps back in surprise, they didn't come closer again. 

'' If you know who I am then you should watch your words around me. I don't particularly care, if you can't help yourself with your bigotry and whatever the fuck rolls out your month. '' the tips begin to burn making Parkinson cry in pain, but Athena takes a hold of him before he could fall  '' Your family was always ugly and beyond arrogant, they should watch how obedient you are now though.''  she avoids pointing out his child, daughter, and her escapades in Hogwarts.

Athena push him back, leaving behind a bright red mark, slightly bleeding. Looking around the others, catching Severus turning from expressionless to angry, she walks with her hands in  her pockets towards the girls dormitory. Not minding the new enemy's she got, nor the burning gazes at her nape.

If luck would be on her side Voldemort would be interested about her by tomorrow. After all, the Parkinson's were always wanting more praise from him , not even trying to hide their greed. 

Gryffindor  common room 

Every night when Remus couldn't sleep, he would get a history book that it's actually interesting, and read in front of the fire place.

'' Royalty..'' he said to himself  '' She was wearing a battered hat and still looked like a royalty looking down at us.''  his wolf, restless was struggling to get out to get ready for battle. 

The wood cracking in the fire and his wolf accompanied him that night. And when the first student, a little firstie, come down he just finished his book.

The Power of The Greek God's

Chapter Text

Same night 

In the quiet night, after her roommate fall asleep Athena was staring boredly at her drawn curtains. She couldn't sleep, the previous event rolling I her head again and again. It felt like a wake up call  , seeing her House shunning her like this. 

When she was still in her timeline,  the Slytherin students, for the most part treated her with respect or just politely. That's until she broke a fifth-year nose and from  that point on they just avoided her and her unusual fighting style. The Slytherins aren't fans of mixing magic with muggle fighting, the pompous pricks.

'' Prove my worth...'' she said quietly grimacing at the reminder 

She wake at the broke of dawn feeling restless, Draco screams still ringing in her ears. She takes a deep breath and goes to the bathroom, letting the water wake her up and washing her hair thoroughly.  Her hair and her father's for that matter was naturally oily, the fact that her Da spends countless hours in potion fumes without protection made it more worse for him. At some point when she was in third year and rumors with a childish nickname begin to travel around Hogwarts, her father spend an entire month to make a special shampoo for her. Before that she washed her hair every two days and it seems that will be case again. 

Athena entered her room again, her roommate still asleep. She dressed in a sport bra, leggings and without a care she begin her work out routine. Working out actually helped more than Occlumency, it made her feel like she was the only one there and she didn't need to worry of anything else. She finished when breakfast was almost starting and it looked like her roommate left when she was busy. Shame it made her curious now.

Taking a quick cold shower, she dressed in a pair of simple dark blue jeans, a white v-lined t-shirt, her tie and the school robe throw carelessly over her. There was no one interesting in the common room, so she begin walking calmly towards the Great Hall. On her way there the students around her were gossiping around, the same things she wanted them to say. Really, her entrance worked better than excepted.

The Great Hall was filled with pleasant scents like cinnamon and bread, there weren't a lot of students up yet, the fullest table being the yellow and dark one.  She took a seat at the green table, choose a serving of quail eggs, cheese and small tomatoes. She was always a slow eater and in the times of war back in her timeline she rather not eat at all than hurry and throw up later. The fact she was seating at a table and eating warm full in the morning, after hiding in trees or food in her pockets, was a luxury. She was too relaxed after her work out to think further.

'' Good morning.'' a grouchy, quiet voice said. Narcissa looked immaculate in the morning, but her voice was betraying her. She wear a small smile upon seeing her though, and maybe it was false or it wasn't, Athena was never good with those things. But Narcissa smile made the tight ball in her chest loosen.

'' Morning.'' Athena said putting a bowl of yogurt with blueberry's and honey in front of Narcissa. It was a sign, the only one she could think about. 

I know you before.

'' Oh-'' the pureblood girl said surprised ''- my favorite.'' she smiles

I'm glad.

It was enough. The girls talked quietly about little things, eating and just being comfortable with each other. Students come and go, and when breakfast had just half a hour before it could finish, Severus, Regulus and Evan seat close to them. This time Regulus seat at her side and Severus was in front of her.

'' Morning ladies!'' Regulus chirped making Evan groan and nod at them. Severus took the tea pot beside him and just looked extenuated, dark circles under his eyes, he stares a little at Athena then just continue sipping his tea.

'' Ah, a good morning mh?'' Narcissa ask teasily making Regulus push her jokingly. 

'' You kind of de-'' 

'' Miss Snape, lovely morning!'' 

Professor Slughorn looked...well he was the same just a little more fat and darker hair. '' Your schedule Miss Snape.'' he pats Athena back jovially  '' I can't wait for the next class with you.''  he takes his leaves leaving behind a schedule and a panicked Athena

'' Shit...'' she said putting a hand on her forehead making the others confused

Her first class was Transfiguration and beside being greeted by McGonagall and asked a couple of question, the lecture was filled with theory. That also mean it was terrible boring. Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew were the loudest in that room, Evans as well if she got angry, they were never reprimanded beside a glare. 

It seems like her favorites toned down with the years and now was in full view. 

how annoying   Athena though at McGonagall giving points to McKinnon, while a Slytherin finished first his assignment.   those type of things made you stop caring about school

She left staying close to Evan and Severus, not once faltering at the students increasing gossip and stares. She wanted this to happen, it doesn't mean it's easy to do so.

After that  her year mates had a free  period until 2p.m.

Athena was walking with Evan, who was actually a really chill guy, towards the library. Next class was potion and...look she know she was shit at it, those guys will know soon as well, but at last she could put a little more effort and not make it pink. She wasn't sure if her father pride could take it.

Or at last that what she wanted to do until she looked outside and saw Potter and his group laughing their asses off while running out of a greenhouse. Black raise his head and their eyes meet, an all to familiar glint in his eyes. If possible he laughed harder upon seeing her. Filled with  dread Athena stopped making Evan look at her curiously, and without a word she runned towards the greenhouse, Evan behind her.

She burst through the door just to see a horrible sight and the dread in her become anger. Her Severus, was being hold up be a plant that was clearly not suppose to do that, pulling his limbs ripping his clothes of him. His wand was on the ground, likely mocking him, mouth tapped, hair full of mud, trashing trying to escape. It goes on completely different type of bullying, because this looked more like torture in Athena eyes. 

Evan moving faster than her, quickly brought him down and begin to patch his ripped clothes back. The door behind Athena opened once more Regulus and Narcissa entering in hurry, looking panicked.

'' Sev!'' Narcissa screamed going closer to the boy

'' We just saw those bastard and now-you- Merlin Sev you need to see Pomfrey.'' Regulus said putting himself on his knees beside his friend, he looked over his arms seeing the purple bruises forming. Narcissa hurried to give him back his wand, Severus holding it tightly at his chest

'' I have some potions that help-'' Severus said his voice rough and expression tight  ''- if I go to infirmary is worst. Lupin would be there in the morning as well.'' with trembling fingers and Evan help he dinks four potions making his wounds disappear, hair clean and the feeling of being almost pull apart disappear.

'' I can find their Tower password in no time and tonight give them a piece of their own.'' Evan said

'' Or I can just spell their teeth to fall off.'' Regulus retorts making Severus snort

'' You already did that and got suspended a week.''

'' Then their fingernails, those hurt more and longer too.'' Narcissa said smiling innocently making the three boys smile

The group of four seated on the ground, making each other feel better and when the trembling dimished, they get up and almost got back to their business. That if Athena wasn't still there.

Athena will remember this moment as her most shameful moment. Standing like a dumb statue, staring at her father beaten form, listening to his friends, their voices joking. What she saw was a common thing, was a day by day thing. The monster hidden inside her body was waking up, almost like she was on the battlefield once more.

It was such a common thing that Severus has potion with him, that Narcissa learned glamour spells wandless, that Regulus got suspended and Evan know how to enter the Tower. It was such a common thing that they weren't even bothering to report it, to fight back again. Like they are a dog with a dead owner. 

'' You...are going to wait until night to deal with those fuckers..?'' she asked not moving

'' We can't deal with them in front of everyone, Athena.'' Regulus said resigned while Narcissa looked uncomfortable. Severus wasn't even looking at her and Evan was getting himself busy with his clothes.

'' It's not that we don't want to but... if, if Great Aunt hears about us protecting a halfblood we will surely be transferred and Severus will be in bigger danger.'' Narcissa said her hand still griping Severus shoulder

'' That's the Slytherin way, Athena. We wait until the best moment  appears and strike so they or at last their families could remember their entire life.'' Evan finish looking more confused by the minute

Angry, at herself and at this fucked up situation Athena left feeling suffocated.

'' ...she is strong, she will be fine.'' Regulus said after a while

'' Not like she just saw her future father or younger self I suppose like this.'' Evan said getting a harsh punch in his arm

'' She just find out how pathetic I'm, was, is...fuck if I know-'' Severus get his bag and sighing he said  '' Let's go to library, those idiots burned my Charm homework.''

'' All three copies?'' Narcissa ask getting a nod in response.  '' Come now, if I exercise enough I can take their nails off wandless too.''

The halls were busy, students getting out of class, others just walking around going to the library or in the courtyard. The Marauders were seating under a big tree, the scene looking uncomfortable familiar.

'' I can't believe you stopped us like that.'' Sirius grumbled at Remus. '' The plan was to leave him there without clothes, Moony. That  was the entire plan, it wasn't my fault that the stupid plant snatched him like that.''  beside him James was playing with his snitch trying to not look to upset

'' Did you see how desperate he looked? That oily snake, he should know already he deserved all that.'' James said nonchalantly, smiling when he caught the snitch again

'' Maybe.. we should at last stopped the plant?'' Peter asked hesitantly 

'' I know right? He even tried to fight back, especially now that you have a life debt over him Prongs.'' Sirius continued like Peter didn't speak at all

'' Ah right I have that now... hmm what should I use it to?'' James asked putting his snitch away and turning at Sirius

While they talked without a care in the word they didn't notice that their friends faces. Peter with his clenched fists and jaw, with a building hatred and jealousy building rapidly in his heart. And Remus, trying to control his wolf side, his anger and this gnawing feeling in his mind, somehow the sight of his dear friends just become unbearable.

It took ten entire minute for Athena to realize that if she goes there, right now and beats all those disgusted pigs into the ground she would be possible expelled Jumper or not.  And so she took a seat on the cold ground and begin thinking, regulating her breaths.

'' A plan to another plan...to another and another and another...'' 

...

...

oh

Maybe, Evan was right to a point. It seems that she has two pummel two out of four pigs into the ground. Their furious gaze on her and not Severus. 

ah   Athena though walking calmly towards the spot the four boy were seating   i can't wait to destroy you lot. i give you a year and i should make you all disappear from Britain    she stopped at exactly five steps away from them and she already gathered quite the attention from the other students   at the very last don't make me bored   she throw the first spell, breaking the ground under them    there's no fun of beating a cold corpse

And when the four of them turned at her, the only thing Athena could do was grin excitedly looking at Black madness, Potter cold gaze, Lupin clenched fist and Pettigrew frozen form. 

After all, I have more important business than teaching you how to be a decent human being.

Chapter Text

,, Have you gone crazy Snape?"  James asked pointing to the cracked ground they were seated 

" Bet its a family trait." Sirius said jokingly  " We can permit that now do you?"  He gets his wand out and throws a Disatmung spell at her

" You are right Pad, she grow up rather arrogant."  he throw at the a Jelly Legs curse which she stopped flawlessly 

While they throw at her offensive spells she blocked them and carefully levitate mud above their heads, all the while throwing her own spells at them. There was not a single students that tried to help them or call a teacher, not like they would actually do anything.

She dropped the mud hitting Black the most, who become distracted and quickly run to get it off him. Before she could bind Potter and leave him there a sharp voice said

" Miss Snape! No Dueling in the hallways or courtyard for that matter! 50 points from Slytherin and put your wands back this instant. " Professor McGonagall said   " I am very disappointed in you Miss Snape, if you can't control yourself at the very last don't let it out on innocent students. You can Duel with your female counterparts by joining Dueling Club lead by Professor Flitwick" 

" ...I understand Professor.  I apologize. " Athena said making the Professor nod

" Ten additional points for not putting your wands away ."  In response Athena put her wand back in her holder. 

When McGonagall left James was still smirking, Peter was still kind of frozen while Remus was tense. He was also the only one that used defensive spells all this time. Not a single one of them put their wands away.

The students were still there watching the spectacle. 

" Not so loud anym-"  James was on the ground before he realize what happened.  His left cheek was throbing and something, like a small pebble was seating on his tongue. He was kind of dizzy as well.

Shocked gasp around the students and even some disbelieve laughter. 

" You! You punched him!" Remus yelled surprised 

Mocking laughter filled the courtyard and for the first time in a while, the victim wasn't the ugly oily boy from Slytherin. 

'' MISS SNAPE! '' McGonagall yelled 

'' What!'' Athena yelled back at him making, if possible, the students even more shocked  '' That's no Duel. And no magic involved.''

'' ...detention in the Trophy Room, tonight at noon.''  she says in a clipped tone and leaves, the students parting before her

Athena smiles pleasant at her back and with a final glance to the three boys she leaves. She still needed to find out how to change that potion anyway.

with the Slytherins , after

'' She did what?'' Severus asked looking in disbelieve at  Thomas Flint, a first year Slytherin. After he finished another three copies of his Charm homework with his friends, Severus walked with them in the Common Room where people almost couldn't stop staring at him

The boy, Thomas, nods and says in a strange combination of respect and fascination   '' Unbelievable I know! And after McGonagall left she just turned around and smashed Potter jaw, it was brilliant!''

'' Rather barbaric though.'' another sixth-year said not taking her eyes off her homework  '' I heard Potter has his tooth regrow in Infirmary now.''

A snort from a group of seventh years catch Severus attention  '' That blood traitor had it coming.''

Still barely believing what he just heard, Severus was herded by his friends towards his and Evan dorm.

'' So...your kid, relative whatever is adept in muggle fighting and apparently doesn't give a fuck about Hogwarts system.'' Evan said making Severus seat on his bed and letting the two Blacks on his own.

'' Do you think those four will target us all next?''  Regulus asked worried for a fifth year repeat

'' They wouldn't dare.'' Narcissa said convinced   '' I'm married to one of the three richest Houses in Britain, Regulus just become Heir after Sirius run away from home. And Evan is avoided after last summer scandal.  Everyone knows that that we stick together.... What happened today, was a mistake on our part. I'm so sorry Severus.''

'' I have this feeling that their focus will be more on Athena now.'' Evan said making Severus wince

''  One against four... like the first two years all over again.'' Severus mutters blinking rapidly thinking at her face back in the greenhouse  '' You know, for a moment there, I couldn't have guessed she was a student before.''

'' Mmm...-''  Regulus nods  ''She looked like, my mother before fighting with Sirius. ''

'' I'm the only one that doesn't get the Athena part? Like aren't your family names from Roman history usually?''  Evan asked making Severus stop thinking of too many possibilities

'' I actually don't know.''  he tries thinking of any family history that he doesn't know about  '' Maybe-'' he said almost hesitantly   ''- it's her mother side?'' he makes a disgusted noise and  goes to the bathroom washing away the though of someone else beside Lily

'' I can ask Lucius.'' Narcissa says almost timidly, making the boys nod

with the  Gryffindor's, infirmary

'' You can leave by dinner Mister Potter, you are not at death door!''  Madam Pomphrey huffs and goes back to the other patients

'' Can't believe she really hit you.'' Sirius said poking James  throbing jaw  '' Aren't girls suppose to use slaps and like, their nails?  Not even Bella does that.''

'' I'm sure your cousin doesn't use her hands in a Duel.'' Remus says monotonous trying to forget what just happened 

'' True, can't imagine her fighting without a wand.'' James approves 

Sirius doesn't mention how much of a sadist was Bellatrix or how she liked to hunt muggle boys, torture them than vanish their memories and let them go. From what she boasted at the last family dinner a good part of them remain like a vegetable most of the time.

'' That aside, how do you want to deal with her? Can't believe you just us to stay still just because it's a girl.'' Sirius said making James roll his eyes

'' Please, I won't consider that gorilla a girl not even if she gets naked in front of me.''

She really tried okay. She really did. It's not her fault that she almost knocked out Xenophilius bloody Lovegood. And now seating in a small corner of the library, where too much dust gathered, with   - Xeno it's easier and it doesn't make the Nargles come your way-  reading in her hand her presuppose love life. Like that would actually help her situation.

one hour ago

'' Sorr-y?'' Athena said surprised at the boy she just knocked into. Said boy was holding with one hand his red forehead and with another was  shaking her hand 

'' Pleasure to meet you. Athena Snape right?'' before she could answer or at last pull away, the white haired boy pulled her towards a secluded corner. Despite the fact she had no idea who he was, Athena didn't pull away.

'' Tell me-'' he continue whispering , pale blue eyes staring at her soul   '' Did you know, you have not a single Nargle stuck to your body?''

... Lovegood?

'' Oh! You even recognize me!''  he said excited, smiling brightly despite his ghost like appearance he was quite lively. Athena makes a humming sound which he takes it as a 'yes'

'' Xenophilius Lovegood. Call me Xeno, it  keeps the Nargles at bay.''   White hair, pale blue eyes, white skin.

'' Sure-''  Athena looks at him and remembers a man, a father with crazy eyes barely holding  his ghosts away, talking crazily about invisible animals. In front of her was Xeno though, who was maybe 16 years old, very excited with crystal clear eyes and still talking about Nargles. So Athena took a gamble and asked the same thing she asked Luna Lovegood in her third year.  ''- What are Nargles?''

Xeno stops his hands for a second and says smiling more calmly  '' They are little bad spirits that make you angry and irrational. Sometimes clumsy, sometimes jealous, sometimes really murderous. They fly around heads most of the time, but can stick to body's just fine.''  he picks his nails, like a bad habit and says almost mournful  '' You are the first person who asked me seriously about them. Thank you.''

'' Ah! That's... ok, um, I need to-''

'' As a reward I'm going to read your hand!'' he snatch her hand and makes her seat on an old chair, looking exactly like an over excited teen. Resigned Athena complies, not even trying to hide the little smile. 

present

'' This here is Finger of Jupiter-'' he says pointing to her index finger  ''- and then comes Saturn, Apollo, Mercury. This here is your Life Line which you should get some protection for your legs in the near future. Here is Solomon Will-'' he points under her index finger  ''- then those two are Grindle of Venus and somewhere around here is your marriage line which...is very small.''

Tracing his fingers on her palm and muttering strange words, the line on Athena palm begin to luminate making her take a rather sharp breath.

'' What was that?'' she asked the Ravenclaw curious

'' Where it is...ah! Here!'' he points to the somewhere around the middle of her hand tracing the line gently  '' This is your Heart Line and Fate Line, they are very close to each other almost intertwined. Really romantic.''

'' Oh.'' she never really though about it. Love. Sure she loved her father and her friends to death but there wasn't a single time she ever imaged a life partner or a temporary one for that matter. Sure there were some cute girls or boys she liked to look at but never once she though  'ah, i wanna date them'. 

Athena tried to forged about that though, didn't she has more important things to worry about? 

'' What was that spell before?'' she asked making Xeno finally look up at her

'' Oh, Celtic. My mother was from Scotland that now was Alba, Scottish Gaelic. Beautiful ain't it? The spell help me to find the lines faster and without messing them.'' he smiles making his white appearance brighten  '' By the way, you are late. ''

Shit.

'' Today we will make the Elixir to Induce Euphoria. And I dearly hope all of you will have great results.'' Slughorn said looking straight at Severus and Athena, with an only glance at Lily Evans.

The instruction were on the table, same with the manual and necessary ingredients. And both Snapes worked  alone at their bench.

Athena never found out why all her potion turn Color Changing ones in the end. Her father stayed with her step  by step when she was little, he saw her making it perfectly just to end up Color Changing. He tried spelling the cauldron and knife, choosing the ingredients himself, even cutting them and just putting her to throw them in. Not a single change.

At the end of the class and after praising when needed and checking every potion made, Slughorn turned to them and begin to ask for volunteers.

'' How about you Miss Evans and oh! Mister Rosier.'' 

Evans to Severus and Rosier to Athena.

'' W-wh-what...?''  Slughorn, without words stared at the slowly growing pink on  Evan hair and a little of his face as well  '' Miss Snape is quite the prankster!'' he said laughing jovially and without giving Athena a change to explain he dismissed the class.

The disbelief, cold and disappointed look in Severus eyes, hurt  more than any mocking laughter she ever got.  She didn't show it, she straighten her back and though that at the very last Evan is not all pink now.

dinner, Slytherin's

'' How did you do it?'' Severus said beside her. It was, Athena thinks, the first words Severus said to her without anyone else to take the lead. Or where those his first words towards her? Maybe it because of that she just stared dumbly at him .  '' Your potion, idiot. I saw you, you did everything right so how?''

'' It's... a natural talent.'' Athena said before taking a bite of her food

'' ... my mother told me that all Prince where great at potions.''

Athena snorts shaking her head   '' What you think I lied about my name now? Just because I'm shit at potion doesn't mean I'm not great at other thinks.''

'' The only time you don't have a facial reaction is when the rumors say that you are, will be my daughter.'' he says tightly, clearly suppressing whatever else he though   '' That means is truth and you can't say because of your leash.  So how can my suppose daughter be  'shit at potion' ?''

'' Fuck you. What you think just because I'm -hgk!'' without warning her choker begin to tighten a clear warning of not saying anything more. Breathing heavily Athena raised her head  -when did she bow- and looked in Severus surprised eyes.  '' I have detention.'' she says and leaves without looking back. She wasn't sure what was more uncomfortable, her too tight choker or the fact that she leashed herself without knowing.

'' How fucking stupid.'' Athena muttered to herself all the while swiping the trophies under Flinch eye. 

'' I need to search the corridors, when I come back I want all those sparkling.''  she rolled her eyes after he left

'' Unchanging, that prick.''

'' Had lots of detentions before did you.'' she turned around sharply just to come, to close for comfort, to one Peter Pettigrew

'' Fuck!'' not for a second did she feel him coming, was he a rat until now, how long did he spy on her  '' Should have put rat poison behind my steps. Stalked lots of girls before did you?'' 

Pettigrew shrugs shamelessly and leans back on his heal. '' Something like that.''

'' What do you want? To be eat by little Norris or take a hit for your friend.''  Athena asked putting the rag aside, making sure her wand was ready at her wrist

'' Did anyone told you are terrible paranoic person?''

'' Did anyone told you have multiple personalities?'' Athena asked disturbed

'' Not at all. Did anyone told you look terrifying making that face?'' he ask pointing to her face and stepping back

'' Lots of times.'' 

They stay in silence, Pettigrew regretting his life choice and Athena wanting to smash his head with one of the heavy looking trophies. He sighs and says hesitantly

'' James doesn't see you as a girl and now wants to teach you a lesson to see if it's true.''  he says stepping further back

'' Hah. So that bastard wants to strip me naked in front of the student group. But, what does that have to do with you warning me? Don't like your friends anymore ?''  she mocks grinning after the running rat 

Strangely enough that encounter made her mood better.

Still in better spirits, despite being almost the middle of the night, Athena entered the empty Common Room. On the way to her dorm, she remembered, for the first time that day, that she has a roommate. So she wasn't that surprised when she entered the room and was meet with the sight of a girl seating at a narrow table, with a too bright light, all the while scribbling without stopping.  

'' Oh!'' the girl said looking at  her, green eyes sparkling  '' It's so good to see you, I wanted to go with you at breakfast but you are such a early riser! Anyway it's a pleasure, I'm Rita Skeeter, I own the school newspaper.''

Dark green eyes, blonde curled hair, a heavy jawed face and green spectacles. With ink covering her fingertips and hungry bright eyes, that was Rita Skeeter younger self, a pureblood witch, with a lineage full of journalism.

'' Athena.'' she noted back at her 

'' I know, and I also know that you are the new star of Hogwarts who beat up our residents idiots. Now tell me, what were feeling that time? Were you angry because they bullied Severus Snape severely before? Or did they try targeting you? Or were you-''

The girl, Rita, blabbered looking so similar with her older self that it was actually disturbing. That also mean she was useful.

'' Don't you want to know somethin more interesting about those Marauder's?'' Athena asked not even holding her sneer in

Just because she would beat those bastard up doesn't mean it will throw them out of Hogwarts.

'' I heard, that you are quite the Queen of Gossip.''  

Chapter Text

To my lovely wife,

I'm happy to hear from you, so soon since the year begin. I'm doing good, though work at the Ministry is pilling up but all the decoration you wanted arrived and the Manor is ready to be decorated by you. The Abraxan herd is doing good too, even though they are quite old. The little birds you wanted around the Manor will hatch around a month from now, I will tell the Headmaster so you can come to see them. My parents are residing permanently in French now, so you don't need to be worried all the time.

I promised you that the Manor will be the safest place for you and that's how it should be.

Before I answer your question, your sister, Bellatrix, wanted to know how is the Jumper from a Slytherin point of view. If you don't wish to answer her, I can deal with dear Bella if you wish so. 

About your question, which I want to say I put lots of effort in searching the answer and I want a reward.

It's true that the Prince Line uses the most Roman names, though there were cases were one was names after a poisonous plant or a one of the Elements. The name 'Athena' though, was never used before, so I digged deeper and found out some truly curious things. They were so deeply hidden that I almost delayed my letter.

When the first Jumper appeared, the same with the Orbs that brough them here, before Britain was Britain, before Hogwarts, before the witch trials even, muggles and wizards alike believed in Gods. Of course no one believed in the same God, for example your family the Blacks at that time believed in Perun. A Slavic God of the sky, lightning, thunder, war and justice. The Black believed that he was the one that blessed them with their similar features, magic powerness and, the fact that they were generally good warriors, mercenary's or even war heroes made them pray at Perun. They believed that the Orbs were bringing them stronger soldiers.

My family as well, believed the Calypso, the Sea Goddess. There weren't too many information about this however, it seems my ancestors burned all that was written and believed it will be said by mouth.

The Prince Line, the one you wanted to know believed in Athena, the Goddess of war strategies, wisdom and handicraft. They even so long ago were know for their potions and cures for the sick. But they were also know of their wins in numerous wars. The Prince's believed that the Orbs were bringing people chosen by Athena to have a second change.

At some point, around the time Hogwarts was made actually, those information were almost erased from history when the mudbloods come with their own Gods. And so to not be assimilated with muggles, the wizards stopped their believe. In the open at last. I'm not sure how many of them still pray to their own Gods but I can try finding out if you need more information's.

I'm not sure about my ancestors but I quite like this Calypso, even if there were not a lot of information of her, I think that ... no I'm sure she helped my line quite a lot in the past, no matter if she was real or not.

Hope this helped you my dear

                             wanting to see you, Lucius

Dear husband,

Thank you for answering. And I can't wait to meet the chicks, who in case you forget which you did are named quails and a hundred better and smarter than your old giant colored birds. Also thank you for actually getting the Manor decorations, it make me feel better knowing    Thank you for getting ride of your

I want to see you as well.

About the Jumper, please tell Bellatrix that they are certainly powerful, both in magic and mind. Their name is, Athena Snape and the motive I actually wanted you to search for the Prince line. Poor Severus, Athena is certainly quite rougher than him in a lot of way. She is beautiful, can attract a lot of followers. Has a horrible talent in potions and already become the strongest in Flitwick Dueling Club. Because of who she is or maybe that just her personality?  she become the new target for Potter and his ilk.

Have no worriers, non of them tried anything with myself or Regulus since the year begin. Can't say the same for my other two friends though.

Athena is also a very confident person, almost too confident actually. I'm writing this right beside her and she isn't oblivious more like doesn't care of political power or blackmail at all. Also she has the most unusual eye color, purple.

I don't think she will obey Bellatrix cause or anyone for that matter. For Merlin sake! She had a screaming match with McGonagall not even a week ago.

I'm not surprised that our ancestors hide those fact about Gods. Even now, especially now, if this information leaks there will be quite the revolts. Well, more than they already are.

I never heard of Perun before but if he is the God of Sky than our Star names had an origin at last. Not my Father gore stories with dusted babes and stars lowering for us.

I miss you. Regulus too. Evan doesn't but he doesn't miss anyone that isn't Reg. Severus misses you too but he is too grouchy now to answer like a human being. Athena makes his blood rise up.

Practice naming the quail eggs,

         Cissa

HOGWARTS BEETLE, THE NEWSTES NEWS OF OUR SCHOOL

Two sides or just one?

Dear readers, it's like always a pleasure to write to you all once more. And with greater pleasure I bring you the exact things you need in Hogwarts Best Newspaper, The Beetle.

Since Athena Snape, Britain first Jumper in the last hundred of year appeared at our magnificent school, almost two months ago, quite a lot of this changed. Don't you think so? After all when did you ever think that The Marauders, Gryffindor  Greatest Prankster's of this Century, would be finally, for the lack of a better word, kicked down a peg.

But before that let's look at the a little less unjuicy news.

#2.   Professor McGonagall and Athena Snape screaming match remains steady on their position, still gathering attention left and right. The screaming match incident begin when our Professor wrongly accused Miss Snape of dressing indecently and vulgar. In response our Jumper told her quite calmly that Hogwarts Book Rule for students doesn't stop the students from dressing however they want. According to the Book, we could even dress in our underwear and just our ties or robes being obligatory. Insane but not wrong. In response Professor McGonagall yelled at her for being an 'indecent and without shame or common sense witch'. Her words not mine.

#3. A message from Mister Abbott to our Headmaster : 'Please change your style sir, you can't match purple with yellow moons and red snowflakes. Just...no please stop, if not for your sanity, which I stopped believing it exist. At last for our young innocents minds.'

#4.  Professor Slughorn made one of his most embarrassed mistakes in his career. When after a careful planned prank from The Marauders occurred, strangely enough hitting the red table and not the green one. It made all the students sick, a common cold and nothing more but there were so many students that the Pepper Up stock emptied and Professor Slughorn got Mister and Miss Snape help. He never checked which Snape he took the potion from and let's just say the Gryffindor's where going through a Pink Phase. On the bright side they weren't sick anymore.

#5.  Narcissa Black gives lesson of self defense against abusing men. There is no rule against age or gender, all is welcome. You just need a vicious strike and a thirst of revenge. Or you can just be scared.

Now let's resume to our main event. Because my dear readers, my seeking true partners, not even a day  ago we saw the true face of the 'Light'. Heir James Potter together with Mr. Black and multiple other Gryffindor students were caught red handed by the student body, Professor McGonagall and DADA Assistant Teacher Roy, torturing and humiliating first year Slytherins and even a couple of Ravenclaws. Like usual they wanted to cover it up with their usual excuse  'a prank'. But, my dears!

Athena Snape had no excuses from them, pathetic  or not, and so when none of the teachers did anything beside showing them were the Infirmary is, she held her head high and walked like a Goddess to them. In a matter of seconds the bully's were on the ground crying their eyes out  with their bits temporally missing, curtesy of Narcissa Black teachings  ( SEE #5 OF THE DAY).

At the end, Athena herself was the one with detention and threatened with suspension. Not even a week later, while Heir Potter and Mr. Black, Lupin and Pettigrew licked their wounds, they striked again. This time attacking Miss Snape in full view trying to choke her with soup of all things and possible strip her. The shame! They didn't succeed though, just to ruffle and wet our Jumper a bit before they were send flying with their clothes burned and no hair on all body. 

Next day the  four boys wake up called in the Headmaster office for sexual harassment with their parents. The fifth year incident with one Mr. Snape was reminded again and their punishment doubled. I am still not sure what strings they pulled but rumor says that the Potter Vault is a little emptier this year and the Gryffindor Quidditch team was disbanded because of them. A trusty source of mine told me that they have detention until they graduate and are treated like outcast by their yearmates in the lion House.

Now tell me my dearest. Who would you rather have beside you? The foolish Marauders that finally begin to reap what they sew. Or our new Jumper, their new victim who isn't the slightest scared of them. 

Would you rather be humiliated in excuse of a prank. Or would you rather step up and speak so the entire world can hear you.

It's four against one. Who would win?

I, Rita Skeeter, wait for your Anonymous letters about your answer. All the students can use a house elf to send a letter to me and don't worry, no one would dare to read them beside myself.

Chapter Text

A lot of things happened in two months. And almost all of them could be found on Rita newspaper, which hilariously speaking was named Beetle. Athena wasn't complaining though, having her help was actually the closest she could found to a goldmine right now.

In the course of two months, since she stepped on Hogwarts ground again she made a too long bridge between the Marauders and the student body. And for that to happen she played the victim...well at last that's what the Beetle was saying. 

Athena Snape, Britain Jumper and daughter of one Severus Snape, become the new victim of Marauders after they become bored of her dad.      that's Hogwarts general idea

It costed her endless detentions, to many points taken, a little too much hatred for her House for losing them the House Cup, which is useless by the way. Fucking sick system. When this happen though Severus and his group of friends distance from her considerably and that means the only time she would talk would be at night when she was brainstorming with Rita - why are you even having a newspaper alone- and when she found Xeno who was actually the sweetest guy in this place. Maybe a little too excited about her love life and the general gore but Luna was weird too and she was just fine.

Truthfully speaking Athena wasn't sure why Severus was so distant with her, nor the others. Weren't they talking when she come here? Was she too troublesome to be with?  Not Slytherin enough?

Yeah maybe she didn't care about politics and hiding yourself behind too many faces. And maybe she was shit at Potion and Slughorn finally acknowledged it. She didn't care about being dignified and elegant, wearing her muggle clothes without a care and using muggle fighting while Dueling. She didn't care if Xeno was considered a weirdo or Rita an unhealthy gossiping bitch.  She didn't care how she looked like repairing chess pieces and playing alone with them later.

She was loved by her DADA teacher and Flitwick by being their new most prized and talented Duelist. Apparently even the Dueling Club was parted in two group in gender of all things. And so when she destroyed Marlene McKinnon and she practically lunged at Potter to shut him up... well what else can you do beside letting her mingle with them. As a result though the Club was no longer divided.

The Slytherin general idea was that she didn't belong, that she didn't fit in. Non of them know that Athena never fit with the general standards. 

Silent steps. The slight scratch of a cat claws. The light of a lamp that disappears and appears. Unhurried steps and regulate breath. Not even the sound of her clothes could be heard. That's how Athena walked towards the seventh floor in a Sunday night.

'' To think I almost forget of it.'' she says quietly walking in The Room of Hidden Things, wearing her pajamas and robe, her hair in a messy bun.  '' Now-'' she sighs  ''- where the hell it was even?''

The time when Harry found the diadem, she was outside chanting protection spells around Hogwarts and protecting Professor Sprout back when charming the Whipping Willow. 

The Ravenclaw Diadem held a part of Voldemort soul. Which means that it should be destroyed by all means, finding the bloody thing between broken and cursed objects was more difficult than it looked. The castle was full of teenagers more than half a year, it isn't a surprise that the bloody Room was bursting with pilled up things. Athena didn't even try to find the ceiling of this place, it would be useless anyway.

Athena wasn't sure how long she stayed in that room but she found a lot and I mean a lot of useful things.  She found a pair of pretty neat gloves that would actually look pretty good on Narcissa, Athena didn't even try wearing them, there were big change she would have ripped them apart. She found a very strange horn that well, she wasn't sure what it did but it looked pretty cool so she took it. There were too many broken cauldrons, uniforms and books to count. She did found a book named  'Dueling for Life' that basically told her to not be a fool and use everything to win. It sounded a lot like her Da so she took it as well. She found jewelry and a galleons left and right, she took them as well because how could she not. The weirdest thing she found was a necklace with the Hallows barely hanging from a carpet. She left the strange sensation to take it and hide it away. She didn't.

And in the end when she almost give up the blasted diadem showed up sitting innocently in a open drawer. Her shield were immediately in place not letting a single emotion, though or memory distract her.  With her wand ready she enveloped the diadem in a bubble not risking touching it and when it looked like she was closer to the door, a burst of black fumes surrounded the diadem still in the bubble.

She wasn't risking destroying the Room of Hidden Things, so she would request a room that will let her use Fiendfyre safely. She has time, not like Harry did.

Out of the room, the sun was shining brightly outside and after a quick Tempus Athena found out she just spend something like 12-15 hours searching the Horcrux. 

'' Do I have the luck of Rita saying I'm sick?'' she says to herself still in the empty hall, walking back and forth after the door disappeared.  When the new door appears she snorts to herself and says  '' Yeah, no.'' still with the Horcrux in the bubble, fuming madly she walks forward ready to unleash Fiendfyre on the dame thing.

;-;

The process of casting Fiendfyre was actually simple, even a desperate idiot could do it. The trick about this spell is what emotion you use when casting it. For example is you are scared or desperate the flames will shallows everything it finds but if you are controlled and with just the right amount of rage the flames will follow a slow flow like a constant river.  

And so when Athena casted the spell with maybe just a little bit too much of rage or was it sadness? the fire got... a little crazy.

'' Fuck.'' 

There was a single time in her life when she feel embarrassed walking the halls of Hogwarts. And that was in her second year and cupid where following her around singing poetry about her eyes just to be blasted into a wall by her  Da. And maybe when she made her Da wear pink hair for an entire month, but we are not talking about this.

The second time would be now, walking the halls without eyebrows, slightly burned hair and covered in a old robe. The fire burned thoroughly and the diadem was no more...like her clothes and shoes for that matter. On the bright side, it was past curfew but despite there not being any eyes on her she still feels watched, she really hoped it was paranoia and not Potter under his cloak.

Or the...oh wait.

Naked with just a cloak covering her body, Athena stopped in the hall staring speechless ahead.

Oh fuck, wait no...it...actually could be useful.

Resuming her steps again, she walked faster towards the dungeons.

'' ... you want  me to do what?''  pale blue eyes stared at royal purple ones. Xeno couldn't believe what his friend, where they friends? implied and wanted to do. Or more like where did he fit in with that

After that day when he read her hand for the first time, the two of them usually meet in the library in the same dusted corner. That little, almost crampet place become  the closest thing to a safe heaven Athena had in this   Timeline. And for Xeno, become the only place and time when he wasn't giving mocking laughter, incredulous looks or just plain  mocking. For Athena though become a place where there were no expectation from her and annoying fools bothering her. Apparently they were banned from the library since forth year, they can enter just by being supervised by Pince.

No one wanted to be supervised by Pince.

'' I want you to sneak into the Gryffindor Tower and bring me a blank piece of parchment. It should be protected by traps or curses or charm or just be let carelessly on the floor.'' Athena says smiling amused at him

'' Are you joking now? How could I even...?''

'' You can see things that others can't. '' Athena says hardening her eyes  '' Can't you?''

''That's-''

It was true.

What Athena discovered about Xeno was that he was if possible even weirder than his future daughter was. He could see therstrals despite the fact he never saw death. He could find who person has bad intentions (Nargles are dancing around them), who killed before ( Dumbledore back is full with silent Nargles), who was jealous or sad, who was angry or agitated.

He can also, after a walk in the Restricted section, see what objects has traps, charms or protective spells of them. In a room where the blasted Map looks like a blank piece of paper, he was the one that could find it the fastest.

''- beside the point. Couldn't you ask...I don't know Little Black? Or Rosier? He is know of always knowing the password. Or or -'' Xeno said fretting his hands, messing with Gryffindor's, especially now with how unstable those four were wouldn't doo him any good 

'' No one said anything about you getting caught.'' Athena said reassuring him   '' I say 'you' because you are the only one that can find it immediately, not active any possible alarms and you are fast enough to get out without problems.''

'' I'm.. flattered but I still don't think it's a good idea.'' Xeno suddenly took her hand and begin to trace the lines that he read so many times now  '' I'm really not subtle and I panic easily and ... why do you even want a piece of blank, blank! paper?'' he looked through his bag in hurry and gets out a piece of parchment  ''Here. Blank parchment.''

'' Potter, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew. Have a Map of Hogwarts that shows everyone, at all times inside the castle. I don't particularly need the Map for-''

Xeno interrupts  '' You want to stalk someone?''  

'' -stalking.'' she continues unbothered  '' I just need to modify it and maybe take it apart and put it back.''

For some time Xeno was silent trying to wrap his head around it all. Athena, thinking he was hesitant says

'' Did I ever had a Nargle on me since we meet?'' she ask making pale blue eyes snap at her

'' You didn't. I..why do we need to steal though? Couldn't we just make a new one?''

Athena smiles at his words, 'we', and says  '' Too long. I need to finish my business in two years so I can live.''   Severus too, for Draco and his love of long dresses, for Harry and his endless curiosity hidden behind a mask of heroism, for FredandGeorge to remain FredandGeorge, for Hogwarts to remain strong and tall and undefeated, for all those little body's that shouldn't be there and for all those child soldiers that flighted with full grown wizards and win

Athena sighed and let her head fall back, exposing her entire neck and implicitly her choker, her blasted leash. Maybe she should talk with Evan to take the Map after all? She liked Xeno and if he says he doesn't want to then he doesn't then-

'' So how do I do it?'' he ask still tracing the lines of her palm

'' Huh?'' she says surprised

'' How do I sneak in? I told you I'm not subtle, I trip over everything.'' he continues smiling

'' Huh?''

'' Mhm. I'm very clumsy.'' he says amused 

'' Did you just..? Wait no. It's great really! '' she says taking the forgotten paper on the table and begin to write  '' We are gonna need an enchanted wine glass, dog fur, honey and something I'm great at.''

At Xeno confused face she says smirking, purple eyes sparkling  '' A good fight.''

Chapter Text

It become clear at some point that Athena needed Rita to actually begin this plan. It come as a surprise to see not just Xeno terrified expression while standing in front of her but Rita's own dumb stare while looking at the Xeno.

'' I missed something.'' Athena said when it become clear that neither would say a word 

The three of them meet in a secluded alcove with a missing window, where there was a clear view of any incoming students and where it was empty enough so any steps where heard. When Athena first suggested that there would  be need of another person, to be at least Plan B before they could begin anything, she never excepted that the two would hate each other. 

Well. Hate was a strong word but they sure looked more than uncomfortable with being beside each other.

'' Any of you want to elaborate?''  she asked getting a fast reply from both

'' No.'' it was disturbing how both of them spoke calmly before smiling pleasantly at her

'' Both of you want to help?''  she asked not showing how disturbed she was by them. Truthfully speaking, Athena, at some point excepted to be disturbed by either of them. Especially while knowing what type of adults they could become.

'' No problem.'' Xeno said turning to his purple eyed friend before leaning on the nearby wall

'' Give me an interview after the fight.'' Rita said looking with an eye at Xeno and another at her

'' Deal. I need a specific type of dog fur before we could start.''  Athena said leaning on the nearby wall trying to remember what type of dog was Sirius Animagus

'' We doing it now?''  Rita said confused

'' Hagrid has a bag collection of dog fur, don't ask, I can take whichever you want using my methods.''  when both girls just stared at him concerned he added  '' I just ramble about Nargles and he would give anything just so I can go away.'' he said rolling his eyes

'' Huh. I need Deerhound fur. A pretty big bag too.'' Athena said waving at a retreating Xeno before turning to Rita   '' What about now? It's no time like the present.'' she said shrugging walking 

'' Shouldn't we ... I don't know plan this? So it could actually work.''   the blonde asked making the purple eyed one blink confused

'' Why should I wait weeks to plan mindlessly when I can just do it now?'' she asked back smirking when Rita looked even more confused, before patting her shoulder  '' Get ready to interview one Sirius Black about his art from the second floor. '' she said before jogging towards the kitchens.

If Athena was right, and she was, then right now most of the students were going to dinner, those making the kitchen bustling with little house elf's and  the Hall with the hungry students. With light, fast steps she arrives in the kitchens, smuggling the honey with non the wiser before yelling a short goodbye at the confused elves. She snatched a piece of armor before transfigurating it into a crystal wine glass.

Athena catch up with Xeno who was returning with the bag of fur, giving him the glass.

'' Go towards the Gryffindor tower and wait till there are no more students before approaching the Fat Lady. Tell her that this is a magical made glass so nothing can break it, beside the human voice. She will caught right in and while she screams just leave the glass down and enter the Common Room. In and out. There will be nothing to disturb you.'' she said before clapping his back, both of them going in different direction

Athena wasn't sure if she should be disturbed of Xeno grin or not. But at last it couldn't be worse than Rita stares when taking an interview. That look never changed at last.

After arriving on the third floor, a floor below Gryffindor Tower, Athena begin her magic. And no it wasn't much more than spreading honey and rearranging the fur how she wanted, before transfiguring it to look like paint. It was Madam Malfoy, ten years of trying to make Athena be more like a Lady and the other years of his Da spitting over the Marauders name.

It was a picture of pure spite.

Athena walked in the Great Hall and plopped directly beside Rita Skeeter, who was scribbling away in a notebook. She took a quick glance at the book before standing in a state of disbelief for a full five seconds.

'' Are you writing a fighting between a divorced couple that want's to kill each other?''  she asked reading the lines flowing on the paper

'' It calms me down.''  Rita said before putting her pencil down   '' I have no idea what your plan is or what you want to achieve from it but if it's doesn't work, we never talked.'' 

'' Sure-''  Athena said confident, before checking out the lions table and upon seeing that neither of the four boys or girls were looking at them she leaned closer and said Rita lines. The blonde nodded before taking a small notebook and walking, skipping almost towards Sirius Black. Like excepted, both tables quieted down upon seeing a Slytherin seeking a Gryffindor, no matter the motive.

'' Skeeter.'' Sirius sneered at the girl but before he could add anything else Rita smiled, a little crazy and eyes a little too hungry

'' Tell me Black, what was the inspiration between your creative painting? Did any of the animals have any signification? What about the animals variety? What not just remain in the well, canine family and expand towards forest animals and rodents?''  she said not showing any different expression when seeing the brief split of terror on Lupin face

'' What?'' Sirius said faintly trying to get up.

The Hall, slowly begin to quite even more, all eyes on the two.

'' The painting on the second floor. Really beautiful, a piece of art if I say so myself, though the dangerous beast imprinted on the wall is rather unpleasant.''  then she leaned a little closer for effect before adding in a concerned tone. A true actress in making, in Athena opinion. If the girl wasn't so crazed overtaking interviews and writing articles than she wouldn't be surprised if she become a famous actress.

'' I'm not sure how the little firstie would react upon seeing the painting of a werewolf mauling those poor animals.''

The next second after she finished her words, Lupin was out of the Hall running full speed towards the second floor, Black, Potter and Pettigrew after him. And after them, exactly how Athena know they would the rest of the students body, who at the same time was blocking the teachers path.

The few students that weren't running after the four lions, where Athena herself, Severus and his group of friends and Rita Skeeter that was walking back to the purple eyed girl bewildered.

'' I didn't except this.'' she said stopping beside Athena   '' Are you not going after them? Wouldn't it be better if you make sure that they are actually fighting?'' she said looking at the mass of people trying to squeeze out

'' Don't you see that crowd? There's no way I can fit there.'' Athena said before taking a bite of her food   '' -beside if they see me there,  those guys would surely jump on me and mess everything.'' then she leaned back relaxed before sighing   '' I just show up at the end if things don't work out.'' 

'' And what things should work out?'' a voice said beside them making the girls turn around just to see the piercing gaze of one Severus Snape

And somewhere, in a smaller corner of Athena mind, where her small self was locked, Athena knows she fucked up somehow.

---

with the Gryffindors and the absolute mess on the second floor

With trembling legs Remus stopped in front of the wall, where in dark paint the picture of a werewolf mauling a stag and a big dog trying to catch a rat was seen. Despite the steps behind himself, Remus couldn't take his eyes away from the picture, feeling bile rise in his throat at what was in front of him and tears when he catch Sirius own scent coming from the painting.

Tears and bile transformed and rage upon seeing Sirius pale face, looking dumbfounded at the wall together with the entire student body. Rage mixed with shame made him take holp of Sirius shirt and drag him closer to himself.

'' This painting reeks of your scent Sirius. What the absolute fuck where you thinking? Eh?!''  he yelled looking from Sirius to James and Peter   '' Another one of your pranks?'' he spat at him, fists trembling from rage, feeling the unnatural need of growling rising in his throat

'' It wasn't me. Remus. Remus.'' Sirius said desperate trying to wake the young werewolf up from his raging trace  '' I wouldn't do that to you. To us.''  he said trying to calm him down despite his own griping anger that transformed in paranoia and worry with each passing seconds

Because at the end of the day it wasn't just Remus secret, it wasn't just him being in danger. A stag, a rat and big shaggy looking dog. James, Peter and Sirius Animagus forms. Illegal Animagus forms and their own personal ticked for a vacation of 5 years in Azkaban.  All four of their necks were on the line, but if they couldn't stop Remus in time from exploding than everything could escaladed worse and worse.

'' Remus, mate, you need to calm down.'' James said  looking concerned around before smiling dumbly at them like they just made a great joke. '' Let's finish this in our dorm and then Pads could explain.'' he said smiling when Remus calmed down under his hand just for his face to twitch at Sirius next words

'' Explain? What is there to explain?! It wasn't me!''  Sirius said angry and upset when even James doubted him  '' What we need to do is search which Slytherin did it!'' he yelled making the snakes in the crowd burst

Not caring of anything else, Remus leaned closer to them and hissed

'' It reeks of you. Stop denying it.'' 

Things escaladed farther from that point on.

with Xenophilius

Fooling the Gryffindor guarding portrait was unbelievable easy, concerningly so that it made Xeno stop for a few seconds before stepping into the empty Common Room.

The Gryffindor Common Room was bright, red and empty. The fireplace was burning brightly, there were book shelves stacked with muggle books and magazines, a drawer overflowing with make-up, a board filled with their team schedule and random things like birthdays and exams dates. There was a sleeping orange cat on a cushion of the same color and what looked like a stack of homework that will never be finished, tucked away in a corner, almost falling over.

On the right was clear, bright sign with   'Girls Territory'  and on the left was another sign with 'Boys Den'. Xeno walked with careful light steps on the stairs and quickly found the Marauders room. Someone, most probably James, sticked  fluttering snitch on the door, together with  the boys names.  He breathed deeply before looking  concentrated at the doorknob and opening the door.

Inside he was greeted with a mess. There were old, dirty clothes on the floor, the most smelly ones being the Quidditch jerseys, forgotten homework, lighters and muggle magazines with naked woman's. An overflowing stash of dark chocolate, what looked like empty bowl of snacks and glitter. There was a giant bottle o glitter in a far corner of the room that looked a little too close to exploding.

Beside all those things that were actually quite normal, the most concerning thing the amount of Nargles in that room. There were Nargles on the chests, angry and trying to shoo him away, then there were one stuck on the beds curtains and more around the windows. There some of them that were just seating on the floor staring t him curiously trying to lure him closer.

'' There are traps alright.'' he said quietly before avoiding the Nargles on the floor and beginning to search the first bed, the one with homework tucked under the mattress, trying to find the blank piece of parchment Athena wanted.

There was nothing there and he already wasted Twenty minutes, panic sinking in even though there was no sound coming from the Common Room or nearby dorms.

let's calm down  he though looking around the room before spotting a smiling Nargle waving at him from what looked like Potter bed

'' Hello.''  he begin softly, walking towards the bed and smiling at the creature   '' Would you help in exchange of a bowl of sweet cream and honey?''  the two stared for a long time at each other, Xeno eyes burned and the Nargle just stared back mockingly before laughing and lifting the bed cover revealing an old looking piece of parchment. When he looked again, the Nargle disappeared, just a faint laugh ringing in his ears.

His short moment of relief was burst by the loud voice downstairs and the hurried steps that were closer and closer. 

'' Fuck.'' Xeno sweared taking a step back, hiding the surprisingly warm paper under his cloth, almost losing his balance on a fallen book. Under his arm was a smooth surface but looking back he was not touching anything else but the wood drawer. Holding his arm up, he marveled at the invisible cloth before in the split of second when the door opened, Xeno was already covered with the cloak

The boy with candyfloss like hair and a heart that was beating too strongly in his chest, didn't cared of the screaming match behind him and walked out of the Lion Den towards the Slytherin Nest, under the cover of an Invisible Cloak and with the warm piece of parchment under his clothes. In the same way he entered the Slytherin Common Room and the girls dormitory without alerting anyone. Carefully, so his hand wouldn't reveal itself, he opened Athena and Skeeter door just to be greeted by a pair of pleasant, happy purple eyes and shocked green ones.

'' Surprise.'' he said taking the cloak off, revealing himself with a wide grin  '' You would not believe what Potter was hiding in his room.'' he said gathering the cloak in his hands

'' Was a Cloak of Invisibility?'' Athena said teasing, Skeeter walking closer to him taking a hold of the cloak

'' I mean to say, it is not a travelling cloak imbued with a Disillusionment Charm, or carrying a Bedazzling Hex, or else woven from Demiguise hair, which will hide one initially but fade with the years until it turns opaque.''  he begin rambling excited  '' We are talking about a cloak that really and truly renders the wearer completely invisible, and endures eternally, giving constant and impenetrable concealment, no matter what spells are cast at it. Nothing sensed me coming here and I'm pretty sure that no sounds can get out either.'' he said falling on a soft cushion, cloak still in his hands

'' You rambled to yourself all the way here didn't you?'' Skeeter said amused making Xeno laugh  

'' You know I did.''  he said proud of himself 

Chapter Text

'' Well?'' Athena asked when the two calmed down and her brain decided to take a break from forming plans. The Invisibility Cloak appearance was like a blessing and Athena was pretty sure she was never so happy to see the bloody thing.

'' Huh?''  Xeno said confused before his ears reddened at Rita laugh  '' Right. Here.'' he said taking out the blank parchment before seating in one of the rooms armchairs   '' There were a lot of Nargles around the room but it seems they were feeling mischievous enough show me where it was so I didn't trigger anything. I should let more bowls with sweet cream at the window from now on.''  he said almost absently making Athena smile  at the similarity between the girl in her memories and the boy before her

'' Good job.'' Athena said stroking gently the parchment, marveling silently at how new it looked compared with the Map she hold years from now

'' Are you gonna tell us what it is?''  Rita asked for the first time since Athena know her with a curious look and no weird staring   '' Or what you will use it at?''  

'' True.'' Xeno hummed   '' It's empty after all.''

In response Athena smirked    '' Is it?''  she said in a low tone before she get on the ground, putting the map down, pointing her wand at it. Maybe she shouldn't've have, not at that time and not ever but Athena couldn't help but think that this mismatched trio they made will help her achieve her goal.

'' I solemnly swear, that I'm up to no good.'' she said, her voice just a little louder in the quiet room, smirking further when the two swore surprised. Familiar words, that brough Athena bitter memories of sneaking out and laughing freely into the night, were companionate with equally familiar drawings of the castle, of moving footsteps and unfamiliar names.

'' Holly shit.'' Rita hissed kneeling beside Athena, on the other side of the map looking wide eyed while following the moving steps and names   

'' That's us.'' Xeno said pointing with his fingers where their names were before he got down on the floor as well   '' Potter did this?''  he said surprised

'' He and group worked, made and spelled this map so they could sneak around the castle without anyone knowing of them. It shows everyone that steps into the Castle wards, all the names-''  Athena said before pointing at a name  ''-  even the ghosts.''

'' This it's incredible.'' Rita said looking at the small runes written on the map edges before she frowned   '' Doesn't that mean Dumbledore know of this?'' she asked making Xeno approve

'' That's right.''  he said pointing at her, scooting closer to her side.

Athena couldn't help but eye the two unusual partners.

'' If this it's connected to the wards then he must know, maybe even helped them make it.''  he said eyes sparkling when Rita continued his theory

Athena let the two brainstorm the idea for a while and in that time she was looking at the map. She couldn't help the smile that grown on her face while looking at it and even though the names were a little unfamiliar, the family names were still the same for a good chunk of them. She trailed her finger on her Da name, on Severus and his group of friends, before moving to other students, some of them she didn't even know who they were but the names were too pompous to be anything but pureblood.

'' So-''  Rita voice made her look up  ''- who were looking for? I mean, it's a map so you must search for someone.''  she said and Athena shrugged. The Slytherin wasn't exactly wrong.

'' Not really.'' Athena said before giving the two a small smirk   '' I just need to destroy this.'' she said enjoying their faces

'' Excuse me?''  Xeno said faintly

'' Athena what the fuck?''  Rita said throwing her hands in the air frustrated

'' You can't.'' Xeno said and Athena made sure her faces wasn't showing any expression before arching an eyebrow

'' He mean-''  Rita quickly backet him up   ''- that you shouldn't. Like, Athena, it's a Map of Hogwarts, connected to the grounds itself. It's-''  she tried to continue, popping her fingers towards Xeno

'' Unique.''  the boy with candy floss  like hair said nodding

'' Exactly-''  Rita continued ''- I'm sure you can tear it apart with your hands Athena but really, there's no need. We can even help you make a new one.''  she tried to resonate

'' I'm sure you two can help me. It's not about this, I just don't have enough time for it and that's the best I can get at the moment.'' she said leaning forward  '' And I take the best I can get over months of work. If it makes you feel better, I can try to put it back together when I'm done.'' she said shrugging already looking through the runes at the edges trying to see which string should be taken down

I won't.

'' I don't feel reassured.''  Xeno said faintly with slumped shoulders looking pitifully at the map

'' What would you do with it anyway?" Rita asked after some time while Athena was inspecting the runes  

'' Well-'' Athena begin humming before unfolding all the map on the floor  ''- it would still be a map. A Map of Great Britain.'' she said smirking while she played her fingers on the  choker spikes

---

with Xeno and Rita

'' I feel like there's something big here that we shouldn't mess with.'' Xeno said after some time while looking at Athena who was already destroying parts of the Map runes looking too determinate with every strip of runes gone

'' She is trying to find something.''  Skeeter said at his side making him glance at her. He couldn't help but note that she has the same look like an year ago when she would explore the forest with him and make notes about the forest strangeness. He fall in love with her like a fool then she made that article of him at the end of the year and everything fall over.

'' But what?''  he said wincing when she saw Athena slam something on the piece of parchment

'' She is from another time or maybe even a completely different universe.''  Skeeter said making him nod   '' At last we know she is Snape relative.''

'' Daughter.'' Xeno corrected her, glancing at the blonde beside him   '' She is his daughter.''

'' She sucks at Potions and it's mediocre at best at other subjects beside DADA where she is better than our teacher.'' Skeeter said pursing her lips making Xeno elbow her ribs

'' She doesn't need to be like him to be his daughter.''  

'' I hate when you are always right.''  she muttered and Xeno wanted to say more, do more but he didn't, so the two of them stayed in silence till they begin to gravitate around Athena purple eyes again.

Fucking Marauders Map.

Fucking Hogwarts wards.

Fucking Britain.

Athena took a deep breath before letting it out slowly, eye narrowed forwards, thinking. The idea was to take the blasted Map, take out the part where it showed Hogwarts grounds, switch it with Great Britain domain and add a Point Me string of rules after she destroyed the Diadem in the Requirement Room and added it's magical signature on said string of runes.

It was actually quite simple in her opinion.  Or it would have been if the most important thing wouldn't been missing.

Fucking Dumbledore really. Because of his meddling by adding the Hogwarts wards in the Map, now Athena needed Great Britain wards so she could complete it.

And now she needed to infiltrate the deeps of the Ministry Building in hopes of finding out that blasted ward room. In Christmas vacation no less.

'' It's everything okay?'' Xeno asked almost startling her before Athena cleared her throat

'' I'm just missing something.''  she said absently giving the blank Map a sharp look

'' And can we help you with anything or-''  Rita begin quite awkward and Athena couldn't help but snort before she straightened up and fixed her eyes on Xeno who begin to squirm uncomfortably

'' Xeno-'' she begin with a calm face   ''- you said that you can see certain things. Does that apply to Wards?''  she asked another plan forming in her mind. A plan that, if she was careful enough she could make it at Hogwarts.

'' I don't see that Ward lines, I see the Nargles who help me find them then if they are nice enough then they let me see the Wards.''  he said tilting his head to the side looking curious at her

'' It's Scotland part of Great Britain?''  she asked trying to see if anything was brewing right

'' I don't know about the Muggle Side of things but magically speaking yes. For some years already.''  Rita said crossing her legs 

Athena hummed.

Two ward stones of that massive power couldn't be in the same place but at the same time, there was a similar ward stone at the Ministry that was keeping up Azkaban and that was something know for sure. So if there was a ward stone for Hogwarts and one for Azkaban, two of the most protected places in Britain, then the next one should be somewhere in between.

'' How familiar are the two of you with the Forbidden Forest?''  she asked smirking when their faces paled

You two are stuck with me now  Athena couldn't help but thought

Chapter Text

" That's a dangerous place."  Rita commented while humming and trying to gain again some color in her cheeks. She looked ready to bold for a moment before calming herself

" A lot of the creatures wouldn't want us there."  Xeno said touching a loose string of hair, tucking it absently behind his ear.   '' We can risk the centaurs wrath if we aren't careful enough.''   

" And I'm pretty sure there it's an Acromantula colony nearby. Their silk is really valuable so you can't kill them." Rita said making Athena smile

" And how many people know of the Acromantula nest?" she asked smiling pleasantly  making the two blink surprised

'' Well, the Headmaster-''  Xeno begin  ''- Hagrid and the other teachers I suppose.''

'' You suppose?''  Athena said arching an eyebrow making him sputters before shrugging in defeat   '' Acromantula's were protected by law where I come from, their silk gathered and collected carefully by Beast Masters. So they wouldn't be near a school of all places if the Ministry has anything to say about it. ''  she said smirking at their pale faces

'' Do you want to tell me that there  is an unsupervised colony of giant spiders and no one that actually could stop them knows about it?''   Xeno said wide eyed before pushing Rita rather harshly who was in the same position as him

'' We are going.'' Rita said not even caring the Xeno pushed her on the side and just seating back beside him like it was a normal occurrence   '' And I'm writing an article about this.'' she said before smirking like the devil she was   '' Send a copy to those fools at the Prophet too.'' she said making Xeno snort amused

What followed was the strangest thing that Athena ever saw and she was victim of seeing the Weasley twins flirting with a flustered Draco Malfoy. Xeno nudged Rita away again, more like a caress this time, before she stuck her shoulder to his and they honest to god smiled like the fools they were at each other.

Athena looked at the two again, thought of  a small girl walking barefoot on those school halls, of a beetle spying for more and more gossip and she didn't dare to touch this relationship with a ten foot pole. She was pretty sure that his was also stated before but for good measure she would say it again.

----

'' So you have a plan ?''  Xeno asked after the two of them calmed down before settling and looking back at Athena, the Marauders Map still open and on the ground in front of them, the footsteps on the map catching their attention from time to time

'' I always have a plan.''  Athena said smiling happily making the two snort at her act of innocents    '' And you have a little something as well.'' she said looking at the Invisibility Cloak before jumping herself on Xeno, messing his hair and making him screech

'' You have a bloody good eye, Lovegood!''  Athena said barking a laugh when he tried to break free just for Rita to jump in the pile as well, almost strangling them both in the process

Her friends and she recognized them as friends and not as Luna Lovegood father that was just a little too crazy and the Prophet most raved  journalist that stalked kids in her beetle form, were a little weird from a lot of points.

That didn't stop Athena from making them her friend or adding them in her plan for that matter. They didn't really have a choice though.

The next couple of days were tense at Hogwarts. But they weren't tense because of the approaching winter break or because of Peeves made that morning. Everyone, even the professors even though they were much more subtle than the students, were tense because of the fight that occurred in the Gryffindor Tower two days ago.

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin fought each other in the muggle style and even now they were sporting purple spots on their cheeks or broken lips. Apparently Pomphrey didn't even try to heal them when she heart what happened in the Tower and from what everything come.

On the other side, trying to act as a mediator, was James Potter who was sporting huge back eyes and looked almost as pale as the ghosts around the castle. Athena wasn't sure if he was looking close to tears or to an angry outburst by the minute if the constant twitching on is his face was saying anything. The girls in their year weren't any better, though they looked more frustrated than anything else and in some occasions even worried.

Peter Pettigrew was also nowhere in sight and that fact was the only thing that made Athena worry because for all his meekness and small stature, Pettigrew was a Death Eater before he was a human or even a rat.

At the Slytherin table, Athena and Rita were seating together, far away from Severus group or any other Slytherin that was remotely familiar with her.

'' Was this really necessary?''  Xeno asked before taking a bite of his food, while being tucked between the two girls, his blue colors hidden from view while Rita was currently putting a glass of apple juice by his plate 

'' What?''  Rita snarked not minding Athena who dumped a spoon of scrambled eggs on her plate despite the fact there was a small pillar already   '' Did you want to take part of... that?''  she pointed to the Ravenclaw table where not a single plate was touched and all of them were running mad theories about the mysterious drawing from the walls that not even now disappeared and about the famed Marauders

Athena was pretty sure she saw a couple of Hufflepuffs dragging a starving Ravenclaw to their table to stuff him with some food before letting them go and take another starved kid with them and so on and so on.  It was a maddening cycle to look at.

'' Not really but you still don't need to squish me.''  Xeno said stuffing a spoon of food in his mouth at Athena stern look  '' I'm not even that tall.''  he said making Athena snort

'' That's cause I'm a fucking giant before you.''   Athena said before pointing down at Rita shoes   '' And Rita likes to wear heeled boots everywhere.''  in response Rita shrugged before busying herself with her food observing how the teacher broke another squabble between the lions.

'' I know that.'' Xeno grumbled but neither of the girls minded him too busy to observe the Great Hall subtlely making Xeno roll his eyes in the process   '' Slytherins.''  he voiced quietly before focusing on his breakfast, kind of happy that he wasn't in the middle of his housemates at that moment

Though getting squished by two beautiful and dangerous girls so early in the morning wasn't doing any good to his stomach.

---

It took Athena and her friends -

and yes they were her friends now, hers to protect and guide, hers to hug and feed abnormal amounts of food like she did with Harry once upon a time, they were her partners that should help her in her task and she was the one that will make sure their future will be much better than the one she knows of, even though the idea of Xeno getting married made her stomach uneasy and Rita becoming a stalker for teenagers made her ready to smack the girl

-  an entire week till they actually acted upon the plan. Apparently, even though Athena wasn't familiar with this fact, it was mandatory to NOT enter the forest when you want but when the creatures inside the forest let you.

'' Tell that to Bessy.''  Athena said getting weird looks in return from them but she was already used to it. She was thankful though, it would be a little hard to explain that a magic enchanted car was nicknamed Bessy and was roaming the Forbidden Forest since her second year and no one managed to catch the bloody thing the last time she checked.

'' Shh.''  Xeno hissed at her to be quiet making her shut her mouth under Rita amused gaze. Over the course of the week, Athena found out that the blonde girl could be unbelievable and almost to a disturbing level, sweet with the boy with candyfloss like hair. She also mellowed down when the three of them were together and Athena wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing.

'' I think it's ready.'' Xeno said after a while, taking a seat beside them and looking at things that just he could see them   '' The Nargles in the forest feel kind today. They wouldn't let us get lost and if there would be any danger near they would announce us.'' he said before getting up at the same time with the girls, Athena just the slightest bit ahead of them

'' Then let's get going.'' Athena cracked her neck before stepping into the forest, the Map tucked in her pocket. Wordlessly, Rita scooted closer to her while Xeno was somehow guiding her even though she was walking a little ahead of him.

Sometimes he would stop them and make them do a huge side step before continuing like normal, muttering assuring words that weren't for them in the slightest. It was strange and so, so different from Luna, that's what Athena realized when Xeno loudly giggled with a Nargle before thanking them.  Sure, on some level Athena understand that just being relatives or future ones, doesn't make them alike or even remotely similar but seeing and hearing Xeno talk with Nargles was another thing.

And by the looks or lack of it, Rita was having she was also familiar with Xeno being like this.

Wild and uncaring with constant giggles going out of him and hand movements that trying to explain things that just he knows of. Eyes following unseen creatures and soft smiles every time he would thank them.

'' They said that Something it's close to us. And by the lines here.'' he traced with his fingers trails that just he could see them  '' Are thickening and full of magic. The ward stone must be nearby then.''

'' How long did we walk?'' Athena asked making Rita hum while Xeno was too busy conversating with the invisible creatures

'' Hours.'' Rita said pointing at their back towards the castle where just faint lights could be seen  '' The ward stone must be protected by the creatures in the forest. We stepped over fairy dust not long ago.''  she said fingers twitching at the small notebook in her pocket before stopping with a frown 

'' It doesn't look like the centaur's touch this place.''  Athena noted after a while. There were no sights of hoof marks or stray arrows in the ground or trees. Athena, suddenly, tensed her arm before stopping at the same time with Xeno. There was an ominous feeling, filled with dark magic and a little too similar with the wards around Grimauld Place to let her stay relaxed.

'' They are not allowed.'' Xeno said looking around with his own smaller frown  '' Without the Nargles and the dark fairies approval, no one can enter this place. We were really lucky though, the Nargles were already familiar with me and Rita-''  he continued before walking forward with small steps and touching the bark of sick tree   ''- and the dark fairies like Athena well enough apparently.''  he said making Athena look surprised at him before looking at the tree bark eyes widening 

'' Shit.'' Rita hissed more in surprise than anything

Athena wasn't sure what she was excepting from the Ward Stone that was suppose to protect the Wizarding World of Britain but it surely wasn't a small stone. A small gem really, bright and without an exact color, stuck in a dark tree bark that looked like it was closer and closer to breaking.

'' Xeno, are those Wards stable?'' Athena asked narrowing her eyes and closing her emotions in a tight lock  '' Can you see that?''

'' They are stable but they don't look like it. It's the Nargles protection in some way. It makes others scared of touching it, last it would explode.''  Xeno said playing with the hem of his sleeve

'' Nifty fuckers.'' Rita said amused making Xeno hiss at her.

Narrowing her eyes, Athena  took out the map before turning to Rita.

'' Can you hold this for me?''  she said already feeling Rita magic working around her, getting the parchment in the air to float loosely by Athena side.  Athena turned back to the Ward stone staring at it a little longer trying to choose a plan from all those ideas in her head before taking her own wand out, pointing at the wrapped map.

'' I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good.''  

Pray to all the Gods there that the stone it's stable how you said it is Xeno, Rita    Athena thought  

Chapter Text

Like a flame spreading across her skin, burying deep inside her, Athena could feel herself gasping for breath. Her insides ached and she wished she could bury her fingers in her belly, down her throat till the intruder was out.

She couldn't hear or feel anything around her, just the constant thrumming inside her, her magical core getting strangled by the Wards force. Athena tried to move her body sending her magic around her muscles till she finally gasped desperately at the first taste of oxygen.

Briefly, she heard her friends calling panicked at her but she couldn't mind them now, too busy with staying alive.

The Ward stone, small at it was, felt massive in her hand. Or maybe it wasn't that the object itself suddenly become bigger, it was the propose the stone had. Holding Magical Britain hidden from Muggle eye wasn't something that a normal witch/wizard would meddle with.

But Athena was always the weird one in the groups, a breed of her own kind.

Getting accustomed with the Ward stone proved itself useless after a few moments when the smell of burned meat made Athena growl, a strangled sound from her parched throat. She needed to move and now, before the stone it away her magic core and her body with it.

Licking her teeth nervously, Athena glanced at her side, relieved when the map was still floating beside her. Rita must have take control of the spell, holding it for her. Athena begin chanting the runes, feeling the Stone power at her fingertips, angry and volatile, ready to burst at any wrong move. The Stone wasn't pleasant with the intruder that  breached her barrier but it know enough that Athena wasn't an enemy.

Just an unpleasant guest.

Inside the Forbidden Forest, in it's most hidden place, three students were doing something unspeakable.

Using pure magical and physical force, Athena Snape was meticulously extracting bits of magic from the Ward Stone before transferring them into the Marauders Map, vanishing the previous runes and forming a completely different Map with an unknow propose.

While holding the Map afloat with a levitating spell, Rita Skeeter was struggling to breath through the chaos, wans trembling in her hand when the Stone send another chaotic wave of magical burn.

Beside them stood, Xenophilius Lovegood who was using any and all healing or water related spells to protect them both from the Stone power and from the creatures just he could see. Beasts with no control trying to reach hungrily for the Ward Stone.

Inside the Hogwarts, everyone fall asleep not knowing of the potential catastrophe just beside them.

Breaking away from the Ward Stone, this crashing back in it's place in the tree, Athena coughed violently, drops of blood dripping from her mouth. She felt a horrible headache building under her forehead and shivers wracking her body. Glancing up at her friends she saw them just as winded as herself.

''It's done.'' she said spitting remains of blood out of her mouth before trying to get back on her feet with no luck

''Don't move.''  Xeno grave voice said   ''Either of you. They are angry...''   he said with his head bowed making  Athena swallow with difficulty. Around them the forest was in a horrible state, the only thing still holding, being the tree where the Stone Ward called home.

The ground was scorched, the same with the few trees and bushes she could remember being there. The sight it reminded her of the war zone and the places where the Twins fireworks hit the ground in a successful way of imitating a Muggle bomb.

Rita hitched sobs made her freeze before crawling towards her, the map and Xeno warning forgotten for the moment.

''You awful witch..!'' Rita cried trying to shove Athena away before finally leaning towards her body, still steady despite the shock her body encountered  ''I can't believe we are still alive. I actually thought that was the end!''

A few seconds after her words where Athena could just comfort her, Xeno slightly crazed laugh broke the silence making them both look at him. He looked just a few seconds away from breaking point.

''The Hat must be insane.''  he mused voice airy despite the situation and the roughness from before  ''We should have been in Gryffindor.''

After a few seconds of silence, Rita burst out laughing finally getting out from Athena hold.

''True! That sack of cloth must be broken.''   she laughed and for a moment Athena was still with confusion.   ''Fuck Athena. Next time, I'm gonna take the information out of you just so I know if  I need to hold a fucking Levitation Charm agains a force that could destroy us all.''

''Sure.''  Athena said before crawling back on her feet, holding a hand for Rita to take as well, lifting her up easily

''What about you Xeno?''  the pale boy looked at her from head to toe, smiling gently when he found what he looked for at her  ''Is there a next time?''

''You already know the answer.''  she pulled him back on her feet, grinning before leaning heavily on them, almost making them fall once more

She laughed then. From relief or from extenuation she wasn't sure but in that moment, Athena finally feel like she was making a difference, like time was finally working in her favor and the memory of her father, of Harry and Draco, of her friends, wasn't as dark as before.

With a last boost of power, Athena called the Map in her pocket and slowly but steadily, she and her friends walked back to the castle. The paper burned in her pocket but it was nothing compared with the previous challenge.

''Do we still need to go to classes tomorrow?'' Rita asked when the castle come in their view making Xeno burst out laughing

''I can't even go to the Ravenclaw Tower and you ask me if I'm going to class today.''

''Let's just sleep till tomorrow.''  Athena decided making signs for them to be quiet. The two couldn't stop laughing from extenuating when they entered the castle

''And then?''  Xeno asked quietly and Athena know he was talking about the Map

''Then, we are going hunting.''  she smirked

Chapter Text

A few weeks later, Athena walked in the Great Hall like a ghost. Her resemblance with Severus Snape was so acute that it made students stumble back when seeing her.

''What is wrong with you?"  Rita asked, biting carefully from her breakfast 

''I was sick.''  Athena smirked at their shared lie. It was a simple but well planed lie that the two made so no one would disturb Athena while she worked at the Map. Her body still ached from her fight with the Diadem but in the end it was done.

The Map of Now Britain was holding Tom Riddle signature.

''Wednesday, when everyone is at the match, tell Xeno we need to meet.''  she arched a brown at the blonde girl and in exchange, Rita just dumped a plate of vegetables in her face 

''Did it work?"

Athena smiled and left the table without having a single bite from her plate. She walked to the library, already knowing who she wanted to see.

Their meeting, was long overdue.

The library was quiet, save for the occasional scratch of quills and the rustle of parchment. Athena moved between the shelves with purpose, her fingers trailing absently along the spines of books. She didn’t need to check where he was. She already knew.

It was the same place she used hundreds of times. The same table where her friends got over their differences and spoke freely. The same table that keep meetings and fights. The same spot in the library that just the ones who wanted peace and quiet could find.

Severus Snape sat at his usual table, hunched over a thick tome, a candle burning low beside him. It was still morning but there were no windows in that spot, making everything more darker then it was. His black hair hung over his face as he scribbled furiously in his notebook, his fingers smudged with ink.

She could recognize his Potion Journal from a single glance.

Athena slid into the seat without hesitation.

''You always sit here.''  she said leaning her head on her arms. For a brief moment she longed for the past, for her world and for her father.

''Stop looking at me like that.''  Severus said harshly looking at her disdainfully. It wasn't the same distant look he give to outsiders but it wasn't a welcoming look either. 

He wasn't as guarded but he was still Severus Snape.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was charge, like a storm waiting to break. Athena pulled out a book from the closest shelves, flipping through the pages absentmindedly. She didn't even need to look at the shelves, she already know where all the books on this side were placed.

Severus kept sneaking glances at her, his curiosity getting the better of him.  

"You’re acting strange."  he muttered, dipping his quill in ink absently

"I’m always strange." she countered, not looking up. After a few long moments where both of them pretended to be immersed in their work she added  "Or rather, it's strange that I'm not avoiding you anymore.''

''For all your Gryffindor tentacies, you are a coward.''  Severus stated and her heart clenched. She smiled bitterly, closing her book and leaning on her chair. Her back hurts, her body hurts and her tongue hurts as well if not even more then before.

The runes on her choker made her stop talking.

''Ahhhhh!''  she screamed frustrated and Severus get up startled, looking around for the librarian to throw them out at any moment

''Had you lost your mind?!"  he yelled at her after he noticed the almost imperceptible Muffliato charm around them

''Yes.''  Athena stated boldly

In response, Severus fall back on his chair, work forgotten. His face was tight and paler then before but his eyes were what Athena was focusing on. Despite the color difference, Athena Snape has the same eyes like her father. The same glint, the same determination.

They were so alike.

''If you had to chose between doing something that could kill you or shackle you like a slave, in exchange of protecting the person you love. Would you do it?"   

Athena already know the answer but the way Severus tensed in front of her before lifting his head up, proudly and unyielding before her.

"Of course." His voice was steady, unwavering—like iron forged in fire.

Athena exhaled, pressing her lips together. She knew it. She had always known it. It was written in every decision he had made, in every sacrifice. But hearing it aloud—hearing it from this version of him—still made something in her chest ache.

She get up, ready to leave, decision made.

''Was I like that? Was I-''    he hesitated and even with her back turned at him Athena know he was clenching his fist too roughly  "-was I a good? To you?"

Athena thought of him.

Of Severus Snape, her father.

Of Severus Snape, the spy. The soldier.

The shadowing protector that never wavered. That pushed students behind him when everything crumbled. She thought of war and the taste of dust on her tongue. Corpses and dead, the smell of burning bodies. 

All of those brave soldiers that fought in the frontlines, those students that become soldiers over the years. All of them fought with no fear knowing that their backs were protected by Severus Snape shadowed figure.

''To all of us.''  she corrected him gently   ''Always.''

and for the first time in her life, that word didn't sound bitter on her tongue.

~~~

 On the other side of the castle Rita was watching the student body minding their own business. Draped across a window ledge, no one noticed the blond girl listening to their day to day life.

Those were the juiciest gossips anyone could find at Hogwarts.

She was very relaxed, her adventures with Athena and Xeno coming to a stop since the Jumpers tried to finish her Map. The promises both herself and Xeno made that night weren't in vain though. Both of them were waiting for Athena next move.

''Still writing your rubbish, Skeeter?''  a mocking voce made her purse her lips before smiling, all teeth at the boy in front of her

''Still following me around like the stalker you are, Mulciber?''  she sneered at him, green eyes narrowed in annoyance.  She know perfectly well that if someone wasn't actively seeking her out they couldn't find her on her hiding spots. 

"Hard not to notice when you insist on shoving your nose where it doesn’t belong."

Rita let out a dramatic sigh, stretching lazily along the window ledge, letting the cool breeze ruffle her golden curls. "Oh, Hadrian, I didn’t realize you cared so much about my whereabouts. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you missed me."

Mulciber’s smirk twitched, his irritation flickering across his face for just a moment. "Hardly. Just wondering when you’ll finally print something worthwhile instead of your usual drivel."

''What's that? You didn't like my latest article? Why I thought it was purely divine.''  Rita smirked and any other person beside the psycho before her would had flinched at the sight. Mulciber smiled and it just made her angrier.

She know perfectly well what he wanted. If it was a marriage contract or Athena related gossip she wasn't really sure though.

''I can think of something else that it's divine.'' the fucker licked his lips and Rita finally snapped, slashing her wand out and cutting Mulciber tie in two.

''Your neck is next if you don't watch your tongue.'' 

In response, Mulciber took out his wand and blasted at her a curse that made her jump away from the window alcove least she is throw over it. The book throw towards her throw her off footing. The tome landed between them and for a moment Hadrian Mulciber looked like the same gangly boy her father negged her to play with for Family connection.

''We part ways here Rita.''  Hadrian said wand still pointed at her  ''You choose the losing side. I'm a soldier for my Lord, he will guide our world to the greatest!'' 

One moment later, Rita was on the ground, twitching in pain but unable to let out a single sound. A long time passed before she crawled on the floor, leaning on the wall, panting heavily. She could still hear the student body talking outside, the nearby owl that delivered a letter and her own ragged breath.

''Fucker. Coward!''   she spitted on the ground, the fluid landing beside the tome he throw carelessly on the floor. 

Inside the book, the forbidden art of becoming an Animagus was revealed.