CHAPTER ONE

THE LETTER

I looked at my letter before sighing. Could I accept? I had always wanted to be a professor at Hogwarts. And a Astrology professor post was even better. I had the best grades from my year, even beating my brother and my best friends Lily Evans and Remus Lupin. I had received O's for all of my subjects, including Divination. I could still remember when they had been given out. I had been stood by Remus when we were given them. Remus and I had become very good friends over our love for books, as well as my rare talent of wandless magic – he was fascinated by it and always wished for a show. And now we waited together for our results.

Professor McGonagall finally handed ours to us. I slowly unrolled the parchment and looked at the results. I couldn't help but grin.

PASS GRADES

O – Outstanding

E – Exceeds Expectations

A – Average

FAIL GRADES

P – Poor

D – Dreadful

T – Troll

Transfiguration O

Defence against the Dark Arts O

Herbology O

Ancient Runes O

Divination O

Charms O

Potions O

Astrology O

History of Magic O

I was surprised that I had passed every subject, especially surprised to see that I had Outstanding on all of them. I had taken more NEWT classes than anybody else. I had also taken more OWLS than anybody else back in fifth year. I was only allowed to do this however because Professor McGonagall managed to secure me a time turner so I could attend more than one class at once. But still even she had asked me to give up at least two subjects at NEWT level in case I failed in all lessons because of stress or overworking. They were sure that I would fail, but they were wrong. I hadn't failed. I had passed with outstanding colours.

I screamed with joy and jumped on Remus. He only just managed to catch me. I could feel his chuckles through the vibrating of his chest.

"Happy?" he asked.

I didn't have any words at all. I was stunned. How had I passed? How had I gotten outstanding on all of them. I couldn't speak so I nodded hoping that would service. He smiled.

"Can I have a look?" he asked.

Remus and Lily had been the only ones I had told about the time turner. I hadn't dared to tell any of my other friends – my fellow Marauders – in case they wanted to misuse it. I watched as Remus's eyes widened.

"Jeesh Bell. Did you never stop working this year? Nine NEWTS. You beat me, and I bet you beat Lily as well." He commented once he had found his tongue.

I smiled and hugged him. I was so happy. However my smile was whipped from my face as I saw a familiar face stood in the corner with his friends . My one and only brother.

I sighed as my thoughts went to my brother. We hadn't spoken in years. Years meaning twenty one years. Not one word since our first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I had spent seven years at school trying to get him to talk to me. I had written to him plenty of times since the end of Hogwarts. I send him a birthday present and Christmas present every year but I have no clue as to whether he has been keeping them or not, as I never get a reply. But I haven't given up on him. At first it had been a simple and childish issue of school houses and beliefs. And the evidence suggested that.

At the age of ten we were as close as twins usually are, we were inseparable , but as soon as we got to school that changed. We had been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And of course we were sorted into the houses.

"Snape Isabella"

I squeezed my twin's hand – who I had been holding on to since we left the boats – and headed up to the sorting hat. The hat was placed into my head. It only took a few seconds to decide before it shouted out "GRYFFINDOR"

The Gryffindor table started cheering, including Lily Evans – Who Sev and I had known for years (We were neighbours) – and the two boys who we had shared a carriage with on the way to school – Sirius Black and James Potter – who had also made Gryffindor.

"Snape Severus"

I watched as my brother approached the hat and placed it on his head. It spent about the same amount of time on his head as it had on mine before it shouted out "SLYTHERIN"

There were whispers going around straight away. No set of twins had ever been separated into Slytherin and Gryffindor before. Never had a set of twins been so different that they have been sorted to enemy houses.

Of course nothing improved when I started making friends with the soon to be marauders – James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. I spent most of my time with them, and if I wasn't with them I was with Lily. I reserved an Friday afternoon for Severus but every time I approached him he would sneer at me and turn his back on me.

The ultimate killing point – the point of no return – of our already destroyed sibling relationship was in fourth year. It had been during the time I was spending with Lily. We were about to go and get some fresh air when we saw my brother and Marauders.

Lily and I shared a look at the sight. We knew something must be wrong if the Marauders and Severus Snape were in the same place. Suddenly James used a spell that I ashamedly had taught him, that picked up Severus by the legs. Both Lily and I ran to his aid. I sent a protego charm in his direction, allowing him to drop to the floor.

"Lily and Genie won't always be around to save you Sniverlus" sneered James. I smacked him on the upside of the head. He knew the relationship between me and my brother was already almost nonexistent and every prank that my friend did on my brother caused the split to become even larger than it already is.

"I don't need saving by a Mudblood, and the disgrace to the name of Snape" Severus sneered back. I was too shocked to respond. Lily seemed to recover better than me because she replied "Fine, next time we won't help"

"Take that back Sniverlus" growled James pointing his wand at Severus.

"Oh stop it James, you are just as bad" growled Lily.

"I would never call you a M-M- m – that" cried James.

"It doesn't matter" said Lily as she turned and stormed off.

James turned his attention back to Sniverlus who now had his Slytherin group behind him.

"JAMES POTTER if you so much touch him you are dead. Go back to the common room and take the others with you" I demanded.

James gave me a withering look but complied, taking Remus, Sirius and Peter with him. My blazing eyes turned to Severus.

"Why did you do that?" I growled. "Lily has been nothing but loyal and friendly to you and that is how you repay her"

"Shut it and shove off you annoying little disgrace." Sneered Lucius Malfoy – one of Severus's accomplices.

"Don't you call me a disgrace Malfoy. It is not a disgrace to be humane and kind to others, no matter the blood status." I growled back. Lucius Malfoy had a way of annoying me to the end of the Earth. He didn't reply but sneered towards me.

However my brother was furious to my disrespect to his 'friend', and pointed his wand towards me. "Sectumsempra"

I threw up a wandless and wordless Protego. And then sent back a bat-bogey hex. It hit my brother in the face and sent him running off, followed by his Slytherin followers.

After a cool down period I had gone and apologised but he just blanked me, refusing to even recognise my presence. During the war, it was even worse. I was always exceptionally frightened that one day I would receive a letter telling me he was in critical condition or worse. My husband Alec Lemming – A muggle born Hufflepuff who had been in the year above me at Hogwarts – always tried to calm my nerves about him but never succeeded.

Unfortunately, Alec Lemming had been one of the casualties during the war. We had thought side by side against death eaters, even against Severus himself. In one horrendous battle we have both been taken into Saint Mungo's. I had spent a long time under the Cruciatus curse and then being hit by a "Sectumsempra" curse – which my brother had sent at me. I was barely holding on, Alec gave into to death. I knew I couldn't. Lily was pregnant, and she had already asked me to be Godmother. I couldn't die. I had to be there for whoever was going to be my godchild. I was left scarred down my right shoulder and neck. I always tried to hide them. It wasn't because they were ugly, because they weren't, they were thin lines after the work that Saint Mungo's did on them, but because they reminded me of that battle. It reminded me of the look of hatred on my brothers face when he fired the curse, and it reminded me of Alec, my loving husband.

When the war was over, and Severus was being charged as a death eater I had stood by his side, believing every word he said. I believed him every time he said he was a spy for the good side. And even when he was sent to Azkaban for three months I visited him weekly. He would still refuse to speak to me, whether it was because of the dead relationship between us or him being ashamed or him being guilty for the injuries that he had caused me, I still didn't know and probably never will. So when I visited him, I would just sit with him and take his hand. He would often try to remove his hand from mine, but I would never allow him to. I kept a firm grip on his hand.

Mad-eye, a fellow Auror, who was responsible for my training believed I was the mad one for going to Azkaban every week just to visit my brother who had nothing to say to me and wouldn't even acknowledge my presence there. But I told him I would never give up on getting my brother back.

Of course three months after he was put in, he was released. Albus Dumbledore had sent me specifically to pick him up. I was smiling from ear to ear, even with the slight presence of dementors at the thought of my brother being a free man. When he first entered the same room that I was in I immediately rushed to his side and pulled him into a hug. A hug that he didn't respond to or return. I couldn't help but feel hurt by his rejection but I tried my best to not let it show and lead him out. I took him straight to Dumbledore who would deal with him.

I still continued, even to this day, to send regular letters to him, as well as birthday and Christmas presents. But even now I still haven't heard from him nor seen him. But even now, twenty one years later I was still hopeful that my brother would come back to me. I was determined to make him see sense, even if it is the last thing I ever do.

I had heard that he had become the potions master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and I was especially proud of him, he had always been good at Potions. I sighed again before picking up my quill and writing one single sentence.

I would love to accept the position Professor Dumbledore

Isabella Snape x