Snape's family (Severus x OC)

7 The attacks

Harry, Ron, and Hermione appeared in London, in a place hidden away from the eyes of Muggles.

Harry walked with a quick and energetic step, followed by the other two, remembering the path from the memory of the pensieve.

The news of the attack and torture of Hermione's parents had affected him greatly, and not only because it had happened to his best friend, but because it had been Bellatrix Lestrange who had led the ambush.

He felt a dull fury burning inside him, and he clenched his fists tightly to not let it out.

Finally, they arrived in front of the orphanage's gates. The building seemed to be in better shape than in the memory.

Following the improvised plan they had hastily drawn up, Harry took the invisibility cloak out of his pocket and covered himself and his friends with it. He rang the bell, and the three of them waited for the door to open.

An older woman peeked out and looked around with a bewildered expression. Hermione took out her wand and cast a spell to knock off a floor lamp in the hall, and when the surprised woman moved away from the door, they took the opportunity to enter.

Harry led them quickly through the hall to the stairs, and from there to what had been Tom Riddle 's room.

"I hope no one is sleeping in here," Ron whispered.

Harry didn't answer, but tried to open the door, which of course, was locked. Before he could do anything else, Hermione opened the door with an Alohomora. They entered the room in silence and closed the door. The small room seemed abandoned, as if no other child had slept there since Tom Riddle left the orphanage.

A strange sensation invaded them, as if someone was watching them. But Hermione immediately recovered and began to check the room.

"Hermione, are you sure you want to continue with this?" Harry asked, looking at her carefully.

"Why do you ask?" she asked in turn, avoiding his gaze.

"Well... you are acting weird. You had never been so impulsive, nor would you have used magic in front of any muggle."

"What would you do if your parents were dying in a hospital without you being able to help them, and the only way to do something is to kill the guy who hurt them?" she angrily replied.

"Leave it, Harry," Ron said softly. "You did the same for Sirius, and I did the same for Ginny, remember?"

Harry was hurt by the mention of his godfather, but he knew Ron was right; He had to trust Hermione and give her the right to decide for herself what she wanted to do.

Although that did not erase the unease that it caused him that his friend was so little focused on what was happening around her.

"Trust her, she has never failed you."

"It's okay," he said out loud. "Sorry Hermione, if I've upset you, I was only worried about you."

"It doesn't matter, Harry, I'm fine," she smiled, but Harry sensed that she was lying.

"Well..." Harry looked around, a little uncomfortable. "Let's see what Tom kept around here."

They looked around the room, which was still as Harry remembered it from the pensieve. There was nothing out of the ordinary apart from the bed and the typical old furniture in the room, which were covered in dust, as if no one had been in there in a long time.

While the others searched the room, Harry approached the closet where, years ago, Tom had kept the things he stole from his classmates and opened it. Inside there were no clothes or belongings of any kind, except for an old box on the top shelf.