Lilliana Snape (Book 6)

Part 3

Everything was a mess.

I was sitting around a table with nine pairs of eyes staring at me but I didn’t recognise a single one. “Run through it again.” The woman sitting beside me asked.

I stared at her; she was nice, a bit on the large side, but caring and friendly. This woman, I was informed on my arrival, is called Molly Weasley and five of the people gathered around us were members of her rather large family. “Well” I frowned “I’m a witch, right? Well, I go to a school called Hogwarts and I learn magic. I’m meant to be going back tomorrow to start my sixth year.” I watched her carefully. I didn’t know these people and I didn’t know whether or not I should be telling them all about magic when it’s supposed to be a secret.

“But you don’t have any friends at Hogwarts?” Molly asked.

I shook my head “I don’t have any friends or family that I know of. Why?”

“Lilly” Molly sighed “look at the people sitting around you.”

I focused on her family first; a tall, skinny, balding man called Arthur beside him sat a pretty girl with long hair called Ginny. Across from me sat two brothers who were identical down to the last freckle but, as I looked at them, I knew that I could tell them apart. One of them was looking at me in confusion and the other looked worried, I think the latter is called Fred and his brother, George. Then there’s Ron; he’s tall like his dad. All of the Weasley’s have ginger hair and freckles.

Then there’s Hermione Granger; she hasn’t really said much since we’ve got here, she just watches in concern and every now and then asks if something can be done to put me right though I’m not sure what she means.

Harry Potter; I didn’t recognise him earlier when he’d found me, I think I must have bumped my head or something, but he’s famous in the Wizarding world. He defeated a dark Wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort and no one knows how.

Apparently Ron, Hermione and Harry are my friends at Hogwarts but I just don’t see how that can be; why would ‘The boy who lived’ be my friend and if he was surely that would be something I’d remember.

The last person at the table scared me a little. When he arrived he came bursting into the room shouting and cursing at everyone as he demanded to see me; he soon shut up when I told him that I had no idea what he was talking about and now he’s just sitting there, staring, with his long fingers entwined on the table. This man is Severus Snape, potions master at Hogwarts and, apparently, my father. The idea of Snape being my dad is preposterous; he’s my professor and that’s all. I have no family.

“I’m looking” I replied.

“Harry, Ron and Hermione have been your friends since your first year at Hogwarts” Molly informed me. “Severus Snape raised you from infancy and Fred” she looked across at the twin who was watching me with a worried expression on his face “well; that’s a lot of explaining.”

“Lil” Fred spoke up “we have three children.”

“What!” I gawked at him “are you kidding me? I’ve only just turned sixteen! I wouldn’t be stupid enough to have-” I blushed before looking away. Even I had to admit that there was something about Fred Weasley that attracted me; the way he made me feel when I looked at him was something I didn’t get when I looked at Harry, Ron or George. “You must be mistaken.” I finished.