The Forgotten Girl

Chapter one: When It All Changes

There was a knock on the door. “Come in!” she called, continuing to pet her cat. Mrs. Parker quietly opened and closed the door. She looked Alison up and down before sighing to herself.  Her dark brown hair was pulled back with a clip. “Alison,” she began looking her in the eyes. Alison didn’t back down from her stern gaze. “If you continue to skip off on your chores you will be doing much more than just writing lines.” Alison nodded her head, breaking eye contact. “Are you listening?” Mrs. Parker asked, clearly annoyed, “I will not put up with this behavior. Maybe at that school you can continually disrespect adults, but here it is not acceptable-“

Alison cut her off, “I heard you, okay? I had to go see a friend, it was important. I’ll go do my chores now.” Ever since she had left to go to Hogwarts when she was eleven Mrs. Parker seemed to always find a reason to criticize it. That bothered Alison.

Mrs. Parker sighed again and opened the door, “I will see you after lunch for your lines.” And she left.

Alison stood in Mrs. Parker’s office at an old black board, she was writing lines; I will not skip my chores, until she was told to stop. Alison’s mind wandered to her last year at school. It had been a very eventful one, and not in a good way. A student had died, at the hands of Voldemort, and Alison was scared of what he would do next.

At Hogwarts she had been safe, here she was not. She remembered the feelings she had had after the third task when Dumbledore had told them what happened. She had been in denial, and then shock, and then fear. The fear won’t leave. Not seeing Harry today without an explanation increased that fear by ten.

There was a knock on the door, it opened slowly. Alison paused in her lines.

“Mrs. Parker there is a man here requesting to see you about a child.” It was one of the maids.

“Send him in.” Answered Mrs. Parker, then she turned to Alison, “You are done, let’s not be here again tomorrow.”

Alison put down the chalk and headed towards the door as the man walked in. He had long greasy black hair, and a large hooked nose. Alison looked at Severus Snape with a look of utter distaste. He looked back with loathing, and something else Alison had never seen.

“You are dismissed Alison.” Said Mrs. Parker in an impatient tone.

“It is her,” began Snape in his drawling voice, “That I am here for.”

Alison stared at the teacher she hated most in shock. Mrs. Parker looked at him in shock as well, but composed herself quickly. “Very well, sit. Both of you.”

Alison stood for a moment longer, confused of why he was here. If Dumbledore was letting her go stay somewhere else he sends Snape of all people to collect her? Mrs. Parker coughed, Alison took her seat.

“So, Mr. ahh?” began Mrs. Parker

“Snape.”

“Mr. Snape, what is it you are here for exactly?”

“I am here to bring home my daughter.” He stated simply. Another low blow to Alison, surely he was lying to make it easier to take her?

“Your daughter?” asked Mrs. Parker.

“Yes. Alison is my daughter. I have only just located her.”

He was most definitely lying. “I see. Well you can’t just take her you know, you’ll have to prove it, or at least adopt her.”

“I have her birth certificate.” He stated simply pulling out a stiff piece of paper from his black robes and handing it over.

“Hmmm, we can make this work I assume. You are Severus Snape?” she asked.