Fate Set Right

Prologue

Disclaimer: All familiar parts and characters are the brain children of JK Rowling, and are used only for the purpose of transformative work. 

September 1, 1992

"Snape, Aurora," Professor McGonagall called. The Great Hall was silent for only a moment before harsh whispers started. The eleven-year-old looked at her father sitting at the high table; he gave the faintest of nods as she walked to the stool with the Sorting Hat.

They'd had a pep talk about this just last week. He'd warned her that life at Hogwarts might not be as fun as she had hoped because of his reputation. His double life meant he had to pretend to be the nastiest of people; he instilled fear in and out of the classroom, and he favored his house for more than just loyalty.

Her father had also warned her that he had to pretend to be the way he was for many other reasons, ones she was still too young to fully understand. Reasons that had him and her mother in such a state over the summer that they had considered sending her to Beauxbatons, or even Ilvermorny. She wasn't sure who talked them out of it, but she wanted to thank them.

She clutched the stool with a white-knuckle grip and willed her heart rate to slow.

"Ah, now you are an interesting one," the Sorting Hat said in her mind. "A Slytherin father and a Gryffindor mother. But it's you we need to worry about now, isn't it? So, let's see, who are you more like? Oh! And there's the answer, deep in your heart. You are so young, yet you know exactly what needs to be done. I see where you'll be needed most." And then out loud, it shouted with absolute certainty, "Gryffindor!"

The hat was removed from her head, and she glanced back at her father.

Severus Snape gave a resigned nod and a hint of a smile, and was the first in the entire room, staff included, to applaud.

His clap was a demand, and instantly, the whole room was applauding alongside him

She made her way down the table, eyeing the few remaining students in hopes of finding the little red-haired girl whom she'd sat next to on the train. Ginny wasn't looking at her. Then again, Aurora noted that pretty much everyone at the table was avoiding eye contact with her. Chewing her lip in a habit she'd learned from her mother, she looked around the rest of the hall, hoping for someone— anyone —to offer her a friendly smile.

Her eyes met another pair across the room, grey locking onto brown, and her heart sank.

Draco looked resigned, more so than even her dad. She could already feel him pulling away, prepared to ignore a lifelong friendship because she would be wearing red and gold instead of green and silver.

"Welcome to Gryffindor, Aurora," a high, affected voice said. "And don't worry about what anyone says, my friends and I will look after you. I'm sure they will, once they get here."

Aurora turned and was startled by the person speaking.

"Wow," a round-faced boy across from them said with wide eyes. "You two sort of look alike."

"Maybe we're related," Aurora answered easily.

"I don't think so, I'm Muggle-born," said the wild-haired girl, raising her chin as if daring Aurora to comment on it.

Aurora shrugged. "Doesn't mean anything," she said with a grin. She watched as a smile lit the features she shared with this young version of her mother, glad that she didn't look too much like young Hermione Granger.

And so began what Aurora would come to understand as a complex life in the halls of Hogwarts.

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