The lost girl

At Hogwarts a special long white haired wizard sat working on a paper work when the door to his office slammed open with Professor McGonagall, professor Snape, professor Hooch, professor Slughorn and professor Sprout comes almost sprinting into the huge office.

The old wizard looks up from his paperwork seeing the worried look on his coworkers faces. Just by the looks on their faces he already had a feeling of what this was about.

Or more precisely who this was about.

"Yes?" He asks mindlessly still scribbling on the piece of paper that he was working on just moments before they entered the room.

"We have a location" Snape says taking a step forward towards where the man was sitting.

Dumbledore drops the pen onto the piece of paper looking up with a glimpse of hope in his eyes. Maybe after all this time he could finally be reunited with his little munchkin.

It had been years now.

7 years to be exact.

He glances over at the picture on his desk with a sad smile on his face. It was the last picture all of them took together before the life they knew all turned upside down.

Gellert going to Azkaban, leaving a distraught black haired woman with emerald green eyes and freckles to raise Y/n on her own.

Of course she had help from all of them but still loosing one of your soulmates took a toll on the woman before she herself died barley three years after Gellert was taken.

The old man felt tears sting his eyes as he thought back on what he used to have. The family that they all once were.

Since Y/n didn't show up to Hogwarts the year she turned eleven they had all spent the last four years of their lives trying to find their way back to her.

But with each location they got, it turned to be a dead end. Almost like someone was taunting them, slowly taking away the girl all of them loved the most in the world.

But all of them refused to give up hope or stop looking for the girl that resembled so much of her mother.

Day and night they worked.

Spending countless restless nights needing to face the consequences of their past choice. A choice they would of never taken if they could go back in time and change the past.

But Rolanda, Severus and Minerva, was the most desperate to get Y/n Grindelwald back into their life.

While everyone helped raise Y/n for three years after Gellert's departure from their lives, those three stayed with Y/n day and night while the rest helped Albus and the distraught mother grieve the loss of their lover.

They cared more for her then anyone else in their life. She'd saved their life, in ways that she didn't even know that they needed.

"Where is she?" Dumbledore soft voice asks after a deafening silence between the eight.

"In a house in London. She's in bad shape Albus, really bad shape" McGonagall spoke softly.

Dumbledore sighs.

He was starting to regret sending the girl away after the death of her mother, Imogen Grindelwald born Imogen Snape-Lupin.

Sister of Severus Snape.

Adoptive daughter of Minerva McGonagall and Poppy Pomfrey.

Goddaughter to Rolanda Hooch, Pomana Sprout and Horace Slughorn.

And best friend to Albus Dumbledore.

Even though it wasn't really a secret to any of them that Albus, Gellert and Imogen was in a love relationship, all together.

It was a complicated relationship but they all could agree that they all loved that sweet girl more than anything else.

So when Dumbledore took the decision to send Y/n away without consulting anyone else on the matter, he sent her away from only the family that she once knew.

At the time it seemed like the best and only option he got, in order to keep her safe.

"Let's waste no time then" Dumbledore says, standing up from his chair.

The six professor's all grab onto each other while the oldest of them raises his wand, apparateing all of them to inside of the house.

All looked around the house. It was silent there. A deafening silence apart from a few noises from birds coming from outside through the opened window in the living room.

The six of them spread out in the house hoping that whoever is living here doesn't find them or that they haven't taken Y/n away yet.

Professor Dumbledore, professor Slughorn and professor Sprout goes upstairs looking, while the rest looks downstairs searching every small inch of the house.

Severus walks in the small kitchen just hoping to find a piece of proof that his niece actually were living here.

He did the locator potion himself so he knew that he couldn't be wrong but with each second and minute that past by without answer he was starting doubt himself.

He quarks his eyebrows looking at a door in the kitchen with a small lock on it. It grabbed his attention. He didn't know what it was but he got a feeling that if his niece were there it must be wherever that door leads to.

Pulling out his wand, pointing it to the door he whisper the words "Alohomara" softly.

Once the door unlocks he slowly step down the stairs not knowing what would meet him once he finally got to the bottom.

A knot of anxiety started forming in his stomach. This wasn't like him. Caring and worrying about people but now Y/n wasn't just anybody.

She was his niece.

Family.

Or like his sister would say it "Ohana".

Getting to the bottom of the stairs, a sight that he was never prepared to see is in front of him. He sees the black haired girl with freckles just like his sister naked, bleeding and abused passed out on the floor.

He freezes for a second.

It scared him how skinny and little she looked. She didn't look like the other 15 year old students that they have back at the school.

She was much more thinner and smaller than all of them. It even appeared to be that she was smaller than some of the fourth years and third years too.

He rushes forward.

He waste no time to open the cell door once he snap out of the shock of seeing his niece so fragile and vulnerable like this.

He hated it.

Getting the cell door open he sprints in crouching down beside his knees. Not caring about the puddle of blood she was laying in.

He breaks the chains around her wrists and ankles. Gently he scoops the fragile girl into his arms, covering her body with his cloak.

He leaves the basement, rushing up the stairs to get back to the other's.

Rolanda and Minerva stands in the kitchen, both turning around once they hear Severus reentering the kitchen.

Both gasp in shock once their eyes land on the almost lifeless girl in his arms.

"C'mon Severus we need to get her to Madam Pomfrey immediately. She needs medical attention" Minerva speaks softly.

Tears was glistening in her eyes. She felt her heart aching for the girl in Severus arms. They didn't need to know what happened to exactly understand what had happened.

With those bruises and bleeding it was clear.

The three grip onto each other apparaeting back to the Infirmary at the school. Just hoping- no begging that they weren't too late.

After all Y/n Grindelwald deserved a new chance to live her life, like she wanted to and not how people decide it to go.

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The doors to the Infirmary fling open startling Pomfrey that was bandaging a gauze around a students arm.

The startled look on her face is quickly replaced by worry and fear once she sees the familiar face of the girl laying in Snape's arm.

She quickly secure the gauze around the other students arm, before rushing towards Severus, Rolanda and Minerva.

"Lay her over her!" She yells not being able to hide the urgency in her voice.

Severus rushes forward, gently laying the fragile girl onto the bed. He stares down at the now expose girl again, with pain and sadness written all across her face.

All he wanted was to protect that little girl with his life. He never got the chance to protect her all those years ago.

He held so much grudge and resentment towards Albus and Imogen for taking away the one person in his life that he actually cared for.

The man dressed in black with his cloak having dark spots of red all over him, tenses up feeling a hand on his shoulder but slightly relaxes once he realises who it is.

"Go to your chamber and change Severus. Poppy needs to get to do her job" Minerva says speaks softly.

Severus looks down at the unconscious girl on the bed. He knew that the older woman had a point but right now the last thing that he wanted was to leave him out of her sight ever again.

"Severus I promise I'll take good care of her. But I need to get to work in peace so I need all of you to leave this instant" Pomfrey says speaking softer than she usually did.

To most the woman was hard and cold like most of the professors working at the school. Many of did have to be like that to be able to stay professional but like all of them when it came to people she cared about, she was a softy.

Severus let out a devastating sigh.

All he wanted was for his niece to be okay, and the possibility to reunite with the girl. The possibility to be a family that was ripped away from him.

He didn't just lose his sister seven years ago but he also lost his niece without even getting a say in the matter.

"I'll go change but I expect a update when I return" he says coldly desperate to hold back the emotion in his voice.

"Of course" Pomfrey says.

With that Severus stormed out of the hospital wing heading straight for his chambers. He could feel tears stinging in his eyes and right now the last thing he wanted was to break in front of anyone.

He didn't want to be weak.

He enters his chamber, the door closing shut right behind him. Being on his own with his thoughts and no prying eyes watching, he walks over to the chair letting himself sink down into it.

He looks over at the little coffee table on the left side of the chair where the picture of him, his sister, Minerva and Y/n was placed.

Picking it up he sadly strokes his fingers over the once happy girl in the picture, feeling the knot in his chest growing bigger looking down at the laughing girl.

The girl that saved his life.

He still had nightmares from that night haunting him.

Tears slowly rolled down Severus Snape cheeks sitting at the kitchen table, all in the dark with a bottle of fire whiskey in one hand and a bottle of pills in his other.

He felt so lost.

He was so tired of life.

With a heavy sigh escaping his lips, he take a last swig out of the bottle of fire whiskey. He throws the bottle at the wall letting out a painful, tired and angry scream.

Standing up slightly stumbling, he walks over to the sink pouring himself a glass of water with the pills in his hand.

He opens the pill bottle.

Not a single thought goes through his head but how he soon would be free. All the pain and agony he was feeling, would soon be gone.

"Uncle Sevy?" A soft voice asks.

Severus drops the bottle of pills into the sink. He quickly dries off his face before turning around meeting the emerald green eyes of his favourite person on earth.

A frown hush over his face seeing the tear stained cheeks on his niece's face.

Slowly he approaches the girl crouching down in front of her. Gently he takes one hand of hers into his while drying off her face with the sleeve of the sweater he was wearing.

"What's wrong angel?" He asks softly.

"I had a nightmare. Uncle Sevy stay with me pwease?" Y/n asks softly.

A small smile falls onto the man's lips. He turns his head looking at the sink and the shred of glass behind him.

And that's when he realise what a mistake he possibly would of done if his niece wouldn't of come down in that exact moment she did.

He turns his head back around, giving Y/n a small soft smile.

"Yeah uncle Sevy will stay with you" he says softly finish drying the snot and tears away with the end of his sleeve.

A gentle knock on the door pulls Severus out of his thoughts. He stands up walking over to the door annoyed.

Opening the door he was prepared to yell and scream at the person for disturbing him right now but the moment he sees the person and the look on the person's face his gaze softens.

"I wanted to let you know that Pomfrey needs to do a small surgery on Y/n. She ripped pretty badly and needs stitches" Rolanda explains her voice coming out calm and softly.

Severus sighs.

He pulls out his wand, using magic to change out of the bloody cloak and into a new one.

Without saying a word Severus steps out of his chamber locking the door behind him. The two professors, coworkers and friends walk silently beside each other down to the infirmary.

Reaching the infirmary Minerva, Professor Sprout and Professor Slughorn is already stood outside waiting for any news on the girl they just brought in.

All of them wanted to know what exactly had happened even though some of it was pretty self explanatory.

"Anything?" Severus asks.

Minerva shakes her head.

The black haired man looks around, quirking his eyebrows together upon seeing that the headmaster was no longer there with them.

He rolls his eyes.

Yes Albus Dumbledore cared for the girl, of course he did but not for the right reasons. He cared because of who she was the daughter of and not her as a person in itself.

Severus felt like the only reason Albus wanted Y/n back here to the school now after all these years was because of Gellert Grindewald's death.

And he needed something to hang onto, not wanting to leave his lover in the past.

Even though that would be the responsible thing to do when you claim you care for someone like he does for Y/n.

But maybe this was more the resentment for the old wizard talking then the logical part of him that actually are capable of thinking clearly.

Was it one thing no one would be able to forgive Albus Dumbledore for was it sending the girl away.

He had multiple options of how to keep her safe within this school, still he chose not to do so.

What hurt Severus the most was the fact of how little the wizard cared for his feelings. And he certainly had no regards when it came to ask Severus for permission before doing so.

Leaning against the wall letting out a anxious breath that he didn't even know he was holding back, the door to the infirmary opens and Pomfrey walks out.

Severus pushes himself away from the wall taking a step closer. He felt like he needed to throw up right now.

He was just feet away from being reunited with his niece again but first he needed to know that she was going to be okay.

Just by their looks Pomfrey knew exactly what they wanted to know.

How could she not?

It was a question they all had been dying to know for years but maybe now more than ever.

"I've stitched her up. I've treated her wounds. She has a concussion, a broken nose, some serious bruising and a broken leg. She'll need to be on bed rest for a few days" she explains.

"But she's okay right?" Severus asks.

All of them could hear the anxiety in his voice as he spoke. No one had heard his voice this fragile since... Since the day Imogen died.

Pomfrey nods.

"Yes she's okay. I gave her something to sleep on, so it'll be a couple hours at least until she's conscious and we can start talking to her" she adds.

Severus let's out a breath of relief.

He's been separated from Y/n's life for so long, he couldn't imagine losing her forever.

"Can we see her?" Minerva asks finally speaking up for the first time in over half an hour.

Pomfrey nods.

They all fallow after her into the infirmary. It was pretty much empty now. Only a few nurses there along with Pomfrey but other than that it was empty.

Severus eyes immediately fall onto the bed. His heart beating faster and faster with each step he took closer and closer to the girl.

Y/n looked so peaceful sleeping like that.

Her head was wrapped in bandages, her nose was covered in a small bandage, her leg in a cast and some cuts and bruises were still visible on her body.

Minerva, professor Slughorn, professor Sprout and Rolanda looks at each other slowing down their phase knowing just how much Severus have looked forward to this moment.

It wasn't exactly how any of them imagined that it would be like but at least they had her back now where they knew she'd be hell a lot safer then where she already was staying.

Slowly he sat down at the chair right by the bed that Pomfrey had already put there. For the past months this was the only thing that Severus had been able to think about 24/7.

He reaches forward gently stroking his hand through the girls hair, smiling sadly at the unconscious girl. Even with her eyes close she looked so much like her mother did her age.

The resemblance between the two only got clearer and clearer the older the girl got.

"You're safe now angel. Uncle Sevy won't let anyone ever hurt you again" he whispers quietly.

And that right there was a promise that he was going to try keep for as long as possible. He never wanted to see his niece hurt like that ever again.

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The hours past.

And soon the hours turned into a few days even. But despite that Severus never left his nieces side.

He didn't leave for anything.

He refused to eat, he didn't show up to teach for his lessons and he stayed in the chair in the infirmary, sleeping.

He wanted to be right there hoping that if Y/n woke up in a panic the familiar eyes would help her calm down and settle in to the situation a bit better.

He knew she didn't remember him but she remember her mom and remembering her mom was close enough to needing to trust him.

Meanwhile Minerva, Rolanda, professor Slughorn and professor Sprout left durning the day but came back after school hours to keep Severus company also wanting to be there for when the girl woke up.

But they knew that someone also needed to keep the school going especially since Severus was off in here all day long and Dumbledore had left a day ago for a business trip.

It was now after school hours and the five professors was now gathered in the infirmary together just waiting and hoping the girl would wake up soon.

Severus reading in his book completely lost in thought, suddenly felt a small squeeze of his hand.

He looks up from his book only to see Y/n's eyes finally flickering open. Quickly he puts his book down and pulls his hand back not wanting to frighten the girl.

Slowly but surely Y/n open her eyes fully. The pain of everything but mostly her body washing over her like a tsunami.

The light burning her eyes she squint not really knowing where she was. Panic washing over her as she realise that she no longer was at the house in the basement.

Quickly she sits up trying to get out of the bed. She didn't care where she was or what had happened but she was sure she didn't want to be here where she would get in trouble for somehow escaping the cell and the house.

But before she even get's the chance to stand up she feels a pair of hands wrap around her pushing her back into the bed.

She tense up feeling the hands on her body, memories of her foster father and brother flashing through her head like haunting memories.

"You're okay dear. You're at the infirmary at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You're safe now, and you'll never have to go back to foster care" Minerva spoke softly.

She just knew that look of terror and panic on Y/n's face came from. Maybe more than she would like to remember.

After all she'd seen it time and time again on both Imogen and Severus face a million times before when they both were students at the school.

Y/n slowly relaxes.

She leans back into the bed, holding her arms around herself, laying onto her side staring blankly at the wall with a empty look in her eyes.

"Mom..." she whispers quietly clutching the necklace in her hand.

The only thing she could really remember about Hogwarts was all the memories and stories her mom would share with her.

Still she had no recollection of the people in the room with her. To her they were all just stranger that for some reason or somehow managed to save her.

And right now she didn't exactly know how she felt about it.

If she died she'd finally she her mom again, something she'd longed and wish for, for years now.

"Y/n what happened? How long have they been abusing you and keeping you prisoner like that?" Pomfrey asks softly.

Y/n stays silent.

She bites the inside of her cheek as she desperately attempts to hold back tears. Just the thought about needing to tell anyone what happened to her she felt sick to her stomach.

She painfully sits up in bed, leaning herself against the wall behind her. She looks around the room, finally seeing how many people that actually is in the room with her.

Her eyes trails over to the man sitting in the chair beside her. She let out a soft gasp as she sees a male version of her mother sitting there.

She squeeze her eyes shut her breathing getting slightly hitched. Once she opens them again she's met with the same kind eyes she could only see in her dreams.

"How...?" She asks her voice breaking.

Severus exhales deeply. He had no idea how to even start to answer that question. He only had a few choices but this was never the way he imagined things going.

He gently reaches out, taking the girls hand into his, tracing his thumb gently over a few scars on her palm.

Y/n wanted to pull away but there was something inside of her that just screamed at her not to pull away.

"Y/n... I'm Severus Snape. I'm your mom's uncle. I know all of this seems impossible but you were taken away from me when your mom died and I didn't find you until now" he explains.

Y/n stares at the man shocked.

She didn't know what to believe right now or even how to feel. She felt angry, betrayed, hurt, sad but also at the same time relieved in some way.

Maybe this meant that she'd never have to go back to her foster parents. That she could get a new chance at life.

Her eyes trails from Severus over to the other's in the room. She could tell that there was something familiar with them but she couldn't but her finger on it at all.

"D-did my mom know you guys too?" She asks softly.

Minerva sits down at the edge of the bed, being careful that she doesn't hurt the fragile girl on accident. Softly she places her hand down onto Y/n's knees giving her a comforting smile.

"Yeah we all knew her dear. Me and Poppy adopted your mom when she was only 14 years old and raised her. Rolanda, Pomona and Slughorn here is all her godparents..." she speaks her voice softer then normal.

She couldn't believe that she'd finally get the girl she loved like her own daughter back in reach again.

Y/n looks at them for a moment before looking down at her lap. There was something nagging at her but she didn't know if she wanted the answer.

Her whole world had once again been turned upside down. She'd thought that she was abandoned and left in abusive environments on purpose but turns out it was all lies.

Rolanda takes a step closer to the bed. She gently sits down making sure to be careful. She also places a warm comforting hand on Y/n's leg giving her a small smile.

"What do you want to ask us dear?" She asks, her voice warm unlike when she spoke to her other students.

"Did you know me..?" Y/n asks a little hesitant, still not knowing if she wanted the answer.

A silence falls over the room.

"We helped raise you when Gellert Grindelwald your father was sent to Azkaban but yes we've known you for your whole life until you turned eight" Rolanda explains softly.

Y/n looks down.

She anxiously start picking at her skin feeling a lot of things right now that she didn't even know was possible of feeling.

Y/n goes to say something but the door to the infirmary opens. A girl with brown girly hair, brown eyes and wearing Gryffindor robes carrying books and a box with something that Y/n couldn't clearly see what was.

"Oh sorry. Madam Pomfrey I've got those potions and books for you that you asked me to pick up for you" the girl spoke not really looking away from Y/n, a bit curious of who she was.

"Thank you Miss Granger" Pomfrey says walking towards the girl.

Y/n watches as Pomfrey walks over to the girl and takes the books and box away from her before walking away, out of her sight.

She looks back down continuing to repeat it pick at her skin. It was a habit she'd picked out when she was younger that she'd do whenever she got anxious or needed a distraction.

The curly browned haired girl walks closer to the bed. She didn't know why but for some reason she felt curious about Y/n and wanted to know some more about her.

"Hi I'm Hermione Granger. You are?" She asks softly smiling slightly at the girl.

Y/n looks up.

"Y/n" she whispers quietly.

She didn't really feel like speaking to anyone right now. She felt awful and she was sure that she looked awful too. And she didn't want anyone to see her like this especially someone her own age.

"Miss Granger you can leave now before I give you detention. It's past curfew and only reason you're allowed her is because Pomfrey asked you to deliver that from my classroom" Snape barks at the girl.

Y/n looks over at Severus with a surprised look on her face. She couldn't believe the change in demeanour and the tone of voice he spoke in just because it was another student.

She didn't know if she should feel honoured or offended on the girls behalf right now.

"Y-yes sir" Hermione answers back stuttering slightly before leaving the hospital wing in a hurry.

Y/n couldn't help but let out a small giggle as the girl scrambled out of the infirmary in a hurry, almost falling to the floor in the process.

But the giggle didn't really last long. As soon as it escape her lips and she no longer could see Hermione any longer it disappeared as soon as it appeared.

Feeling that dark feeling in her chest that she'd felt in her chest a million times before once again appear like a dark cloud hanging over her.

She let's out a small yawn, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Despite being asleep for what felt like hours she was exhausted and just wanted to be able to go back to sleep.

"Y/n I know you want to go back to sleep right now but I need to ask you a few questions about something's I notice when I examined you" Pomfrey says reentering the room again.

Y/n tenses up.

She didn't really like talking about herself or anything that got to do with her if she was honest. Every time she did it always ended in her being punished.

In some way or another she was always punished for being "a bad girl".

Minerva looks from Pomfrey to Y/n then back at Pomfrey again. She gives a subtle shake of her head, seeing how uncomfortable Y/n felt in that moment surrounded by people who's stranger to her despite them all knowing her.

"I think we should wait until the morning it's getting pretty late, don't you think Rolanda?" the woman asks looking over at her friend.

"Yes I think so too. We will leave you to get some sleep Y/n and we will see you tomorrow" Rolanda adds upon what the older woman said.

The quidditch teacher get's up and slowly leaves the room, professor Slughorn and professor Sprout fallowing right behind giving the girl a small smile before leaving.

Minerva and Severus hesitate slightly. They wanted to stay with the girl but of course they didn't really know if she was okay with that yet.

Both slowly stand up and goes to leave when they hear the black haired girl behind them speak up once again.

"Please stay... I really don't feel like being alone right now in a new place and everything" Y/n says anxiously.

A small smile falls onto the two old friends faces, both as relieved that they were allowed to stay with her just to make sure everything was alright and she didn't need anything throughout the night.

Severus sits back down in the chair he'd been at for the past few days while Minerva on the other hand takes place in the bed next to hers.

"Wake us up if you need anything" she says quietly.

"O-okay" Y/n answers back confused.

She didn't really understand why they wanted her to wake them up if she needed anything but she just decided to agree.

She couldn't really remember anyone asking her for that since her mom was alive but then she was a child now she was a teenager.

Practically soon an adult.

It was only three years left and she'd be by law an adult.

Severus and Minerva both settle down almost feeling asleep instantly both have been spending the last night awake worried for Y/n.

At least now they had some peace of mind that she would be okay.

Y/n on the other hand laid there silently while staring up at the ceiling. She didn't want to sleep despite needing to sleep, too afraid that if she let her guard down her foster family would somehow manage to find her and take her away.