Rating:
R
House:
Schnoogle
Genres:
Action Romance
Era:
Multiple Eras
Stats:
Published: 03/03/2004
Updated: 03/03/2004
Words: 3,049
Chapters: 1
Hits: 625

Trapped

Crumpled Glass

Story Summary:
Nine students have been chosen to travel to America doing a project for the Ministry. But when a massive snow storm hits, causing an avalanche, the students are trapped in this foreign land.

Chapter 01

Posted:
03/03/2004
Hits:
625


The students of Hogwarts looked around the large Muggle train station. These chosen few were picked to go on a trip in the United States of America. The trip would start in Spokane, Washington, and end in Seattle. Hermione considered herself lucky to be among the chosen few. Although she did have her doubts about a few of her traveling companions, it looked as though Dumbledore had picked the most trustworthy and responsible students in Hogwarts to attend this adventure of a lifetime. Among her travel companions were Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Teddy Flint, Draco Malfoy, and Cho Chang. The nine students were excited to be traveling with Muggles; that is except for Harry and Hermione, who had spent most of their lives living in the Muggle world.

When Dumbledore had chosen the students, he had explained what their purpose was. The Ministry of Magic wanted someone to observe Muggles in their natural habitat, in order to get a better understanding of their ways. They formulated the idea that the nine students traveling were part of a co-ed soccer team, The Wizards, traveling to their national tournament. Each student was to examine the Muggles on the train during the seven-day trip, and record their observations. When they returned to Hogwarts, Dumbledore would compile all the information and present it to the Ministry.

The night before the trip, Professor Snape had confiscated their wands. Dumbledore placed an eraser spell on them, erasing any memory that they had of spells and potions. The spell was essential in order for the plan to work. Dumbledore and The Ministry couldn't risk one of the students accidentally using their magic and having an international crisis on their hands. Dumbledore promised to reverse the spell immediately upon their return to Hogwarts.

"Students," Dumbledore had said as a final good-bye, "I hope that this trip will be an experience of a lifetime. Please treat it as such. I have always dreamed of traveling to America. As I am old, I have chosen you fine people to fulfill that dream for me. Please do not treat this lightly. As I have mentioned, this is an experience that will forever change your lives, and possibly the lives of every witch and wizard in London and the world. You should feel privileged and honored, and act like the responsible young adults that I know each of you are capable of being." As Dumbledore uttered his last line, he took a quick glance towards Fred and George Weasley, then over to where Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Teddy Flint and Ron Weasley stood. Hermione couldn't help but wonder if that last line of his speech was directed especially towards them.

"All aboard!" the conductor yelled from the train. The students would be traveling on Engine No. 4, the famed Black Beauty. Hermione sighed as she lifted her bags and boarded the train.

The train was a large passenger train with three sleeper cars, two day cars, two dining cars, and a car that was called "the smoker". Because there were already Muggles aboard the train, the students had to divide up among the sleepers. Cho and Ginny took the last berths (which resembled something of a bunk bed) on the first sleeper called The Winnaker. Likewise, Teddy Flint and Neville Longbottom snagged a berth together on the second sleeper named The Starling. Hermione, Harry, Draco, Ron, Fred and George each found them selves a place on the final sleeper car named the Starlit. Harry and Ron managed to bunk together, as did Fred and George. At first Hermione was going to offer to bunk with Draco, then thought better of it. Instead she found an upper berth with a small Muggle girl. Draco found a berth near everyone else that was completely empty.

When Hermione placed her things on her berth, the small girl beneath her carefully watched her. Hermione stared at her for a moment, then crawled down and sat next to her.

"Hello," Hermione said, "my name's Hermione, what's yours?"

"Hermione?" the girl said in a soft, southern tone, "wow, you must come from some place far away to have a kind of name like that!" the girl exclaimed. The small girl reached out a hand and said, "My names Lucille, but everyone back home calls me Lucy."

Harry introduced himself, followed by everyone else that came from Hogwarts on the sleeper. This gave Hermione a chance to get a good look at Lucy. The girl had raven hair and the most beautiful eyes Hermione had ever seen-purple. She had heard about the purple eyes before, and had even seen a picture of the American Muggle actress Elizabeth Taylor, but Hermione had never witnessed violet eyes for herself until now. She would have to remember to write this down in her observations.

***

Lucy noticed that Hermione was staring. She was used to it though. Everyone stared when they saw her eyes. It was a rarity passed on to her by her mother. Lucy enjoyed the visitors on the sleeper. It was refreshing to see new faces. But when she saw the boy with the emerald green eyes, something about him seemed familiar. It was as if she had seen him somewhere before. But when he said his name, Lucy immediately knew who he was: Harry Potter. Lucy's mom had told her about him. "The boy who lived" was what they called him in London.

Lucy had known she was a witch from the time she was ten. She had become frustrated at her stepfather one-day, and wished that she could just disappear to somewhere else. While her Ben, her stepfather, was yelling at her, Lucy vanished in a puff of smoke, right in front of the angry man's face. This, of course, frightened Ben, who immediately ran to Lucy's mom. Lucy, however, was already sitting with Amelia wondering what had just happened.

Amelia explained that she was a witch, and that Lucy's father had been a great wizard in England. However, one night, when Lucy was still a baby, her father had a run in with death-eaters and He-who-shall-not-be-named. Dumbledore had come to Amelia with the news. Three days later, they were on a ship headed to America to start a new life. Dumbledore had used an eraser spell on Amelia, similar to the spell used on the students, only much more powerful. This spell could never be reversed. Amelia's wand was broken in half, and tossed into the ocean. Amelia had kept her past a secret up until that moment. She also made Lucy promise never to tell anyone about her secret. Lucy and Amelia never discussed the matter again, until Ben died 6 months earlier. Amelia sent word to Dumbledore that Lucy had the witch traits, and that she wished for Lucy to be taught at Hogwarts. A Professor by the name of Snape would be waiting for Lucy in Seattle, to take her from her country to Hogwarts. There, Lucy would learn how to be a true witch, and one day, send for her mother so they could be together and free to be who they truly were: witches.

***

Harry couldn't help staring at Lucy. There was something about her looks that seemed so strikingly familiar. Something in the way she talked, the way her hair fell into her eyes, the shape of her nose that seemed so very Snape-like. That was it! Snape! Lucy reminded him of Snape! But no, that couldn't possibly be true. Snape couldn't have a daughter, especially not one this beautiful. Besides, if she was Snape's daughter, what was she doing in America? Why wasn't she at Hogwarts? Harry would have to remember to discuss this with Ron and Hermione later. There was something about the violet-eyed girl, and he was going to find out what it was.

***

That night, everyone filed into the dining car. Lucy joined her new friends from Hogwarts at a table separate from the others. Fred had asked Lucy where she was headed to and why. "I am going to Seattle to meet a friend of my mother's, a Mr. Snape" Ron almost choked on his tea, and Ginny and Ron exchanged looks while Harry and Hermione's face paled. "I'm sorry," Draco interrupted, "did you say Snape?"

"Why yes I did, do you know him?"

"You could say that," Cho said.

"Umm, I think we should all go back to the Starlit and figure out exactly what is going on," Harry said.

Everyone nodded and followed Lucy back to the sleeper car.

***


"So Lucy, the question still remains, are you a...you know...a..." Ron trailed off not able to complete his sentence.

"Oh out with it Weasel, ask the girl if she's a witch or not. Its not that complicated," Draco said.

Lucy stared around at the questioning looks being sent to her by each student. She wondered if this is what the people being questioned during the Salem witch trials felt like. Lucy took a deep breath before letting out a weak, "Yes".

"Well then that explains everything!" Ginny exclaimed. Everyone turned and stared at Virginia Weasley, the youngest of the students on the trip.

"What are you rambling on about Gin," George asked his sister.

"I mean, everything fits now. Why on earth would Snape volunteer to meet us in Seattle? He hates Muggles, he despises traveling, and everyone knows he can't stand Harry. No offense."

"None taken," Harry said.

"This is absurd!" Draco said.

"No, let her finish Malfoy, I think Ginny's going somewhere with this," Neville said.

Ginny beamed at Neville before continuing. "Besides, Snape hasn't left Hogwarts for years. Not even for summer and winter break. In fact, I don't even think someone has had to take over his class for him when he's been sick! Didn't any of you think it a little bit odd for him to insist on being the one to meet us?"

"Snape's always been a bit odd Gin," Harry said.

"True," Ron countered, "but Gin has a point. This is a little stranger than usual. Even for Snape.

The others murmured their agreements as Lucy interrupted. "Did you say Hogwarts? The Hogwarts? As in the school of witchcraft and wizardry? Ran by Dumbledore?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Cho asked

"Well that's why Snape is meeting me. He's going to take me back to Hogwarts in order for me to become a proper witch. Do you mean to tell me that all of you guys are witches and wizards too?"

Everyone looked around then stared at Hermione as if waiting for an answer. Hermione sighed. "Yes, Lucy, we are. We are students at Hogwarts on a special mission from Dumbledore."

"Damn Granger, you make us sound like secret agents or something," Malfoy said.

Hermione shot him a look before continuing. She explained everything to Lucy, about the Ministry's plans, Dumbledore's spell, all the way up to where they were. Lucy soaked in all in. In return, she explained to Hermione and everyone else about her mother and father and her past. "However," she said, "I never knew my father and his body was never returned to us. All my mother received was a letter from Dumbledore giving us his deep regrets, and informing my mother she needed to meet with him right away. After using the eraser spell, we were on a ship to America. We landed in New York City, but my mother didn't like all the hustle and bustle of city life. So we moved to Virginia and have been there ever since."

"So you've never even heard of Snape?" Neville asked.

"Well, a few years ago, when I was nine my mother received a letter from a 'Snape' giving his deepest regrets to my father's death. It was really odd because my father had been gone for six years. According to Snape, he had been a good friend of my father's for many years but lost contact with him after he married my mother. He had just discovered that my father was gone when he returned to England. Supposedly he had been on some kind of exploration for the Ministry and had had no outside contact for many years. My mother took the letter and placed it in a box in the closet. She never pulled it out in front of me again, but when she thought I wasn't looking, she'd pull it out and look at it before putting it away again. That was the only time he'd ever written to her that I know of."

Harry glanced at Hermione then at Ron. Hermione nodded before clearing her throat. "Well, I'm tired, I think we all need to get our rest, it's been a very long and exciting day. Besides, poor Lucy has been questioned like a common criminal. I'm sure she wants her rest too. "

Everyone nodded and filed back to their cars or to their beds. Harry and Ron however, waited until everyone was asleep and snuck out of their beds over to where Hermione was.

"Moine, are you awake?" Ron asked.

"No you twit." She said.

"Oh," Ron said, "Well when you are come over to our beds."

Harry punched Ron in the arm, "She had to be awake to answer you idiot."

"Oh, right, Moine get up! We need to talk."

"Ron keep your voice down you'll wake up someone!"

"Too late," a groggy Draco said, "Come on you three, sit down and discuss what you think Lucy has to do with Snape. I'm just dying to know," he ended sarcastically.

"Draco, this is serious! Do you mind if we use the bottom of your berth? It's the only one open," Hermione asked.

"Oh hell, hold on and I'll be down there in a minute."

Draco, Ron, Harry, and Hermione gathered onto the bed in a small huddle, whispering their suggestions as to why Snape wanted to see Lucy.

"Just look at her!" Harry exclaimed, "she looks exactly like him! She has his nose!"

"Shh, Potter. You don't want to wake up the rest of the car. Though I have to agree she does look a lot like ol' Snape," Draco said.

"I agree. My guess is that Lucy's father really wasn't killed. That he had to go into hiding and that Dumbledore was the one who did it. What better place to hide someone who is supposedly dead than at Hogwarts? That castle is so big anyone could hide. Besides, there are so many spells on its walls, there's no way any one dangerous could get in," Hermione stated.

"You're wrong on that one Granger," Draco said, " Are you forgetting Quirrel, and Tom Riddle, the troll..." Draco continued counting off how many other dangerous things had entered Hogwarts over their years there.

"Yes, but someone else had to bring them in. Besides, Snape is powerful enough to protect himself. Wasn't he a death-eater at one time?"

At the mention of death eaters Draco flinched.

"Hey wait a minute. Didn't Lucy mention that her dad was in some kind of trouble with He-who-shall-not-be-named? If Snape was a death-eater and left, that would get him into big trouble!" Ron said

"Which would be why he would need to go into hiding!" Ron exclaimed, only to be shushed by the other three. His cheeks turned red and he quietly drew himself back into a corner of the bed.

"Yes, that explains why he would go into hiding, but why wouldn't he let his family know? Why not let them know instead of having them wonder what happened to him?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe he was trying to protect them too. He knew that if he went to Dumbledore, not only would he be protected, but Dumbledore would protect Snape's family too. That's probably why he's never told them. He wanted Lucy to be able to grow up safely at any cost. Even if it meant growing up without her father," Harry said.

A sad look came to his emerald eyes. Hermione looked at him, knowing he was thinking of the sacrifice Lilly and James had made for him. She couldn't imagine living without her mom and dad. She felt pity for the boy who lived. Draco and Ron saw the look in Harry's eyes too. They had all learned that when he got that look, it was best to either change to subject or not say anything at all. Everyone stared at each other wondering what they should say or do.

"By God I think we've got it figured out. Can we go to sleep now?" Draco asked.

"Yes, we do need to get some rest," Hermione said still looking at Harry. Everyone said their goodnights and climbed into their berths, not knowing that someone was still awake, listening to what they had to say.

***

Lucy had laid in her birth, quietly listening to the four students discuss her past and it's connection with this "Snape" character. Her father, they called him. Lucy wondered, could he really be my dad? No, that's absurd. Lucy, your father's been dead for thirteen years. Snape isn't your father. It's ridiculous to think such.

Still, the idea made her wonder. Lucy had always wanted a father. Sure, Ben was a great guy, but he wasn't her dad. Nor would he ever be. Her mother had never even mentioned her father's name. It was some S word like Sean or Steve. No, neither of those were right. She ransacked her brain trying to remember. Like lightening it came to her. Severus. What an odd name, she thought. That was the only time her mother had ever really mentioned her father. She didn't like to talk about him much, which was understandable to Lucy. Still, a small part of her wished just to know who he was, what his personality was like, what he even looked like. Her mother didn't have any pictures of him either. All of those had been left in England with Dumbledore. All Lucy knew was that his name was Severus and that he had the same raven hair as her and the same nose, only much larger. Lucy's brain began to get tired, and she drifted into an exhausted sleep.