What You Don't Remember

Saying that Ally Dumbledore strode through was inadequate. Her walk into the Great Hall was a mix between a glide and a skip that was painfully cheerful. Yet, Severus wasn’t disgusted by the girl as he would have been if anyone else did that. She had one of those faces nobody could hate. If Severus hadn’t known she was twenty-three, he would have thought she was a teenager with her baby face however as she got closer, Severus was able to see that her age showed in her striking blue eyes. She looked like an angel, Severus thought softly. Her skin looked like white marble and her hair was curled around her face giving her a look of a Grecian Goddess. Yet nobody could call her cold despite her white marble skin. It seemed as if sunshine was pouring from the girl’s smile almost as bright as her white dress.

“Father!” Ally squealed as she came closer to Dumbledore.

Severus was surprised to hear that the girl had an American accent, something that he wasn’t expecting. Hogwarts had only hosted a few Americans ever which should have made this girl stand out even more.

“Ally, I’ve missed you, my dear.” Dumbledore said affectionately as he stood to wrap his arms around the girl’s small frame.

“I’ve missed you more,” Ally promised as she pulled away to look at her adopted father in the eye but she didn’t completely let go.

“I doubt that, dear. Albus has never been as impatient as he has been today.” Minerva chuckled.

The girl seemed to have been broken out of a trance as she looked around the rest of the room as if she hadn’t notice anyone else sitting there. Her glance however, didn’t make it all around the table to Severus before she found Minerva.

“Auntie Minerva! I’ve missed you so much!” Ally said while hugging the sitting older witch.

“We’ve all missed you.” Minerva sniffed as she returned the embrace.

Severus jealously watched Ally proceed in greeting her old professors while spending longer time with what Severus began to suspect as her favorite teachers. Yes, for the first time in a long time Severus Snape was jealous of a girl showing her attention to someone else but this time it didn’t make sense. He didn’t even know Ally or better yet, he didn’t even remember Ally. So why were these feelings so strong? He pushed his feelings aside though, as Ally had finally approached Flitwick and was close enough for him to study.

“Ally!” Flitwick sobbed who was so worked up by this point that he was standing on the table.

“Uncle Filius! I missed you so much!” Ally hugged Flitwick carefully, “I have so much I want to show you! When you aren’t busy you have to let me come show you some of the charms that I think I’ve developed.”

“When I’m not busy? Ally, you are welcomed at my door anytime! You have been and are my favorite student I will possibly ever have!” Flitwick proclaimed.

Severus saw that her eyes were watering up at this comment and pulled the tiny professor into another hug before letting go. This was it, Severus thought. I’m next. Finally, he would receive some answers about the girl. If she greeted him with a quick hug and a hello, then he would know that they weren’t as close as everyone had thought and if she greeted him friendly…well, that would mean something was definitely wrong.

Time seemed to slow down as Ally’s fond gaze reluctantly shifted away from Flitwick and rest on Severus’s awaiting eyes. When her blues finally reached his black eyes, Severus saw a reaction he wasn’t expecting. A reaction not from the girl but from him. As he stared into Ally’s eyes he felt a tug at his heart that he couldn’t tell if it was due to heartbreak, love, or if he was about to have a heart attack. He was almost positive that that it was probably a bit of a case of all three. He finally started noticing her expression and was again surprised to see a combination of pain and what could only be described as adoring undying love plastered all over her face.

“Come sit down, Ally. I’m sure you’re starving.” Albus said softly breaking both Severus’s and Ally’s stare.

“What?” Ally asked vaguely before looking over at her adopted father, “Right. I should sit.” Ally agreed giving Severus another look before making her way to Dumbledore’s other side.

The rest of the dinner went by with the professors asking questions about Ally’s life since she had graduated. Severus listened intently but quietly to all of her answers. He learned that she had been studying the boundaries of magic for the past years and visiting schools to learn from renowned professors. Apparently she had come back because she was on the brink of discovery and wanted Dumbledore’s advice.

“It’s been too long since you visited last, Ally. You know Severus doesn’t even remember you because it’s been so long!” Flitwick complained.

Severus had never wanted to murder the small professor as much as he wanted to right now. He knew that Flitwick wasn’t being mean saying that but now Severus was worried that Ally would be offended by what Flitwick had said. Severus daringly shifted his eyes from his plate to look at Ally who was looking sadly off at a distance as if she was remembering something depressing. Severus had a sinking feeling that he was the cause of this.

“I don’t believe Professor Snape was here the last time I visited, in all fairness.” Ally vaguely smiled.

“I wasn’t here?” Severus surprised himself by asking it aloud.

Severus almost regretted asking his question once he saw the uncomfortable look on Ally’s face as she shifted nervously in her seat.

“No, Severus. I believe that you were home for the summer break by then.” Dumbledore replied.

“When was this?” Severus asked.

“About two years ago.” Ally replied while looking down in her lap.

Breaking the tension, two house elves appeared into the Great Hall carrying a dish that was covered that both of them had to support on their shoulders. They scuttled across the floor and stopped next to Ally before placing the dish in front of her.

“I know master that we house elves is not supposed to be seen delivering food… but we had to see the missus!” a rather ugly male house elf sobbed out.

“It’s fine Grat, I’m sure Ally is as delighted to see you as you are her.” Dumbledore smiled.

“Of course I’m delighted to see you! I never found anybody who could cook like you, Grat!” Ally smiled at the house elf before pulling both the elves into an awkward hug.

“Oh, missus!” Grat sobbed out, “how we house elves have missed your kindness, yes we have! Never before has a more brilliant witch been so kind to us. Always saying Grat cooks the best. Always hugging us. We do not deserve such a good missus!”

“Stop crying Grat or you’ll make me cry!” Ally sniffled while pulling the over emotional house elf into another hug.

Grat instantly stopped crying with a few sniffles before giving Ally a watery smile.

“We fixed missus favorite dish, we did. Grat made it ‘specially for you.” Grat beamed proudly before pulling the lid off the dish which turned out to be some kind of pasta dish.

“I’ve been craving this since the last time I was here! Thank you so much Grat! Please tell the others thank you too and I’ll be in the kitchens as soon as I can!” Ally rushed out overjoyed.

“Yes, missus. Our pleasure missus.” Grat said with a low bow before he and the other house elf silently disappeared.

Severus would have thought the whole exchange rather curious but he was still dissecting the last conversation. Two years ago in the summer? Severus couldn’t remember getting a request from Dumbledore for his presence nor had anyone mentioned anything about it to him. Which could only mean that he hadn’t been invited for some reason. Probably the same reason for why he couldn’t remember Ally at all. There was only one way to settle the matter. Severus had to go to his rooms and pull out the academic journals he kept each year to see if he came across Ally’s name. Severus knew that if the girl had interested him in any way that he would have mentioned her since he usually wrote down the first thing that came into his head.

The anticipation to return to his rooms grew too much that Severus was standing up to leave before he had finished eating.

“Are you leaving so soon, Severus?” Albus commented.

“Yes, I’m rather tired.” Severus told the headmaster distractedly.

“I was hoping that you would show Ally to her rooms. She’s use to staying in rooms closer to the Ravenclaw tower but that is being set up for our new professor so she will be staying in the room next to yours.” Dumbledore explained.

Severus nodded and sat back down into his seat to wait on the girl to finish.

“Oh, I’m ready now Professor Snape.” Ally said with one last bite of her meal before hurriedly standing up.

“I don’t mind waiting.” Severus said roughly.

“I’m kind of tired from my trip anyways.” Ally smiled.

Severus gave an inwards shrug. Well, if the girl wanted to go he was ready to go. He couldn’t wait to get back to his rooms to find the journal he kept while she went to school here. Severus led the way out of the Great Hall and down the stairs that lead to the dungeons. He gave a sideways glance at Ally and saw that she was again skipping with a smile on her face. Severus wanted to strike up a conversation with the girl but for some reason he was drawing up blank. Why did it even matter if the girl thought he was polite?

“These are your rooms here.” Severus said stiffly as he pointed towards the doors just across from his.

Severus didn’t wait for a response before turning swiftly on his heels towards his rooms. He had to figure this out.

“Wait. Please.” Ally called softly, “Please, Severus.”

If it hadn’t been for that last part Severus might have ignored the girl’s plea but as she said his name, Severus realized that it was the first time that she had called him by his first name. Something so simple that made his heart ache again. He turned back around she he faced her with an arch brow waiting to hear what came next out of her mouth. The expression on his face must have been harsher than he thought since the girl seemed to take a step back as she looked into his eyes.

“I have something that belongs to you.” She finally told him.

That was not what Severus had expected her to say but he was beginning to realize he needed to expect the unexpected with it came to Ally.

“What do you have that belongs to me?” Severus asked suspiciously.

Ally blushed and threw her hand in her pocket pulling out a men’s watch before extending it out to Severus.

“This isn’t mine.” Severus told her confused.

“It is.” Ally insisted.

“No, I would remember that.” Severus said gruffly.

Ally seemed to have been waiting for him to say that and brought the watch close to her face, pressing buttons on the side of the watch. The face of the watch flew opened and a small vial was revealed. The reason why Severus didn’t know the girl suddenly dawned on him as he saw the contents of the vial. For inside the vial swirled a memory that Severus could only bet was his.

“Is that mine?” Severus asked harshly.

“Sort of…” Ally said nervously.

“What do you mean sort of?” Severus fumed.

“Well, they’re mine but I thought you should have them since you don’t have any of me.” Ally rushed out while looking at the floor.

“Why don’t I have any of you?” Severus demanded.

“Just look at it, okay?” Ally pleaded before rushing inside the door behind her.

Severus stood outside her door shocked at what just occurred between the two of them. In his hand he held a memory that he was supposed to have remembered for himself. What could have happened so that all his own memories vanished? Finally, Severus turned around and headed into his own rooms gripping the vial tightly.
As he entered his sitting area, Severus glanced around the room until he spotted the faintly glowing pensive that was still out from early. He stalked angrily towards it before thrusting the vials contents into the basin and watched it swirled around. He noticed that the scene below was taking inside Hogwarts in what looked like summer before he plunged his head forward and went into the pensive.