Prologue
"I'm sorry" Peggy cried in a tight voice, "I'm so sorry"
A voice came from behind her, startling Peggy, "You should be at the gathering"
"I don't want to be. Everyone's probably making up lies about how they once knew him" Peggy wiped away the tears from her face as she looked over her shoulder, "How did you find me? This place is a secret. Only Cedric knew of its whereabouts. Why have you come?"
"I was a student too" The voice stated, "Once upon a time. Believe it or not but this was my sanctuary when I was a student also. I knew exactly where to find you when your cousin told me that you were missing. What troubles you? I may seem distant at times but it doesn't meant that I don't care about my students nonetheless"
Peggy Lestrange leaned back onto her heels and looked up with bloodshot eyes. Professor Snape stood closer to the bed that she was crying on. She took note that the picture of her and Cedric was in his hands. The man watched her closely as Peggy almost felt uncomfortable under his stare. It almost felt like she was looking at a completely different person. She looked back over to the picture before looking down at her hands.
"I suppose you now know that the rumors are true" Peggy sniffed.
"I knew they were true for a long time now" Snape told her.
"What?" Peggy looked over to him, "How?"
"The Yule Ball" Snape raised a slight eyebrow, "Remember?"
"How could I forget" Peggy scoffed before she became quiet for a little bit, "I'm a dead woman walking. My family will kill me if they find out, if they haven't found out already. I don't even want to know what will happen to me if I even go back to the common room"
"Nothing will happen to you. I will go as far as making the Bloody Baron your protector if it has to come down to that" Snape said with much determination that it surprised her that this was the distant Potions teacher that she's had for the past six years of her life.
"No thank you" Peggy shuddered, "Why are you so interested in my situation? What did Cedric ever do for you?"
"It wasn't Cedric whom I lost, but another... the same as you did but so many years ago" Snape told her.
"The Dark Lord killed someone you loved too" Peggy sniffed,"What was her name? What happened?"
"I will tell you mine" Snape sat down on the edge of the bed, "If you tell me yours"
"Seems fair enough. I guess I should start with this past summer at the World Cup" Peggy began.
