Severus woke up, dreading the day. He had dreaded this day for eleven years. At first, Severus had hated the thought of teaching Potter's brat, but later he mourned the thought of seeing Lily's son. Severus knew that he would not see a boy, but features. He would see Lily's demure nose, her sweet smile, and her emerald green eyes.

Severus closed his eyes in pain. He could not relive this anguish every day, seeing Lily's son in one respect, but Potter's clone in another.  How could he breath, when a heavy stone continually pressed upon his chest? The mere though of Potter's spawn was like a hefty kick to the gut, how could he lay eyes on him everyday?

Severus straightened his shoulders, rebuilding his protective cold exterior. He would treat the brat as he deserved, with cold indifference. He was not Lily's son, but Potter's. Severus would treat the child as he wished to treat the father.

Determinedly, Severus gracefully got out of bed and began the long awaited day. The day Harry Potter would enter the walls of Hogwarts.

Severus swept into the great hall that evening, joining the table of professors awaiting the arrival of the first years.  He scanned the room, taking in the environment. Students chattered and ate excitedly at their respective tables, talking of summers and classes. Severus begrudgingly participated in small talk with those around him.

Severus's attention was averted when the doors to the great hall burst open, a large group of terrified first years blindly following Minerva into the large room. Severus scanned each child quickly, looking for the one that resembled James Potter. Strangely, there was no such child.

Severus quickly completed the math in his head. Yes, this was the year the child should enter Hogwarts. Had the headmaster suggested another school? Was he a squib? A thousand questions flitted through Severus's mind. Hesitantly, he decided to wait until the sorting before voicing any concerns.

Name after name was called, and Severus became more and more unnerved as each name brought it closer to the "'P"'s.  Silently, Severus waged an inner war with himself, a war of cold indifference and outright concern. Where was the child?

He didn't have to wait long.

"Mary, Potter."

There was a collective gasp in the room. The shocked silence that followed was not from the fact the it was the savior of the wizarding world, but because the savior was, in fact, a girl.

Severus gazed in open shock. How was this possible? The child was a boy! He'd seen the child himself, on that cursed night. Severus quickly scanned his memories, but realized the only known occurrence of the child being named a boy was though the Potter's and Dumbledore. In his pain and torment, Severus would not have known the difference, on that fated night.

Through Severus's confusion, and the collective silence of a shocked room, a young girl with streaming red hair softly walked up to the sorting hat. She sat down gracefully, green eyes flashing happily, not knowing the turmoil she had caused. She sat there for what seemed like hours, but in reality were only minutes. Those green eyes flashed mischievously, then the hat yelled out her house.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Severus groaned inwardly, but the young girl jumped up excitedly, scanning for her new house. The silence in the room suddenly subsided as the Gryffindor table burst out in applause. The girl smiled brightly, finding a seat among the full table.

Severus stared at the girl, unnerved by her resemblance to Lily. Although small and slight, the girl still bore Lily's hair and eyes. Her smile, however, was all her own. It enchanted everyone that looked upon it. Such eyes filled with hope. Severus knew the trials this child would face, and he silently mourned the loss of her childhood. Somehow, the girl seemed innocent, the cruel tragedy's of her past unmarking her life. Soon, Severus knew this would change.

Sensing Severus's gaze, the girl turned her gaze onto him. They stared at one another unashamedly, both clearly curious about the other. Severus shifted his gaze, replacing his solid protective exterior. However, it was too late, the child had already touched his heart.