Albus Dumbledore looked at a single picture perched on his desk: the one of Alice Black. His only daughter, who looked just like her mother, who was from the Black family. Alice was probably the most beautiful woman a man could encounter: The Black Family curly dark brown hair and the trademark Dumbledore ice-blue eyes that could force the truth out of anybody. Albus smiled sadly: he had not spoken to his daughter since the year she was sorted into the house of Slytherin, and knew why she had avoided him. Apparently, she was ashamed of being sorted into a house completely different from the one the rest of the Dumbledore family had been sorted into for centuries. Though she was extremely close to her father, Albus, she thought he was disappointed in her. But she thought wrong. Who could be disappointed with a daughter like Alice?

Kidnapped by Lord Voldemort himself the day of her graduation from Hogwarts, she was forced to become a Death Eater, and eventually become used to the use of crucio when she didn't obey. (And that happened very often, with a girl like Alice, who tended to have an attitude.) She took any torture in silence and never complained.

Alice also inherited a great talent from her father: a strong magical ability. She could literally beat anybody in a wand match, including her father and Voldemort.

Albus sighed, knowing that his daughter wasn't a real Death Eater, but really was on the Order's side.

There was a quiet knock on his office door. "Come in." He said, folding his weathered hands in front of him on his desk, tearing his mind away from his daughter.

The large wooden door creaked open, revealing whom Albus had wanted to see most (besides his daughter), Severus Snape. He closed the door behind him and took a seat in front of the Headmaster.

Severus and Alice had known each other since before getting their Hogwarts letters. They'd been great friends back then, and Albus trusted that Severus also missed the Alice they knew all too well.

"Hello, Severus." He said. "It's great to know you showed up. I have a great task to perform tonight." Severus blinked.

"And what might that be, sir?" He questioned.

Albus revealed a small smile. "I will inform you about our task after we're on our way there. Come with me." Albus got up and lead the Potions Master down his spiral staircase, out the front doors of Hogwarts, across the grounds and into Hogsmead. After several silent minutes of walking, Albus finally spoke.

"As you very well know, the Ministry has asked me personally to make sure we have two teachers in each classroom, in case of an emergency." He said. Severus merely nodded. Albus took a deep breath. "And you, for a fact, are the only teacher without a partner in your classroom. We are going, tonight, to ask a close friend of mine to work with you." He was silent for a minute.

"And who might that be, sir?" Severus asked, confused by the situation.

"I believe you know her very well. As well as even I do, Severus." He replied.

A shock went through Severus. He knew who Dumbledore was referring to, and doubted for many years that she'd ever speak to even him again. He missed the old, fun Alice. The one whom he trusted with any secret he had, and she him. Even his deepest, darkest secret that started in his sixth year: Severus was a vampire.

"Alice." Dumbledore murmured.

"Are you sure you know where she lives, sir?"

"Oh yes. Alice is in hiding, as you are. Her house, like yours, is off the map and her house, again like yours, lacks visitors." He chuckled. "And I am about to burst rudely into her house and ask her to work with you." He paused. "I've also been wanting to ask you something, Severus. Since you two are really on our side, you need to be hidden, especially at home. You wouldn't, possibly, want Alice to move in with you to live for a while, would you?"

"It wouldn't bother me." Severus replied. "I do have a spare bedroom. It might give us time to catch up."

"Then she will move in." Dumbledore was clearly satisfied. "If she only takes the position."

They strolled down a dark alley and into a field, where they walked for a few miles. Finally, Albus stopped abruptly, for no reason. "This is it, Severus. I must ask you to draw your wand. You know Alice, she's going to attack any unknown visitors. Be prepared to be stunned, as will I." Dumbledore moved his wand quickly through the air, making complicated movements, then suddenly grabbed a hold of Severus's sleeve, taking him with him when he appeared below, in Alice's house.

They stood there for but two seconds, taking in their surroundings, when suddenly Severus was cursed into a chair, ropes winding themselves around him, tightly binding him to the chair. Alice appeared out of what seemed to be nowhere (She really could do that, do to a power to become invisible at will, and, though it may cause her pain if she does it for too long, can also make herself able to let solid objects pass through her with ease.) and disarmed her father, shoving him against the wall and placing her wand at his throat.

"Alice! How nice to see you!" Albus exclaimed cheerfully. Alice took a step backwards, away from her father (whom she literally had pinned to the wall). "I have been wanting to speak with you, so please do not attempt to kill me quite yet."

She smirked. "May I ask why you've come bursting into my hidden residence, dad?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.

Dumbledore smiled. "I had no choice. And I have a few questions for you before I get to my real topic." He said. "First off, why did you automatically go for me?"

She shrugged. "If Voldemort would have impersonated you, he would have gone for the stronger wizard. How'd you get in?"

Albus tapped his temple. "Knowing you, you'd use the strongest type of apparition-disabling spell. And also knowing you, everybody would know that, so you'd, most likely, use the second strongest. Fortunately, I was correct." He paused. "But how do you know it's really me?"

"I just do." She replied. It was one of her abilities: an amazing intuition. Alice was also known at the Ministry as "The Wizarding World's Best Liar", which Alice used as an advantage towards Voldemort. Her father could barely even tell when she was lying.

"I have come to ask a favor of you." Albus said, straightening up. Alice nodded. "I want you to come and work for me as a potion's teacher. One of two."

"I guess I could come. And what do you mean by: one of two?" She asked suspiciously.

"You'll be working with your dear friend, Severus." Albus replied. He looked over her shoulder towards him. Severus threw the last of the ropes off him and onto the ground, clearly not too happy at the moment.

Alice turned around and looked at him. She heard her father's voice from far away. "As I now take it, you accept. You will start in one week. Oh, and you also might want to pack your bags: you'll be moving into Severus's spare bedroom. Even I don't know where his house is located, so you should be happy with the fact that it's hidden. Now I'll leave you two to catch up. Goodnight." He said. Alice turned around quickly, about to protest, but Albus had already apparated away. She then turned back to her friend, Severus.

Severus glanced at her neck, where she still wore the silver, heart shaped locket he had given her for her sixteenth birthday. He smiled at the fact that she still thought about him from time to time. He wondered how often she wore it. He swallowed. "Are you going to pack now?"