Keaira walked into Hogwarts three days later, it was a beautiful castle and much bigger than Durmstrang. That morning she got dressed and undressed at least ten times. At Durmstrang, she would have just worn her black pants, dragon skin boots and her white sweater. She wasn't tall like her mother or as thin as her mother was. She used to wonder if she was really her mother's daughter. She never possessed any of her mother's way with men, most of the time men ignored her. Boys or men only showed her attention if they wanted something from her. It was usually to be close to her mother or a favor. She sighed as she looked in the mirror. She could hear her mother's voice, eat less your hips are too big and your breast are too large. She had wished she had gotten her mother's body, her mother would have been happier if she had. She opted at last for her lose black sweater, black skirt that ended at her knees and her dragon skin boots. She hid some of the fraying around edge of her skirt. Maybe she could talk her mother into letting keep some of her money to buy clothes. She twirled around in the mirror again this was the best it was going to get. She grabbed her cloak as she walked from Hogsmeade into the school grounds, as she walked into Hogwarts her thoughts went back to May.

Dumbledore had met her close to the end of the last year at Durmstrang. Igor wanted her to meet him for a year but she had told him she enjoyed teaching at Durmstrang why would she want to go to there. Igor had done something she wasn't counting on he called her mother. He had promised her mother that Hogwarts would pay her more money. That was all it took for her mother to come into her class and start screaming at her. It was hard enough being sixteen and teaching students that were older then you but to have your crazed mother walk into your classroom and start yelling, she was surprised she kept their respect after that. She agreed that night to meet him, only if her mother was never allowed on the school grounds again. Dumbledore offered her a job teaching at Hogwarts as soon as she sat down. She made sure that the castle wards could keep her mother out, she was not going to have her mother screaming at her at this school. She acted shocked when teaching wasn't all Dumbledore offered her he also offered her a position with the Order as a spy. Igor plans of gaining protection from both groups was brilliant but it was a shame Uncle Igor didn't know she had her own plans.

Before she finished teaching she met who would be her handler, she had to laugh some when she met him. He had a peg leg and a strange eye. His name was Moody and he was moody. His training on her was intense but he couldn't hurt her no matter what curse or hex he put on her. He was amazed at her resilience to many spells. Moody informed her at the end of the training that she was supposed to report to work the day before the students were to arrive, she would also meet the other spy for the Order. All she was told was he turned during the last war and had been working both sides since. She wondered if it was someone from that house. She wondered if Dumbledore know she was the Dark Lords child and if he did why didn't he tell her. Her mind was always racing but it was racing even faster when she arrived at the statue outside Dumbledore office. She told the statue the password she was given. "Lemon Drops" and the stairs opened to her.

She walked into the office, the ceiling was high as pictures lined the front part of the office, many bowed to her and few said hi. She walked up the few stairs that led to the front of his desk, behind the pictures were books shelves upon shelves of books lined the walls. She could get lost in those shelves for weeks and never leave. Keaira had hoped he would be here when she arrived but she sat in one of the chairs and waited. Behind the desk was a red bird, she knew it was a Phoenix. Her mother would take on married lovers from time to time. One when she was small one of the men had a Phoenix. The song it used to sing to her helped her through so much pain as a child. Before he threw her mother out Keaira was able to see it burn. She was hoping it was time for this one to burn. She loved watching them rise out of the ashes and be born again. She always hoped that one day she would have enough money to buy something that beautiful to have as her own. She was listening to it sing when she heard voices getting closer and sat still. The one thing her mother taught her was never go snooping or touch things. Her mother might be crazy but not being nosey had saved her many times.

"Keaira" She heard a voice say in front of her. She looked up and smiled to see the older wizard who came to her in May. He was gentle and kind to her. Nobody was ever kind to her without wanting something she just had to figure out what he wanted from her.

"Oui, monsieur" Keaira stood up and curtsied.

"Keaira, it is time you met the other spy you will be working with. I would go through a bunch of introductions but we are having issues before the students arrive. We might need to put you in a house so the school will recognize you."

"Monsieur, a house" She looked at him why would she stay in a house.

"Forgive me child" He smiled at her. "Our school is dived into houses each house represents one of the four founders."

"I think I understand. Why, monsieur?"

He sighed some. "It is because you are under age. While we get this worked on, I am going to send you with our other help. That way he can get you started and up to speed and we can figure what to do with you."

Keaira smiled and nodded. Shit was all she could think. She had done the school thing already and she wasn't looking forward to it again. Why was nothing going as planned?

"Severus, come in please. Keaira this is Severus" She stood up and turned around to be face to face with the stranger from the other night. He was still wearing black robes and she could get lost for days in his eyes. The look on his face showed what he was confused.

"Albus, you have got to be kidding." He sneered while glaring at her. "She is a child, Albus. Are we sending children into the snake pit now? If we are I volunteer Potter." He had the same smirk on his face that made her knees week three nights ago.

"No Severus, this child is already a Death Eater and in the snake pit. We are just trying to keep her alive. Severus this is Keaira Tia Vladislava. I assume you met her the other night at Malfoys. Tom was supposed to recognize her as his daughter that night. Did he my dear?" He asked as he turned to Keaira.

"Yes monsieur but how did you know? And why didn't you tell me sooner?" She had to take a breath to keep from hexing this old fool he was already keeping secrets from her.

"Not the time or the place last time we met. I wonder if your name would be now Riddle instead of Vladislava. I must look into that before you start teaching. Now Severus please take her to the dungeon and get her up to speed on what she needs to do, report to and please don't scare her to bad." He asked with a look of pleading.

"Come" was all Severus said as he grabbed her arm and dragged her behind him.

As they walked out the door, the fireplace roared green and Moody stepped out. "Did she make it?" He asked as he fixed himself a drink.

"Yes and I sent her with Severus." Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Dear Merlin, Albus, he will scar her for life. He isn't known for being understanding." As he plopped into the chair in front of Dumbledore

"No, but I do think it what he needs. I noticed when they were together something between them." Albus had a twinkle in his eye.

"Yeah, him plotting her murder" Moody laughed as he finished his drink. "What about this school thing? Are you going to have to put her in a house? Or will this bloody school realize she is a teacher?"

"The school has never had to deal with a teacher underage so it is forcing us. She will have to go into a house. She won't have to attend classes just be in a house." He made the last statement to himself and not to Moody. "I know which one the hat will stick her in and it would be easier just stick her in there but the hat has to place her tomorrow night. After that she should be ok, I'm hoping." Albus said with a trouble look.

"With the time I had with her she seems to cope well. I watched her teach some and if she can handle those boys, these kids will be a piece of cake." Moody said while fixing himself another drink. "I would be more concern about the potion teacher then the students."

In the dungeon, Severus finally let go of her arm almost throwing her onto the floor in front of him. It hurt as he pulled her down the stairs but she didn't dare say anything. At home, that would be a slap across the face if she had complained of pain. She just stared up at him as he started pacing the room. His robes bellowed out behind him as he kept pacing, he was sneering at her when he looked at her. He sat down in front of her quickly and pulled her closer.

"Keaira Tia? I must say it is different." He glared at her.

"It means little dark one princess, it seems to be fitting." She shrugged at him.

He growled some "When does the Dark Lord let underage witches into his ranks even if they are his child? On the other hand, are you lying to Dumbledore to get attention? Being a spy at sixteen must seam glamorous but I will tell you it isn't. So if that's what you're thinking you need to go home to your mother now." His face was full of anger as he let her go. Keaira couldn't figure out if he was mad at her, her mother, the Dark Lord, Dumbledore or himself.

"I received the Dark Mark when I was seven by my mother." Keaira said as she lifted the sleeve on her sweater. There was the black mark against her pale skin. It made her cringe to look at it mostly she kept it covered, like many other scars on her body. The mark didn't look like others she had seen, this one was strange but she had assumed it was because her mother gave it to her. Around the mark were many red and purple marks that looked like bruises. He also saw the red marks around her wrist he caused.

Severus just glared at it, he had hurt her and she didn't whine or even let a tear fall from the pain. The dark mark on her pale skin was the hardest part to see. It was hard for an adult to receive a Dark Mark; you have to tear your soul apart to let that much dark magic in. The only way to do that is to kill, to make a child kill to receive it was beyond cruel. "Why, how?" It was all that would come out of his mouth as he stared at her arm. He resisted the urge at that moment to kiss her arm or to hold her. She was so little, and those eyes and no Severus you can't think that as he berated himself.

"I don't know how she did it. I thought only the Dark Lord could, that's what Lance told me but she did. It was my lesson on muggels and being friends with them. I would rather not talk about it, please. There are many things that I prefer not to talk about or deal with" as she pulled her sleeve down over the black mark.

"Lance?" He looked at her; something inside of him was ready to kill this boy. That emotion took him by surprise.

"He died two summers ago." She stopped and looked at him. "He went to run away with a muggle girl and his stepdad found out." She stopped and looked down at the floor. He could guess what happened to the boy.

"Were you two close?" He looked down as she was still staring at the floor.

"We grew up together; I was there that night that he died." She looked at him; he could see in her eyes the anger behind them. "I don't think any of this is glamorous, I think it disgusting and vile."

He stared at her but nodded and composed himself before going farther. "Let's go over the rules. When you are summoned and especially if you are summoned alone to the Dark Lord, you must tell Professor McGonagall or myself that you are going. That way we know when you leave and when you return. When you return you will tell either Moody or myself what was said. We will also need to know who was there and what happened. Do you understand?" The fire behind her made her hair shine even brighter and her eyes were a soft. Damn man, keep it under control his thoughts were all over the place with this child.

She nodded, "Monsieur?"

"You will call me Professor Snape in public."

"Oui, Professor Snape." She looked at him for a moment. "How did you get into my head the other night? I have always been good at keeping people out and Moody worked hard with me to perfect it." She asked

He looked stunned. He had assumed she hadn't been trained in Occlumency. It was so easy that night once she was staring at him to enter in. He saw she was panicking and was trying to calm her down. He had been sure that night she would have run. He knew if she had ran, the Dark Lord would have hurt her or worse killed her.

"I don't know. I thought you hadn't. We need to get that under control."

Keaira nodded as she was focused on his eyes, she has never seen black eyes before. Her heart beat faster every time he talked. His voice was so deep. He wasn't normal good looking but she never liked boys or men to be great looking. Oh Keaira, he is in his 30's and you are 16 stupid girl.

His voice broke through her thoughts. "Keaira, let's see if the great Dumbledore has figured out how you are going to teach." He held out his hand to help her off the floor. As she stood, theirs eyes met and for a moment something clicked.