Corinthia Applewood was an austere witch at first glance. She was fairly tall with porcelain skin, long blue-black hair and gray eyes that glinted from her face like frozen bits of ash. Her face was a small heart shape with a very defined jaw line and high, sharp cheekbones. Truthfully, the boys in Hogwarts either didn't find her attractive or simply were too intimidated by her to ever try anything.

Her wardrobe out of class consisted of long black dresses that sported chin high necklines, long sleeves that ended at her wrists and either dozens of buttons going down the back or seemingly no seams at all. Sometimes little designs would be sported on them but mostly her clothing was quite plain and almost matronly.

Should you look further than her clothes or looks you would find that although she was never shown as top of the class in anything she also took private lessons that were incredibly demanding and far more advanced than anything she should, by rights, be learning. She was a quiet and attentive student lacking only in a smile or a freely given or unasked for answer. Something, that after experiencing Hermione Granger for six years, Severus was immensely grateful for.

A look at her home life would tell you that she was actually quite well off. Better well off perhaps than even the Malfoys. When her parents found out she was a witch they demanded the extra classes and even summer tutoring. Perfection for the Applewoods, it seemed, was not something to ignore.

All of these things Severus Snape had come to know over the years through snippets of information from other teachers and interacting with the girl herself. Privately, he had always enjoyed teaching her the complicated potions in her extra class that he would otherwise not have the excuse to make. As she never complained nor questioned him when he deviated off the recipes he was also treated to extra time to exercise his own creativity. She also somehow kept her essays informative and interesting at the same time which, also after experiencing Granger, he was grateful for.

This morning though, as he looked at her in the dim light of Dumbledores office none of that information seemed at all relevant. She sat in one of the plush chairs with perfect posture, her hair up in a tight bun and her face devoid of any emotion. The high backed chair she sat on made her look painfully young and small as the word 'student' echoed in his mind with the strength of a sledgehammer swung by a troll. The words 'cradle robber' also came to mind with no small amount of acidity.

"Are we prepared to begin?" Dumbledore asked as he finished signing several papers. They both nodded their assent. "Please stand and face each other with your wands out."

The ceremony itself was nothing special and only mildly binding. The mildly binding part being the omitting of several clauses pertaining to remaining loyal, remaining till death, and several old wizarding vows that were mere hairs away from being considered dark magic. Simple yeses were given instead of 'I do' and only simple silver bands were exchanged.

Corinthia opted to wear hers on her left index finger until the end of the school year and Severus simply slipped his in his pocket.

Before the three separated for breakfast it was agreed that the first hogsmead weekend of the school year Severus would travel with Corinthia to meet her parents who had been informed of the situation.

Truthfully Severus Snape was actually a little worried about meeting her parents. Deeper down he realized he was actually more worried about her parents deciding to suffer him than telling the Dark Lord.

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Severus didn't see Corinthia again until fifth period with the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff double potions. His eyes followed her as she came in the classroom and a assumed her normal seat at the front of the class. As he watched her get her supplies he became acutely aware of the ring in his pocket. The plain silver band around her own finger glinted and flashed as she moved about gathering the potions supplies she needed for the busywork he had assigned for the class today.

He surreptitiously watched her prepare the potion as he graded papers and found himself mildly amused as the ring kept flashing and catching her eye. It would catch the sunlight, she would remember it was there then glare at the offending jewelry before moving her hand out of the sunlight. When she was at a pause in the potion he fired off a small charm from under his desk and watched victoriously as it turned the ring black.

She noticed immediately and looked up at him, offering the faintest hint of a smile and the smallest of nods. The nod was the only thing he returned.

The class passed quickly enough after that as potions began finishing. Soon the day was speeding to a close as he became fully engrossed in his work, pushing one Corinthia Applewood, now Snape to the back of his mind.

It wasn't until Severus went to his private quarters late that night that he took his own ring from his pocket to look at it only to find that it too, had been turned black. Surprising even himself, he smiled.

Authors note

So, chapter two. I've decided that this story may be told in a more snippet-like manner than I originally planned. The chapters will probably get longer and more detailed as I begin getting farther in to Severus and Corinthias private lives and character development as well as moving the plot line along. ~ J. Alexander