It rained every day the last week of summer, stopping only the afternoon before the students would arrive on the Hogwarts Express. In that final week, Kara had finished her preparations, and even had time for a day trip to London and a drink with Charlie on another day in Hogsmeade.

Kara was excited the evening of September first, and she peered out from the castle to hear the whistle blow as the train arrived. That morning, she had taken a little extra consideration to what she would wear: a nicer set of very dark green robes, gold slippers, and her hair pulled back with a matching green comb. She scurried to the Great Hall and found a seat at the staff table.

"You look appropriate today," Snape said as he passed her chair.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't compliment me too much. Don't you want to seem menacing to the first years?"

He scowled at her disapprovingly. She made a silly face at him.

Kara watched in interest as the students poured into the Great Hall, taking their seats at the House tables. She studied the faces, trying to get a feel for the emotions running through the student body. After a moment, a group of small eleven year olds nervously filed in behind Professor McGonagall.

After dinner, Snape stood to address the students from his chair at the staff table. Before he could speak, a girl Kara immediately recognized as Hermione Granger jumped to her feet and began clapping enthusiastically. She was quickly followed by many students at the Gryffindor table. Snape abruptly raised his hand to silence them. Kara thought she saw a twinge of pink reach his stoic face before he began to speak.

"We welcome you to another year at Hogwarts. To the first years, the returning students, and those returning who were unable to finish their seventh year last term, this is a year of new beginnings for everyone here. On that thought, I would like to introduce new professors. Taking over Muggle Studies, Professor Phoebus Penrose, author of 'A Study into Muggle Suspicions about Magic'."

Penrose stood and waved to the students. The older man had dark grey hair that he wore in a sort of bob, with a square hat perched upon his head.

Snape continued, "I am pleased to have Professor Kara Nechita taking over as both the Head of Slytherin House and Potions Master." Kara rose and gave a curt nod toward the children looking at her disinterestedly.

"And, finally, teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, is Professor Charles Weasley." A few cheers and whistles came from the Gryffindor table. Charlie stood and smiled proudly at the members of his former house, and waved at his sister.

"Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that there is to be no magic performed in the corridors. First years, and returning students should also remember, the Forbidden Forest is off limits."

The students followed their prefects to the common rooms after the Welcoming Feast had finished. Walking out of the Hall, she caught Snape by the arm.

"I noticed that none of my classes begin before 9:30."

"You're welcome," he said sarcastically. "It saves me the trouble of having to reprimand you for being late every day."

She ignored the last comment. "I appreciate it nonetheless."

"Come by my study tomorrow evening. We'll have a drink and you can tell me how your first day went."

"That sounds lovely." She grinned before seeing some students lingering in the hallway. She shot him a sly smile as she put on a menacing face to chase after the students.

Snape almost chuckled as he watched Kara skip off to terrorize her first group of students. Knowing her personality, he was sure she was trying to prove herself so that they wouldn't take advantage of her good nature later. He knew from experience that she threatened a lot more than she hexed.

Kara's first day of classes went by uneventfully. She only taught two classes on Wednesdays: both first year classes, first Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff at 9:30 and then Slytherin and Gryffindor at 11:00. It was a simple way to start the term. She tried to make herself look serious and intimidating, but she had forgotten how terrified first years usually were. Most of them were too nervous about being trapped in the dungeons with her to cause any trouble.

The boil cure potion she introduced the course with was not a complete disaster, but she lost count of how many different students she had to remind to take the cauldron off of the fire before adding the porcupine quills. One melted cauldron was enough to make her pay extra attention to the small, very distracted children as they added ingredients.

Kara was pleased to have the afternoon off and decided to take a walk by the lake in the warm sunlight. On her way down from the castle, she saw Hagrid carrying a container of housing something making a loud buzzing noise. He waved to her.

"Anything fun in the box?" she asked him with a gleam in her eye. Kara was one of the few witches in the world who shared Hagrid's love of generally unlovable creatures.

"Jus' some Billywigs," Hagrid replied, holding the box up so she could peer through one of the screen openings. The bright blue insects spun around inside the box happily.

"Those are fun. I was stung by a couple in Australia when I was trapping an Antipodean Opaleye dragon for the colony. I levitated for an hour. It was just about the best feeling I've ever experienced." She seemed lost in thought. "What are you doing with them?"

Hagrid smiled, his eyes warm. "I'll be lettin' my fifth years help me put 'em to sleep and collect their stingers. Do it every term so you have plenty of stingers fer yer potions stores. The Billywigs don' mind it much, but it takes 'em a few days to re-grow the stingers, so my third years can get some time with 'em."

"Thanks so much, Hagrid. Let me know if you need a hand with anything this year. I would love to see what you keep here."

"Actually," he began, excitement in his voice, "Professor Snape said if you an' Charlie agreed to, we could bring a dragon here for the N.E.W.T. students."

"Did he?" She smiled to herself. "I think I have the perfect one. A Welsh Green I had some success with taming. Charlie will probably want to bring another, too. I'll ask him about it. I don't foresee a problem, though."

"Thanks! I know the students will have fun. Well, I best be gettin' these little fellas down before class is s'posed to start."

"Goodbye, Hagrid." She felt a little breeze swirl around her shoulders as she got closer to the lake. It was turning into a very pleasant day.

She sat under a tree by the lake, her face pondering something. She was enjoying the quiet time so much, she almost forgot to come up to the castle for dinner.

She rushed into the Great Hall through the staff room entrance, a few minutes after the food had been served. She slipped into an open seat beside Charlie, a rush of pink in her face from running up from the lake. Snape cast a look of displeasure at her. She just smiled at him with a look of exhilaration from the fresh breeze still in her lungs.

After dinner, Snape caught her by the elbow as she was leaving.

"What time are you coming by tonight?" he whispered to her.

"Whenever you want. I have hall duty at midnight, however."

"Nine-thirty then."

She saw him sneer at a fifth year couple getting cozy on a bench in the hallway as he walked away. She was amused at the sight but noticed he didn't reprimand them.

When she entered Snape's study, he was sitting in the large armchair as though it were a throne, a book in one hand and a glass of brandy in the other. When he spied her, he smirked.

"How many cauldrons did you lose today?"

"Just one, thank you," she said, sliding into the récamier the same way she did the first night he woke in July. A glass of brandy floated to her hand. She smelled it, taking in the oaky smell. "Cognac," she muttered.

"Of course. Hors d'âge."

"What else?" She was not surprised, but held the glass with a little more care.

He put his book down and looked at her intently.

"So, why did you want to talk to me?" she asked, meeting his gaze with an eyebrow raised.

"I told you I wanted to see how you enjoyed your first day teaching," he had a look of concern in his eyes.

"Really, Severus. If that's how you've been lying all these years, it's amazing you're still alive. Why did you really ask me here?"

"It rained every day this week."

"And?"

"Do not pretend you that you don't understand what I am asking. You are upset about something."

"No, I'm fine."

"I thought you had learned to control it."

"I have," she said, a little irritated. "No one alive even knows about it except you. It's just being back here, and seeing you. The memories. Surely you know what that's like?"

"I do. Some people bring back memories and feelings we forgot we had," his face was drawn.

"I promise I won't make it rain for a month to make up for it. So, if it does, don't blame me. I'm not the cause of every climate problem there is, you know."

"You have been as long as I've known you," he said, smirking. They sat in silence for a few moments. "I read one of your papers today."

"Which one?"

"The uses of cobra venom."

"And?"

"Very impressive." He gave her a look of approval and she beamed at him.

"Hagrid tells me you said you would allow us to bring dragons to the school for the Care of Magical Creatures N.E.W.T. students."

"I said you could bring a dragon. One dragon."

"We'll see."

"One dragon." He looked at her over his glass with a frown.