"Now, I know you weren't all expecting me today but I am concerned that we have not finished the syllabus and I would like you to have learnt the summoning charm by the end of the month. The incantation is accio can you all repeat, without wands please."

The fifth year Gryffindor and Hufflepuffs all repeated in a quiet unison, just as everyone had done with Kingsley's name just days previously, she thought to herself. She swallowed her feelings.

"I shall demonstrate, we shall practise the wand movements together and then I shall let you practise on the chocolate frogs in the centre of the room. If you manage the charm, you keep the frog."

When the class were all fervently trying to summon the chocolate she sat down in her chair and watched them all, thoughtfully.

She had been going crazy doing nothing, and had begged Albus to let her return to classes just two days after the funeral. The students had been very shocked to see her. She had received several bunches of flowers and well wishes, and a second year Ravenclaw, Lovegood, had given her a pot of rotten garlic, explaining seriously that it kept the mind focussed after death if kept on one's nightstand.

The strangest thing of all was their behaviour. You could have heard a pin drop in her classroom. The students were calm and concentrated and willing to please. It seemed Severus had spoken to the Slytherins who had all seemed very wary of her at first. It was sad, she found, that those students that had trusted her before now trod very carefully around her. Some had stopped raising their hands at all. It would take a long time to slowly build up a relationship with them again.

The good behaviour didn't last, of course, and by the beginning of May her classes had regained their usual bubbling energy and abundance of silly questions. Only the fifth and seventh years remained serious, the stress of their wizarding exams upon them.

Serena herself kept as busy as possible. She barely had time to think. She was now working in the greenhouse four times a week with Pomona, who seemed delighted to have company. She had increased her additional charms classes to two hours a week and was holding revision sessions for some of the weaker students. She saw Remus often, Severus less than usual as they had not yet taken Occlumency back up. She had decided that she needed to clear her mind more before letting Severus inside.

She ate meals in the Great Hall, had tea with Albus, smiled and waved and frowned and gave detentions as though everything was fine.

It didn't mean that she wasn't crying herself to sleep every night.

Early May found her in Albus' office, eating cake and drinking tea.

"I understand that it was never your intention, my dear, but can I persuade you to come back next year?"

Serena sat back and sighed; the question had been turning around in her head for weeks.

"Albus I don't know… I don't know what to do… I always imagined myself training to be an auror like Kingsley, but now…"

"Everything has changed," he finished for her softly.

She nodded. "I feel good here, I do, but I like to move around, I don't like to get attached."

Albus surveyed her closely over the top of his half-moon glasses. "You are afraid," he observed.

"I'm not afraid, I just-"

"You are afraid of becoming part of this castle, of this family we have here. You are afraid of commitment."

"I don't want to argue with you, Albus," she sighed heavily, tiredness seeping in on her.

"You are loved here, and well-respected."

Serena sipped her tea, not knowing what to say. She wanted to stay there, she had realised, but what Albus had said was true. Would she be like Minerva, in years to come? Stuck in the same job and the same castle all alone for her whole life? It wasn't good to get attached, she thought. You only ended up getting hurt.

"Plus," continued Albus, "it would save me a great deal of hassle. I would have two new teachers to find, otherwise."

"Two?"

Albus bowed his head sadly. "Professor Lupin will be leaving us after the exams. He handed in his resignation this morning."

Serena sat shocked at the news. Remus hadn't mentioned anything to her. On the contrary, just days ago they had been talking about next year, and it had been Remus asking her to stay.

"I'm afraid the news about him being a werewolf has spread across the school… I have already received several unpleasant letters from concerned parents… and Professor Lupin has decided that this is the only option."

"But-" Serena stuttered, in shock, "but how? "

"Ah," said Albus gravely. "I believe a slip of the tongue from our dear potions master."

Serena flew to her feet, enraged, her mind racing and trying to understand why he would do such a thing.

Oh. Revenge. Of course, this was his revenge for the boggart incident! She had almost forgotten it, thought his threats of retaliation were empty, but no, he had just bided his time.

"That bastard," she muttered, making Albus chuckle.

"Severus will be Severus."

"How dare he do that to Remus!" she exclaimed angrily, "Oh, I tell you now, I am going to-"

Albus held up his hand, laughing quietly at her. "The last person to confront Severus ended up under Madame Pomfrey's care for a week, I think we best let sleeping owls sleep."

Serena huffed. "Well I'm not afraid of him putting me in the hospital wing, and I must go and see Remus, I'm sorry Albus."

"Not at all," he gave her a warm smile. "Same time next week?"

She agreed, gave his hand a squeeze and hurried down his moving staircase, her mind on one thing and one thing only.

"Snape!" she screeched as his classroom door opened for her. She marched through his classroom and stopped short as he emerged from his store cupboard looking mildly amused. It only served to anger her further.

"How fucking dare you!"

Severus raised an infuriating eyebrow.

"What gives you the right you fucking arrogant prick!"

Severus was now openly sniggering at her and there was an internal battle as Serena didn't know whether to draw her wand or storm over there and punch him.

The wand won.

Severus, of course, had been expecting it and his shield charm came out so lazily it only angered Serena even further. She threw hex after hex at him, her spells burst out of her with such speed that even Severus changed his relaxed stance and began the dance with her, sending harmless hexes at her and matching her footwork. They danced around the tables and cauldrons, twice she wanted to stop but Severus wouldn't let her, advancing on her and leering. She soon broke out in a sweat, her mind was focussed one hundred per cent, matching her feet to her wand work, ducking, dodging and shielding whilst all the while putting pressure on him. She didn't use her extra magic, she didn't want to hurt him, and as they duelled her anger dwindled and determination took way.

She gave a shout of triumph and burst into laughter as her tarantalegra charm clipped Severus' hand and his legs began dancing out of control. He looked ridiculous, prancing around the classroom but he spun his wand at her all the same, and in one smooth movement he had uttered the counter curse, silenced her laughter and pointed above her head. She looked up to see a dagger hanging imminently above her. Lucky bastard she mimed at him and he broke the spell. She laughed all the same. She felt exhilarated, she felt powerful, she felt alive. Severus, too, chuckled with laughter and the sound shocked her. She looked up at him and only laughed more, remember his flaying uncontrollable legs.

"Still can't beat me," he said sarcastically, brushing invisible dirt from his robes.

"Not yet," she allowed, "but seeing you dance was satisfying enough."

He chuckled again and it made her smile.

"May the winner pay the loser a drink?" he asked, his eyebrow raised.

"I can't, I have to go and see Remus," she said sighed, frowning at him again.

Severus gave a nod and his face turned expressionless once more.

"Oh alright then," she allowed. "Just one."

They stayed in his classroom, sat at two tables like students, Severus surprised her by pulling out a rather fine bottle of whiskey from his lower desk draw.

She raised her eyebrows and smirked, "I'm starting to learn the many secrets of Severus Snape, I believe."

Severus snorted and poured them both a good measure in conjured glasses.

"So why did you do it then?" she said seriously after they'd clinked glasses.

"I think you know the answer to that," Severus said in a cold voice.

"Is that really why? It was so long ago."

"Lupin nearly lost me my authority," he snapped. "He could have stopped it but he didn't. He always did like to stand back, watch and do nothing."

Serena thought it had been deeper than just one incident.

"Anyway," Severus continued, "He would have had to have left one way or another."

"How so?"

"The job is cursed."

"What?" she thought he was joking. "What do you mean cursed?"

"I mean what I said."

"Pfft. Rubbish. Cursed in what way?"

"Do you know who wanted that job, a long time ago?"

"You?"

Severus raised an eyebrow again. "Apart from myself," he allowed in a curt voice.

"No, who?"

"The Dark Lord, or Riddle, as he was known as a boy. He was refused the position and ever since no teacher has lasted more than a year."

"That's preposterous."

"And yet, it's the truth. Oh yes, teachers come and go, Quirrel taught muggle studies at first, but one year of teaching DADA and look at what happened to him… So like I said, he would have had to have gone one way or another."

Serena sat stunned. "Does Remus know about this? Does Albus?"

"Of course."

Serena sat back heavily and drank her whiskey.

"Bloody hell."

"Indeed."

They sat in silence for a long while.

"I enjoy duelling with you," she said suddenly before blushing. "That sounded lame, I mean, it's nice to concentrate on something one hundred per cent and breathe and focus and move and not be aware of anything else… And you duel very well."

"Naturally," he said slyly.

She smiled, "I knew that would only add to your ego. I take it back, you're not too bad, is what I meant to say."

He chuckled again and once more she couldn't help but smile. He was clearly in a very good mood that evening.

"Are you practising your occlumency?" he asked her.

"Yes, everyday… I don't think I'm ready just yet, though," she added quietly, avoiding his gaze.

Severus nodded. He remembered the dark and disorganised state of her mind shortly after Kingsley's death, at a time when she hadn't cared at all who looked in her mind or what happened to her.

At least now she was taking the time to heal, Severus thought to himself. He missed it, though, their Sunday evenings in his rooms, practising and reading articles and discussing mind palaces. He missed cupping her face gently or looking into her eyes, or even the proximity of them, sitting close, knees almost touching, nobody but them…

"I'd best be going," she said after half an hour. "Thanks for the drink and… the dance."

Severus' lips twitched. "Good evening," he bowed his head slightly but stayed seated, watching her as her slim frame slipped out of his classroom door.