Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Universe is not owned by me but by the lovely J.K Rowling. I wish I was as brilliant as her. In that regards, this fan fic is 100% original and something that I dreamt one night. I just added onto it as I went along.

AN: Here is the next chapter. No plot changes in this one, but some changes. Added some entries here, took some away there. Adjectives were added. Simple stuff. Once we get to the meat and potatoes of the story you will notice some more changes. I hope you enjoy and keep up with support. Thank you to Amarenima Redwood, my first reviewer of this revamped story and one of my original followers on my last version! I am humbled by your support darling! Thank you!

Also, thank you to you all that followed and favorited the story so far! Your support encourages me to continue!

Chapter 2

Severus 'popped' into the decently empty street of Hogsmeade. Standing right in front of Three Broomsticks in the small village near Hogwarts, he took a deep breath before entering the establishment and eyeing Madame Rosmerta, ordered a 'bottomless' tea set and some tea biscuits. Rosmerta brought the items to a little booth in the farthest corner from the door. He sat with his back to the corner. Always the suspicious one due to being a spy in the first war, Severus never liked his back being exposed. He liked having options. He required to know who was coming at him from every angle. It made him feel safe, as much as he could considering the circumstances.

He felt his Dark Mark itch, just as it had been since the beginning of the year. Dumbledore had announced that The Triwizard Tournament was to take place on Hogwarts grounds and because of that, students from the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang schools both arrived shortly after the start of the year. Ever since then, the three champions were chosen, plus one. The great Harry Potter was also chosen as a champion. The three schools had a battle of the wills thinking that Hogwarts cheated. Dumbledore, of course, denied it. After much speculation and debate, it was decided by the Minister himself that Harry was allowed to compete. He had already defeated a Hungarian Horntail single-handedly. Someone wouldn't hear it from Severus, but he was surprised that Potter had done so well.

Severus cleared his throat and took a sip of tea. He felt the warmth of the liquid slide smoothly down his throat, warming him from the inside. The cold that had bitten deep into his bones slowly seeped away. He sighed contentedly as he waited for his former student. He certainly hadn't recognized her. Once she had described herself, he immediately had her pictured in his mind and frowned. She had been a mediocre student in potions at best, at the time, and she did have a severe acne problem. Both problems she had seemed to have rectified. At least, her acne problem was an obvious improvement. He had yet to see if her potions work had been improved.

Suddenly there was a twinkling of a small, quaint bell that made Severus look up towards the door. He saw the reddish-brown hair of his former student and he cleared his throat softly and stood. He saw her glance over in his direction and smile slightly as she walked towards him. As she neared, Severus motioned to the booth opposite him and watched her sit before he followed suit. He poured Natalia a cup of tea and offered milk and sugar. She took two cubes of sugar, no milk; he made a mental note of that. They sat in a congenial silence. He wouldn't describe it necessarily as companionable, but it was nice. After all the excitement with the Triwizard Tournament, there wasn't a moment of peace at Hogwarts. He cleared his throat and thought that would be a start to a conversation.

"So, Ms. Rook. I assume that you have heard that Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament this year? If you have been visiting Poppy, she probably has been keeping you up to date with the latest gossip." He nearly smiled with that. She nodded nervously, caught off guard with the small talk.

"Indeed, Sir. She told me all about Harry Potter's dilemma of being the fourth champion and the last time I visited was just before the first event. She was due to tell me what happened today when I go to see her this afternoon." She smiled kindly and took her tea, mixing the sugar in well before taking a sip. He nodded thoughtfully and contemplated telling her himself, but he didn't want to seem like a gossip. He decided to go to a topic he was more comfortable with. A topic to which he called for this impromptu meeting in the first place.

"Boomslang skin. A necessary ingredient to Polyjuice Potion as we have discussed. Do you brew Polyjuice often? It is quite a strenuous task," he remarked. She blushed, yet swallowed her tea before answering. She placed her teacup on the saucer and took a calming breath.

"Normally, no. But this private order was quite generous in the funding department, as it was quite a large order. They covered all materials needed, and then some seeing as how a few brews have failed. I have gotten a few steps wrong here or there. Luckily, it was not too disastrous, although my nose was upturned for about a week. I looked like my great Aunt Tessy, the great pig."

Natalia scoffed remembering her aunt and Severus could understand that feeling of resentment and dislike. His own father was a persona non grata with him up until the day he died. Even death didn't make Severus miss his father. He wondered if he was cold-hearted for that and shrugged the thought away almost immediately, not caring in the slightest. He then turned attention back to his former student.

"Hmm. Interesting. The private client; not your nose turning upwards." He almost blushed at having to clarify himself. He admonished himself. 'She's just a former student. Why are you acting so nervous? Like a hormonal fifth year?' He sighed quietly and seeing her cup run low on the warming tea, refilled it.

"I am glad that nothing more disastrous happened in your endeavors, Ms. Rook. Polyjuice can be quite dangerous if not brewed properly, as I am sure you well know. Perhaps the next time you brew I can be of assistance? Maybe I can give you a few tips to make it more potent and a bit safer." he suggested offhandedly.

The question caught Natalia off guard and she was sitting there just looking at Severus for a moment. When he caught her staring, she cleared her throat and nodded.

"I would be honored, sir. I am sure under your watchful eye I would learn much more than I have in the recent years since leaving Hogwarts." He dipped his head in modest affirmation before adding some sugar to her cup.

They went on this way for about an hour more, talking about potion texts and lectures that they had been to or missed. They spoke comfortably together as if their meeting had been scheduled for months and wasn't an impromptu meeting. By the end of the hour, and two more pots of tea, Severus' right leg had fallen asleep and he had just noticed it. He grimaced slightly at the discomfort and Natalia noticed.

"Professor? Are you alright?" She asked, slightly worried.

He waved her off. "I'm fine. My leg has just fallen asleep. It should be fine by the time I reach the school. Which would make this a good time to head to the castle if I ever saw one. I wouldn't mind the company for the walk there if you're amenable? I wouldn't want Poppy's rage to come down on you for being late on my account," he finished shaking his leg slightly under the table. TIngles ran up the entire length of his leg, he grimaced at the uncomfortable feeling; like t.v static. He then stood up and offered his former student to go ahead of him when she smiled her acquiescence. She took the hint, placed a few coins down as a tip for Madam Rosmerta before her professor did, (much to his annoyance), and replacing her traveling cloak over her shoulders, briskly walked out the front door.

They walked in silence for the majority of the stroll. They were both taking in the beauty of the landscape around them. As winter was already upon them, albeit early on, the swift-falling of the icy flakes floated around them. The ground was a little muddy from the snow melting on the still too warm ground and being disturbed by passers-by, but in a few days of this weather and it would soon be covered as far as the eye could see with the fluffy, white precipitation.

The frigid wind was biting at them though, and Severus saw Natalia pull her traveling cloak closer to her body. He almost offered her his cloak but thought better of it. Instead, he placed a wordless warming charm around them. She immediately felt the difference and looked gratefully over at her former professor. She observed him carefully. His longish, not at all greasy black hair was hanging around his face, keeping his ears warm. His nose protruded gracefully from his face, almost regally. It was followed by the observation of a strong jaw. Then following an elegant neck, she noticed broad shoulders; even under his teaching robes and traveling cloak. She wondered why she hadn't noticed his stature before.

She concluded that it was most likely because as a student he was the most intimidating professor she had ever known. His reputation preceded him even before her first potions class in First year. Known as the Slytherin Bat of the Dungeons, she was almost glad she hadn't noticed his features more. She would have been exponentially more intimidated than before if she had even the slightest crush on her professor. She shrugged the thought from her mind and continued the walk in companionable silence. Unbeknownst to her, Severus was observing her as well.

Her shiny auburn hair was being blown behind her by the wind, and while it wasn't cold thanks to his warming charm, it got tangled quickly. It almost reminded him of a certain woman from his past, but the brown in the shade made her explicitly her own person in his mind. She had an attractive face. Much more attractive now than when she was in school.

'Obviously,' he thought to himself. He had never seen a student in any way besides the traditional teacher-student relationship. He grimaced at the memory of the few embarrassed professors who took that relationship too far and were shamed for it. Severus never even had any interest in the prepubescent teenagers that were under his care. Drawing his attention back to the girl- no, woman, before him, he continued with his observations.

The more he talked to her, the more he could see her school profile and he had to admit, her blemish cream would compete with the most popular on any French shelf. It was a drastic difference. Thinking back, however, if he had thought hard enough to remove the blemishes of her adolescence, she would have been a very popular girl. But she was a Hufflepuff. Since she wasn't in his house, why would he give her a second glance? And so, he simply hadn't.

Now though, he observed that she had deep, glowing brown eyes that had honey and gold flecks surrounding her irises. He noticed them in the tea shop. They were so lively when she talked to him about recent journals that were published on certain experimental potions or some other tidbit of information she thought was interesting. Her hunger for knowledge was refreshing. Compared to all the dunderheads he was teaching now, he thought that he would enjoy assisting in her potion making. Hence the reason he offered to help her improve the Polyjuice Potion she had worked on previously. While she didn't have a thirst for potion knowledge in school, her hunger for it now was intriguing to Severus.

He refused to let himself observe any farther on his former student. He had a code and that was to never involve himself with a student. Not that he was thinking of doing so, but he didn't want to find any complications. As of that moment, he enjoyed her company and that was enough for him.

They soon reached the castle gates and he motioned for her to go ahead of him. They entered the Entrance Hall in silence and both took off their traveling cloaks once they were safely inside the warm castle. Severus canceled the warming charm and led the way to the Hospital Wing. Although he was sure that Natalia knew the way, he was almost impatient to see the work that she did with Poppy.

The door to the Hospital Wing groaned unceremoniously as they entered, alerting Poppy of their presence. She turned from making a recently vacant bed and smiled.

"Oh Natalia, my girl! How are you? And Severus! What a surprise! I am not used to seeing you up here without a Slytherin in tow. Is everything quite alright?" she asked, with a hint of worry.

Severus almost rolled his eyes at the concern. Even after all the years in the First Wizarding War when he would be carried unconsciously by Hagrid to the Hospital Wing to be cared for, he still wasn't used to the concern that Poppy felt for him. There were days, of course, when he welcomed it; days where she would run her cool fingers across his forehead to see if the Cruciatus fever had gone down. He would revel in that care, never being a recipient of such innocent touches as a child. However, when he was healthy and able to take care of himself, he was almost stubbornly annoyed by the concern. While it was comforting to know someone cared for his well-being, he felt almost like less of a man for being taken care of so much.

"I am fine Poppy. I was just escorting Ms. Rook to you. I ran into her today at the apothecary on Diagon Alley and she told me how she was going to visit you," he explained shortly. Natalia looked at him then at Madam Pomfrey and nodded. "She told me how she helps you restock the wings potions. I am hurt, Poppy. I thought that was my job. What am I to do now to distract me from giving out detentions to the dunderheaded Gryffindors?"

Poppy smiled and laughing gently, slapped his arm playfully. A friendly gesture. "Oh Severus, I still need you. Don't you worry. There are potions that I need that Ms. Rook is not quite ready for. But perhaps she could be if you taught her?" she asked with a not so innocent smile playing on her lips. Severus frowned at the mediwitch but then looked over to Natalia who looked almost ready to pounce at the chance.

"If it pleases Ms. Rook, I wouldn't mind tutoring her on some more advanced potions. Given the fact that she has the time. Being an intern at St. Mungo's, and then being under your tutelage Poppy, must keep the girl busy," he explained, almost talking her out of accepting.

"I can look at my schedule and work around it, Sir. Then whatever days you are free we can work around that. I wouldn't want to presume taking up all of your free time."

"Yes. That wouldn't be suitable at all. Go over your work schedule and owl me your availability. We can make a schedule from that. If it pleases you, Ms. Rook," Severus drawled. He saw Natalia nod excitedly and then turned back to Poppy. "I will let you go about your business then. Good day, Poppy. Ms. Rook." He nodded to each woman in turn and went to leave, only to see the headmaster walk briskly into the mediwitch's domain.

"Oh, Headmaster! So many visitors today! To what do I owe this pleasure?" Poppy asked. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily, seeing the trio together, and smiled.

"Poppy, Severus, my boy. Ah! And Ms. Rook. What are we all doing up here today? I was only expecting the lovely witches today," Dumbledore said with a happy smile on his face. He almost looked genuinely happy to see them all together but Severus knew better. The old man was up to something.

"I was just leaving Albus. Poppy had some business with Ms. Rook and I didn't want to interfere." He emphasized that last word, drawing it out in his best imitation of Dungeon Bat-voice, knowing that interfering was what the old man did best. Dumbledore just laughed giddily and put his arm around Severus' shoulders, bringing him back into the group.

"Nonsense, Severus. You must stay! I was just going to tell Ms. Rook about the Yule Ball. Having an extra mediwitch, even one in training, would be so very helpful. Students seem to always be able to get extra treats and drinks in when there is a ball, and many get reckless. With the two other schools here as well, it would behoove me to get a few extra hands on deck, as they say. What do you say, Ms. Rook? Will you assist an old man for his peace of mind?" The old headmaster's sky blue eyes were twinkling double fold waiting for her answer. He didn't have to wait long. Natalia was excited to help.

"Of course, Headmaster! I would be honored. This could be a good experience to add to my work history. Every bit counts. Thank you, sir!" she exclaimed excitedly. Dumbledore nodded to her and clapped Severus on the shoulder.

"Very good. Also, Ms. Rook. If you have a moment before you leave today, I would like to have a word with you. It is of the utmost importance," he said seriously. His smile was gone, but the twinkling in his eyes remained. She nodded in response and Dumbledore left with a nod at Poppy and another shoulder clap to Severus.

Severus looked suspiciously at his old friend and sighed quietly. 'What was that man up to?'