"No, no, no... You're giving your wand too much of a flick. Just a little tap will do it," said Alice. She was helping a second year transfiguration student master turning a cactus into a cake. "Look," she said pointing at her own cactus, "Incanito Pastriutus!" Her cactus turned into a beautiful wedding-type cake, with little people holding hands perched on top. "Now you try again."
The second year took his wand, and careful aimed it and muttered, "In-In-Incanito Patriutus!" as he made a tapping motion towards his cactus. A cake, albeit it a very pointy one, appeared.
"Well, I'm not sure if you'd want to eat it," Alice said to him, "It might prick your throat... But its far better than you were doing. Practice some more on your own, and if you get stuck, come find me and we'll practice together some more," Alice smiled. It was a kind smile, like her grandfather's, where her eyes twinkled and you knew that you were safe and respected. She had taken on a role at Hogwarts as mainly a tutor, but also a substitute teacher if one of the professors had to be called out for.. reasons. The boy packed up his wand, waved, and slipped out of the door with a smile on his face, obviously feeling a sense of accomplishment.
Alice put her wand back into her robes as well, these being black with a metallic purple trim. She had a second thought and took her wand back out. She pointed toward the cake and said, "Imaginus Personium!", flicking her wand with her wrist. The cake began to take a human form, slowly becoming so realistic that if someone were to walk by the room, they would swear that there were two people in it.
"So, how are you?" Alice said towards the cake person. "Oh, I'm very well, thank you for asking. Why of course I'd love to have dinner with you," she said, taking one of his fingers. She pulled it off. It was made of cake. "Well, at least you taste good," she said, stuffing the finger into her mouth. "Mmmm, chocolate..."
"Still showing off, eh?" said a voice behind her. Quickly she pulled out her wand, pointed it at the man-cake, and made it disappear.
"What are you doing here?" Alice said with apparent distaste in her voice. She did not turn around to look at the other person. Her eyes were firmly planted to the opposite side of the room.
"I'm here for the same reason you are," said the voice. "To help out should any... trouble occur. There are more of us on the way, too. At least 5 of Hogwarts best graduated students are on their way back. Dumbledore called for us all. We're going to be staying in the west tower with you," said the voice with a certain tone of 'like it or not' in his voice. Alice turned around to look at the intruder.
He was tall, at least 6 feet, with dark brown hair that fell into his eyes, despite how many times he brushed it away. His robes were black as well, but plain, with no ornamentation at all. "He does look like his family," Alice thought. "So, What is your job here at Hogwarts?" Asked Alice, hoping it was not the same as hers as general tutor and substitute teacher.
"I'm going to be assisting my Uncle in his positions class," the man said.
"Uncle!" Alice thought, "He's always been jealous that Snape has known that I was a better student than he was, even if he IS really Snape's family." Her eyes were coated in a film of dislike.
"Yes," the man continued, "My Uncle. Not yours, despite what you may call him. Remember that." He was much like Snape, even the way his lips tightened at his faux-smile, but Alice could not bring herself to like him.
"So, I guess we're going to be sharing living quarters, eh Truvius? Alice said, forcing herself to hold an air of cordiality. "We're fighting on the same side, you know, we better learn to get along." He face was frozen in a smile so forced that her muscles hurt. She stuck out her hand at Truvius'. "How about we call everything that's happened in the past the past, and start anew, as friends." There was a pause. "Or at least with a little bit of mutual respect," she added quickly.
Truvius slowly took his hand from under his robe and took Alice's. "No, no, we can be friends," Truvius said much to Alice's surprise. "Just imagine our power if we work together." Truvius' lips took on his Uncle's smile again. "And besides," he said, his face stiffening, "I remember what happened last time we dueled. I'd rather not repeat that experience." Alice was shocked at this admittance of defeat, something she had never heard Truvius do before. "I see your look of shock," Truvius said, still holding Alice's hand. "I'll admit that some things have changed during the time we've spent apart. You're right, we're fighting this together." He squeezed her hand. "We need to work together as well."
Truvius Snape let of Alice's hand and dug into his robes, from which he pulled out a gold pocket watch. "It's time to eat," he said, "care to join me? We can put together a plan, or just..." he paused before he said this, "catch up on old times." Alice's lips formed a smile, the first genuine one since Truvius had entered the room, and they left, albeit cautiously, together to go to the great hall.
* * *

"And that," said Truvius, "Is how I nearly melted my shoes to the floor in my Potions 101 class at the university!" Both Alice and Truvius were laughing. They had just spent the last few hours together, and for the first time in all their lives, not one fight erupted. Alice poured them each another goblet of Butterbeer while she recounted their days together as students at Hogwarts.
"We hated each other so!" She laughed while picking out a tart from a golden platter. "Remember that time when we turned each other into toads? Madame Pomfrey could hardly stand to hold us! Although, I must say, my technical execution of the spell was far better than yours. You left me with hair. A toad with a head full of hair - can you imagine?" She took a bite of the tart. "Mm, dewberry. Care for a bite?" She held the tart out toward Truvius.
"No thanks," he said, holding up his goblet of butterbeer. "Here, lets make a toast." He motioned for Alice to take her goblet in hand. "This toast is for us. To me, Truvius, as the potions assistant at Hogwarts, and to you, Alice, looking as beautiful as ever, serving as the best tutor that Hogwarts has ever seen. May we have ever lasting happiness. Cheers." He tapped his goblet to Alice's, who was still blushing at his mention of her being "beautiful". He looked at her, and she tried to seem very interested in the platter of tarts, so he wouldn't be able to tell she was blushing. It didn't work.
"Its true," he mumbled, as not to be overheard by the other professors and students who were occasionally walking through the great hall. "You've really grown up." He was blushing now. "I mean, if I were to ... I mean, would you... Well..," He looked down as Alice looked up.
"Well what?" she asked. Truvius straitened up, showing no sign of the blushing spell that had just occurred.
"Nothing," he said. "Just wanted to say that its an honor to be working with you." Alice looked puzzled for a moment, but decided it would be best to end the situation. She raised her cup to the sky.
"To us."