As the feast drew to a close and the students began their journeys to their dormitories, Snape escorted Selene to his dungeon office. He opened the door, ushering her through, and offered her a seat before pointing his wand at the ashen fireplace and muttering the word 'incendio'. Her face, still hidden by that stubborn pane of hair, looked even more brutalized by the light of the fire. Her narrowness was accentuated a thousand times by the way the shadows danced across her pointed cheekbones and overly large lips. He studied her as he made his way to the chair beside her, and concluded that with a little mass added to her lithe frame she could be astoundingly beautiful. He cursed himself for his soft thoughts.

He sat beside her in an overstuffed easy chair, uncharacteristic for a room of Severus Snape's, and turned to speak to her. "Selene, I don't know what you've been through, but it's obviously been very trying for you. I want you to know something, though, here and now. You're allowed to look at me. From now on I shall demand it."

Selene slowly raised her head to match his, but cleverly averted her gaze to the bookcase behind him. He decided that it was a start. "As you most likely already know, I am the potions master here. Albus told me that you were quite adept at potions."

"Yessir."

"That's another thing, Selene. You need not address me as sir. Professor Snape or simply Professor will do. I'd offer to have you call me Severus but I'm confident that you wouldn't do it anyway." At this Selene blushed visibly, and it did incredible wonders to the pallor of her face.

"Yes Professor."

"Tell me about your experience."

The prospect of speaking more than a pair of words to anyone seemed to visibly agitate Selene, but she began bravely. "I was a student at Azylum, a wizarding school in New England. I was a prefect, graduated with honors. I was offered a position as potions master there, which I accepted. I met a man…" at this, Selene began to trail off.

"Please continue."

"I met a man. He taught Dark Arts. The more I got to know him the more control he had. I escaped to England, he pursued me. Luckily, the headmaster at the school where I taught wrote to Dumbledoor explaining my position and he took me in."

"Indeed. I meant for you to tell me about your experience in potions, but that's quite alright."

"I'm sorry sir."

"Professor."

"Professor." Selene regained her breathy whisper.

"So I should be addressing you as professor as well, then."

"I'm not a professor, sir."

"But you were. Once a teacher always a teacher, in my experience. It's not a lifestyle that you fall out of."

"You fall out of many things over the years, in my experience."

"Indeed. Am I to deduce that this is all you wish to tell me about your past?" A natural bond was growing between the two. It seemed that all he had to do was pull her out of her shell little by little and she would warm up to him, one timid glance after another.

"Am I to deduce that that is not quite all you wish to hear?"

"Undeniably."

'What do you want to know?"

"Everything."