A/N: Let me just say to all of you out there in FFN land- You are all EVIL!! Slytherins the whole bloody lot of you! Imagine wanting to make poor adorable Snape overthrow Voldemort... *smiles* Good job!

Well, early voting has it tied 3-3:

Charlie Girl, Ariana (Memento Mori is an awesome fic btw, I'm honored for the comparison) and my House Elf Babbitt (and me personally but I don't count I'm just the writer) want our tortured Snape back

Lataradk, Snake, and W.G. want him to remain with (or replace) Voldemort. Tina wants a little more of rueful villain so she's a 'hanging chad'(you may get your wish)

I guess I'll have to wait for a more concrete vote but until then- we're going to follow Severus' led and keep things nice and hazy... *evil grin* Can you tell where loyalty lies, dear reader? Happy reading and Coesius if your reading this- where's your vote?

And now, on with the show, keep voting it could go either way!

A House Divided

"Zamora, Liam."

The little brown haired first year tiptoed to the Sorting Hat. He was so small that the ragged hat slid all the way down to his mouth. The school giggled and somewhere under the cloth, Liam blushed. After a moment that seemed like eternity for both Liam and the scores of hungry schoolmates; the hat proudly announced:

"Slytherin!"

And the crowd went wild. Even Ron and the rest of his Gryffindor mates were cheering, not so much for Liam as for the upcoming feast. McGonagall rolled the scroll up and removed the battered stool. She returned to her seat just as the Headmaster stood and told the students to begin the meal.

Professor Snape leaned back and surveyed the school as it began to eat, chat and catch up on all that had passed this summer. Twirling a stray lock of ebony hair between skilled, slender fingers, Snape watched the countless faces, some familiar others strangers but all in danger. No one was safe now. This would be the first school year in a long time where the threat of Voldemort was on everyone's mind, not just a select few like Albus Dumbledore or Harry Potter. Now things were different, very different.

Across the table, Remus Lupin glanced at Harry and watched the boy beam. He smiled, winked and lifted his glass to Harry. Remus was dressed in worn, beaten robes that seemed to have faded from what once could have been brilliant design and color. But fine robes and pressed clothing wasn't Remus, that belonged to Severus' kind, with Remus a smile was all that counted.

"Professor Lupin's back!" Hermione called happily. "That's terrific!"

"And I bet that old git Snape will be furious." Ron said enjoying every bit of his chicken. He wiped the grease off his hands by rubbing them on his pants. Then he looked back to the staff table, "Hey, who is she?"

The woman he was pointing to was leaning back and seemed content to stare coldly at the Slytherin table. Currently, she was having a staring contest with the Bloody Baron. She had the most dangerous eyes, the color of Unicorn's blood and just as deep. A thick curtain of black hair laid limp on her shoulders, partially covering her right eye. She had dyed a portion of her hair on either side of her face the color of her eyes. She was young, probably not much older then the seventh years. She couldn't be more then 25 but there was something more to her. Something cold, and evil lurking beneath the surface.

Harry didn't like her. "I don't know...new teacher?"

"For what?" Hermione asked. "Lupin is back...hey where's Snape?"

"Dunno." Ron said, his eyes still watching the woman. "Probably off somewhere scaring first years- point is, he's not bothering us."

The woman turned her head and met his eyes. She smiled at him and then turned as Dumbledore called her. He beckoned her to his side. She rose, chrome and ebony robes flowing, and walked to his side. He whispered something in her ear to which she bowed and exited by a side door. Lupin glanced carelessly, caught Ron's eyes and shook his head no.

"I want to welcome all the new students as well as the returning." Dumbledore said but there was something gone from his voice. He looked older, and more frail this year and there was something in him that caused him pain. "This past year was one of lost and sacrifice. Some of the choices may have been difficult and painful but in these times there was no room for gray- and those who chose the darkness are lost to us forever, or at times it seems that way."

Dumbledore did something very strange then. He kinda stepped back and bowed his head and stayed that way for sometime. When he looked back up, his eyes were glittering. "We lost friends, loved ones...even sons..."

McGonagall stood and touched his shoulder lightly. He shooed her away and continued. "But we must not let those losses, no matter how deep, deter us from what needs to be done. I told you last time we met to remember Cedric Diggory. For you first years ask your fellow schoolmates who he was and learn about the boy who's death marked a turning point. I told you to remember him if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy and now I must add something to that: Remember he was not the only one. "

Professor Snape had returned to the Great Hall and was leaning again the wall. Nothing was written on the aristocratic face, no hint of pain or joy only a grim impassive mask. Then the head inclined and dark eyes studied the floors. And ebony hair hid the glistening tears.

"Professor Snape! Snape!" Remus called out to the retreating black cloak. He was doing double time trying to keep up with the Potions teacher. "Kaiya!"

Kaiya Snape turned and sighed heavily. Her dark gray eyes were lined with red. She regarded Lupin angrily. "Yes, Professor Lupin what its it?"

"I just wanted to say..."

"If you intend on mentioning Severus or his recent decision, I beg of you to stop now. I have heard nothing but news of his betrayal since I came to England and frankly, its hard enough knowing he may be lost to the dark side forever, then to have people constantly reminding me of it." She looked on the verge of tears again.

"I was going to ask you, if you could help me with a lesson Dumbledore wanted me to teach."

Kaiya blushed. She began to say something but instead a small giggle escaped. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be." Remus said softly. He had met Kaiya Alchemy only two months prior to tonight. He reached over and brushed a tear from her eye with his thumb and she looked at him gratefully.

"Thank you." She whispered. "As you can tell, these last few weeks have been the hardest on me."

"It's not an easy burden to bear." He offered kindly, "Would you like to come for a walk with me? The night air would do you good."

She smiled and nodded, following Remus as he ushered her to the nearest exit. They walked in silence around the lake twice before he finally spoke. "So why are you here?"

"To teach Potions."

"Codswallop, and you know it, Alchemy. What's the real reason?"

She stopped cold with her back to him. He paused and waited.

"I'm bait." Her voice was so low, he could barely hear her over the rolling waters of the lake. She turned and met his eyes. "Dumbledore is desperate. Years ago, the Dark Prince brought the Ministry to its knees without an effort on his part. Severus never knew how powerful he had become or how close he was to actually toppling the Ministry's defenses. It was only by fate that he changed sides and began to help Dumbledore. Now, no one is safe anymore. If Severus has allied himself with Voldemort- there is no telling what harm he could do. The boy Potter is Dumbledore's greatest hope and Severus knows this. He also knows how to get to him." Her eyes dimmed. "I'm here as a guardian. Dumbledore is hoping that if I'm Harry's protector, Severus will back down. He's hoping Snape's fatherly instincts, if he has any, will prevent him from harming Harry."

"You don't agree."

"It's believed when a wizard goes over to the dark side, there's nothing he cares about. That's not true." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "There's one thing Severus is after now."

"Power?"

"Revenge."

Remus stood on the banks of the lake pondering this long after Kaiya had left him to go inside. He was playing over and over in his mind the events of this summer. Unbidden, Kaiya's face entered his mind. He felt a surge of anger that Dumbledore had placed her in danger. She was just a child compared to them. She had yet to be seasoned by hard times or grim reality.

That wasn't true, he corrected himself. As a child, Kaiya had been trained in the Dark Arts by her Death Eater keepers. She had been trained to be Voldemort's heir, his next generation. She knew more then anyone the prices- and temptation- of the Dark Arts. Yet that didn't stop Remus from hating the fact she was in danger.

He tilted his head and sniffed the air. The night was filled with her scent.