The Silver Snake
By Belldandy

Part One

The last day of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts

Albus Dumbledore twiddled his thumbs pleasantly, watching Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they walked out of school with the rest of the students. His eyes sparkled, and he heard soft footsteps from behind him. Without turning, he said, "Hello, Morgan. It's been a while."

"Hello, Albus." A woman, who looked about thirty with long chestnut brown hair and pine green eyes, looked out at him from behind small, oval-shaped glasses. She had a harassed look on her face, and spoke in annoyance. "You didn't hire Severus Snape as a teacher... did you?"

With a smile, Dumbledore turned to her. "Why should I not have? If I am correct, you yourself have come to ask for a job, have you not?" His blue eyes twinkled from behind his half-moon spectacles in a mysterious way.

"Albus, you have not changed a bit." She told him, frowning slightly. "Always trusting. Too trusting. I have heard other stories about your staff, as well. I must tell you how I disapprove," She said.

"As do many, Morgan," He replied shortly. His silvery mustache curled up mysteriously in a smile.

She looked at him sulkily and changed the subject. "So, about that job, Albus..."

"Morgan Star," Hissed a cold voice. Dumbledore and his companion looked to see Severus Snape standing before them, a look of loathing on his face.

Star snorted. "That's 'Star' to you, Snape. Nothing else," She said, her eyes radiating as much hatred as Snape's. "Still Gothic, I see. If you didn't look so old, one might mistake you for a punk, Snape."

His lip curled, and a muscle in his forehead twitched involuntarily. In one fluid motion, he had strode to her and grabbed her wrist, yanking the sleeve of her robes up to her shoulder. "The Dark Mark!" He said in a venomous whisper. He then glared at her, voicing his dislike. "Still alive, I see," He said, mimicking her. "If you didn't look so evil, one might mistake you for a normal person with a completely rash explanation for this." His eyes glittered maliciously. "But I'm sure you're about to tell me it's a tattoo?"

She pulled her arm away. "You have it, too, Snape." She snarled.

"Ah, but I've been cleared by justice, Star." He replied. A smile of smug triumph leered at her from beneath his black hair, his dark eyes glittering.

"As have I." Star replied.

"A Death Eater at the age of thirteen, Star. That isn't a joke. No one is laughing anymore," Snape said icily. "Not even the Dark Lord."

"Severus," Dumbledore said warningly, no longer smiling. "I hope you won't treat Professor Star like this all next year."

Star looked estatic. "I got a job? Really?"

"There are no openings!" Snape hissed. But he knew that the deal was done and somehow Star would be a teacher anyway... and it infuriated him.

"I'm sure we can work it out," Said Dumbledore, his tone almost amused. "Can you think of a class that Hogwarts does not teach, Severus? Perhaps we should broaden our horizons." He smiled good-naturedly, peered at them from behind his glasses happily.

"I'm sure I know just what Star would suggest," Snape said angrily. "A class all about performing the Dark Arts!"

"Sorry, Snape," Star retorted, leering at him with a sardonic half-smile. "I wouldn't want to take over in your area of expertise." She glared at him, her eyes darkening ominously.

"Now, now, Morgan. That was uncalled for," Dumbledore intervened. "As was Severus's comment."

Snape's lip curled again and he pointed, enraged, at Star's arm where the mark was hidden beneath her robes. "That is what she is, Headmaster! Do you really trust her?"

"It is what I was! What I used to be!" Star cried.

"Of course I trust Morgan," Dumbledore said, silencing them. "I trust her just as I trust you, Severus. She, too, has proved herself, which is the most probable reason that she is not locked up in Azkaban at this very moment. Do you understand?" He asked, taking no notice of Star's shiver.

Snape's eyes flashed, looking dangerously between her and Dumbledore. He finally sneered mockingly at Dumbledore, and spoke. "Very well, Headmaster. Do as you wish. But, I will tell you now, putting the students in her care will be nothing but dangerous, although I know that I can change your mind only as much as I can keep the world from turning." With another glare at Star, he swept away.

"Actually, it only requires a simple spell to do that," Star muttered.

Dumbledore gazed after Snape, not turning his eyes on Star. "Simple, yet illegal." He said lightly. "I think that we should discuss your hiring in my office," He said, turning away.

"Yes, sir." Star clutched a small necklace around her neck, following Dumbledore down the hall.

"I find it peculiar," Said Dumbledore, smiling absentmindedly at the necklace, "How you and Professor Snape treat each other, considering your past... and your similarities."

Star did not look him in the eye. "I would like to pretend that my past didn't happen," She replied curtly. "And as for Severus, we are too different for our own good."

"Very unwise, in my belief," Dumbledore said softly after awhile. "To disregard your past, no matter how terrible, can only bring pain."

Star did not reply. She merely clutched the necklace more, picturing it in her mind's eye. She could see a small silver snake, its body encircled around a tiny emerald orb...