Disclaimer: All of the characters in the story, excluding Kat Wilbury, belong to the almighty J. K. Rowling. May she be blessed with a life of her dreams for dreaming up such amazing characters and worlds.

The sun set slowly into the clouds. It cast shadows of pink and orange down along the grounds of what looked like a large castle. A lone figure sat alone, gentle wisps of hair falling softly onto his face as he watched the clouds dart around the sun. A gentle beam of sunlight graced his face betraying him to the world from a mask of hair that surrounded him.

Severus Snape did always hate to see the summer come to an end. The sun seemed to permanently set on the end of the summer months, never again would it shine as brightly during the year. Summer ending meant that the days would become shorter, the air would cool, students would return school, and Severus' role as a teacher would once again be his main focus.

Severus Snape had been a teacher at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry for five years. Ever since the day that he had come to Albus Dumbledore and admitted to his life as a death eater he had been employed at Hogwarts. Five long years he was in solitude. (And five years of solitude can do a lot to a man, something was cracking inside of Professor Snape.)
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Severus Snape had been summoned to Albus Dumbledore's office. Severus walked slowly through the halls of Hogwarts, much as though he were a child sulking. He was dressed in a fine white silk shirt that stuck slightly from sweat to his ribcage. His trousers were made of a fine black material that appeared to be made from magical cloth. The trousers always appeared to have just been pressed.

Severus appeared at the large stone griffin that guarded Dumbledore's office. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Cherry swirl." Severus muttered. The stone Griffin jumped into life and moved slowly out of the way to reveal a stone staircase. The staircase was swirling upwards as Severus stepped on. The staircase and Severus came to an abrupt stop. He sighed and went to knock on the door.

"Come in Severus, and there is no need to knock, I know you are here." Dumbledore called from inside.

Severus sighed and let his hand fall to the door knob, opened it and walked in. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore sat behind his large oaken desk. Odd sliver instruments lined shelves, and other interesting and most likely rare objects were strewn about the room.

Albus motioned for the chair that sat in front of his desk, "Severus, do sit down and stay awhile." The headmasters bright blue eyes twinkled as he watched Professor Snape settle down into the chair.

"Headmaster, what was it that you summoned me here for?" Severus asked.

"I simply called you here to as if you would mind doing me a favor. I do say, it wouldn't do you any harm either."

"And what Headmaster, if I am not being to bold, is this that I am to be doing. For you have clearly already made up your mind that I am. You don't need to ask me. You could have just told me."

"Well Severus, I was wondering if you would mind helping the new Runes teacher for me. That is, meeting her at Hogsmead and helping her with her things."

Snape glared at him. "Don't glare at me like that, I rather think that you will like her. She is only 22 years of age and quite beautiful. She might be just the thing the school needs to keep you sane." Snape's glare only became stronger.

"Yes Headmaster, if you think that this is best." Snape growled through clenched teeth as he got to his feet and stormed out of Dumbledores' office.

"How dare he interfere with my personal life! It is no place of his to try and find me someone with whom I should shower my affections! That daffy old creep, how dare he!" Severus fumed as he marched loudly down to the dungeons. Oh he would help the new Runes teacher, he would help he so much that Dumbledore wished that he had never tried to help him, he would make him wish that he were never born with the way he would treat the girl...