Chapter 5

Severus strode into the Great Hall, hiding his fatigue and the urge to crawl into bed behind a mask of foul temper. He scowled at two Hufflepuff second-years who were standing in his way, and they quickly cleared to one side of his path, whispering in each others ears as he swept by.

The teachers' table was nearly full, most chairs containing already eating professors. Dumbledore was listening intently to Professor McGonagall, but looked up as he approached. Severus hoped he was the only one who could see the slight spark of concern in the headmaster's eyes, and concentrated on ignoring everyone.

He jerked out his chair and sat, knowing food would help with the exhaustion and remnants of pain he was still feeling. It was always so, after returning from the Dark Lord. He had become very good at hiding whatever shape he was in, at least. The students never suspected a thing.

Severus had just picked up a nice, warm, crusty roll when he looked up to see Professor Stone making her slow way up to the table. Students looked up and greeted her with eager smiles, smiles she answered with friendly nods of her own.

He watched her covertly. She had won most of the students over in record time, he thought. And the professors. Even the majority of the Slytherins, with the notable exception of Draco Malfoy, had been heard to remark that Professor Stone was all right, even if she wasn't Professor Snape. Good Slytherins always appreciated favoritism, and Severus had made it a point to favor his own house. It added to his image.

His eyes narrowed as Professor Stone seemed to stumble just a bit as she passed a large group of Ravenclaws. She was instantly steadied by quick hands, but Severus had to resist the urge to growl. The woman needed a keeper, he thought. Traipsing all over the castle on that crutch. It was a wonder she hadn't fallen and broken the other leg.

As Professor Stone came closer, his keen eyes were able to detect the faint signs of a fellow in pain. So her little stumble had cost her more than she was letting on, had it? For some reason, that made his temper rise blackly, and he had a strange urge to berate the smaller woman for not taking more care.

Furious with himself, but not able to stop the impulse, Severus rose and jerked out Professor Stone's chair as she came about the table. She gave him a startled look. "Just sit," he growled at her, waiting with what was likely ill-concealed reluctance.

She gave a tiny shake of her head and then did as she was told, easing down into her chair with what was now familiar caution. Severus waited until she was settled before sitting again himself and reaching once more for the food.

"Thank you," Professor Stone's soft voice said at his side, and Severus grunted, before passing the rolls.

~~~~~~~

Sonora checked the top shelf one more time, straining to see two feet above her eye level. "Damn it all," she mumbled under her breath, after a quick check to make sure there were no students around to hear her curse. "Why is everything in the world built for someone tall?" Squinting at the spines, she saw Herbs of Northern Australia and Native Potions from Kuwait. She glared at the shelf.

"There has to be something up there," she said aloud, silently recognizing the fact that she was talking to herself and would probably gain strange looks if someone happened to hear. "Accio Plants of Siberia."

The thick, dusty tome flew down to her hand, and she nearly dropped it under the weight. She swayed a moment before recovering her balance, propped against her crutch as she was, and made her way out of the row of books to a nearby table.

Silently she flipped the cover open and began to scan the table of contents. Agrimony, Basil, Boar's Tooth Geranium, Blood Plant… She stopped at that one. It was a possibility, she thought, and set the book on top of the other two she'd selected.

Heart's Blood, the natives had called it, the leaves a dark red and growing only in the darkest of caves, far from the light. The village she'd lived near had had a legend about the plant, claiming it sprang from the heart of a murdered pair of lovers long ago, and that if picked with the truest of intentions, could bring about true love.

Sonora had been less interested in the legend and more interested in the fact that a tea brewed from the leaves seemed to take away all pain for short periods of time. She had samples growing in her trunk that she'd tended the last few years, locked away from the light. It was one of the keys to her research. And now that she had one of the finest libraries in the wizarding world at her disposal, well…

Sonora tucked her wand into a pocket of her robes, and carefully scooped up the three books with her free hand. Turning and making her way out of the restricted section, she set them down in front of Madam Pince to be checked out.

"Sonora Stone," Madam Pince said, as she peered over her glasses at her. She began checking the books out. "I'm very glad to see a student who always knew the value of knowledge return to Hogwarts."

Sonora gave her a smile. She'd spent a lot of time in the library, curled into a corner with homework or simply reading. She'd hungered for any kind of knowledge, and after her third year, anything about Potions.

"It's good to be back," she said with a smile.

Madam Pince slid the books back across the desk to her. "Doing a bit of reading?" she asked, with a curious look.

"Exactly," Sonora said with a smile. Well, she was, she thought, as she gathered the books into her arm again.

Madam Pince gave her a concerned look. "Are you sure you don't need any help, dear? I can have one of the students carry those for you…"

"Oh, no," Sonora said quickly, "I'm fine. Really." All the offers to carry things for her were starting to become wearing. She had a limp, she hadn't lost a limb or anything. For someone so used to being alone and dependent only on herself, all the attention was unsettling.

She limped her way over to the library doors and gave Madam Pince a nod in farewell. Her eyes caught on the group of fifth-years clustered at a table in the corner. Gryffindors, she thought absently, recognizing the red, black and brown heads of the famous trio of friends. Mr. Potter happened to look up as she began to shoulder the door open and she gave him a friendly nod.

Beyond them, on the other side of the room, her eye was caught by a malevolent glare from Mr. Malfoy. The boy instantly looked away from her as she turned her face, but she had caught enough to know he still resented her presence in his formerly favorite classroom. It was rather a pity, she thought absently as she turned to the library door. The boy had a nice steady touch with a cauldron.

Sonora was halfway out of the library, door propped open with one shoulder when she nearly ran into a black-robed figure. She looked straight up into Professor Snape's face, startled.

He scowled down at her. "What the devil are you doing?" he asked. He glared down at the heavy tomes currently wobbling in her arm. "You can barely manage walking, much less carting around stacks of books."

Sonora felt her temper begin to rise, but with an effort, beat it back. Professor Snape did not deserve to be on the receiving end just because he was echoing what she was tired of hearing. "Thank you, Professor, but I can assure you I'm able to manage a few books," she said, voice admittedly a little tight.

To her astonishment, Snape snorted. "Of course you can. Able to handle anything, can't you, Professor," he snapped sarcastically. As he spoke he reached over and simply took the books from her. "Any fool can see you shouldn't be carrying these books. I'll leave them on your desk," he growled.

Sonora resisted the urge to gape as he then swished off in a swirl of black robes. If she didn't know better, she thought, beginning to make her slow way after him, she'd say Snape was starting to come around.

~~~~~~~

Several weeks later, Sonora was comfortably ensconced in her office, sipping tea and marking sixth-year papers on the importance of controlling the heat of the flame when making a Relaxing Potion, when there was a knock on her door.

"Enter," she called. She looked up with a welcoming smile as Miss Granger entered. "Yes, Miss Granger?" she asked. "What can I do for you?" Behind her she spied Mr. Potter lurking several feet back.

Miss Granger cleared her throat a little. "Ah, Professor, Harry and I were wondering if you could explain to us the assignment on the origins of the Quick Clean Potion?"

Sonora gave her an encouraging smile. "Certainly. Mr. Potter," she called, lifting her voice a little as she looked past the girl in the doorway. "If you are in need of assistance, you will be better served in here than out there." Mr. Potter and somewhat to her surprise, Mr. Weasley both came rather sheepishly into the room.

"I thought you weren't…" Miss Granger began before clamping her mouth shut.

Mr. Weasley seemed to be blushing, judging from the crimson color invading his ears. "Needed help, and you'd gone," he muttered to his friend.

Sonora watched with amusement. These were interesting friends. "Your questions?" she prompted gently.

It took about a half hour for the three students to relax. They became much more cheerful when they realized she was not about to yell at them for not having the answers themselves. Dear Professor Snape, she thought ruefully, he hadn't changed a bit since she had studied under him.

Mr. Weasley looked up at her cheerfully. "Boy, Professor Stone, you're loads better than Professor Snape. He just sneers and…" his voice trailed off as she abruptly turned a severe look on the boy. "Uhh…"

"Mr. Weasley," Sonora said quietly. "I have made it quite clear that only respectful remarks are allowed in my classroom. Disparaging another teacher is not what I would consider respectful, wouldn't you say?" The boy's face was crimson. She looked at Mr. Potter, who was looking blank.

"Mr. Potter. I'm going to take this opportunity to give you both a warning, one that I hope will be passed on to the rest of your classmates." She certainly had their attention, she thought ruefully. "Your class in particular seems to struggle with the concept of respect. There is no victory to be found in cutting remarks, in put-downs, in unnecessarily unkind words."

"But the Slytherins start it!" Miss Granger burst out, and then immediately looked horrified.

Sonora gazed at her steadily. "That may be true, Miss Granger, but you are not required to respond to it. Regardless of your personal feelings toward someone, you should always follow the Golden Rule."

Mr. Potter frowned. "The Golden Rule, ma'am?" he asked.

"'Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you,'" Miss Granger supplied. "Haven't you heard it, Harry? They teach it in elementary school."

"They teach spells in Muggle schools?" Mr. Weasley said, sounding fascinated. "You never said that, Hermione."

Miss Granger frowned at him. "It's not a spell, it's just something to help you learn manners."

"Actually, Miss Granger," Sonora said, "the Golden Rule is a spell. One that when followed as intended, brings harmony and well-being to the caster."

"But it's really hard to be nice to someone when they're saying things," Mr. Weasley said in a low voice, a fierce look on his face. Obviously he had something specific in mind.

"And that, Mr. Weasley, is why the Golden Rule is rarely cast properly," Sonora said softly. "To do so requires a true belief in the Rule and a true dedication to the concept. The spell will not work otherwise. When done properly, the casters not only give kindness, but they begin to receive it from the people around them."

Miss Granger was looking fascinated, and unless Sonora was much mistaken, was already planning a trip to the library to read about the Golden Rule. Mr. Potter was looking thoughtful, and Mr. Weasley was simply doubtful.

Sonora resisted the urge to sigh. "If you have no further questions about the homework," she said gently.

All three students' expressions cleared. "No, ma'am," Miss Granger said politely. "Thank you."

On a whim, Sonora flicked her wand as the three went out the door and sent a Listening Charm after them.

"Christ, she's a bit nutters, isn't she?" she listened to Mr. Weasley said as the three went down the hall.

"I don't know, Ron, if she's right about the Golden Rule, then it makes a lot of sense," Miss Granger pointed out. "I'm going to stop in the library and look it up. You two coming?"

"Nah, I've got Charms essay to write," Mr. Potter answered. "She's way better than Snape, though, isn't she?"

There was a snort. "Definitely better looking." Mr. Weasley said. "As long as we don't keep loosing house points, of course."

"Follow the Golden Rule, Ron," Miss Granger reminded him.

"Tell that to Malfoy," the boy muttered.

Sonora gave another flick of her wand, ending the spell, and sat back with a smile. It was all about planting a seed, she thought with a smile as she turned back to the sixth-year essays. Dumbledore had told her that long ago, and darned if the old rascal hadn't been right.

~~~~~~~

Severus was tired, angry and more than ready to seek his bed as he made his way from the headmaster's office that night. Playing two roles was wearing on him. Sooner or later, his cover would break and the Dark Lord take his revenge. Wearily Severus contemplated the end. It would be painful, he had no doubt, but in many ways it would be a relief. After all, what else did he have tying himself to this life?

His steps slowed as he began to descend into the dungeons. Dumbledore had asked how he was getting along with Professor Stone, and it had taken a great deal of restraint on Severus' part not to break into grim laughter. How was he getting on? He was slowly going mad, he thought bleakly.

Every day, he caught himself noticing things he did not want to see about her. Things such as the slenderness of her fingers, curled around a marking quill. Things such as the glossy sheen of her coiled dark hair, even after a day spent over cauldrons. Things such as the pale gold tint of her skin and the way her severe black robes flowed softly over such a fragile looking form. Or even the way those remarkable dark eyes were windows into her thoughts, how he was becoming more and more able to pick out carefully disguised signs of pain, fatigue or anger.

Worst of all was the way he kept catching himself dwelling on how she looked at him. Those who knew his secret, they inevitably gazed on him with looks of buried disgust, disdain, anger, or worst, pity. All except Dumbledore looked at him with those looks that instinctively told him he was not one of them, and never would be. But Professor Stone… her eyes were always clear when she turned them on him. There was no hint of disdain, only acceptance, and if he was bold enough to think it, respect.

Severus scowled furiously as he reached for the door handle. He did not need to notice these things. Bad enough he was making a fool of himself, always waiting around and making sure she sat easily in the Great Hall. All he needed was to let himself dwell on the look in her eyes, and he would be in real trouble.

~~~~~~~

Sonora bent over her cauldron, feeling hot and sweaty and incredibly cranky. Drat it all, that was the third cauldron she'd melted tonight and it was starting to get on her nerves, she thought. Carefully, she sifted the rose petals into the bubbling mixture. After all that reading, she hadn't even begun to experiment with the Heart's Blood. Now, for the part that she couldn't seem to pin down, the liquid moonlight…

She checked her notes as she slowly let one drop fall into the liquid. Four years she'd been working on this potion in secret. She let another fall and watched the mixture lighten. She'd had some spectacular failures, including the one that had forced her to move from Siberia to Pakistan. The village in Siberia had not appreciated their roofs disappearing in a blast of purple light, and she'd had to cast a wide obliviate spell after setting things right.

She added a third drop and began to tense. But if she could get the potion to balance properly, if she could succeed… it would be a triumph. So much pain would go out of the world. Her hand was steady as she added the fourth drop. At least she'd gotten some other, helpful potions out of the work, such as the Quick-Heal Potion. She added the fifth drop and quickly capped the bottle. But they would be nothing compared to this.

She was reaching for the salt shaker when the dungeon door flew open and startled her. Too much salt spilled from the shaker into the cauldron and Sonora instinctively flung up an arm just before the familiar flash of violet light swamped the room.

When she lowered her arm, it was to see another melted cauldron, another mess, and beyond, an irate looking Professor Snape, whose skin seemed to have taken on a lavender hue.

"Oh, dear," Sonora said aloud, looking at him, and not able to stop the corners of her mouth from twitching. Her irritable mood took an abrupt swing upward as she took in the sight before her.

Professor Snape glared at her. "What the devil are you doing?" he demanded. He held up his hands and studied them before turning that black look back on her. "I'm purple, dammit!"

Sonora picked up her wand from her desk and began the cleaning spells to dispose of the mess in the middle of the floor. "I was working on my research," she said, mouth still quirking. "You startled me."

"I'm purple," Professor Snape said again, his voice rising.

"Don't worry, Professor," she said soothingly, trying her hardest not to laugh, "it'll wear off in a day or so."

"A day?? YOU'RE not purple," he demanded furiously.

"Ah, no, I cast some preventative charms on myself and room before I began," Sonora said, mouth twitching feverishly. "I didn't think you've appreciate a lavender classroom."

Snape glared at his hands again. "A day? Damn it all," he muttered before beginning to stomp over to the door to his quarters. He abruptly stopped and wheeled around. "And just what were you working on?" he demanded once again.

Sonora smiled. "I'll let you know once I've figured it out," she said.

She thought she heard a growl come from the good Professor's throat before he whirled around and disappeared through his door.

Sonora chuckled despite herself and slowly limped her way toward her own office. She'd not seen a great deal of Professor Snape recently. He seemed to have been attempting to stay out of her way. Other than the lists of lessons for the week that he left on her desk, and his constant silent presence next to her at dinner, she'd barely seen the hem of his robes since he'd carried her books for her.

She eased down into her office chair, and gingerly rubbed her leg. Madam Pomphrey said it was healing slowly, more slowly than she'd anticipated. Still, Sonora had been upgraded from a crutch to a cane on her visit today, and she'd decided to view that as progress.

She grimaced. If only she could upgrade the ache, as well, she thought, fingers massaging her thigh. It never seemed to ease.

~~~~~~~

Somewhat to her surprise the next morning, Professor Snape appeared at breakfast. He yanked out her chair, as had become his custom, before sitting next to her with a grand swish of robes. Sonora looked over at him in amazement. "Why, you're not purple," she said in surprise, not thinking.

Professor Snape cast her a rather smug look. "When you have been teaching thick-headed dunderheads as long as I have, you amass a large number of remedies to unfortunate side effects," he said, helping himself to a good amount of eggs.

Sonora chuckled, delighted they were actually having a conversation. "You've turned purple before?" she asked, waiting for him to pass the bowl.

Snape sniffed. "The Weasley twins alone have attempted a number of different colors during the last six years," he said. Sonora thought she heard a note of dry humor in his voice and chuckled. To her amazement, Snape smiled. It was thin and dry, to be sure, but still there was a definite curve to his lips. "Please do me a service, however, Professor Stone, and do not try to out do them. I'm low on powdered unicorn horn."

Sonora laughed aloud. "I'll do my best, Professor," she said with a grin.

He offered the bowl. "Eggs?"

"Thank you," she smiled and accepted it.