The following morning, Alexi didn't show at breakfast, sending a note to Dumbledore that she would be refraining from classes for the next day or two, and that she wished to eat meals in her room.  Dumbledore respected her wishes and sent Dobby with food and drink for her.  Of course, the main reason she didn't want to be there for meals was that she would have to face Snape, and she wasn't ready for that (she had no idea who brought her to her room – she assumed Dumbledore or Hagrid).   Snape sent her an owl asking her to speak with him, but she refused.  She had no interest in ever speaking with him again.  He sent several more notes, by owl and with Dobby, but she was stubborn and simply threw them in the fire.

          After two days, she decided to return to class (except Potions, of course), but still ate in her room.  That evening, Dumbledore asked her to meet him in his office after dinner.  He queried her as to how she was feeling.  She asked him if he had any information on the whereabouts of Voldemort.  He did, but could not reveal it to her. 

          "Because I'm a Muggle," she said disconsolately. 

          "No, because it is not necessary for you to know," Dumbledore weakly smiled.  He then asked her what happened between her and Snape.  Knowing she could trust him, and needing to talk to someone, she told him everything.

           "I see," Dumbledore said.  "And what would you say to him if he were here in front of you?  Especially if I told you that he didn't know of your parents' murders until after your 'argument'?"  Alexi stared.  "Yes, he was called away, without my knowledge." 

          She mulled it over, grey eyes deep in thought.  "I would tell him I forgive him.  I see no point in wasting my time with him any longer." 

          Dumbledore's eyes sparkled.  "Good, you can tell him yourself, face-to-face."  He beckoned to the corner of the room, where Snape had been hiding.  "Come, Severus."  Alexi glared at Dumbledore.  "It seems Professor Snape has tried to contact you several times, to no avail.  I saw this as the only way that you would speak to him.  You are both dismissed."

          Snape followed Alexi out of Dumbledore's office.  Stopping halfway down the hall, she turned on him.   Accusingly, she asked, "What was so important that you wanted to speak with me?  Haven't you given me enough grief?"  

          "I thought you were going to forgive me."

          "I was.  What do you want?

          Snape bowed his head.  "I simply wanted to apologize for my actions the other day.  It was wrong for me to allow my students to tease you so unmercifully, even if I was unaware of the circumstances.  It will not happen again."

          "Of course it won't.  Their object of ridicule is no longer there."

          "Miss Cantata, I want you back in the class.  You show great promise as a potions master.  I can try to find a job for you, if you are really interested in the field.  Goodness knows none of my other students care one whit for proper potion making."

          Alexi looked at him, surprised.  "Okay, I don't presume to understand why you had the change of heart, but I guess I do forgive you."  Suddenly humble, she whispered, "I would love to come back to class.  Thank you." 

          The next day, she returned to Potions class, where the Slytherins sat moping.  Evidently Snape had indeed said something to them.  Draco gave her a dirty look as she took her seat.  She was in such a good mood she even shot the Malfoy brat a smile.  He simply glared in return.  After the class, Snape informed her she had a job if she wanted it – at Pestle and Kapsul, an alchemy and chemistry shop in Hogsmeade.  She was interested, but declined.  "Not outside the castle," she said adamantly.  He queried her as to why she had not ventured outside the Hogwarts grounds, and she told him she was afraid if she left, she might never see the castle again.  Snape reminded her she did it once, and that she didn't have to imagine it was there – she now KNEW it was there.  He took her for a walk outside after dinner that night, towards Hogsmeade where the shield of protective spells was narrowest.  They followed a narrow path and climbed up a large hill.  Near the summit, she felt a small jolt as she left the ring of spells, but ignored it.  Cresting the hill, Snape told her to turn and tell him what she saw.  She slowly did so and began to weep.  Snape thought she had lost the ability to see the castle, and apologized.  She shook her head and told him she was crying because the castle was so beautiful, and that she could not believe it was her new home.  This, of course, did not prevent her from being irked with Snape for tricking her.  However, she knew she now fit in and accepted the Hogsmeade job. 

          With her Muggle savings, she purchased two fine horses, a palomino mare named Solstice and a dappled gray stallion named Equinox, and used them for her transportation to Hogsmeade.  As the weeks went by, Alexi slowly began opening up to some more of the students.  However, the only instructors she felt comfortable talking to wholeheartedly were Snape, McGonagall, and Dumbledore, who had become close friends.  Alexi told them of her trials growing up and of always feeling like an outsider in her world.  She had also found a way of creating her special niche in the magical community, and offered riding lessons to anyone interested.