Chapter Four

A/N: I really wanted to update sooner, but my comptuer disagreed ::shakes fist at computer:: Anyway, enjoy and please review!

It had been a gorgeous late summer afternoon, and as if faded into night the sky took on the most brilliant orange and red hue. It was almost as if it was angry that another beautiful day had passed only to slip into the darkness of night. Severus Snape on the other had, did not mourn with the sunset. He much preferred the subdued sounds of night and the star filled skies to the illusions of day. If he had thought to ask his new 'wife', he would have been very surprised to find that she felt exactly the same way.

The two trudged up the path to Hogwarts, walking side by side with at least an arm lengths distance between them. Severus face was set in a bitter sneer at the thought of having to explain how he left single this morning, and then came back married at dusk. As they rounded the bend that would led them straight into Hogwarts, Severus glanced over at the woman beside him. If she was feeling just as anxious as he was, it was impossible to tell. Her face was set in an emotionless mask, and she looked more morbid than anything else.

'Lovely.' He bemused. 'I get to pass a corpse off as a wife.'

As their feet echoed on the stone steps leading to the front entrance of Hogwarts, Severus could feel his heart begin to pound. It would probably be better to go straight to Dumbledore and get it over with, besides he was bound to find out sooner or later anyway. That man seemed to know everything that happened in his beloved school, sometimes even before they had even happened. Severus thought it was maddening, and more than a little obnoxious at times.

Severus felt his heart drop as he pushed open the great doors and entered into Hogwarts, only to find the legend himself standing before him.

'How the bloody hell does he do that?' Severus thought with a heavy sigh.

His wife actually looked shocked, which was a nice break from her normal 'I have no feeling in my face' routine.

"Severus!" Dumbledore crossed the distance between them in a majestic sweep of his robes. And he dared to call Severus dramatic. "I was beginning to worry about you, it isn't like you to disappear without good reason."

His face was kind, but his voice had a biting edge to it.

'Wonderful, the old coot is angry.'

"I'm sorry Albus, but I had some personal business to attend to." Severus tired to keep his tone and cold as possible, this was not the time for excessive emotion.

"Would this be your personal business then?" Dumbledore gestured towards the woman before him, with a twinkle in his eye.

"What? Oh yes...I mean..." Severus tried to grab a single coherent thought from his racing mind.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Dumbledore smiled serenely, and reached out shake the woman's hand.

Severus suddenly felt his blood run cold. He didn't know her name! For Merlin's sake how was the going to explain how he didn't even know his own wife's name...

"You must be Albus Dumbledore." His wife suddenly spoke. Her voice was different than Severus imagined it would be. It was sweet, yet forceful. Musical, yet confident. "Severus has spoken of you often. He holds you in the highest regard."

At once Severus was eternally grateful. He no longer felt certain that he was end the night either dead or in Azkaban prison.

"Do you have a name then?"

Dumbledore seemed delighted with her.

"Katherine Snape, but I would be very honored if you would call be Kit."

"Kit it is then." Dumbledore reached down and kissed her hand. "But Snape? Are you two related?"

Katherine blushed from the kiss, and then smiled brightly. "Yes as a matter of a fact."

"Oh?" Dumbledore knotted his eyebrows in confusion.

"I'm his wife actually."

Again, Severus felt his heart start to beat at a frantic pace. As this rate he was going to die of a heart attack before the night was out.

"Wife?" Dumbledore laughed in amusement. "Since when do you have a wife Severus?"

Severus cleared his throat, but before he could open his mouth to speak Katherine jumped in.

"Since this morning. I hope you aren't angry, but we have been seeing each other in secret since Christmas. I actually suggested that we get married as a joke, but then it suddenly seemed like such a good idea..."

"Who am I to stand in the way of love." Dumbledore smiled and then kissed Katherine on the cheek.

Then, much to Severus's disdain, he reached over and pulled him into an embrace.

"I couldn't be happier for you. And you are both welcomed to stay at Hogwarts for as long as you please."

"Thank you." Severus murmured.

"Yes, thank you very much." Katherine beamed. "It's just that, I feel bad living here if I'm not going to contribute."

"Don't feel bad at all my dear." Dumbledore smiled down at her.

"No really. If there is anything I could do....I'm trained as a medi-witch if that helps."

"That's delightful." Dumbledore commented. "But I'm afraid we already have Madame Pomfrey."

"Is she in need of an assistant then? I don't mind, and I'll work for free."

Dumbledore shook his head in amusement. "You think you'll be bored with nothing to do all day then?"

"Yes!" Katherine explained.

The two continued to talk for some time, but Severus wasn't really listening. He was watching Katherine as she spoke, she seemed like such a different creature now. Her face was bright, and her smile radiant. Her cheeks were flushed, and her dark hair wild as it began to come undone. He wondered how it was possible for this to be same person from only moments before.

"It's settled then." Dumbledore drew Severus back to the conversation. "You'll start training as Madame Pomfrey's assistant tomorrow."

Severus gave a short, and incredibly strained smile at the pair, and then reached for Katherine's arm.

"You're wife is very persausive Severus," Dumbledore remarked, "And also very pretty."

Katherine blushed, and Severus clasped onto her elebow. He suddenly wanted to get out of here before the volunteered to be headmaster, for Merlin's sake.

"Goodnight then." She chirped.

"See you both tomorrow." Dumbledore have then a fatherly 'why isn't that cute' smile before turning and walking with down the hall with a spring in his step.

"Where did that come from?" Severus remarked.

He turned and faced Katherine, who looked extremely proud of herself.

"I'm just doing what I was told." She replied, rather coldly. But at least she was speaking to him now. "I suspect this isn't he best situation for either of us, but I intend to make it bearable."

Severus nodded gratefully.

"Do you want me to show you where we'll be living?" He said in the most pleasant tone he could muster.

"Yes."

Severus nodded, and began to lead her down the labyrinth of hallways until they reached the plain wooden door that opened to his rooms.

"My office is upstairs, next to the potions classroom. But I don't think you'll have a need to go up there...ever"

He pushed open the door and then turned on the lights with a flick of his wand. Katherine followed inside, looking around curiously. This was the sitting room apparently, decorating in dark browns and reds, with some very stiff looking furniture arranged around a stone fireplace.

"I'll have someone send my things tomorrow." She commented, taking a few hesitant steps towards the fireplace "Do you mind if I go to sleep, I'm very tired."

Severus shook his head.

"I'll take the couch then." He muttered.

"We can switch every other day if you'd like." Katherine offered.

Her voice was no longer quite as frosty, but it wasn't exactly friendly either.

"We'll figure it out later."

Katherine nodded, and then found her way to the bedroom.

'This is just fantastic.' Severus sighed, and then let his drop down onto the stiff couch. 'It's like I'm cursed. My entire life is cursed.'

He shut his eyes and let out a deep huff of breath. He wanted nothing more than to be able to drown in his own self pity. He reluctantly opened his eyes again as he heard the bedroom door swing open. Katherine came out, wearing his bathrobe no less.

She caught him staring in disdain, and snorted.

"I have nothing of my own." Her voice was calm, yet demanding. "I thought you wouldn't mind."

"I don't...not really."

Severus rubbed his temples. He could feel a headache coming on.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"For ruining my life." Severus blurted out.

"No!" She said exclaimed. "But what would you suggest I do? My loyalty doesn't allow me the privilege of going against our dark lord's wishes"

"Are you suggesting I'm disloyal?' Severus spat, his stomach suddenly clenching up in fear.

"No." She explained. "I was merely saying..."

"Just go to bed!" Severus slammed his fist with fantastic bang onto the nearest end table.

"Fine! Just let me finish!" Katherine banged down on the end table as well, but it didn't have the same effect.

"I wanted to apologize for stomping on your foot earlier today. I saw you limping before, and I hope that I didn't hurt you too badly."

"You didn't." Severus said, crossing his arms across his chest like a scowling school boy.

"You deserved it though. And don't think I won't do it again."

Katherine turned on her heels and stormed into the bedroom, slamming to door behind her.

'How did she manage to turn an apology into a threat?' Severus wondered.

Thoughts of his current situation, and his new wife, could have plagued Severus's mind for hours. However, with a deep yawn he was surprised to find that he was in fact very tired. For a moment he considering taking a potion to stay awake, in case Katherine tried to sneak out in the middle of night and hex Hogwarts into the oblivion or murder half the staff. Instead he decided to place a simple ward around his chambers, and then curled up on the incredibly hard couch and drifted off into a dead slumber