A day or so later, Kaira nerved herself to make another trip to the dungeons. She wanted to ask Snape for a couple of the potions she wanted for her classes. As she entered the dungeon, Snape once again suddenly materialised. She'd give a lot to know how he did that!
"Can I help you?" he said, shortly, obviously displeased at being disturbed.
"I just wanted to ask you for some of those potions we talked about."
"Very well. Come with me."
He led her through the main dungeon to another door hidden in the shadows. He opened it to reveal a room full of shelves upon shelves of bottled potions.
"Which ones do you want?"
She named several potions and Snape hunted out the bottles.
"...and Jacinta infusion,"
"I see you took my advice," he glanced searchingly at her.
"You're the potions master," she replied.
"How intelligent of you to notice," he replied snidely. He plucked a final bottle from the shelves. "I assume that will be all?"
"Thank you, Professor," she tried smiling at him.
"You're welcome," he said in a voice that assured her that she was not at all welcome. "Oh, and Professor Elmsford, I hear that you've been deducting points from my students."
"Malfoy questioned my qualifications as a teacher."
"Well, I assume you corrected him on that score," he replied.
"I didn't tell him about my father, if that's what you mean."
"Really, Professor," he raised one eyebrow. "How very interesting."
"If I might..."
"Do not worry, I will not tell him either,"
"Thank you."
"Now, if there is nothing else, I have work to be doing."
She didn't mention that it had been him who brought the topic up, nor that he seemed to do nothing but work. That seemed like tempting disaster, so she merely thanked him for the potions and retreated.
The next day was a Saturday, and a cheery knock came on her office door as she was catching up on some marching.
"Hello?" she called.
"It's only me," said Professor Sprout, "We're off to Hogsmead, if you want to come."
"That would be lovely," Kaira replied. "I'll just be a moment."
She pulled on her boots and coat, then warded her office door.
Outside, she met Sprout, and with her Professor Hooch and the dark-haired Professor Sinistra.
"Nice to see you, Kaira," said Hooch.
"You, too," she replied, taking in all three of them with her smile.
"Let's go then!" said Sprout. "To Hogsmead!"
Hogsmead was amazing. Kaira had heard about it often, but never actually been there. It was the only purely wizarding town in the country and it was incredible. She did not buy much, apart from a bottle of wine that she thought it would be nice to give to Snape for his help with the potions. After all their shopping had been accomplished, Sprout led the way to the Hogshead.
It was a lovely old-style pub and Kaira sat happily at a table with her new friends.
"So how are you liking it so far?" Hooch asked.
"I love it," she answered honestly. "I love teaching, the castle is wonderful and the staff have all been very helpful."
"What, even Severus?"
"Severus?"
"Snape."
"Oh. Yes, he has, actually. He's given me some potions for my classes."
That raised a couple of eyebrows.
"I've never heard of him doing that before," Sprout smiled.
"Seems very un-Snape like to me," said Hooch.
"Perhaps no-one asked before," Sinistra raised an elegant eyebrow.
"Now, Sinistra, just because you're a Slytherin," Sprout grinned.
"I am nothing of the sort!"
"Well, maybe not, but your brothers were. And I still think you would have been had you studied here."
"Perhaps," she replied.
When they had returned, she headed for Snape's dungeon.
"What now, Professor Elmsford?" he said, in exasperation.
"I do wish you would call me Kaira, Professor," she said.
"Kaira, then. I've never had someone pay so many visits to my dungeons." He sounded as if he was keen to keep it that way.
"I've bought you a bottle of wine, as a thank you for giving me those potions."
"How very kind of you," he said, in that silky tone of voice she knew meant she was on dangerous ground. "I think I'll send it to Sprout. She's very keen on wine, you know."
He took the bottle and headed to the fireplace in his office. He threw a pinch of Floo power into it and said: 'Professor Sprout'. The bottle vanished.
Kaira smiled brightly and left the dungeons.
Sprout had, of course, seen Kaira buy the bottle, so would assume the gift was from her. It wouldn't occur to her that the potions master might have sent it.
She still made a point of smiling brightly at Snape and saying hello when she could, and still received glares in return. Until one day, she received a slight nod and no glare whatsoever. This was an improvement! Buoyed up by this success, she visited the potions master in his lair later that day.
"Kaira," he greeted her.
"S... Severus," she replied, thrown by the fact that he hadn't immediately demanded to know what she was doing in his domain. "I was just hoping you'd tell me a bit more about how you knew my father."
He stared at her intently for a moment and she felt a little like a rabbit being hypnotised by a snake.
"Dumbledore didn't tell you, did he?"
"Tell me what?"
"About my rather unique situation." He began to roll up one of his sleeves. Oh no, she thought. Please, no. Don't let this be what I think it is! But it was. The potions master impassively revealed an ugly mark on his forearm. The Dark Mark. "This is how I knew your father."
Although Kaira was a fully trained Auror, she had never actually worked as one, and her only thought was to run away. Run to Dumbledore. Snape watched her go, something akin to satisfaction in his eyes.
It took her but moments to reach Dumbledore's office.
"Do come in, my dear!" he said, as she knocked on the door. "What is the matter?"
"S...Severus is a Death Eater?" she demanded. Dumbledore sighed.
"Oh dear. I suppose I should have briefed you about this, Kaira, but I didn't want to alarm you. You see, Severus was a Death Eater, but he turned, even before the war. He's been passing on information to us at great risk to himself for years."
"I... see..." she stuttered.
"Really it was too bad of him to break it to you like that," Dumbledore told her. "Here, drink some tea. Have a jelly baby." His eyes twinkled, and she began to think it wasn't that bad at all, for a moment.
"He knew my father." She said, bluntly.
"So, that's it," he said, thoughtfully. "I did wonder. Yes, I believe I remember Severus telling me something about when he first took the mark, some potions work he was doing supervised by Bristow. He didn't much care for him, I fear."
"I don't think many people did," Kaira said, sadly. "Even his wife didn't like him."
"Another reason why I did not tell you was for security reasons. The less people who know Severus's true role, the better. Should Voldemort even suspect, Severus's life would not be worth much."
"I can see that," she replied. She had clearly misjudged the potions master and resolved to go and confront him as soon as possible.
"Back again?" Snape raised an eyebrow.
"You deliberately mislead me!"
"I did nothing of the sort, Professor Elmsford." Clearly he was no longer going to call her Kaira. "I merely showed you certain evidence and sent you to the Headmaster."
"Tell me about my father."
"I don't see that it is any of your concern," he said waspishly. "Good day, Professor Elmsford." He retreated to his office and shut the door firmly.
Kaira stood staring after him. That man was one of the most exasperating she had ever met!