Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own a thing. Would love to be the proud owner of a Snape, but JK Rowling got there first. She owns all of the characters, settings etc. But you knew that.

-Chapter One Withering Moods-

"Before Albus died, he asked me to tell you something, Severus, and now that you are safely back from the clutches of the Death Eaters, I think you should begin the task he has designed for you." Minerva McGonagall was seated in Dumbledore's old office, Severus opposite her.

"Task?" Snape questioned, sounding only vaguely interested. His mind was wandering again.

"Yes, Severus, a task. Albus told me of it only a few hours before he – well, before he passed away."

Snape flinched slightly. Passed away. McGonagall made it sound so peaceful, when he knew that, in reality, it was far from that. He stared at the picture of Albus on the wall which was performing a bizarre dance. He was strangely nimble for a dead man in a painting.

"Severus?" Minerva questioned, half-concerned, half exasperated.

"Yes, Minerva? The task…?"

"Yes, the task. Well then; where should I begin? Ah…yes. Albus informed me that there is a young lady living homeless at current a little along the road from a church which I shall give you directions to. She is just 15 years old, and her name is Jane. Jane Dashwood. Her mother has been ill since she was a young girl, and recently she died, leaving Jane with no guardian. The grief caused Jane to run away. When I say her mother was ill, though, I don't mean she had cancer or such…I mean that she was insane. In fact, I believe she thought she was living in the early 19th century. It is all very odd." Minerva paused and took a sip of her tea.

"This is all very interesting, Minerva, but what relevance does it have to this task of mine?" Severus interjected impatiently just as Minerva was about to speak again.

"Well, Severus," she smiled slightly, "it has a great deal of relevance. Jane's father, who she never knew, was a wizard. Jane is a witch. She does not currently attend Hogwarts because her mother refused to allow her. Albus decided that, at the time, it was best to leave Jane and her mother be. I do not know his reasons, and I never shall now, but it was his wish that now that Jane's mother is dead, and no longer needs her daughter, Jane must attend Hogwarts. The only problem with this is that, at current, Jane has an extremely limited knowledge of magic. Apparently, arrangements were made with the Ministry before Albus died for her to take her O.W.L.s at the end of the summer holidays. She will then become a student during October."

Snape sighed to himself. "What hope has she of passing her O.W.Ls if she knows no magic? The other students had five years to study for their exams. Even then, some of them struggled. Longbottom springs to mind. His O.W.Ls bought a tear to my eye. Two years on, I'm still recovering from some of his answers in the Potions paper."

"Leave Longbottom alone, Snape. Is it any wonder he lacks confidence with you mocking him at every opportunity. And, for your information, he is excellent at Herbology, Pomona tells me."

Dumbledore's portrait gave a very loud and deliberate cough, causing Minerva and Severus to jump slightly and return to the issue in hand.

"Basically, Severus," Minerva continued, "Jane is extremely gifted. It will not take long for her to grasp everything she needs to know. She'll be up to N.E.W.T level in October."

"And you know this how? Albus told you. Perhaps, Minerva, we ought to be a little more realistic about things. And besides, Miss. Granger would be furious if we introduced a cleverer witch into the school. It would break her heart," Snape sniggered.

"Whilst it's lovely that you are concerned for the welfare of one of my Gryffindor students, I do believe Albus was one of the most excellent wizards the world has ever seen and I for one trust his advice on my life. Jane will be a key figure in the war if we can teach her all she needs to know. This much he has told me. Please, Severus. I need you to train her for me." Minerva took another sip of tea and then pursed her lips. She knew Severus would continue arguing; she was just waiting for him to start up again.

"Look, Minerva, I'm hardly in the most pleasant of moods lately, incase it had escaped your attention. Surely someone else can sort her out?"

"It was Albus' specific wishes that you, no one else, undertake this task of utmost importance, Severus."

"Am I supposed to think of this as a chance to redeem myself? You know, Minerva, that I was not responsible for the death of Albus. Well, I was, but not knowingly. Please, give this task to someone better suited to it. I failed Dumbledore once already and it is not my intention to do so again." Severus decided it was best not to hold back on what he was thinking. He was sick of feeling indebted to everyone. It was Dumbledore he had murdered. Not them.

"Undertake this task, Severus. You will be failing Albus if you do not. He believes you are best suited to this role. You'd be mentor to what I understand is an extremely talented witch. We are to expect greatness from her. Imagine the satisfaction of knowing that you helped her find that greatness." Minerva was getting tetchy.

"It's not just teaching though, is it? I have to connect with her on more levels than that. I have to empathise with her. You know me well enough by now to tell that I am not suited to this."

"Well, Dumbledore believed you are, and we never had any reason to doubt him when he was alive, so we shall have no reason to doubt him now. Whilst it baffles me, it was his wishes. Please, Severus. You can do this."

Severus took a long, deep breath, and thought extremely hard about the situation. After a while, he sighed, "I see that I'm left with little choice. I'll do it, but you must understand that I do not want to be doing this and that when it all ends in tears, I did warn you."

Minerva smiled. This was about as enthusiastic as Snape ever got (besides when giving detentions and docking house points).

"Excellent, Snape. It won't end in tears. I expect you'll learn a thing or too from Jane, actually."

Snape gave an indignant huff. Learn a thing or two from a homeless teenager who had no idea the wizarding world existed? The very thought of it was laughable.