A/N: I don't own Harry Potter. Please review this so I know if anyone likes it or not.
"Damn," Airiala said placing another book aside. Since school had stated up again, Airiala has spent hours in Dumbledore's office reading every book he had which could contain anything about the Ultimate Truth.
There was a small cough catching Airiala's attention. She glanced up and smiled at Dobby.
Dobby had been asked to attend to Airiala since it was impossible for her to leave the Headmaster's office during the day. The longer she could remain hidden, the safer she would be.
Dobby set a tray next to her before bowing and leaving. Airiala sighed and turned back to the book.
In the four weeks she had been at Hogwarts, she had only gone through a fourth of the Headmaster's books, and even less in the restricted section of Library.
She had been given permission to enter the library after curfew and inspect the restricted section, but she still hadn't come up with anything.
Airiala set the book aside and sighed. "This is too much for one person," she said to herself as she picked up the tray. She removed the cover and smiled.
There was a humble lunch of a turkey sandwich, salad, a green apple, and a glass of water. Nest to the salad was a small dish of Italian dressing and a spoon.
"Dobby remembered," Airiala said smiling. She had asked Dobby to put her dressing on the side for her, just in case she decided to have her salad plain, which she did often.
Airiala stood and grabbed the apple as she walked down the stairs. She took a bite out of her apple as she wandered around the lower level of Dumbledore's office. She did this often to, just to get some exercise.
Airiala sat in Dumbledore's chair behind his desk and spun away from the desk, facing the back wall. Suddenly she froze as she heard the entranceway open and someone step in.
"Albus, we must talk," Snape said walking into the room. Airiala relaxed slightly as she took another bite of her apple. This could be interesting.
"It's about that Elemental," he said. "No one on the staff has seen or heard from her in almost three weeks. It is quite possible that You-Know-Who may have captured her. How, I'm not sure, but still possible."
Airiala held in a giggle as she turned the chair to face Professor Snape. "Worried about me?"
Snape narrowed his eyes at the smiling girl. "There you are," he said through clenched teeth.
"Here I am. In the same place I am everyday from before sunrise until after curfew. Can't have any of your little Slytherins discovering me."
"Indeed," he replied. He turned to leave, but suddenly Airiala appeared in front of him.
"Don't go," she said almost pleadingly. "It's been so long since I had someone other than Dumbledore to talk to."
Snape raised an eyebrow at the girl. She wanted to talk to him?
"I must go, " he said forcefully. Airiala grabbed his arm as he tried to walk past her.
"Please stay," she whispered, not looking at him. "Just for a few minutes."
"You desire my company that much?"
"I've been alone everyday in this room for three weeks. I'm the Wind Elemental, meant to be free and wild, not locked up and hidden from the world. I would love to argue with you rather than be all alone here. So, yes, I desire your company."
Snape sighed. He didn't really wish to stay, but it sounded much better than going to that 3rd year Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw class he had in twenty minutes.
"I'll stay," he said turning back into the room, "but only for a few minutes."
Airiala looked up at him with a huge smile on her face. Suddenly she darted forward and hugged him around the waist.
Snape barely had time to notice before she released him. "Sorry," she said with a big smile, "I was just so excited. For once I can have a conversation without mention of muggle candies."
Snape sat in a nearby chair, hiding his amusement at her comment. It was true that the Headmaster was overly obsessed with muggle candies.
Airiala sat in the chair next to him, still smiling. "So, how are classes going?"
"As well as can be expected considering that very few take the class seriously."
"Maybe you should tell them that you poisoned them and have them make the 'antidote' before class ends. At the end, they will test their own potion and, if they are as bad as you say, then many will end up in sickbay and hopefully they will learn to take the class a bit more seriously."
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Interesting idea. It's promising."
Airiala smiled. "Thank you. I personally never understood why people don't take potions seriously. It could save your life."
"Agreed," Snape said relaxing into his chair.
As Snape and Airiala entered into a conversation about potions, a 3rd year Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw class sat in the potions classroom, wondering when the "evil" Potions Master would show.