Chapter Two:

She Comecame Unbidden

The staff dispersed after a rather short yet interesting meeting held in the headmaster's study just three short weeks before the students were due back to Hogwarts after summer vacation.

Lingering amid a warm room scattered with chairs and a long oak table, the professors waited until the headmaster had excused himself before speculating about the news he had delivered.

Many opted to leave, having little patience for such trivial cares, others; those closest to the headmaster stayed. Professors McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick, and Snape remained seated for another hour after the meeting had let out. The later doing nothing but observing the comments of the others, adding not a single word to anything that was said.

"I've never known Albus to be so secretive about such matters! Really, keeping the identity of the new defense teacher unknown, why, what are we supposed to think?" Minerva cried in distress. Though, if truth were told she was more concerned about what reasons lurked beyond the secret rather then knowing who it would be that would join their staff and what to expect from her.

"Indeed, the only thing he told us was that the professor was to be a woman! He did not even see fit to share with us her credentials!" Squeaked Flitwick.

The conversation was long and in the end, concluded very little. Severus Snape sat still and silent, and if one were to cast a quick glance in his direction they would swear he wasn't even listening to a word being said. However, quite the contrary was true.

Years as a spy for the dark lord had built a myriad of unique mannerisms that Severus was loathe to not practice even for an unguarded second. He could sit in such surroundings thinking of the research he had been recently gathering for theories on potion cures such as for lycanthropy while his ears picked up every shred of information someone might be so careless as to throw his way.

No, what he was thinking now was much more disturbing. He had far more reason to dread who this incoming new body was, as the evidence of his predicted displeasure was written all over the headmaster's face as he locked eyes with his esteemed potion's master to deliver the mysterious news to the staff.

The only question was, who was this woman? There were many he would prefer not to be around. Some for reasons pertaining to his cause as spy, others for their blatant stupidity, very few, however, were due to personal complications.

Noticing that the professor's were now making their excuses to get back to their last minute lesson plans and classroom preparations, Severus too arose, thinking he might enjoy a warm walk to Hagrid's hut before returning to the castle for dinner.

It came all at once too long and too soon, the journey to Hogwarts castle. Malyia was quiet and pensive during most of the carriage ride up to the school's front gate, while Aleasia had done her best to lighten the mood by injecting some degree of enthusiasm in her voice as she remarked on the scenery and fond memories from her own time spent as a student on these very grounds. Though if truth were to be told, she wasn't sure exactly her daughter was more anxious about their arrival as she was. After all, the young girl didn't know that before the day was out they would most likely be meeting her father.

Having failed, once again to lighten her daughter's mood. Aleasia stepped out of the coach first, greeted instantly by a pair of welcoming arms. It was a moment before she realized that the woman hugging her was the one and only Minerva McGonagall.

"Oh, Minerva! How wonderful to see you!" Aleasia gushed; fond tears of relief at finally being back to the one place she had always counted her home among all others sprang unexpectedly to her eyes. All these long weeks she had been too nervous about her reconcile with Severus to give any thought to the wonderful realization that she would be back among the people she had once called her family and in a castle she had spent over twenty years living within.

"Oh, Aleasia! I could just about throttle you! How dare you leave us all those years ago, without so much as an explanation!" To her own consternation, the old woman found her own tears leaking down her cheeks as she examined the beautiful woman standing before her. Noting that she had not aged a single day.

"I don't know words enough to apologize for any hurt I may have caused you! I was too young and too scared to have realized my parting might have brought pain to so many people."

Minerva nodded her head, accepting the sincere apology with little more. "Yes, well, that's all in the past now, isn't dear?" She paused a moment, looking upon Aleasia as though to ascertain she was truly there. "I should have words with the headmaster! He refused to tell anyone who the new defense teacher was to be! I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw you step out of that carriage!"

Just then, Minerva's eyes caught on the girl who had stood throughout their entire dialogue with only curiosity and frank interest plastered upon her face.

"Who is this?" Minerva asked.

"This is Malyia. She's the transfer student from America. As our journey was the same, Albus asked that I escort her myself to the school." Aleasia placed a reassuring hand on the small of her daughter's back. This would be the first introduction in which she would have to role play a part; pretending as though the two knew little of one another other than what was learned during the carriage ride.

Minerva beamed. "Ah! How wonderful it is to meet our newest student! You shall be a fifth year if I'm not mistake, yes?"

Malyia nodded. "Yes, and quite looking forward to attending the school I have heard so much about over the years."

"Well, child. Come along, then. We shouldn't have you two just standing out here on the steps. No doubt you're both tired from your trip. I shall show you both to your rooms."

Aleasia grinned down at her daughter as Minerva's back turned towards them. She remembered well, how much mindless chatter could come from a woman so seemingly stern. She had told her daughter all about the staff members she had once settled a life around, and so it was no surprise that Malyia was grinning back.

Two stops later, Aleasia found herself being led into her own chambers in the Serpents tower. "I still can't fathom why a Gryffindor such as yourself would find comfort living among Slytherin territory, ah well, you should be happy to know that Albus has restored your old quarters for you…though no one has habituated these rooms since you left you shall find it in need of a bit of perking up."

Minerva paused just before allowing the younger woman to step beside her and into her old rooms. "Oh my dear, I am truly, very happy that you have decided to come back to us after all these years. Not a day has passed when every single one of us hasn't missed your spirit in these halls."

Controlling the urge to cry once again, Aleasia gave forth a bright smile. "Ah, well, it shall fill these halls once more! I too am very glad to be home." She leaned over and placed a firm kiss on Minerva's lips. "I've missed you too."

Alone in her chambers, she had wished, as she looked around the desolate apartment, that Albus had found other rooms for which she could hide from the bittersweet memories left behind in this one.

Squaring her shoulders, she let out a long breath, preparing herself for what would undoubtedly be an emotionally strenuous day.

Three hours had passed and found Aleasia dressed in a thin black linen tank and pants, having grown overly warm in her robes as she moved about the warm space of her new home unpacking with a couple of house elves and her daughter.

Malyia burst through the door with more energy then she had exerted in the past three weeks, and Aleasia was glad that the castle seemed to have warmed her daughter's hurting heart.

"Mama, this has to be, hands down, the most amazing place I've been! Ever!" She threw herself, heavily, into an armchair across from where her mother was unloading a trunk filled with books unto the shelves built into the wall and around a grand fireplace.

"Wow." She said, grinning at her mother. "This almost makes me want to change my mind about living in the dorms."

About to respond to her daughter's wit, but unable to because there was a knock on the door, Aleasia sighed bracing herself for what must be at least her twelfth visitor that day. Each issuing more tears and smiles then the one before.

"It must be your Godfather, Malyia, he's the only one left who hasn't come to welcome us. Go let him in, would you, then go back to your own chamber where you can wash up before dinner!"

Malyia rolled her eyes! "We're here only a few hours and already the woman's nagging me to wash up before dinner!" She mumbled under her breath.

Aleasia, knowing her daughter was joking and meant no disrespect, only smiled at her retreating back. "I heard that!" She called.

"Oh Godfather you'll never believe—" Malyia opened the door, her exuberant greeting dying on parted lips as she realized the visitor was not her godfather, rather a young man with dark hair and dark eyes that made her wish she could retreat to the other side of the corridor to avoid. Refusing to surrender to her childish fears, she smiled brightly at this new acquaintance. "Sorry. I thought you were Albus." Extending her arm for the man before her to shake she was slightly put off when he did not return the favor. "Um, I'm Malyia, the new transfer student."

"Pleasure." Said the man, though his facial expression led you to believe it was anything but. "While you are a student, perhaps it would be prudent for you to address the headmaster as he relates to you. Professor, or headmaster, being among the most popular."

Malyia blinked. Who the hell was this guy? He certainly had a temper whoever he was. Once more, smiling adoringly into his eyes as though he had said the most intelligent thing in the world she made her way past him. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Well, I better be going, Professor Karly is inside unpacking yet, I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."

Having been left in the doorway without being properly escorted into the suite of rooms, he hesitated a moment with an armful of books, before deciding he might as well make his presence known to…what was it the chit had said her name was?

Having heard a silence through the wall where once she heard the distinct murmuring of voices, Aleasia called out a greeting. "Hello? Albus is that you?"

Severus froze. He knew that voice. He'd know it anywhere.

Having received no response, she tried again. This time standing from where she had been sitting on the floor, wiping the dust from her hands against her sheer black linen pants. "Albus?" Walking into the entry hall, she too could not trust herself to speak.

So there they stood, man and woman, facing each other with intense eyes and tense postures. Aleasia noticed the length of the man's black hair. He had grown it a good six inches since she had last seen him. Coming now, one third of the way down his back. His obsidian eyes were expressionless and she cursed the day she lost the talent to read him even at his most vulnerable. She allowed her gaze, to wander the tall length of his frame, realizing his shoulders were even wider, his muscles more defined then they had been fifteen years ago. More like a man.

A good five minutes had passed before she felt she could trust her voice. "Severus."

Severus started at the sound of her soft voice. How many times had he heard her speak his name? In the throes of passion, the anguish of a despairing heart, the condemning shouts when he had wronged her?

She looked, not a day older. Her golden hair falling near her waist in thick spirals; parted in the center and held off her face by two clips. Her brown eyes were alive with such a myriad of emotion as to ensure difficulty when attempting to dissect them. Only her body had changed over the long years he had mourned the loss of her love. Her breasts were fuller, her hips wider, waist narrower. In short, she had become a woman since last he had made love to her.

Betraying his heart, which called to him to take her into his arms and demand an explanation as to why she had abandon him all those years ago, he carefully maintained an air of indifference and set the stack of books he still held in his arms on a nearby table.

"Professor Karly."

Aleasia attempted a small smile. "Surly we are beyond such familiarity? With all we have been through together?"

"That was a long time ago. I've near damn well forgotten."

His words marked the desired effect. He watched with less satisfaction then he had anticipated as her head snapped back as though he had physically slapped her.

Warily, his eyes tracked her as she walked nearer, until she stood but an arm's length away. "You lie. I can smell your yearning, it is almost as great as mine."

Obviously this was the wrong thing to say. For Severus reached out both his hands, grasping her upper arms in such a firm grip as to bring just a hint of pain, he pulled her body close enough as to brush against his own.

"Such beautiful words masking such an ugly betrayal! I should beat you for the humiliation you burdened me with when you left not a week before our wedding!"

His words were spoken in a harsh whisper, his strength shaking her at intervals as if to merge some of his own sense into her.

Aleasia remained silent. She could no more tell him why she had left now then she could fifteen years ago. Only now, she would let him see her tears, she would allow him a glimpse of the pain she was wading in at there reconcile.

It was many seconds more before Severus realized he still held Aleasia in his grip and released her without gentleness.

He waved a hand towards the books he had brought. "Albus asked that I bring these to you. Good day."

And with no more said and not another assessing glance thrown in her direction, Severus left. Only the sound of the door slamming marked that he'd ever really been there at all.