A/N: A ruffian is an undesirable character. Think of a thief, just in general someone you wouldn't want to spend a whole lot of time with.
Savvy means something you'd know about. Being 'street savvy' is knowing how to survive on the street. It's the same usage in this chapter!

Minerva McGonagall sat behind the large oak desk that had once been Albus Dumbledore's. She looked over her mug of hot tea onto the surface of the desk, uncomfortable behind it. Dumbledore himself was weak, the events of June had taken their toll on him, and he was at Grimmauld Place, resting. Not that he could go anywhere anyway; Albus Dumbledore died according to the Wizarding world. She sighed and got up, feeling uncomfortable sitting there, and started pacing slowly.

"She's an exceptional young woman, Alastor." It didn't surprise Minerva that she was the only one saying anything on behalf of her Gryffindor; heavens knew that Severus Snape wouldn't speak up for an intelligent Gryffindor.

"But she's still a student! This isn't like Potter, Granger and the Weasleys. They were already involved." Alastor shook his head, it was evident that he didn't like the idea of having this otherwise over looked student knowing about the Order.

"Miss Semenov has never given any indication that she would be inclined to help the Death Eaters-"

"And has she ever given you any indication that she'd want to hurt them?" Minerva went quiet a moment at Alastor's reply. He did have a point, and Minerva couldn't immediately come up with an argument to defend one of her prize Gryffindors. She sighed and looked to Alastor.

"Just because she hasn't openly opposed them doesn't mean that she doesn't oppose them. She is an intelligent woman, and from a country where ruffians are common, I think she would have a certain savvy for dealing with less savory individuals." Minerva frowned, thinking that it was a weak argument at best against Alastor.

O

"There is one way to find out."

This had been Snape's first time since himself, McGonagall, Moody, and Lupin decided to have a quiet meeting. Moody had Portkeyed directly to Minerva's office and was waiting when Snape and Lupin had made it up. Although he hated to admit it, he did agree. Sashenka did have a brilliant mind and, although with less schooling, sometimes youth brings about fresh ideas and new approaches to things.

He wasn't surprised when Moody made discouraging comments; the man was so damn paranoid! But, unlike Moody, he was a spy. He'd recognize someone who was up to no good. It was a little disturbing though that Sashenka didn't look him in the eye, but a lot of people didn't–especially when he was pretty sure she'd know at least a little bit about Occlumency and Legilimens, given the quality of education in Russia.

"I can use Legilimency on her. It isn't the most moral way to obtain information, but it will suffice. If, and I do stress if, someone else talks to her first and is positive that she would be more inclined to be against Voldemort." Snape looked at all of them from his seat further back. He didn't like the idea of invading anyone's mind. It was rape on a mental level; to an intelligent person, even more so. But Sashenka seemed like a reasonable person; he hoped that she'd see why he did it and forgive him. On the outside, it appeared that he didn't care; he was a cold bastard, and that was exactly what he needed to be. Inside, closed away from the public eye and his meddling students, he was only a little less cold. He was bitter, angry, and didn't even love himself, much less anyone else. Dumbledore was the closest thing he had to a father and now- now he had helped in almost killing him. What was the point in giving a damn about anyone if he would only hurt them? Snape sighed and sat his empty glass on one of the many tables arranged around the office.

"Lupin, you should talk to her. Most Gryffindors seem to enjoy your company; you make them laugh." Every chance Snape got he rubbed the boggart and Neville Longbottom incident in the werewolf's face. It was humiliating; Lupin deserved to have it turned around on him and, as the Muggle saying went, to 'pour vinegar on the wound'.

Snape watched with an inward satisfied smirk as Lupin smiled slowly, a sure sign that he didn't enjoy being reminded.

"Are you sure that that is the best way to find out?" Minerva frowned at the thought of it, but then again if she could help the cause, a little discomfort and anger didn't hurt anything.

"I'm sure that it is the only way to tell without a shadow of a doubt."

The air was starting to get a little bit chillier, so before leaving on her walk, Sashenka grabbed a sweater. Stepping out onto the grounds, she closed her eyes and inhaled the cool air deeply, smiling as she felt it fill her lungs. She let out a sigh and ran her hand through her hair. One of the other girls in her year let her use her conditioner; it did wonders. Her hair was still frizzy, but much softer and actually laid on her head and shoulders.

Listening to the soft clunks of her boots on the walk, Sashenka started down for the covered bridge where she loved to look out over the lake.

"Sashenka?" Sashenka turned and smiled as she saw Professor Lupin make his way down to him. She tightened her arms around herself slightly and waited for him to reach her.

"Hello Mr. Lupin." He had always been nice to her in the past. It was hard to tell which of her teachers she liked the best: Flitwick was nice too, and McGonagall was good. Remus Lupin had always been nice to her, and he was a good teacher. Remus came up beside Sashenka and began to walk with her.

"Do you miss Russia?" Sashenka glanced over at Remus and smiled a bit.

"I do," she admitted quietly, her arms wrapped around her as they started across the bridge.

"You know people make out like Russia is this barren snow land, but it isn't. Siberia is, but not all of mother Russia is. Some places look as if God used a fine paint brush and dabbed vibrant colours onto the trees." Sashenka glanced to him and smiled before stopping and looking out over the lake.

"We used to go to southern Russia some summers. I remember a swing my father made that went out over the water. It was so low that I could hold on with one hand and lean back and run my fingertips over the top of the water with the other. It was like slow motion, watching the V that came from it ripple across the water." Her eyes were closed as she told him, seeing it in her mind. Because her eyes were closed as she savoured the moment, she missed the look on Remus's face.

"Are you going to go back after you finish here?" Sashenka thought over the question and tilted her head. Finally she shook it and shifted her feet a bit.

"No, at least not immediately, I like England." She looked over at him and smiled at him.

Remus looked over at her with a sense of happiness when she said she wasn't leaving. He shouldn't be so happy that she was staying, but… Sashenka was something special. He hadn't really noticed when he was there four years ago, but now, she seemed to have the amazing gift of lighting up whenever a challenge came along, or she found something that captivated her interest. He'd grown to enjoy seeing it during class; just the thought made him smile.

"You may not want to hang around England, or Europe for that matter, too much longer." Time to get down to business. Remus saw, through his peripheral vision, Sashenka looking at him questioningly. Of course she had only heard what the Ministry was saying, and the Ministry wanted to downplay it. "Lord Voldemort is growing in power. I know, the Ministry doesn't say much about it," He answered her question just after she opened her mouth to ask. "But I was around before, so were a lot of wizards and witches. Course, if you agree with him…" Remus looked over at Sashenka, who was frowning.

"He believes in intolerance of Muggles, doesn't he? In mother Russia, wizards and Muggles live peacefully. Well, the Muggles who know." Remus inwardly grinned. Sashenka was a good person; she wouldn't agree with Voldemort.

"You don't agree with him, then? Unfortunately, the people who like him have money."

Sashenka sighed and shifted before shaking her head. "Men who want power are never happy with what they have. It is like people who have problem eating. They cannot stop, even after they are full." Remus looked over at her and just laughed slightly at her comparison. She always had a funny way of looking at things.

"Well, yes, I suppose that is true. It's…an interesting way of saying it, but true." He grinned at her and laughed, which in turn made her laugh.

Meanwhile, Snape watched from the castle, just able to make out the forms of Lupin and Sashenka on the bridge. She hadn't left yet, nor had her body movement indicated disagreement. Either Lupin wasn't touching the subject yet, which wouldn't surprise him, or she was agreeing with him, which wouldn't surprise him either.

As Snape stood there watching, he reflected on his own time in Moscow. It was pleasant enough for what it was and what it could be. It wasn't all that different from London. The city itself had a newer, colder look and in most cases, the Muggle world heavily influenced the Wizarding world to the point that the wizards drove automobiles and used cellular phones. He, of course, never learned. It was inappropriate for a pureblood wizard to drive or hold a metal contraption up to one's ear to speak. That was what Apperation was for, or talking through a fireplace. Of course, Muggles couldn't disappear from one location and reappear elsewhere, nor could they throw magic powder into a fire place and talk into it and expect for someone somewhere else to actually hear them. Snape reluctantly admitted this to be true, but there was no excuse for wizards embracing that way of life.

"Were you expecting her to storm off?" Snape turned to look at Minerva McGonagall, who had silently come up beside him. Normally he would expect Dumbledore to slip up like that, but to the whole Wizarding world, Dumbledore was dead. Snape had to keep reminding himself of that. He couldn't very well go appearing around Hogwarts at random times.

"It had crossed my mind that she may. Gryffindors are irrational, and she is Russian. That is two counts against an otherwise intelligent mind." In the presence of his colleagues, he wasn't quite as harsh as he would be in front of students. True, most of the time he enjoyed antagonizing Minerva–the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry was a great source of fun for him–but even with her he wouldn't deny the truth. And the truth was that she had a student, a girl who really shouldn't be a student anymore, in her former house.

"Two steps back and one step forward. That is one step more than you usually make. I must say I am a little surprised." Minerva merely raised one thin eyebrow at the look he gave her, which made him inwardly sigh. Damn old woman. "She shouldn't be a student, Severus. Hogwarts, in her capacity now, only restrains her. If we decide to approach her about the Order, it would be best that she remain here. Perhaps you are in need of an assistant-"

"I do not need an assistant, Minerva. Thank you very much." Snape immediately cut her off with a crisp reply. It was true, he didn't NEED one. An assistant would be nice, so he could pursue his more personal projects. But he worked better without a girl–no matter how grown up she was–nipping at his heels with some silly notion that he was going to help her build her talents in Potions just because she was his assistant. Thanks, but no thanks, he didn't need that.

"If she is accepted into the Order, that is the most logical place for her. I don't know why you are so against the thought. But, I believe you would find it beneficial to just go with it." Snape sighed and looked over at Minerva, knowing the witch would win, even if she had to get reinforcements in the form of Dumbledore to back her.

"Oh fine." He finally spat, aggravated, and just glared at the little grin that tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"Oh, and there is one other thing I wanted to ask you about." Snape rolled his eyes and pushed himself off the wall as he saws the two forms of Lupin and Sashenka start back across the bridge. It would be a good ten minutes before they made it back.

"I wanted to know how long you plan to keep having her scrub the entrance hall. Which, by the way, I do know that you have been having your Slytherins dirty it up again." Snape smirked slightly and glanced at her, noting the defensive tone in her voice that she often adopted when it came to one of her Gryffindors being treated unfairly.

"Call it a social experiment. I want to see how long it will take before she refuses to do anymore." Snape would have given anything for the indignant look that came over Minerva's face at that. He imagined that the idea of him doing that to anyone would stun her. It was rather mean, he knew, but then again, he wasn't exactly known for being 'fluffy'.

"Minerva," He called her name in a very serious tone as she had started to retreat back into the castle. She turned and looked at him. "I looked into her family history. We need to be careful with her. I don't think she would do anything, or intentionally bring any harm to anyone here, but there is a lot of suspicion surrounding her mother and grandmother about the death of a certain high up vampire some years ago." He watched as Minerva seemed to think it over before she gave a short nod and disappeared back into the castle. Snape turned fro a moment and watched the two figures climb the hill before, also, disappearing into the side door behind her.