Rose walked down the steps in Hogwarts, her thoughts whirling. She felt shaky and had to steady herself with a hand on the thick stone banister. She couldn't believe the story Severus had told her a couple days ago. It was a fantastic tale of his love for her sister…a sister Rose barely remembered. She knew that she had been sent away to live with Muggles to protect her. And she knew that Lily had used a memory charm on her to protect her. Lily had done all of this out of love, but it didn't make Rose feel any less angry. That thought pulled her up short. Yes, she thought, she was angry with Lily for sending her away. But as soon as she thought that, the anger died away. Sighing, she continued down the stairs. She couldn't be mad at Lily. She had saved Rose's life by sending her away and pretending that she never existed. That must have been hard, thought Rose with sympathy. Rose shook her head, brushing her hair from her face. She couldn't think about this now. Quickening her steps, she made her way down the steps towards the main hall, intending on going outside for some fresh air to clear her head. As soon as she stepped from the last step, it seemed as if the whole castle stopped and looked at her.

Ok, well, she thought, I am still in Muggle clothes. I'm sure these kids aren't used to seeing people wander around who aren't in school robes. She smiled at a few of the young people, but after receiving nothing but stares, she dropped her eyes. She had never felt so strange and unwelcome in her whole life. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she dashed them away quickly.

"Rose! Rose, wait!" a voice from behind her made her turn. A tall, thin man with tatty robes and greying brown hair was striding towards her.

"Dumbledore told me you'd be around here. My name's Lupin…Remus Lupin. I used to teach here at Hogwarts," Remus Lupin had tired but kind eyes, Rose noted. She shook his proffered hand, grateful for a kind smile and a friendly face.

"I knew James and Lily when they were here at Hogwarts, also," he continued. "Professor Dumbledore thought you might like to talk about them." Lupin held out his arm. "Would you care to walk around the grounds? I can give you the grand tour," he smiled down at Rose.

Rose linked her arm through his. "But I've already talked to Severus. He told me so much about Lily and James." She felt Lupin's arm stiffen under her hand. He stopped and looked down at her with a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Yes, Severus does have his side of the story, I suppose. But there's always two sides to every story, hmm?" Remus looked down at her with a smile, this one reaching his eyes this time. "But let's go enjoy the sunshine and we can talk."

Rose sat on the stone bench by the lake, not feeling the coldness of the stone seeping through her clothing. She was thinking on everything Remus Lupin had told her about her sister and James Potter. She was more confused than ever. The things that Lupin had told her didn't match up to what Severus had told her the night before. According to Severus, James had been a troublemaker who hated Severus for no reason. James had also stolen Lily's attention from Severus by utterly humiliating Severus in front of her. Yet, Remus had told her that while James did seem to have a hatred for Severus, Lily had never been close to Snape but had pitied him when James would ridicule him. Rose's thoughts whirled. Who did she believe? It was obvious that Severus Snape had loved Lily…Rose had seen that in his eyes when he talked about her.

Rose got up from the bench, brushing the dirt from her pants as she stood up. Her head hurt and she was seriously wishing that she had never answered her front door a week ago…was it only a week ago that Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall had shown up at her door? Rose was sure her life would be so much easier right now without all this.

Rose shivered slightly as she headed down the damp stairs towards the dungeons, passing a couple burly Slytherin students on the way. They looked as if they were going to say something, but Rose threw them an icy stare and hurried past them. Severus teaches down here? She thought grimly to herself. How…depressing. Shivering again, and pulling her borrowed cloak more tightly around her, Rose stopped in front of his office. Her hand shook slightly as she reached up to knock on the thick wooden door, but whether this was from the cold, or something else, she wasn't sure.

The doors opened and Severus looked down at her in surprise, a heavy traveling cloak thrown over his shoulders.

"Rose! What are you doing down here?" he sounded surprised. "I was just coming to find you…and to tell you goodbye. I have to…go away for a while."

"Where are you going Severus? You look exhausted!" Rose took in Severus's appearance. He was wan and looked as if he hadn't slept in many days. His normally pale skin was even paler, if such a thing was possible and his black eyes seemed flat, without the usual glint.

Severus passed a hand over his eyes and sighed. He didn't want to tell Rose about his work for the Order of the Phoenix as a spy for Dumbledore. He was afraid she wouldn't understand the severity of the situation with Voldemort. But how could he explain his being away from school in the middle of a term?

"Sit down Rose," he gestured to hard cold bench. "I need to explain some things to you."

Rose sat, looking puzzled and a little concerned. Severus hated that he had to put her through this, after all she had been through already. But she needed to know, he told himself.

He sat beside her, and took a deep breath. "I work…" his voice trembled slightly and he stopped himself. Rose couldn't know that he was scared to face Voldemort after betraying her whereabouts to Dumbledore. Not that he was afraid for his own life, but he was afraid whet Voldemort would do to Rose if he somehow tortured the information out of him about Rose's whereabouts. He sat up and took a deep breath. "I work for the Order of the Phoenix, as a spy. I am the one that found out about you and where you were, and I told Dumbledore about you, therefore not allowing Voldemort the supreme pleasure of killing Lily Potter's sister, and Harry Potter's aunt."

Rose blinked…Severus had told her that he was the one that saved her from Voldemort, but had not told her that this was at risk to his own life.

"And now I have to answer to Voldemort for my transgression…" his lips quirked in what might have been a smile, but there was no humor in his voice. "Rose, I don't know what Voldemort will do to me. I may not…" he took a deep breath. "I may not come back."

"Oh Severus!" Rose's eyes filled with tears. "Maybe it would have been better if you had just left me in London and pretended that I didn't exist. I don't want you hurt…not over me!" She dropped her head in her hands and sobbed. Where had all this come from? Why was she so upset at what Severus was telling her? Was it from just gratitude? Or some other feeling that ran deeper?

Rose felt Severus's rough hand on her head, caressing her as if he could draw strength from the warmth of her red-gold hair.

"Ah Rose, I am sorry that I have involved you in this. I never meant to upset you. I just wanted to keep you safe from Voldemort's wrath. I would never see you hurt from all this. I just wanted to protect you, as I couldn't protect Lily. I wanted a second chance." Severus slumped on the bench.

Rose looked up at him, through a haze of tears. Gone was the proud, arrogant man she had known before, and in his place was a man who looked as if he had been beaten already. Rose leaned in closer…she reached up and put her hand on Severus's face. Not knowing if what she was about to do would help or hurt, just knowing that she had to, she leaned up and kissed him on the lips. He sat stiffly for the space of a heartbeat, and Rose felt a moment of panic, but then his lips opened and welcomed hers with a kiss that burned of pain and passion.