Fae glared at him as he stood in front of her. His red haunting eyes stared back into hers. She raised her wand and pointed it at him.

"I was starting to think that you wouldn't show up." He smirked, maliciously.

"You have a lot of nerve showing your face here." Fae growled.

"So, your connection to your brother is still strong after all this time. Good to know." Salazar chuckled.

"You are going to pay for what you did to Merula!" Fae shouted.

"I didn't know that you loved her so much. Love is such a silly thing, leaves you weak and defenseless." Salazar spoke.

"You bastard." Fae pointed her wand at him.

"Oh ho, you want to fight me? Didn't you learn your lesson the last time? Believe me, this isn't going to be much of a match." He laughed. Fae looked down at Penny lying on the ground. When she looked back, Fae saw that Salazar had casted a spell directly at her. Fae quickly conjured up a protego, bouncing the curse away from her and Penny.

"Not here. Let's take this a little further away." Fae told him.

"Why? Scared that your little friend will get caught in the crossfire like the other one?" Salazar taunted. Fae had enough. She threw a spell at Salazar who deflected it with ease. She quickly threw another spell at him and ran for cover as Salazar casted a curse at her, exploding a tree not too far away from her. Fae looked down at Merula's wand in her hand. It was being stubborn, fighting against her, making her spells less effective.

"I need you to work with me. We need to work together here, if we're ever going to beat him. You're all I've got at the moment." She whispered to it.

"Saying a little prayer?" Salazar chuckled, darkly. "By all means go ahead, it won't do you much good. I can see the fear in your eyes." Fae quickly casted another curse at Salazar then made a mad dash running into the woods, apparating.

"Go ahead and run, it'll only make this more fun." Salazar replied. He apparated, chasing after her.

McGonagall and Severus were talking to each other in her office, drinking some tea and coffee. She had some scones and donuts on the table and asked Severus to help himself to one. Severus refused her offer. He never really liked sweets all that much. He wanted to know why she had brought him here.

"Why did you invite me here?" He asked. Minerva looked at him as she was taking a sip from her tea and placed her cup down.

"Is it wrong to have a talk with a friend?" She replied. Severus almost snorted at what she said. "Very well, if you really want to know why. Dumbledore sent me." Snape raised his eyes a little, letting her continue. "He wanted know how your progress with Miss Craft is going. From what I've noticed, you two seem to be getting along much better than before."

"There is nothing going on between us and nothing more." Snape spoke, coldly.

Suddenly, the door opened as Dumbledore and Hagrid rushed inside. Snape frowned when he noticed that Fae wasn't with them.

"You have to help her! She told me to leave and get help. I didn't want to leave her. I had no choice or the other four would be in danger. Please, you have to!" The half giant pleaded as he rambled to the other two professors.

"Hagrid, what has happened?" Minerva asked. "Where's Fae? And what about Miss Haywood? The students? Are they alright?"

"The four are alright." Dumbledore assured them. Hagrid began to tear up.

"You have to help her. Please."

Dumbledore stepped over to Snape and McGonagall, looking at the two. "He's here, Minerva. Severus." He spoke with a grim expression on his face. "Salazar Slytherin."

It only took that name for Snape to immediately get up. McGonagall followed as well. The black cape billowed in the wind as he left the castle with Dumbledore and McGonagall.

Fae and Salazar landed in an opening in the forest. Fae had scratches and cuts on her face and hands. She panted as she tried to catch her breath. Salazar was looking a little worn and tired as well. He unleashed a spell firing it at Fae, who tried to deflect it. The spell slashed at Fae's clothes ripping through them and all throughout her body. Fae hissed in pain as she tried to cover her face with her arms. Salazar stupefied Fae knocking her off her feet. Fae crashed as she was slammed hard against the tree behind her. She tried to get back up but her legs lost their strength and slumped to the ground. Fae felt Salazar's wand tilt her head up, making her look at him. She was completely drained and exhausted and couldn't move an inch of her body. Her fingers twitched as she tried to grip her wand but Salazar kicked it away from her. Fae could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she looked at him.

"What do you want?" She demanded, weakly.

"You. Join me. Leave these blood traitors. They will only hold you back. I can show you so much more even reach your full potential." Salazar spoke. Fae shook her head.

"No." She spoke, defiantly. "I won't. I won't do it." Fae saw Salazar scowl before smirking.

"Then, I'll make you. You will become my puppet and help me keep the bloodline pure until I have no further use for you." Fae's eyes widened, shutting them tightly.

"No!" She screamed.

"Expelliarmus!" Salazar was knocked away from her, landing a few feet. Fae looked up and saw Severus and Dumbledore in front of her, standing between Salazar. McGonagall ran over to her, helping Fae up. Fae struggled to stand back on her feet, leaning against her.

"Damn him. Always showing up when he isn't wanted." Salazar muttered furiously under his breath. He got up, glaring at Dumbledore and Snape. His eyes focused on them before they fell to Snape, who stared emotionless back at him.

"Try all you want. You won't be able to get through." Snape sneered, almost tauntingly. Salazar narrowed his eyes at the two wizards before falling on to Minerva and Fae.

"Leave now." Dumbledore threatened.

"Mark my words, I will make all you suffer. Don't think that this isn't over." He remarked dangerously and then he left, vanishing into the air as he apparated.

"Seems pretty over to me." Dumbledore replied.

Fae sat in the hospital wing, watching Penny sleep in the bed across from her. Pomfrey had looked her over and told Fae that she was going to be alright. A little shaken but she was still alive. Snape had walked in carrying a jar of essence of dittany he had brewed. He sat down and uncorked the jar and pour some of the contents of the potion on a cloth. Fae let out a sharp hiss. Snape rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I haven't touched you yet."

"Sorry." Fae muttered under her breath. She felt the stinging pain of the ointment as Severus rubbed it on her scratches and cuts. "Guess we're even." The cuts slowly began to heal, disappearing until they were gone. Snape stared at her but said nothing until he was finished and placed the jar and cloth on the bed stand beside him. Fae saw that he was furious as he scowled down at her.

"What on earth were you thinking going off alone? You do realize that tonight you could have been killed."

"I didn't have a choice. Penny was in danger. That is why I told Hagrid to get help." Fae replied. "Why do you care so much? I'd figure you would be happy if I was gone." Snape's eyes widened a little at her last remark before ignoring it.

"That may be the case, but it was very foolish. You need to stop putting others needs before your own." He answered. He stood up and started to walk away getting ready to leave the room.

"Thank you, Sev." Snape stilled as he heard Fae called out to him. He turned around glancing at her, silently, before turning back and walked away.

Snape couldn't wrap his head around why he acted the way he did. Yes, Craft was one of his students and also a Slytherin before she graduated Hogwarts. That was all he ever saw her as. Snape felt his heart beating faster every time Fae appeared in his mind. Remembering the way she stared at him with such softness, the same colored eyes like hers.

Lily.

Snape's eyes widened, shaking his head. Enough of this nonsense. He can't do this. It would be betraying her. He will not go through it again. Besides, if Craft ever found out his secret. She would probably hate him for it, just like she did. He was better off alone, like he has been his entire life. No one ever cared for him and why should they.

What good has he ever done?