Katrina hurried downstairs, grateful that it was still so early no one else should be up yet. She went into the first floor kitchen and boiled some water for tea. While that was heating, she took out a pair of plates. She grabbed a small basket from atop the fridge and piled in some pastries and cookies. She placed a pair of scones on top of the rest. The water boiled and she poured it into a carafe and added the tealeaves. She hooked a pair of mugs onto her fingers, grabbed the carafe in one hand, placed the plates under the basket, and headed back upstairs.

The whole time she was getting breakfast, she kept chastising herself. Why, oh why did she have to kiss him? What was she thinking? She was such a fool…

She maneuvered the door to her room open and found that he had moved himself to one of the chairs. He really looked miserable. She approached him and placed the breakfast items on the small table to the side of his chair.

"If there's anything else you need…" she began. "I recall you used to take your tea black…" she trailed off quietly, his eyes glancing up to meet her own. He nodded silently and turned his attention to the contents of the basket.

Katrina handed him a plate and poured him a cup of tea. She grabbed the chair she had moved the previous night, and brought it close to the small table. She stared at the basket of food for a moment, "About earlier, Severus, I'm sor-"

He placed a hand on hers where it rested on the table, "Don't be." He pulled his hand away and went back to his breakfast.

They ate slowly, the silence growing between them. When Severus spoke, she startled slightly.

"You said Maggie is extremely intelligent…" it was a statement and she simply nodded in response. "I have spoken to her and she said that she would be interested in learning potions."

"No," she said quickly, "I don't think that is wise, Severus. Potions can be extremely dangerous. She could get hurt."

He scowled at her, "Do you honestly think I would allow harm to come to my daughter?"

Katrina went to speak and closed her mouth. "And where do you propose having these 'lessons'," she asked quietly.

"At Hogwarts, of course."

"Oh, no! Absolutely not! My daughter in a castle full of witches and wizards! I think not."

"One week," he said quietly. "Give me one week with my daughter and then I will leave your lives if you wish. She will have a room in my quarters and she need not mingle with the students. I will have my normal classes covered by another and I will hardly let her out of my sight." He stared at her, "I know nothing about my own daughter. I don't know her favorite subject in school, what kind of books she likes to read, or even her favorite food."

"I… I dunno, Severus. What will your fellow teachers say? Or that Umbridge woman? And what will you tell Maggie?"

"I will tell Maggie whatever you wish me to tell her. If you don't want her to know who I am, then I will abide by your decision."

"Give me a day to think on this, please," Katrina pleaded. "I need to consider what is best for Maggie."

He nodded slowly and sipped at his tea.

"Biology, the magical world, and pepperoni pizza…"

"What?" he said, obviously nonplussed.

"Her favorite subject, her favorite books, and her favorite food," Katrina replied quietly. "You should also know that she has received the magical-equivalent of O's in all of her subjects. She likes to play football after school…" she trailed off quietly.

"Kat," he said quietly, gently, her eyes snapping up to meet his own. "You have done a good job of raising our daughter."

She blushed and ducked her head, "There were so many times when I wished you were here. It was so difficult. I was without my magic, pregnant, and alone. If I had to do it again… I don't know if I would. I harbor so many regrets now…"

She felt him brushing a strand of hair from her face and she looked up to face him. His hand moved to cup her cheek and his thumb brushed at the tears that leaked from her eyes.

"You are not the only one to regret their actions during that time," he said quietly. "You did what you felt was best for Maggie. As she has turned into a beautiful, intelligent girl, I can not fault you for what you have done." He stroked her cheek for another moment, "Now, this spell you cast on yourself, what did it involve?"

She was slightly startled by his change in topics, "Why do you wish to know? There is no known reversal for it."

"That doesn't mean one can't be found," he replied, pulling away from her.

"Dumbledore tried to find one."

"Did he?" Severus asked coldly. "How can you be sure of that?"

"What are you saying?" she asked, aghast at his assertion.

"Isn't it possible that he didn't even bother looking for a reversal? After all, your leaving is what spurred me into joining the other side as a spy. What if Dumbledore was afraid that I would spirit away my pregnant wife and leave the war behind?"

She shook her head, "I… I can't believe that he would do such a thing."

"Perhaps he did look for a cure, but it's possible that he didn't. Do you still remember the components of the spell?"

She nodded slowly, "I'll never forget them. There was a very complicated incantation and the imbibing of an extremely difficult-to-brew potion. I have a copy of the instructions for both," she said quietly, rising and going into the closet. She emerged a moment later with a small, leather-bound book. She handed it to him, "They are both in there."

He glanced through the book quickly, looking for the potion. His eyes widened slightly as he read through the potion. She hadn't been kidding when she said how complicated it was. Although it only took two days to brew, he realized it could take him months to attempt to reverse. He was confident, though, that he could find a reversal to the potion portion. As for the spell… "This is extremely dark magic," he muttered, glancing up at her. "Who gave you this spell?"

"Dumbledore did," she responded quietly.

He closed the book, "I will work on this as quickly as I can. I may need to enlist McGonagal's talents on the spell, but as she already knows about yourself and Maggie no harm will be done to your anonymity." He tucked the book into his robes.

Katrina filled his cup of tea as her bedside alarm went off. She rose and turned the obtrusive alarm off, "The students will be waking up soon." She smiled and glanced at him, "I should tell you that Maggie has a crush on one of your students."

He raised an eyebrow and lifted his cup to take a sip of tea, "Oh?"

"Yes, I caught her being kissed by Harry-" she stopped abruptly as Severus began choking on his tea. "Are you okay?" she asked, approaching him.

"Harry bloody Potter!" he growled, "I should have known."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sev," she began, not failing to notice he hadn't reacted to that name, "He is not James."

Onyx eyes met her own, "Oh, he is quite like his father. If there is trouble, you can trust that Potter is at the center of it."

She withdrew her hand and sighed softly, "I still miss Lily. Yes, James could be an ass, but he didn't deserve what happened to him. None of them did. I wonder how many from our year are even still alive."

"Remus, yourself, and Peter Pettigrew are the only Gryffindors still living," he replied quietly, his eyes boring into hers.

"I… I didn't know that Sirius had died."

"Black got himself killed last year," he said without remorse. "He was a bloody fool."

She turned away and took a couple steps before turning back to face him, "Of course I'm sure you didn't mourn his death. Or did you have something to do with it?" she asked accusingly.

He laughed sharply and slowly, cautiously, stood, "Unfortunately, no. I didn't have anything to do with his death." He moved, "I believe I should leave now."

"Yes, perhaps you should," she quickly replied, moving towards the door to her room and opening it. She ushered him out of her room and down the stairs. They were approaching the front door when the doorbell rang.

Katrina glanced at the monitor and swore colorfully. She'd forgotten that that woman from the Ministry would be back today. That would certainly forestall Severus' departure. She hit the button to unlock the door and watched as the woman entered. She opened the door and silently nodded to Umbridge as the woman entered.

"Ah, Severus!" Umbridge said. "I was looking for you this morning…"

"Severus was kind enough to come here early this morning to discuss a matter of a personal nature," Katrina said smoothly. "I was inquiring as to the well-being of members of my family," she added as she saw doubt crossing the other woman's features.

"Indeed," Severus said coldly, "and I was forced to inform her that many of them are deceased."

"I see," Umbridge said in a voice that indicated she believed them. "Well, Severus, it is fortuitous that you are here. I was looking for you to tell you that you would be accompanying me here today."

"Is that necessary?"

"I have potions to brew."

Katrina and Severus spoke simultaneously, shooting glares at each other. They both opened their mouths to speak again when their attention was grabbed by the sound of someone running down the steps. Maggie appeared at the bottom of the stairs. She was wearing a tan jacket and she had a backpack slung over one shoulder.

Katrina immediately stepped over to her daughter and gave her a hug, "Have fun at school, dear."

"I'll see you later, mum," Maggie replied. She glanced at the other people in the room, "Good morning, Professor Snape, Miss Umbridge." With that, she silently left.

Umbridge immediately turned to Katrina, "Professor Smith, I would like to review your lesson plan for today."

"Of course," she replied quickly. "If I might offer either of you tea and some breakfast first?"

"That is a fantastic idea," the older woman replied, turning to speak to Severus. "Professor Snape?"

He simply gave a curt nod in reply and Katrina ushered both of them into the kitchen. She started the tea, placed out some pastries, and spoke, "If you'll both excuse me. I need to make some preparations for the students' breakfasts and I will retrieve my lesson plans for you to look over."