Author's Note: Before anyone gets upset over the descriptions of Ayasha's mum I want you to remember that for as tortured a soul Snape is, meeting someone who truly has no cares in the world was probably the biggest blast of fresh air he ever had in his life. She really does counter him as wholly as anyone could.

Chapter Three

I dashed out in front of traffic like a white rabbit on crack. I could just picture my future college and only friend on this side of the Atlantic sitting at a little table in the corner of the leaky cauldron tapping her extra long and extra fake fingernails on the alcohol stained wood. She'd pause for a moment to crack her knuckles before ordering another large glass of water with a lime in it.

We had been trying to get together for weeks and now I was late. I loved Aimi to death, but she was one of these obnoxiously perfect people. She had been a triple major in Potions, Charms and Herbology when at university 15 years ago and now she was one of the most prestigious Potions Mistresses in the country. She had began her studies at Hogwarts, practicing doubly hard over the summers with her uncles and went on to University to graduate with top marks. Now she was teaching at her beloved Hogwarts, maintaining a steady relationship with a top quidditch player and she was gorgeous on top of it all.

Aimi had been nice enough to agree to help me scrapbook some of my father's old journals in order to redistribute them to those who truly mattered in his life. Aimi had gone to Hogwarts, in fact she said the her uncles all knew exactly who my father was. Her upbringing was very different from mine. Not only was she almost a generation older than I, she had grown up in a pure-blood family and had been sorted into Slytherin, just like my father and spent her summers touring the world or diligently practicing everything that had been taught to her in the past school year. I on the other hand lived torn between a muggle mother and a wizard father who were also two completely different personalities. None of us ever figured out what they saw in one another.

My mother, Luca Bianco, was Italian, not your stereotypical small, dark, curvy Italian woman either, her family was from the north and had waist length, curly blond hair, big blue eyes and she was very tall and thin. Of course her family had also settled in Arkansas so when Dad met her she had a thick southern accent and dark tanned skin that at age 25 was already nearly like leather. She loved to ride horses, it was all she did and all she ever talked about. She had gone to college and studied Equitation and all she really wanted was to have a family and ride her horses. Father told her he was a school teacher and taught Chemistry. She never passed chemistry in high school, but she never the less took an interest in our chemistry-teaching father.

"21 May, 2006

... I don't know what it is about her. She's completely different and unlike anyone I've ever even SEEN before. I must have her..."

I will never forget the picture on our fridge of their first date. Mother had taken him riding and the proof of that is the picture of our very miserable looking wearing a 5 gallon stetson hat trying to control the horse that evidently didn't like him that much. Our mother is laughing hysterically in the photo.

I stopped for a moment outside of the Leaky Cauldron and thought about this photo. For the first time in a good number of years I had stopped to think about that picture and realized that I had no idea where it was. I would have to call Nico when I got back to my dismal little flat.

My eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness of the old pub and I made my way over the low table under the stairs.

"Aimi I am so sorry for being late. I got off at the wrong station and well, sometimes I forget I am a witch." I blushed deeply when I realized for the first time that if I would have simply appearated, I would have been on time if not early. Aimi looked at me intently and laughed in a rich deep tone that filled the room with warmth.

"That's fine. For once in my life I am not busy." she smiled again before continuing, "I have been given a leave of absence by the headmistress. She seems to think I need some time for myself. Apparently working 18 hour days must be starting to show in my face."

Through her smiles I could see the faint lines that gently surrounded her mouth and eyes. They gave her a sense of aged elegance, as opposed to making her appear a little old lady.

"Well, I don't see it, but then again if you've been working this hard since your time in the womb, I imagine that you're equally adept at hiding your exhaustion."

"That's what I thought." She laughed softer this time.

"So what will you be doing during your leave?"

"I am debating on doing some travel," She waved Tabitha, the young barmaid, to bring us both waters with lime.

"My leave of absence extends to the middle of February, so I thought I might go to Australia or New Zealand. I am just ready to lie on a beach and get my comeuppance. I am exhausted Ayasha. I have worked my butt off everyday I can remember and I have nothing to show for it. I wanted so much not to end up like my mother and now that I have succeeded I find myself jealous that I don't have what she did."

Sensing a private tangent that was about to ensue, I interrupted her.

"Well, why don't we do a bit of shopping. You'll need new robes, especially if you are going to Australia now, it is summer isn't it?" I tried my best to distract her and I must have succeeded because 15 minutes later we were caught in the middle of the bustling Diagon Alley amid the numerous Christmas shoppers. Thankfully, children were few in numbers, so our shopping experience was enhanced by the sounds of intelligent conversation and music instead screaming and temper tantrums.

We made our way in and out of Madam Malkin's quickly enough. I decided to have myself measured for some new teaching robes and a long black velvet cloak with a deep red silk lining. We continued down the narrow shopping district stopping in every other store or so to browse, sample and buy the various wares within. We both stopped dead in our tracks for the various potions shops and book stores and she laughed at me when I insisted on stopping in an old joke shop run by two aging wizards who seemed to know Aimi, or least who liked her; they kept winking and whistling at her.

Heading onwards we peaked in the windows of chocolate shops, small restaurants, places selling cauldrons of every imaginable size and composition; I purchased a set of 3 glass cauldrons for my upcoming internship.

"Aimi, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did my friend."

"I'm serious. If your leave extends to the middle of February, what am I to do for the month and a half that I am supposed to be interning with you?"

Aimi stopped and turned quickly. She shrugged at me and said

"Well, that's for McGonagall to decide. I imagine she has the faith in you to be able to handle the first and second year classes on your own. We have competent enough 7th years to help with the upper grades and Professor Malfoy will be able to help you further with the 6th and 7th year classes."

"It sound like an awful lot of shuffling around. Perhaps I could propose to put off my internship for another year or so?" I put my statement in question form, hoping for an adequate reply to my thoughts.

"The headmistress is thoroughly excited to have you join our staff temporarily. She's the one who has initiated all this shuffling. I don't think it it will do anything but upset her if you suggest putting off this learning experience."

Her tone was clipped and slightly condescending. She turned quickly and headed up the road. I followed her quickly, at a slight jog to keep up with her long, quick paces.

"Aimi, I'm sorry if I offended you. It just dawned on me that the time of my internship and your leave coincided."

"Look, you didn't upset me. I have been under a lot of stress lately." She stopped at the mouth to Knockturn Alley and continued. "You will be fine. Mcgonagall has seen what you are able to do and trusts that you past experience in combination with your parentage will make you competent enough to handle the classes on your own. In my humble opinion I think that she is making too much of you. I don't mean for this to offend you or upset you, but simply because you are the daughter of some spy from nearly 40 years ago doesn't mean you can teach these classes."

"What are you talking about?" I asked her, dumbfounded. The look on my face must have been one that showed my hurt at her accusations that I couldn't teach. However, what I really wanted to know is why she thought my father was a spy.

"I just think that the whole situation is being gone about in the wrong manner. I am sorry I snapped at you like that. Why don't we go grab a bite to eat?"

Aimi had already began to walk back to the entryway to the Leaky Cauldron. I walked behind her, mulling over everything she had said to me. When she walked in the back of the Leaky Cauldron and through the front door, I knew she was avoiding me.

We walked in silence down to the corner chippy and made a meal of vinegar soaked chips and hot, fresh from the fryer fish. As we parted she let me know that I was to take the Hogwarts Express on 1 January at noon from King's Cross, Platform 9 ¾. I appearated back to my flat and crashed onto my couch, which really was more of a pile a cushion and pillows and covered myself in my thick duvet. I wanted my father now more than ever. As I looked around the dark room I imagined us back at home,

plying outside together. I knew that he used to be a very scholarly man. I also knew that he had moved to the States simply because of the better opportunities in medicinal potions and he wanted to do some real good before he was too old to continue working in his preferred field. However he met my mother, had five children and that was that. It didn't matter to me at that moment. All that mattered was that the sun would be down in 45 minutes and I had to tag my father one more time before mother called us in for supper.

I would come to find out that he never regretted choosing us completely over whatever else the world had to offer. As far as I knew he had few if any regrets. He was the type of man who made every step a sure step, he regretted nothing because everything was well thought out and methodical for him. That was the kind of man I saw my father as. I wouldn't know until much later that his lack of regret over us was that we redeemed him in a way that medicinal potions never could. No matter how much good it did for the betterment of our world, it was his children who saved him. He told us this every day.

I stood up slowly, wrapping my duvet tighter over my chest and I sat down in front of my tiny fireplace. I flooed Nico but it was Susan who answered me.

"Is Nico around?"

"No I am afraid you just missed him. Samara is having some issue with the kids. You know how it is with her. There's ALWAYS an issue." Susan laughed genially

"Is there something I could help you with?" She offered.

"I don't think so. I had a question about Dad, I wasn't sure if Nico could answer it for me though, but I thought I would ask him anyways."

"Well I'd try popping in tomorrow night. Luke has gone and blown up the cat and Nick's gone tgo try and get it down. We've had emergency magical reversal thingy squads all over the block all night! It might be a long one, it's been so nice here lately, everyone was outside and saw it." She sighed. "I wish I could help."

"Yeah but this way if something goes wrong, it's not your fault and when something goes wrong you are free to sit back and laugh because you're in on the greatest joke ever played on muggle-kind" I laughed and she smiled slightly. She looked troubled but I didn't want to press the subject. I had pressed too many buttons this evening and I was tired of the outcome.

"I am going to go. Tell Nico I might pop in tomorrow evening. OK? Take care!"

With a great wooshing noise I stepped out of the fireplace and back into my dark little living room.

As I readied myself for bed I took an inventory of the days revelations.

My nephew blew up the cat

My father was a spy

and my mentor seemed bitter towards me for reasons unknown.

I fell into bed with a sigh. It was going to be a long night.