Ginny needed a break from her broken family, non-existent graduation plans and her failed relationship with Harry Potter—whom she threw herself at thinking they wouldn't make it out of the war alive. Joke's on her.

That's how she found herself marching into The Crooked Crone in the large wizarding town of Cagailshire just north of Carlisle. She had no previous experience bartending, but Ginny liked to eat. She told Talia Taddletail, the owner, of her intention to work here. Well the interview went a little like this. Could Ginny hit the ground running—learn as she went? Yes ma'am . Could she stand her ground before a rowdy bunch of patrons? She had six brothers, ma'am. Mead or Firewhiskey? Not on the job, ma'am. Ginny was hired.

Ginny was miles away from family and friends and Talia's oxtail stew tasted nothing like her mum's, but the pay was good and her room was warm and that was good enough to make her stay a while. And then, a little while more.

She worked by day at first, and got to know all the patrons that came for their business lunch drinks at noon. There was a saying here: "All paths lead to Cagailshire." Turns out, many had survived the war. That's why she wasn't surprised to see him—the dark and mysterious stranger with a scarred neck sitting at the end of the bar, asking for his usual.

This story started the night her workmate Pertha Wiggins had a cold and asked her to take her night shift. Ginny walked in and there he was. She had no clue what the Potions Master drank, so she rolled up her sleeves and whipped him up a cocktail as dark as his demeanor and slid it across the counter into his pale, ready hand.

He took one sip, then lifted a finger to summon her over.

"What the devil is this?" he asked, his voice rough and ragged.

"Gin's special."

"Miss Weasley, have you sought employment in Florean's?"

Ginny grinned. "Not the first wizard to tell me I'm sweet."

"You're not. It is. And it's simply putrid." His stare cut her. Daggers, daggers, daggers . "Do you need further instruction?"

No sir. Ginny snapped. "You should know by now how it works around here. You order, I mix."

"Very well. Bring me a Firewhiskey over ice," he replied tersely.

Ginny made the drink, slammed it down before him without a paper napkin and went about serving the other patrons. Damn his attitude. If he thought treating her like one of his petulant students was going to pass in Cagailshire like it did in Hogwarts, then the Potions Master was in for a reality check. He finished his whiskey, then ordered two more and disappeared. The only noise Ginny heard were the Galleons falling out of their neat stack as he slammed the door on his way out.

-xxx-

Pertha told all.

Ginny knew that wizard as Professor Severus Snape, but in Cagailshire, he went by Tobias Prince. Nobody knew who he was or where he came from, but he was a regular at The Crooked Crone. Prince—who was Snape—took the last seat at the bar every Saturday, downed his usual until he was pissed-drunk and went home with a witch—always a redhead. Ginny figured that was one other reason she always worked the day shifts; there was no need to entice the patrons, especially those who had a thing for her exact type. Cagailshire was large, but had not an endless supply of red-haired witches. It seemed Snape's plan was to go through them like a deck of cards until it could compensate for the empty hole in his heart.

Pertha steered clear of the wizard, besides making him his drink and leaving him be, but Ginny was not about to cower in the dayshift to avoid confrontation. She was a Weasley, and for Merlin's sake, she had rent to pay and shite to do. Snape better watch his mouth and his attitude if he thought he could smite her. Didn't like her drinks? Everyone liked Gin's special, she thought sourly. But Ginny was a professional and professionals took care of their patrons. She was going to take care of Snape's drinks for him, even if he didn't trust her yet.

Snape was alive, but that's not what bothered her. If Snape was alive, it meant Voldemort's snake had not killed him. The Dark Lord needed him alive, and Ginny was going to find out why Snape escaped to Cagailshire. If Snape was no longer with Voldemort, then he was against him, and Ginny knew for certain the Dark Lord kept friends close but his enemies even closer. And Snape was very close.

-xxx-

A/N: New year and a new story. This one features Ginny and Severus on an adventure to stop the Dark Lord. Along the war, romance ensues. This story has been a while in the making and assumes a few plot points: Severus Snape has not died, Voldemort is alive, Ginny and Harry are not together (obviously). As usual, enjoy and leave a comment if you are called to! I love to read them and hear your reviews of the story :)

If you're curious about this pairing, I have an entire page (Sinevra) on my AO3 profile (Mumka) is dedicated to stories and art of Ginny and Severus. If there is any art, it is featured on my AO3 profile. archiveofourown users/ Mumka/ pseuds/ Sinevra

Rated M for references to drinking, sexual behaviour and profanity