A/N: Thank you so much to those of you who read/reviewed/favourited/followed the first chapter! :)

Here's chapter 2... enjoy!


As the first years were gradually sorted and the final few took their places at the relevant tables, Regina shifted uncomfortably in her chair at the teachers' table at the front of the Great Hall. Beside her, Severus slid into his own seat and she shot him a questioning look which he avoided. He kept his face emotionless, his eyes roving over the faces in the sea of students in front of them. As her oldest friend, the man could tell that Regina was nervous about being introduced as a new member of staff and squeezed her hand quickly under the table.

Neither of them made any sign that the action had taken place, keeping their masks firmly in place as they ate. Every now and then Regina would glance up and meet her son's eyes, smiling warmly as Henry beamed at her for a moment before returning to his conversation with his friends.

"He seems pleased that you're here, Gina." Severus said in a low voice, shooting her a fleeting smile. He didn't allow the rarely seen soft expression to linger on his features for long in case it was spotted by anyone else.

Regina nodded slowly. "I think he is. I don't want him to be awkward though; I don't wish him to feel as though I'm spying on him."

"I doubt Henry will feel that." Severus assured her. "He is a smart boy and, after all, Albus told me that it was due to his reaction to the idea that you accepted the job."

"Mmmm…" Regina nodded slowly, still watching her son as he interacted with his peers.

She hadn't really known what to expect, seeing Henry in such a situation. He had always been somewhat of a loner; more interested in books and spending time with her than playing with children his own age. Then again, she conceded, that may have been more her fault than anything else. Since Daniel's death she had been terrified to let their son out of her sight. Regina had been five and a half months pregnant when her husband of just over two months had been murdered; by her own mother, no less. The young brunette had been forced to watch as Cora cast the killing curse after tracking them down to their hiding place, screaming desperately for her mother to show some mercy as the vivid green light engulfed her husband. But there had been no mercy, no compassion. Cora had merely helped her grief-stricken daughter to her feet and Apparated them back to the Black Mansion.

With Daniel's death all the fight and rebellion left Regina. She allowed her mother to dictate her life as she had done throughout the brunette's childhood. With one solitary exception. Henry. Regina refused to let her mother have any say in her son's upbringing and, to Regina's surprise, Cora didn't fight her on it. She hadn't even commented when Henry was sorted into Ravenclaw rather than Slytherin. Regina tentatively thought that her mother might actually love her youngest grandchild; or perhaps she was simply hoping that was the case. Either way, she wouldn't trust Cora with her son.

"Gina?" Regina jumped, drawn out of her reminiscing by her friend. Severus shot her another rare smile. "Are you alright?"

"Of course." She nodded, not meeting his eyes. She didn't need to look at him to know that he didn't believe her for a second. "So… why were you late to the feast?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Potter. Idiot boy managed to get left behind when the rest of the students came up to the school."

"So you went to save him? How sweet." Regina teased, earning herself a less than impressed look in return.

"I bumped into your niece while I was collecting Potter." Severus informed her casually. He was highly amused by the confused frown that covered her features as she attempted to work out who he was talking about. "Nymphadora Tonks."

"Oh…" The woman tried to look bored by the information. "I haven't seen her for several years. Dromeda was disowned by the family when she married that Muggle Born."

"And yet you still use her nickname." He smirked. "I know you're still in regular contact with them, Gina. You can't hide anything from me."

Regina frowned. "Whatever Mother and the others say, she is still my half-sister, Severus; my sister. And I, more than most, understand that love does not always abide by a family's wishes." When she glanced at him, she looked almost fearful. "Mother would murder me if she found out I'm still in contact with Andromeda… as for Bella…"

"And Narcissa?" Severus could barely conceal his interest in the subject of the Black-Mills family politics.

With a snort, that was a most unusual outburst for the brunette witch, Regina shook her head. "Cissy would welcome our sister back into the family with open arms given half a chance. She never will, though; not with Bella and Lucius around."

"But Lucius isn't around anymore, is he? He is Azkaban's latest inmate."

Looking past him in an attempt to end the conversation, she caught sight of a mass of blonde curls and rolled her eyes as Emma Swan threw back her head and laughed loudly at something her friends said. "I can't believe Albus allows Swan to teach here, let alone the rest of them. I severely doubt they take things more seriously now than they did when they were students here."

Severus followed her gaze along the table to where Emma was sitting with Mary Margaret Nolan, Aurora Rose, Ruby Lucas and Belle French.

The quiet, bookish Belle was possibly the only student that the near-terrifying Librarian, Madam Pince, didn't loathe with a passion and so she had offered the young woman a job as her assistant, which Belle had happily accepted. Mary Margaret had been the second of the quintet hired to teach at Hogwarts, three years after they left, taking the recently vacated position of Care of Magical Creatures teacher. Three years after Professor Nolan's appointment, Aurora became the new Astronomy teacher. This would be Emma Swan's fifth year as a Charms Professor at the school and Ruby had been appointed over the summer to cope with the surge in demand to study Care of Magical Creatures. Mary Margaret's husband, David, and Aurora's fiancé, Philip, were both Aurors for the Ministry of Magic and both couples lived in Hosgmeade which, Regina thought with a hint of relief, meant that she was unlikely to run into them very often outside her professional capacity as a Professor.

"We must trust that our Headmaster knows what he's doing." Severus reminded her, turning his nose up at the five women all the same. He agreed with his friend that watching Swan and her little gang conversing was irritatingly reminiscent of their behaviour when they had all been sitting at the tables below them. "Although sometimes I do wonder…"

"What has happened to his hand?" Regina questioned, raising her goblet and taking a dainty sip to mask her words.

Not meeting her gaze, Severus concentrated on his meal. "It is best that you do not know, Gina. For your safety. And for Henry's."

Regina frowned at him for a moment, but was prevented from pressing the matter when the Headmaster himself stood up and waited for the conversations around the Great Hall to die down. Immediately a hush fell over the room and all eyes turned to face him.

"The very best of evenings to you!" Dumbledore greeted the students brightly. His raised arms allowed the blackened hand that Regina had commented on to be seen by all and whispers ran around the hall instantly. The Headmaster covered the limb with the sleeve of his robe and smiled. "Nothing to worry about." He promised lightly. "Now… to our new students, welcome; to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you.

"Now… there are a few things to mention before you become engrossed in your lessons and so on. Firstly, Mr Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there's a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"Those wishing to play for their house Quidditch teams should give their names to their Heads of House as usual. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators, who should do likewise."

Dumbledore paused for a moment and Regina took a deep breath, knowing that this was the moment she had been dreading. Chancing a quick look at her friend, Severus shot her an almost imperceptible smile, squeezing her hand underneath the table again in a silent show of support. Regina hated that she needed the comfort, but this was whole new territory for her. She was so far out of her comfort zone that she was beginning to wonder whether she had truly made a terrible mistake. Now, though, it was too late to do anything about it and Regina was, if nothing else, proud.

"We are pleased to welcome several new members of staff this year." Dumbledore continued. "Professor Slughorn," Regina watched nervously as her old Potions master climbed to his feet from his position beside her, looking older and wider than he had been when she had last seen him, "is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."

Now it was Regina's turn to squeeze Severus' hand in an attempt to offer him some comfort as whispers ran around the room once more. Beside her, the man remained emotionless, as though he couldn't hear the questions or see the incredulous looks being sent in his direction.

"Professor Snape, meanwhile, will be taking over the position of Defence Again the Dark Arts teacher." Dumbledore explained. Severus didn't stand at the mention of his name as Slughorn had. Instead he raised his free hand, acknowledging the applause and cheering from the Slytherin table.

"At least the Slytherins are happy." Regina pointed out as casually as she could manage, in an attempt to relax both Severus and herself, before the Headmaster cleared his throat and attracted the students' attention once more.

"As to the other additions to our staff, Professor Mills will be working alongside Professor Snape and teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts."

For a moment there was silence. Regina awkwardly got to her feet, at the insistence of Severus tugging on her hand. Her eyes fell on Henry, who appeared confused as to why his peers were staring at her as though Dumbledore had just announced that the Dark Lord was going to be filling the role. Regina, however, knew that most of them were probably thrown by her surname. Thanks to her mother, the name of Mills was synonymous with dark magic. Not to mention her oldest half-sister was the infamous Bellatrix Lestrange.

As applause began at the Slytherin table, quickly spreading, Regina kept her eyes locked with Henry's. Wordlessly she tried to reassure him, her heart breaking at the sadness on his face.

"Maybe this was a mistake…" She murmured, taking her seat once more as Dumbledore introduced Professor Lucas to the students.

"No, Gina." Severus told her firmly. "You are not Cora and you are certainly not Bella. They will see that, soon enough."

"But what if–"

"Henry will be fine." Her friend assured her, squeezing her hand again.

Dumbledore was speaking again, his tone serious as he spoke to the students of the new dangers facing them. Regina found her respect for the Headmaster rising as he talked to the students about Lord Voldemort, not at them. For their part, the majority of the students listened carefully, taking in all that was said.

When he dismissed them, a roar of noise exploded in the Great Hall with the students discussing the events of the evening and making their way towards their common rooms and dormitories. Regina stood, smoothing down her pristine robes and waiting for Severus to accompany her out of the room. The pair had barely made it off the stage the staff table was situated on, when a familiar figure blocked their path.

"Hey, Mom, Uncle Sev!" Henry beamed at them both. Then he stopped, a light frown crossing his face as he remembered where they were. "Sorry, Professor Mills, Professor Snape."

Regina laughed softly. "Hello, dear. Did you enjoy the feast?"

Henry nodded enthusiastically. Then his face fell a little and he looked around to make sure they weren't being observed, before glancing between the adults. "Are you OK? Both of you?"

"Of course." Severus assured him. "Your mother and I have dealt with far worse than a few disapproving looks and whispered comments in our time, Henry. Right, Gina? Don't you worry about us."

"OK." He accepted the words his 'uncle' uttered easily, grinning at them before glancing over his shoulder. "I better…"

"Yes, you had." Regina agreed, pulling her sternest face. "Remember to clean your teeth properly and if I see you at breakfast tomorrow with un-brushed hair there will be trouble."

Henry rolled his eyes, but leant in and kissed her cheek anyway. "Night Mom, love you."

As he rushed away to join his friends in the throng of students leaving the Great Hall, Regina watched him go with a wistful smile. Severus touched her arm gently and indicated that they should leave before the students blocked the hallways. With a nod she followed, head held high and emotionless expression fixed firmly in place.

Neither noticed the blue-green eyes that followed them as they disappeared into the crowd in the Entrance Hall.