Alice

Chapter Two

When Two Tribes Go To War...

After breakfast, Remus and Alice slowly walked into the entrance hall.

"So can you play Quidditch?" Remus asked

"No -- too bloody scared I'll get a bludger in the head."

"That's a shame. One of the students had to stay behind, too unsafe for him to go home. He's a keen Quidditch player and we've been playing a bit of one on one over the summer. I was hoping to have a full scale match, round up the teachers who used to play and a few others."

"I'll lead the cheer squad, but you will not get me on a broom within ten feet of a bludger. Not for nothing was a I called 'Pitch Fairy' whilst I was at school."

"Pitch Fairy? Oh that's a good one. Who called you that?"

"The Slytherin boys. Hence my interest in Gryffindor's. Couldn't stand the little Slytherin piss ants. Mind you, by 6^th year I could get my own back. I was quite good at potions by then......." Alice smiled wickedly. "There is this one potion -- clear and tasteless - that has a very unfortunate effect on the drinker. They have a slight tendency to become very flatulent. Not something you want happening when members of the opposite sex are around."

"You devious girl. How ever did you administer it?"

"Easy, as I said, it's tasteless, so when I gave the boys some butterbeer at a dorm party to celebrate a Quidditch win one night -- well I don't need to go into details. Suffice to say I had to scrub the potions classroom every night for two weeks after that. Snape accidentally drank some. But it was worth it, cause the teasing stopped."

Remus grinned. " Would love to have seen the look on Snape's face."

"Embarrassed at first, but he soon realized what was going on. I had strips torn off me for that. Ended up spending the night in a broom closet so the girls in my room wouldn't hear me crying. Snape was furious."

"Hmmm, so do you want to come and watch us play some one on one?"

"Sure I'll be down to the pitch shortly. I'm expecting a very special delivery this morning." Alice wrapped her arms around herself and grinned. Madox was arriving this morning.

"Okay, well see you down there."

Remus jogged lightly up the staircase heading in the direction of what Alice remembered to be the Gryffindor common room. A few minutes later there was a banging noise coming from the front steps, followed by the bursting open of the front doors to the school. Hagrid stood inside the entry hall with a cage containing Alice's darling Madox.

Alice went running across the entry hall and flung herself on Madox's cage, opening the cage door, and removing the quivering red fox and hugging it for dear life.

"Oh how I've missed you. I hope Hagrid has been taking good care of you." Alice looked up and grinned. "Thanks so much for smuggling Madox in. He looks well."

"No problems. Smuggled him in last night. Can't understand that Muggle government wantin to keep a fox out. Aint hurting no one. And he's such a dear lil thing."

"Ahh, so this must be the special delivery."

Alice looked up; Remus was coming back down the stairs with a broom under his arm and was accompanied by a boy of about 16, who Alice guessed must be the poor student spending the holidays at school.

"Harry" Hagrid boomed and moved over to the boy and cuffed him affectionately around the ears.

Ah, of course, Harry Potter thought Alice.

"Alice, this is Harry, Harry this is the new assistant professor I was telling you about -- Professor Alice Kyteler." Remus said.

Harry walked forward rather stiffly and shook Alice's hand.

"And this is Madox" said Alice proudly. The little fox's nose started to quiver as he smelt the scent of new people. "I've had him since I was 16, found him abandoned near the forest so I looked after him. Couldn't bear to part with him after that."

Remus moved over and held his hand out for Madox to smell, Harry followed suit and did the same thing. Madox sniffed for a while and decided these new people smelt all right and licked their hands.

"Well, lets head off to the pitch shall we?"

They all headed out the front door for the pitch. Alice lagged behind as she had to keep stopping to wait for Madox who was finding all sorts of interesting things to smell and places to explore.

When they got to the pitch, Alice took a seat in the stands. It was such a nice day that she took her robe off and hitched the dress she was wearing up to her knees and allowed herself the rare pleasure of sunning herself.

She sat and watched Harry and Remus darting allover the pitch, passing the quaffle between each other. Once Harry had gone into a dive and caught the snitch, thereby beating Remus. Alice was very thankful that Remus and Harry's abbreviated version of Quidditch didn't seem to involve any Bludgers. She had been contentedly watching the game with Madox for an hour or so when Snape had darkened the pitch. Remus and Harry had stopped playing, but Snape made his way toward Alice in the stands, waving to the others to indicate to keep playing. Alice bristled slightly as he sat down next her. She studied his profile, the longish, straight black hair, and hooked nose that looked more Grecian in appearance on closer inspection.

"Professor"

"Miss Kyteler, I was wondering if you have been keeping your hand in with potion making?" Snape drawled in an icey tone that made Alice shiver.

"Yes, why?"

"How long has it been since you last made a potion and what was it?" Snape didn't turn to face Alice; instead he was sneering slightly at Harry who had gone into another dive.

"About two weeks ago, and I made some Veritaserum for my Gran. Why?"

Snape drummed his fingers on his thigh. "Circumstance dictates. I need your assistance in making Lupin's Wolfsbane. Someone else needs to know how to make it, and the first step is gathering a vital ingredient. As you don't seem to be doing anything at present I thought we could go now..." His voice trailed off as he caught sight of Madox, "I see you still have your fox, Madox isn't it?"

Alice nodded and wondered what she had done to have her day ruined. Snape stood up and looked at Alice with piercing black eyes "Well hurry up Miss Kyteler, we do not have all day."

Alice stood up and put her robe back on over her dress. She waved to Remus and yelled out cheekily "I'll see you tonight, I have a potions lesson to attend."

Remus waved and then turned back to chase Harry who was making off with the quaffle. Poor girl he thought a days outing with Snape.

Snape glared at Alice and headed off in the direction of the forest, rather than the castle or Hogsmeade as Alice thought they would. Snape seemed to read Alice's mind, "we need the petals of Wolfsbane flower" he said over his shoulder.

Alice and Snape walked along in silence for half an hour. Alice was damned if she was going to be the first one to talk, but she needn't have worried as Snape stopped at a clearing in the forest and turned to her with a look of absolute fury on his face.

"Miss Kyteler, I am not as forgiving as Remus appears to be. I have held my tongue long enough about your appalling behavior toward Professor Lupin last night. He was good enough to take you on, but in your arrogance you saw only that you had been wronged. I would have hoped the passage of time would have mellowed that side of your character but it appears I was wrong."

Alice was amazed. "I was upset last night and I concede that I behaved in a less than considerate way. However, I have apologized to Remus and he has accepted my apology. I would have thought that would have been good enough for you, as I don't see why any of this even concerns you," Alice was seething, who the hell did Snape think he was. She pulled herself up, refusing to let Snape intimidate her.

"This matter concerns me because it concerns a colleague." Snape glared at Alice, "I see that streak of arrogance is accompanied by an air of superiority. No doubt inherited from your better than thou father."

"My father is one of the most loving, down to earth people I know."

"Your father and his families conceit and arrogance is well known. I'm surprised you haven't realized or heard the talk."

"I don't listen to rumors"

Alice and Snape were yelling at each other now.

"Oh these aren't rumors Miss Kyteler, your father's family pride them selves on never having had a dark wizard in their history. They look down on other families who do."

"I'm beginning to think your problem with my character and family has more to do with your own character than with mine." Alice narrowed her eyes and glared back at Snape, two could play at this game she thought.

"Is that what you think?" Snape took a step toward Alice, advancing on her personal space.

"Yes" she spat.

They stared at each other. All Alice could hear was her and Snape's breathing, it sounded as if the whole forest was holding it's breath.

"And why do you think that Miss Kyteler?" Snape hissed moving in closer so they were almost touching.

"Guilt, you feel guilty for the way you have behaved in the past."

"And what would you know about that?"

"Everything, my father likes to keep me informed." Alice said in a slow measured tone.

Snape stared at her. How dare the arrogant little upstart judge and presume to know him.

"I am a professor and head of house at Hogwarts. Please don't presume to know what I am thinking, nor how I feel about my past."

"And please don't forget that I am a professor too."

"A professor? Is that what you call yourself?"

"Well it beats being a death eater" Alice hissed venomously.

Snape drew himself up, "BITCH" and slapped Alice across the face.

Alice put her hand to her burning check, turned and fled. She stumbled through the bushes and undergrowth, taking no notice of where she was going. Tears were pouring down her face and she found herself starting to hyperventilate. Alice stopped and looked for a place to sit. As she looked around she realized Madox wasn't with her. "Madox" she screamed, "oh God help me, Madox."

*** *** ***

Severus Snape stood looking at his hand. He couldn't believe that he had allowed himself to get so wound up over that stupid girl. What was so infuriating was she was right. He felt an enormous sense of guilt over his past and he had been known to take it out on people, frequently.

He was brought out of his reverie by a whimpering sound. He turned to see Madox cowering by a log. Fantastic, after everything that had happened, he had to rescue the damn fox. As he bent over to pick the scared creature up he saw some Wolfsbane flowers. "Not an entirely wasted outing then." He pulled a small, green potions bottle out of his robes, carefully picked the delicate flowers, put them in the bottle and pocketed it. He picked up Madox, sighed and started walking back the way they had come. He supposed Alice was lost and a search party would need to be organized.

An hour later Remus Lupin stood on the steps of Hogwarts. He was waiting for Harry and then they would go to look for Alice in the forest. Severus had returned with Madox, told Remus that Alice was lost and then gone straight off to see Dumbledore. He had looked quite upset and Remus wondered what had happened. Hagrid was sent straight out to look for her, whilst the other professors organized themselves into groups.

They were about to leave when Remus spotted a figure come stumbling out of the forest.

"Oh thank God."

Remus ran down the steps and across the grass to Alice. She looked up as he came running and collapsed onto her knees.

"I've lost Madox." Alice cried as Remus reached her.

"He's okay, Severus has got him."

Remus bent down and picked Alice up and hugged her. She grasped the sleeves of Remus' robe and buried her face in his chest and started crying again.

"He's a bastard. He called Father arrogant, insulted me, called me a bitch and hit me."

"He what?" Remus was shocked.

"He hit me" Alice looked up at Remus, her eyes full of tears "but I guess he was provoked. I may have mentioned something about his past as a death eater."

Remus let go of Alice and shook his head.

"Alice, Severus is a colleague, you need to work out your relationship with him so you can at least maintain some semblance of civility when the students return."

"I know, I'm just...this isn't what I wanted" Alice waved her arms expansively toward to the school, " I love Hogwarts and I was looking forward to returning, but I've made a complete mess of things. I insulted you, I insulted Snape. I just wish I could go back in time and start again."

"You can't do that, well you could but the consequences...well I don't need to tell you."

"No" Alice said miserably, "but what can I do?"

"Apologize. Although I think Severus also needs to apologize, which he won't. No matter how much he wrongs someone, he won't apologize. Trust me." Remus sighed. "Come on, I'll take you to see Madam Pomfrey. You have scratches on your face, and I would suggest arms and legs. Then you can go and retrieve Madox."

The pair of them walked toward the school, Remus several paces in front of Alice and deep in thought. Alice hung her head, how old am I?, she thought bitterly.

As for Remus he didn't know what to do. Dumbledore's plans relied on Alice and Snape talking to each other at the very least. It was obvious that they didn't like each other, which struck Remus as odd. Most Slytherins revered Snape and some, like Malfoy, almost adored him. He needed to find a common point they could both agree on or the plot to expose Voldemort would fail.

As they reached the castle steps, Professor McGonagall came storming toward them. She looked down the end of her nose from Remus to Alice.

"Professors. Professor Kyteler if you would accompany me to Dumbledore's office please."

Alice looked up and slowly walked up the steps, she cast a backward glance at Remus and mouthed the words sorry and then followed Professor McGonagall into the school. Alice was convinced she was about to be sacked. She fought back the tears, she was not going to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her crying.

As they walked up staircases and along corridors, Alice could hear Professor McGonagall muttering under her breath. She occasionally made out words and sentences such as immature, could have killed each other and bad example to the students. Alice swallowed hard -- this was going to be bad, very bad.

Eventually they came to a stop in front of a stone gargoyle. Professor McGonagall muttered a password and the gargoyle swung back and revealed a moving staircase. Both teachers walked through the door and ascended the stairs to Dumbledore's office. Alice had been in here once and it was the same as she had remembered it. Cozy and inviting, Alice felt she could tell anyone anything in here. As she looked around her eyes fell on Snape, who looked back at her impassively. She let out a gasp when she saw Madox, looking very comfortable curled up on Snape's lap.

"Madox."

The little fox lifted his head, his mistress had returned. He liked this man who was very gentle with him, but he had missed Alice.

Alice ran across the room and without thinking scooped Madox from Snape's lap. She held the fox tightly.

"Thank you for bringing him back."

Snape had no time to respond as Professor Dumbledore appeared, as if out of no where.

"Professor Kyteler, I'm glad you have returned and in one piece. We were all worried. I need hardly remind you that there aren't the friendliest of beasts in the forest."

Alice hung her head, "I know."

Dumbledore sat down at his desk and waved a hand to indicate that Alice should sit also. "Now, I have heard Severus' version of events, I would like to hear yours."

Alice looked Dumbledore in the eyes and began.

"Professor Snape asked me to help him make a potion and said we needed an ingredient first. We went into the forest, neither of us talking. Eventually, Professor Snape spoke. He told me what he thought of my treatment of Remus and then went on to insult my father, his family and me. I saw red Headmaster and did something I regret immensely." Here Alice looked at Snape, who looked like he was daring her to go on.

"What was that Professor Kyteler?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Alice took a deep breath.

"I accused him of being a Death Eater. And I am very sorry I did. I was mad, but I am so very sorry." She addressed this final remark to Professor Snape whose face was a mask of anger.

"And that was it?"

"No, Professor Snape called me a bitch and slapped me across the face."

Professor Dumbledore stood up and looked at the two of them, slowly shook his head but said nothing. Professor McGonagall had no such reserve.

"Never in all my professional life have I seen such behavior from two professors. Both of you should know better. Severus, to personally and physically attack a new professor...we'll be lucky if she doesn't resign. And as for you Professor Kyteler, you are not in primary school now."

"Minerva please."

Professor McGonagall sat down with a very disapproving expression on her face. Dumbledore looked at Professor Snape;

"Severus I need to know if this situation is going to continue...because if it is it will jeopardize everything."

Snape's face wore an expression of steely resolve.

"If Miss Kyteler is truly remorseful" Snape had a sarcastic tone to his voice, "then she can still learn to make the Wolfsbane potion. However, she should be aware that my personal opinion of her and her father's family has not changed."

Dumbledore sighed. "Very well Severus, Professor Kyteler?"

Alice was unsure that she could trust herself to speak. Remus had told her not expect an apology, but to continue to insult her in front of Dumbledore and McGonagall was almost too much.

"Professors, if I choose not to assist Professor Snape, what will I be jeopardizing?"

Dumbledore looked at Alice, and with a very serious expression on him face replied.

"A plan to expose Voldemort, so the Ministry will take his threat seriously."

Alice looked at Snape and then back to Dumbledore.

"Well I don't have much choice then do I?"

Dumbledore let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you Alice. Now if either of you has a problem with the other, come and see me or Minerva. The students return tomorrow night and I will not tolerate any more outbursts such as today's. You are here to set an example." Dumbledore then smiled, the twinkle returning to his eyes, "now if you will all kindly leave my office, I'm going bowling."

Alice stood up and gathered Madox to her. She was making her way out when Professor Snape stopped her and sneeringly said;

"Miss Kyteler, if you would be so kind as to make you way to the potions classroom in half an hour, we will begin the potion."

And with that Professor Snape pushed past her and disappeared down the corridor with his black robes billowing behind him.

"Well Madox, there goes the most frightful man in Britain." Madox looked at Alice questioningly. These humans were so strange.

*** *** ***

Alice returned to her rooms to feed Madox. She sat down on the end of her bed and gave into the tears that had been threatening to come since she had entered the school. How someone could be so horrible Alice didn't know. She thought about Remus and compared the two. One had made a choice that had resulted in terrible things, whilst the other had no such luxury. If anyone had a right to be bitter and twisted it was Remus, not Snape. Remus should teach Snape some civility.

After some time Alice got up and walked over to her basin and splashed some cold water on her face. She cleaned up her scratches with some healing salve and turned to her door. She stood there staring at it. She had to get down to the dungeons at some point, but she couldn't move. "Okay on the count of three get your ass into gear girl." Alice said aloud to herself.

*** *** ***

Meanwhile, down in his rooms Remus Lupin looked across at his old friend Sirius Black.

"They'll kill each other before Halloween at this rate." Remus had just been filling Sirius in on events since Alice's arrival. Sirius raised his eyebrows, "well Severus did warn you you'd be asking for trouble hiring her."

"Yes but I never imagined this."

"mmm" Sirius suddenly got a wicked gleam in his eye, "we could make a love potion."

"Sirius be serious. How you didn't end up in Slytherin I will never know." Remus said despairingly.

"Just an idea."

" Got any other ideas?"

The two men sat on the couch staring at the wall.

"They might have sacked her." Remus said quietly.

Sirius regarded his friend, "And that would be a bad thing because?"

"It just would."

An idea was forming in Sirius' mind that needed further investigation.

"So can I stay for a couple of days?"

Remus looked up, "yeah, the couch okay?"

"I'll transfigure and sleep as a dog thanks. Have you spoken to Dumbledore yet?"

"No"

"I think we should, and soon. He has probably got another plan if Alice doesn't work out. We should start preparing ourselves. We need to expose Voldemort before any of his operatives work out how to infiltrate Hogwarts."

Remus just nodded, he hadn't completely given up on Alice yet.

"There has to be something they can see eye to eye on."

Sirius rolled his eyes, he could see that he wasn't going to get much sense out of Remus.

"Well I'm going to see Harry, what's the password for the tower?"

"Norbert." Remus said distractedly, his mind a million miles away.

*** *** ***

Alice walked into her old potions class room and looked around. There were still the bottles of body parts lining the walls and several cauldrons were bubbling away. Severus Snape stood at his desk, one hand holding the collar of his robes, the other held a pocket watch, he looked at the watch and then at Alice.

"You are late Miss Kyteler."

Alice squared her shoulders and looked at straight at Snape.

"Sorry I was feeding Madox."

"Next time I say half an hour I mean half an hour."

Alice groaned inwardly, she had only been a few minutes late, this was going to be hell. Snape motioned toward a cauldron and Alice walked over. Snape handed her a green potions bottle.

"Here are the petals, slice them finely. I will instruct and supervise whilst you make the potion. Are we clear?"

"Yes Professor."

For two hours Alice chopped, stirred and poured at Snape's instruction. Her back was hurting but she wasn't going to complain or ask for a chair. Finally Snape said they had finished.

"You may sit Miss Kyteler. It will take half an hour for the potion to cool enough to drink."

Alice sank into the nearest chair, which just happened to be facing Snape's desk. He sat at his desk and looked at Alice and appeared to be struggling mentally with something.

"Miss Kyteler"

"Yes"

"I..." he paused, " you have always been a skilled potions maker. You have not lost that skill."

Alice looked astonished, "Thanks."

"Tell me, why didn't you choose potions as a career?"

"I don't know. We learnt more advanced potions at Professor Kenobi's, but it just seemed the right thing to be doing -- specializing in the Dark Arts."

"I see." Snape looked down at his desk; it still looked to Alice like he was struggling whether to tell her something or not.

"Miss Kyteler, if you need to use the dungeon for any potion making -- you will be welcome to. I have always respected your Mother's family, your Grandfather is one of the best apothecaries..."

Alice swallowed, "He died last year," she said quietly.

"I'm so sorry."

They sat for a while in silence. Alice staring at the floor. Eventually Snape spoke again.

"How did he die?"

"Pneumonia. Too stubborn to take his own potion." Alice smiled ruefully and looked up at Snape. He seemed genuinely upset.

He got up suddenly and walked across to the potion. He picked up a battered goblet and dipped it into the cauldron. He turned and handed the goblet to Alice.

"Take this to Lupin. We made enough potion for the week. It will be your responsibility to make it next weekend, I have to go away." Snape said sharply as if remembering who Alice was.

Alice got up and walked out of the dungeon feeling very confused about what had happened. One minute he hated her, the next, well it almost sounded like he was complementing her.

Snape called after her, "can you shut the door after you please Professor Kyteler."

Alice turned and did so, starring at the door in mute shock. She scuttled down the hall and down a flight of stairs and headed for the Slytherin common room, trying not to spill the Wolfsbane. She reached Remus' door, knocked and without waiting for a response burst in.

Remus looked up form the book he was reading.

"What..."

"Your Wolfsbane, hope it tastes better than it smells."

"I doubt it." Remus took the goblet from Alice, pinched his nose and drank the liquid, pulling faces as he did.

"Disgusting stuff" he muttered.

He looked at Alice.

"Heard what happened in Dumbledore's office. Are you okay?"

"Not really" Alice walked over to the couch and sat down and groaned, "I'm starving."

Remus smiled, "I'll go to the kitchens and get you some food. Then you can tell me what happened."

Remus walked out and Alice lay down on the couch exhausted. She was almost asleep when she heard the door open and then close. She opened her eyes to see a stranger standing over her with a bemused expression on his face. Alice sat straight up and whipped her wand out.

"Who the fuck are you?"

The stranger laughed,

"Sirius Black, friend of Remus'. No need to ask who you are -- Alice Kyteler I presume? Heard all about you."

Alice eyed Sirius cautiously.

"And I've read all about you."

"Shouldn't believe everything you read."

"Your Remus' friend, the animangi?"

"Yup."

"Is it true, Peter Pettigrew actually killed those people and let you take the blame?"

"You're very well informed -- yes it's true."

Alice hesitatingly put her wand away but remained on full alert. Her dark brown eyes wide with suspicion. He confirmed Alice's questions far too quickly, she would never have been so forth wright with a stranger. Her dark arts training started to ring alarm bells in the back of her mind -- she suspected Sirius Black was lying. Alice resolved to watch him very carefully.

Remus returned shortly with a plate of pizza. Alice fell on the food -- she hadn't eaten since breakfast.

"So what happened?" Remus asked.

Alice looked up and swallowed the mouth full of pizza. Remus sat down next to her and looked intently into her eyes. Sirius leaned casually against the arch into the bedroom and observed his friend and Alice.

"I have no idea what happened. Snape was his usual charming self up in Dumbledore's office. Glaring at me, being sarcastic and a little insulting. Then down in the dungeons he was almost civil to me. We made your potion and whilst we were waiting for it to cool he complemented me on my potion making. Told me he had always respected Mum's side of the family. He even seemed upset when I told him about Mum's Dad dying. Then as I was leaving he called me Professor."

Alice looked at Remus, he looked as perplexed as she felt.

Sirius smiled,

"Well situation doesn't look too bad after all. They seemed to have found your common point of agreement after all Remus."

"Yes" said Remus slowly. He actually felt a little upset at this but didn't want to think about why.

Alice stifled a yawn. "I guess if we just stick to work -- Snape isn't completely horrid. He still isn't over endowed in the charm department, but..." Alice shrugged her shoulders and looked at Remus. She was completely exhausted.

"Charming is not a word I would ever use in the same sentence as Severus Snape." Sirius said smoothly.

Alice got up and looked at the two men.

"Well I'm calling it a night. I'll see you tomorrow Remus. It was um" Alice couldn't think of the word she could use to describe her meeting with Sirius "well, fascinating I guess, meeting you Sirius." She didn't trust the charming exterior or the man inside it one bit.

After she left Remus seemed despondent. Sirius looked at his friend.

"Problem?"

"No, why?"

"You seem a bit off color."

"A week to full moon, always feel a bit offish as it approaches."

Sure you do Sirius thought.