"That figures." Dumbledore turned away and gazed along the table at Madam Pince, the school librarian. "My dear would you be kind enough to pass me the strawberry jam?"

"Of cause Headmaster," she replied in a rather snobbish voice.

While Dumbledore was spreading himself a generous helping of jam Taya continued.

"I spoke to him last night or was it early this morning?" She frowned down at her porridge and gazed un-expectantly across the teacher’s table.

"Not sleeping again I gather?" He said referring to Professor Snape. Taya gave the headmaster a sideways glance.

She gently placed the rabbit; along with it’s carrot onto the table directly in front of her then noticed the definite sneer of disapproval on Professor McGonagall’s face. As much as the Gryffindor head of house found the rabbit cute she obviously regarded it being placed on the table rather unethical.

"Albus," she stated. "Is it wise to have a rabbit sitting on the table while we eat?"

He smiled at her. "I’m sure he/she is quite safe Minerva." McGonagall made a humph sound and stuck her nose up at the headmaster before promptly turning around to address the person sitting at her other side. The rabbit mean while continued to happily munch it’s way through the carrot. Dumbledore conjured up a leaf of cabbage.

"What were we saying?"

"About Professor Snape," Taya reminded him.

"Oh yes. He’s not sleeping to well then?"

"No. I don’t think he is," she muttered while avoiding the distinct questioning in the elderly man’s blue eyes. "Tell me Uncle Albus have you seen him this morning?"

"Professor Snape? Oh no dear. I thought perhaps-" Taya shot him an angry look.

"No I haven’t," she said crisply.

"Forgive an old wizard. I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but I thought he spent the night with you."

"Still up to your intuitive tricks again are we?" Dumbledore smiled. Sometimes he un-nerved her. The headmaster did seem to know everything that was going on in Hogwarts. Sometimes the very building gave her the impression that it was alive. She got the distinct perception that the walls had eyes and ears. It gave her the creeps since she was a child. Perhaps it was the ghosts, she thought.

"Now now my dear Taya. You know I didn’t mean to be personal. I just thought-"

"Well he didn’t stay and I certainly didn’t." she snapped regretting the sharp tone in her voice.

"Speaking like a true Slytherin, child."

Taya smiled weakly. "I’m sorry Uncle Albus. I’m feeling a bit under the weather I guess."

"How so?" The headmaster dropped his toast onto the plate and gave his his full attention.

"Lack of sleep too I think." She shook her head. "I’m worried about him. Last night something happened." She swallowed. "I shouldn’t really be telling you this it’s very personal."

"You have my complete confidence Taya. This will remain purely a secret between the two of us."

"Okay." She nodded. "Last night. Well, Severus and I were talking then something happened. I was kind of sucked into his eyes. I don’t understand it. Then I began to feel a pull and the next second I was inside."

"Inside?" Dumbledore frowned.

"Yes. Inside him. His mind. It’s never happened like that before. I mean we were just talking. It was quite scary. I’ve always had some kind of control however slight, but I’ve never been sucked directly into his brain like that. It’s always been more like an outside impression."

"Perhaps if it bothers you that much will Poppy be able to-?" Taya registered the concern in his voice but shook her head.

"No Albus. I can’t. The thing is, I saw things. Terrible feeling and images. It was awful. Worse than what I’ve seen before. I’m frightened that I wont be able to help him because of my own fears. What if I get pulled back in again some how and I can’t free myself? It was totally out of my control. I don’t think he even knew I was there at first."

"You see my dear, I h I have read about your ability is that in a moment of... um shall we say passion you will feel this tugging and you may even link together telepathically."

"I know that," she whispered almost inaudibly. "I thought I had rein over I t I thought I could now control it to a certain degree. I feel like I did before as a kid who has just realised it." Taya shook her head. "We were just talking and then it happened."

"Passion can mean anything my dear."

"I see. Then you think-?" Dumbledore abruptly ld ind in the other direction and raised his hand.

Perhaps it was anger at himself even if I didn’t notice it myself, she thought while considering Severus and their previous encounter.

"Ah my dear Professor Snape how nice for you to join us." Dumbledore smiled up at the tall dark figure approaching the front table. Taya swallowed and felt her stomach lurch slightly. It was like seeing him for the first time every time he stepped near.

Severus nodded at the remainder of the teachers sat at the table then finally glanced at Dumbledore and Taya.

"Headmaster, Miss Matterson." He sat down next to her and poured himself a cup of tea then noticed the rabbit. His mouth went dry.

"Are you all right?" She looked concerned and Severus felt her hand lightly brush his under the table. Then she noticed his fixed gaze on the rabbit. "Oh... and yes meet our new friend. Flopsy here decided to go for a morning stroll. Funny I found him outside my door."

Severus swallowed.

"Her name isn’t Flopsy," he said gravely. Taya frowned and watched him curiously. He scowled, sitting asll all as a statue, arms folded across his chest.

"Her?"

"Hum." He tried to appear un-nerved, but she noticed a slight twitch to the mouth.

"How do you know?" Black eyebrows knotted together into an angry frown that was muted considerably due to the red flradiradiating his normally wan cheeks.

A slight mischievous smile lifted the corners of Taya’s mouth.

"It’s... its Jym Jams," he muttered.

"Jym Jams? Alas. Severus please enlighten us." Dumbledore abruptly stared at the blushing professor while trying to repress a chuckle.

"Before you ask anymore ridiculous questions of me," he spat, "yes she is mine and no she isn’t for the cauldron." Both Taya and Dumbledore looked mystified.

"Oh... My... God," some one blurted out near the far ends of the table. Severus flushed even more then realised with relief that the wizard who had shouted out those words was talking to his neighbour about something completely different.

"You own a bunny?" Taya questioned wide eyed and mystified. The potions master suppressed a groan, but rolled his eyes. Jym Jams abruptly looked up as if realising she was being talked about and bunny hopped over to the potions master. He picked her up. The rabbit closed its eyes savouring the moment of being snuggled in her master’s warm hands.

"Yes." He nodded. "She must have got out last night. I carelessly left my door unlocked."

"She must have known you were with me for a while. She was sniffing under my door."

"She could probably smell you," pointed out Dumbledore.

"But didn’t you notice that she was missing last night?" Questioned Taya.

"No." Severus gazed down at the white fluff ball. "I was tired. She normally doesn’t venture out very far, especially outside my rooms. I hadn’t known that I’d left the door open."

"It was lucky I found her. You would never have lived it down if it was one of the students."

Severus stiffened uncomfortably.

"I see you are enjoying this."

"We don’t mean to embarrass you. It was so...unexpected."

"Indeed. I expected if you had a pet at all it would have been a large black hairy tarantula," said the headmaster with a grin.

"Or a snake," Taya said.

"Too obvious my dear. Severus here is full of surprises." The headmaster appeared deep in thought. "Maybe a reptile, but never a fluffy little bunny." Severus forced a smile. Had his face not have been of flesh and blood it would have most certainly cracked.

"Why do you keep a rabbit anyway?" Asked Taya.

"Is it that incredible that I have a familiar?"

"Well, no…”

"You just didn’t seem to be the person to care for rodents as pets, not as potion ingredients," interjected the elder man. "And how long have you been keeping this little secret from us Severus?"

Severus fumed beneath the surface and felt that his blood close to boiling point.

"Since you appear to want every little bloody detail I suppose I will get no rest until I tell you," he snapped angrily.

Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled.

"I was visiting Diagon Alley when..." he paused, "there was this shop." Abruptly Severus hid the rabbit under the table when he caught Hagrid gazing at him. Knowing the gentle giant’s fondness for animals Severus knew that he would be over in a shot. "I intended only to buy potion ingredients, but I saw this tiny lone rabbit all by itself, obviously meant for the pot so I..." He shook his head. Under the table no one could catch him gently petting Jym Jams.

"You felt sorry for her?" whispered the girl.

"Yes."

"Oooooh that is soooo very sweet. You do have a soft spot." Severus narrowed his eyes, his glare as cold and as sharp as daggers.

"Under normal circumstances I would not have looked twice. I was obviously quite deranged at the time." Both Taya and Dumbledore laughed, but from the look on the other man’s face he was deadly serious and they quickly silenced.

"May I now forgo any further humiliation?"

"Of cause, of course." Dumbledore’s eyes however could not hide his amusement because the potions master obviously saw so.

"Headmaster!" He exclaimed, as if the other man had just spat out something rather nasty.

"Oh alas poor Severus. I am truly sorry."

Severus took on his customary sneery expression and straightened as if out of habit.

"And I must apologise for my lameness. I am late because I over slept then I tried to find my rabbit." Taya smiled. She was feeling love, compassion and a strange softness towards the potions master. The uncertain fear that had temporarily grasped her before the discovery that ‘Jym Jams’ belonged to Severus vanished.

Dumbledore was now standing along with the rest of the adults in the room. The children were now long gone and the great hall was virtually empty save for the few teachers and Hagrid. Taya commented silently to herself that Filch and his cat Mrs Norris hadn’t been present. For that matter she hadn’t seen Hogwarts’ caretaker for a couple of weeks now. She looked at Dumbledore as he passed her by. He smiled faintly, gave a paternal squeeze on her shoulder, nodded then was about to leave with two witches, a wizard and the half giant Hagrid who was informing him about a strange two headed snake he had recently come across when he stopped.

"Oh I forgot to tell you we are having a temporary caretaker for a couple of weeks while Mr Filch is off on holiday. Guess what?" He didn’t give them time to reply and continued. "He actually took my recommendation to have a holiday. He’s gone to Cornwall to visit relatives. I still can’t get used to the fact he’s gone for a while. Mind you..." his eyes twinkled. "...That cat did get on my nerves a bit." Taya chuckled and thought that the cat as well as Filch got on her nerves quite a lot more than a bit. Not that she was going to tell Professor Dumbledore.

She caught a questing glance from the potions master and smiled sweetly at him.

"So Headmaster who has been employed?" Asked Severus.

"Yes. That’s just the problem. We have someone in recommendation but he’s been proving a bit allusive." Dumbledore scratched his nose. "Don’t know whether to try again or wait a bit longer."

"And who is this fellow?"

"Hum, a man calling himself Sylvester Cloppe." Severus was frowning. "Heard of him Professor?"

"Not that I can remember." The headmaster nodded.

"Well then, good day to you both and regards to Jym Jams." Severus glowered vengefully. Obviously the discovery of the rabbit had amused some people. The headmaster found it charming that the cold lonely potions master would choose a fluffy little bunny rabbit for a companion. "Oh and Taya..." He winked inconspicuously then passed.

The only two remaining were the potions master and the defence against the dark arts teacher.

Severus spoke.

"I must make my departure Taya. I have blasted first years to teach in ten minutes. The accursed creatures will no doubt be turning my classroom inside out even before I step through the door."

"They can’t be that bad?"

"Trust me. Potions and brats don’t make an amenable combination. Sometimes I wonder at the absurdity of it all." For a few moments he was silent. "Can I see you again tonight?" Professor Snape asked. Taya smiled then hugged him quickly.

"Yes of cause you can."

"Thank you. I believe I was going to tell you about my life." Her eyebrows rose slightly at his rather cryptic and dramatic statement.

"Okay. Tonight then. My room? Nine O’clock?"

FY">

"If you wish. The dungeons are rather chilling this time of year."

Aren’t they always? She thought.

* * *

Precisely at nine that evening Severus arrived. Taya had left her door unlocked so he could see himself in. Cautiously he stepped into the warm comforting room and was immediately embraced by the woman he loved. For a moment he was taken aback. She was wearing a stunning velvet emerald dressing gown that accentuated her equally stunning green eyes.

It left Severus Snape with a lump in his throat for a minute. Did she require more than he could give tonight? He found himself wondering whether she was wearing anything under it. She noticed the look on his face and smiled.

"I’vst hst had a bath. Pointless getting dressed again. Do you mind taking your shoes off? I know it sounds silly but old habits don’t die. Mum was always moaning at us for not taking our shoes off when coming indoors." Taya took a moment to gaze out of the window before pulling the drapes closed. The black sky was clear and the stars illuminated the heavens and Severus pulled his boots off.

"I’m glad you came. I did wonder," she commented turning back to him.

"You doubted me?"

"A little bit."

"I have a confession to make," Severus stated abruptly.

"Oh?"

"A little white lie."

"And what might that be?"

"I nearly didn’t go to breakfast. It was true that I over slept but only by about five minutes then I was looking for Jy...my rabbit but I was in truth I was a little afraid to see you."

"Me?" She hugged him again then abruptly pulled off his cloak, folded it neatly and placed it down on a chair. Taya withdrew her wand from her gown and pointed it at the other large armchair facing the fire. She muttered a silent spell and the chair grew and swelled to a size that would accommodate both of them. "Will you sit down Professor?" Obediently he took his place by the fire. Un-expectantly she kissed his forehead. "Would you like a drink? Tea or something? I’ve not got anything alcoholic mind you."

"No thank you." She sat down beside him curled up close and gazed into the dancing flames.

"I-"

"I bel- please go ahead my dear."

"It’s funny, but I actually seem lost for words."

"It is a miracle," he said under his breath. Taya giggled and slid her arms around his body.

"You have a sly dry sense of humour Severus. It suits you perfectly." The potions master’s facial expression was strange. "You were joking weren’t you?" He managed to make a very slight, but barely discernible smile, but a smile neither the less.

"I believe you wished to know more about me?"

"Yes. Well, we know you have a pet rabbit and…” She shrugged.

"What would you like to know?"

"Fave colour? Let me guess bright pink." He made a sound that was almost like a smothered laugh.

"See you can do it Severus. You laughed."

"I am utterly serious Madam, if you don’t mind."

"Okay. Tell me about your childhood. Did you have many friends?" This time his lightened expression darkened to something far more sombre that touched the outer edges of pain. "You don’t have to tell me anything that’s too painful mind you," she added. The professor nodded then began.