  We present a long-term study of the secondary star in the cataclysmic
variable AE~Aqr, using Roche tomography to indirectly image starspots on the
stellar surface spanning 8~years of observations. The 7 maps show an abundance
of spot features at both high and low latitudes. We find that all maps have at
least one large high-latitude spot region, and we discuss its complex evolution
between maps, as well as its compatibility with current dynamo theories.
Furthermore, we see the apparent growth in fractional spot coverage,
$f_{\mathrm{s}}$, around $45^{\circ}$~latitude over the duration of
observations, with a persistently high $f_{\mathrm{s}}$ near latitudes of
$20^{\circ}$. These bands of spots may form as part of a magnetic activity
cycle, with magnetic flux tubes emerging at different latitudes, similar to the
`butterfly' diagram for the Sun. We discuss the nature of flux tube emergence
in close binaries, as well as the activity of AE~Aqr in the context of other
stars.
