Disclaimer: I do not own anything; I just borrow the characters and play with them!
A/N It is my first fanfiction, so please be gentle. Also English is not my mother language so I guess I'll need a beta… So if anyone is interested, please HELP!
The idea of writing was for quite a while in my head, but first I wanted to finish it and then post. But I abandoned this idea quickly: it is so much more fun to write while having the feedback of readers and I can incorporate some suggestions as well! Here you go.
Now on with the story…
Chapter 1:
And how was she supposed to get herself out of this situation this time? Oh, she is going to kill those two idiots this time fore sure. How could they do that to her?
- "You are a Head Girl and McGonagall likes you. You'll have no problem explaining what you were doing in potion class room in the middle of the night. But if she catches the three of us… I guess than loosing house points or having detentions will be the last of our worries. Please Hermione, understand us. We count on you, you are our last hope" – said the wonder boy.
She still didn't know why she said "off you go!" but she knew for sure that soon she'll accomplish something even Voldemort failed to do for the past 17 years - she is going to kill the boy-who-lived.
- "Miss Granger!" Hermione jumped at the voice of her teacher.
- "Professor! You scared me! Oh, I'm sorry!" she looked at her teacher with her large brown eyes. She didn't even had to act a little bit frightened because she really didn't heard Headmistress enter the classroom. She was just hoping that boys had time to escape.
- "What are you doing here Miss Granger?" Hermione noticed that she seemed annoyed but not angry. Good, slightly strange but I'm not going to complain…"I know curfew does not apply to you but it is not gives you any right to be in the potion classroom at – she looked at her watch – precisely one o'clock in the morning."
- "I'm sorry Headmistress, I…" – what the hell she was supposed to say? For some strange reason she didn't think that "steeling ingredients" will be a good answer. – "… I don't know." She finished her phrase and found herself staring at the floor that looked suspiciously very interesting.
Well, actually it is not far from the truth – she thought – I still can't get how they convinced me to go with them… Oh yes, you do – said this little annoying voice in her head - you came here because you wanted to. You jumped at the occasion to see this classroom without the new occupant sitting at the desk. Maybe you hoped to find missing clues by coming here or maybe you just expected for him to show up? Don't be ridiculous, Granger!
- "Miss Granger?" – McGonagall repeated. First she wanted to reprimand the girl for obvious reasons but something in the Head girl's eyes made her change her mind. So instead of taking away the house points she found herself asking "Do you want to talk, Miss Granger?"
Hermione looked at her former transfiguration teacher slightly taken aback by her question. Talk about what? But then her inner voice, the one that seamed to have the life of its own reappeared once again About him, you dolt!
- "Professor, I'm sorry Headmistress, I just…" Just what exactly, Hermione? And then she understood that it was probably the best chance she'll get to speak to someone other than Harry or Ron, who'll probably be of help to her, someone not blinded by prejudices, someone who probably held some answers she couldn't find on her own and someone who, if not understand her, at least will not try to sent her to St Mango's the moment she voiced her thoughts. But at the same time she could not bring herself to trust McGonagall completely.
Innocent, she believed him not, because no one was innocent anymore but she knew something was going on, something very nasty and she needed to figure it out.
So she decided to use the situation for her best.
- "It just don't understand, it doesn't make sense to me."
There was no need to say exactly what they were talking about. Both women understood each other without saying it : they are talking about Severus Snape.
- "And what exactly doesn't make sense to you, Miss Granger?" It was not secret to anyone that the girl was intelligent. Could it be that she came to the same conclusions most of the Order did after the first shock worn off and they could think rationally again?
- "I thought about it the whole summer. And more I think about it, more I come to the conclusion that there is more to this than it appears. No, I'm actually sure about it, but I can not prove anything. You know, Professor, it is like a puzzle: you still have many pieces missing but you can already see the whole picture." Here Hermione made a small pause, just long enough to look at her former teacher, and continued with more determination in her voice, the one she usually used in class giving the answers, but slightly defensive this time and prepared to prove her point. "To put it bluntly, I don't think that professor Snape betrayed Professor Dumbledore, nor do I think that he wanted to kill him. I'm more inclined to think that he was forced to." The question is by whom?
Here again she stopped for a second and Minerva actually thought that the girl had finished but when she tried to speak Hermione started once again
"Let me explain it. As I said, I was trying to figure out what exactly happened that night, apart the obvious of course, and so many things are just ... illogical. For example the behaviour of professor Snape down in the dungeons - I mean if he truly was a deatheater he would have killed professor Flitwick and not just stunned him, the same fate should have awaited myself and Luna, and considering how powerful professor Snape is it would have been like a child game to kill us but no, he said that professor needed help and made us stay behind. It is like… like he wanted to keep us down there, away from other Deatheaters, out of the battle …I know you wanted to keep us safe, Professor. Or when Harry was running after him, instead of killing him, or stunning, or even kidnapping him, he was lecturing him how to throw hexes! Have you ever seen a deatheater instructing his victim how to fight him? It just does not make any sense to me, but there is so many things I do not know that I am afraid to jump from one false conclusion to another! What about this Unbreakable Vow? And why was he quarrelling with professor Dumbledore? I am so confused, I just do not know what to think anymore… I'm sorry professor, you must think I'm mad to say things like this ."
And then she became quiet, staring at the desk where Snape usually sat but Minerva was not sure whether the girl was seeing anything at all. McGonagall observed her favourite student and had to admit that she was not at all surprised to hear that from Hermione, come on Minerva, you expected this. But then why you feel frozen with fear? Now you have to decide what to do. The best way of action would have been to say to the girl to forget about everything, that it is not her business but aurors, but she knew it will not work with her. To suppose otherwise would be insulting her intelligence. So she made a decision. But first she had to know
- Miss Granger, did you tell anyone what you just told me?
- Well, I tried to talk to Harry and Ron but then Harry nearly killed me just for saying such a thing and Ron asked if I needed an urgent medical assistance, in both cases I think it didn't go well. I didn't try since.
- "And Order members?"
- "It seamed to me that they had other things on their minds, they would have not listened to me. I tried to speak with professor Lupin but apparently he was busy and I didn't bother him again. And considering that I spend most of the summer with my parents I didn't see many of them."
Minerva considered for a moment and then said:
- "Miss Granger, it is late and we shouldn't be here discussing such things: it is neither place nor time for it. I advise you to go back to your room and try to sleep the few precious hours left. But I would ask you to come to my office tomorrow immediately after breakfast. I think we have few things to discuss. Goodnight Miss Granger"
And she turned to leave but before she reached the door she heard barely audible whisper she knew was not meant for her to hear:
- "I just wish you were here, professor…"
Be careful what you wish for, Miss Granger. And with that she left.
§§§
First Minerva decided to go to her office but she changed her mind halfway. It is better not to waste any time, we can not allow ourselves this luxury. This girl puts two and two together too quickly for her own good. And then she wondered why Hermione didn't voice her concerns before. It seams she had figured it out not long after the summer holidays started. Of course it was not the wisest thing to speak to Mr Potter and Mr Weasley about this but others? Why, Hermione? What is going on in that mind of yours? Why was she not as good at legimency as was Albus. I guess just I should consider myself lucky for that she opened to me. She did, didn't she?
Her musings stopped as she approached the portrait of little girl playing with a kitten. Why would Remus choose a portrait such as this? But it was not her concern right know so she just said the password and the massive wooden door appeared behind the portrait. She knocked.
The door swung open immediately, it means that Remus is still awake. Good, I'll not have to feel guilty about waking the poor man. She stepped in the living room, decorated with taste and abundance of Gryffindor colours. Some of us never change… In the corner there were two armchairs and a sofa, near the window stood a huge bookshelf… It is cosy. It should be nice to spent time here drinking tea… But once again she didn't have time finish her observation because a second later Lupin appeared
- "Minerva, I cannot say I'm not surprised to see you. To what do I awe this pleasure?"
- "I'm sorry to disturb you, Remus, I know it is late. But I just had a very interesting conversation with our Head Girl.
A worried look appeared on DADA teacher face " Something wrong? Harry?"
- "No, it is not about Harry this time, it is about Severus."
Minerva observed carefully the display of emotions on his face. She could see first the relief wash over his face but then it changed back to worried. And she got the feeling he was even more concerned than before.
- "What happened? Did she figure it out?"
- "Not completely. She just has her suspicions, nothing very solid but she is on the right path. I'm afraid it'll not be long before she understands everything. And then… She is not a Head Girl for nothing. But sometimes I fear… No, I'm sure that she'll not like what she'll find out, not one bit of it."
- "But how can you be so sure?"
- "Call it a witch intuition, but there was something about her today while she was talking that let me believe that there is more to this than it appears" Much more. "And we can't afford to loose her trust. You know as well as I do, Remus, that she is part of the Plan. And I'm afraid we'll need her sooner than expected."
- "I see. So what do you propose? She is not an order member yet. We can't just tell her everything, can we?"
- "I propose to introduce her into the Order as an official member." And before Remus had time to say something, she added "She is of age".
§§§
Hermione watched McGonagall leave the classroom and released the breath she didn't know she was holding. That went well, I guess. Probably Harry and Ron will even survive this night. Speaking of them… Of course they will want to know how did I managed to escape McGonagall and I certainly can't tell them what kind of conversation I just had with the Headmistress. I'll think about it later.
Hermione looked once again around the classroom. What should I do? I'm alone here, I can inspect this place at my leisure. It is a chance I'll probably will have never again. She already made a step towards the door to the office, but suddenly decided against it. It is silly. He didn't occupy this place for more than a year. And even if he had something hidden in there, he certainly changed the location. After all it is Snape we are talking about, an extra careful type, and he'll never leave something of importance somewhere where somebody like Slughorn can find. It is definitively not here. And with that she turned and went to storage room, took the ingredient Harry and Ron were looking for, another two she needed herself, and with that left the classroom.
§§§
Harry and Ron were waiting for Hermione in the common room. It is not like they had much choice about the place: being in the corridor in front of her door was too dangerous in case McGonagall decides to accompany Hermione to her room or another teacher decides to do his or her rounds exactly at this hour and, as Gryffindors were known for mischief, they never failed to expect extra carefully the area around Gryffindor tower. To be honest, they were not the only house to be subject to those measures, the same goes for Slytherins, but for once there was not a single Slytherin concerned, or at least they thought so. So the only thing left for them was sit in their common room and hope that Hermione will try to speak with them.
- "Where is she?" – Ron was obviously worried – "She should be back by now already, what takes her so much time? Maybe she's really having problems with McGonagall?"
- "Don't worry mate, - said Harry not less worried but wanting to reassure his friend, - probably she is using this occasion to speak to McGonagall about some extra project she is so fond of".
- "You are probably right, but I can't help but feel guilty. After all it was us who made her stay there. If she is in a trouble, it's only because of us".
- "Serves you right!" – said the voice behind them
- "Hermione! We knew you'll make it! How did you explain everything to McGonagall?"
Flip, I forgot about this one. What can I say? Well a truth is always better than a bad lie. And as I do not have time to conjure a good lie…
- "I have your ingredients. Now you two are going to tell me why do you need them before I handle them to you"
… I'll try to change the subject.
- "But Hermione…"
- "There is no "but", Ronald. This ingredient is not in our potion kit for a reason – the dragon gall is not only can be very toxic, but also has a highly explosive nature. If it is not used with care and precision the results can be disastrous. And knowing how wonderful you two are in potion making, I can only hope, for the sake of the school, that you'll be intelligent enough to tell me what you need this for and beg me to make this potion for you. So, are you going to tell me what this is all about?"
To be honest she slightly exaggerated the power of this ingredient. In order to preserve its qualities as long as possible and minimize the danger as well, it was kept in powder form and not it's liquid one. It became acid and dangerous only when in contact with distillate water and by the time it was usually added to potion it contained quite a few ingredients to neutralise it, and this not taking into account the fact that the base itself for eighty five percent of potions was enough to annihilate the said effects. But still there were few potions when a wrong use of the dragon gall can be the very last thing you do in your life. Sure they will not attempt to brew one of those potions but better be safe then sorry.
- "So guys, I'm waiting," - said she crossing her arms at her chest, thus adopting her best Hermione Granger-the- Head Girl posture which allowed no discussion but only obedience.
Harry and Ron looked at each other in hesitation, it looked like it was the most difficult decision they had to take in their lives. I'm intrigued now. What can they be planning, that they are so reluctant to tell me.
Now the boys started acting very strange: winking at each other, silently moving their lips, shake their heads; the only words that left there mouths were "no", "we can't", "yes", "we do not have a choice". And what should I do with that?
- "You know boys, I'm not in the mood to watch your clownery. I'm tired and I'm going to sleep. When you decided what to do, you know where to find me". And with that she left.
A/N So what do you think? Is it worth to continue?