A Dreadful Year
Chapter One: Coming Back Home
It had been a while since Hermione Granger walked the path from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts. More than seven years had gone by since the Final Battle took place in the castle's grounds and almost as much since she last had the opportunity to watch the place at leisure, which was the reason she had arrived with an hour to spare. Rising before her was the magnificent castle. Hermione smiled as she remembered the impression it had made on her when she arrived on her first year, looking at its profile as she approached from the lake. So many things had changed since then; 14 years had passed, a wizard's war had taken place, people she had known had died… And people were born as well. Hermione reminded herself forcefully before falling in a spiral of depression for the lives lost, clutching to her memory of the first Potter/Weasley child and the adorable Teddy Lupin, currently under the care of a loving Molly Weasley. Yes, war had been hard on all of them, but at least they had moved on and had started their own lives. Now an adult, Hermione had promised herself she would devote her life to ensure that the next generations wouldn't have to sacrifice their childhoods under the shadow of any Dark Lord.
As she got through the gates, she cast a patronus to let her presence be known to Minerva McGonagall, tipping her off that she would be visiting Hagrid first before attending to the start of term staff meeting. Waiting to get the Headmistress' approval before surprising her friend, Hermione chose the path by the edge of the forest instead of making a beeline to the half-giant's hut. Admiring the way the afternoon's sunlight made the trees' leaves change color with each step she took, Hermione almost missed the dark shadow entering the forest ahead of her. Alarm raised in her head as she remembered why she had agreed to come back and she quickly cast a disillusionment charm over herself before following the dark silhouette and venturing into the forest. Even though her auror training alongside her two best friends, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, had vastly improved her spying abilities allowing her to get closer to her objectives with surprising stealth, Hermione was worried by the rapidly approaching night. While her continuous adventures back at her own school time have made her privy to some the Forbidden Forest's secrets, she was aware that she couldn't even begin to grasp its depths.
However, she didn't have to worry, as the figure barely immersed in the forest kneeling in the first clearing they reached and examining closely a plant with bright red flowers. Getting closer with her wand at hand, Hermione almost tripped over in surprise as she got a glimpse of the man's face when dark hair fell forward to reveal his profile. She had known that she would be seeing him, but recalling what Minerva had told her about how he mostly kept to his own, she hadn't expected his to be the first face she saw after coming back. It was that face - though in her memory it was covered in blood with an empty stare in its eyes - which had prompted her to extend her auror training period by adding a specialization in dark substances and poisons. That had meant two more years in auror training and the end of her romantic relationship with Ron. Now, this face seemed younger, healthier and even, dare she think, happier. Remembering all too well this man's temper and fierce defensiveness of his privacy, she started to back up slowly lest he noticed her presence before she could leave the scene. Just when she had thought she was far away enough to turn around, she heard Minerva's voice echoing from below her as a cat formed patronus rubbed against her legs…
"Hermione dear! I'm so glad you could make it on time for the staff meeting! Don't worry about it though, go visit Hagrid and we will see you both in here, he's teaching Magical Creatures again – quite formidably if I might add – you know. But please don't tell him just yet you are going to be the new D.A.D.A professor, I want to see the surprise in everyone's faces!"
Hermione had closed her eyes at the first words of the now dissipating patronus, cursing herself for her clumsiness and Minerva for her ill-timing and growing resemblance to the late Albus Dumbledore. She was doomed, she knew there was no way he hadn't heard Minerva's chatty voice and now she didn't have a way out. Cursing herself one more time and gathering her courage, she opened her eyes to meet the man in person, Severus Snape, towering over her with arms crossed and his signature sneer plastered over his face.
"If you are quite done with your little show, kindly remove your disillusionment charm Miss Granger" taking her in with his most contemptuous glance when she complied, he added with venom "or should I say, Professor Granger?"
"Come on! You make it sound as an insult Professor Snape." Hermione ventured with a small smile, which made him look, if possible, even angrier. She had made a mistake, she knew that, but she was damned if she let this man intimidate her again, she was 25 for heaven's sake! At his apparent lack of response, Hermione began to relax thinking that maybe, just maybe, she hadn't faced Lord Voldemort just to be slowly murdered in the Forbidden Forest by the man in front of her… until he began advancing towards her, closing the distance between them uncommonly fast, until he had her backed against a tree.
"You will not take such liberties when speaking to me" he was so close to her face now that she could feel his breath (which she registered as surprisingly nice), "nor will you spy on me ever again." Instead of screaming, he let out the last two words in a barely audible whisper in his most dangerous tone, retreating a step to recover his considerable height, looking even more somber with the moon glowing behind him in the stark night.
"Ye-yes pro-professor!" Hermione stuttered doing her best not to squeal under that frightening glare. Then, just as quickly as his anger had flared up, it abated and left him looking tired. Massaging the bridge of his nose with his thumb and his index finger, he turned around and retreated speaking over his shoulder.
"Just go Miss Granger." Not needing to be told twice, she fled.
Without turning back, she made her way out of the forest and towards Hagrid's hut. She went as quickly as she could without lighting her wand, not caring about the difficulties in the root covered terrain and way more preoccupied to be further angering one Severus Snape than by the darkness already surrounding her completely. When had it become night? Almost tripping over the big pumpkins growing close to Hagrid's hut, Hermione pounded at the door desperately to get inside in order to calm down. Merlin knew that the man could still frighten her like a first year. Much to her dismay, not only she didn't hear Hagrid's voice booming "Comin'", but she didn't hear anything at all. Cursing under her breath once more, Hermione casted a tempus charm to find out the time and noticed it was later that she had thought. While she realised that night had fallen throughout the ordeal with Snape, she didn't realise so much time had gone by.
Oh no, Hagrid must have gone to the staff meeting already and Minerva WILL KNOW I didn't make it to his hut and… Taking a deep breath, she broke into a jog trying to catch up with him in an effort to avoid Minerva's questioning glances and the sure to be ensuing conversation. Dashing though the entrance, Hermione took a secret passageway to the third floor saving more than a couple of minutes and skipping the whimsical stairways of the second floor. Poking her head outside the floor to ceiling portrait of a young giraffe, Hermione was relieved to see Hagrid climbing the last flight of stairs at the other end of the hallway and rushed to his side before he could reach the door of the staff room.
"Hermione! What ye doin' 'ere?" Hagrid's brows shot up as he received her with a sideways hug still walking to the door "'am sorry if ye came to see me but I got a staff meetin' ye know? 'Am teachin' the Magical Creatures class again! McGonagall's helpin' me with the NEWTs to make it official and I've got a new wand an' all-"
"Hagrid!" Hermione exclaimed positioning herself between him and the door effectively interrupting his excited talk. "Please pretend I was with you when we enter the staff room, please!" Hermione hushed worrying they might hear her yet unable to perform a Muffliato on the door, everyone knew it was impossible to block sound near teacher's areas, at least everyone who had read Hogwarts: A History.
"Why Hermione? Ev'rythin's all righ'?" Hagrid's smile morphed into a worried look as he examined Hermione with more attention this time. "Ye were in the forest didn't ye?" Hagrid whispered taking a few dead leaves from Hermione's head and noticing her dirt covered face as well. "Very well, but ye and I are goin' to have a little chat when this is ov'r Miss, ye hear me?"
"Thanks Hagrid" Hermione beamed at his friend and casted a quick Scourgify on herself before gesturing for him to open the door to the staff room lounging into talk naturally. "And that's how Ron overcame his fear of spiders! Can you believe it?" Hermione laughed good-naturedly giving a few pats on Hagrid's arm before turning to see the room at large.
"Miss Granger, how good of you to join us, I was just telling Filius of your return from Germany!" McGonagall winked at her and Hermione noticed how odd it was the way that familiar twinkle suited her stern-looking features. "Please do have a seat there, the start of term staff meeting will start in a few minutes and I'd like you to join us before our little tête-a-tête."
Hermione thanked her with a smile and proceeded to greet politely those present – even Madam Hooch and Sybill Trelawney – parting ways with Hagrid and thanking the gods that he appeared to have learnt some discretion as well. Afterwards, she got a seat next to Minerva and examined the room while taking out from her purse a parchment and a self-inking quill. She looked down at it and remembered the bittersweet moment when George Weasley gave it to her…
"Hermione, I can't believe you are going back to school! It took us half of our beginning stock to get out of there and you come here to ask for a handful of self-inking quills in order to get back?" George had said to her good-naturedly while showing her around his shop. When they had reached the "you-must-be-crazy-to-study" stand in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes (Hermione had remembered with a painful stab George's decision to take the plural out of the family name after Fred's demise), Hermione marveled at the beautiful color changing charm the quills had in them.
"George you are wonderful in Charms, I bet you could give Professor Flitwick a run for his money if you wanted!" Hermione had said to him.
"Fred was really good too, though his strong was always Transfiguration and it would drive old McGonagall absolutely barmy when he did all the required assignments still managing to make them a joke." George had answered with a reminiscent smile. They went silent while Hermione picked her quills until George added a bit wistfully. "Flitwick offered me an apprenticeship with him you know? To become a Master and all that and hopefully his replacement in a few years…"
"George that's wonderful! What's keeping you then? This shop appears to be running itself fairly well."
"I don't know if I could ever return to that place Hermione. I haven't been there since Fred… you know…"
Hermione's heart had ached looking at the still grieving Weasley twin and sought to change the conversation knowing that soothing words would only do so good to him. "I'm sure Fred would have liked that… imagine the hell you could put through again old Filch and Professor Snape."
"Snape is back isn't he?" George asked relieved to have something else to think about. "You are in for a dreadful year Miss Granger" George had said in his best impression of the sour Potion's Master. Then, his face had lit up with a wicked grin and he got closer to Hermione to whisper in her ear. "Unless… unless you still have a crush for the old bat..."
"George Weasley! If you ever dare to say those words again I swear to you I will-" Hermione had blushed to the roots and started menacing George in a furious whisper until George had broken into a laugh… a real laugh. Hermione had stopped, grinning in spite of herself and giving him a playful slap on the chest, which had only succeeded in making George laugh harder…
A loud bang by the door snapped Hermione out of her reverie and she saw with a bit of worry as Severus Snape strode into the staff room after having closed the door rather dramatically, to Hermione's surprise, this only made some of the professors chuckle and roll their eyes. As Snape approached looking everywhere but at her, Hermione realized with dread that, while she was occupied reminiscing her encounter with George, the room had filled and the seat to her right was the only one left available. As he sat down, still not acknowledging her presence, Minerva rose from her seat and the merry conversation throughout the table died.
"Now that Severus has graced us with his presence," Minerva looked pointedly at Snape who only grunted in return, "it is time to begin the start of term staff meeting. As you very well know, there are several items on today's agenda that we must address before classes begin next week, however, I want to make an announcement before we do so. Probably many of you have wondered already what does Hermione Granger is doing here with us. Stand up, Hermione dear" Minerva beckoned her with a smile. "It is my great pleasure to announce that she will be teaching the Defense against the Dark Arts class this year!" Minerva paused as a polite applause and beaming smiles greeted Hermione. "Now, let's get to the point, regarding Hogsmeade's visits…"
The rest of the staff meeting went on smoothly and was over before two hours. As the staff started to fill out, Hermione waited patiently while receiving congratulations from her colleagues and from a very pleased Neville Longbottom, who was currently finishing his apprenticeship under Professor Sprout. Hermione noted, with relief, that the only person who hadn't approached her was Severus Snape, who was waiting by the door. What is he waiting for? Surely he must know Minerva is showing me to my new quarters and won't be available? Minerva called her and she bid her goodbye to Neville, promising a catch-up tea the day after, when the most amazing thing happened: Neville caught up with Snape and they departed together engaging immediately in conversation. What?!
Hermione was so shocked with the scene that had unfolded, that she followed Minerva like an automaton through the familiar aisles of Hogwarts without uttering a single word. She had been the one to convince Neville that, while caustic and reserved, Severus Snape was a good man that had played an important role in the fight against Voldemort. It had been difficult, as Neville didn't just have to look pass all the suffering Snape had put them through for 5 years in Potions, but also, he had to get behind the more traumatic torture at his hands when he came back to Hogwarts for this seventh year (Hermione had not come back in order to go hunting for Horcruxes with Harry and Ron). While she was aware that Snape only tortured her peers in order to save them from a worse destiny at the Carrow's hands, it had been especially difficult for Neville to overcome it once his survival to Nagini's attack had been made public. Minerva had stopped walking and Hermione forced herself to focus on her words.
"… and if you'd rather have a stone gargoyle instead of a portrait as a guardian just tell me so" Minerva finished as they got through the door. "Here's the living room and to the right you have the kitchenette." Minerva continued through a narrow passage with three doors at the end, opening the door directly in front of them to let Hermione take a look before declaring "this is your bathroom, your bedroom is to the right and to the left there is another room unfurnished in case you'd rather have a study instead of a guest room. Just ask the castle for the furniture when you've made your mind dear, it will understand."
"Thank you Minerva, would you like to have some tea?" Hermione offered out of politeness though she had started feeling exhausted after seeing her huge and soft bed. Thankfully, Minerva declined claiming tiredness as well and bid her goodnight. Hermione took out her trunk from her pocket and enlarged it, unpacking quickly with a few handy spells, and changed into her night gown before going to the bathroom to brush her teeth and comb her hair. Climbing into the bed, she murmured a Nox and fell asleep almost instantly, dreaming of deep black eyes and a grave voice.