AN: My little sister and I are writing this together so the publishing may be sporadic - let us know what you think!
Chapter 1: The Demands
Severus Snape felt strange in the building, it was seemingly familiar to something from his childhood that he had long repressed. His Death Eater robes seemed unusually tight on his underclothes as he clicked down the hallway. This was the first summons he had received in over a month, for once he had felt well fed. That would likely change after tonight.
Snape was able to garner a glimpse of the windows outside. The glass was carved, though you could not see much in the squares. Tiny vines grew in at the corners and he thought about what the old building looked like before this happened.
He heard voices, and he knew that they were the ones he was in this wretched place for, as he got closer, the voices became clearer and recognizable. He sneered in response to his thoughts. He hated doing this.
Turning on his heel, he came down another hallway. He looked at the walls again and observed a very faint-colored poster with the words 'BE SAFE, DON'T BE LATE' along with a cartoon of a little boy on it. This was certainly a muggle school, as a magical school would never put anything this obscene up on their walls.
Snape entered a dark, candlelit room. Fellow Death Eaters, dressed in their traditional robes and hoods were standing together, their arms folded in. As he advanced to the inner circle, one Death Eater lifted their head. Bellatrix Lestrange. She cooed at him, most infuriatingly.
"Well, isn't it Severus Snape, Dumbledore's little stooge?" Though she smiled when saying this, he could see her biting her tongue at him with her insane eyes shooting at him with intense distrust.
His snarl returned, as he shot back, "Lestrange."
"Not got any fire left in you?" she spat at him.
"Lestrange, I would ask you to stop talking," he said coldly.
"You would?" Bellatrix went to put a finger under his chin when he suddenly grabbed her wrist.
Her eyes showed a brief flicker of fear.
His eyes wide and brows raised. "Lestrange," he whispered, "I'd advise you not to lay a hand on me unless our master so commands it.". Bellatrix was attempting to retrieve her wrist from his grasp, pulling and wriggling. Deciding he was finished toying with her, he released his vice-like grip on her.
Suddenly, he could feel the cold air enter the room, the hair raised on the back of his neck, sending chills down his spine.
Voldemort had appeared from a back room with Pettigrew at his side, gazing at his followers.
"My Death Eaters... I am pleased to see those who have been able to do my bidding undetected are faithful in your arrival here." His eyes lingered on the empty spots in the circle, particularly at Lucius'. Taking a step forward, Severus realized he was now making eye contact with him, and as always he doubled down on his mental barriers.
"Severus... I have something for you, a gift of sorts, I'm sure you'll find it an enjoyable task." Voldemort backed away from Snape and circled around the Death Eaters slowly.
"Will he finally be tasked to kill Dumbledore, my Lord?" Bellatrix called out. Severus was nervous of this very request, he had been expecting it for some time, as had Dumbledore, especially after their duel at the ministry.
Voldemort pointed his wand at her back, "Crucio." She fell to the ground with a shriek of pain.
"No, my dear Bellatrix. Do not speak out of turn again. He is being tasked to kill someone else... Someone that should not prove much difficulty, but should provide enjoyment all the same."
"I live to serve, my Lord." Snape bowed his head slightly as he awaited the blasted name that he would be required to murder, assuming Dumbledore would still find it in their 'best interests' to have Snape murder rather than accept punishment from Voldemort, as per usual. It is for the greater good Severus, as he always liked to put it... Not any consideration for my soul, not that I feel much there anymore.
Voldemort was behind him, he felt him, felt the air change around him. He leaned closely into Snape's ear from behind.
"Hermione Granger," Voldemort said softly. Snape did not show any emotion on his face, and he nodded solemnly in response.
As Hermione flipped over in her bed, she groaned at her stomach's sudden unease. Slowly, she shifted upwards and let her clouded thoughts gather in her restless state. It wasn't a dream that woke me... I think... more like a sense of foreboding dread... maybe. I'm being silly. You should go back to bed, Hermione.
She began to slide back into the bed when a sudden crack in the room caused her to sit bolt upright, grabbing her wand from the bedside table on instinct. That was the crack of someone apparating...
Through the darkness, she sensed that she was being watched, truly thankful her parents were out of town on a retreat their dentistry practice was hosting. Keeping her wand pointed in the darkness, she nonverbally cast Lumos across the room. Initially, she did not see any difference in her usual surroundings. When quite suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she saw a small pale figure slump over and hit the ground with a deafening thud.
It was a house elf, but one in the worst condition. She could see dark blood coming from cuts all about its body. Leaping into action, she jumped out of bed and knelt in front of the elf.
"Can you hear me? Are you okay?!"
The elf groaned words she could not decipher in response, she began to wave her wand about its body to diagnose the creature. Lucky I've been practicing these spells this summer... Words began to appear in front of her in a glowing yellow font. Her results revealed that the elf was female and was suffering heavily to internal damage. Hermione was incensed at who could possibly hurt an elf to this extent, they were known for being quite able to take even the worst of beatings, but this was beyond anything she had read or heard of.
After she finished her reading of the results of her diagnostic charm, she grabbed one of her pillows, lifted the elf's head and let it rest upon it. She began all the healing charms she had practiced or even read of to attempt and ease the trauma done upon the elf.
As the last of the wounds closed, she heard the elf muttering something that sounded like, "No, no, Zolly will not... Zolly cannot..."
Hermione could not keep herself from speaking aloud, "Zolly? Is that your name?"
At her words, the elf's eyes shot open, the elf began to shriek in terror upon laying eyes on Hermione, twisting in her place on the floor, grabbing the pillow beneath her head and muffling her mouth. It seemed as though she was attempting to suffocate herself.
"Please! Stop! I've healed the worst of your wounds, do you need me to send a patronus to someone? Professor Dumbledore or...?" Hermione reached to yank the pillow out of the grasp of the elf, but she was holding it tightly. Gripping her wand, she pointed it at the pillow and vanished it.
Zolly was shaking but did not attempt to grab another object to harm herself.
"Zolly is not used to answering to two masters with such different views... but she... she is of the family... I..."
Hermione was quite puzzled for a moment when suddenly the elf lunged forward and grabbed her by the arm. Before Hermione could scream, she felt a pull and she was suddenly disappearing from her room.
Landing in a heap on unfamiliar tile, she pulled herself up quickly, holding her wand up. As quickly as she stood, it was just as quick that she was disarmed. She could not see her assailant immediately but heard snickering come from a corner behind her. Whipping around, she did not recognize the face of the woman standing, hidden in part by the shadows of the room.
Hermione's thoughts were in a whirl. This must be a Death Eater trap... I knew it was always a possibility but... Steeling herself before she spoke in response to the woman's laugh, she stood up straight, staring into the eyes of her captor.
"If it's information about Harry or the Order you're looking for, I'm afraid you'll just have to kill me."
The woman laughed again. It was not a cold or emotionless laugh like those she had heard from Bellatrix Lestrange and other Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries last year... She also noticed the woman's attire was mostly muggle clothing. A follower of Voldemort would never have been caught alive or dead in muggle clothing.
"Relax my dear, I am not going to hurt you. I needed you alone. I cannot reveal my identity yet, though I'm sure you'll find out in time." She was smiling, slightly more kindly now, with less of a joking expression on her face.
Hermione snarled in response, "I apologize if I do not take kindly to someone who had me kidnapped in the middle of the night from my bed."
"Kidnapped is a bit of an overstatement, you aren't really a kid, are you Hermione Granger? I believe I was under the impression you were nearing 18 now. That's even an adult in the muggle world if I'm not mistaken. Therefore, you are allowed extra privileges at Hogwarts that you may be unaware of."
Hermione steeled herself for what could possibly come next.
"I do plan on returning you home before the night is up. I only have a... request to make of you. As you will be in Hogwarts and have been rumored to be the brightest of your year, I believe you are capable of a problem I need taking care of, one I have had since my youth."
Confused, as the women sounded sincere in her statement of returning her, and she truly just wanted to get back home alive, she decided then that she would agree to whatever request, as long as it meant she would be returned. She nodded at the woman, resolving to hold her tongue as long as possible.
"You see, my entire family was murdered when I was a little girl by Death Eaters. There were multiple in my house that night as I hid in my closet, but only one who I heard addressed by name and recognized the voice of. Can you think of anyone at your school that I may be speaking of, hm?" She gave her a smug look, as though she was curious if Hermione was aware there was a Death Eater in employ at Hogwarts. Hermione chose to keep her knowledge in check at this moment, knowing it could be a breach in the safety of their only double agent.
"Severus Snape is responsible for the death of my family, and I will have my family avenged in the form of his being brought to me by yourself."
At this, Hermione gaped at her, preparing herself to comment because doing this would have to be impossible, "Er- I don't think-" and then she was cut off again by the woman's rambling. She seemed to be lost in this plan of hers to even notice that Hermione had tried to speak.
"I would have had him brought here in the same method that you were, but sending house elves to the castle that are not employed by Dumbledore is quite difficult, if not impossible. I would also rather Snape be... indisposed... once he has arrived, to make my time with him a bit easier."
She had to be heard now, what on earth made this woman think she was capable of bringing her an incapacitated Professor Snape... Speaking loudly enough, hoping to snap the woman out of her trance, "I am sorry, and I mean truly sorry about your family, but I do not understand how you could expect me, a student, to... to attack a professor at my school, without getting caught or expelled! Especially Professor Snape... It's just outrageous. I'm only nearly 18, I have no idea how I would even begin to attack a professor, especially on school grounds!"
The woman was giving an even more smug look now. "You must be forgetting, Hermione Granger, that you attacked Snape your third year at Hogwarts and that is on record at the ministry, as well as you facing multiple Death Eaters just last year at the ministry. You also nearly led a professor to her death in the forbidden forest last year when she was attacked by centaurs. Are you truly not capable of manipulating a situation where you can bring Snape to me for killing my entire family?"
Hermione snapped her mouth shut at once. I never considered my past in this light but the woman was right, I probably could do what she was asking... But no, Snape is on our side. Dumbledore said he was on our side, even if he has killed in the past the Order needs him.
She couldn't attempt to get him killed for this woman's sake. Perhaps she should just agree to it and go tell Professor Dumbledore immediately... "I see what you're saying... but... I always had my friends with me during everything. And... well, is there any way I can have proof of what you are saying is true? Professor Snape may be quite mean at times, but I just want evidence before I can agree to bring him to whatever you have planned for him." Crossing her fingers behind her back, in hopes that it was convincing enough of a response.
The woman rolled her eyes. "I expect you are planning on who to tell once you are home. I will only release you if you make a vow, no not an unbreakable one, just one that will ensure that if you break this trust I am giving to you, I will know immediately and you will be summoned back to me. I will leave you with proof, however, in the form of my own memories of that night. You can watch them once you are home, I will gift you with a small pensieve from my family collection."
Hermione nodded slowly. So if I tell anyone, I will be brought back here... and perhaps killed.
"Excellent! I'll just need your wand arm then." She pulled out her wand again and whispered an incantation that sounded like 'Celare celatum'. She had a cold feeling spread throughout her body, and then a blazing one immediately after, the woman put her wand away and gripped Hermione's forearm tightly with her wand arm. "Repeat after me, Hermione Granger." Hermione stared at the woman, eyes wide, waiting. "I will not speak a word of what I have learned here today to any other human," she paused before adding, "... or creature."
She then released her arm and backed away. "There, that wasn't so difficult? It works similar to a trace, you tell anyone and I will know and you will be summoned here. Now, I think it's time we get you home, if you have any questions, an owl can find my elf. Zolly!" The elf appeared, cowering slightly, "Take Ms. Granger home before anyone notices something amiss." Before the elf stepped forward, she had a vial shoved into her hand by the woman. "Take care and good luck, Hermione Granger."
The elf grabbed her arm and she was whisked away again.
He kicked a table in Dumbledore's study after recounting the events of the night's Death Eater gathering... "Of all the blasted people, Granger..." He threw himself in a chair, running his hands through his hair, it was a frequent habit outside of the view of others, but the stress of potentially killing a student was enabling him to do it in front of Dumbledore. "Albus you can't possibly expect me to kill a student." He gazed up at him, almost pleadingly for once.
Albus sat across from him as well, he had been pacing the entire time Severus had told his story. Pausing longer than he felt that the old man should have, at length, he finally spoke, "No Severus, I do not think you will need to. I believe there are other ways you will be able to sate his bloodlust, but for now, let him think you are plotting this. Truly, I am surprised at the specific target he has chosen for you. She is quite well guarded, so well guarded that I am actually in need of you to check on that particular student now. She seemed to have disappeared from her muggle home with a house elf, but returned an hour later."
Groaning, "Albus, would it shock you if it was merely a house elf from another Hogwarts student taking her to see them or some other teenage ordeal? I do not see why it merits a visit in the middle of the night."
"Perhaps Severus, but your mentioning of Voldemort's interest in her I think deem it significant enough to at least check." He twinkled at him, infuriatingly.
Appearing in her room, the house elf disapparated as quickly as she had returned her. She looked down at the vial she was holding, it was glowing blue, it was quite pretty to watch move up and down in the vial. It reminded her of the prophecies she had seen at the Department of Mysteries. There was also something new in her bedroom, a small pensieve was sitting on a metal stand in front of her bed. I've read about pensieves, but I've never actually used one...
She pulled out her wand and conjured herself a stand for the vial, setting it there. Pacing her room to consider the events of tonight, she pondered the method of pulling memories out of one's mind...
Summoning a book she knew might contain the explanation, she sat and began to flip through it. Finally finding the entry on pulling memories, she read vigorously. A nonverbal spell, with intense focus on the thought itself. This says that only those who understand the concepts of legilimency and occlumency are able to pull memories... Good thing I did my research when Professor Snape was trying to teach Harry last year. She kept the book open on the page and conjured another vial. Contemplating for some time on whether or not she wanted to risk this, she eventually convinced herself that the positives outweigh the negatives. If she did not contain the memory now, she may forget significant details.
She cast the nonverbal spell with her wand facing herself and thought of all the events of the night that she wanted to contain in the memory. Putting her wand to her temple, she pulled it away slowly and saw a glowing blue strand, similar to the one the strange woman had given her. Once the strand was entirely out of her head and attached to her wand, she gently tapped it into the vial.
That wasn't so difficult... She sat the memory in the stand and picked the one from the woman back up.
Steeling herself, she walked forward, pulled the cork out of the vial and poured its contents into the pensieve... As she was leaning into the pensieve, she thought she heard a knock in the distance, but it was already too late, she was falling in...