A/N JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and I make no monies. This should probably be classed as a crack fic but hey! It was fun writing it!
The Ghost
Hermione arrived back when Hogwarts reopened to finish her final year despite Harry and Ron telling her they had enough with school and happy enough training to be Aurors.
But she had a mission and that was to complete her N.W. and graduate on her own instead of an honor degree.
The classes went back to a semblance of what she remembered before the battle and pleased of it. After a few points deducted for being out of her House she was accepted as a normal student.
Headmistress McGonagall gave her a free pass to wander the caste after curfew and she did that, often encountering ghosts and interviewed them. They seemed pleased of her interest and quite willing to talk. She realized that they lived a pitiful existence as everyone ignored them, accepting them like the suits of armor around the castle. Part of the furniture you could say.
It was halfway into term when she literally went through a ghost after finding an unknown hall in Hogwarts in her nocturnal wanderings.
She fell to the floor shivering, knowing she passed through a ghost and found her old Potions Professor looking at her with disdain.
"Even in my afterlife I find myself irritated at your presence." The ghost snarled out.
"Professor Snape! I had no idea!" Hermione stuttered out.
Snape floated arms crossed with a sneer on his face. "Of all the people! This is the only hall where I can have a little bit of peace."
"No one knows you're here Professor? That you're a ghost?" She stuttered out.
"I've made sure of it Granger. But now you've found me out and soon it will be the main subject of the grapevine." He snarled out.
He floated slowly away from her wailing. "Why me? Wasn't it enough that I was cursed in life? Why, oh why must I be so cursed in my after-life? Here at Hogwarts with an incurable Know It All in my presence."
Hermione followed speaking. "Professor Snape…. Oh Professor Snape…PROFESSOR SNAPE!" She finally shouted.
Snape whirled around and shouted back "WHAT!"
Hermione gathered herself. "You're wailing Sir. It's not like you." She calmly replied, but not really feeling that way.
Snape looked at her in amazement. "I'm wailing?"
"Um…." Hermione treaded carefully. "You are. It's actually quite frightening."
She watched the ghost laugh madly.
After a few minutes she grew concerned and shouted again. "Professor Snape!"
He stopped and looked to her, slight grin revealed on his face.
"I'll not tell anyone of this hall Sir. Your secret is safe with me."
"Thank you Miss Granger for your promise." He replied back calmly, smile gone and back to his normal self
She watched him float away pleased on his calm response.
HGSHGSSHGSS
For the rest of the term, the castle was in total chaos as reports bounded of reports of the ghost of Professor Snape trickled in scaring everyone he came into contact with.
Headmistress McGonagall handed a napkin to a traumatized Ravenclaw Fifth Year. "I know that it is hard for you my dear but you must tell me what happened."
The young wizard sniffled. "It was horrible Headmistress. He just…he just…smiled and wished me a good day."
Minerva sat back confused. She held 100 interviews and all of the students said the same thing more or less. The ghost giving answers on Potions questions and being totally out of character. One noight at Evening Meal he zoomed across with Peeves sing an almost too explicit limerick befor the poltergeist and ghost disappeared through the wall.
She patted the young boy on the shoulder. "I promise I will look into this." Motioning to the Sixth year Prefect who waited. "Take him down to Madame Pomphrey for a Calming Druaght."
She watched the students depart. Taking a deep breath she called out. "Ghosts of the Houses Four, your Headmistress requires a service from you."
The four materialized. The Bloody Baron of Slytherin, The Grey Lady of Ravenclaw, Nearly Headless Nick of Gryffindor and the Fat Friar of Hufflepuff.
"You've heard the rumors and I command you to find him and bring him to me. I don't understand why he revealed himself now. Did you know he was here?"
The Fat Friar spoke for the group. "Headmistress we did not know until he revealed himself. I assure you that it is not normal and we will find him."
She watched the ghosts float through the back wall and sighed. How was she going to deal with the backlash of a ghost being nice?
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Hermione lay in her bed curled up in a ball. She let a monster out on the castle and could not admit it. Ignorance is bliss she assured herself before falling asleep.
It took her a month to gather her courage to search him out and went to the unknown hall and found him floating there, more relaxed then what she'd seen him while alive.
She approached the ghost. "You've made quite a stir Professor Snape. I must admit kindness is great but when it comes from you, the fear factor is three fold. What will happen when you run out of the students that knew you when alive?"
Professor Snape floated to her. "Your words made me realize I could have a bit of fun. I will continue it until none are left to remember who I was. That is the way of history is it not Miss. Granger? Time passes until they forget. Then I will be part of the furniture of Hogwarts, forgotten like all of the ghosts here." He growled out.
She never looked at it that way realizing he was right.
"I heard the House Ghosts are looking for you and to date, unable to locate you." She remarked.
"Thanks to you Miss Granger." He replied back with a neutral voice. "You graduate tomorrow?"
"It's Hermione Professor Snape and yes I do graduate tomorrow." She replied.
The ghost sighed out. "I wish you well in your future endeavors. I'll keep up the kindness bit as it gives me amusement for the next four years. After that, who knows?"
Hermione smiled. "I'll visit again in five year's time. Perhaps I'll be able to give you some advice then."
She watched him floating silently. "I'm sorry you are stuck here. It seems wrong after all you did."
He ignored her words. "The Living have life to get on with and if you remember I would be pleased to see you. Live life well Hermione Granger."
She watched him float away.
Sure to her words five years after her graduation he found her in his hall.
"House Ghosts still looking and not able to find you?"
"Yes Hermione. I've changed my tactics for this year to wailing and reminding them of my actions and going into graphic detail. I'm sure it will go over smashingly."
She was pleased he referred to her by first name. "It's great to have a plan. I'll leave you to it then."
HGSSHGSS
Seventy years passed and Hermione made her way down to the hidden chamber. The young snot of a Headmaster could not deny her with the Ministries backing.
Severus turned hearing a clacking and found an old witch walking with the assistance of a walker.
"Hermione? Why are you here? You look like death warmed over!" The ghost exclaimed.
Hermione's wrinkled face broke into a smile. "Ever so honest in your observations despite the years. Tell me how your plan is going Professor Snape?" She gasped out.
"Its Severus and my plan goes along smashingly. They still cannot find me and believe me they try." He chuckled and grew concerned. "You should be at St. Mungo's or with you family."
She shrugged her shoulders. I've done some research and it tells me to be here. Ron and Harry passed 10 years ago and my children and grandchildren rarely have time for an old witch. Is there an abandoned room here?"
Severus led her to a door and waited as she struggled to open it before the door finally gave way.
The room was empty and she fell to the floor. "Did you know that witches and wizards that provide a service to Hogwarts and die on its grounds is offered a choice at the Veil? I'm one of those you know." She panted out.
She smiled at the confusion on his face. "You'll find out shortly." She wheezed out with a smile and closed her eyes.
He waited watching her frail form struggle and soon struggled with her last breath, shaking for a moment and remained still.
Severus fell to the floor crying. Never in his long afterlife here did he see anyone die. They where conveniently taken away to die elsewhere. He cursed her because now one would find her body.
No one would find her. He reflected on that and a ghost suddenly appeared.
He smiled when he saw her floating there and looked about 22, the last time he saw her.
"Hermione? This is wrong! The Veil?" He muttered out.
Hermione smiled and approached him. "Ron and all my family and friends are enough to confort one another in the Veil but you have no one. Shall we wail together?"
Severus chuckled and motioned for her to follow him through the wall.
No one ever found her body and the snotty Headmaster was fired for losing track of a war hero. However the centuries of updates to Hogwarts: A History always made mention of them appearing and went on and on wailing like banshees on the misfortunes and history of Volemort so the students would not forget.
The Head Ghosts continue to look for them….
Fin