Hermione was upset.
No, she was angry.
No, she was furious … damn furious.
Now, since when did she get infected with Harry's 'save the people' disease. Why, oh why, did she have to intervene to try and save Neville's potion? That stupid Gryffindor … can't do a thing right … not even when instructions glare right at him. No … he has to do something stupid. He had to add beetle's eyes even when Hermione was shaking her head furiously. But no, he didn't listen and blew up the entire class. Rightfully earning a detention for himself. Unfortunately, for Hermione as well.
Did Snape really believe Hermione asked Neville to add that?
Ron's right. He is git – Snape.
Hermione's muttering came to halt when she heard someone's loud 'GET OUT NOW.'
Hermione waited for the echo to settle down when Neville came running down the corridor. He didn't even wait to acknowledge Hermione's presence as he passed by.
Hermione guessed another accident by Neville during his detention. At least his is over.
With gloomy thoughts in her mind, she opened the door to the potions' classroom and found something strange.
There before her were standing Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore, drenched in some red coloured liquid. Dumbledore was calm but serious whereas Snape was ranting furiously, waving his wand, maybe to clear the colour.
"That stupid boy … can't do anything right. He should have been expelled long time ago. I wonder he has all his limbs till now."
"Now now, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly, "It was just a mistake. If you would be slightly easy on the boy, I am sure he can work wonders. After all, everyone makes mistakes," He added the last part with a pointed look at Severus.
'Wonder what that was about,' Hermione thought.
"Mistake, you say, Albus?" Severus said icily, "A mistake. That stupid boy splattered on us a potion. A potion given to me by the Dark Lord. Intent of which was to de-age you, ingredients of which I don't know, effects of which I have not been explained properly, anti-dote of which we don't have. A mistake you say when we have a war raging, when you are leading an organisation against Dark Lord, when I have to go and spy on him regularly. A mistake I don't have the time to rectify."
For the first time, Hermione saw Dumbledore give a sheepish smile to Severus. "Well, if you put it that way…" he trailed off.
Silence followed this.
Then, it occurred to Hermione that she was eavesdropping on her Professors, which was bad even if her Professors hadn't noticed as yet. Deciding to leave, Hermione turned around but was stopped by Dumbledore's voice.
"Ah, we have a company here."
Hermione turned around to find the two Professors looking at her – Dumbledore smilingly and Snape angrily.
"Spying on your professors, Miss Granger?" Snape spat.
"Uh-no," Hermione hurried to clarify, "I just came for my – uh—detention, yes. I just came in and found you two discuss … er—something," she finished lamely.
"Come here, Miss Granger," Dumbledore repeated. "You definitely saved us some time."
Hermione looked at Dumbledore in surprise. She risked a glance at Snape who also looked surprised.
Hermione walked hesitantly towards the table. Dumbledore conjured a chair for her and she took it cautiously.
"How much did you hear, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked.
Hermione looked down as she mumbled, "Everything."
"H.m.m.m." Dumbldore murmured, "Do you know what a de-age potion is?"
Severus snorted. Trust Granger to know things ahead of her curriculum.
Hermione nodded. "It de-ages the person who ingests it. Depending upon the potency and ingredients of the potion, a person's age and memories reduce to a particular age."
Dumbledore nodded. He motioned to Severus to continue.
"Miss Granger," Severus started coldly, "Albus and I are covered with a de-age potion, but it's different from the ones that have been invented so far. For one, the colour is different. Second, the aroma is different and third, it didn't go away with all the charms I could think of."
Hermione nodded, adding almost in a whisper. "Fourth, it had no effect on you so far."
Grumbling, Severus accepted Hermione's point. "Right. It will start its effect in thirty minutes, I was told. I don't know what Dark Lord made it of. Before I could investigate further, that idiot of a boy managed to spill it onto us. The potion will have its effect even if we didn't ingest it," Severus quickly added as Hermione opened her mouth to question him. "I was told that upon ingestion it will de-age a person's memory and age, but contact with it will only de-age the person."
"Now, Miss Granger," Dumbledore asked Hermione, gravely, "You know Severus here spies for us. His and my de-ageing will complicate the things a lot. We have a war in the Wizarding world. This is the most unfortunate accident to occur. But all we can do now is minimise the effects. "
Hermione nodded dumbly. She didn't like the direction the conversation was taking.
"Miss Granger, no one can know of this event," Dumbledore continued, "We can't trust anyone with this information except for the core Order members."
Faces of McGonagall, Remus, Arthur, Molly and Kingsley floated in Hermione's mind.
"The others can't afford to babysit us since they are always in the public eye," Dumbledore was saying, "Which leaves you, Weasley and Harry."
Hermione looked up at him shocked. Sure he was kidding. Seeing the serious expression on his face, Hermione dropped the idea. Severus, however, was furious.
"Are you out of your mind, Albus?" Severus bellowed.
Dumbledore stared at Severus. They seemed to have some sort of mental communication. Few moments later, Severus nodded and slumped in his chair.
Dumbledore turned his attention towards Hermione.
"I am sorry, Miss Granger, to put you through all this," Dumbledore said, "but only we five in the order know about Horcruxes and we need to search for them … together. You will have to be our caretaker."
Hermione sat there numb as she heard Dumbledore unfold the craziest plan she had ever heard.
In retrospect, she would amaze at the sheer brilliance of Dumbledore and his strategies, but right now her mind had left her to wander in some alternate universe.