Chapter Summary: Hermione's memories are probed by the force that was destroying Hogwarts. In the past, Harry, Ron and Hermione decide to investigate a strange and somehow related occurrence at Hogwarts.
Patience of the Immortals - Chapter 2
A spire of flame shot into the air and blossomed into many torrential figures. Fiery dragons and raging chimeras spun out of the inferno and flew towards their target. Some circled the ceiling, free of all magical control. They leapt towards the floor, scaled the wall and shot out of the windows, consuming everything that lay in their path. The floating candles were reduced to raindrops of wax and the enchanted ceiling was inflamed with burning clouds.
Hermione covered her eyes with her hand. The intense heat seared her skin. She cried out in pain but it was drowned out by the tempest raging above her. With the last dredges of her consciousness, she turned to face the orb.
Her fiery creations had formed a ring around it but despite their boiling heat, the blue orb seemed unfazed.
A wisplike projection shot out of the orb towards Hermione. She tried to back away but it enveloped her quickly but tenderly in a soft, gossamer blue shell. The projection, resembling some kind of tentacle, slowly raised her into the air till she was suspended halfway above the hall.
Hermione kept utterly still. She was inwardly terrified but her expressions didn't show it. What if she was being transfigured like Severus? Somehow, she didn't think that was the case. The orb didn't feel threatening. Rather, Hermione felt warm and comfortable. Her injuries started to heal and she could see much more clearly. It was as if the mysterious thing was helping her.
The maelstrom around the orb grew brighter. Errant spikes of flame shot out of the ring as it spun, getting faster and faster, till it reached a furious pace. All of a sudden, it exploded soundlessly into a large fireball. What was left of the windows shattered at once, the house hourglasses were consumed in a flash and the grand tables were all but vaporized.
The bubbled kept Hermione unharmed. It felt surreal for her to be alive. She had expected the orb to survive her measly spell but she hadn't expected it to save her life. She had been completely prepared to be incinerated by the fire and yet, she was still here. There had to be a reason for it.
The floating blue orb started to lose its shape. It morphed into an oblong cloud and rained down on the hall. A thick mist spread from where it fell and covered the entire floor. A thin, transparent outline of a man shot out from the fog.
He wore a long pointed hat. His face looked young but lacked the luster of youth. His eyes however, swept across the hall with an expression of genuine interest. His body was covered in vaporous robes and his feet were lost beneath the mist, which made it look as if he was floating.
He glided over to Hermione and studied her with a curious expression.
"No, no miss Granger." he said slowly in a deep sonorous voice, "We don't want you to die."
His eyes shot around the room, as if he was looking for something and then he continued, "You could be of great assistance to us. Yes, yes, you could."
The man spun around the room with his arms raised at his sides. Wispy trails followed his movements.
"It's a pity" he said frowning, "that our arrival should be met with such destruction. "Are you feeling better, Miss Granger?"
It took her a while to realize that she was being spoken to. She was still having trouble accepting her situation. None of this was supposed to happen.
"Yes", she managed to blurt out, "Yes, I am. Who are you?"
"Us, Miss Granger." he replied, "You've read all about us. Yes, we know. We've been your mission for the past two months and you've gone to extraordinary lengths to find us, Miss Granger."
His gaze wandered around the hall again and he continued, "You took something form us. You…and him."
His voice was menacing as he said the last word. It sent a shiver down Hermione's spine.
The blue, vaporous figure of the man gestured his arms towards the entrance of the great hall. Another blue bubble floated inwards and this one, held the transfigured form of Severus Snape.
The terror she had previously felt washed over her. A part of her felt sorry for him but thoughts of sympathy didn't hold her for long. The pained expression in his face jerked her into awakening. It was real. Snape's presence had proved that much and the realization made her angry.
She faced the mysterious figure. "What have you done with him?" she asked, carefully masking all her feelings. She didn't want to show it anymore than she had to.
"The two of you have caused so much trouble." he said with deliberation. There was malice in his voice. Hermione could sense that much.
"You'll have to find out, Miss Granger" he continued, "What happened to your…dear Severus."
A thin smile tore across his vapory face.
"You can see it for yourself, Miss Granger!"
The man shot towards Hermione and in the blink of an eye, they were face to face. His eyes had something inside them, crystals - azure blue and tantalizing. They were the last thing she saw before slipping out of consciousness.
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Sometime in the past: In Hogwart's Castle
Ron, Harry and Hermione sat inside a small alcove in the Room of Requirement. Warm sunlight poured in through a large window and illuminated a small pond in the center. The room had fashioned itself with a little inspiration from nature. Its interior was cavernous as if it was hollowed out from the side of a mountain. Fresh soil substituted for the usual stone floors and a gentle smell of the outdoors permeated through the room, giving it an atmosphere of sleep and solace.
Ron let out an enormous yawn. He toyed with a little stone between his fingers, looking bored. From time to time, he brushed his long and unkempt orange hair out of his eyes. Harry leaned against a boulder, staring off into the distance and Hermione sat on small ledge, restlessly swinging her legs to and fro.
"I would've wished for some butterbeer if I had opened this room." muttered Ron, still prone.
"Quit it, Ron" snapped Hermione.
She leapt off the ledge and paced around the room, worrying her fingers.
"I don't think Moody's going to let me teach again." she said. "Honestly, I have no idea how it could have happened. When does a spell fail like that?"
Harry looked at Hermione and shrugged, "I don't understand. You're one of the best witches I've seen. Better than some of the Aurors even. That spell should've been natural to you."
"Not necessarily" said Hermione "Spell proficiency doesn't have any reliable method of development. Some people have it and some don't."
She trudged across the room and sat down on the ledge again. Her shoulders drooped in resignation.
"Is the poor kid alright?" said Harry.
Hermione nodded in response. "They have him at 's."
"I think he looked better with a carrot for a nose." quipped Ron. He lazily threw the stone in his hands at the lake. It sank with a plop!
Harry chuckled. "Seriously Hermione, I don't think it was your fault. You couldn't have gotten to teach at Hogwarts if magic didn't come naturally to you."
"Perhaps, Harry" she said and let her voice trail off. "It was my wand that transfigured the boy afterall. It completely looked like it was my fault and so it is."
"Nonsense!" said Harry. After a moment's thought, he continued, "What does Snape think? Isn't he supposed be in charge?"
"Snape?" said Hermione. "I haven't seen him much. He's not in his office half the time. He doesn't even bother to show up for dinner at the table anymore."
"That's a surprise." said Ron. His eyes were closed now.
"For God's sake, Ron" she burst out, "Snape is the most talented wizard we've got and he deserves to be the headmaster. Ask your own parents! They like him."
Ron opened an eye. "Character's gotta count for something I say."
"And he has plenty of that." said Hermione, closing the matter.
She turned toward Harry as he was standing up.
He wiped off the dirt from this clothes and said "Listen, you told me that you saw a blue bubble, or aura, or something around the boy, just before he was transfigured?"
"Yeah, just for a second, Harry. It looked like it was made out of mist. Nobody saw it but me."
"I think it there might be something else going on." said Harry, "I remember something that we toyed with at the Auror academy. It was just a joke really but I know someone who can help."
"Quincy? Big whoop." said Ron.
Harry waved his comment away. "Trust me, Hermione. He'll help. Is there a hearing of some sort?"
"Nothing formal." said Hermione. "We're having a teacher's meeting in two weeks. Moody said they'd expect a defense."
Deep ridges ran across her brow. Combined with her frizzy hair, she looked like she was in deep distress but after a few moments, her expression relaxed and she smiled at Harry.
"I'll expect an owl then?" she asked
Harry nodded in response.
"In the meantime" she said placing a finger on her chin, "I think I have an idea."
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