2: A Letter from Professor Snape
Hermione woke hours later to the sound of something tapping against her window. She blanked, trying to adjust her eyes to the dim light from the full moon shinning through her window. Sighing she rose from the bed and stumbled slightly. The large black owl was perched on the ledge outside. She frowned at it not instantly recognizing whom it belonged to and reached to push the pane up.
It swooped inside and made a couple of turns around the room before landing on the footboard of her bed and dropping the letter onto the green and silver comforter. She started at the necklace hanging around the owl's neck. It was a crest; she bent closer and noticed a snake in the shape of the letter S and several other things that she could not quite decipher. Her frown deepened.
Picking up the letter she ran a finger down the owls back and flipped the letter over. The thin, spidery writing told her instantly that it was from Professor Snape. Flipping it back over she noticed the seal was the same crest as that of the bird. Her heart beat quickened. What in the name of the gods could he want with her? It was summer time and she'd be returning to Hogwarts in the fall to finish her seventh year out, par orders of McGonagall. What could not wait another two and a half?
Opening the letter she read and then re-read the note scribbled on the inside. Her heart slipped toward her feet.
Dear Miss Hermione J. Granger,
Your presence is requested at the Snape ancestral
home Spinner's End on the day of July 6th, 2009
at the time of 12 o'clock noon to discuss a most pressing
matter with you. Please send a note back with Flake immediately.
I will make arrangements for a different day should this
not suit your schedule. I will also be arranging transportation
via Portkey to be sent at a later date. This meeting should
not take very long.
Severus C. Snape
Order of Merlin 1st Class
Member of the Order of the Phoenix
Hermione stared at the words for a few moments before looking down at Flake. What an unusual name for an owl. Surely Snape had not named the poor creature something so unintelligent. She looked at the note again. Well, she'd wanted a way out of her family's hair and this was it. She could go see Snape and then have him arrange for the Portkey to take her to the Burrow instead of back to her home. It would be the perfect way to escape from the house and clear her head.
She moved toward the desk sitting on the other side of the room and opened the bottle of ink that sat there. She grabbed a quill and dipped it inside. She quickly scribbled her own note below Snape's and used her wand to reseal the letter. She held it out to Flake who grabbed it up and swept through the window into the night. She watched as he flew away into the moon light night. It would be well worth spending a few hours in Snape's company to be able to retire to the Burrow for the rest of the summer.
Her spirits a bit higher than before she crawled back into the bed. Crookshanks sat up and tilted his head at her. She knew that he knew what was going on. They were leaving and she watched as his tail gave a swift flick of excitement. Crookshanks loved to visit the Burrow. He could spend all day chasing anything that moved, roaming the large backyard, or simply bathing himself in the warmth of the sun. It would be a welcomed vacation for both familiar and witch. Thank gods for Severus Snape.
TBC…
