A/N: Hey everyone, I apologize for how late this chapter is but as you all know, life happens. I won't leave a long note for y'all to read but I want to make a couple quick points.The chapters in this story will tell two stories; the story of how Hermione teams up with Snape and the story of how Hermione eventually becomes the "Dark Queen" - hopefully my writing is clear enough to avoid any confusion but if you find yourself confused, please feel free to send me a PM. Another thing I should mention is that i still have not decided on an update schedule though I am aiming for at the least every two weeks.
Flashbacks will always appear in italics unless otherwise stated.
Regina Tenebris
Chapter 2
Hermione squeezed her eyes shut as she saw Professor Snape stumble backwards. She was well aware of the sneer on her face and she could feel the darkness within her but she wasn't as afraid as she thought she would be. In fact, she was calm and felt as if she were truly happy for once.
"That's the trick to this dark magic," she could hear Professor Snape's voice in her head from a conversation many months before. "It will make you feel as if you are invincible, happy, calm and content, but you will crave more and the darkness inside you will spread."
"Feeling invincible isn't quite accurate, Professor," she replied with her hands on her hips. "All of what I have read about this particular spell and ritual will actually make you invincible against certain spells, potions, and people. If it will make me invincible to a curse, say the Avada Kedavra curse, then it will be well worth it. I won't have to worry about being killed and not being able to help Harry."
"Miss Granger," the whispered and worried tone of Professor Snape's voice cause her eyes to snap open.
"I'm still here, Professor," she whispered back.
He gave her a small nod and pushed himself up off of the ground.
Once standing, he held his hand out to her.
She took quick notice of how his hand had a slight tremble to it and thought only for a second of how strange the gesture was but she placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her to her feet.
2 September 1996
Hermione raised her wand and lightly tapped it against the wooden door until she felt the wards weaken and fade away.
Stepping inside, her breath caught at the sight of the abandoned classroom. Books lined several walls, glass jars containing things that were unrecognizable lined the others. For a moment she wondered why this classroom was abandoned and what had once been taught there.
"It was abandoned long ago, before even I attended this school," a voice sounded from behind her. "And no, Miss Granger, I do not know what was taught here."
She turned around with her wand raised, though she knew who was in the room with her, and nodded, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You were right, Professor Snape," she said. "Harry arrived at Potions unprepared. Professor McGonagall urged he and Ron to attend Potions since you are no longer the one teaching that class. She assured them that Professor Slughorn would be more...more accepting, if you will."
"I expected Minerva to do just that," he nodded. "And since you said Mr. Potter arrived unprepared, I assume he received one of the spare books that is kept in the classroom?"
"Yes sir. He received your old Potions book just as you wanted."
"Trust me, Miss Granger, that is something you will eventually thank me for."
Hermione snorted and rolled her eyes.
"Not hardly. I asked you if I could take a look at it first and now Harry is excelling at Potions. He's doing much better than I am. So much so he's now at the top of the class."
"Do I detect a hint of jealousy, Miss Granger?"
"No," Hermione scoffed. "Of course not. I am happy for Harry and I'm happy that he has your book and it means less work for me as I will not have to go over the lessons with him again."
"That is precisely one of the reasons why I placed the book there and asked you to make sure it was the book he received. It was for him and him alone, Miss Granger. Now, if you would like to finish the discussion we had over the summer, I would rather we get on with it before your curfew. Though I suppose catching you out after curfew would offer us another chance to go over exactly what it is that you want and expect to do."
Hermione sighed and sat down at one of the tables, pulling out an old tattered book.
"Must you do this the muggle way, Professor?"
Professor Snape pulled away from her face and turned off the light he had been shining in her eyes.
"Yes, I must. I do not know how using magic on you will effect you, or myself for that matter, and I would rather not put either of us in harms way at the moment."
"All you have to do is cast a diagnostic spell. I would prefer that to being prodded and poked just so you can make sure my heart is still beating properly and my lungs are still drawing breath."
"As I said before, Miss Granger, it is not only for your safety but mine as well. I do not wish to be killed simply for casting a diagnostic spell on a witch that has just preformed one of the most powerful and dangerous rituals known to the Wizarding World or at the very least, those interested in the Dark Arts."
She raised an eyebrow and did her best not to laugh at the whole situation.
"We still do not know how this has affected your magic and if the texts are correct and if you are indeed not strong enough, it will eventually begin to take a toll on your mental health as well."
2 September 1996
"Out of curiosity, Professor, what would have happened if Ron had been the one to get your Potions book instead of Harry?" Hermione asked, staring down at the book in front of her.
"I can assure you, Miss Granger, that Mr. Weasley would not be able to decipher nor follow any of my instructions within the book so you would still be at the top of the class."
"That's not what I was asking about."
"I know perfectly well what you were asking about and I do not feel the need to tell you what I am sure would have happened had he, instead of Potter, tried to use the book."
"You placed a hex on it, didn't you?"
Hermione stared at him, waiting for an answer she knew wouldn't come.
"Fine! You don't have to tell me now, Professor, but at some point I will want you to answer that question."
She could have sworn she heard him scoff and mumble something under his breath but before she had too much time to think on it, he had swiped the book from in front of her and opened it to the page she had bookmarked.
"Black gave you this book?" He asked without looking up.
"Yes," Hermione answered, putting her elbow on the table and propping her chin on her hand as she waited for him to finish reading.
He scoffed and muttered, "It figures Black would give a book like this to a child. I guess we should all be thankful he gave it to a child that is more competent than himself. When did you first happen upon this book and what was the reason for him giving it to you?"
"Last summer when we were all staying at Grimmauld, I was in the library and this particular book caught my eye. Sirius saw me looking at it several times. Finally, he said I could have it so I wouldn't have to sneak around to look at it. I'm well aware that it contains dark magic but I do find some of it could be quite useful."
Hermione stared out of the window if the Shrieking Shack as Professor Snape gathered up the ingredients that had been used.
"I know the ritual worked," Hermione said, breaking the silence they had settled into. "But I don't feel any different. I feel as if the magic has always been a part of me, somewhere below the surface." Turning to Professor Snape, she crossed her arms over her chest and asked, "When do you think I will know how the ritual changed me and my magic?"
He looked up from the phials he was holding and sighed.
"It is hard to know exactly when you will find out. It could happen when you try to do a simple spell or when you try something more complicated but the fact is we can not predict when or where or how. So as I suggested last night, stay clear of anyone and anything that may cause you to use magic."
"And exactly how do I do that?" she shrieked. "We're at bloody Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in case you have forgotten."
"I have not forgotten, Miss Granger, but it seems you have forgotten that I am still your teacher."
She huffed and glared at him as he continued to speak.
"It is a Hogsmeade weekend. Tell your friends, classmates, teachers, and whomever else you wish, that you are ill and do not feel up to going out. Stay in your dormroom for the remainder of the weekend and first thing Monday morning I will assign you to detention with myself and we can see what changes have been made."
"They'll hardly believe I am ill," she sighed. "Maybe I can pass with telling them I want to spend extra time in the library and that I need to complete some homework assignments."
"Whatever you think will appease them is fine."
