Hermione took a deep breath to prepare a retort to Snape's declaration of detention when her eyes flicked to Harry's.
"Shut up," Harry mouthed viciously.
Hermione pinched her lips together until they were white and shut her eyes tightly.
Snape stared at her for more than a moment, as if willing her for another outburst. After seeing no response, he finally spoke. "My classroom at seven o'clock, Granger." Snape walked away from the table.
Harry gathered up their books from the table and juggled several of Hermione's heavy tomes as they rushed down one of the halls. Both he and Ron were a tad afraid of what she was capable of at this point.
"Hermione! What was that about?" Harry asked her accusingly once they had rounded a few staircases.
Hermione's eyes were still bright, two spots of pink high on her cheeks.
Ron was shaking his head. "You're in for it now, you know."
"He's not my professor any longer, it's not as if he can fail me!" Hermione's voice was higher than usually and a little on the thin side.
"Doesn't matter, he can still give you detention," said Ron. The three were walking briskly toward the Gryffindor common room.
"Obviously, I know that," Hermione snapped.
Ron lifted his hands in front of him, yielding. "Hey, don't get angry at me."
"I'm not. I'm just…angry!" Hermione's pace sped and the boys exchanged a dubious look as they matched their stride to hers.
"But why? I don't understand what Snape did. I know he's a right bastard, but I've never seen you treat a professor like that. And it's nothing more than he's said to us before. Gray poodle," said Harry tersely to the Fat Lady.
The painting swung forward to let them in. Hermione charged into the common room and started to unload her books from Harry's overflowing arms. Hermione fumbled with one particularly slippery volume before letting out a grunt of frustration. She then flung the book down hard onto one of the soft couches. Ron winced as the book bounced off the couch onto the floor. Hermione Granger just threw a book on the ground. The world was certainly ending.
Hermione sat onto the couch and stared moodily into the fire as she spoke. "He doesn't believe me? Treats us like we're his enemy. Doesn't it make you angry that it's all the same? As if all of us weren't working to defeat a common goal for the past seven years! It's not fair and it's not right. It's over now. Things were supposed to be different, but he still treats us all horribly. We've done nothing to deserve it."
Harry stood uncomfortably by the sofa, mind traveling unbidden to Snape's memories in the Pensieve of the Marauders and the day by the lake. Ron plunked himself next to Hermione on the couch. The spots of color on her cheeks were starting to fade a little.
"I'm sick of it."
"I know what you mean, Hermione. I thought he'd let up too," said Ron. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "If anything, he's more nasty than ever."
Harry put the rest of the books down on the floor and perched on the arm of the sofa. "And it's not as if he's got to keep up appearances for Voldemort's sake anymore."
"Oh, God. A week's detention with Snape," said Hermione mournfully. She leaned forward with her head in her hands, elbows on her knees. "I've kept my mouth shut for six years, why couldn't I have just kept it shut another term?"
"I don't envy you that." Ron shook his head.
"It's getting harder to not say things," said Hermione. "I almost wish I hadn't turned down Head Girl. I'd have been afraid to lose the position. But I didn't – I wanted this year to be normal. For us." Hermione frowned. "Now it looks like I'll be spending half of it with Snape in the dungeon."
All were silent for a few moments.
"I bought some new Sugar Quills last week. You can take one with you to detention tonight. If you like."
"Ron, you know I hate those."
"Oh, right."
"He'd probably give you another week if he caught you with one, anyway," said Harry.
"I think he likes seeing us lose our tempers," said Ron contemplatively. "You want to really punish him, just do what he says and smile while you're at it. A really big smile. Just imagine him with grease-eating maggots all over his slimy hair, going up his bent no-." Ron was interrupted by the sound of the common room door opening. His shoulders instantly perked up.
Lavender Brown sauntered into the common room. "Won-Won! I haven't seen you all day, you nasty, naughty, wicked little boy!"
Hermione fought off a shudder. She had learned to appreciate Lavender more since term started. The same courtesy did not extend to that atrocious moniker.
Ron leaped off of the couch "I'm sorry, love." He grinned and wrapped his arms around Lavender's waist, kissing her on the cheek.
"And I did so want to go for a walk 'round the lake before curfew." Lavender looked disappointed.
"We could arrange that, I think." Ron turned to Harry eagerly.
"Already there, mate." Harry tossed a certain disreputable map onto Ron's outstretched hand.
"Thanks!" Ron grinned.
Lavender tugged Ron through the portrait hole, both murmuring all the while.
"Disgusting, isn't it," said Harry.
Hermione smiled lightly. "Yes, it is. But it's great to see him so happy."
Harry nodded in agreement. "Listen, don't stress over Snape, Hermione. Really, it's just a week. You can stand it for one week. Then, just act as if he doesn't exist when you see him from then on."
"Easier said than done, I'm afraid."
"I'll wait for you outside the classroom during detention if you like."
Hermione hesitated. "No, Harry, you've better things to do than twiddle your thumbs for an hour every night."
"I'll do homework while I wait. Listen, I know what it's like going solo with him. Not fun. Just knowing there's life outside the door is comforting." Harry grinned.
She couldn't help but brighten at his words. "I should say no...but that'd be really excellent, Harry."
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Snape was in his classroom and had just finished laying out a few ingredients when he heard a soft chime from the clock tower.
On the eighth and final clang, a grinning Hermione Granger entered the classroom. Behind her, Snape could see Potter leaning against the wall adjacent to the door.
Snape scowled and rifled through some papers on his desk. "Your detention, Miss Granger, should prove to be a very simple one. All that will be required of you is the brewing of a single potion."
Hermione looked at the ingredients laid out on one of the tables. Blackthorn root, toad spleen, diluted sassafras…a few other ingredients she didn't recognize, totaling around thirty in all.
Remembering Ron's suggestion, she smiled brightly and replied with a chipper "Certainly, Sir."
"The instructions are written there." Snape pointed to a rather thick roll of parchment on the table.
Hermione picked the parchment up and started to unroll it. It gave Snape an inordinate amount of pleasure to see that idiotic simper drain from her face.
"I wish you luck, Miss Granger. I'm sure Professor Lupin will find it rather unpleasant if you fail to make this potion to his specifications."
Hermione let the scroll unroll itself, falling well past her knees. Wolfsbane Potion! She gasped.
"You can't mean that I'm to b-brew this for Professor Lupin in your stead?
"That's precisely what I mean, Miss Granger."
Hermione quickly scanned the uppermost portion of the instructions.
"Sir, I cannot brew this."
Snape seated himself at his table. "Why not?"
"I won't take the risk!"
"What risk? Surely a student who feels confident enough to give up seventh year Potions can brew a Wolfsbane Potion?"
Hermione slammed the scroll onto the table. "There are Wizengamot Elders who couldn't brew this!"
Snape ignored her outburst. "A piece of advice before you begin. The potion takes four or five days to mature. The first six paragraphs of the instructions must be completed in the next hour, before the moon rises."
Hermione willed her chest not to tremble. "At least brew another batch in case I do it wrong."
"I think not. I've only enough aconite for one."
"Be fair, Professor! You can hate me all you like, but surely Remus doesn't deserve this!"
'Ten points from Gryffindor for referring to a Professor informally."
Hermione's fists clenched but she bit back an angry reply. Only just.
"You are wasting precious minutes, Miss Granger."
Hermione quickly grabbed the parchment and turned to the table of ingredients.
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Two hours later, and Hermione was completely involved in the potion. Snape watched her out of the corner of his eye. Her cheeks were very pink and a thin gleam of perspiration covered her face. Hermione had twisted her hair back and knotted it with a spare quill, but pieces were beginning to escape and fall around her face. She worked steadily, slicing off thin pieces of Jobberknoll feather.
Really, she hadn't irrevocably ruined the potion yet. Of course, she had chopped her jimsonweed too finely and had cast a substandard Parolipis, but nothing that would render it useless.
Hermione added the Jobberknoll feathers, and stirred the potion four times, clockwise. She watched it intently for a few moments. The potion began to bubble a vibrant yellow.
Hermione wearily leaned her head on her table and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Same time tomorrow, Miss Granger. Dismissed."
Hermione gathered her things quickly and all but ran out of the classroom.
Harry was sitting just where she'd last seen him and was writing on a small piece of parchment. He slipped it into his pocket and stood up.
"How was it," said Harry as they headed back to Gryffindor tower.
"Awful."
"What'd he make you do?"
Hermione's face was blank. "I'm brewing Wolfsbane Potion for Lupin."
Harry paused. "That's incredibly hard, isn't it? Even Lupin can't brew that potion."
"Yes."
"He can't be serious."
"I've got to go to the library. I've got to read up on it," said Hermione as she abruptly turned a corner.
"Surely not tonight, Hermione?"
"I have to," she called over her shoulder
That was the last Harry saw of her until he and Ron left the boys' dormitory for breakfast the next morning. They found Hermione fast asleep on one of the desks in the common room, in yesterday's robes, surrounded by mountains of books.
The second night of detention was much like the first. Sweat glistened on Hermione's face as she read and re-read the convoluted instructions, chopped, mixed, and in essence expended all of her potions knowledge. By the night's end, the potion had separated into two distinct layers, a dark orange on the bottom and a cloudy yet opaque layer on top. Hermione thought that top layer should have been a bit denser, but it should do.
Snape thought that his gaze made her more uneasy and nervous than anything. Testing his theory, he started openly watching her on the third evening. He folded his hands on his desk and stared at her, his black eyes unblinking, watching every move of her slim fingers.
Hermione grabbed the parchment and read a few lines. "Chop betony stems and add in quarter increments…" whispered Hermione under her breath.
"Silence."
Hermione's back was to Snape, so she safely rolled her eyes. She moved several glass jars on the supply table, looking for the one marked betony stems. Finding it, she grabbed it and plunked it onto her worktable.
"Five points."
Hermione scoffed. "For what?
"I told you to be silent."
Hermione gritted her teeth and grabbed her Potions knife, allowing a brief fantasy wherein she plunged the knife into Snape instead of betony stems. She chopped the stems and added them into the cauldron.
Snape inhaled sharply. She'd done it. Admittedly, Miss Granger had gone much farther than he'd expected without ruining the potion, but she'd certainly spoiled it now. She'd left the flower buds on the betony stems. He'd made that very mistake once several years ago.
However, the Potion remained a vibrant yellow, just as it should be. It wouldn't start to degrade noticeably until tomorrow evening.
A vindictive grin twisted his lips. "Dismissed, Miss Granger."
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After tonight, there would be only one more wretched evening of detention. Hermione was in the library, reading up on Wolfsbane Potion for an hour or so before she was expected in the Potions classroom. The Hogwarts library had one moldy book on Werewolves with a depressingly small section on Wolfsbane Potion recently added. It was mostly footnotes and vague advice of little help.
Still, it was much easier to research it outside of the classroom. Snape's constant stare made her clumsy and distracted. She needed her wits about her if she was to complete this potion properly. She studiously read on.
"Oh…oh, no."
She felt sick.
Footnote B:327. When adding the stem of betony, carefully remove all flower buds, as betony buds will render the Wolfsbane potion abortive.
Tears welled up in her eyes. Oh, God…she had to find Remus.
Not bothering to grab her bag, she raced out of the library, ignoring the screeches of Madam Pince to slow it down.
Professor Lupin was chatting amiably with Professor Flitwick on one of the low fences in the courtyard when he heard frantic sobs behind him. He turned to see Hermione Granger, tears falling down her cheeks.
"Hermione, what-"
"I've spoilt it."
"Spoilt what?"
"The Wolfsbane Potion. I was to brew it. He wouldn't do it, not even a standby."
"I'm sorry, what?"
Hermione's face crumpled. "He had me brew it, for you…it was my detention. And I did it wrong, added the buds, it's all ruined now, and there's no more aconite."
Lupin still looked entirely bewildered.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't-" Hermione burst into fresh sobs, turned on her heel, and ran away.
"Hermione," Lupin called after her.
"My goodness, whatever was that about," said Flitwick.
"I've a good idea. Excuse me," said Lupin, as he headed toward the dungeon.
Lupin pitched the door to the Potions classroom open. Snape was seated at his desk. Lupin slammed the door shut behind him and continued to stand just a few feet in front of the door.
"Severus, what's this about a Wolfsbane Potion?"
"Came crying to you, did she?"
"Yes, quite literally in fact. Did you really make her attempt to brew that convoluted mess?"
"Yes."
"And you told her you hadn't made any on your own?"
"So I did." Snape gestured to the cauldron by his desk. "As you can see, she's ruined it. Better prepare the shack this month, I suppose, Remus."
"You are such a damned ass, Severus. I know you brew the Wolfsbane in your chambers. And I know for a fact you've enough aconite, I saw a huge jug of it in here not two weeks ago. You may be able to pass off that lie to Hermione, but I know better."
Snape stretched his legs out in front of him and looked nonchalantly at Lupin.
Lupin shook his head incredulously. "I can't believe you'd be so cruel as to do that to her."
"Oh please. She well deserved it for her sass this term."
"I haven't seen you in tears over her lately. She's a good girl. She didn't deserve a dose of your asinine mind games. She doesn't play them in a way you're used to."
"She's a braggart and a know-it-all. I merely took her peg down a notch."
"No, Severus. You were cruel." Lupin was almost shouting. "And I know for a fact why it is you harbor this irrational hate for her."
Snape drew his legs underneath his chair, his demeanor frigid. "Shut up, Remus."
"No, I rather think you need to hear this."
"I do not," said Snape viciously.
"They do make quite the triumvirate. They are very much like we were back in the day. Though not as malicious; therein lies the difference. I accept that we were stupid sods, but they are nothing like James and Sirius. Much may Harry look like his father, I assure you he is of a very different breed. They wouldn't have harassed you. "
Snape said nothing.
Lupin spoke softly now. "And yes, she is very…very like Lily."
"Shut up." Snape's voice was calm and quiet.
"Her causes. Her sense of fair play; always helping out the underdog. And of course, she is extremely intelligent. Even more than Lily was, I'm afraid. And that was what attracted you to Lily first, wasn't it?"
Snape turned his chair away from Lupin, back facing him.
"Turn away all you like, Severus, but I know you're listening. You've always been too hard on Harry and Hermione. Why not Ron? Why specifically Harry and Hermione? Dole out your punishments as you see fit, only realize whom it is you're punishing. And what you're punishing them for. You have a childhood grudge that you cannot reconcile, and you are taking it out on what you appear to think is James and Lily all over again."
"Shut up." Merlin, why was he bringing this up? Old wounds didn't need re-opening.
"I will, as soon as I've finished. I know that you did get over her choice in husband. I don't pretend to think you carried a torch for her all these years, but you did still care."
"Remus, shut your mouth." Old, long-dead feelings of annoyance and helplessness were swirling about in Snape's mind. Lily. Merlin, what a waste. She'd loved Potter though; he'd accepted that long before they'd married.
Hogwarts' clock tower started to chime in the distance. Remus paused and spoke softly.
"Even though you were still in Voldemort's pocket, I know you came there, that night, trying to save her. I know you loved her at one point-"
Suddenly, the unbidden memories of his childhood tormenters, his ineffective attempt to save the Potters – everything - shot to the surface. In one liquid motion, Snape rose from his chair, spun around, and shouted "SECTUMSEMPRA". A burst of light flashed from the end of his wand toward Lupin. His intent wasn't really to harm Remus. By speaking the words aloud, he'd given him plenty of time to bounce the spell back. He'd just wanted to shut him up.
Instead of returning however, Remus sidestepped the spell. Perhaps a hole in Severus's door would teach him not to use such childish ways.
Neither man anticipated the door opening as the last chime sounded. Hermione Granger, here for her fourth night's detention, in a perfect performance of ill timing, caught the full blast of Snape's spell, knocking her flat.
Harry had been a few steps behind her. As she fell, his instincts kicked in immediately, and he pulled his wand out of his robes. The unspoken Expelliarmus flung both Snape's and Lupin's wands from their hands.
"Oh my God, Hermione!" Harry dropped to the floor by her. Blood was pumping out of her right chin, neck, and shoulder. "What the hell is going on?"
Lupin bent over her as well. "Merlin…"
"Have off!" Snape shoved Lupin over so he could see the wound properly. His face was very pale as he lifted her matted, wet, hair away from her neck. Hermione moaned softly, but seemed to be, thankfully, unconscious.
"Accio!" Lupin summoned his and Snape's wands.
Snape impatiently grabbed his wand and traced it against Hermione's wound. "Consunus."
No reaction. Without hesitation, Snape tried again.
"Virescorum."
Nothing.
"Certiscaro!"
"Damn you, save her," screamed Harry.
Snape looked at Harry, taken aback for a second or two.
Seeing a pause, Lupin tried a few healing spells as well, with no luck.
Blood was pouring off of her body and pooling on the cobbled stones.
"This isn't working. We need to take her to Poppy," said Snape, as he conjured a stretcher.
"I'll carry her." Harry picked Hermione up into his arms. Blood ran down her dangling arm and dripped off of her fingertips, onto the floor.
"And what if you drop her? Don't be a stubborn ass, Potter, there's no time. Put her on the stretcher. It's faster anyway," said Snape.
Harry complied, and the three men rushed the stretcher to the hospital wing.
