The Fox and the Gryffin (Chapter three)
Hermione had not spoken to her former Professor since the incident concerning her wards almost two weeks ago. She had felt bad upon reflection, of the insults she had thrown at him the night her wards had brought him to her door. But he deserved it none the less; his own insults had been just as cutting. After his brief visit to her home Snape had avoided her as though she carried dragon pox. She had spotted him only once since his visit, coming out of his cottage during an early morning start, no doubt on his way to open his shop.
Hermione had been intrigued as to how no one knew his whereabouts when surely he must get customers. But when she thought about it, every time she had been into town she had never seen a single person enter or leave his shop. Confused by this she had decided it was high time she questioned him.
One Sunday evening while she had been curled up on her porch swing reading and drinking hot soup from a mug, she had spotted Snape returning from the village, obviously having just closed up shop. After waiting for him to enter his home she had slipped on her shoes and made her way over the lane. Upon reaching the side of the road she had felt a wave of magic wash over her, indicating that Snape had his own wards in place, knowing he would be able to sense her presence she waiting patiently for him to emerge from his home and berate her for intruding on his property. She didn't have to wait long. After only a few minutes of standing on the outskirts of Snape's front lawn, the wizard himself emerged from his front door and strode towards her, his jaw set in the familiar way it had when he was a teacher, and he was particularly frustrated with a certain student, usually herself, Harry and Ron.
Stopping a few feet from her Snape let out an exasperated sign. "Miss Granger, surely you are not so ignorant as to have misjudged my behaviour these last few weeks. I had thought it obvious that I wanted nothing to do with you."
Hermione shrugged, "I know perfectly well that you have been avoiding me Professor. However I had a question that couldn't be left unanswered."
Snape actually smirked at this. "A question? I should have guessed, when did the know-it-all Miss Granger not have a question she needed answering?"
Hermione ignored him. "How does no one know of your whereabouts Professor?" she asked rather bluntly. "You own what appears to be a successful apothecary and yet I have never seen a single person enter or leave your store, how is it that you are have kept your existence a secret for so many years?"
"Miss Granger." Snape began in a tone that clearly stated he was trying to control his temper. "Firstly, I must ask you to desist from using my former title, I have not been your professor for many years now. Secondly, my methods of keeping my whereabouts hidden are none of your business." Hoping the conversation was now over and that she would cower under his glare Snape stood there unmoving for a few moments, however as the seconds rolled by it became obvious that Hermione Granger was not going anywhere without an explanation. Feet slightly apart, hands on hips and neck straight, she looked like she could stand there all night waiting for him to explain. Unwilling to be in her presence for longer than necessary, Snape reached into his pocket and drew out a folded piece of parchment, tossed it to her and turned on his heel marching back into his home, slamming the door behind him.
Shocked at his sudden departure and lack of explanation Hermione stared down at the piece of parchment he had thrown at her. Realisation flooded through her as she realised she was holding a leaflet.
'Asps' Apothecary
Owner, Sebastian Attis
Buy potions & ingredients from the luxury of your own home through our own owl delivery service
Contact – Joan Wilks
56 Marble Arch Street, Kirkby Village, England
Licence for potions making required
Sebastian Attis? Obviously the name Snape went by these days. Not the most original of names she had to admit, but nothing that would draw attention to him either. And Joan Wilks? Hermione frowned at this, was Snape employing someone to handle any customers that may wish to peruse his store before buying from him perhaps. It was indeed a very clever way to go about things Hermione concluded. Snape never had to see his customers, never had to interact with them, and never had to go to the trouble of disguising himself with polyjuice potion in order to face any unwelcome costumers. He was finally content and untroubled by war or the burden of being a spy; he was able to make an honourable living, leaving the persona of Severus Snape behind him. Where Hermione had sought answers she now found her questions had doubled. Did this Joan Wilks know of Snape's true identity? Surely they must? If so then why had they kept it secret? Was Joan perhaps Snape's lover and therefore content to remain hidden away in Kirby village with him? However Hermione had never seen Snape with a woman since moving here. Knowing that Snape would not re-emerge from his home to answer her newly formed questions, Hermione began the short walk home her head buzzing with unanswered questions.
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Hermione had been begun to feel guilty about keeping her ex professor's location a secret from her friends. Harry would no doubt want to know where he was, after spending several months after the war searching for him. He felt guilty over his accusations concerning which side Snape had fought for during the war, and shamefaced over his petulant attitude towards him as a student. But in the same instance Hermione believed she was saving her friend the embarrassment and disappointment of finding a man who would sooner hex Harry than listen to his admissions of guilt. Therefore when after nearly three weeks of constantly avoiding inviting her friends over for tea in fear of one of them spotting Snape, Hermione was shocked to return home one Sunday from a short walk to the village to find Harry and Ron sat in her kitchen with three steaming mugs of tea between them.
"Hermione!" they cried when she entered, she barely had time to put down her shopping bags when she was almost lifted off her feet as her two best friends pulled her into a bone crushing hug.
"What are you doing here?" She asked between wheezing breaths hugging them back, unable to keep a smile from spreading across her face.
"We got tired of waiting for an invite, so we decide to surprise you." Harry said finally letting her go and sitting himself back down at the table. "You kept saying you hadn't finished decorating, but Mione this place looks fabulous."
Hermione blushed slightly, she could be very house proud and it cheered her to know that her friends approved of her home. Settling down at the table she pulled the extra mug of tea towards her and began to fill Harry and Ron in on the last few weeks, excluding any details about the fact that Snape lived not 5 minutes down the road from her.
Being with the boys again was something Hermione missed terribly at times, they saw each other now and then at the ministry, but with Hermione able to work from home more often than not they didn't get to spend a great deal of time together anymore. On the other hand, there was only so much of Harry and Ron she could take, before talk of Quidditch and Auror duty began to take its toll on her. Deciding that it would be impolite to shoo them from her home after only a few hours, Hermione invited them to stay for dinner and to continue to catch up, not knowing when they would next all be free in the evening to just hang out.
"So" said Harry, after he had helped Hermione clear away the dished and Ron had found a new bottle of wine for them to share. "How is it that we haven't heard from you in so long?"
Settling herself on the couch between the two boys, Hermione sipped her wine while thinking fast for an excuse as to why she hadn't invited them over yet.
"Oh Harry you know how it is." She began rather lamely. "You and Ginny have the boys to think about, and Ron is always rather keen to spend his evenings with another fan girl, I hate to feel like I'm intruding on your personal lives." She kept her eyes down hoping that they would buy her excuse, luckily for her both of them fell into her trap with ease.
"Mione, don't be silly!" Ron said, pulling her into a hug. "We always have time for you, and I resent the fact that you think I will sleep with just any girl that catches my eye." He grinned at her, both knowing full well that that was exactly what he did.
Harry lent over and put his arm around her too. "Ginny is perfectly capable of looking after the boys for a few hours in an evening. Or better yet, you should pop over and see us more often, the boys miss their aunt Mione when you're not around." Hermione felt a wave of guilt wash over her, she never did spend enough time around the Weasley or Potter families these days, and she always ended up feeling like the odd one out. Nearly all the Weasleys were married, save Charlie and Ron who always had a new girlfriend to bring to family get-togethers, Hermione had started to feel like a spare part over the last few years.
Not wanting to burden the young men with her anxieties Hermione smiled and hugged them back awkwardly, trying not to spill her wine. "You're right. I will make an effort to come and visit more often. It's just with work and moving away from the city, these past few months have been too hectic. I promise to make more of an effort." Ron beamed, but Harry still looked uncertainly at her. She merely smiled again, and diverted the conversation towards their families.
Two hours later and all three of them were on their way to becoming tipsy off the wine, the boys insisting they had to get back before they couldn't use the floo for lack of the ability to annunciate their words correctly. Laughing, Hermione had shooed them out after farewell hugs and promises to meet up again soon, and collapsed back onto her sofa with a huge smile plastered to her face. It had been wonderful seeing the boys again, and she was rather proud of herself for being able to keep the fact that their ex potions Professor lived down the lane from her. Deciding it was time for bed, Hermione wandered out onto the porch to collect her book which she had left there this morning before venturing to the village. Looking over to Snape's small run down cottage concealed behind many overgrown hedges, Hermione reflected that it might be a good idea to make a visit to his apothecary within the next week, and see if this Joan Wilks character could shed any light on the mystery that was Severus Snape. Re-entering her house and warding her door Hermione never noticed the glowing black eyes of the fox following her every move. As the door shut behind her, and the shimmer of magic indicated her wards were firmly in place, the fox turned its back on the house and once again slinked away into the darkness.
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I apologise for not having updated in so long! It is unacceptable of me. But I've been swamped with work these past few months and found very little time in which to write. However the forth and fifth chapters and in progress and I hope to get them up over the Christmas Holidays!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, things begin to heat up between Snape and Hermione soon, there will be tears, tantrums and secrets revealed. Stay tuned ;D
Reviews always appreciated!
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