Chapter 4: Missing
The next day, Hermione entered the headmaster's office and was faced with Snape, McGonagall, Dumbledore, and to her outright surprise, her parents. "I thought muggles weren't allowed inside Hogwarts."
"There are exception, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said gently. "This is one of them. Please, come in and sit down."
Hermione sat in the chair in front of his desk while her parents flanked each side of the chair.
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore began. "Professor Snape has brought something to my attention that made it clear of having no choice but to inform your parents of what was happening."
Hermione scoffed. "So much for confidentiality. I should have known. This is why I don't trust anyone. They always betray that trust. Hermione looked no where but her feet. She truly felt betrayed, as she had said. She had trusted Snape enough to open up, and he had told her that it was confidential.
He Lied.
Why are you so surprised?
Hermione didn't have an answer to her own question.
"Sweetie," her mother began, putting a hand on her shoulder. Hermione shrugged it off and stood up. Turning to the door, she was halfway there when Snape stepped in front of her. She didn't bother listening to him. She merely pushed around him and left the office.
***HGSS***
Meanwhile, back in the office, Snape stood where she had pushed him and listened as Hermione's parents spoke to Dumbledore.
"Why did you not contact us sooner than now," Mr. Granger asked.
"We felt that because your daughter is of age in the wizarding world, she is able to make her own decisions."
"So you let her just keep trying is what you're trying to say."
"That is not what I am saying at all. She was put into counseling as soon as she was recovered from her first attempt."
"Why didn't you inform us of it then?"
"I already told you-"
"Maybe because she didn't think you would care," Snape interrupted. "Maybe because during the summer, when she was out partying at all hours of the night, you didn't notice. And when she arrived in the house the next morning, you still didn't notice."
"Our daughter was never out partying," Mr. Granger said angrily.
"Oh, really? That's not what she said in our sessions. In fact, she said that was one of the reasons that she did it. Because it felt like she didn't matter to you anymore; like she didn't exist."
"You're lying!" Mr. Granger took a swing at him, but, having grown up with a muggle father, he had learned to defend himself without magic. Twisting the man's arm behind his back, he dislocated his shoulder and said, "No, I'm not lying."
"Severus, release him at once," Dumbledore said calmly.
Snape released him and popped his should back in place instead of letting Dumbledore heal do it magically, which would have caused the man no pain. He then left the office and searched for Hermione. By the time he discovered her missing clothes in her bedroom, he was frantically running back to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore still remained there, where he was trying to calm down Hermione's parents. Instead of talking to Dumbledore privately, he told him what had occurred.
***HGSS***
The next few days were frantic searches for the missing student, Hermione Granger. After the Ministry was informed, the Daily Profit published a piece on the girl, but there were no pictures of her in the paper, nor were there any around the wizarding world. There was only a simple description of her, which could match any number of witches and muggles alike. The first that was searched was Hogwarts. The students filed out on the ground, where they were thoroughly checked by Snape and McGonagall. After that was finished, The students stayed outside, while the teachers searched every room and secret passage. Later the next day, while they were searching the Forbidden Forest, Harry Potter went to Dumbledore and informed him that his Invisibility cloak and secret map of Hogwarts was missing. In their place was a note from Hermione.
Dear Harry,
I know that you and I are no longer chums or mates, or friends, whichever you want to call it, but I felt the urgent need for both your Invisibility cloak and the Marauders Map. I hope you understand this need, for I do not have the time to inform you of it. Suffice it to say, I hope you don't file a theft report with the Ministry of Magic. However, seeing as we are no longer friends, I would understand if you did file it. However, if you do not wish to file a report, take this note to Professor Dumbledore or Professor Snape. Either one of them will know the spell that will reveal the location to both your Marauders Map and your Invisibility cloak. I will be done with both by the time this note appears. Hopefully you do not discover that they are missing before then. Thank you for your time and patience with me.
Hermione Granger
Dumbledore revealed the location of both the map and the invisibility cloak, but there was no indication as to where Hermione was when they found them. Now, four days later, Hermione Granger was still missing. And here Snape sat behind his desk on a Friday night, blaming himself for the fact that she had run away. She was right. He had betrayed her. He had told her it was in the most strict confidence, and he had betrayed that confidence.
