Chapter 4 Remembrance
Severus arrived back and went straight to his chambers not bothering to look for wayward students out after curfew. He called out "Sassy!"
A small house elf appeared. "Youse calls Sassy Professor?"
"I am taking a shower Sassy and wish for clothes I am wearing to be cleaned three times and pressed to my standards before being returned to me. Go and come back in five minutes to retrieve them."
The small elf nodded and disappeared with a snap of her clawed hand.
He immediately stripped placing everything into the laundry hamper. He wanted the stench of death and decay off his clothes and his body. He moved to the shower and turned on the water feeling the hot streams drench his body and lathered up in sandalwood soap and scrubbed his body furiously to remove the stench from his body.
He wrapped a towel around his waist walking into his bedchambers pleased that the elf removed the hamper. Moving to an oak dresser across the room he pulled out a set of green pajamas and put them on before moving to his study and sat in his comfortable leather chair to reflect on the events of the day.
Kingsley's worry of him going to the prison pricked his interest. He suspected that the wizard investigated Hermione's attack and found something that disturbed him. But what disturbed him the most were Lucius's words of Dementors feeding on him for no apparent reason until the new warden arrived on the scene. Something was taken out of the equation so what was it?
He drifted off to sleep and began to dream…
HGSSHGSSHGSS
The Head of the Department of Mysteries called his second to him. "There have been inquiries recently. You will take care of this." Slipping a piece across the table to the wizard and waited for his reply.
His second read it and slid it back over. "Consider it done."
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Hermione woke up Saturday morning and found a tawny owl perched on the bedpost hooting softly with an envelope in beak. She moved and took it up and watched it fly out. She looked around and noticed all of her fellow witches fast asleep as everyone slept in save her.
"Miss. Granger,
Please meet with me so we can discuss your academic future. The password to my office is Buttercup.
Headmistress McGonagall
Hermione jumped up and dressed before leaving her dorm excited.
She ran through the halls and stopped at the gargoyles and spoke "Buttercup" watching them move revealing the stairs leading up to the Headmistress's office. She took the steps two at a time and stopped for a moment to compose herself and knocked on the door and watched it open and walked in.
"Good Morning Miss Granger please have a seat." Minerva spoke offering a cup of tea and watched Hermione take it up.
"The staff has discussed your progress to date and all they feel that you limit yourself by remaining here and fear that you will stagnate if forced to complete the whole year. We want to offer you an apprenticeship and all the professors have offered but in order to do that you must complete your N.E.. You are more than ready to take them."
Hermione sipped her tea. "Even Professor Snape? I find that hard to believe Headmistress for he has never cared for me and insulted me the entire time I have been here."
"Even Professor Snape Hermione and he never offered an apprenticeship to anyone. That should tell you something and you know the part he played. You saved his life after all for you were one of few living that believed in him. I did not believe it until the end. So what say you?"
"I'll do it Headmistress. When will I take them?"
Minerva smiled. "Sunday Miss Granger for that is the only time that I can get everyone together as the administrators are not of the Ministry and independent."
Hermione jumped up. "I need to study! Please excuse me Minerva." Hermione raced out of the room forgetting formalities.
Minerva smiled watching the young witch leave in a rush.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
He stood at his one hundredth birthday before the new Minister of Magic along with the head of the Wizard's Council feeling unsettled with the change of regime.
"The end of the punishment of those who defied the creation of the Wizard's council and I have signed the Covenant for the fifth time. We are ready to be released as promised."
The new Minister of Magic looked to the old man. "The Council has told me of you Representative and I find that I cannot honor it. You are tools that we can use to punish those who oppose us as we go forth to a bright tomorrow and not sure that you would rise against us again. As the Ministry of Magic did not agree to the terms I deny it and you will remain as you are."
The Minister watched the old man before him whip out his wand and pointed it to him. "I am old Minister and I remember how you came to be. Our citizens grew tired of having no word and forced a change. I see that you are a puppet and will always be in control of those who wish to continue in power."
He watched the new Minister pick the Covenant up and changed it into a red book and handed it to a wizard. "Put it in a place that it will not be found easily."
Severus watched the young wizard leave. "And what to do with you Representative as you cannot die?" The Minister asked.
The Head of the Wizard Council spoke. "I will take care of this and remember you will set up the Department of Mystery as agreed so we can guide you." Pointing his wand to Severus and began a complicated movement. "This will flow through the connection to your fellow Dementors and place them all under the control of the newly formed Ministry."
"This is wrong. You promised us!" He shouted out and fell to the floor feeling strong magic. He took deep breaths knowing that he was about to die. "I will always remember your treachery!" He snarled out.
"No you will not. You will always die and you will come back and remember nothing!" The Head growled out and completed his charm. "My magiks are as strong as my Forefathers."
He fell to the floor panting and fought to take in breath. "You… I..."
The two wizards watched the old man die. "Burn his body Minister for he will not be missed. You have the Majiks to control them now. He will not remember any of it. In all of his lives to come he will be hated, shunned and unremembered. His Brethren will be feared in time but he will forget and be forgotten."
He fell to the floor and looked up finding the head of the Wizard's Council loking to him and pleaded. "Please…This is not right… There was an agreement!"
A bright light shot out…
Severus shot out of his bed and threw up on the floor shivering at the revealed memories. He was left to be unremembered. He looked to his chambers and moaned out in pain before he lay down. He would be remembered again and free them.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Harry hugged Hermione when she joined him at breakfast as Ron kissed her cheek. "You seem happy today Hermione. Care to share?"
"All of the Professors have offered me an apprenticeship but in order to accept I have to take my N.E. and graduate. I'm going to do it Harry. Seven years an evil wizard has been in control of our life and two years have passed. It is time to move on."
"That makes our news a lot easier to tell her mate." Ron spoke and Hermione looked at him questioningly.
"What news Harry?"
"Ron and I are leaving Hogwarts at the holiday break Hermione. I've decided to become an Aurour and Ron has been offered a position with the Chudley Cannons. I know school is important but I have to go. Like you I want to move on. There are too many memories here."
"I feel the same way and for once Mum agrees school would not be best for me." Ron grinned. "We have a chance to live life on our own and I'm taking it."
"That's it then. Despite wherever we are we will always be friends." Wrapping her arms around the men and hugged them before grabbing a few pieces of toast. "I'm off now to study. I'll see you Monday."
They watched her skip out the hall. Ron turned to Harry. "Now that's the Hermione I remember. I'm not worried about her now and she'll ace the test."
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Hermione met with Minerva Sunday morning at the closed door of the classroom that she was directed to go to.
"Don't be nervous Hermione. You will have a thirty minute break between testing with a two hour break from lunch. Your first test is Transfiguration. Good luck and I'll be here when you finish."
The day went on and Hermione felt confident that she excelled in all the test so far except for Divination but that was okay for if she scored low on that the other scores would take care of that. Potions were next and then she would go to the Astronomy Tower at midnight for the final test.
She walked in shocked at finding Professor Snape dressed not in his usual severe black robes but in the purple robes designating a Master of Potions with several medallions of additional Masterships.
"There is no need for introduction so I shall cut this short. First you will complete a one hundred question test and have one hour to complete it. After that will be a one hour test to see what skill you have in brewing potions. You will have a fifteen minute break between the two as this is the longest test at two hours. There is the parchment face down at the table in front of me with quills and ink. When you turn the parchment over time will begin."
Hermione sat at the desk and looked to him knowing he went to Azkaban but noticed nothing except his usual indifference and turned over the parchment watching him turn the hourglass on his desk.
"Begin."
She finished the test in forty five minutes and handed the parchment to Professor Snape and watched him turn it face down on his desk. "You have an additional fifteen minutes of break as you finished early which has never happened before. Come back in thirty minutes."
Hermione went to the room assigned to her for break and picked up a glass of juice she found waiting for her along with cheese and bread. There were quite a few trick questions in that test and sure she answered them all correctly.
After time was up she found Professor Snape standing at a long table with eight cauldrons with ingredients next to each.
"You find your final testing so get to it!" Watching Hermione look to each cauldron and read the potion required to create.
He moved to his desk and watched her intently, pleased that she started on the easiest ones before moving to the complicated ones to gain her extended time for those.
Severus was not surprised that she took the full hour as the brewing test was demanding and called out. "Miss. Granger time is up so step away."
Hermione obeyed Professor Snape and watched him place a stasis charm on the brews. "You are dismissed Miss. Granger and you are to report to the Astronomy Tower in five hours for your final test."
Severus watched her leave and moved to the cauldrons to test her brews.
The Astronomy test was done and Minerva looked to the exhausted witch. "You've done well considering these tests normally take two days to complete. You are exempted from classes today and I will let your professors know. Come to my chambers after evening meal for I will have your results and we can discuss your future."
She nodded to her Headmistress and pulled her time piece from her pocket. No wonder she was tired for it was two in the morning.
Hermione walked through the dark corridors her light emitting from her wand guiding her to Gryffindor tower. Walking in she found Ron and Harry asleep on settees and woke them up. "I'm finished and exempt from classes today. Thanks for trying to stay awake for me."
Ron stood up and stretched. "How did you do Hermione?"
"Except for Divination I think I'll be fine Ron. I'll find out the results after dinner."
Harry stood up as well. "That's great Hermione. I'm off to bed then." Leaving his two friends behind as he made his way up to his dorm.
Ron watched Harry go up the stairs and turned to Hermione. "What does this mean for us Hermione?"
Hermione kissed him gently. "We tried for two years Ron and you know we are better off as friends. I will never be the witch for you and you know that."
Ron broke her kiss and hugged her. "I know Hermione and wish that I could be. Still you are amazing Hermione and I do love you."
"I'll always love you Ron. When we were together and went to functions I saw you watching Lavender. She'll be perfect for you. I told you to move on."
Ron grinned. "Yeah you did but everyone expected us to be together and held out hope. Good night Hermione."
She watched him leave and waited a few moments before going to her bed and fell on it fully clothed, yawning widely before she fell asleep.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
After evening meal Hermione arrived at the Headmistress office as required and knocked, watching the door and heard clapping from all of her Professors standing behind the Headmistress.
The clapping stopped and Minerva motioned for Hermione to sit. "You've scored the highest N.E. in the history of Hogwarts Miss Granger. We want to know what apprenticeship you will accept. What say you Hermione Granger recent graduate of Hogwarts?"
She looked to her teachers and found Professor Snape standing behind his colleagues. "I want to thank all of you and wish I could do everything at once but even I realize that will be impossible. I love all of my subjects but I want to master Potions."
Minerva watched Severus move up and handed her a scroll and shook her hand. "Miss. Granger I am pleased that you accept my field and warn you that it will be an intense study. Most walk away after their first year and that is why there are so few of us. Read the terms and let me know if you wish to pursue it."
"Thank you for offering Professor Snape and I shall review."
"You have twenty four hours to accept Hermione Granger. That is the standard time for all Apprenticeships. I have patrol to do so I will take my leave."
Minerva clapped her hands watching Severus leave. "I think that you will do well in Potions Hermione for not many witches stand up to the challenge." Handing her a sealed parchment with her test results. "Your results and sure you will be pleased. You are staff now and I will set up your new rooms in the Apprentice wing and announce your status to the student body at breakfast."
Minerva handed her another scroll. "Congratulations Miss Granger on your graduation from Hogwarts and glad that you will be staying with us."
Hermione shook the hands of her professors before leaving the office and went to Gryffindor tower finding everyone waiting for her in the Common Room.
Harry spoke. "Hermione how did you do and don't blame me for Ron told everyone."
Hermione smiled. "I was told that I scored the highest in history and will pursue Potions. I will be considered staff so don't expect me to be nice to you." Laughing as everyone hugged her before going to bed leaving Harry alone with her.
"I know Snape Hermione and while a bit nicer he can still be a git."
"It will be fine Harry and Potions is the only subject that ever challenged me. He has a lot to offer."
Harry chuckled. "You'll drive him mad Hermione. You know that."
Hermione laughed. "Maybe but I'll challenge him. Good night Harry."
She went to her bed and pulled the curtains shut and unrolled the parchments and signed the one for her Apprenticeship and watched it flare red and disappear leaving another behind.
She had to find a red book. Merlin! He did not make her task in finding the Covenants any easier as most of the books were bound in red. She took the Potions apprenticeship recognizing his manipulations and re-read the second parchment again.
"Professor Snape when will you ever be free?" She whispered to herself in sadness as she read of the deception and his death in the parchment detailing his recent dream.