AN: / this is the last chapter set in the past. After this chapter we will finally catch up with where we left in chapter one.
I just wanted to note that though Harry and Ron will feature in this story, they are not going to play huge roles, the story will focus more on the interactions between Severus and Hermione.
Thank you for all your reviews , I will continue to try and answer any questions you pose in review.
Pain. Everywhere.
It was the first thing that he was aware of, that he could focus on, lest he really do some damage.
Pain in his mouth from grinding his teeth so hard he was pretty sure he'd chipped a tooth.
Pain in his hands, where his nails dig into his palms and his fingers cramped from having such a tight fist.
Pain burning in his lungs from denying them oxygen.
Pain in his head, behind his eyes and at his temples as a vicious headache gripped him like a vice.
Pain, unexplained in the gaping chasm where his heart should be.
Noise. The second thing he became aware of.
The hissing crackle of his uncontrolled magic as it swirled around him, the rising heat and faint smell of smoke that threatened to become fiendfire if not reined it.
The squeaking and metallic groans of the headmasters instruments as they threatened to break under the change in pressure from the magic swirling around him.
Then the voice of Albus Dumbledore cutting through the red haze in his vision.
"Severus, control yourself!"
Anger. Thick, heavy and hot, fuelling the accidental fiendfire and giving it enough of a focus on the one who dared speak his name to become corporeal, not flames yet, barely held back until he got the answer he needed, but smoke was forming around him with the threat of becoming more and the heat in the atmosphere was rising as Minerva and Kingsley both backed away from him.
"How dare you speak to me and ask me to control myself? You know Miss Granger is in Azkaban and yet here you sit having your little order tea party, when you should be navigating across the North Sea to bring the girl back while there is still something left of her…if there is something left of her ! "
"Severus we cannot just storm Azkaban…"
"Watch Me !"
He turned to leave , cloak billowing and made it to the door in three large strides before he was grabbed by Kingsley.
"Severus calm down man , Albus is right you cannot just storm Azkaban and as much as I would like to do that with you , as wrong and unfathomable as it is , in the eyes of the law Miss Granger was convicted and sentenced and to remove her from Azkaban would be breaking the law! If you took her she and you would have to go on the run, she would be and escaped convict just like Sirius was and you would be an accomplice. Imagine the Witchunt if the press got hold of it , you'd never be able to convince them of her innocence if we break her out , Harry Potter's friend an escaped convict ? They'd have a field day , we need to get her out I agree but we must do it the right way"
He took a deep breath and another, though not before shaking off Kingsley's hand.
He was right, he hated it but he was right. Her innocence, her reputation could never be brought into question, he would not have her future tarnished with a questionable past not unlike his own was. But still he was sick.
"We also cannot afford for you to lose your position Severus, and if you were seen to care for the girl then your role would be forfeit"
Albus added , as if the random snippets of information he gleaned from the ravings of a madman were more important than the life of the girl.
He sighed and answered Kingsley.
"I understand your concerns Kingsley but you have to understand mine , as of the two of us you only have experience of being on the right side of the bars of Azkaban , whereas I do not. I spent 7 days in Azkaban after the first war before I was cleared of charges , and Miss Granger has already surpassed my stay in triplicate , and I am afraid the longer she is in there , the less of her will come back and seeing as she's one of the only things that's kept the potter boy alive this long , the impact on the war could be crushing , no doubt this has all be planned by the dark lord to isolate Potter"
He hated to lie , he couldn't give a chuff the impact on Potter and the war, but he was thinking of the girl already 3 weeks into Azkaban , the place that literally drains your soul. He thought of Beautiful Bellatrix before and the thing that came back in her stead.
"Give me a week Severus , 10 days at the most , let us get her out of there LEGALLY , so that she can continue to have a future without being tarnished with this for the rest of her life , I won't be able to get to Azkaban to her but all I need is to get Pensieve memories from other people involved and a plee hearing with the wizengamot…"
"The same wizengamot that sentenced her to Azkaban ? "
"It was a CLOSED wizengamot Severus, not a full chair , only selected members , Voldemort obviously has his people in place but so do we , we call for a plee, get evidence from the other students and have a closed wizengamot of our own and if we have to leak it to the press that Harry Potter's friend, who fought at the department of mysteries and the brightest witch of her age has been wrongly imprisoned then so be it , the ministry cannot afford to lose the opinion of the public and will soon turn when pressured"
It wasn't a sound plan, but it was all they had. He breathed out a deep breath again and the pressure around him equalised as the temperature dropped and the threat of the fiendfire flickered out .
"How did this even happen ?"
He sighed with a defeated tone
"Umbridge, that horrible toad woman , she pressed charges against Hermione for the incident in the forest" Minerva sniffed angrily
"No doubt the charges would have been quashed given the circumstances, but Voldemort most likely used the opportunity to have one of his Ministry plants have Miss Granger taken out of the game"
Albus had answered him and it only made him angrier, "Taken out of the game", like she was just another pawn in his chess game called the Greater Good.
"No more than 10 days Severus , I will get memories from the staff and students including her use of the dark magic blood quill , one week and she can put it all behind her."
As if it would be that easy , he looked around the room at the others, they all expected her to shrug this off , expected her to walk back out , wipe her hands and carry on being the golden girl of Gryffindor. How wrong they would be.
"10 days Kingsley , or I go in there and take her myself"
AN:/ Please Review , they really keep me going !
What do you like , what don't you like and what would you like to see ?
Please note , starting from the next chapter the summary warnings will apply
If you're squeamish about any sort of trigger material , this won't be the fic for you.
There's going to be non/con , torture , drug abuse , self harm etc.