Mixed reviews on last chapter's experiment. Thank you to all who provided feedback.
Severus passed Remus the cigarettes. "You haven't been summoned," Severus said.
Remus shook his head as he lit the cigarette with his wand. "No." He didn't sound terribly bothered by the idea. "Why do you ask?"
"Don't you think it's strange that the term has already started and he has not summoned either one of us?"
"Should I?"
Severus shrugged. "Very difficult to say. Last year I was not summoned terribly often; his more pressing concern was how to free the cell who had been imprisoned. This year he does not have that on his mind."
"What do you think he's focused on instead?"
"I don't know."
"Okay."
"It's not okay. Once of us should know."
"Well, if you had to guess, what would it be?"
"Honestly, Lupin, I don't know. If Dumbledore were still here as Headmaster, I would imagine he would target him for assassination. With Dumbledore in parts unknown, at least to his mind, the task becomes considerably more difficult. So if you can't kill, Dumbledore, what do you do instead?"
Remus shrugged. "I don't know. If you can't take out the other side's leader, I suppose you try to thin their numbers?"
Severus nodded. "Not a bad guess. I suppose I would expect the same."
"He wouldn't be focused here, then. He doesn't know you and Minerva are in the Order."
"He won't put his entire focus here, no. But Hogwarts is very important to him and always has been. He will always care about it. That's why I worry."
"About Wormtail?"
"Or someone else, but Wormtail is most likely, given his rank and the fact that he's already directly threatened you."
"But you think he will focus elsewhere?" Remus asked hopefully.
Severus exhaled his smoke slowly. "I would put my money on his focus being the Ministry. Put people on the inside, build up his stronghold there, so that when he is ready to strike, he will have his framework in place and the transition will be smooth."
Hermione slammed her schedule on the Gryffindor table with such force it rattled the goblets.
"What?" Ron asked, looking frightened. He began mentally cataloguing everything he'd said to Hermione in the last day or so to see where he'd gone wrong.
"You know what classes are left for me to take? Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic, Ancient Runes, and Divination." Her voice shook as she sat down. A visibly-relieved Ron put his arm around her shoulder.
"Nothing else was available?"
Hermione shook her head. "No. All the NEWT-level courses people need for actual careers were full. Snape cut the size of enrollment." Her face crumpled and she covered it with her hands. "I knew this was coming, but it hurts!" She began to sob, and Ron pulled her closer.
Up at the high table, Severus watched them impassively, while Minerva clucked her tongue.
"You know why I had to do it," Severus murmured.
"I do," she agreed. "I just hate to see promise go to waste."
Severus shook his head. "As if she needed to sit through these courses anyway. She could probably take her NEWTs this afternoon and score off the charts."
Minerva raised her eyebrows. "Severus Snape, I daresay that was a compliment."
Severus sneered. "Don't be bloody foolish."
"Professor, wait!"
Bill Weasley yanked Albus back from the ring he had nearly touched. "We have to check it for curses, first. If this is a horcrux, he's likely to have protected it. And I can positively feel the dark magic radiating off of it. Can't you?"
Albus shook his head. "Y-yes, of course, you are right." He did not tear his eyes from the ring for even a second. "I say, Bill… do you notice the engraving on it?"
"Hmm?" Bill asked distractedly as he Leviosaed the ring and turned it over and over in mid-air before him. "Yeah, something on here." He leaned in as close as he dared. "It looks like a triangle with a line down the center and then a circle drawn inside."
He barely had time to put up a shield charm as Albus lunged toward it. "Professor, what are you doing?"
"I must have that ring." Albus was as serious as he'd ever been.
"Professor, no, I told you, it's cursed. I just checked it – it's positively layered with curses. So many that I can't undo them. Not only that, you're right, it's a horcrux. We'll have to destroy it."
Bill would never say so out loud, but he could swear Albus's eyes flashed red for a moment.
"You will not destroy this ring," Albus said in a dangerous voice.
"We have to," Bill said. "No choice. We have to."
"You have no idea what this is."
Bill backed away, keeping the ring with him. "I don't care what it is, we have to destroy it."
Albus calmly strode over to Bill. "This is an order, Bill. Hand it over. Now."
Bill swallowed. "No, sir. Something's happening to you. I won't let you hurt yourself. This ring, it'll kill you if you touch it."
He jumped out of the way as Albus lunged at him. "Give me the ring!"
"No!"
"But it's my last chance!"
"Sir, please!"
"NOW!"
"STUPEFY!"
Bill panted as Albus crumpled to the floor unconscious. He hand never seen the old man like that before. He had been crazed for the ring. He shook his head. Better destroy it before he came to. He would deal with the consequences of his insubordination after the deed was done.
Albus had warned him that only the Sword of Gryffindor, Basilisk venom, or FiendFyre could destroy a horcrux. Bill had intended to return to Hogwarts and use the sword, but he couldn't risk it now. He had to destroy it now, before Albus came to. He had never conjured FiendFyre before, but he knew the theory, and trusted his control enough to be able to wield it. He closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself.
When he opened them, he caught something shiny. The Sword of Gryffindor was lying at his feet.
Bill smirked.
As Bill poised the sword over his head, the ring began to shake and a voice – he did not know whose – began to echo inside his mind.
They will all die. You cannot protect them. She will die. Your parents will die. Your brothers will die. Your sssssssister will die.
Bill shut his eyes and tried to will the voice away, but couldn't.
You cannot sssssssssave them.
Horrible images filled his mind. His parents, dead. His sister, carried away by Death Eaters. His brothers, fallen in battle. Fleur, his Fleur, killed in front of him, her body at his feet and her lifeless eyes staring up with him, her belly swollen with his child, also dead.
"NO!"
With one fierce stroke, Bill struck the ring down the center. A horrible scream erupted from the stone, and a flash of light blinded him. Then, as suddenly as it began, it ended. The ring sat in a smoking, twisted heap. The stone lay next to it, in two halves.
It was destroyed. The air in the room, which had seemed so thick just a moment earlier, was suddenly clear and clean and light.
He felt brilliant.
Bill turned around to look at Albus, who had come to and watched him destroy the ring. Bill swallowed. "Sir, I…"
Albus held up a hand. "No, Bill, you were right to act as you did. I thought… well, I thought wrong." He took Bill's proffered hand and got to his feet.
"Thank you, Bill. I should not like to imagine what might have happened had you not been here."
"You did it once before, you can do it again."
"It wasn't all me."
"If you think I will believe you when you say those three idiots managed this bit of magic, you can think again."
"But it's been so long."
"Stop making excuses. I want another one. And I want to be able to search for and follow specific people."
Remus sighed. The Marauder's Map had been a bit of a laugh. Sirius had dreamed it up, he had merely made it happen. He would have done anything to make Sirius happy.
He swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat.
Severus rolled his eyes. "Enough sentimentality. You have a job to do."
Remus sneered. What did Severus know of this kind of pain? Nothing, that's what.
"I thought you and the house-elves sealed everything off."
"We did, but you know that in a castle this size something is likely to be overlooked, despite the best of intentions."
"You could have banned rats as pets."
"And signal to the Dark Lord that I wish to hide something from his sycophant? I might as well Avada myself. Much cleaner and faster."
"Do you really want to wake up one morning to find Wormtail in here? The castle has been sealed up as tightly as possible, but we both know that if the rat wants to get in, he will get in."
"So set up a ward to go off if he does get in."
"Which will allow him time to alert the Dark Lord? You do realize that the point of this is to hide our betrayal from the Dark Lord." After a beat, he asked, "Right?"
"Of course I know. You know I know. You also know this is needless. You could booby-trap the hell out of this castle and you know it."
"Coward."
The word was not the trigger for Remus that it had always been for Severus, but Remus reacted to it all the same.
"I don't trust my abilities. They're rusty after all these years. Besides, aren't you supposed to be the clever one? Mister Sectumsempra and all the other spells you invented? Go do it yourself."
"Tell me, Lupin, are you genuinely unable to do this, or are you trying to distract yourself from the horrible guilt you feel for not telling Dumbledore immediately when you saw Peter Pettigrew on the map three years ago, and knowing that, had you done your damn job and said something, he would have been caught, Black would have been cleared, and the Dark Lord would not have returned to his body?"
Severus counted to seven in his mind before the fist hit him squarely in the jaw.
"You bastard," Remus hissed, not meeting his eye. He turned and left, and Severus smiled, knowing he'd just got what he wanted.
"Hermione Granger."
All heads turned toward the middle of the Gryffindor table, where Hermione sat, staring at the Headmaster in the eye, her chin jutting out defiantly. Some derisive remarks came from the Slytherin table, but both Hermione and Severus ignored them.
"Miss Granger, you will stand when spoken to."
Hermione did so. Reluctantly. The Great Hall was silent now. Severus could hear a pin drop.
"Miss Granger, you did not present yourself for your recordkeeping appointment this afternoon with your Head of House. Much as you may miss the good old days when Gryffindor's rule breaking earned you nothing but House Points, such disobedience will not be tolerated here at Hogwarts. Given the current climate, it is more important than ever for all of us to know where we stand. Since you fancy yourself above the rules, we will merely complete your appointment here during the breakfast hour. Please step forward."
Hermione crossed her arms and did not move.
"Miss Granger," Severus said in a dangerously low tone of voice. "Step forward. Now."
Ron stood up beside her.
"Not you, Mr. Weasley," Severus said. "Miss Granger. Now."
Hermione stepped out of her seat, squared her shoulders, and walked toward the front. Her heels clicked loudly on the floor and echoed off the walls. Severus couldn't help but wonder if she'd transfigured a pair of sensible shoes (for what other kind of shoes would Hermione Granger own, anyway?) into heels just for the dramatic effect.
He found himself wishing that she had chosen a different subject about which to be self-righteous. This was a subject about which he felt very strongly, and it would be difficult to keep his composure. But he knew she wouldn't have chosen anything else. No matter the consequences to her personally.
And wasn't this, after all, their mission? To do what must be done, no matter the consequences to themselves personally?
At the moment, he hated the girl. She had no idea what she was about to force him to do.
He sharpened his glare. If they had to perform this disgusting panto, they might as well do it right.
"At long last you decide to join us, Miss Granger. Now," he said, flipping through some random bits of parchment before him, "Every student at Hogwarts is required to provide the following information to his or her Head of House: full name; date of birth; place of birth; and blood status. A hardly difficult task and one for which you should have participated at the appointed time. Now, then, you will answer the questions quickly and truthfully. Your full name?"
"Hermione Jean Granger," she said in a loud, proud voice.
"Date of birth?"
"Nineteenth of September, Nineteen Seventy-Nine."
Severus nearly did a double-take at that. He had always assumed she was one of the younger students in her year. The most mature ones tended to be the youngest. "Held back a year, were you? How disappointing. Your place of birth?"
"Wokingham, Berkshire."
"And last, but certainly not least, your blood status."
Hermione stood up straighter. "Muggle-Born," she said proudly.
"The rumors are true, then. Well, Miss Granger, that was not so difficult, was it? And to show the school's appreciation for your eventual cooperation, I am pleased to announce that you are the very first student to participate in our Blood Status Identification Program." He pointed his wand at her robes and non-verbally conjured a metal badge in the shape of an "M" on the lapel opposite the Gryffindor crest. "Muggle-Borns will wear these badges so as to better identify them. Studies have shown that Muggle-Borns, not being raised in our world, tend to suffer culture shock from which they cannot ever recover. They tend to have lower marks, fewer OWLs and NEWTs, and lower incomes. To fully integrate you into society, the Ministry and Hogwarts have decided that Muggle-Born students will be identified for special socialization programs.
"All students, when seeing one of their compatriots so designated, will take it upon themselves to assist with acclimatization to the Wizarding World. Professors will also ensure that Muggle-Borns are given the proper curriculum tailored to their special needs.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Granger, you may sit down now. All other Muggle-Borns will receive their badges by the end of the week. Until then, you may all look to Miss Granger as your shining example of a Muggle-Born who is receiving the assistance she so desperately needs."
Hermione quickly turned around and hid her face as much as possible behind her hopeless hair. It felt extra frizzy today. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling naked and exposed. She had never, not once, not ever, been ashamed of her heritage. Not even when Malfoy or others hurled slurs at her. She wasn't ashamed, per se, right now. But she still felt stripped and undone and terribly, horribly, utterly alone up there.
She knew what they were doing and why, and Professor Snape had warned her that this was coming. She knew it all, rationally. She just hadn't expected this farce to feel so painfully real.
"Mudblood," she heard someone hiss, followed by a chorus of jeers and applause. "Still think you're better than us?" asked another. This continued until Hermione completed the seemingly-endless walk of shame back to her place.
Harry and Ron were standing there waiting for her. Ron strode toward her and enveloped her in his arms, claiming her in front of the whole school. Any expectation of secrecy died in that moment: Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were together. Pureblood and Muggle-born.
After they separated, Harry approached her, his face deathly serious. He pointed his wand at Hermione's chest. "What's the spell for duplicating something?" he whispered.
"Gemino," Hermione whispered back.
Harry repeated the incantation. An identical "M" badge appeared in the palm of his hand. With another flick, the "M" on Hermione's chest became a "W." Harry affixed his own "W" to his robes, then glanced defiantly over Hermione's shoulder at Professor Snape.
Hermione's heart swelled with pride. This wasn't acting, not on Harry's part. They hadn't known what would happen if she didn't go to her appointment. They hadn't known Professor Snape would do this. She saw the intensity in her friend's eyes. She knew that look.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley," Severus said coldly. "And seventy-five from Miss Granger."
But it had already begun and spread out of control. Older students began conjuring "W" badges and placing them on the chests of younger students, as well as on themselves. Luna, seated at the Ravenclaw table, conjured a big, shiny, flashing "W" for herself. Other Ravenclaws hesitated for a moment before the desire to show solidarity with the Muggle-borns overruled the humiliation of copying Loony Lovegood. After all, Harry Potter had started it. Then the first Hufflepuff stood up, and was joined by the rest of her House.
On and on it went. Only Slytherin House remained stoic, though a few Slytherin looked like they wanted to join in. Stern looks from their prefects nipped that in the bud.
Severus looked around the room coolly, allowing most students who wanted a "W" to get one before he spoke. He pressed his wand to his throat and spoke in his most menacing voice.
"Enough."
Hundreds of students froze in terror.
Severus withdrew his wand and spoke in his normal tone. It was quiet enough that he did not need to speak any louder.
"One hundred points from each student who has defiled his or her uniform," he said. "To your classes. Now."
Hermione and Ron were holding hands when they reached the doorway to the corridor that led to Transfiguration for Ron and a free library period for Hermione. They found their way blocked.
"I'm not sure Mudbloods are allowed in this corridor," Draco Malfoy sneered. "Isn't that the point of your little badge?" He fingered the silver "W" while raising his eyebrows suggestively. "So we can tell which is which? Though the smell tends to give you away." He tapped the badge again, and it flipped to an "M" once more.
Ron roughly pushed Draco into the wall. "I don't know what you mean, ferret. Best get to class, yeah?"
Draco shoved Ron back. "Is that how it's going to be then, Weasel? Still haven't learned from your father's mistakes? Blood traitor's bad as Mudblood, and we keep them where they belong."
"Speaking of keeping people where they belong, how is dear old Daddy doing in Azkaban? Is his mind totally gone? Has he started to piss himself yet?"
Draco's face hardened, but he calmed down and pulled out of Ron's grip. "You'll pay for that, Weasel." Without a word, he turned and walked away.
"Ron," Hermione started.
"Leave it," Ron said. He unpinned her badge and turned it into a "W" once more. "There. Just as it should be."
See? Ron's not all bad. In this AU he grows up after Sirius dies, not after leaving his friends for dead.
I realize that I'm taking some things out of order from the books (such as when Albus went for the ring), but remember his is WILDLY AU. Chuck HBP out the window for this one.
Severus's "Now" should be read in the same tone as Alan Rickman just before Harry appeared in the Great Hall in Deathly Hallows Part 2. So much in a single syllable. Amazing.
