Disclaimer: The Potterverse is not of my property. We must thank J.K. Rowling for creating such a wonderful world. The story and others, however, are mostly mine.
Summary: The war was over, and although many lives were lost, one of them was just taking a nap. Literally. However, the countless casualties suffered by the magical world seriously threatened it with extinction. But the Ministry of Magic will make sure that such a thing never happens. No matter what it takes.
Warnings: Snamione (Severus Snape / Hermione Granger); Alternate Universe; possible Out of Character. My first language isn't English, it's Spanish. This may contain grammatical mistakes that I'm willing to correct. This is my first Harry Potter fanfic, please be gentle (?)
Initial notes: Hi. Let me begin by telling you that I am still shocked and destroyed by the passing of our beloved Alan Rickman. He was and will always be the perfect Severus Snape, and will live forever in all the roles he has played so skillfully.
Honestly, I considered not continuing this story when I first heard the news. It hit me so hard that I thought I could never write again about this character that, in my humble opinion, is the best he interpreted. But then I could calm down and think clearly. And although it still hurts a lot, I realized that simply leaving this story wouldn't be fair to you or me.
I've loved the Harry Potter books since I was a novice in the world of writing, and that's a long time ago, believe me. I read the books countless times, until I finally found the courage to write something about this wonderful universe. And even more involving Severus Snape, my favorite character in literature as well.
Ever since I saw Alan playing him, I knew he was perfect for the role. And in my mind, and couldn't imagine any other person. I still can't. The point, long story short, is that everything we write, draw, and any other type of art based on this actor and/or character, is a kind of tribute to them. Their legacy. So I will continue this story even if still it hurts my heart. That said, thanks for reading and being here. Shared sorrows are less painful.
Life is a waltz
Greetings from Azkaban
She no longer had any choice. Literally.
Blaise Zabini had engaged the next morning, with Pansy Parkinson as Harry had said. And the name of Professor Lippert went from black ink to red just a day before the term was completed.
Hermione had never considered them as viable options anyway, but still, seeing that only one name stood written with the original ink, made her face a truth that she had been trying to ignore.
That was the end of the road. She was to be imprisoned for a minimum of two years, if they didn't decide to give her a longer sentence, and thus lose valuable time of her youth, and her own life after all.
Ron had done everything possible to find a solution as far as possible. He contacted his mother through letters; desperately asking for her to get Hermione a single man to marry. However, Mr. Weasley intervened clarifying that she could only marry men on her list, there was a reason it was sent to her.
Hermione had no choice but to agree with him. Ron seemed more shattered than her at the thought of what the future in store for her.
"I'm going to cancel my engagement. I will do it."
"You cannot, Ron. And even if you could, I'd beg you not to do it" she murmured in response, still stirring her dinner with discouragement
The boy gave her a look that contained a small hint of reproach, as if he were just trying to make her feel better with his words. And it probably was the case.
However, he wouldn't achieve the desired effect, and apparently noticed that. He glanced distractedly toward the staff table and Hermione could hear him snorting loudly, before turning back to her.
"Damn Snape... at least he too will rot in Azkaban."
Hermione looked up at that comment, and the redhead gulped, apparently noting the inappropriateness of his words because of the situation. However, in part, Hermione gave him reason.
She had never hated Professor Snape. She respected him, and even felt some admiration towards him, but now she felt he had lost his right to all of that.
She couldn't understand. He had fought in the war, had taken more risks than anyone else, he had even put a stop to death itself... and still he preferred Azkaban instead of getting married? That powerful was the love that kept for Harry's mother?
Or so he detested the idea of marrying her?
That thought made her blush slightly, and thanked mentally that Ron was too busy cursing softly to the said teacher. She thought her blush probably was due to the rage that caused her that last thought. Yes, that was all.
She looked up almost unconsciously, and headed for the staff table. Her eyes searched automatically.
When found, she felt an intense urge to scream as loud as her throat could bear. Snape was so calm, so relaxed... as if he had no problems in the world. And maybe, in his twisted mind, he was right. Perhaps he didn't consider the fact of imprisonment for such a stupid reason a real problem.
That image took away the little appetite she felt, so she just pushed her plate away with a huff before standing on her feet to walk towards her common room.
That would probably be her last night at Hogwarts after all.
She was walking through the dark corridors, with a certainly furious pace, as she felt tears of rage come almost immediately to her brown eyes. She grunted, refusing completely to release any of them.
"Miss Granger!"
It instantly started to hear that male voice. It had been a long time since she heard it for the last time, and yet she had it burned into her youth and could recognize it in any situation.
However, she couldn't explain herself why she was hearing it.
"Miss Granger, over here!" then the voice repeated, and she was finally able to see its source with difficulty because of the darkness that surrounded her.
"Headmaster Dumbledore?" she questioned with disbelief in her voice, as she approached one of the portrait. She took her wand, and made a brief movement with it. "Lumos!"
Then, by the light of her wand, she could see the aged but friendly face of Albus Dumbledore. She blinked several times, completely confused by his presence there.
"Sir?" she muttered, a little louder. "I thought you were in the Headmistress' office... how did you...?"
"Being me has its advantages, Miss Granger" said the man, with a tiny smile, but it faded almost to the next second. According to my knowledge, you have not engaged yet."
Hermione was surprised only for a brief moment before looking away with a slight sigh of impatience, before shrugging her shoulders slightly.
"That's right" she mumbled in a tone that after listening to it, seemed too arrogant, so she looked somewhat ashamed. "I guess sometimes life can be cruel and unfair."
"Indeed, Miss Granger. Especially unfair, considering that you showed great solidarity with your gesture to Miss Brown" the portrait said with a slight nod of recognition. "You're a very good person."
"I wish that was enough to save me from Azkaban."
This time it was Dumbledore's turn to play the tacit slightly uncomfortable grimace game. The man in the portrait sighed heavily, shaking his head almost imperceptibly.
"Severus can be a case, you know?" then he said, looking up with a certain nostalgic air that Hermione failed to understand. "He's also very stubborn, it's really difficult to take an idea from his head... this past week has been proof of that statement.
"Sir…?"
"Yes, Miss Granger, I've been trying to convince him to marry you, without any favorable results of course."
Hermione was silent for a moment at that, looking down at the floor again, as if somehow that gesture could help her think more deeply.
"He seems so calm…" she remarked, looking up once again with a confused expression on her young face. "As if he actually couldn't care less about any of this. You know him much better than I do, of course... Do you think that he really feels that way?"
"Nothing would please me more than being able to answer that question, Miss Granger, but I'm afraid I don't know the answer" said the former headmaster, a slight, shrugging helplessly in an almost imperceptible gesture. "Sometimes Severus can be a real enigma, even to me."
The Gryffindor girl nodded slightly, suddenly feeling again in her stomach that great anger directed to her Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Dumbledore seemed to notice her expression clearly.
"Hatred will not take you anywhere, Miss Granger. I think we've learned that lesson the hard way" he suddenly said, noticing how the girl turned to look away with a sigh. The man cleared his throat. "I just wanted you to know that I did everything in my power to help you. And I'm deeply sorry that I haven't succeeded."
Hermione turned to the portrait again, now with a tiny smile gracing her lips. She nodded slightly, as a way of thanks to his words.
"Thank you, sir" she muttered, trying to stop thinking about the murderous rage she felt toward her teacher at that very moment
Dumbledore gave her a little bow, now smiling slightly.
"Sleep well, Miss Granger. I have a feeling that tomorrow will be a long, long day."
The deadline had arrived, and installed tension in the atmosphere of Hogwarts, as it seemed that everyone knew what was going to happen next.
At Professor Snape's office, however, pure tranquility was breathed. And the portrait of Albus Dumbledore didn't know whether to be surprised or not at that moment.
He had remained silent for a few moments, as if expecting that somehow Snape would notice his presence there, unannounced before. However, the teacher still had his eyes on the Daily Prophet.
Suddenly, and probably unconsciously, a small frown flitted across Snape's face. Apparently something had afflicted him, and believing he was alone, he allowed himself to show it.
"I see that apparently realization knocked finally at your door, Severus" murmured the former headmaster, with quiet but certainly condescending tone.
However, the man didn't take his eyes from the newspaper in his hands, still concentrated reading what was there. When he finished, he let out a long sigh that gave away some regret, as he closed the newspaper and took a white parchment.
"I beg your pardon?" he said then quietly, scribbling a few words on the parchment
"Nothing too relevant. Only I couldn't help but notice your recent grief."
Snape looked up then, arching an eyebrow in an inquisitive manner, while he walked to the window to tie the parchment just written to the leg of an owl, and send it to its destination with unusual delicacy.
"Ah, yes" he murmured when returning to his desk, snapping his fingers' bones calmly. "It's nothing important. One of my former classmates died, that's all."
"I'm sorry to hear that" whispered Dumbledore, as he made a brief and polite bow inside his portrait. "What happened to him?"
"Cancer. Or that's what they told the Muggles, although that 'excuse' has been used before, even recently I dare to say."
"So actually what happened?"
"The natural cycle of life, that happened."
The man in the portrait nodded slightly, as if he didn't need more explanation than that. He was silent for a moment, out of respect more than anything, before clearing his throat.
"I don't know if you noticed or not, but as I understand it, today is the final date of the term" then he said in a low and relaxed voice, as if he wasn't dealing with a serious issue at that time.
Snape gave him a disdainful look almost immediately, as if remembering something that he just didn't want to hear. He said nothing, and Dumbledore thought he would remain like that so he was about to continue, when he finally spoke.
"I know exactly what day we are, sorry, I am living" then he muttered, looking away again, lacing his hands on his desk and leaning on his elbows, with a grin gracing his face pale. "But thanks for the reminder, really. It's not as if there is something called calendar that could tell me today's date..."
"Are you really going to let them imprison you, Severus? You probably still have a couple of hours available" encouraged the former headmaster of Hogwarts, not caring at all about the sarcastic words of his interlocutor. "I'm sure Miss Granger..."
Just at that moment, two blows struck the wooden door of the office, sounding strong for some reason. Snape bellowed his permission to enter, and the door opened, allowing a young blond boy to walk in.
"Professor" he greeted, dedicating a little surprised look at the man in the portrait for a fleeting second, before continuing speaking. Headmistress McGonagall requires your presence in the Great Hall."
"Tell her I'll go when I can, Draco."
"She says it's urgent. She doesn't want to keep the minister waiting."
Snape then turned his attention with a tough and hard to read expression on his sallow face. With a quick, hard movement he stood up, letting a sigh escape his lips.
"I'll be there in a moment."
Draco Malfoy nodded slightly and it was obvious that his body shuddered when Dumbledore gave him a friendly smile, causing him to hurry even more to get away from that office.
Snape straightened his dark tunic almost unnecessary, as it remained neat and clean for most of the time, and went to the door with a firm and resolute step.
"Is this a farewell, dear Severus?"
The man stopped at the door, turning just a bit, as he shrugged indifferently.
"I haven't said anything. You can take it as you want."
With a snort he left his office, facing the way to the Great Hall. And he was nervous again, but had to keep it quiet.
The corridors were packed with students from all grades who soon parted away to make way for him, following him with curious glances as he was passing by. That he found it quite annoying.
He was about to stop and take points from everyone's houses, regardless of whether they belonged to Slytherin House or not, when a strong sound resembling to a trumpet made him wince slightly.
Looking for the source of the noise, he found the ginormous figure of Hagrid, who walked as fast as his legs allowed him, while he cleaned his nose with a checkered tablecloth.
Snape grunted at that, rolling his eyes while starting to walk again, but now it looked like he was almost obligated to follow the figure of the semi-giant man, who didn't stop mourning.
When he entered the Great Hall, with the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at his heels, he ran, getting the ground to tremble slightly under his weight.
Just at that moment, Severus Snape was set at the amount of people who came together as some sort of entourage near the staff table, right where Hargid was going.
Almost by instinct of curiosity, Snape crept closer too.
"Kingsley, there must be something we can do" he managed to hear the voice of McGonagall, with a pleading tone that he never expected to hear. "She's just a little girl..."
"I'm sorry, Minerva. I'm truly sorry" answered a deep male voice, which he recognized as belonging to the minister of magic. "I honestly don't want to do this but..."
When the teacher could get close enough to the circle of people gathered there, apparently without being noticed by anyone present, he could see that the current headmistress held Hermione Granger by her shoulders.
The girl had such a lifeless expression, but quiet at the same time, and it took him completely by surprise. It was the same expression that someone about to die would have, while knowing that their sins were forgiven. Staring into the distance, and an absent smile weakly adorning her fleshy lips.
He could only look away, refusing completely to dwell on that.
"Sir" then muttered another voice, and he saw that it belonged to one of two assistants who were with the minister, of stout and silly appearance. "It's time."
Kingsley Shacklebolt sighed with resignation, giving a slight nod as McGonagall hugged her student protectively against her chest in response.
"Can we at least say goodbye to her as we should?" Harry Potter muttered, frowning as Ron Weasley nodded slightly as a sign of support for his words. "This may be the last time we will see her in a long time."
The two assistants observed the minister intensely, expectantly, and he looked at the watch on his wrist, probably to make sure to please them without breaking the established schedule.
"We'll give you moment…" mumbled the man, looking at the faces around him, until he stopped in a specific one. "Professor Snape."
The circle was broken in the same instant the minister said his name, and they all turned toward him away until he almost in front of Shacklebolt.
Snape snorted, giving a merely polite nod in greeting. The minister also nodded, but to his assistants. One of them, the one that had spoken, approached the teacher, drawing his wand.
He simply rolled his eyes with a weary sigh, pulling his hands out of the pockets of his robes to offer them to the man before him. Soon a strong and silver light, out of that wizard's wand, held his wrists firmly as a pair of Muggle handcuffs would.
"Severus Tobias Snape, you are under arrest by the International Magical Office of Law. Your charges include failure to comply an universal law, being the Required Marriage Law, Law No. 19.460, Article 69..."
But honestly Professor Snape wasn't listening to a word the man was saying. He was more interested but wouldn't admit it, in the scene starring Miss Granger.
"I'll send you cupcakes, the ones that you like so much" said Weasley, hugging her tightly as he held, with difficulty, tears in his blue eyes.
"Ron, those are the cupcakes that you like..." Granger's muffled voice muttered, but she giggled off a moment later. "Thank you anyways."
Soon Potter joined the embrace, which became so honest and pure that they seemed to be one person feeling the same anguish.
Hagrid sobbed again on his tablecloth, getting supporting pats on the arms by several teachers. McGonagall, meanwhile, had a distraught grimace on her face, though not a single tear rolled down her aged cheeks.
After a few moments Snape was forced to turn his black eyes away, afraid that all those feelings being displayed would make him rethink some things. Such as decisions, and his thoughts, even his position at that very moment. Unimportant things, he told himself in an attempt to stop thinking about it.
"There's no time left" Kingsley Shacklebolt muttered then, with an expression that suited his tone of voice. "It's time."
Harry let Hermione go then, but Ron refused to do so for a few seconds until she had to push him gently. She gave a small smile while stroking his cheeks and kissing his lips before walking away.
The second assistant came up to the young student, and tied her wrists with the same spell his partner had used, causing more and more sobs in Hagrid.
"Hermione Jean Granger, you're under arrest by..."
"Wait."
Silence among those present was formed, as they all turned to the source of that single word.
Severus Snape sighed heavily when getting all that useless and unwanted attention, focusing only on his student, who was staring at him with a blank expression.
"Miss Granger" muttered the teacher, before making a slight pause, as if trying to stop himself before he finally spoke. "Will you marry me?"
The girl remained perfectly still for a moment, like all those around her, because apparently no one could give credit to their ears at the words spoken by the professor.
He raised an eyebrow, stamping his foot impatiently, so the young Gryffindor finally reacted.
"… yes?"
That seemed enough for Snape, as he turned quickly to the minister, raising a little his wrists together as a significant gesture. The man blinked a few times, exchanging glances with his assistants, who seemed completely misplaced,
Finally, he nodded once.
"Technically they are engaged."
"But, sir..."
"Let them go."
The two men exchanged looks for a split second, before obeying that order with faces that denoted bitterness and disappointment.
Snape rubbed his wrists slightly, noticing a pair of red marks on them. Looking up, he noticed that the people around him were still astonished, their eyes upon him.
He just rolled his eyes, giving Granger a cold and contemptuous look.
"You're welcome."
He hissed those words in a poisonous tone. Snape growled before turning around and returning to his office, leaving an unperturbed silence behind him.
Endnotes: I thought about leaving the chapter without end notes for today, but if you bothered to comment, I can do the same. Fair is fair.
There were several easter eggs in this chapter, some more obvious than others, even one repeated. If you found them, I hope at least it provided you a small smile.
This chapter may feel kinda off, and I apologize for that. I'm just not feeling good at the moment. I think I will now answer your reviews now.
MrsHermioneSnape06: Well yes, Snape is an arse almost to everyone. Thank you, I'm glad too! Yeah, I feel sorry for her too… hope you liked this chapter.
SeraphinaAngel: Not too long, I guess. Hehehe.
Sassyluv: Well, thanks a lot! Here's the update.
DutchGirl01: I don't think he will ever take back his words, but at least he kind of fixed the problem. Key words being 'kind of'.
Special Thanks to…
… 6kitty, dani asmar potter, Robin0 and Nacf for adding this story to favorites!
… 6kitty, N1605, Slam2k, amurdock42, orwin, Robin0, ndavis77, agdiaz15, cre8tvdeb, Nacf and misakilover for following this story!
… those who read but never comment. Even when I don't know if you're there or not, I'm here for you in this time of loss.
Well… I guess that's all for now. Again, I'm really sorry if this chapter is… I don't know. Not good? That's the feeling it gives me at least. Anyways, thanks for reading.
With a minute of silence for our fallen angel, I say goodbye.
Read you soon.
_-*-_-*-_KovatePrivalski97._-*-_-*-_