By the light of her wand and behind the privacy of her four poster curtains Hermione packed a small bag with essentials and waited until she was sure the other girls were fast asleep. Just after midnight she prepared herself to leave Hogwarts forever, she took her bag and at the last minute grabbed her well loved bear, before creeping through the dormitory. She paused in the common room and considered leaving Harry a note but what could she say, what could she tell him?
Trying to act braver than she felt she started to walk quickly through the deserted hallways certain her hammering heart could be heard echoing throughout the castle giving her away. She stopped several times convinced someone was about to discover her but as she neared the main entrance she heard distinct footsteps getting steadily closer. Holding her breath she quickly slipped through the nearest door leaving it open a crack. From the confines of the broom cupboard, her pulse racing and her throat dry, she watched a distinctive figure dressed head to toe in black stalk right past her as he fastened a familiar travelling cloak around his shoulders. If she hadn't of been so paralysed with fear she'd probably have noticed that his face was even paler than usual, his normally cold eyes were now haunted and his blank features were etched with grief.
As she heard him leave the Castle through the main doorway she felt a wave of homesickness overtake her. Hugging the bear he'd made for her, the first magical thing she owned, close to her chest she sunk down onto the stone floor and cried. He'd gone the same way she'd planned and now she had no idea what to do. All she wanted was for things to go back to normal. To have never come to Hogwarts at all. She just wanted to go home. Then a weird idea wormed its way into her brain and before she could really think it through she'd left the cupboard and was walking towards the dungeons. She finally stopped by what seemed to be a normal stone wall where a portrait of Slytherin himself was mounted. She didn't expect it to work now, he'd made it quite clear that neither she nor Harry would have any need to visit his quarters anymore but she was desperate. Looking directly into the paintings eyes she gave the password,
"Bella Donna."
Her eyes widened as the outline of a doorway became moulded into the stone wall. Nervously she reached out and gave a gasp of surprise as the ornate handle turned under the pressure of her shaking hand. Dare she go in. There was an uneasy churning in her tummy, would it even look the same. There was no reason for their old room to still be there, it'd probably been turned back into a storage room by now but she had to see. She walked as quietly as possible along the hall and into the lounge where she let the familiar smells wrap themselves around her. Everything was still the same. Their cookie jar was still on the kitchen work top, an impressive pencil sketch of Hedwig drawn by Harry was still stuck to one of the kitchen cupboards, framed muggle photos of her, Aunty Bella and Harry were still on the sideboard and neatly folded over the arm of Uncle Severus's favourite chair was a patchwork throw that she'd knitted for a school project and given him as a birthday present. She was so confused, nothing made sense and the embers of the fireplace were making her warm and sleepy. She was drawn to the door that led to what had been their bedroom, maybe if nothing else was different that would be the same too.
It was like stepping back in time, as if they'd just left the Thursday before to go back home. Her thoughts were so muddled. Hugging her bear as if her life depended on it she crawled into the bottom bunk and wrapped her butterfly quilt around her tightly. She closed her eyes promising herself it would just be for a few minutes. She'd already decided to floo back to Prince Manor, Aunty Bella would be asleep, she could get some food and money and be gone before anyone realised she was missing. Or even cared.
A few minutes later she'd drifted off into a deep sleep. She didn't hear Snape stumble in during the early hours of the morning, she slept through his fire whiskey fueled rage at himself, Dumbledore and the Dark Lord and had no idea that he wept himself to sleep over Lilys death, his head cradled in his hands as he slumped over the dining table.
Nor was she woken by the loud banging on the front door at 6am. Unfortunately for Snape, he was. It took a few moments for his alcohol soaked brain to realise the banging wasn't just in his head. For the second morning running he found himself face to face with a grim deputy headmistress.
"Drowning your sorrows again Severus!" She spat at him as she stalked into his rooms.
But before he could form the words to demand to know why she was once again forcing herself upon him she was already speaking again.
"Hermione's missing."
The sick sensation he felt in his gut had nothing to do with the fire whiskey constantly churning.
"How ... How do you know?" He asked weakly.
"Miss Patel was up late in the common room last night completing homework. She saw her leave with a bag around midnight but thought nothing of it. But when she woke this morning Hermione wasn't in her bed and the curtains were open which is apparently unusual. Miss Brown and Miss Patel came to wake me." She looked him straight in the eye. "Her bed has not been slept in and her bear is missing."
His face slackened with shock as he staggered slightly and sank into a nearby chair. While the situation was dire McGonagall was at least gratified to see his emotion, maybe the man the children knew wasn't too far gone after all.
"Has she ever done this before?"
"Once. It was their first day at muggle school together, they performed some serious accidental magic together. They were scared and ran away." He rubbed his hands tiredly across his face but the roughness of his stubble sharpened his mind. "We need to search the Castle."
He started to struggle to his feet but McGonagall pushed him back down again.
"The ghosts are already looking. You need to contact Bella, whatever is going on between the two of you she needs to be here for you and Hermione."
"I do not know where she is." He almost shouted forcefully. "We argued the night of the sorting, she has left the Manor and I haven't heard from her since." He rounded on her. "But why ask me. You know how to contact her, you went over my head about Potter, you spoke to her." His voice was accusing.
"No I didn't Severus. Albus knew how to contact her but he wouldn't tell me, he spoke to her not me."
She watched him deflate a little before his face became determined. "Then we need to wake the Headmaster, for all we know she could have gone to Bella, wherever she is."
"The ghosts will let me know if they find anything. We'll use your floo, my position in the school will allow free access into his office. Severus let me do the talking."
Snape knew better than to argue with her command and dutifully followed her to the fireplace.
Thankfully the Headmaster was dressed and already at his desk when they exited his fireplace. McGonagall effectively cut short his enthusiastic greeting in a way that Snape envied and quickly explained the situation.
Snape saw the older mans mind go into overdrive through his somber blue eyes as he calculated the situation. He was almost prepared to pull his wand when the man suddenly penned a short note and moved agilely towards the fireplace.
"Minevra, would you be so kind as to pass me the jar of floo powder. No, not the big one the smaller one with the purple powder. Now if we could all stand back."
Both Snape and McGonagall looked at each other in surprise as he threw a handful of the vivid purple powder into the fire, neither of them had seen anything like it before or the violet flames it created.
"Morigan sorry to disturb you at such an early hour but we have an urgent situation with one of the children please could you pass this to Bella?"
"Oh very well Dumbledore." The annoyance in the womans voice was palatable but without another word the flames returned to normal.
Now it all made sense to Snape, he just never thought she'd seek refuge there. As soon as he heard his mother-in-laws name he knew where Bella was and why no-one had been able to contact her. He was just about to demand they try something more when the fire flashed purple again and a piece of parchment fluttered through. Deftly Dumbledore caught it.
"Bella will be here in a few minutes. She's going to floo into your quarters Severus, may I suggest we return and wait."
Snape bided his time nervously, continuely pacing the length of the lounge. They'd parted on very bad terms and now he knew her mother had been fuelling the fire for the past couple of months he was dreading what private business his fiery redhead would throw at him in front of his colleagues when she returned.
It wasn't long before he found out as Bella stormed through the fireplace, something Snape didn't think was possible, brandishing a fistful of letters. Ignoring the two older people she thrust them in his face and demanded,
"What in the name of hades have you done!"
He instinctively took a step back but she followed. "Hermione is miserable, angry and lonely, according to Minevra's letters struggling with her lessons and now my little girl is lost."
"Well maybe if you hadn't have disappeared she'd have had someone to talk to." He snarled back.
"Now isn't the time for this." Interrupted McGonagall sternly. "We have a missing child."
Bella and Snape had the decency to look shamefaced and stepped apart.
"Can't you trace her like you did last time." Bella asked hopefully.
"No." Snape could see she was about to argue with him so he decided to explain before she could launch another attack. "I tried while we were waiting for you but there's too much magic in the Castle it isn't possible to isolate her individual magical signature."
"Then what was the point in it!" Bella's frustration was mounting.
McGonagall put her arm around her. "You need to think, you two know her best, use that."
Bella's eyes widened. "No we don't. We need to find Harry, where is he?"
"Either on his way to breakfast or in Gryffindor Tower. But they've had nothing to do with each other do you really think ..." McGonagall trailed off doubtfully.
"We've got to start somewhere." She started to pull the older woman towards the door but stopped to glare at her husband. "You've done enough damage already. Stay here and do something useful, keep working on tracing her."
"I'll stay and help." Offered Dumbledore, he hadn't been immune to the redheads glares and was very conscious of her previous threats to disappear with Harry.
"Fine!"
They hurried along the corridors towards the Great Hall.
"Mr Finnagan, Mr Thomas."
The two young Gryffindors stopped immediately as their head of house summoned them, a guilty look flashing across their faces.
McGonagall bustled over to them with Bella at her heel. "Oh for heavens sake boys you are not in any trouble. Have you seen Mr Potter?"
She didn't miss the nervous look that passed between them. "Neither is Mr Potter, its just important I speak with him." Her scottish brogue was strong as she became impatient.
"He's finishing some homework in the common room with Ron."
"Thank you. You may go." She shook her head almost fondly as they practically ran in the opposite direction in case she changed her mind.
Bella waited impatiently while McGonagall gave the portrait the password and then pushed past into the almost empty room where Harry and his friend had their heads bent together scribbling furiously on parchment.
"Harry." She called not caring that he wasn't alone, finding Hermione was more important than some future war that may or may not happen. If all else failed they'd have to obliviate the redhead she took to be Ron.
It took a couple of seconds for it to sink in whose voice he'd just heard but then Harry ran straight to her. "Aunty Bella."
She just enjoyed the luxury of holding him tight for a few moments before reluctantly pulling away slightly.
"What are you doing here?" Then a horrible thought crossed his mind. "Does he know you're here?" Harry knew his best friend was giving him weird looks. He'd played his part well, he'd let slip on the train that his muggle relatives didn't like him, his parents or that he had magic so he guessed this must all look pretty strange but before he could think about it any more Aunty Bella was talking again.
"That doesn't matter now Harry, this is serious, your sister's missing." Bella always knew when Harry was lying, she kept her hands on his shoulders and looked directly into those familiar green eyes. But there was no doubting his shock was genuine.
"You've got a sister mate?" Asked Ron, bemused.
Just as Harry said, "Hermiones missing?" He looked around the common room wildly as if he expected her to pop out from behind a chair shouting 'surprise'. "She went to bed last night when we did, didn't she Ron?"
"Hermiones your sister?" None of this was making sense to Ron, just like a lot of magical children he'd grown up hearing the story of the Potters and he was certain the boy who lived never had a sister.
"Sort of." Harry shrugged and looked uncertainly at Aunty Bella, he was scared about Hermione and now he'd let his friend know about their relationship.
Bella could cry, they were no closer to finding Hermione and now Harry was worried that he'd exposed them. "You mean you haven't even told your best friend?"
Harry looked affronted "You told us not to tell anyone!"
"Merlin what have we done to you." She took his hand and sat him down next to her on one of the sofa's. She didn't comment when Minevra and Ron followed.
"Ron, Harry will explain everything later." She ignored the strange look her little boy was giving her. "Right now I need your help, what can you tell me about the past couple of days?"
Harry looked at Ron for a minute. "She was fine last night wasn't she, after the troll stuff we sort of talked." He looked guiltily at Aunty Bella, he didn't know if she knew about the troll and he knew they weren't supposed to be talking.
"Its okay sweetheart I know about the troll. Minevra explained it on the walk up here."
"Then we went to bed about the same time." Added Ron.
"How about anything unusual, apart from the troll."
Harry bit his lip, all his instincts told him not to say anything but if it helped find her. "Uncle Sev was really mean to her in class yesterday and some other people said some not nice things to her later." He didn't mind telling on his Godfather, Harry thought he'd been wrong over what he'd done, but Ron was his friend, he glanced apologetically at him.
Bella tried not to let her anger at her husband shown, the last thing she needed now was for Harry to think she was mad at him.
"Whose Uncle Sev?" Asked Ron curiously, nothing was making sense. Harry had only mention an Aunt Petunia, an Uncle Vernon and his horrible cousin Dudley.
Harry looked embarrassed, he hadn't meant to call him that but with Aunty Bella there it seemed normal and just slipped out. "Snapes my Godfather." He mumbled quickly.
"What! Snapes your dad?" It came out as an unbelievable sqwark.
"Harry will explain everything later but right now we need to find Hermione. Do you have any idea where she might go?"
Harry and Ron looked at each other. "She's always in the library." Offered Harry helplessly.
Ron looked awkward "You don't think she'd try to go home do you?" He suggested nervously.
The other three looked at him in surprise. "Rons right." Agreed Harry remembering Hermiones plan when they thought they had no choice but to run away before.
"She wouldn't try and walk there would she?" Ask Bella desperately, the house was only an hours drive away but it was through winding roads and deserted highland. But she was half relieved to have something that might help, Severus could try and trace her if she'd left the castle, and half scared, anyone could have found her by now.
"I don't know." Whispered Harry picking up on his Aunts fear. "She doesn't like flying. What about the floo?" He had no idea if it was even possible.
"But she's muggleborn." Ron still had no clue as to how they were all related.
"We live with Snape." Harry told Ron quickly. "Do you think we can still get into his quarters here?" He asked in the general direction of the two adults.
McGonagall started towards the connecting door to her office. "I'll go straight over there, Albus and Severus may be able to track where she's gone if she has used his fireplace. I'll send a ghost to check the library as well." She smiled gently at Bella and with a swish of her robes disappeared.
"We should go too Harry. Thank you for all your help Ron, I hope we can trust you to keep this between us, everythings very complicated." She gave him her most engaging smile.
Ron blushed furiously, Merlin she was beautiful, "Course." He stammered and then a look of horror crossed his face. "Wait ... You're married to Snape!" He asked disbelievingly.
Bella shook her head, it was always the same reaction when people found out. "That's Professor Snape to you Ron and yes I am. That is of course if I don't curse him in his sleep for making this mess." She added darkly.
Ron gulped, he had a fierce redheaded mother and for a moment he almost felt sorry for Snape. "I'd better go to class. See you later mate. When you find Hermione, tell her I said sorry. Goodbye Mrs ... Snape." Then he grabbed his bag and dashed to the portrait.
Bella gave Harry another hug. "Don't worry we'll find her, I'll make this alright I promise. Come on let's go and see if Minevra's had any luck. You can tell me all about Quidditch and your lessons on the way." They both exchanged strained smiles each doing their best to convince the other that they believed it would be ok.
They walked in to find Snape and Dumbledore kneeling in front of the fireplace. Bella directed Harry over to the sofa. "Anything?" She asked the room in general.
"I'm so sorry Bella but there's no sign of it being used by anyone except us, she didn't leave this way."
At McGonagalls words she felt her eyes start to prickle with tears of disappointment and frustration. She picked up a nearby glass and threw it against the wall. Everyone stared at her open mouthed. Then she rounded on the men.
"This is your fault, both of you." She waved an accusing finger between Dumbledore and Snape. "You're so busy being concerned about the future that you've ruined the now for them. And I'm just as bad because I've let you."
Snape had the good sense to keep his mouth shut but Dumbledore didn't have his experience. "Bella my dear I ..."
"Don't you dare try and placate me. I know you have your own agenda but as noble as it may be, you need to find another way. Because at this rate they won't be around to fulfill their destiny." She wasn't so angry that she couldn't be discrete about the prophecy in front of Harry.
Harry shifted uncomfortably on the sofa, he didn't want to sit around and listen to the adults have an argument. It all felt very wrong. His stomach rumbled but he didn't feel hungry, he couldn't think about eating when Hermione could be anywhere hungry and cold. As the voices got louder he decided to use the toilet as an excuse to leave the room. He silently slipped past them and only Professor McGonagall gave any indication she saw him leave.
Out of habit he headed to the shower room off his old bedroom. He didn't know who got the bigger shock as he opened the bedroom door, him or Hermione, who look terrified at being discovered.
She'd been woken not so long ago by the sound of familiar raised voices and breaking glass. At first her heart had leapt at hearing Aunty Bella's voice but then she remembered all the letters she'd sent without a response. After cursing herself for falling asleep instead of escaping through the floo when she had the chance she stood behind the door listening to the exchange of angry words knowing she was the cause and desperately hoping they would all leave so she could go. Which was where she was when Harry came barrelling through the door.
For a moment they just stared at each other until Hermione pulled him through the door and shut it behind him.
"Harry you scared me, what are you doing here?" She was practically in tears.
"I could ask you the same thing." He whispered back. "Everyones looking for you, they think you've run away."
She gave in to the tears and sat back on the lower bunk her head in her hands, it wasn't meant to be like this, Harry wasn't supposed to be involved.
"I was trying to but its all gone wrong. I fell asleep in here last night and now they're all out there shouting."
Harry sat down next to her. "But why do you want to?"
"No one likes me and you saw what happened in Potions yesterday, he told me that if I got into trouble again he'd send me away to a muggle boarding school. I saw his face last night when I took the blame for the troll. I didn't want him to snap my wand so I decided to leave. I can't seem to do anything right."
There was no need for Hermione to explain who 'he' was, Harry understood.
"That won't happen, Aunty Bella won't let him send you away." Harry reassured her with absolute certainty.
"She doesn't care." Hermione whispered as if she was revealing some awful secret.
Harry frowned. "Of course she does."
"Maybe about you but not me." Hermione couldn't keep the jealousy out of her voice.
"You're being silly."
"No I'm not. I wrote to her loads of times and she never answered but they managed to send you a broom."
"Professor McGonagall got me the broom."
Hermione looked unconvinced. "Really?"
"Yes. I've written to Aunty Bella a couple of times as well and she's not wrote back to me either. But she's so upset you're missing, she didn't even care that Ron knows that you're my sister. He says he's sorry by the way about being mean to you the other day. She says we can tell him everything and I think we'll get to be friends."
"But what about ..." She couldn't bring herself to say his name, she was still scared about what he was going to do.
"Aunty Bella's doing all the yelling, she's really mad at him and the Headmaster, said they've got to find another way, whatever that means. Uncle Sev's keeping quiet, even when she threw a glass at him."
"But when she knows what I've done she'll be mad at me too."
Harry shrugged. "She already knows about the troll and didn't seem to be bothered, she's more worried about where you are."
"I don't know what to do?"
"Well you can't stay in here forever and they'll stop arguing eventually and wonder where I am." It felt weird giving Hermione advice, it was normally the other way round.
She knew Harry was right. "Will you stay with me?"
"Uhmm ... Yeah."
It took Harry over ten minutes to convince Hermione to leave their bedroom and walk the short hallway into the lounge where the argument was still raging.
At first no one noticed them creep around the corner, it was only when Harry broke into one of their rare silences that they paid any attention.
"Ehm ... Look who I've found." He shouted nervously as he pulled Hermione into the room.
Hermione had never seen her Aunts expression change so quickly, in a flash the fierce, angry look was gone as tears streamed down her face and she pulled her in tight for a breath taking hug.
Harry stood on the sidelines and watched. If he hadn't of known what to look for he would have missed the flicker of relief that crossed his Godfathers face as he took the opportunity to seat himself at the table. Professor McGonagall flashed Harry a rare smile of approval before persuading the Headmaster to leave the room with her. He could tell from the way Hermiones shoulders were shaking that she was crying and wondered how long this was all going to take and more importantly had Aunty Bella meant what she said about letting Ron know everything. He found himself trying to remember if he'd ever heard about a spell that could make you forget things when he found himself pulled into the hug.
Everything suddenly felt very different, like he'd come home somehow, and when they finally pulled apart he was disappointed.
"I think its time we all talked." Announced Aunty Bella and taking each child by the hand she led them to the table where her husband already sat.
The atmosphere was thick with awkwardness as the two children studied the grain of the table top and Bella silently dared Snape with her eyes to argue with her.
"So would someone like to tell me what's been going on?"
But she was met with a stony wall of silence.
"I don't understand what's happened, I go away for a few weeks and we .." She gestured to include everyone sat round the table. "... fall apart." She knew Severus was looking at her incredulously, in truth it was two months to the day that she had left but she had no intention of bringing their relationship into this discussion. That was a conversation for later in the day when their family had been fixed.
Hermione finally looked up from the table, her face frowning. "You've been away?" She asked dubiously.
"With you three gone I got lonely in that big house all by myself so I went to stay on the island with my mother." She angled her head slightly to engage Hermiones troubled brown eyes. "I came home as soon as the Headmaster said you were missing and that's when I found all the letters everyone had sent. Hermione I am so sorry I didn't get any of them, I've read them all, the sad ones, the lonely ones and the angry ones. And I completely understand why you wanted to leave." She took the little girls hand in hers as they both started to cry. "Please believe me if I'd have known I would have come back immediately and sorted all of this out."
Harry was confused. "I thought owl post always found the person the letter was for?"
Hermione knew he was right and snatched her hand back. Folding her arms across her chest she glared at Harry for ruining it all.
Snape found he couldn't just sit silently any longer. "Normally that is the case, however, Morigans island is different. The place is magically protected, unplottable, uncontactable by normal methods. An owl would reach the magical barrier and be unable to go any further, their instinct is then to return it to the receivers last known address if you like, which in this case was Prince Manor. You have met your Aunts mother, she is eccentric, unusual and obsessive about her secrecy." They all vividly remembered the disastrous trip they'd all made there two summers ago.
"So you really didn't know what's been happening?" Asked Harry hopefully, he really didn't want to believe that Aunty Bella didn't care, he'd only sent a couple of letters when Ron had thought to write to his mum and he hadn't even really thought about not getting any back until Hermione said about it. But then he was happier at Hogwarts than Hermione.
"No Harry, I imagined it would be hard for you both but I didn't dream it would be this hard for Hermione. I also didn't realise that I couldn't get any letters, I thought, like you, that the owls would just follow me."
Realisation began to dawn on Hermione. "So you thought we didn't care about you either?" She guessed quietly.
"Yes. So I stayed away longer than I planned to thinking you were doing better without me."
The awkwardness returned as everyone, including Snape, started to understand what had been happening since the start of term.
Bella gave a sigh of frustration, as much as she loved them all, right now she just wanted to bang their heads together.
"From the letters I've read I've got a pretty good idea what's been going on but to fix this..." She gestured wildly around the room encompassing everything and everyone. "...we need to talk honestly." From across the table she could see the pulse in her husbands neck working furiously.
"I don't want to be here anymore." Whispered Hermione timidly.
Inside Bella was doing a celebratory dance but on the outside she remained calm, at least Hermione was starting to talk, it gave her something to work with.
"Ok sweetheart can you tell me why?"
But Hermione just shrugged as tears started to well up in her eyes again.
"She hasn't made any friends, people don't understand her and ..." Harry gave his Godfather a disgusted look "... He was mean to her in class."
Snape made to say something but quickly shut his mouth again at the death glare he received from his wife.
"He picked on Harry too, in our first lesson." Added Hermione nervously.
Now they were really getting somewhere, the two children were uniting together like they had before, even if it was against Severus.
Snape remained silent. In one sense he knew this was pointless, ultimately nothing could change, he could not publicly claim them nor they each other without risking all their lives and any future good. He could not be seen to change his treatment of Gryffindors to salve their bruised feelings without jeopardising his position and ultimately everything that had been worked for. But in another sense if Bella could use this to justify it to them and reaffirm the boundaries then he was prepared to let the conversation unfold. He was brought out of his thought process as Harry started to talk again, explaining his threat about muggle boarding school and Hermiones fear he'd go through with it after she'd taken the blame for the troll. It was clear his charges had talked at length before Harry had revealed Hermiones hiding place. This he knew from the look his wife gave him was not something he was going to explain away easily. It was his turn to shift uncomfortably in his seat, he could practically see the flames in her eyes.
"Severus, order some breakfast for the children then we need to have a private discussion in the bedroom." In direct contrast to her eyes, her voice was as cold as ice.
Without a word Snape did her bidding. If the situation hadn't of been so serious they'd have found it funny the way their formidable uncle was simply following orders, no one who knew Snape would believe it.
Snape prepared himself for the worst as he cast a privacy spell on his bedroom door and stepped over the threshold. But it was so much more than that.
"I do not want to hear a word of Dumbledores propaganda." Disdain dripped from every syllable. "We are going to fix this, we are going to make this better, the responsibility is ours alone."
"And how do you suggest we do that without endangering their lives?" He asked acerbicly.
"You humiliated her. You publicly humiliated her because McGonagall had hauled you over the coals. You used her love for you, her desperate need to be noticed by you and to be close to you as an ever present axe to hang over her head and manage her behaviour instead of facing what was really going on."
In the cold light of day Snape knew it to be the truth, to have it spelled out to him in such a way was humbling but Bella wasn't finished yet.
"Harry's in a different place to Hermione, he has friends, he feels like he belongs and because of this he recognised that stunt you pulled in his first lesson for what it was, what it always is every year and I'm sure if Hermione had fitted in better she'd have felt the same way but she hasn't. I'd curse that hat and its talk of destiny if I could get my hands on it right now, she belongs in Ravenclaw not Gryffindor, things would have been so very different if only it had decided on the here and now! I assume there is no way of undoing its decision."
"No." Answered Snape warily glad that for a moment the personal attack on his actions had abated for temporarily. "Its something akin to a binding magical contract."
Bella rolled her eyes, maybe her mother had, had a point about formal education after all. "So we move forward with the two of them as Gryffindors. They have to spend the next seven years together and as this isn't something we planned for, we need to change the plan." She looked at him expectantly.
But he just stared at her.
"For crying out loud Severus, I thought you were a Slytherin. Tell me about Harrys friend, Ron?"
The change of conversation completely threw him. "Weasley? He's the youngest of six brothers, three of them are still at Hogwarts. What's this..."
But Bella held up her hand to stop his question. "So he comes from a magical family?" She guessed.
"Yes both his parents are from pureblood families." He gave up with the questions and just waited, it was rather like dealing with Dumbledore sometimes.
"So ... Don't you see, this boy could be the answer." Snape raised his eyebrow and she continued. "Dumbledores prophecy. 'The children of the betrayer join forces with another. A muggle born, a half blood and a pureblood. How are they supposed to fulfill the damn thing if they pretend not to know each other or be allowed to have friends who know the truth."
She saw something start to change in his cold eyes, pleased to have broken through his barrier, she took his hand and led him to the bed where they sat facing each other, the nearest they'd been since she'd slapped him and walked away.
"And this troll episode could be what makes it all come together. They shared an adventure together, nothing forms friendship like a shared experience, look at you and Lily." She had no qualms about invoking the memory of Harrys mother to get what she wanted. "I accept that at Hogwarts they can't be brother and sister but we can let them be friends, we owe them that."
She took his pale hands in hers, her eyes nolonger fiery implored him to understand.
Snape was in a unique position, he could not deny anything she had said and yet it went in direct contrast to everything he had believed with absolute certainty to be the way to proceed.
"What about the boy, how do we know we can trust him?"
"Its a little late for that, he knows about Hermione, you, us."
"What!" The exclamation exploded from him as he launched himself off the bed and away from the woman who seemed to have some bizarre hold over him.
"Finding Hermione was my priority, Ron was there when I talked with Harry, it was him that suggested she might try and get home, he helped find her." She played her trump card. "I've already told Harry he can explain everything later and I expect he's told Hermione by now as well."
Snape paced. The truth was he could snarl as much as he liked but what was done, was done. Other than obliviate three pre teens, a delicate process for even an exceptional wizard that could ultimately result in brain damage. What choice did he have, he could hardly present their world with a mentally deficient hero but he was struggling to believe that months of careful planning and stratagising could be obliterated so easily.
"You need to apologise."
Bellas words brought him out of his deep thoughts. "I'm sorry."
Bella frowned. "Not to me, that will come later. You need to apologise to Hermione mainly and Harry as well."
Snape struggled to hold his tongue, Merlin the woman drove him insane in a way no other could manage.
"I was not apologising to you as you well know!"
"Severus I am not arguing with you over this."
He raised his eyebrow sardonically, arguing was exactly what she was doing.
"Why! What difference will it make? I apologise and they will expect me to change, something I cannot be seen to be doing."
Bella was about to send back another scathing retort when their battle of words was cut short by a muffled, hesitant knocking sound echoing through the stone rooms.
"Expecting someone?" Bella enquired.
"Absolutely not." Snape sneered back.
"Fine I'll get rid of whoevers at the door, you, start working on that apology."
"Bella you cannot just open my door."
But it was too late, she'd already ripped open the bedroom door and was heading towards the entrance. She paused long enough to give him a withering look that rivalled one of his own while she using her wand to tranfigure her velvet gypsy dress into a traditional medi witch uniform.
Snape considered lurking in the shadows of his own quarters to listen as the woman he wasn't supposed to know answered his door impersonating a medical professional but he was acutely aware the children were shooting him questioning looks. Instead he silently joined them at the table and waited.
Harry and Hermione had instantly stopped talking the moment the bedroom door had been thrown open and were now waiting cautiously to see what would happen next and more importantly how it would affect them.
The exchange of words was brief before the door was shut with a no nonsense firmness. Bella knew Severus was itching for an explanation so to torture him a little further she prepared herself a fruit tea, freshened the childrens pumpkin juice and poured a steaming cup of black coffee before sitting down.
"That was Professor Quirrell, he was concerned when he heard you weren't teaching today. Poor man could hardly get a word out without stuttering, not sure how he can teach like that, he wanted to make sure your ok. I told him I was from St Mungo's, treating you for violent headaches." She shrugged at him. "I figured you could use it as an excuse in the future."
"I understand."
His bland words matched his deadpan expression but Bella didn't miss the telltale signs. The slight tension in his jaw, the extra tautness in his already ramrod straight back and the featherlight touch of his lower left arm over his mark of shame when she mentioned Quirrells name. She needed to get him away from Hogwarts, away from whatever it was that was changing him. Because despite what other people would say, this man sat in front of her was not the man she married. But that was for later, their marriage came second to the wealthfare of their children.
"Now where were we?" She smiled at Harry and Hermione before looking expectantly at Severus. But the irritating man just stared back at her unresponsively. Fine. She could play the game as long as necessary.
"Your Uncle and I have talked. This may come as a shock to you but we're not perfect and sometimes adults, parents, get things wrong. And I think your start at Hogwarts was one of these things. In fairness to us we really didn't expect you to be in the same House, so we didn't prepare you for all of this and I know what we did talk to you about before you came doesn't fit anymore."
She looked around at all of them for a reaction. Harry looked excited, Hermione looked hopeful and Severus looked like Snape.
"So we're going to try something different if that's ok with you?"
"But I thought people couldn't know about us?" Asked Harry doubtfully, he'd done what they asked because he'd thought it was safer for them this way.
"They cannot that has not changed." On this Snape was adamant, there was no point giving them false hope.
Hermiones face fell and Harry glared at both adults.
Bella tried to reign in her frustration, for a man who always considered things from every possible angle he really didn't think before opening his mouth.
"We aren't suggesting you tell anyone and everyone that you both live with Professor Snape and his wife as a family but there's nothing to stop you being friends." She couldn't miss the wide-eyed glances of hopefulness that passed between them.
"Ron seemed nice Harry." She commented lightly.
"Yeah Rons great." Harry enthused before looking guiltily at Hermione.
"Good. And I hear the three of you had a big adventure together last night?"
Snape made a gutteral sound in the back of his throat while the children refused to meet her eye. For the love of the gods it was like pulling teeth.
"I'm not angry, no-one got hurt and the only reason you didn't do as you were told was because Hermione was in trouble. We've always told you, you don't have to be friends but you are to look out for each other but now I think being friends might be a good idea for both of you. Everyone will know about the troll so they won't think it odd when the three of you start hanging around together."
She found it so sad that the idea of being allowed to be friends seemed to make them so happy but then wasn't her marriage in exactly the same place they had been. But before she could dwell any further Hermione had a question.
"But ... What about...?" She couldn't bring herself to say his name, he wasn't that man to her now, and she really didn't want to draw any attention to herself.
"I'm sorry sweetheart but your Uncles right, he has a part to play and we may not like it but it is to keep us safe among other things. Most children are lucky enough never to see their parents at work and if they did they probably wouldn't recognise them either, they say you shouldn't mix your professional and personal life but unfortunately the two of you and Severus don't have a choice."
Despite what his wife thought Snape hadn't been deliberately ignoring their conversation but his thought process was engaged elsewhere. Earlier Bella had questioned his Slytheriness and she had been correct. He looked at Harry and Hermione and realised it was the first time he'd thought of them as that since they'd started at school. In this moment, right now, he missed them and what they'd had at Prince Manor. Where was his cunning and ambition when it came to them? Didn't they deserve better? He knew he could not change their circumstances and how those circumstances dictated his actions but surely the Slytherin way was to find an alternative way for those actions to be perceived.
Oblivious to the conversation around him Snape rose suddenly and without a word swept out of the apartment.
Bella threw her hands up in the air and began to wander restlessly around the room. She gave up, the man was impossible. "Or maybe you should just pretend your uncle has an evil twin brother who happens to be your teacher."
Harry and Hermione couldn't help but giggle, she looked so put out.
"Oh kids I'm sorry." She brushed a kiss across the tops of their heads. "I know that wasn't very helpful but the man drives me crazy sometimes." She stopped in front of their wedding photo and traced her fingertip around their silhouette.
But then she stopped abruptly, realisation dawning. Severus Snape was an enigma and maybe if they stopped trying to understand him and just accept him things would be so much easier. "In fact forget what I just said. That was the best piece of advice I can give you. In your mind turn them into two men, two very different men who happen to look the same but act in a completely different way. Do you think you can do that?"
She watched them think about it for a moment. She knew Hermione would need to consider it for longer, she had more to adjust to, where as Bella got the impression that Harry had already, unconsciously, been doing it.
It took a while but Hermione eventually smiled slightly and nodded which in turn made Harry grin.
"Did you really mean what you said before about telling Ron?" The question came bursting out of Harry.
"You think you can trust him?"
"Yeah ... He offered to be my second in a dual against Mal..." Harry slapped his hand across his mouth when Hermione kicked him under the table.
Bella tried to look stern. "I am going to pretend I didn't hear any of that and just imagine you said you trusted your friend."
Bella hid her smile behind a cough as Harry looked sheepish and Hermione looked superior, maybe things were able to get back to normal after all.
"So can I, I mean we?"
"I think that might be a good idea, it'll do you both good to have someone else to talk to. Maybe Harry and Ron could help you make friends with other people in your House and maybe Hermione can show you how to finish your homework in time!" Again she got those familiar looks of superiority and sheepishness. But ..." She cautioned them "...just be careful what you say and when, someone's always listening in a place like this."
They both nodded seriously, neither of them wanted to mess this up.
"Are you really back?" Asked Hermione hesitantly.
Bella crouched down in between their chairs and looked seriously at each one in turn. "Yes. I am so sorry I let you down, I genuinely didn't know your letters couldn't get through. I promise to check things out properly if I think about going away again and if I do decide to I'll let you know. Are we ok now?"
She got her answer when her arms were filled with two emotional children. But they were bigger now and somehow they unbalanced and the three of them ended up in a heap on the cold stone floor. Tears turned to laughter, giggles and real forgiveness.
And this is how Snape found them as he returned as silently as he'd left, an unusual feeling of satisfaction flowing through his body. He loomed over the three of them, his eyebrow quirked as he shook his head slightly at their bizarre antics. "I have a solution." He announced without preamble and resumed his seat at the table.
Bella winked at the children as they all struggled to get up from the floor, the occasional silly giggle escaping. Eventually they were all sat back at the table, waiting.
From the folds of his cloak Snape produced two small plastic carrier bags with matching logos from a muggle store. The bags were discarded and each child was presented with a basic black jewellers box. He deliberately ignored the confused look his wife was shooting him and focused on Hermione.
Snape cleared his throat. "As your Aunt explained earlier we are only human and as such I believe I have made an error of judgment ... Which I regret ... And while it affected mainly Hermione it has also impacted on Harry and Bella. The two of you being students here has altered the balance and I find myself in a previously unheard of situation where I am confused about my actions. That ... Confusion resulted in my dealing with Hermione in a completely unacceptable manner." Snape paused for a moment to allow his words to sink in.
When their open mouths suggested that it had, Snape took a deep breath and continued.
"That being said I cannot change my responses to the different houses or make our affiliation generally known. However, I have used my Slytherin mind ..." At this Bella gave a small smile. "...And while I cannot change how I treat Gryffindors I can change how you perceive it. You may open the boxes now."
He waited patiently as Harry examined the plain black plastic watch worn by thousands of muggle teenage boys and Hermione studied the simple silver locket.
They looked questioningly at Snape as Bella voiced what they were thinking but didn't dare ask.
"Severus what's all this about."
"I have charmed these inconsequential items to respond to a signal from my wand. In short I can make the items warm at my command." He decided against telling them it was a modified version of the spell the Dark Lord used to summon his death eaters through the dark mark.
"And how's burning them going to help anything?" In truth Bella had expected something a little more practical.
"It does not got anyway near hot enough to burn merely an agreeable warmth. The concept being that should I find myself saying something either of them could conceive as unpleasant I can send a silent message to indicate they are not to take it personally. Should they choose to convey this to Weasley or anyone else they believe is acceptable for their confidence that is their prerogative."
He felt rather than saw a wave of approval coming from his wife and he recognised that the silly grin on Harrys face was because he knew the last statement was the nearest he was ever going to get to permission to tell his friend everything. It was Hermione's look as she stared at the locket with eager curiosity that concerned him the most, he knew that look and what it meant for him.
"Do you require a demonstration? And before you ask Miss Granger, no, I am not going to explain how the charm and spell work together."
This was the uncle she knew and loved. Hermione smiled shyly but genuinely at him. She'd already known he wouldn't tell her, but it didn't matter now, she had a whole magical library to investigate now, she was starting to get excited about learning magic again. She saw his eyes narrow slightly and a suspicious look cross his face, she quickly looked away feigning innocence, it wasn't the first time she and Harry had wondered if their uncle could read minds.
"Go on Severus, show them what to expect otherwise it might catch them by surprise."
While Harry swapped his old watch for the new one Bella helped Hermione fasten the locket around her neck.
When it came, the warmth was gentle and pleasant, like getting into bed with a hot water bottle or a warm hand touching cold skin. It lasted for only a brief time before slowly cooling again but its message was clear.
"That's cool." Whispered Harry while Hermione just held the locket in her hand, a look of awe on her face.
"Now, is there anything else we need to discuss before you go, do you have any questions of your own?" He paused briefly.
"No Sir." They declared in unison but then Hermione frowned. "But if we do later, can we ask you?" She looked between both adults, her previous insecurities struggling to the surface to pop her tiny bubble of happiness.
Bella took her hand. "You can always write to me now, I promise not to let you down again." Hermione nodded but still worried her bottom lip.
Snape closed his eyes, his conscience over his previous actions stinging him. "I know I did not respond before but that is part of my earlier regret." His baritone voice echoed sincerity around the table. "I have to admit I did not read them because I felt they would have added to my conflict and I ultimately believed if I had of written back it would have confused you even more and given you false hope. But in light of todays events if you feel you must ask something of me an indication in your homework would be acceptable and I will find a reason to detain you after class."
"Me as well?"
"Yes you too Harry but you must exercise caution, do not make a habit of it."
"Can we really tell Ron?" Harry had to be doubly sure, in the past the Dursleys had played this trick on him, surprising him by agreeing to something out of character and then punishing him for do the very thing they'd said yes to.
"It may be prudent to do so before I do, in fact, change my mind." There was a dangerous growl of impatience in his silky tone that they all recognised.
"Maybe we should go, it'll be lunchtime soon, Ron'll wonder what's happened to us." Harry pushed his chair out noisily across the stone floor making his godfather glare.
He grabbed Hermione by the hand and dragged her out of the chair, they said their hurried goodbyes with quick hugs and hasty kisses for Aunty Bella before escaping the dungeon quarters for the slighly warmer corridors near the Great Hall.
