Chapter 10
1.
"It's the first door on the right, Adrianne," called Lupin as Adrianne walked up the stairs to see George. Before she even put her hand up to open the door—POP! George had apparated onto her side of the door way. After a small shriek from Adrianne, the couple began to greet each other with hugs.
"Adrianne, I've known you for the past six years, and I never imagined we'd become a couple, but I'm so genuinely glad you have mutual feelings. This feels so right," George said, still embracing Adrianne in his arms.
Adrianne looking up at him, "I feel the exact same way, you were always just one of the funny twins, until recently. It's just so wonderful to have another person that I'm close to, especially you, since I'm already so close to the rest of your family."
"Speaking of the rest of my family," George says as he opens to door to the room and leads Adrianne inside, "I have some news to tell you, about Percy, in private," George finishes as he shuts the door behind him. "I heard about the incident with Malfoy. That bloody git. At least he's not at Hogwarts anymore. Anyway, Percy sat in on the trial, and actually tried to help Malfoy get off his conviction! The nerve! He's still so wrapped up in the Ministry of Magic. That completely disgusts me—is that the cut from Malfoy?" George interrupts himself when his eyes gaze open the pink wound on Adrianne's neck.
"That's it. It's all healed now, just a little pink until the skin can really heal with time."
"Wow, I didn't realize how deep it really was," George said as he timidly traced his finger over the pink line.
"George, I'm scared." Adrianne whispered.
"Oh! Sorry!" George stuttered jerking his hand away from her neck.
"No, no not that!" Adrianne said realizing how her comment must have come off. "I need to talk to somebody about something I haven't told anyone, except Ron and Hermione, something I've been really concerned about for the past few months…
"Tell me anything you need, Potter." George said in a soft tone, making Adrianne smile because George doesn't really call her Potter.
"One will live while the other dies," Adrianne said perplexedly looking into his eyes.
"What does that mean?"
"At the end of 5th year when we went to the department of mysteries, there was my prophesy, well mine and Voldemort's prophesy, and that's what it was. One of us has to kill the other. I mean I've somewhat known this all along, but it's just starting to feel so real."
"I understand, I really understand," George said as he continued to listen.
"Remember towards the end of the summer when I stayed with Dumbledore? I haven't even told anyone this, because I can't tell Hermione, she'll become a completely wreck if she found out." Adrianne continued ironically.
"Hermione is quite the worrier. Fred and I haven't been to keen of that girl, ever since last year she threatened to tell mum we were testing our products on first years!" George says jokingly.
"But you paid them!" Adrianne laughs.
"We did! I miss Hogwarts sometimes," George says nostalgically, "But anyway continue, please."
"Well, during that time at Dumbledore's, Snape got an owl, from Voldemort, and the letter said that… he's going to kill me before the end of this school year." Adrianne looks up at George who is still listening intently. "I know he's been trying to do that all along, but now there is more of a realization to it. At the end of fifth year when Sirius got killed, ever since then, I've been different. Some days I can push it all aside, but others, I simply can't bring myself to and I just feel so trapped in this prophesy that I didn't even chose."
"I couldn't imagine going through everything you've done, Adrianne. Without you I would have no sister or dad, you saved both of their lives before."
"It was all luck, most of the time I didn't know what I was doing, and I almost always had help."
"You're being modest," George says trying to reinforce hope.
"George, I don't really know much about my fate, but I do know I'm terrified even if I haven't admitted it to anyone before. I shouldn't even be worried about this letter. I've been in worse situations before, and this year everything seems loads safer a professor always being around and Hermione has been even more vigilant than she ever was before, and trust me I didn't think that was possible!" Adrianne said starting to come around and smile again.
"Hermione, even more worried! I didn't think that was possible!" George said both of them starting to laugh, "Come here," George says as he pulls Adrianne closer and cups his hands around her face, they both stop laughing now, and George then begins to softly kiss her.
2.
Another flash of green light illuminated the kitchen of Grimmauld Place as Severus Snape stepped out of the fireplace.
"Where's Potter?" He said immediately.
"Upstairs with George I can only presume," Lupin answered picking up a cup to make some tea.
"The rumor, about the letter from the Dark Lord, it is true, Remus," Snape suddenly said. Lupin dropped the tea cup he was holding.
"Granger already knows and Weasley also knows because of Granger's big mouth Snape sneered. Because of this letter someone must always be watching her. Someone that is aware of this letter. And I'm sure the other Weasley does not know about this threat to her life, and he will not know about it," Snape added as he gave a glare to Ron and Hermione.
"If the news about the letter is true someone must be with her right now," Lupin said quickly, obviously concerned about this newfound truth.
"I'll go right now!" Hermione exclaimed as she begins to stand up.
"Granger, you no longer have my trust in our plan, after you seem to have a problem keeping your mouth shut. I will bring her back downstairs," Snape says to a clearly hurt and devastated Hermione.
Creak…
"What was that?" George says as he takes his lips off of Adrianne's. The two separate from each other just before the door is magically opened by Snape. Adrianne's eyes widen immediately in complete shock.
George stands up, "Snape."
"Weasley," Snape responded. "Potter is needed downstairs."
The couple walks back downstairs Snape following them. Lupin serves everyone tea and they all sit in silence until Fred walks downstairs.
"Blimey! When did everyone get here, George?" Fred says in complete surprise as he comes down the stairs, unaware that Grimmauld Place had more visitors.
Before George can answer Fred's comment Snape replies, "We will not be staying much longer." Then turning to look at Ron, Hermione and Adriane he adds, "and there will be detentions will be rewarded for this unapproved absence from Hogwarts."
3.
"How did I not see this coming? Of course the professors still have to punish us in the normal way they would. They can't act like they knew we were going to be here. I'm surprised Adrianne hasn't begun to catch on yet."Hermione thought to herself.
"What?" Adrianne exclaims angrily at Snape as she slapped her tea cup down on the table.
"What a bunch of—" Ron began then stopped himself. Knowing they had to be punished or Adrianne would get suspicious of why Snape did not punish them. Ron too, was surprised Adrianne wasn't getting suspicious yet of all Snape's appearances to Adrianne's daily events.
"You three know Hogwart's rules, detention all next week, starting Monday. And don't think I'm going to give you the pleasure of spending your detentions together; you'll all being serving your detentions with separate professors."
"This is—this is—ridiculous!" Adrianne stammered. "Just because you happen to show up here at the time we're here, that's no reason to punish us. We've done nothing wrong!"
"I believe last time I checked, Potter, it was against school rules to leave the grounds without permission at any time." Snape remarked back.
"You've got to be kidding me! I thought Snape seriously was starting to not be such a git! What is he even doing here? He seems to be everywhere lately! And if Snape's going to act like he used to always act, then I can do without him constantly being around! And he has no right to give us detention, after everything we've done for Hogwart's and The Order; he should be letting us get away with anything. And we didn't even find out any information today, like what we came here to find out…"Adrianne thought to herself.
After a few more minutes of Adrianne glaring at Snape from across the table Snape stood up, "Time to leave. You three first, take floo powder to my office."
After a quick goodbye Ron and Hermione left to Snape's office. Adrianne gave a quick hug to Remus and Fred. Turning to George, Adrianne opened her mouth to say goodbye, but before she could even mouth a word, Snape felt a sudden, and surprising, rush of instinctive protectiveness he put his hand on Adrianne's shoulder and swiftly spun her around into the fireplace with him and with a sudden flash of green light they both left back to his office.
"What are you doing?" Adrianne exclaimed in frustration. "You are so— "Speechless Adrianne began to stammer before Snape interrupted her.
"Potter you'll be serving detention with me starting on Monday. Granger you'll go to Professor McGonagall and Weasley you will see Professor Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore? Why me? Dumbledore? Really?" Said a dumbfounded Ron.
"Maybe next time you three will think about the rules before heading off the grounds." Snape taunted.
4.
Monday night came quicker than the trio wanted. Hermione, being the studious girl she is, also afraid of having creating a stigma with the other professors from telling Ron about the plan to constantly watch Adrianne, arrived to her detention early.
"Miss Granger, you're early," McGonagall chimed as Hermione walked into her office.
"Yes, I guess it is a little early" Hermione said taking a seat in front of McGonagall's desk.
"Miss Granger?" McGonagall began as she got up and walked in front of her desk so she was standing near Hermione. McGonagall then put her hand on Hermione's shoulder, "we all understand how much of a betrayal to Adrianne this task must feel to you. And Dumbledore, I, and Snape understand how it must feel and we have no hard feelings about Ron knowing about this plan, that's actually why he is serving his detention with Dumbledore¸ so that Dumbledore can further explain the importance of keeping an eye on Potter because of the letter from You-Know-Who." McGonagall finished then gave Hermione and understanding smile. "But that is all, Miss Granger; your detention is over for tonight."
Hermione gave a grateful smile and quietly got up and walked back to the Gryffindor common room.
"Ron? Your detention is over too?" Hermione said as she sat next to Ron who was sitting alone by the fireplace.
"Blimey, Hermione, you didn't explain what this letter said that Snape talked about at Grimmauld Place. This is serious. You should have told me all this earlier. That letter sounded like You-Know-Who was pretty serious."
"I know, Ron. I felt sick reading that letter when we first got back to Hogwarts. I'm just surprised Adrianne hasn't gotten suspicious of Snape always being around, because that's completely out of the ordinary and—"
"Hermione," interrupts Ron, "you should have told me."
"Ronald, I wanted to! I wanted to tell somebody, but Dumbledore made me swear! And I didn't want to tell anybody until I cracked after Voldemort showed up at Hogwarts because that just made me realize how determined Voldemort is, I mean if he showed up at Hogwarts, what else will stop him."
"I know, Hermione, I know…" Ron trailed off as he and put his arm around Hermione and they stared into the fire in front of them.
Meanwhile, Adrianne's more real detention was just beginning as she knocked on Snape's office door.
"Come in, Potter, you're late."
"Sorry, Professor, I uh,"
"Didn't want to come here," Adrianne thought to herself.
"didn't realize what time it was," Adrianne finished hopelessly.
"I'm sure," Snape said sarcastically, yet Adrianne detected a sparkle of humor in his eyes. "Potter, you're going to help me sort through all my potions every night this week. Adrianne looked at him dully. "Don't hold back your excitement, Potter." Snape said, and Adrianne definitely noticed a humorous tone in his voice.
This tone made Adrianne think, "maybe these detentions won't be completely awful. Maybe we'll get along like we did when I was in the hospital wing."
The next hour was completely quiet except for the clinking noises of bottles as they organized years' worth of potions.
"It's my fault Sirius is dead. Last year I should have just swallowed my pride and came here first and told Snape about the vision Voldemort sent me. I should have never tried to rescue him myself. I know it's my fault because if I hadn't acted upon it he wouldn't have come to help and ended up getting killed." Adrianne thought to herself.
"I didn't realize you were so interested in potions, Potter," Snape snickered to Adrianne, who had been lost in her thoughts and starring at the same bottle for quite some time.
With a slightly trembling lip Adrianne mumbled, "Oh, sorry, professor, I just…" she trailed off not even finishing her sentence. Without even needing to enter Adrianne's mind, Snape knew it was Sirius she was thinking about. If you're alone with your thoughts you're bound to recollection what you deem as your errors in your life.
"I believe that is enough detention tonight, Potter."