morriganandjess, worrywart, forTheLoveOfHades, Hannie597, Nutter4Potter, notwritten, LadyDunla, phoenixqueen15, viola1701e, duj, SaikaHan, yorkadorable, Kayleigh-FanfictionAddict-21, MandyJ, JeniDRalph, bookivore, Lily of the Shadow, alannalove1990, and my anonymous guest, thank you all for your reviews!
The story continues in the magical castle...
All characters belong to the brilliant J. K. Rowling.
Chapter Ten - the Plans, the Ghost, and the Snake
Severus cast a curious side way glance towards Harry as he turned the page. The little boy had buried half of his face in Severus' arms, obviously tired; but he rubbed his eyes a few times, trying hard to shake off the sleepiness. Severus turned his attention back to the book. He arched an eyebrow at the words before continued to read,
"'I love you all the way down the lane as far as the river.' cried Little Nutbrown Hare.
"'I love you across the river and over the hills.' said Big Nutbrown Hare.
"That's very far, thought Little Nutbrown Hare. He was almost too sleepy to think anymore. Then he looked beyond the thornbushes, out into the big dark night. Nothing could be farther than the sky. 'I love you right up to the moon,' he said, and closed his eyes.
"'Oh, that's far,' said Big Nutbrown Hare. 'That is very, very far.'
"Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into his bed of leaves. He leaned over and kissed him good night. Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile, 'I love you right up to the moon - and back.'"
"... alright," Severus gave the boy a little nudge, "end of story Harry."
Harry gave a satisfied yawn and pushed himself up. Hopping off of the wizard's lap, the boy smiled at the witch who was standing by the door for the past few minutes, waiting patiently for them to finish the story. Before he walked towards Hermione, Harry turned around and jumped back into Severus' lap, this time attacking him with a hug, "I love you Uncle Sev."
Hermione watched in amusement as Severus' eyes widened in surprise. But he quickly recovered and gave the boy a gentle pat on the back, "No more hopping up and down. It's time for bed."
The little boy smiled happily and followed Hermione through the door leading to their side of the unit; and as he was told, Harry went straight to bed.
When Hermione returned to the living-room, she found Severus still flipping through the book that he just read for Harry.
"That's one of my favorites when I was little." She sat down next to him, "It was one of the few books I wouldn't give away even when I was older."
"I can't believe children can be so easily amused." Severus drawled, "When was the last time you saw a hare so chatty before it put its offspring to bed? Mind you, its fur should be in the shade of nutbrown and it should possess extraordinarily large ears."
"Goodness gracious, Severus," Hermione laughed, "it's a children's story, a metaphor. It's a way to describe the love between father and son. You, for instance, are just like the Big Nutbrown Hare to Harry."
"Oh please... don't humor me." Severus sneered, "There is obviously a competition between those two rabbits. The big one always had to top the little one every step of the way. Your darling little nutbrown hare was simply too daft to see the dysfunctional behavior in his father."
Hermione couldn't help rolling in the sofa laughing. "Alright fine," She said between her giggles, "If you are such an expert in judging literature, why don't you pick out some reading materials suitable for Harry?"
Severus stared at Hermione coolly, but his sneer slowly turned into a small smile, "Don't make it sound like such a challenge Miss Granger. I am certainly capable of acquiring some appropriate books for a young wizard."
Hermione gave Severus a friendly shove and got up from the sofa, "I'm done with my study tonight. Do you want me to help you grade papers or do you want to come look at what we have down for our notes so far?"
"The papers can probably wait a few days. Didn't I just collect them yesterday?" Severus stroked his chin with his pale long fingers as he tried to recall his lesson plans. "Let's look at our notes. They are far more interesting than trying to make sense of the dunderheads' pathetic writing. It's pure suffering to be reminded just how little they have managed to learn all these years."
"You really shouldn't be so hard on them." Hermione said as she walked towards a small table in the middle of their joint living-room.
Since the day after Hermione and Harry moved into the unit on the other side of Severus' living-room wall, they enlarged the door that was connecting the two, so that Harry could easily roam from one to the other. It never occurred to either one of them that a door would be practically meaningless if it was always left open.
While Severus' desk was always occupied by student's work or his notes for the upcoming classes, Hermione's desk was constantly submerged under the books she was reading for the upcoming N.E.W.T.s. The small table in the middle of the connected living rooms however, belonged to both of them. They had spent the past couple of weeks going through Hermione's experience during her five years at Hogwarts with Harry. They put down important dates and events, trying to determine the logical connections among them.
After nights of hard work, they were able to narrow their focus down to several trigger items. Now it was finally the time to come up with a plan.
"We can probably cross out Pettigrew along with Barty Crouch Jr." Severus pointed at a couple of names that were circled with bright red ink. "Dumbledore caught the rat at the Weasleys the day after I told him about what I saw in your memories. Pettigrew is now being held at the Auror's office, and is definitely not going to be able to escape. Azkaban is the only place he will end up being."
Hermione was very pleased by the news, "That's fantastic. Why is it taking so long for them to clear Sirius' name? When will they let him go?"
Severus turned and looked at Hermione, his brows furrowed, with an unreadable expression in his black eyes, "Sooner or later I suppose." He finally said impassively, "There have been delays because of some bureaucracy at the Ministry."
She noticed his strange reaction and decided to change the subject. "Alright, that will leave us with Professor Quirrell, the philosopher's stone, Tom Riddle's Diary, the basilisk, and Harry's recurring nightmares."
Severus looked at the red circles on the parchment and let out a sigh, "I know your opinion about Dumbledore. But there are certain things we will have to go through him. I can keep an eye on Quirrell all you want, but I am in no position to stop him if he decides to go on a year of sabbatical. Same thing goes with the diary. We can't break into Malfoy's study and steal the thing under broad daylight. Do you even realize how impossible it is to steal anything from a Slytherin's residence? With Dumbledore's help, we can at least use the Ministry's inspection as an excuse and let them find the dark object. As far as the stone, if you don't ask the old man for help, I have the faintest idea about how to even get a hold of Nicolas Flamel."
Hermione listened to Severus' words and began to chew on her bottom lip. She had thought about it long and hard herself, and even though she still did not want to admit it, she had to agree with Severus' assessments. "But I don't want to tell him about Harry's nightmares." She frowned. There was a small voice in the back of her head telling her that she needed to keep this one piece of information from the old wizard.
"That sounds reasonable." Severus nodded in agreement. "Until we figure out what that means, there is no need to share the knowledge with anyone." After a few moments he asked, "What about the snake?"
Hermione inhaled sharply as she recalled looking into those evil eyes through a mirror in her hand, and the instant dread and coldness spread across her entire body. It was not a pleasant feeling she wanted to remember. "We need to kill it." She answered quietly.
"Exactly my thought." He answered, "But you don't think we should ask Dumbledore for assistance?"
"No." She answered plainly.
"Please enlighten me with your reasoning Hermione. Your stubbornness is beginning to sound ridiculous. It is going to be a dangerous task and it will have to take place within the castle walls. Why should we keep it from the Headmaster?" He narrowed his eyes at her.
"This basilisk was first created by Salazar Slytherin. If one headmaster found the monster worth keeping, why wouldn't another headmaster want to do the same? How do you know that Dumbledore wouldn't rationalize why the monster should be kept alive? After all, one could consider it a powerful weapon."
"I have to say the way you think almost sounded like a true Slytherin." Severus gave her a weak smile, "But there is no way Dumbledore can control the basilisk. He is not a parselmouth. One can only gain access and control of the snake through parseltongue. Dumbledore knows he cannot possibly do that, unless..." Severus noticed the strange expression in Hermione's face, "unless... he knows someone who can?"
Her silence answered his question. He was almost afraid to hear the answer, but he decided to press on, "is there something else you wish to share with me Hermione? Who do you know that is a parselmouth?"
"Harry." She looked at him straight in the eye and answered.
Severus let out a sigh as he walked away from the table. "So you are worried that Dumbledore would use Harry to do things for his own gain. You think the Headmaster would risk a child's life to control a deadly basilisk? Don't you think you are way too paranoid?"
"What makes you think he is not capable of using a child if he is so good at manipulating you?" Hermione frowned at her own words as she realized how cold it sounded.
"He did not manipulate me!" Severus snarled. Her words touched a nerve. "Do not act like you know everything!"
He turned away from her, trying to calm the anger boiling inside of him. Dumbledore was the only one who knew his past, yet forgave him for what he had done. Was following the old wizard's direction a fair trade for his own acceptance? Or was that truly... as she called it, him being manipulated? That was the question that Severus had been avoiding asking himself for years. Who gave her the right to make the judgment? What would she do if she knew about his past. Would she still trust him? Would she still care about what he thinks? Or would she walk away from him as if he was the filthiest scoundrel on earth?
He stared into space as he felt his heart racing with rage. And then he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve.
"I'm really sorry Severus," Hermione said softly, "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
He let out a deep sigh but he did not answer. After a very long moment of silence he finally said, "I have already read about the basilisk. I will take a trip to the chamber this weekend. Before I leave I will need you to bring Harry along so that he can help me open the entrance way leading to the secret chamber."
"No." She answered immediately, "You are not going down there alone."
"I don't need your help." He stated firmly.
"I don't care. You are not going without me." She left no room for negotiation.
Hermione stayed in Severus' office grading the rest of the papers from his fifth-year class while he went to meet with Dumbledore. He was going to discuss with the Headmaster about Quirrell, the diary, and the philosopher's stone. She declined his request that she accompany him to his meeting. "You know him well," She had told him, "You can just tell him what you think he should know."
Hermione put away the papers when she was done and went to a spare classroom close by, where Harry was left playing with a house-elf before she went to grade the papers. Her brows furrowed as she walked into an empty room. "Harry? Killi?"
A house-elf appeared with a loud pop, "Miss Granger is looking for Killi?" Her ears perked up curiously.
"Where is Harry?" Hermione's frown deepened.
"Harry Potter went to look for Miss Granger. Harry Potter was bored playing hide and seek with Killi."
"When did he leave?" Hermione was quickly becoming alarmed.
"Harry Potter left half an hour ago..." Killi answered.
Hermione ran out the door before the house-elf could finish her sentence.
It was getting late in the evening, and the corridors were turning dark. Hermione didn't hear the boy walking by the office, so she decided to follow the corridors leading towards the opposite direction. The path soon brought her to the deeper end of the dungeon. She became more and more concerned as she looked into every empty room along the way. But then suddenly, she heard quiet conversations around the corner. First she heard Harry. Then she heard the voice of a woman. Hermione quieted her footsteps and listened.
"Are you a princess?" Harry asked.
"I should have been," The woman answered, "if such a thing existed in our world."
"Why are you hiding here?" Harry asked again.
"You are a curious boy, aren't you?" came the woman's voice, "But you are wrong. I am not hiding. I have no reason to hide. I simply prefer to stay away from those greedy, deceitful, and cruel men."
"You mean the other ghosts?" The boy sounded intrigued.
"All of them..." The woman's voice was cold and hateful. "They are all the same. And some day you probably will be just like them."
Hermione frowned upon the woman's words. Who could be saying such harsh words to a little boy? Quickly she walked around the corner to face whoever that was talking to Harry, and was greeted by a silvery ghost, the Grey Lady.
"Why would you say that to a child?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at the Ravenclaw ghost.
"I am only telling the truth. Who are you?" The ghost asked coldly, "Are you a student here?"
"Not any more," Hermione answered, "But I think what you said was completely inappropriate."
"How does that matter." the Grey Lady laughed coldly, "He won't care what I say. Boys... men... they are all the same... Don't trust them, young lady. Take my words for it. They will only use you for their own good. I know... I've met them. Men... handsome, clever, charming. They would say all the sweet things you want to hear. But at the end, it would be their own soul that they wanted to protect. They could care less about you..."
Hermione grabbed Harry's hand without the Grey Lady could finish her words. "Let's go Harry. She isn't thinking straight." She murmured to the boy.
"Ha! That's what she says! She doesn't know! No one knows! The boy will grow up to be a charming young man, just like the other one I met..."
Hermione quickly walked down the corridor with Harry, trying to get away from the ghost as soon as possible. She rarely saw the Grey Lady when she was at Hogwarts as a student, and she would have never guessed how strange the ghost was. Silently she took note to herself, she should never let that mentally unstable ghost be anywhere near Harry.
When they returned to their private quarters Severus was already back from his meeting. He briefly informed Hermione with the Headmaster's plans with the diary and the stone. The Ministry would soon make s surprise visit at the Malfoys, looking for Tom Riddle's diary. As far as the stone, Dumbledore would pay his old friend a visit over the summer to discuss a better plan to destroy the magical creation.
"What about Quirrell?" Hermione asked.
"Dumbledore said since Quirrell is a faculty member, he is entitled for his sabbatical. But," Severus raised a finger and stopped Hermione before she could voice her objection, "Dumbledore will try all he can to delay his trip. I didn't tell him the exact reason for our request. But I won't be surprised if the old man suspected what we are up to." He let out a sigh, "So we will just have to finish our tasks before Quirrell goes on his trip."
"How do we know whether he comes back with Voldemort with him or not?" Hermione frowned.
"He is not wearing a turban now, is he?" Severus arched an eyebrow and gave her a small smile.
Severus and Hermione picked the early morning hours the following Saturday to perform their planned attack on the basilisk.
"Hagrid, you will keep Harry with you the whole time when we are away, right?" Hermione said to her most trusted half-giant friend from another time of her life.
"Sure Hermione." Hagrid answered, "I just don't know... why can't I tell Dumbledore where you guys are going? Dumbledore may be able to help... you know... to do whatever you two need to do under the plumbing here." He gestured at the pipes in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, while waving his large hands trying to drive away the annoying ghost floating around his head.
"No," Hermione smiled but stated firmly, "Not yet. We will inform the headmaster later... er... afterwards."
"If you say so..." Hagrid shrugged at the witch.
"Alright Harry," Severus turned to the boy, "I need you to say 'open' to that snake symbol on the pipe. Can you do that?"
"Open?" Harry said. Nothing happened.
"Oh no, not like this." Hermione smiled at Harry. With a wave of her hand a small garter snake flew out of her wand. The small green snake twirled and twisted on the floor, eying Harry curiously.
"Try to say the word to the little snake Harry." Hermione said to Harry. Then she turned and explained to Severus, "I was told he could only speak parseltongue when he could see a real snake."
Harry studied the little creature in front of him with great interest. A few moments later he said, "hisss...hisss".
Everyone was shocked when the water faucet suddenly rose from the floor, revealing a large hole in the middle of the bathroom.
"Don't worry about that Harry." Hermione gave the little boy a gentle hug. "Hagrid will take you to his hut. I'm sure there are many things you can help him do around the castle ground. It'll be fun. We will see you later, okay?"
Harry had well gotten used to having to leave his aunt and uncle every day when they had to go to work, and was totally fine with leaving with Hagrid. Last time he went to the half giant's house he had a great time playing with the man's "puppy". The boy couldn't wait to play with the giant dog again.
Watching Harry leaving with Hagrid, Severus and Hermione walked to the edge of the hole.
"Are you sure you want to come?" He asked.
"Of course." She replied.
He held out his hand and she took it. Together they took a small leap, and began their descending into the dark tunnel.
When they reached the bottom of their fall, they found themselves surrounded by complete darkness. With a wave of his wand, Severus conjured a protecting shield and locked the entrance into the open pipe. "Now we know none of those nosy dunderheads can get themselves down here. And the escape route has been officially closed."
He didn't let go of her hand as he felt the small bones crushing at the bottom of his feet. Following their wand light, they made quiet steps down the tunnel.
Hermione had never been to the chamber herself. All she knew about the place was from what she heard from Harry and Ron. She held on to Severus' hand a little tighter when the tunnel suddenly widened. He sensed her nervousness and pulled her closer to him. A few steps later, under their deem wand light, they saw a round stone door with a giant snake carved into it.
"Harry's not here." She suddenly realized she forgot about the need to use parseltongue for this door.
"You are not the only one who can be observant." Severus said coolly. And then Hermione heard him whispered in the dark, "hisss... hisss..."
Her eyes widened in amazement as Severus' imitation worked like a charm. The stone snake swirled before their eyes and the door disappeared, revealing a grand hall in front of them.
"Remember our plan." He gave her hand a squeeze.
It was eerily quiet in the hall. All they could hear was their own footsteps and the sound of water trickling down from a dark cave into a pool surrounding the hall. They stopped in front of the cave and waited. And soon they heard it: it was like a hissing sound from the back of the end of the cave. Hermione gasped in surprise as Severus suddenly pulled her in front of him.
"Look at me." He ordered quietly.
As they had planned, they locked their eyes on each other, leaving no chance for the snake's deadly gaze to reach their sight.
Within moments, from the corner of their eyes they saw a giant serpent slithering out of the cave, swimming through the pool of water, and finally reaching the stone path on which they stood.
Quickly Severus gave his wand a quick wave, and blocked all the openings leading to and from the hall, preventing the snake from escaping. At the very same time, Hermione raised her wand and murmured a charm. A golden rooster sprung out of the tip of her wand. The creature flew right over the giant serpent and let out a majestic crow.
It took Severus and Hermione a great deal of control to keep their eyes locked on each other as the basilisk coiled violently next to them. From the corner of their eyes they could see the snake's desperate fight against the rooster. Pointing his wand upward Severus decided to help. A second golden rooster shot out from the tip of his wand and joined the first one. The two roosters' cry soon echoed in the grand hall. That was more than the snake could take. Within seconds, the gigantic creature flopped to the ground next to them, and died.
Hermione blinked a few times as she tried to calm her quickening breath. And then she swallowed as she continued looking into Severus' deep dark eyes. The alarm in his gaze had disappeared. All that was left in his eyes was something so very different... so very caring... and so very gentle.
"I have to say," Severus whispered, "This is the first time I have ever had a pleasant experience accomplishing a task with a partner."
"Well, I guess you'd better start getting use to it then." Hermione whispered back.
She watched the corners of his eyes crinkled into a smile as he reached down to her. Closing her eyes, she reached up to welcome the gentle touch of his soft warm lips, with her very own.
As many of you must have noticed, I have borrowed the lines at the beginning of the story from "Guess How Much I Love You" written by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram. The book was first published in UK in 1994. Obviously it would be unrealistic to have Severus reading the story to little Harry in the early 80s. Blame it on my unreasonable imagination, but I could not resist borrowing it. It just seemed so very fitting for the scene...
As far as the kiss... I hope you would agree with me... that it's really about time!
Review please? =)