Title: Tá An Cogadh, pt 10

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Severus sat at his desk pondering the meeting he'd had with Mircea and 'Hope'. He was taken aback when he first saw the teen walk into the Leaky with Mircea, wondering how Hermione Granger ended up in London and why was she with Mircea. It was only after they approached him that he caught the subtle differences between the two. This girl lacked the insufferable attitude around her. He watched as she kept her eyes on the patrons of the pub and how her confidence never once failed.

Her hair was different than his student's – though it was nearly the same shade and more manageable than the obnoxious curls that the other had. The eyes were slightly off in color; this version of Miss. Granger had more of a warm brown color – though no less troubled than the witch. They were about the same age and height though the girl nearing him had an athletic build to her.

He recalled what he said to her before he left her alone with Mircea, feeling that he should remind her to stand up for herself knowing that she could lose herself in the adventure that she was heading into – much like her sister did every time with Potter.

"Are you ready, Hope?" Mircea asked softly.

The question seemed to surprise her as she glanced away from the pub to meet their eyes. "Yes." She answered. The trio stood up and Mircea stepped away for a moment to get a room for the pair leaving him alone at the table with the brunette teenager. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Severus." She said carefully.

He nodded before glancing up at the man several feet away. "Might I offer you some advice, Miss. Granger?" He asked softly.

Her eyes widened a bit and she struggled with trying to school her features. "How?"

He smirked, "-you have an uncanny resemblance to Miss. Granger who is a student at Hogwarts."

She chuckled, "-defense?" He nodded with a slight incline of his head. "Professor Snape." She acknowledge before answering his previous question, "-you have advice for me?"

"Do not let Mircea bully you." He began, glancing at his long time friend. "He needs you more than he'll let on." He paused a moment. "Trust shouldn't be freely given, Miss. Granger. It should be earned."

"Should I trust him?"

Severus looked thoughtful. "Trust your instincts, Miss. Granger."

Mircea started his approach back to them and Severus was surprised to feel a crunch of paper wedged into his hand.

"Please give this to my sister." She requested before stepping towards Mircea who, blissfully, missed the interaction between the pair.

He'd put the paper in his pocket and didn't pull it out until he was safe in his office at Hogwarts. The crumpled paper sat mocking him on his desk; and even thought he could see the writing on the paper in her slanted, neat writing he couldn't bring himself to read the words. He had to figure a way to get it to the insufferable know-it-all without her knowing that he'd seen her sister.

He flicked his wand at the paper, the crinkles straightening out and the paper looked newer. Another flick of his wand had the paper folded and attached itself to the small box with the stone wrapped inside. He knew the significance of the stone and was curious as to where 'Hope' had gotten it from.

He called forth his owl and placed it within its claw. With subtle changes to his owl's appearance he directed him what he needed him to do, basically telling him to drop it on the table during the owl post. The owl hooted and took flight.

The morning brought Hermione into the Great Hall, where she sat despondently between Cormac and Ginny. Cormac could tell that she was eating herself up inside and that worried him. He could see her love of life slowly fading away and there was nothing anyone could really do about it. Breakfast was a quiet affair between the group the owl post flying in just minutes after they'd started eating. Hermione jumped a bit when an object with a letter attached landed in front of her.

Taking the letter with shaking fingers she opened it up.

"Dearest Hermione,

Wow, that really sounds like good-bye doesn't it? It's not meant to be, Mione. I've been asked to do something, slayer related, something that may change life as we know it and I might not be reachable for a while. It'll be hard and most likely very dangerous, but I don't want you worrying about me. I have help and I'm not alone.

Growing up there have always been obvious differences between us. You are unquestionably intelligent but don't let it rule your life. Knowledge is power, never forget that, but don't let it be the reason you wake up every day. You have a wonderful personality, you're warm and caring. Sometimes I fear that you're too trusting. Don't close yourself off or cut yourself short in things not academic. Also, don't settle. Find someone that completes you, someone who challenges you and someone who respects you. And you in turn need to complete him, challenge him and respect him...or her, I won't judge.

On the other hand there is me and we both know that I've always been a rebel. Not very scholastic and always pushing to see how far I can go, but I'm loyal – almost to a fault. I care a lot about you, Hermione. You're always gonna be my lil' sister. Yes, those 20 minutes do count I don't care what you think. I'm brash while you're careful. You are patient where as I am impatient – it's amazing that I spent nearly two years in jail where all I had to do was sit and think without going insane or something. I don't think I've ever spent so much time thinking before. How do you handle it?

Storm's approaching, I'm afraid but I understand it's my duty to stand against the storm. I love you, sis. I don't think I told you enough. I have one parting gift for you, something to hopefully help you out as it's helped me. It's a rare stone, Mione, please use it wisely.

Love,

Perdita F. Granger"

She gathered her wits and opened the box that was attached to the note. Inside was a medium sized stone that Hermione hadn't seen except as pictures in books. An ametrine stone? She thought as her mind automatically recalled the meaning of the stone. 'Ametrine is very helpful in getting rid of depression. This leads to inner peace and tranquility. Many believe that it contains the power of amethyst and citrine in one stone, making it a powerful money stone as well as an excellent via to higher psychic awareness and spiritual enlightenment.'

Picking up the box she dropped the stone it into the palm of her hand and immediately felt a wave of peace surge through her body; it was slightly scary. So scary that she dropped the stone in fear.

"Hermione?" Ginny questioned moving to pick up the stone but was stopped by Cormac's words.

"Is that an ametrine stone?" He asked watching Hermione nod even as she didn't look away from the spot where the violet and golden yellow colored stone sat. "Those are very rare."

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"Tell me again, why we are doing this in the middle of winter?"

Mircea chuckled at the tone coming from the slayer walking behind him. "Don't you find the weather exhilarating?" He playfully retorted.

"Don't be stupid." She snapped. "I haven't been surrounded by so much snow since I was a child."

He slowed his pace and glanced back at her. He'd been able to pack warm things for her to wear before they left; well he had Stephani do it for him as he didn't want Faith to be angry at him being in her private rooms. She was wearing a pair of comfortable hiking boots, jeans with long John's underneath and a dark sweater underneath the black jacket they'd gotten before leaving London. Her head was covered in a matching black hat they'd gotten at the same time as the jacket. "We're nearly there."

She sighed, "-sorry, Mircea."

Surprised he stopped and turned to fully face her. "Whatever for?"

"I've been really irritable lately." She explained. "Hermione's not using the stone in the way I had intended her to use it."

"Stone?" He questioned confused. "What stone?"

"My watcher, long before she died, gave me a stone – an ametrine stone." She said, taking a seat on the rock that presented itself. "Hermione's never been as sensitive..."empathetic" Professor Dormer called it, as I was and presented me with the stone to help me with my double depression when I first went with her." She chuckled humorlessly. "It's funny to think that I'm more empathetic than my sister who is far too trusting."

Mircea smiled lightly. "Twins generally have distinct personalities or traits." He responded carefully. "You're the slayer, you're built to protect and take care of things. It's logical that you'd be more in tune with how she's feeling and doing."

"Maewyn said something similar." She noted.

"Am I safe to assume that you sent her the stone?"

She nodded and looked away from where Mircea was standing. "I haven't felt this way in so long. It's really hard to maintain my sanity. Her feelings and thoughts are so strong."

Mircea knelt down in the snow in front of her ignoring the wetness that was seeping into his pants. "Faith, look at me." He requested softly. When she met his eyes he continued, "-you are strong, stronger than anyone I've ever met before." She looked like she was going to scoff. "You are seventeen, Faith; you're allowed to be afraid. You're allowed to grasp tightly to things that are familiar to you, but you have to know when to let go and move forward."

"How do I know when it's time?"

He smiled, "I suspect it was when you sent your sister the stone."

"You're something else, Mircea." She mused out loud.

"What do you mean?"

"You are so hard to read." She answered carefully. "I sense something dark about you. Your name, I've heard before but I can't figure out where or even when." She paused. "I'm not sure whether or not to trust you."

"I can't tell you to trust me." He replied frankly. "I'd like for you to trust me, I think that it'll make this journey a bit easier for us."

"Trust isn't given." She said repeating the words Severus told her at the Leaky Cauldron. "It's earned."

"I understand." He responded moving to stand up. He stopped at the hand she'd placed on his forearm. "Yes?"

She hesitated for a moment before saying what was on her mind. She wanted to trust him. She could see it in his bluish-grey colored eyes – she swore that she saw a hint of green within the intense depths of the of blue and grey swirl of color – that he wanted her to trust him and that he had been completely honest with her. "It might be a step in the right direction if I knew a bit more about you."

"Fair enough." He agreed before glancing around. "C'mon, we'll need to seek shelter. There's a storm brewing."

End pt 10

Author's Note: Here's the site about the ametrine stone: http: / crystal-cure. com /

Allen Pitt: Thanks for the review! It would be interesting having the twins at Hogwarts together.