So I'm sorry it's been a week or two since I updated. I've been meaning to but college and stuff is getting in the way. No worries. So Chapter 11 is for Russia. Thank you for Vodka and those awesome hats. Space race was fun. My friend Nina lives there with her boy Igor, who I call Iggy to her great annoyance. Question: Do you consider yourself Europe or Asia? Because I keep calling you Eurasia, because I don't know. Please explain yourself lol, Enjoy this chapter.
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She sat herself up still wrapped in her black blanket and let her eyes rest on Severus' face. He looked so much different from when they first met and the girl wasn't sure what to think of it just yet. In all reality she wasn't sure what to think of him yet. Of any of this. It was frightening how natural it felt to be with the dark man. How the mere thought of him comforted her restless mind.
Beside just him everything about her life at Hogwarts was strange to her. Surreal. There was nothing she had to do. There was no one trying to hurt her or force her to leave. There was nothing. She got three square meals. She got all the books she could dream of. She had Mark close at hand. She had her best friend Harry. And she had this man. This beautiful currently gently snoring man. Hermione tried her best to stifle her giggles.
Severus awoke to the sound of tinkling laughter and for a moment thought there was a fairy in his room. He opened his eyes. Even in the dark Severus found the girl's form unnaturally quickly. She was sitting up looking at him. The laughter was from her eyes. Severus smiled allowing himself to revel in the happiness of her magic.
"What are you laughing at little cretin" He yawned and stretched. Hermione stuck out her tongue. "Gods what hour do you call this Hermione? I have to teach in the morning!" Severus groaned and let his head fall back pitifully to the pillow seeing it was 3 am.
"I'm sorry Severus I couldn't sleep" Hermione said embarrassed to have been caught staring at the sleeping man.
"No matter." Severus closed his eyes. "What keeps you awake little one?" He asked. Hermione shivered at the deep gravely sound of his voice.
"Does the castle ever talk to you Severus?" Hermione shifted in her blanket to stop her foot from falling asleep. "Does you ever feel like she's trying to tell you something?"
Severus hummed deep in his throat.
"Severus the castle is showing me things. Memories." Hermione told the raven-haired man about the visions of the girl and the boy who was angry with her.
"I don't know Hermione." Severus admitted he had turned to rest on his side while she spoke in an effort to fight off sleep. "I will look into it. Worry not, child. I'm here." Severus whispered this last part to the dark.
"It frightens me Severus" Hermione felt tears swim in her eyes hot tears of frustration. Frustration at not being able to stop the memories attacking her mind day and night. Frustration at the things she could not understand like Severus and why Dumbledore felt empty and dangerous. So childish. So alone.
"You are not" Severus voice seemed to echo with magic and a thunder into her and bounced around her mind and heart. The tears cascaded, unable to be stoped, down her cheeks. Sobs racked her small body and Severus' heart ached with each lament from his small friend.
"Come here" He opened his arms and Hermione scuttled still inside her blanket into the space he had made for her. Secretly Severus was relieved she had kept the blanket over herself. Even thou she had transfigured her beautiful blue dress back into her normal cloths.
Hermione let her tears leak onto the hard chest before her and cried in relief when his arms pulled her firmly to him. Severus rested his chin on top her curly head and hummed softly to the crying girl.
"Hush my love." Severus whispered into her hair after several minutes of her crying. "You are breaking my heart little one." Severus groaned feeling an ache in his chest. Hermione sniffed and managed to stop her cries and revert simply to shaking occasionally in the potions master's arms.
Soon the girl had cried herself empty and was sound asleep against Severus chest. He took a deep steadying breath. Why did she have to hurt so much? He wondered. And what was all this about memories from the castle.
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"Mark?" Harry said looking up from practicing writing his name.
"Wha?" Mark said not looking up from his homework.
"How do you think Severus knew my mum?" Mark paused mid scribble and chewed the end of his quill thoughtfully. "I mean he obviously knew her well to recognize me the second he saw me. I must look like her" Mark looked up this time. Harry was gazing into the mirror studying his face intently.
"Well you've likely got her hair" Mark teased. Harry stuck his tongue out at the other boy and rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure Harry. Maybe your eyes." He hummed letting his gaze flicker around the boys face. "Why don't you ask him?"
"I'm not really sure he likes me, is all" Harry blushed. "I mean I know he likes Hermione, but I think he's uncomfortable with me" Harry said resting his quill in the inkwell Hermione had taken from Severus' classroom.
"Well ask Hermione about it." Mark said. He closed his book and put his own quill away sensing he wasn't going to get any more work finished. "Come one let's go see if we can find her." Mark smiled. Harry jumped up and straightened his ponytail, which had remained in since Hermione put it there at dinner a few days previously. Mark rolled his eyes, what a girl.
The two boys left the Hufflepuff common room and made their way into the darker less friendly parts of the castle. They suspected that if it were some place Severus might lurk there also would be their bushy haired friend.
As the two walked they listened to the heart of the castle. However the things they heard were quite different. To Harry Potter the castle was music and light that cut threw all other sound to sing to his heart. For Mark it was a voice same as any he heard throughout the day. The only difference was the woman who Mark heard spoke a very different language. The only thing clear to Mark was when the castle wanted his attention because he heard his name echoing around the empty halls of the school.
The two wondered eyes closed without knowing it. The castle guided them and with each step the two delved deeper into Hogwarts.
"What are you two doing down here?" A voice shattered their trace like connection to the castle. Both boys turned slightly dazed to see the towering form of the headmaster looming over them. "Students are not allowed down here." His voice was laced with a magic the air around him lacked. Harry shuddered and Mark drew his wand uncertainly.
"Uncle Al It's me Harry!" Harry said loudly tugging at the hem of the older mans bright purple robes.
"Students are not allowed down here. Leave now." He repeated and advanced on the two boys. Mark yanked Harry backward away from the beareded man who's normally blue eyes were hallow and lifeless.
"Come Harry. He's not right." Mark whispered. Dumbledore's expression didn't change only his hand reached into the folds of his robes for his wand making ready to curse the children.
"Please Uncle AL!" Harry's eyes watered but he didn't fight Mark pulling him backwards around a corner. "UNCLE AL!" The high shriek of fear and pain seemed to have some affect. The eyes of the wise man cleared for moment and he appeared to be in great pain. The hand holding his wand shook madly and Mark dragged Harry away at full speed. The younger of the two still crying and calling out for the old man.
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Hermione's eyes snapped open and she sat upright sweating. Severus' arm that had been around her middle shrugged down her and woke the groggy man beside her.
"What's wrong now Hermione?" Severus muttered nuzzling his nose into his pillow eys fluttering shut sleepily.
"Something's wrong with Mark and Harry." She said her voice hoarse. Severus launched himself out of bed and began pulling on his teaching robes over his shirtless body and silk pj paints. If Hermione hadn't been worried for the two boys she might have taken a moment to think about how sweet this man was. He jumped to the aid of her two friends at nothing but her word. His hair disheveled and sleep tangled, his pajama pants sticking out form under his robes.
"Where are they?" He demanded using his wand to fix his hair.
"Somewhere close. On this floor for sure. I don't know" Hermione scrambled out of her black blanket and padded after him. The man took off his long steps distancing him form the girl quickly. "Sev!" She cried out tripping after him. The man turned his eyes flashings a surprised but pleased look. "Be safe" He took a moment to take in the picture of the curly haired brunette clutching his doorframe looking frightened wild and beautiful. Gods I can't wait till she grows up, Severus thought before turning and running off into the castle.