AN:/ Hello! I decided to merge two chapter together because one was extremely short, so this is the first glimpse into what has been happening with Hermione! Don't hesitate to leave me a review - I know there is annoyance as to the way Severus has been acting, but c'mon, I got to build up the angst a bit, plus there is a reason behind it, so let me get to that after a few chapters have passed!
Thank you to, SevLover, ndavis77, notyetanotheralias and Guest for reviewing! Enjoy!
Song: Faith Marie - Antidote.
Chapter 11: Threshold.
"He was positively awful—it would last around two minutes—I've never experienced such ill-manners before."
A sad look grew on Severus' face breaking his vow not to bear the expression for the whole day. He watched her from the corner of the staffroom, awaiting to hear how his colleagues would react. She was discussing their—supposed—diabolical sex life.
Why did she feel the need to talk about such a frivolous subject in front of so many people? Severus saw some of the Professors fidget uncomfortably from her excessive rambling, then turn to look elsewhere as if it hadn't happened.
Last night, Severus concluded that his easy acceptance of her lack of love was because she'd disappeared for four years. It was easy for him to picture her living a better life without him than the possibility of her being miserable. Also, she'd fled like a bat out of hell once he'd signed along the dotted line, so he hadn't got much time to notice the little things like the eye twitching and her glamoured body.
That was the only explanation; she somehow had a full body glamour on because he'd memorised every scar, mark and freckle on her body from their—diabolical—lovemaking.
The idea made Severus chuckle. He knew that she was trying to knock him down and throttle him about, so he hated himself more than he already did, and for once, it wasn't impacting him as much as it would have done before.
It was safe to say that she was messing up. No woman could fake what had happened between them; no one could fake the searing touches and breathless moans that bounced off the dungeon walls at night. Severus didn't care what she said—it was a lie.
"I always made sure the room was dark because I didn't want his face ruining the thrill," She snickered, and Hunderford leaned into her. Severus' grip tightened on the newspaper in his hands, but he bit back his explosive anger.
She was telling another lie. The first time they were ever intimate with one another was in front of a raging fire; it exposes every little detail on one's body. There were quick lusting moments in her bookshop when it became empty at lunchtimes. Endearing activities in the potions classroom, many memories of her spread out on his desk smiling up at him as if he'd handed her galleons on a silver platter.
The sad look grew on his face more. Yes, his heart was still hurting. Yes, he felt like he wanted to cry. However, he was sadder that the real her was somewhere inside of this monster.
Albus walked into the room, and everyone focused their attention on him. He caught the look Hunderford gave her, and they both giggled at an unknown joke. Severus straightened in his chair, put the news article down and focused on the elderly wizard.
"We've finally managed to detain the man who has frequented at our gates," Albus explained. "The Ministry has taken him in for questioning, and they're certain he will no longer be an inconvenience to us."
Severus rolled his eyes in boredom. He thought this meeting was to be something of importance, but an old sod lurking by the gates was of no interest to him. Minerva moved over from another table and smiled.
Albus rolled off his list of requests and briefed them of some students they needed to keep a watchful eye over. Severus didn't pay much attention to what was going on until Albus finished the discussion and made his way over to the table.
"Good evening," He nodded to the pair of them. "Severus, I must have a word with you immediately."
That was never good.
Severus bid his goodbye to Minerva and followed behind the Headmaster. He glanced at the nearby sofa and watched Hunderford brush some of her hair away from her soft cheeks; her left eye twitched, then her face returned to normal.
He was going to visit Draco later on to discuss things with him. He needed an easy way to get inside the manor.
Soon after, they arrived at his office, and Severus sat down in the chair opposite. Albus stared at him with a familiar twinkle in his eyes, then leant forward.
"The elderly man being held by the Ministry asked to see you," He said.
"What? Why?" Severus shifted uneasily.
"I'm afraid I do not know. Apparently, he has been too nervous to speak to you in person, but now that the Ministry is questioning him, they discovered that he only wished to tell you something."
Severus looked at him bemused as to what the man could want. "Where is this man from?"
"He told the Ministry that he works in Hogsmeade…" Severus zoned out his voice and thought back to the day he and Draco visited the bookshop. There had been a man watching them from one of the shop windows...what if he knew something? Severus' eyes exploded with curiosity.
Why else would he want to tell him something? Severus knew she had been very friendly with the other shop owners around her, and she would've been extra kind to an old man. He might have seen some odd occurrences on that Valentine's Day.
"I would like to see him," Severus interrupted Albus who smirked in response.
"You may head there now. He should be released as he doesn't pose a risk to the students," Albus dismissed him with a wave of his hand, but his eyes sparkled as he watched Severus leave through the floo.
Severus arrived at the Ministry with, dare he say it, a bounce in his step. He manoeuvred his way through the busy crowds and made his way towards the Auror Department. As he got closer an unsettled feeling rested on his shoulders, people started to whisper, and look around with sombre expressions. He paused his long strides when he saw Potter standing nearby with James.
"Snape?" Potter glanced at him sadly, then placed his hand on James' head.
"What's going on?"
"Draco told me to get down here fast because the Auror's brought in someone who worked near Hermione and wished to talk to you," Potter rambled on not stopping to take a breath. "I got here as fast as I could because it had to mean something—maybe he has the answers we're looking for, b-but...he's dead."
"Dead?" Severus scrunched up his face in disgust, then clenched his hands into fists. "What do you mean, dead?"
"They left him unsupervised in a holding cell because they didn't see him as a threat," He explained and moved to cover James' ears. "They found him with his throat slit; they claim it was suicide, but I think someone wanted him dead."
Severus stared at him blankly. Why now? The man could've cleared everything up for him, but now he's dead. Suicide? More like cold blooded murder. Severus took in a staggered breath and mentally counted to three then released the oxygen from his lungs. He couldn't take this as a knockback.
He was going to find out what happened to her one way or another. First things first, he was getting inside that bloody manor.
...
Severus' robes billowed behind him as he made his way towards the dungeons. He had just visited Albus to discuss the death of Vincent—he'd later found out the old wizard's name—Albus shared his condolences and said nothing else on the subject, but Severus noticed the twinkle in his eyes had gone.
It had crossed his mind that Albus might know something, but even he didn't think that the Headmaster would hide it from him. It could be possible that he has his suspicions and doesn't feel it's right to share them without having evidence to back it up.
Suddenly, Severus halted as she appeared in front of him with a sadistic smile on her face. He stared her down with dark eyes, but it only widened her smile.
"Where are you off to, Snapey?" He gritted his teeth.
"My classroom. Now, if you don't mind," When he moved to step around her she immediately put herself back in his way. "I don't have time for this."
"Time for what?" She snickered. "I'm sure the greasy dungeon bat could spare me a few moments. I am the woman you love after all."
Severus pinned her with a pleading look. Merlin, he wished to be anywhere but here. He could see the madness glowing in her eyes, and the mayhem rocking her smile.
"What can I do for you?" He seethed through a tight jaw.
"Nothing," She laughed and threw her head back then she glanced around the corridor. "I'll allow you to stalk the halls once more. Have a delightful day old man."
He watched her saunter off, then sighed.
Last night he'd spent most of his time at Grimmauld Place listening to Draco and Potter throw around ideas of what could have happened to Vincent; it didn't take long for them to start talking about Weasley. Severus was starting to see the link between everything - the murder of Vincent, and Weasley's disappearance—it was too convenient for two people who uncovered something of importance to have bad things happen to them.
Vincent was easy to dispose of, Weasley however, was more useful alive than dead. Severus agreed to return later on today, and he was going to help them figure out what happened to Weasley. If it's Lucius doing all of this then he must have people working for him, Hunderford wouldn't have the chance to get close to Ron as he spends most of his time perched on his ex-wife's shoulder—there has to be someone else helping him.
Most Death Eaters were either dead or locked up; those that were left roaming were not allowed back in the country. Lucius must be keeping his cards close to his chest and manipulating the right people who have an evil streak within them.
Severus returned to the dungeons and walked into his quarters. He placed the book he was carrying on his desk and prepared himself for his other lessons. They passed agonisingly slow, but he soon arrived at Grimmauld Place once more and joined the occupants at the table.
James eyed him from across the table and tried to challenge his stare. "You 'ring me glitter?"
Severus curled his lip. "I did no such thing."
"James, I've told you that no more glitter is allowed in this house," Draco scolded him then helped him collect his food onto a spoon.
"How was your day?" Potter asked with a smile.
"Horrendous, let's just get on with it. What do you know about Weasley's disappearance?"
"Somebody kidnapped him. The last place someone spotted him at was an old artefacts shop in Knockturn Alley," Potter explained.
"There's no such place-"
"We know that," Draco cut in and ignored the glare Severus sent his way. "It's a cursed artefacts shop. They sell items that have the ability to hold dangerous magic. The man who owns the place can also teach deadly curses to put on random objects for a hefty price; for some unknown reason, Ronald was last seen entering there, he made it out, but he didn't make it out of Knockturn Alley. I guess that someone was following him. Someone had been paying the Auror Department not to release the log book of entrances into Malfoy Manor. Ron managed to get ahold of it; someone saw him as a threat and noticed he was getting too close to discovering the bigger picture so decided to do something."
"Your father."
"More than likely," Draco sighed. "However, there's no way we can get to him. I've tried to approach the manor, but the wards send me flying backwards."
Severus tapped his fist against the table and tried to regain a stable mind. Artefacts? Maybe that's how someone's controlling her? Lucius could afford the large sum to pay for the knowledge of a curse, but he couldn't be the one to give it to her. Severus knew that she would never go into the Manor willingly.
Hunderford. That greasy bastard is Lucius' minion; it's obvious.
"I sent Lucius a letter asking if he would allow me into the manor to talk," Severus looked around the room then sighed. "He replied saying 'Not a chance in hell', so I have no idea where to start."
"You said that there's a man called Hunderford who lurks around her?" Potter asked, and Severus nodded. "He must have something to do with this."
"I'm aware of that, Potter," He snarled. "That pompous git hardly leaves her side. Someone's controlling her somehow, and Hunderford needs to be around constantly in case something goes wrong. I overheard them once, and she complained about someone being persistent, and it was causing her a headache. I've gone through all of my books and tried to find something, and the only conclusion I can draw is that the curse has trapped her within her mind."
"I've been a fool...I've failed her as a husband. The moment she said she didn't love me I accepted it because I always thought that it was coming, that it was too good to be true that a woman like her could feel like that about me. I hid away for two years—I don't even know where she was during that time—it appears that she's a prisoner of her mind, but I have no idea what is controlling her. It's nothing like the Imperius Curse; I believe now that it may be an artefact manipulating her."
Potter and Draco looked taken aback by the sensitive side he'd exposed to them, but it was understandable that Severus felt a painful regret of giving up so quickly.
"Have you seen anything on her?" Draco asked. "A hairpiece? Jewelry?"
Severus shook his head. "The only thing I have noticed is that her body seems to be consumed by a glamour. She doesn't have any markings on her body like she used to. The freckles on her face have gone, her scars have vanished, and her skin looks oddly plastic—it's somehow too perfect."
"Are you sure there isn't anything?"
"No—" Severus paused, tapped his fingers on the table, then spoke out his sudden realisation. "Oh...her wedding ring. She was still wearing the ring I gave her...why would she keep it on if she hates me so much?"
"Maybe because it's the thing that's controlling her."
...
The rain poured down around her and Hermione smirked evilly to herself as she approached the door to Malfoy Manor. There was a growing excitement to run inside to her Master and tell him everything she'd done these past few weeks—he would revel in knowing the humiliation she caused Professor Snape.
Hermione placed her hand on the doorknob and pushed open the heavy door. The moment she stepped over the threshold an ear piercing scream tore from her lips, and she flew to the floor as the door slammed shut behind her.
Ripples of magic flew off her as the huge wave of emotion crippled her. Her once glowing skin faded out to its pale and hollow form. Heavy bags appeared beneath her bloodshot eyes, and her tear-stained cheeks stood out like blood against the snow.
Pain. So much pain.
She sobbed onto the cold floor and curled herself up into a ball. Her wedding ring tumbled out of the confines of her shirt, and she watched the glowing emerald fade out as the magic evaporated from her body and soul.
"I do wish you'd stop acting this way whenever you come inside the manor," Out of the shadows stepped Lucius Malfoy. He scowled down at her trembling, malnourished body and smirked wickedly. "Did you have an enjoyable week?"
"Fuck you!" She spat through gritted teeth as the pain became unbearable.
"Crucio!" He yelled, and the curse ripped through her body causing her to fall silent as she moved erratically on the floor—she'd learnt to stop screaming a long time ago. The spasms rocked her bones, but soon died down to twitches when he lowered his wand, leaving her more exhausted than before. She still felt pain, but it was numb enough that she could push herself up onto her knees and glare at the hideous monster inside the manor.
"Where is he?" She asked, wiping the moisture from her face.
"Locked in his room as always," Lucius walked back into the shadows of the gloomy manor and Hermione stood up on weak legs. Her knees protested, but nothing on this godforsaken earth was going to stop her from getting upstairs and into that room.
The only way she could make it up the stairs was by crawling, so she did so, slowly. Her body needed time to adjust after being under the influence of such heavy magic. It was always like this. The moment Hermione steps a foot outside of the manor, the curse will take over her body again, and she'll be back to being Lucius' toy.
Back to hurting Severus—
Hermione hissed as she reached the top of the stairs, and curled her fingers around her matted hair. Don't think about him. She couldn't; she wasn't allowed to because it made the pain worse. It made everything so much worse.
It was draining when she was under Lucius' control. She was a prisoner of her mind, no matter how much she screamed at herself to not do those horrible things, she still did them anyway. Hermione had only managed to push the boundaries of being a prisoner once, but it hadn't been enough to annihilate the curse from her soul.
She got to her feet and used the wall to support her journey down the corridor. Hermione sighed in relief at the sight of the familiar door which opened before her. She stumbled into the room and collapsed to her knees. A gasp came from the fire and Rima the house-elf turned to look at her.
A mess of black hair looked away from the fire, and the scrawny child scurried to his feet with a cry. "Mummy!"
