Chapter 11
After her mock-exams, Hermione was in a noticeably better mood. Her last few days of preparations became more relaxed, more carefree. The confidence the Hogwarts faculty had placed within her bloomed to healthy assurance, and she actually treated herself well. She ate with her mismatching surrogate family, and she resumed her nightly earth-waking to rejuvenate her.
Until Professor Snape had told her to sleep, she hadn't even remembered that she had been. She had actually been sleeping. She'd been falling asleep during her studies, and she had attributed that to stress. She filed that away to discuss with him, but with her nightly walks resumed she found herself able to study at a leisurely pace night and day until Thursday arrived.
Hermione fiddled with her wand, feeling awkward as she waited at the breakfast with the gang. She picked at her scrambled eggs and toast, her belly in knots. Sirius gave her a wide smile from across the table.
"C'mon kitten!" he exclaimed. "You'll do just fine. It's only NEWTS, and besides, you already have an apprenticeship!"
"Which I won't have if I don't pass these tests!" Hermione yipped anxiously.
Mrs. Weasley bustled over, ignoring the already hardly eaten food and placing a scone on her plate with a hug on the side. "Don't fret now. Severus would hardly let you take them if you weren't going to pass."
"Exceeds Expectations at least, Molly," the familiar drawl said from the doorway behind her.
"Professor Snape!" Hermione greeted happily, turning to look at him. He was decked in somewhat muggle apparel, with his standard woolen pants matched now with a blazer and button up. Both collars were raised, as if she could see him leaving Hogwarts with a snark, I'm Snape. Severus Snape. No tie, thank goodness. Could anyone actually imagine him in such a thing? Hermione was a little uncomfortable with him dressed as an attractive British model, and she blushed as she realized she had just thought her professor was attractive. Goodness, she could never admit it to anyone.
"Master Snape," he reminded her with a stern look. "Are you prepared, Apprentice Granger?"
"Is that really you, Severus?" Molly goggled at him. "Oh, you look at least ten years younger in that outfit. Why have you been hiding away?"
"It is not customary for a Death Eater to wear muggle attire, Molly," he pointed out with a sneer. "This is only a temporary look as we will need to use the visitors entrance to the Ministry."
"Oh, where is that?" Hermione asked, frowning slightly.
Molly answered that one. "Muggle London, dear. You'll just use one of those old red boxes and off you go!"
"Telephone box, Molly, really," Snape instructed, looking a little irritated.
Hermione jumped from her seat at the table with her satchel and presented herself in front of Professor Snape as if she were looking to pass his inspection. Unsurprisingly, he did just that. A cursory look up and down, and flick of the wand to her hair to pull it into a manageable updo.
"Hey!" Hermione's hand went to her hair. Surprisingly, it didn't feel frizzy and free. What on earth did she look like?
"I can't have you failing your potions NEWT because a stray hair fell in," Snape informed her briskly. "I'll teach you that charm before school resumes next month. Now, you have plenty of ink, quills?"
"Yes, master," Hermione prodded happily.
Snape rolled his eyes. "Spare parchment?"
"Yes."
He motioned for her to follow him and she waved goodbye to the adults in the kitchen eagerly before hopping off after him. When they left the house, Snape paused and regarded her with a cool expression.
"There's one more thing you need before this outing. . . I do not suppose you have your apprentice mark in that bag?"
Hermione froze. "Sir?"
Snape hid a smirk at his apprentice's confused expression. Good. He pulled out the necklace from his pocket with a flare, presenting it to the young witch. Hermione looked at the token with awe. It was a huge golden medallion the size of her fist hung on a large but well-crafted golden chain. The image in the center was some sort of insignia, she was sure, representing something of the aristocracy. There were three quills that came to the same point on the middle prong of a crown. Anima Bellatoris, Regis Mens was inscribed in a banner along the sides.
"This is an apprentice mark," Snape explained, grinning a little at the excited witch. "When a Master receives and apprentice, it is an accepted tradition that they give them a symbol of his house to be worn in plain view on their person. This was once because anyone with a symbol or insignia were considered family, but nowadays it is merely a symbol of the trust and apprenticeship commitment between you and I."
"This is the symbol of your house?" Hermione breathed, awe-inspired.
"It is the symbol of the Prince family," Snape told her with a soft look in his eye, "the lineage of my mother. The Prince family was once one of the great pureblood families, Miss Granger, related to the Black Prince of Wales himself back in the Dark Ages. The three feathers are from that time, whereas the crown is for the name itself. Anima Bellatoris, Regis Mens translates to 'Heart of a Warrior, Mind of a King' and was our family's motto. Throughout the decades children have been impotent, unmarried, or cut from the family tree with such impunity that I am the only descendant of that line. It is a point of great pride for me, Miss Granger, to have the symbol of my mother's family to impart to you. Will you do me honour by wearing it?"
"Of course, Professor!" Hermione was close to tears at this point. She nearly took it in her hands, but paused and looked up at him with her innocent eyes. "Will you please fasten it for me?"
Snape fought to remain impassive as he nodded. He'd only ever done such an intimate thing with his own mother, or Lily. He was always shocked if anyone turned their back to him, let alone to give him rights with their person. He left that train of thought stone cold dead and unhooked the chain before lifting it around Hermione's neck.
Hermione was blushing slightly. No one but her father had ever done this before, and it felt strangely intimate. She knew she was being ridiculous, but it was a sweet gesture from the cold man behind her, yet another one to add to the list since he found her that night. More and more, he was proving his decency. He was even bestowing on her something like this! She would wear it always. The gold would go fine with her red robes . . . She wondered if Snape knew he'd given her the ability to wear both Gryffindor colours.
She hid a giggle under her breath before she turned back around, the long medallion swinging around her navel at the movement. It glinted happily in the morning sun.
"Thank you, Master," she replied earnestly. She could see the meaning of the symbol in his black eyes. "It is an honour for me to be affiliated with your house."
Snape gave her a genuine smile and she beamed back up at him, her stomach churning slightly.
"We must go."
He offered her his arm. She took it and they apparated.
Snape brought them to an apparition zone within a muggle-repelled alley in central London and didn't linger. He escorted Hermione along like a couple simply going for a stroll. They maneuvered around the morning work crowd walking along and quickly moved her to more isolated space with a set of telephone boxes. He pulled her into an out of order phone box and shut the door. The code of 62442 was entered into the phone, and she found herself lowering into a giant underground center.
"We need to head to Level 2," Snape told her quickly and quietly. "I will be staying with you, but I must encourage you to avoid attracting attention. Both the Dark Lord and Dumbledore are on your side for these exams, but those unaware of the truth may try to keep any of you or your friends from succeeding. The mark should keep the purebloods at bay, but anyone else is free to attack you. Just know that if they question you, they are questioning me. Refer them to me and I will take care of them."
Hermione shivered at his threat, but nodded.
"Is that the reason for the hair charm?" Hermione asked.
Snape smirked and nodded. "Your normal hair is very memorable, Miss Granger. If someone such as Lucius Malfoy were to see you . . ."
"He wouldn't think of me," she acknowledged with a grin. "Very smart."
The doors opened and he offered an arm again. She took it gratefully, glad to be escorted anywhere like a lady instead of traipsing behind people like a disease. But she also had never been here, and the high ceilings and multiple floos were disconcerting to her. He led her up to the desk with his impassive sneer.
A cheery blonde receptionist greeted them. "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic, Level 8. Where are you headed today?"
"Level 2," Professor Snape announced. "I am Professor Snape, and I am bringing a student for early NEWTS testing. She will need to retain her wand."
"Of course," the receptionist smiled. "If you will surrender your wand, however, Professor. And Miss, we just need to put a small tracker on you. You will only be permitted on Levels 8 and 2. If you enter any other level you will activate the alarms and you'll be escorted out."
"Of course," Hermione agreed, opening her arms in invitation.
With a flick of her wand, the receptionist was done. Snape was given a ticket for his wand and they were both permitted entry into the ministry.
Hermione was delivered to Level 2 without incident. The Certification Office was filled with nervous or confident adults and various robed officials. Snape pulled her arrogantly to the front of the group and presented her to the official.
"Severus Snape!" His name was Dirigen Makks. Snape nodded differentially at him. "So, they sent the student with you today, huh? Well, sweetheart, what's your name?"
"Hermione Jean Granger?" she made it sound like a question.
"And will Hogwarts be able to get you your scores from today?" Dirigen asked politely. "Or would you prefer an owl with the results?"
Snape stepped forward. "She is my apprentice, Mr. Makks. I will ensure she receives her grades."
That seemed to fluster the man. He processed her forms with a hurried fashion. He gave them to Hermione who just took the, confused.
"Just bring those in to your examiner. They have all your paper exams, and then they'll move you onto the practicals," Dirigen explained. "You'll be called in a minute."
