Disclaimer: ...still belongs to JKR...


Chapter 12

Pensive Pensieve

"I believe Miss Granger was about to say something," Snape interrupted, his dark eyes glittering as they swept the room. "Please, do continue."


Severus was curious to hear what the girl thought of their odd encounter at St. Mungo's. He might not have barged into the study if he hadn't heard them say something about a connection. In his exhausted and angry state, he hadn't been able to ponder it much. He could see she was scared, so whatever she had been about to say, he was sure he was probably the last person she'd want to hear it, which meant that he must, of course, hear it.

"Is there a problem?" he asked slowly, feeling a slight sense of satisfaction at seeing her wince at his every word.

"Really Severus, you should be in the infirmary resting," McGonagall said, glaring at him. "I can't believe Poppy let you go."

"I wouldn't say that she, ah, let me go," he replied with a blank face. McGonagall stood up immediately.

"I believe I'll go and check on Poppy," she said, narrowing her eyes dangerously at Severus. "I'm afraid I don't trust your judgement toward medical staff since you attacked Healer Arangia like a madman. Miss Granger, I'll return as soon as possible."

He crossed his arms and held her eyes with an unchanged expression.

"Can't I come with you?" Hermione asked, obviously not liking the idea of being questioned without McGonagall's support.

"Of course-"

"-not," Severus interrupted. "Miss Granger and I have much to discuss and I'm in no condition to be kept waiting. I promise that I will do nothing to harm your precious Gryffindor cub, or should I say, Gryffindor thief."

"I am not!" Hermione said, standing from her chair.

"Sit down Miss Granger. Theatrics are quite unnecessary, I assure you," Severus said.

"Minerva, go ahead and check on Poppy. If things get out of hand, a portrait will inform you immediately," Dumbledore said.

"Will you be all right?" she asked. Hermione hesitated, then nodded and sat back down in chair reassuringly. "I'll return shortly."

"I almost forgot to mention - I took the liberty of changing the password to 'wand thief'," Severus drawled after her. She stopped and shot one final glare his way before stepping out of the door.

"Severus, you didn't really attack a healer, did you?" Dumbledore asked as soon as the door shut behind McGonagall.

"Healer Arangia...perhaps. Poppy, of course not," he said, turning to face the portrait. He brought his hands together in front of him and began to tap his fingertips together. "It took only subtle persuasion to get out of the infirmary, just as it took only a subtle suggestion to get Minerva out of here." He didn't resist the smirk that pulled at the corners of his lips. He glanced at Hermione to gage her reaction just in time to see her eyes rolling. His lips dropped into a scowl immediately.

"Persuasion was always one of your strengths," Dumbledore chuckled.

"Indeed," he said. "Now, Miss Granger, please do continue. My patience is wearing quite thin." She sat up straighter and lifted her chin.

"Well, sir, as I was telling Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, when you touched the wand, I think I felt your magic," she said.

"Really, and what did it feel like?" he asked, his voice low and taunting. The pinkness in her cheeks became more prominent.

"It felt, well, pleasant actually. I felt warm...safe," she mumbled, looking at the floor.

"I see," he said, still scowling at her. "I wonder what would cause you to feel such things when connected to me, because I assure you, I felt no such thing from you." Her face hardened and she looked up from the floor and met his eyes in an almost challenging manner.

"Really, because I was thinking that it felt pleasant to me because it felt pleasant to you. Oh, and I might add that I was able to see what you were thinking. I suppose I really did look beautiful, sir."

"Get out," he growled, pointing toward the door. When she didn't move, he swooped closer to her chair and drew himself up. "I said, get out."

She looked for a moment as though she might protest, but instead, she stood and walked calmly to the door. Severus immediately sank into one of the chairs, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples with his hands and began to wonder what he was going to do. It was just his luck to have shared an odd connection with a wand thieving, radiant, impossible, young, stubborn, and intelligent witch.

"That was quite unnecessary Severus," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "I see your temper is still rather short. Tell me, what did making Miss Granger leave solve?"

"What didn't it solve?" he replied.

"I suppose you still don't know why your wand isn't working for you?"

"Obviously she stole it," he mumbled tiredly.

"Not quite," Dumbledore said, his voice laced with excitement. Severus sighed loudly and opened his eyes to slits to look at the portrait.

"Are you going to make me ask?" Dumbledore nodded and Severus groaned. "Fine. Tell me, sir, why do you think my wand has stopped working for me?"

"Glad you asked," he simpered. "It's quite simple, Miss Granger has found the way to your heart and soul."

"That's absurd," Severus said, sitting up straighter.

"That's what I said," Phineas Black offered. Severus nodded toward him in appreciation.

"It's probably a direct result of you finally letting go of Lily," Dumbledore said. "Your heart finally has room for another, thus allowing the manifestation of a connection to Miss Granger."

"Lily?" Severus said, confused. "Are you referring to Lily Evans? What does she have to do with anything?" For some reason, he had a feeling that she had a lot to do with everything.

"You mean Lily Potter," Dumbledore corrected.

"Lily," he repeated, feeling an odd tug at his chest. He glanced around the room and a shattered green potions phial on the floor in the corner of the room caught his eye.

"Green," he whispered. It was then that he remembered that he loved Lily.

Severus knew he had given Potter his memories when he was sure he was going to die, but hadn't yet figured out which ones. He knew Potter must've viewed the memories here, and knowing the careless Gryffindor, he was fairly certain here they remained. He stood up and pulled the pensieve out of its cabinet. He looked into the basin and saw the familiar silver wisps swirling around the basin.

"Severus," Dumbledore said, his voice lowered in concern, "you'd be much happier if you just let those memories go. I believe it's time for you to move on."

"I must know," he said, and without another word, he slipped into his own memories.


A/N: A short chapter, but a chapter none the less:)

I'm still out of town, so I wanted to get this posted right away since my internet access has been rather unreliable.

Thanks to Mezzo Princess and coliemcnoly for proofing!