Disclaimer: Harry Potter and associated ideas, characters, places and events are the property of J K Rowling. Severus Snape and Hermione Granger pairing is not canon, there is an age difference of almost twenty years (please consider wizarding standards) and are in a student/teacher dynamic.

*Note: The mudblood reads a most interesting article in the Daily Prophet about a certain Master Snape.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Research

~~oOo~~

Mudblood

She was beyond furious.

"Is it true?" the girl jabbed, thrusting the latest copy of the Daily Prophet into her Masters face.

He ignored her and continued stirring the mysterious potion.

"I asked you a question?"

Giving her an incredulous look, he asked; "Excuse me?"

"This article by Rita Skeeter," she stabbed the front page with her finger, "is it true?"

"Where did you get that from, girl?" he asked distastefully, the girl ignored him and began to read.

"'Sir Severus Snape, devoted servant to our Dark Lord Voldemort, recently opened his doors for the first time ever for an interview with little old me . . ."

Her Master tried to snatch the paper but failed.

"'- this man legendary in his magical ability and has been working tirelessly since the demise of the Boy-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to create all kinds of potions and I am proud to be the one to announce that he is only months away from completing his 'Purificatio Potion', a potion that destroys magic in pubescent muggleborns.'"

A heavy silence filled the room, she was absolutely appalled. She had no idea, after all these years, she had no idea that he was capable of this! Her Master was a horrible bastard for sure but surely he would not condone such a project.

"You are working on it right now aren't you? This . . . abomination."

"I think you have over stepped your bounds, girl. I have a good mind to punish your insolence."

"Master, how could you do this?"

"Not that it is any of your business," he hissed scathingly, "but this 'project' is at the bequest of our Lord-"

"No!" she had enough of his excuses, "Tell me this isn't true, that it is Rita's ugly idea for a joke. It is not even possible, destroying magic. How could I not have known what you were doing?"

"It would not have made a difference." He admitted softly, turning back to his potion.

"Yes, I could have prevented it, I could have-STOP that! Stop stirring, please Master, please look inside yourself and know that this is wrong. Stop contributing to the Dark Lord's solution. You have a choice."

That hit a nerve. Her Master brandished his wand and aimed it at her, poised to strike if she speaks out of turn once more.

"Silence," he spat, "You have no idea do you? Locked up in this hovel all day and night no idea whatsoever to the terrors that lay beyond these walls. Muggleborn's are ripped from their beds every night, tortured to death in the name of magic. Their blood, falls from my hands like rain from the clouds and you stand there accusing me. Think girl, if I can destroy their magic before it is allowed to fester they can be spared the ridicule and suffering they would surely face in the Wizarding world."

"You are crazy! This isn't right. I am going to stop you."

The girl grabbed the closest thing she could find; a gilly weed knife and held it tight. Her Master had begun to advance on her, now could she see the despair in his eyes.

"Really? Are you to kill me with a blunt gilly weed knife and steal my wand?"

"Yes!"

"And then what," he asked curiously, "What will you do then?"

"I will run."

"Where will you go? All your friends are DEAD."

"ANYWHERE!" she sobbed, he accio'd the knife, leaving her defenceless.

"You would not last a minute outside this house, girl, you are better off here, safe, with me."

~~oOo~~

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