Act of a Familiar XIIII
Hermione came out of the bedchambers and grabbed her wand out of her robes and Transfigured the towel wrapped around her into a comfortable pair of blue jeans and grey shirt emblazed with the Hogwarts shield.
She walked through a door and found herself in her old Potions classroom taking a look around. Located in the dungeons it was one of the few places that was not damaged during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Moving around the classroom, memories came forward.
Poor Neville blowing his cauldron up time after time.
Professor Snape moving silently amongst the tables, cutting down the Gryffindor students and awarding points to those of Slytherin. That still stung even if she understood the reasons behind his actions.
She found herself at the table assigned to her and sat down, looking to the front of the class where a podium stood next to a large desk, jars of questionable items floating in a murky substance. Many a time she studied them wondering what exactly was in them.
Hermione closed her eyes, breathing in the forgotten scents of the room. Despite the teacher, Potions were her favorite subject.
Glancing around the classroom she sighed, realizing she was the first to complete her assignment. She promised herself next time she would not be the first. After six years that would never happen.
Gathering her courage, she walked up to the desk holding her phial and waited for the expected stinging words.
He was writing in a thick book bound in purple and did not notice her presence, continuing to write.
Deciding silence the best of action, she stood watching him scribble in the book. After a few minutes her resolve broke. "Professor Snape, I've finished my assignment."
The book closed with a thump. "Let's see your sample. I'm sure it will be exactly as I expect. Pitiful and a waste of my time and yours as always." He growled out.
She handed him the phial and watched him look at it and held it up to observe in the light room.
Was that a flash of sadness in his eyes? It changed so quickly back into the cold obsidian eyes that she was familiar with that she could not be sure.
He placed the phial down. "You are dismissed Miss Granger."
Happy to be out of there she rushed to her seat grabbing her book bag and was out the door in a flash.
Hermione eyes opened looking around the room in confusion for a moment before she was caught up in the present.
She never thought about that one time she finished early dismissed without a stinging words from the teacher.
It was her sixth year and gasped out at the revelation. He did seem to be off that year looking back. Not that she would have noticed at the time. Then she remembered his terrible act near the end of it, killing Headmaster Dumbledore.
The book must have been his Journal. Excited she stood up and turned finding Professor Snape floating in front of her.
"Reliving all of the joyful times you spent here under my tutelage?"
"Yes. Potions was always my favorite class despite the fact you were a complete arse. Despite all those cruel words you said, my potions were always perfect. Soon we will be working together again with me being your physical tool."
She stepped away from the semi-solid form when Snape barked out a chuckle. "At least you did not say I was an utter bastard Miss Granger. I would give you points for your manners if I could."
He seemed a bit more willing to talk than before so pushed it.
"You know the reason why I'm here Professor Snape. Do you know of a way I can free you?"
"It seems I owe you something after your drunken revelations, forcing Potter to kill a Ministry Assassin and Weasley to cover it up. There is something that if you found it, could release me but I'll not tell you Gryffindor. If you care so much, you should be able to find it on your own."
He glided to her. "And now you will tell me something Miss Granger. Why are you not making your mark on the world? I always figured you would run to the Ministry and excel there. Talented witch and who knows, maybe the first female Minister of Magic in time? And here you are pursuing a soul that no one cares about."
Hermione replied. "I'll answer you honestly because you can't do anything to me. I've lost my way Professor Snape. When Thanantos Bonded to me I thought that I could make a difference to one man that never had a chance to live. Oh, her reasoning that I was needed to know the real you, but after the time spent at Spinner's End I knew her agenda even though I hid it. Thanantos wants to free you. I've nothing better to do so you are my work in progress. Still if I do not succeed I will be a Potions Mistress at the end. A win situation for me."
She walked to the door leading out to the hall of the dungeons, placing her hand on the brass doorknob. "I know what I need to look for now and I will find it Severus Snape and free you so that you can rest and not be stuck here for eternity."
She turned to face him. "It's the least I could do. You could have easily turned us over to Voldemort when you protected us from Remus in his werewolf form. You did not and that always spoke volumes."
He watched her leave. She really was a clever witch.
Hermione called for Thanantos in the hallway, pleased after a few minutes the bird alighted on her shoulder.
"What do you desire Dear one?"
"The journal of Professor Severus Snape Thanantos. I know it is a large purple book bound book bound with a thick leather strap. I saw it in a memory and to hells of your slow revealing of the man. I get it. I know him enough now to save him and you are the one he spoke most intimately to, your words bird."
Thanantos fidgeted. "He told you to find it on your own."
She walked in silence making her way up the stone steps that led up to the passageway on the main floor. Taking the moving staircases, she headed up to the fourth floor and stood at a stone wall and closed her eyes, thinking of what she needed.
Opening her eyes a door appeared in front of her opening it she found a large green chair with a table next to it with a pitcher and an empty glass.
Thanantos flew to the perch that appeared and clicked her beak. The witch was clever using the Room of Requirement to seek out the Journal.
Hermione settled into the comfortable chair and soon scenes of her ex-professor writing in the book appeared.
The first entry was his first night at Hogwarts and continued on and on. Hours passed and Hermione drank Pumpkin juice from time to time.
His wasn't exactly what she wanted and realized she thought about here need incorrectly. She thought to the room that she needed to see every time Professor Snape wrote into his journal.
She watched the background around him change from that in Slytherin to his own house at Spinners end in between school breaks.
Her heart pulled at a scene of him weeping silently while writing in the journal. That must have been when Lily was murdered by Voldemort.
The scenes that followed showed a young man that was pale and quite a bit weight lost from his already thin frame. He must have spent time in Azkaban before he was cleared in the first rising of Voldemort.
She took a bite from a sandwich that appeared. It was hard to keep track of how long she was there viewing the scenes.
Soon they became consistent, mixed with him dressed in his normal forbidding black robes and then Deatheaters robes with a mask placed on the desk.
When he was in Deatheaters robes she noticed bruising on his face and a shake in his hand as he wrote his entry before taking the potions that sat on his desk. She knew he was tortured but did not realize how often it happened.
The last scene appeared before her. She observed him writing in his journal for long moments and the closed the book. She saw Thanantos fly onto the book and long moments passed. She realized they must have been talking, watching the bird fly onto his chest forcing him to hold her as silent tears rolled down his cheeks and nose as Snape held the bird tightly.
She watched the bird fly off and the wizard tapped his desk and placed the Journal into it before he tapped it again and the opening closed.
The room became bright and the door opened.
Blinking she exited and found a group of people watching her.
Minerva strode up anger on her features. "We've been worried and despite bearing this…" Holding her hand out that the ring of Hogwarts placed on her right finger. "The castle told me that it would not disturb you."
Hermione looked confused. "I know I spent a lot of time in there but surely not more than a day." Stuttering her words.
Harry rushed to hug her. "You've been in there a week Hermione. Please tell me you found what you searched for. A way to free Professor Snape."
Hermione released her friend and stepped back. "I'm not sure Harry but I learned a lot in there."
Minerva moved forward. "The students arrive in three days and Professor Snape expressed worry that you have not been seen about as you need to plan with him on how the curriculum will go this year as you will be assisting him."
She watched all move back and found herself looking into black obsidian eyes.
"Everyone can see you Professor Snape?" She stuttered out.
"It seems the majiks of the castle allow a soul to be seen if they are under employment at Hogwarts. I will allow you to sleep eight hours and we will get together to plan out your year here. I bid you a good night sleep for you will need it in the morning."
She watched him float off.
Harry approached her and handed her a copy of the Daily Prophet. "We took care of the Assassin's body and it was spectacular. No mention of your words that night but the Order is pleased."
She took the paper and read it. "Found in a Muggle antiques store? Ron that was brilliant!"
Harry looked to her. "It's not safe for you outside this castle. I learned another Assassin has been assigned and he is a lot better than the last. Ron and I have to get back to our duties as our time is up. Promise me you'll not do anything stupid?"
"I promise if I do I'll let you know about it."
Harry nodded and joined Ron. "Just remember we are here for you Hermione."
She watched her friends leave and Minerva remained frowning. "You will let me in on your future plans Apprentice Granger. Get with Severus and have a curriculum in two days at the Professor's meeting. It's going to shock them enough that Severus is back."
She watched the old witch leave.
Smiling, she left to go down to Professor Snape's chambers. She was an Apprentice of potions and she would not let him down while she worked to free him.
Sitting at his desk she wrote out everything she observed before she would forget it.
Soon Severus Snape you will be free!