Author's Note: As per usual the disclaimer can be found in chapter one. Happy reading.
Ch 21
Ritual at Summer Solstice
The second time she wakes up Hermione hears the sounds of the others getting ready and slowly stretches not quite ready to get out from under the covers yet especially as, from the sound of it, the bathroom isn't free.
Once again she has cause to reflect on the sheer kindness and generosity that Sirius Black extends to those he claims for his own. She was a little afraid that first week when she, before she could quite stop herself, climbed on a soapbox and spoke of the darkness and why some seek it, that she might have caused Sirius to resent her or that she might have alienated him. Instead she saw signs that brooding or not he was thinking about her words, didn't hold them against her, and still was treating her courteously. Her teasing about taking him and James under her sisterly wing aside that first week, she really feels after last night that they essentially have adopted her into their self-chosen family.
Like Sirius, she isn't entirely sure how much she can rely on her 'real family' now and so she is all the more determined not to let those she's chosen for herself down. Hermione is no Dumbledorian general to be manipulating things for 'the greater good'. Still she can't help but remember the Sorting Hat's warnings often spoke of the need to unify the school. That, she believes, is possible even now when tensions between Slytherin and Gryffindor are quite high.
That Lucius Malfoy, the Lestranges and Bellatrix Black are out of school is a blessing. Macnair is a 7th year and she isn't sure that he's salvageable. Mulciber is a 4th year and, as Hermione recalls, he attacked a muggleborn girl with dark magic at some point during their schooling... oh... Mary MacDonald... that's right. The girl should be in their dorm but rooms with the sixth years instead as they have small numbers as well and she's particularly close to her cousin, June. She wonders for a moment why Mulciber is a 4th year... maybe she heard wrong with the incident but she thought he was supposed to be the same year as Lily. Though she doesn't like the idea of the attack she doesn't really know anything about that situation. It could, she reminds herself, have been the case of him being an idiot and performing a spell that he did not know the end results (as Harry did with Sectumsempra) or it could have been deliberate. She doesn't know enough about it.
While Mulciber is dubious, Avery is less so. Hermione suspects that given direction, acceptance and a purpose that Bob Jr. might not join Voldemort. Especially if Severus and Regulus can be tempted off that path since the peer pressure aspect would be missing then.
A thought suddenly occurs to Hermione. She needs to research and find out which, if any, of Voldemort's old school mates and early followers that know who he really is are still alive because as she recalls Voldemort never was too keen on people knowing he was Tom Riddle. If that information and his blood status could get leaked out with his background story that might make a huge difference in cutting his support base – Riddle is certainly powerful but some of that power comes from people being too cowardly to rise up against him and his masked madmen as a whole.
Hearing the shower shut off for the second time (and having missed Alice leaving to go down to breakfast) Hermione drags herself out of her thoughts and digs through her wardrobe to throw together an outfit keeping in mind that it is probably muddy after yesterday's rain. She gives Lily a slight smile as she passes her. "I'll meet you down at breakfast, Lily, you don't need to wait," she says.
Lily smiles back and nods. "See you down there, then," she replies.
Hermione shuts her eyes as she steps under the warm spray she can't help the words that echo through her head. Harry's voice as he tells her about Moody and that awful picture of the first Order of the Phoenix: a litany of deaths, disappearances and tragedies. Marlene McKinnon and her whole family, killed weeks before Voldemort's downfall... Travers was involved. The Longbottoms, a few days after Lily and James were killed, the Lestranges and Crouch Jr. Gideon and Fabian Prewett, died like heroes, it took five death eaters including that bastard Dolohov to kill them... she's pretty sure they died the year the twins were born so that's 1978 sometime before April 1st. Caradoc Dearborn, disappeared and presumed dead. Dorcas Meadows, killed by Voldemort himself. Edgar Bones and his family, all killed by death eaters. No dates for those three either, but all of them will be after the photograph or they wouldn't have been in it to begin with. Move along, move along, it is no wonder that Harry was so disturbed when so many people in the picture were dead and to see the traitor in the picture as well.
She finishes rinsing the shampoo out of her hair and slowly opens her eyes again. Perhaps, she considers, perhaps they can be more careful this time. Make use of a protean charmed object similar to their DA galleons as a panic button for those that need help; insist if a leak becomes obvious that arms are checked for the dark mark. If they have a spy then a small circle, not just Albus, should be assured of their loyalty with veritaserum. She rather thinks that Moody should be one of that small circle, though it isn't likely that she'll have much say (if any) on any of it.
Absently she towels off and gets dressed dragging her head out of plans that are, by necessity, still a few years off. "Concentrate on what you can do now," Hermione reminds herself. "Build relationships, forge friendships and create possibilities. Try to keep an open mind – you don't know yet which paths cannot be changed." She takes a deep breath before putting on a little makeup to disguise the minute flaws in her appearance that hint at the restless night before opening the bathroom door again and heading down to breakfast.
As she's heading down the steps Marlene joins her with a small smile.
"Morning," Hermione says softly.
"Morning," Marlene replies quietly.
The subdued nature of the greeting is rather pleasant given her mood. Hermione isn't cross, but neither is she feeling particularly cheerful given the sheer weight of the thoughts that have been on her mind this morning.
They walk in companionable silence down to the Great Hall and take a seat by Lily who is, being a morning person, chattering quite happily at Alice, who is not a morning person. Alice, despite being first in the shower, still looks like she's about to fall asleep in her porridge at any moment and is clutching her mug of tea protectively as she dumps sugar into it. Is she even counting how many spoonfuls?
Hermione helps herself to bacon and eggs and fills up her own mug of tea, adding a spoonful of honey. She forgot to look out the window but the sky above the Great Hall shows the day to be gloomy and overcast. At least it isn't raining like it was yesterday but Hogsmeade is sure to be muddy. It's rather a funny contrast at the table with Lily talking up a storm while she, Alice and Marlene are all just sleepily half-listening.
Eventually all four of them are finished with their breakfast. "Do you want to hang around with us until you meet Dorcas for lunch, Marlene?" Lily asks.
"Sure, I'm not sure when exactly she's planning on turning up but until she does I don't mind the company," Marlene replies.
"Let's get going," Alice mutters. She still is much too groggy. Why do they have to leave so early?
"So what do you want to do when you get out of school, Marlene?" Hermione asks, as they make their way towards the gates where Filch is checking permission slips. "Oh, the rest of you too if you know." They might not be quite decided yet after all as until O.W.L. scores are in it's hard to say for certain what you can take your N.E.W.T.s in.
"Hmm? Oh, I'm still deciding between Auror training and being a Healer. My classes can go either way so that works out fine. How about you? Do you know yet what you'd like to do?" Marlene replies.
Alice yawns before succinctly answering, "Auror."
"Something with Charms maybe. That man I met at Sluggy's party from Experimental Charms made it sound pretty interesting. We'll see though. It will be easier to decide after the O.W.L. results come back," Lily says.
"Me? Oh, I'm kind of thinking maybe Curse Breaking. It's interesting work and I like Runes and Arithmancy a lot. I don't mind Defense either which is helpful for it from what I understand. Not having taken Care of Magical Creatures might be a little bit of a drawback in terms of the things that are sometimes encountered in cursed locations but I figure I can always read up on that sort of thing," Hermione replies.
Lily looks a bit surprised. "Oh I figured you wanted to do something with Potions," she says.
"Oh, no, I'm just doing the extra project because it in itself interests me. I don't have the intuitive knack for it to be one of the innovative minds in the field really but I can at least lend the support to those who do have the knack when it's an idea of interest. I brew well but I know myself well enough to know that while I can help someone more talented perhaps speed the process along with inventing I wouldn't be able to create a new potion myself," Hermione replies.
"Why do you have a special project anyway?" Alice asks as they make their way into Hogsmeade.
She's certainly not the first to ask, but once the girls know perhaps she won't have to go into it again. "I did a little too well on my placement tests and they didn't want me to be bored," Hermione explains once more.
Marlene smirks and Lily outright laughs at Hermione's sheepish expression.
Alice snickers. "Glad we don't have that problem. Studying for O.W.L.s is enough work for me this year," she says.
"So what's this project then? Something with Potions presumably given Lily's surprise," Marlene concludes.
The other girls look curious as well, though Lily at least has heard a little bit about it from Severus.
"I had a tutor who was a very nice man with a monthly condition that caused him a great deal of pain and to for the space of a single evening lose his mind. He came by this condition through no fault of his own, it was inflicted upon him and the condition made it difficult for him to keep a job. Does that seem fair to any of you?" Hermione asks curiously, deliberately not saying just what his condition is just yet.
"No, it really doesn't," Lily says, frowning.
"Not really, but what does this have to do with your project?" Alice asks.
Marlene, perhaps more awake than Alice, catches on quicker. "One night a month, inflicted condition that's painful and causes the victim to lose their mind? Your tutor was a werewolf. That's got to be one of the most sympathetic description's I've ever heard, Hermione. So he was actually a pretty nice bloke the rest of the time then? This potion, it's supposed to help werewolves?"
The other two have the widening eyes and other small signs of surprise but also similar signs of thinking about it and (particularly in Alice's case as she's a pureblood) having to revise some of their previous thoughts about werewolves (or at least some werewolves).
"Yes, Damocles Belby, a Potions Master, is working on a potion that will allow a werewolf to keep his mind when he transforms. I'm sure we'll also work on trying to make the transformation less painful, but just think what that could do for the ones who want to just be good people and be safe when they get a little hairy once a month. Think about the poor children who've been bitten – how much easier it would be for their parents to deal with the condition. I think there's a lot of potential for good there – there would be less excuse for the prejudices if such a potion were easily available. They could crack down hard on the bad ones that don't take the potion or abuse it to do harm and let the good people dealing with a bad problem alone," Hermione says passionately. It's a topic she feels strongly about on Remus' behalf but also for the others she's sure are out there that are like him, undeserving of the harsh fate that accompanies being attacked.
"Wow," Lily says. "Sev didn't tell me what exactly it was you were working on just that there was a Potion's Master involved. That's pretty amazing if you lot get it to work."
"Might help quite a bit, though it would be bad in the wrong hands," Alice speculates, Marlene nodding her agreement. "Still it might cut down on some werewolf attacks that aren't intentional," Marlene adds.
Hermione smiles happily, glad that her friends can see that it is, for the most part, a very good thing that they are working on.
"So where to first?" Alice asks.
* * * * *
While the girls are entering Hogsmeade to begin their shopping, the boys are just getting down to breakfast. Having spent the previous night in mischief as per Hermione's directive they also slept in a bit later. Sirius, of course, like Hermione didn't have uninterrupted sleep and so sleeping in a bit later was good.
Breakfast takes longer as well, Peter in particular being hard to part from the food and so it's nearly ten before the boys make their way down to Hogsmeade. It doesn't matter much though they'll spend a couple hours now browsing before James and Remus meet Lily and Hermione for lunch. Peter and Sirius both have butterbeer with their respective girls to look forward to later in the day and the boys will all get back together after lunch to wander around some more though until Hermione has her appointment they can hope for her and Lily to join them (or at least James, Remus and even Sirius hope for that – Peter, not so much).
"Let's go in Zonko's first," James suggests. Remus nods his approval and the other two grin. It's a good choice, certainly James doesn't want to push it by buying his prank supplies when he's with Lily. Remus figures that Hermione wouldn't actually care but it's still good to get it out of the way. "Sounds good," he says. He will, of course, have custody of those bags since sneaking them back into the castle is definitely a job for the slyest of the Marauders. Peter might manage a convincing face of befuddled confusion when questioned but most of the time no one even suspects Remus when something comes up.
A dizzying array of supplies later and Remus has tucked away the specially made Zonko's bags (safe for shrinking regardless of contents!) in various interior pockets. James and Remus both having recalled the previous Hogsmeade weekend with some fondness they agree to save Honeydukes for later and instead the boys set about that oh so important task – finding presents for the upcoming Yule holidays. It's a tricky business buying both for those who are absent while trying to sneak items under the nose of those present but they somehow manage quite well.
* * * * *
The girls, too, have a productive morning where presents are concerned and come lunch time begin to happily split off still teasing each other with hints over the intriguing packages and their wrapped contents.
Hermione is pretty amused to find some perfectly awful Christmas jumpers that have animals on them – she can't resist getting James one with Prancer, Peter (who she'd rather not have to get anything at all for) the one with a squeaky little wind-up mouse chasing its tail under a garish Christmas Tree, and Sirius one with a black dog in a Santa hat snuffling at a teetering pile of presents (and not incidentally knocking them over). For Remus she eventually decides in the spirit of keeping his secret (and having finally heard about his 'badly behaved rabbit') to go with a chocolate brown rabbit wearing a lopsided garland of mistletoe and holly – and trying to eat it - looking faintly disgruntled. They aren't her real presents for them, of course, but she thinks they might think them funny anyway.
"I don't know about you, Lily, but I'm certainly ready for lunch," Hermione comments as she walks with the redhead towards the Three Broomsticks.
"Me, too, Hermione. Shopping is hungry work," Lily agrees with a little laugh.
Alice and Marlene head off in two separate directions so they are presumably meeting Frank and Dorcas somewhere other than the Three Broomsticks for their lunch.
Remus and James are, perhaps unsurprisingly given James' desire to keep Lily happy with him and Remus' tendency toward punctuality, on time to meet Lily and Hermione and have already acquired a table. Quite a feat given how crowded the place is during lunch on a Hogsmeade weekend.
The girls wind their way through the crowd making their way over to the table. Hermione slips into the seat next to Remus, giving him a warm smile as across from them Lily sits down next to James.
James smiles happily. "Hello, Lily, had a good morning?" he asks. He still can't quite believe his luck to be having lunch with Lily Evans for the second Hogsmeade in a row.
"Tolerable. We got some holiday shopping done anyway," Lily replies, "and Hermione reminded me to get some yarn to do up a scarf for Petunia so that /should/ at least be something she can't complain is freakish." Lily rolls her eyes. She is in turns hurt and angry about her sister's behavior – at the moment it is her annoyance that shows.
"She's just jealous of you, Lily," Hermione says. "Or at least that's how it seems to me. It's a pity but there isn't much you can do about it when she's refusing to be reasonable."
"Lily's beautiful, smart and talented," James points out, needlessly, though it does have Lily blushing with pleasure (a very pretty look for her, James notes). He actually manages not to add the tactless remark that the one time that he recalls seeing her sister with her parents at the station the girl looked sour, unpleasant and had a definite resemblance to creatures of an equine nature. Horse-faced would definitely be an apt description.
"So ladies, what would you like for lunch?" Remus asks, figuring that they should order. Of course he's hungry too.
"The specials board had chicken pie on it, that sounds good," Hermione says.
"I think fish and chips sounds good today," Lily replies. James nods his agreement, "It does!"
Remus chuckles. "Steak and kidney pie for me," he replies even as James hops out of his seat.
"I'm getting it. No arguing Remus, consider it a pre-holiday treat." James says and he pushes his way through the crowded pub up to the bar to order before Remus can argue. The sandy-haired boy is slightly flushed as he usually is when James (or Sirius) insist on paying for something, his family isn't exactly poor but they certainly aren't rich in the way that the Potters and Blacks are.
Hermione takes Remus' hand in hers, "Well now, that was nice of James, wasn't it? Gives you a bit more to spend on Christmas presents or chocolate then. What are you getting James and the boys anyway?" she asks cheerfully. She remembers how Ron would get sometimes when Harry would, without thinking much of it, treat them for something (not that Harry was ever so carefree as James but he did like to share with them) and is glad that at least Remus doesn't get furious. It's still obvious, however, that he's not quite comfortable with letting his mate buy lunch for all of them.
"Hmm, that's true enough I suppose," Remus replies thoughtfully. "I'm not sure yet, really, it's hard to shop with them around you know. I often have to wait and do my shopping after I get home."
"I just know Gus is going to drag me shopping again so I'm going to get a few things when we go. I figure I might find some things in Diagon that I didn't here," Hermione replies with a smile. She's thinking of checking Flourish and Blotts to see if there's an earlier edition of the set of Defense books that Sirius and Remus gave to Harry 5th year. The books were very good and all three boys would probably like them... though she'll probably end up getting them for Remus. She's thinking about maybe getting Sirius a book on motorbikes. James she isn't really sure yet and Peter... well there's always candy she supposes. Chocolate frogs since he still collects the cards.
"It was nice of James wasn't it?" Lily says, a smile lingering on her face. While she's still a little surprised at him being thoughtful it isn't nearly so much of a shock to her as when she first realized that he could be. It probably helps that he's calling her Lily much more of the time and so in turn she calls him James unless she's annoyed with him about something.
James arrives back carefully carrying four bottles of butterbeer for them just in time to hear Lily and he smiles fondly at her from behind before setting the drinks down and retaking his seat. "They'll bring the food out when it's ready," he says as he passes the bottles around. His hazel eyes are sparkling with happiness and contentment though there's a hint of nervousness in them. "Lily, I've been meaning to ask you... if I send you an invitation would you come to my parent's annual New Year's ball?"
Remus and Hermione pretend to ignore the other couple, quietly talking to each other and sipping their butterbeer, though neither can quite contain the smiles they share.
Lily is taken a bit by surprise at the question. She's still not quite used to James Potter not making a huge and embarrassing production out of asking her out. This straightforward approach is rather refreshing, not to mention much less humiliating. She isn't sure she owns anything fancy enough for such an event, but her mum would probably take her shopping if she asked or... Alice would definitely go shopping with her. "I'm not sure how I'd get there. We don't have the floo network connected at my house, you know," Lily says hesitantly.
"Hermione," James says, and Hermione looks up. "Yes, James?" She has a sneaking suspicion where this is going. "Could Lily come stay with you the night of the ball do you think?"
"I think so, but I'll have to ask my brother. If Alice is coming Lily might want to stay with her." she says.
James nods. "Otherwise I'm sure Mum would apparate over to collect you, Lily, I just think you might have more fun if you're staying the night with Hermione or Alice. If you're flooing home with one of them you can stay later probably."
Lily, who probably would have been extremely angry with the highhanded discussion even a few weeks earlier, just laughs. "Alright then. Check with your brother and see if he minds, Hermione, and let me know. I'll need to find something to wear for it. How formal is it, James?" she asks.
"You look beautiful in anything, Lily, but dress robes are pretty standard for the event," James says, flashing her a charmingly earnest grin.
"Guess I'll have to see if Alice wants to go shopping... or maybe I can meet you when you go to Diagon, Hermione. You did say you were probably going didn't you?" Lily asks.
"I'm not all that fond of shopping, really, but yes, my brother's likely to be dragging me to Twilfit and Tattings for dress robes. He apparently attends all sorts of holiday functions and was quite delighted not to have to find a date now that he can just drag me along," Hermione explains. "I'll let you know when we're going and if you haven't managed to talk Alice into a trip perhaps you can meet us there."
"Cheer up, Hermione, at least Sirius will be dragged to a lot of the same functions and you'll see me at some of them," James reminds her.
Hermione smiles. "True enough and I'm glad of it," she says honestly.
"Thanks, Hermione," Lily says.
"Oh, and Lily if your parents can't give you a lift to Diagon Alley you could always take the train into London and ride the tube. There's a tube station not terribly far from that part of Charing Cross Road after all... or if you are feeling adventurous and have a strong stomach there's always the Knight Bus," Hermione adds belatedly. "I haven't ridden it myself, but I've heard about it enough." Hermione only rode it once as Hermione Granger, but Hermione Rookwood only heard about it from a couple of her tutors.
"Good idea, Hermione," Lily says, smiling at her friend. "How do you hail the Knight Bus anyway? I've never ridden it."
"Just raise your wand in your wand hand, but don't stand too near the curb, the bus arrives rather abruptly and the driver isn't all that careful. You don't want to get knocked down or hit," Hermione cautions her. "Personally I'd rather take the train if it were me."
"I might try it once but we'll see. The train is pretty reliable after all, if not as fast," Lily says.
"The Knight Bus isn't always faster if there are a lot of people ahead of you for stops but it isn't the most comfortable with how the chairs slide about... or beds if it's in night mode," Remus puts in his two cents with a chuckle.
"Remember how green Peter got when we rode it that one time, Remus?" James asks with an amused, tolerant grin.
"I'd rather forget, thank you very much James. He didn't just get green," Remus replies, grimacing.
"Let's not talk about people getting ill, boys, our food should be here soon and I, for one, don't want my appetite ruined," Hermione chides mildly.
Lily seconds that, "Here, here."
James just chuckles, but doesn't continue with the topic and indeed Rosmerta soon delivers their plates and the conversation dies down a bit as everyone starts on the homey fare.
After lunch the couples split up with Remus and Hermione heading for Honeydukes, while James and Lily stroll hand and hand further up the street. Hermione's eyes follow after them a moment with a fond smile. "I'm rather proud of James, he's doing much better with her now," she comments to Remus.
Remus laughs and gives her arm a squeeze. "Well we know whose doing that was," he replies.
"His own, he just needed a nudge in the right direction," Hermione protests.
"Still, it would have taken him a lot longer without that nudge," Remus points out.
"Hard to say, really, but he really does care for her so he'd have gotten there eventually even without me I'm sure," Hermione says, though she knows from what Harry's told her that they previously got together in their 7th year. She's quite proud of James and glad that Lily could open her eyes enough to see him clearly /now/.
Hermione picks up a box of chocolate frogs for Peter's gift while they're there, a box of sugar quills (assorted) for herself, and, of course, some chocolate. She also decides to try the new holiday Snowflake Sweets – soft sweets that melt like snowflakes on your tongue.
Remus, naturally, goes right for the chocolate. He sneaks in a few extra things that he remembers Hermione liking when she's not paying attention.
Then they, too, stroll around the charming village until it's time for Hermione's appointment with Damocles Belby. She leans up and gives Remus a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later, Remus," she says as she leaves him at the door of the Three Broomsticks. Stopping at the bar she asks and is shown to the private room where the Potions Master is already in conversation with Severus Snape. "I'm not late, am I?" she asks worriedly.
"Not at all, Miss Rookwood. Mr. Snape and I were merely early. Have a seat," Damocles rises upon noticing the young lady and pulls out a chair for her, seeing her settled before sitting back down himself. He gives Severus a bit of a look for not rising when she comes in but in the end shrugs, putting it down to the teen lacking the old fashioned manners /he/ was taught by his great-grandmother.
Hermione can see that Severus already has his notes out and swiftly pulls out her own.
The next three hours are some of the more interesting she's ever spent as the three of them go through what has been tried thus far and talk over the merits and possibilities of the things the students came up with (and why or why not they might work well). Belby is decidedly intrigued by some of Hermione's choices on her list of potentially helpful ingredients – particularly in wolfsbane.
"I hadn't considered it due to the poisonous effects it has in its natural state but you know I think you may be onto something with Wolfsbane," Damocles says thoughtfully. "It will have to be handled very carefully, however, so that the poisonous effect is neutralized."
"Oh, I hope so, Master Belby! Perhaps once we have a formula we could try various modifications to see which is the most beneficial. Aside from keeping their mind a reduction of pain would certainly be good," Hermione replies, excited by the progress they've made already. She knows it will be a long process but even so she feels that they have already made great strides.
Throughout the conversation Severus is far more excited and animated than Hermione has ever seen him - it is clear that potions truly is his passion. Occasionally, though Hermione is a smart girl, the conversation between the two males goes right over her head as they get into more obscure nuances of potions and she smiles to herself. She was so right to include Severus.
After one such moment Damocles starts writing furiously onto a piece of parchment a list of things he wants them to research and properties that they should be looking for as well as warning them to be particularly vigilant about checking the reaction tables for reactions between ingredients. This will be a very complex potion with or without Wolfsbane, something all three of them are certain of.
After spending another twenty minutes lecturing the both of them and giving them very firm instructions, Damocles Belby cracks a smile again and shakes Severus' hand. He then kisses Hermione's and thanks them both for their help. He looks far more excited than when he left Slughorn's party and Hermione is pleased to see that he has lost some of his awkwardness with them. She guesses that he must have lumped them both into the 'colleagues' category and that might be one of the few groups he's comfortable talking with.
She and Sev walk back together and Hermione can't help grinning at the way he continues chattering about the project. "I'm excited too, Sev," Hermione admits to him.
It is nice to see him so happy. "So are you going home for the holidays?" Hermione asks.
Severus shakes his head. "No, not this year," he answers, and Hermione is disappointed to see him lose some of that happiness. "My mother is ill."
"Does she have the right potions to help her?" Hermione asks gently.
Severus looks even more tense and unhappy at that question and Hermione tugs him gently off the path. "Breathe, Severus," she says quietly.
He's standing so rigidly and struggling so hard with his composure that Hermione just gives him a moment and waits. "Now tell me how I can help," she orders.
"My father..." There's such hatred in the word that he practically spits it out, "he's forbidden her to make potions or anything to do with magic." It's obvious that Severus is very worried about her. "But he won't take her to a doctor either... and now he's told her not to let me come home."
Hermione frowns. "It sounds like a bad situation. You live near Lily, correct?" she asks.
Severus gives a jerky nod. "Yes, I thought so. And you think it will make matters worse if you do go... or stay with Lily's family?" Another sharp, pained nod. She's actually surprised that he's answering her questions. "What hours is your father at work or out of the house?"
"If he hasn't lost his job again he'll be out during the day unless he stops home at the noon hour for luncheon," Severus replies.
"I'll see what I can do, Sev. If nothing else I can find out just what's wrong with her and well... if it's something that can be fixed with Muggle medicine I can see that she gets it. I know how to pass with Muggles so don't you worry about that. If she needs more than Muggle remedies can handle I'll see to it somehow. I'm sorry you'll be having a lonely sort of holiday though. Try to have some fun, okay? Even if it is just playing in the potions lab as much as Slughorn lets you," Hermione says. She isn't sure why she's taking it upon herself to go take care of his sick mother but she feels that /someone/ needs to. Besides it's a good excuse to visit Lily and perhaps her family will help with matters.
"I don't know why you want to help," Severus begins before cutting himself off. He's so afraid he'll lose his mother. Eileen Prince hasn't been strong in years but she's tried to shield her son from Tobias Snape when he's been in a drunken fury. He looks at her a long moment as though weighing how serious she is – how likely she is to accomplish anything – then chokes out a reluctant, "but thank you. If you can convince her to leave there it would be better. She won't leave no matter how many times I ask." They'd both be better off away from Tobias and he knows it. He's sure that away from Tobias they'd manage somehow. It wasn't as though they lived in riches now. He certainly was no stranger to second-hand clothing and books but he's older now. He could work hard over the summers and he's sure with time Eileen could recover enough to work as a potions' brewer as she once did.
Hermione smiles gently. "I want to help because no one should be left in a bad situation without help," she says softly. "I suppose we should be heading to dinner. Try not to worry too much and I'll send you a letter when I know more. I'm not sure exactly when I'll be able to go but I'll try to go as soon as I can, alright?"
Severus nods and he feels a little relief that at least his mother will be checked on, not alone.
He's lost in thought as they continue up the path towards the castle and they split off as they enter the Great Hall, Hermione towards the Gryffindor table and Severus towards the Slytherin table. He takes a seat across from Regulus Black and next to Robert Avery Jr. and methodically begins filling his plate and slowly working his way through his meal.
Hermione, on the other hand, sits down next to Remus just in time to hear James quizzing Sirius on how his date with Marlene went. She's amused to hear Sirius extolling the virtues of the fair Marlene (among them wittiness, intelligence and the ability to get the drop on him). It comes as almost an afterthought as nearly a quarter of an hour later Remus asks, "So Peter how was your date with Liza?"
"Oh, ho, did our little Peter have a date?" Sirius asks gleefully.
James just grins, waggles his eyebrows and asks, "So, how /did/ it go, Pete?"
Hermione reaches over behind Remus to where Sirius is sitting on his other side and thwacks him upside the back of his head. "Behave and let Peter talk."
"Hey! Oh, sure go ahead, Peter," Sirius says, though he mutters as he rubs the back of the head.
"It went alright," Peter says nervously, eyes darting from Sirius to James and back again as though he should have asked their permission first.
"That's great, Peter," James says sincerely (he, at least, remembering Hermione telling them not to tease Peter /too/ much early on about his new girl).
"You really think so?" Peter asks hopefully.
"Sure, why not," Sirius says grandly and Peter looks relieved.
"That is good, Peter, I'm glad you had a good time. Are you going to ask her out again?" Hermione asks kindly.
"Uhm... maybe? I don't know," Peter says indecisively as he looks towards James and Sirius again.
"Did she have a good time with you, Peter?" James questions.
"I think so," Peter says, though he isn't really sure.
"Well then, why not," James says with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Why not. Sure why not," Peter echoes, apparently trying to talk himself into confidence.
Hermione glances over at the Hufflepuff table where Liza Donaldson is sitting. On the upside she isn't glaring over at Gryffindor in Peter's general direction. She supposes that's a good sign that at least the girl didn't have too awful a time with Peter.
"Can't hurt to try, Peter," Hermione says with a small smile. "She looks like a nice girl anyway. I think I'm going to head up, guys, I want to make a to-do list for the things I need to do over the holidays before I forget. See you in the Common Room in a bit?"
Hermione receives several nods and a warm smile from Remus even as she's getting to her feet and making her way back out of the Great Hall to head back to Gryffindor Tower.