What the Mirror Saw: Hermione's Story by Bandgeek252
Chapter 18b- Back to the story
March 23, 1999
Severus could feel his insides churning. If it were possible his intestines would have probably made butter right now from the tension alone. The minutes seem to tick away as his scowl grew deeper and deeper. The whole Burrow was awake despite it being four in the morning. Molly had the kettle running nonstop. Ginny was trying to keep her hands from shaking by helping her mother while Arthur couldn't stop tinkering with a muggle plug. The ministry's finest Aurors were pacing and making Severus even more snappish than usual.
"Sit down or go to another room!" he barked as quietly as he could. The Grangers unable to handle any more stress were given calming draughts and forced to rest. At first Rose refused.
Two Hours Ago...
"Not with my baby girl out there all alone." she had snapped at Severus and Ted. "Ted, we were so stupid to have spent all that time arguing about coming back. If only we had come back sooner... we might have prevented all this."
The Weasleys tried assure her that wasn't true, but Rose could hardly keep from crying. "I'm not leaving" she stated, but then Ted whispered gently in her ear.
"It's not good for the..."
Rose blushed slightly, dried her tears, and sighed. "Fine! Give me the blasted thing and let's go lie down, but!" she snapped a long slender finger at Severus. "I expect to woken up the moment you find her." To this the sour potions professor nodded. And off the Grangers went to sleep.
Present time...
Molly heard Severus snap at the boys for the eighth time since they had discovered Hermione and Luna's disappearance. She smiled weakly at him. Hermione was like a daughter to her. True it didn't work out between Ron and her, but she had been adopted long before any of that silly romance nonsense came about.
"Severus, how about a cup of tea? You've been drinking an awful lot of coffee." she said motherly.
He glared at her, "Tea is soothing, I wish to be tense.*" Nodding her head she refilled his coffee and hurried over to the boys refilling their cups of tea.
"Alright, the gang's all here." Tonks' tired tone echoed through the Burrow as she came through the fireplace.
"About damn time, woman!" Severus snapped. For the first time in almost a year, Tonks' mousy brown turned fire red. Even Ron stood back waiting for flames to escape her nostrils. Harry thought she looked like the Chinese Fireball Dragon that Viktor Krum faced in the Triwizard Tournament
"Don't you start with me Severus Snape! You god awful bastard! I have been up fourteen hours and I'm here aren't I? So sit down and shut up!" Tonks' hair softened as she graciously accepted a cup of coffee from Molly. Feeling horrible for shouting she did add, "It's not like we could have started this search any earlier. We needed the light to be able to see without disturbing the Muggles."
Severus was so tired and tense he sniffed at the Auror's rage. It could wait. There were more important things going on. Where are you, Hermione? He thought wishing she still had the necklace on. That's why I gave you the damn thing, woman! He cursed under his breath trying ease the ache and worry clinging to his heart.
"Let's get this going. We have two war heroines missing and rogue Death Eaters out there. Let's find them!" Severus said. Harry and Ron sat down as Dawlish and Tonks sat down with them.
"We will split up into three groups." Harry started. Severus was going to interrupt him wondering who made him boss, but decided against it. He's actually quite good at this leading business. Just please let Hermione be alright.
Just then the door opened as Molly had her wand at the ready to see who it was. Turning the corner to the entrance, she saw Luna's father. The long haired blond wore his usual colorful robes, but his face reminded Harry very much of the last time they had visited him. Worry wrinkled his brow making his gray hairs stand out. He looked much older than he was.
"I would like to offer to help look for Luna." Mr. Lovegood stated wearily, but firm. Harry and Ron looked at their Auror partners for confirmation. Tonks and Dawlish both nodded.
"Tonks, Harry, and I will be in one group. Since we're made up of some of the best fliers we'll be able to sweep the area fast so we'll take the largest area." Ron started, "Snape, Dad, and Dawlish will be in another, you take North. And the last group will be George, Mr. Lovegood, Charlie, and Bill, you take East and the woods." To this Ginny huffed.
"I can go!" Ginny snapped.
Harry shook his head. "You should stay here." She glared at her boyfriend and for the first time since the war Harry squirmed in his boots.
"You listen here, Harry Potter, I may not have fought Mountain Trolls and the like during Hogwarts, but those days are over. I fought in the Final Battle, faced Riddle my first year, and am of age. I will not be held back like some kept woman." Ginny's voice laced with all the fierceness of Molly and all the stubbornness of Ron. Harry gulped loudly. George, Bill, and Charlie couldn't suppress their snickers. The Boy Who Lived getting told by their tiny sister was too funny.
"Listen Gin, this isn't some little Prefect dispute. These are rogue Death Eaters. They are more volatile than before, because they have nothing to lose." Ron tried to explain in Auror voice.
"Oh will you three please shut up!" Severus snapped. "Enough squabbling. There is time for that later. If Miss Weasley is so dead set on going she can go with her father. I don't believe she'd be unsafe with us."
Mr. Weasley looked uncomfortable. "Ginny maybe you should stay home with your mum." his kind tone was lost on his youngest ears.
"I am of age and I'm going. Hermione and Luna are my best friends. What would you do if they were yours?" she asked her father starring him down with pure determination covering those once warm brown eyes.
"I understand." Arthur said.
"ARTHUR! You can't be serious." Molly exclaimed.
"I am and we've wasted enough time arguing, let's set the plan and get going. Luna and Hermione may be in terrible danger." Arthur ignored Molly's exclamations and worries. The Potions Professor gave him a sympathetic look.
"We'll split up. Take the DA coins so we can all be notified right away if you find something. If we go outside the five mile radius we know they aren't lost, but were taken and then we'll get with the Ministry. Best to ride brooms, but keep low to the ground." Harry finished up the plans. Severus tried to steady his heart, but was unable. This search won't find her. My Hermione is brilliant, she wouldn't have merely gotten lost. I hope she's not... he paused for a moment unable to even think the word 'dead' and settled on hurt.
"I'll stay here and wait for word. Send a patronus if you need help." Molly called to the groups as they were leaving. The search party mounted their brooms and sped off in different directions. "Be safe," she whispered to the wind.
HGSSHGSSHGSSHG
Luna shivered as her stomach growled in rebellion. Her pale face pasty and moist. She could feel a fever start to creep up on her. She hadn't seen anyone in hours when it felt more like days. She tried not to cry, but the tears were welling up causing her eyelids to burn. Who has us? Is Hermione alright? This is just like Malfoy Manor, but it has a different smell. Oh Ron, Hermione, everyone. The blond wanted to cry as she curled up in a ball. The Manor was a horrible experience in her memories. While she wasn't raped or physically abused, she had been left alone for weeks at a time. The solitary confinement that chilled her during those dark weeks. Then she was fortunate to have met Olivander in the dungeons. They would talk about nothing and everything. She learned a great deal about wandlore and thoroughly enjoyed the more mystical stories the gray old man had to share. After that she swore she wouldn't end up alone in the dark again, but here she was back in the same dark dank place that lived in her nightmares.
Luna looked about her to see if there was a blanket or something to shut out this cold. The cell was damp and dark with only a little window. The chilly March air stiffened her clothes.
HGSSHGSSHGSSHG
Severus, Arthur, Ginny, and Dawlish made their way North towards the Lovegoods house. Keeping low to the ground they put on their Anti-Muggle disillusionment charms and began the search. The fog of the early morning made seeing very difficult, but with a few quick spells Severus and Arthur were able to check if there was anyone human around. Ginny and Dawlish kept very low to the ground dodging trees and extremely tall grass to see if anyone was below.
Ginny gripped her broom tightly. This is like Dumbledore's Army all over again. Our friends disappearing in the night, just like when Neville vanished that one night. I was so relieved when I found out he was in the Room of Requirement, but it's not going to be that easy this time, is it? She thought in her mind unable to think about what would happen if Death Eaters had kidnapped her friends. And I was just trying to set up Ron and Luna. They would be so darling together. And Hermione? She says she is single, but those sated expressions she was always wearing at Hogwarts says otherwise. Oh Hermione Granger, we find you... I am so going to find out what you've been hiding this year! Her worried frown twitched to a small smirk at the thought as she pushed her worry aside and focused at the task at hand.
Unfortunately Severus wasn't having as much luck as Miss Weasley was at pushing his worry aside. His broom or rather the Weasley's broom that he borrowed felt awkward in his grasp. All he could do was focus on the task at hand. Not even during the height of Riddle's reign did he ever feel this anxious. Who ever had you, Hermione, they are going to pay! Gripping his broom handle tighter he pushed forward.
They reached the edge of the woods where the fog seemed to be slowly creeping out of. The group stopped to figure out their next move.
"Let's do a sweep of the woods." Ginny suggested.
"It's still a bit dark. We wouldn't be able to see much." Arthur offered.
"Are magical or what?" Ginny snapped at her father for which then she quickly apologized for. "I'm just saying that there aren't many Muggles who live near this woods. We could use magic for light and try to find them that way."
"Severus?" Arthur asked looking for his opinion. Despite his snarky persona Arthur knew Snape was a good man.
"Yes, let's do a quick sweep. We'll use lights, but let's move slowly." Severus said.
"Oi! I'm the Auror here, shouldn't I be the one making suggestions." Dawlish cried out.
Severus wanted to punch the little miscreant in the face, but chose instead to use his words. "Strange you expected us to listen to you since you never fought in the Final Battle and when Riddle took control of the Ministry you just rolled over like a dog. So we figured since we have experience dealing with Death Eaters more than you. We would lead the search."
Sputtering with anger he choked, "But she's barely of age."
"And fought more Death Eaters than you." Arthur defended Ginny.
Suddenly they heard a loud snap of a twig. Something was out there. Wands at the ready they dismounted their brooms. The dark woods was beginning to clear with the early dawn as they heard another snap. Arthur pulled Ginny behind him, but gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he did so. Ginny was alert and ready, but took a moment to smile at the loving protection her father was offering.
Severus without a sound pointed to his left as he thought that was where the sound was coming from. Ready to with a stunning spell on his lips, he raised his wand as he heard another snap get closer.
A dark figure began to appear. Severus and Dawlish had their wands ready for anything. Ginny peaked in front of her father as her eyes widened.
"Hermione!" she shouted running towards a dirty, limping, and tired Hermione. Severus let out a tremendous sigh. His eyes sought hers, but she was too busy being hugged by Ginny to notice. Something is wrong. He thought.
TBC
AN: I hope you all weren't too terribly mad at me for teasing you with that last chapter, but I just thought it'd be nice to have a brief Tonks and Remus moment. I didn't always care for them as a couple, but I think it has more to do with the fact that JK didn't give them enough attention than the pairing itself. I like how I wrote Ginny. I wanted her to be much stronger than JK made her. She grew up with all brothers. Those girls are tough! I think after the Final Battle she would have been unwilling to stay on the sidelines. And did anyone else feel that JK had elements of stereotypical sexist roles in her stories, or is it just me?
*Anyone guess where this line comes from? Give you a hint... it's a British Actor!