Chapter 43: Quite The Conundrum

{A/N: Here's Another Update...}

My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers Enjoy -S.S

The Potions Classroom, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Pondering in darkness had become something of a habit for Severus Snape as he found himself doing just that in the wake of his interest in the strange tome Dumbledore had taken measures to keep from his view. The prospect of anything being of such great importance that the Headmaster had elected to keep it to himself had been baffling. He'd been at the old fool's command for years and now this new set of circumstances brought a good deal of doubt when it came to dealing with him. For the first time since he'd defected from the death eater ranks, Snape felt mistrust in terms of the Headmaster's dealings.

There was most definitely something important in that tome the old man was hiding and if it were as bad as he believed, the Potions Professor figured he could use it as leverage against him if he ever came to the conclusion that Hermione realized whom she had truly been. Snape had no intention of losing his wife a second time and he developed a great many skills which had been honed over the years she'd been absent. The failure to protect her and their unborn child in the past would not be repeated, even if he had to take on the Headmaster himself to ensure he'd never lose her again.

As The Potions Master paced the floor still unable to fathom the reason the old man believed it necessary to separate him from his wife in the first place. He had no doubt in his mind that it might have had something to do with their strange abilities, but the extent of which was never defined.

Once more Snape's mind drifted back to the strange tome in Dumbledore's office. He knew the old fool kept it in his desk, hiding it the moment he realized he'd not been alone and it only served to increase the brooding wizard's curiosity about it's very nature.

"What else are you hiding from me old man?" said Snape more to himself as he continued to think on it.

The issue with the strange tome played over and over in his mind only he had noticed something about it that he had not registered before. It was as if it had been trying to get his attention, glowing as it had as if to cry out to him. Dumbledore must have noticed it as well due to his swift decision to lock it away and keep it from his view.

None of this made any sense to the Potions Master as he became increasingly frustrated about the possibility of Dumbledore's already vast deception having reached new heights. The angry wizard had not known how long he'd been taken for a fool, but it was more than enough to induce his rage given what he had managed to uncover in his own right.

As Snape's fist slammed against the surface of his desk, he had become aware that he had a visitor. Much to his relief it had been none other than Hermione as she made her way over toward him. She knew he'd been upset about something but the extent of it had been kept from her.

"Severus?" she said approaching him rather cautiously.

Snape turned his attention to his de-aged wife, his dark eyes ablaze in the wake of his fury as the familiar glow reminiscent of black flames had been behind them. Without reply, he moved swiftly from his desk and scooped the young witch into his arms desperate to be near her as he'd always been.

The instant he held her, the young witch's body had been set ablaze. Her inflamed eyes continued to be fixated upon the flame engulfed wizard. No words need to have been spoken as their eagerness saw to a series of heated kisses and the older wizard pinning the gasping young woman to the door with the weight of his ebony clad form.

Hermione knew she and Snape shouldn't be indulging so close to Dumbledore and Harry but the need for him had quelled even her most persistent node of self-preservation in that moment. She had no fear that he'd turn away from her in favor of the likes of Sirius Black but the implication of what his rage could do once he found out what occurred was more than enough to give her cause for worry.

She pulled away from him at the last moment getting his undivided attention.

"Severus, you need to control your temper." she said stroking his sallow pale cheek. "Whatever is upsetting you is making the castle tremble."

Snape's eyes widened and the flames dissipated. He had been caught off guard by her words as he stepped away from her needing to get control of his emotions. He never figured slamming his fist into a desk would shake the hard oak desk let alone the whole castle.

"I..." he began baffled by what she had informed him. "I wasn't aware that I had that kind of effect."

Hermione sighed looking him over.

"I think it has something to do with our abilities...the ones related to being a Psijic Phoenix." she deduced.

Snape nodded in agreement.

"That's would certainly explain it." he replied moving toward his desk and plopping into his chair. "It would seem that emotion plays a vast role in the use of said abilities and as a result the outcome of their use can be detrimental."

The Potions Master sighed quelling the last of his fury before looking over the young witch before him. He had been quite grateful to her timing but didn't in the least fool himself into thinking that Dumbledore had been ignorant of what happened and that he remained oblivious to suspicion as a result of it.

"You have my thanks for your untimely intervention." said Snape shifting his focus to other matters. "But without cause for being in my presence it will only bring the old man sniffing about."

Hermione nodded understanding that she needed to make herself scarce. Still she hated that she'd have to leave him, knowing how upset he'd been.

"We'll make time." he said reading her mind before she took her leave of him. "I promise."

"I'll hold you to it." she replied before making her way out of the classroom and the dungeons as quickly as possible.

Snape turned his attention to the stack of parchments that had been on his desk. The long process of grading classwork wasn't going to be done itself, and for the first time in a long time, he'd been pleased to have the distraction.