Was it really him? Yes. She was positive about her eyesight. It was him. Even though he slightly lacked his regular rigidness and determination in his appearance, it was still him. How she missed such important information of the war?

She launched herself in the couch, groaning. It was her big mistake. She was too carried away with her own grief that she forgot to follow the happenings around her. How could he be alive after his terrible injuries? Not that, she was disappointed with his survival. She was just shocked on the fact. She remembered the last time she saw her professor. The scene was brutal…

They were in the middle of a battle; the air was filled in bright strikes of hexes and curses. Screams of people echoed in her ears. She was on her way to the Shrieking Shack silently following Harry. In between their vigorous fight, Harry had somehow separated from the field and was hurrying outside the castle. She followed him soon without alerting him. Whatever Harry was after now, he might need a helping hand. And she should be there on time. When Harry was inside the tree, she crawled near the window. The sight she got through the window cannot be described in mere words. Harry was there on the bloodied floor holding someone in his arms. The scene didn't give Hermione much hope on the survival of the person Harry was holding. It seemed impossible for the person to hold when this much blood was drained from his system. He would need blood replenishing potion in time and a lot of it. Hermione believed that whoever it was, they surely do not deserve this end.

Who was it? She could see the dark, most probably black robes on the person. She prayed for the person not to be the one who came to her mind once she saw those robes. Harry slowly placed the person on the floor. He pocketed a small vial he was holding in his blood soaked hands. Now the injured person was visible to her direction. It was him, her professor. Harry stood there for a moment; watching the professor one last time with concern and hastened outside the room. He was heading towards the castle again.

Hermione went inside the room. There he was; Professor Severus Snape… Lying on the floor surrounded in the pool of his blood, motionless. Tears welled up in Hermione's eyes. She rushed near him and checked for the pulse; it was there… but slowly fading. She searched for her potion supplies in her beaded bag. Anything… Just anything that could make him hold on a little longer. She administered him the anti-venom and the blood replenisher she had found in her supplies, though he was completely unconscious. What else she could do… her mind raced. She took out her wand and carefully muttered the healing incantations she remembered, pointing her wand to his nearly torn neck. She expected at least some healing or a stop in his bleeding. Alas, there was nothing. The blood still gushed out of his fresh wound. Hermione panicked; with the healing charms not working and bleeding this way, he would hardly make it. She tried the incantations again and again on him, hoping it would work at least once. But there was no any improvement.

"Professor…. Professor please… please, Open your eyes…" She mumbled. There was no reaction from him.

"Please don't go away… please… I'll help you…" She brought her trembling hands to his face and gently touched him. He gave nothing as a sign that he could hear her. No. This should not happen, not now, not in her presence. She checked for his pulse again; he was barely there. Her heart was broken over his fate. She tried her incantations over and over as there was nothing she can do and she definitely not going to give up now. But all of a sudden she saw a slight movement under his eyelids. She looked into him with hope… He very slowly opened his eyes. At first, his look seemed unfocused and it finally came upon her. She was taken back by the intensity of his gaze. For a moment, she thought that she was dreaming it all; that he was never injured in the first place.

Then it all came to her sense, he was not moving at all. His pulse had dropped entirely; his eyes fixed on her. Hermione couldn't hold it back anymore; she wept. The realization of loss burned her heart. He was her teacher. He was not nice, not a perfect being, not even once acknowledged her hard work in the class. But she was certain that he was also not evil; not as most of them thought him to be. After all, she respected him for his knowledge and his skills. After witnessing the past events, she now respected him for his bravery. This was not fair… She cried over his demise and her inability to save him. She stayed there until she heard the loud noise of shattering Hogwarts shield; the very one they constructed to guard their school. She needed to go…

When she gathered herself to get back to the castle, she stopped for an instant. She waved her wand in silence. A beautiful bunch of Lilies appeared from the end of her wand and floated to his sides. Then she headed outside; after all his struggles, the professor could finally rest in peace, she bitterly regarded.

The memory was so fresh that she could feel the wetness in her eyes when thinking about the incident after this many months. She was so certain that professor Snape was dead when she left. And apart from that, nobody told her about his survival in the war. Well, she didn't ask for the information either. After Harry defeated Voldemort, everything went still in her world. Yes. She was so busy with tending to Ron and the Weasleys until Ron made that decision. And after having that conversation with Ron, she completely shut down herself from the outside world. In between this emotional mess of events, she did not even bother to have a glimpse at the Daily Prophet. Now she desperately wanted the answers.

She politely called upon Kreacher.

"Missy, do you need anything from Kreacher?" The house elf appeared in front of her.

"Yes Kreacher. I would like you to bring all the copies of Daily Prophet you have been stacking for the last few months. Would that be a trouble for you?" She asked.

"No Missy. Kreacher is happy to serve Master Potter's guests." He vanished and came back within seconds carrying heavy bundles of newspapers in his hands.

She received them with care and picked one from the bundle.

"He who must not be named is dead. The boy who lived saves the wizarding community."

"Raise your wands for the fallen. The Minister requests people."

"Hogwarts will be reformed. Headmistress McGonagall states to the prophet. "

There it was, in the corner of the page from a later newspaper.

"Snape is alive.

Severus Snape, the former Potion Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who had been presumed dead in the battle in Hogwarts last month, is now announced alive by the current Headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall. Before McGonagall, Snape was the former headmaster of Hogwarts after the death of renowned wizard Dumbledore. On the day of the battle, he was reported as having a duel with McGonagall in the school premises. Later, he was found severely injured by having bitten by Nagini; the snake belonged to he who must not be named. The former professor was declared dead from the initial analysis done on him by Madame Pomfrey , the school matron. The headmistress refused to explain the deferment of the funeral of Snape along with the other fallen. It was rumored that dark magic may be the reason for her to keep the remains of Snape at Hogwarts for long.

According to the recent interview given by headmistress McGonagall, Snape was affected by a rare curse during the battle which is the cause for the confusions in her claiming of his death. She further said that she was grateful for the contribution done by the healers of st Mungos on Snape's recovery. She declined to give any information on the allegations on Snape about his deeds of being a death eater. It is rumored that he might have been a spy for the Order of Phoenix, an association created by Dumbledore. And also there are rumors of him being romantically involved during his early days with the one Lily Potter, the mother of the boy who lived."

That was unbelievable. A dark curse… It made him to look dead? How powerful the curse was as it clearly deceived her and the well-experienced Madame Pomfrey? And what if they all believed on his death and did something that actually would have killed him…? It might have happened. She shuddered at the thought. Well. It might be possible in dark magic; she definitely was not an expert in that sector. But, a part of her mind said that there must be something more than the dark magic involved in the incident. Because, she still could not forget his eyes… His intense gaze… She was so sure he was not alive when she looked into those eyes. She needed to find out. The only place where she could find the answers for her countless questions was Hogwarts. She promised herself to write to Professor McGonagall about her upcoming visit.

She closed the paper and leaned in the couch. Apart from all these confusions, the last part of the news repelled her. How inconsiderate the reporters had become… Yes. She knew about the bond between professor Snape and Lily Potter. She could empathize with the emotions of her former professor. As far as she understood, he was a very private person. It would affect him to a great extent if he knew that his personal life had become a talk topic for people. And it showed the cruelty of the society, considering what he had sacrificed for the sake of the entire wizarding world. It was correct then; life is not fair for everybody…

The next day, the soft tapping noise on her window woke her up. The reply had come from the headmistress. She lazily went to the window and gave a small treat to the Hogwarts owl. She picked the letter from him and eagerly opened it.

"Dear Hermione,

I received your request on visiting Hogwarts this week. As I already told you, you don't need to ask permission for visiting Hogwarts. The gates are always open for your arrival. And as I am currently on the preparations for the reopening of the school, I had to attend some business at the ministry. Therefore, I won't be able to receive you at Hogwarts when you visit. But, you don't have to worry about it. I already informed the staff members about your visit.

And the floo network is re-established in Hogwarts. So, you can use the floo in my office to enter into the castle.

McGonagall "

She sighed; it would have been better if professor McGonagall was around when she worked on her uncertainties. She desperately wanted to share her thoughts with Harry and Ron; they would have suggested some odd techniques to solve this mystery, which could not be formed in normal minds. She sighed… How much she missed her boys these days…

Would it be okay to investigate on her own, without even the headmistress…? Or could she wait a little longer till professor McGonagall's return to Hogwarts…? Then it came to her mind. She couldn't wait longer. Some of the order members were still residing at Hogwarts and if she got late, she would miss the opportunity of meeting them. And by asking them, she could get a clear account on what happened after her departure at Shrieking Shack. Her curiosity triggered the thought as well…

She changed into her usual attire; a suitable jumpers and a pair of blue jeans. After getting all her belongings ready, Hermione headed to the hearth. Gathering a small pinch of floo powder in her hand, she muttered.

"Hogwarts headmistress office!"

She felt her body spinning and halting in another place. She slowly stepped out of the fireplace, rubbing off the dust from her clothes. Due to the slight dizziness of using the floo and being occupied with her task, she didn't notice the person who was standing in the middle of the office. She startled at hearing his voice suddenly.

"Miss. Granger, I was instructed to help you on your visit at Hogwarts." Professor Snape said while acknowledging her.

She was once again frozen in place. She could now look at the very same eyes. The only difference she found was that they were alive now. He was instructed to help her…? He would definitely throw her out, if he once heard about the purpose of her visit. She panicked.

"I am fascinated that the years of education did not do any good to your lack of manners, Granger."

He snarled.

A/N : I don't own any of the characters. All credits go to J.K.R. I am just a curious fan to play with her wizarding world.

Hi readers... I am very grateful for your warm welcome. I hope this chapter directs you more into the story. I really love to receive your reviews on the chapter. Thanks in advance! Enjoy!