Once again- MournfulSeverity stands as the source of inspiration. In her very first review of the first chapter of "Love Empowered Empathy- Prologue," she had mentioned the word "Obscurial". That got me researching like a mad hare. Thoughts of "venom" and some sequel of "Spiderman" flooded my mind. And with the emotionally loaded "Mute" and the huge fantastic tale weaving in the backdrop of "Love Empowered Empathy"- Baby's Breath was quietly born in one of my sleepless nights. I hope against hope I shall not disappoint my readers.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, but my thoughts of AU and OC, the rest all belong to J K Rowling. This mind lives in the Harry Potter fanfiction world though this body is still thankfully anchored in the monotonous reality of existence. The stories I write can indirectly influenced by many of the brilliant fanfiction writers on this site. And I humbly bow to such creative genius who give me much needed literary pleasures to see through the toils of mundane life. Lastly, I don't have a beta, so please be merciful. Reviews would encourage this introvert writer to peep out of her literary closet. My very first attempt at writing a Snape and Hermione and Dramione fanfiction ever.
Chapter 17
As he had inched closer to the thestral enclosure, his keen senses had picked up someone talking in whispers from within. Drawing his wand out, Headmaster Severus Snape had crept close to the threshold. A very familiar scene greeted him from the shadows. Almost all of the adult thestrals were gathered at the other end of the enclosure. One Neville Longbottom was propped up against a barrier post near to the exit. And the baby thestral had snuggled close to him. He had his wand tip light with a dim glow, and he was reading a journal of herbology, by the indistinct words that Severus could make out. Fang, Hagrid's boarhound dog, was sleeping close to the wizard and the foal.
But there were other noises coming from behind. Heavy footsteps could be heard over the dried twigs and fallen leaves. Slowly, he had turned. He could now make out the heavy frame of Hagrid closing towards the magical creatures' enclosures. Deciding not to disturb the others inside, he had started walking towards the lumbering half-giant.
Hagrid had noticed the Headmaster standing at the threshold of the thestral enclosure. The fact that he had finally returned, meant he would have some good news about the formidable Hermione Granger.
"'H'llo, Headmaster."
"Hagrid".
"Er, sorry Sir, I got late, could not find a free owl, from the nearest owlery to carry my message…can't believe sir…Headmaster, I was meanin to ask, how 's H'mione?"
"We have Miss Lovegood, Mr Longbottom and our newest addition to the thestral herd to thank, Hagrid. It is indeed a commendable news; she is not all lost to the dark forces. There is hope."
"Can't believe Laufey couldn't make it…she was so quiet after giving birth to the babe…but thank you sir…you took good care…though Longbottom, says the babe had stopped feeding…cried and cried…till..."
Sniffing into his big table cloth handkerchief, the gameskeeper, sobbed.
Amused at the Norse names, Severus had thought for a moment till he recalled how one wayward half-blood Slytherin had shown a rather promising affinity for the study of Magical creatures, potions, and herbology. A rather rare combination, but he could still remember a few scholars in the previous centuries who displayed such varied interest.
"Fitting names indeed."
Severus had paused for a moment, then sighing deeply he had continued. "Please be aware, we would have esteemed guests arriving in the dead of the night. And please send Mr. Longbottom back to the castle. His presence would also be required."
"Guests, you say, sir?"
"Gringotts Goblins."
"Aw! Goblins! At Hogwarts!"
"Hagrid, I would like to trust you on this just like Albus did."
"Don't worry sir, will see them up to the castle."
"Headmaster, Ye, I trust you would heal up Hermione, you surely can. Got my faith in you."
Nodding once, Snape had finally made his way back to the castle. He would need a pepper up potion, for the nagging headache, he had so long been ignoring. Goblins, indeed, the shrewdest magical beings to deal with. Of course, he needed to be alert. He had a feeling of Deja vu as if once again, his espionage skills were going to be tested.
Ginny Potter had done quite a lot of crying, weeping, wailing and thrashing around the Borrow. And through each episode of emotional outburst, Molly Weasley had baked her daughter's favorite lemon tarts, lemon crème sandwich cookies, lemon crumb cupcakes, and lemon herb pie…Well! Anything that had lemon in it, could subdue the pregnant woman. And the exhausted Mrs. Potter was now propped up on her parent's bed. Large cartoons of tissue papers where kept stock one above the other on one side. Red in the face, red eyes, red nose, and puffy cheeks. Her father had dared to console her but soon had to retreat, when the witch had spelled several pillows to chase her father around the house knocking at his head.
Molly had tutted and George and Percy had thought it wise to stay way from Ginny for the rest to the day. The surviving twin though had sent few boxes of tissues for his sister. Each of them was spelled to read, "Potter Stinks".
The buzzing sound was still there, and Ginny was once again filling like trashing everything around. Taking a deep breath, she had yelled for her mother.
"Mum, shut it, will you!"
The Weasley matriarch had entered the room, with a tray of freshly baked lemon cupcakes.
"Oh! Gin, shut what?"
That buzzing noise, from under the bed."
"Under the what…"
Quickly placing the tray on the bed, the old woman had dropped on her fours, shifting the ends of the bedsheets, she had gasped.
"Mum, what are you doing, what is it?"
Pulling out an old case, Molly had gingerly held it in her hands. Ginny, curious, had made space on the bed. The lemon cupcakes and her endless mood swings forgotten for the time being. The case was glowing with blue light. The mother had looked up at her daughter. Then had quickly got up from the bed, stepping back, making sure she was at some safe distance from her.
Suspicious at her mother's strange behavior, the young woman tentatively urged, "Mum, what is it?"
"Ginevra Potter, you will not leave this bed, you will not leave this room, and sssh, no argument."
Molly had walked out of the room, apprehensive of her new burden, and had locked the door with some of the strongest locking spells she had ever learnt. Ignoring her daughter screaming again on top of her voice from the other side of the door, she had gone back to the kitchen. Placing the case on top of the dinner table, she had indecisively rubbed her plump hands together. It was close to diner and her boys would soon be back. Arthur had finally got rid of those headbanging pillows and was busy in the garage, with his muggle appliances.
The buzzing sound was nagging at her magical essence, and without wasting another moment, she had removed the latch and had opened lid wide. Inside was a journal, old leather-bound. It was Lily's, Harry's mother's.
After the death of the Potters' and Harry's disappearance from the Magical world, she was quite bewildered, when she had received a summoning letter from the Gringotts.
Accompanied but Arthur, she had gone the very next day and was received by Griphook. The goblin had made both the husband and the wife sign a bond of secrecy, and had handed over the case, with the words, "Mrs. Lily Potter wanted you to have it." They were ushered out of the bank in no time.
Apparating back to the Burrows, the mother of four boys, had opened the case, where she had found a letter from lily, kept above the journal. It read:
"Dear Molly,
If you are reading this letter, then I can assume, I must have died in this bloody battle we are fighting. Keep this journal safe and secure. The case has a charm of its own, and it can recognize you as its keeper. On one else will ever find it, unless, you have assigned someone in your absence to be its keeper. What is inside with most previous. Keep it safe, keep it hidden. It will find its owner when the time comes.
Much love,
yours,
Lily.
Picking up the bound book, like those many years before, she once again tried to flip through its pages. But wasn't demoralized when the next pages won't allow her to flip through. The cover still had the age-old words written on it in Lily's floral cursive handwriting,
"The tear of the child will wake me up,
the magic of the child will call me forth,
and you shall know for whom,
I am preserving the story written within my pages."
She was about to close the cover when the journal started writing the following letters on its own.
"Benevolent Keeper,
take me to Severus Snape,
the Headmaster of Hogwarts."
Her hands flew to cover her mouth. "Merlin's pants! Merlin's beard! Snape, it was always Snape."
The Floo connection had come to life and she could hear the voice of her eldest son Bill Weasley, calling her.
"Mum, Dad, Gin…'m back."
Picking up the case and storing the journal within, the mother had got her coat and had rushed to her son.
"Bill, son, good, you are back, how is Hermione?"
"She is better," then carefully peering at her, her son had been doubtful, "Mum, is everything fine? Gin's fine, right? Harry is still at Hogwarts…the Headmaster…"
"Yes! Where is Snape?"
"At Hogwarts."
"Good, that is good." She had gathered the floo powder from over the mantle, then turning to her surprised son, she had ordered, "George will be back, tell your father to stay back and keep Ginny company. Dinner is ready, I might be late."
Kneeling in front of the fireplace, she had clearly spoken the Deputy Headmistress's name. After waiting a couple of seconds, she had put her head in the green flames.
"Deputy Headmistress, Minerva, are you there?"
The older witch had been pacing in her chambers having dismissed her colleague, the repenting Lupin and Flitwick, moments ago. She had been surprised to see, Molly Weasley, peeping out of her fireplace.
"Molly, hello, has something happening? Shall I send for Mr. Potter?"
Shaking her head, the Weasley matriarch had pressed on, "The matter is urgent, I need to speak to you, in private, now."
Shocked at the others pleading voice, the older witch had given her assent. In moments, Molly had entered the Hogwarts chambers of her former transfiguration professor. Walking up to her, she had grabbed hold of her hand and had asked vehemently, "Take me to Severus, I have something that belongs to him. He must have it, Now."
"Molly, you look worried, I would have taken you to the Headmaster myself, but we would be busy tonight, there are errands…"
Shaking her head in disagreement, Mrs. Wealsey had pressed on, drawing the other's attention to the case she had been carrying with her, "You don't understand…though, it is just my guess, that This, all this, everything has to do with Hermione and Severus. I can't say much…Minerva, can I trust you with a secret…"
"Yes, Molly you can, what is it, I don't really understand…?"
Pointing at the case in her hand, molly had continued, "Lily had left this to me, according to her will. It contains a journal. Arthur can't see it, but I can. I would guess neither would you be able to see it. But today, just a while ago, it had started buzzing and a blue glow has coming out of it. It has been years, and I had completely forgotten about it. You see, there are instructions written on the cover page,
"The tear of the child will wake me up,
the magic of the child will call me forth,
and you shall know for whom,
I am preserving the story written within my pages."
And today, I could read another line below it…
"Benevolent Keeper,
take me to Severus Snape,
the Headmaster of Hogwarts."
Minerva had stared at her former Gryffindor student, in rapt attention, and then had walked up to the door,
"The headmaster might still be out on the grounds, but with guests coming in, I think he would soon be back to his chambers, come along Molly, bring that case with you, we might as well wait for him at the entrance to his office."
Hagrid is such an emotional bundle of goodness, but Snape could not shrug off the feeling of being so openly appreciated. He had now started feeling more uncomfortable. With the number of people relying on him and his magic finesse, he was feeling the pressure of all those years gathering its weight over his soul.
When he had finally made up to his headmaster's chambers Nigellas Black's portrait had called him out. "Severus! Boy, you took long." "Hello, Headmaster Black."
The man in the portrait had nodded in appreciation. But his smug face had soon softened and even in this dim-lit room, Snape could make out the lines of worry etched out over the long-dead man. The most unpopular headmaster in the history of Hogwarts, Sirius Black's Ancestor, had next, asked him the oddest question, "How is she doing? They don't keep portraits in that blasted corridor. Madam Dilys Derwent could only overhear you all from the portrait that hangs next to Healer Norman's chamber. Smart lass that one. Severus, you must not lose hope, fight for her, that one is a fighter through and through, your girl."
A/N: Thank you for the reviews and the visits. It is heartwarming to see Baby's Breath having so much appreciation and acknowledgment. Yes, I know, all of you are waiting for the Big Reveal. Yup, that is on its way. Just a few chapters (1-2) then MuHAHAHA, we will see the dam break! Yup, Dam, because making the big and might Snape crumble down is no easy task. I would need some prayers coming from you all, this man is truly giving me quite a lot of trouble. Well! that goes for all men, now, isn't it? ;)
