A.N.: Hello my lovely readers! Thank you again for all your lovely and motivating comments. The help me find the energy to sit down and write after a full day of work. I hope you're all doing well, where ever you are. Are you still feeling isolated? If so, I hope this story helps you forget and feel better for a little while. Stay strong. We can do this!
Chapter 51: Like a true Slytherin
Hermione had barely finished writing her second exam of the day when she heard lots of noise and screams coming from somewhere outside of the room. There was screaming and she could have sworn to hear the bangs and roars of spellfire somewhere in the distance. She could help but turn towards the door with a nervous feeling in her stomach. What was happening outside? Was that Severus? Or Voldemort? Did he use the chance to take over the ministry, while she sat her OWLs?
"Are you finished, Miss?" the white-haired man in front of her asked in an almost bored tone. Wasn't he worried about the noises coming from outside? Hermione looked at him in confusion and a growing sense of concern.
"Not yet, Sir. I was just worried about what's going on outside…" she said worryingly.
"If you're not finished, then keep on writing. You have one more hour until I am collecting your exams, so I suggest you don't let yourself get distracted," he said without a hint of worry in his voice. "The master will come and get you when he's finished outside."
The master? Merlin, this Ministry official was a Death Eater, too. How many of them were there? And what did he mean, when the master was finished? Finished with what?
She looked around the room with an analysing gaze. Should she try getting away now, that everyone else at the Ministry seemed occupied? How good were her chances to take out that unknown Death Eater in a duel?
"Don't even think about it, little girl," he replied as if he had read her thoughts. They probably weren't hard to guess. "The master has sealed this door himself. Only he can get us out. So keep on writing if you please."
Hermione cursed inwardly. How was Severus to even find her in this chaos? And how should he ever get her out of here? And how could she get away with cursing the asshole for calling her a 'little girl'?
Ssssssss
Severus arrived too late to be able to enter the exam room without being noticed, which left him with no other choice than waiting outside and watching everything around him.
There were at least five other Death Eaters nearby, watching the room and especially the brown-haired guy, that was waiting somewhere in the middle of the room. It wasn't hard to guess his identity for somebody like Severus. Dumbledore interestingly was nowhere to be seen. Where was the old goat? What had he planned?
Somewhere in the background, Severus spotted a few other order members but they, too, seemed to be watching the whole scene cautiously. Did Dumbledore leave them any orders?
Finally, the exams were over and a crowd of students walked outside. At first, Hermione was nowhere to be seen, but finally, Severus spotted her, nervously walking on the Headmaster's arm. That was until his master stepped forward and started attacking them vigorously. The Dark Lord's powers were impressive and when that duel showed something then, it was that he and Dumbledore played in a league of their own. No matter how little he liked it, if they wanted to take his master down one day, they would need Dumbledore's help. Because there was no one else who equalled him in raw magical power. What had those two wizards done to have it in such abundance? He could guess it for the Dark Lord, of course, as he had studied dark magic and dark rituals. But Dumbledore? One wasn't born with such an amount of power. It had to be captured or earned. What was the man hiding?
Still, Dumbledore was an idiot, Severus thought while staring down at the chaos he and the Dark Lord had left behind. Duelling the Dark Lord in the middle of the Ministry was a brash move and Severus might have been able to forgive him if he hadn't endangered Hermione by doing so. Why didn't he simply apparate away with his blasted phoenix? As soon as the deglamour hit his master, Severus knew why. Dumbledore had used the chance to expose the Dark Lord, which was a remarkable feat in a full duel. It left his master with no other option than porting away when the Aurors started joining the fight. Severus should have felt relieved, as Dumbledore's plan had obviously worked, but somehow the feeling remained, that something wasn't right here. Would the Dark Lord have Hermione given up that lightly? There had been protections on the girl when she had been to Malfoy Manor of all places and still, the old goat was able to touch her without problems. Bellatrix had been cursed terribly with a simple touch and yet here was the headmaster was holding the girl on his arm and nothing had happened. Why hadn't she been more protected? The man was obsessed with her, after all, she should have been unapproachable. Something was wrong here, he just didn't know what. When he saw Dumbledore taking Hermione away he swore that he would find out - soon.
Ssssssss
Hermione had just finished her seconds and last written exam of the day and handed it over to the grey-haired Death Eater when she saw him pull up his sleeve and touch his Dark Mark with his wand. Hermione had never seen anybody do it, she had never once seen the Dark Mark, to begin with as not even Severus had ever shown it to her. But as soon as the wand tip touched the blackened skin, it was like the thing was suddenly awake and reacting to the touch. Hermione shuddered as she thought about the possible implications of that.
It didn't take long until the door was opened and a dark blonde wizard stepped inside, that looked almost her age. Still, Hermione would always recognize that look in his eyes as there was only one person who looked at her like that.
"I see you were able to finish your first two exams," he said with a little smile on his now red lips.
Hermione nodded with a sigh. "What happened outside. I heard screams and…"
He shook his head with a smile. "Don't worry, my Dear. You'll learn everything you want to know during dinner. You must be starving."
With that, he offered her his hand to ring her back to her prison. Hermione took it with a sigh. As long as Severus didn't come for her, there wasn't anything she could do. But her friend would come for her, he had given her his word.
It was almost two hours later when Hermione sat down at the dinner table in Voldemort's manor. As soon as they had been back to the house he had lifted the glamour he had placed on her and Hermione used the next hour to freshen up and rest her tired eyes for some minutes while lying on her bed. But she needed to know what happened and Voldemort had promised her answers.
He, too, was back to his old looks watching her with those unsettling, red eyes. But Hermione preferred them to the other, more harmless-looking versions she had seen today, as they reminded her that this man had lost his humanity long ago. She did not wish to see the perfect mirage that hid the vile man beneath it.
"You have questions," he said, studying her with a knowing smile, while his food remained untouched on his plate.
"What happened today at the ministry?" she asked immediately, her own plate still empty as her stomach was in knots from worrying about Severus. Had he been found out? Killed? She occluded those thoughts quickly, no need to get sloppy. "I could tell there was a fight and people seemed incredibly nervous as we left."
"I imagine they were. Your Headmaster chose to reveal my presence to the wizarding world, as we were engaged in a little quarrel about his new-found protégé." He looked at her with a smug grin. "Fortunately the man is a Gryffindor which makes him easy to play. I'm sure Bella will have her fun with him in the castle, while he tried to gain her trust and sympathy."
Hermione looked at him with wide eyes, as the puzzle pieces slowly fell in place. And she didn't like the picture they were forming. Horror was warring with a cold numbness that threatened to engulf her.
"Dumbledore thinks she's me, doesn't he?" she asked, suddenly feeling nauseous.
Voldemort nodded while looking at her with a smug expression that she desperately wanted to smack off. "He does."
"Why? How?" Hermione continued shaking her head in confusion.
He chuckled. "As it comes your wand was registered with the Ministry this morning and a girl, very much looking like you entered the exam room some minutes later. Polyjuice is a wonderful invention, especially when it comes to placing my servants right under Dumbledore's nose."
"You planned this right from the beginning, didn't you?" Hermione asked, finally understanding why the man had agreed to let her go to the ministry in the first place. This was never just about her being able to take her exams, she realized, and even though she had never really trusted or liked that man sitting with her at the table, she still felt somehow… disappointed by the realization that he had used her wish to make her owls for his own benefit.
"It won't work," she finally said stubbornly. "Somebody will notice it's not me. My friends have known me for years..."
Voldemort nodded. "Probably. But she only needs to stay undetected for a few days, right? There's only four more days of OWL exams ahead of us before Bella can do what I sent her into the castle for. Four days where everybody in the castle is busy with exams too and not think twice about Hermione Granger retreating behind her books. Aren't I right, my Dear?" At those words, his smile turned almost gleeful.
Hermione shuddered. He was right. In the past years, Hermione could have been easily confused with a madwoman during exam times, not to forget that everybody would know that she had been Voldemort's prisoner for weeks. Nobody would think twice about her acting strangely after that experience.
She cursed inwardly. Four days. How long would it take Severus to realize the Hermione at the castle was a fraud? Would it be soon enough to still get her away from her jailer? Or soon enough to prevent whatever Voldemort had ordered Bellatrix Lestrange to do? She could only hope so because she had the feeling that there would be blood flowing if the mad witch got the chance to do, what she was sent into the castle for.
Hermione let her mind blank out as she stared at the smug bastard in front of her. Something in her expression must have clued him in that she was not happy with him at the moment. She needed to contact Severus, she needed him to know it wasn't her and to warn her friends. That mad bitch could do so much damage as her. She needed to contact Severus and she knew what would bring him back in contact with her but for now, she would make the feared Dark Lord know she was not to be messed with. Screw caution, it was time for some Gryffindor brashness mixed with Slytherin cunning.
"I see," she said tonelessly and watched as his smug look disappeared.
"I merely used the situation to my advantage, my dear," Voldemort said carefully.
"Oh, I see that," Hermione replied. "I had a long day. I think I will turn in early tonight." She said while looking him in the eye, she made sure he could barely glimpse her anger. Something she had in spades.
"Are you sure, my Dear? You didn't even touch your dessert, yet," he tried, pointing at the chocolate mousse she usually ate in the evenings.
"Pretty sure. As it comes I have lost my appetite," Hermione replied and rose from the table. "If you'll excuse me. Tomorrow will be a long day." She didn't wait for his answer, as she couldn't look at him any longer without trying to hex him. Instead, she rushed to her room and threw herself on the bed, before she started screaming into her pillow. Merlin, she hated that man with a passion. One day she would get her revenge, she swore to herself as her tears started to soak the pillow. One day she'd make that bastard pay.
Ssssssss
The Open Link was finally back at Hogwarts, where she belonged. For now, he had convinced her to move into one of Hogwarts private rooms, away from the dorm for the students. Tom had without question traumatized the girl which gave him enough leeway to justify such a decision, should it be second-guessed by someone. But hopefully, that would not happen. He'd have to keep an eye on Severus, as the man would want to see his friend sooner or later. That teacher was a true Slytherin which most likely meant that he merely used the girl for his own profit instead of having really befriended her. Severus was not known for maintaining friendships or being even interested in them. There was Lily Potter of course, but that had been in the man's childhood and he still clung to that woman like it meant a difference after so many years of her being dead. It was useless to mourn the dead or regret one's decisions concerning their past, Albus had learned that lesson as a young adult.
It might take a while until the girl would trust him. Therefore he'd have to try keeping her separate and distracted as long as possible. Luckily the girl was known to strive for knowledge and that was something he could offer her in abundance. The less contact she had with Severus and her Gryffindor friends, the better for now.
Ssssssss
Fred and George had not heard of Snape or Hermione for the rest of the day. They had waited in the common room until long after midnight, but their hope that their friend would return that night was not fulfilled. Had Snape been too late to get her from the Ministry? Or had his appearance at the Ministry disrupted Dumbledore's plans and therefore let the whole rescue mission fail? They didn't know but the possibilities of what could have gone wrong haunted them until deep into the night.
They had barely reached the breakfast table the next morning when they suddenly saw her entering the Great Hall. She looked exactly like they remembered her with her bushy brown hair framing her face like a halo.
Hermione was back, Snape had really done it, he had brought her back to them. Maybe they should really stop complaining about the old dungeon bat.
"Hermione!" the chorussed, leaping from their seats and dashing towards their witch. She was their witch, they decided, especially after reading Sirius' book. They just needed to find some undisturbed and relaxed moments to explain everything to her and hope that her feelings towards them had changed as little as their own.
"Hello boys," she said her eyes dashing hastily back and forth between the two of them. For a moment she seemed hesitant, but finally, she smiled which was enough for them to pull her into a four-armed hug.
"Gods, you're back," George murmured into her hair inhaling her scent. Somehow it was different now, he realized, filing that fact away for later. "I can't believe he got you back, Hermione. Are you alright?"
She pulled back and looked at him with searching eyes. He plastered a happy, reassuring smile on his face. "' 's alright if you don't want to talk about it," he said before Harry and Ron suddenly appeared at their side to pull Hermione into a hug themselves. Fred and George couldn't help but watch their girl while she listened to the boy's apologies and exclaims of relief over her safe return. She patiently listened to them but still, George had the unmistakable feeling that Hermione had changed. Her eyes seemed somehow colder and more distant and seemed to constantly analyse her room around her. What had she experienced during the last weeks that made her this watchful?
"Sorry guys, but if you don't mind I'd like to take a look at those books before the exam today. Didn't have much time to go over them, lately…" she said, stepping back from the four friends.
"You're still doing the exams today?" Ron asked her with wide eyes. "Are you mad?"
Hermione looked at him for a long moment, something flashing behind her eyes at his words. And somehow her look made George's hairs in his neck stand up in alarm. But then the look was gone and Hermione's caramel brown eyes stared at their brother in amusement.
"Of course I'm doing those exams, you know how hard I've worked towards them."
Ron nodded with a sigh. "Course I know that, Mione. It's just that Dumbledore would surely let them repeat at a later point after what you've been through."
The others nodded eagerly. But Hermione brushed Ron's comment off with an amused smile.
"Possibly," she said before turning away from them. "But I assure you I'm alright. So if you'll excuse me for now."
She rushed to the other end of the Gryffindor table, sitting down with a bit of distance from the other students before opening one of her books and burying herself behind it. Fred and George watched her go with a confused expression.
"Why do I get the impression she's avoiding us?" Fred asked, studying their girl with a worried expression.
Harry, next to him, shrugged. "She's probably been through a lot. Or she's simply mad at us for bringing her into that situation in the first place. I couldn't even blame her for it." He said trying to make sense of her behaviour as well.
Ron hummed in agreeance. George sighed. Their little brother was probably right. Still, he and Fred wouldn't give up until they could talk to her properly. If there was something wrong with her, she needed to talk about it. Otherwise, those memories would slowly destroy her and Fred and George would not let that happen.
Ssssssss
Severus was not able to visit Hermione that evening. The Headmaster kept her away from everybody and as Severus tried to avoid unwanted attention as much as possible, he had to wait until the next day to even take a look at her. During breakfast, she entered the Great Hall surprisingly late for her, compared to her habits before her capture by the Dark Lord, but the dark circles under her eyes probably spoke of some sleepless nights during the past days. He watched her carefully, as she strode through the Great Hall, her eyes resting on the Slytherin table for a long moment before she walked towards the Gryffindor table with a hesitant smile on her lips. It took a moment before she was recognized by her housemates, but then the table erupted in agitated shouts and cheers. Only moments later Potter and three redheads were surrounding her and took turns in pulling her into their arms. Severus had to suppress a flicker of jealousy at that display of affection. But then he noticed Hermione's distanced behaviour towards her friends. That wasn't like her at all. Sure, she had every reason to be mad at those idiots, but Hermione loved her friends and especially those twins. Why was she so desperate to get away from them? And why was she suddenly so willingly submitting herself to Dumbledore's machinations? Hadn't those past weeks taught her anything?
Severus watched her sitting down away from all the other Gryffindors, avoiding the agitated chatter around her while hiding behind her books. Once her eyes darted towards him but instead the warm or questioning look he had expected in them, there was only cold calculation. He shivered. Hermione Granger had never looked at him like that and Severus was pretty sure she never would. Through their link, she could still feel her affection and friendship towards him, mixed with fear and uneasiness. That girl on the Gryffindor table emanated none of those feelings, not even remotely. This could only mean two things, Severus realized. Either Hermione had gotten an even better actor during the last weeks, or the girl sitting there was, in fact, someone entirely different. The question was just: who?