Published 6th of October, 2020
Saturday, 26th of April
Hermione's apartment, Spinner's End
Thank you very much for the second night like this, Hermione thought, struggling to get off the couch.
It was almost five in the morning and the girl had no wish to lie down any longer. She was uncomfortable, cold, afraid she would sleep, and despite her exhaustion, she was too awake to sleep.
It wasn't until just after eleven the night before that she had finished casting her last spells on both the fireplace and the house, making it almost invisible to wizards. Only Fidelius was missing, but of course she couldn't do that. Muggles would be very surprised if suddenly the house that had stood in this place for years simply disappeared. Just in case, she also added a Spell of Disgust, which Muggles sensed and thanks to it they tried to give a wide berth to this place.
But despite realizing that now no one could Apparate in her apartment without a password, or poke a hair through the fireplace, she went to sleep on the couch fully dressed and wand in hand.
Perhaps Snape knew some ways to bypass her spells?
Before she fell asleep, she thought for a long time. At first she reproached herself for her own stupidity and tried to shake off the feeling of humiliation that she might be caught doing something so idiotic. Then her thoughts drifted to Severus Snape.
Twice today she saw someone else in him. It wasn't the malicious, unjust professor who had harassed her all six years at Hogwarts. It was someone who could sacrifice himself to defend the Light Side. Who for many years, every day, was ready to die so that others could live. Those "Others" who despised him, hated him and dreamed of being able to meet him with wand in hand.
Hermione couldn't find the words to describe what she felt. Both during the trial when she learned the Truth and now. Words like nobility, heroism, dignity, honor ... seemed unworthy to describe him.
Nobody wanted to trust him, understand him and help him. She was the first to betray him, leaving him dying on a dirty, rotten floor, amid animal excrement, decaying rat remains, and other vermin.
But it was that simple! She had seen who he really was so many times! He saved Harry in their first year. On the third, he thought that by catching Sirius he was saving their lives. A year later, Harry himself heard Dumbledore sending him to Voldemort. Then he protected them from Umbridge ... She should have known already when Harry drank the Veritaserum that didn't work! It was that simple...! And the night he killed Dumbledore, he hadn't done anything to her and Luna when he run into them outside his office! If he was really who everyone thought he was, he would just take the opportunity to kill them! Besides, Dumbledore believed him. So how could she have doubts ?!
And today he decided to help the Muggles. People he didn't know, with whom he had no debt to pay, no guilt. He just wanted to save these "Other People" again.
And in the evening he not only got angry with her for neglecting her own safety, but also tried to protect her. Because what else was the arguing he had planned for Tuesday? She could only push any suspicions away from her. He was gaining nothing from this, except for another reason for being called nasty and cruel.
She wanted to tell him so badly how much she appreciated him for all this ...
Hermione lay there for the next minutes, staring at the ceiling and seeing nothing. And finally she found a way.
She decided to tell him tomorrow that if she could cast the Fidelius Charm on her house, she would like him to become the Secret Keeper. The person who she believed most in the world.
As she apparated to Spinner's End, she was almost shocked, and the strange feeling that she felt from yesterday when thinking about Severus Snape only got deeper. She appeared on a cobbled street between the rows of empty, ruined brick houses. Some were still in one piece, but in some the roofs or entire walls had collapsed, creating a pile of bricks and cement on the ground, among that protruded stumps of wood, planks, and some metal rods. In most of the remaining windows were boarded up or there were black, lifeless holes in that places. Some of them still had the remains of broken windows, glistening with a dirty gray, like the blind eyes of corpses.
A dirty, scratched plate hung on the last nail on the nearest house. Hermione walked slowly over and could hardly read the name. Spinner's End.
As she emerged from behind a broken wall into the middle of the street, a sudden wind blew, carrying the putrid, nauseating stench of some nearby river. But apart from the soft whistle of the wind, there was dead silence everywhere.
My God ... And he lives here? In this ... in this cemetery?
A deep sadness gripped her. She breathed heavily, and then footsteps sounded behind her. She turned abruptly and saw Snape.
„Goo-good morning!" She exclaimed with relief and reached for her heart. "You scared me!"
Snape looked with approval at her work clothes and well tied hair.
"Granger," he nodded in greeting. "It's not my fault you Apparated right outside my house."
The girl instinctively looked at part of the front wall and the collapsed roof right behind him, but she knew that it wasn't what he meant.
Snape grabbed her elbow and dragged her to the hole where the door of the collapsed house was. Hermione had time to think but I wasn't supposed to see his home, when suddenly a brick wall grew in front of her, with a slightly rotten door at the bottom and small windows.
The girl, stunned, was rooted to the spot. Entering SOMETHING that DIDN'T exist a moment ago and that she had not expected, completely confused her. Seeing Grimmauld Place was quite different!
"I've extended Fidelius Charm to five feet in each direction," Snape explained, slightly amused by her expression.
"And where is ... ah, behind your house, right?"
"Take a walk and look around," he advised her.
The girl stepped back two or three yards. In fact, she saw Snape's house now instead of the collapsed house. She looked around the corner and saw that house, which a moment ago was within reach, but now there was further, on the next street.
„It is much easier to create a vacant which borders are in the air. Now hurry up," he added in a slightly impatient voice. "If I recall correctly, you wanted to help me."
„Of course!"
They walked directly into the small living room, and Hermione smiled involuntarily at the sight of the bookshelves on all the walls, but she immediately turned serious at the sight of the old, damaged furniture. It looks like it's no better inside than it is outside.
Snape waved his wand, opening a hidden entrance to the basement and, ignoring it, went downstairs. The girl, hesitating for a moment, followed him.
The basement was the complete opposite of the living room. Apparently this was his kingdom. Hermione wasn't able to judge the age of most items, but both the table and chairs and the equipment around seemed the best of the best.
In the row of chopping boards she saw drainage grooves for excess juices leaking from ingredients, spoons in a perforated bucket were slightly bent to make it easier to hold, stools were covered with convex leather, under which there was certainly a soft sponge, and the whole room was lit by dozens of candles stuck in chandeliers standing and hanging on the walls. Everything was perfectly clean, shiny, with no traces of stains, scratches or even thin layer of dust.
Snape pointed to the nearest stool and sat down on the other one.
"Before we begin, I shall explain a few things to you. First of all, you are in my home and in my laboratory. So I have the right to decide what, how and when is to be done. Second, you are here to help me. I don't want stupid off-topic questions, idly chit-chats, and most of all, I don't want to hear about everything you know. When I ask a question, I only want a factual answer. Third thing" he showed with a gesture all around „everything you touch you have to put back exactly on its place. I will not tolerate splash, dirt and mess. And no mistakes. I'd rather you ask something if you don't know than make a mistake. Is it clear?"
Hermione bit her lips lightly during this rant, but did not protest.
"Yes."
Snape pulled the chopping board and burdock leaves closer to him and, cutting them into narrow strips, began to explain what they were going to do.
"Before we can make an antidote, we have to make the poison first. This will be your job. I will brew the base for the antidote. Tomorrow we'll start adding different types of Dragon Blood to it. It is true that there are twelve breeds of dragons, but the use of the blood of some of them is very unlikely, so we'll first consider the antidote from the more obvious ones, and if it doesn't work, we'll move on to the next ones."
"How will we be able to check if antidote works?" Hermione asked immediately.
Snape narrowed his eyes slightly, but replied:
„We will use the method of Inocreation."
Hermione nodded and choked out more questions. You'd better check in the books and don't ask him, because he'll throw you out in a moment.
Snape slid the parchment with the list of poison ingredients towards her.
"Take a copper cauldron, Eight, with curved edges. I wrote down instructions for you, but if you have any doubts, tell me."
"Yes, sir."
He stopped taking care of her, so Hermione read the instructions carefully. They were perfect - meticulous, transparent and left no doubt as to what to do, so she quickly prepared everything she needed and started brewing.
For the next several hours, they both worked in silence, completely focused on meticulous chopping, slashing or slicing of ingredients, carefully stirring in cauldrons, counting spoon turns, analyzing the color of the mixtures, and keeping an eye on the temperature. Hermione could feel Snape's eyes on her from time to time, but she was so focused on what she was doing that she was completely fine with it.
When she finally added tubeworms and glanced at her watch, it turned out she had to wait for the solution to cool down to one hundred and ten degrees. She glanced at her watch again and suddenly realized how hungry she was. It wasn't strange, it was already one in the afternoon!
"Sir," she said softly.
Snape was just finishing the full sequence of stirring, so he stopped her by raising his hand, stirred eleven more times, and then turned to Hermione.
"Yes?"
"I added tubeworms, now I have an hour off. Maybe I'll go preparing for us something to eat?"
"Go. In the living room cast Alohomora on the wall on the right. You will find dinner in the kitchen. And don't wait for me, I'll be busy for a few more hours," he replied.
In the kitchen Hermione did find a dinner: under-cooked, unsalted potatoes and an unappetizing-looking piece of steak, and she winced despite the hunger that was literally twisting her stomach. Damn it... How about going home for something ... more edible? But without letting him know?
While being in two minds - whether to go ask Snape for permission, or simply Apparate at home for a while, grab anything from the cupboard or refrigerator and come back, she rummaged in the cupboards and discovered that there were certainly more cauldrons in this house than pots and pan.
He won't even notice. He'll be sitting there for a few hours ... Come on, you won't eat anything like that!
She bit her lips for a moment and finally took her decision. She apparated to her home, quickly tossed pots, pasta, meat, sauce jar, tea into a large bag, and added a forest fruit crumble and came back to Spinner's End.
When the smell of cooked pasta and tomato sauce with meat and basil spread through the kitchen, the girl wanted to pull out under-cooked threads from the pot and eat them immediately. Drooling like a madwoman, she waited until the end, took a double portion and began to eat on the way to the table. Only at the end she managed to slow down and finish her meal in a more civilized way, and after strong tea and stuffing herself with cake, she finally felt like a human being.
As she went downstairs, Snape looked at her closely and at the sight of the orange marks around his mouth he raised an eyebrow.
"Hmmm ... I'm finished dinner," Hermione mumbled.
"I can see THAT," he replied. "But you certainly haven't eaten potatoes and steak."
„No. How do you know?"
Snape snorted and put the ladle back on the stand.
„What do you think?" He looked at her lips again.
The girl frowned, but suddenly understood.
"Ah!" She smiled and rubbed them with her fingers. "Well, I thought ... a different menu would be better."
"You didn't come to the restaurant here."
Hermione would have liked to tell him that this house was far from being a restaurant, but instead shook her head.
"When you see what I cooked, I eat my wand that you will look similar when you go down."
"I don't think so," he drawled, glanced down at his potion, to which he was about to add chizpurfle carapace and suppressed further comment. "Back to work. And call me before you add bundimun secretions."
They both returned to work, and for the next three hours in the basement, the only audible sounds were the screeching of a spoon against the bottom of a cauldron, the gentle clink of glass against glass, the clatter of knives on wooden boards and the bubbling of potions.
As the brew in the cauldron turned a pale blue, Snape extinguished the fire with a whisper „Cento Onis" and moved away from the table. The base was brewed, now he had to wait for it to cool down.
He glanced at the girl who was bending over the cauldron - she was adding slowly grated mustard grains while frowning and biting her lower lip slightly. She had been brewing for hours, but he could clearly see that her focus hadn't waned even a bit. Reassured, he waited until all the grains were poured in and stood up.
"I will be right back."
"Enjoy your meal," Hermione muttered reflexively, glanced at her notes and began to stir and count down from eight in an undertone.
Already entering the living room, Severus smelled the intoxicating scent of pasta, meat and tomato sauce. When he saw a large pot of spaghetti with sauce, he quickly lit a fire under it, struggling with himself not to eat it cold. After a short while the smell grew even more intense and finally Severus gave up and began to eat directly from the pot. He just made sure no one could see him.
A few minutes later, sitting comfortably at the table and finishing his meal, he decided to forget sharp speech he had planned to make to her. When she went down to the basement with orange traces around her lips and he realized she had to go out and enter his house without permission, he wanted to yell at her, but since they both had no time, he put it off until later.
Now, still feeling the taste of decent food, he suddenly lost his conviction that the girl had done something stupid. The pasta melted in the mouth, he felt hard vegetables in the well-seasoned sauce, and the pieces of meat were so large that they were still juicy despite cooking. A delight for the palate.
Merlin, he could count such good dinners in the last few years on fingers of one hand. Each time only thanks to Griffin.
Besides, he had to admit that he had no comments about the girl. He was pleased to note that, instead of just rushing to brew, she had planned her work and prepared whatever she needed to do according to the best principles required by the Potion Masters of their apprentices. When she went to eat, he glanced at her comments next to his instructions and found them to be very good.
He drank his strong coffee and brushed his teeth thoroughly before going down to the basement. Miss Granger had been working extremely well, but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of catching him in the same state he had caught her.
The girl was just finishing pouring Infusion of Wormwood. She smiled automatically at the sight of him, and Snape forced him not to rub his mouth.
"Are you done already? He asked, coming up to her.
He stood right next to her and looked into the cauldron.
"A few more minutes and we can add bundimun secretions" she said, and looked carefully at the corners of his mouth, but they were clean. He ate those half-raw potatoes of his? „It was good?" She ventured.
Snape gave her a warning look and tapped his finger on the cauldron.
"Better do your job than ask stupid questions. You should start stirring."
Hermione quickly returned to her brew.
"Before I added Infusion of Wormwood, I didn't believe that navy blue could turn yellow so easily."
"Wormwood is a very strong ingredient," Snape replied instinctively. "Too much is harmful, I have never seen so much Infusion of Wormwood added to a potion."
"I didn't know," the girl admitted. „But I read that in the old days, Infusion of Wormwood was added to the ink to scare away mice and moths."
They both looked at each other and fell silent. Snape, to his surprise, had no difficulty suppressing the comment about being Miss-Know-It-All, and Hermione recalled that this was what he had forbidden her to do.
As the brew began to bubble incessantly despite stirring, Snape lowered the flame, put on a mask, slid his glasses down over his nose, and reached for a thick glass bottle.
"Scoot over. Or better leave, because now it will splash."
Hermione immediately stepped back to make room for him. She was by no means going to leave at a time like this!
Snape scooped half an ounce of thick green liquid into the narrow pipette, shook it against the rim of the bottle and dipped it as carefully as possible into the yellowish liquid. This one immediately became agitated, and there were lots of splashes on the surface and walls. And he hasn't released any discharge from the pipette yet!
"Shit," he hissed through gritted teeth.
He tried ineffectively to adjust the cuff of his jacket to cover his wrist, but the girl immediately understood what was going on. In one step she stood behind him and, trying not to move his hands, tucked gently on both cuffs.
„Mask?"
He nodded, so she adjusted the mask on his face as well and pressed with his protective glasses.
"Done."
As she backed up a few steps, he briefly removed his thumb. The dash of thick liquid released at the very bottom of the cauldron immediately mixed with the brew that seethed violently, bubbles rose to the surface and began to burst and splash in all directions.
Only after a long while the solution stabilized. Snape let a little dash on the bottom of the cauldron again and, stepping back, waited out the process. And again and again and again.
When the pipette was finally empty, he put it aside and was about to stretch to relax his contracted muscles when Hermione grabbed his hand, pulled away sharply and handed him a clean handkerchief.
„What are you doing?" He hissed, surprised.
He looked at the handkerchief, lifting an eyebrow, and suddenly he understood.
"You have a sweaty forehead," the girl explained in the same time.
"And you thought I would just wipe it with my sleeve soiled with poison?" He asked incredulously.
Hermione bit her lips and dared to look him straight in the eye.
"I ... was afraid that you might ... forget yourself and ... since this brew is so deadly, I didn't want ... something to happen."
Severus froze, torn between wanting to snarl at her so she wouldn't be afraid then, telling her to get out of here, and thank for ... Damn, what for ?! For caring?! You don't need a babysitter!
But you needed to fix the cuffs and the mask!
"I… appreciate your help," he said finally with an effort.
Hermione smiled happily, lifting up still orange corners of her mouth, so he quickly averted his gaze from her and took up the potion.
"Prepare labels to stick on two or three bottles. With today's date."
"How to call this poison?"
"As you like," he shrugged, clearly impatient. "I don't think it really matters."
Hermione gritted her teeth and sighed inwardly, simply writing "Poison." It looked as if she was going to pay dearly for questioning his qualifications.
It was seven in the evening when they both finally left the basement. First Snape, then Hermione, went to bathe and changed clothes, and only then they sat down in the living room.
"Maybe I'll make us some tea?" the girl suggested.
He gestured to the kitchen, so she quickly boiled water, summoned two glasses, teabags, and took sugar and a plate of cake and returned to the living room.
"You didn't eat cake," she said inquiringly, handing him tea and crumble.
"I don't eat sweets," he replied, reaching for the glass.
"Regret it."
Snape sat down comfortably in the armchair, inhaled with pleasure aromatic scent of tea, and set the glass down on the floor because there was no room on the table.
„I should punish you for going out of the house without permission."
PUNISH? I'm not a little girl anymore! Neither your property!
„I didn't want to disturb you. Besides, it only took a moment."
Snape began to take the books off the table.
"Has it occurred to you that I could cast spells that prevented anyone other than me from entering?"
Hermione, who had just reached for the thick book, froze.
"Shit," she muttered.
"Exactly, Miss Granger," he nodded. "I told you clearly that it is me who decide here. Next time I will not be so understanding. Second, watch your language."
"But you ate what I prepared ..."
"You brought it, you did, why would I eat mine? This way the potatoes will be for later."
The girl glanced at her watch and felt hungry.
"Perhaps I'll fry them in a pan for dinner," she offered, hoping they wouldn't be quite as raw that way.
„Dinner?" He raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid you're coming back home for dinner. You come here to help me, not for your pleasure."
Hermione froze again, this time not knowing whether to be happy or not. She missed the "pleasure" of eating raw potatoes, but at the same time she felt just sorry.
"So what time am I supposed to come here to help you?" She asked angrily, getting to her feet.
"Sit down," he grunted immediately, and Hermione sank onto the couch. "Again, watch your language. I will not tolerate insolence."
Because you're not insolent! At the last moment, she bit her tongue and fell silent, though it was difficult for her.
"Coming back to your question, I expect you at six," Snape continued.
"Should I wait for you like today, or just come here?"
Snape smiled in response.
"Come here, but don't come in. Just knock. Culture requires waiting for an invitation."
You asshole ...! Something exploded inside Hermione and she suddenly wanted to choke him, but only inhaled deeply and turned her head.
It was not fair! That he could keep biting and she couldn't answer! Maybe she was just tired, maybe she mistaken ALL his answers for sarcasm and didn't try to find a joke in them ... but she couldn't do that anymore! But what choice did she have? Keep her ears shut, or answer and argue with him.
Or make him stop.
It was a good idea. Not necessarily easy to do, but ... She looked at him and made a decision.
„Sir... I would like to ask you something. Something very important."
Give it a try. Be polite and nice for the last time. If he doesn't, he can bite his own ass.
„Something important? I wonder what might also be so important to make you ask me for it." He smirked again.
Exactly, that's exactly what it is about. Last time.
"Could you please refrain from all those sarcastic comments?" She looked him straight in the eyes with a very serious expression. "It ... it just hurts. And I don't know why did I do to deserved such treatment."
This time she really managed to surprise him.
In fact, her behavior today has earned ... your respect. This is no longer your student to whom you have to show who is the master here. And you don't have to play anymore.
The problem was, he no longer saw the difference between the game and his real a long moment in the living room the only sound was the crackle of the fire on the fireplace, the murmur of the wind through the warped windows, and the monotonous sound of rain.
"Do you want me to treat you as an equal partner?" He asked finally in a low voice.
"I just want us to work well together," she replied in an equally low, tense voice. "We have to trust each other and ... help. And such comments will not help with this. Tell me what can I do so that you want to try!"
Oh, it was quite simple. There were two things that irritated him about her. At least these two. Maybe if it changes, you will want to try ...
"Don't try to prove to me at every step that you are omniscient," he replied, and it sounded simply sincere, not vicious. "And stop pushing yourself to know everything. You may want to learn many things, but it is absurd to know EVERYTHING. Just accept that there are things you don't know and will never know, and focus on improving others."
As he spoke, Hermione didn't dare to breathe, she was so shocked. Both the fact that he answered her and the WHAT, or rather HOW he answered her.
"And you won't mock me ... or be angry that I don't know?"
"Not if it's obvious. Not if it's something new for you. I do not tolerate ignorance and stupidity, not completely obvious normal ignorance."
"I'll try," Hermione assured him. "I'll try. But remain me this if I forget myself."
Snape nodded, and the girl suddenly straightened and smiled happily.
"But don't expect miracles. You know I'm not ... nice."
Hermione shook her head.
"I'm sure you will be surprised!"
Severus jerked violently because it reminded him of Chase Griffin. Their first brew, which started their friendship. Then indeed, he "was surprised".
"Now that we've settled it," he said in a slightly hoarse voice and cleared his throat, "do you have any questions or comments for today?"
The girl sat down more comfortably, took the tea from the glass and stirred it.
"Of course!" She took a sip, and right in the same time equally hot feeling of triumph and joy spread over her breast. "First of all, why did it splash so much when we added bundimun secretions to the brew? After all, that's the way it should be done?"
Snape drank his tea as well, and for a while he savoured its strong, tart taste.
"Exactly. Normally acid is always added to the water so that the temperature of the brewing rises slowly. But the bundimun secretions is very concentrated and the acidity level is so terribly high that the temperature rises sharply nonetheless. You probably noticed that I was adding just a little bit at a time." When the girl nodded, he explained: "It was the only way to keep splashing to a minimum. And that's one of the reasons why I told you to take this cauldron and no another one, so that the acid splashes inside and hardly a single drop spills out."
Hermione blindly put her glass down and tried to focus. As he explained, a thought crossed her mind; in truth more a feeling, a shadow of understanding than a specific thought. But she clearly felt it was important.
"Sir ..." she said slowly, hesitantly, not taking her eyes from the edge of the couch as if it would help her find the right words. „Is this poison well known or is it something completely new?"
„Completely new. I've never even heard of anything like it. Why do you ask?"
New poison. And a unique way of brewing. Unique, because the brew behaved differently from what they taught at school.
„I know the general rules of adding ingredients, the ViruSojev's Table is commonly available, Encyclopedia of Ingredients too, but even after three years of study, I would not be able to create something new. Oh, I wouldn't even know the order, temperature and condition of the ingredients if I only got the ingredients list."
Snape didn't answer, just nodded at her to continue.
"You knew it because you are a Potions Master. And this person who brewed it?" She looked up at him. "What knowledge do you need to be able to create something like this? Especially since the preparation and behavior of mixture are different from what they teach in schools?"
Snape smiled with the corner of his mouth. Suddenly he understood what she meant. He had been thinking exactly the same since he had identified the ingredients of the poison.
„Graduates of the Higher International Academy of Potion Making can create their own working potion. And, of course, all the apprentices at the Potions Masters."
„There are many such people?"
"There are eleven Potion Masters in the world and several of them currently have apprentices. There are even more graduates of the Academy ..."
Hermione immediately shook her head.
„Consider only those who are in England. This disease only appeared here, so I think the most logical thing is to assume that the murderer is someone here."
THAT was a very important piece of information that changed things completely! Until now, Severus had imagined hundreds of suspects all over the world, and now could happen that there are only a handful of people!"
He felt so disturbed that he didn't even notice that she had interrupted him.
"By restricting to England, you dismiss the possibility that the killer decided to start in another country so as not to draw attention to himself. Have you thought about it?" he remarked more for order, because he also felt it was the correct chain of reasoning.
"Yes. But that seems most obvious to me. Being on place, it's easier to ... organize something like this." Hermione flinched at the thought that they were talking about planning a murder. "How many such people can be?"
Snape thought deeply, trying to recall the nationalities of the people he knew. All the wizards who achieved such a high level of knowledge about potions participated in the annual International Potionners Convention - some considered it an honor, others simply did not want to miss the latest news, information on ingredient changes and, of course, giving out rewards for new potions. brewing improvements and other changes.
The last convention was held just five months ago and there were only a few new people.
"At least twenty," he said finally.
"So we will need to make a list of these twenty people. And we'll have to find out if there is anyone among them who has something against the Muggles. He's been beaten up by Muggle thugs, seduced and abandoned by a Muggle woman, has Muggle parents whom he hates ... I'll try to find out more about the victims on Monday. Maybe this way we will find something that will bring all the pieces together!"
During her speech, she sat up straight and began counting out ideas on her fingers, clearly excited, and it made Snape laugh and intrigue.
This was how Miss Granger solved all the problems and riddles at Hogwarts ... This was how she discovered what the Dark Lord's horcruxes were.
As a teacher, he always saw her as a big headed girl, an eternal trouble and a source of problems. Now he had a chance to see her from the other side - someone trying to solve this bloody affair with him. This time he was counting on her intelligence, ideas, he wanted her to be right - because that was the only way for both of them to succeed. It was a very strange feeling.
"Stop, stop, stop," he said. "I can see the direction you are going. But I believe that when looking for a murderer we have to ask another question. TWO other questions." He paused, the girl's eyes widening slightly in anticipation. "That is, who among all these people might have known about the backyard which gives free access to our supplies without leaving any traces. And which of them recently ordered large amounts of bundimun secretions and bloodroot. Because if he's planning more murders, he will need more than what he stole from us."
Hermione felt a sudden pang in her heart; the feeling as if she was walking down a long dark tunnel and suddenly saw a light in front of her.
„Great!" She clapped her hands. "Could you make a list of these twenty wizards? And I will check through the Ministry all orders from the last ... let's say a few months!"
"You'll get her on Tuesday. But if I were you, I wouldn't count on finding a single person ordering one large delivery. That someone must have placed many smaller orders at different times. Murderers are madmen, but not fools," Snape said wryly.
This recalled Hermione about ingredients.
"I will ask full delivery list of all A and B ingredients from the last quarter. We'll come up with SOMETHING. But just about fools. If it's not Powell, or anyone from your Lab, why was this someone brewing there? I can still understand that he stole these ingredients, given that their sale is rationed and laboratories are not allowed to exceed the appropriate amount per year. Maybe he just ran out of them. But why WAS HE BREWING in your lab? Instead of doing it in his lab?"
Snape wondered about that as well, and apart from the idea that in case of problems this person wanted to push suspicions to other direction, nothing else came to mind.
"Maybe they are so many out there that everyone would notice?" Hermione guessed. "Or the murderer doesn't have the right conditions?"
"Someone with this level of knowledge certainly has the right conditions," Snape contested.
Her first idea wasn't too bad, but he decided not to give her satisfaction confirming her reasoning. Let her be glad you agreed to treat her like a partner.
"Your basement is gorgeous," admitted the girl. In fact everything was great, except for meal.
Snape nodded.
"Tomorrow we'll brew the first two antidotes and see if they work," he said, pointed his wand at the right wall and summoned a thick old book with a very worn, stained cover. "Page three hundred and twelve. Read on for tomorrow what Inocreation is. And first of all focus on the potion's reactions after casting the spell."
He handed the girl the book and struggled to suppress a smile at the sight of her expression. She looked like some of the players who won the Quidditch Cup. She took it carefully, ran her fingers almost reverentially over the cover, and opened it to the first page.
"Compendium of Advanced Potions," she whispered. "When I studied Healing, Flourish and Blotts could not order this book and I had to borrow it from the library. And I wanted to be able to read it from time to time ...!"
"It would do well if you didn't forget that this is my book. You have a few days to memorize and understand it. Needless to say, you must handle it properly."
Hermione suddenly felt a crazy urge to go home and read.
"Thank you very much! Really! I will be careful, please don't worry!" She called, and she controlled herself a little. "I think I'll go home."
Snape nodded, so she quickly gathered her things and glanced out the window. The rain was coming down with buckets, the wind grew stronger, and the girl instinctively flinched.
„Can I use the Floo network?" The fire in the mantelpiece looked so much more inviting.
"The powder is in the tin can on the left."
Hermione walked over to the fireplace and was reaching for her when she realized they hadn't yet talked about the spells she had cast on her house and what she wanted to tell him.
"Professor ... I secured the whole house yesterday," she said.
„I know. I checked. Can we assume that you have realized your mistake and from now on intend to act like a ... adult woman?"
„Of course! And..." She hesitated and added in a slightly higher voice:
"I just wanted to tell you something else. I know I can't cast a Fidelius Spell, but ..."
"But?" He urged her a few seconds later as she was still silent, biting her lips.
"But if I could, I'd like you to become a Secret Keeper."
Snape thought he heard it wrong. Hermione Granger would choose him, Severus Snape, as the Secret Keeper?
He hated jokes. Not at him. Not about the Fidelius Spell! And Merlin, not about the Secret Keeper! But a glance at her expression told him clearly that the girl was as serious as possible.
"I have the impression that I misheard ... Miss Granger," he said, standing up slowly, cocked his head and raised an eyebrow in amazement.
"No ... sir," said Hermione. "Really. Please believe me."
"You know that a Secret Keeper is a person you have unconditional, unlimited trust in and can always count on?"
It was exactly what she had been thinking yesterday evening. What she wanted to tell him.
"Yes," she looked him straight in the eye.
"And you're telling me you suddenly found myself the most trustworthy person in the world? Where are your friends gone? Potter and Weasley? Do you prefer me above them?" He snorted and winded. "You think I don't know what you thought about me all these years? What were you saying about me behind my back? About the cowardly asshole from the dungeons? About the traitor?!" He took a step towards her.
Hermione paled slightly.
"I do not lie..."
In a strange way, the fact that it was SHE who was lying hurt him even more than usual. He invited her to his home, allowed her to enter his laboratory, use his equipment, brew such an important potion... And she was looking him in the eye and lying?! Now?! When he ... did trust her? !
The bitterness of disappointment pierced his heart. At the same time, he suspected that Granger had a purpose in this. And that, in a way, was even worse than feeling defeated.
He took two more steps, growing more and more angry.
„Or maybe you think that you will achieve something this way?" He asked in a low voice. "You think you can get me to do something? Something I wouldn't normally want to do?"
Hermione almost gasped at the sudden surprise. Merlin, what is he talking about ?!
"Of course not ...!"
"You know why I prefer Slytherins, Granger?" He snorted contemptuously. "Because at least we don't try to hide when we play on other people's feelings! We do not hide that we lie to achieve something! And you always pretend it's for the greater good!"
Oh, how well he remembered this! All these years of being used and betrayed by those he trusted and believed they have trusted him. During all his lost life!
"I'm not lying!" Hermione shouted desperately. "Why do you always have to assume the worst ?! Why don't you want to believe that someone can think well of you ?!"
"Because you are never honest! You just want to pass for such!"
"Not true! Just you don't want to believe me! You don't want to trust me! Are you afraid of ...?!" She grabbed her lips as she suddenly realized what she was saying.
For a moment they both stared at each other, standing with clenched fists, and in the silence only their rapid breathing could be heard.
Snape controlled himself first.
"Then enlighten me why you trust me so much," he drawled.
Hermione didn't dare to look away. If she looks sideways now, he'll never believe she's honest ... "Because ..." she said in a trembling voice and swallowed hard. „Because I think you deserved it. You were on our side all this time, and I didn't even guess it."
"Nobody guessed," he snapped. "Not even any of the teachers who worked with me! Let alone students! And that was exactly my intention. If you had just started to GUESS, the Dark Lord would certainly KNOW, and today neither of us would be here. And quite possibly the world would have been quite different. But that's not the real reason," he shook his head. "At least not the only one. You won't fool me, not me. Why… APPARENTLY you put me ahead of your friends," he asked with emphasis, narrowing his eyes.
Hermione sighed heavily. He was right, it wasn't the only reason, and she didn't want to reveal the other. But apparently she had no choice.
"I really regret leaving you in the Shrieking Shack that night. You didn't deserve this," she said softly, breaking her fingers but still looking him straight in the eye. "Neither to such death, nor to stay there. Not you, of all people. And I didn't even think to go get your body ..."
"I don't want pity. Not now nor then," he spat angrily.
He hated being pitied.
"It's not pity," she said immediately. "Call it whatever you like. Regret, guilt, desire to show my recognition or ... express of admiration. I just thought that this way I could .. I can show you my gratitude and respect for what you have done for us."
With each word she spoke, warmth spread more and more in his chest, as if each word was a hot drop falling into his heart. And he didn't want this strange feeling, and he wanted it at the same time. He didn't want to, because he didn't do it for THEIR gratitude, he didn't do it FOR THEM and always felt that he didn't need it, that he was always above than silly gratitude or idiotic congratulations. But at the same time, although he did not understand the warmth, weakness, lightness and the burning sensation in his throat, there was something about him that could not refuse, could not dismiss it.
„Do you believe me now?" The girl asked softly.
He lowered his head, took a deep breath, and slowly let it out, pretending to be calm and composed, but his shirt buttons gave him away, gleaming against the rapidly undulating chest.
"I don't know," he heard his low, hoarse, completely foreign voice, and cleared his throat immediately. "Leave me alone now."
Hermione reached for his arm reflexively, but froze before touching him.
"Sir, are you ... "
"Go. Just leave me alone," he said, turned and quickly walked down to the basement.
When the door slammed softly behind him, the girl stood still for a moment undecided. Something about her wanted to run after him and see that he was okay, but she knew full well he wasn't.
It was the first time she saw Severus Snape with wet eyes.
And she guessed it was the first time ANYONE had seen him like this.