Chapter 11: You Give Some, You Get Some
The howls of her friend in pain had long since passed and Hermione could just make out the forms of three figures playing in the grass. She was sitting watching out of the window in her dorm when she hadn't been able to sleep, and at this point she had resolutely decided that she had to help.
When she initially worked out that her professor was a werewolf, Hermione had researched the topic thoroughly. She had discovered what the different patterns on a werewolf's fur could represent about the man inside, and debunked the different theories about how a werewolf could be made (clue: there only is one). She even read up on a bizarre theory that claimed that if you shouted the name of the man on a full moon, the beast's defences would drop for a second, it would freeze, and you could cast a stunner to get away. Nonetheless, all of the books had eventually led to the same place.
She fished out the valuable piece of paper that she always kept in her beaded bag and read the title. Wolfsbane potion wouldn't be invented for at least another 5 years so she couldn't just take the credit. She also could definitely not just hand it to Remus because not even the brightest witch of her age would be able to discover that he was a werewolf after just two weeks. Instead, she would have to go to Dumbledore for help, something she was really not looking forward to.
She knew that Dumbledore would want something in return so opened up her 'Death Book' to see what the first things to happen would be. It was very confusing considering that the entries weren't written chronologically, but by order of importance to the people writing about them. Instead she cracked open her new leather bound notepad that she had gotten from Aberforth for her birthday. It was simply elegant, with a uniformed, tessellating design on the front, and the initials H.D. on the back.
Her birthday wasn't until next Thursday on the 19th, but he decided to give her her gift in-person, on the weekend before so that she wouldn't think that he had forgotten about her. Hermione was surprised, resigned to the fact that her birthday would not happen this year, and accepted her only gift gladly. The large sketchbook was covered in a layer of strong leather, which Aberforth explained could only be opened by her, unless she spoke someone else's name into the clasp on the front, or died.
She was tearful at the unexpected gift, but he had explained, "You clearly have a lot going on in that big brain of yours, maybe it'll help clear it to write it down where no one can see it but you?" Hermione didn't know if it was intended to help her unload the information in her brain, or her upset thoughts regarding her friends from her past life. Either way, it was a very thoughtful gift that she cherished.
He had also gotten her one of those paired notebooks so that they could swap ideas for the Daily Prophet's crossword clues, which they both received each morning. This one had no security measures but Aberforth threatened to add some after Sirius had gotten into it one afternoon and had sent some quite suggestive and rude messages after he had wrongly assumed that she had a boyfriend that she wasn't telling them about.
Hermione decided to leave the first page of the larger, more secure sketchbook blank, as she always did (she was still a bookworm at heart and hated to see the first page of a new book sullied with her chicken scrawl, riddled with mistakes). After that she began to leaf through the 'Death Book' noting down anything that would happen next, ordering everything chronologically.
When she had finished all that she could up to Christmas, which honestly wasn't much yet, she copied the page onto a spare piece of parchment, setting the book aside to find her copy of the Marauders Map so that she could traverse the school without running into anyone.
After that, she went to find the headmaster, knowing that she would also need help finding a lot of the ingredients. As predicted, he was still awake and smiled benignly up at her when she entered. He always made sure that he gave her the password to his office every time it changed, in the hope that she would one day take up his plea to tell him everything about the future. He hadn't yet got desperate enough to delve into her mind using Legilimency.
"Good evening Albus," she began as he raised his eyebrows at the informal name, "Or would you prefer Uncle Albus?" He chuckled at her forthrightness and decided on the former.
"Now what do I owe this pleasure? I assume you have not come tonight for a cup of tea and a catch up with your dear old uncle?"
"No. Actually I am here to ask for your help concerning a more canine friend of ours, I'm sure you're grasping my meaning?"
If anything, his eyebrows raised further, "I'm not sure I do exactly. How could I help Mr Remus at the current time, and how does that concern you?" She rolled her eyes at the implicit And how can you help me? attached on the end.
"In 5 years time a potion will be invented that will allow werewolves to retain their minds during the transformation. I have the instructions to make this potion and need your help with getting some of the ingredients. Furthermore, Remus cannot know that it was I who gave him this potion so if you could hand him his dose each month from a mystery supplier, I would be greatly appreciative."
Dumbledore stared at her for a couple of moments while he took in this information dump before Hermione continued, "In exchange, I have the first list of things that were predicted to happen in the time leading up to Christmas." At this, he launched back to life, glittering eyes greedily seeking out the parchment that she handed over.
"Is this it?" He asked in surprise while she groaned.
"What? Are there not enough murders and attacks for your liking? I'm not the font of all knowledge you know, sometimes things will slip through that I didn't know about, or there'll be new events, so don't go blaming me!" Realising that she had revealed some of her biggest fears, Hermione snapped her mouth closed.
"Will you get me my ingredients?" She forced out between gritted teeth. He waved her off in acceptance while he continued to read the list she had given him. Hermione then copied a list of her ingredients into another piece of parchment and handed that over, "It takes a couple of weeks to brew the potion once you've got the ingredients so please get them as quickly as possible, I don't want him to suffer too many more full moons."
He still wasn't looking at her so she slowly started backing out of the room, "Don't worry about giving me a space to brew it where I won't be interrupted, I've already got a place in mind." She smiled at his nodding form, thinking of a certain Room of Requirement that had her name on.
The first lesson the next day was Defence Against The Dark Arts and Hermione was yawning right alongside James, Sirius and Peter. Remus was still recovering and so was pretending that he had a headache. As she walked into the room she couldn't help but meet Lily's eye, who looked questioningly between her and the boys, but Hermione didn't react.
When she sat down she found that she was alone once more until Professor Cribbs asked her to pair up with someone else to begin the practical part of the lesson. Realising that they were studying the patronus charm, she grimaced when she saw that the only other person without a partner was Snape. This was going to be unpleasant.
In Hermione's third year, when she and Harry had discovered the truth behind the Marauders' past, they had also found out the forms of his parents' patronuses. It was for this reason that she knew that Snape would not be happy when he discovered that the woman he was in love with was another man's soulmate.
She intentionally led him into a dark corner and began to talk through the theory so as to distract her from the room around her. They each 'attempted' it, Hermione trying hard to not think of any happy memories so that it would not be strong. Snape scowled when his repeated attempts didn't even produce a wisp of blue smoke.
Her concentration slipped when she glanced across the room at James and Lily, who had decided to get over their differences for the lesson, and were now laughing together at their failed attempts. They looked so much like Harry and Ginny in that second that she was reminded of the happy time they had all spent together at the end of sixth year. With some of the happiest weeks of Hermione's life at the forefront of her mind, she was unsurprised when her otter flew out of the end of her wand tip.
It glowed brightly as it twisted over everyone's heads, causing a few gasps and pockets of laughter when it brushed up against the faces of some of her friends. "Congratulations Miss Dumbledore! That was very quick, and a corporeal patronus as well; I think you have done this before…"
She blushed and looked at the floor, mumbling about learning it in the previous year at Beauxbatons, but everyone was soon distracted when a large black dog suddenly began to run between her classmates legs. Sirius' uproarious laughter was joined by that of Alice, when the dog jumped up and ran away from a proud cat that she had conjured.
After that, Hermione was soon forgotten when a couple more students across the room managed to conjure their own animals. James looked smug when his stag appeared to be the biggest and the most impressive of all of the gathered creatures. Hermione turned to Snape, expecting to see a contemptuous expression, but was surprised to already see a look of pure horror. As she turned back to the room she immediately knew why.
If James's stag could be described as impressive, Lily's doe looked magnificent. It was the epitome of elegance and refinement as it gracefully pranced around the room in a regal glory. Hermione noticed both students who had produced the matching pair blush a deep red at exactly the same moment when they realised the significance of the scene. To make it worse, the stag had decided to take that moment to sniff at the doe, butting heads in a friendly way before the doe nuzzled into its side.
As the bell rang and everyone's animals disappeared with the break in their concentration, Hermione barely noticed the movement behind her as Snape rushed for the door. She made up for it by grabbing her bag and swifty following him, almost missing him when he turned into a secret passageway behind a tapestry.
When she made her way into the passageway, Snape's hunched figure was standing leaning heavily against one wall, face against the stone, breathing heavily. Against her better judgement, she felt something akin to empathy for the boy. Hesitantly she raised her hand and placed it on one of his broad shoulders.
Instantly, she found herself pinned up against the other wall with Snape's arm pushed up against her throat. It took a second for him to realise who he had attacked, within which time, Hermione had begun to chastise herself for her poor lack of judgement. Moody would have been disappointed. He let her down and shot her a withering stare, before turning away to rub at his suspiciously red eyes.
"Come to mock, have you?" He sneered, "I knew it would only be a matter of time before those prissy Gryffindors had corrupted you."
"No, I've come to see if you're alright." By the look of his reaction, she assumed that he hadn't heard that for a while.
"I don't need your pity or your help, I will have that spell sorted in no time."
"I don't doubt it, but we both know that that is not what I'm referring to."
His head whipped up and his eyes narrowed, "I don't know what you are trying to insinuate, but we are not friends, therefore it is none of your business."
"Well fine then!" She snapped, annoyed by his stubborn attitude, "From what I've heard, you seem perfectly content to lose friends left, right and centre. But I've been called derogatory names for my entire life, so I've grown a thick skin. You'll just have to try harder to get rid of the last person who seems to give a damn about you!"
Already angry at her implicit mention of how he had lost Lily as a friend, he retaliated, "Who the hell do you think you are? What makes you believe that I want to be burdened with you? We have a couple of decent conversations and you're suddenly all buddy buddy? Please! Just tell me exactly what you want so I don't have to deal with you again."
"I've already told you." She gritted out, realising how loud they had gotten, "I wanted to make sure you were alright, I saw your face and I know how it feels to have someone you care about not care about you either. What kind of friends do you have where this is such a foreign concept?"
Hermione looked around her and waved her arms dramatically, "I don't see anyone else coming to help or comfort you, so either your so-called friends are that shite or I really am all you've got! Curb your self-importance and accept help when it's offered. I'm not that much of a dick that I'm gonna let someone wallow alone in misery."
Snape snorted as she finished her tirade, "That wouldn't have stopped your precious Gryffindor buddies from ripping me to shreds."
"Are they here right now?" Hermione gestured, exasperated, "It's not great to be judged solely for the company you keep is it?" she continued, staring pointedly at his left forearm.
To her great surprise, Snape smiled raising his sleeve to show a still unblemished forearm, "Well well, you do work fast, sorry to disappoint."
He turned around to stare at the wall for a second, taking a second to calm his breathing before deliberating whether or not to continue, "How exactly did you learn to create your first patronus?"
Acknowledging his attempt to peacefully change the subject, Hermione told him about her friend and her favourite professor, mixing up a lot of the details. "I could teach you if you would like?" She finished, offering up an olive branch.
"I said that - "
"I know, I know; you're perfectly capable of doing it yourself. But would it hurt to have me help you? You could always help me with potions or Arithmancy as well if it pains you to get something without giving something in return." She butt in, smirking, knowing how Slytherins worked.
"As if you would need help, don't lie to me." He snorted, picking up his bag and beginning to walk off, looking much better than he had 5 minutes ago thanks to Hermione's distraction.
"I'll be in the library at 5pm tomorrow if you change your mind!" She shouted after him as he shook his head in acquiescence.