A/N: I know I am not dependable with my updates, and I am really sorry. I hope I haven't pissed anyone off : (.

I hope this chapter doesn't confuse anyone. I had to rewrite it tons of times because it kept coming out to be too complicated. I was confusing myself! lol I hope you all like it though. There isn't too much Tom action in this one, so all you Tom lovers out there, please don't hate me ; ). Thanks to everyone who has been reading, and double thanks to those who review. You all should know by now how happy it makes me! Muah!

Dumbledore stroked Fawkes's crimson head as he placed the small envelope in his beak. The phoenix bit down on it gently and unfurled his beautiful wings in one graceful motion.

"I need you to take this to the Granger's home, old friend." Dumbledore said. "Please stay and watch over them until I send word. They need your protection right now."

Fawkes nuzzled Dumbledore's hand for a moment before he flapped his wings gently and was lifted into the air. He circled Albus's office once before he flew out of the open window and into the crisp winter air.

Dumbledore and Snape watched as the phoenix disappeared into the sky and then turned back to face each other. Dumbledore fixed Snape with an intense gaze that made Severus shift on his feet uncomfortably.

They stayed that way for several moments before Snape couldn't stand it anymore.

"I suppose we should begin our search for Miss Granger's cure then." He said quietly. He did not like how the headmaster was looking at him, like he knew something.

"We could, or we could talk about your assignment Severus. Oh and please do not lie to me," Dumbledore added. "For I know you played a part in Hermione's poisoning."

Snape swallowed but found that his throat had gone dry. How did the old man always know so damn much?

"How did you find out?" He asked quietly.

Dumbledore's lips formed into a sad smile. "I think Harry, despite all of his problems with Legilimency, could have read your mind just now in the hospital wing. Forgive me; I did not mean to pry, but when strong emotions are running through someone, Legilimency can sometimes pick up on the feelings without the wizard's consent."

Snape nodded and stared directly into Albus's eyes. He wanted to be sure that the headmaster would know that what he was about to tell him wasn't a lie.

"It was my assignment, and I was involved." Snape began calmly. "But I was not involved in the way you suspect I was. I did not poison Hermione."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Then please tell me who did, Severus?"

"It was…" Snape paused for a moment. He didn't want to do this so soon but he had no choice now.

"…Draco."

"Why would Draco… Ah… now I see." Dumbledore mused quietly. "Voldemort no longer trusts you."

Snape nodded silently. "He gave me the assignment, and from what I am told, called Draco to him immediately after I left. He then gave Draco the task, believing that I would go against his orders. He was right to do so because I had no intention of poisoning Hermione."

Dumbledore nodded. He could see in Severus's eyes that he was not lying.

"When did Draco poison her? It had to have been at one of the meal times since I'm sure Hermione would have never taken anything that Draco offered."

"I believe it was at breakfast about a week or so ago. I had been told of Draco's involvement with the Amorea, and I wanted to try and talk him out of it. I collected him in the Great Hall that morning and was about to take him to my office when I saw Tom and his 'friends' sitting at the Gryffindor table. I approached them and inquired how Tom was doing before I continued on to my office with Draco. He must have slipped the poison in her drink as we walked by. It's the only time I can think of that he may have had the chance."

"Why didn't you tell me all of this?" Dumbledore asked suddenly. He didn't look mad, just very disappointed, which to Severus was worse.

"I wasn't sure if it was true. I didn't think Draco would go through with it, so I figured Hermione was out of danger for the time being. I didn't even know Hermione was sick until today, and that's when I realized that it was true. Draco had indeed poisoned her."

Albus seemed satisfied with his answer, but he wasn't through with his questioning.

"If Voldemort no longer trusts you, then how did you find out about Draco?" Dumbledore asked. "I'm sure his Death Eaters would no longer trust you either if he does not."

"One trusts me, but he has always been a traitor, even to the people who were once his best friends."

"Peter Pettigrew." Dumbledore said. It was the obvious answer. "But why would he tell you all of this? What does he get out of it?"

"I asked him that when he told me about Draco. All he said was that he had his reasons. The only thing I was able to see in his mind was that he wasn't lying and he wasn't trying to set me up in any way, so I believed him. But it wasn't until I talked to Draco in my office that morning that I trusted him fully."

I questioned Draco about his allegiance to the Dark Lord, but he told me nothing and he blocked me from his mind. He seemed distant and empty, and I knew his soul had been tainted by Voldemort. He's evil now." Snape said quietly.

"We'll do everything we can to try and save him, but now we must do everything we can to try and save Hermione. We haven't much time." Dumbledore said.

Snape nodded and followed Albus over to a tall bookcase that was filled with old books.

Dumbledore summoned a book from the top shelf without the aid of his wand, and caught it as it floated down to him. There was no title on it, but Snape knew that it contained many powerful spells, most of them probably dealing with remedies.

"Now, let's see what we can find. Hopefully it will be a cure." Dumbledore said as he opened the thick, black tome.

The two wizards didn't even get a chance to read the first page before Dumbledore's fireplace burst into bright green flames.

Dumbledore and Severus approached the hearth just as someone came sliding out of it.

"Hello Peter." Dumbledore said calmly to the rat-like man sprawled across the floor. "It's been a while since I last saw you."

Peter made no attempt to get up from the ground and stayed flat on his back, staring up at Dumbledore in pure terror.

"I am not going to harm you Peter." Dumbledore said reassuringly. "Severus has been telling me some interesting things about you."

Peter shot Snape a quick glance before turning his watery, wary eyes back onto Dumbledore.

"Let me help you up." Dumbledore said, and he reached down for Peter's trembling hand and helped him to his feet.

"H-headmaster," Peter began, his voice shaking, "I have come, for h-help. I know I may not deserve it, b-but I have no where to go."

"What has happened Peter?" Snape asked as he stepped closer to the frightened man.

"H-he knows, Severus." Peter said, his voice trembling even more. "I think he knows that I have been in touch with you. He came to me today and told me that there was a traitor among his Death Eaters. I think he knows."

"Does anyone know you are here?" Dumbledore asked.

"N-no, I came here straight after the D-Dark Lord told me this." Peter replied. He was having a hard time looking into the headmaster's eyes.

"Then you will stay here until we are sure that you will be safe." Albus told him.

Peter looked at Albus incredulously.

"Y-you, you will help me?" He asked, his fear subsiding a little.

"Of course Peter. If it means saving another life from Voldemort then I will do all I can to help."

Peter stood up a little straighter and finally looked Dumbledore directly in the eye.

"Thank you." He said in a steadier voice. "I will do all I can as well. If Voldemort knows that I am a traitor, then it is pointless to keep my allegiance to him."

Snape wanted to laugh, but he curbed the impulse to do so. Peter had no right to talk of allegiances and loyalty.

"We don't know that he suspects you, Peter." Snape said.

Peter looked unsure but he didn't say anything.

"Gentlemen, I'm afraid we must get to work. Hermione has precious little time left and we still haven't found a cure. Peter, would you please assist us in our search?" Dumbledore didn't wait for him to answer before he and Snape started walking towards the book that had been left open on his desk.

"No."

Dumbledore and Severus stopped before they reached the table and turned around to face Peter who had not moved from his spot.

"No?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

"Why not?" Snape asked. His face hardening into a dangerous glare.

Peter suddenly looked very proud for some reason. "Because there is no to."

"I beg to differ, Peter." Dumbledore said, his voice calm. "You should know above all that Hermione needs help, since it was you who told Severus what Draco was planning to do."

Peter just smiled and shook his head.

"What is going on Peter?" Snape asked curiously. "You told me that Draco had been given my mission to poison Granger. Are you denying that now?"

"Oh no, no, no Severus. Draco did indeed poison Hermione with Amorea." Peter said. His dry, cracked lips curved upwards in a grin. "But not before I tampered with it."

Severus's dark eyes widened in surprise. Dumbledore's crystal blue eyes twinkled.

"What are you saying Peter? What did you do?" Snape asked.

"I diluted it." He said simply. "I stole it out of Draco's pocket at the meeting where he received it. The Dark Lord told us of his suspicions about Severus and he gave Draco the assignment, but I was able to steal the poison when no one was looking. I was lucky that Draco didn't feel it. He didn't even feel me dropping it back into his cloak before he left."

Snape looked utterly astounded. Who knew that worthless, whimpering Peter Pettigrew was capable of doing something so useful.

"It's diluted?" Dumbledore asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes Headmaster. I diluted it with water. I know very little about Amorea, but I do know that if it is mixed with another substance for too long then…"

"Then it loses its potency." Dumbledore finished.

Peter nodded. "And I knew that Draco would wait to poison her until he had the perfect opportunity to do so. By the time he slipped it in her drink, the poison had been weakened considerably. For something so powerful, it is remarkably sensitive."

Snape hated to admit it, but he was impressed. He knew Dumbledore was too.

"So that means that Hermione…" Snape began.

"Isn't going to die." Peter finished.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"We should start putting these books back." Harry said miserably.

Ron just stared at him, unable to move. All of their researching was for nothing; none of the books contained any kind of cure for Amorea.

"What are we going to do Harry?" Ron asked. His voice sounded hoarse.

"We're going to pray that Dumbledore and Snape will find something." Harry said. He gathered up a few books and walked towards the shelves in the Restricted Section. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Ron stand and gather up some books as well.

"Thanks Ron." Harry said as the redhead slipped the books into random empty spaces on the shelves.

"Sure Harry." Ron mumbled.

Harry turned back to the books and started placing them on the shelves as well. As slipped the last book in he heard something drop to the ground.

Harry walked around the shelf to the other side and saw a book lying on the floor. He must have pushed too hard on that last book to have caused this one to fall.

He picked it up off the floor and examined the weathered cover for a title, but he found none. He knew he should have just shrugged it off and put it back on the shelf, but something was keeping him from doing it.

Curious, Harry opened the first page and saw three words written in a beautifully curved text.

Tergiversatio per Vicis

Harry scowled. "Latin." He whispered to himself. Now how was he supposed to figure out what this book was?

"Harry?"

Harry jumped and almost dropped the book.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Ron said.

"It's ok Ron." Harry told him.

Harry put the book back on the shelf and walked over to his friend.

"We had better go to the hospital wing and check on Hermione." Harry said quietly. "We need to tell Tom and Ginny that we couldn't find anything."

Ron nodded.

They stared at each other for a moment, and though neither said anything, they both knew they were thinking the same thing…Hermione might not make it.

Harry broke the stare and headed for the door, with Ron following silently behind.

The walk to the hospital wing seemed like it wasn't even happening. Harry's feet kept on moving, but the rest of his body had gone numb. He felt like they had failed Hermione by not finding a cure, and now her only hope of survival depended on Dumbledore and Snape.

What if they can't find anything either, he thought miserably.

All they could do now was hope, but that just wasn't good enough.

Harry and Ron were both surprised to see the hospital wing doors. They were both so lost in their thoughts that they hadn't even noticed that they had reached their destination.

Harry stepped up to the doors, took a deep breath, and pushed them open.

The two boys walked inside stopped dead in their tracks. Harry's face paled to a sickly white color and he could feel Ron trembling next to him.

Tom and Ginny stood next to each other by Hermione's bed as they watched Madame Pomfrey examine Hermione.

Ginny was sobbing so hard that she was having trouble breathing. Her cheeks were pale and covered with tears that kept spilling out of her puffy, red eyes.

Tom reminded Harry of someone who had just been severely injured but had not yet felt the pain. His eyes were wide with shock and he stood completely still; Harry wasn't even sure if he was breathing.

Ginny looked up and saw Harry and her brother standing there and she started crying even harder. Tom didn't look up though. He hadn't noticed that anyone had entered the room; a bomb could have gone off and he wouldn't have noticed it.

Madame Pomfrey stood up and stared down at Hermione, who was lying still in the bed.

"Poppy…" Harry said, surprising himself by being able to speak at all.

Poppy turned her head slowly and looked at the two boys standing by the door. Harry felt his stomach drop when he saw the tear sliding down her cheek.

"Her heart stopped beating just a moment ago." She said in a strained voice. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. She's dead."

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You know, for a chapter that took me so long to write, it is a really fast read. : ( Oh well, I tried to make it as long as I could. It was the whole Snape, Dumbledore, and Peter thing kept giving me trouble. I kept wording things wrong and screwing up. I hope it wasn't too horrible.

The next chapter is called Open Your Eyes. Thanks for being so patient with me everyone!