Hermione was dead tired, her arms around a First Year Slytherin girl who was finally sleeping, even though tears still streaked her face. She was gently disentangling herself when she felt something buzz in her pocket.
She bit back a curse as the girl frowned and began squirming. Hermione gently tucked her into bed and held her breath, The little girl's face relaxed and she began sleeping soundly. Hermione let out her breath and scuttled out of the dormitory and into the Slytherin common room before pulling a coin out of her pocket.
Greenhouse Four
She frowned at the coin. She couldn't think if a single reason she should be summoned to the greenhouses at all and began to grow suspicious.
She made her way through the castle, taking a long path through corridors before exiting the castle and walking along it's perimeter until she could see the greenhouses.
All of them had lights blazing and she could see McGonagall, Dumbledore, Severus, Theodore Nott and Professor Sprout huddled together in what looked like a serious conversation.
Hermione bustled over once she saw that it was not a trap and was thankful when a wave of warmth washed over her as she opened the door.
"What took you so long?" Severus asked as soon as she was in and the door was shut behind her.
"Err..." Hermione fumbled. "I thought it might be some kind of trap, so I took the long way around."
"Better to err on the side of caution." Sprout nodded.
"We have a problem," Theo said seriously. "Some plants have gone missing."
"I'm guessing they weren't daisies," Hermione said grimly.
"You're right about that," Sprout snorted. "It was a flourishing Adenium obesum."
"Isn't that poisonous?" Hermione asked.
"It is a very pretty plant," McGonagall interjected. "For all we know it will up in one of the common rooms with a love note on it."
"We can always hope for the best," said Dumbledore. "But that plant can be very dangerous—"
He froze at a humming sound and pulled a coin from his pocket.
"What is it, Albus?" McGonagall asked.
"The hospital wing." He frowned down at the coin.
"Did anyone else get a summons?" McGonagall asked and everyone shook their heads.
"It's a member of the faculty." Severus said flatly.
0
Hermione sat on the worn couch in front of the fireplace in she and Severus' quarters, biting her nails. She jumped at the creaking of the door and let out a relieved breath as Severus stepped through.
"How's Mr. Filch?" Hermione asked, wincing as she saw an ancient tabby pad through the portal with him.
"He'll live. It's a good thing he was found so quickly." Severus shook his head. "Bloody blow-dart to the back of his leg."
Hermione found herself shivering, despite the cozy room. Mrs. Norris didn't so much as look at Hermione before turning to go through the portal that led to her room.
"Cheeky," Hermione sniffed at the cat's retreating backside.
"There was something written on the wall," Severus said hesitantly.
"What was it?" Hermione asked, an angry ball of ice starting to form in her stomach.
"Time to show yourselves," Severus looked discontent. "Perhaps you should go for a visit somewhere."
"Where would I go?" Hermione laughed.
"My parents' house, your parents' house, Anna and Pieter's, even Yuri would like to see you." Severus suggested.
"My home is wherever you are," Hermione said firmly. "I will not have anyone chase me out of it."
"I was afraid you'd say that."
"What now?" Hermione asked him.
"Plan B."
0
Hermione flexed her arms experimentally in her new dragonhide body suit. "I think it fits correctly."
"Good. You aren't to take it off when you're outside of our quarters." Severus looked at her sternly.
"What about my head?" Hermione asked as Crookshanks and Mrs. Norris hopped off the couch, peering at her. "Surely you aren't expecting me to wear a dragon-hide hood as well."
"For that, we have this." Severus pulled a silver chain from his pocket. "When you wear it, you might as well be wearing a glass helmet, even though you'll look normal."
"Like an invisible, heavy-duty, bubble-head charm?" She asked him.
"Exactly."
"Will it even work in the rain?" Hermione asked curiously as she watched the cats make their hesitant way towards her.
"Yes, and it only goes one way so if you sneeze it won't be a disaster."
"Oh, good," she said in a relieved tone as she looked back at him. "How will I eat?"
"In our quarters and only if an elf has brought it to you personally, or you have gone to the kitchens to fetch it yourself."
"Fine," Hermione said in a weary voice. "Anything else I should know?"
"If you are attacked, your Faculty Coin will alert the other members of the faculty," Severus nodded. "Who will be informed of your whereabouts and be able to come assist you."
"Don't you think this is all silly?" Hermione asked him. She looked down at Crookshanks and Mrs. Norris, who were sniffing at her suspiciously.
"Not in the least," he said coldly.
"What about you?" Hermione asked testily.
"What about me?" Severus asked, taken aback.
"You're a sympathizer and the reason I'm here in the first place," she pointed out. "Whoever it is, they'll be sure to come after you sooner or later."
"You can say that about any member of the staff!" Severus blustered.
"The more reason to have them all under protections," Hermione said with a satisfied smirk. Crookshanks gave her leg an experimental swipe before jumping back at a metallic sound.
Severus glared at her, but then his shoulders slumped. "Perhaps it is a good precaution," he muttered.
"We can bring it up to Dumbledore," Hermione said gently as she leaned down to scratch Crookshanks on the head, but he ducked and slunk off quickly.
"I think we might be obligated to, if he hasn't already thought of it."
"Well, off to Diagon Alley with you for your own suit," Hermione scooted him towards the fireplace. "I'll stay here and terrorize the cats so they can get used to the smell."
0
The faculty of Hogwarts sat at the staff table in the Great Hall, fidgeting with their robes and settling in for their evening meal.
Professor Sinistra had acquired a silver chain, much like Hermione's, but had worn a small silver tikka she could attach it to while eating, keeping the rest of her head still covered. Hermione complimented her and soon the women were chattering about the ingenious enchanted jewelry that was being created as defense devices.
Professor Flitwick lifted a muffin to his mouth, only to have it bounce off an invisible barrier and crumble on to his plate. He swore and waved his wand: raising the chain in front of him and sticking to his forehead.
"It may take some getting used to, but as you can see, no one wants to take their protections off," Dumbledore said to Severus sympathetically.
Professor Hooch strode in, her robes discarded, shimmering as the candlelight glimmered off the small scales of her armor, showing off her impressive muscle structure. She sat down and waved her wand at her head. Her gold necklace had a circular charm on it and when she cast the spell it had snapped to her face and surrounded her mouth as the loose chain drew itself together to make a seam that led from her chin to her chest.
"Show-off," Flitwick muttered to himself as he tried to scoop up pieces of muffin with a spoon.
"What are you looking at, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked curiously.
"Two fourth years," she said with a snort. "Young love gone awry."
"Oh dear," Professor Dumbledore said as he adjusted his spectacles as he watched the Ravenclaw table. A pretty red-haired girl was clutching her fork and seething at the Hufflepuff table; an attractive blond boy having his chin swiped at with a napkin held by a heavy-set girl with a bright smile.
"Oh..." Professor Sprout managed to squeak out as the Ravenclaw girl completely lost it and lunged over the table, casting hexes as she went.
The Hall went berserk. Several students had already taken sides and jumped at the chance to get a blast in; the prefects were shouting for order, and a group of older students jumped in to try and pry people apart.
The faculty rose to their feet and suddenly Flitwick and Professor Vector began to glow red.
Dumbledore pointed at his voice and roared: "Get back to your Houses IMMEDIATELY!" A sound like a giant lion filled the room and the children scrambled among themselves to grab their things and run out of the Hall.
"What makes you think they won't just take it out into the hallway?" Severus asked him curiously.
Dumbledore waved him off. "If they were going to keep fighting, they would have stayed where they were."
"I assure you, I will be talking to Miss Fredrickson," Flitwick said with a dark expression on his face.
"Let's take care of you first," Dumbledore said in a practical tone. "Don't move."
The other teachers gathered around the glowing members of the faculty and began to examine them.
"I found one," Hooch declared.
"I've got the other," Flitwick said, motioning over his shoulder.
Dumbledore examined both of them, plucking the small darts away from their armor and slipping them into an envelope. "I think we'll find these are the same as the others."
Flitwick let out a breath as he began to fade back to his normal appearance.
"That's not good," McGonagall murmured to herself.
"I shouldn't think so!" Flitwick scowled at her.
"What have you noticed?" Sinistra asked McGonagall.
"They were both hit in the back." Severus said, already examining the wall behind the teacher's table. He tapped it with his wand experimentally.
"It didn't come from the student area?" Vector asked in surprise.
"Not a chance," Hooch declared. "I think we need to make a sweep of the hall for booby-traps and everyone, take out your memories and put them in a Pensive while they're still fresh."
"I agree," McGonagall said, nodding.
"Right." Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together. "Seal the Hall and gather the Pensives in my office."
The teachers murmured agreements among themselves, before shuffling out of the, in the direction of the Headmaster's Office.