"Ron, no." Hermione sighed, dipping her quill in the inkpot. "I already told you…"
"Why not? Harry likes the idea."
"I didn't say that," Harry said. "I told you to leave me out of it."
"Same thing."
"It's not, actually. What I meant was…"
"Will you stop?" Ginny said, sounding peeved. "Honestly, I don't know how the three of you ever managed to work together on anything, let alone winning a war. You can't stop bickering long enough to even finish a stupid map."
Well, that wasn't technically true. They'd completed several maps over the past week, each of which had failed for a different reason. Still, Hermione couldn't blame Ginny for her irritation. She was getting rather annoyed herself.
"No insults, Ron, and no, I don't care what Harry's dad and Sirius did. It makes more sense to have it show something innocent, like an essay or a bit of random doodling."
He rolled his eyes. "That's boring."
"Maybe, but at least it's safer. No one's going to bother themselves over a bit of old homework."
As usual, she won the argument, feeling mollified as she put the protections in place. She spread the map out over the table, bracing herself for another disappointment.
"Hermione, it's beautiful."
It was rather impressive, neatly drawn and far more intricate than the Marauder's Map had been. That was the benefit of their numerous failures. Her drawing skills had improved with each attempt.
"Thanks," she said. "Ready to cast the final enchantment?"
Harry shrugged. "Might as well."
The four of them pulled out their wands, aiming them at the parchment. Reciting the words in unison, they pressed the tips together directly above Gryffindor Tower.
Hermione wasn't expecting the flash, sparks of gold cascading onto the table as she grabbed a chair to steady herself. The others had a similar reaction, Ron nearly toppling over before he managed to right himself.
"Bloody hell, what was that?"
"I don't know," she said, leaning over to inspect the map. It didn't look any different, except…
One by one, the names appeared, some dots moving around the castle while others remained stationary. Minerva was in her office, probably seated at the desk. Professor Sprout could be seen on the second floor, while Professors Flitwick and Sinistra were eating in the Great Hall. Several Ministry officials milled about, and even Hagrid was accounted for, his somewhat larger dot hovering near the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
That was the real genius of this map. It covered both the castle and the surrounding grounds, extending all the way into the Forbidden Forest. Any presence that was at least somewhat human was now visible, an innovative twist on the Homenum Revelio charm. A herd of centaurs, several werewolves hidden deep within the leafy clusters she'd drawn…
Well, the latter was a bit disturbing, though that wasn't the point. All that mattered was…
"We did it," Ginny whispered. "We actually did it."
Unfortunately, Hermione couldn't enjoy their triumph. She was too busy looking for one dot in particular, scouring the castle again before her eyes swept over the grounds.
"Where's Professor Snape?" Harry said, echoing her thoughts. "I don't see him."
"The Room of Requirement, maybe? I know the staff has been sleeping there."
"It's the middle of the day," Ron said.
"I know that," she retorted, struggling to keep the irritation out of her voice. "Maybe he's taking a nap or something."
Yes, that had to be it. She lifted her head, forcing herself to smile as the others gushed over the map. Even Ron was excited, complimenting her on her careful handiwork.
"What should we call it?"
"Whatever you want," Ginny said, "as long as it doesn't have anything to do with trios."
That gave Hermione an idea, one that inspired a real smile. Ginny had been left out for so many years, forced to sit on the sidelines during most of their adventures. Besides, the map was her idea. She deserved proper credit.
"How about, 'Ginevra's Map'?"
"Ginevra?" Ron's eyes widened. "Why would we…"
"I like it," Harry said, squeezing Ginny's hand. "Like it a lot, actually."
"Bollocks. I'm sure we can come up with something more interesting than…"
"Ron?" Hermione said.
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
"What? So I don't get a say?"
"Three against one. You're overruled."
Ginny hadn't said anything, though her feelings on the subject were clear. Her cheeks had turned pink, eyes shining with obvious pride.
"Right, so that's settled. Ready to try the last part?"
"Sure," Harry said, touching his wand to the parchment. Ginny and Ron did the same, all four of them reciting a different spell.
Ron frowned. "It's not working."
"Try again," Hermione said. "Really focus this time."
It took two more tries, the map finally duplicating itself amidst a puff of smoke. They waited for it to clear before they each took a copy, holding their collective breath as they examined the results.
"Mine works," Harry said.
"Mine too. Hagrid's in his hut now, and Professor Sprout has just gone down to the dungeons."
Hermione nodded. "How about you, Ron?"
"Working perfectly. It's genius."
She couldn't believe they'd pulled it off, a thrill shooting through her as she inspected the original. Granted, she'd feel even better if she could find Severus, but… well, maybe he was in the Room of Requirement. Considering how tired he'd been the last time he'd written her…
"So what's the plan?" Harry asked. "Just keep an eye on things?"
"Yeah," she said. "Of course, none of us can be watching all the time, but between the four of us, we'll have it covered. Do you still have your lists?"
Ginny nodded. "I've got mine right here."
"Me too," Harry said.
"Ron?"
"I think it's… yeah, it's in my pocket."
Harry had handled that part of the plan, sending a casual letter to the Ministry. They'd responded with the names of every official who'd been sent to Hogwarts, which would no doubt be a timesaver.
"They're all here," Harry said. "Well, them and the professors. I don't see anyone else."
"Me either," Ron said, all of them looking up as Molly entered the kitchen. She had no idea what they were up to, of course, humming to herself as she fixed a huge plate of sandwiches.
"Who's ready for lunch?"
"Me!"
"Me too."
"I could use a bite," Harry said. "Thanks!"
Hermione wasn't particularly hungry, mumbling an excuse as she left the kitchen. To her relief, the others left her alone, going outside to play Quidditch before they headed off to Diagon Alley.
For the first hour, she managed to distract herself with a book. By the second, she was checking the map every five minutes, unable to recall anything she'd just read. After that, she gave up on reading, eyes fixed on the map for the rest of the afternoon.
By nightfall, she was tempted to send her Patronus. She pulled her wand out only to tuck it back in her sleeve, reminding herself of the need for secrecy.
8 PM… 9 PM… 10 PM…
11 PM, and there was still no sign of him. Sighing heavily, she crawled into bed, igniting the tip of her wand as she spread the map out beside her. Whatever had happened…
It was going to be a very long night.
Severus never went back to sleep after he felt the Dark Mark burn. Of course, it didn't help that it hadn't stopped burning, seeming to mock him as he stared at it with equal parts horror and disgust.
By morning, he'd had enough. He went straight to Minerva, informing her that he'd be gone that day and possibly overnight.
"The Ministry won't like it."
"I don't give a toss what the Ministry thinks. Just tell them I'm doing research."
That wasn't a lie. Research was what drew him to Spinner's End, thumbing through books he hadn't touched in decades.
"Fuck."
12 hours, and the bloody thing still hadn't stopped. How? Why?
At first, he'd been terrified, assuming that the Dark Lord had returned. It had taken him more than an hour to calm down, realizing that there could easily be another, less frightening explanation. All of Voldemort's followers had had some ability to channel the Dark Mark's magic. They'd been able to send signals, raise alarms…
But could they make it reappear?
That was the real question, though unfortunately, he couldn't find an answer. The magic was too obscure, a subject that even his rarest, most archaic books didn't cover.
He finally gave up around midnight, dosing himself with a pain relief potion. A bit of ointment… yes, that was better. The sensation faded into that of a mild sunburn, still unpleasant yet easy to ignore.
Exhausted though he was, Severus knew that sleep was out of the question. He headed down to his lab instead, brewing for hours as he replenished his dwindling supplies. A few extra pain relief potions… yes, that would certainly be a good idea. He shrank the vials, placing them in the box before he stashed it in his pocket.
By then, the sky had lightened to a dreary gray. He knew he should return to Hogwarts, but first…
"Accio quill and parchment."
Dear Hermione,
I must apologize for yet another lengthy silence. There have been several unexpected developments, one of which has had me more preoccupied than I'd like to admit. I'm not sure how to explain…
Well, I'm afraid I can't tell you anything quite yet. Minerva's Patronus just arrived… it seems I'm urgently needed back at Hogwarts.
Love, S
PS: Forgive me for sending this letter in its current state. I cannot be sure when I'll be able to write again.
The last few lines were barely legible, scribbled so hastily he'd left ink spatters across the parchment. Even the seal was sloppy, the return address stating that it had come from Spinner's End.
"Well, that explains one thing."
"What?" Harry said.
"Yesterday, when we couldn't find him on the map. I stayed up all night watching…"
"Watching for Snape?" Ron frowned.
Why was he so surprised? Didn't he understand, even for a second, why she'd be concerned for Severus's well-being? Knowing he was in danger, that he'd somehow gone missing…
Of course, he wouldn't have reacted that way if it had been one of the other professors. Only Severus was treated with such callous disregard, as if his life was somehow less important.
"Ron?"
"Yeah?"
"You're an ass."
She didn't wait for a response, struggling to hold back tears as she stormed out of the room.
"Where were they? How did it happen?"
Minerva shook her head, gazing down at the unconscious professors. "They were having breakfast in the Great Hall. I'd planned on joining them."
"Be glad you didn't,"Severus said, pausing to force an antidote down Rolanda's throat. He moved to the next bed, giving Aurora the same treatment.
"Will they be all right?"
He moved to the third and final bed, dosing Flitwick with the last few drops that remained in the vial.
"I believe so, though they will require additional treatment. It's a nasty poison, and as you can see, my antidote is in short supply."
"St. Mungo's?" she said.
He nodded. "The sooner, the better."
"I'll make the arrangements. Thank you, Severus."
He didn't bother to respond, cursing under his breath as he put the empty vial back in his pocket. Poison in the food supply? As if they didn't have enough to worry about.
"Can we come in?"
Hermione didn't want company. What she needed was solitude, a chance to relax and bring her emotions under control. It was getting so much harder to hide what she was feeling, her eyes filled with tears as she retrieved her quill and parchment.
I'm not sure how to explain…
Explain what? What had he'd been trying to tell her, and why had Minerva's Patronus shown up?
I cannot be sure when I'll be able to write again.
Why had he said that? Was it just because he'd been busy lately, or was there something deeper, more ominous behind those words?
Three whole paragraphs, and not a single answer. Why couldn't he have at least…
"Hermione?"
"I'm busy, Harry. Can you come back later?"
"It's important."
She sighed, shoving Severus's letter in her bag before she got up to answer the door. Harry and Ron were waiting outside, one holding a tea tray while the other had brought an entire chocolate cake.
"What's that for?"
"Thought it would cheer you up."
"Ron, I really don't think…"
"Oh, come on," he said. "Have a bit of cake with us."
Hermione had barely had an appetite lately, too preoccupied with what was going on at Hogwarts. Now? Well, she had to admit that she was a bit hungry. Chocolate cake had always been one of her favorites.
"All right," she said, flashing them a smile. "As long as my piece has lots of frosting."
The three of them sat on her bed, chattering about nothing in particular as they enjoyed their afternoon snack. It was a nice distraction, her mood drastically improved as she helped herself to a second slice.
"Hermione?"
"Yeah?"
"What's all this business with Snape?"
She froze, nearly dropping her teacup. "What do you mean?"
"The letters," Ron said. "Why is he writing to you?"
"I already explained that, didn't I?"
"Not really."
She sighed, setting her fork down. "Professor Snape is a target, just like I was. He knows how frustrated I am to be left out of the investigation, so he's been keeping me informed."
"But why? I mean, why would he care whether you're frustrated?"
"He's not a monster, Ron. You know very well that he was on our side."
"Yeah, but he still doesn't like us."
"Us?"
Suddenly, it all made sense. Ron was still living in the past, tied to a world where Severus was nothing more than a harsh, unfeeling teacher who'd gone out of his way to make their lives miserable. Really, why would his perspective have changed? Unlike Harry and Hermione, he'd never seen another side of him.
"What?"
"Us," she repeated. "You, me, Harry… Ron, we're not the same person."
"Yeah, but has he ever known the difference?"
"You might be surprised."
"She's right," Harry said. "I mean, I don't know how Snape feels about me these days, but I know I feel differently about him."
"Because he cared about your mum?"
"Yeah, but it isn't just that. It's hard to explain, but…"
Hermione didn't hear the rest, her eyes widening as she glanced at the map. "Bloody hell…"
"What's wrong?"
"Look!"
Harry frowned, digging his own map out of his pocket. "Alain Ashwood," he said. "Isn't that…"
She nodded, the three of them watching in horror as the tiny dot drew closer to Minerva's office. It was approaching from the outside, a clear sign that Ashwood was in his Animagus form. All he needed was an open window, a chink in the wall that hadn't been patched up. Something as small as a locust…
"What should we do?" Ron whispered. "Should we send a Patronus?"
Hermione shook her head. "It's too late for that."
Second later, the dot was inside the office, expanding until its size matched the other humans. It came close to Minerva, their dots overlapping…
"What's happening?" Harry said.
"I don't know."
Several minutes passed, and Minerva's dot remained perfectly still, Meanwhile, Ashwood's dot had already moved away, reducing in size as it ventured deeper into the castle.