A/N: I am completely sure that everyone wants me to get to the interactions between our favourite dark potions master and his golden girl but this chapter is entirely necessary in the interim, I assure you. I have some very fun ideas of where this story is heading and I will give you the mildest of infuriating cryptic clues of one of my more brilliant ideas (and that is saying something – lol, couldn't resist), and here it is: 'Of Sneers and Stalking in Billowing Robes'.
Chapter 2 – Avenging Angel
Alone in the Shrieking Shack, Snape begrudgingly chooses to do as his bossy little witch of a former-student suggested. When did she get so… what? What is she? He moves the items she gifted to the end of the bed before turning back to the dusty, shredded rug and picking up his wand. How on earth am I alive right now? He knew the answer of course, he'd witnessed it; Hermione's spells hadn't removed his awareness of what was happening around him, just his ability to effect the outcome. Well, there's nothing new in that… he thought, bitterly, it's how I've lived the last twenty years.
He sat on the edge of the transfigured bed and unscrewed the cap from the bottle of water. Lifting it to his lips, he drank deeply. His eyes closed in pleasure at the sensations that that water seemed to bring to his tired and depleted self. Warmth spread through him; it curled through his veins, whispered into his bones and caressed his very soul. Aches and pains he had forgotten were even there, he'd lived with them for so long, were the first think he noticed fade into non-existence - the price of years playing spy for two warring masters had taken its toll on him and he felt the years of his burdens evaporate into nothingness. He straightened his back where he sat and to his surprise, that dull ache at his lumber, the persistent twinge in his shoulder blades was gone. He released a breath he didn't know he was holding and his shoulders slumped with ease as they had been unable to do in two decades, he was relaxed.
A sudden prickle of ancient magic danced across his brain making him tense a little in apprehension. Am I discovered? Has the Riddle read Miss Granger's mind and come back to kill me again? The prickling sensation travelled from his brain then; it skipped along every nerve ending and cell he possessed; it felt like a tickle and an itch at the same time as his frayed nerve endings from too many 'Dark Lord crucio's' shed their damage and plumped themselves back to full health, restoring him further. He relaxed again.
As the magic of the Avalonian water worked on Severus, he felt himself drift into sleep; a sleep so sound he would not wake for three days. And, when he did wake, he would hardly recognise, if at all, the man who would stare back at him in a mirror.
While a destined battle raged between The Boy Who Lived and He Who Must Not Be Named; while The Order of the Phoenix fought and felled the Death Eaters, the bravest man to have ever walked the wizarding world, the Slytherin man who had straddled both sides of the darkest war in history, lay in a broken shack, a mere mile from the carnage, being rewarded for his years of courage, his heartbreak, his sacrifice and the many burdens he had endured.
Hermione fled down the passageway from the Shrieking Shack; hesitating at the entrance to peer at the castle and grounds of Hogwarts from the Whomping Willow. In truth, she was waiting for something she knew was coming, a particular explosion on the Astronomy Tower… ah, there it is. That's my cue.
That was the explosion that disabled the anti-apparition ward; she'd discovered that is was tied to the placement of certain stars and how the shone through the 3 feet of diamond shaped moonstone that was the decorated the tower. Now she could apparate straight to Fred, knowing Harry would still be in the pensieve with Ron, learning his unfortunate fate.
She knew she had to be quick; she had six minutes until Fred was due to be killed by Dolohov, then only another twenty-three minutes until he got to Remus. She thought swiftly over her advanced apparition research, she'd only practiced once but it had worked; she had learned that apparition could be achieved by thinking of the person you needed to reach rather than the destination. It wasn't widely known, thank Merlin, but it was the quickest, even if it was probably the most dangerous, way to achieve her goals. She focused her mind on an image of Fred Weasley and let her feelings of friendship and affection for him bubble into her mind, then turned on the spot and disappeared from the Shrieking Shack with the tell-tale pop of disapparating.
Landing with a shudder four feet away from the duelling forms of Fred Weasley and Antonin Dolohov, she ducked behind a tapestry of Godric Gryffindor; it wouldn't do to get caught in the cross-fire. Fred was holding his own against Dolohov but she knew she only had about two minutes until his protego shield would falter; she gripped her wand more securely and discreetly aimed it at Dolohov from her hiding place. She checked her watch and counted down until she knew her moment would come. As she waited, she let her hatred for the Russian Death Eater course through her veins like cold fire…
Ten... nine…, her hair crackled with fury.
Eight… seven… six…, she focused her intent.
Five…, four…, she felt her magic surge with loathing.
Three…, two… one…
"Avada Kedavra".
Hermione watched as her curse hit its target square in the jaw, as Dolohov's body froze for a few seconds, which felt like hours before falling to the floor, lifeless.
She stepped from behind the tapestry, bent down briefly to relieve the lifeless form of his weapon, just in case and took a much needed deep breath. Then, she turned to Fred. He looked comically stunned, eyes wide, jaw practically on the floor; she smiled, maybe even as brilliantly as she had for Snape and ran at him. Her arms flung themselves around his neck and her tears fell; the happiest of tears that she had been in time, that she had saved his life, that she had kept the Weasley's, her second family, whole. His arms wrapped around her waist and he kissed her forehead. "Thank you," he whispered.
"Apparate home. Now. The wards are down, you can leave right now. You've done your bit and I won't have you wasting my efforts to save you." She barely recognised her own voice as it commanded Fred with all the authority of Minerva McGonagall.
"But…" Fred started to protest. Hermione interrupted.
"Go. I'll send the others as I can. Get a cuppa on. Trust me, I've got this." Again, she marvelled in the confidence of her own voice. She knew her plans were sound but she still felt nervous. Those nerves just weren't showing in her voice.
"You are a-maz-ing. You know that?" Fred stated in awe before turning on the spot and twisting himself toward the Burrow.
Next. Hermione thought as she apparated herself to the first floor.
The one-witch rampage of her avenging angel persona, powered through the castle on the secret mission she had been planning for almost two years, since her first vision. She flung curse after curse at every death eater she found, collecting their wands as she went; she used every spell in her arsenal spiralling her way, floor after floor to the seventh and the Room of Requirement.
She had realised in her time of reading Hogwarts: A History ten thousand or so times that the Room of Requirement has the heart of the castle; everything Hogwarts should be, a haven… of safety and learning and magic. Her visions hadn't shown her Crabbe's fiendfyre in the magical room and so this detour was not a part of her mission but as she heard the castle creak, moan and rumble around her, she knew it was necessary. She stood facing the expanse of cold stone, she closed and thought with all her heart… I need to heal the castle, I need fix you.
When she opened her eyes, a pair of charred doors met her vision, practically just ash, held in place only by the goblin made wrought iron bars that decorated them. From her beaded bag, she accio'd a second bottle of water and stepped forward as she unscrewed the cap. Taking a steady breath, she poured a quarter of the contents onto the door and stepped back. The door restored magnificently before her and she stepped forward and kissed it. I'm not giving this castle up for anything, especially not that twisted bastard. Now, she thought, as if speaking directly to the castle, use the magic in this water to spread through your walls, to flow along your floors, to fortify the battlements, to be unstoppable. I need you with Hogwarts; I need you with me. And don't let this water touch Riddle… I can't afford for him to be in any way restored.
As she finished her pep talk to Hogwarts, she felt something shift in the magic around her; it strengthened, it braced itself; the castle stopped breaking, stopped creaking and without warning, without knowing what was about to happen, which felt quite the novelty these days, those magnificent restored doors opened wide and Hermione was magically swept within.
She stood in a round room, with four thrones on a stage ahead of her; each throne was filled with an unbelievably recognisable person; although, she had no idea how they were present or what had called them to the present. Before her sat the Kings and Queens of Hogwarts, the Founders: Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin and Helga Hufflepuff.
Hermione gasped at the sight. All thoughts left her for what felt like hours but then bombarded her with a feeling of dread. Was she in trouble? Was Hogwarts somehow mad at her? She did the only thing she could think of and bowed her head; respect seeming the most appropriate response to display. She heard one of the founders moving and she flittered her eyes up to see through her lashes… Godric Gryffindor was striding towards her… strong, sure strides. Like Snape.
He stopped when he approached her and spoke.
"Look at me, my dear. Godric Gryffindor," he unnecessarily introduced himself as he reached for her hand. He kissed her knuckles and continued. "Pleased to meet you, sweet girl."
"I am quite sure you are feeling confused, Miss Granger." Added Salazar Slytherin as he joined Godric.
"Yes, sir" she nodded.
"Your actions tonight, sweet girl, have summoned all of us back to these hallowed halls. You have shown the bravery of a true Gryffindor warrior Miss Granger." Began the explanation from Godric as the Hogwarts Queens approached their colleagues.
"And your stealth, discretion and cunning rival even my own, young lady." Salazar continued.
"That mind of yours, Miss Granger… to have planned and organised, researched and implemented for so long. You make me proud of what this school, we created so many centuries ago, can accomplish. Well done." Rowena Ravenclaw complimented before stepping forward to hug the almost tearful young witch before her.
"And when the fruits of our hard work and labour were falling apart before you, you rallied your spirits and saved our precious castle. Your loyalty to Hogwarts knows no bounds, my dear. Worthy of any Hufflepuff." Helga pulled Hermione into a tight embrace.
"Young Mr. Potter is the saviour of the wizarding world to be sure; Miss Granger but you are saviour of Hogwarts. Much like loyalty to Albus Dumbledore, called Fawkes to Salazar's sanctuary in your second year; loyalty to the school itself, especially in times of great need, calls us to your aid. If it was not for that wonderful elixir from Avalon, we would not be corporeal but even in unknowingly summoning us, you are beyond magnificent, my dear" Godric finally finished their explanation.
Overwhelmed, the tears fell from her.
The Founders waited, patiently as Hermione's tears finally calmed into sniffles and she looked up.
"You are the perfect combination of all of our strengths Miss. Granger and as such, you have the power to end this war and aid Mr. Potter in what he must do."
Hermione's head snapped up at that.
"What do I have to do?" she said, without any hesitation or fear.
"That reaction, right there," Godric said to the other founders, "That is why this woman is in my house."
Salazar sneered, so that's where it started; Helga smiled, of course; and Rowena thinned her lips and looked a little jealous, like Minerva when Slytherin win a Quidditch match.
"Now, down to business young lady. The four of us you see before you, we are technically spirits; as such, we can possess your spirit and enhance your powers. Whilst you are housing us, no spell, charm or curse can touch you; you will be, for the time it takes to complete this task, invincible, Miss Granger." Salazar explained, excitedly.
"What are we going to do, exactly?"
"The side effects of our presence mean that the castle will continue to restore as you, we walk by. We our powered by the magics of Avalon thanks to your intelligence and ingenuity. We, and so you while we are possessing you have all the magic of Avalon coursing through you." Rowena added.
"My dear, you'll know exactly what to do with our powers. We cannot choose how you use this gift; the choice has to be yours. But know this, Hermione Jean Granger; you have united us once more in comradery. Your bravery, intelligence, ambition and loyalty are what will save Hogwarts and give Mr. Potter the freedom to do what must be done." Salazar instructed.
After several moments of thought, Hermione turned to Salazar and nodded. He stepped forward and merged into her skin without a word.
She turned to Helga next, and nodded again. The Matriarch of Hufflepuff kissed her cheek and seeped into Hermione.
When she turned to Rowena, the original Ravenclaw had a tear in her eye and said. "Brightest witch of her age; as if that could do you justice. You are the brightest witch of any age, Hermione." She stepped into Hermione's person and felt pride wash over her.
Finally she turned to Godric Gryffindor. "I couldn't be prouder, angel. A true Gryffindor. My Avenging Angel for all the wrongs that have taken place over the last thirty year. You have my gratitude, Hermione."
She nodded and he stepped forward, placing a kiss to her cheek before passing into her person.
"Right. Let's go save us a school!" Hermione said loudly and felt four streams of magic surge through her in agreement.
Hermione Granger, with the force of the Founders coursing through her was magnificent. Walls rebuilt in her wake, fires were doused, death eaters, werewolves and all manner of dark forces fell at her feet, immobilised and incarcerated in ropes; wand upon wand flew at her as she walked with determined purpose to the Great Hall.
At the grand double doors, she clicked her fingers with a flourish and the entrance way was bared before her. She was teeming with raw power, her chestnut curls glowed with magic and she felt the Founders devastation at the tragedies that had befell their precious creation. It was all she needed, she drew their energies into her own magic; felt every molecule of power ripple with anticipation through her whole body, let it build and swirl and ascend until it reached a fever pitch of incomprehensible force and then just as it was about to erupt from her unbidden, she released it with true and meaningful intent to decimate the darkness from the castle.
Every death eater and dark lord sympathiser fell to ground; unconscious.
She snapped her fingers and every fallen wand was banished.
She saw Neville and new he was destined to destroy Nagini; she wanted to do it herself, to avenge Snape; but this was Neville's destiny. She held out her hand to him and he approached her, looking nervous.
"Neville, hold my hand." He did so and she squeezed. "I need you to do something for me, for Harry, for Dumbledore. Find Nagini and kill her. I know you can do it Neville. You are as strong and courageous as any other Gryffindor. You'd have to be, to stand up to me in our first year. This will help you…" the hilt of a sword materialised between their clasped hands. "Take it. I have put a permanent protego on your skin, imbibed with inoculation for any venom. You're safe, Neville. We're gonna get him. Go! And be careful."
Neville hugged her before backing away.
Hermione turned to the room at large: she saw the Weasley's, decidedly care-worn and ragged but all alive; Minerva, Filius, Horace, were tending to the wounded and transporting them to a heavily warded Poppy Pomfrey in the hospital wing. She did another quick scan and saw Remus hugging Tonks by an obliterated staff table.
Movement outside, made her remember her visions and what was about to happen. Harry!
She beckoned for Neville to follow her and apparated into the courtyard. She knew that's where Voldermort was leading Hagrid, holding an 'apparently' dead Harry. She had to play this carefully.
"I can hold my abomination of a descendant in stasis while the snake is destroyed. He will not know I am with you, he will not expect my power." She heard Salazar's voice in her head.
Hermione appeared ten feet from where Voldermort, Hagrid and the Malfoys entered the courtyard.
Voldermort spotted her and let out a high-pitched, shrieking laugh. Cold and mirthless.
"See here, little Mudblood. Your beloved saviour is dead. At my wand. And now, Miss Granger, you shall join him" the elder wand was pointed at her… "Avada Ke-" Hermione smiled. Salazar's magic rushed through her right hand and she felt herself raise it towards the megalomaniac in front of her and hold him silent and stationary.
"Neville you're up."
The nervous Gryffindor ran at the snake, sword held high and swung it with all his might. The sword sliced through the enchanted protection that encapsulated his prey and continued slicing swiftly through the Nagini's neck.
The snake evaporated in wisps of black smoke and Neville fell to his knees.
Hermione moved him back into the castle, wandlessly. She had to keep him safe and turned to Hagrid.
"Harry! Harry! Wake up. It's time."
She didn't know how aware, Voldermort was through this but guessing he was, she kept one eye on him at all times.
Harry jumped out of Hagrid's arms and hugged Hermione. "How did you know? How could you know?
"No time to explain. Don't know how long he's held. Ready for the fight of your life, Harry?"
Harry gulped, but nodded.
"Here, use my wand; I don't need it for a while." She handed over the thin piece of vine to her best friend and directed him a few feet away. "Ready?" she asked when he was far enough away.
She had a sudden urge; she couldn't help it. She really just had to it.
She stood directly in front of Tom Riddle, moved her left foot back to steady herself, repeated the movement with her right fist and wham! Hermione Granger landed her right hook directly at Voldermort's jaw.
"He's all your Harry." She called to her best friend as she stepped out of the firing line to watch.
The perfectly executed right hook had dislodged the stasis charm that held the Dark Lord in place and as he returned his back to face crowd, he hissed and glowered and was hit, unawares by a very well placed expelliarmus. Followed by every member of the Order of the Phoenix, including Fred Weasley who had returned, twenty three cries of Avada Kedavra.
Voldermort fell.
Hermione ran to Harry and hugged him.
"Snape's alive. I have to go," she whispered in her best friend's ear.
"Go!"
Bound to Hogwarts, she felt the Founders leave her as she disapparated.
A/N: Well, there we are. My take on how Hermione did most of the work… it's important for later. Adding the Founders was something I planned for another story but I like adding it here and it worked so well. Hope you all liked it. If you'd like them to show up again later, let me know and I can work them in somewhere.
Please review, I appreciate feedback and it inspires me to write more.