Happy Tuesday lovelies!

I'm still a bit in shock right now because this story hit 1k reviews yesterday, which is bloody insane. THANK YOU. I don't have the words.

I think some people have been waiting for what's going to happen in the next couple chapters.

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Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, and only the story line and any OC's belong to me.

As always for Sable and Lais xxx


"It's a bloody inconvenient time to get knocked up, isn't it?" Ron states, and Hermione shoots him a withering stare.

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Ronald," Hermione says dryly. "I didn't see you telling Molly it was a 'bloody inconvenient time to get knocked up'."

The two witch's situations are entirely different, and she knows it. Whilst no one is truly safe during times of war, Alice is constantly on the front lines—in the face of danger on a daily basis.

Ron sighs heavily, "you know what I mean. She is a newly-minted Auror, and an active member in the Order. She is right in the thick of the war."

(Due to the intensity of the War picking up, Moody had shortened the Auror program from two years to one, but it just meant it was far more gruelling. Frank and Alice on separate occasions had both recounted how taxing and brutal it was.)

"I know. Fuck. I know," Hermione groans, her face in her hands.

The witch is pacing back and forth as if she is trying to wear straight through the hardwood floors. She halts in her tracks when Harry calls out her name, and gently suggests that she join them on Harry's bed.

Hermione blows out a noise in frustration and then crosses over to Harry's bed. The witch climbs onto it and then immediately flops onto her side; her nerves are sparking with anxious energy, and she's trying not to over think things—she is far too emotionally fatigued for that.

"You mentioned she is worried about the prophecy?" Ron queries.

Hermione tucks her hands under her chin, closes her head and tiredly replies, "yes. More specifically she's worried that her baby will be the one of the prophecy...like he could have been last time."

"Riddle isn't even aware of the prophecy until…Snape brings it to his attention," Ron says, raking his hands through his short hair and grimacing.

Snape is a touchy subject amongst them: for the most part Harry wishes to absolve the man of all his sins and personal affronts to their persons, Hermione's personal point of view on the man is that his treatment of them when they were growing up was absolutely abhorrent, but she also acknowledges that they couldn't have won the war without him—that he played a crucial part in keeping Harry safe. Then there is no love lost between Ron and Snape, but he views the man in a somewhat similar light as Hermione.

Harry clears his throat, swallows audibly and then says, "we haven't…we haven't really discussed Snape…not since our first couple of weeks here."

Hermione groans, "for good reason, he's an unpredictable variable…we don't know if this Snape will regret his choices enough to want to become a turncoat. Plus, Lily—or more accurately, her child—currently does not have a target painted on her back by a Dark Lord."

"Yet," Harry adds.

"Thank you for your optimism, Harry," Hermione grumbles, burrowing into Harry's bed, still refusing to open her eyes. She truly does not like the direction this conversation is going, because she knows exactly where it will lead.

"Lay off, Mione. He's right. We have no idea what is going to happen," Ron points out gravely, and she suspects it's his tone that irks her.

Hermione's eyes snap open, and she flies upwards, and in a flash she is in Ron's face and her hands are grasping fistfuls of his soft, baby blue cotton shirt. "That is what scares me. There are so many unknowns, Ron."

Hermione's lip quivers, and her entire body sags in defeat as the anger flees her body as quickly as it had come. Ron wraps his arms around her and pulls her into his chest, and instantly one of his hands rubs soothing circles across the expanse of her back. Hermione can't help the choked sobs that subsequently escape her lips.

"We should at least try…he would be an invaluable asset," Harry says after a few terse moments, and Hermione feels the bed shift as Harry crawls closer, and then he's petting her head and making shushing noises.

If he's on our side, if not he would be a most irksome force to be reckoned with, Hermione thinks sourly, but does not voice her opinion aloud.

"He would….how are we going to find him?" Ron asks.

Hermione pulls back just enough to look at Harry, "that is a good point, how are we going to find him? Say we decide to take this massive risk, where do we even begin to look for him?"

Harry's hand stills on top of her head, and his almond-shaped, bright green eyes flicker for a moment as he considers something.

"What? What is it?" Hermione queries all while sniffling softly. Silent tears are still streaming down her cheeks but she ignores them.

"I have an idea on how we can find him," Harry says, and his brow draws together in thick contemplation. The raven haired boy's nose scrunches upwards and his lips press together with the corners turning down slightly.

"Okay, well let's hear it!" Ron exclaims, and Hermione winces at the sharp and sudden noise. Ron winces and instantly stumbles over an apology.

"Regulus."

"Sorry? Did you just say Regulus?" Ron asks, and there's a protective edge to his tone when he says the wizard's name.

When did that happen? Hermione wonders briefly. Perhaps she truly hadn't been spending enough time with the boys as of late; she'd have to make much more of an effort. After all, juggling a multitude of responsibilities, tasks and people is not a foreign concept to the witch.

"You think he knows where Snape is?" Hermione asks with a quirked brow, and she removes one of her hands from Ron's shirt to swipe away the remainder of the tears brimming in her eyes.

"I think we should at least ask him. If anyone knows where Snape is, surely it would be Regulus. He was one of Snape's closest...friends, if you could call them that," Harry answers, but his face puckers with doubt and pensive thought. Hermione can tell he is losing faith in his initial assessment; they haven't met this Snape. Even the tiniest of differences could make it so that he would willingly allow them all to burn—Lily included—to save his own hide.

"Then what are we waiting for, let's go talk to Regulus," Hermione exhales.

"Does that mean you want to try then?" Harry asks, trying to mask the glimmer of hope that is peeking through the cracks of his deep ponderation.

"I'll decide after we talk to Regulus. Perhaps Severus Snape can be persuaded to join our side."

Shortly thereafter, the Golden Trio had strolled down the hall, and knocked on Regulus's door, only to wait further before he cracked open the door and hesitantly asked them what they wanted. In his experience, it didn't usually bode well when all three of their shadows darkened one's doorway.

Warily he had allowed them inside, and wordlessly Regulus had listened to their proposition. To his credit, he also kept his face expressionless.

Finally, the only reaction to proposal is his grey eyes staring at them in utter disbelief as what they have requested sinks in. "You've got to be fucking joking? Severus?"

Hermione inadvertently flinches, and Regulus narrows his eyes at the action.

Regulus shifts his focus solely onto Ron, and raises an eyebrow, "really, Weasley?"

"Yes, Reg. If there's a chance he might be able to help us, then we need to try."

"I highly doubt he'll deign to lift a finger to assist us in any form or fashion," Regulus snorts, crossing his arms over his chest. "I do know where he is if you truly wish to go and see him...but he won't help you."

Hermione's lips turn up at the corner a smidge when Regulus said, 'us', but she doesn't think it apt to point that out to the wizard.

Hermione's tongue darts out of her mouth to swipe across her bottom lip. "Maybe he will," Hermione says with bold surety, and she raises her chin and puffs out her chest. Part of her starts to believe that maybe, just maybe he actually will; even if a more rational part is shrieking and kicking in violent protest.

"If he doesn't, then I trust one of you knows how to properly obliviate someone," Regulus says, tilting his head back slightly, and pinching the bridge of his nose.

Harry and Ron both silently turn to Hermione, and tiny offended gasp comes from her parted lips. Hermione harrumphs, appearing deeply put out, but nods in the affirmative. However, for some reason she can't quite let things lie as they are, so she says, "that would be correct, I am quite proficient at memory charms."

Hermione whirls around on Harry and Ron, a bite to her tone as she locks eyes with Ron, "though, I should remind both of you, that I am not the one who caused a man to forget everything, including his own name."

"I blame my broken wand at the time," Ron shrugs, looking nonplussed and unfazed at Hermione's comment. The ginger scratches behind his ear, and his mouth opens as if he is about to yawn—and one eye squeezes shut—but he clearly fights it off.

"Your broken wand—" Regulus begins, releasing his nose and turning his full attention to Ron. He shoots the man a perplexed look, but moments later he adamantly shakes his head, and continues, "that's not important—"

"It was bloody brilliant to be fair," Harry jumps in, an impressed expression spread across his features as he reminiscences on the moment in question.

Curtly, Regulus discards Harry's nostalgic remark, and begins to speak again, "as I was saying, I will take you to Severus's cottage tomorrow if that is what you truly desire...but I cannot guarantee it will end in your favour."

Ron beams at that comment, "I wouldn't worry your pretty head about us. I can't count the number of times the odds haven't been in our favour. Usually it all works out in the end."

"You are unnaturally lucky." Regulus says, folding his hands across his chest as he takes a step in Ron's direction. "I trust you have a plan?"

"Nah, I figure we're going to wing it," Ron answers in a chipper tone and a dazzling grin.

Hermione internally groans, they haven't discussed a plan, yet. Though, oftentimes their plans often go up in smoke and they are left to play things by ear. Complications always arise.

Regulus stares at Ron incredulously, as if questioning the ginger's sanity, "I'm officially convinced you three have a death wish. You are actively searching for trouble, and you're just going to 'wing it'. You must be bloody Gryffindors."

"Through and through," Ron winks, lacing his fingers together behind his head.

Hermione and Harry both remain silent; curiously watching what could be construed as flirtatious banter passing back and forth between Regulus and Ron.

Regulus blinks blankly at Ron, his mouth curling into a half sneer, and he squints at the lion. It is as if he is examining some undiscovered species, and he isn't quite sure what to make of it.

"Granger, please tell me you've got something better than that. I won't assist a ruddy suicide mission, as you all willingly line up like pigs for slaughter." Regulus asks in exasperation, flinging his hands out to the side. "What's the plan then? To march in, partially prepared with no pre-planned course of action on how to proceed once you actually get there? Severus will hex you before you even get a word in edgewise."

Regulus looks between them, and then for emphasis, he decides to tack on, "It certainly doesn't help that you look like his arch nemesis from his school days," the grey eyed boy jerks his chin in Harry's direction. The boy with the lightning scar grimaces at that, and quietly works his jaw as he chews on his thoughts.

Then, without warning, Hermione absently says, "we're going to need to ready our phials." She had only been half-listening to Regulus, since the gears had begun to turn in her head.

"Phials?" Regulus's eyes flick over to her and his expression smoothes out to an inscrutable blank tablet.

"Our memory phials," Hermione clarifies.

"He wasn't here when we took everyone through our memories—I can show you later if you want," Ron offers, and Regulus's eyes shift back to him.

"I think you meant to say tonight, because as it stands, with your piss poor planning you may not be capable of doing so after tomorrow."

"You almost sound worried about my well-being," Ron teases, "what? Are you going to miss me?"

Regulus sputters at the suggestion, blinking so rapidly that his long and dark eyelashes threaten to fly off his face at any given moment, "no!" Regulus blurts out, but the pink tips of his ears belie his protestation.

"Alright, I think we've strayed far enough from our original topic, so what do you say we get back to the task at hand?" Hermione interjects, clapping her hands together. The abrupt noise causes Ron and Harry to flinch harshly, and for a moment Harry looks like he may dash in the opposite direction. Regulus however gathers himself and regains his composure.

"Harry, Ron and I will organise all the pertinent memories that we may need. In addition, we should probably add in any of the ones we may have previously excluded that pertain to Snape in particular."

Ron raises his hand, like a schoolboy patiently waiting to be called on by their Professor.

"Yes, Ronald?"

"Am I allowed to include some of the ones that blatantly show Snape being a sodding prick?"

Hermione rolls her eyes, "no. Remember we're going there to get him on our side, not guarantee that he actively works against us."

"Exactly. We ought to show him what a shite person he was to his students, and maybe it will make him want to repent," Ron says seriously.

"Or, it will only serve to exacerbate the situation," Regulus groans, bowing his head as to avoid looking at any of them.

"He did try to punish Neville by threatening to feed Neville's failed potion to his toad—Trevor, Neville's familiar," Ron points out, "not to mention tormenting Neville on a whole. Fuck. He tormented all of us."

"Granted...fine. You get one memory of Snape behaving like a prat," Hermione concedes.

"It's going to be hard to choose just one—" Ron starts, but Harry cuts him off.

"Ron. That's enough. Our Snape was a bitter man twisted and broken by his circumstances—"

"Dabbled in dark magic and created Sectumsempra when he was still in school," Ron whispers under his breath, but everyone dutifully ignores his comment.

"He was also riddled with regret about his choices. If we have an opportunity to change things so that he doesn't become that man, then we need to bloody take it," Harry says, a harsh bite to his tone that hisses and sizzles as it strikes.

"I'm not disagreeing with you, mate. Just saying that maybe being faced with proper proof and evidence of the man he might become, may help deter him from continuing down this path," Ron responds, his own tone calm and serene, much like a lake that is so still it appears to be polished glass.

"Plus, Severus Snape has never struck me as a man who would want to be considered a hero or martyr...and he would especially not want our pity. So we have to be cognisant of that as well," Ron finishes.

He does have a point, Hermione begrudgingly admits to herself.

Harry nods slowly, mulling it all over as he carefully says, "just pick one, and we'll work from there. Either way, it's getting late, so we should get to work."

"Agreed, I think we should focus more on the things that originally drove him to switch sides," Hermione suggests.

Ron rubs his neck, "yea, you're right. That should be the priority. Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away."

Hermione smiles faintly, "it's fine. He wasn't the kindest to us, so it's perfectly reasonable that part of that underlying contempt you hold for him bled through."

"Wouldn't call it contempt exactly..." Ron's brow furrows as his hands drop to his sides, and absently he scratches his thigh before he shoves his hands into his trouser pockets. "I'll admit that he was a brave man...and if he didn't make the sacrifices that he did, I may or may not be standing here right now. All that being said, it doesn't change the fact that he was a right terror as a Professor."

"Maybe don't tell him that tomorrow," Harry sighs, "whichever angle we decide to go at this from, I think we should stick to sharing the least amount of information that we can. In case things do happen to go sideways."

Ron noiselessly nods, his eyes now cast towards the floor as he unblinkingly stares at some errant spot.

Hermione inhales deeply, "so it's settled then. In the morning, we're going to pay Severus Snape a much overdue visit."