Severus stared briefly at the spot where Hermione once sat. She appeared genuinely surprised to hear that his office had been broken into. Judging by her alarm, he found it believable that she had no reason to know the purpose of the break-in.
Snape pursed his lips and apparated back to his office.
Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood stood before his desk, clearly injured from a recent confrontation. Ginny was hit with a stinging hex- her face was swollen, but the fiery red hair made for an easy deduction. Neville appeared to be stuck by an ice hex- he stood shivering, joints frozen in place, hunched over as if to conserve heat. And Luna. Luna clutched her ears in pain, most likely debilitated by a harsh cacophony of sound perceptible only to her.
Alecto and Amycus Carrow stood triumphantly near, eyes darting between the headmaster and the three students.
"Explain." Severus stood, only addressing Alecto and Amycus Carrow.
"We caught these three escaping your office with the Sword of Gryffindor in tow. Naturally, there was a bit of a confrontation."
Severus studied each student independently. Each of the three Gryffindors maintained the characteristic resolve of their house despite the absolute foil of their plan.
"The sword was left to Harry!" argued a daring Neville. Alecto's wand flicked toward Neville who was instantly silenced.
"How typically courageous of you, Gryffindors." Severus mocked. "And another predictable fail from your house." He shook his head in scorn. "The Sword of Gryffindor transpires only for those who execute an act of courage. Sneaking into an empty office is mere cowardice, not any trait of bravery that you mistake in yourselves." His eyes narrowed and he stood a minute to let his insult take its full effect. "Theft of a priceless house artifact will have dire consequences, I am afraid."
The three students exchanged glances while Alecto and Amycus Carrow grinned at each other.
"Alecto and Amycus, will you see that these students are brought to Hagrid? Detention in the Forbidden Forest…And I do believe that these spells will wear off on their own, will they not?"
The Carrow twins smiled wider, understanding Snape's intent. The brief glimpses of relief between the three students did not go unmissed by Severus. It was not an expulsion, and so long as that blundering half-giant didn't lead them too far into the woods the risk of injury was minimal.
Alecto motioned for the students to leave the office. The twins nodded to the headmaster in respect before leading the three out to Hagrid.
Severus turned back to the sword that laid heavily on his desk. The glass case behind his desk laid in broken shards. The remnants of what once housed this glittering sword crunched under his feet as he walked to Dumbledore's portrait. The portrait of Dumbledore winked at Severus, and without a word, swung on hinges to reveal the true Sword of Gryffindor.
Snape gazed at the facsimile of the house sword on his desk, then back to the true Sword behind Dumbledore's portrait. Bellatrix, who had doubted his allegiance to the Dark Lord, would be Snape's first choice to entrust the artifact to. Of course, she wouldn't be given the real sword. But it would soon emerge that he entrusted the compromised heirloom to Bellatrix, which would earn him favor amongst her and the fellow Death Eaters. He would send a message to her to fetch this replica tomorrow, keeping the true one hidden for Dumbledore's plan.
"Will you finally reveal this plan of yours? What purpose does this sword serve, Albus, and why is it so significant to you?"
In the portrait, Albus's eyes glittered behind half-moon spectacles, but he did not answer.
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Hermione was left alone in her room to pour over Potions of Principles: Fidelity, Justice, and Veracity. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since she was returned to her chambers, and not a word from Snape since. Her conversation with him had repeated in her head countless times, even creeping into her sleep.
Finding the book was easy, as the former professor kept a fastidiously organized library. The spine of the book was creased from prior reads, with some pages bookmarked and others with handwritten notes. The book contained both potion recipes and historical accounts of their use. Sometimes there was a commentary about the philosophical nature of a particular brew, outlining its ethical use. Promissum Certus was exactly what Snape had described for the potion. Hermione read:
Promissum Certus binds two individuals in a magical agreement. The effects last as long as needed for both promises to be fulfilled, with no known antidote to date. If either party attempts to break their promise, the offensive party will immediately experience magical recourse. Effects are debilitating, and continued disregard to the oath may result in serious injury or death.
Hermione flipped the page, anticipating an elaboration on the debilitating effects. There was no further explanation about the potion, only the ingredients and recipe. Thin handwriting, which Hermione recognized as Snape's, filled the margins. He listed numerous symptoms, what appeared to be from firsthand observation.
Cluster headache, seizures – Dolohov. Skin boils, severe skin necrosis – Yaxley. Internal hemorrhage- Mulciber. Priapism- Travers.
Hermione stared at the handwritten symptoms in astonishment. This was a potion of serious consequence.
"Would such a potion relieve your doubts?" Sneered Snape, emerging from the door unannounced.
Hermione jumped at the sound of his voice.
He moved inaudibly; Hermione was perturbed not knowing how long he might've been at her doorway.
Severus silently inched closer like a black panther stalking its prey.
"Mostly." She replied, heart still racing at his sudden appearance.
He studied her attentively. Her reply was not what he expected. "You will help me find Potter?"
Hermione's eyes flicked nervously around her room, dreading the proposition that she was accepting. The alternative to collaborating with Snape to find her friends meant the forfeiture of her wand. Would she enter a wizarding war as a muggle-born, without a wand, a captive of Dumbledore's murderer? Or would she accept a magically compelling agreement, one that practically ensured the return of her magic, her friends, and obliged their safety? Could she enter such an agreement without putting her friends in jeopardy?
"Yes," She replied. "But I want Promissum Certus."
"Obviously." He condescendingly enunciated each syllable.
"And you will promise that you won't harm Harry or Ron?"
Severus replied stiffly. "Despite my continued lack of admiration for Potter, I have never wanted him dead. Nor maimed." He stepped closer. "Regardless of being set aflame, knocked unconscious…even attacked with my own curse." He lingered bitterly. "My reason to find him is not of the Dark Lord's bidding, Miss Granger, but of my own." He finished.
She furrowed her brow, not understanding. "What do you want with him?"
His dark eyes flickered around his old chambers. "Time reveals all motivations."
Hermione couldn't shake the gnawing pit in the depths of her stomach. She couldn't understand what motive would lead them here.
"Then why…" She dropped her voice to a cracking whisper. "Why Dumbledore?"
Snape's head jerked at the name. Revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face, as if the very name were a tortuous spell.
"Do not provoke me, Miss Granger." He responded acidly.
She swallowed. His tall, lean form stood towering in the chambers. He watched her recoil from the harshness of his reply.
"We can make the potion this evening." He stepped closer into the chilly sitting room. He was changing the subject.
"We?" Hermione was taken by surprise by the plurality. The potion was critically advanced for her. She dreaded the idea of a one-on-one advanced potion brew with Snape.
"By no means my idea of fun either." He spat. "But do you so blindly take a new potion before questioning where it comes from?"
Hermione shook her head.
"Good. Then I will summon you this evening." He turned around curtly.
Hermione sensed that when he left, her chambers began to rewarm. Did his presence create an icy quality to the air, or was it just her? She shivered.
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At seven o'clock that evening, Severus stepped out of her fireplace and motioned for Hermione to follow him.
"Bring the book." He ordered. A wave of his wand unlocked her door.
Hermione obediently fetched the potions book and followed him down an empty hallway. They reemerged in the old potions classroom where a cauldron rested over an open flame.
Hermione saw that he had neatly organized the ingredients on a clean table opposite the cauldron. A silver knife was placed on a cutting board in preparation for slicing, and Hermione wondered bleakly how she might utilize it to recoup her wand.
"Would you agree that these ingredients are those listed in the book?" He inquired impatiently.
Hermione cautiously flipped to the recipe and compared the ingredients on the table to what was listed in the book. They appeared compatible. She nodded.
"Then let's begin."
Severus waved his wand at a magical phonograph at the back of the room. At his command a soft melody resonated the room with classical piano. Hermione was caught by surprise by the music. It never struck her that he might find comfort in anything other than silence. She listened to the soft melody and recognized the muggle composer.
"Mendelssohn?" She asked quietly. It seemed odd that he would prefer muggle music.
Severus raised an eyebrow at the recognition. "Leider ohne Wort." He responded hesitantly. "Do you play?" His interest couldn't be masked by his indifferent tone.
Hermione blushed from the personal curiosity of his question. What did he care? She shrugged. "Not nearly this well, but my parents had me take lessons each summer."
The mention of her parents brought a sudden pang of guilt and sadness to her chest. Since obliviating their memory of her, she could not return to her family on the precipice of a wizarding war. Fearing the tortuous methods of Bellatrix, Hermione relocated them, and heart wrenchingly wiped all memory of herself. There would be no new memories with her parents.
He seemed to sense the regret in her voice because he pursued the conversation no further.
Snape gently removed the knife from the table and expertly sliced the ingredients to their respective sizes. Hermione watched the way his skillful hands prepared the brew's components. Every so often he would issue a command to her to which she would dutifully complete. He would supervise from the corner of his hawk-like eye, and rarely interrupted her process save to remark on the intricacies of a skilled technique.
"The greater the surface area, the more volatile the reagents." He noted quietly as Hermione sorted the largest slices to the smallest. It was nowhere in the recipe, Hermione observed, but silently obeyed. Years of potion mastery begat skills that seemed effortless to him.
Several hours passed as the ingredients were added to the cauldron at precise times of the brew. Music continued to play in the background, softening the intimidating presence of the dark wizard. Occasionally Severus would motion for her to stir the concoction.
"Do not let it drip on your dress." He commanded sternly at one point, as she removed the wooden stir-spoon.
He observed her like a bird of prey eyeing its meal. Hermione yearned to know what the unfinished potion might do but she fought back her incessant need to question.
After some time, all the ingredients had been added. Severus, satisfied by the current phase of the brew, allowed himself to sit. He motioned to Hermione to rest on a stool opposite of him.
"I expect that you've already considered your end of the agreement?" He questioned.
Hermione nodded and sat down cautiously to face him. "I have."
"Well?"
"I want guaranteed safety for Harry and Ron."
"Obviously. I will guarantee their safety from myself, and from any conspiracies from others to harm him in the forest." He replied. "And against harm to you."
"And I want my wand."
Severus frowned. "For you to attack me? Miss Granger, you must think me a fool." His tone resonated a condescending bite.
She swallowed and shook her head. "No, sir. And I would swear to it under Promissum Certus."
"Cunning. But no. Only after Potter is spotted." He fingered his own wand thoughtfully. "I believe that it will provide you a sense of," he paused pensively, "motivation."
"I am entirely motivated to reunite with them." She argued. "Motivated to escape whatever scheme you've plotted out with me as your captive. This agreement is barely different from the Imperius Curse if I have no will over my own magic." She snapped.
He raised an eyebrow. "You are blinded by emotion, you impetuous girl. This," he flicked a hand to the bubbling potion, "is very different from the magical compulsion of Imperius. The Imperius Curse removes all sense of free will." He lectured icily. "I have no desire to control a mindless slave into my bidding." He leaned in close to Hermione so that she might heed his next words. Their knees almost touched. "There is no more cowardly way to elicit one's motivations than through the Imperius. Even if permits one to silence the most obnoxious of know-it-alls."
Hermione bit her lip. To her, the threat of life without magic was nearly as compelling as the Imperius. She dragged her eyes to his and found them staring intently at her.
He was watching her subconsciously bite into her lip. Severus had an urge to run his thumb between those lips to part them into a gap-
He pulled his eyes away to the potion.
"It is ready." He stated simply. He noted the color was thin and silvery, reminiscent of pensive. He ladled two portions into vitals and returned to where they had been sitting.
He handed her one. "One of your hairs, if you will." He outstretched a hand to receive a curly hair that Hermione plucked from her head. He dropped it into his vial. "And of mine." He plucked one of his own strands and gave it to Hermione for her vial.
"Miss Granger. I swear that no harm will befall you nor your friends, Weasley and Potter, from my own hands nor hands of co-conspirators. If you aid me to bring Potter to the Forest of Dean, I will return your wand and release you from my possession upon first sight of Potter."
Hermione gazed at her former professor swearing his oath to her. His immaculate robes fell sharply down behind his tall form, accenting the paleness of his light skin. He had an imposing air about him, Hermione thought. His soft silky voice spoke with a precise authority that commanded her attention. She stared at him in curiosity, debating his motive, second guessing her own judgement.
She looked at the potion and then returned her warm brown eyes to his. "Severus Snape. I swear that I will aid you in locating my friends, Harry and Ron, in exchange to be released from your custody."
She dropped his hair into the vial and watched it fizz.
Severus lifted the vial without hesitation and downed the entire contents. Hermione followed.