There was complete silence in the room until a gurgling sound began to
emerge from one of the Death Eaters' masks. Soon, both of the intimidating
figures were laughing hysterically, and one fell to the floor, fighting to
breathe. Whoever had dressed up like Chewbacca emerged from the crowd, and
the costume disappeared to reveal a livid Headmaster. Upon seeing him, the
two Death Eaters stopped laughing and stood to face him. One hissed, "This
is a warning of things to come. Hogwarts is not safe anymore. The Dark Lord
is coming to punish the disloyal and to kill those who should already be
dead." It wasn't a recognizable voice, and the eyes glowed red for a moment
before whoever was behind the mask collapsed in a dead faint. The other
simply reached up and removed his mask, glaring at the Headmaster
defiantly.
Everyone gasped. The boy behind the mask was Crabbe, and his unconscious cohort was undoubtedly Goyle. Dumbledore's eyes were not twinkling. "I believe, young man, that you and your friend are in for a trip to my office." That night, Crabbe and Goyle were expelled. No Hogwarts student was ever to see them again.
~~
Unfortunately, the night was effectively ruined for even the most enthusiastic party goers. Hermione could sense that Severus was upset, and decided to pay him a visit after changing into normal clothing. After everyone else had gone to bed, Hermione silently crept down to the dungeons. She knew Severus was there because his light was on, and crept in quietly. He was staring off into space and looking upset. Hermione crept up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He jumped, surprised.
"Hermione! I wasn't expecting you." He smiled up at her weakly. "Are you all right?" she asked worriedly. He shook his head and looked back into space for a moment. "You heard Goyle's voice," he sighed. "That wasn't him. I think we received a message tonight-and I'm willing to bet that it was partially for us." Severus tried to relax as Hermione put her arms around him, but couldn't. He turned to face her, his eyes filled with concern. "Hermione, if anything happened to you I--"
"It's all going to be fine, Severus. I promise. Now, tomorrow is Saturday, and we don't have any classes, so I'm staying with you tonight. No arguments. All right?" Raising an eyebrow, Snape only nodded and led the way to his chambers, which were decorated in Slytherin green and silver, along with the usual black. It didn't take long for either of them to fall asleep, cradled in each other's arms. By the next morning, they were ready to participate in other activities as well, but unfortunately, due to the fact that many people who read this fic are under age 17 (including the author), their most interesting activities must be censored.
~~
At breakfast the next morning, both Severus and Hermione were feeling much better, and most of the students had dismissed the events of the previous night as a stupid prank pulled by stupid boys.
"Erm, Severus?" McGonagall asked cautiously. He raised an eyebrow at her cooly. "Why, might I ask, are you glowing this morning?" He just sneered at her and continued to contemplate his cooling egg, but Trelawney butted in. "I saw this coming last night, too. I think Severus has finally gotten some!" Lupin looked at Snape, shocked, and then retreated when he received a Snape death glare. Dumbledore almost spewed his coffee from his nose. Severus just rolled his eyes and had another cup of coffee.
"So who was it?" Hooch asked gruffly. He glared at her, and then smirked. "Someone you know very well." He wouldn't say anything more about it. He snorted rudely when Flitwick expressed his most sincere hope that Snape's lover was female. Snape only shrugged when Sprout pursued the issue, and before long the staff members were sending each other questioning glances. Dumbledore simply looked amused, although no one was sure why. Lupin declared that he honestly didn't want to know.
~~
Hermione was undergoing similar questioning. Draco had noticed her absence the night before and was teasing her to no end. "So, where were you last night?" he asked, just loudly enough to get Harry's attention, and then Ron's. Hermione blushed furiously.
"Hmm. you weren't in the dungeons, were you?" Harry asked innocently. Ron was trying not to look sick, which made Hermione laugh. "You weren't doing anything naughty were you?" Draco asked with mock horror. Finally giving in, Hermione leered at Draco and then turned to sip her orange juice. Harry nearly fell out his chair laughing, and Ron turned bright red and excused himself very quickly. Draco turned to give Snape a suggestive look, causing the Potions Master to glower viciously at him.
Still, there was a tension in the air that didn't immediately fade. The shock of seeing Death Eaters-real or not-wasn't something the students at Hogwarts were prepared for. The Slytherin seventh year class was also pathetically small at the moment. Draco refused to return when Pansy Parkinson begged him to come sit with the Slytherins again, so she was stuck with Millicent Bulstrode. Hermione couldn't help but be amused. The other Slytherins involved in the attack on Draco were forced to spend every night until the holidays with Filch, who had found a room in the dungeons that the house elves had never cleaned. No magic was allowed.
The tension eventually began to wane as the next two months wore on and the holidays approached. The disaster that was Halloween night was very soon forgotten. Even by Professor Snape.
Everyone gasped. The boy behind the mask was Crabbe, and his unconscious cohort was undoubtedly Goyle. Dumbledore's eyes were not twinkling. "I believe, young man, that you and your friend are in for a trip to my office." That night, Crabbe and Goyle were expelled. No Hogwarts student was ever to see them again.
~~
Unfortunately, the night was effectively ruined for even the most enthusiastic party goers. Hermione could sense that Severus was upset, and decided to pay him a visit after changing into normal clothing. After everyone else had gone to bed, Hermione silently crept down to the dungeons. She knew Severus was there because his light was on, and crept in quietly. He was staring off into space and looking upset. Hermione crept up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He jumped, surprised.
"Hermione! I wasn't expecting you." He smiled up at her weakly. "Are you all right?" she asked worriedly. He shook his head and looked back into space for a moment. "You heard Goyle's voice," he sighed. "That wasn't him. I think we received a message tonight-and I'm willing to bet that it was partially for us." Severus tried to relax as Hermione put her arms around him, but couldn't. He turned to face her, his eyes filled with concern. "Hermione, if anything happened to you I--"
"It's all going to be fine, Severus. I promise. Now, tomorrow is Saturday, and we don't have any classes, so I'm staying with you tonight. No arguments. All right?" Raising an eyebrow, Snape only nodded and led the way to his chambers, which were decorated in Slytherin green and silver, along with the usual black. It didn't take long for either of them to fall asleep, cradled in each other's arms. By the next morning, they were ready to participate in other activities as well, but unfortunately, due to the fact that many people who read this fic are under age 17 (including the author), their most interesting activities must be censored.
~~
At breakfast the next morning, both Severus and Hermione were feeling much better, and most of the students had dismissed the events of the previous night as a stupid prank pulled by stupid boys.
"Erm, Severus?" McGonagall asked cautiously. He raised an eyebrow at her cooly. "Why, might I ask, are you glowing this morning?" He just sneered at her and continued to contemplate his cooling egg, but Trelawney butted in. "I saw this coming last night, too. I think Severus has finally gotten some!" Lupin looked at Snape, shocked, and then retreated when he received a Snape death glare. Dumbledore almost spewed his coffee from his nose. Severus just rolled his eyes and had another cup of coffee.
"So who was it?" Hooch asked gruffly. He glared at her, and then smirked. "Someone you know very well." He wouldn't say anything more about it. He snorted rudely when Flitwick expressed his most sincere hope that Snape's lover was female. Snape only shrugged when Sprout pursued the issue, and before long the staff members were sending each other questioning glances. Dumbledore simply looked amused, although no one was sure why. Lupin declared that he honestly didn't want to know.
~~
Hermione was undergoing similar questioning. Draco had noticed her absence the night before and was teasing her to no end. "So, where were you last night?" he asked, just loudly enough to get Harry's attention, and then Ron's. Hermione blushed furiously.
"Hmm. you weren't in the dungeons, were you?" Harry asked innocently. Ron was trying not to look sick, which made Hermione laugh. "You weren't doing anything naughty were you?" Draco asked with mock horror. Finally giving in, Hermione leered at Draco and then turned to sip her orange juice. Harry nearly fell out his chair laughing, and Ron turned bright red and excused himself very quickly. Draco turned to give Snape a suggestive look, causing the Potions Master to glower viciously at him.
Still, there was a tension in the air that didn't immediately fade. The shock of seeing Death Eaters-real or not-wasn't something the students at Hogwarts were prepared for. The Slytherin seventh year class was also pathetically small at the moment. Draco refused to return when Pansy Parkinson begged him to come sit with the Slytherins again, so she was stuck with Millicent Bulstrode. Hermione couldn't help but be amused. The other Slytherins involved in the attack on Draco were forced to spend every night until the holidays with Filch, who had found a room in the dungeons that the house elves had never cleaned. No magic was allowed.
The tension eventually began to wane as the next two months wore on and the holidays approached. The disaster that was Halloween night was very soon forgotten. Even by Professor Snape.