Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter, Hermione, Snape, Ron, or any related
characters or ideas. They belong to Ms. J. K. Rowling, and her associated
publishers and producers.
*Severus's writing is marked like this.* ~Hermione's writing is marked like this.~
~*~*~*~
Chapter Two - The Book
Severus Snape was in a very good mood. He had given out four detentions, scared the wits out of a group of trembling first years and taken enough points off Gryfindor that they were in the negatives.
And it wasn't even the first class of the day.
In fact, Severus had just finished his breakfast and was heading back to his classroom. He had Gryfindor and Slytherin seventh years first, but he could deal with it. Severus felt on top of the world.
Swooping down into his dungeon classroom, he noticed something wasn't right. He didn't know quite what it was - the spare cauldrons were stacked neatly, the supply closet doors were closed and his desk was neat.
Wait.
His desk *wasn't* neat. There was a book on it, one Severus had never seen before. This was strange and significant because he, Severus Snape, had held the position of reading the most books from the Hogwarts Library for years and years, right up until Miss Granger's first year.
He picked up, looking at the spine and the cover for a title. All that was there, though was his name, Severus Simon Snape, in gold letters. He opened the brown leather book to see what in contained. Nothing. Nothing at all.
No. That wasn't true. On the first page someone had written a note, saying only, "7:00, in the evening, open the book and write McGonagall's middle name."
Warning bells went off inside Severus' head. First of all, no one, *no one*, knew his middle name, with the exception of his parents, and who on earth knew enough about McGonagall to know her middle name? Severus himself didn't know it, though it would be easy enough to find out, as the Amiganus records would tell that much.
But who could have written this? The question came up again and again. What would happen when - well, *if*, really - he wrote in it? Would it be a portkey, perhaps? Or a killing device that would blow up?
But there was no time to ponder it. The first of the seventh years were arriving. Well, Miss Granger was here and so he had to put the book away. Miss Granger took her seat, front and center, and took out one of the Library's heaviest books and started to read. "Class doesn't start for another twenty minutes." Severus thought with disgust.
However, he simply started to write out the directions for that day's potion.
By the time he was done, Mr. Malfoy was there, along with three Ravenclaws and the lone Hufflepuff. Only one was missing. Severus smirked. One minute until class started.Thirty seconds.Ten.Five.Three, two.
And in burst Potter.
As Severus watched and he ran to his seat. He wondered how a dunderhead like Potter got into NEWT Potions. Probably Dumbledore fudged the scores a little. "Or a lot." Severus mused as Potter scrambled to get out his summer homework.
It was time to start, though. "Welcome to seventh year NEWT potions." Severus began as he paced the rows. "You have come this far, and so I congratulate you. However, some of you will not be writing your exam for this class." He stopped at Potter's desk and his eyes rested on the boy. "It is my hope though, that will actually learn something here, so let us begin. Pass your essays to the front, and then start on the potion on the board. You have one hour, and you may *not* work in partners. Begin."
Severus sat down at his desk, slightly gratified at Potter's look of dismay that he couldn't work with Miss Granger. Yes, he was in a very good mood indeed.
~
Hermione finished her potion quickly - the Draught of Strength - and went back to reading her book. Or pretending to read it. In reality she was watching Severus, who was studying his copy of her Communicating Books. "He's completely confused." Hermione thought with satisfaction. "Step one; plant the book - accomplished."
Soon other people finished their potions and Harry along with them. They bottled and labeled them, and handed their samples in. Severus dismissed them; not noticing Hermione lingered behind. But then she was gone, to her next class, leaving Severus to ponder over her book, and deal with second year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.
~
Severus was sitting at his desk, marking essays. "No, Potter. The bezoar is not found in the stomach of a sheep." He grinned, putting a giant "x" on the paper. Looking up, he noticed the time. "Seven o'clock. What was supposed to happen at seven o'clock.? The book!"
He pulled the book from his desk, hastily opening it to the first page. The message was there, and nothing else. Taking a chance, Severus quickly wrote "Mary," and jumped back. Nothing happened.
Right away, that is.
Slowly, words began to form. ~Oh, good. You came.~ His hand shaking, Severus wrote, *Who are you?*
~Oh, I'm a real person. In fact, I'm sitting on my bed, writing this, at this very moment.~
*But who are you?*
~I can't tell you that.~
*Why not?*
~Because I don't want to.~
Severus put down his quill, frustrated. Someone, somehow, had succeeded in making a form of instant communication. But they wouldn't tell him who they were.
*Why should I trust you, then? What's to stop me from just throwing this book right into the fire?*
There was a pause.
~Nothing I suppose. But I hope you won't do that.~
*Why did you give this book to me?*
~I thought you needed a friend.~
*Oh.*
~I have to go know. Come back, tomorrow, same time.~
*What if I don't?*
There was no answer.
~*~*~*~
SeverreLeeSalacious: Thank you for being honest. I probably do need a beta, but not many people understand my writing style, and try to stiffle it. I write in incomplete sentences, fragments and interjections. That's one of the ways I set the mood. However, now that I finished the first chapter, which is usually really weird (Well, it is when I write it), it should become more conventional. But rules, even in the English language, are meant to be broken.
Eouinu-Chan: You're right, of course. But everyone already knew that Voldemort was dead, so Dumbledore was just reminding them of it. Good point, though.
Thank you so very much to all the people who reviewed my first chapter. It means a lot to me, and encourages me incredibly. Thanks again! ^_~
R/R please!
-Samilia
*Severus's writing is marked like this.* ~Hermione's writing is marked like this.~
~*~*~*~
Chapter Two - The Book
Severus Snape was in a very good mood. He had given out four detentions, scared the wits out of a group of trembling first years and taken enough points off Gryfindor that they were in the negatives.
And it wasn't even the first class of the day.
In fact, Severus had just finished his breakfast and was heading back to his classroom. He had Gryfindor and Slytherin seventh years first, but he could deal with it. Severus felt on top of the world.
Swooping down into his dungeon classroom, he noticed something wasn't right. He didn't know quite what it was - the spare cauldrons were stacked neatly, the supply closet doors were closed and his desk was neat.
Wait.
His desk *wasn't* neat. There was a book on it, one Severus had never seen before. This was strange and significant because he, Severus Snape, had held the position of reading the most books from the Hogwarts Library for years and years, right up until Miss Granger's first year.
He picked up, looking at the spine and the cover for a title. All that was there, though was his name, Severus Simon Snape, in gold letters. He opened the brown leather book to see what in contained. Nothing. Nothing at all.
No. That wasn't true. On the first page someone had written a note, saying only, "7:00, in the evening, open the book and write McGonagall's middle name."
Warning bells went off inside Severus' head. First of all, no one, *no one*, knew his middle name, with the exception of his parents, and who on earth knew enough about McGonagall to know her middle name? Severus himself didn't know it, though it would be easy enough to find out, as the Amiganus records would tell that much.
But who could have written this? The question came up again and again. What would happen when - well, *if*, really - he wrote in it? Would it be a portkey, perhaps? Or a killing device that would blow up?
But there was no time to ponder it. The first of the seventh years were arriving. Well, Miss Granger was here and so he had to put the book away. Miss Granger took her seat, front and center, and took out one of the Library's heaviest books and started to read. "Class doesn't start for another twenty minutes." Severus thought with disgust.
However, he simply started to write out the directions for that day's potion.
By the time he was done, Mr. Malfoy was there, along with three Ravenclaws and the lone Hufflepuff. Only one was missing. Severus smirked. One minute until class started.Thirty seconds.Ten.Five.Three, two.
And in burst Potter.
As Severus watched and he ran to his seat. He wondered how a dunderhead like Potter got into NEWT Potions. Probably Dumbledore fudged the scores a little. "Or a lot." Severus mused as Potter scrambled to get out his summer homework.
It was time to start, though. "Welcome to seventh year NEWT potions." Severus began as he paced the rows. "You have come this far, and so I congratulate you. However, some of you will not be writing your exam for this class." He stopped at Potter's desk and his eyes rested on the boy. "It is my hope though, that will actually learn something here, so let us begin. Pass your essays to the front, and then start on the potion on the board. You have one hour, and you may *not* work in partners. Begin."
Severus sat down at his desk, slightly gratified at Potter's look of dismay that he couldn't work with Miss Granger. Yes, he was in a very good mood indeed.
~
Hermione finished her potion quickly - the Draught of Strength - and went back to reading her book. Or pretending to read it. In reality she was watching Severus, who was studying his copy of her Communicating Books. "He's completely confused." Hermione thought with satisfaction. "Step one; plant the book - accomplished."
Soon other people finished their potions and Harry along with them. They bottled and labeled them, and handed their samples in. Severus dismissed them; not noticing Hermione lingered behind. But then she was gone, to her next class, leaving Severus to ponder over her book, and deal with second year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.
~
Severus was sitting at his desk, marking essays. "No, Potter. The bezoar is not found in the stomach of a sheep." He grinned, putting a giant "x" on the paper. Looking up, he noticed the time. "Seven o'clock. What was supposed to happen at seven o'clock.? The book!"
He pulled the book from his desk, hastily opening it to the first page. The message was there, and nothing else. Taking a chance, Severus quickly wrote "Mary," and jumped back. Nothing happened.
Right away, that is.
Slowly, words began to form. ~Oh, good. You came.~ His hand shaking, Severus wrote, *Who are you?*
~Oh, I'm a real person. In fact, I'm sitting on my bed, writing this, at this very moment.~
*But who are you?*
~I can't tell you that.~
*Why not?*
~Because I don't want to.~
Severus put down his quill, frustrated. Someone, somehow, had succeeded in making a form of instant communication. But they wouldn't tell him who they were.
*Why should I trust you, then? What's to stop me from just throwing this book right into the fire?*
There was a pause.
~Nothing I suppose. But I hope you won't do that.~
*Why did you give this book to me?*
~I thought you needed a friend.~
*Oh.*
~I have to go know. Come back, tomorrow, same time.~
*What if I don't?*
There was no answer.
~*~*~*~
SeverreLeeSalacious: Thank you for being honest. I probably do need a beta, but not many people understand my writing style, and try to stiffle it. I write in incomplete sentences, fragments and interjections. That's one of the ways I set the mood. However, now that I finished the first chapter, which is usually really weird (Well, it is when I write it), it should become more conventional. But rules, even in the English language, are meant to be broken.
Eouinu-Chan: You're right, of course. But everyone already knew that Voldemort was dead, so Dumbledore was just reminding them of it. Good point, though.
Thank you so very much to all the people who reviewed my first chapter. It means a lot to me, and encourages me incredibly. Thanks again! ^_~
R/R please!
-Samilia