CHAPTER 5

Grimmuald Place 13 has been remarkably quiet since today's issue of the Daily Prophet was handed over to Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Both wizards were unsure how to react to any further information about Severus Snape. A man who was what they considered their enemy in all their years of study at Hogwarts.

"It's only been a week since we didn't see that damn bat from the dungeons and we learn another thing about him." - Sirius growled feeling as if he had been tricked by Snape.

"Another thing?" - Remus hit the mug on the table top, he didn't even notice that he spilled the tea he had drunk. - "Are you talking about the fact that he is a widower or maybe that he created a potion that could help me in my youth?" - His statement was clearly lined with the anger in his voice.

Sirius looked at his friend. He had the impression that he knew perfectly well what Moony was thinking at that moment. Snape registered a patent on Wolf's Cure during his fifth year at Hogwarts. It was the year in which they made a special effort to torment him. This is probably why the drug was sold almost everywhere except in Magic Britain. The potion wasn't to be handed over to Remus.

"Of course I'm talking about a potion!" - Black stood up so abruptly that the chair he was sitting on fell to the floor. Walking uneasily around the kitchen, he continued, "I don't care about the private life of this slimy Slytherin. Besides... I don't believe in that, that he had a wife anyway. He was too much in love with Lily to just let her go. He got married faster than Lils and James."

Remus took a few deep breaths before saying anything.

"You keep telling yourself that? Are you doing this because you really believe it? Or maybe because you don't allow the thought that we were the persecutors? Even Slytherins didn't treat Muggle-borns like that. Holy shit Sirius! I will ask this many years too late but I need to know the answer. Do you really no regret our school years? Do you no regret the way we treated Severus?"

It was obvious Remus was furious. The last time he saw him like this was the day Moony found out about his joke with a werewolf. The day he almost became a murder weapon. Today, as well as that day, he saw a mixture of shame and pain in his friend's eyes. And today as well as that day, he didn't know that his friend's pain would just disappear.

xxx

Minerva McGonagall stormed into the Hogwarts Headmaster's office. She was having a bad day. Another bad day. She should have foreseen that news of their Potions Master's numerous patents might attract unnecessary attention and false sympathy. After all, Severus Snape wasn't one of those who had extensive social contacts. Those who really cared came to show personally their willingness to help in the search. However, what she didn't expect was that all letters would be addressed to her, not to Albus.

"You have to do something with that!" - She shouted almost at the moment when she crossed the threshold of the room, she didn't even check if the older wizard was inside, only after a while she noticed him leaning over the handy potions brewing kit - "What happened? You never used a gift Horace gave you on the day he retired."

Dumbledore straightened and looked silently at the old witch. After a moment, an uncertain smile appeared on his face. Then he bent down again and stirred the cauldron counterclockwise several times.

"Minerva… One by one. Otherwise we won't get anywhere. What did you come to see me with? What with THIS TIME you came to me?" - the Transfiguration professor heard the impatience in the voice of her superior.

"Letters. Letters are my problem. All letters about Severus come to me." she sighed resignedly. - "Why? You're the head of Hogwarts. You are his employer."

"And you, darling, are my deputy. You agreed to accept this position yourself." - Before she could say anything, he continued, "I'm working on a potion. I don't have time to reply to every letter. This potion is extremely difficult and time consuming. I am lucky that our potions master left me a recipe for my cure. Since he was gone, I had to start brewing myself. You know very well that Horace isn't a discreet person, and by asking him for help, I would have secured my health condition free of charge in the pages of the Daily Prophet."

Minerva, without thinking, sat down on the chair next to the bookcase. She grimaced when it turned out that she sat down on a pile of parchments.

"We should think about finding a replacement. It isn't only about Potions classes, but also about the position of the house caretaker. Who would have thought that the disappearance of Severus, the bat from the dungeons as the students call him, would destabilize this school to such an extent..."

"Definitely not me. I didn't even notice how much I underestimated him..."

xxx

In her life, she has come across things that amazed her more than once. And it started before she even knew she was a witch. When she went to Hogwarts, she was set to encounter more such things, but never prepared herself for the Daily Prophet's news about Severus Snape. She would have questioned them if they were from Rita Skeeter. She had dealt with her in the past, and she was aware that her imagination could match that of Lockheart. However, the articles currently on the front page were written not by Rita Skeeter but by Evan Vance. A young rising star of the Daily Prophet.

She wasn't surprised to find out about the achievements of their Potions Master in the field of treating lycantropy. She wasn't surprised when she found out about the Foundation working to support talents in the creation of Potions. What surprised her was that Severus Snape managed to hide his private life from the eyes of the prying eyes of wizards and witches. From Draco's reaction, she could tell that he, too, hadn't known about his godfather's deceased wife. She was surprised when she saw their professor in the picture. She was surprised when she saw Severus Snape holding a tiny brunette in his arms. He was smiling, relaxed and very young. He looked what he might have looked like months after graduating from Hogwarts.

"Hermione... Are you done reading?" - Harry sounded as if he really wanted to talk to her, such urgency in his voice wasn't uncommon, but Hermione felt he meant something important.

"Yes, I'm done."

"What do you think... Who will be teaching us Defense? We haven't had any lessons on this subject since Snape's disappearance. O thought that we could organize a research group. This time openly. At least until they find a replacement. We could also include Slytherins..."

"Slytherins..." Hermione smiled, she guess she was right about her theory of Harry Potter's interest in Theodore Nott. "It's not that bad idea, Harry. Have you talked to Ron about this yet? You know what happens when we keep him from our plans."

"How could I forget?" - The boy chuckled. "Ron is quite a jealous person. Until now, he can't forgive me for having the chance to use the Time Turner you had in our third year."

"Mercy... Ron is... Let's give up on it... What do you think about the professor's disappearance? Or what we've been learning about him recently?"

"I wonder how much of what the Prophet writes is true. After all, it's hard to hide the fact of having a wife. Evelyn Nottle was amazingly beautiful. I wonder if she was a witch."

"If she was a witch, the Daily Prophet would find more information than a marriage certificate and a few photos. They would even get to her school results. Or to a magic trail at the Ministry."

"I'm curious how Sirius reacted to all this. After seeing memories of Snape's youth, I confronted with Sirius. He tried to defend himself by saying that they persecuted him because of his interest in my mother and because he spent a lot of his time on the dark arts... One of his arguments just collapsed, right? Don't get me wrong, but I think our professor's wife was more beautiful than my mother."

She looked at her friend. She could see he was confused. Through Severus Snape's bad attitude towards him, Harry has learned to dislike his professor. At the same time, his father's friends spoke of him more than flatteringly. It must have been difficult for him. The role model has become nothing more than a common bully. Someone who in his eyes was acting like his cousin. Dudley Dursley.

Hermione needed a moment and a place to quietly talk to Draco Malfoy. Conversation in privacy. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the blonde man sitting at the Slytherin table. She knew the Malfoys had less and less time to safely disappear from their Manor. Fortunately, she had an idea for another disappearance from a public place. She hoped that this time too, everything would go according to her plan.

xxx

It wasn't hard to notice that the brown-haired Gryffindor was once again surreptitiously glancing in his direction. He would have to mention it at the earliest opportunity. He could notice her looks only because he was expecting them, but also because she wasn't very skilfully hiding with her glances.

She was engrossed in talking to Potter, but she was still looking at him. Part of it flattered him. He wanted to talk to her, but instead of thinking about the circumstances in which they could safely meet, he focused on how she was biting her firm lips. Damn hormones.

"You wandered your mind somewhere again." - Thedore Nott said with clear resentment in his voice, conveniently forgetting that he had just been concerned with everything except talking to them. His hand went up the skirt of their mutual friend. Pansy.

He leaned in so as to whisper discreetly in his ear. - "Don't play with her like that. I can see that she's falling in love with you. You have to decide who you want. I understand you like both girls and boys, but we both know you have an eye on a certain Gryffindor."

"Not only me." He growled, clenching his hand on the girl's thigh, at which she giggled. - "And I'm not the only one hiding it."

Draco didn't know when his friend's infatuation with the hero of magical Great Britain began. However, he remembered gradually starting to notice Theo's more and more glances at Potter. At first he thought she was paying attention to him for his father. It wasn't until he caught him following Harry that Theo admitted his crush. He would have to discuss it with Granger. Pansy didn't deserve to be played with her. Nobody deserved to play with theirs feelings.

"I wonder where Snape has gone. And who is behind it?" - he sighed, angry at himself at such a blatant change of subject "My father is pushing me. I'm supposed to keep an eye on rumors about him. I haven't seen my father so worried yet."

"Lord Malfoy isn't the only one worried." - Pansy decided to join the conversation. - "Apparently your guest is very anxious to find our caretaker of the house. Very much. And do you remember what happened last time when he was pushing hard on something?"

The blond shuddered. The last time the Dark Lord insisted on something, the result was that he was marked with a Dark Mark. Did Pansy's words imply that something like this could happen again? But why didn't his mother give him any information?

Once again he looked at the girl who gave him a little hope. Hope in a world that seemed to be getting crazier and crazier. He already knew how he would be able to talk to her. But will he be able to convince the elves to help?

xxx

"Jean Granger?"

"Richard, I don't think Mr. Snape has fully regained all his senses." the woman's voice was fueled with sarcasm. - "Or our daughter overestimated her professor's intelligence."

"Stop it, darling. From what Hermione told us, this man isn't one of those people who feel comfortable in situations they cannot control." - the man to whom the voice belonged finally appeared in Severus' sight - "Yes, my wife is Jean Granger. We know a few things from what our daughter passed on to us. As my wife has already told you, you are free of all magical obligations. Our little girl wanted to save you because she was afraid of your death. She thinks a mind like yours must be protected, not sacrificed in the name of... Honey, what was it?"

"For the greater good." - the woman sighed. - "My daughter's plan was to confuse both sides of the conflict. Incitement of fear. And protecting those she cares about who can't protect themselves from Tom Riddle."

"The Dark Lord." - The black-haired wizard growled in indignation with the nonchalance with which the Muggle pronounced Lord Voldemort's real name.

She looked at him with contempt in her eyes and huffed. "It doesn't matter what you call him, it's one thing. That guy has too much identity to choose from. In any case, you have disappeared from the battlefield. You disappeared without leaving Hogwarts. Two of your friends will also disappear. From places that are equally public and equally impossible to leave without being noticed."

Severus didn't know what to say. He didn't expect such a turn of events.

The man who was certainly taller than he ran his fingers through his dark brown hair that fell over his eyes. He smiled and sat down in the chair by the desk that Severus hadn't noticed before.

"We taught our daughter many things. One of the most important wasn't to follow authorities blindly. After all, every authority is only human and people make mistakes. Jean... I think we should give our guest a rest. After all, we don't know if he will have peace after the Malfoys arrive at the house. Apparently they are quite specifically loud."

"I forgot about that Richard." - The woman was talking to her husband, surreptitiously looking at Severus. "Then it's good this house is a magic-free zone. If Mr. Lucius wanted to get rid of us, he would have to do it in Muggle ways."

As the door to the room began to close, Snape heard something chilling his blood. "What do you think honey, did Hermione say at school who we were BEFORE we became dentists?"

xxx

I thought widower-Snape suited the character's bitterness very well. I hope you will not give up this story for this reason. It just seems strange to me that a man could limit his life to being a spy and a professor. In particular, Lord Voldemort was presumed dead/missing for many years. Did I manage to give the Grangers a not-so-polite aura? Regards, katie-krum