Severus Snape sat in his office. A scowl shrouded his features, which was
usual whenever he was confronted with one of his most hated tasks. Tonight,
he was marking O.W.L. practice papers.
"Why do they need to take exams?" he muttered to himself. "They should just be released into a pen of dragons. If they've learnt enough, they'd be fine."
Of course he didn't mean it. He was human after all. He just couldn't bear to see Neville Longbottom massacre another question about shrinking potions.
"Why does that boy keep tryi-"
Snape was immediately silenced by a searing pain in his left forearm.
He snatched back the sleeve of his robes to reveal the Dark Mark, the constant reminder of his days as a Death Eater. Since the previous summer, the Mark had become and remained a charcoal black, a sign that Lord Voldemort was again at large. Now, however it was glowing a brilliant white, clearly visible against his sallow skin. He could feel it, scorching the flesh of his arm.
"Here? A Death Eater? How could? - Of course, of course Dumbledore's left-a diversion-but why?" Realisation hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Potter."
-----------------------------------
"Ron, how do we know where to find him? I mean You-Know-Who would be really good at hiding himself, wouldn't he?" Ginny looked at Harry, silently pleading with him to agree.
"Y-yeah, Ron. I mean, I had no idea where I was when I saw him last year. He only lets you find him if he wants you to."
Ron stared at Harry, steely eyed. "But he does."
Ginny and Harry both started.
Ron began to pace the room. "He must. 'Mione's of no consequence to him Harry. He wants you, he always has, she's just bait." Ron's voice was bitter.
"You've gained a huge amount of insight Weasley." A familiar voice came from the portrait hole, which in all of the excitement had been left open.
"What are you doing here?" Ron was obviously not in the form to deal with anything he expected from Snape at that moment. It was just as well that he was about to say what none of them expected.
"You will address me as Professor Snape, Weasley, as you are required to." Snape cast his eyes around the room. "He's taken Granger, hasn't he?"
The three teenagers looked at him with ill-disguised astonishment.
"There is no time for any explanation. Professor Dumbledore is not here, he was called away by the Ministry. I however, am in a position to deal with it."
He looked at them and saw the huge level of distrust that they were surveying him with.
"I don't like this any more than you three. And you can all be rest assured that when this has been resolved we will revert to our previous relationship. However, I will not stand idly by and let my class' average dragged down by Granger's disappearance, nor will I let the Dark Lord gain power by allowing you three to play into his hands. I will waste no more time. I merely urge you to stay here and channel your energies into something constructive. Perhaps studying for your Potions O.W.L." He gave Ron a particularly pointed look, turned and swept out of the room.
Ron flew into a blind rage the moment Snape's footsteps had died away.
"There's no way! He hates Hermione! He hates all of us! As if we'd believe him. He's probably in on it with You-Know-Who! I won't let him! He'll hurt her!" Ron began to run down the corridor after Snape, his fists clenched as if prepared for a scuffle.
Harry held Ron back. "Ron. Ron! Listen to me! Ginny close the portrait, quickly!"
Ginny did as she was told. Ron threw Harry off and swung at him. He was so blinded by rage Harry ducked easily, and grabbed both of Ron's wrists.
"Ron, listen to me. Snape isn't in on this with You-now-Who. He can't be. He's not a Death Eater anymore, I'm sure of it. When Voldemort is concerned, he seems to actually recognise justice. He's telling the truth Ron."
Ron looked at Harry, looking desperate to try and hit him again.
"I don't like him any more than you do. But he's telling the truth. And if we're gonna find out where to find Hermione we have to follow him."
An actual glimmer of hope was visible in Ron's eyes. "You're not just gonna sit here and do nothing?"
Harry shot Ron a withering look. "O.W.L. practice papers? Give me some credit Ron."
"Why do they need to take exams?" he muttered to himself. "They should just be released into a pen of dragons. If they've learnt enough, they'd be fine."
Of course he didn't mean it. He was human after all. He just couldn't bear to see Neville Longbottom massacre another question about shrinking potions.
"Why does that boy keep tryi-"
Snape was immediately silenced by a searing pain in his left forearm.
He snatched back the sleeve of his robes to reveal the Dark Mark, the constant reminder of his days as a Death Eater. Since the previous summer, the Mark had become and remained a charcoal black, a sign that Lord Voldemort was again at large. Now, however it was glowing a brilliant white, clearly visible against his sallow skin. He could feel it, scorching the flesh of his arm.
"Here? A Death Eater? How could? - Of course, of course Dumbledore's left-a diversion-but why?" Realisation hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Potter."
-----------------------------------
"Ron, how do we know where to find him? I mean You-Know-Who would be really good at hiding himself, wouldn't he?" Ginny looked at Harry, silently pleading with him to agree.
"Y-yeah, Ron. I mean, I had no idea where I was when I saw him last year. He only lets you find him if he wants you to."
Ron stared at Harry, steely eyed. "But he does."
Ginny and Harry both started.
Ron began to pace the room. "He must. 'Mione's of no consequence to him Harry. He wants you, he always has, she's just bait." Ron's voice was bitter.
"You've gained a huge amount of insight Weasley." A familiar voice came from the portrait hole, which in all of the excitement had been left open.
"What are you doing here?" Ron was obviously not in the form to deal with anything he expected from Snape at that moment. It was just as well that he was about to say what none of them expected.
"You will address me as Professor Snape, Weasley, as you are required to." Snape cast his eyes around the room. "He's taken Granger, hasn't he?"
The three teenagers looked at him with ill-disguised astonishment.
"There is no time for any explanation. Professor Dumbledore is not here, he was called away by the Ministry. I however, am in a position to deal with it."
He looked at them and saw the huge level of distrust that they were surveying him with.
"I don't like this any more than you three. And you can all be rest assured that when this has been resolved we will revert to our previous relationship. However, I will not stand idly by and let my class' average dragged down by Granger's disappearance, nor will I let the Dark Lord gain power by allowing you three to play into his hands. I will waste no more time. I merely urge you to stay here and channel your energies into something constructive. Perhaps studying for your Potions O.W.L." He gave Ron a particularly pointed look, turned and swept out of the room.
Ron flew into a blind rage the moment Snape's footsteps had died away.
"There's no way! He hates Hermione! He hates all of us! As if we'd believe him. He's probably in on it with You-Know-Who! I won't let him! He'll hurt her!" Ron began to run down the corridor after Snape, his fists clenched as if prepared for a scuffle.
Harry held Ron back. "Ron. Ron! Listen to me! Ginny close the portrait, quickly!"
Ginny did as she was told. Ron threw Harry off and swung at him. He was so blinded by rage Harry ducked easily, and grabbed both of Ron's wrists.
"Ron, listen to me. Snape isn't in on this with You-now-Who. He can't be. He's not a Death Eater anymore, I'm sure of it. When Voldemort is concerned, he seems to actually recognise justice. He's telling the truth Ron."
Ron looked at Harry, looking desperate to try and hit him again.
"I don't like him any more than you do. But he's telling the truth. And if we're gonna find out where to find Hermione we have to follow him."
An actual glimmer of hope was visible in Ron's eyes. "You're not just gonna sit here and do nothing?"
Harry shot Ron a withering look. "O.W.L. practice papers? Give me some credit Ron."