The Self-Writing Parchment

For seventy-two days the Dark Lord will reign… Blood, sorrow, and pain, the innocent slain… Sybill Trelawney

Yep, the year can get worse. Not only being abused herself by the Carrows and the Death Eaters in the castle, but also watching her friends being singled out, tortured and abused… Hermione's school year definitely got worse.

Firstly, I abhor violence and abuse toward children – anyone actually. I know that the abuse if hard to read – it is hard to type – but thank you for sticking with me.

I'm sorry for any and all typos – I'm owning up to them.

~beaweasley2

~o 47 o~

Sorrow and Pain

Wednesdays were never her favorite day of the week, but today seemed an exception as things were looking up. The pranks continued of course, because as soon as she'd reached within sight of the Muggle Studies classroom door on the first floor the screaming of some young or preadolescent Mandrakes could be clearly heard, deafeningly so. Four students were lying inert on the corridor floor, two of them face down, and two more were slumped against the opposite wall unconscious.

Cillian yelled, "Everyone stop where you are!" at the students approaching from up the corridor. Neville and Seamus told Charlene and Breanna to hold back Hannah, Della, Gerald, Ernie, and Stephen. Goyle, Nott, and Schlinder quickly pulled Glenwynn, Daphne and Tracey aside, but Draco strode up beside Cillian.

"There are mandrakes in there, but that's Devil's Snare trying to sneak its way out from around the door and through the keyhole," Cillian told them, his left arm still held outstretched, and his wand pointed at the door. He cast a few Slicing Hexes, trying to stop the dangerous snake-like creepers and tendrils from reaching the unconscious students on the floor. Neville walked forward, followed by Seamus, both holding grade two earmuffs. "Did you two do this?" Cillian snapped at both boys.

"No, sir," Neville replied, but Cillian demanded an explanation for his having earmuffs with him. "I have extra lessons with Professor Sprout. I'm – I was going to the greenhouses after class during my revision time."

"Well, I don't want you anywhere near here when this is discovered by Professor Carrow or another teacher," he said, then raised his voice, shouting over his shoulder, "Messrs. Nott and Schlinder please stay, I want a word; everyone is to leave the corridor at once. Muggle Studies is cancelled for today."

It baffled Hermione as she turned to leave with her Slytherin friends. Why would anyone risk handling pre-adolescent mandrakes? She turned her head, hearing Daphne asking the same question.

"I'm more concerned about who wasn't in the corridor," Tracey said.

Daphne's eyes widened. "You certainly don't suspect Crabbe, Zabini, Millicent, Pansy or Elizabeth had a hand in this?"

"No, and I don't suspect Isabel and Morag MacDougal either," Glenwynn said, her gaze unfocused for a moment. "But Tracy is right; Professor Carrow is merciless regarding lateness, yet her door was locked and, as you said, our other house mates were not in the corridor."

"Handling mandrakes are taught during second and third year – has been since that incident with the basilisk our second year. They are needed to make the Mandrake Restorative Draught for all the students who've been horribly transfigured, and to reverse all the dangerous curses, hexes and jinxes being used in the school," Hermione added.

Glenwynn smiled at her; Daphne slowly shook her head and Tracey bit her lip. "They are much needed for returning them to their original state," Hermione clarified, further.

"We know that, Hermione, we've all been given plenty of Mandrake based potions this year," Daphne said, trying to serious, but she was smiling amusedly. "Our own personal savant."

"Don't tease her, our grades are so much better having her around," Tracy said and winked playfully at Hermione. She then became concerned. "You don't think this is retaliation for what happened to Felicia and Andriana, do you?"

Glenwynn said, "No," as she shook her head. "It could be anyone who hated Professor Carrow and her class."

"They'd have to be N.E.W.T. level to handle pre-adolescent mandrakes," Hermione said, and all the girl's turned to look at her again. "It was the cries; they didn't sound like a child's cry – more robust and louder since those students outside the locked door fell unconscious before they could flee. The two against the wall had most likely backed away and the ones on the floor, two of them had fallen face down as if they were running away."

"I hope it wasn't any of your Dumbledore's Army friends," Glenwynn said, then suggested they be seen in the library until Dark Arts.

Of course, Dark Arts started out as Amycus' lessons always did; he pointed to the blackboard, telling them to use the Imperius Curse on each other, then divided the class matching his favored students against his least favored. Only today, because of the incident in with the Muggle Studies classroom, Cillian had stayed to help the students lying in the corridor and hadn't given Hermione her wand. She'd been paired with Millicent again. Neville's complaint on her behalf that she'd not be able to defend herself was, naturally, ignored.

Except today, Hermione didn't mind. Severs and Cillian had instructed her to act as if she were struggling to throw off the Imperious Curse, so she'd not be punished for knowing how. And that worked for a bit. Nevertheless, most of the DA members were fairly adept at throwing off the curse; Charlene, Breanna, Neville, Seams and Ernie were particularly proficient. Glenwynn had also confessed that her friends were also competent at repelling it as well, although the girls pretended to struggle with the impulse. For the first quarter of the lesson, it was beginning to look more like a drama class.

But then Amycus caught on. "Yer – yer – how did yuh all do this? What – who taught yuh to repel the curse?"

"Professor Moody taught us, fourth year," Seamus said, defiantly.

Neville huffed a laugh. "Harry said he was Barty Crouch Jr. disguised as—"

"Yuh will not mention that boy's name in my classroom!" Amycus yelled, spittle coming from his mouth. "Potter lies. He's a coward. He's in hiding because he is afraid of the Dark Lord. Yuh will all learn that when the Dark Lord kills him"

Seamus scoffed. "Harry has survived his attacks several times already—"

"It was pure luck and coincidence that – that – Crucio!" Amycus shouted, aiming his wand at Seamus.

Seamus fell to the floor, writhing and contorting in pain, screaming at the top of his lungs. Neville tried to intercede, but Amycus turned his wrath on him, and Crabbe cursed Seamus, making him erupt in six-inch thorns, many of them stabbing into his flesh. Seamus screamed louder, his contorted and cramped body impaled so he couldn't move.

Daphne shifted, moving so Neville didn't inadvertently kick her, the same time Breanna, standing next to her, moved her hand, the one holding her wand. Lestrange immediately lunged forward and cast a forceful Disarming Spell at them, sending both girls flying into the other girls behind them, and they all crashed against the desks lining the wall, breaking them.

"Stop this!" Hermione pleaded, hearing the same cries spoken from other students, appalled by the scene.

"This is my class, and I will say what you learn here!" he said, aiming his wand at Hermione, who squatted down and covered her head, waiting for his wrath.

But the hit didn't happen. She looked up to see he'd erased the word Imperious off his blackboard and had written Cruciatus instead. "Since you've all learned how to cast the Imperious and know how to repel it, we'll start on the Cruciatus instead," he said as he turned around, ignoring the boys curled up on the floor and the girls trying to help each other get up from the demolished desks and assessing injuries.

"YOU've got to be kidding!" Charlene exclaimed. "It's bad enough it's used on us as punishment – you can't expect us to do this in class – on each other!"

"Yuh'll do as I tells yuh," he bit back.

Glenwynn had stopped brushing off her robes as he'd spoken. "Surely, Professor, the study of the Cruciatus will be a carefully structured theory-centered study of the curse, covering its use and effects and the potential for permanent damage to the victims with no practical applications—"

"Shut yer gob! I'll not have yuh make a mockery of my teaching!" he shouted, spittle falling on his chin. He was so furious the threatened to report the 'insolence' and 'insubordination' to the Dark Lord himself. "Those who won't do it will not only feel the effects but will be sent to Filch until yuh's willing to follow my directions without complaint!"

He paired students up to face off, again his favorites against Glenwynn, Charlene and Hermione, for speaking up to him, and told them to, "Let them have it." Crabbe, Zabini and Millicent were able to manage a suitable amount of pain to, but Hermione could tell the difference; there wasn't enough intent, enough animosity or malice behind the curse. It still hurt – extremely so. Daphne and Tracey rushed up to Glenwynn and Hermione, trying to help them.

"What in dragon blazes is going on here?" Cillian demanded as he crossed the room, flowed by Draco Schindler and Nott.

"I am teaching them," Amycus shouted, interrupted by Lestrange, "They are learning about the Cruciatus Curse."

"That was not approved by the headmaster," Cillian retorted. "Brown, Patil and Enfield – help Messrs. Finnigan and Longbottom to the hospital. Malfoy, Goyle, Nott and Schlinder – escort Misses Weston, Greengrass, Glenwrythe, Davis and Mrs. Snape there as well. The rest of you leave. I need a word with your professors."

"–Yuh'll write a five-foot essay on how to do it, since the rest of yuh seem unable to perform the curse," Amycus shouted as the students rushed to aid their classmates.

"Brown, Patil – help Miss Weston," Draco suggested. "Miss Enfield give me a hand with Mr. Finnigan."

"Why should you—?" Breanna started to argue, but Draco cut her off by saying, "Because these thorns are leaking a yellowish-white substance, and I don't need you getting hurt also by a substance I can't identify." He transfigured a chair into a stretcher with side rails, and she cast a Hoovering Charm to place Seamus gently upon it.

~S~

The moment the phoenix allowed her to pass, Astoria Greengrass came running up the stairs and into his office, tears streaming down her face. "Yes, Miss Greengrass," he asked, handing the girl a tissue. He hated crying girls, always had, but years as her Head of House he knew such hysterics were uncommon for her. He tried waiting for her to calm down, but she only started crying harder, and blew her nose loudly. "What has happened?" he asked, handing her another tissue, hoping to at least get a few words from her relating to the cause of her distress. Thankfully it wouldn't be boy troubles, he'd had prefects for that.

"My – my sister, they almost br-broke her back! H-her ribs are – were broken, too, and her arm, and… I can't see her," she sniffled, "she – she's in chains!"

"Chains?" he prompted, but that only elicited more hysterical tears. "Calm yourself. Why isn't she in the hospital?" he asked, handing her another tissue. Hermione was right, these were much easier than handkerchiefs.

"Sh-she was, b-but when Mad-dum Pomfrey let her go, she was-was taken – they took her – they put her in chains!" the girl wailed, crying heavy tears.

He handed her another tissue, then waited as she whipped her cheeks and blew her nose. "Now nod if I'm correct," Severus said, reverting to his Head of House tactics. "Your sister was hurt?" She nodded. "And taken to the hospital to be healed?" Another nod. So far so good. "And Madam Pomfrey healed her broken bones?" Another nod and more huge tears. "So, she was released from the hospital?"

She managed an audible, "Yes."

"And now she's in chains?" he asked, and she completely broke down and fell to her knees, sobbing.

Filch and his bloody manacles. "I will see to your sister and have her released from the manacles," he said, but the girl was still sitting on the floor, inconsolable. He called for Peren. The elf popped in instantly. "Bring some tea, biscuits, cakes – something to calm Miss Greengrass. Maybe chamomile or chamomile and lavender."

"Will you save her friends, too, Professor Snape?" Miss Greengrass asked.

He had to stand to see her. "I will see to the matter," he said, wondering who and how many Filch had in his dungeon today.

Severus stormed back to his office after he'd confronted Filch about using his chains. He had over three dozen students – of all years – his medieval devices.

Filch told him Alecto gave him permission to use 'whatever means gets the point across and to elicit better behavior.' "They were rude to Professor Alecto Carrow in her classroom," he'd said indicating half a dozen children that had hung by his manacles the against the wall, "and them refused to do what was required in Professor Amycus Carrow's lesson," he'd added pointing to the seventh-year students from Hermione's class bound on St Andrews Crosses or in twenty-point bondage frames against the back walls. "And I caught these walking in the corridor's looking suspicious," indicating the students lying on the floor in the Shrew's fiddles attached to the floor. "You said no student was to wander the corridors unnecessarily."

Severus had wanted to strangle the man. However, he'd refrained, and had released the students, sending them to the hospital to be sorted. He'd vanquished the rack and the Witch's tub, ignoring Filch's protests and had permanently sealed shut the iron maiden. Then he'd made the chains to magically adjust to the students' height so their toes could reach the floor. It was the best he could do. He'd have to send letters to the parents of the Slytherin students and inform the heads of the other houses so they could do the same.

When he'd confronted Amycus, he hadn't felt it necessary to inform the parents of 'his' house for punishment for infractions and rule breaking, and Professor Rodarte had said he'd speak to Amycus about it after dinner.

Severus really wanted to pick up something heavy and throw it into one of the glass cabinets of Dumbledore's collection of things. Except he'd have to repair everything because Peren would feel obligated to clean up the mess and repair the damage.

"Alecto will hear about this – mark my words, you'll regret interfering with her and Amycus' punishments," Filch had said to him – him, as if he'd needed their approval.

"And you'll be out of the job," he'd snarled at Filch, which had satisfactorily made the squib's eyes widen, his face pale and his hands shake. "In the meantime, you may have to reconsider having Professor Rodarte brew your potions, considering the number of students you are harming and that require the Matron's care. She is too busy to brew your potions," he'd said before he left Filch in his den of torture.

~D~

Draco was furious that Glenwynn, Daphne and Tracey were sent to the dungeons to be put into Filch's chains, especially since Glenwynn and Daphne had been hurt during class and had to be sorted out by the Healers.

He'd confronted Amycus about the girls having been tortured by Filch, after they'd been hurt in his class, but he'd snarled and said they were punished for their insubordination. The sadistic coward, who'd always been insolent, ignorant and offensive for as long as Draco had known the wizard, didn't care that he'd tortured and injured them and then sent to endure further torture in Filch's chains He had smiled callously and defended his decisions. He had severely punished three Slytherin girls from three of the more prominent wizarding families and supporters of the Dark Lord! And he'd enjoyed it – reveled in his power to do as he pleased. He enjoyed punishing and torturing students and didn't care if he was causing harm or permanent damage to them. He'd even threatened to replace him as prefect in favor of Crabbe – and make him Head Boy.

Crabbe a Prefect. Worse! Make him Head Boy?

Crabbe of all idiots! Imbecilic, greedy and gluttonous thug, incapable of independent thought and who'd barely passed enough O.W.L.s to return to Hogwarts his sixth year – Crabbe.

To think he'd been friends with him, Zabini and Goyle all those years.

Draco snatched up the old Bludger Crabbe used for his biceps exercises and threw it into Crabbe's wardrobe. The iron orb still had enough residual magic that it hit with a resounding explosion. It flew back, making Draco duck, and slammed into Zabini's with equal force. Draco directed it to crash into Crabbe's cabinet a second time, and then sidestepped the projectile making it fly into Zabini's again, demolishing the cabinet and spreading clothes and belongings on the floor of the dorm room.

He dodged the Bludger as he left the room, hearing it hit Crabbe's bed, breaking a bedpost in half before it lodged in the wall next to the headboard.

Feeling better, he went to the potions lab to get his mind focused on something – anything but seeing the bruises on Glenwynn's and Daphne's faces and the plaster bandages on Daphne's arm and Glenwynn's ankle.

He began concocting another batch of Hermione's potion but only ended up grinding the Manihot serpenlenta to a pulp.

~H~

Hermione struggled with her Potions assignment, sitting by a window reviewing all their notes on her antidote. Severus had determined a tiny amount in food would be fatal, and they still had no idea where her potion had gone.

"In the thirteenth century, licorice was found to be quite remarkable in the elevating of ailments."

She looked up to see Hildegard von Bingen looking down at her from her portrait. She'd been painted in front of the Rupertsberg Convent in Germany in her prioress habit holding her long paternosters of coral prayer beads. She was known was a kindly witch, but not very talkative since she hung both here in the library and on the wall of the hospital wing. However, she'd been a remarkable Healer in the twelfth century, and a copy of her treatise on medicines was on a bottom shelf in the Potions section.

"Pardon me?"

"Your notes, those ailments, you should consider licorice and turmeric in your antidote."

Hermione stared at the lists in front of her. "Venomous Tentacula and Rosary Peas are indigenous to India and parts of tropical Asia, you know, and Manihot serpenlenta is indigenous to the lush parts of India along the Pakistan border," the kindly Healer added, and Hermione looked up at her.

"Abu al-Abbas al-Nabati wrote about them in his books on botany – in the Herbology section – and he made great strides in the uses and benefits of Indian spices – including licorice in their antidotes. Also, you should look at Summarie of Englysh Chronicles by John Stow and his treatises on Middle Eastern Magical Plants, The Eastern Medicinal Remedies. They intrigued the Grey Lady as well as me."

"Because some native plants growing in the same areas as toxic plants could negate their effect! Thank you!"

Intrigued Hermione collected the books Hildegard von Bingen mentioned and The Nature of Healing Spices of India by Keerthi Aggarwal and The Mysteries of Spices: The Ancient Art of Spices, by Tilo Banerjee Divakaruni, and began to make copious notes on what she'd found.

She checked out the books and rushed from the library to discuss her latest ideas with Severus, finally finding him in the Potions lab with Draco. The three of them considered Hildegard von Bingen's suggestion and even Severus thought the idea sound.

Severus wrote new instructions on the boards, adding the new spices in each one, but at different intervals for each potion. She and Draco both brewed a different antidote variation, adding the licorice and turmeric as indicated, while Severus tried a third option. They unfortunately failed, each one. They discarded the failed potions and tried again, this time introducing the ingredients in yet another order in the instructions.

Exhausted after a long night of disappointment, Severus walked Hermine and Draco to the Headmaster's suite, transfiguring the sofa into a bed for Draco.

Waking at dawn, they ate a full English breakfast with mugs of steaming coffee provided by Peren at the coffee table. As Severus and Draco discussed why the previous potions failed and what they should do differently, Hermione stifled her yawns and forced herself to be more alert.

They returned to the lab, each brewing another try.

When she'd completed it, Hermione's potion seemed to swell to the point she was afraid it'd explode, but as she reached for the cauldron handles the underlying bubble slowly popped open, rolling back into the cauldron like a blooming dahlia, and then settled, turning a rich pomegranate color. "What did you add?" Severus asked from over her shoulder as he doused the flame under the cauldron.

"Noth – thing," she said in utter belief at the beautiful potion simmering softly in her cauldron as it cooled.

"Did Peren ruins my Mistress' potion?" Peren asked, appearing at Severus' feet, peering up at him with huge, worried eyes. He crossed his arms, and Peren began to shake and pulled on her ear. "Mistress' ground roots was all dries, Headmaster, Master, sir, so I's puts rainwater into her bowl and lefts them with her other ingredients. When Mistress asks where her roots was, I put them on the table for her…"

Severus examined a bit of remaining root pulp.

"Are those the roots I mashed up? I thought I'd tossed them?" Draco said, and Peren wrung her ear and tried reaching for something to punish herself with.

"Don't," Severus said and put a hand on hers to stop her.

"That's why they seemed like a thick paste," Hermione said and looked at the bowl. "Cassava, Manihot esculenta, is used as a food. I read how the roots are prepared for cooking – ground, dried, soaked and then ground again – making them safe to eat. And with the moringa powder, licorice and turmeric the potion stabilizes. But will it work – is this the antidote we are trying to create?" The solution, if it works, is so simple – make the Manihot edible!

Severus took a sample to test it and Hermione nervously watched him work. After several tests, it did seem to neutralize the poison potion.

Thanks to a mishap, some common spices and persistence, they'd successfully found the antidote to her poison potion.

~S~

The Dark Lord appeared at the governors meeting, stepping out from a black plume of smoke in his usual dramatic entrance, striding across the room with his robes billowing and brandishing his wand casually in his hand. Severus' 'senior team' which had been changed to be Alecto, Amycus, Lestrange and his four 'security wizards' Death Eaters, who enjoyed roaming the castle corridors harassing and tormenting the students, entered behind the Dark Lord. The seventeen governors already assembled gaped in suppressed looks of fear, shock and trepidation, watching in stunned silence as the Dark Lord strode arrogantly to his 'rightful place' at the head of the table, his Dark Brethren taking seats of prominence at the large table.

But although the controlling body of Hogwarts School of Magic and Wizardry had consisted of twenty governors, the Headmaster, Deputy Headmaster and Heads of Houses of the school, and the Head of the Department of Magical Education with his clerk, the Department Assistant Head and their aids-decamp who usually attended in the past and had, for all intents and purposes, been replaced by those the Dark Lord trusted and appointed to the school. Hildegard Hufstedler, the new Head of the Department of Magical Education, and Harold Weinberger, his Department Assistant Head, officially supported the Dark Lord's policies and rarely disagreed with any changes proposed by him, either keeping quiet to protect themselves or having been chosen because they were merely puppets.

This was the Dark Lord's fourth appearance at the meetings, the first having had taken place before the school year in which he'd instated Severus as Headmaster and the addition of both Amycus and Alecto Carrow as professors in the school. He'd also removed, quite violently, two members who'd spoken up against the appointments and one Muggleborn witch he found 'offensive', effetely making all the others bow to his will.

The meeting progressed, covering the topics of the Dark Lord's disapproval of the students' continued insubordination and defacement of the school corridors, the lack of respect or support from the other professors, the amount of misinformation circulating with in the castle and the number of students in the hospital ward and skiving off lessons.

Severus gritted his teeth since most of these infractions were caused by the Carrows, Rab Lestrange, MacCavish, Rowle, Travers, VanHala, Filch and Hermione's D.A. friends. Nothing was said about budget, school acquisitions, the decrease of alumni bequests, and the rising costs in salaries the Death Eaters both in the castle and guarding the grounds demanded, and the increasing needs for the hospital, including the need for additional staffing assistance. The school's treasury was depleting, and nothing was done to address the fact. If the spending continued, the school would face financial crisis by the end of term.

Instead, the Dark Lord proudly stated, "There are now more than ever coming to realize that the new order – no longer hiding in the shadows and underground – is over. So many of our young people are wanting to join our ranks, to swear their allegiance to me. I am heartened by this, and they shall be honored if they prove themselves true. Many have joined my Knights of Walpurgis allowing them the opportunities to prove their loyalty to me."

Twelve of the people started clapping immediately with enthusiasm, the two new Ministry heads joined clapping, their gazes warily sweeping those at the table, but the governors clapped their hands torpidly, their eyes downcast so as not to make eye contact. Several more announcements unrelated to the school were made, met with the same 'enthusiasm' as the Dark Lord boasted his triumphs.

"Now I must digress," the Dark Lord said, turning to Severus, the glee leaving his expression, and his eyes narrowed as his slit nares flared. "I am told repeatedly that Professor McGonagall is being most ineffectual as your Deputy Head. She is not reigning in the students or the other staff members to the regulations of the school, and her own students of her house are the most troublesome of the school. Therefore, she is to step down as Deputy, and Alecto will assume her position immediately. She will remain as Head of Gryffindor House, and she and the other heads will answer to Alecto. Also, Amycus is now appointed as Assistant Deputy of the school in charge of all discipline matters."

Severus had seen this change of demeanor, and knew his tone booked no disagreement. Severus himself knew he had to acquiesce, nodding silently, knowing Minerva and the other heads would argue against this decision – especially if the Carrows gloated. The school governors balked at these changes, and but the change would be made.

Severus left the meeting and apparated to the clock tower and strode purposefully to his office.

"What has happened, my boy?" Dumbledore asked from his frame.

Severus shook his head. "The Dark Lord. I need you to go ask Minerva to come to my office immediately. I need to see her before the others return to the school. Tell her to make haste."

Severus turned and walked over to a window, gazing out on the school grounds. Dementors floated in the skies, along the edge of the Forbidden Forest and hovered above the Whopping Willow. Never more than ever had he regretted joining the Death Eater ranks. Yes, back then he had youthful indiscretion regarding his ambitions, had wanted to prove himself worthy of the honor, be part of a brethren he believed in. Now new young witches and wizards were joining the Knights, and several were here to guard Hogsmeade and block all the known secret passages that lead to and from the town and the school. Ambrosius Flume and his wife had boarded up Honeydukes, conducting all their business through owl post. Most of the shops had followed suit.

The hospital, which normally handled hundreds of minor injuries per year was now handling more than that in a month. The medical ward of the hospital tower had expanded to the size of the Great Hall. He'd had to take on a second matron, and the students in their seventh year who desired to become Healers, spent all their available time assisting as well. Between the workload and the variety and gravity of the injuries more than adequately fulfilled the requirements of the work experience program for entry to St Mungo's Healers program. But that didn't help with the problem of brewing the necessary potions needed. He and Draco could hardly keep up.

He'd tried to elicit Horace Slughorn to return as the hospital's private Potions master in residence, offering him comfortable quarters and a private work room in the hospital tower on its fifth floor, but he would not return to the school if any Lestrange roamed the castle.

Severus quickly drafted a note to Master Ogden, requesting if he possibly knew of a witch or wizard with the necessary qualifications that he could employ. Aetos flew out the window with his request, (insulting the bloody bird, Lycorice, who annoyingly refused to leave the office), as the bell tolled, announcing an arrival.

Minerva entered, her posture stiff and her head held high. He persuaded her to go up to his quarters for privacy and poured them both a glass of fine Glenmorangie single malt whisky from Dumbledore's private hoard. "What I have to say will not be well met," he started and offered her the comfortable chair by the window and sat facing her in the other. "The Dark Lord was at the governor's meeting, and it didn't bode well." He told her of the changes. She pursed her lips and drank delicately but deeply from her glass. "You expected this?"

"No – yes. I'm not surprised. You've supported and defended me for most of this year – which I appreciate – and you've tried your best to protect this school, our staff, and the students. I don't agree with your methods, but I can see your artifice and fakery." She sipped her dink and looked at him squarely. "I will be resigning at the end of term."

"I'd rather you not," he replied, holding his glass in both hands between his knees. "I need you," he said, warily. "Hermione needs you."

"She will be leaving at the end of the year, if your Dark Lord allows her to live, which I doubt."

He exhaled heavily and took another gulp of his whiskey. "Unless Potter makes a move against the Dark Lord and defeats him." Her eyebrows rose, and he set his glass down on the small table under the window. "Don't look so shocked, I've that bloody old wizard, Dumbledore, hovering above my head all day every day, and Hermione is completely convinced Potter is the 'one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord'," he quoted the damned prophecy. "As well as his barely concealed fear of the boy – how can I not think they will face one another again."

"I see. Well, in that case, I should warn you, neither Alecto nor her brother are up to the task given them. I would not expect them to apply themselves to the necessary administration duties of their new posts. I shall of course, continue to do mine." Ever proficient, Minerva gave him a rundown of her files. "I have all my Head of House duty reports and have those from Filius and Pomona on file. Since Horace left and Amycus and Professor Rodarte fight each other over who is rightfully Head of Slytherin, I don't have one for Slytherin. I do, however, have the midterm exam results from all the professors, except from either Professors Carrow or Professor Rodarte's – they've been remiss. However, the Academic Progress Reports for the Department of Magical Education and the Department of the Wizarding Examinations Authority are all locked in my cupboard along with the feed receipts and the real Magical School Registry. The one in my desk does not update – although I've added all the children with acceptable bloodlines to protect the innocent. I have to say, I am distressed that Griselda Marchbanks and Professor Tofty were removed – and have since disappeared, but thus seems to be usual under your master's regime."

He thanked her. "I shall continue in my duties so as the school doesn't completely collapse," she said, standing up. "But I have little hope of the students receiving proper O.W.L. or N.E.W.T. scores at the end of the school year in Potions, Muggle Studies or Defense Against the Dark Arts. The Wizarding Examinations Authority does not have Dark Arts testing guidelines."

They talked a while longer, converting several of her concerns.

Aetos returned with a reply, the same time as he walked her to his office door. That was exceptionally quick. Severus gave Aetos a chicken heart, ignoring the other owl's indignant ruffle of his feathers. He perused the missive and smiled.

Master Ogden was suggesting a Wesley Davenport from his own department at St. Mungo's. 'But warned, Severus, the lad is terrified of the Dark Lord and his followers. He's young, but eager, and has been under my wing for ages now – as proficient as I ever was," the wizened Potions master wrote. 'He needs some assurances to come to the school. Skittish, desperately trying to avoid being recognized or arrested. He's been living in a wardrobe in Martin Woolworths' office – terrified to leave the hospital. I've convinced him the school will be safer and he'd get better food. He's at my house presently.'

Severus left immediately to personally escort the lad, arriving in the deserted alley outside of Master Ogdon's home. Hidden by the Fidelius Charm and other spells of his own casting, only the brown door and a short cement stairway materialized if anyone knew of the location of the house. To avoid the Dark Lord's minions in Hogsmeade, he'd returned by route of the Clock Tower, an ability only he as the headmaster could do.

The lad had looked about worriedly as they walked to the end of the hospital corridor not relaxing until they'd entered Madam Pomfrey's office. The Matron was immediately welcoming and showed the young wizard to his new quarters and work area. Davenport loved the facilities he'd been provided, amazed at the equipment and the supplies already on hand, which Hermione and Miss Weasley had discovered in a room on the seventh floor (claiming they'd belonged to the Weasley twins), as well as the ridiculously complicated modern scales and measuring spoons he'd passed to Hermione before the start of the school year. "Master Ogden said – I didn't expect all this," the lad said and immediately set to work brewing the much needed potions from the Matron's list.

Returning to his office, Severus was displeased to see three dementors looming over Hogwarts Castle from his windows. Severus cast his Patronus to ward off their gloomy effect and silently contemplated the devastation the Dark Lord's looming presence had caused in his school. Because of his own rules and those suggested by the Dark Lord, students marched in silence to and from lessons, there was no laughter, and students crying in hidden corners and loos became a norm. He couldn't help but pray to any deity who may be listening or cared that Potter would prevail, if the boy would finally decide it was the time to do so.

~H~

Monday started off with Alecto droning on about how Muggleborns stole floo powder, broomsticks and portkeys from good honest wizards and witches, then started complaining about how Muggles were afraid of magical transportation, such as: brooms, enchanted coaches, cars and buses (specifically mentioning the Knight Bus and Ministry of Magic fleet of cars) motorbikes, sleighs, boats. "Muggles are so afraid of our means of travel they report them to the Muggle authorities: Policemens, Firearmsmens, Muggle England Authority, Conduct Authorities, and regional and local authorities and parish councils…"

"Where did she get this list?" Seamus asked softly with his head down, tipped slightly toward Neville. "People don't report to the regional authorities, local authorities or parish councils – they don't get involved in such reporting."

"Hermione, what's a fire-arms-mens, er, men?" Neville asked her, his head likewise tipped down, but writing down her every word.

"Maybe a firefighter? But they exclusively put out fires, rescue people caught in burning buildings and respond to emergency situations," Hermione told him softly.

"Do you have something to add, Mrs. Snape?"

Hermione looked up sharply at the Professor's angrily spoken question.

"Maybe you'd like to inform the entire class?"

"No, Professor, Neville didn't know what a Firearmsmens was." The minute she'd said it, she'd regretted saying anything.

"So, what is a Firearmsmens, then, humm?" Alecto asked, her voice dripping with annoyance.

"A firefighter, also known as a fireman – not a firearms man, are highly trained men and women who work to combat and extinguish fires, act as emergency medical personnel and investigate the causes of fires. These men and women are almost always the first responders to the scene of fires, car accidents, or other emergencies. Most firefighters are career professionals, while others volunteer for duty within their communities," Seamus stated.

"Mr. Finnigan, where did you hear such nonsense—? Mrs. Snape – it was you! You are telling lies in my classroom, are you? Deliberately giving Mr. Finnigan false information – trying to pervert my students with your Muggle falsehoods!" She turned to Seamus. "Firearmsmens are those Muggles in red coats and big furry hats and the muddy dressed ones that carry guns, swords and projectile weapons to kill wizards and witches."

"You mean her Majesty's Armed Forces?" Hermione asked, and immediately sucked in her breath sharply and bit her lower lip, her eyes going wide as Alecto turned her icy stare at her.

"I will not have it! I will not tolerate you—"

Alecto whipped her wand out and took aim at Hermione, shouting, "Furnunculus Reducto" angrily, apparently trying to combine the Furnunculus and Reducto Curses. However, Neville, apparently anticipating Alecto's attack, had his wand pointed at Hermione, and quickly cast a nonverbal Shield Charm to protect her. So, if her intent was to blast open large boils and pimples all over Hermione's skin, it didn't in fact do anything. She repeated the double curse again, but again without any satisfactory reaction. "You are blocking my punishment!" Alecto screeched, stamping her foot. "How dare you; you are casting a Shield Charm in my classroom!"

"Hermione doesn't even have her wand, Professor," Draco pointed out helpfully.

Alecto ignored him, blasting Hermione with a fully intended Cruciatus Curse making her fall onto the floor in pure agony, firing every nerve receptor and ending with fire, the sensation of a hundred thousand knives stabbing at her… and she screamed, not realizing she'd been screaming.

Neville yelled, "Stop it," as Alecto maintained her concentration, and somewhere over her a voice said, 'for insolence' and laughed manically.

And suddenly it was over, but Alecto turned her wand on Neville, and he fell, his screams echoing hers as she curled up on the floor, unable to move.

"At least the duration was interrupted so quickly; the aftereffects are wearing off," a woman said, holding her head and forcing another liquid down Hermione's raw throat.

"She's still convulsing," Cillian said, worried.

"These will counter the effects," Severus said.

Hermione was given some lemonade sludge and then a cool drink of something slimy. The effects of the curse finally began to abate; she felt her hands and arms relax and the tension in her neck was easing, making her head stop throbbing.

"Water," she croaked, finally able utter words. Instead, she was given more lemonade sludge and something that tasted like burnt carrot and thyme. She rolled onto her back, trying to stretch out her legs, but it took effort. "Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital, dear," the woman replied.

Hermione opened her eyes and smiled at the kindly matron. She turned her head, looking at the faces by her bed, stopping on Draco's. "You understated the effect," she told him.

"At least you were saved by Longbottom and Mr. Gwynek here," he said, tipping his head toward Cillian. "Longbottom got much more than you. He'll take hours to recover."

She was feeling better; her legs relaxed, and she could stretch them out. "The potions will take a few more minutes. The more she moves the better," the Healer said, and Hermione turned to look at her. "Can you sit up yet?"

Hermione tried and although she was slightly dizzy, the tension in her shoulders eased and she was moving well enough. "Yeah, I'm better."

"I have to deal with Alecto," Severus said, "I must go. But I can't take you to the tower yet."

"I'm not missing Potions; I have to go," Hermine stated defiantly, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. Cillian, Draco and Severus argued against it, but Hermione stood up on her own, stretched (although that did hurt a lot) and took several steady steps. "See, I feel better. I can do this. If I feel worse, I'll come back," she promised.

"Stop being a martyr and lay back down," Draco said.

The Healer smiled. "She's greatly improved, and the potions are now in her system. Your potions, Headmaster – Master Malfoy, work wonders. I wish we had them at St. Mungo's."

"They do. Master Ogden and Woolworths have received samples and the instructions. They are being tested," Severus replied.

Nott stepped around Draco and picked up her school bag. "I can cast a support sell on you if you get weary, but I agree with them," he said to Hermione, indicating the others with a jerk of his head. "You should stay here."

"I'll come back at lunch for more potions. But moving does help ease the pain in my joints," Hermione said, then thanked the Healer and Severus. As she walked for the door, she said, "Cillian - Draco, thank you for what you did," sincerely grateful. Draco and Cillian both brushed off her thanks, Draco telling her she was bonkers for insisting on going to class.

In Potions Hermione waited her turn to hand in her antidote to her poison potion. She'd bottled both the required amount for Professor Rodarte the night before and the remaining was handed to Peren to take to Madam Pomfrey incase her potion was used on a student. Severus had already sent a copy of the ingredients and instructions with Aetos to St Mungo's along with a huge crate of other potions created by him and Draco.

As she passed Adriana at the worktable next to hers, Adriana touched her arm. "Glenwynn said to tell you her sister wanted to thank your house-elf for the chamomile tea, biscuits, lavender-lemon creams and the bouquet of chamomile and lavender flowers."

"Oh, well on behalf of Peren tell her she said you're welcome. I'm sure she was happy to do it?" Hermione said, surprised. "When did she see Peren?" Peren usually stayed in the Headmaster's Tower or the kitchens. She'd apparently had been trying to help Winky recover from her depression.

"Apparently, Astoria went to see Professor Snape for help after that horrible incident in Muggle Studies," Adriana answered softly. "She came back to the dormitory with a backet full of the treats and the bouquet, although she was crying. She also wanted to know if Professor Snape wanted the paper handkerchiefs back."

Hermione siffled a laugh. "No, he won't. Have her transfigure them into proper handkerchiefs and keep them."

"Settle down," Professor Rodarte called out, and Hermione took her seat.

"Mr. Malfoy and Mrs. Snape are the only students who successfully created an acceptable antidote to their poison potions," Professor Rodarte said, beginning the lesson. "I cannot believe that seventh year NEWT level students cannot create potions unless it is spelled out for you in detail in a book! Therefore, we'll try this again. You'll be brewing the potion listed on the board. I expect a prefect result from each of you. You'll be making the antidote on Wednesday, when you'll be taking the potions – both of them at the end of the class."

The potion that appeared on the blackboard was extremely complicated, the timing of the ingredients such that any mishap would result in a ruined potion. "I'll be expecting you to submit to me your list of ingredients of the antidote, the preparation, the timing and brewing process to create it – then you'll brew your potion in class." He looked around the room. "You should've already begun – so stop wasting time."

Thankfully, Hermione, breathing in deeply and setting her ingredients on her workspace, had become used to such intricately and exacting potion making, but it would be more grueling time in the library researching the necessary actions and counteractions of these ingredients to formulate a potentially viable antidote. And which she'd be testing on herself at end of class on Wednesday.

Not even midway through the lesson she felt the immediate relief of her back and legs, as if she was being fortified from the inside out. She glanced at Nott who nodded once, then returned to his own potion. With the support spell he'd cast, she felt rejuvenated enough to finish.

After Potions, she thanked Nott. He still insisted on carrying her bag, for which she was grateful, and headed for Transfiguration, getting comments of her stubbornness from Draco and concern from Cillian.

The Transfiguration classroom had been modified: the desks were gone, all the chairs spaced out in two arcs facing inward, each with a sizable rock set before it. Professor McGonagall reviewed the process of modifying and animating inorganic substances when transfigurating them to imitate animals. The new transformation being changing stones into dogs. The dog needed not only look like a recognizable breed, but appear to breathe, sniff, drool and had to follow three commands. The more dog-like traits the higher the marks. Hermione had been looking forward to this lesson, reading up on the spell in several books the night before.

After Professor McGonagall's instructions, Hermione firmly drew on the memories of an Otterhound-Golden Retriever mix – her first pet. Teddy had passed away the end of Hermione's second year at school. As a small child, she'd had renamed him Teddy, because she'd thought the young dog had been another teddy bear to play with. She'd loved that dog, fiercely. Once her memories of Teddy were well defined, precise and comprehensive, she cast the spell on the stone, her focus concentrated on the stone as she projected Teddy's personality traits and quirky habits at the rock while it changed. A young Teddy lookalike stood before her, his head tilted in inquiry, staring back at her, his tail wagging. "Sit," she said, and the animated dog complied.

"Very good, Mrs. Snape. Now show me a few more commands," Professor McGonagall said.

She tried; lay down was successful but roll over was ignored. The dog barked unbidden, but stood up as requested, and licked her wrist when she reached out to pet him. His fur felt just as she'd remembered him. She wanted to keep the dog, but as the spell was not permanent and the dog would revert to stone or a large stone statue, so she knew she'd have to turn him back into a rock. However, at the end of class Professor McGonagall allowed her to take a small rock, the size of a brick, to transform into the dog later and told her how to make the spell stick for a few days. Crookshanks would not be pleased.

However, she was feeling drained, and she asked Cillian to escort back to the hospital wing for more potions.

Ginny stepped around the curtain to Hermione's bed and plopped her bag on the chair. "Morning, sunshine!"

Hermione opened her eyes and stretched. Madam Pomfrey had suggested that Hermione stay overnight in the hospital to fully rejuvenate because of all the abuse she'd been receiving lately. Between being woken to receive her doses of potions and Peren popping in to see her, it hadn't really been a restful sleep. "Morning to you, too."

"I see Peren brought you breakfast," Ginny said as she reached into her bag to retrieve something.

The bedside tray moved closer to her, displaying a large plate of food next to a large steaming cup of tea, a vase of flowers, and her toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and a water carafe and cup. "Thank you, Peren."

Peren's head popped up on the other side of the bed. "Does Mistress needs anything else Peren can gets for her?"

Hermione smiled. "My school robes and my book bag." Peren left with a pop. "Peren, a full set of clothes to change into and my shoes."

Ginny started to laugh, helping herself to the black pudding on the plate. "I suppose you have to be rather specific, don't you?"

Her mouth full of sausage, Hermione only nodded.

"Ron won't be up, of course, but Harry will be." Ginny pulled out her mirror and tried to activate it as few times as she joined Hermine on the bed. The fourth time Hermione heard Harry's voice.

"Hello, Gin… Is that Hermione?" Harry asked, and Ginny held the mirror so he could see them better. "Are you in the hospital again?"

"I've been hit with the Cruciatus Curse a few times by the Carrows and the Death Eaters the Dark Lord has in the school," she said, then switched the subject. "I'm sorry, Harry, we're not having any luck deducing where the cup could be."

"We'll find it – we have to," Harry replied, then looked squarely into the mirror. "I could use some things, though: Mandrake Restorative Draught, Felix Felicis, Black Fire Potion, and Memory Potion."

"Harry, I can try," Ginny said the same time Hermione said, "I can make three of those." Ginny looked over at her.

Hermione shrugged. "I can't brew Felix Felicis. It's especially tricky, and it requires six months to brew, and the Mandrake takes three weeks to prepare properly and brew, and the Memory Potion takes nine days to mature properly if you want full strength. I saw directions for the Black Fire Potion in Severus' potions journal. I'll need one hundred and fourteen grams of black opals – gem quality and two hundred grams each of pyrite and pure silver to make it."

Harry immediately smiled and said he'd have no problem getting those.

"Do you remember the potions Professor Rodarte had on his table along the wall?" Ginny asked. "The first he called the Drink of Despair, but I couldn't find any reference to it in the library. The second was Banesblood Potion, the third was Wolfsbane Potion, and the last was Veritaserum. We had to identify them in my class. But in his office, he had several more brewing; two were still in the initial stages of brewing, so I don't know what they were. But he had Polyjuice, Felix Felicis and one I'm sure is a poison – It smelled sweet like blueberries – but with Blood truffles, and underneath I could detect Myristica and Manihot."

"Oh, my lord – he's brewing my poison!" Hermione exclaimed. "I have to tell Severus!"

"Well, at least wait until I steal the Polyjuice, Felix Felicis and grab the Veritaserum before you do," Ginny objected. "Harry, I'll get them today, and the Mandrake Restorative Draught, and I'll figure out a way to get them to you."

"And I'll make the Black Fire Potion and Memory Potion," Hermione said, still reeling from the fact Professor Rodarte had recreated her potion.

"We'll make them," Ginny stated. "Harry, Dobby is here. When you get the opals, silver and pyrite call him, and he'll come to you. I'm fairly sure he will be able to bring them to us. Most wizards don't pay attention to house-elves."

They tried to get Harry to open up on how he was doing, but he only said they are searching for the cup. "Oh, and we lost the sword. It simply vanished," he said.

"It will do that, apparently – it must have returned to the Sorting Hat," Hermione said, but Harry looked affronted. "You didn't have any need for it then, or it was lying around. It only comes to you if you've great need to defeat a foe – an act valor, otherwise it returns to the headmaster's office where the Sorting Hat is."

"So, you can send it back to me," Harry said, but Hermione shook her head. "You must need it, not want it. The sword comes to those in dire need or who need help with an act of valor – such as when you saved me from the graphorn. If I send it, it will only return to the school."

Harry said he had to go; however, Hermione understood – knew he was simply disappointed about the sword. He'd held it, used it, and had felt it's strength in his body when he'd yielded it, fortifying him. That was the magic of the sword; it strengthened the bearer, helped guide their movements, and made them a better fighter. Losing the sword meant he'd lost a weapon nearly as valuable to him as his wand.

~S~

Naturally seventh years, Messrs. Crabbe and Zabini and Miss Bulstrode were immediately proficient with the Cruciatus Cruse. And not surprising sixth years Messrs. Runcorn, Selwyn and Wroithesley, as well as Misses Gerund, McFaul and Snyde were equally adept.

Severus knew, since the denizens of various portraits and a few of the ghosts reported having seen them using the Cruciatus Curse in the corridors on unsuspecting students for amusement. However, Messrs. Crabbe and Zabini were now Marked, and Misses Parkinson and Bulstrode were to be married to matches approved by the Dark Lord himself. And Messrs. Runcorn Selwyn, and Wroithesley were also on the Dark Lord's favor, and made it clear they would take the Mark this summer break.

Amycus was right, the Dark Lord allowed his followers to use the spell, thus they were his subordinates now and answered directly to him.

Nevertheless, Severus was the one who had to deal with the repercussions from the victims' families, the ones who dared to complain. After a few angry owls from parents, and a few howlers, he simply replied with the Dark Lord's explanation of: 'They need to know about the curse and how it felt for when they come out into magical society.'

To make them more compliant to his demands when they became Death Eaters or supporters themselves – or infuriated enough to join the resistance.

But regardless, everyone's hands were tied; being expelled for any infraction of the school rules was not an option. The new laws stated that no student could be removed from Hogwarts and that all witches and wizards ages eleven to eighteen in the British Isles, it was compulsory they be educated here.

So, Severus' position had to be clear – it was to be allowed, even if he hated it.

On her way to see Ginny, Hermione saw Neville, Seamus, Charlene and Claudia exiting out from behind a pair of stone knights. Behind them six Hufflepuff and three Ravenclaw students from fourth and fifth year, stepped out and ran in the direction of the Clock Tower. They didn't appear hurt in any way, which baffled her, but she knew that the tower stairs also opened on the sixth floor. She glanced quickly at Cillian, but if he'd noticed he didn't say anything.

She wanted to ask about it when she went up to Ginny's room, but was surprised to see Tinko being consoled by her sister, Jenny. "Julia and Amanda will be fine, I promise you," Jenny was saying, before they both looked up, realizing Hermione was there. More shocking were the healed cuts and bruises on Tinko's arms and face. Jenny turned back to her stunned sister. "Hermione won't tell, she's on our side."

"Corwin and Sherrianne want to go, too," Tinko said softly between sobs. "I'm losing all my friends."

"A lot of people are fed up with the abuse and want to leave the castle, Tinko, but they can't. This is the only option," Janilynn said, sitting on Jenny's trunk. "At least you'll be together."

"Hannah and Lavender are tired of the abuse in Muggle Studies and Dark Arts, they left today," Ginny said, pulling Hermione over to her bed.

"Left? How? I didn't think its possible with the Dark Lord's security on the grounds and in Hogsmeade," Hermione said, plopping down on the foot of the bed.

Ginny huffed a laugh, and said, "They're not leaving the castle; we're hiding them. But food and such are a problem."

"At least the loos flush," Janilynn stated.

"You're using the Room of Requirement!" Hermione said, and Ginny hushed her.

"We suspect that two boys from my year, Garrett Shadwell and Wilberforce Wodehalle, are siding with the Knights – that's what Runcorn, Selwyn, and Wroithesley are calling themselves now, since they're not marked yet. Demelza overheard Brianna Hamleton talking to Margery Hopkirk about their discontent with us – blaming the 'rest of the house' for all the abuse and strict rules. They are seen frequently with the Death Eater wannabees."

"Apparently, Brianna has been trying to spy on us," Janilynn said, and huffed a laugh. "But we have enough spells on the room she can't hear anything unless they are in the room."

"Gin, be careful," Hermione said, and Ginny smiled, saying "Of course we are," but not too convincing in Hermione's opinion.

To amuse Tinko and lighten the mood, Hermione picked up Ginny's old Quidditch boot and transfigured it into a mooncalf and placed it on Jenny's bed. Tinko stopped crying and played with the animated mooncalf. "Don't worry, it's not permanent," she told Ginny. "It'll change back in a few hours."

The girls pulled out shoes, Jenny transforming hers into hamsters, Janilynn made hers into rabbits and Ginny accomplished a fluffy niffler.

When Stephanie came up she told Hermione Cillian wanted to go. Hermione said good night and hurried down, following Cillian out in the corridor. "Did you have fun?" he asked, holding out his hand for her wand. "Please tell me you weren't planning any mischief."

"We changed shoes into animals," she replied, letting him have her wand.

They passed Parvati and Padma leading four students up the stairs. At least they weren't limping or appeared hurt in any way, but then again, they could've been released from the hospital.

The next morning during her revision time Hermione heard that another swamp had appeared in Amycus' classroom and spilling out into the corridor. All the students at the tables at lunch were speculating who'd put the swamp there, although no one seemed particularly upset about the appearance. Although she'd not seem the swamp herself, the details were shared among the students from those who had. The swamp apparently had fanged geraniums, several species of spiky prickly plants, Porcupine shrubs, defensive Fire-breath bushes, aggressive Berengaria Purple Spears, snargaluff stumps and Whomping willow saplings and huge, fanged Dragon Pitcher pants.

It was taking a huge effort to remove the plants, since Professor Sprout wanted the Porcupine shrubs, Berengaria Purple Spears and fanged Paraphrynus maxicanus traps pants, snargaluff stumps and Whomping willow saplings for her greenhouses.

Nevertheless, that afternoon several students, mostly her D.A. friends, were wearing bandages on their hands and arms and their faces showed signs of healed cuts and bruises. Moreover, by dinner, fewer students showed up to eat many of them sixth and seventh years. "Herbology students," Ginny said. "They're in the hospital wing with injuries from removing the plants from the swamp. I got lucky, only scratches."

~H~

The bell in Severus' office tolled. Standing at the top of the stairs, she hoped it wasn't one of the Dark Lord's thugs, but one of the portraits said Mr. Nott and Miss Glenwrythe wanted entry. She hurried down, called out, "Enter," surprised that the phoenix statue responded to her considering Severus had left to manage something. A moment later Nott escorted Glenwynn into the Headmaster's office.

"Are you all right?" she asked them, noticing that her friend still appeared weak.

"Well, enough. May we sit?"

"Yes, of course. This way," said, helping Glenwynn to the sitting room and asked Peren to bring tea and cakes. If you'd prefer to leave, I'll have Peren notify you when she wants to go?"

Nott shook his head. "I'll stay," he said. He sat in a chair by the bookcases and withdrew a book from his pocket.

Hermione offered Glenwynn the more comfortable chair by the window. "I thought you'd recovered. What happened?"

"Stinging Hex that knocked me down on my way here," she replied.

Peren arrived and served a strong green leaf tea with rose petal and orange scents, cinnamon biscuits with ginger flakes, both lavender-lemon and Lyceum fruit creams and the bouquet of viburnum and wood anemone. "Your house-elf's eager to please," Glenwynn said and took a sip after inhaling the fragrant tea. "Delicious. I half expected a healing potion." A delicate vial appeared next to her saucer which made her laugh lightly. "How, sweet."

"She is a very proficient house-elf," Hermione said.

While they ate, the girl's chatted, Glenwynn wanting to know more about Hermione's life before Hogwarts, her friendship with Harry and Ron, probing a little into their hiding, and then asked what she'd like to do in the future. Nott continued to read, seeming uninterested, ignoring them.

"I know Amanda told you about my home, Glenwrythe Priory," Glenwynn said after swallowing some the potion.

The change of subject surprised Hermione. "She said the priory is underground and the house is built over it."

"It's not exactly underground," Glenwynn said with a smile. "It had been sacked during Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. So, when my ancestor, Muiredach Glenwynn, was granted the lands of the old priory in 1588 after the Battle of Gravelines, the original layout of the old priory was still there: the cellar room had been emptied, of course, but the caves and the burial catacombs were not. You see, the monks were wizards who'd followed the faith, but they hadn't wanted non-magical visitors to find their magical implements, religious and magical relics, icons and potions. And those wizards had elves living in the priory, and they'd stayed. Moreover, when he and his sons Éibhear and Cionnaith dug out the old ruins where the winery stood, they'd found the fermentation hall and the large wine storage had remained – and they were still in operation! Even more amazing was that the winery had become a multi-level, gravity-fed winery dug into the hillside under where the grapes grew. You see the elves had continued to make wine and had dug a whole series of rooms and storage areas improving the winery!"

"I didn't know house-elves dug rooms," Hermione said, still in awe of her story.

Glenwynn laughed prettily. "Hermione, they lived in tunnels and caves before our magical ancestors brought then into their homes."

"And enslaved them." Hermione still hated the idea of their enslavement.

"It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, I assure you. Not all house-elves are unhappy or mistreated. Many house-elves think they got the better end of the relationship: free food, housing and protection from the creatures that hunted them for food," Glenwynn. "Or have you not noticed how happy your Peren is with your arrangement?"

Hermione looked over at Peren who was happily dusting the shelves, surprised Nott had moved to the sofa. He set down his book and stood up. "Glen, I think it's best we go. You need your sleep."

Hermione glanced at the clock, shocked to see the time. She asked Peren to pack up the treats so Glenwynn could take them to share with her friends and walked Glenwynn and Nott to the door.

"Thank you, Hermione," Glenwynn said, handing the large backet Peren gave her to Nott. "We've had a lovely time. And thank you, Peren for the sweets and flowers."

More students begin to disappear, and Hermione suspected that they had been hidden in the Room of Requirement by the members of the DA. Only a few of the DA showed up for meals: Seamus, Charlene, and Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table, Padma, Claudia and Kevin Entwhistle at Ravenclaw's, and Hannah, Gerald and Ernie at Hufflepuff's. Neville was conspicuously absent.

Tracy, Daphne and Astoria, Adriana and Amanda, sat huddled together at the Slytherin table.

Hermione joined the Slytherin girls as they'd left the Great Hall to a small classroom on the ground floor, and was surprised to see Breanna already there, but Glenwynn and Felicia weren't.

"She's gone, Hermione," Tracy said. "Felicia, too."

Adriana's face paled as did Catherine's. "Glenwynn assured me this morning that the 'valuables are all safe' and we're not to worry," Amanda said. "You see, Felicia received notice from the Muggle-Born Registration Commission that her uncle Gareth and his wife, Suzette, were taken into custody. Her family had to report in for interrogation, and she had to, too. Glenwynn's whole family have been brought in for interrogation again. Her brother Quentin and her cousin Dietrich persist that three hidden rooms under the Glenwrythe Priory exist, and they've renewed claims for sedition and treason against Mr. Glenwrythe."

Hermione closed her eyes, praying for her friends' and their families' safety, knowing there was nothing she could do.

Hermione drafted a letter to Dianne, in response to one Cillian had slipped to her in the library. She and Dianne had been corresponding, but then being trapped on an island for all this time must get rather boring. Still, it was nice to have another friend. She rolled up her parchment and sealed it with wax from the writing desk and went down to Severus' office to have it posted.

She was pleased to see that Aetos was back, sitting smugly next to Lycorice, the large dark owl who'd appointed himself as the headmaster's official (and only) personal owl. Thankfully Fawkes' perch was large enough to accommodate both comfortably, although Lycorice tried to push Aetos to the side. But Aetos would have none of it and snapped at the offending owl, effectually plucking out one of Lycorice's feathers. "Will you two stop that," Severus snapped, calmly dipping his quill in his inkwell. "Or I'll have to put the barrier between you again."

He looked up at Hermione. "I'm really busy, is this important?"

"I would like to send a letter, but I don't think it's – it's best if it goes secretly." She handed him the folded letter with Dianne's name written discretely on one corner.

Severus looked up. "Of all the insolent—" he snarled and stood. "Go to our room. Now. I'll deal with you in a moment." He flicked the offending letter at her. "And take this with you. Aetos has more important things to do."

As she walked up the stairs to the sitting room, she heard Severus coolly tell Aetos to make his delivery at once. But then she also heard male voices in the office below.

Hermione plopped down on the sofa, wondering who the men were, and what had Severus' wand in a knot when the window flew open and Aetos flew in. He landed on the coffee table with his leg extended. "But I thought—" she started to say but the owl gave her a soft, yet demanding, hoot and thrust his leg out a bit further. "It's for Dianne on Cillian's private island," she told the owl.

Aetos dropped his foot and tipped his head to the side, then thrust his leg out again.

"Okay," she said and handed him her letter. Aetos held his wings out, waiting, then huffed, ruffling his feathers and then lifted off the table. But Severus' wand lay where the bird had sat, and she immediately understood what Aetos wanted. Hermione grabbed the wand and ran to the window, casting her Patronus to follow the bird, watching her otter fly away with Aetos until the owl was out of sight.

"Did you disillusion him?" Severus asked, startling her.

"No, I… I didn't see your wand until he took flight. I sent my Patronus with him. The Dementors… It couldn't be seen; the sky is too overcast."

He wrapped his arms around her and leaned his head against hers. "I apologize for my tone, but I had allowed Amycus, VanHalal and Filch to pass the Phoenix and they were on the stairs."

"The male voices I heard," she said. "I understand."

"Good," he said and kissed the side of her head. "We should turn in."

"It's been an exhausting week, hasn't it," she replied.

He tipped her hear up, only to look in her eyes. "I know I've been remiss, but I'm too tired, Hermione. I'm sorry."

He'd read her thoughts and she smiled. "Well, I could always make love to you," she suggested.

His mouth quirked amusedly, but his tired expression remained. Quietly he took her hand, and they ascended the stairs to the bedroom.

~~o0o~~

Author's notes:

Sorry to deprive you of a lemon – there was so much going on. I promise not to skimp on the lemonade next time.

A huge thank you to my alpha reader, Arabellabloodgood, for her invaluable help and to Proulxes for the Britpick. I really appreciate the all the help. Thank you very much.

Hildegard von Bingen was the prioress of the Rupertsberg Convent in Germany in the twelfth century, and she did include the licorice plant in her treatise on medicines.

In the thirteenth century, licorice impressed Mohammed Abdallah Ben Ahmed Dhialeddin Ibn Albaithar, who made special mention of licorice in his book of botany.

John Stow, in his Summarie of Englysh Chronicles, noted that licorice grew most famously in the gardens of the Pontefract Abbey in Yorkshire.

This information was borrowed off the internet.

Paraphrynus mexicanus is the species Barty Crouch Jr (as Mad-eye Moody) used in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I changed the name to read maxicanus to mean a very large variety.

The plants in this chapter are cannon from the books and real plants I embellished a bit, and some I flat make up.