Anti-litigation charm: see chapter 1
A/N: Thanks for the great reviews. Well to answer some questions. I do plan on going through all the rings of hell in Dante's Inferno, but with a twist to each one. The sins and the people are the same but each ring is going to signify something that is a demon to either Hermione, Professor Snape, or quite possible both. Usually the lines of plot for each chapter come in such a fury that I don't know where I shall lead them. So I hope you enjoy the ride. Thanks again everyone. Please once read and review as usual. I love to hear feedback on the flow of the story or anything else that could use some work.
Chapter 6: The First Ring of Hell
"…I love you way to much to allow anything horrible happen to you." Professor Snape confessed as he wrapped his arms around Hermione. But once the sentence was complete and the words hung in history both Severus and Hermione were jolted by the boat hitting the dock on the first ring of hell. They looked up expecting to see Charon looking down upon them only to see he was standing at the other end of the boat with a completely unreadable look on his face.
"The first ring of hell…Limbo. Please exit the boat and proceed with your journey, visitors." Charon stated in a monotone.
"But wait what just happened we weren't anywhere near the land when you came over and placed your hands on my head giving me a vision of my future." Hermione asked.
"I know no idea what you are talking about child. We have been in this boat for less than a few minutes. As you can see the land that was is right over my shoulder and I have been over here guiding the boat throughout the journey across."
"But you knew our names and you told me that…"
"As I have stated before I have no idea what you speak of. Please exit the boat to the first ring."
"Professor, I don't understand what just happened." Hermione turned and looked into the confound face of Professor Snape. "He acts like he instigated nothing."
"Miss Granger. I think we need to leave the boat." He said as he stepped out of the boat and helped Hermione out. By the time they turned around to ask Charon which direction they should go the boat was gone.
"Professor, may I ask…"
"If I meant a word I said on the boat." Hermione looked down to the ground beneath her.
Dear god he didn't mean a word of it. He just said it so he would stop. I can't believe I'm such a fool. Hermione thought.
Why did she have to ask me that? Gods I wish I could tell her the truth. Severus, she is your student you can't do this. You just can't…
"What did you see?" Hermione looked up at him puzzled. "I mean when he touched…"
"Oh. I saw my graduation. I saw I got married…"
"To who?"
"Ron." She looked up hoping to read his unread face, but as usual it was unreadable.
Weasley. Why did it have to be him? That boy wouldn't even know what to do with her let alone give her a life that she deserves.
"He abused me and then killed me." She looked back to the ground and spoke the last words in a hush.
What? If that boy even thinks that in any fashion I will personally kill him.
"Shall we continue forth?" Professor Snape stated to clear his mind of the images Hermione's last words brought.
"Sir, you didn't answer my question."
"Miss Granger, life is full of questions that shall answer themselves in time."
Hermione sighed and walked forth from the coast of the river.
"In accord to Dante we should be encountering a city filled with virtuous pagan."
"And the greatest minds of their time."
The city which lay before them was designed in terms of Roman architecture with white pillars and vast blocks of the buildings and libraries. It was a haven to the likes of Professor Snape and Hermione for the city had the vast knowledge of the library of Alexandria and the beauty of a Rome during the period of its main life. But behind the layer of beauty that looked definitely out of place for hell in any form and in any religion, laid the true punishment, melancholy touched all the souls that inhabited the ring and though the vast of knowledge were there. The desire that once was to the great mind lacked the glory of hope to make the true be told.
As Hermione and Severus walked through the city of the first ring, they noticed the affliction of the commoners that were born before Christ's time. The sorrow that spread through out, but once they meet with the center of the city, the scene changed from that of no hope to a full staged demonstration lead by none other than Socrates, himself.
"Countrymen and pagans alike, why are we eternally damned to such an eternity. To know knowledge, but not be able to share. To know desire, but to have no underlying hope to bring plans into actions. To see the commoners sit in their ever melancholy state. Why this because the Gods have decisioned to punish us for the mere fact that we were created before the savior's coming? Why should such a cruel fate be passed upon us for our beliefs that predate what the Gods consider as the almighty truth?"
"But Socrates, we have been given such a mere punishment in comparison to those in the further rings." Plato stated.
"My dear Plato though we are believed to have the niceties of this ring, we still don't deserve the punishment. We are the greatest minds and yet we are here under this great punishment I declare we go to war against the gods." As he spoke there were several hushed noises in the crowd and many more "How do expect us to wage a war against God?"
"Socrates, this has occurred before. Before we join Lucifer in the ninth ring we should discuss this. " Plato spoke up again. Socrates eyed the crowd to find that there were two people in the crowd that didn't belong.
"Visitors, what do you believe? Is a war waged for the basic rights of a man honorable?"
While Severus stood there and hesitated making a remark. Hermione spoke up. "Are you willing to lose your souls for this? Do you know this means that you will leave this ring where heaven is almost achieved? A battle that is fought for such a foolish price and pride is one not to be fought. We have seen the price of war. We have seen great wizards and witches die in the fight against an evil that is so horrible it cannot be spoken. But the difference is our battle and war was one of survival for the good. Yours is a battle is that of pure self interest." As Hermione was speaking she was slowly breaking down from the feelings that were ripping her apart. She had seen too much during the war. She had lost friends. She had lost mentors. She had lost hope in the fact that one day good will overcome evil. Yet now she was faced with the complete opposite of what she had seen and she saw where the war had changed her.
"The child speaks of the age of an elder, eh, Socrates." An old man slow was lead to where Hermione was barely standing due to the fact that she was shaking from the emotions that were eating her alive.
"Master Homer, sir you are not well you should be back in your rooms." Socrates spoke to the old man.
"I am perfectly fine, Socrates, but this child needs a place to sit. Plato, Socrates, please move this child over to that step." Plato and Socrates walked over to Hermione when they were intercepted by Professor Snape.
"I will help her." He snapped. Severus then gently reaching over to Hermione took her hand and moved her over to the step behind them as he was followed by Socrates, Plato, and Homer. Severus sat next to her and tried to comfort her by rubbing her shoulders gently with one arm as Socrates and Plato help Homer seat himself next to Hermione.
"My dear child, you speak with such passion and force, but if you continue in this state it will kill you. War does that. It eats you alive until there is nothing left to eat. You must leave this in the past for that were it rests." Homer spoke.
"How can I? I have lost so many friends. I have lost so many mentors. I can't see how I can put this behind me and return to my innocence?" Hermione spoke through a sob.
"My dear child, innocence is overstated. What good is the innocence when the knowledge you've gained gives you more knowledge than the minds that sit around you currently. You are ages ahead of our meager minds for we are still believe that every problem should be solved with the declaration of war and the shedding of blood. Child, I know your heart can not believe me now, but your mind must understand the argument."
"Yes, I can see the argument, but I don't know how I will convince my heart this."
"It will come with time and love. Time and love will heal the wounds that war has created, time and love. But right now I must request that you and your companion move forward to the next ring there will be a price for this revolt or thought and I rather not have you and your companion injured for this. Socrates will show you the quickest way out of the city. Follow him."
Professor Snape helped Hermione to her feet.
"Thank you, Homer." Hermione said. Homer just nodded and gave her a look as if to say, 'Go child.'
"Follow me." Socrates said as he ducked into an alley behind the building.
"What will happen now?" Professor Snape asked.
"It seems that Lucifer has found out that we were stating a demonstration and therefore he will send his 'troops' in to quell the problem in order to appease the Gods." Socrates looked behind him. "We must hurry, they are very near." He led them forward to the edge of the city. "I must leave you here. You will pass through this gate and go into the next ring. Minos is waiting on the other side. You will be judged there. Good luck." Socrates said as he turned around to head back to the city. Hermione turned to look at the city one last time only to see a winged demon flying over the city casting flames down below onto the center. Professor Snape gently pulled her arm to pull her into the next ring with him.