Professor Snape made his way to the Headmaster's office.
"Pixie Sticks." He snapped, and the stone gargoyle moved out of the way. He than went up the staircase, and into the room leading to Dumbledore's office. As he was going to turn the knob, the door came open, and the Headmaster was standing there, the trademark twinkle in his eye was dimmed.
"This is not good." Snape thought.
"Severus, please have a seat."
Snape took the chair to the left of the lit fireplace, and Albus sat down in front of him. The Headmaster had his hands in a steeple in front of his chin, and regarded the Potion's Master before him.
"Have you any clue as to who attacked Miss Granger?" The Headmaster spoke solemnly.
"Not yet, Albus. I have narrowed it down somewhat, but as of yet, I can't be sure." Snape spoke matter-of-factly.
"What do you have so far?"
"Very little. I know that the attacker was more than 6 feet tall, which at least eliminates Flitwick." The Headmaster looked slightly amused. "I've also determined that the attacker must be male, between the ages of 18 and 29, which eliminates all but about half of the seventh year males."
"There is also the possibility that it was not a student." The Headmaster replied.
Curious, Snape gave a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"
"The wards were disturbed tonight. Were you able to get a time frame of the attack?"
"It had to have occurred between 10 and 10:30. When were the wards disturbed?" This new information made Snape a little apprehensive.
"Twice. Once at 9, and than again at 11. It is quite possible that the attack on Miss Granger was not perpetrated by a student." The twinkle in the Headmaster's eye threatened to dim even more.
Snape decided to voice another one of his suspicions. "I have reason to believe that the attack on Miss Granger was not random."
"And your reasoning for that?" This got his attention.
"I had seen Miss Granger in the halls earlier. She was supposed to be meeting with Mr Potter."
"You're sure of this, Severus?" Dumbledore did not want to believe that the attack was planned, but that didn't mean that it wasn't a possibility.
"I stopped her in the halls close to curfew. I had warned her that she and Potter were not to be late going back to their dormitories. She did not correct me as to who she was going to see."
"A logical assumption, Severus. However, that is all it is. As much as I know you'll hate this," that damn twinkle was back, "you are going to need to speak with Mr Potter."
Snape knew that he would have to eventually. It didn't mean that he had to like it.
"There is another matter that needs to be discussed. I will speak with you briefly on it, but I must consult with Minerva." Dumbledore said.
"And what is that, Headmaster?" Snape just wanted to get out of there and collect his thoughts.
"I'm worried about Miss Granger's and Mr Potter's safety here. As much as I wish to believe that they will be all right within the walls of Hogwarts, I must admit that I am concerned."
"And what does that have to do with me?" Snape snapped.
"Just letting you know. I assume that you will complete this investigation?" Snape nodded. "Than if there comes a time when the two students must be removed from the school, you will need to know their whereabouts."
"Very well. I will get back to the Hospital wing in the morning. See where Miss Granger's memory block ends for the evening."
With that, Snape got up from the chair, and made his way down to his rooms for the night.
~@~
'Hermione, can I talk to you?'
'Harry?'
'Leaving so soon?'
'Meeting your little playmate, Miss Granger?'
'OBLIVIATE'
Hermione woke up suddenly. Her breathing was frantic, and there was sweat all over hear face. After the shock of her dream started to wear off, she realized that she was not in her own bed.
What was she doing in the hospital wing?
It came to her. She had just woken up in the Astronomy tower, and found by Snape. "Damn Snape" she thought. She had just finished scrubbing desks, when everything went black.
"You fainted, Miss Granger." The silky voice said, in response to her unasked question.
Hermione, in her shock, whipped her head around, and her eyes met those of the Potion's Master.
"Do stop gaping, Miss Granger. You do a rather poor impression of a fish."
Hermione closed her mouth.
"Miss Granger, I must ask you a few questions regarding last night. Since Madam Pomfrey insists that no interrogations take place in her hospital wing, I shall request your presence in my office, tonight at 7." Not giving her time to respond, Snape turned around, and glided out of the room.
When he was out of sight, Hermione, facing the doors, said, "Sure Professor. No problem." The scowl she wore could rival one of Malfoy's.
"Glad to see you're awake, dear." Hermione turned and looked at the mediwitch. "Now, I'll give you some breakfast, but I want you to get more rest. You've been up late studying again, haven't you." Hermione looked guilty. "I thought so."
Being Saturday, Hermione didn't mind so much that she would be stuck there for a while. She wanted to work on her homework some more, but she'd get to it soon enough.
After having something to eat for breakfast, and getting some more rest, Hermione was ready to go. She made her way to the Gryffindor common room, and entered through the portrait.
"Hermione!!" She heard Harry yell.
He ran up to her, gathered her in his arms, and hugged her as tight as she could. When she started to poke him in the ribs, he let her go.
"What happened? I thought you were right behind me when I left the Astronomy tower."
So she was there to meet Harry. But why didn't she leave with him?
"What time did you get back at?" Hermione asked. Harry seemed puzzled by the question, but answered anyway. "It was just before 10."
Hermione was surprised. She had been up there almost 3 hours after he left, but she didn't remember anything about the visit other than leaving on her own to run into Snape. She didn't want to concern Harry, so told him that she was star gazing a little longer and must have dozed off. Harry did not look convinced.
Excusing herself, and escaping to her rooms, she made a mental note as to when she would be meeting with Professor Snape. Since she had 2 hours before dinner, and would be meeting with him afterwards, she settled herself down, and did some homework.
A/N: Tricky, tricky. Was it a student? Was it an outsider? What do you think? It is a more well known character.
"Pixie Sticks." He snapped, and the stone gargoyle moved out of the way. He than went up the staircase, and into the room leading to Dumbledore's office. As he was going to turn the knob, the door came open, and the Headmaster was standing there, the trademark twinkle in his eye was dimmed.
"This is not good." Snape thought.
"Severus, please have a seat."
Snape took the chair to the left of the lit fireplace, and Albus sat down in front of him. The Headmaster had his hands in a steeple in front of his chin, and regarded the Potion's Master before him.
"Have you any clue as to who attacked Miss Granger?" The Headmaster spoke solemnly.
"Not yet, Albus. I have narrowed it down somewhat, but as of yet, I can't be sure." Snape spoke matter-of-factly.
"What do you have so far?"
"Very little. I know that the attacker was more than 6 feet tall, which at least eliminates Flitwick." The Headmaster looked slightly amused. "I've also determined that the attacker must be male, between the ages of 18 and 29, which eliminates all but about half of the seventh year males."
"There is also the possibility that it was not a student." The Headmaster replied.
Curious, Snape gave a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"
"The wards were disturbed tonight. Were you able to get a time frame of the attack?"
"It had to have occurred between 10 and 10:30. When were the wards disturbed?" This new information made Snape a little apprehensive.
"Twice. Once at 9, and than again at 11. It is quite possible that the attack on Miss Granger was not perpetrated by a student." The twinkle in the Headmaster's eye threatened to dim even more.
Snape decided to voice another one of his suspicions. "I have reason to believe that the attack on Miss Granger was not random."
"And your reasoning for that?" This got his attention.
"I had seen Miss Granger in the halls earlier. She was supposed to be meeting with Mr Potter."
"You're sure of this, Severus?" Dumbledore did not want to believe that the attack was planned, but that didn't mean that it wasn't a possibility.
"I stopped her in the halls close to curfew. I had warned her that she and Potter were not to be late going back to their dormitories. She did not correct me as to who she was going to see."
"A logical assumption, Severus. However, that is all it is. As much as I know you'll hate this," that damn twinkle was back, "you are going to need to speak with Mr Potter."
Snape knew that he would have to eventually. It didn't mean that he had to like it.
"There is another matter that needs to be discussed. I will speak with you briefly on it, but I must consult with Minerva." Dumbledore said.
"And what is that, Headmaster?" Snape just wanted to get out of there and collect his thoughts.
"I'm worried about Miss Granger's and Mr Potter's safety here. As much as I wish to believe that they will be all right within the walls of Hogwarts, I must admit that I am concerned."
"And what does that have to do with me?" Snape snapped.
"Just letting you know. I assume that you will complete this investigation?" Snape nodded. "Than if there comes a time when the two students must be removed from the school, you will need to know their whereabouts."
"Very well. I will get back to the Hospital wing in the morning. See where Miss Granger's memory block ends for the evening."
With that, Snape got up from the chair, and made his way down to his rooms for the night.
~@~
'Hermione, can I talk to you?'
'Harry?'
'Leaving so soon?'
'Meeting your little playmate, Miss Granger?'
'OBLIVIATE'
Hermione woke up suddenly. Her breathing was frantic, and there was sweat all over hear face. After the shock of her dream started to wear off, she realized that she was not in her own bed.
What was she doing in the hospital wing?
It came to her. She had just woken up in the Astronomy tower, and found by Snape. "Damn Snape" she thought. She had just finished scrubbing desks, when everything went black.
"You fainted, Miss Granger." The silky voice said, in response to her unasked question.
Hermione, in her shock, whipped her head around, and her eyes met those of the Potion's Master.
"Do stop gaping, Miss Granger. You do a rather poor impression of a fish."
Hermione closed her mouth.
"Miss Granger, I must ask you a few questions regarding last night. Since Madam Pomfrey insists that no interrogations take place in her hospital wing, I shall request your presence in my office, tonight at 7." Not giving her time to respond, Snape turned around, and glided out of the room.
When he was out of sight, Hermione, facing the doors, said, "Sure Professor. No problem." The scowl she wore could rival one of Malfoy's.
"Glad to see you're awake, dear." Hermione turned and looked at the mediwitch. "Now, I'll give you some breakfast, but I want you to get more rest. You've been up late studying again, haven't you." Hermione looked guilty. "I thought so."
Being Saturday, Hermione didn't mind so much that she would be stuck there for a while. She wanted to work on her homework some more, but she'd get to it soon enough.
After having something to eat for breakfast, and getting some more rest, Hermione was ready to go. She made her way to the Gryffindor common room, and entered through the portrait.
"Hermione!!" She heard Harry yell.
He ran up to her, gathered her in his arms, and hugged her as tight as she could. When she started to poke him in the ribs, he let her go.
"What happened? I thought you were right behind me when I left the Astronomy tower."
So she was there to meet Harry. But why didn't she leave with him?
"What time did you get back at?" Hermione asked. Harry seemed puzzled by the question, but answered anyway. "It was just before 10."
Hermione was surprised. She had been up there almost 3 hours after he left, but she didn't remember anything about the visit other than leaving on her own to run into Snape. She didn't want to concern Harry, so told him that she was star gazing a little longer and must have dozed off. Harry did not look convinced.
Excusing herself, and escaping to her rooms, she made a mental note as to when she would be meeting with Professor Snape. Since she had 2 hours before dinner, and would be meeting with him afterwards, she settled herself down, and did some homework.
A/N: Tricky, tricky. Was it a student? Was it an outsider? What do you think? It is a more well known character.