Harry and Ron were following closely behind Hermione as they all approached
the potion's classroom door. Hermione turned to the two boys. "Snape said
that he'd speak to me in his office." While saying this, she lifted her
wand to the two boys and muttered an incantation.
"What was that 'Mione?" Harry asked.
"It's a sort of spying spell. I read about it in the advanced charms text in the library." She replied.
The two boys looked at her. She continued to explain. "It's pretty useless when it comes to actual spying, but it conveys the level of danger a situation the castor may be in to another person."
"So what does that mean?" Harry asked.
"It means that if I am in any real danger, than you two will know. It may be nothing, but I don't want to take a big chance. But at the same time, I don't think that getting caught by Snape in his office will help any of us." She said.
"But 'Mione." Ron said. "What if there isn't enough time to help you?"
"After having a chance to think about the situation, I don't think that will be a problem. Having you guys on the other side of the door, however, will help to keep my nerves calm." She said. They gave her looks. "I'm confident that nothing will happen, but after hearing what I heard today, I don't want to take a huge risk. I'll be fine."
"Famous last words." Harry muttered to Ron. They placed the cloak over them and followed Hermione into the classroom. When they got there, they noticed a door on the other side of the desk. Snape was sitting at another desk inside that room.
"Come to my office, Miss Granger."
Hermione felt a slight squeeze on her hand, and she smiled a bit as she walked in.
"You needed to speak to me about something?" Snape said, still marking the test papers in front of him.
"Yes, sir. You said that if there was any information to give you, to come see you." She started.
"And?"
"And, well, I've been having these dreams." She stuttered. She felt a bit foolish that she would consider this information, but he said anything.
"And what are those dreams about?" Snape said, as he looked up.
She explained the parts of the dream, such as appearing in the history of magic classroom for the Battle of Getsight, and that there was a deatheater in her dream who performed an obliviate spell just before she awoke. She didn't mention the hallway that the dream started out in, or that she was standing in front of Voldemort with two versions of Harry, though. There didn't appear to be a need.
"The deatheater who attacked you, are there any details that you can give me?" He asked. She shook her head. "I only saw what looked like to be the end of the encounter." She replied.
"Well," he continued. "If I'm correct in assuming, the Battle of Getsight lesson was last week, was it not?" He asked, she nodded. "It's hard to believe that memories that were wiped in the way yours appeared to be would come back so quickly." He sat back in his chair and thought a moment. "Are there any other parts of the dream?"
Being a strong disbeliever in Divination, she shook her head, almost completely dismissing the other parts of the dream that seemed to be irrelevant.
"Very well." He looked at the time. "It's just about time for your detention, Miss Granger. I suggest we get started."
The two walked out of the office, much to the relief of Harry and Ron. When they saw Snape, however, they remembered that they were there for their detentions as well.
"For your detentions this evening, all of you will be preparing different potions. The ingredients and instructions are on the desks at the front. Mr Potter, take the one on the far left, Mr Weasley, the one in the middle, and Miss Granger, the one on the right." They all made their ways to their assigned workstations. Snape hoped that Hermione would notice what potion she was making. She made it in her second year, for crying out loud.
The three students set to work. After a moments glance, Hermione did notice what potion it was. But it wasn't a potion that was really needed. She knew that it was not usually made by students ('with some exceptions, of course', she thought sheepishly). She glanced up at Snape, and saw him nod. 'So there's a reason he gave me this one to do.' She thought. She continued on with prepping the ingredients and set to work on the actual potion.
Two hours later, there was a caldron full of Stomach Cramp relief potion, one for relief of headaches, and a polyjuice potion that would need a few days for the next ingredients to be added. The Gryffindors approached Snape, declaring their completion of the tasks. Snape dismissed Harry and Ron, but wanted to speak more with Hermione. After the boys left, he led her to his office.
"There's something you are keeping from me, Miss Granger." He said, as he shut the door.
"Sir?"
"I know you heard the conversation in the classroom earlier today." He said bluntly.
She looked down. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, sir. But I needed to talk to you."
"Miss Granger, you know that I am a spy for Dumbledore." She nodded. "Since this involves you directly, I will explain a few things. I want you on your guard, but I also need you to trust me." He gestured towards one of the chairs in front of the fire.
"Miss Granger, I will not insult you by denying that you are not in any sort of danger. I will not try to comfort you by telling you that everything will be all right. You know better than to believe that." She looked up at him.
"What I do know about the attack on you is that it was part of a plan. For some unknown reason, Voldemort wishes to capture you. I do not believe that his intention is to kill you. But you need to be very careful." She nodded, and he continued. "There is a deatheater in the school, that much is true."
"How are you so sure?" She asked, quietly.
"Even though the wards on the school were disrupted before and after the attack on you, I believe that the real threat remains in the school. Whoever is after you is still here. Otherwise Lucius Malfoy or Voldemort would not be as confident as they are about your capture."
She thought for a moment. "So it wouldn't be wise for me to go around the school alone, would it?" She said. But she already knew the answer to that, so he kept quiet. "Thank you for the warning, sir." She said. She was silent a moment, pondering if she should say what she wanted to say next. She went ahead and did. "And thank you for looking out for me today. I suspect that you are telling me this now to avoid my being alone around the school again." He nodded at that.
She stood from the chair, and began to walk towards the door. As she reached for the handle, she stopped and turned to face him again. "Professor. Why did you have me start on the polyjuice potion?"
"I will tell you this, only because it, again, involves you directly." He sighed before continuing. "I was ordered to make it by Voldemort. I suspect that it plays a part in your capture. Again, I suggest extreme caution. If you have doubts, don't ignore them." She nodded again, and stepped out of the room. Snape saw that Potter and Weasley were waiting for her, and was actually relieved for it.
~@~
"Master." A quiet voice whispers through the fireplace.
"Yes? What news do you have?"
"The obliviate spell is not holding. The addition of the eyes and ears charm is affecting it."
"I am unconcerned with that. You will have her soon. Any other news?"
"Our suspicions have been confirmed. He is, indeed, a spy."
"Unfortunate. Well, while he believes that I do not have this knowledge, he can still be somewhat useful. Ensure that you do not make him suspicious."
"Yes, Master."
"What was that 'Mione?" Harry asked.
"It's a sort of spying spell. I read about it in the advanced charms text in the library." She replied.
The two boys looked at her. She continued to explain. "It's pretty useless when it comes to actual spying, but it conveys the level of danger a situation the castor may be in to another person."
"So what does that mean?" Harry asked.
"It means that if I am in any real danger, than you two will know. It may be nothing, but I don't want to take a big chance. But at the same time, I don't think that getting caught by Snape in his office will help any of us." She said.
"But 'Mione." Ron said. "What if there isn't enough time to help you?"
"After having a chance to think about the situation, I don't think that will be a problem. Having you guys on the other side of the door, however, will help to keep my nerves calm." She said. They gave her looks. "I'm confident that nothing will happen, but after hearing what I heard today, I don't want to take a huge risk. I'll be fine."
"Famous last words." Harry muttered to Ron. They placed the cloak over them and followed Hermione into the classroom. When they got there, they noticed a door on the other side of the desk. Snape was sitting at another desk inside that room.
"Come to my office, Miss Granger."
Hermione felt a slight squeeze on her hand, and she smiled a bit as she walked in.
"You needed to speak to me about something?" Snape said, still marking the test papers in front of him.
"Yes, sir. You said that if there was any information to give you, to come see you." She started.
"And?"
"And, well, I've been having these dreams." She stuttered. She felt a bit foolish that she would consider this information, but he said anything.
"And what are those dreams about?" Snape said, as he looked up.
She explained the parts of the dream, such as appearing in the history of magic classroom for the Battle of Getsight, and that there was a deatheater in her dream who performed an obliviate spell just before she awoke. She didn't mention the hallway that the dream started out in, or that she was standing in front of Voldemort with two versions of Harry, though. There didn't appear to be a need.
"The deatheater who attacked you, are there any details that you can give me?" He asked. She shook her head. "I only saw what looked like to be the end of the encounter." She replied.
"Well," he continued. "If I'm correct in assuming, the Battle of Getsight lesson was last week, was it not?" He asked, she nodded. "It's hard to believe that memories that were wiped in the way yours appeared to be would come back so quickly." He sat back in his chair and thought a moment. "Are there any other parts of the dream?"
Being a strong disbeliever in Divination, she shook her head, almost completely dismissing the other parts of the dream that seemed to be irrelevant.
"Very well." He looked at the time. "It's just about time for your detention, Miss Granger. I suggest we get started."
The two walked out of the office, much to the relief of Harry and Ron. When they saw Snape, however, they remembered that they were there for their detentions as well.
"For your detentions this evening, all of you will be preparing different potions. The ingredients and instructions are on the desks at the front. Mr Potter, take the one on the far left, Mr Weasley, the one in the middle, and Miss Granger, the one on the right." They all made their ways to their assigned workstations. Snape hoped that Hermione would notice what potion she was making. She made it in her second year, for crying out loud.
The three students set to work. After a moments glance, Hermione did notice what potion it was. But it wasn't a potion that was really needed. She knew that it was not usually made by students ('with some exceptions, of course', she thought sheepishly). She glanced up at Snape, and saw him nod. 'So there's a reason he gave me this one to do.' She thought. She continued on with prepping the ingredients and set to work on the actual potion.
Two hours later, there was a caldron full of Stomach Cramp relief potion, one for relief of headaches, and a polyjuice potion that would need a few days for the next ingredients to be added. The Gryffindors approached Snape, declaring their completion of the tasks. Snape dismissed Harry and Ron, but wanted to speak more with Hermione. After the boys left, he led her to his office.
"There's something you are keeping from me, Miss Granger." He said, as he shut the door.
"Sir?"
"I know you heard the conversation in the classroom earlier today." He said bluntly.
She looked down. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, sir. But I needed to talk to you."
"Miss Granger, you know that I am a spy for Dumbledore." She nodded. "Since this involves you directly, I will explain a few things. I want you on your guard, but I also need you to trust me." He gestured towards one of the chairs in front of the fire.
"Miss Granger, I will not insult you by denying that you are not in any sort of danger. I will not try to comfort you by telling you that everything will be all right. You know better than to believe that." She looked up at him.
"What I do know about the attack on you is that it was part of a plan. For some unknown reason, Voldemort wishes to capture you. I do not believe that his intention is to kill you. But you need to be very careful." She nodded, and he continued. "There is a deatheater in the school, that much is true."
"How are you so sure?" She asked, quietly.
"Even though the wards on the school were disrupted before and after the attack on you, I believe that the real threat remains in the school. Whoever is after you is still here. Otherwise Lucius Malfoy or Voldemort would not be as confident as they are about your capture."
She thought for a moment. "So it wouldn't be wise for me to go around the school alone, would it?" She said. But she already knew the answer to that, so he kept quiet. "Thank you for the warning, sir." She said. She was silent a moment, pondering if she should say what she wanted to say next. She went ahead and did. "And thank you for looking out for me today. I suspect that you are telling me this now to avoid my being alone around the school again." He nodded at that.
She stood from the chair, and began to walk towards the door. As she reached for the handle, she stopped and turned to face him again. "Professor. Why did you have me start on the polyjuice potion?"
"I will tell you this, only because it, again, involves you directly." He sighed before continuing. "I was ordered to make it by Voldemort. I suspect that it plays a part in your capture. Again, I suggest extreme caution. If you have doubts, don't ignore them." She nodded again, and stepped out of the room. Snape saw that Potter and Weasley were waiting for her, and was actually relieved for it.
~@~
"Master." A quiet voice whispers through the fireplace.
"Yes? What news do you have?"
"The obliviate spell is not holding. The addition of the eyes and ears charm is affecting it."
"I am unconcerned with that. You will have her soon. Any other news?"
"Our suspicions have been confirmed. He is, indeed, a spy."
"Unfortunate. Well, while he believes that I do not have this knowledge, he can still be somewhat useful. Ensure that you do not make him suspicious."
"Yes, Master."