Beyond Twilight
Author Notes:This was a fanfic done as a challange on WIKTT,about haveing Hermione give an honest recount of the War with Voldermort. Please do read and review.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, I wish it did, but I am content playing with it. ^_^
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Into the Snake's Den
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When she needed answers she knew right where to go to find them, she had Professor McGonagall's personal house number in the Muggle World, she lived in London in a very Victorian House with several cats which always made Hermione smile.
As she sat quietly with the older woman sipping Earl Grey Tea, she finally considered brooching the subject with her once, Transmutation Teacher. "Minerva, can I ask a favor of you?" she asked softly as she sat her cup back onto its plate and leveled a steady gaze on her elder.
"Of course my dear girl, what is it?" she asked in that motherly tone as she held her cup poised reguarding the tawny haired woman over her cup.
She hesitated a little bit, but pressed on with the courage of a lioness. "I'd like to know where Professor Snape went after he left Hogwart's." she said "I'd like to get in touch with him."
A look of distaste and then a frown drew the corners of Minerva McGonagall's lips and she sat her cup down."Hermione, I owe you much, do not ask this of me, let this one thing go." she pleaded with her tone and her eyes.
"I can't..." She answered sadly.
"Well, my dear girl I suppose I have no choice but to let you face your own demon's and that praticular demon is a BIG one." she observed as she glanced about thoughtfully then spoke again. "After the War you departed for parts unknown,he grew more sullen, then finally one day just resigned, turned in his papers, it made Albus cry the poor dear." she said sighing."He moved back to his family home to settle matters there and help his mother and father, if you'll find him anywhere it will be there or out in the Wizard Circle's he still writes for Potion's Monthly."
She had been to his family manor once before, that was when she was still working with him against Voldermort, back when..the memories refused to come and she sighed softly rubbing her back, she was aching but she pressed on."Thank you Minerva, this is very important to me." she said as she put the cup down and leaned foward to hug the woman who treated her like she was delicate fine china that might break, and yes at that point her body was delicate."Thank you so much."
Professor McGonagall saw her out of the House and hugged her again, "Be careful with him, he's still as grouchy as he use to be and he's not likely to want company, yours or even his own." she gave the girl a warnning in case the former Potion Master was cruel with her.
She had to wonder about the rumors of Snape being a vampire,when she discovered that Snape's family home, not the manor she had visited,was in Romania. She could visit with Charles Weasley while there, he was still there with his Dragon's and so she had her excuse, it wasn't even a good one, she thought as she frowned her mind mulling over how to explain to him about her appearing there, about her need to ask him a few things for the book,about how Draco had gotten her address all of a sudden when he had it only because he occassionally owled her, it was impersonal to extremes and once or twice a year neither had ever visited the other.
When she got into the small village, she discovered it wasn't as difficult as she had thought it would be to find Snape Manor, it sat like a gothic romance house, upon a hill with the sheer mountain near it and crashing water close.
Hermione looked at it and wondered if it was even worth the trek up that step hill, to possiablely be turned away, she didn't want to owl she wanted the element of surprise going for her.
"If you plan to go up there you might want a cross, it is whispered that the whole family is vampiric." a small voice at her elbow informed her firmly as she turned to look down at the speaker.
A small swarthy boy dressed like a gypsy smiled at her. Hermione sighed the charm the little boy radiated and she laughed softly dropping a few coins into his hand and telling him to go get some ice cream or something.
He looked touched and gave her the thin chain he had been wearing with an ameythest heart on it. "For the beautiful lady with a big heart." he proclaimed as he scattered off to find his friends and get ice cream.
She laughed softly and continued on her way up to the Manor House, the necklace placed in her pocket, forgotten in the moments anticipation.
It took her longer then she would have liked to get up to the Manor,she had paid a carriage to drop her off,so she didn't have to walk and a good thing to, she thought she'd never make it to the door if she hadn't.
The driver bid her good day, and was soon gone as darkness crept over the small village, and the lights in the Manor came on.She swallowed hard and made her way to the double doors and rang.
A beautiful symphony was heard, the door bell played classical music to alert those within that they had visitors.
A thin man with dark hair opened the door and looked up at her, She was taller then he was. She offered what she hoped was a convincing smile."Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, and an old friend of Severus Snape's I was wondering if he was in?"
She promptly berated herself, shesh Hermione why don't you ask if he can come out and play next.
Then the man offered her a friendly smile."Severus doesn't often have friends,over in fact I do believe your the first, please do come in it gets dreadfully cold here." he lead her into a lavish sitting room, decorated in dark blue and silver.
"If you wait here Miss.Granger, I will let Lord Snape know your here." he said primly,after getting her a cup of spiced wine.
Hermione watched the fire and smiled softly at it, when had she been out of her home in the past ten years except for the area surrounding her cottage. She hadn't, she realized that prehaps she just missed it,she was tired but not in a bad way it felt good to be free again.
"Are you sure I have a guest and not my father?" a silken voice asked in the sneered tones,that Hermione would have known anywhere. She wanted to rise and meet him as an equal , but her back was sore and she could only wait to be acknowledged."I do not recall inviting anyone here, Jeoff."
"I am sorry if I am intrudeing Lord Snape." she said quietly from her chair and she pushed herself from the velvet comfort of the chair, to look to the man who had been many things to her in the past, some things she couldn't even recall.
"Miss.Granger." the velvety voice had a shocked quality to it, though anyone but her wouldn't have noticed the shock,he quickly covered it up."Jeoff, please bring the lady and myself an early dinner if you do not mind." his tone even.
"Of course sir." said Jeoff politely bowing to her and turning to do his master's bidding, though Hermione could swear he was smiling.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit ,that it might be over sooner?"
Hermione looked up at him and offered a weak smile, she wanted to tell him that she was there just for a little information and then that she would leave and he would need not worry about her darkening his door step again.
Yes, that was what she planned to say, however what came out was totally diffrent.
"Severus, we...Oh Merlin, the blood...Corwen" emotions and half remembered things flashed through her mind, and she took a step back wanting to grab ahold of the chair to steady herself,instead she crumpled at his feet before Severus could catch her.
He knelt above her and brushed his hands across her face, how had she remembered that.She had begged him to do something for her and he had, now here she was forcing herself to remember. "Silly girl, why are you really here." he asked as he looked down at the crumpled form in his arms.
She was so small and tiny, her form lighter then he recalled, her hair was longer and a tawny golden color, she was pale and almost as sallow in complexion as he himself was, and he could tell she had not healed as well as she would have had she not gone into reclusion.
"Sir, is the Lady alright?" Jeoff asked from the door way holding a Silver Platter.
Author Notes:This was a fanfic done as a challange on WIKTT,about haveing Hermione give an honest recount of the War with Voldermort. Please do read and review.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, I wish it did, but I am content playing with it. ^_^
*************************************
Into the Snake's Den
************************************
When she needed answers she knew right where to go to find them, she had Professor McGonagall's personal house number in the Muggle World, she lived in London in a very Victorian House with several cats which always made Hermione smile.
As she sat quietly with the older woman sipping Earl Grey Tea, she finally considered brooching the subject with her once, Transmutation Teacher. "Minerva, can I ask a favor of you?" she asked softly as she sat her cup back onto its plate and leveled a steady gaze on her elder.
"Of course my dear girl, what is it?" she asked in that motherly tone as she held her cup poised reguarding the tawny haired woman over her cup.
She hesitated a little bit, but pressed on with the courage of a lioness. "I'd like to know where Professor Snape went after he left Hogwart's." she said "I'd like to get in touch with him."
A look of distaste and then a frown drew the corners of Minerva McGonagall's lips and she sat her cup down."Hermione, I owe you much, do not ask this of me, let this one thing go." she pleaded with her tone and her eyes.
"I can't..." She answered sadly.
"Well, my dear girl I suppose I have no choice but to let you face your own demon's and that praticular demon is a BIG one." she observed as she glanced about thoughtfully then spoke again. "After the War you departed for parts unknown,he grew more sullen, then finally one day just resigned, turned in his papers, it made Albus cry the poor dear." she said sighing."He moved back to his family home to settle matters there and help his mother and father, if you'll find him anywhere it will be there or out in the Wizard Circle's he still writes for Potion's Monthly."
She had been to his family manor once before, that was when she was still working with him against Voldermort, back when..the memories refused to come and she sighed softly rubbing her back, she was aching but she pressed on."Thank you Minerva, this is very important to me." she said as she put the cup down and leaned foward to hug the woman who treated her like she was delicate fine china that might break, and yes at that point her body was delicate."Thank you so much."
Professor McGonagall saw her out of the House and hugged her again, "Be careful with him, he's still as grouchy as he use to be and he's not likely to want company, yours or even his own." she gave the girl a warnning in case the former Potion Master was cruel with her.
She had to wonder about the rumors of Snape being a vampire,when she discovered that Snape's family home, not the manor she had visited,was in Romania. She could visit with Charles Weasley while there, he was still there with his Dragon's and so she had her excuse, it wasn't even a good one, she thought as she frowned her mind mulling over how to explain to him about her appearing there, about her need to ask him a few things for the book,about how Draco had gotten her address all of a sudden when he had it only because he occassionally owled her, it was impersonal to extremes and once or twice a year neither had ever visited the other.
When she got into the small village, she discovered it wasn't as difficult as she had thought it would be to find Snape Manor, it sat like a gothic romance house, upon a hill with the sheer mountain near it and crashing water close.
Hermione looked at it and wondered if it was even worth the trek up that step hill, to possiablely be turned away, she didn't want to owl she wanted the element of surprise going for her.
"If you plan to go up there you might want a cross, it is whispered that the whole family is vampiric." a small voice at her elbow informed her firmly as she turned to look down at the speaker.
A small swarthy boy dressed like a gypsy smiled at her. Hermione sighed the charm the little boy radiated and she laughed softly dropping a few coins into his hand and telling him to go get some ice cream or something.
He looked touched and gave her the thin chain he had been wearing with an ameythest heart on it. "For the beautiful lady with a big heart." he proclaimed as he scattered off to find his friends and get ice cream.
She laughed softly and continued on her way up to the Manor House, the necklace placed in her pocket, forgotten in the moments anticipation.
It took her longer then she would have liked to get up to the Manor,she had paid a carriage to drop her off,so she didn't have to walk and a good thing to, she thought she'd never make it to the door if she hadn't.
The driver bid her good day, and was soon gone as darkness crept over the small village, and the lights in the Manor came on.She swallowed hard and made her way to the double doors and rang.
A beautiful symphony was heard, the door bell played classical music to alert those within that they had visitors.
A thin man with dark hair opened the door and looked up at her, She was taller then he was. She offered what she hoped was a convincing smile."Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, and an old friend of Severus Snape's I was wondering if he was in?"
She promptly berated herself, shesh Hermione why don't you ask if he can come out and play next.
Then the man offered her a friendly smile."Severus doesn't often have friends,over in fact I do believe your the first, please do come in it gets dreadfully cold here." he lead her into a lavish sitting room, decorated in dark blue and silver.
"If you wait here Miss.Granger, I will let Lord Snape know your here." he said primly,after getting her a cup of spiced wine.
Hermione watched the fire and smiled softly at it, when had she been out of her home in the past ten years except for the area surrounding her cottage. She hadn't, she realized that prehaps she just missed it,she was tired but not in a bad way it felt good to be free again.
"Are you sure I have a guest and not my father?" a silken voice asked in the sneered tones,that Hermione would have known anywhere. She wanted to rise and meet him as an equal , but her back was sore and she could only wait to be acknowledged."I do not recall inviting anyone here, Jeoff."
"I am sorry if I am intrudeing Lord Snape." she said quietly from her chair and she pushed herself from the velvet comfort of the chair, to look to the man who had been many things to her in the past, some things she couldn't even recall.
"Miss.Granger." the velvety voice had a shocked quality to it, though anyone but her wouldn't have noticed the shock,he quickly covered it up."Jeoff, please bring the lady and myself an early dinner if you do not mind." his tone even.
"Of course sir." said Jeoff politely bowing to her and turning to do his master's bidding, though Hermione could swear he was smiling.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit ,that it might be over sooner?"
Hermione looked up at him and offered a weak smile, she wanted to tell him that she was there just for a little information and then that she would leave and he would need not worry about her darkening his door step again.
Yes, that was what she planned to say, however what came out was totally diffrent.
"Severus, we...Oh Merlin, the blood...Corwen" emotions and half remembered things flashed through her mind, and she took a step back wanting to grab ahold of the chair to steady herself,instead she crumpled at his feet before Severus could catch her.
He knelt above her and brushed his hands across her face, how had she remembered that.She had begged him to do something for her and he had, now here she was forcing herself to remember. "Silly girl, why are you really here." he asked as he looked down at the crumpled form in his arms.
She was so small and tiny, her form lighter then he recalled, her hair was longer and a tawny golden color, she was pale and almost as sallow in complexion as he himself was, and he could tell she had not healed as well as she would have had she not gone into reclusion.
"Sir, is the Lady alright?" Jeoff asked from the door way holding a Silver Platter.