By Vivien
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, I am just borrowing them from JK Rowling.
Chapter 2
Hermione slipped down to the dungeons after dinner to check if Professor Snape had returned. She had no idea how long he might be gone. Frankly she was quite worried. There had been a lull in attacks since the Christmas holidays when Diagon Alley was targeted on Christmas Eve. Five wizards and witches had died in a rain of curses and scores more were injured before the Aurors arrived, but since then nothing had occurred. She didn't keep track of Snape's every move, but she was with him quite often. She felt like she would have known if he had been called before. Dumbledore hadn't been at dinner either, leading her, along with Harry and Ron, to think that something bad was happening.
She approached the Potions classroom, unlocked the wards, and stepped inside. Snape was usually in his office if he wasn't expecting her, so she walked through the room to his office doors and knocked. No response. There was no light coming from under the door, and the room seemed silent and cold. If he was back, he wasn't here. Sighing, she left, replacing the wards quickly. Maybe she would borrow Harry's Invisibility Cloak to sneak down later tonight. Of course there was no guarantee Snape would even be here. He'd probably be in his private rooms, and Hermione had no idea where any of the teachers besides Professor McGonagall actually lived. She'd check first thing in the morning. And say prayers to whatever gods would listen for his safe return tonight.
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Severus was staggering with fatigue by the time he reached the East Tower from the edge of the school grounds. With his wand he tapped the hidden entrance he used to slip in and out of the castle on errands such as these. It was only four or so hours since he had left Hogwarts, but it felt more like twenty four. His mind was reeling with the implications of the night's gathering, and his body was in agony from the aftereffects of the Cruciatus curse. This had been an exceptionally brutal meeting. Voldemort in triumph had been more vicious than ever to the perceived weak links in his network of followers. Severus almost smiled at this thought - would have, if it wouldn't have hurt too much. Voldemort had no idea how weak his links were, and he had finally played into the hands of Albus Dumbledore. The final battle hadn't even really begun, but Severus was already so very tired and heartsick.
The hidden door shifted aside, and Severus stumbled into Hogwarts. "Home," he muttered, his legs buckling. Instead of sliding to the floor, he was grasped by arms that set him right again.
"I've got you, Severus," said Dumbledore, "Let's get you to your rooms."
"Thank you, Headmaster," he replied, "Thank you." He leaned on Dumbledore, and together they shuffled towards a dusty hearth.
"It was bad tonight," said Dumbledore, reaching into a pouch on his belt for Floo powder.
"Bad. Worse than I've seen in years. And it's happening, Albus. Very much like you foresaw."
Dumbledore nodded grimly. "We know the enemy, Severus. That is the first thing in our favor. Now, child, into the hearth. I'll follow you to your rooms. You must be treated."
"And you must be debriefed," said Severus with a hint of sarcasm.
"I feel it can't wait till morning. Would my assumptions be correct?"
Severus closed his eyes and leaned against the back of the fireplace. "No," he said softly, "you need to know now."
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"Not back yet?" said Harry, as Hermione approached the corner of the Gryffindor common room where he and Ron were studying.
Hermione shook her head, sitting down beside them.
"Maybe he won't come back," said Ron, flinging his quill down. "Then I won't have to complete seven bloody feet of essay by tomorrow."
"Ron!" exclaimed Hermione, giving him a withering gaze.
"Oh, ease up, Professor McGonagall," said Ron, "I wouldn't really wish that on him. It's just the overload of homework talking. Your favorite teacher will return as annoying as ever."
Hermione decided ignoring Ron would be the best way to go in this situation. "What's that you're reading, Harry?"
Harry looked up from a black bound book. "It's for my Defense Against the Dark Arts independent study."
Hermione moved the book so she could read the title. "Banishing Demons and Demonic Presences, huh. Sounds interesting. Why are you learning about that, though? I thought the knowledge to raise demons had been lost centuries ago during the Goblin Wars."
"Moody wants us to be prepared for every eventuality," said Harry, setting the book down. "Speaking of preparing, how did your conference with Hooch go?"
"Fine, I guess," said Hermione, "I signed up for so many interviews. I got my Ministry application packet, and Snape said he'd contact people he knows there on my behalf."
"Aha, the real reason for the concern - career advancement. Ow!" cried Ron, rubbing his arm where Hermione had just punched him.
"Yeah, I got mine as well for the Auror Training Program," said Harry with a considerable lack of enthusiasm.
"Hooch almost laughed me out of the office when I asked for mine," said Ron, "Said my grades were a 'severe limitation on my future career'. Whatever. I'm only doing it because I figured I've been up against Dark wizards every year at Hogwarts anyway. Besides, don't want Harry out there all alone."
"Hooch told me something else today," said Harry. "Scouts from the Chudley Cannons and the Wimbourne Wasps were at our last Quidditch match. Hooch said they'd be contacting me soon about team try outs."
"Harry, that's wonderful," said Hermione.
"I don't believe it!" cried Ron. "That is bloody brilliant news, Harry."
"Yeah, it's great, but I can't be an Auror and play Quidditch professionally."
"No, you can't," said Hermione. "But Harry, who said you had to be an Auror? I mean, is that what you really want to do? You don't have to be an Auror just because you think it's your responsibility. You've already fought Voldemort more times than most Aurors. And with the prophecy and all... well, I think you should do something you want to do after school. You've earned it."
"Don't go into it on my account, Harry," said Ron, "Fred and George are opening a shop in Dublin this summer, and they need extra help. They already asked me if I wanted to stay in London and help at their Diagon Alley shop. And if we, you know, get out of school intact, it might be nice to not always be worrying about Dark wizards. I mean, if that's an option, at all."
"Right then," said Harry, smiling tentatively. "I'll apply to the Ministry. But I'll talk to the scouts as well. I mean, I might as well. Who knows whether I'll even survive to have a career."
The three friends grew silent, avoiding each other's eyes. They'd seen too many people close to them fall to be glib about surviving the war.
"Anyone want to play a game?" said Hermione finally. "I'm too distracted to study."
Ron pretended to fall out of his chair in shock. "Wow, maybe it's not just the career advancement you're worried about. You have had tall, dark, and surly love interests before... OW! That really hurt, Hermione. I was just joking."
Hermione simply raised an eyebrow at him and set up the chess board while Harry laughed.
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Severus managed to stumble from his hearth to his armchair, collapsing into it with a shudder of pain. Dumbledore appeared in the green flames of the fireplace a moment later. He stepped into the room beside Severus and brought out a vial from his robe pocket. "Pain drops, Severus," he said, "and I insist you take them this time."
Severus took the vial with trembling hands and swallowed the dose. The pain inside his every bone, muscle, and cellular structure faded from the intensity of being beaten with a mountain troll's club to that of being beaten by a slightly smaller troll's club. Still it was enough for Severus to be able to concentrate on something besides the agony within him.
Dumbledore had conjured a chair for himself and was now sitting beside Severus. "I won't keep you long, Severus. I know you need rest. Please tell me anything of immediate importance. Then we needn't meet till later."
"It's going to happen, Sir," Severus said in a hushed voice. "An attack on Hogwarts is being planned. I don't have many details. A Scrambling charm was used to keep me from understanding everything being said to the others. He tortured me till I told him as many secret entrances to the school as I knew, even though I gave him several up front. I'm... I'm sorry, Sir, I just... it hurt too much..."
"We'll deal with it, Severus," said Dumbledore gently. "Please continue."
"I'm to lift as many wards as I can on the day of the attack. I don't know what the exact objective of the invasion of Hogwarts will be, although I think we already know. He wouldn't share that information with me. If I don't comply with lifting the wards, the alternative will be wide use of the Leeching Elixir. Voldemort laughed when he told me; he trusts me less and less, Albus... it may be that both plans will be used."
"Did he indicate when the attack would occur?" asked Dumbledore.
"No, but I don't feel like it's an immediate danger. He told us we would be called more frequently in the coming weeks."
"Then we have time to plan. That's good."
"There was someone new tonight," Severus continued. "I don't know who he was, and I was shielded from his conversation with the Dark Lord by the charm, but he sounded quite young. Voldemort spoke to him at length." He paused before going on. "Dougherty was murdered. He apparently failed in providing correct information regarding the Auror training program's location. It was horrible." Severus passed a shaking hand over his face at the memory of watching the man writhe under Cruciatus until he died.
"Very well, Severus, that's enough," said Dumbledore, rising and placing a hand on Severus's forehead. "I have a night ahead of me, but we will overcome this. I promise you that. You've performed an incredible service to our cause once again tonight."
Severus nodded wearily. He was almost to the point of passing out. As his vision faded, he felt the chair below him transform into a soft, warm bed, and his body relaxed into it as consciousness left him. Sleep was the only real palliative to the Cruciatus curse.
Dumbledore left a fire in the hearth to keep Severus warm the night through and made his way to the door of Severus's quarters. He would need a long walk to form initial strategies. He would not be getting any sleep tonight, that was for certain.
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In Gryffindor Tower, Hermione tried to sleep herself. After about two hours of tossing and turning, she drifted off into a fitful sleep accompanied by unpleasant dreams. She found herself in the depths of the Forbidden Forest, running for her life. All around her Death Eaters chanted and surged towards her, screaming ugly threats. She panicked, not knowing how to find the school, but with that thought the dream shifted scenes and she was running down a school corridor and she knew the Basilisk was around the corner, but she had no mirror and she couldn't stop. As she ran around the corner, her eyes closed, and she ran into a door that gave way. She looked up and saw herself in the Potions classroom. "I'm safe," she thought, and then she noticed the Death Eater in the corner. The door wouldn't open, and then there was no door. No escape. It was then she noticed her wand was gone. No protection. In the dream her mouth opened, but she couldn't scream. The Death Eater removed his mask. It was Snape. Relief flooded through her. She was safe. This was a safe place. The door was visible again, and potion projects were bubbling around the classroom. Her books were stacked on the front table. She looked back to where Snape stood. He was in his normal robes now, and his tired face was smiling a smile only for her. She was so relieved to see him that she went to him and wrapped her arms around him. She felt him embrace her in return, and it felt so warm, so comforting. She reached a hand to his face, touching his cheek. He continued to smile, closing his eyes when her hand touched him. Then somehow she was kissing him, lips soft, warm bodies pressed together, her heart beating, beating, beating...
Hermione woke up with a start, heart pounding and eyes wide open.
"Bloody hell," she whispered.
