AN: 'Retegere Infirmitas' is a combination of two words in Latin – the first one the Latin approximation of 'discover', 'uncover', 'reveal', etc. etc. The second word (as you can probably guess by the 'infirm' found in it) means 'weakness'. Of course, I'm well aware that this is probably the wrong word as far as different types of weakness are concerned, but at the moment I don't really care and am/was unable to find the one I mean. So bear with me. If I do find the appropriate word, I'll be sure to let you know…but will probably not be revising the story or changing the title. I find it just is too complicated.
Retegere Infirmitas
Chapter One
Hermione Granger pushed her hair out of her eyes and away from her glasses for the fourth time in two minutes as she stared, unblinkingly, yet unseeingly, at the book open before her. She was tired as hell, and had been up researching since two in the morning (on a Sunday, no less), plagued with insomnia. Finally, she slammed it shut with a growl of frustration and glared out the window of her dormitory, where pure white snow fell in blankets over the quad of Alchemica Academia, a prestigious school of alchemy.
"Hermione?"
She spun her chair around, whipping out her wand and pointing it at the fireplace all in one smooth, unbroken movement.
Severus Snape's head floated in green flames, and Hermione sighed in relief, tucking her wand away.
"Severus," she said resignedly.
"Is this a bad time?"
"No, not at all, why don't you come through?"
Her former Potions Professor disappeared from the flames momentarily, and then stepped through into her dorm room. He rubbed at his arms a little, then twisted to look at the fire currently crackling in the fireplace. "It was a little warm this time," he commented offhandedly, and Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"Did you have a reason you had to speak to me?" Hermione inquired, turning back to the book, opening it to a random page and perusing it.
He approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head.
"Do I need a reason to see my fiancée?"
Hermione sighed and tilted her head up, meeting his lips with a small kiss, then staring him straight in the eye – hard to do without laughing, when looking your once most-feared professor in the eye…upside down.
"Yes," she said, deadpan, and Severus laughed whole-heartedly.
"No, honestly, Severus, did you need something?" Hermione swiveled her chair around and got up, crossing the room to the small kitchenette and pouring two cups of tea, kept hot by a warming charm on the teapot, whilst neatly covering a yawn that she hoped her fiancé had not seen. She handed one cup to said fiancé, which he accepted with a small smile of thanks and a wordless nod.
After a long moment of staring at her, he sighed. "Yes…yes, Hermione, I needed to ask you about the Retegere Infermitas."
Her eyebrows lifted and she peered around, suddenly nervous. "Are you out of your mind?" she hissed. "Like this? In public?"
"Hermione…this is hardly a public place."
"It is a dormitory room, for Circe's sake!" Hermione stared disbelievingly at him.
"Like I said…hardly a public place," smirked Severus, and Hermione sighed, passing a hand across her eyes. "After all, you do set enough wards to satisfy Gringotts."
Hermione blushed and pushed a few strands of hair from her eyes once more. "Severus, you still need to be very careful. Aislynn says that her father wonders why there are so many wards on this place, and both the Durants and the Silvertrees are very influential here at AA, you know that. For Heaven's sake, I take classes in the Durant Building…and that's just Aislynn's mother's family! I don't think it's safe to continue my research here."
"Hermione…I didn't think it was safe for you to be here, to begin with. I will teach you. I'll even pair up with Minerva to take care of the transfiguration-by-potion study you're doing. I don't want you here, Hermione."
"Well, I do," said Hermione firmly. "Alchemica Academia is not a Death Eater University, Severus! It's not even a Dark Arts University! So what if one of the most influential member of the Board of Governors is also one of the Death Eaters closest to Voldemort?" she scoffed, but inwardly she was begging anyone who might be listening to let her stay and to let Severus concede her point. "Look at Hogwarts! They both have perfectly respectable staffs, Severus, and not one of the staff here is even suspected of being on the Dark side."
The unconscious reminder of Severus' own status stung him, and he visibly flinched. Hermione reached out a hand.
"I didn't mean that, Severus, you know I didn't. I'm sorry."
He shook his head. "No, Hermione…you're right." Finishing his tea, he placed the cup on the coffeetable and headed back to the fireplace, picking up the small jar of Floo powder standing on the mantel. He turned it in his hands and looked at her. "I should be going."
"Severus, really, that's not necessary, stay a bit. We haven't talked in so long." Hermione was twisting the engagement ring that he had given her nervously on her hand. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it. I didn't even think…"
He smiled half-heartedly. "Typical Gryffindor," he said gruffly, and replaced the Floo powder on the mantel to envelope Hermione in his arms and kiss her forehead.
She snorted, now secure in the knowledge that her offhanded comment hadn't been what was driving him to leave. "Sneaky, underhanded Slytherin," she accused him, burrowing into his embrace.
"But that's why you love me," he said, pulling away and kissing her soundly on the lips. "I really ought to be going. Albus wanted me back for dinner."
Hermione paused, uncertain. "I would join you, of course, but…I have work to do…"
"I should make you come, if only to drag you away from your precious work."
"No, Severus, really I can't…I'm so close to a breakthrough, and it's just going to take me a few more hours…" she protested.
He smiled indulgently, knowing that, for Hermione, 'a few more hours' really meant, 'into the small hours of the morning'. "Alright. Don't work too hard," he said, practically surprising himself.
She laughed. "No, I won't," she promised, and kissed him again. "Now off with you! Albus will have my head if you're not back soon."
Severus took a pinch of Floo powder and bowed gallantly, kissing Hermione's hand and backing towards the fire. He tossed the powder in, shouted, "Severus Snape's quarters!" and stepped in with a final smile at Hermione.
There was something going on at Hogwarts, Hermione knew it. She waved her wand at the cups, only to have them wash themselves and obediently float back into the cupboards neatly.
The bright young woman sat down on her chair again and took off her glasses, examining the silver-rimmed lenses for just a moment before folding them and placing them on her desk. Rubbing her eyes, she propped her elbows on the open book and supported her chin with her hands, staring out of the window.
Alchemica Academia was situated on one of the loveliest campuses in all of England, possibly even lovelier when blanketed in pristine, white snow.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the white, clouding it and darkening it, corrupting the colour until it could not even be identified as a former white anymore.
Hermione Granger awoke screaming.
~End Chapter One~