A/N: The world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. I am just having fun
playing with her characters. This story is rated R for a reason. You have
been warned.
Chapter Seven
"Professor Granger!" Severus called from two flights of stairs above her in the main stair well as she left her office. She looked up to find Severus quickly moving down the stairs towards her, the portraits gazing on animatedly at the Head of Slytherin's odd behaviour and students quickly darting out of his way in fear.
"Is everything alright?" She asked him worried for he was not one to shout after someone along the corridors or indeed rush through them. He was more of a quiet and deadly sort of human-time bomb.
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore has agreed to your brother being moved into Gryffindor. Is the dorm ready? I left him packing before I went to see Albus." Severus said as he approached her.
"Yes, we just need him." She replied.
"Well, you should not have to wait too long." Severus said gesturing down two more flights of stairs to a student who was struggling with a trunk and suitcase trying to haul both behind him. Hermione moved down to greet her brother.
"Chris, you shouldn't be struggling here. Are you a wizard or not?" She asked looking down at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Erm."
"Here, put your bags down." He did as she said. "Now take out your wand and do the following, swish downwards towards the object and say. Reducio, clearly."
"Reducio." Chris said and was gob smacked as his trunk suddenly shrank to the size of a matchbox. He looked incredulously up at his sister. "How?" He asked, his jaw hanging open.
"How? Well, you can find out by reading chapter 16 of Spells For Beginners. Now do the same with your suitcase and then pocket them." Hermione told him. Chris carried this out and turned to his sister once more.
"How will I get them back to the way they were?" He asked looking up at her, she was very tall as he was already 5 feet tall and she had almost one foot on him.
"You use the same wand movement and enunciate the incantation. Engorgio." She told him as she started to move back up the steps towards Severus who was still standing where she had left him outside her office.
"Good luck, Mr. Granger, and do not worry, everything will be fine." Severus told him, Hermione looked puzzled at him; it was unlike Severus to have comforting words for any student.
"Thank you, Sir." Chris said.
"I must speak to my prefects, Professor Granger. Incidentally the Headmaster recommended we leave for your parents house this evening or as soon as we are able to." Severus said quietly so as not to be overheard by any stray students.
"Tonight?" Hermione asked.
"He feels tomorrow may not be enough time to speak to them. He suggested we stay overnight. Minerva will be looking after your House so no problems there. No problems at all as long as we are back for lessons on Monday since there is no-one to cover for us." Severus told her.
"Oh, okay then. Let me just get Chris settled and then I'll meet you in the dungeons. I should be able to leave by then." Severus nodded and then moved off towards the Slytherin common room.
"Do you know where the common room is, Chris?" He shook his head. Hermione gestured to the door on her right. "My office. The times I'm available on the outside but you send me an owl or catch me anytime you want to see me alright?" He nodded again and smiled at his preferential treatment. They began walking down the corridor, three doors down they came to a portrait. "This is the Fat Lady; she guards the entrance to Gryffindor Tower."
"I've not seen this student before, Professor Granger." The Fat Lady said as she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"This is Christopher Granger; he is my brother and is being transferred from Slytherin House." Hermione turned to him. "Chris, the password is Ursa Major but will be changed tomorrow morning; you'll need to ask the prefects what it is then."
"Ursa Major." Chris told the Fat Lady and she opened up to reveal the narrow entrance to the common room. Inside was nothing like the Slytherin dungeons. This common room was bright an airy, red and gold all over the place and students of all ages actually getting along quite happily playing gobstones or exploding snap. The portraits were far nicer as well, no signs of any paintings of death or torture to start with.
"May I have your attention please?" Hermione spoke up over the forty or so students who were present as they stepped into the room properly. "There are enough students here, if you could pass what I say along to the rest."
Chris moved slightly towards his sister, scared as all eyes turned to him and whispers about why there was a Slytherin in their common room reached his ears. She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled down at him, realising for the first time that Chris was still wearing Slytherin colours, a wave of her wand sorted that out immediately.
"This folks is Christopher Granger. He is a first year student and he will be joining us from now on having been transferred from Slytherin. I'd like for you all to help him settle in here, it has been quite an upheaval for him but I feel sure he will be much happier in this House. Do not prove me wrong." She heard a few nasty comments about Severus being the cause of the change and chose to ignore them, squeezing Chris' shoulder to keep him silent as well. "Incidentally, Chris is my brother but I must say that he will be treated like every other student in my House." There were a few gasps of surprise and as people started to look more closely they could definitely see the family resemblance. "Now, prefects please?" Hermione said glancing around.
"Here, Professor." Sam Davies said standing up; Connie was obviously not present nor were any of the others.
"Sam, just the one I wanted. Could you show Chris around and introduce him to some of the other first years? He has been placed in the dorm with the Weasley boys."
"Sure, Professor. I'd be happy to. Hi Chris, nice to have you here." Sam said patting him on the arm cheerfully.
"Hello and thanks." Chris said shocked at the warm welcome from the much older student.
"Okay, thank you everyone." Hermione said and the noise started up with a more excited chatter. Hermione turned to her brother again. "Chris. You should not have any problems but if you do I will be away from the school until tomorrow evening as you know. I want you to go straight to the prefects or Professor McGonagall alright."
"Yeah." Chris said looking at his sister in the eye as she bent down to speak to him more privately. "Say hi to mum and dad for me won't you?"
"I certainly will. See you on Sunday then." Hermione stood up and faced her prefect.
"Professor McGonagall will be taking over for me until Sunday evening as I will be away from the school." She told Sam.
"Right you are, Professor." Sam nodded. Hermione turned and left the common room.
~~*~~
Heading down to the dungeons Hermione passed the Slytherin Quidditch Team heading off out to practice. "Good afternoon, Professor Granger." She heard from somewhere in the middle of the group. Looking up to see who it was she saw Layton Frontera smiling back at her dressed in his Seeker's gear.
"Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Frontera. Have a good practice session." She told him before continuing on her journey. Well, he's certainly had a major change in attitude, she thought.
She entered the Potions classroom but Severus wasn't there, noticing the office door was slightly ajar she pushed it open and saw him pack a few items into an overnight bag. "Are you ready to go, love?"
"No, I didn't know if I would be staying there overnight to tell the truth. I don't feel particularly welcome after all. What are you packing anyway? Why don't you just use your wand for anything you need?" She asked moving into his office properly.
"Hermione, we are going into the Muggle World and we need to therefore use as little magic as possible in order to not risk the exposure of our world." Severus replied berating her slightly.
"Yes, but mum and dad are fully aware of our world so there's no problem." She told him, he thought for a second before nodding and closing his bag. "You will need to change to Muggle clothes though." She said grinning as he suddenly looked at her in horror.
"Hermione." He began to complain.
"Severus, we do not want to risk the exposure of our world." She said mimicking him and chuckling in the process. "Come on, it's not that bad. Here, let me help." She withdrew her wand from her sleeve and transfigured his black teaching robes into a long thick dark grey wool overcoat; she then changed his trousers to a more suitable Muggle-style black and his jacket with-the-many-buttons to a double breasted blazer, which was also black. She gave him and dark green shirt that it was almost black and a dark green tie. "There, have a look in the mirror." She said placing her hands on her hips and looking at him in appreciation.
Severus moved over to his mirror and slowly opened his eyes preparing for the worst. He was pleasantly surprised, if he told the truth, at least she had kept to the Slytherin colours. It would do, for today at least. "Well, do I get to return to favour?" He asked turning to face her again.
"Severus. What do you know of Muggle fashion?" She asked him and when he shrugged his shoulders she shook her head. "Perhaps I'd better do it myself then?" With a wave of her wand her cloak had transfigured into a long thick grey overcoat as well, which was cut to show off her figure. Her dress became a simple ankle length black crushed velvet skirt with a cream blouse and dark crushed velvet crimson waistcoat.
"Ready to leave now then?" He asked picking up his bag, which he had transfigured into a briefcase to match what he was wearing.
"Yes. What's in the bag? Potions?" Hermione asked as she put her wand back up her sleeve and heard the clink of the bottles inside as he lifted the briefcase.
"Yes." He said simply.
"Why are you bringing potions with you, Severus?"
"Just in case." He replied elusively. "Come along, love. We don't have much time." Severus said moving towards the exit. He warded the doors as they left the office and classroom, moving up the dungeons stairs to the main entrance and out into the cold blustery air. Summoning a horseless carriage he helped Hermione inside and entered it himself. "The less people who see me dressed like this the better." He mumbled as the carriage took them off to Hogsmede.
Once in Hogsmede Severus helped Hermione back out of the carriage and turned to move closer to her. "We'll double apparate, Hermione. You lead since you know the area we're going to." Hermione thought for a moment as to the best hidden location to apparate to on a Saturday afternoon in broad day light.
"Okay." She nodded, the image of the area fixed in her mind. "It'll be a short walk." Severus moved closer to her as she gripped him tightly and with a crack they both vanished from Hogsmede and landed in.
.A bush. "Sorry." Hermione said looking down at the spot and then glancing to where she had been aiming for a metre away. "I'm just nervous, still, not too far off my mark." She smiled slightly.
Severus cleared his throat, stepped out of the bush and helped Hermione do the same. He looked around and saw that they were behind some type of hut building surrounded by fields on three sides and a wooded area with bushes on the other. "Where are we?" Severus asked, his eyes squinting in the weak September sunlight.
"Five minutes from my parent's house. This is the local Scout Hut. an organisation that allows children to participate in different adventure activities." She elaborated at his blank expression. "Come along, Severus. It's this way." Hermione said clasping his hand and gesturing to the right. They began to walk towards Hermione's parent's house.
"Hermione." Severus said lightly as they walked along the path entering a more populated area. "I spoke to Chris before I saw the Headmaster." He told her.
"You did? No problems I hope?" She asked him with a frown.
"No. He's very concerned about his. your father." Hermione looked at him intently as she pulled them both to a stop. "He's ill, Hermione. Apparently it's serious."
"No." She said shaking her head and not wanting to believe it, a tear coming to her eye and she brushed it away quickly.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. I had to tell you before we entered the house as I think you may be in for a shock." He said embracing her lightly.
"Is that why you brought your potions, Severus?" She asked him her mind going into over drive.
"Yes, I will hopefully be able to do something for him you see." Severus said gazing intently at her.
"Why, am I the last to know everything?" She asked pulling herself together again. "What's wrong with him, do you know?"
"I believe he said it was cancer." She gasped at this information.
"Oh, Severus we have to do something." She pleaded with him.
"I will try, love. Now should we continue?"
"It's the next street." She said quietly and began walking again, Severus following closely at her side.
~~*~~
They entered Grassmere Meadows and headed towards number 23. Hermione took in the sight of her old house; she never thought she'd be back here again. She led Severus up the winding garden path and approached the white front porch. Raising her hand she rang the doorbell and they stepped back from the door slightly and waited for a reply.
Footsteps approached the door and a gentleman of about 50 years old, dressed in a grey suit, with salt and pepper coloured hair and a moustache opened the door. Hermione didn't recognise him at all. she did have the right house didn't she?
"Hello there, can I help you? Mrs. Granger is with her husband right now but I don't think they want to be disturbed by the Jehovah's Witnesses today." He said smiling pleasantly at them both.
"Jehovah's Witnesses, Sir?" Severus asked but Hermione intervened quickly cutting him off.
"No, Sir. We are not JW's. I am Hermione Granger. I'm."
"Oh, family! So sorry. I've not seen you before. Please come on in." He said moving back from the door to allow them entrance. "I'm nearly finished actually. I'm Peter's MacMillan Nurse. The name's Geoff." He said extending his hand and shaking both Hermione's and Severus'. "I've just been helping Mr. and Mrs. Granger fill out some benefit forms and I've brought some more IV drugs as well as other bits and bobs he'll need now he can't manage the stairs anymore. Well, I'll leave you to your visit; I'll just say ta-ra." He moved into the lounge and said his goodbyes before walking past them again and leaving the house.
Severus gazed at Hermione in utter confusion. The Muggle World was so complex on occasion that it almost eluded him entirely. Hermione cleared her throat and nodded once to Severus pulling him down the hallway and moving into the lounge room where she saw her father was in a hospital bed and her mother was sitting in a chair beside it holding his hand and whispering in his ear. Hermione gasped at the sight and squeezed Severus' hand harder as she released it and moved slowly into the room. "Mum?" She asked quietly as her father appeared to be sleeping.
Amanda turned slowly at hearing the voice and looked up, her jaw dropping in shock as she took in the sight of her only daughter. She stood up and grabbed Hermione, pulling her into a crushing embrace and sobbing on her shoulder. Hermione could hold back the tears no longer as her mother held her and she embraced her back. "Oh, my. Hermione... I never thought we'd ever see you again. We've missed you so much!"
"I missed you too mum." Hermione said looking at her mother closely. She had aged and there were many worry lines on her face, she had been crying quite a lot and her hair was greyer. She was thinner and slightly stooped, her clothes hanging somewhat loosely on her body. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked quietly pulling back and motioning for Severus to approach her. He did and put his arm around her waist, standing at her side quietly watching Hermione's mother.
"About your father?" Amanda asked wiping her eyes dry and sniffing.
"About dad and Christopher." Hermione said, her voice deadly with pent up anger.
"Your father became ill very quickly. He's been this way for one week only but previously he has been undergoing treatment in hospital, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. We thought he had gone into remission but it came back with a vengeance." Amanda told her, still drying her eyes off with a well used tissue. Hermione looked over at her father lying in the bed. He was half the man she had remembered him being, having lost so much weight. His face was drawn and gaunt, eyes hollowed and complexion of a waxy look. His hair was almost white and his breathing shallow and slow.
"What is exactly wrong with him, Mrs. Granger?" Severus asked and when she looked at him he put his hand out and introduced himself. "Severus Snape, Professor at Hogwarts. I think I may be able to help."
"Severus is a Potions Master, Mum. He's also my fiancé." Hermione told her and Amanda was shocked, her daughter engaged to be married?
"Oh, Hermione! Congratulations, dear. We must tell your father the next time he wakes although with all the drugs he's so delusional that he may not even recognise you." She turned to Severus. "He has bowel cancer but Geoff- the MacMillan Nurse has just given him his medicines so he should be comfortable enough now. I doubt there's much else you can do for him at all."
"Severus can take more than the pain away, Mum." Hermione told her with a piercing stare. "Let him at least try, please."
Amanda nodded slightly. "Perhaps Hermione and yourself could go and have a chat while I have a look at your husband?" Severus said and she nodded again, moving into the kitchen with Hermione following in her wake as Severus started extracting potions and ingredients from his briefcase.
Hermione sat down at the old familiar kitchen table while her mother busied herself making tea and trying to collect her thoughts. Hermione waited in silence for her mother to return and sit down, which she did shortly after and handing her a mug of tea.
"It's so good to see you again, Hermione." She told her, reaching out to clasp the back of her hand.
"Why mum? Why did you not tell me about Chris? Why did you not tell him about me? Why has this house been seemingly cleaned of my entire existence?" Hermione asked pulling her hand away and glaring at her mother.
"We did it to protect you both." Hermione looked at her in disbelief. "We knew that Dark man was out to get you for being in league with Harry Potter, that's what you told us. That's why you stayed away from us from your fourth year at that school." She sipped her tea, pausing for a second. "Christopher came along quite unexpectedly, and we knew that if we told you, you would want to come home and that the baby would then be put on that Dark man's list of people to kill. We decided, your father and I, to keep him a secret.
"We didn't remove anything belonging to you until Christopher was old enough to wonder who it all belonged to, and then we stored it all carefully in crates in the loft. You had already left for university by this time and we thought you'd moved out for good anyway by then. Your father and I made the decision then that Christopher would follow a normal education, and if he developed any of the abilities you had we would then not allow him to leave for Hogwarts as you did. We couldn't lose another child."
"You would deny him his magical gift to suit your own selfish needs?" Hermione asked enraged.
"No. For his own safety and yours. We did allow him to read the books you left and he would be allowed to pursue whatever he wanted when he became of age though." She sighed heavily. "You have to understand we were not even aware of the Dark man having been killed until you told us in one of your last letters, and that was somewhat after the event according to what you wrote."
"But why keep him and me a secret from one another?" Hermione asked; she was finding this very hard to take in.
"Simply for your own protections. Your father became ill at the beginning of the year. We were back and forth to the hospital but they said there wasn't much chance of their treatments curing what he had. When a glimmer of hope presented itself a few weeks ago we thought that fate had been on our side until the doctor said he had been mistaken in his diagnosis and that the cancer had spread instead. He's been the way he is now for a week. The doctors have given him until Christmas at best." She told her daughter who now had tears of sadness streaming down her cheeks.
"Christopher received his Hogwarts letter just as you did, and as we knew he would since he was about six years old and had made things fly around the room. We discussed things and decided he could go to Hogwarts for his magical education. We knew you taught there though and so we had to tell him the truth. He was quite upset when we left him at the station in London. He knew how ill his father was and wanted to stay. But, we couldn't let him see his dad like this- he's just too young to understand properly."
"He thought I knew about him you know." Hermione said quietly. "He thought I'd simply ignored him all his life. He's managed to take it out on me, making my life a living hell since he arrived at Hogwarts." She looked up at her mother who was looking very sorry about the whole situation. "We had a good long chat though, and I finally found out what his problem was with me. He sends his love by the way."
"You could tell him the same form his mum and dad if you like." Amanda said.
"I will." She replied quietly as she looked down at the table to an old burn mark and traced it with her finger. "What did you tell him this was from?"
"The burn mark?" Hermione nodded. "I told him it was from a candle that had burned down. You always said you'd fix it when you were allowed to use magic outside of school."
"I certainly did." She responded taking out her wand from her sleeve and muttering an incantation. The mark dissolved and the table looked brand new again. "I remember making that burn mark when I was showing you a simple anti sickness potion back in my first summer home from Hogwarts." She said smiling as she reminisced.
"How is he doing at Hogwarts?" Amanda asked after a short pause. She was missing her son immensely already.
"He's beginning to settle I think. He had been placed in Slytherin because of the secrets he was carrying but once we'd spoken to him we decided that he'd be better off in Gryffindor. So, he moved this afternoon." Hermione told her.
"So, how have you been keeping? Engaged now." Amanda asked, eyeing the ring on her daughter's hand.
"I'm keeping well. After university I spent three years working for the Ministry of Magic as I told you in one of my letters. I was only working there part time as I had a lot to do with the Order, which was the organisation on the side of the light set up to fight the Dark Lord and his minions. We went to war, which lasted almost two years. Finally the light side won but we suffered many casualties." She paused as she remembered those close friends who had perished. "I took a job teaching Arithmancy at Hogwarts. This year I was promoted to Head of Gryffindor House and I teach Arithmancy, first and second year Potions and first and second year Muggle Studies." Hermione told her.
"And Severus?" Amanda asked.
"We've been seeing each other for a year now, ever since I took my teaching position. He asked me to marry him a week before the start of term and I said yes. We've yet to discuss details." Hermione said smiling with happiness. "He's the Head of Slytherin and he teaches Potions and first and second year Defence Against the Dark Arts."
"He's much older than you." Amanda commented.
"Yes, he's 42 years old. He was my Potions teacher, I'm sure you remember." Hermione said defensively.
"I do remember you mentioning him numerous times." Amanda said. "Your ring is gorgeous, Hermione." Her mother said looking at it more closely. "It's so different. magical."
"Yes, Severus made the stone himself using a potion he invented." Hermione suddenly looked up as there was a cry from the living room. Both she and her mother leapt up from the table and rushed into the living room.
Severus had set up a mini lab and was busy making a foul smelling potion whilst Peter was stirring restlessly in bed, the pain shooting through his body every time he moved.
"Oh, Peter! Lie still, dear or the pain will get worse." Amanda said as she moved to stroke her husband's hair. She looked up at Hermione. "He's had his dose of morphine already we can't given him anything else or he'll overdose."
"Morphine is an opiate is it not?" Severus asked and Hermione confirmed this. "Give your father the painkiller that's in the bottom of my bag, Hermione. The blue vial. It should be more effective and is safe to give with an opiate as it won't depress the respiratory system anymore."
Hermione pulled out the blue glass bottle and moved over to her father forcing him to drink it; he settled down immediately and fell asleep again. "What are you making, Severus?" She asked re-corking the vial and disposing of the bottle.
"This is a potion that will reduce the tumours and with repeated doses eventually kill them off altogether. I just have to add the phoenix tears and let it cool." He did this and a puff of orange smoke erupted from the mini cauldron he had brought in his bag.
"Mum said the cancer had spread throughout his body though, Severus, so simply killing the tumour won't work since the cancer cells are travelling in the blood." Hermione told him hopelessly.
"I will start work on another potion to help with that, love. Don't worry; your father will be cured in a few weeks." Amanda gasped from across the room.
"That's not possible though. the doctors said he hasn't a hope now." She countered.
"Mrs. Granger. I am using magic and potions to cure your husband. These are things Muggle doctors do not have access to or indeed even know about." Severus told her. "Hermione, take this cauldron to allow it to cool while I start on the next potion, which I will need your help with as well." He instructed.
"Certainly." Hermione said moving the cauldron off to the side out of the way. Severus took another cauldron out of his bag, along with his wand from his sleeve and said. Engorgio to make it return to its original size.
"I will need some arrowroot, which I do not have. Would you have any Mrs. Granger?" Severus asked turning to look at her.
"No, but I can nip out to the local shop to get you some. Do you need anything else?" She asked.
Severus read down the instructions of the potion from his Moste Potente Potions in Magical Healing book and looked up at her. "Some lemon peel and that will be everything."
"I'll nip out and get them, won't be too long." She said hastily grabbing her coat and bag and leaving the house.
Severus turned to Hermione with a worried expression on his face. "How are you holding up, love?"
"Not bad, Severus. She explained things to me but I still feel hurt. I know that what she did. what they both did was for the best though."
"Well, your father has been lucky we got here in time. Another week and I wouldn't have been able to do anything. I scanned his body and he has cancer in his liver, bowels, urinary bladder and lymph tissue." He told her as he filled the cauldron with distilled water and lit a flame under it. He took his blazer off as it was becoming too hot and placed it on top of his overcoat, which was on the couch, rolling up his sleeves he got back to work.
"This will work though won't it Severus?" She asked worried and glancing between her father and Severus.
"Oh, yes. He will be cured but I don't know how it will be explained to the Muggle health people because by their standards he has already reached the point of no return." Severus said as he tucked his tie into his shirt to stop it from dipping into the cauldron.
"It doesn't matter, Severus. So long as he's okay we can worry about explanations when the time comes." Hermione said as she began to help Severus prepare the ingredients also rolling up her sleeves.
Amanda returned ten minutes later with the ingredients Severus requested. He took them from her and looked in the bag before looking back at her amused, she had handed him a bag of around twenty lemons and a pound of arrowroot.
"I didn't know how much you needed. I thought it would be a lot judging by the size of the pan." Severus winced painfully at what she said.
"Mum, it's a cauldron. We are not cooking here!" Hermione corrected sharply and Severus smiled slightly at her rebuttal.
"Of course, dear but do you need more?" She asked Severus.
"No, perhaps you may like these for jam or something?" Severus asked removing one lemon and handing the rest back to Hermione's mother. Hermione struggled not to laugh; Severus' sarcasm cracked her up fairly frequently now she knew the man that was behind it.
A few hours later they were half way through the potion when a knock sounded on the door, which was immediately pushed open and two nurses along with Geoff entered the house. "Only us, Amanda." Geoff shouted as they entered the living room and gaped at the site of Severus and Hermione stirring a cauldron, who looked back equally shocked and struggling for something to say by way of explanation.
"Oh, have you been practicing for the Halloween Festival too?" One of the nurses asked beaming with mirth. "I'm going to be dressing up as Merlin this year, should be fun for the kiddies. I take it you are going to be doing something from MacBeth for them?"
"Erm. yes. How did you guess?" Hermione said, thankful she had not had to make up a story herself.
"Well, if we could be excused while we see to Peter we'd be very grateful." The other nurse said to the three of them.
"If you could give me two minutes while I finish this stage off, we wouldn't want it to explode all over after all." Severus told them, not about to take no for an answer and making them wait for him. They began to sort out their medications and put gloves and aprons on while they waited for Severus to finish. Finally they were able to get on with their work and soon left them for the night saying that they'd be back first thing in the morning as usual.
Amanda said she would go and set up the guest bedroom for Hermione and Severus and left the room. Severus told Hermione he'd finish off the potion before coming up to bed and that she should go on before him. Hermione had tested the heat of the first potion and noted it was cold enough to administer so she bottled up a vial and gave it to her father, kissing him on the cheek before telling Severus which the guest bedroom was and leaving him and her father alone.
Chapter Seven
"Professor Granger!" Severus called from two flights of stairs above her in the main stair well as she left her office. She looked up to find Severus quickly moving down the stairs towards her, the portraits gazing on animatedly at the Head of Slytherin's odd behaviour and students quickly darting out of his way in fear.
"Is everything alright?" She asked him worried for he was not one to shout after someone along the corridors or indeed rush through them. He was more of a quiet and deadly sort of human-time bomb.
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore has agreed to your brother being moved into Gryffindor. Is the dorm ready? I left him packing before I went to see Albus." Severus said as he approached her.
"Yes, we just need him." She replied.
"Well, you should not have to wait too long." Severus said gesturing down two more flights of stairs to a student who was struggling with a trunk and suitcase trying to haul both behind him. Hermione moved down to greet her brother.
"Chris, you shouldn't be struggling here. Are you a wizard or not?" She asked looking down at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Erm."
"Here, put your bags down." He did as she said. "Now take out your wand and do the following, swish downwards towards the object and say. Reducio, clearly."
"Reducio." Chris said and was gob smacked as his trunk suddenly shrank to the size of a matchbox. He looked incredulously up at his sister. "How?" He asked, his jaw hanging open.
"How? Well, you can find out by reading chapter 16 of Spells For Beginners. Now do the same with your suitcase and then pocket them." Hermione told him. Chris carried this out and turned to his sister once more.
"How will I get them back to the way they were?" He asked looking up at her, she was very tall as he was already 5 feet tall and she had almost one foot on him.
"You use the same wand movement and enunciate the incantation. Engorgio." She told him as she started to move back up the steps towards Severus who was still standing where she had left him outside her office.
"Good luck, Mr. Granger, and do not worry, everything will be fine." Severus told him, Hermione looked puzzled at him; it was unlike Severus to have comforting words for any student.
"Thank you, Sir." Chris said.
"I must speak to my prefects, Professor Granger. Incidentally the Headmaster recommended we leave for your parents house this evening or as soon as we are able to." Severus said quietly so as not to be overheard by any stray students.
"Tonight?" Hermione asked.
"He feels tomorrow may not be enough time to speak to them. He suggested we stay overnight. Minerva will be looking after your House so no problems there. No problems at all as long as we are back for lessons on Monday since there is no-one to cover for us." Severus told her.
"Oh, okay then. Let me just get Chris settled and then I'll meet you in the dungeons. I should be able to leave by then." Severus nodded and then moved off towards the Slytherin common room.
"Do you know where the common room is, Chris?" He shook his head. Hermione gestured to the door on her right. "My office. The times I'm available on the outside but you send me an owl or catch me anytime you want to see me alright?" He nodded again and smiled at his preferential treatment. They began walking down the corridor, three doors down they came to a portrait. "This is the Fat Lady; she guards the entrance to Gryffindor Tower."
"I've not seen this student before, Professor Granger." The Fat Lady said as she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"This is Christopher Granger; he is my brother and is being transferred from Slytherin House." Hermione turned to him. "Chris, the password is Ursa Major but will be changed tomorrow morning; you'll need to ask the prefects what it is then."
"Ursa Major." Chris told the Fat Lady and she opened up to reveal the narrow entrance to the common room. Inside was nothing like the Slytherin dungeons. This common room was bright an airy, red and gold all over the place and students of all ages actually getting along quite happily playing gobstones or exploding snap. The portraits were far nicer as well, no signs of any paintings of death or torture to start with.
"May I have your attention please?" Hermione spoke up over the forty or so students who were present as they stepped into the room properly. "There are enough students here, if you could pass what I say along to the rest."
Chris moved slightly towards his sister, scared as all eyes turned to him and whispers about why there was a Slytherin in their common room reached his ears. She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled down at him, realising for the first time that Chris was still wearing Slytherin colours, a wave of her wand sorted that out immediately.
"This folks is Christopher Granger. He is a first year student and he will be joining us from now on having been transferred from Slytherin. I'd like for you all to help him settle in here, it has been quite an upheaval for him but I feel sure he will be much happier in this House. Do not prove me wrong." She heard a few nasty comments about Severus being the cause of the change and chose to ignore them, squeezing Chris' shoulder to keep him silent as well. "Incidentally, Chris is my brother but I must say that he will be treated like every other student in my House." There were a few gasps of surprise and as people started to look more closely they could definitely see the family resemblance. "Now, prefects please?" Hermione said glancing around.
"Here, Professor." Sam Davies said standing up; Connie was obviously not present nor were any of the others.
"Sam, just the one I wanted. Could you show Chris around and introduce him to some of the other first years? He has been placed in the dorm with the Weasley boys."
"Sure, Professor. I'd be happy to. Hi Chris, nice to have you here." Sam said patting him on the arm cheerfully.
"Hello and thanks." Chris said shocked at the warm welcome from the much older student.
"Okay, thank you everyone." Hermione said and the noise started up with a more excited chatter. Hermione turned to her brother again. "Chris. You should not have any problems but if you do I will be away from the school until tomorrow evening as you know. I want you to go straight to the prefects or Professor McGonagall alright."
"Yeah." Chris said looking at his sister in the eye as she bent down to speak to him more privately. "Say hi to mum and dad for me won't you?"
"I certainly will. See you on Sunday then." Hermione stood up and faced her prefect.
"Professor McGonagall will be taking over for me until Sunday evening as I will be away from the school." She told Sam.
"Right you are, Professor." Sam nodded. Hermione turned and left the common room.
~~*~~
Heading down to the dungeons Hermione passed the Slytherin Quidditch Team heading off out to practice. "Good afternoon, Professor Granger." She heard from somewhere in the middle of the group. Looking up to see who it was she saw Layton Frontera smiling back at her dressed in his Seeker's gear.
"Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Frontera. Have a good practice session." She told him before continuing on her journey. Well, he's certainly had a major change in attitude, she thought.
She entered the Potions classroom but Severus wasn't there, noticing the office door was slightly ajar she pushed it open and saw him pack a few items into an overnight bag. "Are you ready to go, love?"
"No, I didn't know if I would be staying there overnight to tell the truth. I don't feel particularly welcome after all. What are you packing anyway? Why don't you just use your wand for anything you need?" She asked moving into his office properly.
"Hermione, we are going into the Muggle World and we need to therefore use as little magic as possible in order to not risk the exposure of our world." Severus replied berating her slightly.
"Yes, but mum and dad are fully aware of our world so there's no problem." She told him, he thought for a second before nodding and closing his bag. "You will need to change to Muggle clothes though." She said grinning as he suddenly looked at her in horror.
"Hermione." He began to complain.
"Severus, we do not want to risk the exposure of our world." She said mimicking him and chuckling in the process. "Come on, it's not that bad. Here, let me help." She withdrew her wand from her sleeve and transfigured his black teaching robes into a long thick dark grey wool overcoat; she then changed his trousers to a more suitable Muggle-style black and his jacket with-the-many-buttons to a double breasted blazer, which was also black. She gave him and dark green shirt that it was almost black and a dark green tie. "There, have a look in the mirror." She said placing her hands on her hips and looking at him in appreciation.
Severus moved over to his mirror and slowly opened his eyes preparing for the worst. He was pleasantly surprised, if he told the truth, at least she had kept to the Slytherin colours. It would do, for today at least. "Well, do I get to return to favour?" He asked turning to face her again.
"Severus. What do you know of Muggle fashion?" She asked him and when he shrugged his shoulders she shook her head. "Perhaps I'd better do it myself then?" With a wave of her wand her cloak had transfigured into a long thick grey overcoat as well, which was cut to show off her figure. Her dress became a simple ankle length black crushed velvet skirt with a cream blouse and dark crushed velvet crimson waistcoat.
"Ready to leave now then?" He asked picking up his bag, which he had transfigured into a briefcase to match what he was wearing.
"Yes. What's in the bag? Potions?" Hermione asked as she put her wand back up her sleeve and heard the clink of the bottles inside as he lifted the briefcase.
"Yes." He said simply.
"Why are you bringing potions with you, Severus?"
"Just in case." He replied elusively. "Come along, love. We don't have much time." Severus said moving towards the exit. He warded the doors as they left the office and classroom, moving up the dungeons stairs to the main entrance and out into the cold blustery air. Summoning a horseless carriage he helped Hermione inside and entered it himself. "The less people who see me dressed like this the better." He mumbled as the carriage took them off to Hogsmede.
Once in Hogsmede Severus helped Hermione back out of the carriage and turned to move closer to her. "We'll double apparate, Hermione. You lead since you know the area we're going to." Hermione thought for a moment as to the best hidden location to apparate to on a Saturday afternoon in broad day light.
"Okay." She nodded, the image of the area fixed in her mind. "It'll be a short walk." Severus moved closer to her as she gripped him tightly and with a crack they both vanished from Hogsmede and landed in.
.A bush. "Sorry." Hermione said looking down at the spot and then glancing to where she had been aiming for a metre away. "I'm just nervous, still, not too far off my mark." She smiled slightly.
Severus cleared his throat, stepped out of the bush and helped Hermione do the same. He looked around and saw that they were behind some type of hut building surrounded by fields on three sides and a wooded area with bushes on the other. "Where are we?" Severus asked, his eyes squinting in the weak September sunlight.
"Five minutes from my parent's house. This is the local Scout Hut. an organisation that allows children to participate in different adventure activities." She elaborated at his blank expression. "Come along, Severus. It's this way." Hermione said clasping his hand and gesturing to the right. They began to walk towards Hermione's parent's house.
"Hermione." Severus said lightly as they walked along the path entering a more populated area. "I spoke to Chris before I saw the Headmaster." He told her.
"You did? No problems I hope?" She asked him with a frown.
"No. He's very concerned about his. your father." Hermione looked at him intently as she pulled them both to a stop. "He's ill, Hermione. Apparently it's serious."
"No." She said shaking her head and not wanting to believe it, a tear coming to her eye and she brushed it away quickly.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. I had to tell you before we entered the house as I think you may be in for a shock." He said embracing her lightly.
"Is that why you brought your potions, Severus?" She asked him her mind going into over drive.
"Yes, I will hopefully be able to do something for him you see." Severus said gazing intently at her.
"Why, am I the last to know everything?" She asked pulling herself together again. "What's wrong with him, do you know?"
"I believe he said it was cancer." She gasped at this information.
"Oh, Severus we have to do something." She pleaded with him.
"I will try, love. Now should we continue?"
"It's the next street." She said quietly and began walking again, Severus following closely at her side.
~~*~~
They entered Grassmere Meadows and headed towards number 23. Hermione took in the sight of her old house; she never thought she'd be back here again. She led Severus up the winding garden path and approached the white front porch. Raising her hand she rang the doorbell and they stepped back from the door slightly and waited for a reply.
Footsteps approached the door and a gentleman of about 50 years old, dressed in a grey suit, with salt and pepper coloured hair and a moustache opened the door. Hermione didn't recognise him at all. she did have the right house didn't she?
"Hello there, can I help you? Mrs. Granger is with her husband right now but I don't think they want to be disturbed by the Jehovah's Witnesses today." He said smiling pleasantly at them both.
"Jehovah's Witnesses, Sir?" Severus asked but Hermione intervened quickly cutting him off.
"No, Sir. We are not JW's. I am Hermione Granger. I'm."
"Oh, family! So sorry. I've not seen you before. Please come on in." He said moving back from the door to allow them entrance. "I'm nearly finished actually. I'm Peter's MacMillan Nurse. The name's Geoff." He said extending his hand and shaking both Hermione's and Severus'. "I've just been helping Mr. and Mrs. Granger fill out some benefit forms and I've brought some more IV drugs as well as other bits and bobs he'll need now he can't manage the stairs anymore. Well, I'll leave you to your visit; I'll just say ta-ra." He moved into the lounge and said his goodbyes before walking past them again and leaving the house.
Severus gazed at Hermione in utter confusion. The Muggle World was so complex on occasion that it almost eluded him entirely. Hermione cleared her throat and nodded once to Severus pulling him down the hallway and moving into the lounge room where she saw her father was in a hospital bed and her mother was sitting in a chair beside it holding his hand and whispering in his ear. Hermione gasped at the sight and squeezed Severus' hand harder as she released it and moved slowly into the room. "Mum?" She asked quietly as her father appeared to be sleeping.
Amanda turned slowly at hearing the voice and looked up, her jaw dropping in shock as she took in the sight of her only daughter. She stood up and grabbed Hermione, pulling her into a crushing embrace and sobbing on her shoulder. Hermione could hold back the tears no longer as her mother held her and she embraced her back. "Oh, my. Hermione... I never thought we'd ever see you again. We've missed you so much!"
"I missed you too mum." Hermione said looking at her mother closely. She had aged and there were many worry lines on her face, she had been crying quite a lot and her hair was greyer. She was thinner and slightly stooped, her clothes hanging somewhat loosely on her body. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked quietly pulling back and motioning for Severus to approach her. He did and put his arm around her waist, standing at her side quietly watching Hermione's mother.
"About your father?" Amanda asked wiping her eyes dry and sniffing.
"About dad and Christopher." Hermione said, her voice deadly with pent up anger.
"Your father became ill very quickly. He's been this way for one week only but previously he has been undergoing treatment in hospital, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. We thought he had gone into remission but it came back with a vengeance." Amanda told her, still drying her eyes off with a well used tissue. Hermione looked over at her father lying in the bed. He was half the man she had remembered him being, having lost so much weight. His face was drawn and gaunt, eyes hollowed and complexion of a waxy look. His hair was almost white and his breathing shallow and slow.
"What is exactly wrong with him, Mrs. Granger?" Severus asked and when she looked at him he put his hand out and introduced himself. "Severus Snape, Professor at Hogwarts. I think I may be able to help."
"Severus is a Potions Master, Mum. He's also my fiancé." Hermione told her and Amanda was shocked, her daughter engaged to be married?
"Oh, Hermione! Congratulations, dear. We must tell your father the next time he wakes although with all the drugs he's so delusional that he may not even recognise you." She turned to Severus. "He has bowel cancer but Geoff- the MacMillan Nurse has just given him his medicines so he should be comfortable enough now. I doubt there's much else you can do for him at all."
"Severus can take more than the pain away, Mum." Hermione told her with a piercing stare. "Let him at least try, please."
Amanda nodded slightly. "Perhaps Hermione and yourself could go and have a chat while I have a look at your husband?" Severus said and she nodded again, moving into the kitchen with Hermione following in her wake as Severus started extracting potions and ingredients from his briefcase.
Hermione sat down at the old familiar kitchen table while her mother busied herself making tea and trying to collect her thoughts. Hermione waited in silence for her mother to return and sit down, which she did shortly after and handing her a mug of tea.
"It's so good to see you again, Hermione." She told her, reaching out to clasp the back of her hand.
"Why mum? Why did you not tell me about Chris? Why did you not tell him about me? Why has this house been seemingly cleaned of my entire existence?" Hermione asked pulling her hand away and glaring at her mother.
"We did it to protect you both." Hermione looked at her in disbelief. "We knew that Dark man was out to get you for being in league with Harry Potter, that's what you told us. That's why you stayed away from us from your fourth year at that school." She sipped her tea, pausing for a second. "Christopher came along quite unexpectedly, and we knew that if we told you, you would want to come home and that the baby would then be put on that Dark man's list of people to kill. We decided, your father and I, to keep him a secret.
"We didn't remove anything belonging to you until Christopher was old enough to wonder who it all belonged to, and then we stored it all carefully in crates in the loft. You had already left for university by this time and we thought you'd moved out for good anyway by then. Your father and I made the decision then that Christopher would follow a normal education, and if he developed any of the abilities you had we would then not allow him to leave for Hogwarts as you did. We couldn't lose another child."
"You would deny him his magical gift to suit your own selfish needs?" Hermione asked enraged.
"No. For his own safety and yours. We did allow him to read the books you left and he would be allowed to pursue whatever he wanted when he became of age though." She sighed heavily. "You have to understand we were not even aware of the Dark man having been killed until you told us in one of your last letters, and that was somewhat after the event according to what you wrote."
"But why keep him and me a secret from one another?" Hermione asked; she was finding this very hard to take in.
"Simply for your own protections. Your father became ill at the beginning of the year. We were back and forth to the hospital but they said there wasn't much chance of their treatments curing what he had. When a glimmer of hope presented itself a few weeks ago we thought that fate had been on our side until the doctor said he had been mistaken in his diagnosis and that the cancer had spread instead. He's been the way he is now for a week. The doctors have given him until Christmas at best." She told her daughter who now had tears of sadness streaming down her cheeks.
"Christopher received his Hogwarts letter just as you did, and as we knew he would since he was about six years old and had made things fly around the room. We discussed things and decided he could go to Hogwarts for his magical education. We knew you taught there though and so we had to tell him the truth. He was quite upset when we left him at the station in London. He knew how ill his father was and wanted to stay. But, we couldn't let him see his dad like this- he's just too young to understand properly."
"He thought I knew about him you know." Hermione said quietly. "He thought I'd simply ignored him all his life. He's managed to take it out on me, making my life a living hell since he arrived at Hogwarts." She looked up at her mother who was looking very sorry about the whole situation. "We had a good long chat though, and I finally found out what his problem was with me. He sends his love by the way."
"You could tell him the same form his mum and dad if you like." Amanda said.
"I will." She replied quietly as she looked down at the table to an old burn mark and traced it with her finger. "What did you tell him this was from?"
"The burn mark?" Hermione nodded. "I told him it was from a candle that had burned down. You always said you'd fix it when you were allowed to use magic outside of school."
"I certainly did." She responded taking out her wand from her sleeve and muttering an incantation. The mark dissolved and the table looked brand new again. "I remember making that burn mark when I was showing you a simple anti sickness potion back in my first summer home from Hogwarts." She said smiling as she reminisced.
"How is he doing at Hogwarts?" Amanda asked after a short pause. She was missing her son immensely already.
"He's beginning to settle I think. He had been placed in Slytherin because of the secrets he was carrying but once we'd spoken to him we decided that he'd be better off in Gryffindor. So, he moved this afternoon." Hermione told her.
"So, how have you been keeping? Engaged now." Amanda asked, eyeing the ring on her daughter's hand.
"I'm keeping well. After university I spent three years working for the Ministry of Magic as I told you in one of my letters. I was only working there part time as I had a lot to do with the Order, which was the organisation on the side of the light set up to fight the Dark Lord and his minions. We went to war, which lasted almost two years. Finally the light side won but we suffered many casualties." She paused as she remembered those close friends who had perished. "I took a job teaching Arithmancy at Hogwarts. This year I was promoted to Head of Gryffindor House and I teach Arithmancy, first and second year Potions and first and second year Muggle Studies." Hermione told her.
"And Severus?" Amanda asked.
"We've been seeing each other for a year now, ever since I took my teaching position. He asked me to marry him a week before the start of term and I said yes. We've yet to discuss details." Hermione said smiling with happiness. "He's the Head of Slytherin and he teaches Potions and first and second year Defence Against the Dark Arts."
"He's much older than you." Amanda commented.
"Yes, he's 42 years old. He was my Potions teacher, I'm sure you remember." Hermione said defensively.
"I do remember you mentioning him numerous times." Amanda said. "Your ring is gorgeous, Hermione." Her mother said looking at it more closely. "It's so different. magical."
"Yes, Severus made the stone himself using a potion he invented." Hermione suddenly looked up as there was a cry from the living room. Both she and her mother leapt up from the table and rushed into the living room.
Severus had set up a mini lab and was busy making a foul smelling potion whilst Peter was stirring restlessly in bed, the pain shooting through his body every time he moved.
"Oh, Peter! Lie still, dear or the pain will get worse." Amanda said as she moved to stroke her husband's hair. She looked up at Hermione. "He's had his dose of morphine already we can't given him anything else or he'll overdose."
"Morphine is an opiate is it not?" Severus asked and Hermione confirmed this. "Give your father the painkiller that's in the bottom of my bag, Hermione. The blue vial. It should be more effective and is safe to give with an opiate as it won't depress the respiratory system anymore."
Hermione pulled out the blue glass bottle and moved over to her father forcing him to drink it; he settled down immediately and fell asleep again. "What are you making, Severus?" She asked re-corking the vial and disposing of the bottle.
"This is a potion that will reduce the tumours and with repeated doses eventually kill them off altogether. I just have to add the phoenix tears and let it cool." He did this and a puff of orange smoke erupted from the mini cauldron he had brought in his bag.
"Mum said the cancer had spread throughout his body though, Severus, so simply killing the tumour won't work since the cancer cells are travelling in the blood." Hermione told him hopelessly.
"I will start work on another potion to help with that, love. Don't worry; your father will be cured in a few weeks." Amanda gasped from across the room.
"That's not possible though. the doctors said he hasn't a hope now." She countered.
"Mrs. Granger. I am using magic and potions to cure your husband. These are things Muggle doctors do not have access to or indeed even know about." Severus told her. "Hermione, take this cauldron to allow it to cool while I start on the next potion, which I will need your help with as well." He instructed.
"Certainly." Hermione said moving the cauldron off to the side out of the way. Severus took another cauldron out of his bag, along with his wand from his sleeve and said. Engorgio to make it return to its original size.
"I will need some arrowroot, which I do not have. Would you have any Mrs. Granger?" Severus asked turning to look at her.
"No, but I can nip out to the local shop to get you some. Do you need anything else?" She asked.
Severus read down the instructions of the potion from his Moste Potente Potions in Magical Healing book and looked up at her. "Some lemon peel and that will be everything."
"I'll nip out and get them, won't be too long." She said hastily grabbing her coat and bag and leaving the house.
Severus turned to Hermione with a worried expression on his face. "How are you holding up, love?"
"Not bad, Severus. She explained things to me but I still feel hurt. I know that what she did. what they both did was for the best though."
"Well, your father has been lucky we got here in time. Another week and I wouldn't have been able to do anything. I scanned his body and he has cancer in his liver, bowels, urinary bladder and lymph tissue." He told her as he filled the cauldron with distilled water and lit a flame under it. He took his blazer off as it was becoming too hot and placed it on top of his overcoat, which was on the couch, rolling up his sleeves he got back to work.
"This will work though won't it Severus?" She asked worried and glancing between her father and Severus.
"Oh, yes. He will be cured but I don't know how it will be explained to the Muggle health people because by their standards he has already reached the point of no return." Severus said as he tucked his tie into his shirt to stop it from dipping into the cauldron.
"It doesn't matter, Severus. So long as he's okay we can worry about explanations when the time comes." Hermione said as she began to help Severus prepare the ingredients also rolling up her sleeves.
Amanda returned ten minutes later with the ingredients Severus requested. He took them from her and looked in the bag before looking back at her amused, she had handed him a bag of around twenty lemons and a pound of arrowroot.
"I didn't know how much you needed. I thought it would be a lot judging by the size of the pan." Severus winced painfully at what she said.
"Mum, it's a cauldron. We are not cooking here!" Hermione corrected sharply and Severus smiled slightly at her rebuttal.
"Of course, dear but do you need more?" She asked Severus.
"No, perhaps you may like these for jam or something?" Severus asked removing one lemon and handing the rest back to Hermione's mother. Hermione struggled not to laugh; Severus' sarcasm cracked her up fairly frequently now she knew the man that was behind it.
A few hours later they were half way through the potion when a knock sounded on the door, which was immediately pushed open and two nurses along with Geoff entered the house. "Only us, Amanda." Geoff shouted as they entered the living room and gaped at the site of Severus and Hermione stirring a cauldron, who looked back equally shocked and struggling for something to say by way of explanation.
"Oh, have you been practicing for the Halloween Festival too?" One of the nurses asked beaming with mirth. "I'm going to be dressing up as Merlin this year, should be fun for the kiddies. I take it you are going to be doing something from MacBeth for them?"
"Erm. yes. How did you guess?" Hermione said, thankful she had not had to make up a story herself.
"Well, if we could be excused while we see to Peter we'd be very grateful." The other nurse said to the three of them.
"If you could give me two minutes while I finish this stage off, we wouldn't want it to explode all over after all." Severus told them, not about to take no for an answer and making them wait for him. They began to sort out their medications and put gloves and aprons on while they waited for Severus to finish. Finally they were able to get on with their work and soon left them for the night saying that they'd be back first thing in the morning as usual.
Amanda said she would go and set up the guest bedroom for Hermione and Severus and left the room. Severus told Hermione he'd finish off the potion before coming up to bed and that she should go on before him. Hermione had tested the heat of the first potion and noted it was cold enough to administer so she bottled up a vial and gave it to her father, kissing him on the cheek before telling Severus which the guest bedroom was and leaving him and her father alone.