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. I also have this story listed on Whispers, Adult Fan Fiction
and Lord and Lady Snape websites.. In case it gets deleted here.
Chapter Fourteen
A few weeks later and the students were all back after the Christmas holidays. Two new staff members had started, Winston Saville who would be taking over Muggle Studies and Wilhelm Blott who was the new librarian. Winston was around sixty years old and had been working at the Ministry in the Department of Muggle Liaisons for many years while Wilhelm was in his eighties and had been working in his grandfather's business acquiring rare books for many years. With their arrival the teachers were finding themselves much less stressed and able to focus their attentions on their own classes and studies as well as keeping a watchful eye on the students highlighted in connection with the Book of Shadows.
Hermione and Severus had settled into married life very well indeed and it had been announced to the students when they had returned to many cheers and congratulations. Hermione was now to be known as Professor Granger- Snape but a certain student did not like this idea and decide to do something about it.
~~*~~
It was breakfast on the third morning back after the holidays and Severus and Hermione were sat at the head table talking about baseball of all things, when the owl post arrived. Several owls swept their way towards the head table and deposited letters in front of Hermione and Severus. Severus received a copy of the Daily Prophet, a letter from his brother Demetri and one from the editor of Potions Weekly answering one of his queries. Hermione received a few belated congratulations regarding her marriage to Severus from some of her Muggles friends- their letters having started off in the normal Muggle postal system before being transferred at the sorting office to the wizarding way of doing things. She handed those letters over to Severus for him to see while she opened the last one, which she had no idea about.
My Sweet Hermione,
I've missed you. You should be with me. You do not belong with Him. I want you. I will have you. Fear not, lovely one, for we will be together soon.
Hermione quickly folded the letter and stuffed it into her pocket; she did not recognise the writing and had no idea at all who this could be from. She cast her eyes around the hall slowly but saw nothing to indicate it was from anyone present. Severus' voice invaded her thoughts.
"Everything alright, love?"
"Yes, fine." She told him, smiling slightly. "Well, I have a busy day ahead of me so I'll see you later." She got up and headed out of the hall with Severus frowning after her, she hadn't yet eaten anything.
As Hermione left she saw a group of Slytherin's heading for breakfast. "Good morning, Professor Granger-Snape." One of the boys said. She looked up at him.
"Oh, good morning, Mr. Frontera. I trust you had a pleasant holiday?" She asked in passing, not particularly wanting to stand and have a conversation.
"Yes, Professor but it's good to be back." He replied in a very deep voice.
"Miss us did you?" She asked jokingly. She noticed he had had something of a growth spurt over the holidays and his voice had broken fully as well. He was now on eye level with Hermione, rather tall for a fourth year.
"Some of you, Professor," Layton said grinning at her with a slight wink.
"Well, I must be going. See you in class, Mr. Frontera." Hermione said as she headed off to her office.
~~*~~
The next day Hermione hadn't received any strange letters in the post and put it down to a student's practical joke but it still had her feeling a bit disconcerted nevertheless. She and Severus had been late for breakfast that morning due to various extra curricular activities, and it had set her whole day off kilter. Having just finished her second morning class she was headed back to her office for the second time.
"Mr. Frontera. Are you not supposed to be in class right now?" She asked as she saw him heading up the stairs towards her.
"Yes, Professor. I was delayed speaking to Professor Clearwater about my assignment." He replied. "And I wondered if I may arrange a time to speak to you about my Arithmancy homework?"
"Very well, see me after class on Thursday. I have a free half hour and I believe that is a study session for you, am I correct?" She asked.
"Yes, Professor." He said nodding. "I'll be there." She nodded and he hurried off in the opposite direction. He had simply come the long way from Charms so that he may be able to sneak a peak at Professor Granger. arranging a meeting with her had been an added bonus. Hermione rounded the corner to her office and stopped when she saw her brother yet again.
"Mr. Granger. That will be ten points from Gryffindor." Hermione said as she stepped closer to him. Christopher looked up at her with a questioning expression on his face.
"Why?" He asked at a complete loss. He couldn't think what he might have done wrong.
"You have been trying to open that door for ten minutes now to no avail. Why?" Hermione asked as she stood and crossed her arms. She had passed her brother a couple of times as she had taken her marking back to her office and now she was calling him on his lack of ability to open a simple door.
"It's the boy's bathroom and I want to." Christopher began.
"I know which room it is, Mr. Granger. What I want to know is why it is still locked?" Hermione asked exasperated at him.
"Well."
"Are there wards on the door?" She asked, perhaps this was an explanation?
"No, Professor." Christopher replied.
"Then why is it locked?" She asked.
"I don't know, Professor." He said as he started to cross his legs and hop on the spot.
Hermione gave a deep sigh and shook her head. "I suggest you review the Standard Book of Spells, chapter seven, Mr. Granger." He looked at her with a curious expression on his face as he racked his brains trying to remember what chapter seven had been about. "Mr. Granger, point your wand at the lock and enunciate. Alohomora, and then see me in my office when you are done." Christopher did that and the door swung open to his immense relief. He thanked her quickly before rushing through the door to relieve himself. Hermione shook her head and headed off to her office chuckling softly to herself.
Christopher knocked on Hermione's office door as requested when he had finished in the bathroom. "Come." He heard from the inside and opened the door, stepping into the room. "Sit down, Chris." Hermione said indicating the chair in front of her desk. He sat down and she looked up at him after she had finished marking the parchment she was busy with. "Did you have a good Christmas?"
"Yes, and thank you for the present, it's great." He said.
"Severus told me you like Sherlock Holmes." She said.
"I do. The books are great but the string things. what are they?" Hermione had given him a set of old copies of the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as she knew Chris liked Sherlock Holmes and had a passion for books as well. She had also given him a modern day wizarding spy device as well though.
"Ah, the 'string things' as you so put it, are what are know as extendable ears." She said smiling down at him. "Have you heard of them before?"
"No." He said shaking his head.
"The Weasley twins- Fred and George.. The quads' uncles invented them around ten years ago. The string extends to its length and you put one end anywhere and the other end in your ear. thus creating an extendable ear. Understand?"
"Yeah. cool. A wizard spy device eh?" He said in awe.
"So, you could now keep your 'ears' open for any information regarding the Book of Shadows if you like?" She suggested to him quietly.
"I definitely will do, Sis." Hermione smiled at the affectionate term he used as his mind worked ten to the dozen at what mischief he could get up to.
"Well, Bro'," She returned the nickname with a grin. "If you hear anything of use, I'd like to know about it."
"I'll let you know. perhaps write you a coded letter and send it by mystery owl." He told her conspiratorially, she laughed at him- she certainly didn't need anymore mystery owls right now.
"Okay, just watch yourself. Alright?"
"Yeah. I've gotta get to Defence now. and I'm a bit late. Do you think I can have a note for Professor Snape?" He asked since he would get no special treatment even if they were brothers-in-law.
"Yes, hold on." She took out a quill and some parchment and wrote her husband a note, sealing it so that only he could read it. "There you go. I'll see you later, Chris. Enjoy Defence."
"Will do and thanks, Sis." With that he left her office and headed down to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. He heard Professor Snape on the other side of the door as he opened it quietly and stepped inside.
"Granger! Take yourself right back out of my classroom and twenty points from Gryffindor for you tardiness." He said pointing to the door he'd just come through. "If you can not get here before the lesson starts then you are not to interrupt me half way through. Got it?"
"Yes, Sir but I was detained. I have a note, Professor." Chris said stepping forward with the note outstretched in his hand. Severus took it off him and told him to sit down as he opened it and read.
Severus,
Re-award those points you've just taken from Gryffindor or you can forget about any rewards you were expecting from me tonight! I needed to speak with Chris about his Christmas present from us. He now knows how to use the extendable ears and will be listening for any information we need. So, he was late for class because of me.. Just as you were late for class this morning because of me!
Speak to you later,
Love,
Hermione. xx
Severus went quite red with embarrassment as he put the note into his pocket and turned back to the black board and got on with the lecture. He did award the twenty points back to Gryffindor but he disguised them by asking Christopher many questions he knew he would get right and awarding them that way instead.
~~*~~
"Layton!" Theresa whispered loudly from behind the statue on the fifth floor near the trophy room. Layton Frontera quickly melded into the shadows and came up to his half sister.
"Have you got it?" He enquired immediately.
"Here you go. You can keep it this time as well, I don't like it. Don't give me it again." Theresa Urmintrude told him as she handed over a large, thick, heavy and dusty tome.
"It answers to me anyway." He told her quietly. "It doesn't like being in the possession of someone who's not its rightful owner."
"How can it like or dislike anything? It's a book for Merlin's sake!" She protested in a loud whisper.
"Sshh!" He hissed back at her as there was a crash in the distance- undoubtedly Peeves throwing something down the stairs again. "Did you show this to your friends as I requested?"
"Yes, but they can't get the thing open either." She told him.
"So they each touched it?" He asked.
"Well of course they did, how else would they first try to open it up! Layton, you simply must have inherited those brains from your mother for I know father was never this thick headed! Probably the reason you ended up in Slytherin!" She snarled back at him.
"Enough!" Layton hissed back. "Who touched this book?"
"Well, I did. obviously. Erm. Jo Weasley, Josh Weasley, Helga Picardo, Paul Sanderson and Megan Broomshanks." She told him.
"Good." He smiled evilly.
"Oh... and Camilla Flourish. We thought she might know how to open it since her family owns a few book stores with the Blott's."
"No-one else?" He asked her with a suspicious glare.
"No. You said not to show many people, that it should be kept as much of a secret as possible. why, Layton?" She asked.
"It's old. invaluable. I just want to protect it that's all." He replied as he stroked the book lovingly.
"Where did you get it anyway?" She said in an accusatory tone of voice.
"I told you, father gave it to me. He." There was a louder crash nearby and Peeves came flying along the corridor. Layton and Theresa became very quiet and still, waiting for him to pass. "We must end this now, go back to Ravenclaw." Theresa left and Layton stood in the corridor admiring the book in his hands. He had missed it over the holidays since his half sister had gone home with it. Now he had it back he would put it to good use and get what his heart desired for a start. how would he do it though? He stepped out of the shadows and quietly made his way back to the dungeons. It was already past curfew and so he should have a relatively unimpeded trip.
As he rounded the last corridor before going down the stairs to the dungeons he bumped into someone and heard a gasp of air as someone tumbled to the floor and he lost his grip on the book.
"Mr. Frontera!" He heard the Head Girl hiss as she scrambled to her feet. "What are you doing out after curfew?"
"Erm... I was..."
"Accio book!" She said as she took her wand out and the book flew off the floor and into her hands.
"I was just in the library until late, I fell asleep studying." He said lying through his teeth.
"Hmm." Sonia Flint said as she turned the book over in her hands, looking for a title. "What is this book anyway? I've not seen it before. Have you been in the Restricted Section?" She accused.
"Fourth years aren't allowed in there, Sonia you know that!" He replied as if the question had wounded him.
"And they're not allowed out after curfew either. and you know that!" She spat back at him. "Ten points from Slytherin."
"May I have my book back so I can go to bed?" He asked; she looked at him for a long moment.
"Here. Don't let me catch you again." She said thrusting the book back to him and moving off down the corridor to carry on with her rounds. Layton grinned evilly, she had touched his book and therefore he now had the Head Girl under is control. Now all he had to do was touch the front cover and relay his thoughts to whomever had touched his book. it acted just like the Imperious Curse but nothing could be tracked back to him since he was not using his wand. Brilliant.. Whoever invented this book was unbelievable. it made the current owner so powerful!
He moved off to his dorm and sat down on his bed quickly. Pulling the curtains around and casting a silencing spell he touched the front cover of the book and envisioned Sonia Flint. Relaying his thoughts to her he felt a sudden rush of power through his veins. The relay of thoughts could only happen in close proximity, he knew, and he always felt a rush when it happened, Sonia must be back in the dungeons since it had worked straight away.
He transfigured the book back into a picture frame before placing it on his beside table and falling asleep, knowing that soon he would have what his heart desired. Especially once Sonia Flint started to work her own magic on a certain newly married professor, thanks to his relay of thoughts.
~~*~~
My Sweet,
Oh, how tired you make me as you chase me through my dreams. Soon, we will be together though. Soon we will be as one.
Do not fear for my love will protect us both.
Hermione stuffed this note into her pocket as well. It was definitely some kind of prank; it had to be, especially due to the poor penmanship. She had not even deemed it necessary to tell Severus, it was just too ridiculous to mention.
".And so I'll be supervising detentions until late this evening, love." Severus said looking over to her. She had not been listening at all. "Love?"
"Yes?" She said as she snapped out of her daze and turned to look at her husband.
"What's wrong?" Severus asked.
"N-nothing. I'm fine." He didn't look too convinced as she brushed him off, especially as she stuttered, which was something she never did. "Sorry, I was distracted with. wi- the baby kicked me." She finished hurriedly looking down. "Here. Feel." She said taking his hand underneath the head table and pressing it to her abdomen.
"I feel nothing, love." He said after a short time.
"No, neither do I now. The baby must be sleeping again." She smiled and rubbed her abdomen slightly.
"Are you sure you are alright? Are you getting something in the mail you are not happy about?"
"Why would you ask that?" She asked as her gaze snapped up to him.
"You've acted strange twice so far this week after receiving letters and it's only Wednesday." He replied waiting for an answer with an intense stare.
"Oh?" She frowned at him and he frowned back, letting her tell him when she was ready to. "I have to go." She said standing up abruptly and leaving the hall without another word.
"Severus?" Albus looked to him from the centre of the table.
"Yes, Albus?" He asked sighing.
"Is Hermione alright?"
"Yes, she just had some things to do." He replied and Albus nodded before getting on with his breakfast. Severus got up, deciding to leave his meal partially uneaten as well.
"Miss. Flint," Severus said making his way through the Great Hall to his seventh year prefect who was sat near the end of the Slytherin table.
"Yes, Sir?" She asked, her heart fluttering at the thought that she would be the centre of his attentions.
"I need to speak to you regarding the prefect time tables for hall duty." He said; his black gaze seemingly boring into her soul and his voice running over her body like liquid silk, she shivered slightly.
"I'm free at lunch if this is convenient to you, Sir?" She replied in a whispery voice.
"Yes, be in my office at twelve thirty today." He replied in a clipped fashion at her strange behaviour but she didn't notice.
"Yes, Sir." She said as he moved off out of the hall to his first class of the day.
Layton Frontera looked up at the Head Girl, she was breathing heavily and this is what he liked to see. She was under the impression she was greatly in love with her Potions Master thanks to his thoughts being relayed into her mind courtesy of his book. He grinned to himself, she would be sending her own love notes and hate mail soon enough.
~~*~~
"Mr. Blott." Hermione said as she came in through the library doors and moved up to the librarian's desk. He was checking out some books for Sonia Flint, the Head Girl. "Oh, hello, Miss. Flint," she said smiling brightly.
"Professor," she nodded in reply before leaving quickly.
"Mr. Blott, I wondered if you could sort my second year potions class out with some new text books, please?" She enquired. "They were stacked on one of the desks as the class was undergoing a test without the aid of their books. One of the cauldrons exploded and sent the contents of what was supposed to be a cheering draft over them. It turned out to set them all on fire and I'm afraid my second year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws have no books now." Hermione explained while Wilhelm Blott laughed. "Of course Hogwarts will foot the bill."
"I vill order a zet ov new books for you, Professor Granger-Snape." Wilhelm replied jovially in his thick German accent. "Zey should be here by Friday."
"Oh, Mr. Blott, that's great." She exclaimed. "And please do call me Hermione."
"Ov course, and you just call me Wilhelm." He said nodding his head.
"Will do, Wilhelm, and thank you once again." Hermione said leaving the library and heading to the Great Hall for lunch.
"Hello, Severus." Hermione said as she sat down next to him at the head table.
"Hermione," he nodded. "Did you get out of class late?"
"Yes, there was a bit of an accident in Potions and I had to run by the library." She explained.
"You were not hurt?" Severus asked as he finished his meal, looking over to her in concern.
"No, I'm fine but the books." Severus stood up suddenly and she stopped mid sentence.
"I'm sorry, love but I have a meeting with the Head Girl at half past." He explained and Hermione nodded. "Tell me about it later?" He said raising his eyebrow in question. Hermione simply nodded again and he left the hall. Hermione watched him head up the centre of the tables and catch Sonia Flint's eye. Sonia stood up and stumbled slightly as Severus caught her. It looked like a completely fake fall and Sonia smiled warmly at Severus as he steadied her for a few seconds longer than necessary. Hermione frowned and watched them leave the hall, walking closer together than strictly necessary. Suddenly an owl fluttered into the hall and headed straight for Hermione. It was one of the school owls and it simply dropped a small scroll by her side before heading back off to the owlry, not waiting for a treat or her to write a reply.
Hermione picked up the scroll and examined it. The scroll was of usual parchment, nothing special about it and the writing was neat and somewhat familiar but she could not place it, it was different writing to the mystery notes that she had already had this week though. She opened it and read.
Professor Granger,
You do not deserve him. He will be mine. Rest assured.
Hermione noted the name to start with, a deliberate mistake on someone's part, missing off the Snape at the end. Again, the note was a mystery as to who it had come from but she did recognise the writing. just could not place it. Who on earth would be sending her these notes? Should she act on them yet or just ignore them? And someone was after Severus now?
"Is everything alright, Hermione?" Lavendar asked from her left hand side.
"I don't know, Lavendar." Hermione replied, shaking her head. She was thinking about going to see Severus just as she was distracted by an argument at the Gryffindor table. She looked up and noticed it was the Weasley quads again. Getting up she headed in their direction.
"You four," she started and they all snapped their heads around to look at her. "What's going on here?" She asked.
Utter silence greeted her question.
"Well?" She prompted, impatiently.
"He started it." One of the Weasley girls pointed at one of her brothers.
"And you are?" Hermione asked raising her eyebrow.
"That's James." Ron said coming down from the head table to help Hermione out.
"Well, James. What did you start exactly?"
"He said that Jo should go and sit with the Slytherins since she has been acting like one of them."
"You must be Jemimah then?" Hermione asked the student who had spoken.
"Yes, Professor," she replied meekly.
"Right, you four come with me now. We will discuss this in my office immediately." Hermione said moving away slightly as they all got up. "Ron, I'd be grateful if you would accompany us, please?"
"Sure, Hermione." He replied and they all set off for Hermione's office.
"Right, Professor Weasley, please take a seat. You four stand there." Hermione said pulling another chair around her side of the desk and indicating the quads stand in a line in front of it. "Now, I want to know what is going on. From the beginning. I will not have this kind of disharmony in my House. You should be working together instead of constantly against each other. And forty points form Gryffindor by the way." She said angrily as she interlaced her hands and glared up at each of them and awaited an explanation.
"She has been saying stuff that we don't like." One of the boys said.
"Who is she and who are you?" Hermione asked since they'd mixed themselves up again and she still couldn't tell them apart. She was becoming very exasperated with them.
"She is Joanne and he is James." Ron supplied then flicked his wand so that each of them acquired a new name badge to make things easier.
"Right, James. What has Joanne been saying?" Hermione asked.
"She's been calling our friends Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers. She still won't move back into Jem's dorm and Jem's upset as she misses Jo." James supplied.
"But Jo can say what she likes, Jim!" Josh replied, which caused the other three to pipe up and another squabble to ensue.
"Stop this at once!" Hermione shouted and slamming her hand onto the desk. They became silent again immediately. Hermione put her hand to her forehead to take a deep and calming breath while Ron placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Jo, why are you being like this? You were not brought up to act or think this way." Ron asked her.
"I don't know, Uncle Ron." She said shrugging her shoulders. "It's how I feel."
"Is it your Ravenclaw friends putting these thoughts into your head?" Ron asked again.
"It is them; she was never like this until she started hanging around that Theresa and Helga!" Jim supplied in an angry voice.
"Thank you, Jim but I'm asking Jo." Ron replied sternly.
"Sorry, Uncle Ron," Jim mumbled.
"Jo, are the Ravenclaw girls bullying you at all?" Hermione asked from behind her desk.
"N-no, Professor," Jo replied quietly. Hermione sighed; she needed to speak to Joanne alone.
"She wasn't like this over the holidays, Professor." Jim told them.
"But, Jim she was not here with these Mudbloods she was at home with our Pureblood family!" Josh said and was suddenly very quiet as Ron stood up abruptly and glared at him over the desk.
"How dare you!" Ron snarled as he leaned over the desk and glared directly into Joshua's eyes. Josh shrank back away from his uncle as Hermione placed her hand on Ron's arm to stop him.
"Ron," Hermione warned him and he sat back down heavily in his chair. "Josh and Jo, please wait out in the corridor." Two of the Weasley quads left the office and slammed the door behind them. Hermione conjured up two chairs for the remaining two Weasley's and asked them to sit down.
"Sorry about them, Professor. We know you are Muggle-born and we want you to know we don't agree with anything derogatory they may say about Muggle- borns." Jim said as his sister nodded beside him, her eyes wide in shock at her two errant siblings. Hermione nodded.
"Well, thank you. Both of you," she said. "Now, tell me when this all started."
"You should know they've got those extendable ears from our uncles, Professor." Jem told her and Hermione looked to Ron who immediately stood to retrieve the devices from the two outside. He came back in with the devices and placed a strong silencing charm on the door. "Erm, it started when we had that first argument, didn't it Jim?" Jem began and looked over to her brother to continue.
"Yeah, Jo had just come back from the library. She said she'd been talking with one of the Ravenclaws. She had to do some group work with them for Divination or something. She was trying to make us agree with what she was saying about Muggle-borns."
"They'd shown her some books they thought she might like to look at for the group work to continue and then things changed from there." Jem said.
"Josh was late. he was in their group and when Jo came back to the common room she said that he should go and take a look at the books Theresa had. So he went off down to the library to find them. We don't know what happened but he's been sticking up for her ever since. Supporting what she says she now believes in and even helping her to move out of the dorm she was in with Jem."
"Do you know what books they were looking at?" Hermione asked but they both shook their heads, it could have been any of the books in the library, and there were tens of thousands.
"So, they were okay over the holidays?" Ron asked them.
"Yes, after a couple of days they were back to their normal selves. Of course Dad wouldn't let them be like that anyway but it was more than them just being suppressed. they were back to normal." Jem told them assuredly.
"Until we got back to school and they both met up with those Ravenclaws again." Jim said angrily.
"Were you there when they met the Ravenclaws after the holidays?" Hermione asked.
"No, Professor. We'd been in the common room talking about the baseball season instead." Jim said grinning at his uncle who smiled back.
"Have you noticed any other changes. perhaps with their magic?" Hermione asked again.
"Not really but then we weren't allowed to use magic over the holidays." Jim said.
"Okay, that will be all for now. I will ask you to both not touch any books you cannot read the title of though. Is this clear? It's very important." Hermione said looking each in the eye. They both nodded. "Very well, you may go to class and I will speak to Professor Clearwater later regarding why you are both late." They stood up and headed towards the door. "And one last thing. if your siblings pick a fight with you simply walk away and come to me or go to a prefect."
"Yes, Professor." They said in unison before stepping out into the corridor. Ron followed them out and ushered the other two in.
"Sit down." Hermione commanded, which they both did.
"Right, your brother and sister tell me this all started back in September when you were taking part in some group work in the library with some Ravenclaw students. Pick up the story from here, please." Hermione said.
"Erm." Josh began.
"In English if you please, Mr. Weasley." Hermione said angrily.
"There's nothing to tell, Professor." Jo replied.
"Hmm." Hermione said. "I believe you were possibly in contact with a book that the Ravenclaws showed to you when you were participating in this group work?"
"Well, of course we were, Professor. We were in the library after all." Jo replied sarcastically.
"I'm aware of that!" Hermione growled back. "This book would have been quite different from all of the others though, perhaps being one you were not able to open at all?" The colour drained from both of their faces and they looked at each other. she knew! "Yes, I do know about it."
"It's not ours, Professor!" Josh blurted out.
"Whose is it then?" Hermione asked; she was onto the trail now. one step closer to finding the elusive Book of Shadows.
"We don't know. Theresa had it with her." Jo offered up.
"Have you noticed a change in yourselves since having been in contact with this book?" Hermione asked.
"W-what do you mean, Professor?" Josh asked.
"Have you experienced a change in your magic? Attitudes? Thoughts? Felt lethargic or full of energy perhaps?"
"Josh has been sleeping a lot." Jo told her.
"Is that normal for you, Josh?"
"No, Professor." He answered looking down at the floor.
"And you, Miss. Weasley? Have you experienced anything different about yourself?"
"I couldn't think properly and to cast a spell would require so much more thought in order to make it work, just before the holidays. I put that down to needing a break though." She said quietly.
"And now?" Ron spoke up.
"It's just the same." She said quietly.
"Do you truly believe what you've been saying? Do you believe Purebloods are better?" Ron asked them both.
"Theresa said." Josh started.
"No. what do you believe?" Hermione interrupted.
"Well, no, Professor. I do not agree with her." He responded.
"Me neither, Professor." Jo said.
"Very well," Hermione replied. "Do you know what has happened to you?" They both shook their heads. "You have been cursed by a book, well that's a rather crude explanation but it's all I can give you right now."
"Cursed!" Ron exclaimed next to her and looked at Hermione for an explanation.
"I'll explain later, Ron. I want you two to go straight to the infirmary. I will ask the Headmaster to see you there. He will be able to break the curse." They both nodded. "Now, off you go. I will also tell you not to touch anything suspicious looking again or any books without a title which you can clearly read. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Professor." They said in unison.
"Ron, please escort them to the infirmary. I will inform the Headmaster, and thank you for your help." She said smiling. It was just as well she had a free period.
Chapter Fourteen
A few weeks later and the students were all back after the Christmas holidays. Two new staff members had started, Winston Saville who would be taking over Muggle Studies and Wilhelm Blott who was the new librarian. Winston was around sixty years old and had been working at the Ministry in the Department of Muggle Liaisons for many years while Wilhelm was in his eighties and had been working in his grandfather's business acquiring rare books for many years. With their arrival the teachers were finding themselves much less stressed and able to focus their attentions on their own classes and studies as well as keeping a watchful eye on the students highlighted in connection with the Book of Shadows.
Hermione and Severus had settled into married life very well indeed and it had been announced to the students when they had returned to many cheers and congratulations. Hermione was now to be known as Professor Granger- Snape but a certain student did not like this idea and decide to do something about it.
~~*~~
It was breakfast on the third morning back after the holidays and Severus and Hermione were sat at the head table talking about baseball of all things, when the owl post arrived. Several owls swept their way towards the head table and deposited letters in front of Hermione and Severus. Severus received a copy of the Daily Prophet, a letter from his brother Demetri and one from the editor of Potions Weekly answering one of his queries. Hermione received a few belated congratulations regarding her marriage to Severus from some of her Muggles friends- their letters having started off in the normal Muggle postal system before being transferred at the sorting office to the wizarding way of doing things. She handed those letters over to Severus for him to see while she opened the last one, which she had no idea about.
My Sweet Hermione,
I've missed you. You should be with me. You do not belong with Him. I want you. I will have you. Fear not, lovely one, for we will be together soon.
Hermione quickly folded the letter and stuffed it into her pocket; she did not recognise the writing and had no idea at all who this could be from. She cast her eyes around the hall slowly but saw nothing to indicate it was from anyone present. Severus' voice invaded her thoughts.
"Everything alright, love?"
"Yes, fine." She told him, smiling slightly. "Well, I have a busy day ahead of me so I'll see you later." She got up and headed out of the hall with Severus frowning after her, she hadn't yet eaten anything.
As Hermione left she saw a group of Slytherin's heading for breakfast. "Good morning, Professor Granger-Snape." One of the boys said. She looked up at him.
"Oh, good morning, Mr. Frontera. I trust you had a pleasant holiday?" She asked in passing, not particularly wanting to stand and have a conversation.
"Yes, Professor but it's good to be back." He replied in a very deep voice.
"Miss us did you?" She asked jokingly. She noticed he had had something of a growth spurt over the holidays and his voice had broken fully as well. He was now on eye level with Hermione, rather tall for a fourth year.
"Some of you, Professor," Layton said grinning at her with a slight wink.
"Well, I must be going. See you in class, Mr. Frontera." Hermione said as she headed off to her office.
~~*~~
The next day Hermione hadn't received any strange letters in the post and put it down to a student's practical joke but it still had her feeling a bit disconcerted nevertheless. She and Severus had been late for breakfast that morning due to various extra curricular activities, and it had set her whole day off kilter. Having just finished her second morning class she was headed back to her office for the second time.
"Mr. Frontera. Are you not supposed to be in class right now?" She asked as she saw him heading up the stairs towards her.
"Yes, Professor. I was delayed speaking to Professor Clearwater about my assignment." He replied. "And I wondered if I may arrange a time to speak to you about my Arithmancy homework?"
"Very well, see me after class on Thursday. I have a free half hour and I believe that is a study session for you, am I correct?" She asked.
"Yes, Professor." He said nodding. "I'll be there." She nodded and he hurried off in the opposite direction. He had simply come the long way from Charms so that he may be able to sneak a peak at Professor Granger. arranging a meeting with her had been an added bonus. Hermione rounded the corner to her office and stopped when she saw her brother yet again.
"Mr. Granger. That will be ten points from Gryffindor." Hermione said as she stepped closer to him. Christopher looked up at her with a questioning expression on his face.
"Why?" He asked at a complete loss. He couldn't think what he might have done wrong.
"You have been trying to open that door for ten minutes now to no avail. Why?" Hermione asked as she stood and crossed her arms. She had passed her brother a couple of times as she had taken her marking back to her office and now she was calling him on his lack of ability to open a simple door.
"It's the boy's bathroom and I want to." Christopher began.
"I know which room it is, Mr. Granger. What I want to know is why it is still locked?" Hermione asked exasperated at him.
"Well."
"Are there wards on the door?" She asked, perhaps this was an explanation?
"No, Professor." Christopher replied.
"Then why is it locked?" She asked.
"I don't know, Professor." He said as he started to cross his legs and hop on the spot.
Hermione gave a deep sigh and shook her head. "I suggest you review the Standard Book of Spells, chapter seven, Mr. Granger." He looked at her with a curious expression on his face as he racked his brains trying to remember what chapter seven had been about. "Mr. Granger, point your wand at the lock and enunciate. Alohomora, and then see me in my office when you are done." Christopher did that and the door swung open to his immense relief. He thanked her quickly before rushing through the door to relieve himself. Hermione shook her head and headed off to her office chuckling softly to herself.
Christopher knocked on Hermione's office door as requested when he had finished in the bathroom. "Come." He heard from the inside and opened the door, stepping into the room. "Sit down, Chris." Hermione said indicating the chair in front of her desk. He sat down and she looked up at him after she had finished marking the parchment she was busy with. "Did you have a good Christmas?"
"Yes, and thank you for the present, it's great." He said.
"Severus told me you like Sherlock Holmes." She said.
"I do. The books are great but the string things. what are they?" Hermione had given him a set of old copies of the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as she knew Chris liked Sherlock Holmes and had a passion for books as well. She had also given him a modern day wizarding spy device as well though.
"Ah, the 'string things' as you so put it, are what are know as extendable ears." She said smiling down at him. "Have you heard of them before?"
"No." He said shaking his head.
"The Weasley twins- Fred and George.. The quads' uncles invented them around ten years ago. The string extends to its length and you put one end anywhere and the other end in your ear. thus creating an extendable ear. Understand?"
"Yeah. cool. A wizard spy device eh?" He said in awe.
"So, you could now keep your 'ears' open for any information regarding the Book of Shadows if you like?" She suggested to him quietly.
"I definitely will do, Sis." Hermione smiled at the affectionate term he used as his mind worked ten to the dozen at what mischief he could get up to.
"Well, Bro'," She returned the nickname with a grin. "If you hear anything of use, I'd like to know about it."
"I'll let you know. perhaps write you a coded letter and send it by mystery owl." He told her conspiratorially, she laughed at him- she certainly didn't need anymore mystery owls right now.
"Okay, just watch yourself. Alright?"
"Yeah. I've gotta get to Defence now. and I'm a bit late. Do you think I can have a note for Professor Snape?" He asked since he would get no special treatment even if they were brothers-in-law.
"Yes, hold on." She took out a quill and some parchment and wrote her husband a note, sealing it so that only he could read it. "There you go. I'll see you later, Chris. Enjoy Defence."
"Will do and thanks, Sis." With that he left her office and headed down to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. He heard Professor Snape on the other side of the door as he opened it quietly and stepped inside.
"Granger! Take yourself right back out of my classroom and twenty points from Gryffindor for you tardiness." He said pointing to the door he'd just come through. "If you can not get here before the lesson starts then you are not to interrupt me half way through. Got it?"
"Yes, Sir but I was detained. I have a note, Professor." Chris said stepping forward with the note outstretched in his hand. Severus took it off him and told him to sit down as he opened it and read.
Severus,
Re-award those points you've just taken from Gryffindor or you can forget about any rewards you were expecting from me tonight! I needed to speak with Chris about his Christmas present from us. He now knows how to use the extendable ears and will be listening for any information we need. So, he was late for class because of me.. Just as you were late for class this morning because of me!
Speak to you later,
Love,
Hermione. xx
Severus went quite red with embarrassment as he put the note into his pocket and turned back to the black board and got on with the lecture. He did award the twenty points back to Gryffindor but he disguised them by asking Christopher many questions he knew he would get right and awarding them that way instead.
~~*~~
"Layton!" Theresa whispered loudly from behind the statue on the fifth floor near the trophy room. Layton Frontera quickly melded into the shadows and came up to his half sister.
"Have you got it?" He enquired immediately.
"Here you go. You can keep it this time as well, I don't like it. Don't give me it again." Theresa Urmintrude told him as she handed over a large, thick, heavy and dusty tome.
"It answers to me anyway." He told her quietly. "It doesn't like being in the possession of someone who's not its rightful owner."
"How can it like or dislike anything? It's a book for Merlin's sake!" She protested in a loud whisper.
"Sshh!" He hissed back at her as there was a crash in the distance- undoubtedly Peeves throwing something down the stairs again. "Did you show this to your friends as I requested?"
"Yes, but they can't get the thing open either." She told him.
"So they each touched it?" He asked.
"Well of course they did, how else would they first try to open it up! Layton, you simply must have inherited those brains from your mother for I know father was never this thick headed! Probably the reason you ended up in Slytherin!" She snarled back at him.
"Enough!" Layton hissed back. "Who touched this book?"
"Well, I did. obviously. Erm. Jo Weasley, Josh Weasley, Helga Picardo, Paul Sanderson and Megan Broomshanks." She told him.
"Good." He smiled evilly.
"Oh... and Camilla Flourish. We thought she might know how to open it since her family owns a few book stores with the Blott's."
"No-one else?" He asked her with a suspicious glare.
"No. You said not to show many people, that it should be kept as much of a secret as possible. why, Layton?" She asked.
"It's old. invaluable. I just want to protect it that's all." He replied as he stroked the book lovingly.
"Where did you get it anyway?" She said in an accusatory tone of voice.
"I told you, father gave it to me. He." There was a louder crash nearby and Peeves came flying along the corridor. Layton and Theresa became very quiet and still, waiting for him to pass. "We must end this now, go back to Ravenclaw." Theresa left and Layton stood in the corridor admiring the book in his hands. He had missed it over the holidays since his half sister had gone home with it. Now he had it back he would put it to good use and get what his heart desired for a start. how would he do it though? He stepped out of the shadows and quietly made his way back to the dungeons. It was already past curfew and so he should have a relatively unimpeded trip.
As he rounded the last corridor before going down the stairs to the dungeons he bumped into someone and heard a gasp of air as someone tumbled to the floor and he lost his grip on the book.
"Mr. Frontera!" He heard the Head Girl hiss as she scrambled to her feet. "What are you doing out after curfew?"
"Erm... I was..."
"Accio book!" She said as she took her wand out and the book flew off the floor and into her hands.
"I was just in the library until late, I fell asleep studying." He said lying through his teeth.
"Hmm." Sonia Flint said as she turned the book over in her hands, looking for a title. "What is this book anyway? I've not seen it before. Have you been in the Restricted Section?" She accused.
"Fourth years aren't allowed in there, Sonia you know that!" He replied as if the question had wounded him.
"And they're not allowed out after curfew either. and you know that!" She spat back at him. "Ten points from Slytherin."
"May I have my book back so I can go to bed?" He asked; she looked at him for a long moment.
"Here. Don't let me catch you again." She said thrusting the book back to him and moving off down the corridor to carry on with her rounds. Layton grinned evilly, she had touched his book and therefore he now had the Head Girl under is control. Now all he had to do was touch the front cover and relay his thoughts to whomever had touched his book. it acted just like the Imperious Curse but nothing could be tracked back to him since he was not using his wand. Brilliant.. Whoever invented this book was unbelievable. it made the current owner so powerful!
He moved off to his dorm and sat down on his bed quickly. Pulling the curtains around and casting a silencing spell he touched the front cover of the book and envisioned Sonia Flint. Relaying his thoughts to her he felt a sudden rush of power through his veins. The relay of thoughts could only happen in close proximity, he knew, and he always felt a rush when it happened, Sonia must be back in the dungeons since it had worked straight away.
He transfigured the book back into a picture frame before placing it on his beside table and falling asleep, knowing that soon he would have what his heart desired. Especially once Sonia Flint started to work her own magic on a certain newly married professor, thanks to his relay of thoughts.
~~*~~
My Sweet,
Oh, how tired you make me as you chase me through my dreams. Soon, we will be together though. Soon we will be as one.
Do not fear for my love will protect us both.
Hermione stuffed this note into her pocket as well. It was definitely some kind of prank; it had to be, especially due to the poor penmanship. She had not even deemed it necessary to tell Severus, it was just too ridiculous to mention.
".And so I'll be supervising detentions until late this evening, love." Severus said looking over to her. She had not been listening at all. "Love?"
"Yes?" She said as she snapped out of her daze and turned to look at her husband.
"What's wrong?" Severus asked.
"N-nothing. I'm fine." He didn't look too convinced as she brushed him off, especially as she stuttered, which was something she never did. "Sorry, I was distracted with. wi- the baby kicked me." She finished hurriedly looking down. "Here. Feel." She said taking his hand underneath the head table and pressing it to her abdomen.
"I feel nothing, love." He said after a short time.
"No, neither do I now. The baby must be sleeping again." She smiled and rubbed her abdomen slightly.
"Are you sure you are alright? Are you getting something in the mail you are not happy about?"
"Why would you ask that?" She asked as her gaze snapped up to him.
"You've acted strange twice so far this week after receiving letters and it's only Wednesday." He replied waiting for an answer with an intense stare.
"Oh?" She frowned at him and he frowned back, letting her tell him when she was ready to. "I have to go." She said standing up abruptly and leaving the hall without another word.
"Severus?" Albus looked to him from the centre of the table.
"Yes, Albus?" He asked sighing.
"Is Hermione alright?"
"Yes, she just had some things to do." He replied and Albus nodded before getting on with his breakfast. Severus got up, deciding to leave his meal partially uneaten as well.
"Miss. Flint," Severus said making his way through the Great Hall to his seventh year prefect who was sat near the end of the Slytherin table.
"Yes, Sir?" She asked, her heart fluttering at the thought that she would be the centre of his attentions.
"I need to speak to you regarding the prefect time tables for hall duty." He said; his black gaze seemingly boring into her soul and his voice running over her body like liquid silk, she shivered slightly.
"I'm free at lunch if this is convenient to you, Sir?" She replied in a whispery voice.
"Yes, be in my office at twelve thirty today." He replied in a clipped fashion at her strange behaviour but she didn't notice.
"Yes, Sir." She said as he moved off out of the hall to his first class of the day.
Layton Frontera looked up at the Head Girl, she was breathing heavily and this is what he liked to see. She was under the impression she was greatly in love with her Potions Master thanks to his thoughts being relayed into her mind courtesy of his book. He grinned to himself, she would be sending her own love notes and hate mail soon enough.
~~*~~
"Mr. Blott." Hermione said as she came in through the library doors and moved up to the librarian's desk. He was checking out some books for Sonia Flint, the Head Girl. "Oh, hello, Miss. Flint," she said smiling brightly.
"Professor," she nodded in reply before leaving quickly.
"Mr. Blott, I wondered if you could sort my second year potions class out with some new text books, please?" She enquired. "They were stacked on one of the desks as the class was undergoing a test without the aid of their books. One of the cauldrons exploded and sent the contents of what was supposed to be a cheering draft over them. It turned out to set them all on fire and I'm afraid my second year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws have no books now." Hermione explained while Wilhelm Blott laughed. "Of course Hogwarts will foot the bill."
"I vill order a zet ov new books for you, Professor Granger-Snape." Wilhelm replied jovially in his thick German accent. "Zey should be here by Friday."
"Oh, Mr. Blott, that's great." She exclaimed. "And please do call me Hermione."
"Ov course, and you just call me Wilhelm." He said nodding his head.
"Will do, Wilhelm, and thank you once again." Hermione said leaving the library and heading to the Great Hall for lunch.
"Hello, Severus." Hermione said as she sat down next to him at the head table.
"Hermione," he nodded. "Did you get out of class late?"
"Yes, there was a bit of an accident in Potions and I had to run by the library." She explained.
"You were not hurt?" Severus asked as he finished his meal, looking over to her in concern.
"No, I'm fine but the books." Severus stood up suddenly and she stopped mid sentence.
"I'm sorry, love but I have a meeting with the Head Girl at half past." He explained and Hermione nodded. "Tell me about it later?" He said raising his eyebrow in question. Hermione simply nodded again and he left the hall. Hermione watched him head up the centre of the tables and catch Sonia Flint's eye. Sonia stood up and stumbled slightly as Severus caught her. It looked like a completely fake fall and Sonia smiled warmly at Severus as he steadied her for a few seconds longer than necessary. Hermione frowned and watched them leave the hall, walking closer together than strictly necessary. Suddenly an owl fluttered into the hall and headed straight for Hermione. It was one of the school owls and it simply dropped a small scroll by her side before heading back off to the owlry, not waiting for a treat or her to write a reply.
Hermione picked up the scroll and examined it. The scroll was of usual parchment, nothing special about it and the writing was neat and somewhat familiar but she could not place it, it was different writing to the mystery notes that she had already had this week though. She opened it and read.
Professor Granger,
You do not deserve him. He will be mine. Rest assured.
Hermione noted the name to start with, a deliberate mistake on someone's part, missing off the Snape at the end. Again, the note was a mystery as to who it had come from but she did recognise the writing. just could not place it. Who on earth would be sending her these notes? Should she act on them yet or just ignore them? And someone was after Severus now?
"Is everything alright, Hermione?" Lavendar asked from her left hand side.
"I don't know, Lavendar." Hermione replied, shaking her head. She was thinking about going to see Severus just as she was distracted by an argument at the Gryffindor table. She looked up and noticed it was the Weasley quads again. Getting up she headed in their direction.
"You four," she started and they all snapped their heads around to look at her. "What's going on here?" She asked.
Utter silence greeted her question.
"Well?" She prompted, impatiently.
"He started it." One of the Weasley girls pointed at one of her brothers.
"And you are?" Hermione asked raising her eyebrow.
"That's James." Ron said coming down from the head table to help Hermione out.
"Well, James. What did you start exactly?"
"He said that Jo should go and sit with the Slytherins since she has been acting like one of them."
"You must be Jemimah then?" Hermione asked the student who had spoken.
"Yes, Professor," she replied meekly.
"Right, you four come with me now. We will discuss this in my office immediately." Hermione said moving away slightly as they all got up. "Ron, I'd be grateful if you would accompany us, please?"
"Sure, Hermione." He replied and they all set off for Hermione's office.
"Right, Professor Weasley, please take a seat. You four stand there." Hermione said pulling another chair around her side of the desk and indicating the quads stand in a line in front of it. "Now, I want to know what is going on. From the beginning. I will not have this kind of disharmony in my House. You should be working together instead of constantly against each other. And forty points form Gryffindor by the way." She said angrily as she interlaced her hands and glared up at each of them and awaited an explanation.
"She has been saying stuff that we don't like." One of the boys said.
"Who is she and who are you?" Hermione asked since they'd mixed themselves up again and she still couldn't tell them apart. She was becoming very exasperated with them.
"She is Joanne and he is James." Ron supplied then flicked his wand so that each of them acquired a new name badge to make things easier.
"Right, James. What has Joanne been saying?" Hermione asked.
"She's been calling our friends Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers. She still won't move back into Jem's dorm and Jem's upset as she misses Jo." James supplied.
"But Jo can say what she likes, Jim!" Josh replied, which caused the other three to pipe up and another squabble to ensue.
"Stop this at once!" Hermione shouted and slamming her hand onto the desk. They became silent again immediately. Hermione put her hand to her forehead to take a deep and calming breath while Ron placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Jo, why are you being like this? You were not brought up to act or think this way." Ron asked her.
"I don't know, Uncle Ron." She said shrugging her shoulders. "It's how I feel."
"Is it your Ravenclaw friends putting these thoughts into your head?" Ron asked again.
"It is them; she was never like this until she started hanging around that Theresa and Helga!" Jim supplied in an angry voice.
"Thank you, Jim but I'm asking Jo." Ron replied sternly.
"Sorry, Uncle Ron," Jim mumbled.
"Jo, are the Ravenclaw girls bullying you at all?" Hermione asked from behind her desk.
"N-no, Professor," Jo replied quietly. Hermione sighed; she needed to speak to Joanne alone.
"She wasn't like this over the holidays, Professor." Jim told them.
"But, Jim she was not here with these Mudbloods she was at home with our Pureblood family!" Josh said and was suddenly very quiet as Ron stood up abruptly and glared at him over the desk.
"How dare you!" Ron snarled as he leaned over the desk and glared directly into Joshua's eyes. Josh shrank back away from his uncle as Hermione placed her hand on Ron's arm to stop him.
"Ron," Hermione warned him and he sat back down heavily in his chair. "Josh and Jo, please wait out in the corridor." Two of the Weasley quads left the office and slammed the door behind them. Hermione conjured up two chairs for the remaining two Weasley's and asked them to sit down.
"Sorry about them, Professor. We know you are Muggle-born and we want you to know we don't agree with anything derogatory they may say about Muggle- borns." Jim said as his sister nodded beside him, her eyes wide in shock at her two errant siblings. Hermione nodded.
"Well, thank you. Both of you," she said. "Now, tell me when this all started."
"You should know they've got those extendable ears from our uncles, Professor." Jem told her and Hermione looked to Ron who immediately stood to retrieve the devices from the two outside. He came back in with the devices and placed a strong silencing charm on the door. "Erm, it started when we had that first argument, didn't it Jim?" Jem began and looked over to her brother to continue.
"Yeah, Jo had just come back from the library. She said she'd been talking with one of the Ravenclaws. She had to do some group work with them for Divination or something. She was trying to make us agree with what she was saying about Muggle-borns."
"They'd shown her some books they thought she might like to look at for the group work to continue and then things changed from there." Jem said.
"Josh was late. he was in their group and when Jo came back to the common room she said that he should go and take a look at the books Theresa had. So he went off down to the library to find them. We don't know what happened but he's been sticking up for her ever since. Supporting what she says she now believes in and even helping her to move out of the dorm she was in with Jem."
"Do you know what books they were looking at?" Hermione asked but they both shook their heads, it could have been any of the books in the library, and there were tens of thousands.
"So, they were okay over the holidays?" Ron asked them.
"Yes, after a couple of days they were back to their normal selves. Of course Dad wouldn't let them be like that anyway but it was more than them just being suppressed. they were back to normal." Jem told them assuredly.
"Until we got back to school and they both met up with those Ravenclaws again." Jim said angrily.
"Were you there when they met the Ravenclaws after the holidays?" Hermione asked.
"No, Professor. We'd been in the common room talking about the baseball season instead." Jim said grinning at his uncle who smiled back.
"Have you noticed any other changes. perhaps with their magic?" Hermione asked again.
"Not really but then we weren't allowed to use magic over the holidays." Jim said.
"Okay, that will be all for now. I will ask you to both not touch any books you cannot read the title of though. Is this clear? It's very important." Hermione said looking each in the eye. They both nodded. "Very well, you may go to class and I will speak to Professor Clearwater later regarding why you are both late." They stood up and headed towards the door. "And one last thing. if your siblings pick a fight with you simply walk away and come to me or go to a prefect."
"Yes, Professor." They said in unison before stepping out into the corridor. Ron followed them out and ushered the other two in.
"Sit down." Hermione commanded, which they both did.
"Right, your brother and sister tell me this all started back in September when you were taking part in some group work in the library with some Ravenclaw students. Pick up the story from here, please." Hermione said.
"Erm." Josh began.
"In English if you please, Mr. Weasley." Hermione said angrily.
"There's nothing to tell, Professor." Jo replied.
"Hmm." Hermione said. "I believe you were possibly in contact with a book that the Ravenclaws showed to you when you were participating in this group work?"
"Well, of course we were, Professor. We were in the library after all." Jo replied sarcastically.
"I'm aware of that!" Hermione growled back. "This book would have been quite different from all of the others though, perhaps being one you were not able to open at all?" The colour drained from both of their faces and they looked at each other. she knew! "Yes, I do know about it."
"It's not ours, Professor!" Josh blurted out.
"Whose is it then?" Hermione asked; she was onto the trail now. one step closer to finding the elusive Book of Shadows.
"We don't know. Theresa had it with her." Jo offered up.
"Have you noticed a change in yourselves since having been in contact with this book?" Hermione asked.
"W-what do you mean, Professor?" Josh asked.
"Have you experienced a change in your magic? Attitudes? Thoughts? Felt lethargic or full of energy perhaps?"
"Josh has been sleeping a lot." Jo told her.
"Is that normal for you, Josh?"
"No, Professor." He answered looking down at the floor.
"And you, Miss. Weasley? Have you experienced anything different about yourself?"
"I couldn't think properly and to cast a spell would require so much more thought in order to make it work, just before the holidays. I put that down to needing a break though." She said quietly.
"And now?" Ron spoke up.
"It's just the same." She said quietly.
"Do you truly believe what you've been saying? Do you believe Purebloods are better?" Ron asked them both.
"Theresa said." Josh started.
"No. what do you believe?" Hermione interrupted.
"Well, no, Professor. I do not agree with her." He responded.
"Me neither, Professor." Jo said.
"Very well," Hermione replied. "Do you know what has happened to you?" They both shook their heads. "You have been cursed by a book, well that's a rather crude explanation but it's all I can give you right now."
"Cursed!" Ron exclaimed next to her and looked at Hermione for an explanation.
"I'll explain later, Ron. I want you two to go straight to the infirmary. I will ask the Headmaster to see you there. He will be able to break the curse." They both nodded. "Now, off you go. I will also tell you not to touch anything suspicious looking again or any books without a title which you can clearly read. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Professor." They said in unison.
"Ron, please escort them to the infirmary. I will inform the Headmaster, and thank you for your help." She said smiling. It was just as well she had a free period.