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 Twenty-six
"Thank you for coming, Miss. Flint." Hermione said as Sonia entered her office and Hermione stood up to greet her.
"No problem, Professor." Sonia replied still quite anxious about the meeting.
"Follow me, please." Hermione said as she left to enter her classroom and stood in the middle behind the third row of desks. She waited until Sonia was next to her and motioned for her to look at the front of the room. "Tell me, have you seen these symbols before?"
Sonia took a look at the four posters at the front of the room and raked her brain for any information about what they could be or where she may have seen them. After a few moments she shook her head. "Sorry, Professor but I have never seen them before."
"What about on the cover of the Book of Shadows? Did you see anything on it when you were under its control?" Hermione asked gazing at her intently.
"No. Are these symbols from its cover?" Sonia asked incredulously as she glanced between Hermione and the posters.
"Yes. I saw them there when we were securing the book and I know I've seen them somewhere else before but I can't place them at all. Here, let me cast a projection spell of the book as it is now." Hermione muttered an incantation and before her a hazy hologram-like copy of the book appeared hovering in front of them. Hermione walked round the book and stood opposite Sonia Flint as they both peered down. "Do you see the symbols now?" Hermione asked as she looked at the four symbols that were clearly etched along its surface encircling the central emblem, which she now new meant that the outer symbols were ingredients for some sort of potion.
"Professor, it is a blank cover to me, I'm afraid. I see nothing at all." She said squinting her eyes and moving her head just in case she was missing something.
"Very strange. I see them as clearly as I do on those four posters, and yet I seem to be the only one." Hermione told her as she watched Sonia peering at the book from all angles.
"Perhaps it is only meant for you to see, Professor." Sonia commented distractedly.
"What do you mean, Miss. Flint?" Hermione asked looking up suddenly to pin the Head Girl with a steady gaze.
"Well, maybe the book is calling to you to be its new owner or something? Since it only wants the one owner then it may only be visible to its selected host." Hermione's jaw dropped at the thought and she quickly waved away the projected image suddenly becoming quite nervous. There was no way she was going to touch that book now, she had had enough of her mind being controlled for one lifetime and she had absolutely no desire to be the next dark lord.
"Well, that would seem to make a little more sense as to why I'm the only one to see the symbols then. I must unlock this code in order to find out what it means. Thank you, Miss. Flint." Hermione told her, she wasn't about to tell Sonia about what she had already discovered.
"No problem, let me know if I can help, Professor." Sonia said amiably.
"I will," Hermione said as her first class of the day arrived and Sonia left for her own.
"Good morning fifth years. I trust you all had a pleasant break." Hermione said, as her fifth year Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students took their seats. She found one of the Ravenclaws with his hand in the air already and sighed inwardly. "Yes, Mr. Owens?"
"Professor, what are those?" He asked pointing to the posters on the wall. "They are nothing to do with Arithmancy are they because I've never come across those symbols in my extensive reading of the subject?" Hermione smiled, he sounded just like her at that age and she could certainly understand how she had appeared annoying to one or two of her professors at that age; namely her now husband.
"No, Mr. Owens, they are not used in Arithmancy. However, can anyone tell me if you've seen them or anything like them before and if so what are they?" Her heart skipped as one of her Gryffindor's hands started to wave in the air.
"Yes, Mr. Runciman?" Hermione prompted quite hopefully.
"Did your baby draw them, Professor?" He asked to a round of laughs from the class.
"No, he did not," Hermione sighed. "Okay here's the deal. The first person or group of people who come to me with the answer as to what these symbols mean will receive two hundred and fifty points for their House or Houses." Hermione said; she was going to get the answer to this one way or another. "Now, books away because as you should know, this lesson will be a mock OWL examination. I hope you've been revising over the holidays as the results of this test will set the pace for the rest of the year." There was an audible groan from around the class as she handed out the papers. "You will have one hour to complete this. There are many anti-cheating spells in the room so try your best and you may now begin."
~~*~~
Severus moved along the Slytherin corridor towards the main staircase for lunch. The morning lessons had passed by quite incident free and it had been a pleasant surprise since he had had the pleasure of having two Longbottom-like students in his first class. After lunch he would have a free period and so he would be looking after Callum.
Severus entered the hall to find the vast majority of students being rowdy and boisterous with the noise levels quite unbearable. He stopped and peered around the hall becoming angrier by the second. Glancing up at the head table he found that a lot of the teachers were absent from the hall and the ones that were there were trying to shout over the noise quite unsuccessfully. What on earth was going on. why the excitement?
"SILENCE!" Severus shouted from his position in the middle of the hall and the noise dropped considerably and instantaneously as the students looked at him with fright. He had quite an ego boost knowing he could still put the fear of the deities into the students. quite satisfying indeed. "The next person to speak above a whisper will loose one hundred points!" With that he strode up to the head table and took his seat.
"Thank you, Professor Snape," Michael Creevy said as he moved to sit next to him but decided to take a seat two along from him as Severus glared and told him that it was Hermione's seat. "Hermione has caused quite a stir with the students hasn't she?" Michael asked jovially.
"What are you talking about, Creevy?" Snape demanded as he frowned at him and waited for an answer.
"W-With the diagrams and the offer of points to any student or group who comes up with the answer," Michael told him timidly and smiled nervously at him.
"Really?" Severus drawled just as the rest of the teachers drifted in and Hermione took her seat in between Michael and Severus. She caught Severus looking at her with a raised eyebrow and smiled at him.
"What is it, Severus?" She asked uncertainly.
"You've been bribing your students to solve your puzzle?" He accused amusedly.
"Well, hardly a bribe." She tried to defend herself only to be cut off.
"How many points did you offer them?" Severus asked dryly.
"Two hundred and fifty." She told him matter-of-factly.
"That's definitely a Granger trait," Severus told her and she cast an amused glance in his direction. "Any luck so far then?"
"No, except Mr. Runciman in my House asked if it was something Callum had produced." She said with a small laugh. "I'm showing Michael the symbols after lunch actually. I showed them to Miss. Flint but she had never seen them before. After I projected an image of the book she still couldn't see anything on the cover."
"Hmm," Severus said as he thought.
"She suggested it may be due to the book having chosen me as its next host."
"What!" Severus demanded as he looked at her sharply and dropped his fork with a loud clatter.
"It's a very plausible explanation don't you think?" She asked as she began to eat and Severus thought.
"I do think it is plausible. have the elves ran out of supplies in the kitchens or something? This is the third time they have offered corn on the cob as a selection." Severus complained as he changed the subject.
"I see no point in eating it anyway as you can't digest it." Michael commented from the other side of Hermione.
"Exactly," she agreed as Severus picked up a piece and began to eat it. "How have your lessons been so far, Michael?"
"Oh, fine and I think certainly more interesting than what I had to put up with as a student here." Michael said quite enthusiastically. "We're actually going on a field trip to the old Riddle house next week. I'm taking all of the first years there on Sunday. It's been fully restored and scoured for any dark magic. It's now open as a museum of sorts."
"I'm not too sure about that personally." Hermione said rather dubious about sending students to anywhere that had been the former residence of an incredibly Dark wizard up until very recently.
"Well, the Headmaster approves and Professor Lupin is coming along to supervise also." Michael explained.
"I think I'd be after a full contingency of Aurors as well." Hermione replied.
"It's a different take on history. I'm starting off quite recent and working my way back. This way I can use many visual aids in order to capture the student's imaginations and it's not so far back that they have no idea what I'm talking about. By the time they hit seventh year we should be back to the Ancient wizards and witches, and by this point the students will be able to take in more information without the need of field trips etcetera."
"It's a good idea, Michael. I think it should work out for you." Hermione said as she finished her lunch and drank down her water. "Are you finished, Michael? We have twenty minutes before lessons start again and I would like for you to see my posters."
"Yes, no problem." Michael said standing up.
"Severus, you've got Callum next haven't you?" Hermione asked turning to him to find him on his third lot of corn. "For someone complaining about corn being a selection for the third time in a row you do seem to enjoy it, love." She said chuckling softly.
"It's tasty, and yes, I have Callum for the next hour and you have him for the last lesson."
"Okay, have fun and I'll see you later." Hermione kissed him on the cheek before heading out of the Great Hall with Michael.
~~*~~
"Okay so what do you make of them?" Hermione asked as they both stood at the back of the room and examined the posters.
"Hmm. Well, they are not part of any known written Ancient language- especially those used by the Egyptians. Erm. do you know what they look like to me?" Michael said as he squinted his eyes and tried to imagine the symbols in a slightly different colour and format.
"What?" Hermione prompted, intrigued at whatever he would come up with.
"I don't know why either as this is a fairly recent phenomenon compared with the Ancient Egyptians. well as far as I'm aware anyway."
"Yes?"
"Well, to me they look like patterns found in the corn fields. don't you think?" Michael said looking quizzically at Hermione as he rubbed his chin with his index finger and thumb.
"Corn circles! I knew I'd seen them before!" Hermione blurted out suddenly very certain she knew what they were. "No wonder no-one could help me here. it's more of a Muggle Supernatural phenomenon. I wouldn't expect any of the pureblood wizards to know about them. and Severus is certainly as pureblood as they come."
"Why are they found on an Ancient artefact though? I thought corn circles were something of the very recent past. erm. the twentieth century?" Michael asked; it was slightly out of his depth as he was not overly fond of the Muggle Supernatural.
"I don't know to tell you the truth but the corn circles are thought to be the product of Aliens- by some Muggles, and there have been some stories about the Ancient Egyptians having been visited by extra terrestrials haven't there?"
"Hmm. only in Muggle literature from what I've read. I think you will need to visit the Muggle library for some information, Hermione." Michael told her. "At least you have a place to start looking though. I think there are scientists studying the corn circle phenomena as well but I don't know where they'd be based. most likely Wiltshire though as that's where they seem to appear most in the British Isles."
"Well, thank you so much for your help, my brain was completely wrung out from constantly trying to remember where I'd seen these symbols. So, thank you, Michael. I must buy you a drink next time we're in Hogsmede." Hermione said clapping him on the back in a friendly gesture.
"Sure, keep me posted as to what you find out, Hermione. I'd be interested to know." Michael told her as he smiled, happy he could help her out.
"I certainly will, Michael." She said smiling brightly.
"Okay, must be off as I've got third year Slytherin and Gryffindor next." Michael told her. "Since they're third years we'll be starting with the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin." He looked really excited about this and Hermione was glad that the students finally had an enthusiastic History of Magic teacher.
"Well, thank you once again and have a good afternoon." Hermione said as he left her classroom and her seventh years entered very soon after.
~~*~~
Severus entered Hermione's classroom ten minutes after her seventh years had left to find her sitting at her desk and sifting through some official looking parchments with a very grave look on her face.
"Hermione, what are you doing?" Severus demanded as he strode into the room with Callum in his arms, she looked up quite dazed at him.
"Severus? Is anything wrong with Callum?" She asked suddenly concerned.
"Only being forgotten about by his mother it seems." Severus retorted angrily.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, you've got a class now and I completely got way laid with this," she said gesturing to the parchments on her desk.
"What are they?" He asked frowning as he stood by her desk peering down at the papers while Callum started to fuss in his arms.
"An owl just brought them, they're our divorce papers, Severus." He stood and stared at her down his long nose, his gaze never wavering and penetrating her with a cold stare.
"Then destroy them. I have no wish to even see them, Hermione." He told her point blankly.
"Neither do I, Severus but I can't destroy them without you being present. it says right here with the accompanying letter that both parties must be present to destroy the papers but that the parties do not need to be together to sign them."
"Fine, I'm here now so let's get this over with. I have projects to supervise and you have already made me fifteen minutes late, Hermione." Severus told her.
"Okay, a simple immolio ought to have the desired effect." They both withdrew their wands and said the incantation to watch the parchments burn seconds later.
"Right, now that's done I have to go. Here, take Callum and I'll see you in a couple of hours." Severus said handing Callum over quickly and pecking Hermione on the cheek before rushing off out of the room for his dungeons.
"Well now, son. Do you want to go for a walk?" Hermione asked Callum who sat wide awake in her arms gazing intently at her with his big brown eyes. She smiled down at him and then left her classroom warding the door behind her. "Let's go see the library as I have to speak with Wilhelm Blott and you've never been there before. Of course you'll have to keep extra quiet or we'll be thrown out for being disruptive." With that they headed off down to the library encountering nobody on the way, as classes were well under way by now.
"Ah, Hermione. Vat a pleasure to see you, and zis must be young Master Snape. Vat a fine young fellow he is." Wilhelm said as he stepped off a ladder to greet Hermione as she entered the library.
"Hello, Wilhelm, this is my son, Callum. We decided on a little trip to see the library and I have a favour to ask of you as well if I may?" Hermione said as they moved over to one of the desks to sit down.
"Ask avay, Hermione. I am at your service as alvays." Wilhelm said.
"Okay, I need some books regarding the Muggle phenomenon of crop circles. I need anything available but preferably more scientific reports rather than all of the speculation surrounding them." Hermione said as he gazed intently at her. Thankfully the library was empty and no one heard her asking for such material. She didn't want to go back on her word to the students about the points she had up for grabs so she wanted to keep her sudden revelations under wraps for at least a week.
"Hmm. I know zat Flourish and Blott's have just taken on a selection of Muggle books now zat ve have a new supplier to replace me. I vill see vat he can get for you. I think zat there vill be a lot of books zat vill meet your requirements."
"Oh, thank you, Wilhelm. When do you think that you may have them?" Hermione asked tentatively.
"Oh, I think zat it may be a veek as I know zat ze supplier is away on business for a few days. Vill zis be okay vith you?"
"That should be fine, Wilhelm. Do you have anything in the library now about crop circles though?" Hermione asked him; she did want something to be going on with.
"Hmm. I think zat there may be something in ze Muggle Studies section. If you like I vill have a look zis afternoon for you as I think zat Master Snape may not like to stay in ze library for ze length of time it vill take for you to look. I vill bring vat I find zis evening to dinner for you. Okay?" Wilhelm said as Callum started to wriggle in Hermione's arms and was about to start crying at the top of his lungs quite shortly.
"Oh, that would be such a help. Callum is due his dinner now so I should really be going." Hermione stood up along with Wilhelm and smiled brightly at him. "Thank you for your help, Wilhelm. I hope you can find something for me. I'll see you later."
"Yes, you have a good afternoon now, Hermione and take good care of ze little one." Wilhelm said as Hermione left with Callum.
~~*~~
Severus burst into his dungeons now twenty minutes late to find that the entire class was working very diligently on their individual projects. He took a very brief moment to think of something else to say rather than the planned 'silence and twenty points from each of you,' that he had thought about all the way down from the Arithmancy classroom, and strode to the front of the class. "Five points to each of you for getting on with your work while I was unavoidably detained." Severus said as a few of the students looked up in shock.
Severus chose to ignore the looks and moved around the classroom to see what stages his students were at with their projects. He only had a small class of seventh year students as many had dropped out of Potions after their OWL's, now only the more dedicated students remained and because of this he had one class of students from all four of the Houses.
After he finished looking over each of his student's cauldrons he moved back to the front of the room happy that nothing was about to explode and all seemed to be progressing smoothly. He sat down at his desk and pulled a load of first year essays over to him. These were all from Hermione's class but he had already told her he would grade them as she had precious little time as it was. He pulled his eagle feather quill out of his desk draw and dipped it in the red ink getting to work.
When he next looked up he found that his students had already packed up their things and were waiting patiently for him to dismiss them. "You may leave, thank you for your diligence." Severus said and there was a sudden mass exodus from the room. A most pleasant lesson indeed, Severus thought before placing the graded essays into a neat pile, picking them up and leaving to go home. He had found that he did need to speak to his wife regarding two of the first year papers he had marked. there seemed to be some cheating going on with regards to their homework.
"Have a good lesson, Severus? I'm so sorry for making you late." Hermione said as she sat on the couch in their chambers, breast feeding Callum.
"Actually, it was the best lesson I've had this year. They were all quietly working when I arrived. I was so surprised I awarded each of them five points." Severus said as he removed his cloak and hung it up. "Can I get you anything, love?" He asked as he moved towards the kitchen, placing the graded papers on the small table before he went.
"I'll have a tea if you don't mind, thanks Severus." Hermione said as Callum finished and she moved him to wind him gently. "I have had a break through on my puzzle." She said as she stood and moved to the kitchen entrance so she could speak to Severus more easily whilst still holding Callum close to her chest.
"Really? One of the students?" Severus asked as he busied himself with the tea.
"No, Michael at lunch time." Severus nodded.
"So, what are they?"
"They are patterns from crop circles." She told him and he looked at her with a strange look on his face.
"Crop circles?"
"Yes, some Muggles think they are produced by UFO's and others believe they are hoaxes, whilst others think they are natural phenomenon. Well, whatever they are it was clear that old Sekhmet must have seen them back when she was alive and used them as some kind of code on the book's cover." Hermione said as Severus finished making the tea and handed her a cup. She turned and headed back to the couch with Callum still in her arms.
"So, however these things are formed they must mean something if they are encoded into the book; they must be the ingredients for the potion as we suspected." Severus said following her. "Is there a key? I assume there are a number of patterns."
"Yes, a good number and they appear all over the world but mainly in corn fields, and mainly in Wiltshire. The most intricate of designs appear suddenly over night and no-one can explain how."
"I've seen them before when flying by broomstick to different places but never taken much notice of them. and isn't it strange how the House Elves seem to have left clues for the last three meals?" Severus asked as he drank his tea and stroked Callum's head before placing his arm around Hermione's shoulders.
"I never thought about that, do you think they know something?" Hermione asked incredulously as she curried into Severus' shoulder.
"I think we should ask." Severus said as he put down his mug and picked up some floo powder throwing it into the fireplace. "Kitchens," Severus intoned and the face of one of the many House Elves suddenly appeared in the grate.
"Yes, sir. How may Dorfy be helping you?" The elf asked timidly.
"Send Kelpy up here, immediately." Severus demanded and the elf nodded his head furiously before vanishing and the floo connection closed. Within seconds there was a loud popping noise and Kelpy was suddenly standing before them, cowering in her dirty tea towel. "What do you know about corn circles, Kelpy?" Severus asked and the elf's eyes suddenly went very wide.
"Sir mustn't ask Kelpy. Sir mustn't. mustn't." Kelpy said as she took a step back and held her hands up in defence of the blow she was anticipating as Severus sat forward and removed his arm from around Hermione.
"Answer me now, elf!" Severus demanded. Hermione immediately placed a hand on his arm.
"Severus, do not frighten Kelpy even more. She has done nothing wrong and she is clearly terrified of something." Hermione warned him and he exhaled loudly. She stood up and placed Callum in the Moses basket near to the fireplace before returning to kneel on the floor in front of Kelpy. "Kelpy, do you know why the House Elves have been serving corn for the last three meals?"
"Kelpy knows, Professor. Elves is clever and Kelpy knows the symbols you show everybody but Kelpy can not tell you so Kelpy gives you clues and Professor is clever to work it out it seems." The elf said brightening up considerably.
"So, what do the symbols mean, Kelpy?" Hermione asked her kindly.
"Kelpy can't say for it is bad magic and Kelpy does not want you to open the book. Kelpy does not know the meaning of each symbol only that they is found in the corn fields and the code unlocks the book."
"How do you know about the corn fields when you are bound to this school and not allowed to leave?" Severus demanded and Kelpy shuddered taking another step backwards.
"Severus! Leave her alone and let me deal with this," Hermione snapped. "Can you see the symbols on the book Kelpy?" Hermione asked as she thought she would get no further forward on her other track of questioning.
"No, Kelpy can not. Only the next host can." The elf replied shaking her head, her ears flapping furiously.
"How do you know this, Elf?" Severus asked standing up suddenly and towering over the frightened House Elf.
"Kelpy can not say, Master. Kelpy is bound to not reveal anything about this mystery."
"Bound by who?" Severus asked with a glare as he bent down to look more closely at the elf.
"Kelpy can not say, Master. Do not make Kelpy." She said dropping to her knees and wailing quite loudly.
"Severus, one more word and you will be sleeping on the sofa for a week. Now shut up and comfort Callum." Hermione hissed as the elf's sobs disturbed Callum and he started to cry as well. Severus stood up straight and moved over to the Moses basket.
"Kelpy, I don't want to be the next host I want to destroy the book. In order for me to do that I need to unlock the code in order to find out what it's all about and therefore how to destroy it. to counter its magic." Hermione almost pleaded with the elf for some information.
"Kelpy does not know how, Professor. Kelpy only knows it is bad magic."
"Okay, thank you Kelpy. You may go now." Hermione said as she stood up and sat back on the couch. Kelpy took one more look at a glaring Professor Snape before immediately leaving with a loud popping noise. "Interesting," Hermione commented.
"What exactly about that was interesting? We are no further forward." Severus said as he rocked Callum's Moses basket.
"No thanks to you, Severus. I wish you would respect the elves a little more. They have rights too you know." Hermione said casting a sideways glare at him.
"We will agree to disagree, Hermione. Elves can only be trusted because they are enslaved. You've no idea what they were like when they were free. I would not be surprised if they had a hand in producing the Book of Shadows." Severus defended.
"Anyway," Hermione said changing the subject. "It's dinner time and now that you've thoroughly scared Kelpy I shouldn't think she will come back to sit with Callum for us. So, we shall have to take him along with us." Hermione stood up as Severus' jaw dropped. "Well, come along. Bring Callum." She was half way out of their chambers before Severus pulled himself together enough to pick up Callum in his basket and follow.
"Hermione. Is this such a good idea to take Callum to the Great Hall when all of the students are here?" he asked as he caught up to her and they walked along side by side.
"What choice do we have, Severus? We have to eat and as Heads of House we need to be available in the hall for dinner at least." She told him, as they reached the main entrance and several students cast strange looks at the Potions Master carrying a baby basket. He glared back at them and they ran for it before detentions could be given. Hermione headed for the main doors to the hall but Severus took her by the arm and pulled her down the corridor towards the teacher's entrance.
"Hermione," Wilhelm said as they entered the hall and took their seats, Severus placed Callum in between them on a conjured stand for the basket. "I have a most extraordinary book for you. I found it in ze Muggle Studies aisle of the Restricted Section. Here you go," he said handing a small dusty tome over to her.
"Thank you very much, Wilhelm. I shall look at this straight after dinner." Hermione said glancing at the title before placing it down on the table. 'The Secret Circles by Rolando Rotund'.
Dinner went quite well with Callum settling for most of it before the teachers began to look into his basket and comment on how much he'd grown as they left the table. Only then did Callum wake up with a vengeance and decided he would cry over the entire noise in the hall and not stop until everyone knew he was there and he had embarrassed his parents as much as he could.
"Hermione, may I take him for you?" Albus asked from a few seats away. Hermione smiled at the Headmaster.
"Please, Headmaster. Severus scared off the House Elf so we had to bring him down for dinner unfortunately." Hermione said and Severus looked up to protest but when he caught the amused look in Albus' eyes he thought better of it.
"It is no problem, my dear. In fact, I will look after him this evening if you want to do some research. You will get so much done without the worry of Young Master Snape wakening up and disturbing you." Albus told her. Hermione looked at Severus for advice and he smiled.
"Albus, he is all yours for a few hours. If you have any problems then just let us know, please." Severus told him.
"Thank you, Headmaster. You should have no problems, he is not due a feed or anything." Hermione said as Severus stood up and indicated Hermione should as well.
"Good bye you two," Albus said as they thanked him again and Severus escorted his wife from the hall, with book in tow.
Chapter Twenty-six
"Thank you for coming, Miss. Flint." Hermione said as Sonia entered her office and Hermione stood up to greet her.
"No problem, Professor." Sonia replied still quite anxious about the meeting.
"Follow me, please." Hermione said as she left to enter her classroom and stood in the middle behind the third row of desks. She waited until Sonia was next to her and motioned for her to look at the front of the room. "Tell me, have you seen these symbols before?"
Sonia took a look at the four posters at the front of the room and raked her brain for any information about what they could be or where she may have seen them. After a few moments she shook her head. "Sorry, Professor but I have never seen them before."
"What about on the cover of the Book of Shadows? Did you see anything on it when you were under its control?" Hermione asked gazing at her intently.
"No. Are these symbols from its cover?" Sonia asked incredulously as she glanced between Hermione and the posters.
"Yes. I saw them there when we were securing the book and I know I've seen them somewhere else before but I can't place them at all. Here, let me cast a projection spell of the book as it is now." Hermione muttered an incantation and before her a hazy hologram-like copy of the book appeared hovering in front of them. Hermione walked round the book and stood opposite Sonia Flint as they both peered down. "Do you see the symbols now?" Hermione asked as she looked at the four symbols that were clearly etched along its surface encircling the central emblem, which she now new meant that the outer symbols were ingredients for some sort of potion.
"Professor, it is a blank cover to me, I'm afraid. I see nothing at all." She said squinting her eyes and moving her head just in case she was missing something.
"Very strange. I see them as clearly as I do on those four posters, and yet I seem to be the only one." Hermione told her as she watched Sonia peering at the book from all angles.
"Perhaps it is only meant for you to see, Professor." Sonia commented distractedly.
"What do you mean, Miss. Flint?" Hermione asked looking up suddenly to pin the Head Girl with a steady gaze.
"Well, maybe the book is calling to you to be its new owner or something? Since it only wants the one owner then it may only be visible to its selected host." Hermione's jaw dropped at the thought and she quickly waved away the projected image suddenly becoming quite nervous. There was no way she was going to touch that book now, she had had enough of her mind being controlled for one lifetime and she had absolutely no desire to be the next dark lord.
"Well, that would seem to make a little more sense as to why I'm the only one to see the symbols then. I must unlock this code in order to find out what it means. Thank you, Miss. Flint." Hermione told her, she wasn't about to tell Sonia about what she had already discovered.
"No problem, let me know if I can help, Professor." Sonia said amiably.
"I will," Hermione said as her first class of the day arrived and Sonia left for her own.
"Good morning fifth years. I trust you all had a pleasant break." Hermione said, as her fifth year Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students took their seats. She found one of the Ravenclaws with his hand in the air already and sighed inwardly. "Yes, Mr. Owens?"
"Professor, what are those?" He asked pointing to the posters on the wall. "They are nothing to do with Arithmancy are they because I've never come across those symbols in my extensive reading of the subject?" Hermione smiled, he sounded just like her at that age and she could certainly understand how she had appeared annoying to one or two of her professors at that age; namely her now husband.
"No, Mr. Owens, they are not used in Arithmancy. However, can anyone tell me if you've seen them or anything like them before and if so what are they?" Her heart skipped as one of her Gryffindor's hands started to wave in the air.
"Yes, Mr. Runciman?" Hermione prompted quite hopefully.
"Did your baby draw them, Professor?" He asked to a round of laughs from the class.
"No, he did not," Hermione sighed. "Okay here's the deal. The first person or group of people who come to me with the answer as to what these symbols mean will receive two hundred and fifty points for their House or Houses." Hermione said; she was going to get the answer to this one way or another. "Now, books away because as you should know, this lesson will be a mock OWL examination. I hope you've been revising over the holidays as the results of this test will set the pace for the rest of the year." There was an audible groan from around the class as she handed out the papers. "You will have one hour to complete this. There are many anti-cheating spells in the room so try your best and you may now begin."
~~*~~
Severus moved along the Slytherin corridor towards the main staircase for lunch. The morning lessons had passed by quite incident free and it had been a pleasant surprise since he had had the pleasure of having two Longbottom-like students in his first class. After lunch he would have a free period and so he would be looking after Callum.
Severus entered the hall to find the vast majority of students being rowdy and boisterous with the noise levels quite unbearable. He stopped and peered around the hall becoming angrier by the second. Glancing up at the head table he found that a lot of the teachers were absent from the hall and the ones that were there were trying to shout over the noise quite unsuccessfully. What on earth was going on. why the excitement?
"SILENCE!" Severus shouted from his position in the middle of the hall and the noise dropped considerably and instantaneously as the students looked at him with fright. He had quite an ego boost knowing he could still put the fear of the deities into the students. quite satisfying indeed. "The next person to speak above a whisper will loose one hundred points!" With that he strode up to the head table and took his seat.
"Thank you, Professor Snape," Michael Creevy said as he moved to sit next to him but decided to take a seat two along from him as Severus glared and told him that it was Hermione's seat. "Hermione has caused quite a stir with the students hasn't she?" Michael asked jovially.
"What are you talking about, Creevy?" Snape demanded as he frowned at him and waited for an answer.
"W-With the diagrams and the offer of points to any student or group who comes up with the answer," Michael told him timidly and smiled nervously at him.
"Really?" Severus drawled just as the rest of the teachers drifted in and Hermione took her seat in between Michael and Severus. She caught Severus looking at her with a raised eyebrow and smiled at him.
"What is it, Severus?" She asked uncertainly.
"You've been bribing your students to solve your puzzle?" He accused amusedly.
"Well, hardly a bribe." She tried to defend herself only to be cut off.
"How many points did you offer them?" Severus asked dryly.
"Two hundred and fifty." She told him matter-of-factly.
"That's definitely a Granger trait," Severus told her and she cast an amused glance in his direction. "Any luck so far then?"
"No, except Mr. Runciman in my House asked if it was something Callum had produced." She said with a small laugh. "I'm showing Michael the symbols after lunch actually. I showed them to Miss. Flint but she had never seen them before. After I projected an image of the book she still couldn't see anything on the cover."
"Hmm," Severus said as he thought.
"She suggested it may be due to the book having chosen me as its next host."
"What!" Severus demanded as he looked at her sharply and dropped his fork with a loud clatter.
"It's a very plausible explanation don't you think?" She asked as she began to eat and Severus thought.
"I do think it is plausible. have the elves ran out of supplies in the kitchens or something? This is the third time they have offered corn on the cob as a selection." Severus complained as he changed the subject.
"I see no point in eating it anyway as you can't digest it." Michael commented from the other side of Hermione.
"Exactly," she agreed as Severus picked up a piece and began to eat it. "How have your lessons been so far, Michael?"
"Oh, fine and I think certainly more interesting than what I had to put up with as a student here." Michael said quite enthusiastically. "We're actually going on a field trip to the old Riddle house next week. I'm taking all of the first years there on Sunday. It's been fully restored and scoured for any dark magic. It's now open as a museum of sorts."
"I'm not too sure about that personally." Hermione said rather dubious about sending students to anywhere that had been the former residence of an incredibly Dark wizard up until very recently.
"Well, the Headmaster approves and Professor Lupin is coming along to supervise also." Michael explained.
"I think I'd be after a full contingency of Aurors as well." Hermione replied.
"It's a different take on history. I'm starting off quite recent and working my way back. This way I can use many visual aids in order to capture the student's imaginations and it's not so far back that they have no idea what I'm talking about. By the time they hit seventh year we should be back to the Ancient wizards and witches, and by this point the students will be able to take in more information without the need of field trips etcetera."
"It's a good idea, Michael. I think it should work out for you." Hermione said as she finished her lunch and drank down her water. "Are you finished, Michael? We have twenty minutes before lessons start again and I would like for you to see my posters."
"Yes, no problem." Michael said standing up.
"Severus, you've got Callum next haven't you?" Hermione asked turning to him to find him on his third lot of corn. "For someone complaining about corn being a selection for the third time in a row you do seem to enjoy it, love." She said chuckling softly.
"It's tasty, and yes, I have Callum for the next hour and you have him for the last lesson."
"Okay, have fun and I'll see you later." Hermione kissed him on the cheek before heading out of the Great Hall with Michael.
~~*~~
"Okay so what do you make of them?" Hermione asked as they both stood at the back of the room and examined the posters.
"Hmm. Well, they are not part of any known written Ancient language- especially those used by the Egyptians. Erm. do you know what they look like to me?" Michael said as he squinted his eyes and tried to imagine the symbols in a slightly different colour and format.
"What?" Hermione prompted, intrigued at whatever he would come up with.
"I don't know why either as this is a fairly recent phenomenon compared with the Ancient Egyptians. well as far as I'm aware anyway."
"Yes?"
"Well, to me they look like patterns found in the corn fields. don't you think?" Michael said looking quizzically at Hermione as he rubbed his chin with his index finger and thumb.
"Corn circles! I knew I'd seen them before!" Hermione blurted out suddenly very certain she knew what they were. "No wonder no-one could help me here. it's more of a Muggle Supernatural phenomenon. I wouldn't expect any of the pureblood wizards to know about them. and Severus is certainly as pureblood as they come."
"Why are they found on an Ancient artefact though? I thought corn circles were something of the very recent past. erm. the twentieth century?" Michael asked; it was slightly out of his depth as he was not overly fond of the Muggle Supernatural.
"I don't know to tell you the truth but the corn circles are thought to be the product of Aliens- by some Muggles, and there have been some stories about the Ancient Egyptians having been visited by extra terrestrials haven't there?"
"Hmm. only in Muggle literature from what I've read. I think you will need to visit the Muggle library for some information, Hermione." Michael told her. "At least you have a place to start looking though. I think there are scientists studying the corn circle phenomena as well but I don't know where they'd be based. most likely Wiltshire though as that's where they seem to appear most in the British Isles."
"Well, thank you so much for your help, my brain was completely wrung out from constantly trying to remember where I'd seen these symbols. So, thank you, Michael. I must buy you a drink next time we're in Hogsmede." Hermione said clapping him on the back in a friendly gesture.
"Sure, keep me posted as to what you find out, Hermione. I'd be interested to know." Michael told her as he smiled, happy he could help her out.
"I certainly will, Michael." She said smiling brightly.
"Okay, must be off as I've got third year Slytherin and Gryffindor next." Michael told her. "Since they're third years we'll be starting with the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin." He looked really excited about this and Hermione was glad that the students finally had an enthusiastic History of Magic teacher.
"Well, thank you once again and have a good afternoon." Hermione said as he left her classroom and her seventh years entered very soon after.
~~*~~
Severus entered Hermione's classroom ten minutes after her seventh years had left to find her sitting at her desk and sifting through some official looking parchments with a very grave look on her face.
"Hermione, what are you doing?" Severus demanded as he strode into the room with Callum in his arms, she looked up quite dazed at him.
"Severus? Is anything wrong with Callum?" She asked suddenly concerned.
"Only being forgotten about by his mother it seems." Severus retorted angrily.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, you've got a class now and I completely got way laid with this," she said gesturing to the parchments on her desk.
"What are they?" He asked frowning as he stood by her desk peering down at the papers while Callum started to fuss in his arms.
"An owl just brought them, they're our divorce papers, Severus." He stood and stared at her down his long nose, his gaze never wavering and penetrating her with a cold stare.
"Then destroy them. I have no wish to even see them, Hermione." He told her point blankly.
"Neither do I, Severus but I can't destroy them without you being present. it says right here with the accompanying letter that both parties must be present to destroy the papers but that the parties do not need to be together to sign them."
"Fine, I'm here now so let's get this over with. I have projects to supervise and you have already made me fifteen minutes late, Hermione." Severus told her.
"Okay, a simple immolio ought to have the desired effect." They both withdrew their wands and said the incantation to watch the parchments burn seconds later.
"Right, now that's done I have to go. Here, take Callum and I'll see you in a couple of hours." Severus said handing Callum over quickly and pecking Hermione on the cheek before rushing off out of the room for his dungeons.
"Well now, son. Do you want to go for a walk?" Hermione asked Callum who sat wide awake in her arms gazing intently at her with his big brown eyes. She smiled down at him and then left her classroom warding the door behind her. "Let's go see the library as I have to speak with Wilhelm Blott and you've never been there before. Of course you'll have to keep extra quiet or we'll be thrown out for being disruptive." With that they headed off down to the library encountering nobody on the way, as classes were well under way by now.
"Ah, Hermione. Vat a pleasure to see you, and zis must be young Master Snape. Vat a fine young fellow he is." Wilhelm said as he stepped off a ladder to greet Hermione as she entered the library.
"Hello, Wilhelm, this is my son, Callum. We decided on a little trip to see the library and I have a favour to ask of you as well if I may?" Hermione said as they moved over to one of the desks to sit down.
"Ask avay, Hermione. I am at your service as alvays." Wilhelm said.
"Okay, I need some books regarding the Muggle phenomenon of crop circles. I need anything available but preferably more scientific reports rather than all of the speculation surrounding them." Hermione said as he gazed intently at her. Thankfully the library was empty and no one heard her asking for such material. She didn't want to go back on her word to the students about the points she had up for grabs so she wanted to keep her sudden revelations under wraps for at least a week.
"Hmm. I know zat Flourish and Blott's have just taken on a selection of Muggle books now zat ve have a new supplier to replace me. I vill see vat he can get for you. I think zat there vill be a lot of books zat vill meet your requirements."
"Oh, thank you, Wilhelm. When do you think that you may have them?" Hermione asked tentatively.
"Oh, I think zat it may be a veek as I know zat ze supplier is away on business for a few days. Vill zis be okay vith you?"
"That should be fine, Wilhelm. Do you have anything in the library now about crop circles though?" Hermione asked him; she did want something to be going on with.
"Hmm. I think zat there may be something in ze Muggle Studies section. If you like I vill have a look zis afternoon for you as I think zat Master Snape may not like to stay in ze library for ze length of time it vill take for you to look. I vill bring vat I find zis evening to dinner for you. Okay?" Wilhelm said as Callum started to wriggle in Hermione's arms and was about to start crying at the top of his lungs quite shortly.
"Oh, that would be such a help. Callum is due his dinner now so I should really be going." Hermione stood up along with Wilhelm and smiled brightly at him. "Thank you for your help, Wilhelm. I hope you can find something for me. I'll see you later."
"Yes, you have a good afternoon now, Hermione and take good care of ze little one." Wilhelm said as Hermione left with Callum.
~~*~~
Severus burst into his dungeons now twenty minutes late to find that the entire class was working very diligently on their individual projects. He took a very brief moment to think of something else to say rather than the planned 'silence and twenty points from each of you,' that he had thought about all the way down from the Arithmancy classroom, and strode to the front of the class. "Five points to each of you for getting on with your work while I was unavoidably detained." Severus said as a few of the students looked up in shock.
Severus chose to ignore the looks and moved around the classroom to see what stages his students were at with their projects. He only had a small class of seventh year students as many had dropped out of Potions after their OWL's, now only the more dedicated students remained and because of this he had one class of students from all four of the Houses.
After he finished looking over each of his student's cauldrons he moved back to the front of the room happy that nothing was about to explode and all seemed to be progressing smoothly. He sat down at his desk and pulled a load of first year essays over to him. These were all from Hermione's class but he had already told her he would grade them as she had precious little time as it was. He pulled his eagle feather quill out of his desk draw and dipped it in the red ink getting to work.
When he next looked up he found that his students had already packed up their things and were waiting patiently for him to dismiss them. "You may leave, thank you for your diligence." Severus said and there was a sudden mass exodus from the room. A most pleasant lesson indeed, Severus thought before placing the graded essays into a neat pile, picking them up and leaving to go home. He had found that he did need to speak to his wife regarding two of the first year papers he had marked. there seemed to be some cheating going on with regards to their homework.
"Have a good lesson, Severus? I'm so sorry for making you late." Hermione said as she sat on the couch in their chambers, breast feeding Callum.
"Actually, it was the best lesson I've had this year. They were all quietly working when I arrived. I was so surprised I awarded each of them five points." Severus said as he removed his cloak and hung it up. "Can I get you anything, love?" He asked as he moved towards the kitchen, placing the graded papers on the small table before he went.
"I'll have a tea if you don't mind, thanks Severus." Hermione said as Callum finished and she moved him to wind him gently. "I have had a break through on my puzzle." She said as she stood and moved to the kitchen entrance so she could speak to Severus more easily whilst still holding Callum close to her chest.
"Really? One of the students?" Severus asked as he busied himself with the tea.
"No, Michael at lunch time." Severus nodded.
"So, what are they?"
"They are patterns from crop circles." She told him and he looked at her with a strange look on his face.
"Crop circles?"
"Yes, some Muggles think they are produced by UFO's and others believe they are hoaxes, whilst others think they are natural phenomenon. Well, whatever they are it was clear that old Sekhmet must have seen them back when she was alive and used them as some kind of code on the book's cover." Hermione said as Severus finished making the tea and handed her a cup. She turned and headed back to the couch with Callum still in her arms.
"So, however these things are formed they must mean something if they are encoded into the book; they must be the ingredients for the potion as we suspected." Severus said following her. "Is there a key? I assume there are a number of patterns."
"Yes, a good number and they appear all over the world but mainly in corn fields, and mainly in Wiltshire. The most intricate of designs appear suddenly over night and no-one can explain how."
"I've seen them before when flying by broomstick to different places but never taken much notice of them. and isn't it strange how the House Elves seem to have left clues for the last three meals?" Severus asked as he drank his tea and stroked Callum's head before placing his arm around Hermione's shoulders.
"I never thought about that, do you think they know something?" Hermione asked incredulously as she curried into Severus' shoulder.
"I think we should ask." Severus said as he put down his mug and picked up some floo powder throwing it into the fireplace. "Kitchens," Severus intoned and the face of one of the many House Elves suddenly appeared in the grate.
"Yes, sir. How may Dorfy be helping you?" The elf asked timidly.
"Send Kelpy up here, immediately." Severus demanded and the elf nodded his head furiously before vanishing and the floo connection closed. Within seconds there was a loud popping noise and Kelpy was suddenly standing before them, cowering in her dirty tea towel. "What do you know about corn circles, Kelpy?" Severus asked and the elf's eyes suddenly went very wide.
"Sir mustn't ask Kelpy. Sir mustn't. mustn't." Kelpy said as she took a step back and held her hands up in defence of the blow she was anticipating as Severus sat forward and removed his arm from around Hermione.
"Answer me now, elf!" Severus demanded. Hermione immediately placed a hand on his arm.
"Severus, do not frighten Kelpy even more. She has done nothing wrong and she is clearly terrified of something." Hermione warned him and he exhaled loudly. She stood up and placed Callum in the Moses basket near to the fireplace before returning to kneel on the floor in front of Kelpy. "Kelpy, do you know why the House Elves have been serving corn for the last three meals?"
"Kelpy knows, Professor. Elves is clever and Kelpy knows the symbols you show everybody but Kelpy can not tell you so Kelpy gives you clues and Professor is clever to work it out it seems." The elf said brightening up considerably.
"So, what do the symbols mean, Kelpy?" Hermione asked her kindly.
"Kelpy can't say for it is bad magic and Kelpy does not want you to open the book. Kelpy does not know the meaning of each symbol only that they is found in the corn fields and the code unlocks the book."
"How do you know about the corn fields when you are bound to this school and not allowed to leave?" Severus demanded and Kelpy shuddered taking another step backwards.
"Severus! Leave her alone and let me deal with this," Hermione snapped. "Can you see the symbols on the book Kelpy?" Hermione asked as she thought she would get no further forward on her other track of questioning.
"No, Kelpy can not. Only the next host can." The elf replied shaking her head, her ears flapping furiously.
"How do you know this, Elf?" Severus asked standing up suddenly and towering over the frightened House Elf.
"Kelpy can not say, Master. Kelpy is bound to not reveal anything about this mystery."
"Bound by who?" Severus asked with a glare as he bent down to look more closely at the elf.
"Kelpy can not say, Master. Do not make Kelpy." She said dropping to her knees and wailing quite loudly.
"Severus, one more word and you will be sleeping on the sofa for a week. Now shut up and comfort Callum." Hermione hissed as the elf's sobs disturbed Callum and he started to cry as well. Severus stood up straight and moved over to the Moses basket.
"Kelpy, I don't want to be the next host I want to destroy the book. In order for me to do that I need to unlock the code in order to find out what it's all about and therefore how to destroy it. to counter its magic." Hermione almost pleaded with the elf for some information.
"Kelpy does not know how, Professor. Kelpy only knows it is bad magic."
"Okay, thank you Kelpy. You may go now." Hermione said as she stood up and sat back on the couch. Kelpy took one more look at a glaring Professor Snape before immediately leaving with a loud popping noise. "Interesting," Hermione commented.
"What exactly about that was interesting? We are no further forward." Severus said as he rocked Callum's Moses basket.
"No thanks to you, Severus. I wish you would respect the elves a little more. They have rights too you know." Hermione said casting a sideways glare at him.
"We will agree to disagree, Hermione. Elves can only be trusted because they are enslaved. You've no idea what they were like when they were free. I would not be surprised if they had a hand in producing the Book of Shadows." Severus defended.
"Anyway," Hermione said changing the subject. "It's dinner time and now that you've thoroughly scared Kelpy I shouldn't think she will come back to sit with Callum for us. So, we shall have to take him along with us." Hermione stood up as Severus' jaw dropped. "Well, come along. Bring Callum." She was half way out of their chambers before Severus pulled himself together enough to pick up Callum in his basket and follow.
"Hermione. Is this such a good idea to take Callum to the Great Hall when all of the students are here?" he asked as he caught up to her and they walked along side by side.
"What choice do we have, Severus? We have to eat and as Heads of House we need to be available in the hall for dinner at least." She told him, as they reached the main entrance and several students cast strange looks at the Potions Master carrying a baby basket. He glared back at them and they ran for it before detentions could be given. Hermione headed for the main doors to the hall but Severus took her by the arm and pulled her down the corridor towards the teacher's entrance.
"Hermione," Wilhelm said as they entered the hall and took their seats, Severus placed Callum in between them on a conjured stand for the basket. "I have a most extraordinary book for you. I found it in ze Muggle Studies aisle of the Restricted Section. Here you go," he said handing a small dusty tome over to her.
"Thank you very much, Wilhelm. I shall look at this straight after dinner." Hermione said glancing at the title before placing it down on the table. 'The Secret Circles by Rolando Rotund'.
Dinner went quite well with Callum settling for most of it before the teachers began to look into his basket and comment on how much he'd grown as they left the table. Only then did Callum wake up with a vengeance and decided he would cry over the entire noise in the hall and not stop until everyone knew he was there and he had embarrassed his parents as much as he could.
"Hermione, may I take him for you?" Albus asked from a few seats away. Hermione smiled at the Headmaster.
"Please, Headmaster. Severus scared off the House Elf so we had to bring him down for dinner unfortunately." Hermione said and Severus looked up to protest but when he caught the amused look in Albus' eyes he thought better of it.
"It is no problem, my dear. In fact, I will look after him this evening if you want to do some research. You will get so much done without the worry of Young Master Snape wakening up and disturbing you." Albus told her. Hermione looked at Severus for advice and he smiled.
"Albus, he is all yours for a few hours. If you have any problems then just let us know, please." Severus told him.
"Thank you, Headmaster. You should have no problems, he is not due a feed or anything." Hermione said as Severus stood up and indicated Hermione should as well.
"Good bye you two," Albus said as they thanked him again and Severus escorted his wife from the hall, with book in tow.