Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Harry Potter series of books.
I am making no money from the distribution of this fanfiction. Anything you
recognize is not mine.
Author notes: Thanks everyone who had reviewed so far.
Chapter 8: Testing
The ministry wasted no time in preparing for the test cases of the new Wolfsbane, which still didn't have a proper name. Severus received paper work regarding the beginning of the test cases within months which seemed speedy considering it normally took the ministry years to begin testing new potions. Remus Lupin and other well known werewolves would be testing the potion and living within the ministry for a period of six months to be monitored on a daily basis. After a meeting with Remus regarding the conference they would be having about the potion, Severus helped him pack up a bit of his belongings, as he was moving.
"You are sure taking a lot of useless material, Lupin." Severus barked, moving the boxes of old letters aside. He peered through them wondering why in the world anyone kept that many old letters. As he pilfered, he noticed a couple from Hermione. It hadn't usually been in his nature to snoop, but who was he really kidding he had been a spy, his entire life had been to snoop. He tucked the letters away in his robes and hoped the gods would forgive his curiosity.
"I am going to be in the ministry for six months, I need every possible diversionary option as possible. Besides, I don't want to hear any complaints, I helped you organize your storage." Severus threw him a sneer and a scowl. He wondered how the two immediate enemies had managed to become acquaintances over the past years. Remus had a lighter side that made him seem so much younger and as if he were living the life of a king, yet he was still without great means.
"Where did you get all these pictures?" Severus asked going through pictures from their school days to the present. He saw pictures that made him relive moments he'd once forgotten so easily. Seeing Lily Evans and Monica Sinistra by the lake in seventh year made him think of his once crush on the redheaded Lily. It seemed ages ago.
"It's a hobby I guess. I like being able to remember as much as possible." Severus suddenly felt a bit sorry for the man knowing that werewolves often lost many memories every time they transformed into their wolf form. He searched through the pictures trying to find the ones Remus had put on his list. He found two of Lily and James with a baby Harry and also one with Sirius Black. He found the one of Remus and Hagrid during his teachings while the dream team was in their third year. Searching through them, he found one of a lady he didn't recognize, but assumed she was the Eva Turner on Remus's list. He came upon several of weddings Remus had attended and then one that made Severus's face drop. It was Hermione and Christopher's wedding. She looked happy, though with dark circles about her eyes and no weight on her bones she seemed sad. Christopher couldn't take his eyes off of Hermione as she waved towards Remus taking the picture. Her scar hadn't healed much, though it didn't seem to matter as she waved and then kissed her new husband.
"That was the only time she smiled at that wedding. I half believed her to run from the church when they were pronounced man and wife. They left the reception only an hour into it and she cried the whole way out of the building." Remus said, staring at the man across from him whom he knew had loved Hermione.
"Well at least she found someone to spend her life with."
"Is it worth it without love and devotion? I would rather remain single and alone for the rest of my life than to marry someone to escape my problems. But, I guess things are different for everyone." Remus stated, packing the rest of his clothes from his cabinets and throwing Severus another folder to put pictures in.
"I've found most of them, but I can't find the one with you and Black at the leaving feast when we graduated." Severus replied, completely ignoring Remus's comments about Hermione and her marriage.
"Oh, that's on my night stand." Remus pointed towards his room. Severus let out a slight huff and headed towards his room slightly afraid of what he might find there. As he found the picture, he stared at it wildly. Remus and Black were waving towards him and then suddenly turned at each other with a look of complete adoration and affection. Severus had always wondered how far their relationship had gone, but simply had never inquired especially since Sirius's death.
"He was such a rogue." Remus stated as Severus returned with the picture to the main room.
"Yes, I definitely agree with you there." With his bags packed and his affairs in place, Remus stared around his flat and sighed. He knew that going through with the testing and research would give him a ticket to freedom, but leaving the home that had once harbored such love was going to hurt him.
"Have you extinguished the candles?" Severus asked as he looked towards the other bedrooms and loo. He left Remus in the room in solitude to say goodbye as he knew that Remus was saying goodbye to more than his home. As he extinguished the lights, he heard a bit of ruckus in the main room and headed back out to make sure Remus was fairing well.
"What happened, Hermione?" He heard Remus ask returning to the room. He saw Hermione turn quickly to face him, her infant in her arms and her face wet with blood and tears.
"He went crazy, Remus. I told him that we needed some time to calm down and learn to communicate again like we once did and he just started yelling about infidelity. I promised him that I wasn't running to anyone else and that I just needed a break to learn to like him again." She collapsed on his couch and put Fletcher on the couch next to her, stroking his now lighter hair, it was almost red in tint.
"How did you bring up the break?" Remus asked, taking a seat next to her and putting his hand in hers.
"We were eating breakfast, I was feeding Fletcher and Christopher was eating some scones. He complained that we didn't have any more marmalade so I told him I would go into Hogsmeade later that day to buy some groceries after I finished a report on a new potion we've been testing that reverses the effects of blindness in infants. It's rather complicated and of course controversial and I am getting off the subject. He complained that work was always coming before our personal lives and especially Fletcher." She paused breathlessly and began again.
" I explained to him that this potion was to help Fletcher and that he knew before we married or had a child that work was important in my life, if not the most important thing. Fletcher had been with me all week at the office so I could study him and see how he reacted to certain stimuli. Christopher said he wouldn't have a son who was a guinea pig and that's when I said I needed a break. And then he said he needed time to cool off and I said I needed more than just time. From there I went to my office to work. I never heard him come in; it was as if he was spying on me. He asked me if I'd started seeing someone at the ministry. I of course refused. Then he asked if was seeing anyone at all. I said no and there was this look on his face, in his eyes, it was as if he hunting me. He started to shake me. That is how I got these bruises on my arms. I tried to fight him but he was so ravenous and determined, I screamed as loud as I could, but I knew no one would come. I couldn't get away." She then revealed the worst of her beating, deep red nail marks traveling from her knees towards her thighs. Remus gasped and brought his hand to his throat, somehow knowing what had happened.
"He wouldn't stop, I cried and cried, but he wouldn't stop. I grabbed my wand and stunned him when he turned his back to me to go after Fletcher. He fell on the carpet naked and then Fletcher's cries brought me back to reality, I fixed my robes then ran." Remus embraced her tightly, but she looked past him to see Severus's face in his hands. He had never felt so useless and angry in his life. He just watched them, Remus and Hermione on the faded brown couch, knowing he couldn't help.
"We need to go to the ministry to report this, Hermione." Remus whispered removing the stray hairs from her worn face. Fletcher began crying once more, but Hermione hadn't the strength to comfort him any longer.
"I will call on Molly Weasley to see if she can watch Fletcher for a while." Severus stated going to the fire to call on the Weasley's.
"Remus, he was so angry. I didn't know where else to go, I am so sorry I've put you in this place." Her voice cracked a few times and her head hung low as she spoke. If anyone had looked from her school years to that moment, they wouldn't believe the same person could look so forlorn.
"You are always welcome in my home, Hermione."
"I don't want to ruin his life, but I can't be his wife anymore. I tried so hard to love him, I really did, but he didn't exactly make it easy." She paused and showed Remus the bruise still evident on her neck. "Severus discovered this bruise a couple weeks ago and I told him then I couldn't last much longer in that marriage or home. How can someone who supposedly loves you do something like this, Remus?" He eyed her curiously at her reference to Severus.
"He obviously doesn't truly love you, dear, or he wouldn't do these things. Did he know about your relationship with Severus and all that history?"
"No, not entirely. When we started dating a little more seriously, I explained to him that I had just gotten out of a serious relationship and was still in love with the person. There were so many things I didn't tell him, anyone for that matter, and I knew if I did he'd just leave me. There's no way he knew about most of it when Severus didn't know most of it." She replied, noticing the sense of curiosity in Remus's eyes. She blew her nose curtly into a handkerchief as Severus walked somberly back into the room.
"Molly would be pleased to keep him today. She will be arriving shortly to collect him." Hermione thanked Severus and kept his eyes with hers. She turned abruptly from his when she noticed an intense look of anger parading about the edges. She wondered if he was angry with her with Christopher, sometimes it was rather hard to read Severus's eyes.
" What did you tell her about all of this?" Hermione asked, standing to meet Severus's gaze.
"What was needed. Domestic violence, you were all right, had to fill out a report...nothing more than that. What did you think I told her?" Severus asked, poison in his voice at her obvious accusation of distrust.
"I just wanted to make sure she understood the situation before I went to Arthur and explained everything to him. I trusted you to say the right thing Severus, thank you for doing so." Remus eyed to two people, wondering why there was such an air of discomforting emotions. Hermione had always been the type to wear her emotions on her face, but recently he had noticed her becoming harder. He wished he had paid closer attention her to emotions, noticing now that she was obviously still in love with her ex- fiancée. Molly arrived shortly after the three exited the room separately. Hermione thanked her several times for watching the baby and then watched her take her son with her through the floo. She was afraid of losing him, though knew Christopher would never be able to get to him at the Burrow. Remus, Severus, and Hermione apparated to the ministry.
"Officer Stubbens, please give us a little recap on what Mrs. Hopkins had stated." Arthur Weasley asked, having a hard time listening to the events.
"Hermione Hopkins states that physical abuse has been occurring periodically over a two-year period while in marriage to Christopher Hopkins. The worst case being today, May 25th, in which she states that she was savagely raped and beaten. She has filed a plea for the disillusionment of her marriage on the grounds of abuse and neglect. She has been checked by healers and also has the report from the hospital stating the severity of her wounds and scaring. "Officer Stubbens looked over the report once more time, leaving out extreme detail to spare the two men who had accompanied her. Remus and Severus eyed the document as Hermione signed it and wondered what had happened that they didn't know about.
"If Mr. Hopkins is found guilty of charges and offences, the marriage will immediately dissolved and the custody of Fletcher James Hopkins will solely be yours. You will be notified when Mr. Hopkins is questioned and the outcome of the findings."
"Thank you, officer. Hermione, dear, please understand that I will do everything in my power to make sure justice is served. With the hospital findings and also with you personal statement, you shouldn't worry about Christopher affecting you any longer. I just wish you had come to me sooner." Arthur Weasley added after Officer Stubbens left the room. Remus and Severus looked on, as Hermione seemed to have some courage restored.
"I couldn't stand to do it all alone again. It was rather foolish of me, I realize." She hugged Arthur and thanked him for his help. All the while, Severus stared at her, wondering if her comment had been directed at him.
"My testing begins today, Hermione, but you are more than welcome to stay at my flat."
"I don't want to be alone." She replied, wrapping her arms tightly about her body.
"Then I offer my home to you, Mrs. Hopkins. I realize the company may not be that much better than being alone, but it's warm and familiar." Severus said, hoping he could make up for her discomfort with him. His eyes pleaded with hers to accept his offer, as he hadn't really been able to talk with her since they had last spoken.
"That would be nice. Thank you." She hugged Remus tightly and thanked him profusely for helping her during the day. It was as if Remus was her only good friend left. Harry was always busy saving something and Ron was always busy making more Weasley's. Neither of them ever had any time to discuss anything more important than their own lives, so she learned to find comfort in other places. One being Minerva McGonagall, who had helped her greatly when she had first left Hogwarts. The other two being Severus Snape when she had been his assistant for a period and her soon to be ex-husband Christopher Hopkins. Christopher had saved her from depression she couldn't remember any longer and had also shown her that sometimes you could find love again, though she was glad she had never really formed a very strong attachment to him. Fletcher would forever be her only tie to Christopher Hopkins.
"I am sorry I put you in this position, Severus, it means quite a lot that you are allowing Fletcher and I to stay at your home." Hermione said as they walked a bit from the Ministry.
"There is no excuse for his behavior and I am glad to offer any condolence I can." It wasn't poetry, it wasn't an admission of love, but to Hermione, his words were exactly what she needed at the time.
"Thank you." She lost her balance as she spoke the words and he was forced to catch her before she fell onto the cobblestone. "Sorry, I must be tired."
"I believe I will gather Fletcher as you seem at the least indisposed. You need time to gather your thoughts as well." Her face shot up towards his at his proposition. Though laced with insult about her mental state, he was actually offering to apparate to the Weasleys to bring to her a child that wasn't his. Then she thought it was probably because it wasn't his child.
"That would be a great help." She replied, her voice empty of the once elation and now filled with the same depression and anger of the morning. Her eyes darted from her hands to her feet, not wanting to look into Severus's eyes, knowing she wouldn't find what she needed in them. With a great release of breath and a stifled cry, she walked away from Severus and apparated to his home, alone, as she had left it four years prior
Author notes: Thanks everyone who had reviewed so far.
Chapter 8: Testing
The ministry wasted no time in preparing for the test cases of the new Wolfsbane, which still didn't have a proper name. Severus received paper work regarding the beginning of the test cases within months which seemed speedy considering it normally took the ministry years to begin testing new potions. Remus Lupin and other well known werewolves would be testing the potion and living within the ministry for a period of six months to be monitored on a daily basis. After a meeting with Remus regarding the conference they would be having about the potion, Severus helped him pack up a bit of his belongings, as he was moving.
"You are sure taking a lot of useless material, Lupin." Severus barked, moving the boxes of old letters aside. He peered through them wondering why in the world anyone kept that many old letters. As he pilfered, he noticed a couple from Hermione. It hadn't usually been in his nature to snoop, but who was he really kidding he had been a spy, his entire life had been to snoop. He tucked the letters away in his robes and hoped the gods would forgive his curiosity.
"I am going to be in the ministry for six months, I need every possible diversionary option as possible. Besides, I don't want to hear any complaints, I helped you organize your storage." Severus threw him a sneer and a scowl. He wondered how the two immediate enemies had managed to become acquaintances over the past years. Remus had a lighter side that made him seem so much younger and as if he were living the life of a king, yet he was still without great means.
"Where did you get all these pictures?" Severus asked going through pictures from their school days to the present. He saw pictures that made him relive moments he'd once forgotten so easily. Seeing Lily Evans and Monica Sinistra by the lake in seventh year made him think of his once crush on the redheaded Lily. It seemed ages ago.
"It's a hobby I guess. I like being able to remember as much as possible." Severus suddenly felt a bit sorry for the man knowing that werewolves often lost many memories every time they transformed into their wolf form. He searched through the pictures trying to find the ones Remus had put on his list. He found two of Lily and James with a baby Harry and also one with Sirius Black. He found the one of Remus and Hagrid during his teachings while the dream team was in their third year. Searching through them, he found one of a lady he didn't recognize, but assumed she was the Eva Turner on Remus's list. He came upon several of weddings Remus had attended and then one that made Severus's face drop. It was Hermione and Christopher's wedding. She looked happy, though with dark circles about her eyes and no weight on her bones she seemed sad. Christopher couldn't take his eyes off of Hermione as she waved towards Remus taking the picture. Her scar hadn't healed much, though it didn't seem to matter as she waved and then kissed her new husband.
"That was the only time she smiled at that wedding. I half believed her to run from the church when they were pronounced man and wife. They left the reception only an hour into it and she cried the whole way out of the building." Remus said, staring at the man across from him whom he knew had loved Hermione.
"Well at least she found someone to spend her life with."
"Is it worth it without love and devotion? I would rather remain single and alone for the rest of my life than to marry someone to escape my problems. But, I guess things are different for everyone." Remus stated, packing the rest of his clothes from his cabinets and throwing Severus another folder to put pictures in.
"I've found most of them, but I can't find the one with you and Black at the leaving feast when we graduated." Severus replied, completely ignoring Remus's comments about Hermione and her marriage.
"Oh, that's on my night stand." Remus pointed towards his room. Severus let out a slight huff and headed towards his room slightly afraid of what he might find there. As he found the picture, he stared at it wildly. Remus and Black were waving towards him and then suddenly turned at each other with a look of complete adoration and affection. Severus had always wondered how far their relationship had gone, but simply had never inquired especially since Sirius's death.
"He was such a rogue." Remus stated as Severus returned with the picture to the main room.
"Yes, I definitely agree with you there." With his bags packed and his affairs in place, Remus stared around his flat and sighed. He knew that going through with the testing and research would give him a ticket to freedom, but leaving the home that had once harbored such love was going to hurt him.
"Have you extinguished the candles?" Severus asked as he looked towards the other bedrooms and loo. He left Remus in the room in solitude to say goodbye as he knew that Remus was saying goodbye to more than his home. As he extinguished the lights, he heard a bit of ruckus in the main room and headed back out to make sure Remus was fairing well.
"What happened, Hermione?" He heard Remus ask returning to the room. He saw Hermione turn quickly to face him, her infant in her arms and her face wet with blood and tears.
"He went crazy, Remus. I told him that we needed some time to calm down and learn to communicate again like we once did and he just started yelling about infidelity. I promised him that I wasn't running to anyone else and that I just needed a break to learn to like him again." She collapsed on his couch and put Fletcher on the couch next to her, stroking his now lighter hair, it was almost red in tint.
"How did you bring up the break?" Remus asked, taking a seat next to her and putting his hand in hers.
"We were eating breakfast, I was feeding Fletcher and Christopher was eating some scones. He complained that we didn't have any more marmalade so I told him I would go into Hogsmeade later that day to buy some groceries after I finished a report on a new potion we've been testing that reverses the effects of blindness in infants. It's rather complicated and of course controversial and I am getting off the subject. He complained that work was always coming before our personal lives and especially Fletcher." She paused breathlessly and began again.
" I explained to him that this potion was to help Fletcher and that he knew before we married or had a child that work was important in my life, if not the most important thing. Fletcher had been with me all week at the office so I could study him and see how he reacted to certain stimuli. Christopher said he wouldn't have a son who was a guinea pig and that's when I said I needed a break. And then he said he needed time to cool off and I said I needed more than just time. From there I went to my office to work. I never heard him come in; it was as if he was spying on me. He asked me if I'd started seeing someone at the ministry. I of course refused. Then he asked if was seeing anyone at all. I said no and there was this look on his face, in his eyes, it was as if he hunting me. He started to shake me. That is how I got these bruises on my arms. I tried to fight him but he was so ravenous and determined, I screamed as loud as I could, but I knew no one would come. I couldn't get away." She then revealed the worst of her beating, deep red nail marks traveling from her knees towards her thighs. Remus gasped and brought his hand to his throat, somehow knowing what had happened.
"He wouldn't stop, I cried and cried, but he wouldn't stop. I grabbed my wand and stunned him when he turned his back to me to go after Fletcher. He fell on the carpet naked and then Fletcher's cries brought me back to reality, I fixed my robes then ran." Remus embraced her tightly, but she looked past him to see Severus's face in his hands. He had never felt so useless and angry in his life. He just watched them, Remus and Hermione on the faded brown couch, knowing he couldn't help.
"We need to go to the ministry to report this, Hermione." Remus whispered removing the stray hairs from her worn face. Fletcher began crying once more, but Hermione hadn't the strength to comfort him any longer.
"I will call on Molly Weasley to see if she can watch Fletcher for a while." Severus stated going to the fire to call on the Weasley's.
"Remus, he was so angry. I didn't know where else to go, I am so sorry I've put you in this place." Her voice cracked a few times and her head hung low as she spoke. If anyone had looked from her school years to that moment, they wouldn't believe the same person could look so forlorn.
"You are always welcome in my home, Hermione."
"I don't want to ruin his life, but I can't be his wife anymore. I tried so hard to love him, I really did, but he didn't exactly make it easy." She paused and showed Remus the bruise still evident on her neck. "Severus discovered this bruise a couple weeks ago and I told him then I couldn't last much longer in that marriage or home. How can someone who supposedly loves you do something like this, Remus?" He eyed her curiously at her reference to Severus.
"He obviously doesn't truly love you, dear, or he wouldn't do these things. Did he know about your relationship with Severus and all that history?"
"No, not entirely. When we started dating a little more seriously, I explained to him that I had just gotten out of a serious relationship and was still in love with the person. There were so many things I didn't tell him, anyone for that matter, and I knew if I did he'd just leave me. There's no way he knew about most of it when Severus didn't know most of it." She replied, noticing the sense of curiosity in Remus's eyes. She blew her nose curtly into a handkerchief as Severus walked somberly back into the room.
"Molly would be pleased to keep him today. She will be arriving shortly to collect him." Hermione thanked Severus and kept his eyes with hers. She turned abruptly from his when she noticed an intense look of anger parading about the edges. She wondered if he was angry with her with Christopher, sometimes it was rather hard to read Severus's eyes.
" What did you tell her about all of this?" Hermione asked, standing to meet Severus's gaze.
"What was needed. Domestic violence, you were all right, had to fill out a report...nothing more than that. What did you think I told her?" Severus asked, poison in his voice at her obvious accusation of distrust.
"I just wanted to make sure she understood the situation before I went to Arthur and explained everything to him. I trusted you to say the right thing Severus, thank you for doing so." Remus eyed to two people, wondering why there was such an air of discomforting emotions. Hermione had always been the type to wear her emotions on her face, but recently he had noticed her becoming harder. He wished he had paid closer attention her to emotions, noticing now that she was obviously still in love with her ex- fiancée. Molly arrived shortly after the three exited the room separately. Hermione thanked her several times for watching the baby and then watched her take her son with her through the floo. She was afraid of losing him, though knew Christopher would never be able to get to him at the Burrow. Remus, Severus, and Hermione apparated to the ministry.
"Officer Stubbens, please give us a little recap on what Mrs. Hopkins had stated." Arthur Weasley asked, having a hard time listening to the events.
"Hermione Hopkins states that physical abuse has been occurring periodically over a two-year period while in marriage to Christopher Hopkins. The worst case being today, May 25th, in which she states that she was savagely raped and beaten. She has filed a plea for the disillusionment of her marriage on the grounds of abuse and neglect. She has been checked by healers and also has the report from the hospital stating the severity of her wounds and scaring. "Officer Stubbens looked over the report once more time, leaving out extreme detail to spare the two men who had accompanied her. Remus and Severus eyed the document as Hermione signed it and wondered what had happened that they didn't know about.
"If Mr. Hopkins is found guilty of charges and offences, the marriage will immediately dissolved and the custody of Fletcher James Hopkins will solely be yours. You will be notified when Mr. Hopkins is questioned and the outcome of the findings."
"Thank you, officer. Hermione, dear, please understand that I will do everything in my power to make sure justice is served. With the hospital findings and also with you personal statement, you shouldn't worry about Christopher affecting you any longer. I just wish you had come to me sooner." Arthur Weasley added after Officer Stubbens left the room. Remus and Severus looked on, as Hermione seemed to have some courage restored.
"I couldn't stand to do it all alone again. It was rather foolish of me, I realize." She hugged Arthur and thanked him for his help. All the while, Severus stared at her, wondering if her comment had been directed at him.
"My testing begins today, Hermione, but you are more than welcome to stay at my flat."
"I don't want to be alone." She replied, wrapping her arms tightly about her body.
"Then I offer my home to you, Mrs. Hopkins. I realize the company may not be that much better than being alone, but it's warm and familiar." Severus said, hoping he could make up for her discomfort with him. His eyes pleaded with hers to accept his offer, as he hadn't really been able to talk with her since they had last spoken.
"That would be nice. Thank you." She hugged Remus tightly and thanked him profusely for helping her during the day. It was as if Remus was her only good friend left. Harry was always busy saving something and Ron was always busy making more Weasley's. Neither of them ever had any time to discuss anything more important than their own lives, so she learned to find comfort in other places. One being Minerva McGonagall, who had helped her greatly when she had first left Hogwarts. The other two being Severus Snape when she had been his assistant for a period and her soon to be ex-husband Christopher Hopkins. Christopher had saved her from depression she couldn't remember any longer and had also shown her that sometimes you could find love again, though she was glad she had never really formed a very strong attachment to him. Fletcher would forever be her only tie to Christopher Hopkins.
"I am sorry I put you in this position, Severus, it means quite a lot that you are allowing Fletcher and I to stay at your home." Hermione said as they walked a bit from the Ministry.
"There is no excuse for his behavior and I am glad to offer any condolence I can." It wasn't poetry, it wasn't an admission of love, but to Hermione, his words were exactly what she needed at the time.
"Thank you." She lost her balance as she spoke the words and he was forced to catch her before she fell onto the cobblestone. "Sorry, I must be tired."
"I believe I will gather Fletcher as you seem at the least indisposed. You need time to gather your thoughts as well." Her face shot up towards his at his proposition. Though laced with insult about her mental state, he was actually offering to apparate to the Weasleys to bring to her a child that wasn't his. Then she thought it was probably because it wasn't his child.
"That would be a great help." She replied, her voice empty of the once elation and now filled with the same depression and anger of the morning. Her eyes darted from her hands to her feet, not wanting to look into Severus's eyes, knowing she wouldn't find what she needed in them. With a great release of breath and a stifled cry, she walked away from Severus and apparated to his home, alone, as she had left it four years prior
