My account at fanfiction.net has been locked for three days because I had two chapters filled with non-fiction in this story. I apologize for any inconvience and no, there haven't been any chapters taken down, they simply deleted the two chapters with notes.
As always this was wonderfully beta'd by the very talented Carrie. Hope you like.
23. [ Checkmate ]
Hermione winced as she saw Harry flinching after his now literally fuming knight had given him another sharp blow via the wandless magic inherent in the chessboard. The two little figures of the knights, black and white and wearing their robes, were simply cruel, administering their punishment. When Harry had almost lost his queen to Snape, the knight had not only raged on about that for three minutes but simply walked to the edge of the board, and suddenly extended his arm beyond human natural limits arrogantly slapped Harry across on his face.
After that Harry took more time with his moves, while in the meantime Snape had summoned Slinky for a tray of strong breakfast tea, warm waffles, and syrup. The elf had avoided Hermione's eyes as in a hope to prevent her from insulting his Master with more of her suggestions about appropriate elf treatment. Hermione sat next to her husband's arm chair, her head leaned against his black covered leg and his right hand absent-mindedly played with her brown curls. By now Ginny had awoken as well and she was sitting on Harry's arm rest, chewing on a waffle giving him all kinds of advice while pointing at pieces and squares on the board.
Through the necklace Hermione felt the little jolts and snaps Snape got from his knight when he made a mistake and while it didn't really hurt, it was extremely uncomfortable, like sticking a fork into an electrical outlet. It was a feeling that shot through the whole body and it wasn't something that you cared to get all the time. It was Harry's turn right now and he extended his hand as if to move his bishop.
"I would reconsider this," said Snape sternly and Harry snapped back his hand.
After what felt like an eternity he looked up to his most hated teacher and frowned.
"Why?"
Snape raised an eyebrow. Then sarcastically stated, "Oh, just because I assumed you weren't really caring for another piece of punishment from your knight." He took a sip from his tea and then placed the cup back on the table. "If you move your bishop in this manner, I have you check-mated in two more moves."
Harry chewed on his lip and then extended his hand to move his tower. This time his knight turned around and raised a brow. His voice sounded harsh and strict, somehow it remembered Hermione of Severus' father in its tone.
"Come on, we haven't got all day, boy!" The horse trampled on his white square and the knight hissed. "And you would think that after defeating Lord Voldemort so many times he would know how to wage a war!"
Hermione stared into Harry's stunned face and then saw the anger replacing the perplexed look. He moved the tower and instantly flinched.
Snape smiled thinly. "This way you will lose every time and not make an ounce of progress in learning to play chess." He moved his bishop and took Harry's last tower. "Check."
The white knight was now livid with fury his whole little body shaking. He moved from his place on the board to Harry's side and the boy leaned back as if expecting another attack. Instead the knight stared at him and his voice was barely a hiss.
"Now, see where we are now. See where your temper and thoughtlessness got us. One move away from being defeated. I have never seen a worse chess player than you; I have seen so much carelessness and lack of tactic. I am usually played by better players like Albus Dumbledore or Remus Lupin. But you are simply incapable of winning a simple game of chess!"
With this he turned around and stormed back to his place ignoring Harry. The boy gazed shortly at Snape but got only a sneering grin from there. He sighed softly and moved his queen. A furious hiss was all he got from his knight plus another jolt through his body. Snape carefully moved his queen, took Harry's and placed his own in front of Harry's knight.
"Checkmate."
The board shortly glowed again and then the pieces became inanimate which stopped quite effectively Harry's knight who had begun to curse the boy. Snape leaned back and fixed Harry's gaze with his own.
"Chess is a game of strategy, cool thinking and lack of emotion. As I have already told you once before your lack of controlling your emotions is what hinders you to think with the little brain you have." At this Hermione poked him in his leg. He continued however. "Normal chess boards don't let you know how unpleased they are with your mistakes. This chess board does. If you want to learn how to be a better chess player, examine your feelings, control them and then you might start making wiser choices."
Harry stared at the board in contemplating silence and Snape took another sip of his tea carefully massaging Hermione's neck with his right hand.
In the next moment they heard a loud echoing scream from the hall outside and as in one all four jumped up and hurried out of the room. There the scene was similar to last night, only this time Neville was trapped not in a painting but a grandfather's clock with his head being where the clock face normally would be. His eyes were wide spread open and Ron stood leaning against the stairway tears running down his face with laughter.
Snape leaned against the doorframe clearly not intending to get Neville out of his predicament until Hermione nudged him in his side.
"Get him out!"
Snape gazed at her thoughtfully for a moment, smiled, and then shook his head. "No."
"Why?" Hermione asked clearly perplexed.
"I can't." Snape pointed with his wand in the direction of Neville in his clock and nothing happened. "He has to wait till the clock decides to let him go."
Neville began to whimper and Ginny stared at her potions teacher in shock. "But when will that be?"
Snape shrugged. "Shouldn't be too long. It never is. Mr Longbottom should be freed within an hour."
Ginny stood next to the clock trying to calm Neville with her voice. Ron stepped to Harry wiping his eyes.
"This guy just can't keep his hands to himself. Second time trapped in an object. I won't touch anything in here until it is declared safe to do so." He grinned and then obviously noticed Harry's glum face. "What's wrong?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing really. Just thinking." They stayed silent for a moment until Snape cleared his throat.
"You can move freely in the whole building; however I wouldn't recommend visiting the dungeons. We not only have very cruel ghosts there who put the Bloody Baron to shame but also all kinds of creatures that you have already encountered."
"Like what?" asked Hermione curiously.
Snape thought for a second. "Doxies, boggarts, quite a few spiders and if I am not mistaken we have a little troll down there. Just stay away there and you should be fine."
Ron nudged Harry carefully gone white with the reference of the spiders. "Say Harry, fancy a game of Exploding Snap?"
Harry nodded and after another look at the black figure of Snape they climbed the stairs while Ginny had obviously summoned Slinky who tried to help her in getting some pumpkin juice inside the clock for Neville to drink.
Snape gently placed his hand on Hermione's shoulder.
"Would you be interested if I escorted you to our library? It is bigger than the one in Hogwarts and has many books that you might find interesting."
Hermione smiled genuinely pleased. "That would be great."
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Hermione began to learn that Severus had a gift for understatement. The library was indeed a bigger one than Hermione had ever seen in her whole life, well maybe not the largest but there were clearly at least ten thousand books by her quick calculations. Not only that but the room was very comfortable with a large fireplace and a cosy sitting area again in the Slytherin colours of green and silver. The room radiated a strange kind of silence and even coldness but it was perfect to learn here. The room had a 20-foot ceiling panelled in dark wood with enchanted chandeliers, and there were aisles of books all in covered shelving. The bookshelves were all enchanted to bring the desired shelf to eye level, so this library required no ladders. True to the Snape's meticulous nature, this library was rather well organized by Wizards' standards, arranged by subject and author. Towards the back she could hear some whispering from an aisle of warded books that reminded her of the restricted section.
Hermione took both of Severus' hands in hers and gazed up at him, "This simply amazing, Severus. I love this place, I can't believe I am allowed to even touch these books."
Snape laughed at her excitement and said, "It is all yours, go take a look."
She excitedly moved to one of the shelves and tilted her head to the side trying to read the many titles and understand the organized layout. The section where she was had to do with herbology and Hermione couldn't help but think that Neville would love to read some of these books. Turning around she saw that her husband had stepped to the fireplace, had lighted it and was now moving into the shadows on the other side leaning against the corner of the room, quietly observing her.
Hermione continued to walk the library for ten minutes, but she felt the necklace pulling her away from the books. So she started back glancing at the books on the shelves of the back wall leading toward the fireplace and the corner where her husband was in deep thought.
Stepping next to him she carefully stretched her arms until she could hug him and buried her face in his again formal robe. The buttons were cold against her cheek and if she concentrated heavily she could feel his heat radiating from his body.
Her voice was muffled when she spoke. "Are you alright?"
For a moment he was silent but then he moved both of them to the sitting area and pulled Hermione on his lap.
"I am not sure you want an honest answer, my dear," he whispered in her ear gently caressing the skin on her neck which made shivers run down her back. "These days questions like these are meant to be answered politely, an appealing affirmation and then we separate our ways again."
Hermione gently cupped his cheek glad when he moved into her touch.
"But you know I always wanted an honest answer, didn't you ?" she softly enquired carefully as if not to startle him moving her hands from his cheek to his neck and began to gently ruffle his hair there.
He opened his eyes and burned them into her amber ones with a gaze that was meant to reach to her soul.
"You can never be sure of something just because it so far has never been done. People might surprise you one day with a behaviour you thought impossible a second ago." He leaned closer to her body and began to gently place feather light kisses on the soft cream-coloured skin of her shoulder hidden under the green velvet.
She closed her eyes and enjoyed the soft ministrations for a while but then remembered why she asked in the first place. Resolutely she pushed him away from her skin and smiled gently.
"You are trying to distract me, Severus?" A slight laughter rang in her voice.
He tilted his head looking adorably guilty all in a sudden with his black hair falling down his shoulders and a shine in his deep onyx eyes.
"I thought it was working, maybe I lost my touch," he muttered plainly teasing her.
"Maybe I have simply learned something in the last few weeks," she replied a wide smile broadening on her face. "Maybe you used too many of your tactics and now I am able to resist you." The challenge clearly rang in her voice.
"I sincerely doubt that," he stated firmly. "If I wanted to seduce you right here on this wooden table I could."
She leaned closer to him kissing him warmly on the lips and then gently flicked her tongue over the skin behind his ear making him gasp with surprise. "And maybe I could as well."
The sound of his soft laughter was heaven to her. But soon he quieted and Hermione knew that they had to talk about this matter. Now was probably a good time since they were alone and only heavens knew when in the next days that could be repeated.
"Severus, Albus Dumbledore is still your friend." Her voice was soft and deep stating this with utmost sincerity, while taking his hand in hers.
"Who said I was talking about him," he said his voice sounding colder than a second ago all traces of laughter and playfulness gone warning her that this was dangerous territory. He started crushing her hand without realizing it. She squeezed back.
She frowned shortly. "I am not stupid, you know? You think he betrayed your trust with not telling you all about this prophecy. You think he endangered our lives without needing to and you think that maybe he never completely trusted you in the first place and this matter simply shows that."
His face was unreadable now as he raised one of his brows. She felt him stiffen and he took away his hand. She couldn't help but feel that the old distance was back and fading warmth from her necklace showed the truth of that more clearly than anythin else.
"Well, you can't blame me for not liking it when so crucial information is kept hidden from me although he knew that my own happiness, my life and yours was concerned." He gently pushed her from his lap and got up, pacing in front of the table his voice rising in volume with each word. "My life is constantly on the line Hermione, and what do I get for it? Deceit, distrust and hate, that's it. I am sick of it but-" He inhaled, "I accepted this as part of my punishment. I knew it would be hard to prove to people that they could trust me again, a redeemed Death Eater is unheard of because they are dead and I even went so far as to accept that maybe the majority of the magical world would never completely accept my apology and wish I was among the dead." He sharply turned around and stared into her eyes his own troubled and finally showing all his true emotions. "All of that doesn't matter you know, because I knew there was one person who had been the first to trust me when nobody else would have done so, the first to hug me in my whole life, Hermione. I thought Albus Dumbledore trusted me, I thought he had accepted all my sacrifices, the things I gave up on for spying for his Order without getting any recognition for it- I thought he loved me." The last was barely whispered and after the shouting it seemed to almost vanish without having been heard.
Before Hermione could react she heard a soft voice from the door that rang with deep regret and sorrow.
"I do, Severus. And I am sorry that I gave you reason to doubt that," Dumbledore said his eyes resting on the tall dark figure of his Potions Master.
Severus inhaled sharply and turned away from his mentor, friend and surrogate father. His arms crossed over his chest as if keeping his emotions in check and he stepped to a large window gazing into a wild garden full of trees that were rapidly loosing their leaves. A mass of red and yellow covering the ground. Gryffindor colors, he thought angrily.
Dumbledore turned to a troubled Hermione and smiled gently.
"I am sorry you have to bear things that are clearly not meant for you to carry, my dear. Can you accept my apologies for that?"
Hermione nodded mutely and he stepped to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Maybe you want to join your friend Ginny Weasley as she is currently tending to Mr Longbottom's well-being and let me have the talk that seems overdue."
Again she simply nodded and with another concerned look at the old headmaster and her husband she left into the hall.
"I am glad you decided to reconsider your notice, Severus."
Snape sneered. "Well that is due to my wife who pointed out that I have not only a responsibility to you but to the school and to the students there as well. I surely didn't change my mind about you and your behaviour, Albus." He sounded deeply hurt.
Dumbledore sighed. "That makes two then. Alas, maybe the late Lucius Malfoy was right and I am really loosing my touch."
Snape turned around and faced the bearded men. "What makes two?"
"Two people who trusted me completely and whose trust I have managed to break. And it's most ironic that they are the people I meant to protect and not hurt." Dumbledore sat down in one arm chair and leaned back. His face looked unusually pale this morning, the lines more pronounced than ever and his eyes behind their half-moon spectacles seemed almost black instead of the usual blue, showing nothing but regret and a faint tinge of fear. "Don't you want to know who the other person but you is?"
Snape snarled shortly. "You will tell me anyhow so does it really matter what I want?" The bitterness rang deeply in his voice.
Dumbledore gazed into his eyes as if trying to see to the bottom of his soul.
"It matters to me and has always done so, Severus. I am deeply sorry that you feel that this hasn't been the case but it is nevertheless true. So what is your answer? Are you willing to hear me out, listen to what I have to say or will you simply send me away and be done with it?" Now the fear was clearly etched into his face as he waited for an answer..
Snape stared at him for a second and then sat down in an arm chair far away from the old man.
"Tell," he uttered shortly.
Dumbledore exhaled softly, the fear of not knowing how Severus would decide gone from his still tired features.
"It might surprise you Severus but the other person whose trust I betrayed was the very boy that you played chess with this morning, the very boy who I assume has finally understood your warning about keeping his emotions in check." A slight smile tugged at Dumbledore's lips.
"Potter," Snape hissed. "Who else? Precious Potter."
"I always thought it was understandable why you despise the boy so much even though I can only repeat that he is not to blame for other's misbehaviours. Harry is not James or Sirius and while I always accepted your less than friendly attitude toward the boy I must say I always found it extremely surprising that you didn't consider him just as precious."
"Why should I when everybody else already lets him get away with breaking rules, with risking not only his own life but that of his friends? Somebody had to educate him in more than just potions and transfigurations. He will face Lord Voldemort one day in a final battle and he has to be prepared for this or he won't stand a chance. I am no fool Albus, I know exactly what Harry Potter's life is worth these days but that doesn't make me lose sight of his vices." Snape's face was filled with more emotions than the old headmaster had ever seen except on that one fateful night so many years ago when a very young Severus had changed sides.
"I always wondered but however that may be it is not why I have mentioned Harry here." Dumbledore folded his hands neatly in his lap. His face was clouded with sorrow as he remembered. "Last year when Harry returned from the Ministry after his fight there with Voldemort I had to tell him about the prophecy regarding him and Neville. I had not told him in all these years and in retrospect I sometimes wonder why. It would have been easy to explain things and arm and prepare him but I chose to keep silent and kept him in the dark. Naturally he was not very pleased with this and I am not sure today how he feels about that. But do you have any idea why I didn't tell him?"
Snape shrugged his shoulders.
Dumbledore smiled thinly. "Compassion Severus. I wanted to give him the opportunity to grow up without any of these things colouring his days. He has been robbed off so many, so many things that Voldemort took from him that fateful night that I wanted to save something of his innocence. Of course I never considered that finally this could prove fatal for others but the point is besides admitting that I made a terrible mistake that I did it not out of lack of love but because I loved too much."
For a second they both kept silent until Snape spoke up with clear sarcasm clouding his voice.
"So that means that you loved me too much to tell me about the prophecy, because you doubted that I could burden this?"
"No, not really." Dumbledore shook his voice. "I doubted that Hermione could manage this burden but I simply was unsure how you would react, Severus. First I had no idea who the girl would turn out to be and later when I saw her being sorted into Gryffindor I was simply scared that telling you would alter things too much. You despised her Severus and I couldn't risk you refusing to love her just because you knew about that development. It was maybe foolish, maybe wrong but at the time I thought it was for the best. I truly believed that my silence was making things easier for you two." He sighed. "Alas, apparently I was wrong and I can only apologize for that Severus but all men are fallible and I am unfortunately no exception. However I want to make it clear that it was not lack of trust that made me hesitate to tell you. I always was more than proud of you and I love you as if you were my own son."
For another moment the two men stared into each other's eyes until Dumbledore sighed once again.
"I understand that asking for forgiveness is too much too soon and I will never rush you but I must insist that you and the children return to Hogwarts as soon as we managed to strengthen the wards some more. Right now they are safest here in the Manor but I have to make sure that they continue their education and Hogwarts needs its Potions Master."
Snape nodded curtly. "Just tell me when the wards are ready and I return immediately. If I can be of help don't hesitate to call me and I will return."
Dumbledore nodded in return a small smile tugging on his lips.
"I think we will manage but I was reconsidering putting some more complex spells around Hogwarts and maybe you could be of assistance there. I am even so far as if to consider asking some Aurors to come and protect the students all the time."
The potions Master looked stunned. "But didn't you always insist that the Aurors weren't to intervene in the school?"
"Times change and so do choices." Dumbledore looked grave. "We lost twelve students last night and that simply can't happen again. We owe it to our students that they are protected in the castle. I cannot risk another attack with maybe more disastrous results. Maybe I will let you work with Alastar to detect any weak spots in the castle's protection."
"Have you figured out yet how the Death Eaters could have entered the castle?" Snape asked.
"I have some strong ideas but I need Hermione and you back in Hogwarts to contact the ghosts of Bloodwen and Salazar. I can't find the hidden chamber in the dungeons by myself and they haven't yet contacted me." The trace of sorrow was back in his eyes.
"Can I be present when she faces the two?" asked Snape.
"Sure, you have as much right to be there as Hermione. I was planning on joining her myself," Dumbledore replied.
Snape flashed his most malicious grin baring his teeth. "Good, because I have to talk with those two, I want to make some points clear." He gripped his wand tightly. "And then I can't wait until I am to face Bellatrix again. I have an idea who planned that attack."
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Salazar sulking was nothing new, not these days and Bloodwen felt an unknown source of anger inside at the founder. Why was she to do all the work, when she was fighting his battle, when all he did was sulk and mutter darkly under his breath? It wasn't her fault that the attack hadn't worked out and she was tired of getting all the blame. In all honesty she was quite tired of this whole battle when it was by now obvious that her descendant loved this muggleborn girl with all his heart and nothing they did, could or would change that. It was a useless prolonging of a fight that had cost far too many lives already, the deaths of the twelve students still fresh and clear in her mind.
It had hurt to see those young hopeful children die, to see how a simple curse stole their life energy and the way their bodies slumped to the hard floor. She had wondered more than once last night if it was really worth it, if the question whether muggles and magic folk should work together would not rather been proven by the future instead of being decided over two people's love. Long since gone was the faith that she was on the right side, considering that people like Riddle and Malfoy were on her side. Well, not really Malfoy since he was dead now but Bellatrix. That mad woman was currently crying tears of hatred and anger in her little room not caring for one second that children had died.
She sighed and changed the picture in the enchanted mirror to a blue hazy mist that couldn't make the headache any worse that she currently suffering from. Never in all her years as a living being had had she felt like this, so completely unsure about her faith and convictions. Maybe she should stop worrying about these things for a second and rather visit Bellatrix to distract her mind from the possibility of defeat. An evil grin matching the potions Master's most vicious grin in class when bullying Neville Longbottom appeared on her even features. Oh yes, this day couldn't be wasted completely. Why not have some amusement instead?
Looking back one last time she gazed at the dark figure of Salazar Slytherin in his throne currently hissing quiet insults about the little muggleborn witch. It was a shame what the centuries had done to this man, when once he had been a most feared wizard and wise leader. Now he was only a shadow of himself. With a long sigh Bloodwen disappeared from the chamber.
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By the time Hermione reached the hall Neville was climbing out of the huge clock trying not to get caught in of the strange hooks that framed its door. He looked very relieved and Ginny began instantly to re-arrange his cloak that looked worse the wear right now. In some places it was ripped apart and huge amounts of dust were splashed over the black material.
"I see, you got free at least," Hermione mentioned as she got nearer and tried to suppress the grin that was tugging on the corners of her mouth. It looked quite hilarious the way Neville stood in the huge hall next to the quiet innocent looking clock and Ginny was brushing dust off his body muttering quietly to herself. She reminded Hermione so much of Molly Weasley in that moment that for a second she wondered whether Ginny could have a crush on Neville. But then there had been weirder couples, you just had to look at her and Severus. If somebody had told her at the end of last year that she would married to Severus Snape come Halloween she would have dismissed this with an impatient snort. Maybe love wasn't so much about what seemed reasonable but about what was possible.
Neville grinned self-consciously. "It seems it's always me who gets trapped in those things."
Ginny straightened instantly. "But that's not true, Neville. I mean everybody could have gotten trapped in this clock, right Hermione?"
Hermione inhaled and was saved from an answer by Ron who followed Harry down the stairs obviously arguing about something with the other boy. His voice sounded excited.
"…It's her house as well and I think she should know what the old git hides in his house. I mean Harry have you seen what was inside there, I highly doubt the Ministry of Magic would approve of one item we saw and I think we-" At point he had marched into Harry who stopped at the last stair seeing his best friend.
"Hi Mione."
She raised a brow. "Hi, you two. What are you talking about? I sincerely hope not about my husband, Ron?" Her voice was sharp around the edges which made the red-haired boy blush.
"Eh, not really, I mean maybe in some parts…. oh come on Mione, you know how I mean those…"
"Insults?" Ginny offered.
"Right!" Ron agreed but then flinched when the saw the anger in Hermione's face. "Eh no, more like names you know, instead of calling him Snape all the time I simply like some variety at times." He was apparently pleased with his explanation and grinned.
Harry who saw the way in which Hermione was moving her jaw which usually indicated that she was about to yell, decided to change the subject. Those two would probably never stop bickering their newest topic being Snape and while he was still not sure how to feel about the fact that Hermione loved him, he wasn't so foolish as too argue with her about her feelings.
"Ehm, maybe you would be interested in what we found upstairs, Mione?"
The bushy haired girl turned to him abruptly as if deciding that Ron wasn't worth her attention.
"What exactly are you talking about, Harry?"
But before the boy could answer her, the door to the library opened and Snape stepped out Moody and Lupin in two. At the sight of the five children they stopped and Lupin smiled gently.
"Good to see you all."
Snape sneered at Neville which reminded everybody forcefully of potions classes.
"I see my clock decided to let you go, Mr Longbottom," he said with irony tripping from his voice.
The boy nodded trying not to lose the staring duel with his potions teacher and in return Snape raised one brow in surprise. For some reason Neville blushed and averted his gaze. Lupin looked at Harry expectantly.
"What were you talking about Harry?"
Harry gulped audibly not sure whether to tell Lupin was a good idea but Hermione motioned him to continue.
"Ehm, Ron and me found a room upstairs that contains many, eh strange looking items."
Lupin raised a brow in obvious interest. "Oh really? What kind of items?"
"Dark Arts," mumbled Harry silently.
"Potter, if you want anybody to understand you, you should separate your jaws more than an inch," Snape hissed.
"I said, I think those items looked like they were things used in the Dark Arts," stated Harry clearly staring at his teacher with defiance.
Moody's magical eyes moved to the ceiling and he stared at Snape with his other eye.
"Interesting Snape. Care to show us those items?"
Snape shrugged, then said with bored detachment, "If you are really interested in them, but I have to warn you not to touch them without checking for spells and curses. Some of the things in this house are dangerous as our Mr. Longbottom has already learned." The last was clearly directed at the children.
Moody grinned shortly. "Don't worry, I can smell curses two feet apart. We shouldn't have any trouble." He began to climb the stairs with surprising agility. "Maybe we find something to use in the further protection of the castle. You never know." Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville followed the two men up the stairs.
Ginny turned around to Hermione who still stood in the hall.
"You not coming?"
The girl shook her head. "No, I am not really interested much. I rather go and read something in the library."
The redhead nodded and disappeared upstairs. Lupin smiled gently. "Do you mind if I accompany you? I would love to see if the Snape library is really as impressive as everyone says."
Hermione nodded and together they crossed the hall and stepped into the library closing the door behind them. The fire was still flickering merrily and the calming odour of books and dust permeated the room.
Lupin stood in front of the closed door in his shabby looking cloak and his hair greyer than ever. He gazed around the room that was almost as big as the great hall in Hogwarts clearly already impressed.
Hermione moved down one row of shelves and looked at the titles of the books she was passing.
"What do people say about the Snape family in general, Professor Lupin?" she said loud enough that he could hear her.
"It's Remus now please, Hermione." He followed her down the first row a few feet behind her. "They were once one of the most respected pureblood families in Britain and they weren't as crazy as the Blacks or Malfoys about blood purity and such things. They did have a deep passion for the Dark Arts and they were said to have owned the most extensive collection of Dark Arts books and artifacts. I figure that in here you find everything you ever wanted to know about this topic, more than you'd find anywhere in Britain." He carefully gripped an old looking book and his long fingers brushed over the leather back of it. "But the family's obsession was their downfall. They joined Voldemort in search of more Dark Arts knowledge and wisdom and in return all of the surviving members are now in Azkaban with the exception of your husband."
Hermione was flipping through a book that was about giants. "I figure they are not a very popular family?"
Lupin sighed. "Not these days, no. But there were times when they were one of backbones of the house of Slytherin and our Ministry. Did you know that Severus' great-grandfather was Minister of Magic and many Snapes were in top positions at the Ministry before Voldemort rose for the first time. It was once a very respected but not really popular family. Many people were scared of the Snapes, of their knowledge in the Dark Arts and their fortune. Look at Severus for example- he knew more Dark Arts spells than any seventh year student when he arrived at Hogwarts. It's a real demonstration of his control that he never used any Dark Magic on James or Sirius when they bullied him."
The girl looked up and locked her gaze with the other man. "Did they really bully him that much?"
Lupin nodded sadly. "Yes, they did. Granted, Severus never liked James or Sirius and he gave them both a hard time when they were playing pranks but surely they shouldn't have bullied him as much as they did. I blame myself for not restraining them more, for not using my influence on them more perhaps things could have been prevented."
Hermione placed her hand on Lupin's arm. "Maybe, but maybe not. You know I thought a lot about that in the last days and the more I think about it, the more I begin to believe that pondering too much about the past is the wrong thing to do. We simply cannot change things that are done and what use is it to wonder? Maybe you would have made things worse or maybe Severus wouldn't hate Harry so much these days but what good would it do? Voldemort would have still risen, wouldn't he?"
Lupin sighed. "There is so much you don't know Hermione, so many things about your husband you don't know. His history is linked very closely to the events I am wondering about. It would have made more difference than you think, maybe not for Voldemort but certainly for Severus." When she wanted to inquire further Lupin raised his hands. "It's not my place to answer those questions but maybe you could ask your husband. You have a right to know these kinds of things and I know how hesitant Severus is in trusting people. But it is important for your future, maybe even your immediate one."
They didn't exchange another word in the next hours as they were both reading but Hermione kept asking herself the same question over and over again. How much don't I know about his past and will it change my emotions?
I know another evil cliffy but you have to endure the suspense I afraid. I promise more as soon as I manage with college work amounting on my desk. I want to thank everybody who reviewed so far for their great support and keep on talking to me! Makes me write faster.