The scene was frozen in a tableau in front of her eyes.
After a couple of seconds of absolute, blood numbing, heart stopping and terrifying disbelief, Hermoine suddenly sprang in to action.
"Professor!" she exclaimed, as she scrambled to her feet, "I'm so sorry!"
Her voice sounded breathless but she was amazed that she was able to get any words out of her mouth at all – it had completely dried up and she was actually beginning to feel quite light-headed, thinking about what had just happened.
Snape stood in front of her, looking far more imposing than she had ever seen him, and it almost seemed as if he was trembling with rage. His face was stony and pale, in stark contrast to the dark, wet hair that hung over his eyes, dripping water on to the ground below. In his right hand he held his wand, while the fingers of his left hand were flexing slightly, almost as if on impulse. His black gown was soaking around his shoulders and it clung slightly to the top of his arms, before drying out towards the bottom. His voice shook with suppressed anger;
"Someone," he said quietly, looking directly at Hermoine "is going to suffer for this."
She felt her insides churn at his words and the blood drained from her face.
"Sir! It wasn't Hermoine's fault. It was my balloon and..." Ron started.
"Professor Snape – she was pushed. She was going to destroy it, honestly, but..." Ginny started to say at the same time.
Soon there were many voices, all protesting Hermoine's innocence, while at the same time apologising for what had happened. Even Neville was making appeals to the man that embodied his worst nightmares,
"She didn't have time to get rid of it!"
"Please, I'm so sorry!" Hermoine said again, looking at Snape desperately, as his jaw tensed and he breathed in deeply.
"You've got to believe us"
"Ask anyone"
"As if Hermoine would do anything like that on purpose!"
Snape's eyes narrowed at the protestations that continued around him.
"Silence!" he called, raising both hands upwards in a commanding gesture, his robe billowing around him.
His wand, which was still held in his right hand, emitted some red sparks at his voice – almost like a visible demonstration of the violence that lay beneath. It was a terrorizing sight. Hermoine immediately shut her mouth, as did every other student who was still in the hall. They all turned to look at the main players of this disastrous situation and a hush descended upon the room. Those who were making their way through in to the Great Hall stopped in their tracks, and turned to witness the scene, relishing in the awful inevitability of it all.
Snape slowly lowered his hands – he still held his wand in one, and with the other he pulled the wet hair out of his eyes, allowing Hermoine full force of his glare. She wished that she was anywhere but standing in front of this sight – she briefly wondered if she could run back outside and ask the Thestrals to take her back to Hogsmeade.
Interrupting the stillness, she heard a gleeful voice coming from somewhere above them.
"She threw it at you! She did! I saw it all! She knew you were coming!"
Aghast, Hermoine looked up and saw Peeves floating above the main entrance, absolutely gloating over the scene of destruction beneath him.
"That's not true!" she spluttered. "Honestly sir, I had no idea. I didn't even mean..."
She was interrupted mid-sentence.
"I said silence!" Snape spat with rancour.
Hermoine heard Peeves snicker to himself and she cursed him inwardly for making a bad situation even worse. With his free hand, Snape wiped at his face, and then flicked it off to the side, sending droplets of water flying off to the floor. She watched them land on the stone floor by his feet, making tiny splashes in the small pool of water that was already there. She suddenly realised that she should make an effort to clean up some of the mess that had been created.
"Professor, please, let me help!"
She rushed forward, raising her wand, and repeated the incantation she knew would dry up the water,
"Arefacio"
However, just as the word was spoken, with a reflex that was astounding, Snape reached out with his left hand and grabbed her forearm with force. When he spoke, his voice had a deathly chill,
"Don't ever presume to raise your wand to me again"
In shock, she dropped her wand as he tightened his grip on her arm. She could feel the tears welling up behind her eyes, and fought to stop them from falling down her cheeks – she would not humiliate herself in front of half the school. It was no comfort to realise that her spell had worked and that Snape was now bone dry. She guessed that she wasn't going to hear a 'thank you' any time soon.
She looked up and her eyes, which were now blinking away unwelcome tears, met those of her professor. They were dark and cold, as if any life behind them had been extinguished long ago. However, there was no denying the danger that was written all over his face and she knew that it wouldn't take much for his fury to be unleashed.
"I... I'm sorry" she whispered, annoyed at herself for the hesitation that she heard in her voice.
Her apology brought forth no reaction from Snape and he continued to stare at her with those unfeeling eyes. She began to feel very uncomfortable – her arm was starting to hurt and she got the distinct impression that this was what he intended. It was only the fact that she was already in far more trouble than she could imagine that prevented her from protesting to him.
At that moment she saw Harry coming in to her vision, and she realised in shock that he was holding out his wand.
"Take your hands off her."
His voice was surprisingly calm but Hermoine could recognise the latent anger behind his words. Grateful as she was for his support, she hoped that he wasn't going to say or do anything to make their situation any worse. Although Harry seemed to have more control over his temper these days, you never knew when he was going to lose it once more.
Snape's eyebrows raised slightly and he turned round to face Harry, his lip curling in to his trademark sneer,
"Ah, Mr Potter, I should have known – ever the hero".
The sarcasm was evident in his tone, but he released his hold on Hermoine's wrist nonetheless. She looked down and saw red finger marks round her forearm and she rubbed it gently.
"You have no right to lay a finger on Hermoine", Harry continued, looking directly at Snape and showing no sign of cowering under the Professor's glare.
"Are you challenging my authority Potter?" Snape asked dangerously.
"Harry, leave it", Hermoine interjected, "It's not worth it."
Snape and Harry continued to stare at each other, their dislike for each other showing plainly on both their faces.
"I suggest you do what your little girlfriend says, Potter," Snape said quietly, the insult plain in his tone.
The colour on Harry's cheeks heightened, and Hermoine saw the hatred flash behind his eyes.
"Harry, please!" she pleaded with him, praying that he wasn't going to take the bait that Snape was so plainly laying before him.
Harry turned and looked at her, and she implored at him silently to let the matter drop. He stared at her a few seconds longer and then she saw the emotion fade from his eyes. He suddenly turned away from her.
"You're not worth it," he said in a hushed voice to Snape as he walked past.
Hermoine breathed a sigh of relief as she watched him rejoin Ron, Neville and Ginny, at a safe distance. She ignored the strange nervousness in the pit of her stomach – she was plainly worked up about everything. As she looked back at Snape, she knew that the matter was far from over – no wonder she was feeling apprehensive! If only she had a time turner so she could go back and try to stop any of this from happening!
She noticed her wand on the floor next to her feet, and leaned down to pick it up. As she stood up, she spotted Draco Malfoy standing a few metres away, arms folded, with a strange smile on his face. Trust him to make an appearance now, she thought to herself. She threw him a dirty look and then turned her back to him.
"Well, I think you all better follow me" Snape said, his mouth forming in to an unpleasant smile. "And I have to say, it's just as well that you haven't had time to make yourselves comfortable yet."
He called over a young third year student,
"Marshall – go to Professor McGonagall directly. Tell her I will meet her in her classroom as soon as possible!"
The third year scurried off, looking terrified. Snape swept past them and Hermoine's heart sank as she looked at the others in dismay. Ron tried to give a reassuring smile, but failed miserably – it looked more like a wretched grimace. Ginny and Neville both looked despondent, while Harry almost looked detached from it all, gazing in to the distance.
They all turned and grudgingly followed Snape in the direction of a door at the left of the hall, leaving Peeves cackling to himself above the doorway,
"Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink!"
The all stood in their Transfiguration classroom, waiting for Professor McGonagall to arrive. None of them spoke to each other, although they occasionally caught each other's eye - huddled together in the middle of the room, it was if they were relying on each other's presence for moral support. Hermoine briefly contemplated trying to reason once more with their Potions Professor and explain to him what had happened, but she didn't seem able to formulate any words. Instead she looked around the classroom at the rows of quiet desks, which by tomorrow morning would be surrounded by Hogwarts students, earnestly trying to transfigure spiders in to squirrels and such like. It crossed her mind that it was slightly strange that Snape had brought them here instead of his own dungeon, but didn't dwell on it for any length of time – she had more things to be worrying about.
The man himself was standing at one of the windows, the setting sun casting light from behind him, meaning that his features were in darkness. However, Hermoine didn't need to see Snape's expression to know that he wished them nothing but hostility. She was sure that she was going to be spending every evening from now until Graduation in detention – if she was even allowed to stay at Hogwarts long enough for her to graduate!
After about ten minutes of uncomfortable waiting, Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Head of Hogwarts, limped in to the room assisted by the stick that she had been forced to use for the past year or so. She nodded at Snape and then turned to face the five friends, who were still standing very close together. She scarcely acknowledged them, except by stating to Harry and Ron,
"Mr Potter, Mr Weasley. I had hoped that I wouldn't have to leave the first feast of the year for you two again. Especially not in your final year!"
Hermoine assumed that she was referring to the events in the second year, when Harry and Ron had arrived at the school in a flying Ford Anglia, landing in the Whomping Williow. They had escaped lightly then – she only hoped that the same was to happen again.
"Would someone care to tell me what all this is about?" McGonagall said to no one in particular. "All I got was some garbled message from Miss Marshall about some seventh year students throwing water over Professor Snape. Please tell me I'm mistaken!"
"Oh no, you're not mistaken" Snape said. "That is exactly what happened."
McGonagall's lips narrowed and she glared at them all, as they stood together in the middle of the room.
"Professor McGonagall, please" Harry started, "This has absolutely nothing to do with Ginny and Neville. It's not right that they should miss out on the feast."
Hermoine nodded her head in agreement and Ron added,
"It's all my fault really. Honestly, Ginny and Neville should be allowed to go."
Professor McGonagall turned and looked at Professor Snape, who merely jerked his head in a non-committal manner.
"Oh, I have no doubt that the responsibility lies with the infamous trio", he said scathingly.
"Very well" McGonagall said briskly, "Longbottom and Miss Weasley – you may return to the feast. But I don't need to warn you of the consequences if you find yourselves in any more trouble any time in the foreseeable future."
Ginny and Neville both nodded gratefully and turned and left the room quickly. On their way out Ginny smiled briefly at the three of them, and Neville gave Hermoine a quick wink. She was grateful for their encouragement but guessed she was going to need a lot more than that to see her through this.
She turned and looked at Professor McGonagall, her favourite teacher at Hogwarts, and felt awful as she saw the look on the older woman's face - now she understood how Harry felt, when he explained to her about Dumbledore's look of disappointment after the Whomping Willow incident.
"Please enlighten me as to what has happened," she said to Hermoine.
Hermoine cleared her throat and prayed that her voice would remain steady.
"Well, we were just waiting to go in to the Great Hall," she began and then paused, realising that if she went any further she was going to get the boys in to trouble – as if they weren't in enough as it was.
"Perhaps I can help", Ron started, resignation sounding in his voice.
Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows and said, "Very well Mr Weasley."
"Well, I was mucking around with a water balloon that I got from... ah, a random shop in Diagon Alley... that is... well, a water balloon is a balloon that you have to fill up water... obviously... and..."
"I'm well aware of what a water balloon is Mr Weasley. Please get to the point." McGonagall was obviously in no mood to be kept waiting.
"Of course, sorry Professor. Well, as I was saying, I was playing around with the water balloon – and can I take this opportunity to say that I am thoroughly ashamed of my conduct – ah, sorry, I'll get to the point." He took a deep breath and then continued hurriedly,
"Anyway, Hermoine was erm... less than amused with my most reprehensible behaviour and she decided to confiscate the offending article. That is – the balloon. So she had it in her hand when there was some commotion behind her, which ended up in some little squirt – sorry, bad choice of words – some second year falling in to the back of her. Well, she couldn't keep her balance and she lost her grip on the balloon – we wouldn't want her to be Gryffindor Keeper, now would we Professor! Sorry, sorry. That was when Snape... sorry, Professor Snape walked through the door. It really was a terrible, terrible accident."
Ron finished with a dramatic sigh and he raised the back of his hand to his forehead. Had it not been for the gravity of the situation, Hermoine felt that she might have wanted to laugh. However, one look at Professor Snape was enough to quell any such notion.
"Is this correct", McGonagall asked her.
"Yes. I really didn't mean to let go of the balloon and I certainly didn't intent to hit Professor Snape with it. I can only apologise profusely for what happened."
Snape snorted across the room at her, leaving her in no doubt as to what he thought of her apology. He stepped forward from the window and turned to Professor McGonagall.
"Maybe now I can explain what really happened," he said coolly. "I'm sure it is correct that Weasley was acting like a child, playing with a water balloon, and I'm also quite sure that Potter and Miss Granger were fooling along with him. Miss Granger obviously then had the balloon and decided to throw it at the door. Whether or not she knew I was coming through is irrelevant – although I am quite sure that she did. Nevertheless, when she chose to throw it at the door, she behaved in a completely irresponsible manner and should now accept the consequences of her actions."
"I didn't choose to throw it at the door," Hermoine began protesting. "It was a complete accident."
Professor McGonagall looked at her piercingly for a couple of seconds and then turned back to Professor Snape.
"Well, I don't think you could definitely say that what happened was premeditated. I certainly don't condone this sort of behaviour, but to say that Miss Granger intentionally hit you with that water balloon would be taking things too far."
"I have witnesses!" he seethed. "Ask any of the other students who were in the hall. Or Peeves – he saw it all!"
"Oh, Professor, please! You really want to rely on the word of that poltergeist?" McGonagall replied.
Hermoine began to breathe a little easier. Thank goodness Professor McGonagall didn't think she had hit Snape on purpose. Perhaps she would be making it to her Graduation after all! If only Snape believed her as well!
"You can't honestly be thinking of letting these infernal brats get away with this! Expulsion is too good for them!"
Snape began to raise his voice slightly and he glowered at the three of them across the room. Hermoine was sure he was picturing all sorts of corporal punishment and remembered the rumours she had heard about the chains and manacles hanging from the roof in Filch's office.
"I just find it very difficult to believe that the Head Girl of Hogwarts would do something as foolish as throwing anything at her Potions professor, never mind a water filled balloon!" McGonagall continued.
"Then you have far too much faith in your noble, Gryffindor students," Snape retorted.
The two teachers glared at each other across the room and Hermoine felt eternally grateful for the words spoken by her Head of House. How could Snape possibly imagine that she would deliberately soak him with a water bomb? She chose not to think about the fact that she had once set fire to his robes and had disarmed him of his wand in the Shrieking Shack – desperate times had called for desperate measures.
"Be that as it may Severus, but as you have just pointed out, they are Gryffindor students, which gives me the right to punish them as I see fit. Naturally, I shall defer to you for the details of the punishment, but there shall certainly be no expulsions today."
"I can't believe I'm hearing this!" Snape looked livid.
McGonagall merely turned to Hermoine, Harry and Ron.
"You shall all serve two weeks detention. It will be for Professor Snape to decide the manner in which you spend them. In the meantime, I suggest you go up to your common room immediately – and no, Mr Weasley, you shall not be rejoining the feast."
Ron closed his mouth, his question unasked.
"I shall certainly be investigating this matter further, and if I find any indication whatsoever that you three have not been truthful to me, believe me, you will wish that you'd never returned to school this term!"
She turned to Snape and said,
"Severus – I think it's time we both made our way to the Great Hall. The students will be returning to their Houses soon."
She turned and walked out of the room, with Snape walking slowly and deliberately behind her. When he passed the three of them, he turned and spoke with a voice that was loaded with venom.
"All to often I have watched you the three get away with things you shouldn't have," he said. "Too many times I've watched you escape the punishment you deserve. You all think that you are something so special and that you are untouchable. Well, no longer! I warn you all now – I shall personally make sure that your last year at Hogwarts is a living hell."
With that, he turned on his heel and left the room, leaving an air of unpleasantness behind him.
Hermoine's head hurt and she wanted to shut her eyes to everything that had happened that evening.
She stood in front of a portrait of a beautiful young lady, with long flowing blonde hair reaching down to her waist. The lady was sitting on a bench in a newly harvested field of barley, and was gazing wistfully out to the horizon. At first glance, the field appeared to be otherwise deserted – yet on closer inspection Hermoine saw, to her surprise, what appeared to be a lion walking off in to the distance.
She shook her head, deciding that she didn't have the brainpower to think about the significance of the portrait at the moment – all she wanted was to go to bed. She turned and looked to the right of the portrait, where an oaken door stood, firmly locked.
As Head Girl, Hermoine was given the privacy of her own room. Luckily for her, it wasn't far from the Gryffindor Tower and so she would be able to visit the common room with ease. In fact, it was from the Gryffindor common room that she had just come, having returned there with the boys after leaving the Transfiguration classroom. The two boys had been complaining at the injustice of all that happened and were cursing Snape for everything under the sun, but she had felt drained of all energy and hadn't been able to work up the enthusiasm to join in the general Snape- bashing.
They had managed to acquire some food from the House Elves and had eaten their fill, before the rest of the students had arrived from the Great Hall. There had been a great commotion as their classmates crowded around them, asking for all the details.
"You really pelted Snape with a water bomb, Hermoine?" Seamus Finnegan exclaimed. "Nice one!"
"Head Girl too!" Lavender Brown had added.
"I didn't mean to do it!" Hermoine replied, somewhat testily.
She wasn't sure why she was feeling so irritable, except that a lot had happened that evening, and she still couldn't believe that anyone would think that she would do such a thing on purpose. She knew that Seamus and Lavender were just teasing, but she didn't have the patience to be dealing with it at the moment.
"I'm off to bed", she said, standing up from her chair.
Ron stood up with her.
"Are you alright Hermoine?" he asked. "Listen, don't let that bastard Snape get to you. It's like Harry said earlier – he's not worth it."
She smiled back at him.
"You shouldn't call him that. Don't forget his threat to make our lives a living hell."
"Huh, he doesn't scare me!" Ron said with bravado. "I'm actually thinking of getting in touch with Fred and George and ordering more of those water balloons. Maybe we can arrange a whole army and drop hundreds of them over the banister on to Snape as he walks to breakfast one morning. The shower would do him good! I'll bet we could get Peeves to join in. Of course, you'd have to be the Army Major as you have proved yourself to be the expert on the battlefield!"
Hermoine couldn't help but laugh.
"Goodnight Ron", she said, as she gave him a quick hug.
She then turned to the rest of her friends.
"See you in the morning."
They said their goodnights, and as she left the room she heard them all resume the earlier conversation.
"Did Snape really break Hermoine's arm?" she heard a fourth year boy ask.
Shaking her head in despair, she had made her way to her room.
She was now looking at the shut oaken door, blocking the way to her bedroom, and felt confused, as she could see no handle by which to open it.
Feeling a little self-conscious, she lifted her hand and knocked gently at the door. When nothing happened, she frowned to herself, wondering what she was meant to do.
"You need to choose a password", the blonde girl in the portrait said softly.
Hermoine turned round to look at the girl, who was now standing up from her bench and gazing back at her. Of course, she should have realised – her room was now out with the area protected by the Fat Lady. But what to choose as a password? She opened her mouth and said the first words that came into her head.
"Water Bomb."
If the blonde girl was surprised by the choice of password, she gave no indication of it. The door to the right swung open and Hermoine made her way through into the corridor behind.
"Thanks," she said, over her shoulder to the portrait.
She walked down a short corridor, which lead in to a large room. She paused and looked around at what was to be her home for the best part of a year.
Her bed was against the far wall – it was a large double, four-poster bed, with cream sheets and drapes, contrasting with the dark wooden frame. At the top end were the plumpest pillows Hermoine had ever seen and she couldn't wait to rest her head on them. The walls were also cream and the carpet was a deep red, and very soft to walk on. It crossed her mind that the room might be decorated to fit with her Gryffindor colours and she wondered briefly if perhaps Draco's room was green? She pushed that idea far from her head – she didn't want to be thinking of that boy at all, never mind what his bedroom looked like!
There was a single window on the left hand wall, and although it was dark now outside, she could see Hagrid's hut in the distance, before the ominous shadow of the Forbidden Forest. It was always difficult to tell at Hogwarts what direction you were facing, and Hermoine was happy that she looked down on to Hagrid's hut – although she could have done without the Forbidden Forest! A small desk was positioned under the window, with a wooden chair sitting underneath. There was also a more comfortable looking armchair in the corner. She noticed a door leading to her ensuite bathroom on the right – a long, hot bath could be just what she needed.
Her belongings had been brought directly to her room from the Hogwart's Express and she knew that her clothes would already be hanging in the wardrobe at the bottom of the room. The photograph of her parents was sitting on the bedside table, and her books were lined up along the shelves next to the window. She smiled to herself – she imagined that she could feel quite comfortable here.
Crookshanks had already made himself at home and was lying, full stretch, at the bottom of her bed. She sat down beside him, and buried her hand in his thick fur. He purred in contentment, his eyes half closed. The gentle vibration soothed her a little and she lay back on the bed and shut her eyes. She felt the gentle pressure on her stomach and chest as Crookshanks climbed on top of her and settled down, his continuous purring providing her with a degree of comfort.
"Hey there," she murmured as she stroked his head.
Thoughts continued to swim through her own head as she lay there with her cat – the thestrals, the water balloon, a soaking Snape, her aching forearm, Harry's challenge, Professor McGonagall, two weeks detention – and Snape's malevolent threat.
What a start to her final year...
Author's Note: I hope this is going ok. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed so far – you're comments are really appreciated and they give me motivation to keep on going!