-ANGELS OBLIQUELY
CHAPTER 9
Days turned into weeks and there was no sign of Hermione or Duane. I had been looking for her to the point of exhaustion, and it took Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey, to force me into a night's sleep.
I had to tell Dumbledore and also ask for his advice. I was feeling lost and angry at myself, and as bad as my life had been, I had never found myself so helpless. To lose control over a woman... it never occurred to me how one could be reduce to an emotional wreck for... was it love? How could it? I was bastard Snape, the cold sarcastic Potions Master. Not one to be subjected to such things as feelings.
I pushed all those things to the back of my mind. I would have to deal with that later. All I needed to focus, all that could keep me sane, was looking for her.
The only positive point about the whole thing was that I wasn't the only one fooled in this story. Lucius had no idea of Duane's whereabouts and like me he couldn't wait to get his hands on him.
It wasn't too difficult to get him out of my hair, what Lucius had in cruelty, he lacked in intelligence. All I had to do was tell him I had given Duane the formula and he couldn't argue with that, after all, Duane was supposedly his ally. If his lack of judgment brought him the worst people to work with, it wasn't my problem. His plans to impress the Dark Lord were ruined and he was so afraid of me telling on him, that he just kept out of my way.
It was on rainy afternoon that Potter and Weasley burst into my office.
"We know where she is!" said Potter out of breath. "She's in America! Our source in the Ministry spotted both of them in a muggle Hotel."
"Then let's not waste time," I said, not bothering to put on my robe. It was probably a good idea not to look like a wizard to blend in.
We left Hogwarts and apparated to Orlando, Florida. They were supposed to be in one of those chain cheap motels, according to Weasley. The place was a dump, old and unkempt, the outer walls were in need of painting and the parking lot was a mess of dirt and mud. We climbed the wobbly stairs to the third floor and stopped in front of number 394. While Potter was peeking through the window, I put my ear to the door, and could make a couple of voices. There were definitely two men in there, and they seemed to be arguing. I backed away and signaled for Potter and Weasley to be ready. I took my wand and muttered the unlocking charm. Kicking the door, Weasley led the way and as I entered, my eyes searched the room, hoping to find Hermione. All I could see was Duane breaking into the bathroom and probably trying to gain time to disapparate, but Potter shot a curse after him. The other man grabbed a suitcase on the bed and as he turned to face me, I was a little taken aback. I knew that Fudge was in this, but I thought he was on Malfoy's side.
He pointed his wand at me and I immediately cast a disarming charm, making his wand fly several feet away on the floor, where Weasley was able to retrieve it. Fudge held the suitcase tight and leaned back to the wall. We could see flashes of light coming from the bathroom as Potter and Duane cursed each other. I looked at Weasley. "I can take care of this, why don't you go help Potter?"
Weasley nodded and ran for the bathroom. My eyes turned back to Fudge and I could see he was shaking slightly.
"Where is Hermione?" I asked him.
"I - I don't know, Duane didn't tell me where they're hiding, we agreed to meet here, so he could give me the money." He kept shooting glances to the door and back at me.
"I might just spare your life if you tell me where she is," I said menacingly walking in his direction, with my wand pointed at him. He seemed to shrink in fear and I tilted my head to the side waiting for his answer.
Fudge was a coward. It was as easy to intimidate him as it was first years in my class. "Come on Fudge, you're trying my patience," I said coldly, without raising my voice.
"Look, I have nothing to do with this, I merely agreed to turn the other way when that fool, Ellyot, tried to steal the formula from the Ministry. That's what I'm being paid for and Malfoy is the one who killed him. And... and It was all Duane's idea to use the Imperius curse on her, it's wasn't my problem..." He kept trying to take his blame out of the way, in a nervous blabbering that was driving me crazy.
Faster then he could imagine I had my wand on his throat. "Where is she!"
He shut his eyes whimpering, "T - There's an old cabin on the beach, n-near Tampa. It looks abandoned, he's keeping her there."
I loosened the grip on him and heard Potter yell. The moment I turned, Fudge saw his chance to run for the door. I cursed him, missing by inches and as reached the door I shot him one more time with a stunning spell. It was supposed to just stop him from getting away, but he lost his balance, hitting the balcony. The rusty metal gave away and Fudge plunged three floors down to his death.
I looked down carefully and saw his body sprawled on the muddy ground, still clutching the suitcase. By this time, Potter and Weasley joined me outside.
"Duane escaped," said Weasley rubbing the back of his head, that ws bleeding. "He put up a hell of a fight in there, he hit me and I passed out knocking my head on the bathtub."
"When I tried to help Ron, he disapparated," said Potter a little embarrassed.
"Two fully trained Aurors can't be able to detain one wizard... either Duane is very good, or you two are very incompetent." I looked at them, noticing their anger building up. "I am going with the latter."
Weasley tried to jump at me, but Potter held him back. Even in that stressful situation, I felt a bit of satisfaction that I still had it in me.
"I think we should focus here on finding Hermione," Potter said trying to swallow his own anger.
I gave them my best smirk and turned on my heels, going down the stairs. "Well, thanks to me we got that information out of Fudge. But before we go, I suggest we get those galleons from Fudge's hands, before the muggle police arrive here."
............................................................................ .....
The beach was dark and we could barely make the little cabin. The pale light of the moon was giving us enough to see where we were going. It was actually better that way, for Duane wasn't going to be able to spot us that easy. He would be expecting us though, for he knew Fudge wasn't going to remain silent and I was hoping I could get there before he got Hermione and left.
We separated and surrounded every entrance of the cabin. I silently unlocked the front door, and as I entered the old wooden cabin, I was hit by a mix stale smell, with mold and cigarette. The room was as dark as outside and I was thankful for my ability of making no noise as I walk, years of practice with students, but I couldn't say the same about the other two young men with me.
A flash of light hit the opposite side of the room, illuminating Weasley's face long enough for me to see his surprise as he was knocked out again. From then on, hell broke loose, we couldn't tell who was hitting whom, until the very moment of being hit, for the only light was from our wands and who would be stupid enough to cast the Lumos charm and be seen?
At some point I saw Potter fly across the room and fall unconscious on the floor as he was hit by two people at the same time. I was confused but didn't have much time to think as Duane cursed me, I escaped barely throwing myself behind a beat up couch. I checked to see my surroundings and rushed to the place where Potter had fallen and he was still unconscious, but thankfully alive.
I heard a creak on the wooden floor and it was enough to hint me someone was approaching. I cast a stunning spell and the person fell backwards, I pointed my wand and yelled, "Lumos!"
Duane looked back at me trying to reach for his wand.
"Accio wand!" I said and it flew to my hand. I pointed my wand at him and was about to ask him about Hermione when I felt the tip of a wand on my neck.
"Drop your wand," said a familiar voice and all my defenses went down. I obediently dropped it on the floor and turned slowly to face the big brown eyes staring at me. She looked the same way she did when I last saw her weeks ago, even the dull shine on her eyes was there. Now I knew this wasn't her, she's always possessed the shine of curiosity and wit in those beautiful eyes, It wasn't there, all I could see was a bottomless abyss, that spoke nothing of her true self.
It was a relief to know that person wasn't who she had become, but who she was forced into being. And if there was a little bit of Gryffindor strength left in her, I could pull her back.
At this point I heard Potter get up. "Hermione what are you doing?" he asked.
She looked at him, her face impassive. "Stay where you are or I'll stun you again!" she said stepping back and aiming at me and potter.
Duane was still dizzy, but was staring intently at her.
"Hermione, I know there's a part of you there, fight it, fight him!" I said looking right at her.
She frowned and shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said uncertain.
Potter saw what I was doing and added, "We're your friends Hermione, we know you're not this person he's making you be, remember who you are!"
She looked at him then at me as if not quite recognizing who we were. Sensing what was coming Duane spoke in a firm voice, finally managing to stand up, "Kill them Hermione, use the killing curse. Now!"
She aimed the wand at me and tried to focus but she seemed utterly confused. I tried again. "These are your best friends Hermione, they love you enough to come all this way for you," I said pointing at Potter and Weasley, who was still knocked out. It took me a while to say it, but I had to, it was the truth and she needed to know. "I... I love you too, Hermione, I want you to come back!"
Potter seemed a little taken aback about my statement, and I confess I was too. I never thought in my wildest dreams, that I would admit to love anyone, and in front of Potter of all people.
Duane intervened, "Kill them now!"
She pointed the wand at me and opened her mouth to say the curse, our eyes locked and I waited. Before anyone could think, she turned to Duane and yelled, "STUPEFY!"
The red light of the spell hit Duane with such an intensity that he was knocked out even before he hit the wall. She ran to me and enveloped me in a tight hug as she sobbed, warm tears running down her cheeks. She slowly let go and turned to Potter, hugging him in the same fashion.
I sat on the floor heavily, and for the first time in a long time, I felt relieved and also very tired.
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There was a lot of commotion with Fudge's death and betrayal to the Ministry. Potter and Weasley were in the papers for months after that, they even got a promotion, while Hermione got her job back and the formula went back to the Ministry to be one more of those secret weapons stored in the Department of Mysteries. I decided to stay away from it, not one to enjoy publicity, I let the fame go to both dunderheads, they seemed to like the attention.
Duane was sent to Azkaban for using the unforgivables and the stealing of Ministry's property. As expected, he wouldn't go down by himself, he brought Malfoy along, accusing him of Ellyot's death. The whole story became public and could be heard in every corner or pub in the wizarding world. It seemed Duane had planned everything carefully from the moment he stepped into the Ministry and found out about the potion. He convinced Fudge to fire Ellyot and enrage him enough to make him steal the formula. Hermione was taken by the Imperius curse from the beggining, making her distance herself from her work and friends and pretend to be on Ellyot's side. When Ellyot called her to tell her he had stolen the potion, Duane immediately let Malfoy know. Malfoy killed him to get the formula, with a muggle gun, to make it look like a muggle crime and take his involvement away from it.
I was deceived into completing the formula and making it more powerful. Of course he didn't count with Hermione's friends and her own strength of character to ruin his plans completely.
I was glad it was all over, but a month after everything went on, I was still having trouble sleeping or concentrating. She hadn't talked to me since that day, I suppose she was a little embarrassed for what she had done. While the Imperius curse makes a person do things out of their control, it doesn't wipe their memories of having done it. And I'm sure she remembered everything that went on between us.
For a long time, I told myself all of it had been the Imperius curse acting on her. How could she ever have any interest in me? But then I remembered some instances where her eyes seemed to be focused and true, while she was around me. I knew that when I kissed her, there was a part of her that felt it too. So I swallowed my fears and insecurities and decided to do something about it.
I heard she had moved back to her old apartment in London, so I chose a Saturday morning, knowing she would be at home. Taking a deep breath, I apparated.
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A/N : Ok, so this is the last chapter, the next one is an epilogue. I hope you have enjoyed so far, and I am sorry if somehow Snape or Hermione sounded OOC to some of you. I really tried to keep them as in character as I could.
Thanks to :
Happynutcase - I'm glad you liked, hope this chapter wasn't so different LOL.
EvieBlack - wait until next chapter LOL there will be more kisses... hopefully LOL.
ruey - Thanks I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
RandomReviewer - Thanks for your kind review. yeah, about the WIKTT, I sometimes just assume people know about it, so I forget to mention.
CHAPTER 9
Days turned into weeks and there was no sign of Hermione or Duane. I had been looking for her to the point of exhaustion, and it took Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey, to force me into a night's sleep.
I had to tell Dumbledore and also ask for his advice. I was feeling lost and angry at myself, and as bad as my life had been, I had never found myself so helpless. To lose control over a woman... it never occurred to me how one could be reduce to an emotional wreck for... was it love? How could it? I was bastard Snape, the cold sarcastic Potions Master. Not one to be subjected to such things as feelings.
I pushed all those things to the back of my mind. I would have to deal with that later. All I needed to focus, all that could keep me sane, was looking for her.
The only positive point about the whole thing was that I wasn't the only one fooled in this story. Lucius had no idea of Duane's whereabouts and like me he couldn't wait to get his hands on him.
It wasn't too difficult to get him out of my hair, what Lucius had in cruelty, he lacked in intelligence. All I had to do was tell him I had given Duane the formula and he couldn't argue with that, after all, Duane was supposedly his ally. If his lack of judgment brought him the worst people to work with, it wasn't my problem. His plans to impress the Dark Lord were ruined and he was so afraid of me telling on him, that he just kept out of my way.
It was on rainy afternoon that Potter and Weasley burst into my office.
"We know where she is!" said Potter out of breath. "She's in America! Our source in the Ministry spotted both of them in a muggle Hotel."
"Then let's not waste time," I said, not bothering to put on my robe. It was probably a good idea not to look like a wizard to blend in.
We left Hogwarts and apparated to Orlando, Florida. They were supposed to be in one of those chain cheap motels, according to Weasley. The place was a dump, old and unkempt, the outer walls were in need of painting and the parking lot was a mess of dirt and mud. We climbed the wobbly stairs to the third floor and stopped in front of number 394. While Potter was peeking through the window, I put my ear to the door, and could make a couple of voices. There were definitely two men in there, and they seemed to be arguing. I backed away and signaled for Potter and Weasley to be ready. I took my wand and muttered the unlocking charm. Kicking the door, Weasley led the way and as I entered, my eyes searched the room, hoping to find Hermione. All I could see was Duane breaking into the bathroom and probably trying to gain time to disapparate, but Potter shot a curse after him. The other man grabbed a suitcase on the bed and as he turned to face me, I was a little taken aback. I knew that Fudge was in this, but I thought he was on Malfoy's side.
He pointed his wand at me and I immediately cast a disarming charm, making his wand fly several feet away on the floor, where Weasley was able to retrieve it. Fudge held the suitcase tight and leaned back to the wall. We could see flashes of light coming from the bathroom as Potter and Duane cursed each other. I looked at Weasley. "I can take care of this, why don't you go help Potter?"
Weasley nodded and ran for the bathroom. My eyes turned back to Fudge and I could see he was shaking slightly.
"Where is Hermione?" I asked him.
"I - I don't know, Duane didn't tell me where they're hiding, we agreed to meet here, so he could give me the money." He kept shooting glances to the door and back at me.
"I might just spare your life if you tell me where she is," I said menacingly walking in his direction, with my wand pointed at him. He seemed to shrink in fear and I tilted my head to the side waiting for his answer.
Fudge was a coward. It was as easy to intimidate him as it was first years in my class. "Come on Fudge, you're trying my patience," I said coldly, without raising my voice.
"Look, I have nothing to do with this, I merely agreed to turn the other way when that fool, Ellyot, tried to steal the formula from the Ministry. That's what I'm being paid for and Malfoy is the one who killed him. And... and It was all Duane's idea to use the Imperius curse on her, it's wasn't my problem..." He kept trying to take his blame out of the way, in a nervous blabbering that was driving me crazy.
Faster then he could imagine I had my wand on his throat. "Where is she!"
He shut his eyes whimpering, "T - There's an old cabin on the beach, n-near Tampa. It looks abandoned, he's keeping her there."
I loosened the grip on him and heard Potter yell. The moment I turned, Fudge saw his chance to run for the door. I cursed him, missing by inches and as reached the door I shot him one more time with a stunning spell. It was supposed to just stop him from getting away, but he lost his balance, hitting the balcony. The rusty metal gave away and Fudge plunged three floors down to his death.
I looked down carefully and saw his body sprawled on the muddy ground, still clutching the suitcase. By this time, Potter and Weasley joined me outside.
"Duane escaped," said Weasley rubbing the back of his head, that ws bleeding. "He put up a hell of a fight in there, he hit me and I passed out knocking my head on the bathtub."
"When I tried to help Ron, he disapparated," said Potter a little embarrassed.
"Two fully trained Aurors can't be able to detain one wizard... either Duane is very good, or you two are very incompetent." I looked at them, noticing their anger building up. "I am going with the latter."
Weasley tried to jump at me, but Potter held him back. Even in that stressful situation, I felt a bit of satisfaction that I still had it in me.
"I think we should focus here on finding Hermione," Potter said trying to swallow his own anger.
I gave them my best smirk and turned on my heels, going down the stairs. "Well, thanks to me we got that information out of Fudge. But before we go, I suggest we get those galleons from Fudge's hands, before the muggle police arrive here."
............................................................................ .....
The beach was dark and we could barely make the little cabin. The pale light of the moon was giving us enough to see where we were going. It was actually better that way, for Duane wasn't going to be able to spot us that easy. He would be expecting us though, for he knew Fudge wasn't going to remain silent and I was hoping I could get there before he got Hermione and left.
We separated and surrounded every entrance of the cabin. I silently unlocked the front door, and as I entered the old wooden cabin, I was hit by a mix stale smell, with mold and cigarette. The room was as dark as outside and I was thankful for my ability of making no noise as I walk, years of practice with students, but I couldn't say the same about the other two young men with me.
A flash of light hit the opposite side of the room, illuminating Weasley's face long enough for me to see his surprise as he was knocked out again. From then on, hell broke loose, we couldn't tell who was hitting whom, until the very moment of being hit, for the only light was from our wands and who would be stupid enough to cast the Lumos charm and be seen?
At some point I saw Potter fly across the room and fall unconscious on the floor as he was hit by two people at the same time. I was confused but didn't have much time to think as Duane cursed me, I escaped barely throwing myself behind a beat up couch. I checked to see my surroundings and rushed to the place where Potter had fallen and he was still unconscious, but thankfully alive.
I heard a creak on the wooden floor and it was enough to hint me someone was approaching. I cast a stunning spell and the person fell backwards, I pointed my wand and yelled, "Lumos!"
Duane looked back at me trying to reach for his wand.
"Accio wand!" I said and it flew to my hand. I pointed my wand at him and was about to ask him about Hermione when I felt the tip of a wand on my neck.
"Drop your wand," said a familiar voice and all my defenses went down. I obediently dropped it on the floor and turned slowly to face the big brown eyes staring at me. She looked the same way she did when I last saw her weeks ago, even the dull shine on her eyes was there. Now I knew this wasn't her, she's always possessed the shine of curiosity and wit in those beautiful eyes, It wasn't there, all I could see was a bottomless abyss, that spoke nothing of her true self.
It was a relief to know that person wasn't who she had become, but who she was forced into being. And if there was a little bit of Gryffindor strength left in her, I could pull her back.
At this point I heard Potter get up. "Hermione what are you doing?" he asked.
She looked at him, her face impassive. "Stay where you are or I'll stun you again!" she said stepping back and aiming at me and potter.
Duane was still dizzy, but was staring intently at her.
"Hermione, I know there's a part of you there, fight it, fight him!" I said looking right at her.
She frowned and shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said uncertain.
Potter saw what I was doing and added, "We're your friends Hermione, we know you're not this person he's making you be, remember who you are!"
She looked at him then at me as if not quite recognizing who we were. Sensing what was coming Duane spoke in a firm voice, finally managing to stand up, "Kill them Hermione, use the killing curse. Now!"
She aimed the wand at me and tried to focus but she seemed utterly confused. I tried again. "These are your best friends Hermione, they love you enough to come all this way for you," I said pointing at Potter and Weasley, who was still knocked out. It took me a while to say it, but I had to, it was the truth and she needed to know. "I... I love you too, Hermione, I want you to come back!"
Potter seemed a little taken aback about my statement, and I confess I was too. I never thought in my wildest dreams, that I would admit to love anyone, and in front of Potter of all people.
Duane intervened, "Kill them now!"
She pointed the wand at me and opened her mouth to say the curse, our eyes locked and I waited. Before anyone could think, she turned to Duane and yelled, "STUPEFY!"
The red light of the spell hit Duane with such an intensity that he was knocked out even before he hit the wall. She ran to me and enveloped me in a tight hug as she sobbed, warm tears running down her cheeks. She slowly let go and turned to Potter, hugging him in the same fashion.
I sat on the floor heavily, and for the first time in a long time, I felt relieved and also very tired.
..........................................................................
There was a lot of commotion with Fudge's death and betrayal to the Ministry. Potter and Weasley were in the papers for months after that, they even got a promotion, while Hermione got her job back and the formula went back to the Ministry to be one more of those secret weapons stored in the Department of Mysteries. I decided to stay away from it, not one to enjoy publicity, I let the fame go to both dunderheads, they seemed to like the attention.
Duane was sent to Azkaban for using the unforgivables and the stealing of Ministry's property. As expected, he wouldn't go down by himself, he brought Malfoy along, accusing him of Ellyot's death. The whole story became public and could be heard in every corner or pub in the wizarding world. It seemed Duane had planned everything carefully from the moment he stepped into the Ministry and found out about the potion. He convinced Fudge to fire Ellyot and enrage him enough to make him steal the formula. Hermione was taken by the Imperius curse from the beggining, making her distance herself from her work and friends and pretend to be on Ellyot's side. When Ellyot called her to tell her he had stolen the potion, Duane immediately let Malfoy know. Malfoy killed him to get the formula, with a muggle gun, to make it look like a muggle crime and take his involvement away from it.
I was deceived into completing the formula and making it more powerful. Of course he didn't count with Hermione's friends and her own strength of character to ruin his plans completely.
I was glad it was all over, but a month after everything went on, I was still having trouble sleeping or concentrating. She hadn't talked to me since that day, I suppose she was a little embarrassed for what she had done. While the Imperius curse makes a person do things out of their control, it doesn't wipe their memories of having done it. And I'm sure she remembered everything that went on between us.
For a long time, I told myself all of it had been the Imperius curse acting on her. How could she ever have any interest in me? But then I remembered some instances where her eyes seemed to be focused and true, while she was around me. I knew that when I kissed her, there was a part of her that felt it too. So I swallowed my fears and insecurities and decided to do something about it.
I heard she had moved back to her old apartment in London, so I chose a Saturday morning, knowing she would be at home. Taking a deep breath, I apparated.
............................................................................ ....................................................................
A/N : Ok, so this is the last chapter, the next one is an epilogue. I hope you have enjoyed so far, and I am sorry if somehow Snape or Hermione sounded OOC to some of you. I really tried to keep them as in character as I could.
Thanks to :
Happynutcase - I'm glad you liked, hope this chapter wasn't so different LOL.
EvieBlack - wait until next chapter LOL there will be more kisses... hopefully LOL.
ruey - Thanks I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
RandomReviewer - Thanks for your kind review. yeah, about the WIKTT, I sometimes just assume people know about it, so I forget to mention.