Chapter 3

Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Dueling Master, and spy for the Order of Phoenix, was bone tired.

When he had boarded the Hogwarts Express, Snape hadn't even tried to apparate to Hogsmeade. The way he had been, he had had a better chance of splinching himself rather then getting back to the school in one piece.

Now here he was, waiting with the rest of the staff for the remaining upper- classmen to take their seats and also for McGonagall to lead a new pack of fresh-faced, in his opinion, dunderheads. Going over the memories of the last half-month, Snape wondered what he was going to tell Dumbldore.

With the crack that normally came with apparition, Severus looked around his new surroundings.

Knowing what the climate was going to be like, Snape had discarded his robes and frock coat in favor of the black dress pants and black button- dress shirt. Casting a cooling charm before he left Scotland, he had apparated straight to Cairo, Egypt to meet his contact.

Looking around for the meeting point, Snape made to look as inconspicuous as he could. Which was somewhat hard, considering the black attire and his skin tone. Sticking to what shadows he could find, he made his way to the meeting point in the bustling market he had stepped into from his apparition point.

Thankfully it was a wizard market that had been the point of contact in the letter, so it didn't look odd appearing from nowhere and carrying around a wand.

Stepping into dimly lit pub, Snape had to stop for a moment to let his eyes adjust to the decreased level of light.

Gliding towards the bar at the side of the room, Severus ordered a butterbeer, knowing that it wouldn't be a good idea to become intoxicated in any way. Picking a spot in a corner of the room covered with shadows, he made his way silently, ignoring the questioning look that was occasionally sent his way. His very demeanor screaming 'don't bother me'.

Watching the door to the pub, the Potions Master watched as people came and went, wondering when Demerius would get there. Pulling out a pocket watch, he checked the time.

"Your butterbeer." A man said, setting his order onto the table.

"Yes, ye-" Stopping mid-sentence, with his hand frozen in a dismissing gesture. Snape merely stared at the worn, kindly, smiling face of Demerius Talormmi.

"You're vocabulary has improved since the last time I met with you." Demerius said, a small smirk curling the side of his mouth.

Demerius Talormmi was an average sort at first glance. Average height, regular complexion for one in Egypt. But if one were to take a closer look, you'd be somewhat surprised. With blue eyes that twinkled enough to rival Albus, wisdom and secrets buried beneath layers of time were what lay behind the blue irises. With graying hair that shot through his brown hair, it made him seem dignified, about the age of 40, a little older than that of Severus' 37 years. But Severus knew better. For Demerius had looked exactly the same, almost 20 years ago. As this thought crossed his mind, the same exited his mouth. Before he could stop, "Well, you certainly don't look like you've change much in 20 years." Cursing whatever lingered around this man, his usual Slytherin discretion seemed to go out the window whenever he spoke to Talormmi.

Demerius just gave a short chuckle, grabbing the booth that was across from Severus. "It's good to see you, even though I'm sure that you didn't particularly want to see me." Cocking his eyebrow at the man seated across from him who was observing him from atop his butterbeer glass.

"Yes, well, under the circumstances..."

"The circumstances." Sighing, Demerius leaned back into his seat. "Well about those circumstances, I believe we should adjourn to somewhere a bit more, private, might I say?" With that, he got up and walking leisurely to the back of the pub where a case of stairs led to, what Severus surmised, were rooms above.

Leaving the bill for the half-drunk butter beer, Severus quickly followed and climbed the stairs behind Demerius. Wondering if it was secure enough to discuss what they were most likely going to discuss, Snape quickly stopped that line of thinking as the corridor suddenly changed into a vast library of unending scrolls and books. Looking behind him, Severus found a closed door that he didn't quite remember going through. Bewildered, he looked towards Demerius who had stopped at a lone desk that was rather large for a single person.

"Oh, don't look so confused Sev," Severus scowled at the name, "you didn't really think that we would speak in one of those rooms, did you?" Demerius asked, smiling as he looked at Snape.

"Well, no, but where exactly are we?" the Potions Master asked, experiencing a sense of déjà vu. He felt as though he'd been here before, but he couldn't quite remember this place.

"Ah, well, you wouldn't remember this place, even though you've been here before." At Severus' questioning glance, Demerius waved a hand at an extra chair that had suddenly appeared. "Sit down, would you? You might not remember everything that I tell you here, but maybe some of it. You may as well know all of it while you are here.

"You see, my friend, whenever a person were to leave this place, their minds are wiped of everything that might lead that back here. The rest of their memories are left intact, just the information that might expose the location of this place. The only person this does not apply to, is the Librum Custodium, or in the popular language these days, Library guardian, namely, me."

'Well, that sort of explains the déjà vu I suppose.' Snape thought to himself. The only thing he could remember from their last encounter was deciding that the prophecy couldn't be kept here, and would be better off destroyed or locked away in whoever's memory it was held in. "If my memory is correct, and was not altered, I believe I asked that if you were to come across anything, interesting, you would contact me, yes?" He asked, as he looked at the seemingly never-ending library.

"Yes, well that's why you're here. I had recently catalogued a new prophecy about a little more than a week ago. It appears that all the things that's going around in the British Isles match with all the aspects of the prophecy."

"Oh?" 'Not another one. Damn, we all ready have one, there's another one?' Sighing, Severus continued. "When exactly was the prophecy made?"

"About maybe 60 to 80 years ago."

"What? And it took this long to find?"

"Well, this is a rather large library as you can see." Demerius retorted with a roll of his eyes as he waved behind him, indicating the endless scrolls and tomes.

Snape conceded on that point. "Touché. So, what does this prophecy have to say?"

As Severus snapped from his memories, the last few seventh years trickled in, among them, the Golden Trio.

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As Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way to their seats, they were relieved to see that they had made it before McGonagall. Taking a cursory look at the staff table, Hermione saw that all the teachers were where they should be, with Lupin where the DADA professor would be.

Giving a small wave and a smile, Hermione greeted the werewolf. He gave a small smile back, greeting her and the other 2/3 of their trio. Her eyes slid to the left, meeting the black gaze of Professor Snape.

Their eyes locked, unable to look away. Hermione couldn't read the look that was dancing just out of reach of the surface. Continuing to look, trying to see what was hidden in her surly teacher's eyes. Suddenly, the connection was broken, as the Headmaster caught the Potions Master's attention, breaking his avid concentration on her.

"'Mione? 'Mione? You there?" Ron asked from beside her as she shifted her attention from the staff table to her friends.

"Yea, Hermione. You sort of lost focus after waving hi to Professor Lupin." Harry said, looking at his friend in concern.

"I'm fine you guys. Just a little...lost in thought is all." Hermione answered, giving a small smile to reassure the two boys.

Harry accepted her answer, shrugging and giving a smile in return while Ron grinned. "Lost in thought, huh? After Lupin said hi back? Do I sense a small crush going on here?"

"What? No!" Hermione said, a little too quickly. 'I guess they didn't notice that I wasn't looking at Lupin. That could be a good thing, knowing them.'

"Admit it, you've got a crush!" Ron teased, nudging her with his elbow.

"No I have not got a crush." Hermione snapped, her face blushing a light red.

"Yes, I believe you." Ron replied in a tone saying the exact opposite.

"Ron, cut it out." Hermione said, a threatening tone in her voice.

"All right, all right, I'll stop." Ron said, with his hands in a surrender position.

"You realize, you've just given him something to tease you about all year, right?" Harry asked, his smile due to the antics of their redheaded best friend.

"Yes, I know." Hermione sighed. Shaking her head, she turned her attention to the Headmaster who had cleared his throat for their attention.

"Welcome, to another year at Hogwarts," Dumbledore began after the Sorting Hat had finished its song. "I have a few announcements to start off the new school year."

Hermione and the two boys spaced out a little, the Headmaster's speech almost exactly the same as the previous years. It was somewhat amusing, watching the first years in awe of the somewhat Merlin-like wizard standing up and speaking nonsense for half his speech. Hermione was yanked from her drifting when the Headmaster called her name.

"I would also like to present this year's new Head Boy and Girl, Terry Boot and Hermione Granger." Dumbldedore gave polite applause, signaling for both to stand.

Hermione stood somewhat reluctantly, and from what she could see of Terry, he didn't really like the spot like either. Giving a small wave to the student body, she quickly sat down to disappear into the crowd again. Looking up at the high table, she noted that while she had expected the small proud faces from Dumbledore, McGonagall and Lupin, she was a little surprised to see a glimmer of pride in the eyes of Snape. It was of course quickly wiped from his face, and Hermione doubted she had even seen it, but it gave her a warm feeling, knowing that maybe the taciturn man might not hate her or think her as irritating as she had initially gathered.

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Well, there's the new chapter. Sorry it took a while to post. I had a bit of a writer's block and whatnot. Hope you enjoyed and as always, review.

-Me