~~~~~*****~~~~~
" She is here" a cold voice colder then ice and space, snarled. " I can feel her, where is she?"
There tussle of robes and a dark cloaked figure emerged from the circle of clocked men and women, encircled around one being. He had a large pale mask like all the others but unlike the rest walked with confidence and coy. " My lord I believe that she is at Hogwarts.."
There was a roar of rage that was issued from the being in the middle. " You believe or you know! Maggot!"
The confidence that the figure had once held disappeared. " Im sorry my lord, I do not know!"
There was a mummer and a flash of white light, the brave cloaked figure fell to the ground and withered in pain, the being in the middle was holding a large wand in his hand and pointing it at the figure which lay on the ground. The figure screamed and reeled in agony.
"Master! Master!" It pleaded. "I will make sure that she is the one you search for!"
A cold laugh issued from the hooded being in the center of the circle. " Do not worry maggot, I know it is her! You have but one job to perform!"
"Anything Lord Voldmort! Anything!" the mass of withering pain screamed.
"Bring her to me!"
~~~~~*****~~~~~
The sun was at its zenith on Saturday afternoon; three robe-clad figures were working in the large corrals out side of the Care of magical creatures department of Hogwarts. The heat was unbearable.
" I don't believe it" growled Lucius Malfoy. He was up to his neck in Griffin poop, and there was sweat dripping down the front of his robes. "She sent us to clean out the bloody paddocks, me a Malfoy!"
Snape and Hermione both just looked at the complaining boy, there robes were soaked with sweet and drizzled with animal waste, they sneered and went back to cleaning out the twenty six paddocks that housed the Hogwarts animal population.
" Just be thankful Malfoy that Professor Lacouse didn't send us to clean out the dragon pens!" Hermione growled at him. She still had not forgiven him for landing her with the first detention she had received since her first year at Hogwarts.
" I just don't see why I have to do this?" he mumbled, picking up a large pile of animal matter with a pitchfork and hurling it into a large wicker cart.
"Just shut up Lucius!" mumbled Hermione, who was almost finished her first paddock.
Lucius just glared at her, and continued to ramble on about things that weren't going his way. " I just don't believe this we have to do this!"
" Do shut that hole in your face" grumbled Severus Snape who was half way through his second pile.
" And with out magic!" Finished Lucius.
"Lucius! Shut Up!" roared Hermione and Severus at the same time. Lucius just mumbled and went back to work. Hermione and Snape treated one anther to a smile of triumph and returned to work.
An hour had passed and they hadn't even finished a third of there designated paddocks when the dark form of Professor Magonigal crossed the bright Hogwarts grounds, there were four other people trailing behind her desperately trying to keep up with Minerva's long strides. The woman stopped she looked to have just finished tell some one off, her face was bright red and she was seething slightly.
She motioned the four students to her, the looked to be the reason she was so flushed. " You four" she snapped at them. " Will assist these others with there duties on the paddocks."
There was a groan of resistance from the students. Hermione got a good look at one of them and tried not to laugh when she saw who it was.
"Sirius black and friends" mumbled Severus under his breath.
The three of the four boys looked familiar, Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, the fourth by her guess had to be Peter Pettigrue.
" Professor Magonigal their Slytherin's, were Gryffindor's!" moaned Sirius
Professor Magonigal just looked at Black with certain disdain, Hermione would have never believed that Minerva had housed resentment for the boy. I was apparent that she did.
" Your point being what Mr. Black?" She snarled at him.
"Nothing Professor." Mumbled Black who obviously did not have the backbone to complain to her when she was like this.
" Good now get to work!" with that she turned on her heels and headed back to the school.
The four boys just stood regarding the three Slytherin's before them, for once the fact that she wasn't a Gryffindor didn't seem to bother her. She looked from James to Remus, to peter and then to Black. She scawled at seeing him. He caught her eyes and returned her squawl with his own.
"Ah so the little Slytherin scum has returned." He snapped walking up to her; they were now face to face. Hermione drew herself up and starred defiantly into his eyes.
" Always a pleasure Black." She glared up at him, turned around and went back to work. She stopped and counted the paddocks that were left to be cleaned. " We each get four paddocks, that makes it easier and we'll get it done quicker."
" Your welcome to it Slytherin scum but I'm not doing anything you tell me to" Sneered Black, once again taking a step forward in a very dangerous motion.
"Black leave it alone." Mumbled James, who clearly didn't want to get into any more trouble then they all readies were in.
Hermione was getting worried, she could banter and use intellectual comments galore on Black but she was getting the impression that he would resort to physical violence. How could Harry's godfather be such a prick? Hermione was about to take a step backwards from the advancing menace when she felt a hand on her left shoulder, she looked over to see Severus standing next to her, giving Sirius a look that said " back off or you'll loose the ability to reproduce."
Black noticed this. " Not good odds Snape, I have three at my back you have a blonde pretty boy and a girl." He sneered at Hermione.
God, why can't I just grab my wand and hex this ass into oblivion? She mumbled to herself
The three other boys came up behind Sirius and each gave there own little sneer. It truly amazed Hermione how Slytherin like these Gryffindor boys could be, also she couldn't believe that she was about to start a fight with her best friends father, godfather, werewolf and well a boy who could turn into a rat.
She froze.damn it this was Peter Pettigrue! That little worm, he was going to cause hell for every thing she ever loved.
" I think the odds are just fine the way there are" came Lucius flanking Hermione to her right. This was going to be ugly. She saw Lucius reach for his wand. Snape wasn't to fare behind. God they were defending her and she wasn't even there friend!
" You six do realize that were in DETENTION!" She screamed out, every one froze. " Get over this stupid little Slytherin Vs Gryffindor rivalry right now and get to work, I don't know about you boys but I sure the hell don't want to be scooping Griffin shit for the rest of this day!"
The boys all looked in aww. Snape and Malfoy backed off immediately; Sirius just mumbled something about " we'll finish this later". James and Remus on the other hand looked impressed, they gave her a soft smile which she returned and went to work, Peter looked like he was about ready to mess himself if she said another word. All six of them turned to work, Hermione found herself toiling next to Lupin.
" So what are you four in for?" Hermione inquired to Remus.
" We um.. Oh what the hell, we set off a few cherry bombs in moaning Mirtles bath room, blew the toilets straight off." He was laughing at the end of it, so was Hermione. " Now Myrtle has to live in Magonigal's toilets until hers can be repaired." Hermione snorted and stifled a giggle.
Remus smiled at her " by the way my names Remus Lupin."
" I'm Hermione Granger." She took his hand and shook it; it felt odd to see him again.
" Nice to meet you, that was a good move you did a while ago, good job keeping them inline."
"Thanks Remus."
It took Hermione and the others an hour of straight work to finish, thankfully no male mocho attitudes got in the way and it had gone very smoothly. She was sticky and dirty and rather exhausted so she didn't wait around for the other two Slytherin's. Not that she would anyway, she told herself. She wanted nothing more then a hot bath and to relax. She left with out saying a word but gave a nod to Remus.
~~~~~*****~~~~~
"Hermione!" came a voice from behind her, as she was half way up to the castle and in desperate need of a shower. She turned around and saw that Severus was running towards her. " Oh bugger what do you want?" she called.
He caught up to her. " Professor Lacouse just came by and gave us our detention schedule for tomorrow. Were cleaning bed pans in the infirmary." He tone held no emotion but his eyes let out that he found this very funny.
" You enjoy cleaning bed pans?" she inquired.
" No I just can't wait to see the look on Lucius's face when he find out that we have to do it with out magic." His thin red lips almost twisted into a smile. Hers however bloomed into a full-blown grin when she thought of the look on Lucius's face when he found out that interesting news.
" I wish I had a camera for that!" she giggles.
" Well if you did Im sure you could make quite a few galleons for a picture of that." Now finally he smiled, and it sent shivers down her spine.
Hermione! Her mind screamed at her. Stop it, do you know what you're doing? Quit your laughing, do you relies your joking around with Severus Snape. " OH SOD OF!" she snapped at herself, clearly not caring, she was having to good of a day.
" So where are you off to now?" Snape inquired.
Hermione gave him a look, and pointed to her clothing. " I have Griffin turds all over me I reek and well Im rather sweaty so Im thinking Tub now!"
He laughed and she shivered. Hermione Stop that she chastised herself.
" See you at dinner then!"
She gave him a look. " As long as there's no mashed potato's and gravy involved, ok"
"Don't worry I wouldn't dare." He said matter of factly; his eyes glowed with play and humor.
She gave him a mock snarl. " Good!"
~~~~~*****~~~~~
When Hermione came down from her room, fresh and clean the sun was just setting over the Hogwarts horizon. She wore her clean Slytherin robes but left them open exposing her mungle clothing which consisted of a white tight T-shirt with a scoop neck and flared jeans. All of which she had transfigured due to lack of well everything.
When she came down into the Slytherin common room she saw a group of Slytherin boys talking by a roaring fire (how they could have a fire when it was almost plus 30 outside was beyond her) they were all talking in hushed tones. She noticed that both Snape and Malfoy were in the group, she also noted that they were clean and no longer flushed with well animal matter.
Snape turned and caught her eye, she immediately knew something was wrong, his eyes were no long the playful bright black that she had seen when she was joking around with him but they were now tunnels of black emptiness. He blanched when he saw her look at him. Yes something was definitely wrong. She remembered that that was the same look that Ron always wore when things were either not right or dangerous.
Some where in the back of her mind she knew what was wrong but she couldn't place it. Suddenly she gave out a yelp; the pain in her arm was back with a vengeance. She gripped it and winced. She quickly moved to get out of the common room but she wasn't fast enough, just as she was leaving she saw Snape's face, it was donned with a look of horror.
"Oh God." she whispered and disappeared out the portrait.
She ran to Dumbledores office but before she was halfway there a pair of large hands slammed her into the wall. She lost her wind and just about passed out from the force.
"What the." she screamed, but stopped when she saw that Snape was standing over her seething with rage. She had never seen him look this angry in her whole time of knowing him. He looked like the devil himself.
" Would you mind explaining what you are doing Granger?" he snarled, sounding very much like a wolf that had just caught a deer.
Hermione was stunned. " Look just leave me along I have to see professor dumbledore." She made to move Snapes hands grabbed her shoulders and shoved her back into the hard stone wall.
" What the hell are you doing!" she screamed.
" I could ask you the same thing but why ask questions that you all ready know the answers." He mumbled with a soft velvet tone that held more bite then a snake.
" And what is it that you "Think" Im doing!" she snapped.
" I know your going to report us, I would have expected better from you Granger."
Realization dawned on her, oh my god ...no that wasn't.. what she saw in the Slytherin hall was... Oh my god.....The beginning.that's how it all started.could this have been there first meeting? No..Could it?
She gave him a grave look, all her ghosts and pains surface in her face; it became white as chalk tears of rage and grief well up in her eyes. She knew the fate that would await Severus Snape.
She starred straight into his deep obsidian eyes.
" You'll kill us all." She whispered.
" She is here" a cold voice colder then ice and space, snarled. " I can feel her, where is she?"
There tussle of robes and a dark cloaked figure emerged from the circle of clocked men and women, encircled around one being. He had a large pale mask like all the others but unlike the rest walked with confidence and coy. " My lord I believe that she is at Hogwarts.."
There was a roar of rage that was issued from the being in the middle. " You believe or you know! Maggot!"
The confidence that the figure had once held disappeared. " Im sorry my lord, I do not know!"
There was a mummer and a flash of white light, the brave cloaked figure fell to the ground and withered in pain, the being in the middle was holding a large wand in his hand and pointing it at the figure which lay on the ground. The figure screamed and reeled in agony.
"Master! Master!" It pleaded. "I will make sure that she is the one you search for!"
A cold laugh issued from the hooded being in the center of the circle. " Do not worry maggot, I know it is her! You have but one job to perform!"
"Anything Lord Voldmort! Anything!" the mass of withering pain screamed.
"Bring her to me!"
~~~~~*****~~~~~
The sun was at its zenith on Saturday afternoon; three robe-clad figures were working in the large corrals out side of the Care of magical creatures department of Hogwarts. The heat was unbearable.
" I don't believe it" growled Lucius Malfoy. He was up to his neck in Griffin poop, and there was sweat dripping down the front of his robes. "She sent us to clean out the bloody paddocks, me a Malfoy!"
Snape and Hermione both just looked at the complaining boy, there robes were soaked with sweet and drizzled with animal waste, they sneered and went back to cleaning out the twenty six paddocks that housed the Hogwarts animal population.
" Just be thankful Malfoy that Professor Lacouse didn't send us to clean out the dragon pens!" Hermione growled at him. She still had not forgiven him for landing her with the first detention she had received since her first year at Hogwarts.
" I just don't see why I have to do this?" he mumbled, picking up a large pile of animal matter with a pitchfork and hurling it into a large wicker cart.
"Just shut up Lucius!" mumbled Hermione, who was almost finished her first paddock.
Lucius just glared at her, and continued to ramble on about things that weren't going his way. " I just don't believe this we have to do this!"
" Do shut that hole in your face" grumbled Severus Snape who was half way through his second pile.
" And with out magic!" Finished Lucius.
"Lucius! Shut Up!" roared Hermione and Severus at the same time. Lucius just mumbled and went back to work. Hermione and Snape treated one anther to a smile of triumph and returned to work.
An hour had passed and they hadn't even finished a third of there designated paddocks when the dark form of Professor Magonigal crossed the bright Hogwarts grounds, there were four other people trailing behind her desperately trying to keep up with Minerva's long strides. The woman stopped she looked to have just finished tell some one off, her face was bright red and she was seething slightly.
She motioned the four students to her, the looked to be the reason she was so flushed. " You four" she snapped at them. " Will assist these others with there duties on the paddocks."
There was a groan of resistance from the students. Hermione got a good look at one of them and tried not to laugh when she saw who it was.
"Sirius black and friends" mumbled Severus under his breath.
The three of the four boys looked familiar, Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, the fourth by her guess had to be Peter Pettigrue.
" Professor Magonigal their Slytherin's, were Gryffindor's!" moaned Sirius
Professor Magonigal just looked at Black with certain disdain, Hermione would have never believed that Minerva had housed resentment for the boy. I was apparent that she did.
" Your point being what Mr. Black?" She snarled at him.
"Nothing Professor." Mumbled Black who obviously did not have the backbone to complain to her when she was like this.
" Good now get to work!" with that she turned on her heels and headed back to the school.
The four boys just stood regarding the three Slytherin's before them, for once the fact that she wasn't a Gryffindor didn't seem to bother her. She looked from James to Remus, to peter and then to Black. She scawled at seeing him. He caught her eyes and returned her squawl with his own.
"Ah so the little Slytherin scum has returned." He snapped walking up to her; they were now face to face. Hermione drew herself up and starred defiantly into his eyes.
" Always a pleasure Black." She glared up at him, turned around and went back to work. She stopped and counted the paddocks that were left to be cleaned. " We each get four paddocks, that makes it easier and we'll get it done quicker."
" Your welcome to it Slytherin scum but I'm not doing anything you tell me to" Sneered Black, once again taking a step forward in a very dangerous motion.
"Black leave it alone." Mumbled James, who clearly didn't want to get into any more trouble then they all readies were in.
Hermione was getting worried, she could banter and use intellectual comments galore on Black but she was getting the impression that he would resort to physical violence. How could Harry's godfather be such a prick? Hermione was about to take a step backwards from the advancing menace when she felt a hand on her left shoulder, she looked over to see Severus standing next to her, giving Sirius a look that said " back off or you'll loose the ability to reproduce."
Black noticed this. " Not good odds Snape, I have three at my back you have a blonde pretty boy and a girl." He sneered at Hermione.
God, why can't I just grab my wand and hex this ass into oblivion? She mumbled to herself
The three other boys came up behind Sirius and each gave there own little sneer. It truly amazed Hermione how Slytherin like these Gryffindor boys could be, also she couldn't believe that she was about to start a fight with her best friends father, godfather, werewolf and well a boy who could turn into a rat.
She froze.damn it this was Peter Pettigrue! That little worm, he was going to cause hell for every thing she ever loved.
" I think the odds are just fine the way there are" came Lucius flanking Hermione to her right. This was going to be ugly. She saw Lucius reach for his wand. Snape wasn't to fare behind. God they were defending her and she wasn't even there friend!
" You six do realize that were in DETENTION!" She screamed out, every one froze. " Get over this stupid little Slytherin Vs Gryffindor rivalry right now and get to work, I don't know about you boys but I sure the hell don't want to be scooping Griffin shit for the rest of this day!"
The boys all looked in aww. Snape and Malfoy backed off immediately; Sirius just mumbled something about " we'll finish this later". James and Remus on the other hand looked impressed, they gave her a soft smile which she returned and went to work, Peter looked like he was about ready to mess himself if she said another word. All six of them turned to work, Hermione found herself toiling next to Lupin.
" So what are you four in for?" Hermione inquired to Remus.
" We um.. Oh what the hell, we set off a few cherry bombs in moaning Mirtles bath room, blew the toilets straight off." He was laughing at the end of it, so was Hermione. " Now Myrtle has to live in Magonigal's toilets until hers can be repaired." Hermione snorted and stifled a giggle.
Remus smiled at her " by the way my names Remus Lupin."
" I'm Hermione Granger." She took his hand and shook it; it felt odd to see him again.
" Nice to meet you, that was a good move you did a while ago, good job keeping them inline."
"Thanks Remus."
It took Hermione and the others an hour of straight work to finish, thankfully no male mocho attitudes got in the way and it had gone very smoothly. She was sticky and dirty and rather exhausted so she didn't wait around for the other two Slytherin's. Not that she would anyway, she told herself. She wanted nothing more then a hot bath and to relax. She left with out saying a word but gave a nod to Remus.
~~~~~*****~~~~~
"Hermione!" came a voice from behind her, as she was half way up to the castle and in desperate need of a shower. She turned around and saw that Severus was running towards her. " Oh bugger what do you want?" she called.
He caught up to her. " Professor Lacouse just came by and gave us our detention schedule for tomorrow. Were cleaning bed pans in the infirmary." He tone held no emotion but his eyes let out that he found this very funny.
" You enjoy cleaning bed pans?" she inquired.
" No I just can't wait to see the look on Lucius's face when he find out that we have to do it with out magic." His thin red lips almost twisted into a smile. Hers however bloomed into a full-blown grin when she thought of the look on Lucius's face when he found out that interesting news.
" I wish I had a camera for that!" she giggles.
" Well if you did Im sure you could make quite a few galleons for a picture of that." Now finally he smiled, and it sent shivers down her spine.
Hermione! Her mind screamed at her. Stop it, do you know what you're doing? Quit your laughing, do you relies your joking around with Severus Snape. " OH SOD OF!" she snapped at herself, clearly not caring, she was having to good of a day.
" So where are you off to now?" Snape inquired.
Hermione gave him a look, and pointed to her clothing. " I have Griffin turds all over me I reek and well Im rather sweaty so Im thinking Tub now!"
He laughed and she shivered. Hermione Stop that she chastised herself.
" See you at dinner then!"
She gave him a look. " As long as there's no mashed potato's and gravy involved, ok"
"Don't worry I wouldn't dare." He said matter of factly; his eyes glowed with play and humor.
She gave him a mock snarl. " Good!"
~~~~~*****~~~~~
When Hermione came down from her room, fresh and clean the sun was just setting over the Hogwarts horizon. She wore her clean Slytherin robes but left them open exposing her mungle clothing which consisted of a white tight T-shirt with a scoop neck and flared jeans. All of which she had transfigured due to lack of well everything.
When she came down into the Slytherin common room she saw a group of Slytherin boys talking by a roaring fire (how they could have a fire when it was almost plus 30 outside was beyond her) they were all talking in hushed tones. She noticed that both Snape and Malfoy were in the group, she also noted that they were clean and no longer flushed with well animal matter.
Snape turned and caught her eye, she immediately knew something was wrong, his eyes were no long the playful bright black that she had seen when she was joking around with him but they were now tunnels of black emptiness. He blanched when he saw her look at him. Yes something was definitely wrong. She remembered that that was the same look that Ron always wore when things were either not right or dangerous.
Some where in the back of her mind she knew what was wrong but she couldn't place it. Suddenly she gave out a yelp; the pain in her arm was back with a vengeance. She gripped it and winced. She quickly moved to get out of the common room but she wasn't fast enough, just as she was leaving she saw Snape's face, it was donned with a look of horror.
"Oh God." she whispered and disappeared out the portrait.
She ran to Dumbledores office but before she was halfway there a pair of large hands slammed her into the wall. She lost her wind and just about passed out from the force.
"What the." she screamed, but stopped when she saw that Snape was standing over her seething with rage. She had never seen him look this angry in her whole time of knowing him. He looked like the devil himself.
" Would you mind explaining what you are doing Granger?" he snarled, sounding very much like a wolf that had just caught a deer.
Hermione was stunned. " Look just leave me along I have to see professor dumbledore." She made to move Snapes hands grabbed her shoulders and shoved her back into the hard stone wall.
" What the hell are you doing!" she screamed.
" I could ask you the same thing but why ask questions that you all ready know the answers." He mumbled with a soft velvet tone that held more bite then a snake.
" And what is it that you "Think" Im doing!" she snapped.
" I know your going to report us, I would have expected better from you Granger."
Realization dawned on her, oh my god ...no that wasn't.. what she saw in the Slytherin hall was... Oh my god.....The beginning.that's how it all started.could this have been there first meeting? No..Could it?
She gave him a grave look, all her ghosts and pains surface in her face; it became white as chalk tears of rage and grief well up in her eyes. She knew the fate that would await Severus Snape.
She starred straight into his deep obsidian eyes.
" You'll kill us all." She whispered.