A Dangerous Project – Part Eight – A Tangled Web

Back in Hermione's room, Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussed what they had found – and what to do next.

"I think we should go ahead and call a few other people to help us. We should keep a watch on that door, and explore to see what else is down there besides that one large room." Hermione suggested.

"Someone should visit Knockturn Alley," Ron said, "We should familiarize ourselves with it, and maybe we can find out who has bought some of the stuff we found."

The next day, Luna Lovegood, Fred and George Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, and Dean Thomas received letters by owl asking for a meeting at the top of the astronomy tower in two nights.

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"...so we left right away, seeing as how it probably wasn't a good idea to be found in there." Ron finished. Everyone else sat quietly, thinking.

"So what's it you wanted us to do, mate?" Fred asked.

"Well," Hermione answered, "We need to know about these people – where they live, what connections they have to You-Know-Who," she handed him a list of the people who were mentioned in the letters they had found. Fred's eyebrows nearly eclipsed his hairline as he read the parchment, but both he and George nodded.

"What about us?" Dean asked, motioning to himself, Neville, Luna, and Seamus.

"If you can, we need a watch on that door," said Harry. "We need to know who's going in. They won't enter when you're there, of course, but if someone keeps looking to see who's in the hall, report their names."

Everyone agreed, and the rest of the time was spent discussing other things that needed doing, like choosing code names ("Oh, come on!" said Ron. "All the great muggle detectives have them!") Hermione, Ron, and Harry were relieved at how serious everyone else was taking this – and that they realized most of what they would do was definitely against the school rules. At the very least, they would be in detention. At the worst....well, Hermione didn't want to think about the worst. She had a very good imagination. Finally, they all packed up and headed to bed, going in pairs so as not to be caught. Fred and George, after hugs all around, flew off. Hermione, Ron, and Harry headed down the stairs quietly. At the Fat Lady they parted ways, Hermione heading towards her room. She turned corners automatically, thinking about everything that had happened – and nearly screamed as a bit of shadow detached itself from the rest, heading towards her. She pulled out her wand, determined –

-but pocketed it again when she saw that it was Professor Snape.

"Miss Granger," he said coldly, in what was more a threat than a greeting. "What brings you out here tonight?"

"Just a nighttime walk," she said, in as detached a tone as she could muster. His eyes narrowed.

"Be careful where you walk, Miss Granger." he said shortly. "It can be dangerous." He walked away, leaving Hermione standing in the hall. What the hell was that about? she thought, dumbfounded. It certainly couldn't be said that Snape had been friendly, but nor had he deducted points. It couldn't possibly be because she was Head Girl – that had never stopped him from being nasty before. Recklessly, she decided to go talk to Harry and Ron about it. She scrambled into the Gryffindor common room and plopped herself into a chair by the fire, muttering a simple Calling charm. A few moments later, Harry and Ron stumbled down the stairs.

"Surely you weren't asleep already!" Hermione said, amused, taking in their tousled hair and wrinkled bedclothes.

"You bet we were," Ron responded, yawning. "What's going on?"

"I just met Snape in the hall," she said. This was definitely enough to rouse Harry and Ron.

"How long do you have detention, and how many points off?" Harry asked grumpily.

"None, that's the thing," Hermione said, tapping her fingers on the armchair as she thought. "He didn't do a damn thing." By this time, she was sure Harry and Ron's eyes couldn't be any wider. But she just had to push it.

"Ron, Harry, I think he was the one who helped us with the potion." Ron off the stool he was sitting on.

"What makes you say that, Hermione?" Harry asked, helping Ron up.

"Easy," she responded, smiling in satisfaction. "He was the only one who knew we were up that night – at least, that we know of. Besides that, he's the only one with such a complete understanding of potion ingredients to know what we needed. I don't think he believed the story you and Ron came up with. I think he knew, and I think he's helping us." Ron was now sputtering and shaking his head as he brushed off his pajamas.

"Not possible," Ron said indignantly. "That brainless git has never done anything even remotely pleasant towards us, much less something helpful! You're mad!"

"But it's the most likely possibility," said Harry slowly, frowning in thought. "And just because we have no idea why he would be helping us doesn't mean he's not, right?"

Hermione grinned triumphantly when Ron gave a grudging nod.

"I guess. But that doesn't mean I'm going to be friendly to that ass." Hermione and Harry both laughed at this.

"Well, don't get your knickers in a twist yet, Ron, because we don't even know it really is him." Hermione said with an amused chuckle.

"Blimey, Hermione, when have your guesses ever not been right?"

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Hermione tapped her fingers anxiously on the book she was reading, and realized she hadn't turned the page in half an hour. She flipped it quickly, and saw with dismay that she had no idea even what she was reading about. Sighing, she did a very un-Hermione-like thing – she threw the book across the room. It made a 'thunk' as it hit the wall, its pages crinkling in a way that usually would have made her furious.

Tonight, she was going to do yet another un-Hermione-like thing. She was going to test her theory that Snape was helping them.

While talking to Harry and Ron after breakfast, she had made sure Snape could hear them. Then she slipped a comment about how they desperately needed fresh puffroot if they were ever going to finish what they needed to do. To be honest, she had no need of puffroot. All that was important was that it could only be found by an experienced Potions Master –

- and that Snape was the only one to hear of this besides Harry and Ron. Furthermore, he thought that she was outside watching Harry and Ron practice their quidditch skills. She had put a hiding charm on herself, and one on the door to make it transparent to her. To everyone else it looked perfectly normal.

Hermione glanced at the clock, but unfortunately it had only moved three minutes from the last time she looked. Strange, she thought, trying to occupy her mind. I'm deceiving him in order to find out whether he's helping us while deceiving us. It reminded her of a quote, something about it being a tangled web that humans weave.

Now the clock had moved a whopping five minutes. Nervously, Hermione realized that while her plan sounded great, she didn't know what to do afterwards. If Snape was helping them, should she confront him? Just pretend she didn't know? And if he wasn't, what then? Then it was a cold, dead trail, because the only other person it probably was was Dumbledore, and good luck getting anything out of him. The man was so brilliant it was frightening. With a start, Hermione saw through her door that someone was coming down the hall towards her room.

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A/N – I apologize profusely for the cliffhanger. Rest assured that my intent was not to make you mad – merely irritated, and nice and enthusiastic about the next chapter. I promise I'll try to hurry...

Again, much love to my reviewers, especially Kate, who is MOST faithful about reviewing my work.