Part Two
A/N: I wanted to thank my reviewers. Here is the next part, it is looking to be a four part story now because I expanded on this part, more than I had originally planned, but I like it and it is sort of an interlude to the conclusion.
While a several weeks past, Molly did not forget the unusually pleasant conversation she had with Severus Snape. She was determined to make a cake for him, not only a cake but also, an appreciation dinner for him. She wanted all the Order members to attend.
She looked at a calendar and determined that the coming Friday before their monthly Order meeting that she would make the cake and invite everyone to attend. It was all in order, the invitations sent out, and the ingredients bought, the hardest part was getting Severus to attend. She decided the easiest route would be through the headmaster.
(Break)
"Severus? I wonder if I may have a word." Albus asked one evening after dinner in the Great Hall.
"Yes, of course Headmaster." Severus said following the old man to his office.
"Have a seat Severus, lemon drop?" The headmaster asked.
"No, thank you headmaster." Severus said putting up his hand to stop the lemon drops from coming towards him.
"How have you been doing? Any meetings as of late?" Albus asked.
"No, not for a few weeks now, I believe that the Dark Lord is trying to research new methods to shield himself from Potter's love." Severus sneered slightly.
"I see, and your classes?"
"Abominable as usually."
"Your third years still causing troubles?"
"But of course, Collins is issuing migraines to me every period."
"I am sorry to hear that, but I trust you have taken the appropriate course of action, as you always do." Albus said treading lightly.
"Yes, of course. Is there anything in particular you wished to see me about, or may I go grade my second year's potion exam?" Severus questioned.
"There is one favor that I may ask you." Albus said with a twinkle in his eye.
"And what would that be?"
"Friday, before the Order meeting, I would like you to go a little early." Albus said, not wanting to reveal much.
"Why?" Severus drawled.
"I would like you to check all the wards, make sure that they are still holding up, and do not need replacing." Albus answered.
"Why would you have me do such a meaningless task? I am sure Tonks or Kingsley would be more than capable, that is as long as Nymphadora kept on her feet."
"Yes, but you are quite good at wards, you were the one who informed me of the ward that has protected Harry Potter, if I am not mistaken." Albus said hoping to win points, as Severus would never let him forget that it was he who suggested that he go live with blood relatives.
"Very well, will six o'clock be all right?" Severus asked rather bored.
"Actually we have decided to move the meeting to six, so how about around five?" Albus stated.
"Six, when did we move the meeting?" Severus asked a little perturbed.
"Only for this month Severus." Albus tried to calm him down a bit.
"Very well, five o'clock, do you need anything else?" Severus asked, standing in front of the headmaster's desk.
"No, thank you Severus." Albus said smiling.
"Good evening, Headmaster." Severus walked quietly out. The headmaster sat back in his chair and smiled to himself. He was glad that Molly had reached out to him, when so few did. He hoped that Severus would appreciate the gesture rather than turn his back to it.
Friday Morning
Severus entered his 6th year potions class, slamming the door behind him. To say he was in a bad mood would be an understatement, he had been summoned last night, and was unable to get any sleep the night before.
"Open your books to page 124. NOW!" He barked.
"Here you will find the list of ingredients needed to brew the Solstrum potion, this potion when bottled can act as a light in dark corners and uncertain pathways. Take care when retrieving the ingredients from the potion cabinet, especially the Firewings." Severus sneered.
"Begin!" Severus took out a stack of essay that needed grading and sat down at his desk. He looked up occasionally, glancing at Potter and Malfoy.
"Professor Snape?" He heard Hermione Granger ask, disrupting him from his grading.
"What seems to be the problem Miss Granger?" He voice dripping with distain.
"There are no more firewings, sir."
"What do you mean?" Severus growled.
"There are none left, sir." Hermione challenged.
"5 points from Gryffindor for your disrespect, obviously one of you dunderhead has taken too many. Who was it?" Severus yelled.
There was no answer. Severus grew angry.
"WHO WAS IT?!" His voice echoed off the dungeon walls.
Still no one answered, all of the sudden Severus's eyes turned to the cauldron in the back, it had started to turn an orange hue. Severus knew he had to act quickly, if the cauldron exploded, the whole room would set afire.
"EVERYONE OUT! NOW!" He shouted, as he ran towards the cauldron. It was too late, the potion had exploded. Severus only had a moment to cast a protego charm on himself.
Everything the potion touched started a fire. All the desks were starting to burn, as well as his own. Severus's eyebrows furrowed in anger and frustration. Severus ran out of the empty room as quickly as he could, choking on the smoke that was starting to form.
Severus slumped against the dungeon hallway, mentally checking that all his students had gotten out of the room.
"Headmaster, over there!" Severus heard Miss Granger's voice yell.
Hermione Granger and the headmaster were now running towards him. Severus did not have the strength to push himself off the wall.
"Severus! Have all the students gotten out?" Albus asked urgently.
"Yes, headmaster." Severus spoke.
"Have you put out the fire?" Albus then asked.
"No, I had just gotten out, I was checking to make sure the students had gotten out safely." Severus explained.
"Then allow me to extinguish the fire." Albus said as he said a spell that extinguished the billowing flames.
"Thank you headmaster." Severus said, still noting that Miss Granger had not left.
"No, thank you Severus, without your quick thinking, the students might have been in grave danger, as well as yourself." Albus said patting his friend on his back.
"Yes, well, perhaps if the students would pay more attention, accidents like this would not happen." Severus said.
"Well thank you again, shall I call your students back?" Albus asked.
"No, don't bother, I fear that they may face my wrath if I have to lay my eyes on them again today." He said looking directly at Miss Granger.
"Very well, do you need anything else?"
"No, Headmaster." With that Severus turned and walked into his cinder filled classroom. Hermione Granger followed and stood at the doorway unbeknownst to him.
To say the room was a mess was also an understatement, the desks were ruined, his third year's potion essays were ash, and his robe was singed. Severus walked carefully around the mess, and stood behind his desk. He forced open one of the top drawers and started to rummage for something.
He pulled out what seemed to Hermione to be a photograph, which was badly burned around the edges. She watched as her Potion's professor carefully traced the edges with his index finger. She wondered what the picture was of.
"Sir?" Hermione finally spoke up.
"Granger, what are you doing here!" Severus demanded as he tossed the photograph into the nearby rubbish bin.
"I thought you might need help cleaning up, sir." Hermione said.
"The House Elves can do it Miss Granger, oh but wait your against House Elf enslavement, aren't you?" Severus said pushing back his hair.
"Well, yes sir, but they seem to not mind it, especially here at Hogwarts." Hermione said a little surprised that he knew about her SPEW efforts.
"Funny how one gets use to something which they have done for so long, isn't it Miss Granger." Severus stopped for a moment, thinking of himself.
"Take for example your incessant need to answer a question, even if it is not directed towards you." Severus said.
Hermione did not answer, she could tell that he was not in a good mood, and did not want to test him any farther.
"Sir." Hermione said as she cast several scougify charms on the desks and floor.
"Unlike you Miss Granger, I have better things to do with my time, Good day." Severus said sweeping out of the room, leaving her in the Potions room alone.
(Break)
After her Potions Professor had left, Hermione's curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to take a look in the rubbish bin. As she reached down to grab the burnt image, she noticed a faint trail of blood from where the Potion Master was standing. She frowned and a twinge of guilt hit her for not thanking him for saving her and the other students.
'He must have hurt himself when he was trying to control the potion.' She thought.
Hermione looked down at the picture and saw a little boy, probably around the age of seven with black hair and black eyes. He was standing on a chair in front of a dinning table. There was a birthday cake with seven candles on it. A woman sat next to him smiling, watching him blow out the candles.
Hermione shut her eyes as a tear came to her cheek. 'So he was just a man afterall.' She thought.