Disclaimer: Hey there. I make no money, so please review below! Thank you J.K. Rowling once again for such a fine work. I am now reading Book 5 for the umpteenth time. Still laughing. T-minus eleven days until Prisoner of Azkaban is released!!!! Yippee!
Chapter Ten: The Bellflower Revolt
The bright sunshiny morning glory walked down the corridor to the dungeons, large metal thermos in hand. She wondered if he would truly appreciate the coffee she was bringing him and how he might react, perhaps not. But just maybe— forging some type of amicable relationship would not be so difficult. He was pretty civil when he'd asked her about the extra lessons… he even went to Dumbledore to get special permission.
Maybe she could casually bring up the fact that there was 'no way in hell' she, or any of his female students would volunteer to pick bellflowers. Not in front of their male peers and not in front of him. So when she knocked and opened the heavy wood door to the dungeons, it was a total surprise that Professor Snape who was sitting at his desk, stopped what he was doing, and gave Hermione a crooked smile.
"Miss Granger, what can I do for you this morning?"
"I thought you might like some coffee, sir."
He raised a curious eyebrow and walked toward her. "Indeed. Thank you. The house elves here make a decent enough cup, but once you have the real thing, you can never go back."
It was funny to hear him say that, that was something her mother used to say. She poured him a cup and offered it to him. When he took it from her, his long slender fingertips just grazed her own. She felt her abdomen tighten at the contact.
"Thank you, Miss Granger," he drawled out in his silky tones. He produced a cup, and poured a coffee for her as well. She didn't take it black, but decided to make an exception for present company. Somehow, it tasted sweeter, possibly because their exchange was going far better than she had expected. But soon she felt a bit different, as the truth serum flowed through her veins and Snape's demeanor abruptly changed.
He flung the drink aside and shook her shoulders forcefully. "You insolent girl! How dare you go to Dumbledore behind my back!"
Hermione panicked, heart pounding out of her chest. "W-w-what? I d-d-didn't go s-s-see him yet…."
"You will talk young lady. If you are a lady... Tell me… Are you still a virgin?"
She wrestled free of his grip and ran down the twisting corridor toward the Headmaster's office, feeling lost in the school she knew so well, but things seemed out of place.
"Professor Dumbledore!!"
Hermione woke up in a sweat, furious at Snape and relieved that she hadn't actually taken a thermos of coffee to the man responsible for making her life a nightmare.
She had to talk to Dumbledore— this morning, before classes started.
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"I can't use that, Headmaster," Severus was always formal with Professor Dumbledore. He had been teaching there long before Snape attended Hogwarts, and since Albus had spared him, he couldn't ever change to calling him Albus, even when he had requested that he do so.
"Voldemort will most certainly be expecting you to produce a list of names soon," Dumbledore reminded unnecessarily. It had almost been the only thing on the Death Eater's mind since June.
"I don't want to know for certain, I'd personally rather 'try my best' and be accidentally inaccurate than have it be known beyond all doubt." Snape's brow furrowed, still concerned at how he would pull this off. Lupin better find something in that book. Snape knew he hadn't any luck.
"Severus, you could use it, make a master list, and then— select students who are no longer… chaste." Of course, leave it to Dumbledore to offer a poorly thought out Slytherin solution.
"I can't lie convincingly if I know too much of the truth. Not to Him anyway." He sighed heavily in frustration. Severus decided he couldn't use the device. He didn't want to implant accurate memories which he would then have to try and conceal from the Dark Lord. He was an accomplished Occlumens, but Lord Voldemort was a superior Legilimens. He would prefer not to tempt an error by letting that knowledge take root. Subverting a Legilimens with use of Occlumency was a bit like saying to yourself, 'Don't think of the pink elephant… don't think of a pink elephant…'
He wished he hadn't known Hermione Granger was still one, but then of course she could come in handy when collecting potions ingredients.
He suspected he'd have to design several class assignments where the students would prepare a potion which could determine virginity and then test it on themselves. If he taught and supervised poorly enough, perhaps enough of them would err that it would be of no use, and he could further stall the Dark Lord. The bellflower assignment was a good one, it could be botched easily enough while still teaching lessons his students needed to know.
"Severus, is there anything else?" Snape realized he hadn't spoken for several moments and had zoned out.
Not offering any additional kindling to stoke the fires of conversation, he ended with a— "No, Headmaster. Thank you."
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She sprinted through her daily routine. She had only an hour and a half before Advanced Transfigurations. She walked briskly past the Great Hall hoping Dumbledore hadn't gone down for breakfast yet, and with any luck he would already know she was coming. Best case scenario— he would have a solution before her fanny hit the chair. She remembered her anger, the injustice of it all and channeled the outrage she felt after her dream and class yesterday.
"Fizzing Whizbee." The spiral stone stairs which led to Dumbledore's grand office appeared from behind the griffin and she knocked to enter.
"Come, Miss Granger."
To her surprise, Professor Snape was just excusing himself to leave and Hermione made only the briefest eye contact with him before she awkwardly sat in the warm chair he had vacated.
"Good morning Professor, Professor," she said a bit more tersely than she would have liked.
Snape left with a quick look behind him. Something didn't seem right about the Granger girl. He shook his head and departed. 'Who could understand the mind of some worked-up teenager?'
"Miss Granger, would you like a lemon drop?" Dumbledore inquired sweetly, anticipating the response.
The sweets offer was a litmus test of sorts— Dumbledore found he could judge the seriousness of a situation by the person's answer. Or that was his theory anyway.
"No. Professor Dumbledore, I need to talk to you about a very serious matter that happened in Professor Snape's class yesterday."
She was all business. No lemon drop. No thank you, no pleasantries for the commonly polite Gryffindor Prefect. This was a serious concern.
Dumbledore leaned forward and focused intently on Hermione. "Continue."
"He has asked the class, or I should say— the girls of the class— to participate in gathering bellflowers for advanced healing potions." She let it sink in.
"And the problem is…" Dumbledore was looking a tiny bit annoyed and it infuriated Hermione that one of the smartest wizards was playing dumb. She seethed.
"The problem is that we're meant to do this in public, in front of the boys. First of all, how does he even know which of us are able to pick those flowers and who can't? Only virgins can pick bellflowers and you should have seen the rude looks and gestures the boys in class were making! I am not… I refuse, we all refuse to participate in an activity that forces us to reveal something about ourselves which should remain private just for the sake of a grade!" Hermione was fuming, in rare form today, fists clenched and hair on end.
Dumbledore remained calm, though he had a calculating look. "Would you object to the boys not participating at all in the exercise?" He was being deliberate. Dumbledore knew virgins were being targeted, and he knew she knew.
"That's not the point. My sexual history is none of Professor Snape's business, or that of any teacher!"
The elder wizard scrutinized Hermione over his spectacles. "I am sure that perhaps Minerva or Poppy would argue with you there, Miss Granger. And I understand your objections." Hermione sighed almost in relief. Success. He understood.
"But I must ask you," he added, "Did you discuss your objections with Professor Snape before you came to me?"
Oh shit. "Um, no sir."
"Well, Miss Granger. I suggest that should be your next step, before you see the Headmaster about a dispute in one of your classes." He held up a hand to stop her huffs and protests. "Professor Snape may not always be so easy to get along with, of that I am well aware. However, he is your teacher, a reasonable man, and you should respect him by bringing matters to him first rather than go over his head for a solution in order to avoid confrontation. Not a very Gryffindor thing to do."
Hermione felt hurt and dejected. Totally defeated. She knew better. Indeed, she had the answer last night in her sleep. "You're correct Professor," she mumbled. "I will do that. But this isn't an option or an agreement I will be giving him, so that you know," her voice finding its firmer resolve. "He is not going to like what I have to say."
"Perhaps not, but at least he deserves to hear it from you," his smooth voice said. Wise eyes peered at her down the bridge of his nose. Matter closed.
Hermione left his office and Dumbledore smiled to himself. It would be an interesting year, and Snape had his work cut out for him. He smiled with a impish sort of satisfaction. His spy had a job to do, and Hermione Granger wasn't going to make his job any easier by cooperating.
However, the Headmaster did not know how true that was.
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'Crap,' Hermione thought as she ran in for a quick bite. 'How am I going to do this? Humph. Still early.' Barely anyone was at breakfast yet, so she left for the dungeons.
She straightened her hair, trying to look presentable and calm herself before entering the dungeons to make her appeal—and jumped back when Snape walked up behind her.
He was slightly amused at her adjustments— for his benefit or hers he couldn't tell. Hermione probably had a million little quirks and habits he couldn't figure out. She had a habit of doing things just so, and it worked for her. Her grades reflected the benefits of a compulsive lifestyle.
"Miss Granger, you are not due for potions until tomorrow. A little eager this morning, aren't we?" Snape inquired a little too smugly. His expression changed when his eyes met her stony gaze.
She hadn't meant to look so harsh, part of the reason she was smoothing her hair earlier. When she was angry, her hair was doomed, bushing out far past normal limits—Sleekeasy's or no, it was one of her inescapable witchy traits.
"I need to discuss something with you, sir. If you have a moment."
"Very well, Miss Granger." The cold professional Potions Master was back, and he was already not liking what he was hearing. His head was already spinning with possibilities. 'Had it already started? Granger knew about the device…maybe she heard something from one of the students… It could be useful having information from a student that most teachers weren't privy to.'
He was way off the mark.
"Professor Snape, I feel incredibly uncomfortable about our assignment tomorrow, and while I respect you as my teacher, I absolutely refuse to participate in the class exercise involving bellflowers. I might add that I believe the other girls will refuse as well." She tried to remain as calm and even as possible, without smoothing over the seriousness of it.
He was not expecting this and his voice became low, dangerously low. His voice hissed through gritted teeth and reverberated off the dungeon walls in spite of the reduced volume.
"First of all, Miss Granger— it is not for you to approve or disapprove of any assignment I give in my classes. Therefore, I do expect your full participation tomorrow and in each class as is required for advanced potion making, or suffer the consequences. How on earth do you expect to be an accomplished potions mistress without putting in the work?" His dark eyes pierced right through her and somehow she managed not to look away.
"First of all, Professor— I find it degrading and humiliating that you would deliberately put all of the women in the class on the spot in a public display which will undoubtedly reveal to every boy in the class our level or lack of sexual familiarity, AND SECONDLY" she said louder, so that a very angry Snape would not be tempted to interrupt her, "I see that you, as a man, managed to do fine as a Potions Master without ever himself having to pick a bellflower."
She had a point. But he was Snape, the great and powerful Master of Potions, Head of Slytherin, and he bloody well would not stand for her cheek.
"GET OUT, Miss Granger! And do not presume to come here and lecture me on what you find is or isn't appropriate for your delicate nature! AND do not presume to speak for your other classmates who are not here to speak for themselves!" He ushered her quickly out the classroom, the heavy oak door slamming behind her.
'Damn it to hell!' They both thought the same thing without knowing it. 'This makes things difficult.'
'Well Professor, if that's the way you want to play it….'
Hermione was already drawing up the paperwork to show Pansy before class tomorrow. She charmed her pin and the meeting time was set. She began by inquiring amongst the students which classes had been asked to participate in a similar exercise, supposing some other classes and grades had been offered the same exercise as well.
Indeed, that was the case. All of the Gryffindor third years and up reported the same exercise, the first and second years had their classes today. Many were already pink in the face discussing the reactions of their peers, and maybe… their parents— at finding out the truth. But Hermione was concerned more with the advanced students.
'Wait a moment, maybe a petition would do much better if it were broader than just this one class exercise?' Hermione tore up her parchment and started over.
'It might need tweaking' she thought. 'But for now, it'd have to do.' On a separate scrap she wrote, 'talked to Snape, lets meet late to discuss signatures. This could work.'
She made several copies and passed one out to Ginny for her to help gather signatures, and Pansy very discretely before Transfiguration. Pansy scanned it quickly before class and Hermione saw her give a serious look of disbelief. Hermione tried to telepathically tell her 'later', or at least mouth it. Instead she gave up and tapped her cloak's clasp with her finger to signal her. She couldn't wait for nine o'clock. They needed nearly a hundred signatures by tomorrow.
By lunchtime, Ginny and Hermione hit up most of the Gryffindors. All of them had already had Potions and especially a few younger years didn't want their status known. Hermione talked to the Ravenclaw Prefect who had Advanced Potions that morning— and gratefully with only a little grumbling about wording, she took the parchment and discreetly collected signatures from the other girls, without the boys being any the wiser. That was a feat, but the boys didn't have anything to lose in the assignment. In fact, most of them were entirely oblivious to how significant it was in the eyes of their fellow classmates.
Hermione felt a warming at her neck and she glanced at her pin. 5 minutes. Front steps.
She abandoned her lunch and met Pansy, everyone else still inside. They huddled next to a set of bushes near a bench at the top of the steps.
Pansy handed over a complete list of signatures. "I don't believe it," Hermione said.
"Me neither," echoed Pansy. "But they are all there. Even Millicent Bulstrode was the first to sign. I think they're pretty shaken about Kendra and the others. They don't want their virginity or lack thereof to be announced to the whole school. How are you coming?"
"Gryffindor is done, Ravenclaw is coming along, and Hufflepuff still left."
"What did Professor Snape say to you?" Pansy elbowed her.
Hermione manage a weak smile, "Oh, something about not speaking for my classmates who aren't there to speak of themselves. Oh, and there was yelling… and sneering."
"Sounds like him. Won't he be surprised." Pansy drawled.
"Well, I didn't mean to signal him out. That's why I made it so broad. I'd hate to have to do this twice." Hermione looked at the front door and she and Parkinson abruptly broke. Students were filing out and Hermione tapped the parchment and hid it in her robes, away from prying eyes.
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"Sorry about yesterday," Harry said over dinner in hushed tones. "I wasn't thinking."
"S'alright." Hermione said distractedly, picking at her food. She looked at the Hufflepuff table where the girls were quietly huddled together at one end, obviously discussing the petition away from their male counterparts.
Harry nudged her to get her attention. "No, it's not alright. What are you planning to do?"
"You'll see." There was a mischievous glint in her amber eyes.
"That sounds big. Are you staging a coup?" He laughed a bit light-heartedly. Some days, Harry was really too quick on the uptake. But she was confident he hadn't heard a thing. Harry was too direct of a friend to beat around the bush like that.
"Or something. Maybe lifetime detention," Hermione joked, but half-serious.
"I can't wait. Can I come?" He coerced a giggle from her at last, and Harry was relieved that the serious look on Hermione's face had finally been replaced by laughter lines. She was looking far too stern for only the second day of school.
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"How many did you get?" Pansy asked.
Hermione was still counting. Pansy looked over her shoulder.
"Wow." They both said.
"What to we do now? Are you going to tell him?"
"With pleasure," she young witch replied smugly, proud of their accomplishment. Hermione smiled and pocketed her copy of the parchment, making three additional copies— one for herself, one for Pansy and one for Dumbledore.
"Gryffindor's going to lose the House Cup, you know?" Pansy taunted.
"I would wish you congratulations already, but it's only the second day of school." Hermione frowned at the Slytherin but only playfully. She hoped her peers would forgive her. She suspected her House's reputation was about go up in a wisp of smoke.
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Severus Snape had been startled yesterday by Hermione's reaction. She had overreacted. It wasn't that serious an issue, at least from his point of view. But there had been leering amongst the male members of the class. He'd have to keep a more careful watch out for that. One would think students would get into less trouble when they got older, not more. At Hogwarts, older students grew more foolish, not less. It was true for him too at that age. He decided he wouldn't bring it up with Dumbledore, though he was all too eager to be a willing ear to the staff, particularly to him. But Snape was the kind of man who kept things to himself. This circumstance was no different.
Snape sat at his workspace, deep in thought over the book laid out before him. Any number of things could go wrong, and his still hadn't read far enough in the book to know what he was planning. He wished the Dark Lord would just call them to a meeting and tell them the plan. Lately however, He was becoming more suspicious of his followers. He sent each of them on different errands and kept those assignments secret from other members.
There was a knock at the door and Snape felt it was too early for visitors. He hoped it wouldn't be Hermione. Yesterday had been awful. He was still absorbing what she had said. He did notice the look in other boys faces at the mention of the assignment, but that was to be expected. They snickered over everything. Any thing regarding sexuality would be laughed at. At this rate, it would be a funny year. But he wasn't looking forward to his first class.
The door opened and Snape didn't look up.
"I need my book back, Severus. How much longer do you need it?"
He sighed. "Remus." Thank Merlin. "As long as possible…it's fascinating though completely revolting. There's a bit too much focus on torturing virgins to obtain magical abilities…pretty archaic really. The tome is so old, I wonder if there was ever any truth to it. I'm only a quarter of the way through."
"You're too slow. I need to the book for classes this week. Maybe I can find something you didn't."
Snape just glared. 'I'm not too slow, I'm busy.'
"Where did you leave off?" Remus asked.
"My place is marked," Snape dismissed him with an irritated wave. As Remus was leaving, Snape added. "Work quickly, Lupin. We need answers soon." Remus knew it. Snape would need to see the Dark Lord soon, and they didn't know how much time they had.
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Snape's class began where it let off Monday. "The blood of a virgin is extremely powerful. Most spells don't call for it anymore, because it's too rare to find, too expensive to purchase, and incredibly tricky to collect."
Some of the boys, particularly Draco Malfoy scoffed at that. How difficult could it be?
Snape met his gaze and addressed that class's unspoken question. "It is difficult because the virgin in question must be a willing participant in the collection of it… and I don't mean blood from the arm, I am referring to blood collected from the hymen. Ladies and gentlemen, if at this point in your lives you need further explanation, I would suggest speaking to your parents, to Madame Pomfrey, or make a trip to the library." He gave a deadly look to the students which put a halt to any raised hands. There were no questions.
"Drop for drop, blood of this variety costs what the vender says it does. Therefore healing potions derived from this are hardly used anymore, though if one was prepared they are incredibly potent, more so than that of phoenix tears. Why are they so potent? Anyone?"
Three female students' hands shot in the air, and Snape's lips curled in appreciation of whose hands were absent. "That's too easy. C'mon gentlemen, you are being shown up."
"Because they're pure?"
"Give me something more… and your guessing Mr. Jeffries. Anyone else?"
Snape finally recognized Hermione. When he wanted the correct answer he knew he could count on her, and it was painful to see too many students guess wrongly. "Miss Granger."
"Sir, potions using virgin's blood are more potent when the virgin resists strong desires. The harder a woman fights her desire, the stronger the magic contained in her blood. It is said that the older that a virgin is, the more temptations she has been exposed to than those younger than her, so generally an older virgin possess stronger blood magic." Hermione met his gaze and gave him a mature and thorough answer.
An expressionless Snape just stared at her as she answered. The completeness of her answer shouldn't have startled him, it was just that this information was so hard to come by. She had been studying very rare texts.
"Ten points to Gryffindor," he said quietly. She tried to remain calm. He had never done that before. Even the Slytherin students were surprised.
"Now we come to it." He began, fingers interlocked, pacing the dungeon classroom. "The potion we will be preparing at the end of class is remarkably simple, and is actually a pomade. The stems and leaves from the bellflowers must be avoided as they contain chemical components that will act as a poison instead of a cure. I repeat— anything that is not a petal can be deadly. The petals must be removed and mashed, the oils of the flowers are the only binding agent, so petals must be selected carefully to ensure a good result. The oils in the flower are the key to the success, and the petals themselves are poisonous to the recipient of the cure."
Hands shot up in the air. "But Professor, how can you administer the cure without the person ingesting the petals?" One girl asked.
He was annoyed at the interruption and deferred to another member of the class. "Mister Malfoy, would you care to explain how it might be possible to avoid poisoning your patient while administering the cure?"
"Yes sir. You said this is a pomade and that means it is a topical balm. It does not have to be ingested to be administered." Draco said smugly. It was an easy answer. No points were awarded.
"You will find this is true for many pomades and potions involving use of flowers, so when using flora, you must always study and read carefully all information pertaining to those ingredients before you brew…" Snape glared at his students who he knew did not apply themselves nearly enough in this area. "Most potions recipes will not provide warning labels or lead you by the hand through basic potion making safety. Many people have poisoned themselves or others to death attempting to concoct the simplest of medicines."
The lecture continued. "While the bellflowers must be picked by a virgin, anyone can prepare this antidote. This is not always true of other pomades, so please take care not to over-generalize the preparation of this remedy to others." Snape's silky professorial drawl was harsh, a reprimand in advance for future stupidity. The results of his strictness usually resulted in fewer mistakes and explosions in the classroom. It helped that most students were terrified of him. However this was a more advanced class, and these sixth year students were becoming a bit numb to his sarcasm. He had to try harder to keep them in tune to the dangers of brewing.
"You will only need your wands and can take notes on your return from the Forbidden Forest. There are only certain places where bellflowers can be picked, and boys please do not be tempted to pick any… there are precious few left mature enough to be useful." Many of the students rose and shuffled feet could be heard. Snape was already sweeping toward the door.
All of the girls were looking around at each other, waiting for someone to say something.
Hermione raised her hand and Snape turned, aware that not everyone had followed suit.
He gritted his teeth and dared her to respond. "Miss Granger, it there a problem?"
She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Anger flared again, seeing the boys staring at the rest of the class. None of the girls had stood. "Yes sir. I had discussed with you previously our concerns about participating in this exercise…"
"And I believe I discussed with you that it is inappropriate for you to presume your classmates wishes and speak for them!" He growled. "If you do not wish to participate you will receive a zero for the grade, and a detention for disrupting this class!" Harry's jaw dropped but Hermione stood, and pulled the scroll from her robes. Snape could hardly believe her behavior. Hermione always reacted negatively to any disruption. She was easily offended, quick to react to anything. Today she was calm and organized.
He snatched the scroll from her grasp and unrolled it with a venomous sneer. "What is this?" He did not expect for her to be so prepared. All of the girls held their breath as he read and watched his expression change. His eyes darted about the parchment as he read:
"We, the female student body of Hogwarts, collectively refuse to participate in any activity which might place us, or a fellow classmate, in danger. This includes participation in activities which may embarrass, humiliate, or otherwise single out one student against another for no useful purpose.
We understand that all learning involves trial and error, practice and failure. While we submit ourselves to normal practical efforts in class which accompany our studies, we will respectfully decline any activities which may focus on or single out one group more than another, be it Muggleborn or Pureblood, female or male, et cetera.
We, the female students of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin have come together as one group to sign this petition: not as a means of being defiant or obstinate, nor of being disrespectful or ungrateful of the considerable time this school and its staff have invested in furthering our magical learning. Rather, we are making a plea for understanding that some class assignments may have the unintentional effect of causing secondary harm by violating the privacy of its students resulting in consequences outside of the control of the school's management."
There were several pages and the signature of every girl at Hogwarts was there. The muscles in his face began to pulse and he looked ready to explode.
"Are all of you prepared to receive a zero?" He asked the remaining girls, his beady black eyes still glaring daggers at Hermione. Each one of them stood and he knew their collective answer. One of them dared to speak.
"Sir, if the boys can't pick bellflowers, then how do they get graded?" Some other girls murmured in agreement and the revolt had started.
Snape solved the challenge immediately. "All of them will receive a zero as well." The boys gasped with resentment. "You are no longer individuals now, you function as a class. You should have thought about how this would affect the rest of your peers," he addressed the boys, "before you decided to push yourself headlong into a debate about class work. Class dismissed. Get. Out." Snape's face was hardened and everyone disbanded quickly, in record time.
Hermione slipped out and quickly a strong arm slammed her up against the corridor wall. A large round face was breathing on her neck, smelling her hair and grunting to her. "Well Mudblood, since you were so keen on ditching this assignment and giving us a zero, perhaps I'll find out on my own how pure you are!"
"Crabbe! Come on, don't waste time on her. She's Muggle filth!" Malfoy spat, looking at Hermione in a disgusted way, Pansy was close behind him.
Crabbe's grubby hands released her and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief leaning against the cold stone wall. When Crabbe was out of sight Snape turned the corner of the door. He had heard everything.
Her golden brown eyes were glassy, jaw tight as she looked at him painfully. Now do you understand why?! She screamed at him wordlessly.
"Detention, tonight, Miss Granger. 5pm. Don't be late." His tone wasn't cruel, it was almost kind. It had lost its edge.
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Not one female student had submitted to his barked demands to go to the forest to pick bellflowers. Five o'clock detention was looming overhead, and Hermione looked forward to her Double DADA class with a good friend, Professor Remus Lupin. It was the first class of the year and Harry's and Ron's favorite. She wondered if the DA meetings would continue, but despite the exceptional teacher, she knew the DA would grow. It was like a Junior Order, even though no one had said it.
Remus Lupin was a man who dedicated himself to teaching defense. He had been self-taught even before grade school, compelled to learn as much as he could about the subject of dark arts and defensive magic. Due to his unique affliction, his parents had sheltered him quite a bit as a child, wanting to protect him from cruel ridicule and prejudice. So many people were being senselessly murdered during his Hogwarts years and afterwards during the reign of Voldemort, Remus did not limit his studies to the texts the school had offered.
Being a werewolf, there was quite a bit of discrimination against him, and therefore precious few opportunities for employment, especially with the anti-werewolf legislation pushed forward three years ago by that Umbridge woman. Now that he and Snape were on better terms through their work in the Order, the Potions Master once again prepared the Wolfsbane regularly for him, suppressing the wolfish desires and impulsive behaviors which made his condition so dangerous three days out of the month.
After last year, Dumbledore persuaded him to return to teach, feeling a bit bolstered by the formation of the DA when suitable opportunities for learning had not presented themselves. Also, with Sirius gone, the students, especially Harry, needed a teacher they would listen to and respect, perhaps even turn to for advice. Harry trusted Remus, and Remus was very willing to show the boy any guidance he could. His parents and godfather would have wanted it that way.
Being aware of the danger to virgins, Remus carefully structured his first lesson. Although there were many strong witches, as many as wizards in fact, it didn't prevent the boys in the school from holding rather chauvinistic views about women. Rather— the power of young women. He expected the students would enjoy his first class.
He read parts of different books and was disturbed that so much about the power of women had been glossed over or lost. Women's lib both in magical and non-magical worlds had used propaganda to bolster their cause, ideas long since dismissed because it was likely felt that the information wasn't needed anymore. What was once common knowledge became known as old wives tales…
"…And old wives tales then were dismissed as inaccurate or outdated. I can tell by the looks on some of your faces that this angers you." Professor Lupin addressed the sixth year Slytherin/Gryffindor DADA class. The girls and a few boys in the class had stern looks. "Good. You may be surprised to know that girls, in particular, girls with no sexual experience possess strong internal magic.
"That's absurd!" Dean beat Malfoy to the punch.
"You think so? So confident are you?" The boys weren't nearly so pumped. "Women who form a commitment in remaining chaste despite the advances of others, squelching her own desires, makes her more powerful…"
"You mean more sexually frustrated…" someone muttered under their breath. More giggling ensued by the boys and the girls only glared.
"Maybe… But the woman who harnesses her virginal magic recognizes the power of her own womanhood. The pure nature of a virgin can call animals to them which would otherwise be untamable: unicorns, shy animals, rare birds and the like. But innocence does not mean being naïve. Virginal magic manifests itself in different ways… growing of plants, memory charms, magic requiring clarity of thought. Transfiguration and divination are fields largely dominated by women who mastered them at a young age."
"Why those fields?" Lavender asked.
"Because they require a lot of insight, intense focus and concentration. It's no wonder why the vast majority of Animagi were women who attempted such a transformation when they were still virgins." Gasps came from the students—everyone fantasized about being able to attain an Animagus form. It was terribly rare. "Have you noticed," he addressed the boys, who were sitting in a cluster together, "that the girls may have caught on earlier than you did to complex spells requiring a lot of concentration and multiple wand movements?"
There was some grumbling, while the girls beamed. "It's true. At younger ages, women are able to focus their magic a bit better, though there is a lot of scientific argument about why this is so." The young ladies of the class were transfixed, some secretly disappointed they had given away something before they fully understood what that meant.
As Remus started his class, Hermione was already a bit suspicious of the material. It was like a morale boost for the women of the class, and also perhaps laced with hints about how to protect themselves from the unspoken threat. How else could an Order member leak information in order to help them without tipping anyone off?
All of the girls were grinning, relieved that someone would finally acknowledge that girl power was real.
Some of their peers were feeling pretty put out, but that only increased the pride the girls felt, and increased their confidence as they proceeded to practice advanced defensive spells and wand movements. Many of the girls did well on the first try, while many of the boys languished. Hermione thought to herself that this was as much of a self-fulfilling prophecy as it was a demonstration of potent female magic.
She noticed Pansy had a strange glint in her eye, and a feral smile. Parkinson was up to something. Hermione was beginning to like her partner in crime.
Hermione was feeling rather proud of herself all day, as she, Ginny and Pansy heard from the other students how angry Snape was at each of his classes. "Did you hear? He almost gave an entire class detention!"
"I heard an entire group of girls walked out!"
Word had gotten around, and apparently had reached the ears of her Head of House. "Miss Granger? May I have a word?" Before she knew it she was addressing the concerns of Professor McGonagall.
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Snape was not prepared for the rest of his day. He hardly expected all of the students to stand by their precious petition. The significance of the signatures had diminished for him—thinking that most had signed out of peer pressure. The girls were signing their names because everyone else did too.
That of course, was not the case. His next group of students, a younger Gryffindor/Slytherin crowd were immediately outspoken about their refusal to participate, in fact all of the girls stood up and walked out.
They walked out…of Snape's class.
That irritated him more than anything. In one moment he no longer felt he could intimidate his students to comply with class rules, to obey him as their teacher. He would've taken points from Gryffindor, but then he'd have to take an equal number of points from his own house, effectively canceling each other out!
And it was all her fault. Whatever empathy he had felt for Granger that morning had evaporated in an instant and he abruptly ended class to go find her.
After yelling and interrogating a few students in the halls, he deduced that she had been ordered to speak with McGonagall so he continued his prowl to her office. He heard hear the stern firm voice already well into her tirade.
"…that was hardly an appropriate way to handle that, Miss Granger. I am very disappointed… What?" Minerva looked up from her pupil to stare at Professor Snape. He had pushed her door open without knocking, or at least his knock had not been heard by the irate head of Gryffindor. "Professor Snape! Why don't you join us…" She glared at his intrusion.
"I came for Miss Granger. I plan on taking her to the Headmaster, that is the only way we will have this matter addressed properly!" Hermione's jaw dropped at this suggestion, furious and shocked that he would dare come back after what had transpired. She was wise to stay silent.
"Why would Miss Granger need to see the Headmaster, when we can go ourselves, Severus?" Professor McGonagall's body stood tall and rigid, knuckles white with tension.
"I want her to be properly disciplined, Minerva. I don't think your mere lecture to her is going to be enough." If she was going to drop his honorific he would not use hers.
McGonagall got his meaning right away and corrected him. "Don't misunderstand me Severus. I agree with Miss Granger. Your class assignment was grossly inappropriate. If we go to the Headmaster, I assure you it won't be to talk about Miss Granger's behavior today, it will be to talk about yours." Her catlike scowl gave her normally stern look a horrifying appearance.
Snape felt like he had been physically struck. "How dare you presume to tell me how to run my class! Picking bellflowers is hardly a dangerous activity worthy of this kind of scrutiny, Minerva."
"Stop being deliberately obtuse. Obviously we are not going to resolve this here. Miss Granger, follow me." The head of Gryffindor House barked out orders and swept out of her office in regal fashion with two in tow. Snape took his customary long strides to match McGonagall's.
If Hermione wasn't so angry after that scene, she would have laughed out loud at the juvenile sight of her two stalking professors trying to outrun each other, practically racing to Dumbledore's office, their strides almost matching.
"Fizzing Whizbee!" They snapped out together and then scowled at each other. Albus met them at the bottommost stair.
"I would like to speak with Miss Granger, if I may." Albus gave a fatherly look at the pair of teachers and motioned for Hermione to follow him. Hermione felt a bit better about being to tell her story first. Things had changed a lot since their meeting yesterday.
"Lemon drop, Miss Granger?"
"Yes sir, thank you." Hermione took the proffered sweet and popped it in her mouth, gathering her thoughts. If she could be more organize than either of the professors maybe she would come out of this unscathed.
"It seems Professor Snape and you have spoken about your concerns." He said over steepled fingers.
"Yes sir."
"And it did not go well?"
"No sir."
"And then this came to Professor McGonagall's attention?" He supposed.
"Yes sir."
"And does she agree or disagree with your actions?"
" I think a bit of both, sir." Hermione answered with a wince.
" Would you care to explain? And take your time please. I think they need a bit of time to cool off." With a twinkle, he smiled at Hermione who agreed with him.
Hermione laid out the conversation with Snape yesterday morning and the subsequent petition. The Headmaster's eyebrows raised at the thought of every girl, signing, even the Slytherins. Hermione left the focus on the embarrassment of the girls' virginal status being known by the whole school, and the consequential altercation from a boy after her potions class that morning. She left it unspoken that she had concerns about Lord Voldemort. She knew that hadn't been forgotten.
"The petition wasn't just about Professor Snape's class, though it may have seemed like that to him. It really could have happened in any class, so we made the language broad enough to include any event," Hermione explained diplomatically.
"Thank you, Miss Granger. I understand this may not have been a pleasant experience but I am proud of your efforts in facing it directly. While I know events of late have complicated matters," he regarded her seriously and she knew he was speaking of the Order happenings, which to her had not been discussed, "I must assure you that Professor Snape did not deliberately set out to embarrass the female students in front of your male peers."
Hermione almost balked at that comment. Snape didn't miss anything. But Dumbledore was being serious, and she listened to his explanation. Snape wasn't perfect. Perhaps it was an oversight. He did have a lot on his mind. She was excused and felt pretty sure things would work out. After descending the stone steps she reluctantly met Snape's gaze, remembering her scheduled detention.
McGonagall and Snape waited there for Dumbledore. Snape grinned triumphantly. He had misinterpreted Hermione's somewhat shy look. The pair ascended to his office and the arguing began.
"Thank you for disciplining her, Headmaster. I simply cannot conduct my classes if she attempts to refuse any assignment she pleases. And entire day's worth of work in four classes was wasted," Severus sighed.
"Severus, please do not gloss over this issue by describing Hermione as merely defiant. She approached you, in private, just yesterday at my request— and you did not acknowledge the seriousness of her concerns."
Snape had his arms crossed defiantly. "I acknowledged them and told her to butt out of my lesson plan. Honestly, picking bellflowers?"
Dumbledore scowled at him and continued.
"Miss Granger's actions were perfectly justified. She was concerned about her own safety and that of her peers. I know that you witnessed the little altercation between her and Mister Crabbe after class. Surely you don't think your exercise would've benefited these girls social lives by exposing their virginal status?" The potions master opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by the woman to his left.
"Let's not mince words, gentlemen," Minerva interrupted, "and let us come to the point. We know You-Know-You is after virgins, and who knows who else is paying attention to what goes on here? Severus, you can't really think that no one else is listening to what goes on in your classes. These students came up with 130 signatures in less than 48 hours!"
Severus rolled his eyes and scoffed.
"They talk to each other," Minerva persisted. "Some of the students in your own house are being groomed for ranks among the Death Eaters. Information gets passed on, and not just from you. Miss Granger is no fool. She is wise to be concerned and not just about the safety of girls within these halls."
Snape sighed in resignation. He had been all ready to rant, but the same issue was staring in his face. The issue of his responsibility. "Very well. I will be more discreet as I must." They bickered a bit more, but Snape stood firm on his detention with Granger. She had disrupted an entire days worth of classes, setting him back both with his list and with lesson plans. He felt entitled to some compensation.
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The whole school was buzzing about what happened and the boys were focusing on their organized effort right underneath their noses. Ron and Harry were grumbling that not Hermione nor Ginny told them about their plot to overthrow the evil git. They were so proud.
She arrived right on time, and shut the dungeon door behind her. Snape looked up from his desk, and surprisingly did not growl at her. He wasn't yelling, or taking house points. She didn't know what happened after she left Dumbledore's office, but it couldn't have been good.
"Miss Granger. It seems the Headmaster agrees that the assignment of bellflower picking," he rolled his eyes, "was unfair to you and your classmates. However, for our class to continue with their assignments, I still require hundred of bellflowers. I assume you know how to gather them. Hagrid will collect you and take you to the Forbidden Forest before dusk. That is your detention."
Hermione didn't know what to say. So, being a sensible student, she said the only acceptable thing.
"Yes, sir."
"Well 'ermione? Let's go." The friendly half-giant's large frame appeared in the dungeon door behind her. She followed Hagrid and he was mysteriously silent. Hagrid was surprised she had earned detention but had not yet heard the rumors floating around the school about why. Hagrid's hut was often too far away from the action.
"Hagrid, one moment okay? I need to get someone to help me." Hagrid squinted in puzzlement a bit, wondering why she would have anyone volunteer to help her in detention.
Hermione made a last minute decision and stopped by the Gryffindor common room to recruit an assistant. She was only too eager to help out, and before they knew it they were with the groundskeeper, at the edge of the forest looking for patches of bellflowers.
"Don't you think Snape meant for you ter do this yer' self?" Hagrid pointed out.
"Hagrid, trust me. Snape wouldn't like me to do this wrong," she lied. Her first of many. "We're looking for a field of cornflower blue petals… there!" Hermione pointed.
"They're so pretty!" the girl reached her hand out to pick one, but Hermione stopped her.
"Wait. There is an easier way. Hold out your arm low to the ground and make a large sweeping motion. The stems are weak and will give in easily. You'll pick hundreds of flowers in no time," Hermione instructed.
Sure enough the technique worked, and Hermione's basket was filled with flowers. The first year student beamed, glad to help the Gryffindor Prefect and an intelligent role model she looked up to.
They walked quickly back to the dungeons talking about flowers and potion making. The younger student was an intelligent girl. Hermione liked her right away. They entered the classroom and Hermione thanked her. Snape reentered the classroom, just in time to see the retreating figure of the younger girl.
"Miss Granger? What was Miss Frances doing here during your detention?" He asked with a arched eyebrow.
Hermione began to stammer, "Um, I asked her to help me with the collection of bellflowers… she was happy to help, I just thought…"
"You just thought you'd give your detention to someone else?" Snape sneered creeping closer to Hermione.
"No sir…"
"Then why didn't you do it yourself?" It was a stupid question really, so Hermione thought he'd made it easy for her to oblige.
"I couldn't." She looked him dead in the eye. "Not if you wanted your supplies to be of any use." Hermione waited for the backlash.
Snape wore a shocked expression. He wasn't even angry. "Miss Granger… but you are a virgin…" It was only the third day of school. She spent the entire summer at Headquarters…
"I cannot possibly imagine why you would presume to know." She said curtly.
Snape took a predatory step toward her almost fierce, but protective. "Foolish girl, you are not ready for such things!"
Hermione was ready for that and hissed back. "You are right, sir, but at least it was on my terms!" She didn't wait to be dismissed. She didn't care. She left. There would be no independent study. She had just ruined any possibility of an amicable relationship with someone she liked and admired.
Snape was reeling from that small conversation. She had already seen to it that she was out of the running. How much did she know? He remembered her conversation with Sister Mary…. If I make one choice, I follow the teachings of the church. But if I make the other choice, I may be safer. How can the immoral choice be a good one?
Harry Potter or Ronald Weasley. Who else could be responsible? And why did he suddenly care about her honor? Wasn't he telling the Headmaster that he wanted the students to be loose and free?
Hermione Granger had thrown away her virginity. He had too. Not many students were interested in him in school. Snape took the first opportunity afforded him, as many boys did. It was quick and only a briefly satisfying experience, but perhaps only for him. He had felt awkward, not really concerned with the enjoyment of his partner and wondered how patient the boy had been with her.
But she hadn't thrown her virginity away. It was deliberate. She was making a choice. She had prayed about it. He saw the whole thing unfold and hadn't fully processed it. He shook his head. Damn him. Damn him for doing this. At least Voldemort wouldn't get her.
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Hermione left a bit upset. She had lied, but that had been inevitable. She and Pansy were already plotting about baiting the rumor mill.
Snape had shocked her with his reaction. So what if she's wasn't a virgin? She didn't know if she was touched that he gave a care about her status or not. She felt relieved that he wouldn't put her name on that list, and happy that she didn't give anything up to accomplish that.
Even though she was older than her peers, she still felt pretty young at times, especially in front of his stare. Sometimes Snape could see right through her and she'd have to been careful not to ruin her reputation, (she laughed) by allowing the Legilimens an opportunity to see the lie behind her eyes.
Since Monday, she felt she wore her innocence like an article of clothing visible to everyone. Now she was just tucking that white sleeve underneath her cloak. She was feeling better and better with that thought and left for dinner.
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Seven o'clock came and went, but no Hermione. Snape sighed deeply. He had lost a lot today. Besides respect of his students, he realized he'd have to start fresh with a promising student who had lost respect for him. And he knew he had her respect before this happened. She listened so intently in class, never missing an assignment, reading ahead in all her texts, studying all manner of other potions texts. Frequently he had gone to the library for one that she was reading. Hermione seemed so excited at the prospect of an independent study. And damn, he had asked right after that infernal first lesson. She must have been furious… why didn't she say something then?
As he looked back on it, Snape kicked himself as the events unfolded in his mind. The professor had been so sure of himself. Her had underestimated the comments and smirks of the boys, and didn't really think on it until the following morning after she had confronted him.
On Monday, Hermione had stood before his desk with the confident stature of Minerva. She had organized a mass uprising of every girl in Hogwarts, including Slytherin House. In June, she stood up and sung in front of Lucius Malfoy and pocketed the device being sought out to destroy young girls like her, running into danger at great personal risk. When had she become a woman?
He turned back to his the task at hand. Trying to come up with lesson plan which would provide him with info he needed, he decided on a rather sneaky potion, whose side benefits were little known. The Brownheimer Antidote.
Author's Notes:
Finally the italics issue can be fixed! No more spacing problems now we have the new loading feature! Yay! Next chapter, the aftermath of the revolt… surprise from Fred and George… Snape confronts Hermione about her project…. And more news on a certain book. Wink!
Many thanks to my beta: The Klingon Mistress (name in flashing lights!) who is helping me to work on my flow, endless run-on sentences with too many prepositions, commas and other ramblings.
Tigress12: Thank you very much, here is the next installment. Still intrigued myself with calligraphy, I'm looking into local associations here to see if I dare pick up another hobby.
Athene Saile: Yup, you got it.. and while I have some idea how, I'm still making it up as I go along. Hee hee.
Thursdayschild: here's the update, hope you didn't have to wait too long. More interaction between the nasty potions master and Minerva's prized pupil coming up.
Wackoramaco87: No rushing. Impossible with this story line. S'no fun if it goes too quickly. I like angst.
Wytil: Thanks! And why wouldn't you want your daughter-in-law to read it? Is she just too busy?
Romm: Poor Snape doesn't stand a chance. Wait until Albus figures it out…
hannah: Thank you, thank you. I will try to work on Pansy's character a bit in the next chapter. Woo hoo! Coming soon…
lyress: Not those kind of Books in the room of requirement, it's like hit and miss there. There is going to be some stealth involved in… nope can't say anymore! Ha!
Alicat999: Here's what you do to a guy who forces you to pick flowers. Yup Snape can't always be nice, have to give him some kind of edge. I'll have to see if I can put in some more snippets of his Royal Snarkiness.
xmaverick14x: I got yo' update right he-yah!
Ezmerelda: Thanks and Hermione would never do that! In fact, that will become quite key… as you may have noticed in the poem. Thanks I love my beta too. I realize we may miss things though, let me know if you have thoughts that would make the story flow better.
Jade: Once again, excellent suggestion. Don't want to say to much. I have just one word: Pansy.
Geek Goddess: Thank you! Hope you like Remus' lecture. Wait til the group forms, maybe next chapter, to just into the 12h chapter.