One week later, everything had been prepared for the arrival of the Order. Severus stood waiting in the foyer, counting the seconds to their exact arrival so that he could lower the wards. Twenty seconds later, eight people appeared before him.

"Ah, Severus, is everything prepared?" Dumbledore asked. But before Severus could answer, Molly Weasley interrupted them.

" Oh, Severus, what a lovely house it is. Do you mind if we take a look?"

"Indeed, I do," was all he said before he decided to ignore her and to return his attention to Dumbledore.

"The training room is finished and near to it is a large dining room and conference room. You shall follow me."

He went in front of the group and started to walk down a corridor when he suddenly stopped to throw an icy gaze over his shoulder. "I'll warn you only once, do not touch anything or open any of the doors outside of the rooms I am going to show you. Do I make myself clear?"

He did not wait for an answer and continued walking.

"Blimey, he's his natural charming self, isn't he?" Ron whispered to Harry, who chuckled at the remark.

Hermione stopped them with a playful slap on the shoulders.

"What was that for?" they asked in unison.

"How often do I have to tell you to show more respect towards Professor Snape? Don't you two realize what he risks by allowing the Order to work here?" she asked them, only stopping because she needed to breathe.

Before she could continue, Lupin interrupted her. "You should stop bickering, children. Play nice," he said jokingly.

"Really, Remus, you should leave the children alone. After all, they have to spend the holidays with most of their teachers in the house of 'the big bad bat'," Tonks said impishly, enjoying the look on Remus's face.

Ron and Harry laughed lightly while Hermione looked rather unbelievingly at her.

After their first visit to Snape Manor, they settled into a routine. Every morning Snape would lower the wards and the Order would meet. The number changed from time to time but Tonks, Harry, Ron, Lupin, Hermione, and Molly Weasley came daily. Besides their training, Harry and Lupin often spoke about James and Lily. It was a great time for Harry. He had never felt so relaxed and important before. Tonks was working with Ron, when he wasn't with his mother, or Harry and Hermione.

Hermione however wasn't as lucky as the boys. At the beginning of the training, every young Order member had been placed with an older one who would train him or her. She was now on her way through the nearly endless hallways to meet her Order partner. Severus Snape!

Her only joy was knowing he found it as terrible as she did. Hermione pushed the black wooden door open and entered the potions laboratory. Professor Snape was already working.

"How nice of you to finally show up, Miss Granger. I hope it doesn't disturb you that I started without you. Almost one hour ago!" Pure sarcasm was flowing from his tight-pressed lips. He didn't even bother to look up.

"I'm sorry Professor, but I …" she started but he interrupted her rudely.

"I didn't ask for an apology nor do I need an explanation, Miss Granger. All I know is that I had to wait for you! Surely you can understand why I am not in the mood to hear your lame explanations!"

"But I…" Hermione protested.

Snape looked up sharply and stopped working on the potion while he glared at her. " Miss Granger, listen carefully - I don't care about 'buts'. You will work longer today. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes."

"I am sorry. Did you say something, Miss Granger?"

"Yes, sir!" she answered through clenched teeth.

He starred at her for a few seconds before he nodded towards some potions ingredients. "I believe you know what to do, Miss Granger."

"Yes, sir."

---

"Ron. Harry. There you are. Have you seen Hermione?" Molly asked as she walked into the living room, which Severus had provided for the Order. The room was quite tasteful. Mahogany sideboards and large, comfortable leather couches made the room quite cozy. Ron and Harry were playing wizard chess when Molly had entered. Tonks and Remus had already left.

"No, Mum," Ron answered without looking up.

"Very well. I will go look for her." She went straight towards the potions lab where she found Snape and Hermione still working.

"Severus, aren't you finished yet? It's late and I need to go home."

Snape gave her a bored look. He couldn't even describe how much she was going on his nerves. "I am not standing in your way!" he snarled.

"Of course not, Severus. But I need to take Hermione with me," she answered politely.

"As far as I am concerned, Madam, Miss Granger hasn't finished her task yet and I think she is quite capable of Apparating home, alone," he stated with crossed arms.

Molly wouldn't let him of the hook that easily. "I won't have her Apparating this late," she said, tapping her foot up and down.

Severus simple raised one dark eyebrow. "She will not go before she has finished!"

They stared at each other; neither was going to back down.

Hermione observed this staring contest with curiosity. She wanted to say that it was all right, that it wouldn't be a problem for her, but Molly was faster.

"Then it is settled?" she asked and Severus, in belief of his victory, nodded.

"Indeed it is!" The moment he saw Molly Weasley's satisfied smile, little chills ran down Severus's spine.

"We will see you tomorrow, my dear Severus, treat your overnight guest well."

Before they could react, Molly smiled a last time at them and left the room. After he had gotten over his shock, a deep growl escaped his throat. What an impossible person. He went after her and caught her near the foyer. "Do I look like a babysitter to you, Madam?" He was towering over her but she wasn't the last bit impressed.

"NO, and I don't know why you should. The girl is nearly eighteen. "She started walking again. "Harry, Ron! We're leaving." The boys appeared a second later both nodding towards him, which he ignored.

"She can't stay here!"

"Really, Severus, I don't see the problem. You won't let her go now and I won't let her Apparate later. You are her teacher and this house is enormous. You won't notice or see her once she is in her room. Good night!" Immediately she Apparated with the boys, leaving a very furious and angry Potions master behind.

Hermione waited patiently for the professor to return. She wondered who had won. A few moments later she had her answer. Severus Snape entered the room looking very moody. Immediately, he started working again. She waited for him to speak but he just ignored her. "Professor?" she asked hesitantly.

"Is it possible for you to work in silence, Miss Granger?" he snapped at her.

Closing her eyes, she counted to ten in her head before she reopened them. "Yes, sir, I am quite capable of working in silence. I just wanted to know where I would be sleeping tonight."

"Since I haven't told you to stop working and to follow Molly Weasley, I thought it was obvious. You are going to spend the night here."

She swallowed. Unsure of what she should be feeling at being alone with her Potions master, she just nodded and started working again. Almost an hour later, they were finished. Madam Pomfrey would have enough healing potions for the next few months and he would have her off his back. After they had cleaned up the lab, Severus went through the door and Hermione, unsure of what to do, just stayed there.

Mere seconds later Snape returned. Forehead furrowed, arms crossed. "Do you need an invitation, Miss Granger?"

She shook her head.

"Follow me, then!"

She followed him through many corridors and hallways she hadn't seen before, until they reached a large living room. One wall was completely made of glass; she could see a lake and, behind that, a nearby forest. The wall opposite the entrance was covered with books. Her heart jumped a little at this sight. She dearly wanted to ask him if she could read some of them but didn't dare. Like everywhere else in the Manor, the wood was mahogany. In the middle of the room stood four leather couches, which formed a quadrate. The other walls contained paintings. If she didn't know better, she would say that there were also a few Muggle expressionists.

Snape sat down on a couch and snapped his fingers twice. Immediately a house-elf appeared. "Yes, sir?"

"Dinner! For two!"

"Yes, sir. In a moment, sir." Snape just nodded.

"Miss Granger, why don't you sit down?" he asked in an irritated tone.

"This is your house, Professor. It would have been impolite to sit without being asked to do so."

"As if you would always do what you were told, Miss Granger."

"Of course I do, Professor!" Hermione protested.

"Is that so, Miss Granger?" His voice was terrible and low. He leaned forwards and rested his arms on his knees. "Then please explain to me, why exactly you stole supplies from my potions lab in your second year. Why you arrived over one hour late today."

To say that she was glad that the elf arrived at that moment with their food would be an understatement.

"I thought as much. We should eat. I have things to attend to and I can't have you sitting around in my rooms."

They ate supper in complete silence. Hermione didn't dare to look up. So he had known all along that she had stolen the boomslang skin in her second year. She briefly wondered why he hadn't given her detention but she didn't want to wake sleeping dogs - or snakes in this case. After they finished eating, he showed her the room she would be sleeping in.

"You will sleep here." He opened the door for her and let her enter. He didn't follow her.

Hermione turned around and faced him. "Good night, Professor, and thank you for letting me stay here tonight."

"Don't thank me, Miss Granger. I didn't offer it. You will have to thank Molly Weasley if you really see the need to do so. And Miss Granger, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ignore it!" Without another word he turned around and left.

------

Free! Finally free! After all those years. All the pain and darkness. The evil and the loneliness. Without his friends, his companions and, moreover, his family. Family! He would be reunited with his brother. Just the thought of this had kept him upright. His brother. His only living family, his guardian, his idol. His brother would help him. He would help him to make them suffer. With the help of his Lord he had been able to escape. Soon he would be home. Soon Ernestus and Severus Snape would be reunited and their revenge would be merciless.

-----

Hermione lay sleeping in her bed. A short time before she had fallen into an unruly slumber. The strange noises and surroundings had kept her awake for hours. Ernestus Apparated back into his home. More precisely, he Apparated back into his former room. With satisfaction, he noticed that his rooms still looked the same even after all those long years in Azkaban. He was moving towards the door when he noticed a small movement on the bed. Curiosity drew him nearer. The moonlight cascading through the windows brightened the room enough so that he didn't need to use a candle or to light his wand -which he had stolen from a drunken wizard. He had to smile to himself as he saw the young woman lying in his bed.

A real woman. He hadn't had the pleasure of female company in almost fifteen years. His heart jumped as he observed her form under the thin covers. She looked so innocent waiting there. He wondered briefly what she was doing in his bed but didn't care enough to think it through.

Ernestus licked his lips in anticipation. He couldn't wait to bury himself in her warm body. To possess her, to ravish her, to mark her as his. At least for tonight. He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice that she was stirring slightly. He spotted her wand near her on the night table. He took it and threw it across the room. With a quick movement of his wand, he undressed her. The spell caused her to awaken and she screamed before he had time to cast a silencing spell over her, which he did immediately.

The girl - he noticed her youth - tried to stand up but he was faster. With a swift movement, he covered her body with his own. "What is it, little witch?" he snarled near her face, enjoying the fear that widened her eyes. "One thing is for sure, my brother hasn't lost his taste in women. Although, he usually preferred the blonde ones." He licked the shell of he ear and she shuddered. "That's right, little one. Fear me. Be afraid of me, little witch!"

A tear slipped down her cheek as he started to move his fingers over her breast. Again she struggled to get free but Ernestus was too strong for her. "You can't escape me, the sooner you learn that the better!"

Without a warning, he pressed his lips against hers. She tried to avoid the kiss and closed her mouth tightly but he pinched an exposed nipple so hard, she screamed out in pain. Well, at least that was what she had wanted to do but no sound escaped her lips. Ernestus seized the opportunity and plundered her mouth with his ravaging tongue. She did the first thing that entered her mind. She bit down on him! A rush of satisfaction flooded her as she tasted his blood on her lips.

He immediately slapped her hard across the face. "That was a mistake. And I can tell you, you will regret it deeply!"

But before he could do or say anything else, the door burst open and Severus Snape stood in the doorway, wearing only a pair of silk trousers, his hair gathered back with a small black ribbon.

----------------------------

Mmmhhh mmmhhh mmmhhh