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Hysterically Insane Author: I'm glad you liked my made-up spell. I like it too. Smiles… thanks for your review.
Sonja: I mentioned Hermione being in Slytherin earlier in the story. She was mad about it, remember? Either way, thanks.
Meqangreer: Thanks!!!
Freakin-person: I'm glad to keep such a rapturous reader
Miss Elvira Dark: You should indeed be proud. I wouldn't want to lose a fan… or someone in it for intensity. I hope you don't know where it's going. I may have to throw a twist in for your trying to think ahead. Bad, bad, reader. Hehe
Allied Inspiration: I'm not really ignoring Sirius' death, but I just didn't want to think bring it up in this story. I don't really like Sirius much, gasp, no one tell Anne. She may kill me. I used to love him and I will play him fairly, I promise, but if he seems like a jerk… well ya sorry to Sirius lovers.
Lilypad: I will try to hold to the story, no matter how trying it may be. Jk, I love writing this story. I won't lose it, I hope… You may have jinxed me…
Tina: Here's your chapter. I hope I didn't keep it too long.
Falron: Get better, I'll infuse enthusiasm in my own mind, k?
SeverusSnape's Love: You wish you were, but really, I will update… now! Hehe
Hermione drank a large cup of coffee, while she watched Remus scarf down his bowl of cereal, but somehow, even while shoving cereal down his throat, he looked polite and sweet. It was amazing. She studied him, carefully. His eyes were even wolf-like. His face was already scarred at a young age, but not as bad. He was pale, and Hermione could guess why. The full moon had to be soon. She made a mental note to check the lunar dates for this time.
"So, Alaira, why is it you transferred?" Remus asked, as he pushed his bowl away.
"I dabbled in the Dark Arts at Beauxbatons, and they didn't want me there anymore," Hermione half-lied, enjoying the shock on Remus' face. It was only a half-lie because she actually did dabble a bit in dark potions and curses. Hermione's form of dabbling meant she studied it for hours on end, because she hated to be ignorant in anything. She had been in eighth grade at eleven, studying Geometry, while other eleven-year-olds were working hard on the multiplication table. When she entered the wizarding world, her tenacity only increased.
"You're joking right?" Remus asked, his jaw hanging open.
"I know curses that could make you revert to fetal position you'd be so terrified," Hermione smirked. Maybe if she scared people enough, they'd start respecting her. She should try this in her own time with Ron.
"Alaira, what spell was it that you used when..." Remus trailed off.
Hermione didn't bother correcting him with her name. She had given up hope with the marauders. "I honestly have no idea, Remus. If I did, I would say so, I swear. I can barely remember that night, let alone tell you about it, though I'm sure Sirius gave you a more colorful version of what happened. Contrary to his belief, I didn't 'jump into his arms,'" Hermione stated.
"It wouldn't make you all that different. All the girls at Hogwarts do," Remus smirked.
"I'm not all the girls at Hogwarts," Hermione growled, her eyes flashing. "Let's go to Diagon Alley and help with the students," she said, glaring at him.
They managed to get all the students to Hogwarts using floo powder. Hermione noticed most of the seventh year Slytherins arrived late, but decided not to say anything. She caught a pair of black eyes, as Severus Snape walked into the Cauldron. He walked directly to her and took her by the arm, pulling her aside into the shadows. He held her arm in a tight grip.
"You bluffed with Malfoy didn't you?" Snape hissed.
"I'm not talking to you about any of my actions. You're a death eater remember," Hermione held back a smile.
"You think this is funny?" he growled, pulling the arm of his robes up to show her the tattoo. "This... you think..."
"I'm not saying anything if you're going to be so violent and that's not what's so funny. I couldn't tell you if I wanted to. You wouldn't understand," Hermione pulled back. "Are you trying to scare me with this? I can see right through you, Severus Snape. This isn't you, and I know that," Hermione said, placing her hand on the tattoo, unflinchingly.
"So you're a seer now?" he glared, pulling his arm away from her touch.
"Divination is the most worthless branch of magic there ever was. Now, transfiguration and potions, solid subjects that hold more power than anyone could ever know," Hermione said, putting her hand back at her side.
"Do you know any curses or is everything I've heard of you so far a lie?" Snape questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Though my knowledge of the dark arts isn't incredibly extensive and my power isn't as great as people think, but I do know my way around a wand and that ability I will not have you questioning. Besides, wand-waving is so tedious," she chuckled at her mockery of part of his first year speech.
"Alaira, what the hell are you doing!" a loud, angry voice shouted. Almost everyone was through the fireplace, but Sirius and James had spotted them. "I told Dumbledore not to trust you. It was suspicious that you had something to do with Sirius' family, but first you protect Snivellous then you are talking to him in dark corners!" James said, angrily, his wand out, pointed at Hermione. She fumbled with her own wand. Severus pushed her behind him, his own wand in his hand, pointed strongly at James.
"Leave her alone, Potter," Snape said his voice deadly low.
"You think you're going to stop me. Her claiming loyalty to Dumbledore is despicable! She should pay for her lies and she shall," James snapped.
"No one has ever questioned my loyalty to the headmaster, and no one shall start now, Potter," she said, sounding uncannily like Snape himself. She stepped out from behind him, her wand on James.
"How can you claim loyalty to the head of the order of the Phoenix, and at the same time keep protecting him?" Sirius shouted.
"YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HIM!" she shouted. "There are things that happen that you will not understand for years to come Sirius Black! I'm not sure if you ever understood!" she screamed at him.
"Miss Granger what is going on?" Albus Dumbledore's voice rang out. Severus slunk away, before the headmaster could acknowledge him.
"She's been speaking with Snape, the death eaters she protected the other day, and look, the daily prophet came out. Guess who made front page," Sirius pulled the paper out of one of the pockets of his robes. Hermione standing in front of Snape, her wand pointed at James was what met Hermione's first glance. She scowled and jammed her wand back into her pocket, taking the paper and reading the article quickly.
"This is rubbish, a death eater indeed," Hermione snapped, rolling her eyes.
"How do we know you're not? You seem pretty cozy with Snivellous," Sirius growled.
"Don't call him that. You don't even know him," Hermione glared, darkly.
"Forgive me. So how many times did you fu-" Sirius stopped when Hermione's wand tip pointed at the middle of his forehead.
"Finish that sentence; I dare you," she growled.
"Sirius, this is highly inappropriate. You know that Alaira is powerful and she proved her loyalty by openly attacking the dark lord," Dumbledore said.
"MY NAME IS HERMIONE!" Hermione shouted, letting out a frustrated sigh and stalking to the fire. "Hogwarts, Head Common Room," she said, loudly, anger in her voice.
Snape woke with new memories again. Hermione had changed much more then she tried, just by being there. He wondered how much of her talk of knowing Dark Arts was actually true. At least she hadn't claimed to know more than he did. He could not even have a chance of controlling what his younger self did. He stood and pulled on his frock coat and robes, buttoning every single button. He walked down the stairs of Black Manor, briskly and came into the dining room to be met with a vicious scowl and a grave smile. One was from the headmaster and the other from Sirius.
"What the hell kind of ideas were you putting into that girl's mind before she left? She protects you more than she has ever protected Ron or Harry!" Sirius shouted, rising.
"Severus, we may need to know what has transpired between the two of you during her extra classes, so we might better know why she is acting this way towards you and James," Albus said.
"Why she's acting that way?" Severus echoed. "Has it not occurred to you the intelligence of that girl and the pride she holds mostly thanks to Potter and Weasley," Severus said. "What more have you done, other than question her loyalty to Albus that might set her off? She does not seem happy with you at the moment?"
"How am I supposed to know? The girl is frustrating and she acts like a death eater. How was I supposed to know?" Sirius snapped.
"Contrary to your belief, Black, I was contemplating ways to escape my mark by that time," Snape said. "She may convince me to switch over earlier by accident. Does she have any idea how much she is changing? I barely missed getting caught for the train incident," Snape said, sighing heavily.
"You haven't answered the question, Severus," Albus said, softly.
"Would you like me to tell you that we've been having some torrid love affair?" Snape growled. "Or would you rather that I still hate her for her know-it-all ways? I can't claim either. I'm not involved in any relationship with the girl past friend, but we have become friends in a way. She came to me with theories on potions and pleas for help and I accepted. I didn't know this was going to happen. I can tell you that my younger version could easily love the girl, deeply, something which will most-likely in sequence change my feelings for her," Snape said, scowling.
"You sick bastard!" Sirius shouted, lunging for him. Snape threw him to the side with one quick movement, using Sirius' momentum against him.
"I can not control my past Black! No matter how far this goes, Miss Granger is now the only thing that will determine how different this world will be. She hasn't done anything big yet, but she just might," Snape said. "Befriending me would be the first thing she does wrong."
"Anyone befriending you is wrong, Snape," Sirius scoffed. Snape nodded, before turning and stalking back out of the dining room.
Oh, poor Severus. Hehe. ReviewReviewReview!!!!!!!!
This seemed to work in my story You Can't Petition for a Smart Girl's Heart so I'm going to do it here.
One letter reviews are fine for you lazy kids, though my short chapter may only deserve one letter. I'm sorry, begs on knees for forgiveness from wonderful reviewers.
A-Awesome B-Bad Ass C-Could Use work D-Damn Awful and F-Fuckin' Sucks.
