center Harry Potter and the Amulet of Power /center

Summary: Harry Potter is in his 6th year at Hogwarts. Right off the start of summer holiday he is captured by Voldemort. There is a mysterious new student at Hogwarts this year that transferred from Durmstang and she holds some interesting secrets. Harry is a sixteen year old with all of the love problems that come with his age. He struggles with the meaning of love and has some tough decisions to make. And if he chooses wrong, everything could come crashing down around him…

Genre/Category: Action/Adventure/Romance

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related characters belong to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers Entertainment. I have no wish to claim it as my own. Yet, the plot and original characters of "Harry Potter and the Amulet of Life" are all my own.

Ships: HPHG HGSS HPGW GWDM (Love triangles all around!)

A/N: Thank you to the few people who reviewed me. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Keep the reviews comin'!

Chapter Seven – Meeting Old Friends

It was early morning and it was still a little dusky out. The air was thick and humid and the sun was in the east, still rising. It was beautiful. Hermione and Severus walked down past the shops in Hogsmeade and she wondered what stores would be open at this hour. They came upon a small restaurant, which Hermione had never noticed. It had a parlor window and it showed a few tables with well dressed people reading, eating, and talking at. When they walked in it was larger than it seemed and had several tables for eating, a bar, and two staircases going up on opposite sides of the room. She came to the conclusion that the window was enchanted. It had a few more enchanted windows and it seemed quite clean and posh. There were two bookcases with hundreds of books and a few reading chairs around it with a fireplace separating the two of them. It had an exquisite interior that looked from the Victorian Era.

The man at the bar who looked to be reading a muggle book looked up at them.

"Hello, how may I help you two?" The barman asked in a French accent, scanning Hermione's attire with a look of distaste.

"We'll have a suite, sir. One night only." Snape replied.

Hermione looked at him curiously and followed the two men up the stairs. When they came upon room 109 the barman opened the door with his key and led them into the room. He started talking to Snape about the suite and if they might need anything what to do so Hermione started inspecting the rooms. There were two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a kitchen slash dining room and a den with a large bookcase and a fire. She went to one of the bedrooms and collapsed on the bed, slipping away to the sleep that she'd forgotten the night before.

Snape came in a few minutes after she fell asleep and awoke her.

"Miss Granger, I believe you wished to assist me in my errands? If you wake I will make you an Awake Potion once we get into Diagon Alley. In the mean time, may I suggest some coffee and breakfast?" She groaned and got out of bed and it magically made itself.

"Why didn't we just eat downstairs? Why did you get a suite?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I'm afraid you aren't allowed to eat downstairs like…that." Hermione blushed. "They have a dress code here, they don't want it to seem trashy. Not like you look trashy, it's just that they prefer girls that are dressed."

"Ah, I guess I can understand that. Where can I get some robes? Should I floo home first?"

"No, that is unnecessary. They have a few robes in the closet and some clothes in the drawers. I'm afraid they don't offer underclothes here." He replied, remembering that it didn't seem like she wasn't wearing a bra, making it very hard to look her in the eyes when they were talking. She certainly wasn't a little girl anymore. When had she grown up? He wondered.

She colored again and walked over towards the dresser and took out a skirt and a blouse as Snape left the room. Hermione went into the bathroom and took a shower and after toweling off she went back into the bedroom.

She put on the clothes and went over to the closet and picked out a set of black robes, they had a nice make. Hermione had fortunately put on some shoes before leaving for Harry's so she wasn't barefoot. She looked in the mirror hanging on the back of her door. The robes and clothes fit perfectly. She looked very polished and well put together. Something she rarely achieved.

"You look lovely dear." The mirror said to her. "Maybe you should do something with that hair though."

"Thanks." She said sarcastically. Hermione walked over to the bathroom and brushed her hair and teeth. She put her hair back into a loose braid that went about half a foot down her back. She walked out of the room into the kitchen where Snape was lounging, reading the Daily Prophet and drinking a cup of coffee.

"My goodness, what took you?" Snape asked her, an impatient look on his face.

She giggled, "I'm sorry Professor. The shower was much too comforting to leave."

His face softened slightly and he said, "Would you like to eat here or downstairs?"

"Whichever."

"Downstairs it is. I find these chairs incredibly uncomfortable. I tried to transfigure one of them into an armchair but it turned into a large bird then it changed back into a chair. There must be anti-transfiguration charms in here. I can imagine their surprise to come back to a room filled with ferrets and not a chair or table in sight." He smiled and continued, "If only I could have seen Mister Malfoy's display last year as a ferret…"

Hermione laughed again. Wow… Snape has a sense of humor that isn't making fun of Gryffindors? She thought. They headed downstairs and a woman walked up to them, presumably another bartender.

"Would you or your daughter like something to drink?"

"She is not my daughter. But we would like something to drink none-the-less."

"Oh, I'm sorry sir."

"I would like an expresso." Hermione said.

"And I'll have a coffee." Snape said.

"Right. Your drinks will be here in a minute." The cheerful woman replied. It's too early to be that cheerful Hermione thought.

"How could that woman think I'm your daughter? We look nothing alike."

"She is a bartender. Do you think her very intelligent?" Hermione shrugged. They ordered their meals and ate in silence.

After Hermione and Severus finished they stepped out and made their way around Hogsmeade. First, they went to a small Dutch shop she had never been in. It seemed to specialize in cauldrons, though they had a lot of everyday muggle items made magical for convenience. Hermione wondered if this was legal. She saw a broom that was sweeping about the store and a duster dusting by itself. She also saw a boom box, assuming it did not run on electricity. Snape found her and escorted her out of the store.

"What did you get?" She asked, trying to make conversation.

"Some cauldrons. I purchased a folding one for myself and I put an order in for a large one for Dumbledore."

They walked into Madame Malkin's and Snape turned to Hermione and said "Okay, this is what I'd like your help with. My cousin is coming into town. She is about the same size as you. I wanted to get her some new robes as a gift for her. Would you mind trying some on that I give you to see if they would fit?"

Hermione worked furiously to hold back a laugh; she just could not imagine Snape shopping for girl's robes. She thought about what Harry would say when she told him but then she remembered his state and a morose feeling crept back into her. "Certainly." Hermione replied.

After about ten minutes Snape got her five different sets of robes to try on. She tried on each of them and showed Snape how they looked. It felt odd having her Professor checking her out like that, but he knew it wasn't her he was checking out, it was the robes. When she came upon the last one, it looked rather small. It was black and shimmered when you moved the fabric. The robes were made of silk and had a very low neckline. The bottom of the robes came down to above her knee and was quite tight all over her body but then flared out near the bottom. She checked herself out in the mirror in the dressing room and didn't feel very comfortable with Snape seeing her in them.

When she stepped out of the fitting room Snape turned to her and froze, looking at her. His eyes lingered on the place where the silky, black material came together at the base of her breasts and started to felt his mouth go dry after seeing her nipples through the thin material. She's a student, you git! He told himself while snapping back to reality again. He told her to go back to the fitting room and change back into her clothes. If he had stared any longer it would be obvious in more ways than one how much he liked her in those robes.

Hermione stepped out of the fitting room with her clothes on and Snape decided to buy the third set of robes she tried on. They were a deep purple with a swooping, yet modest neckline and ended just below the knees. Severus paid for it and they went back to the boarding house. They ate lunch and then went up into their room.

"Do you need anything more in Hogsmeade?" Snape asked her.

"No." Hermione replied.

"Okay then, lets floo over."

He walked over to the fireplace in the den and grabbed some floo powder off the mantle and said clearly "The Leaky Cauldron". Then Hermione did the same and she found herself in the small, dusky restaurant. They headed out into Diagon Alley and headed for the Apothecary. Snape was searching over the shelves and stopped often to gather some materials from the shelves. Hermione also found herself purchasing a few potions supplies with borrowed money from Snape. After they were finished shopping Snape had purchased almost twenty items (paid for by Hogwarts) and ten more items for himself. He looked to be friends with the shop owner. Hermione noticed them carrying on what seemed like a friendly conversation and then Snape walked over with him to what seemed like a storeroom. He stuck his head out a second later and said to Hermione that he was going to make them some potions before leaving. Then the strange storeowner found his way back to his perch at the register. He was about five and a half feet tall and was quite chubby and was hunched over when he walked, or more like shuffled. He had a very poor looking blonde comb-over with steaks of gray in it and a scruffy looking mustache. His large nose was buried in a copy of "Potions Monthly" and was tapping his foot wildly to the music that was emanating from behind the desk. It was some kind of jazz.

About ten minutes later Snape stepped out from the storeroom and came out with a purple potion and handed it to Hermione.

"Drink up. It'll make you more alert." He said. She was about to take a sip when she furrowed her brow.

"Did you make this right? It smells like cinnamon." Hermione asked, remembering that most potions tasted terrible, like the Polyjuice potion she took in her second year. Snape laughed and this startled Hermione. She didn't recall ever hearing him give a real laugh. One that wasn't at the expense of Gryffindors or anyone else he was insulting.

"Yes. I merely added the cinnamon to help with the taste. The reason we don't use it in other potions is because the sweeteners usually react adversely to the potion, altering its outcome." She looked intrigued and downed the flask.

"It wasn't that bad. The cinnamon really took the edge off it. I think I know what you're talking about. I read in "Potions Monthly" once that a man added a few sugar cubes to his hangover potion and he ended up sprouting tentacles!"

Snape looked surprised, "Yes, Miss Granger, I remember that article. It just goes to show you what happens to careless and idiotic wizards who make potions. Potion making is an art, not something to be dabbled and experimented with, unless you have the proper education, which that man did not. Actually, he does now. He was a young man when experimenting with the sugar cubes. He is now a renown potions author."

"Didn't he write "Potion Theorems for the 21st Century" and "Concocting Potions in the Home"? Jeremiah Baker? I believe he is holding a book signing in the apothecary in Hogsmeade today."

Snape looked impressed. "Indeed, Miss Granger. Although he is one of my favorite authors I refuse to take part in such frivolity."

Hermione agreed silently, remembering the book signing for Gilderoy Lockhart years ago. All of the drooling girls and mothers, screaming for a chance to get their book signed by the man. She could not imagine women doing this for Baker, a potions author, but still found it humorous thinking of Snape screaming for an autograph…

Snape was impressed by her interest in potions and her knowledge of the not-so-well-known author. Maybe I could start an internship with her this upcoming school year if she's interested in Potions work. He thought, wistfully. Students like her made his teaching career worthwhile. That is, the mature, knowledgeable, intellectual Hermione Granger, not the know-it-all first year.

After they had finished their shopping in Diagon Alley Snape led Hermione town a few twisty, dark paths until they found themselves in Knockturn Alley.

"Do you mind if I do a bit of shopping here, Miss Granger? I know it's not the best neck of town so if you're not comfortable…"

"No, no, it's fine. I can take care of myself, thankyouverymuch." She said, cutting him off, looking quite surly. This left him looking slightly dazed and wondering why he ever thought this would bother her. She did face quite a few death eaters last year, why should I have suspected her of being a scared, little girl?

They stopped in front of a small, dirty looking store. The outside had a bench and a pot of enchanted flowers that looked as though they might be dying. There were cobwebs near the dusty window and the door creaked when Snape opened it. She began to follow him in when he stopped her.

"Miss Granger, please wait for me out here." She scowled and stood outside the door.

It seemed like a half an hour when she began to get bored. Hermione started edging away from the store, looking into the ones that bordered it. She found one that sparked her interest. I'll be fine. Snape's just overprotective.

When she walked into the store it seemed a bit too clean for Knockturn Alley. It had many trinkets and magical items and much jewelry. It all seemed fine, but there was the occasional warning sign of not to touch or go near an item. After a few minutes a man came out to meet her, presumably that worked there. He was tall and slender and had a full head of lengthy black hair. His eyes were a shocking blue and it was hard for her to look at them. It was as if when you were looking into them that he could read your soul and read your fears by his eyes boring into yours.

"Good Evening, Miss. Can I help you find anything today?"

"Well, not really. I'm just looking around. The person I'm with is taking an exceeding amount of time in one of the other shops."

"Perhaps then I can find something that sparks your interest? I'll try not to be an overbearing a salesman, say one word and I'm off to my backroom again." He gave her a warm smile. It was comforting and trusting.

"I suppose. What do you have in mind?" He stepped forward and went to put his hands on her temples and she withdrew.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I have some seer blood in me and I can get a good sense of someone by doing this. No harm will come to you, just my fingers against your temples." Hermione looked uncertainly into his eyes and was immediately comforted. How odd that his eyes were a source of fear, but now a source of trust and familiarity. She stepped towards him again and let him resume.

After his cold fingertips touched her temples once again she felt a cold rush move through her mind and then into all of her body. After a minute or so he removed his hands and led her to a cabinet near the window. There was some elaborate jewelry and some odd Egyptian artifacts inside of it. He opened the cabinet with a flick of his wrist and drew out a beautiful necklace. It was on a gold chain and had an amulet on the end. It was a golden cat with his mouth stretched open and a red stone was inside of it. He went behind her and fastened it around her neck. She withdrew her hand from her pocket and touched it with her finger. It was warm. She looked up at the salesman for an explanation of what it was.

"It's from Ancient Egypt, the only one like it. I haven't been able to discern which stone this is, though; it must be rare or depleted. Or possibly from another planet."

"So, is it magical?"

"It has magical properties. It was meant for you, I can tell. Many people have had a draw to it but I just haven't felt it's right for them, and after I denied selling it to them they got quite cross with me. I am personally quite interested in Ancient Egyptian magic and I've read up on amulets such as that. I found an ancient manuscript saying that in those times there was an amulet that provided great and terrible power to those who possessed it. I believe that amulet to be the same one as that mentioned in the ancient texts. It has a magical draw about it. How about, we try something here, try to hold it in your hand and close your eyes."

When Hermione proceeded to do this she felt a warmth seep from it into her hand and then into her entire body. Once her body was filled with the mysterious force she felt it move in her hand and then it felt as though it had bit her and she cried out in pain. It fell from her grasp. Hermione opened her eyes and saw that the amulet was glowing and her hand was bleeding.

"What was THAT?" Hermione yelled at the man.

"Well, I think it extracted some of your blood and now it can be of more use to you." Her eyes widened and fear radiated through her.

"Am I cursed now, or something?"

"No, no, quite the contrary. It now has your blood and can now be used to protect you. Though, I'm not really sure how…"

"You said this amulet gave great and terrible power to those who held it, so you're lying to me about something now."

"That amulet can be used in some dark magic and in one spell, the amulet can raise the ghosts of ancient evil to possess you and give you super human strength and power. Quite dangerous. I don't think you'll be taking over the world anytime soon so I decided to sell it to you. Are you, by any chance, Egyptian in any manner?"

"Well, my great grandfather was from Egyptian, actually. My mum says I got his hair and eyes."

"Hmm, I think it works with those that have Ancient Egyptian Royal blood in their veins. One of your ancestors was probably a king or queen, you know."

"Do you have any literature on this? I am quite curious about Egyptian magic."

"Yes, yes. And that amulet, it will be five galleons."

"Five!"

"Well, it's of no use to me, and few others at that. If I don't sell it to you I'd probably end up passing it on to my heir when I die."

Hermione bought several books on Ancient Egyptian magic and the amulet and left, returning to the shop where Snape was. She wondered how long she'd been gone and if he'd gone out to look for her. She decided it wouldn't hurt to look in the shop to see if her Professor was still there.

Hermione carefully pushed open the door and looked around curiously. It was dark and dusty and looked like no one ever came in there. No one appeared to be in the shop, but then she saw a light emanating from a slit in the floor, which was a trap door. She sucked a breath in and got ready for the worst. She put a sliencing charm on the door and with her wand at ready she opened it and the light burst through the room, giving luminescence to the dusty bottles lining the shelves.

She descended down the stairs slowly and quietly listening for anyone or anything.

"No, stop, I'll find the others." Snape cried, from the other side of the wall.

"Crucio!" a cold, deep voice yelled out. Snape moaned at the pain of the Cruciatus and Hermione winced, knowing she had to help him. She took a mirror out of her bag and used it to look on the other side of the wall. Perfect she thought to herself.

"Impedimenta! Stupefy!" She yelled in succession, taking out the two unsuspecting men. Snape was heaped on the floor, looking unable to walk. She scurried over, grabbed the two men's wands, and stunned the wizard that was now moving very, very slowly.

"Can you walk, sir?" Hermione asked her Professor.

He gave her a pained expression and managed to stand and shuffle alongside her. She couldn't very well hold him up so he toppled to the ground again. She furrowed her brow in frustration and thought of levitating him, but there wasn't nearly enough room in the tight hallway. She felt a strange surge of power through her and was drawn to put her hands on his chest. When she did, Hermione felt that cool sensation running through her body that she had previously when she held the amulet. She felt some of it leaving her and traveling into Severus who appeared startled. He mustered up his strength and stood quite easily and gave her a strange look. She just shrugged.

They started to walk up when the trap door opened again and a cloaked man started to walk down the stairs. She grabbed Snape around his middle and dragged him behind the wall. When the man came around it she shot a stunning spell at him and missed. He looked surprised and disarmed her, sending her flying back into the rocky wall. Snape grabbed his wand off of one of the men that were already stunned and started to duel with the cloaked figure. After being hit with Cruciatus, Snape's knees gave out and he crumpled into a heap on the floor. Then he felt a strange cool surge of power run through him and he screamed out and tackled his attacker.

The man appeared very surprised that his victim had thrown off the curse in his rage and felt around frantically for his wand that had fallen. Snape didn't bother retrieving one and started punching the man in the face. After a few well placed hits the man passed out. Severus found his wand and bound the three men and put a silencing charm on them.

The slender, pale man hurried over to Hermione and examined her wounds. He healed the cuts on her face and picked her up to carry her out of the cellar. Her face found it's way to be burrowed in the crook of his neck and he looked wistfully at her, knowing he would never forgive himself if she was seriously hurt.

He gathered up all the strength he could muster and climbed the stairs with Hermione's fragile body. Severus went through the trap door and then set Hermione down on the ground, as to find some floo powder to get to Hogwarts. She stirred on the ground and started to get up when Snape ran over to her.

"Hermione, are you alright?" He asked, briskly.

"Um…" she said dreamily, rubbing the back of her head, "I guess…"

"We need to get you to Hogwarts."

She got up and slumped against Severus, trying to maintain her weight. He swept her off her feet seeing she couldn't move around by herself.

"The packages…" She started.

"Yes, I found them here where you left them. Let's go." He held the packages on one arm and Hermione on the other. He threw the floo powder into the fire with some difficulty and shouted "Hogwarts Infirmary!" and grabbed the packages and Hermione close to him as he was whisked through the darkness and then stumbled upon landing in the large white room. Hermione had passed out again in the floo.

Madame Pomfrey bustled over and summoned a bed so Snape could place Hermione on it.

"What happened?" She asked, checking Hermione's wounds.

"I healed some of the cuts on her face, neck, and arms. She took a pretty nasty disarming charm and hit a rocky wall behind her from about ten feet. Happened about ten minutes ago and she woke up right before I went through the floo. She held the back of her head, also."

"Her vitals are all fine. Her breath is a bit shallow though. But it doesn't seem to match up. The gash was very deep and I wouldn't be the least surprised if you told me she was in a coma. But, you say she woke up? Did she talk intelligibly?"

"Yes, she said that she guessed she was okay and that we can't forget the packages. She looked quite out of it though." Snape said, in a daze of his own. "Well, I've got to see the Headmaster about this and I'll be back in about an hour."

Madame Pomfrey nodded at him and went back to attending to Hermione. Snape reached in his pocket and drew out a gold whistle and blew on it. Seconds later a house elf popped in front of him.

"Please take these bags up to my rooms, Patsy."

The gray house elf beamed up at him and said "Oh, yes, master! How is you feeling? You is not looking well! Should Patsy bring Master Snape some Pepper Up potion from Master's stores?"

"No, no. Thank you anyway, Patsy. Just take those bags up to my room." At this the house elf grabbed the bags and popped away. Severus used some floo powder and said "Saint Mungos!" And was whisked away into the darkness.