Part5 – A RUSSIAN FAIRYTALE

No grey hairs streak my soul,

« Severus. How pleasant to see you. Lemon drop? »

Albus Dumbledore opened the box, his eyes twinkling.

« I really don't think so, » replied Snape dryly, making no move to sit down in one of the cosy armchair of the Headmaster office.

« How do you like Hermione's new style? » asked Dumbledore, smiling.

« Did she change it? » Snape drawled.

« Indeed she has. And I was told that you had something to do with that. »

« You know the truth already, Headmaster. Spare me. I feel too old to play hide-and-seek again, and you definitely are. »

Dumbledore joined his fingers and opened his mouth to reply. At that moment there was a loud knock to the door, and Minerva McGonagall stormed into the office.

« What-did-you-do-to-her? » she said angrily, walking towards Snape.

« Minerva… »

« No, Albus. Hermione has just told me that he was with her when the change appeared. »

She turned to stare at her colleague.

« Oh, good. Did she happen to mention what she was doing in my private chambers in the middle of the night, then? I didn't talk to her myself. »

Dumbledore stared at him, but Professor McGonagall just scowled.

« She only needed a book, Severus-»

« A book? She just needed a book? Minerva, there is a good reason if students are not allowed in my personal library, » he said softly, glaring at her.

« A good reason indeed, » added Dumbledore, a worried light in his blue eyes. « So that's why. »

« That's why, » confirmed Snape, sounding unconcerned.

« What's going on? What are you talking about? » asked Professor McGonagall, her head tilting from one to the other.

« That will be your pleasure, Headmaster, » said Snape, making ready to leave.

« Severus, I request you stay. Minerva, sit down. »

Both of them took place in the armchairs, Snape looking perfectly bored, McGonagall slightly scared.

« Minerva, you do know about Grigorii Rasputin's Diary, don't you? »

« Of course. But I hardly see- »

« History books say the only copy in existence has been lost during the Russian Revolution. »

« I am aware of that. »

« Well, let's imagine a very romantic and sad story. »

« Headmaster, this entire event is ridiculous enough without the wrapping of your storytelling, » Snape tried to protest, but McGonagall silenced him.

« Let's imagine, » Dumbledore continued, « that one of the Zar's officer, a wizard, a Potions Master, was entrusted with the keeping of the Diary. And that, after having fought bravely against the Red soldiers, he managed to escape with his young daughter – and Rasputin's writing. »

Snape looked firmly out of the window.

« But let's imagine that they are arrested – using magic is too risky, since wizards on both sides are on the alert. They're made prisoner, and a young revolutionary finds the Diary, and is given the order to destroy it. »

The silence was complete.

« But the young man, an English citizen working for the Reds, understands the value of the book and helps the enemy Officer and his daughter to escape. Togheter, they manage to cross the country at war, and come near the border. But now, » and Dumbledore's voice dropped to a whisper, « they are ambushed. And the White Officer is shot. He's going to die. And he knows that his daughter, a member of the Russian aristocracy and a witch, has no chance to escape without the young soldier's protection. But how can he trust him? How indeed… »

Professor Dumbledore's voice faded away, but was soon replaced by Professor McGonagall harsh whisper.

« How? »

« As I said, » continued Dumbledore, looking like he was having the time of his life, « the White Officer is a Potions Master. And he carries a short supply in his pocket. And among them – a Love Elixir. »

« If this becomes even more pathetic, I'm going to be sick. »

« Shut up, Severus. »

« The Officer tricks the soldier into drinking the potion, and the young man falls instantly in love with his beautiful daughter. He manages to escape with her abroad, he comes back to England. And when he finds out that she is a witch, she confesses her his most hidden secret – he's a wizard too, a renegade Unspeakable who had set forth to help the Reds. The girl, bound by her father's promise, is compelled to marry him, but the marriage is very unhappy. The Red rebel and the Russian Lady could never find a way to live with each other. And the Love Elixir eventually wore off. »

« And Rasputin… »

« Rasputin's book was bound to the family forever. It was kept hidden, but was never forgot. And years later, when a son was born, the Russian Lady prepared him to receive his heritage – and to make use of it. »

« Make use of it? » said Professor McGonagall alarmed. « But that book must have been filled with Dark spells! »

« Not just 'Dark spells', Minerva, » Snape said quietly. « But the most powerful knowledge on Dark Power ever achieved. »

She dismissed him with a wave of her hand – and then her eyes came back into his, and her face alighted of sudden understanding.

« You? » she whispered, disbelievingly, « You were that child? »

He didn't even bother to nod.

« But- Where is the book now? »

« At Hogwarts. But it is blank, » said Dumbledore.

Professor McGonagall looked as if she was trying to put everything back into place.

« Why? »

« Because my father charmed it. »

« Severus' father came to me the moment he knew that his son had got the Dark Mark. He was very worried about Rasputin's knowledge falling in Voldemort's hands. »

Professor McGonagall flinched in hearing the name, whereas Snape contracted his muscles to avoid checking his Mark.

« He would have given the book to me, but it was enchanted to come back to the family members. He decided, therefore, to protect it with a series of powerful spell. Severus has worked on it since his youth, and has managed to break every one of them – except the last one.»

« Which basically says, as I have no wish to skip my dinner, that I have to sleep with a willing Muggle-Born before the book can be read again, » said Snape, getting to his feet.

Professor Mc Gongall stared blankly at him.

« The book reacts to the touch of a Muggle-born witch by transforming her physically into ressembling one of Rasputin's favourite. This appearance won't wear off until she dies – or until the spell is broken, » concluded Dumbledore.

« Wait, » said Professor McGonagall, breathing hard through her nose, « Wait. So you're saying that this – this – pureblood here was too racist to activate the spell before now, and the previous girl is dead -»

« She was the last time I checked, » murmured Snape.

« - and that Hermione, » she continued loudly, ignoring him « is going to be the new one? And that you will fucking allow this to go on? »

She turned towards Dumbledore and glared at him.

« I won't allow one of my student to be violated by this- this-, » she bellowed, gesturing towards Snape.

« Breathe, Minerva. Didn't you listen? It has to be consensual for the spell to work. There is no need to violate her – she will give herself to me willingly. »

She looked at him, fuming, but he was already gone.

A/N So. The great secret is out – Hermione is not Draco's secret sister after all. It's a pity, isn'it?

For the younger ones out there, Snape's parents lived at the time of the Russian revolution (which took place in 1917) – yes, I know they seem a bit old, but if you think a witch lives till 150, it's only logical that she could have a child till her 70s.

So, the Russian revolution: it occurred in the middle of World War 1, and opposed Red soldiers (leaded by Lenin and others) and White soldiers (people loyal to the Tzar). In a nutshell, White people were a bit angry with Red people because basically they wanted to annihilate the Tzar dynasty and the whole aristocratic system, while Red people were very angry at the Tzar for keeping Russians in a state of great poverty and moreover starving them and killing them by millions in the meaningless conflict that was World War 1. Ok, now I'm ready for flames…but seriously, if someone wants to disagree in a constructive way with this, please do.

Oh, and A/N number two: don't be alarmed and/or horny, I won't use this story merely as a pretext for senseless sex scenes all over Hogwarts. It won't be like that.

Natsuyori, thank you for having reviewed gasps twice in two days!

duj, thank you for your reviews, they're always so nice; as for what it does mean to be onself, well, you're perfectly right. Opposition between Art and Nature is, after all, one of the most debated subjects in philosophy. Although I like the idea of acting according to one's instincts, these instincts have to be refined, in my opinion, and I rather agree with Robert Browning when he says that Ignorance is not innocence but sin. Dilbert has a cool view on this subject, too, but I've not my book here, so I'll save it for later on ;)

GeekGoddess1, thank you and yes, me too, I hate reading on and on a story when you don't know wheter it will be finished or not…

Next update: February 12th