Author´s note: WEEP MORTALS !I am back! Hooray! Aren't you all happy now?

I thank my beautiful beta Ebony ink for doing a good job.

Chapter 44

Lucius had dragged himself from bed that morning extra early. For once he ate his breakfast in the great hall.

The only reason he granted the school such an honour was because he was waiting for important mail. Due to the threat of the Death eaters, students and teachers alike were only allowed to receive mail once a day, during breakfast.

That was why Lucius was now sitting on an uncomfortable chair whilst waiting impatiently for the bloody owls to come.

He had noticed Severus´s absence. He assumed that Severus, just like himself, preferred to take his breakfast in his own chambers. But just as the owls flew in, Severus stepped into the great hall, looking sour and a bit paler than usual.

Lucius panicked as a black owl flew towards him and dropped a box neatly on his knees. Sweating and swearing, he deposited a knut and three sickles in the leather pouch that was around the bird's neck. Lucius prayed that Severus hadn't noticed the owl.

Alas, the gods were obviously not listening, as Severus saw the black owl near Lucius and momentarily forgot why he was there.

It was the trademark owl of the Potion Maker Shoppe. Now this was interesting. Lucius with that particular owl? Lucius had obviously ordered something, and by the trembling of his hands, it wasn't something legal.

Severus´s spirit rose instantly. He settled his pace into the familiar billowing robe style.

Lucius felt already irritated. He knew Severus wouldn't stop bothering him with questions until he had a satisfying answer. He was after all a teacher. But Lucius had the ultimate weapon against Severus there: logorrhea.

So, as soon as Severus was close enough (roughly 10 feet away), Lucius started to assault him with some very cheerful and chipper chatting.

"- Severus dear, I getting impatience waiting to talk to you! Now, how are you, I have a couple of questions to ask you about –"

"- Yes, yes, Lucius, later. I have to talk with the Headmaster now. And it's important and nothing of your concern."

Lucius was somewhat taken aback by the direct method Severus used to make him stop talking.

The headmaster watched Severus and understood by the lines on his face that the matter was important.

"- Very well Severus. You came in a good moment. I just finished breakfast. We can talk in my office."

"- I'd like that, Albus."

Dumbledore now knew that Severus was upset; it wasn't often he called him Albus.

Hermione watched her Severus storm in to the great hall and talk to the headmaster. She wondered what had happened. She hoped it wasn't about her. She would have hated it if Severus knew some of her very dirty secrets.

Harry and Ron looked at her rather worried.

"- Are you sure you are okay Hermione?"

"- You seem awfully tired."

Hermione turned around and watched her friends. On a sudden impulse she took both their hands in hers.

"- I am under lots of pressure, that is true, but don't worry. I'm always okay, you know that."

"- No, Hermione, you aren't always okay. We know that. Don't try to be too much of a hero."

Hermione laughed and released their hands.

"- Thanks for the advice Harry. I promise I won't try to save the world."

But they didn't see her cross her fingers under the table as she said so.

Later that night, Hermione was sitting in the library, trying to concentrate on the book in front of her, but she knew it was a lost cause.

Some people knew about her wings. She knew who they were. And that wasn't really what mattered to her. No, these same persons knew something more as well. She has chosen to trust them. But was it a good idea? Was it a good choice? So far she hadn't heard any result of their actions. Her train of thoughts was disturbed as two girls sat down on the same table as her.

"- So, Hermione, what are we doing today?"

Hermione shuddered violently inwardly. She was careless to have trusted them. But she had done it. And she knew somehow that they were trustworthy. And they were really useful.

"- Hello Emmilya, hello Maryann. Let's see if you've been good girls and done your homework."

The blonde girl flipped her beautiful blond hair in the air and Maryann started to pile up books all around them.

"- Yeah, we did your work."

"- And we did it well… Trust us on that."

"- We've got proof."

Just as she said that, Emmilya carefully took a large container out from her bag.

"- What the…?"

Maryann opened the box, and Hermione couldn't hold in a little squeak of glee. In front of her, in a very large Tupperware container, were two large pieces of meat in ice.

"- Are those…?"

"- Yeah, we chopped them off him. The longest muscles in his inner thighs." Emmilya´s voice had dropped to become a barely audible murmur.

Hermione passed her arms around both girls' shoulders. She could trust them blindly.

"- Well girls…. I have another little experiment to do. And I need your help again."