These next few chapters are going to be short little half-chapters. Each one of the items will be separate. Sorry they're so short, but I liked breaking them up this way.
Chapter 10: The Jar
Hermione reached out and grabbed the small jar, holding it up to Severus for approval. With his nod she unscrewed the lid and dipped her finger in the gelatinous green substance. "Dab it on his forehead, dear," Sybil instructed, "and, Severus, do the same. Quickly now or she'll get a head of you." As the couple faded Dumbledore sat heavily in the chair beside Sybil.
"All we can do now, is wait," he said.
It was like floo powder times ten, or atleast that's how Hermione felt about the whole mater. When at last the spinning had stopped she felt as if she would empty her stomach right there on the floor… but she didn't.
As her vision cleared she could see Severus looking at her with concern. "Are you well?" She nodded and then looked about.
"Oh, Severus where are we? It's amazing!" Snape felt his stomach lurch.
"We're in Alabaster, my childhood home," he grunted. "It was willed to me when my father died… it stands unused currently." Hermione began walking and he called to her, "where are you going?"
"I don't know," she shouted back as her feet lead their own way up a gargantuan winding staircase. "My feet have developed their own cognitive thought!" Severus ran after her, but just reached her as she stopped before a door. The door swung open and they both gasped.
"That was my room, as a child," Severus sighed. "Of course, it's been redecorated."
Hermione walked lightly in the room touching little things here and there before she noticed what the room was. "Severus…. This… this is a nursery."
Snape leaned heavily against the far wall. Could it be? A child in this house, his house? "I… that's not possible." Hermione ran over to him and grabbed his arm pulling him toward the crib.
"Look Severus, look." The crib was a dark green, and gilded in gold were the words; Hansel Sirius Snape.
"How by Merlin's beard did you talk me into giving this child Sirius Black's name?" He wondered, more than a little edge creeping into his voice. Hermione laughed.
"Are you so sure this child belongs to me, Severus?" Her voice was serious.
"I can think of no other woman who would share my life," he replied.
A moment later the scene flashed and they were in another room, darker and danker. Neither could see, and so reached out grasping their hands tightly. "This place reeks of death," Snape growled.
"Mummy, Daddy, is that you?" A small voice called out to the darkness. "It's dark, I can't see you… oh I've always hated the dark…" Just then a door opened the light, however small, was blinding. A man in black came and gathered up the child, removing his chains and carried him away. "Mummy, help! Papa… Papa you can take him, I know you can!" His screams continued down the corridor before the scene flashed again.
"Wine, Mr. & Mrs. Snape?" A cold, cruel voice offered. "Come now, it can't be poisoned, that would ruin all my fun." The couple took the goblets and drank, the bitter metallic taste of blood covering their mouths. They flinched. "You don't like it? I rather thought you would. It came from good stock you know. Your sun has such a unique flavor… I kept him alive for quite sometime to harvest as much as I could."
Hermione tuned her head and emptied her stomach before she felt the world spin again, Severus' hand the only feeling in the darkness.
As they arrived back in the tower they collapsed on the floor. Sybil and Albus, were quickly there, tending them. "Bastard!" Hermione screamed, her tears flowing freely. Severus pushed the old man and bug-lady away as he cradled his Hermione in his arms, there on the floor. He smoothed her hair back and kisses her gently, anywhere his lips could reach. "It's ok, it's over, pet. It's over." After several minutes Hermione quieted.
"Don't tell us, child," Sybil said, sorrowful emotion spilling over her lips like a river. "What you see is for you alone." Dumbledore and Sybil helped the couple to the chairs and forced them to sip tea before they continued their adventures.
"I don't understand what this is good for," Hermione said at last. "The pain was too much to bear… the sickness… he… I'll kill him before I let that happen!" At this Sybil smiled.
"That is exactly what this is good for, Miss Granger. You now have time to prepare, to plan, time you wouldn't know you needed otherwise."
Hermione nodded sourly as she sipped her tea. "Bastard, "she mumbled.
Disclaimers: I don't own them, I don't take credit for them, and I make no money off of them.