MARRYING SNAPE- mypseudonym
All the usual disclaimers apply
AN: Sorry for the long wait guys. I've been in a Harry Potter reading/ plotting frenzy. Anyway, I've got the next couple of bits and bobs I'll post all planned out. I've got a dumb little thing to post following this, and then I'm going to try my hand at Book 7, just because I can. Anyway, on with this story!
Chapter 12
Alex moved into the Potion's Master's quarters, which were expanded to make room for Jordan and Daisy. Alex brought over more of their personal possessions from the manor house- an attempt to make the cold rooms seem more like home. While he was gone, collecting them, Hermione led Daisy and Jordan in hanging all of the photos, paintings, and mementoes that were jammed inside the box Julia had sent with her. The kids seemed happier when they were busy, but they couldn't totally hide how upset they are. If anyone had any reason to be upset, it was Daisy and Jordan. The death of their mother still hung over their heads, as did the removal of their younger siblings and their father's continued absence. All Hermione could do was be there to hug them and hold them, and it was all she could do not to cry. Hanging the pictures helped Hermione to know about this magnificent example of a strong woman- this woman she barely had time to know.
Alex returned and resized all of his burdens in the children's bedrooms. While Daisy and Jordan were occupied with unpacking the belongings they'd sent Alex to retrieve, Alex told Hermione about his visit to the manor.
"His mind is slipping, Hermione. That is, it appears to be….when he actually speaks. Most of the time I was in the house, he simply followed me from room to room, not speaking at all. It was truly unnerving. When he did finally address me, he called me 'Father.' I don't know what to do, Hermione. I'm worried about him; he needs help. Help from family and people he trusts. I don't want to let him around Daisy and Jordan though. I'm afraid that would be too much for them to see their father so beaten." Alex said, tired.
"I'll tell you what we're going to do. Tonight, after Daisy and Jordan have gone to bed, I'll stay here with Maddy and watch over them. You will return to the manor house, collect your brother by any means necessary, and bring him to Hogwarts under the quiet privacy of night. Take him directly to the Hospital Wing. I'll arrange with Madam Pomfrey to have a private room ready for him. We'll be able to visit him as much as possible, and Poppy can keep watch over him when no one else is there. Maybe we can snap him out of it when he's no longer in that house. I'll put special charms on the room so that Daisy and Jordan won't notice it when they're studying healing down there."
"That might just work!" Alex said, hugging her.
"One more thing, ask Forchette to start packing up the estate because as soon as we can find someplace suitable, we're selling that house. It's got too many bad memories now to be of use for our little clan." Hermione finished. Alex looked shocked.
"Sell the manor! Hermione, I love you and I respect what you have to say, but that's out of the question!" Alex exclaimed.
"Alexander Snape, can you honestly tell me that you'll be able to eat at that same dining room table without dwelling on the place where Julia lay dead?" Hermione asked. Alex said nothing but shook his head. "You see, the manor has to go or the evil it holds will eat away at our family like a disease. Someone else can have it; someone who won't have our memories. Perhaps they can fill the house with cheer as we fill a different house. It will help the children to move on as well."
"Okay, you're right. Go talk to Poppy. I'll rest here for a bit and help the kids. It looks like it's going to be a long night." Alex said Hermione got up, kissed him quickly, and left the suite.
Late that night, the plan went off without a hitch. Severus was delivered, magically bound, silenced and floated into his private recovery room. It was so late at night that no students were in the corridors. Hermione and Maddy slept over downstairs as they would often do. Alex spent much of the evening and night with his brother. Fortunately, he didn't have any morning classes, so he could come back and sleep until lunch. Hermione brought the kids to breakfast and saw Daisy and Jordan to their lessons with Madam Pomfrey. After one class, Hermione and her friends had a break. She talked Harry, Ron, and Ginny into watching Maddy for her so that she could go pry her fiancé out of bed.
Hermione was amazed to find that Alex was already awake and brooding by the fire. She wrapped her arms around him as he stood there, drink in hand, seeming oblivious to Hermione's presence.
"I expected you to still be in bed." Hermione whispered.
"Surprise." Alex said bitterly.
"Alex, what's wrong?" she asked, looking up at him.
"It's nothing." He said, shaking his head and resting his drink on the mantle.
"It is too something. Tell me." Hermione said.
"You wouldn't understand." he said, turning away.
"I understand more than you think. Try me." she said, crossing her arms.
"You don't understand! You can't understand! You're too different from me!" Alex yelled, storming about the room.
"Alexander Marlow Snape! Stop that this instant! You're acting like a child! Sit!" Hermione ordered. Yelling was out of character, for at least the Hermione he knew. Alex was shocked into obeying her. He plopped into one of the arm chairs while Hermione perched on the ottoman in front of it.
"You know I care about you, don't you?" she asked quietly.
"Of course." He answered.
"Then why won't you talk to me? I want to help you, but I can't if you won't tell me what's going on." She reasoned gently, reaching out to take his hands.
"I'm scared, Hermione. Is that what you wanted to hear? I'm such a good man that I'm terrified, manly isn't it? I'm scared for my brother, for you, and for all the children. I'm scared of the war of losing my loved ones, of dying. I'm terrified beyond all reason that we won't live long enough to be married. This war is killing me slowly because it's threatening all that I hold dear." Alex explained, putting his head in his hands.
"I know it's scary, but you can do it. Your love is what makes you able to do it. You're a strong and capable Auror." Hermione began.
"But you see, that's where you're wrong. I'm no good as an Auror. I get hurt nearly every day, and I had the lowest grades in my training group." He said.
"I think I can help you." Hermione said.
"Hermione, I hate to say it, but I think this is one problem you cannot solve." Alex mumbled.
"Well, hear me out anyway. I think that you could train with DA, or with just me, Harry, and Ron. We have a room that we learn combat and magical skills in. You can train with us at night, when the children are safely asleep." She said, holding his knees to the floor.
"You know, that just might work. I don't want to work with the DA obviously, that would compromise my abilities as a teacher. Training with you and your closest friends would work well. I might be able to help you all out there some too. I may not have done well on anything else, but I'm a very good swordsman. It's much the same theory when applied to magic."
"Yes, that would work well. Perhaps you could even come to a full DA meeting once or twice to teach us what you know?" Hermione said.
"Well, when do we start?" he asked.
"There's a full DA meeting tonight at 8. We'll practice at 11 in the room of requirement." Hermione said.
"11? That's after curfew. What if you get caught going back to your dormitory? I don't have the clout as a professor yet to truly keep all three of you out of trouble."
"Don't worry about it. You can walk through the corridors at any time, day or night, and we have our ways to get around unseen. Just be at the room of requirement at 11." Hermione said. "And now, you'd better hurry up and get dressed or you'll be late for class."
"That's one benefit of being a professor. Nobody gets to take any points off if I'm late for class." Alex laughed, putting on his robe and heading out the door. Hermione flopped onto the chair and took a moment to breathe deeply.
She didn't have a moment to spare, as the DA coin started to feel warm against her leg. She whipped it out and headed to the common room. Harry didn't generally change the coin in the middle of the day, lest anyone show surprise in class. She wanted to know what was going on, and tell them about Alex joining their training sessions.
She walked upstairs to find everyone gathered around a notice in the common room.
"What's going on?" she asked as Maddy wrapped her arms around Hermione's leg.
"Professor McGonagall just came in a posted this; they're sending everyone home tomorrow." Harry said. "I wanted to make absolutely sure that everyone saw about the meeting tonight."
"Alex is coming to train with us after the meeting. I could ask him to come to the meeting itself if you want." Hermione said.
"Perhaps you should do that. He may have some ideas about how to keep at least part of the group in the castle, ready to fight." Harry said.
"Okay, I'll speak to him after dinner." Hermione promised.
"The Order members are arriving too. I saw Tonks and Kingsley arrive a little while ago." Ron whispered.
"That's probably why they want us all out. We should invite Tonks to the meeting as well. She's worth as much as Alex is, and we can trust her to keep the meeting secret." Hermione suggested.
"Okay, I'll talk to Tonks, Hermione will ask Alex, and we'll have the meeting at 8." Harry said. They're discussion was over. They needed to get ready for class soon anyway.
After dinner, Harry went to talk to Tonks, working their way out of the Great Hall with a discussion about Quidditch. Hermione simply asked Alex if they could talk privately. They took Daisy, Jordan, and Maddy outside to run around while they chatted under a shade tree. Alex and Tonks both agreed to come to the meeting.
That night, Alex arrived at the meeting with Hermione. They weren't the first people into the room, but they were far from the last. This was the first time Alex got to see how large the DA was. There was a huge circle of chairs in the room. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together at one part. Alex took a seat next to Hermione. As students walked into the room and seated themselves, they all seemed perplexed to see Professor Snape there. No one said anything, however, until Tonks came into the room.
"Wotcher Harry!" she said, jubilantly, patting Harry on the back before taking the seat next to Alex, which the large crowd of students had been avoiding. "Ho Rook." She greeted.
"Ho Tonks. Good to see you again." Alex said honestly.
"Any idea what we're doing here, Rook?" Tonks asked.
"I've got an idea, but I'm not in charge, so it's not my place to say." Alex said. There was a moment's pause before Harry started the meeting.
"Okay everyone, I'm sure you can tell that this is a little different today. It may very well be our last meeting all together. I'm sure you've all seen the notice posted in the common rooms. Dumbledore is sending everyone home tomorrow. We are gathered here today to see what we might to do help. I've invited two of my most trusted Auror friends here today to help us figure something out. You all certainly should recognize Professor Snape. The woman beside him is Tonks. I hope you'll all listen to whatever suggestions they might have." Harry said.
"Well, whatever they do, we shouldn't leave. There are those of us who are trained well enough to help." Neville said.
"But at the same time, some of the younger ones aren't nearly trained well enough."
"If I could make a suggestion, perhaps only part of you should remain behind. The younger members can return home and help to protect their families if the conflict comes to that." Alex said.
"Yes, I think we should send home any and every member below the fourth year. That's what we've done for special groups. I have a feeling our special groups will be of most help, since we've each trained in a particular area." Harry said. The group seemed to trust his judgment.
"Now we have to figure out a way to get the adults to take us seriously." Ron said.
"That I can help you with." Tonks said. The group turned to see her more clearly. "Well, the first thing that keeps the adults from taking you seriously is your school uniforms. You'll have to wear something else tomorrow to build a good image. Past that, it will be based on your proving what you can do. Alex and I will do what we can, but we don't have enough power to keep you there- for that you'll have to convince Albus." Tonks stated, directing her comments to Harry.
"Organization wouldn't hurt either." Alex added.
"All right then. Everyone, fourth years and above may stay, but I'm not going to make you stay. Chances are that those who stay may see battle and be in danger. If you intend to stay, wear your DA uniform to the train station, hidden under a cloak or something. When the train leaves, we'll jump off, form up, and march back. Then, we'll behave as an army, and hope that they'll let us stay." Harry said. "Does that work with everyone?" he asked. The group made affirmative sounds. "Alright. Dismissed. I'll see you all tomorrow." Harry finished. The group herded out the door. Tonks followed them, heading back to her room. It was still before 9, so they could get back to their common rooms without any difficulty. Soon, only four of them remained in the room. Harry asked the room to become their training place. The four of them spent the rest of the evening training. When they were finished, Harry, Ron, and Hermione slipped underneath the Invisibility cloak and followed Alex out the door.
The next afternoon, the DA joined the Order of Pheonix at Hogwarts to train for battle.
AN: Okay, that was a long four hours of work. Hope everyone is enjoying/ has enjoyed book 6. My story isn't going to change any because of what happened in sixth year.