11. Discussing Strategy
When Harry entered the Gryffindor common room, he was feeling rather tired. He was also out of luck. The third-years were having a kind of party that included hexing bystanders and using the newest Wizard Wheezes on them, and were making a row worthy of a Quidditch World Cup audience. It reminded him of the racket Fred and George always had produced.
Had he and Ron been been like that, too? Hermione surely had not… Harry merely made a face and climbed the stairs to the dormitory. No-one was there, and he finally was all by himself.
Harry laid back in his cushions and recapitulated the day. He had made his second attempt to reconcile Professor Snape this afternoon with more success than the first, whatever that would be worth in the end. He was sure that Hermione would approve of this attempt, and might even be proud of him. They had seen a relative of Snape's arrive under strange, rather spectacular circumstances. Harry had found out more about her, and even agreed to tutor her, which he somehow felt to be an honour. Probably, there were second thoughts behind that on the side of the Headmaster, but surely, Snape's… Silva must be out of practice, that much was for sure. He would find out about all that soon enough, and learn a lot himself.
He wondered what Hermione might come to learn from Dumbledore if she ever managed to meet him, and was not sure if he was looking forward to his own evening appointment with the Headmaster – if the old wizard would still find time for storytelling, that was, what with having to find the woman… Silva a place to stay – and with all the references to horrible events and murder that he'd gathered from Dumbledore's story so far.
Harry felt that he might get more than he asked for and, in the end, prefer to not have been told about all those events at all... Actually, he considered he'd had enough of such things already to last him a lifetime. He was tired… But the Headmaster had asked him to be back to hear more…
Harry was trying to plot another approach to Snape to get him to agree – so silly! – to agree to something he was sure neither of them wanted to do, or would enjoy… He wasn't sure if Snape didn't hate it more still than he himself did...
He fell asleep.
But this eventful day was not at an end yet for Harry. He woke with a start when Ron shook him rather rudely, and said that they'd be late for dinner.
Harry was very much refreshed, but felt he wanted some time to himself right now. Ron was impatient and did not want to wait, so Harry told him he would follow suit, and took his time to really wake up. Some cold water in the face was very helpful.
Not ten minutes after Ron, he entered the Great Hall. He hardly sat when Hermione whispered that she had finally managed to see Dumbledore in the afternoon, and had a lot to tell. She was agitated, her hair even bushier than usual. Harry wondered what news she might bear.
Suddenly, Harry had to grin: He'd found out what her hair always reminded him of: a squirrel. Whenever they got excited, their hair stood on end, too. Hermione's even had the same colour as some of them had… Though he had to admit to himself that that was about all the likeness Hermione Granger had with small, scurry, rather defenceless animals.
Harry was very curious about what she'd have to report, and to hear her view of the things Dumbledore had told him, but they would have to wait some hours to get away unnoticed by their fellow housemates.
Homework was not an affair that could command concentration tonight. Ron was off best since he did not know what to expect, and worked away slowly and methodically. All of them were grateful to be able to leave Potions homework aside for the day.
Hermione and Harry both were excited and jumpy, exchanging looks of impatience quite often. Couldn't she clear out the common room? She was a Prefect, after all… Which would attract attention to those who stayed behind much like a beacon would to a cliff, right?
The common room finally cleared of people around ten.
"Let's go to the Room of Requirement!"
Hermione, though being a Prefect, obviously did not mind that curfew was close, for once.
They all slipped under Harry's Invisibility Cloak, and took off.
On their way there Harry asked her: "When you spoke to the Headmaster, did you see someone else there?"
"No, should I have?"
"The woman who barged into Potions this morning."
"Wow – why? She looked pretty wild!" interjected Ron.
"No… why?" Hermione asked.
"She really is Snape's sister like we thought, and she will stay at Hogwarts, to assist Professor Sprout."
Both of his friends agreed that this was good news in any case. The irritability of the Herbology teacher had been a cause of dismay particularly to Ron, and Hermione had found it increasingly difficult to ask questions on the subject that she needed answers to without being scoffed at. That didn't make things easier for her as Herbology was another subject they shared with the Slytherins this year.
Harry added: "It appears Snape doesn't like her, but she's really very nice."
"She must be, then! That is probably why he doesn't like her, I should think." Ron mused.
"A nice Snape? Incredible!"
Harry giggled, but Hermione was impatient, wanting to give her own news.
One thing Harry knew he would find hard to keep to himself though was that she had fled the magical world and lived among the Muggles, without magic and her wand, out of her own free will at least in part, and for more than 20 years apparently! It was so incredible!
The Room of Requirement was scattered with seats with cushions of all sizes, and the light was dimmed. It looked very comfortable and inviting.
"Now isn't this just perfect again? I love this room!" exclaimed Hermione.
They sat.
Hermione had finally had her meeting with the Headmaster after several attempts of approaching him without success, and was fairly quivering with news. So she began her report in an agitated manner.
"The big thing first, I think. Dumbledore said that he wants us – us three in particular, but also our friends who participated in Dumbledore's Army –, to cooperate with Professor Snape."
Ron gulped, then made a retching sound.
"We are to reinstate Dumbledore's Army, sort of, with Snape tutoring and teaching us from the wings. He will obviously not appear in the meetings openly, but teach us three important stuff that we are supposed to hand on to the others."
"Oh no! Not me!" the redhead wailed.
"Actually this should appeal to you, Ron, and be easier for you than most of the others – we are not supposed to like Professor Snape all of a sudden, or behave any different toward him, but much the opposite. A change of behaviour might even compromise Professor Snape's cover! Neither will he change his behaviour toward us, or Gryffindor in general.
"The Headmaster said that Snape's the most knowledgeable person in the field far and wide."
"What a surprise, all that," mumbled Ron.
"Oh Ron, be quiet! There are spies around, or children of Death Eaters at least, and many chances to be taken into account! The Headmaster pressed upon me the utmost importance of securing Snape's safety, and sheltering him from attacks.
"I have no idea what to expect, but it might have to do with the fact that Lucius Malfoy seems to get ready to disappear. You know that his acquittal of being an attacker in the Ministry of Magic is at hand?"
Both boys murmured angrily.
"People like him will always get away..."
"Never mind, though. The other thing is that Professor Snape himself is not to know that we are looking out for him.
"Dumbledore said" – Hermione gave Ron a sidelong glance – "that some of us, not only Harry, might have to take some sort of lessons with him."
"I won't," Ron said flatly, ready to say his thoughts on the matter, but Hermione shushed him with a wave of her hand.
"Let me continue, Ron! Apparently, the Headmaster hopes to avoid that by having Snape's sister – right, the woman we saw arrive this morning, working with us."
"But she's only been to Hogwarts for four years!" Harry interjected.
"How do you know that?" Hermione asked. Ron also stared at him.
"I'll tell you later, I promise! Please do go on!" Harry said.
"You were supposed to tell us why Professor Dumbledore trusts Snape, right?" demanded Ron.
"Right. There are four main reasons. He's told you all of them, I believe, Harry. By the way, it seems you agreed to really make up with Professor Snape, and attempt to learn Occlumency again?"
Harry nodded, faintly unhappy, while Ron, once more, shook his head in exasperation.
"I still don't get it," he murmured.
Hermione shot him a withering look, and said: "I think that is just great, Harry, and you should see it through, really!"
When Harry would not look at her, she continued: "Be that as it may. Dumbledore said that you, Harry, figured that I might understand this better to explain to you both, but it is difficult.
"The most important point is that, in a sense, the Headmaster CANNOT trust Snape, he may not, for strategical reasons, yet he has to, and has to use him. We are not supposed to trust him either, Ron! Snape is never admitted to Order meetings except to report, while being a full Order member, and gets all his information about the gatherings from Dumbledore direct.
"This goes, much the other way round, for the Death Eater meetings, apparently. Snape is only safe for so long as Voldemort is convinced that he is of use to him.
So far, his information has always been good. That is reason number one.
"I find it hard to imagine how someone can take a life like that. He could be dead any moment, and he is not really safe outside of Hogwarts. The tension must be incredible."
Ron snorted.
"Next you tell us to be kind to him out of pity, right?"
Hermione ignored him.
"Part of his usefulness to Voldemort is his potion-making. Professor Snape is one of the foremost capacities in his field, and while Voldemort apparently was quite excellent at the subject, too, he never reached the same heights of knowledge there. Oddly how I find Dumbledore to hardly differ in his attitude to the Potions Professor from that of Voldemort... He uses him just as well."
Harry remarked dryly: "It's just as well that you both come off of the image he gives of a benevolent, harmless old man. He's not."
"Well, he would not KILL Snape once he's outlived his use to him, would he?" Hermione said.
"Too bad," murmured Ron.
"Maybe not." Harry crossed his arms and fell silent.
Hermione gave him a strange look, but let it rest at that.
The events in the Ministry, probably Sirius's death, had changed Harry, and this was most apparent in his attitude toward the Headmaster. Hermione knew that Harry could not forgive the old wizard that he had not spoken to him for a whole year out of what appeared to be fear, but what precisely Dumbledore was supposed to have told him, she did not know.
The prophecy, while surely a shock, did not seem to be the point there...
She went on.
"Another reason for the Headmaster's trust is the full confession Snape has made to him of his deeds as a Death Eater, which apparently were horrid... Dumbledore said that they were made to him, and him alone, under Veritaserum, and that he was very sure that there was nothing left to imagination. He would not go into any details, but said that Snape also vowed that he would never work for Voldemort again. Dumbledore ordered him to, I think. This must have been a good 20 years ago, quite some time before You-know-who's first downfall.
"He also said that because no-one but himself knew when Voldemort fell for the first time, Snape could name Karkaroff and others, and go scot-free in the end. Dumbledore vouchsafed for Snape, and is apparently a kind of probation officer for him, before the Wizengamot. You know, Muggles have that – a person who has to look after a released convict to make sure that all is well, and that convict not up to mischief. Basically, Snape has to inform the Headmaster whenever he leaves Hogwarts. The school is a sort of open prison to him."
"Well, we know he doesn't, do we?"
"Ron, you are not seriously proposing to make a fuzz of that, to give Professor Snape a hard time? He does what he does on the Headmaster's orders!"
"How do you know? And we could get rid of him easily this way... That would be just so great!"
"How dare you – ...Harry, I think I'll have to obliviate him!"
She pointed her wand at Ron who shrank back, and Harry said, wearily: "Hermione, you know how he talks... He's just joking, take it easy! I'm sure he'll be fine and with us in the end!"
Staring at them both, if a bit outraged at Harry's words, Ron relaxed somewhat.
Hermione said: "Oh, well… Sorry, Ron! I wish I could take it easier, but I don't feel like joking at all, after Umbridge and the fight in the Ministry...
"I'm just so fed-up with those mindless remarks of yours, Ron! They might have been funny once, but they just are not anymore! Why not think first and talk then? Times have changed, we are at war! This is too important to joke about before all is told, if at all, and we need to trust each other! If any of this gets around, school will become hell! Ron, please – tell me you are with us! Please!" she implored.
Ron nodded at her, eyes averted. Of course he was with them! He had never realised that his impulsiveness could seriously get him on the wrong side of her. His first words were never what he acted upon, but he did understand her urgency, and Harry seemed to agree, too. It was not that he did not understand the seriousness of it all. It just had not quite hit home yet, and he could not understand what was wrong about joking and quipping anyway. He would try to please them, though.
Hermione tried to make light of the situation.
"It seems, by the way, that Snape did spend some months in Azkaban, surely you will be happy to hear, Ron."
Ron shrugged. What had just happened had not – well, hurt him, but given him a very different outlook on live, and on his friends. He'd have to chew on that. Faintly, he realised, too, that this was a view of the world that Harry must have lived with for years now...
"So, well, let us return to the subject. Needing his services is not the same as trusting him. You have to understand that Voldemort KNOWS that Snape is a traitor. He only cannot gauge who he is betraying to what extent, and he needs his services for more than one reason...
"Neither is comprehensible, by normal standards, the Headmaster's claim that he knows and understands Snape fully. They have the same approach to politics, so he told me, and play the same game. This may or may not be the case – it is not something that anybody else can fully grasp, I think.
"So, Snape's confession under Veritaserum is reason number two. Having a full confession of a man's crimes, and an oath, given under the Serum of Truth, that he means to turn away from his evil master must be considered a reason to trust someone.
"The test could be repeated anytime," Harry added.
"Maybe now would be it," muttered Ron, and was ignored.
"The Headmaster has Snape's full memories in the Pensieve, I think. Also, from what I gathered, the Pensieve is not the Headmaster's, but belongs to Snape's family, and Snape surrendered it to the Headmaster as a token of his truthfulness."
"That is what he has told me, too," Harry said. "There's nothing I could add there, really. I guess we just have to accept this, and trust Dumbledore's judgement... I do think the surrender of a Pensieve with hundreds of years of family history in it is a very good reason for trust, don't you agree?"
Hermione nodded, but Ron looked on doubtfully.
"The thing is private, see, Ron? There would not merely be the flattering and glorious moments in it, but a lot of things that have gone wrong, and crimes, and misdeeds, too… I understand he could not take anything out from it that he has not put in it himself. It is the memory of his ancestors… I think Snape has put most of his memories from his times as a Death Eater in there, and they would count as evidence before a court. Who would deliver such a precious thing, full of memories of crimes they and their family have committed, into the hands of his enemy, if he did not mean to change sides? The surrender of such a precious thing , with the images of his crimes in it, is reason number three to trust Snape. Dumbledore lso said that You-Know-Who does not know about its existence."
"That is just so!"
Fervent nods came from Hermione now, and Ron seemed to agree.
Harry shivered a bit, trying to imagine what it would be like to have to leave all those memories – of him at the Dursley's, his mother screaming, Cedric, Sirius – he pushed those latter thoughts away immediately – all those things that he hated Snape to get mere glimpses of, in such a device, and hand it over to an enemy, to the Potions Professor for instance, to browse at leisure!
Snape must have been desperate.
"Remember: no-one may know who that Pensieve really belongs to! It seems Voldemort himself doesn't! Promise to never talk about it!"
They all did.
"Did Dumbledore really say that the Pensieve was Snape's?"
"I might have misunderstood him, he did not tell me outright. This is my inference. He said that Snape's full family history was in it – I should think that was clear enough… Could you ask him about that?"
Harry said: "Dumbledore told me, I think we can be sure."
"But for reason number four, there are things we can make out ourselves, too.
"There's Snape's stand against Quirrel, in our first year, which must have made sure that Voldemort knows that he's not on his side... We don't know what they spoke though, and it may be that he appeared to be merely protecting the school. He would not have know that Quirrel sort of – well, WAS Voldemort..."
"Why didn't Voldemort show himself earlier then?"
"Apart from very likely being too weak, I should think it was just because of that! He could not be sure of Snape's loyalties!"
"Yes, he was too weak then…"
Hermione shushed them with a wave of her hand.
"See: more convincing still I find his successful attempt at protecting you during the Quidditch match, Harry. He protests not to like you. We have evidence that he hated your father, although James saved him from Remus – or because of that, maybe. Your death would have meant much greater safety for the Dark Lord. And yet, when no-one knew what was going on, not even Dumbledore, and no-one was able to act for you, when Snape could easily have let you drop to the ground from a hundred and fifty yards, to be smashed beyond recovery, without him ever being accused of anything, he helped you, and saved you."
"Dumbledore might have caught my fall, or someone else..."
"Of course someone else might have – but you can't be sure of it, Harry!"
Harry had to admit that much, and nodded.
"I think, too, that the Headmaster was distracted at the time… Maybe he had ordered Professor Snape to guard you, but I won't bet on that. Anyway, in our third year, Snape did attempt – Harry, try not to blow your top – he did attempt to protect us all from Sirius – "
"Hermione – "
She would not let Harry speak.
"Look at it from his point of view! He did not know, as neither did we, that Sirius was innocent. He hated him, but he would have tried to protect us from..."
"Or any other student, Hermione! And you and Ron did not see what he did when the Dementors came! He did not give a damn that they were about to kiss us! He was more than half mad at that time! He only wanted to turn Sirius in, dead or alive!
"And where was he during the third task of the Tournament, and after? I think he was not – was not at the graveyard, but I cannot be sure!"
"Oh, well. You have never really told us yet what happened there, Harry…" Ron said.
Hermione sensed Harry's distress and went on rapidly.
"He did alert the Headmaster when you told him about what you had seen happening to Sirius..."
"Let's not talk about this, ok? I've decided to go on and take those dreary lessons with him, trust or no trust!"
And, in a lighter tone, Harry added: "Constant vigilance, see? That's what we need."
They all grinned weakly. Valuable teachings did not always come from the right side or were easy to be had – they'd found out that much.
"Now, his was nothing new to me – "
"And neither convincing," Ron yawned.
"– but what do we do next?"
"Guys, I'm not finished! Be patient!
"I wanted to know more about the rumour that Snape wants very much to teach Dark Arts, and asked Professor Dumbledore about that. He sighed when I asked, and said that this was a complicated issue, but he would try to answer it fully, for us."
Ron yawned again.
"Remember, too, Ron, what Harry and I think about Potions being Defence against the Dark Arts...
"The reasons I gave you for his sort-of-trust are much the same why Dumbledore won't let Snape teach Defence. First he tried to circumvent that subject, but eventually, he said he won't have Snape teach Dark Arts officially indeed.
"That is not, of course, because he thinks that Snape doesn't have the knowledge, or some such thing, but rather because he knows too much."
"For a former Death Eater, that would rather be the obvious case, won't it?" said Ron.
"That is close, but not all it, though," said Hermione. "I'll explain in a minute. His being or rather, having been, a Death Eater, is still only a rumour with most wizards, remember. One would think that Dumbledore's trust doesn't go all that far, or that maybe he is afraid what parents will say, what with all the rumours about. Many of them remember the processes that Snape attended as a major witness for the prosecution. Hence, it IS a rumour, and that is definitely a point. Also, this post would give him too much freedom in bringing things into school – remember boggarts and so on? Apparently, this does not really match with the conditions set concerning his staying on at Hogwarts. That's more a kind of legal issue, though. Snape would never do anything against Dumbledores orders.
"Somehow though, all the reasons I listed so far are ulterior with the Headmaster. This is inference again, mind you.
"Again he, trusting Snape, does not mind his having been a Death Eater. That is not it. Neither is it because the Headmaster really considers possible treason an issue. He says that betrayal cannot be helped if it happens.
"There are, to the Headmaster, two main reasons, as it seems. The first being that he sees a risk of Snape giving the Order or himself away to Malfoy and his buddies – not so much because he'd lose his temper, or get overenthusiastic about some method of defence against the Dark Lord – not Snape, he must be a past master in dissembling, as he is in Legilmency –, or on purpose either, but because of what he would teach, and how. They, and their Death Eater parents, trust him now. They would not then.
"The other reason is much more plain.
"What is more, like Harry has made very plausible, Snape IS TEACHING DARK ARTS ALREADY in a way, and in more than one respect. His approach can be considered a lot more instructive than „real" Defence against the Dark Arts lessons, where everything is out in the open, and things can be foreseen..."
Ron interrupted her: "So you were right, mate... weird!"
He was convinced now, Harry noticed with some amusement. Hermione had done it again.
"Yes, Ron, he was, and Dumbledore was quite impressed with the perception, Harry. When I told him what you had found out, he seemed a bit disappointed, or puzzled rather, wondering why you did not tell him about that idea when you were with him last time.
"I said that you'd probably just realised the full extent of what this would mean, as you'd only asked me what I thought about it when you told me to go see him and, well, seemed to be distressed with the idea. Also, I mentioned that it had been difficult enough for you to tell your friends, that is us" – Hermione looked at Ron pointedly, who glared back – "because you considered the thought crazy at first, and he laughed. When I said that you'd had it with heading news like those that the Daily Prophet indulged you with, he admitted that he could understand your silence.
"He said that you need to trust your own observations more, Harry, and that Occlumency lessons with Snape would help there, too...
He seems to expect you to have come to some sort of conclusion because of your idea, though..."
"I think I have... It's just what I said, about really taking up the lessons again, and about apologizing to Snape."
"Apologize?" Hermione was taken aback. "What for? Why should you?"
Harry suddenly found himself in the odd situation of defending a course of action that he was determined to see through, which again he himself only realized fully in this very moment. He had not invented it himself, and did not enjoy it at all, but he would go ahead with it.
"See, I... I sneaked a peek into his memories last term, when he was called away because of some trouble at Umbridge's office. I haven't told you. I thought I'd find information about the Order, or Sirius, there... I saw… other things… private. About my father and… Sirius. Snape won't teach me again, if I don't."
"Oh."
"Yes, oh."
Harry felt he now had really made up his mind. What he had experienced in the afternoon with Snape had helped his decision greatly, too.
"I will apologize, too, trust me. I just had to make up my mind about some things, and piece them together... The Headmaster has been telling me things… Dumbledore is right. I have come to conclusions – more than one, that is."
"And just what are those things and conclusions, mate?" asked Ron, feeling generally left out.
"Taking up Occlumency again, seriously this time, and even at the price of an apology to the greasy git, for one. I'll tell you of it what I can, soon. Just not yet. Let Hermione finish first."
Ron nodded his assent.
Hermione said: "If you imagine a scale, it might look like this: Umbridge's purely theoretical and negative approach is the worst, at the bottom, and as low as can be, because what she did is very likely worse than no Defence against the Dark Arts lesson at all: discouraging people, and destroying their interest in the subject. Not to mention her kind of punishment, which in a way must have been more instructive than all of her lessons..."
Harry snorted.
"You sound like you feel sorry about having missed out on 'writing lines'!"
He got a glance, but was otherwise ignored.
"Practical lessons with a capable teacher like Lupin are a far cry above that, and just great to have, right on the other end of that scale. But they are stil lessons. One knows what will happen next, to a certain extent. So, the real thing, tests and tasks that feel like a part of a war because they, on some level, ARE part of a war, if only between the Hogwarts houses, and hence are really helpful, is what we can only get with Snape. As much as we might hate it, he is top, the best we'll ever get... And that's in part due to his not impeding petty house enmities, see? The closest thing to his teaching us, his kind of training would be real war... And that will come whether we like it or not, and we are not ready for that in the least."
"The git," murmured Ron.
"Oh Ron – that is not so because of Professor Snape, but because of the war! He has not made it!" Hermione reproached. "If it wasn't for Voldemort, none of this would be necessary!"
Harry murmured: "There will always be some Voldemort or other…"
Ron didn't listen to him, but retorted gloomily to what Hermione had said: "Do you think so, really?"
Hermione shot him a familiar look of irritation, but continued regardless:
"However, I understand that the Headmaster is profoundly unhappy with all of this, but says Snape is, too" – at that, Ron snorted disbelievingly – "and that both agree, as do the rest of the staff and Order members – with the possible exception of your Mum, Ron –, that such a manner of learning is utterly necessary these days. There is no way around it, if Wizardkind, and the Muggle-born are to survive and we, to win, and not to lose.
"This is just one of the reasons why the rumours about Snape desiring to teach Dark Arts seem to be rumours only. He's not really that keen to teach the subject officially, if we decide to trust in the Headmaster's words.
"Snape's knowledge must be considered dangerous, and might betray him – either to the parents in general as a Death Eater, or to the Death Eater parents as a traitor. Snape seems to have no such qualms or at least not to fear a slip-up, and to be sure of himself there. Yet Dumbledore won't have it, because he thinks highly of him, and reckons rightly he's in enough danger already. I think another point is that the Headmaster still can't embrace the idea of allowing Dark Arts to be taught here at Hogwarts officially, they way they do in Durmstrang."
"Oh, you sure know a lot about that already, considering you are writing to Vicky still, aren't you?"
"Now if that wasn't an avatar of a remark besides the point…" Hermione sounded bored and exasperated.
"Oooh, avatar… what's that, anyway? Aren't we becoming snape-ish?"
Hermione shot Ron a very nasty look at that, but ignored him otherwise. She didn't even bother to tell him not to call Victor Krum Vicky.
"Anyway, that was not what I was getting at, but this: Snape has invented quite a few things in his time, not all of which seem made it into the public archives of the Wizarding Patents Office, I understand. Some never left the application stage, and are filed elsewhere."
"That is too much for me," mumbled Ron.
"It's easy to figure that out," Hermione replied nastily.
Ron shot her a murderous look, but kept quiet.
So Hermione continued where she'd left off.
"It seems, too, from my experience, that we've been in contact with some of those inventions already... I have no idea if Dumbledore approves of that, but I cannot imagine had he would not know.
"Now hold your breath... I've got a feeling that Harry will know some of this already, but anyway, I found it hard to believe.
"Some, but not all, of Snape's inventions are potions and spells that are likely to be very powerful, and for all Dumbledore knows, Snape did once intend to present them to You-know-who, presumably in exchange for a release from inner circle service when he would get married. He has not shown them to the Headmaster."
She made a dramatic pause and shook herself a bit.
The boys looked at her in utter disbelief. Ron because he could not imagine Snape to want to marry or, rather, anyone to want to marry Snape, and Harry, because he had not thought that Dumbledore would tell as much to anyone else but him. Wasn't that supposed to be kept secret? On the other hand, Hermione surely was the last person to go about gossiping about Snape's lost love.
When no reaction came, she repeated: "What do you say? Snape wanted to get married!"
Hearing it again and finding that he could trust his ears, Ron burst into a fit of laughter. Gasping for breath, he said: "Come again?"
He was exhilarated.
"I don't believe it! You are kidding us!"
When Ron had stopped laughing, Hermione continued:
"But that is not all... What is more, Snape apparently did not reckon that this would be considered treason in itself by the Dark Lord even though the woman was a Muggle, it seems. I can't imagine why he wouldn't…
"Snape wanted to marry a Muggle! Can you believe it?"
She almost singsonged that last bit of gossip, not quite content with her friend's reactions to those news.
Ron was flat on his back in the cushions by then, roaring with laughter. Eventually, he was gasping for breath, then shut his trap, and giggled helplessly in disbelief.
"Marry! Snape! A Muggle! What sort of Muggle or wizard or creature would want to marry Snape, anyway? Aragog, maybe?"
This in turn made Harry grin, because he had to think of the spider Hermione had charmed in Potions not that long ago.
Harry said: "It's true, you know, Ron?"
Ron seemed a bit disappointed when neither of his friends joined him in Snape-bashing. "Sure, Harry… Just imagine that!" Ron went into another fit of laughter.
When he'd calmed down, Hermione said: "So, this knowledge and developments are still with Snape, and no-one knows quite what they are, but it seems sure that they have not yet come to the knowledge of V-Voldemort fully. We don't know for sure, but we should think of them as highly potent, and possibly dangerous."
"But why won't he hand them over to Dumbledore?"
"Who says that he hasn't? The Headmaster claims Snape hasn't, but I for my part am sure that Dumbledore has got a pretty good idea what they are. Obviously, Snape has at least told Dumbledore about them, and their nature, right? I don't think Dumbledore has seen any use for them yet, from what he said. To me, the question is rather if there IS a danger that Voldemort will demand their completion now. Would he want to get them into his hands? Would we be to know? Snape can't teach such things now. He was not allowed to when he could have…"
Ron said: "They might be a kind of magic that Dumbledore despises, after all... Would be great if we knew what they are... Why not ask Fred and George? I believe they are about to have some of their own ideas patented, and will be at that office anyway, sometime soon – if they aren't right now…"
"They still won't come back, will they?" Harry interjected.
"No," said Ron in a decided manner, "as if they were mad enough to drop a business that is taking off like a Firebolt, and I will say again that I won't join your efforts to convince them to return to school, Harry. I hate to repeat that over and again!"
Ron had been adamant in this matter, and neither Hermione's sensible arguments nor Harry's imploring had changed his mind there.
"I'll owl Fred and George about the patents though, right this evening, or tomorrow!" Ron said.
"That is an excellent idea!" exclaimed Hermione. "Best to do it right away!"
She smiled admiringly at Ron, who blushed deeply. Hermione had not been very kind to him so far tonight.
After that telling exchange of looks – Harry found it telling, that is – Hermione continued: "What we want to know is not really what patents he holds, but whether they are potentially Dark, and would Snape use those inventions in his lessons if he got the chance?"
"Wow – now that does sound interesting, doesn't it!" Harry threw in.
"Would be nice to know what the git is going to teach in any case," Ron murmured.
"Yes, indeed. And I am sure Snape would try at least, if they are connected to the Dark Arts at all, because people would have to learn to use them anyway if Voldemort ever demands them to be completed and handed over which, as Dumbledore believes, he apparently will, and probably soon. Should that happen, Snape would have to comply to save his cover. I believe he said as much to Dumbledore and is, of course, right again. Just as much as Snape would never share his secrets with any other, well, rivalling teacher, he would not even marginally consider not teaching his findings himself – because someone has to, in case they ever come into the hands of the Dark Lord, and because he surely thinks no-one else can do it right and so on, you know him.
"Dumbledore won't have that, up to now... But it seems he is about to change his mind on this matter...
"So, it's not merely that Snape, while still being a Death Eater of sorts, wants to teach Defence or something, but what and how he wants to teach: he would demand that his own, and other new or advanced stuff be included. He seems to be really up to it, informed and all, too, which would be great, don't you think? He'd be very demanding, and we'd be sure to learn a lot that might help us eventually..."
Harry nodded, if not very eagerly, and Ron shuddered, frowning and wondering when his two best friends had gone batty.
"And he can't possibly just teach us or Dumbledore's Army openly, because his cover'd be blown for sure, no matter what security measures we might be able introduce..."
This brought Harry and Hermione back to the present.
"But Snape is probably teaching the Slytherins already...
Ron yelped: "WHAT? That spider… The cheating traitor, that... Where's the problem, then? Let's learn them – those things!"
Any mentioning of advantages that house might have brought the youngest Weasley son to his toes, and for the time being, he seemed to have forgotten that it would have to be Snape to teach them.
Suddenly, Harry's anger welled up like it had not in weeks. Stuff Ron and his aversions!
"You've never cared that much with the others, like Umbridge or the fake Moody, and now you get into fits because of Snape, of all people, who's known to have saved me more than once! Dumbledore himself put ME in all sorts of danger deliberately!
"Harry... that might be because of Snape being a master of Occlumency..." Hermione tried to get him off those thoughts.
"Sure, and not because of me! How can he be so sure that the Dark Lord can't perceive what Snape does, and that there's no danger to him in teaching you, then?"
"He won't tell me!"
They pondered that.
"I guess we just have to take that as a given," Hermione finally said.
Eventually, she continued: "The Headmaster asked me what I thought, like I was a fully-trained witch, and I replied that I thought the inventions likely to come to light anyway sooner or later, even if Snape tried to keep them sealed and out of the hands of Voldemort. I said that I believe it to be better if people knew how to defend themselves, and also that such knowledge might be a great advantage if he – if Voldemort did not know that we know, and that we are prepared. That would likely blow Snape's cover at some point, but once Voldemort's about to find out, and if things have gone well for us, it would not matter much anymore.
"So, everyone is sure that the knowledge can't be kept from becoming public forever, or even much longer. Very likely, Snape will have to hand his inventions over to Voldemort eventually, with a bow. So, why not teach us and the order first?
"But I believe that Dumbledore thinks that if these potions and things became known too widely, and too soon, they would be very dangerous for everyone, strategically speaking. He'd rather have them hidden for now."
"Ooh, strategically speaking...," muttered Ron.
"Ron, stop picking at me like that, or I'll have you sent to Madame Pomfrey for a check-up for Spellolalia, ok?"
"Spello... what? And how would you do that, eh?"
"Remember, I'm a Prefect too, and things seem to be getting really serious with you in that respect of late!"
Harry couldn't help but laugh at their antics.
"You two are really funny of late – Hermione, you seem to be developing a kind of a sense of humour – what's going on?"
To his surprise, neither rose to the bait or laughed, but glared, and both blushed a little. Ron even looked away.
Harry stared at them for some moments, and decided to drop this subject immediately. So that was it?
After a moment of slightly embarrassed silence, Hermione said: "Dumbledore does have a point there as well, obviously, but I don't think that's all there is to his hesitation to have this knowledge passed on."
"Well, what else could there be to it?"
Hermione said curtly: "No idea, it's just a feeling."
"Doesn't he trust Snape after all, then?"
"Yes he does, as much as is possible, I've told you why, and he has told me in so many words. Maybe he's waiting for the proper moment..."
After some moments of silence, she continued: "It seems to me that Snape doesn't agree with some of Dumbledore's concepts, as I said. Furthermore Snape, I think, does indeed believe that Draco Malfoy and his lot are not as bad as their parents, and might be prevented from becoming Death Eaters altogether..."
"Oh come on, he can't seriously believe that!" said Ron. They've lost their parents, and they'll want revenge! I would if I was them!"
"I know! I said that's what I feel might be another reason of his! Not that it is what I believe! If you want to know why he might think that, go ask Snape! But remember it is just surmise!"
Ron looked away, again blushing a bit, and seemed hurt by Hermione's abrasive manners.
"It does seem Snape's not willing to admit that they are of the same brand as he himself was. He was fully cured of it, or so he claims. I have no idea how that happened: The Headmaster said he could not tell me, but asked me again to trust his statement. Seems Snape thinks that he can sort of apply the brake and make them take other paths, maybe even make them see."
"Well, sorry, but I just can't believe that. Whatever Snape has done so far seems to indicate rather the opposite..."
"Please, Ron, don't get at me for this! Go tell the Headmaster, in this case! Neither do I, but this seems to be the story. I just said the same thing when he told me that! I'm just the owl bearing the message, don't take me down, please! This is what I gathered from Dumbledore, mostly between the lines. I am sure the Headmaster would love Snape to be right in that respect, and I do hope that Dumbledore will not lose the way himself by wishful thinking... But he never has been wrong altogether, so far."
Harry was amazed at Hermione's rather aggressive tone, but had to admit to have been hurt more than once by Ron's ineptitude to be serious, to distinguish between a story and the teller, his sulking when he felt that his ideas of right and wrong had been insulted, and his aggressive way to push his point with them when, in reality, he should have been pushing it with Malfoy, or Fudge, or someone else, but not with his friends.
"Do you really think that Dumbledore might mis-assess the situation, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"I don't know, Harry… I surely hope not! But he looks so tired and old sometimes, lately…"
Ron stared at his friends. He could not imagine a world without the old Headmaster, no matter how he tried. Who would be there to fight Voldemort when things really got tight?
After some moments of ponderous silence, Ron found he could not take that train of thought any longer, and said: "Harry, you said that you would tell us..."
Harry took some time to make up his story. What was he to tell Ron and Hermione, and what was he to keep from them? He had not seen all that much yet, but it was not difficult to guess that Snape's woman had been killed. It was also easy to see that Ron was shaken by what he had heard.
"Dumbledore made me look into the Pensieve. He showed me Professor Snape as a young man. Snape did not look bad at all then – really, Ron, do keep quiet if you want to hear this! – and the Headmaster also showed me the woman he loved. She was really beautiful in an unusual way, and an artist. She was a quarter-giant, what they call" – Harry gave Hermione an apologetic look – "a stone-blood – not that I think it would have mattered to Voldemort. I think she got killed by Death Eaters, and that was what made Snape change his mind.
"You know, you really should have seen him! I almost couldn't recognise him. He was laughing, really laughing, can you imagine? His eyes were different, too, of an odd very dark green, not cold and black... Really, he was a completely different person. Snape did wear a ponytail, you know, like Bill."
"He did what...?" Ron gasped.
Harry smiled. That was more like it!
Ron's reaction after recovering was predictable. "Like Bill? Harry, are you mad? You must be completely off your rocker to even mention them in one sentence!
Well, they might have known each other, at some point or other, right? Have you ever asked you brothers about Snape?"
"No…"
"As I said, it seems that Voldemort somehow killed her, that woman Snape wanted to marry."
Ron said: "Then why doesn't Snape go kill Voldemort?"
In an awkward attempt at humour, Harry said: "Hey, remember, that's supposed to be my job!"
Hermione and Ron both turned to him abruptly, suddenly deflated and quiet. Neither of his friends thought this to be funny, obviously, and he felt like he'd hexed himself, reminding them and himself of the fact that he might only live, if at all, if someone else died by his hand if that prophecy was to be trusted, no matter how despicable or evil that someone was, or what Dumbledore had said about prophesies in general...
Harry inhaled deeply. "However, probably that's not possible for Snape, or he prefers other ways of exacting revenge. In any case, he's been a spy for Dumbledore and the Order ever since, and most efficiently so, it seems. The Headmaster really appreciates him, he told me that, too, but the trust thing seems awkward. He told me that, if HE knew he could trust Snape, Voldemort would know for sure that he couldn't. It seems that both You-Know-Who and Dumbledore are aware of the fact that Snape might double-cross them, but also that it can't be helped. And both seem to consider the information he gathers too important to damage the informer... Dumbledore told me that he might never let Snape in on Order secrets, so that he might glean a lot by himself which in turn would make the information he gives to Voldemort appear more real..."
Ron said: "Now that is weird! Hey, but Snape was in and out of Grimmauld Place all the time last summer!"
"Remember, that place is unplottable!" Hermione threw in.
"Oh, well..."
"However, I do think that the game Snape plays might not depend on secrecy as much as we've believed so far. Dumbledore said as much, like that the cards were pretty much on the table. Snape might even be able to sell Voldemort the lessons he gives me as an attempt to weaken me, and to find out, from my mind, what protects me... After all, Moody-Crouch taught us a lot, and Voldemort did not consider that treason either in hindsight, for all we know..."
Ron shook himself.
"Dumbledore hasn't told me..." Hermione said.
Harry swallowed, aware that me might not be permitted to tell any of what he knew in that respect.
"I don't think he will either, but Dumbledore's made clear that he'll try to make good by telling me as much as he can, and have me taught all that I need to know if he can't teach me himself.
"Don't be angry at me, but it seems that I'm exempt from the Order rules concerning age...
It's not only Occlumency, see... he expects me to work with Snape, eventually, and to trust him to get me close enough to You-know-who to..."
His friends were not envious in the least.
"Oh Harry, that is horrible!" cried Hermione.
Harry hung his head. On listing the facts to his friends, he felt that he, while still feeling betrayed, did not mind as much as he had last year, after... Was it that he was important in this game, and coming to realise as much? At the same time, the full weight of his responsibilites hit home. He would not think about that now.
Ron said: "The old man is not as kind as he plays.. but we knew that...
"I don't envy you, Harry."
He nudged his friend's arm.
"Just remember, we've been here with you so far, well, most of the time, and we'll be there for you in the future!"
Hermione nodded to that, and Harry felt his heart open up. He was greatly relieved to not have to face Ron's anger about some imaginary advantage bestowed on him once again without his asking for it.
After a while, Harry said: "You know, when I saw the Headmaster this afternoon, Silva Snape was there. She's Snape's sister all right, as I said before, and has been living with the Muggles –" Harry stopped dead. Where on earth had he seen her before! He cleared his throat –„…been living among the Muggles for 20 years or so, and she has no wand right now! Dumbledore seems to have it. She left Hogwarts in her time after only four years. And Dumbledore wants me to tutor her!"
"Oh Harry, but you've got so many difficult things to cope with already!" said Hermione.
"No, it's alright, Hermione, I like her. She's nice, and I think she was at school with my parents – she might be able to tell me things."
Hermione turned to Harry fully.
"Dumbledore said too, Harry, that he'd told you a lot about the past and your parents and would tell you more, to give you a better understanding of Snape's actions, and that he believed that you could explain most of what we wanted to know. If not now, then later, eventually..."
"Well, a lot… no. Not yet. I don't know all that much myself yet."
Harry suddenly felt an urge to go and see the Headmaster right away, to have him continue the story of the woman Idane, and know more about all of this.
Hermione spoke up again. "The Headmaster also mentioned that some part of what he told you and will tell you was sub rosa, and will likely be for the future. He demanded that we accept if you said you could not tell. I will do that. You, Ron?"
Ron felt somewhat passed over by this turn of events, so he merely nodded mutely while trying to process.
"You... you know personal things about Snape?"
Harry nodded.
"And I can't talk about them to anyone, I promised as much. But I can tell you a lot of other things."
"Now why haven't you, yet?" Ron was incensed.
"Because I only now have mere parts of the story, much of it does not make sense yet. I also promised not to talk about parts I don't understand..."
"So, it would be blabbing if you told your best friend?"
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Oh, sincerely, Ron..."
Harry raised his hand for her to hold back a moment, and said: "Ron, you can leave in a huff now and pull a cushion over your head in the dorm like a real prat, or you can try to act sensible, keep your insulted feelings to yourself, and listen to what I may tell. I've asked you before to please bear with me in this matter!"
Ron stared at Harry in disbelief. Hermione did, too.
"You are talking to me like I was acting an idiot! This is..."
Harry was very impatient by that time.
"Well, you ARE acting like an idiot! Ron, for friendship's sake, do grow up and hold it, just once! What I was told made me feel that there's no room for this kind of... silly behaviour. And I will keep my promises!"
Ron still stared at him, his face becoming red. He apparently was unable to move or speak.
Hermione said quietly: "You have changed, Harry..."
"Yes, I have, Hermione, and only lately. It wasn't the threat to have to kill hanging over my head, but that was part of it. Please, Ron, do go ahead! Blow your top and say something that you might regret, that could destroy... Sorry, mate. But I am getting tired of this. I just feel my time is running short…"
Both Hermione and Ron paled at that. Ron actually looked away.
"I had to take in a lot, quite beyond the Snape issue. I am not permitted to tell you the really hard parts... I don't even know them yet, I think. What I have to listen to will get worse still, I am sure. So why don't you both grant me your friendship, like you used to? Just listen to what I may tell, and try to understand why I feel like this? You are my friends, my only real friends! I won't betray your trust!"
Harry was on the verge of tears, but he would not, at this point or any other, cry. This had to be seen through, and he would do whatever he could – learn; and love, and protect those two if it meant to push them away rudely, and to do what he must – even save Snape if that should become an issue.
Hermione nodded in understanding, looking as if about to cry herself.
Harry was sure she understood more of all this than he would have her.
Ron still looked decidedly cross and volatile, but did keep his mouth shut.
Harry looked at him. He would see this through, and he prayed that he would still have a friend when things really came to a head.
Ron shrunk back from his glare, lowering his eyes.
Ron had been a real friend in need so far. There was hope there that he would come to eventually. Ron always needed time – a thing that might become very precious soon, something neither of them might be granted… Harry was sure though that he could trust Ron, other than Percy Weasley, to know his stand, if for his family's sake, when things would come to a head.
He shook his head. What had become of him? Snape would love it!
Dumbledore would love it, too.
They left the Room of Requirement quietly, not talking much anymore that night beyond bidding each other a good sleep.
While they got ready for bed, Ron said: "You do have to have those Occlu-thingy lessons with the greasy git, don't you?"
He sounded weary, and rather as if he had accepted this for a fact.
If even Ron realised as much, Harry might as well go to Snape, prostrate himself, and get on with it.
"Yes, and I'd rather not, but Dumbledore says he still can't do it..."
Later on, it was always Hermione who explained what the general strategic implications of a situation were, although Harry took pride in the fact that he was able to make valuable suggestions occasionally.