A Rose By Any Other Name-Part 2
This went on for two years. After the first four months, he stopped fighting. There was no use. She was going to come, she was going to get in, and she was going to help him whether he wanted it or not. His protests did not anger her, his slurs did nothing to deter her, and his temper did not stop her.
Rose became a fixture in his life. He knew no matter what the pain, Rose would be there when it was over. And he could not be thankful, he could not return the favor, because he did not know whom Rose was. She was more than likely faculty. Someone that could access the Floo network was more than likely the person. She had training as a mediwitch, but only Poppy had that out of the Faculty and it was definitely a thinner woman that was tending to him. So mayhap not faculty, but someone Dumbledore was allowing in. That must have been it. Someone that Dumbledore was calling when he returned is the only thing he could think of. And she always smelled of roses.
Then came the day Dumbledore was killed by his wand. He ran with Draco, with the other Death Eaters. He kneeled before his Lord with Draco already whimpering at his side for forgiveness, being struck by two different Death Eaters with commanding authority on their Cruciatus Curses. His punishment was deafening, painful, and he knew it was time for his end. He could hear Narcissa begging forgiveness for her son, but she did not beg for him. She would not let them know about the Unbreakable Vow. She would not give herself over to pain to protect him from the Dark Lord's curses. He began to feel his mind swimming to try and escape the pain and knew he would be punished until he was nothing more than a drooling man in the fourth floor of Saint Mungo's.
He caught the scent on the wind. Roses. Sweet roses filled his nostrils. The curse stopped, and he was left heaving for breath, ready to die. He knew the next thing to come would be the Killing Curse. He had now officially outlived his usefulness. He could no longer spy for the Dark Lord. He could no longer get information from the Order to his Lord. He no longer guided the Slytherin children into his Dark Lord's grasp.
He heard cries of outrage, cries of anger and hatred.
"Get her!"
"She's getting away!"
"Stop her now!"
"Who is she and how did she get in here?"
"Crucio!"
"Protego!"
"Diffindo!"
"Protego!"
"Expelliarmus!"
CRACK!
And there was no more sound as he felt the world twisting and turning, painfully spinning in circles. When the spinning stopped, he heard a sound that made his heart wrench painfully, but jump in his chest at the same time. It was Draco's whimpers. If he thought a couple scratches on his arm were painful from an upset Hippogriff, he now knew pain beyond reasoning. The scent of roses filled his nostrils. He let himself fall into the darkness, for some reason, that scent meant he was safe.
He awoke; he was in a small bed. His wand was resting on his chest under his hand. The humming was still being heard and the whimpers of Draco as well. He was warm, dressed in a long nightshirt. A trunk lay next to the bed, presumably of things for them to wear. A small table in the middle of the room held a vase that was large and full to the brim of flowers. The bouquet was made of White Carnations stating innocence, Cattails saying peace, Bittersweets saying Truth was Known, Lavender Heather saying Admiration and blue Hyacinth saying Constancy. This was Rose's doing. He knew that. She had dared the Dark Revel to come and save him, saved Draco and taken care of them both. Draco's whimpers were coming from his dreams. He was sleeping.
He watched as a feminine figure with long brown hair walked in, sitting cautiously next to Draco, long fingers gently reached around his neck and pulled up his head slightly. She was humming. Draco's eyes snapped open, but she kept humming softly. His eyes instantly relaxed and Snape realized her humming was a sort of Disillusionment of some kind. It made someone feel at peace, a simple charm used by mother's to soothe irritable or colicky babies. She slipped a potion Snape couldn't see into Draco's mouth, and he swallowed it. Slowly his eyes drooped and he was sleeping once more. She hummed a bit longer before slowly laying Draco's head back upon the pillows under him. He no longer whimpered, and his face seemed at peace.
The humming stopped and she slowly stood, she backed away from Draco's bed and turned to Severus'. She did not bother to try and make him drink a potion, instead laying the bottle of Dreamless Sleep next his bed on the nightstand.
"Where am I?" Snape ordered.
"Safe," the bell like voice said quietly.
"Who are you?" he demanded again.
"Someone who knows the truth," she said softly before turning to leave the room once more. "Rest, you are out of his hands and he cannot reach you here." Snape looked around at the gorgeous walls of the room he was in. The small beds seemed to not exactly fit here. It may have been that this was once one bed, which had been transfigured into two. The walls were bare, but they had the finest crafted wallpaper. The windows and walls all had extremely decorative molding. He knew this was not an average person's house.
"Again I will ask, and then I will begin casting hexes," Snape began at the white robed woman before him. "Where am I?"
"It's called the Cottage," she said quietly. "I only know it by that name, and I do not know it's exact location. Only know this, it is Unplottable so rest, you are safe Severus." With that, she left the room, and he heard the door lock behind her. Rest seemed to be the only option at the moment. He could feel he was still far too weak to do little else.
"Severus," a voice whispered, calling him from his rest. "Severus!" he felt his shoulder being given a firm shake. Reality came crashing in, and the hand that shook found itself and it's owner pinned to the floor. A whimper of pain let him know that it was Draco and he recoiled immediately.
"Do not ever touch me when I sleep," the older wizard hissed.
"Where are we?" Draco said working his way to sit upright on the floor.
"I do not know," Severus said, again looking around. The room smelled of the flowers in the vase, but more smelled of roses. She had been in here, recently.
"How did we get out?" Draco said curling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them.
"Again, I do not know. I can only assume someone came and got us out," he said rolling his eyes. "You did not Apparate us here, and I did not."
"Does anything look familiar?" Draco said. He looked about the room again, but no. There was nothing familiar here. He moved to the window and gasped. This was familiar. That garden was extremely familiar.
"Yes, I know that garden," he said pointing out to it. Draco stood and looked out of the window. "This is Dumbledore's summer house."
"But the Headmaster is dead, how did we get here?" he said with awe. "You think Professor MacGonagall?"
"No," he said quietly. "But I intend to find out." The click of the door lock sent both of them jumping for their wands. But the door did not open. They looked at each other for a long moment before Severus went to the door and tried the knob. The door opened. Draco looked at the trunk then across the room and saw his own.
"That is my trunk from Hogwarts!" Draco said pointing at it like it was a known criminal.
"And I suspect that one is mine," Severus said quietly. "Get dressed, the loo should be down the hall at the end. Unless that Twinkle Eyed Elf had two such gardens and I am mistaken about where we are, I know this house well."
"Alright," Draco said sullenly. As he moved to the trunk, Severus made use of the shower and the loo. His ablutions out of the way, Draco took his turn as Severus discovered the interior of the trunk left next to his bed. Once he was done, the light of the room let him see there was no light making it under the bed. Curiosity be damned, he looked. All of his books were stacked neatly under the bed in some clear material. After a few moments of thought he realized what they were. Plastic. Muggle preservation method, used to keep out the dust mites and other things. Some of his books weren't charmed. He had reason to think that this "Rose" had gotten his belongings? How did she get past the wards on them? How did she know to bring them here and when did she find the time to do so?
Draco emerged back into the room a few minutes after his discovery and sighed slightly.
"Look under your bed," Severus said in a low tone. The boy did not fight with him, just did as he was told. Draco pulled at the object under his bed, staring at it with wide eyes. In his hand was his broom, his Seeker's broom. He showed it reverently to Severus. "She seems to have known in advance to prepare for our arrival."
"Who?" He said frumpily. "Who is she?"
"I do not know, but she has skill, and a great deal of cunning if she is this well prepared. Be on your guard, she may not be a friend," he said as he rose to his feet. Again, they left the room, leaving behind the things brought for them. Down a wide stairway, the scent of food drifted across their noses, and Draco's belly made the most awful sound in reply to the invitation. Severus rolled his eyes and turned into the kitchen. She was there. Disillusionment dispersed, she stood cooking at the stove. Her long brown ringlets and sultry shape of her body beneath lavender satin robes was breath taking. That voice rang out, it was still not familiar.
"Please sit, gentlemen," she said softly. "How do you like your eggs Draco?"
"Over easy?" he said looking at Severus perplexed beyond all reason. Severus moved into the room and waited until the woman set down the pan before approaching any closer. Draco moved to the other side of the room watching carefully and preparing to hex the snot from this woman if needs be.
She did not raise her eyes from the pan, just waited for whatever Severus was going to do. As he reached out, to grip her shoulder, her reflexes snapped like lightening. Severus found himself pressed against the cooling box wrist twisted painfully behind him and the pressure point of his wrist held firmly by a delicate hand.
"I withstood your abuse before because you did not know I meant you no harm, Severus," she said softly. "Now, tell Draco to put that wand away before he hexes you by mistake trying to get to me." She was right, the angle she had Severus at was very easy to dodge anything Draco might throw and end up hitting him. But he was not out of the running just yet.
Although the pain was excruciating, he yanked his wrist free and pushed her hard against the floor, pinning her to it easily with his easy foot and half he stood over her, and probably hundred or so pounds he held in weight over her body. She did not fight; she just looked up at him as if waiting patiently. Her eyes were the color of dark clover honey, large too, too large. Her beauty was unreal. Ethereal. Angelic.
"Draco, check her arms," he growled holding her down. The large brown-eyed doe below him just rolled her eyes. Draco did as he was told and lifted both of her sleeves to reveal nothing but pale skin. "Take her wand."
"I do not have a wand on me," she said quietly. "But feel free to check for yourself."
"You have some questions to answer, Missy," Draco sneered.
"I owe you nothing, Mr. Malfoy," she said vehemently. "Now, if you please, I would like to finish your breakfast."
Severus looked down over her form. Her chest was heaving in heavy breaths. He noted a silver chain around her neck that was weighted down probably by a pendant. It dipped into her cleavage, being held there probably by her undergarments. Severus' eyes narrowed. She smelled of roses, nothing more. Not sweat, not skin, not even what may have been used to wash her hair or clothing.
"I think Mr. Malfoy is right, even if his method of delivery was crude," Severus said with a smirk.
"I owe you nothing Severus," she said quietly. "And you will not hurt me under Albus' roof."
"I killed the man, I think I could cause a little bloodshed in his home," he sneered in return.
"You killed what would have become Tom's new body," she said softly. "You did him a favor and even I know that."
"Legilimens!" Severus said as he peered into her eyes.
At first entry into her mind, he saw the library at Hogwarts. Specifically the Restricted Section. Literally, row-by-row, name-by-name, the books all existed in her memory. If he didn't know better he would think he was looking into Madame Pince's mind. He moved into the hallway of her memories to find many doors locked tightly. These were magically tightened, not the use of Occlumency. Interesting though not impossible for him to break through. He did not have a wish to rape the woman's mind just to get the answers he sought. He moved to the information regarding last night's rescue.
The image wavered into view. She Apparated from this house, appearing directly at his side in the middle of the revel. Her first spell had been cast by a preset shielding spell allowing her a moment to gather her bearings. She began casting off hexes and the shield went up tighter around herself, Draco and himself. She sneered at the Dark Lord, saying something quite humorous.
"How does it feel to have your fun taken away by a Mudblood?" She said as she wrapped her arms around Severus' waist, then Draco's and with the help of the pendant around her neck, Disaparated. Simple, quick and very effective. He saw her as she was now, lying below him. Her identity was still not shown.
He moved before she left here, trying to find out how she knew. But there was a stonewall there. A charm. Something that kept even the strongest of Legilimens out. He retreated from her mind.
"There is nothing of use there," he snorted.
"Of course not," she said softly. "A fool would leave their mind open when concealing her identity. Now may I cook breakfast?"
Draco had checked her over for a wand while Severus was checking her mind. Draco shrugged and looked to Severus nervously.
"One wrong move…"
"And you will give me detention and remove points from my house?" she said sardonically. "Please Severus, let me up." Her tone was much more sincere on the second part. "I do not appreciate the bruises on my wrists, and I know you are trying not to hurt me."
Severus stood rapidly, seemingly disgusted with himself as he looked down at her with a sneer. She just ignored it, and casually stood and rubbed down her robes to smooth them out a bit before she returned to the stove. She cooked eggs over easy for Draco, and over medium for Severus. She prepared toast for both along with sausages and hash. She prepared nothing for herself. Indulging only in a glass of apple cider before she left the room. Severus could hear her moving to the living room and sitting quietly within.
"I do not understand this," Draco said shaking his head. "How did she know where to come get us?"
"Fidelius Charm," he said smoothly. "She can apparate to my side despite any ward. And as long as she is in contact with me, she can also apparate out."
"You are under a charm?" Draco said incredulously.
"Apparently," he snorted finishing his toast and eggs.
"You did not know this?" Draco scoffed. "How could anyone put you under a Fidelius? You would have the right to know who the secret keeper was!"
"Draco, apparently she is the secret keeper," he snorted again. "Which means she can never discuss with anyone about my whereabouts. Ever."
"But she can discuss mine!" he contested.
"So I suggest you learn quickly how to be a very sociable gentleman to the self proclaimed muggle born in there," Snape sneered at the boy who just nodded quickly realizing his life rested in the woman's hands who he had just sneered at vehemently moments ago. "But I am indeed curious as to who she is and how Albus put the spell on me without my knowledge."
She was humming again, and Draco seemed a bit calmer. A Siren's song to the boy, but then again, he had never had much in the way of comfort.
"The garden is safe, do not leave the grounds. I wish to talk to her, alone." Snape looked to Draco to make sure he was fully understood. The blonde wizard looked to him and gave a sharp nod before walking out of the kitchen into the garden. Snape drove his long strides into the living room to find "Rose" there quietly mending a robe the muggle way.
"Again, I am going to ask. And I do so despise having to repeat myself. Who are you Madame?" he said looming over her as if she were a student with a cauldron.
"Does it really matter?" she said with a sigh. "You owe me nothing, I want nothing from you. I am not a Slytherin and I have no hidden agenda. Not that I expect you will ever believe that, of course," she said softly before tying off the knot to her sewing and biting off the thread and needle.
"You are correct, I do not believe you," Snape said with a sneer.
"I did not expect as much," she said as she folded the robe and set it aside. "But I can assure you, that you could guess until the day the Dark Lord dies, and never come up with my identity. Can we not just accept that I am here to help you?"
"Then let us question why, shall we?" he said sardonically.
"Very well, I shall give my reasons why. I appreciate your wisdom, cunning, aptitude to carry on despite insurmountable odds, your courage and above all else your absolute intelligence," she said with a shrug. "It is something I wish to see have a chance to grow when this war is over, instead of being so poorly muffled by everything you have seen and felt thus far. You have been maltreated and malcontent, and deserve every angry retort you have ever given," she said with a quiet shrug.
"I have known you for years, and I know that you are capable of a great many more things than you give even yourself credit for. You are a man of actions, your words never truly belie your feelings." Her eyes never wavered as she spoke. Snape took a step back, then swiftly turned away from the honey colored orbs that sought out his own. "Then there is always your absolute wondrous taste in Scotch."
He stopped. He tried to think to whom he might have had to every converse with about Scotch or shared a Scotch with as far as female company goes. He hadn't. Not in years, not since he was young and was casually talking about it to Lily about his father's "taste" for Scotch. Yeah, taste, more like an addiction. Snape was not a heavy drinker. Never had been, it dulled the senses, and made one vulnerable. How else was Scotch important to her? Why would it have been? Think Snape!
"I shared one with Dumbledore the night before he died," she said quietly. "He said it was a bottle you gave to him for Yule," she said softly as she plucked the needle into the spool of thread. "He gave me the rest of the bottle and told me to give it to you only when the war was over, one way or the other."
"You have the bottle?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes," she said quietly. She never seemed to truly raise her voice. He believed it may be charmed to remain calm sounding at all times, much like her apparent disguise. Everything about this woman was a fraud. Absolutely everything.
"I have absolutely no reason to trust you under the large amount of charms you are covering yourself with," he snarled. "That boy's life is in my hands now, and you have made it impossible for me to go back now!"
"Tom had every plan to kill you tonight. There is more than just you and Draco that cannot go back now," she said quietly looking up to him as she tucked away the spool of thread into its sewing basket. "The show may have looked impressive, but it is only a matter of time before he realizes I did not work alone."
"Who assisted you?" he snarled vehemently. "Tell me now!"
"Our other contact, you'll meet him shortly," she said quietly.
"So you are saying you work for the Order," he scoffed.
"No, I work for Albus," she said quietly. "I work for those I care for, not the politics that will rip the Order apart now. My only concern now is my orders from Albus which are to tend and care for you, keep you alive, and whomever I must care for to keep you alive. Last night, that included Draco. I know about the Vow," she said smoothly.
"Who is your other contact?" he demanded again.
Knock Knock.
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," she stood and made her way to the door. Severus made his way to a corner with his wand at the ready. He couldn't tell if it was to appease him, or ruin his pride as she looked to him and nodded before swinging the door open widely to greet the wizard on the other side of the door.
"Come in Lucius," she said softly. Lucius gave a small bow and walked in quietly. "May I take your cloak?" Lucius divested himself of his large black over cloak and handed it to her quietly.
"Are they safe and well?" Lucius said quietly to the young woman before him.
"Yes, Draco should be either in the kitchen or garden. Severus is well as can be expected," she said as she hung up the cloak. "There is coffee in the kitchen, shall we?"
"Yes, please," Lucius said. His usual high and mighty demeanor was gone, his eyes were red and puffy and he made no attempt to hide them. She looked to Severus' nook and then walked Lucius into the kitchen. Getting three cups of coffee, she set them out as Severus walked into the room shortly there after.
"She did not make it out," Lucius said, his hand was trembling and he was doing a fine job of containing himself.
"Lucius…" this "Rose" person began but he held up his hand to stop her.
"We knew what we were getting into," he said quietly. "At least it was quick for her."
"He hurt you too," she said observantly.
"He hurt my family, he could expect no less from me than what he received," Lucius said cryptically.
"And what did he receive, old friend," Severus said with a sneer before sitting to take up his coffee.
"He did not get to kill you, he did not get to kill my son, and I have this," he said pulling a small box from within his pockets. "If there is anything that may help with this, it will prove useful."
Severus opened the box and stared at it's contents. This could indeed help immeasurably and he looked at Lucius with shock. "Rose" looked over and tilted her head.
"Nagini's head," Severus replied to the unasked question. "Yes, this will prove most beneficial."
Lucius sat in silence, drinking his coffee. "Rose" made little or no attempt to make him talk to her. Simply she cleaned up the kitchen, offered him some biscuits which he denied himself, and sat demurely in the chair with her hands in her lap. Her mere presence seemed to be what Lucius needed. Not to be touched, not to be listened to, not to sob or weep, just to know someone was there seemed to be enough. "Rose" just seemed attuned to that. After about half an hour, her sweet voice rang out into the silence that had been the kitchen.
"Draco is in the garden," she said and it seemed to shake Lucius to the core. He nodded brusquely and swept out of the room and out to the garden. She looked to Severus and spoke quietly.
"He needs to mourn, and he will not show any weakness in my presence," she said as she slowly stood. "More coffee?"
"No," he said sealing the box with a stasis spell. "I am still lost to whom you might be, and I cannot say I trust this whole situation."
"If you have a problem, you wish to speak to someone you can trust, Albus is in the sitting room," she said quietly as she tended to getting herself more coffee. Again, she had startled him beyond reason and he found himself before the sitting room door before he had time to think about it. Opening it, the room was dark. Casting a quick Lumos, the lanterns lit and he saw no one in the room. He sighed. He knew Albus was dead. He knew that. Why had he bothered? Why had her words been so easily believed? Why had he bothered to hope?
"My boy, you look horrid," it was the voice. It shocked him from his reverie as he looked for the source. On the wall, proud with his desk and Fawkes on a stand nearby, not to mention his famous bowl of Lemon Drops was the portrait of Albus Dumbledore. "But I have seen you far worse."
"Who is she Albus?" he sneered.
"Whom?" he asked.
"You know whom!" he snarled out.
"Ah, the sweet lovely," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "She truly is a gem, and a remarkable genius at that."
"Who is she?" he growled getting impatient with the oiled canvas.
"Severus, for her safety, the safety of many others and your own I cannot tell you that. She is completely trustworthy, and she has only your interests in mind," Albus said popping in a Lemon Drop.
"And seemingly the Malfoys as well," he sneered.
"No, frankly she could care less about what happens to them," he remarked with another bright twinkle. "You know, this was all her idea. I told her that if you ever crossed a line she was uncomfortable with, she could stop at any time. She even fought with me vigorously to defend you that first night." Albus seemed lost in the reverie of past memories.
"Albus, is she a friend of yours or one of the faculty? If she is faculty she is going to be missed!" Severus said hissing.
"She is not faculty, and she will not be missed. She is doing her job, as she should be. Now that you are well, she will come and go from here. She cannot stay here, for her duties far encompass more than just tending to you," he said sternly. "That lady will never stab you in the back Severus. Never."
Suddenly he looked up at the painting to say something, but the old goat was snoring in a feeble attempt to appear asleep. He knew he would get no more answers and this was that old coot's way of shooing him out of the office. Severus stood and walked from the sitting room looking about for "Rose". She was not there. He moved to the kitchen to find father and son sitting on the bench, father was holding his son tightly about the shoulders while the younger cried into his shoulder. This was far from Lucius' normal way, and Lucius himself was steeling his resolve to probably let the tears loose later when he was on his own.
He did not see Rose again for two months. Although he received regular owls from her requesting that any needs they had be owled back, he had not seen the lovely face of the woman who was his caretaker. He often found himself drinking Scotch in the sitting room with Albus or in the parlor with Lucius and Draco. Draco was tutoring with Severus and Lucius both. "Rose" made sure that he had all the necessary materials to be able to sit his NEWTS at the end of the year.
The searing pain in his and Lucius' arm came suddenly in December of that following year. The Lord was summoning his faithful, and doing it urgently. Rose's owl arrived simultaneously with a simple message.
SS/LM,
Bring Draco. It is time. There is a muggle key in the desk. It is a Portkey. It will activate in 20 minutes. Bring your masks and cloaks; you may need them.
Your Caretaker
All three readied themselves and as the hand struck the hour, they felt the tug on their navels that pulled them to 12 Grimmald Place. As they appeared, "Rose" was standing there. Severus knew they were in the overgrown garden by the back door. Lucius took a few moments to realize they were at his wife's old family home.
"It is good to see you again," she said standing before them without moving at all. It was surreal. She wore a white, hooded cloak that had a thin layer of gossamer over it that made it flow beautifully in the night air. "I wish it were under happier circumstances."
"Potter is going after him tonight," Severus said plainly.
"No, he already took Potter," she said lowering her eyes slightly. "We are going in to get him out. It is part of the plan."
"I see," Lucius said softly. "Use the enemy's arrogance against him. How very …. Gryffindor."
"I am afraid I wouldn't be able to comment on that precisely," she said as she opened the door for them.
The next few hours were a blur of plans and more plans. Plots and under plots to make sure that the final outcome were achieved. Her face was stern but no one seemed to really notice her there. Nobody put her into any of the plots or plans. They seemed to be intentionally leaving her out of them. It made Severus angry to think that someone powerful enough to walk into a revel and walk out with two Death Eaters under each arm should be so easily ignored. Perhaps there was another plan for her. He also noticed that the two other members of the Trio were missing. Granger and Weasley were not here. Without Potter, they must not have found the need for the two children sufficient.
Lucius and Severus left first. The others used Portkeys to get in with. The old manor house that was chosen to hold Potter in had once belonged to the MacNair family. Severus knew every nook and cranny like the back of his hand and made quick work to get inside. Lucius made quick work of the protective wards to let the others in. As soon as the wards came down, the battle began. Flashes of light, bright and in a rainbow of colors streaked the field between combatants. Screams of agony, combined with the horrid stench of urine, sweat; blood and death filled the battlefield within five minutes of the battle beginning.
Severus found Potter quickly; he had been spared much harm but was of course wandless. Harry was no fool however, and forced Wormtail to repay his life debt. Bring him his wand, or else. Wormtail was never so relieved to be out of the burden when Severus brought an end to the Rat-like Man's life within seconds of the wand being retrieved.
Storming, stomping footfalls caught Severus' wand next, as the person turned the corner his bright red hair let Severus drop his guard. Ron Weasley ran to his friend and took him up tightly. Severus rolled his eyes at the open display.
"If you two lovebirds are quite finished, our compatriots are dying up there," he drawled out. Harry and Ron looked at Snape, then nodded and ran up the long hallway out to the battlefield. Severus had to give time before he made for his own escape.
Draco was bloody brilliant on the battlefield. The fear, rage and anger that swept through him from years of these exact people manipulating his very existence came to bear on the forefront. Casting curses and hexes as he had been taught since he was a young child he was masterful in combat.
Lucius was fighting beside his son, and the two against the other Death Eaters was proving to be a very smart move on the Order's part. It was not long before Harry entered the fray, along with Ron. It was Ron that killed Fenrir Greyback and he hadn't even utilized a spell to do it. A simple silver dagger he cut apart the werewolf's face viciously. It made even Lucius remind himself that family was indeed everything. The boy's vengeance for his brother's scars was astronomically powerful.
The circle of dementors had been difficult to disperse. Their death spiral had meant to take out the offending former Death Eater and his company. Harry's Patronus had been enough to drive them off, but it gave the opportunity to the Death Eaters. It was a painful experience in poor planning as they found themselves on their knees before the Dark Lord himself in a matter of less than half an hour.
As they circle around them, Harry couldn't help thinking of the line from the third Aladdin movie made by Disney when the Genie announced "Please don't move or we'll be shooting ourselves!" It brought a smirk to the boy's face that quickly fell when he realized who was standing at Voldemort's side.
Perfect in her school uniform, untainted, not dirty, and definitely not abused apparently stood a very strong looking Hermione Granger. Her wand at her side, Ron's eyes seemed to pop out of his head. She smirked at them, but otherwise remained silent.
Severus was looking at the Muggle Born like she had eight heads. Did she not realize that once Potter was dead, the Dark Lord would probably kill her too? He took in a deep breath to let out a sigh when something tickled his senses. Roses. The pure scent of roses filled the air.
"Surprised Potter?" Voldemort said with a hiss that hit at the base of the neck and sent unwanted shivers down the spine. "She has been quite useful over the years, truly she has. Too bad she did not know about your ways to betray me Snape or this war may have been over much sooner."
"The Mudblood?" Draco spat out.
Hermione seemed to ignore him. She seemed above all the pettiness that was around here. She seemed as arrogant as any Malfoy on any day of the week, except that her hands were clasped so innocently right in front of her.
"You should have always listened to Albus, Snape," she drawled out. "But no, you had to go playing both sides of the fence, didn't you? And what did it mean? It meant I got to stab you clear in the back." It was Snape's turn to ignore her. That scent was emanating from the chair the Dark Lord was sitting in? No. Where was it coming from? This place should reek of mold, sweat and death but all he could smell was roses.
"I swear a curse on …" Lucius started only to find himself screaming and clutching the ground in agony.
"Nice try," Hermione said almost gleefully. "But I plan to survive this war, and frankly, you are just too pathetic Potter." This struck Harry dumb. "I mean really! You couldn't even get enough control of yourself to study!" Harry's fists curled until his knuckles were white. Snape knew the betrayal the boy felt.
'You need to listen, Severus,' it was Rose's voice. 'I am right here, and I want your solemn word that when this is over, you will live the long life I have worked so hard for you to have. Promise me Severus, please!' So "Rose" was a Legilimens. That explained a lot. He tried to pinpoint where she was, tried to see but there was no one to see unless she were under one of those masks.
'I promise,' was his only reply.
"I think the Weasley should be the first, pet," the Lord called to the bushy haired girl who just smirked.
"I want Lucius first, I owe him one," she said softly. "Then I want Draco screaming at my feet."
"I did not ask you what you wanted," he hissed at her. She was still standing at his side, slightly behind him. Her eyes locked on Severus for a moment and a demure smile crossed her lips.
'Remember your promise to me,' "Rose's" voice said once again and in a flash Severus saw the glint of something behind the Dark Lord's back before it plunged inward to the wizard firmly. His wand slipped from his grip, and before he could fall forward to retrieve it, it was already sailing with a swift kick from Miss Granger to Harry's hand.
The hexes began to fly and Hermione was on the ground refusing to scream. Her body shook, as Bellatrix held her down in a tight Crucio sure to kill that wonderful mind.
The next few moments were a blur, but the spells being hurled by Harry were nothing to scoff at. The Dark Lord took curse after curse, spell after spell with grace even though he was without wand and something was protruding from his back. Finally Harry stopped and stood as if time itself was standing still.
"SEVERUS, CATCH!" was all that was heard as a wand went sailing through the air into Severus' long fingers. Casting off curses and a Protego or two a blinding light filled the area causing all to duck for cover. Except Hermione, who was lying prone in agony still from Bella's wand. It was her scream he heard more than anyone else's, including his own as the Dark Mark vanished from his arm.
Lucius and Draco were too clutching at their forearms and writhing along with all others in their cloaks and masks. It was only a second later that the Aurors, the rest of Dumbledore's Army and Minerva MacGonagall broke into the room. Severus clamored up the small two steps to Hermione's form. The moment he crawled over, he smelled it. Roses. Hermione Granger was his "Rose". He pulled her form against him and shakily checked for signs of life. Moody and Tonks were checking over an unconscious Harry Potter and muttering about how this was not the plan.
Lucius recovered much quicker than Draco did. He looked over to his old friend holding the woman in his arms and then to the scorch mark on the ground that had once been the man that killed his wife. Sticking up out of the stone was his dagger. The dagger that long ago he had driven into Severus' thigh during one of his punishment sessions was the weapon used to distract the Dark Lord out of his wand. Hermione Granger had that dagger. Hermione Granger had stabbed the most evil wizard in the known lands with a dagger he had used to harm one of his friends. His dagger had been the reason for the downfall of the Dark Lord. It shook the blonde wizard to the core. He crouched down and picked up his son into his arms walking away deftly.
Severus found weak life signs in the Gryffindor in his arms. Calling madly for help, even though he did not realize until later that he was indeed screaming like a madman, the mediwitches from Saint Mungo's rushed over. He hated to give her up, but for her sake he did. They took her away from him, the rose scent leaving with her.
--
She felt like a hippogriff was sitting on her chest, but she forced her eyes open. Inhaling deeply she felt lost for a few moments. She did not know where she was and that was scary enough. A small whimper escaped before she realized what she had done. Immediately people surrounded her, crowding in all around her, questions came unbidden from every direction from people dressed in a green that should have been retired in the 70's.
"No! Leave me alone! Please!" she screamed finally after succumbing to the terrible claustrophobia. A mediwitch took charge and cleared everyone away from her bed, save one other caretaker.
"Miss Granger?" the honey colored orbs moved slowly to the woman speaking.
"Yes?" she said quietly.
"How do you feel?"
"Exhausted, awake, alive, shaking, and terribly scared," she said in one long sentence. "Where is Harry Potter? Where is Ron Weasley?" she looked around frantically. "Where is Severus?" she demands.
"Who is Severus, dear?" the mediwitch asks sweetly.
"Snape!" she demands.
"That man? That insufferable excuse for a person?" one of the tenders snorts from outside the curtain. "Yeah, the greasy bat that taught Potions, remember?" the tending nurse seemed to be saying to another.
"Please try to calm down Miss Granger," the mediwitch says quietly as she sees pure fury fire in the young witch's eyes.
"The next comment will meet my ire," she says scathingly to the mediwitch. "I have no need of a wand to make those comments stop!" The mediwitch turned and looked outside of the curtain. Whispering something beyond her hearing the banter of giggles and other malcontent phrases stopped and footsteps away from the curtain could be heard.
The mediwitch returned and sighed. "Miss Granger, there will be no need for threats. I do not know about this Severus Snape, but Mr. Weasley is being owled right now."
"I want Snape owled at Hogwarts," she said demandingly.
"I .. all right Miss Granger," she stated quietly. "We will have him owled right away."
Hermione could see with ease the woman was lying. There was no intention of owling Snape. There was no intention to call upon him. She rested her head on the pillow and waited for Ron to get there.
--
The next day, Hermione awoke to the slight shaking of her arm.
"You have a visitor, Miss Granger," one of the nursemaids said quietly. "Dashing fellow really."
Hermione just sighed, and as she went to move her arm away to pull up the sheet, she found herself attached to the bed by a binding red rope. Confused, Arthur Weasley stepped into the light from around the curtain.
"Miss Granger," he said coldly.
"Mr. Weasley!" a smile crossed her lips, then was suddenly lost when she saw his cold demeanor. "Why are you looking at me like that? Where is Ron? Where is Harry?"
"Ron and Harry are dead," he said flatly. Horror shook Hermione to the core. "You can live with that while you rot in Azkaban, Miss Granger."
"Azkaban? Why? What have I done wrong? I followed the plan, I did what I was supposed to do!" she wailed. "Why are you turning your back on me now?" Tears poured unbidden from her eyes.
"Just like a Death Eater to say that, been trained well to lie haven't you?" he snarled turning on Hermione. "I lost three sons to that war you, you, filthy bitch! My sons are cold and in the ground and you have the nerve to sit here wailing at me? You helped kill them, and you will rot for it. There is no trial, you are going to Azkaban, Miss Granger!"
"I have right to trial!" she protested. "I have done nothing wrong! I am not a Death Eater! Ask Draco! Ask Severus! Damnit, Ask Moody!"
"Moody is also amongst the cold and lifeless, Miss Granger," he snorted.
"All that knew, are dead," she sighed. Proof would be found eventually. But she knew this was one of the risks. This was the risk of taking on the role of the infiltrator. At least Severus had her wand, and they wouldn't have it to break.
"You're escort is waiting Miss Granger," he said cruelly as he yanked the red rope that pulled her forcefully out of bed. She stumbled out of the wing, as Arthur Weasley took what he could out of her and brought her out to the black carriage that was guarded well by Dementors. She immediately felt the effects as she was put into the carriage harshly.
--
Drip.
Two hundred and seventy two.
Drip.
Two hundred and seventy three.
Drip.
The ingredients to Polyjuice Potion are… Boomslang Skin, Bicorn Powder…
Drip..
The proper pronunciation for the Wingardia Leviosa is…
Drip…
Maybe it doesn't matter anymore what the ingredients are for Draught of the Living Death… no, no… it's asphodel added to an infusion of wormwood, that is important. Remember that.
Drip….
Day 262, Year 2… The password to the Marauders Map is… oh… what was it… oh yes! I solemnly swear I am up to no good. That's right. Remember that, it's important.
Drip……
Day 15, Year 3 …. …. ….The day Voldemort died was December 1st, 1997. Remember that, it's important. Legilimency is illegal… that's important, remember that too. When is the next…
Drip….
Ah, there it is. I guess I am still alive then.
Drip…….
Sixteen "interviews" later. When does it stop?
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