Hi everybody! Thanks for sticking with me, sorry for taking so long to get this chapter finished… I had so much school stuff to worry about with finals… but school's final out! I'm a sophomore everyone! Aren't you proud of me?
This chapter… I don't even know what to say about this chapter. I just hope it clears up some things, and opens up a path for some new things. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?
Anyway I wasn't really happy with how this came out, I might revise it. But until then, I'll let you decide.
Thanks for the reviews guys! You are the best! (Really!)
Chapter 4 Part 2
Hermione felt herself land on something hard beneath her… ground.
The warmth began to spread through her limbs and the breath filtered back into her lungs, refreshing her blood with lost oxygen. She sighed in a deep breath, still feeling Snape's strong hand around hers, clasping it tightly. Her veins pumped happily in her brain again, and she opened her eyes.
They were standing underneath an umbrella at a local ice cream parlour. Students didn't seem to notice that the evil Potions Master stood close by, his hand gripped to that of a Gryffindor. Consciously Snape let go of her hand, and she took notice to the absence of his grasp on her skin… her hand fell to her side. She suddenly felt nauseous…
She collapsed into a plastic armchair next to the table they stood under, her head in her hands. Snape looked down at her, "Are you feeling ill, Ms. Granger?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned. It somewhat startled her, but the pounding in her head and the shaking in her hands made her focus on more important things.
"I-I just f-feel a little queasy, Professor," she forced out, "I just need to s-sit for a moment…"
He knelt before her. "Do you need anything? I suspected you might have some difficultly travelling in such a manner… was that the first time you ever travelled by apparating?" he asked softly. He rested his hands on the arms of her chair.
"Y-yes…" she muttered, swallowing hard.
"Do you want something to drink? Something small to eat?" he asked gingerly.
"No," she answered strongly; she was supposed to be the one watching him, not vice versa; "I'm fine."
Snape quirked an eyebrow.
"Really," she added hastily, "I'll be ok. I'm just… not sure I can walk properly…"
He stood up and helped her to her feet. "All right, Ms. Granger. But if you feel light-headed, you have to tell me. We'll stop for a rest every so often."
Hermione stood uneasily, but Snape took her hand again. She quickly felt stronger, and weakly walked by his side, down the street of Hogsmeade.
It wasn't an easy task; students filed in from every store, some window-shopped; the place was bustling with excited children, all wearing different-colored winter cloaks. Hermione became anxiously aware of the stares she was receiving from the students around her. She lowered her head and tried to shadow her face from the crowd, allowing her hair to hang down to hide her features. She compulsively wrapped her cloak tighter around her and felt her cheeks go red. What was she doing here?
She stumbled periodically, but Snape seemed to be in a lighter mood than that morning. He helped her patiently up when she tripped, and wrapped his arm around her when they came to particularly congested areas of the village and steered her through. She spotted several students that she was familiar with; Pavarti and Lavender where cooing over a small shop owned by a plump witch who sold elaborate dresses and clothing; Draco, Goyle and Crabbe were huddling in front of the Quidditch store as she passed, and Harry and Ron were gawking beside Zonko's Joke Shop, focused keenly on some items that sat on the store's window display.
Snape pulled her towards a small hole-in-the-wall shop. She looked up towards the sign; Adenine's Apothecary was written on it in peeling paint.
"Here we are," Snape whispered, and opened the door for her.
She walked carefully in before him, swiping a brown lock of hair behind her ear uneasily as he smiled, heading towards the front counter.
Hermione was immediately hit with the strong smell of formaldehyde; it was a small, cramped store, and many shelves lined the walls, teeming with small jars with measuring cups beside them, and bags ready for the customer. Jars of substances she didn't even want to imagine sat collecting dust behind the register counter, behind a smiley woman wearing thick-rimmed glasses.
"Ah! Severus Snape, how good it is to see you around Hogsmeade again! It's been such a long time since I saw you last," said the woman jovially, smiling wide as wrinkles formed at the corners of her eyes.
Snape looked as if he was about to smile, but caught himself in time. "Good afternoon, Michelle. I've come to restock my potions department… I don't think you'll have any trouble with this list?" He handed her a small piece of parchment.
The woman swooped her thick glasses from atop her head and perched them on the bridge of her nose, looking down stiffly at the paper. She read over the ingredients carefully, her lips mouthing the words even though she didn't make a sound. "We have almost everything in stock… just the milkwood; we ran out of this morning… a haughty man came in and bought out our whole stock… but we'll be getting some in soon. I'll owl you as soon as we have some."
"Very well," Snape answered politely. "That's fine. And, Michelle… give my student part of the list to carry out… perhaps measuring over at the powder barrels?"
Michelle looked down with wild eyes as if she hadn't noticed Hermione standing there, slightly behind Snape the whole time. "Oh! Taking our detentions into Hogsmeade, now, are we?" she smiled, then bent down behind the counter and pulled out some paper bags. "Here," she said, handing them to Hermione, "Over there, behind the shelf of bezoars…yes, over there… there are barrels from which you can measure the exact amount of ingredients you wish to purchase. Here's the list your Professor has given me of which ingredients he desires to purchase." She ripped the parchment in two, handing Hermione the bottom half. "Just use the measuring scoops at the side of the bins. They'll measure the right amount for you magically, they've been charmed. You just have to tell them how much you want to have, and they'll light up when you've gotten the right amount." She smiled again, "All right?"
Hermione nodded and walked off to the barrels, manoeuvring in between shelves and cats and things crawling along the floor. She could hear Snape and Michelle conversing quietly as Michelle passed into the several different doors behind her time and time again, producing a small bag of supplies that Snape had asked for. Hermione measured and poured her list quietly; completely unaware that Snape had been watching her carefully the entire time.
Hermione could hear the quiet chatter of her Professor and the cheery Michelle as she packed her bags with numerous items. Beetle and spider body parts, eyes, and intestines of numerous animals… though slightly appalling, she didn't have any trouble finding the items on the list in the store. Once or twice her scoop slipped from her hand, and she was able to catch a glimpse of Snape, standing with his back to her, leaning leisurely on the counter.
Somehow she'd never noticed how his cloak seemed to hang off of him; how he was actually very slim underneath the foreboding black clothing. His life must take a toll on his body, she imagined. His hair was still the color of ravens, without white or grey speckling any strands. Though he looked tired, he looked somewhat younger, like he hadn't seen anything but the walls of Hogwarts for ages. Though he wouldn't admit it, he was enjoying seeing the town.
After filling about ten to twelve paper bags full of odd supplements, some of which she had never heard of before, she carried them carefully back to the register, where a pile of jars and vials was steadily growing larger. Snape pushed himself off of the counter as Michelle came out of the storage room for the last time bearing a large, oddly shaped container.
"Are you sure that's all you need, Severus?" she asked, reading over the list one more time. Snape nodded curtly, and she then turned to Hermione, a small smile upon her face. "Did you get the ingredients I gave you, darling?"
Hermione almost grimaced at being called darling, but hid it and handed over her half of the list with her bags. Michelle took them and weighed them, the prices appearing on the register magically as she read over the list. She magicked all the vials, pots, containers, and bags into one large brown, crinkled paper bag, and set it back on the counter. "That comes to 21 knuts, 8 sickles and 7 galleons."
Snape withdrew a small leather pouch from his cloak, counted out the money and handed it to her. She recounted it, her fake nails clicking annoyingly on the coins. "There you are," she said, lifting the heavy bag off and handing it to him, "and do come back and visit me every so often, Severus," she called as they began to leave.
"I'll try," Snape answered, and pushed open the door, exiting back into the crowded streets of Hogsmeade. Hermione followed obediently after, happy to finally be leaving the stuffy, small, animal-infested Apothecary.
They walked some ways away from the store, and Snape turned around to address her. "Well, my job here is done," he said, "Dumbledore informed me that when I had made my purchases, you were free to go and join your friends."
Hermione nodded in agreement. "Yes," she answered, "that's what he told me as well." She suddenly felt very nervous. Why would she be nervous? What was this feeling?
It was the same feeling she had felt in the woods when the centaurs had been following them. A sixth sense, so to speak; a blinding sense of forbidding. Someone was watching them. A shudder ran through her limbs. But it was different; she was overtaken by an urge to run, to hide, to get away; anywhere, so she could feel safe again.
Snape shifted his bag, "Then I'll be on my way back to Hogwarts. Have a good afternoon, Ms. Granger."
"You too," she found herself saying. Something was wrong; something was terribly out of place.
Something fluttered in the corner of her eye; she quickly flicked her head to the side, catching a glimpse of a long concealing black cloak and a bright white mask.
She couldn't mistake the shine of the colourless mask over the man's face; a skull design had fitted the person's appearance, hiding his true identity. A sense of uneasiness floated over her as she watched the person walk through the crowd, and a shiver ran up her spine anxiously. Something tickled in her mind, drawing her attention to it; Hermione, it echoed, Hermione…
Her eyes quickly reverted back to the retreating back of Snape. Death-Eater… her mind was whispering again… danger…
She found herself calling him back, even though her mind was still unsure of what her subconscious was telling her.
"Uh, Professor…"
She ran up to him just as he was turning around to face her and swiftly grabbed the sleeve of his cloak. He began to cry out in surprise but she quickly 'shh'ed him, and pulled him by his cuff into an alleyway off to the side in between two stores. They stumbled through the mold and dirt and garbage littering the pathway, stepping over boxes and junk. She dragged him down the damp stone trail until she thought they were far enough away from the street.
"Ms. Granger, what are you-"
"Shhh!"
She quickly placed a concealment charm on the two of them to ensure people passing by on the street wouldn't see them, hiding them especially from people wearing skull masks as well. Snape looked down at her with confusion as she peered around the corner of the brick wall of the alleyway.
She now noticed how the bright masks shone out from the crowd, now that she was looking for them. They were everywhere; around corners, swerving in and out of the crowds of people, simply sitting somewhere at a café or shop, surveying the throng as the people passed. She felt panic settle in her as she remembered that Snape was with her. Her heart fluttered with nervousness; what if they noticed him there? She wasn't strong enough to hold off that many full-grown powerful wizards by herself. If Snape was hurt, captured or worse, she would be letting Dumbledore down. No one would ever trust her again.
Her heart pounding against her ribs, her mind running through a list of what ifs, she turned back to Snape. It was stupid to come here, she thought pointedly to herself. Dumbledore should have thought of this. He should have known this could happen…
"Are you going to explain yourself now, Ms. Granger?" Snape said, irritated, arms crossed. His eyes settled on her, making her shift uncomfortably. She could tell by the fire in his eyes that he was very irate; but also that he was fearful as well.
She stood up a little taller, mustering up the little courage she had left. "There are Death-Eaters surrounding this whole village," she started in a whisper, her eyes never leaving his face. She noticed his look of anger faded suddenly and his face quickly lost color. She could tell he was trying to hide it, but he was becoming steadily anxious and uneasy. "They're everywhere… I know that you are hiding from them. If you're spotted, I have no idea what will happen… I can't risk that."
"Ms. Granger, it is not your duty to protect-"
"If I hadn't spotted them when I did, you definitely wouldn't have, and you'd be in a real mess right now. He was right behind us," she cut him off before he could give her a speech, pointing a finger in the direction of the street. "I'm surprised he didn't see you." She dropped her shoulders a little at the frightened look upon his face. He seemed so helpless now; frightened even. "Dumbledore should have known…" she muttered to herself, but Snape heard her.
"Dumbledore has no idea," he answered, peering out of the alleyway for the first time to have a look around, "he doesn't even know that they're after me. He doesn't need to know. It will only make him fuss more than he already does," Snape spat angrily.
Hermione's eyes grew wide, "What do you mean he has no idea?" she whispered crossly, "What did you tell him when he went to talk to you last night?"
Snape turned upon her forebodingly, "A lie, of course. What, you thought I'd actually tell him a thing like that and have him sit around making sure I wouldn't be able to leave Hogwarts grounds? The old bat would have me guarded by teachers left and right. I'd be surprised if he let me even leave my own classroom if he knew." He shook slightly, "So I twisted my story. What he doesn't know won't hurt him.
"But it could KILL you!" Hermione didn't know how to react to that. He was acting immaturely; that was something one of her fellow classmates would do. "Why did you lie?" she asked, a tremor in her voice. If Dumbledore didn't even know he was in danger, help would be so much harder to access in case of emergency. "That's not the only reason you would lie to the Headmaster!"
"I'm not a child, Hermione!" he yelled furiously, "I can handle myself, especially in the face of Voldemort! I've done it for years, and if you think just because I've gotten older in years it means I'm less capable of handling any situation that involves protecting myself or my students, then you are sorely mistaken!"
"Shhhh!" she said, covering his mouth briefing with her hand to silence his yells. "He trusted you!"
Snape averted his gaze, and she could tell that she had hit a nerve with saying that to him. "Yes, and I've trusted many people that have betrayed me in the past by doing much worse things… it's for his own good anyway."
Hermione didn't know how to react to that statement. Watching another Death-Eater pass through the shadows of another area of Hogsmeade, her mind was brought back to the task at hand. "Whatever they're planning on doing, I think it's safe to say it isn't with the best of intentions. We have to get the Hogwarts students out of here before they start a riot…"
"How do you propose we go about doing that, Ms. Granger?" Snape said sarcastically. "You know as well as I that all the students arrived here by train, and that they will all have to be herded back onto it to leave… it's too far, and it will take too much time. The Death-Eaters will know that we're onto them by that point." He drummed his fingers on his lips thoughtfully, "Besides, it's already left. It leaves after everyone has gotten off at the beginning of the afternoon and returns at 6:00. We can't wait that long."
Hermione's mind reverted back to Harry explaining the secret passage under Honeydukes. "Passageway…"
"Excuse me?"
"The secret passage that leads to Hogwarts from the cellar of Honeydukes! It would be quick enough to transport all the students back to the school!" She looked up at him with excitement about her. "It's bound to work!"
"Passageway?" Snape cocked an eyebrow.
Hermione sighed. "You're just going to have to trust me." Grabbing his hand once more, she tugged him down the street again, not caring to explain when she bumped into unsuspecting bystanders. They, of course, wouldn't see anything, only feel the pressure; she and Snape were invisible to the untrained eye. "We'll have to go to Honeydukes first and inform the shop owner."
She tugged him down the cobblestone path once more, making sure he was right behind her the whole time. She just hoped that the concealment charm would last until they reached Honeydukes.
She ran up to the door, and ending the charm, pulled open the door. Pulling Snape in along behind her, she heard the door close with a chime behind them and walked hurriedly up to the cashier. She was dimly aware of Snape trailing close behind her.
"Hello, dear, what can I get you today?" said the elderly man tending to the register. He was thin and looked fragile, but had a warm smile beneath his whitened moustache.
Snape placed nervous hands on the countertop before him. "We request the use of the passageway underneath this establishment," he stated urgently.
The man gave Snape a searching look, his brows furrowed. "Is this some type of joke?"
Snape paled. "Don't play games with me, old man. This is critical."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, looking from Snape to Hermione successively. "There is no hidden passage under this building, at least, not to my knowledge."
Snape was quickly losing his patience and his temper. "I'm telling you don't play games with me-"
"Professor, stop," Hermione said suddenly, placing a hand on his arm, "I think he's telling the truth." She looked back to the man, "Do you think we could have a look around in the basement storage cellar for a moment? I swear it won't take long."
The man studied her a moment, then called over his shoulder, "Francis! Come and work the register!"
A young man of only about 16 walked out of the back room, a broom in hand. "You want me to actually ring up the purchases?" he asked apprehensively.
"Yes, yes," the man said hurriedly. "Just make sure you don't mess up, or it will be out of your pay check."
The freckle-faced boy leaned the broom next to a shelf and took the man's place in front of the register. The man turned and signalled for them to follow him, and took out his wand, unlocking a charm put on a large door behind him. He creaked open the door, and hobbled down the rasping steps. Snape and Hermione followed unquestioningly.
She coughed as she breathed in a thick cloud of dust. The gloomily dark sky filtered murky light through a cellar window, casting light on the floor. Hermione could see the dust clouds rise as they walked through the small room filled with shelves of candy and other condiments. She realized with dread that she had no idea where the trapdoor was.
Feeling Snape's eyes staring into her, she dug deep into her mind, trying to remember what Harry had said about the door. You would never know it was there unless you're looking for it, she remembered him saying. It's all the way in the far corner of the room, covered in a thick layer of dust…
Her mind unsure, she walked swiftly to the end of the small room, behind a tall shelf of different chocolates. She studied the floor, searching for any indentation that would mark a door, a knob, a handle; anything. At this point, she began to panic; she was desperate.
She paced the area, looking for any sign to prove she wasn't insane, painfully aware that Snape and the shopkeeper were watching impatiently behind her. Her feet scuffed along the stone floor as she searched, but she found nothing. Only a thick layer of dust was on the floor, no door, no handle; no nothing.
"Well?" asked Snape impatiently, his arms tightly crossed, a look of boredom upon his face. "Have you found anything?"
She blushed ferociously. Fool, her mind exclaimed, what are you doing? "J-just give me a second," she answered back, pushing her hair embarrassedly behind her ear. "I'm still looking, hold on."
She grabbed for her wand, pulling it swiftly out of her robes. She felt her ears go red, her cheeks as well. "Revalius Totalius Concealiem!" Her wand spouted turquoise sparks that ran like electric circuits through the wooden floorboards of the cellar, revealing hidden compartments that the naked eye wouldn't see.
Snape couldn't help but smile a little. Clever little witch, he thought slyly, watching her with fascination as she analysed the floorboards, her hair falling to hide her face.
Damn, she thought angrily, realizing she had no way of finding anything in a small, cramped, dark room. They must have covered it up with a charm to counteract my spell…
"I'm sorry, Professor," she said apologetically, starting towards him and the man, "I can't seem to find anything here."
The man behind Snape sighed with discontent. "This has been a waste of my time. I hope you two are happy."
Hermione dropped her head to her chest and felt herself growing crimson in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry," she muttered self-consciously, "I just thought-"
"You thought what, little girl?" the storeowner spat angrily, "That you know this store better than I do? Well, I bet you feel pretty stupid right about now, don't you?"
Hermione could feel tears prickling the back of her eyes. Not now, not in front of Snape…
"That's enough," she heard Snape say loudly, "If that's all that can to be done, then let's get a move on, Ms. Granger."
She trailed resentfully after him, scuffling her feet on the ground. The floor thudded with her heavy footstep. Thump, thump, thump-
"Some time today, Ms. Granger."
Thump-thump-thump-
"We are sorry to inconvenience you," Snape was saying to the old man, "It won't happen again."
Thump-thump-tat-tat-
Hermione stopped slowly, listening suspiciously to her level footsteps. The sound changed from one step to the next, and instead of a hearty thump against the wood she heard a small rasping sound, a small tap. Hollow? Swinging her hair behind her ear once more, she looked down, brushing her feet against the ground. The filth began to clear, little puffs of it circling her feet.
"Come on, Ms. Granger, I'm very busy-"
She swooped low to the ground, squatting on the balls of her feet, not caring that her robes were dragging on the floor. Swiping more of the dust around, she noticed the wood changed slightly in color from one area of the floor to another, and a small indentation imprinted itself ever so cleverly in between two planks. Hermione grabbed at it determinedly and pulled, and a door moaned open on its hinges in front of her.
Snape turned on his heel at the sound, his keen ears catching each of her movements. "Have you found it, Hermione?" he asked hopefully.
She looked down into the dark depths of the cavern, the staleness of the air wafting from the open mouth of the hole causing her to wrinkle her nose. "Yes, I think this is it."
The man paled and peered at her from behind the shelf, eyes wide. "You've… y-you've found something?" he asked apprehensively.
Hermione hid a small smile, "Yes, it's a small opening, but it seems the pathway underneath is wider."
Snape had a hard time refraining from sweeping her into a hug. The feeling somewhat startled him, but he pushed it far back in his mind and, in a few long strides, had made his way to her side again. "Whatever made you think of looking here?" he asked excitedly. There may be hope…
"The difference in sound," she answered meekly, "it changed from solid to hollow-sounding when I was walking over it."
Snape hid a look of awe, "Very perceptive."
Hermione couldn't stifle a gasp of surprise as he complimented her.
Snape stood and walked over to the shopkeeper, "We will need use of this passage to escort the Hogwarts student body out of Hogsmeade." It wasn't a question.
A command is more like it, Hermione thought to herself quietly.
"Yes, s-sir. Anything is fine, sir," the man said nervously, still quite amazed that there was a passage underneath his store.
Hermione got to her feet and looked up at Snape. "We should go and collect the students," she reminded him.
"Yes, you are correct," he answered, "Please leave this open for when we return," he added to the owner, the with a sweep of his robes, swept out of the room.
*
Hermione had to jog to keep up with Snape as he speedily walked through the streets once more. Neither spoke so much as a word to each other as they sped through the street, until Hermione noticed she had no idea where they were heading, or whether or not he was planning in his mind what they were going to do to get everyone out.
She gathered her courage. "Uh… Professor?"
"Not now, Ms. Granger."
Hermione could tell he was anxious, but wasn't sure if she should say anything; he might only become more infuriated.
"Please, Professor, slow down, I can't keep up-"
"Shut UP, stupid girl!"
Hermione hushed, dropping her head in shame as he sighed exasperatedly and continued on his path into nowhere. His eyes were panicked, rushed, hurried; she still wasn't sure where he was heading, but she knew that wherever it was, it wasn't the time to ask about it.
She drew up her courage and decided to try one more time. "Professor, please tell me where we're going," she said quickly so he couldn't interrupt, "maybe I can help you."
He kept walking like he hadn't heard her, but suddenly stopped and turned to her. She couldn't place the emotions she saw on his face, and had trouble placing if she had even felt such feelings before. She was startled because she was sure he had never displayed such emotions for anyone before, none the less one of his 'dudderhead' students. She thought of simple words first; scared, worried, unsure, confused. No words could describe the things she had actually seen.
"What's the matter? Professor-" she started, seeing the lost expression on his face.
He didn't make a move to speak, and his eyes unfocused far off in the distance behind her. She was somewhat frightened to see him so unresponsive and reached out to touch his arm. "Professor?" she asked quietly.
"I don't know what to do, Hermione," he whispered, and even over the din of the crowded Hogsmeade she still heard his weak voice. "I don't know how to get all the students into one area, and I'm not even sure if it's possible at this point."
Hermione studied him a moment before her gaze fell to the ground. She was sure he would have a plan of action; an answer to anything. After all, he was Professor Snape, a Hogwarts teacher… he should know everything. She expected him to be able to whip out his wand, say a few words, and have everything be solved, but obviously she was dreaming something incoherent. Snape was a wizard, and though he was very intelligent and powerful, he was not God. She felt foolish for thinking so, but still, in the back of her mind, the question still echoed; how where they going to do this?
She could hear Snape sigh and shift uncomfortably next to her. Apparently he was no help. There weren't many options; there was only one that her mind could process, and though she tried to think of others, the one kept popping up.
"We'll just have to simply make an announcement, using a fake excuse to reason hauling off the students through Honeydukes. But we won't say that out loud, we'll just have to tell them to meet outside of the shop. I don't know off any spells that would limit the listeners of the message to a chosen group," she explained to Snape, who, at that moment, seemed to be off in some other world. She touched his arm slightly, grasping hold of his attention. "Do you know of any, Professor?" she asked innocently as he peered down at her with a look of vulnerability.
"No, I don't either," he said quietly. "Your plan will do."
She realized how he had no idea what he was doing and took charge. "All right," she said, her mind in deep thought, "We'll have to go to a secluded area of the town to hide, and make the announcement through the town. That way, everyone will hear and the Death Eaters won't know where it's coming from. Then, when they've all made it to Honeydukes, we'll get Harry to take point and lead them back. It's the only way that I can think of at the moment, unless you have any other better ideas?"
Snape nodded his head numbly no.
Hermione sighed, "Fine. Lets go."
She found a secluded area between two stores and dragged him there by his sleeve. He was unresponsive; Hermione almost thought catatonic. It was most unlike him to act this way; she assumed because he was finally presented with a situation he didn't know how to respond to.
"Here's how it's going to work," she clarified as she brandished her wand, "I'm going to place a sonorus spell on you so you can tell them. Yes, you'll have to do it as I'm just a student and you're a Professor; you can justify it when we get back to Hogwarts where I wouldn't be able to," she went on as he gave her a withered look. "Besides," she added as an afterthought, "They'll listen to you better than the will me. I'm not very popular, you already know."
Snape looked down at her blankly as she muttered to herself, preparing herself for her spell casting. "Are you ready?"
Snape took a deep breath, steadied himself, and nodded.
"Sonorus!"
"Students of Hogwarts," Snape began, and Hermione could see the crowd slowing down in pace as all the young girls and boys looked around for the source of the voice, their eyes and heads moving every which way. "The transportation train that travels between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade has broken down due to mechanical difficulties. All students will kindly gather in front of Honeydukes for further instruction."
"Finite Incantatem!" Hermione muttered, slipping her wand into the folds of her cloak. "Now," she looked out into the streets, "we need to go meet them there."
She hurried back to where they had just come. Snape followed with a frown plastered on his face, giving death glares to students passing hurriedly by that had the audacity to look at him. She noticed how his behaviour was so oddly unlike him, but said nothing. She had just served four detentions… she didn't need another week.
When she reached the door, she found herself in front of a huge mass of black cloaks, each with a different color shimmer glittering on the left side of the cloak's front. All the students were chatting nervously, anxiously awaiting instructions. She'd expected Snape to walk up and start taking charge; to bark like a madman and start spilling out orders; but neither happened. He stood at the edge of the mob, watching students as they passed.
"Professor! It's your turn to start directing traffic!" she cried over the noise.
He jumped as she addressed him, and seemed to realize the scene before him. Enraged, he began his habitual bellowing. "QUIET!" he roared, and all mouths stopped, voices died in the throat of each owner, as each head snapped towards the overgrown bat in intimidating black robes.
"Where is Harry Potter?" he asked angrily, a sneer curling around his mouth on every syllable. Hermione looked to her side as a mop of unruly black hair zigzagged out of the mass.
"I'm here, sir."
Snape looked down upon the boy with repugnance, the smirk ever so prominent on his face. "You," he said, hovering a menacing finger an inch in front of his face as Harry's bright emerald eyes crossed trying to follow it, "and your friend-" his head snapped up to the thunderous group as his eyes searched. "Weasley!"
"Which one?" three voices sounded.
Snape gave an edgy sigh and tapped his metal boots irately on the cobblestone floor of the street. "The youngest, you morons!" Snape's body practically convulsed with fury. "Ronald! Get up here this instant!"
Ron's red mane appeared about everyone else's head as it bobbed hurriedly over to the fuming Potion's master. "Yes, I'm here as well," he said through a mouth full of sugar worms, quickly swallowing the candy he was chewing in a trembling gulp. He shoved the torn-open bags into the deep pockets of his cloak, brushing his nose on the sleeve of his cloak.
Snape looked at the faces of the boys with something close to distaste. "You two will lead this unruly group of your fellow classmates down through the secret passage underneath this establishment."
The reaction from both young boys was exactly the same: both sets of eyes widened with disbelief as Hermione noticeably cowered away from their gazes, afraid of the wrath of the two hormonal teenagers. Now that a professor knew of the passage, it would most certainly be off limits from now on. She knew Ron would feel as if he'd lost a great asset, and the twins would be equally as unhappy. Harry, on the other hand, didn't seem angry or displeased, but something along the lines of amazement. Hopefully Snape wouldn't slip that she had been the one to inform him of its presence. "You know-"
"Yes, and it is irrelevant," Snape cut off Ron before he could go any further. "You have been given orders," he said as his eyes narrowed with malice, "Go!"
Both boys started with surprise and turned quickly on their heels, rounding up the students like cattle. "And for the love of Merlin don't waste time!"
"Hurry up, come along now! Let's go!" Harry took to crowding them all into the small shop, much to the owner's dismay as he sat despondently at the register, a frown on his face, chin in palm.
Harry headed the front as Ron took up the back, the trail of boisterous students crowding into the small room. Hermione stood by the doorway to keep watch, and Snape stood stiffly by the cellar door, counting heads to make sure that everyone was there. His murderous eyes moved smoothly from one child to the next, keeping count with the mental calculator he had stored away. As the last trailed into the cellar, the large mass still huddled in the small storage basement, a line still on the steps as the mob moved slowly in.
236, he noted with disgust, two missing…
He realized he hadn't counted Hermione and mentally scolded himself for being careless. But where's the last one…
He climbed back up the staircase in a few quick even strides and strode out the front door, startling Hermione as he bound out the door. "Professor," she said timidly, noting his flared nostrils and piercing eyes, what's going on-"
"There's one missing, Granger! Who is it?" he snarled ferociously, grabbing her arms and shaking her like a rag doll.
"I-I don't know-"
"Well find him!" he retorted angrily, releasing her. She fell to the floor, unable to keep her balance. He was panicking again, she was sure; he suddenly felt as if it was his duty to get everyone out… alive, at least.
She noticed someone trip and fall in her peripheral vision, and her eyes focused on the young boy. "Neville!" she cried, getting to her feet, not bothering to wipe off her robes.
Neville looked up nervously as his hands trembled above the contents that had fallen out of his small shopping bag. Three books and a small bag of candy lay before him as she ran up to him, falling to her knees to help him pick up his things.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked him urgently, dusting off his cloak as he looked up at her with worried eyes.
His hands were scrapped, and she quickly healed him abrasions as they trailed blood down his hands. "Hurry, Neville, all the students are leaving through Honeydukes-"
Neville made a small squeaking sound as Hermione noticed a tall shadow cast itself over the two of them.
She followed his gaze up the lengths of Professor Snape's long cloak, to the un-humorous expression on his pale face.
"Mr. Longbottom, I have NEVER met ANYONE so dim-witted and imprudent as you in my entire life! Did you not hear my announcement? Shall I add deafness to your list of character flaws?"
"I-I did, P…Professor, s-sir," Neville answered, his eyes never quick making it up to his face as he kept them plastered on his boots, afraid that if he looked at him Snape would turn him to stone.
"Then why is it that you are still here and not with your other obnoxious classmates?" Snape answered haughtily. If he was trying to scare Neville to the point that he urinated in his pants, he was doing a good job.
"I'll take him there, Professor," Hermione said strongly, taking hold of Neville's upper arm as she helped him up, keeping it there to give him support in front of Snape. She swooped down and took hold of the handles of his bag and handed it to him, "I'll show him where to go."
Hermione took Neville's hand, "Come on," she whispered kindly, giving his hand a squeeze and a tug. Neville followed numbly as Hermione directed him to the store. Snape followed someone behind, watching her conduct carefully. She seemed to care for the blundering idiot, even if he was clumsy and stupid.
Hermione swiftly opened the door, hearing the chime, and directed Neville to the staircase. "Just follow the line, I'm sure it's only at the bottom of the staircase."
"B-but what if I get lost?" mumbled Neville.
Hermione gave a small smile, "You won't get lost, Neville. It's just right down the stair case," she answered reassuringly as she felt Snape's presence behind her. "Don't worry, I'll be down in a minute."
She peered back at Snape, giving him a disapproving look. Not only did he have to be rude to her, but to Neville as well. Looking at his stern features, she noticed the sweat beading his forehead.
She quickly noticed two wizards approaching the store thought the window, their faces right below the gold and red lettering written backwards on the glass store window. Black foreboding robes swept around the closer man's feet, a skull mask in hand, and she didn't need to look twice to recognize the wizard's face. "Malfoy!" she cried, "Professor look out! Quick!" she pointed urgently over his shoulder.
Turning, startled, towards the window, Snape's eyes grew wide. Lucius Malfoy was only a few paces away from the door, his pale hollow face set in an expression of bitter rage.
Snape's face drained of color. "Go, now," growled Snape as he went towards the door.
"NO!" screamed Hermione, "you'll be killed!"
"GO!" he roared, a mixture of emotions on his face. He hastily exited the store, slamming the door as he went.
Neville shivered next to her, "What is he doing?"
Hermione stared at the closed for the door for some time, as if she wished he would come back unharmed right through it again, before she answered. Her heart fell to her stomach, "He's going to try and protect the Hogwarts student body, but he's going to get himself killed."
Neville turned to her in shock, his eyes wide with fear and alarm, "He's going to what?"
She took one more glance at the door and out the window, but they had apparently moved somewhere else, because she didn't see anyone. "Come on, let's go, now."
She tugged him down the stairs, muttering ferociously under her breath. "Go," she commanded as she found Ron at the edge of the door, ready to close it as he settled himself on the stairs leading down, "and don't wait up for me."
"But Hermione, you can't go after him-" Neville tried to disprove, but Hermione quickly shushed him.
"Hermione, where's Snape?" asked Ron quizzically, a frown on his face.
She turned to him solemnly, "He's gone off Ron, I have to go and find him. Take Neville back with you, and make sure he doesn't get lost on his way."
Ron looked at her sadly, an expression of grim awareness on his face, "But what about you? How will you get back?"
"Don't worry so much about me, Ron, get out of here!" and with that she shoved him and Neville down the stairs and slammed the door shut, trying to ignore Ron and Neville's helpless screams at her as she locked the door with a spell. "I'll be back for the feast, don't worry!" she cried apologetically as they pounded their fists on the underside of the door, subsequently jogging back up the stairs.
Reaching the last step, she bolted to the front door, peering from the side out the store's glass window.
She saw the second wizard whisper something to Malfoy as Snape said something with a sneer upon his face. Though she didn't hear Snape, she could hear Malfoy's cold heartless voice loud and clear. "So you
couldn't keep your hands off her, eh, you bastard? Dismissed your duty to your Lord for a night of sick pleasure. Please, tell me you at least enjoyed it."
Oh God, she thought as her stomach lurched uncontrollably, he's talking about me…
"You leave her out of this, Lucius. This is between you and me; it doesn't include innocent young girls."
Hermione's heart thrashed against her chest as the second wizard made the first attack. Malfoy was quick and took up the second.
Outside, she could see Snape quickly dodge a bright red-orange scorching discharge that emitted from the end of Malfoy's whippy wand as he swung it high over his head in an intricate pattern and bellowed again another spell, all in a matter of seconds. Hermione saw Snape's face contort into alarm as he jumped back, the end of Malfoy's spell grabbing hold of his leg as Snape cried out, his robes already singed in several spots. His back slammed against the store's window and Hermione shook as she took a frightened step back, screaming at the sudden motion. She watched the window shake with his impact, and then watched him crumple to the ground.
"NO!"
Hermione searched for a spell that would impair Malfoy and the other wizard enough to tend to Snape, but in the heat of the moment she found her mind blank. Her eyes watered as she watched Snape try to stand again. He was hunched over in an awkward way and obviously in extreme pain, but she couldn't find a good enough charm to use. Oh, what was the one Lupin taught us year before last, she thought intolerantly, Suprema…
Snape fell again, this time coughing hard enough to spill blood on the ground.
Ocular Suprema… she grew frustrated and edgy as Snape clutched at his cloak, his hand gripping at the stone ground as rain clouds began to drop drizzle on their heads, casting shadows across each hungry, angry, and pain-filled face. She couldn't help him. She felt frustrated as she realized she'd broken her promise to Dumbledore. I've failed him, she thought painfully.
She yanked the door open, her wand out and clutched in a shaky hand, "Excruciatous Ocular Suprema!"
Her spell hit directly on target; Malfoy clawed at his face with both hands as his mouth yelled out ever curse know to man, "My eyes!" he cried agonizingly, "my eyes! They burn!"
The second wizard took a moment to react, but Hermione took that extra time to cast another spell as her mind reeled, "Expelliarmus!"
His wand flew into her awaiting open palm and she snapped it into two pieces swiftly, without giving it a second thought. The wizard's eyes widened and fell to his tattered wand lying broken on the floor before her feet. His face contorted with an evil anger and he dogged at her, knocking her to the ground as he tackled her small body.
She screamed as she heard a crunch and felt her whole backside explode in sharp spurts of pain. She still held back the tears, promising herself that she wouldn't cry. Even though Snape was buckled over and in extreme pain, she could still hear his voice reverberate through her head; tears are for the pathetic, Granger! he would bark; they aren't going to solve anything!
But they began to fall unintentionally as the pain intensified tenfold. Weakness slid over her as she felt her head slammed back against the pavement.
"GET OFF OF HER!"
She felt the pressure release her from its hold, the steady flow of hits to her upper body ceasing as a refreshing cool hand trailed down her cheek, "Hermione, open your eyes, wake up-"
Her eyes opened a crack and she saw only the raindrops falling on to her face. She tried to focus on the dark shadowed face in front of her, but she was having trouble. Her brain didn't need an optical image to know who it was, however. "Professor…"
She heard Malfoy's harsh shrill laugh ring metallically in her ears. "Well, would you look at this? The sly snake is protecting his little fox!" he said scathingly, "How incredibly… nauseating!" he laughed evilly again.
"You'll die, Malfoy-"
"Agonis Tempestra!" Hermione shouted, knocking both Malfoy and his crony to the ground. She propped herself up onto her elbows and managed to get onto her knees. She stood and slipped her arm under Snape's, steadying him next to her as he leaned heavily onto her, his legs fully out of support. "Come on, we're going back now."
Snape looked back at her weakly, the pouring rain beating brutally on his pale bruised face. But he didn't object.
She turned him around to face the store again, but they didn't get very far before Snape hissed in pain as he tried to apply pressure to his injured leg. She shifted his weight on her shoulders and pulled him again in her path to the door, "Come on, just a little further," she cooed reassuringly as he tried to stand again. Hermione looked down and, judging by the way a sharp piece of bone jutted painfully through his skin, she suspected it was broken. "Don't try to walk on it," she warned, "it will only make it worse."
"I'm fine, Hermione, I can take care of my-"
He suddenly shouted and fell to the ground, taking her with him as something pounded him from behind.
"Professor! I-"
She tried to look back to see what had happened, but before she could something slammed the side of her face as she turned, throwing her brutally into darkness.
Ok! Here we are! I final finished (which had nothing to do with a certain someone constantly reminding me to finish it…) and I'm happy you stayed long enough to finish! Now will you do me the favor of reviewing? It would mean worlds to me… and by the way, if you find any weird spellings of words, that would be my spell check being obnoxious. Please don't hurt me!
Any questions you may have that you want me to answer seriously should be sent to my email, it just is easier that way.
Anyway, I jus hoped you liked it and are looking forward to the next chapter!
~Shorty
P.S.- Thanks to Ricky for beta-ing for me! You're great!