Hey here's chapter 15. Thank you for the reviews I love them. I hope you like this!
Chapter 15: The Unexpected
Albus Dumbledore drummed his fingers on his desk restlessly. It had been days since he sent the Grangers a letter to tell them about their daughter. Needless to say the Headmaster was growing concerned from the lack of response.
"Come in" He called even though no one had knocked, yet.
The door opened revealing Mr. Weasley standing in the threshold with a lanky redhead and shorter black-haired boy.
"Ah Arthur, I was expecting you." Albus smiled warmly at the two boys behind him. "Ronald, Harry lovely to see you. I presume you are here to see Miss Granger?"
Ron nodded. "Where is she?"
Albus' eyes twinkled merrily. "You will find her with Professor Snape in his private chambers."
"Are you mad!" Ron cried.
Dumbledore only smiled. "Oh and Harry could you send Professor Snape up, I wish to speak with him."
Nodding Harry and Ron left the headmaster's office to go in search of the friend.
"Albus what's troubling you?" Arthur asked taking a seat across from the elder wizard.
Albus simply held up his hand. "I will explain everything once Severus arrives." He replied.
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"I can't believe Dumbledore is allowing this!" Ron cried in fury storming down the stairs to the dungeons. "The old coot has gone mad, I tell ya!" He continued to rant.
Harry shook his head quickening his step to match his red headed friend's stride. As they walked a bad feeling came over him and his scar began to irritate him even more then it had a few days ago.
Glancing behind his shoulder every once in awhile Harry's bad feelings increased as they neared the dungeons.
"Harry mate stop doing that, you're creeping me out." Ron whined hitting the smaller boy on the shoulder.
Snapping out of his morbid thoughts Harry muttered sorry just as the reached the portrait guarding Snape's private chambers.
Beside him Harry heard Ron gulp raising a hand to knock. Instinctively they stepped back fearing that Snape wouldn't be pleased about being interrupted.
Moments later the portrait was swung open by a very irritated Snape. "What are you two doing here?" He snarled.
"We…we're here to see Herm…Hermione." Ron stammered.
Snape glared at them for a moment before pushing the portrait open wider allowing the boys to enter.
"Professor…" Harry said quietly. "…the Headmaster wishes to see you in his office."
Harry noticed Snape's lip twitch in annoyance. "Very well…" He turned to leave. "…if you touch anything you will have detention for a month, understood?"
Seeing that the boys were duly intimidated by the threat he stepped through and closed the portrait.
Harry turned from the portrait hole taking his first good look of the chambers. Looking over at Ron, Harry noticed the same expression that must have been on his own face.
"Hermione, you here?" Ron called looking around for their bushy-haired friend.
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She had been quietly reading in the chair placed in the corner of her room when she heard the tentative knock on the portrait. Placing a finger on the sentence she was on Hermione strained her ears. Finally she heard Snape enter the common room grumbling under his breath about being interrupted.
Next she heard him throw open the portrait. "What are you two doing here?" She heard him snarl at the visitors.
Hermione thought nothing of it believing it was the headmaster and school nurse to check on him, what after he had gone through at the death eater meeting. But it wasn't the headmaster or medi-witch that answered the irritated potions master.
"We…we're here to see Herm…Hermione." Came Ron's fumbling answer.
The blood in her veins seemed to freeze as her breath caught in her throat. No they can't be here, not yet Hermione's mind screamed.
Thrusting the book aside, Hermione crawled out of the chair and crept over to the door pressing an ear to the cold dark wood.
With growing dread Hermione realized the professor had let them enter. Through the door she barely heard Harry tell him that the headmaster wanted to see him.
No, please don't leave me alone with them she wanted to scream. This couldn't be happening so soon. Shouldn't have sent them the letter she moaned.
She barely heard Professor Snape threaten the boys if they touched anything they would be sorry and the portrait shutting behind him.
"Hermione, you here?" She heard Ron called out.
No ones home Her mind screamed but her body was disobeying, her hand was reaching towards the doorknob and turning it.
The next few moments were a blur of bodies and intense closeness as the two boys spotted her and ran to hug her.
Her mind was screaming at her to retreat to get away but there was no possible way to do so.
"OMG 'Mione…" Ron cried. "We were so scared when we got your letter."
Hermione was pulled into another intense hug by her redheaded friend.
Gasping for breath Hermione was able to gasp out. "Need air to breathe Ronald."
"Oh sorry" Ron said sheepishly letting his friend go.
Harry came forward and smiled. "It's good to see you 'Mione." He whispered giving her a gentle hug.
Looking around Hermione realized that she was truly alone in the chambers with her two friends. "Where's the professor?" She asked timidly.
Ron gave her a strange look. "He…um went to see the Headmaster, Hermione you alright?" He asked.
Hermione was slightly started by Ron's words. "ye…yes Ronald why wouldn't I be?"
Placing a hand on her forehead Ron muttered something under his breath. "He hasn't hurt you has he?" He asked seriously.
"Ron, Snape may be a greasy git but he wouldn't harm a student." Harry said trying to reason with him.
"Harry is right Ron." Hermione whispered softly. "He has been helping me."
"I won't believe it till I see it." Ron mumbled crossing his arms over his chest.
Hermione sighed plopping down on the couch. She would love nothing more then to be away from these two and their questions. True they were concerned about her well being but still it could go only so far.
"I wonder what the Headmaster wanted Snape for…" Harry thought aloud as he too took a seat on the couch.
Ron sat down on the chair beside the fire scratching his chin, looking deep in thought, well as deep as he could think. "We'll find out soon enough…"
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Severus was still grumbling about the sudden appearance of the Gryffindors when he arrived at the gargoyle protecting the senile old fool's office. Muttering the password he took the turning stairs two at a time until he reached the top. Without knocking he pushed open the door and entered the cluttered office robes billowing behind him.
"Ah Severus we were waiting for you." Dumbledore greeted from behind his desk.
At the older man's words Severus looked up noticing the thinning red-headed man sitting in one of the chairs opposite the desk. "Arthur" He greeted taking the vacant seat to his right.
"Is there a problem Albus?" He asked getting right to the point declining the tea and muggle candy he was being offered.
Albus took his time in answering the potions master. "Severus I need you and Arthur to go and check on the Grangers."
"Why?" Severus asked scathingly.
"Now, now Severus." Albus said calmly. "I wrote to Mr. and Mrs. Granger in regards to their daughter, I have not received any reply." He explained. "I want you to go investigate."
Severus looked incredulous. "Albus are you being just a little paranoid?"
Albus shook his head. "Put an old man's mind at ease."
"Very well" Severus growled rising from the chair. "Let's go Weasley, and get this over with."
Albus stood and handed the Potions master a small figurine of a unicorn. "To activate it speak "Salazar"
Severus nodded taking the unicorn and holding out the figurine to the elder red head. A moment later Severus felt the familiar tug behind the navel and the two men were whisked off.
The portkey had taken the two men to Granger-girl's street. It seemed like a quiet street, one where the houses were close together but didn't look like the next one.
"Hermione lives at 439." Arthur spoke softly.
Severus nodded making his way to said house, but there seemed to something amiss. Around the house there was a muggle yellow police tape and police vehicle parked on the street in front.
"I don't like this." Arthur whispered to his companion.
"Neither do I." Severus replied discretely placing his hand on his wand.
Slowly Severus approached the house but didn't get any farther then the yellow tape. "Excuse me gentlemen."
They turned around to find the officer stepping out of his car. "This is a crime scene, I must ask you to step away." He ordered.
Patience running thin Severus stepped towards the muggle. "What happened here?" He demanded.
The officer shied back away from the potions master obviously intimidated. "This is a murder scene." He said quickly seemingly withering under the intense glare.
"Who was murdered?" Arthur asked paling.
Taking quick glances at the dark man the officer gulped and turned towards the Weasley patriarch. "The…Grangers, the Mr. and Mrs. According to the neighbors the daughter is away at a boarding school in Scotland."
"Thank….thank you kind sir." Arthur replied and turned towards Severus.
Severus nodded fishing the unicorn figurine out of his robes as well as his wand. He held out the figurine towards Mr. Weasley and pointed his wand at the officer. "Obliviate"
"Salazar"
With that said the two wizards portkeyed away leaving a dazed muggle officer behind.
Sorry for the cliffhanger. I got busy and now I have a bloody writer's block. I hope you liked. I'll update ASAP!