Severus was more than a little stunned when Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle had burst into the castle, yelling about Hermione being taken ill. At the time, he was emerging from the staff room alongside McGonagall and Shackelbolt. The staff had been holding their weekly meeting, and he'd just spent over an hour biting his tongue as certain colleagues badmouthed Hermione.
Severus was more than willing to keep on Dumbledore's good side, as The Dark Lord required, but it wasn't always easy. The truth of the matter was, he had wavered about which side to join for a long time. He'd been firmly leaning to the light when Lily had been killed. In reality it should have pushed him further to the light, but Severus blamed Dumbledore for her death. Sure Voldemort had cast the killing curse, but in his opinion Dumbledore had set her and her loser husband up as bait. Dumbledore wasn't bothered about Lily and James dying, all he cared about was having control over Harry and how he would be brought up. With Dumbledore having scarified Lily, or at least he had in Severus's opinion, he switched his true allegiance to the dark and had been playing Dumbledore ever since.
When Severus spotted Hermione lying prone in Draco's arms, all of his pretence went out the window and his gut instincts kicked in. His loyalty was to Voldemort, and as such, he would do everything in his power to save his daughter. Taking Hermione from Draco, who had to be tired from carrying her all the way from Hogsmeade, Severus had rushed her up to the hospital wing.
The next ten minutes were a bit of a blur for Severus as Madam Pomfrey started to try and find out what was wrong with Hermione. Despite all that, he did notice Dumbledore's lax attitude, and he smarted at the implication Hermione had been drinking. A year ago, the headmaster would have been falling over himself to try and help Hermione, but now he couldn't care less.
When Madam Pomfrey wanted the other Slytherins out, Severus had silently urged Draco to leave. However, his godson was the least of his worries seconds later when Hermione's convulsions began to get worse and Madam Pomfrey announced they were losing her. Severus barely noticed the curtains being drawn around the bed, or the silencing spell Dumbledore cast as he tried to help Madam Pomfrey stabilise Hermione.
"She's slipping away," Madam Pomfrey announced in frustration. "She's needs treatment, but I don't know what she's infected with."
"A bezoar," Severus declared. "That will stabilise her."
"But it won't necessarily cure her," Dumbledore argued. It was true a bezoar counteracted most poisons, but not all.
Ignoring what he thought was Dumbledore's implication to let Hermione die, Severus pulled out his wand and summoned a bezoar from the hospital supply cupboard. Catching the small stone in his hand, Severus opened Hermione's mouth, and tilting her head back he shoved the stone into her open mouth. Almost instantly the seizures stopped and the young girl fell into what appeared to be a deep sleep.
"Is she okay?" McGonagall asked in concern. She may have spent the better part of the last few months being harsh towards the young witch, but these last few minutes had reminded her that until the end of the previous year, Hermione had been one of her favourite students.
"Not really," Severus answered with a shake of his head. "The bezoar's stabilised her and its stopped whatever is in her system from going any further. However, unless we work out what she's been infected with and find a cure, she'll remain as she is."
"Maybe that's for the best," Shackelbolt suggested softly.
"You can't seriously be suggesting we let her die?" Severus exploded, glaring at Kingsley. To be honest he'd never had a problem with the Auror, until he'd started teaching and it became obvious he was treating Hermione like trash.
"Could you find an antidote, Severus?" Dumbledore questioned, removing his spectacles to clean them before perching them back on his nose.
"I'm sure I can," Severus replied with confidence.
"Then I suggest you get going with it," Dumbledore said, not sounding at all happy with the idea. "As tempting as it may be to let Miss Granger go, I think in the long run it'll be a bad idea. Her father would only retaliate."
"I'm sure he still will," Shackelbolt muttered. "Face it Albus, he's not going to let this one go."
"I'm sure he won't, but let's not forget this incident took place down in Hogsmeade," Dumbledore replied. "We have no way of knowing who was involved."
"I doubt that will stop You-Know-Who blaming the school," McGonagall remarked.
"Do we have to tell him?" Shackelbolt asked.
"Of course you have to tell him," Severus said, briefly stopping in his task of taking blood samples from Hermione. He needed the blood samples, so he could work out what he was making an antidote for. "Firstly, we're obligated to inform Hermione's parents of her condition. Secondly, if we don't he'll still hear about it. Do you honestly think Draco and the other Slytherins will keep quiet?"
"Severus is right," Dumbledore said with a nod. "We have to inform Miss Granger's parents. I'll go and send an owl to her mother. I'll also get in touch with the Minister, and make sure he's here for Voldemort's visit. If there's trouble I want to be prepared."
"What about the other students?" McGonagall asked. "Is there any chance they could be infected?"
"I think they would have started to show symptoms by now," Madam Pomfrey answered. "But even so, I'll check them out before I let them go."
"Can they come and visit Hermione?" Severus asked. He knew Draco would be anxious to see the witch he was getting so close to.
"I think it's best if Miss Granger doesn't receive any visitors just yet," Dumbledore said before Madam Pomfrey even had the chance to think about her reply.
"Maybe after dinner," Madam Pomfrey told the Potions master with a small smile.
Thanking Madam Pomfrey, Severus swept out of the hospital wing and back down to the dungeons to begin work on the antidote. He was determined that by the time Voldemort arrived at the school, he would know just what had affected his daughter. He was going to save Hermione, even if in the process he had to blow his cover and reveal his allegiance to Voldemort.
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From the second he sent the owl addressed to Hermione's mother, Dumbledore dreaded the moment when the fire would light up and Voldemort would enter his office. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be waiting for Voldemort to enter the school. However, before informing Hermione's parents of the situation, he'd sent for Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic. He'd also asked for the students to be gathered in The Great Hall, out of the way of the irate wizard. Most of the staff were with the students, but McGonagall and Kingsley were in his office alongside him, while Severus was still down in his lab working on the antidote.
"Here goes," Kingsley muttered as the floo sparked to life.
Hermione's mother was the first to step from the flames, closely followed by Lucius Malfoy, and finally Voldemort himself appeared. While Hermione's mother looked to be on the verge of tears, Voldemort was fuming. His wand was already drawn and he radiated anger as he glared at Dumbledore.
"I warned you what would happen if anything happened to Hermione," he snarled menacingly.
"Before you get on your high horse Tom, nothing happened to her in school," Dumbledore said coolly as he swept aside the wand that was pointing in his direction. "Your daughter came up from Hogsmeade in the state she's in."
"And what state is that?" Leah asked quietly.
"She's stable," McGonagall said to the other witch. It was still strange to think that the woman in front of her was a witch as she could so clearly remember meeting her when she was pretending to be a muggle before Hermione started Hogwarts.
"Severus is working on an antidote," Dumbledore added.
"At least you have someone of competence on your staff," Voldemort sneered. "Now, I want to see my daughter."
"Of course," Dumbledore said with a polite nod.
With Dumbledore leading the way the group headed for the hospital wing. The second they entered the room, Leah rushed over to her daughter's side and took hold of her hand. Seconds later Voldemort was at Hermione's other side.
"Don't worry sweetheart, you won't go unavenged," he promised as he ran his hand through her curls.
"Vengeance is not the way to go, Tom," Dumbledore advised.
"Don't you try and tell me what to do, old man," Voldemort snarled. "Despite my misgivings, I let Hermione come back to a school where you were in charge, and this is what happens to her. I tried to be civil, and look where it got me. No more."
"No-one wants any violence," Fudge said hesitantly as he stepped in between the two wizards.
"Back off, Fudge, before you regret it," Voldemort snapped, causing the Minister to hastily take a few paces backwards.
"I won't let you do anything rash, Tom," Dumbledore warned.
Voldemort merely raised an eyebrow at Dumbledore, before he turned and swept out of the hospital room with Lucius at his side. Dumbledore and Kingsley hurried after the two men while McGonagall remained in the hospital wing with Leah, who seemed not to have noticed what was going on around her as she focused on her daughter. Fudge hesitated a little bit, before hurrying after the men.
With the slight head start Voldemort and Lucius had, they'd made it to the ground floor before Kingsley and Dumbledore caught up with them. Just as Voldemort was about to enter the Great Hall, Dumbledore stepped in front of the double doors.
"Move out of my way, or I'll move you myself," Voldemort snarled dangerously.
"I will not let you harm any of my students," Dumbledore insisted.
"No-one is going to be harmed," Lucius said from slightly behind Voldemort.
"We're just delivering a message," Voldemort added. "Although if you don't let me past, the message will come in the form of your dead body."
"You can't kill me, Tom," Dumbledore said with a taunting chuckle. "If you could, I would already be dead."
Voldemort took one small step towards Dumbledore, letting him see just how much pent up anger he was controlling. "Do you really want to push me today, while my daughter is fighting for her life? I can guarantee, you won't come out on top. Now move aside, and let me address the school."
"There's no-one in there," Kingsley said in an attempt to stall.
"We're not stupid, Shackelbolt," Lucius sneered. "Not only did I attend this school under Dumbledore's reign, but I'm head of the governors. I know whenever there's a crisis, the students are gathered in the Great Hall."
"And right now, I'm the crisis," Voldemort said in a low voice. "Don't play games, Dumbledore. Let me address the students, then I want to speak to Severus before I return to my daughter's side. If you move now, there will be no violence."
Knowing his back was against the wall and if necessary Voldemort would fight his way into the Great Hall, Dumbledore backed down. Removing his own wand in case it was needed, he reluctantly stepped aside. The second he was out of the way, Voldemort yanked open the door and strode angrily into the Great Hall. Immediately the room feel silent and several students slid down the bench away from where an extremely menacing Voldemort stood glaring at the room, especially focusing on the Gryffindors.
"By now, I'm sure you all know my daughter has been poisoned," Voldemort said, his voice relatively quiet, but oh so deadly. "I want you to know that I will find out who did this to my daughter, and when I find the culprit they will pay. If I discover anyone in this room is involved, rest assured, you will regret it. I will not stand for anyone harming my daughter. Hurt her, at your own peril. This is a final warning. Next time, I strike, and when I strike, you'll know about it. Think carefully before you take me on, I'm not to be messed with."
Giving the entire room the benefit of his most deadly glare, Voldemort hovered in the doorway for a minute, before turning and sweeping out of the room. Not even acknowledging the others outside the Great Hall, Voldemort headed straight down to the dungeons. While Dumbledore followed, along with Lucius, he left Kingsley in the Great Hall to keep the students calm. Fudge also stayed in the Great Hall, although that was more because he didn't want to come in between Voldemort and Dumbledore.
Voldemort was more than relieved to hear that Severus had worked out what sort of poison his daughter had been given. Severus explained that Hermione had been dosed with a simple rat poison. In fact it was the most common rat poison in the wizarding world, and Hogwarts even kept a supply.
"I'll have the first part of the antidote ready tonight," Severus told Voldemort. "Overnight it'll help Hermione's system clear, and I'll give her a second potion in the morning which will complete the job and wake her up."
"Thank you Severus," Voldemort said with a sharp nod. Right at the minute, he didn't care if Dumbledore got suspicious about Severus's loyalties. All that mattered was his daughter, and getting her back on her feet.
Leaving the dungeons, Voldemort returned to the hospital wing, where he settled down next to Hermione's bed and informed Dumbledore, he and Leah would be staying with their daughter all night. Even though it meant he would be up all night, keeping an eye on the dark wizard, Dumbledore had no choice but to accept it. Luckily, Voldemort was being a lot more reasonable than he'd expected, and he didn't want to do anything to start off any violence.
Little did Dumbledore know the violence was just around the corner. Hermione's poisoning was the turning point for Voldemort. He wasn't going to sit back any longer, he was going on the attack. Instead of waiting until Hermione had finished her education to begin his bid to take control, he was going to do it before she finished school. It was time to show the world The Dark Lord was back, and he wasn't to be messed with.