1Haunted Memories

-Chapter Eleven-

Back At Hogwarts

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters within J.K. Rowling's story.

Stumbling from the long trip, Hermione decided to walk into the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer and to settle her stomach. She felt the effects of the trip already. She was tired and irritable. A part of her wanted to just go back to Hogwarts and sleep. Surely Professor McGonagall was still at the castle? If not, Hermione could always count on Hagrid, who lived at Hogwarts to open the gates. Although, Hagrid has been tired lately. He had done a great job in the battle, enraged and furious, Hagrid could take down dozens of Death Eaters by himself. However, he had taken nasty hits to the arms and legs, giving him pains in the early mornings, though the half giant would never admit it.

Hermione smiled as Rosmerta practically danced with joy at seeing her. "Hermione! Hermione, we're so glad you came back. How was your trip? How was Harry?"

Instantly, Hermione noticed all the faces turned to her expectantly with the mention of Harry's name. She shook her head slightly, she slumped down lower in her seat and motioned for Rosmerta to sit across from her. For a moment the woman looked worried before she sat down and tried to hide her frown. Hermione smiled, "Harry's fine, Rosmerta. He's doing well and there are many people there that take care of him. My trip was wonderful. I missed him so much, it's nice to be able to spend a few days just relaxing and having fun. How was your day?"

Rosmerta smiled genuinely. She shrugged and looked around the room, the other customers weren't even trying to be discreet. "The same old, same old. Have you…" Rosmerta seemed to catch herself but Hermione saw the anger in the elder woman's eyes.

"What is it, Rosmerta? What's bothering you?"

"Oh dear…Hermione, have you read the Daily Prophet lately?"

Hermione sighed…so that was it. "Yes, I have. Do you believe that Professor Snape is back?"

Rosmerta looked at Hermione, her face stony. "You don't have to call him Professor anymore, Hermione."

Hermione winced. She was so used to it. There was a familiarity to it. So many things had changed since the war that she couldn't keep the same again. She looked at Rosmerta's eyes and saw that they didn't hold the same warmth as usual. Most people wouldn't give the man a chance. She nodded. "Sorry, Rosmerta. Force of habit."

The elder woman sighed and smiled fondly at her young customer. "I understand, anyways as you might have read, there have been reports that he is back. If he takes a step in here though, I hex him to oblivion."

Hermione grinned at the woman's fierceness. "I'll bet you will."

Rosmerta laughed and set down some cookies in front of Hermione. "A treat." Then she retreated into her kitchen to the demands of the customers. Hermione sighed and wondered what they would do if they found out that she believed Snape to be innocent. Rosmerta will hex me to oblivion…

Back in the castle, Hermione found Professor McGonagall leafing through some pages in a book. The Great Hall was quite empty due to most professors going back home or on holidays. Hermione smiled as the elderly woman looked up with surprise to see her young charge. "Oh Hermione! What are you doing back here so early? I wasn't expecting you for another three months!"

Hermione laughed heartily at the expression on the professor's face. "Minerva, surely you wouldn't kick me away from my home?"

Minerva McGonagall smiled and enveloped Hermione in a hug, "You can't be serious. Surely you'd like to visit your mother and father?"

Hermione smiled sadly. "Mom and dad have decided to take a vacation in Spain, and though I would love to visit them, I'd rather relax a few more weeks at home before going on another trip."

Both woman sat down and a house elf placed a hot cup of tea in front of Hermione. Thanking the poor creature, Hermione smiled as she sipped on her tea. "I feel so much better now that I'm home."

McGonagall laughed. "Only you can think of this lonely castle like that." Inside, McGonagall sighed. Severus had been the same way… "So Hermione, what are your plans? You've decided to take a whole year off, I believe you have some outstanding idea as to what you'll be doing?"

Hermione screwed up her face in thought which made the elder woman laugh harder. "You know…I never really thought about it, I believe I would like to catch up on some reading and visiting some friends. I want to go over to the Burrow for a bit and maybe even stay over. I could help the Order out…if need be."

Minerva nodded. "I suggest you decide to really relax before doing all that. Perhaps…a visit to Greece? The weather there is wonderful this time of year!"

Hermione lifted a eyebrow. "You know what? That's a great idea. There's a convention there discussing the various effects that Veritaserum has on different people and how long the potion can be sustained when altered or added to other potions. I'm rather interested in that."

The elder woman couldn't help but roll her eyes. So like Severus. "Well whatever you decide Hermione, I'm sure you'll have fun, dear."

Hermione nodded absently, thinking about the convention already. Leaving her belongings for the house elves to send to her room, Hermione went to the library in hopes of finding more research on Veritaserum. After spending a couple of hours searching through the library she found nothing that she didn't already know. Sighing with frustration, Hermione started walking back to her room when she suddenly remembered Harry's advice. Heading back to the Entrance Hall, she started for the dungeons, down the narrow stone staircase.

The dark cold surroundings surrounded Hermione and she was reminded of the Defectors as they attacked the castle's defenses.

"Help! Dementors, help!"

Hermione screamed as a blast erupted through the wall and the rubble fell around her. The student that had shouted for help now lay in front of her. His eyes were distant and his breathing shallow. Already, Hermione could feel the cold seeping into her bones. Grabbing the unconscious boy, Hermione led the way back towards the deeper parts of the castle. She knew that it would be impossible for her to reach the seventh floor where the Room of Requirement was. There were too much Death Eaters. They had infiltrated into the castle and onto the second and third floors. Students who were capable of fighting and trapped between the Death Eaters and the Room of Requirement had decided to fight to protect those inside the room.

Heading towards the infirmary, Hermione prayed to any gods that heard her to lead her there peacefully without having to fight. But as she rounded the corner and grabbed onto the door handles, she was thrown backwards into a nearby cabinet. She screamed with pain as wood dug into her back and large splinters embedded themselves into her skin. Looking up she found herself facing a Death Eater. The man's eyes were clouded over and he ran past without a backwards look at the two injured students. At first, Hermione was confused until she saw the Dementor behind him. It headed towards the two. Hermione couldn't help but shiver as her breath came out in mists. Her voice wouldn't respond to her pleas as the Dementor came closer to her. Pointing her shaking wand at the Dementor, she cried out, "Ex-expecto Patronum!"

A silvery wisp escaped from her wand and encircled her for a moment before fading completely. Hermione slid down next to the injured boy and shivered with cold. Mustering all that she had, Hermione tried to call forth her Patronus. When even that failed, she conjured her favorite blue fire ball in hopes that it at least would warm her up. In desperation, the fireball flared out of her wand and hit the Dementor. However, it wasn't strong enough to repel the creature. She now saw the images of a childhood friend collapsing and stop breathing, she cried as she went to her friend's funeral, she thought about death. About dying herself…

Suddenly a antlered Patronus leapt toward Hermione and cut through the Dementor, tearing through it's very existence. Hermione cried with relief as she saw Harry in front of her. His worried face the only thing she saw. They were herded into the infirmary where they faced about eight student's wands before they were lowered and the injured helped into beds. Madame Pomfrey had tear stains as she fed them chunks of chocolate and conjured up some hot chocolate. Hermione shivered as the images disappeared and replaced with the horrid reality before her. She was in the infirmary. Many had been here before and some had died… She vomited all over the floor and fell unconscious.

Arriving in the dungeon leading to the Potions professor's office, Hermione decided to try the door. She opened it with little difficulty and was surprised to see that Professor Slughorn had moved everything that belonged to him out of the room. Probably getting ready for the move to somewhere warmer. Hermione sighed as she settled down in a large green leather couch and looked around the room. She remembered coming in to the office a few times before in the past. A few times without Severus Snape in the room. Hermione laughed as she remembered the time she had stole ingredients from the Potions Master's personal stores. Absolutely brilliant how he had put up the new wards. Turning around, she saw the portrait of Albus Dumbledore. It surprised her a bit that Professor Dumbledore was set here. Hermione decided to let the snoring professor sleep in his portrait and look around the almost deserted room. She was surprised to see many books still on the shelf. Heading deeper into the office, Hermione shivered as the dampness covered her completely. Casting a warming charm, she headed towards the fireplace and with a wave of her hand, a blue fire burned cheerfully, casting the room in a welcoming light. Hermione smiled, knowing that the fire will continue to burn until she ended the spell.

Walking closer to the near empty bookshelves, she scanned the book titles. 'Anti-apparition Wards of the 19th Century', 'Dark Creatures in Various Forests', 'Defense Against the Darkest Magick Volume 1-5', 'Wand Properties', 'Creatures of the Night Volume 1', 'Greatest Dangers of the World', 'How to Supervise Children Volumes 1-16'.

Hermione quirked an eyebrow as she reached the last book. Reaching forwards, she pulled the book off the shelf. Bound in a dark maroon leather, the book was light and easy to hold. It was about the size of her palm and had an interesting picture of a unicorn nuzzling a child's head. Summoning a armchair to her place by the fire, Hermione sat down and flipped rapidly through the pages. There was about two hundred and twenty three pages all which held details on how to deal with wizarding children and what was appropriate to say and what not to say to children of various ages. Hermione laughed as she continued to read. Finally, Hermione ended on the last page and noticed a familiar scrawl in the center of the back cover.

'Dear Severus my boy,

I realize that you have no experience at all in teaching children, therefore I have decided to send this book to you as your Yule tide present. I believe you will find many interesting facts in here that will help you deal with children of all ages.

Yours Truly,

Albus Dumbledore.'

Hermione stared at the inscription, then burst out in laughter. What a present! She could always count on the Professor to come up with something funny. Only Albus Dumbledore would have the gall to send this kind of present to the imposing Potions Master. Finally settling the book back in it's place beside it's brothers, Hermione went about exploring the office further, finding nothing in particular. There were numerous spare parchments stacked in one corner, some lemon drops were hidden behind an ornate statue of a snake, collecting dust(guess who sent those),a few quills were left behind on the huge marble desk, while a shelf held more potions ingredients and jars of pickled animals. A old wizards' chess set sat deserted in the far corner of the room, underneath the painting of Dumbledore. Pacing the room, she scowled when she could find no clues as to where the Potions Master's quarters may be.

Finally she decided to take a look outside in the hallways. Conjuring a lamp, she lit it with her special blue fire and ended the spell in the fireplace, dropping the temperature in the room. As she surveyed the dark room once again. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary she turned around and headed to the door only to have her eye catch a small reflected light out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she saw a compact mirror hidden behind some old robes which looked to have gone through many potions experiments, as they were worn, dirty and sported numerous holes which were burned into the fabric. Heading towards the mirror, she placed her lamp on the ground, not noticing the indentation in the stone. To her surprise, one of the book shelves moved and Hermione gasped as a tunnel revealed itself to her. Grabbing the mirror and lamp, she headed towards the now revealed tunnel, hoping against hope that there was nothing nasty awaiting her.

Stepping onto some slippery stones, she cautiously touched the railing and navigated through the darkness. Once or twice, she found herself almost slipping. A green fungus seemed to grow in these dark interiors and Hermione winced as she saw some dead mice scattered on the ground. Finally, she reached a doorway and she could feel powerful wards on the door. "Alohamora!" Nothing happened. Noticing a stick on the ground, she tapped the door with the abandoned object and leapt back in fear as the stick turned to ashes. Hermione wondered how long it would take for her to take down the wards when she noticed another mirror set into the wood. Examining the mirror, she found that it sported marks, resembling runes. But no matter how much she tried to translate the marks, she couldn't do it. They were not runes, just something similar. Suddenly the marks started to move and shift and Hermione cried out in surprise. She thought the door would open but no such thing happened. Instead, Hermione was faced with a new set of marks and she growled in frustration. Suddenly she got an idea. Examining the mirror in her hands, she set it beside the one set into the wood. When she looked into the mirror, she cried out in triumph as the reflection gave her a full set of runes which she could translate easily .

'A world of Snakes and Human combined.' Hermione spoke clearly the translation and heard numerous bolts being shifted before the door swung open without a noise.