Haunted Memories

-Chapter Twenty-

Early Hours of the Morning

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

Minerva collected herself and walked out the door, leaving Severus alone with Hermione to explain to her what the Orb of Recollection was and what it would do. However as she entered the hallways again, she wondered briefly just what she would say to Albus. There were times when she had suspected the old man of hiding secrets from her. Actually, scratch that. He always hid secrets from her. But why did he not say something about this? They had known each other for so many years, had fought together, dealt with problems together. Why did he have to hide away from her now? It felt like she was being betrayed. To have Severus know everything that had gone on in the middle of the war. To have helped bring the war to a climax...and to bring the Dark Lord down to his knees.

Standing outside, it was plain to see which portrait must be Albus' since Severus didn't usually put portraits up in his quarters. Placed at eye level, the lone portrait stood on the empty wall, facing her. She walked silently towards it, wondering if Albus was hiding away from her. Severus had said that he was staying there in the portrait just a few minutes ago. Did he flee when he heard that she was coming out to question him? Did he not want to face her now that she had discerned the truth? Standing straight and putting on a stern face, she rapped on the portrait's desk sharply. She waited for a moment, hoping that she was right and that he hadn't hidden in the other portraits upstairs.

Nothing happened.

Minerva narrowed her eyes as she caught the sound of something rustling in the background of the portrait and when she looked harder, she realized the bowl of lemon drops had disappeared and the tips of a purple hat was seen underneath the desk. She decided to rap on the portrait a bit more forcefully. "Albus Dumbledore. I know you are there, I can see your hat."

Immediately there was a shuffling and the hat disappeared from sight. Minerva growled, trying to keep herself from yelling at him. "Why do you vex me like this, Albus? I need to talk!"

Finally after a few more moments of silence, Dumbledore's hat appeared above the desk and slowly the rest of his face. Eyes peering from across the desk, Dumbledore sheepishly sat back in his portrait's chair and grinned at his colleague. "Why Minerva! What a surprise! Would you care for some lemon drops?"

Minerva rolled her eyes at the apparent attempt to appease her anger. "I need to talk Albus. Seriously."

Dumbledore sighed and pushed his half-moon glasses higher up on the bridge of his nose and motioned for her to continue. There was no denying that she was serious this time and had probably figured out what had happened during the middle of the War. He didn't like telling her of his decisions. But he could trust her and needed her to help Severus. There was no denying it now, it was the only way. Watching her stern face, he smiled to himself. It had been such a long time since she showed this much emotion...

Hermione stared at Snape with her mouth open. She couldn't comprehend what she had just heard. Professor Dumbledore's soul? It was trapped in here? She had always considered, Professor Dumbledore's soul to be his portrait, that he was still there somehow, protecting them from the walls of the school. But now, she knew better.

Snape couldn't help himself any longer, he scowled and waved a hand over the woman's face, trying to catch her attention. She had spaced out like that for quite some time. Four minutes to be exact. "Miss Granger, I expect you to close your mouth, unless you are expecting to catch flies with that gaping hole of yours."

Hermione snapped to attention, glaring at the man before her. He was still so rude! "I'm sorry, Mr. Snape, if this new development alarms me somewhat."

He smirked and cradled the Orb closer to him, allowing the cold-warm mist to envelope his whole arm. It was a bit reassuring to know that his mentor was still there beside him, to know that his soul would be there safe within the confines of the Orb. But this wasn't why Albus Dumbledore had decided to place his soul in the Orb of Recollection. No...there was something else that he had to do. Something that he was willing to sacrifice himself for — and that something was to prove to everyone that Severus was innocent.

During Hermione's sixth year, Dumbledore had been searching for the horcruxes in order to destroy them. But he had also known that Draco would be out to get him and of the Wizard's Oath that Severus was forced to perform. There really wasn't any way to it but to allow things to happen. But he had a week's warning before the inevitable would happen. So he planned for things to happen after his death. Dumbledore had foreseen everything. He had given himself up in order to save Harry, Draco, and Severus. These three would play a large part in the end and he knew he himself was dying already. There was nothing to be done. In the case that he should die, Severus would capture his soul in the Orb of Recollections.

Memories could be created and forged under the skills of an experienced wizard. But the soul could never be duplicated. The soul was everything that person was. In order to save Severus from the deed that he had done, from the council and Order members, Dumbledore would reside in the Orb and wait for the day when Severus would need him again.

Hermione stared into the pearly orb and listened to what Severus had to say about her sixth year at Hogwarts. It was all very disconcerting to find out that all this was happening behind her backs. The professors had kept many secrets away from the students, but none other than Dumbledore. He had kept them safe from the evil, had made them only aware to strengthen them, to help them defend themselves. However, Hermione had never thought...never realized that Severus had been given such a horrible role in the bringing down of the Dark Lord. There was no way that she could have forgiven herself if she herself had been given that task. She knew now that he was being tormented each and every day that he was alive. Knowing that he couldn't possibly give up now. Yes, the Final Battle was over, but there were still many death eaters out there, waiting for the next Dark Lord to come and take over the wizarding world again. They had hoped that Luscious Malfoy would be able to take over the role, but he had died a few years back. Now they acted out of vengeance and many terrible crimes were happening in the muggle world. However, one small problem remained, only the known death eaters were taken away into confinement. The sly ones were still out there. Some of them were even higher ranked than Severus and he knew that if he was to end this madness once and for all, his task was to weed them out. He was to end the cycle that had begun. Hopefully there would not be another rise of a Dark Lord until after his death. He didn't want to have to fight again.

Hermione felt tired. It was now the early hours of the morning. A few hours ago, a silent Headmistress had returned from her chat with Albus Dumbledore and had sat down to hear Severus' explanation of what he had planned to do when he returned to Hogwarts. However, there was much to be done. It was hard for him to do it himself. She remembered how eager she had been to prove his innocence before and she couldn't help but volunteer now to help him. Severus Snape had sported a weird look on his face when she volunteered. She didn't know if it was relief that he felt or a disgust that she would be working beside him for the long days ahead. Yes, the first step was to weed out the Ministry. There were high ranking members within the Ministry that also belonged to the Death Eaters. Hermione was considered in part to be a war hero and she would be able to find information on these members easily. But in order to find the other members, they would have to search through Severus' memories of the meetings, of the conversations that he had with Voldemort and above all, the revels that they had attended. Working together they should get a feel of who had been assigned what in the dark ranks of the Death Eaters and figure out which member was which.

Now thinking back on their conversation, Hermione sighed deeply. It was too much really for the three of them to handle. Entering her bedroom, she brushed her hair of tangles and knots before she settled into her bed. She had a few hours left before breakfast would be served and then she would be given the oh so pleasant job of informing Hagrid of the Potions Master's return. She didn't know if she could hold the giant down. Hagrid had been most affected by the death of Dumbledore. Being a half giant, his strength was incredible, if he got himself riled up, she didn't know if she could keep him from killing Severus out right.

Closing her eyes shut, she tried to push all the thoughts away from her mind and allow the gentle beginnings of the morning air sweep over her. She smiled lightly as she saw the face of the Potions Master swarm above her thoughts and the way that he had held onto her hand. There was something comforting to know that he acted like a normal human being back there. He was still rude, but in the least, he had shown some emotions. His name floated up to her and she voiced it with curiosity. "Severus Snape...Severus." She mumbled a few more words before bit by bit she fell into a light slumber.