Chapter Three

Introducing the Potions Apprentice

Hermione nervously fidgeted in her seat at the staff table in the Great Hall the next morning. She could tell that everyone was looking at her, and it truly unnerved her. Professor Snape had come to fetch her in her quarters not ten minutes ago, saying it was time to announce her apprenticeship to the rest of the school. She was forced to suppress the urge to hide under her bed and then followed the Potions Master down the corridors to the Hall. From the second she had set foot in the room, the talking students had suddenly started whispering to each other. She hadn't looked at any of them. Her eyes had been focused on the table where the professor's sat, because they more likely not to whisper about her. She had seen Hagrid staring at her though, a smile creeping through his surprised expression.

"Miss Granger, try to sit still," Snape hissed in an urgent whisper. "Being this openly nervous will do nothing to help your case."

She knew he was right, but that didn't make it any easier to calm down. She hadn't been out in the public eye like this for months. She nibbled on her toast and then took a big gulp of her tea, forgetting that it was warm. She winced as the liquid burned her throat and she coughed violently. Snape gave her an incredulous look.

"Not had tea before?" he quipped.

Hermione stopped coughing at once and glared at him.

"May I have your attention, please," Minerva called out over the hall the next moment, standing up from the throne-like chair.

She really didn't have to – all eyes were already on the staff table, but her request had everyone quiet within five seconds. Hermione wondered if Dumbledore ever had gotten the entire student body quiet that quick.

"As you might have noticed, there is a new addition to the staff table today," she said as she vaguely gestured in the left direction. "Many of you will recognize her as Hermione Granger."

A tremor of surprise and whispers rippled across the room and Hermione saw how some students even stood up to get a better view.

"Miss Granger is a witch in no great need of a big introduction – most of you know who she is. If you don't, ask the people around you. You will always find someone who knows who she is and the great importance she had in the War."

Hermione blushed and wanted to run and hide. She had shrunk back further in her chair as Minerva spoke, doing all she could to conceal herself from the prying eyes that were watching her. Her hands were folded in her lap, her gaze steadily staring at the teacup placed before her. She knew this introduction was important, but did Minerva really have to lay it on so thick? She saw from the corner of her eye how Snape lowered his left hand under the table, and that was the only reason that kept her from jumping when she felt his hand cover hers. Her breath caught and she was so shocked by his comforting touch that she for a moment forgot everything else.

"Breath, Miss Granger," Snape said very quietly, "and calm down. The Headmistress is almost done. Then we can retire to the lab and I can show you where you will be working."

She expected him to retreat his hand, but it stayed on top of her own for the remainder of Minerva's speech. It was surprisingly warm and smooth. She marveled at how much the simple gesture managed to help her relax.

"Miss Granger returns to Hogwarts to begin an apprenticeship in potions," she heard Minerva continue. "Despite her young age, I remind you all to respect her as you do your teachers – she has the same authority over you as any of us. She will be able to give points, dock points and hand out detentions."

Hermione managed to hide the astonishment she felt at this very unexpected piece of information.

"Join me now in a round of applause to welcome back one of the greatest students Hogwarts has ever had – Miss Hermione Granger!"

As Minerva finished, the Great Hall exploded in a near ear-shattering applause. Snape retreated his hand to clap his hands together, although he did it with much more restraint. Many stood to give her a standing ovation and she was so overwhelmed by emotions she was feeling that she almost didn't even manage to smile in thanks.

"Do they expect me to say anything?" she whispered to Snape, her eyes wide with worry.

"No. Only Dolores Umbridge saw it fit to speak after the Headmasters introduction."

Hermione winced when she thought of the foul woman who had tortured Harry so. As soon as the students were back to their normal eating and socializing habits, Snape and Hermione stood to go to the potions lab.

"Hermione!"

Her face lit up into a big smile – she should have known that Hagrid wouldn't just let her run off. She whirled around and ran into the open arms of the half-giant.

"Hagrid!"

"Good ter see you, Hermione," Hagrid said as he patted her back.

He took her tiny little hand in his own.

"Why didn't yer tell me you were comin'?" he wondered and gave her a stern look.

Hermione tried not to squirm. She kind of managed – the only part she was unable to stop from twitching was the hand that currently lay in Hagrid's hand. He didn't seem to notice though.

"I'm sorry, Hagrid," she said and gave him a small smile. "It was kind of a last minute thing, it hasn't been planned for very long."

She heard Snape clear his throat, which she only took to mean one thing – it was time to go before she said too much. Hagrid, on the other hand, shot Snape a dirty look before turning back to Hermione with a warm smile.

"If he gives yer any trouble, you come see me, alright?" he said and winked, letting go of her hand.

Hermione nodded, her smile showing the genuine gratitude she felt for having someone like Hagrid so close to her. Sooner or later it would be very clear who she could count as her friends and who she couldn't. She hoped the confrontation would come later rather than sooner, but now that the entire student body knew that she was here it would only be a matter of days before something would go down. She hoped that she was strong enough for it.

"Now, Miss Granger, I do seem to remember that you showed some promise in Potions," Snape drawled as he led her to his private lab. "Thus I cannot imagine that you will need me to give you instruction on how to brew the Pepperup potion."

Hermione blinked, momentarily too surprised at the unexpected compliment she had gotten to reply in any kind of way.

"Have you still not gotten over the ovation you got in the Great Hall, Miss Granger?" Snape snapped when she didn't say anything.

He stopped and turned to look at her, his arms folded together across his chest.

"No, no, I'm over it," she hurried to say, her eyes dropping to gaze at her feet. "I don't believe that you will need to supervise me while brewing the Pepperup potion, sir."

Snape stared at her for a moment. He didn't remember her being so submissive. But then again, he had seen plenty of changes in her in the short while she had been at Hogwarts. He started towards the dungeons again, noting that the girl was following him a few steps back. As they entered his lab, Hermione was starting to feel a little uneasy. She hadn't brewed a potion in months. Usually, she never would have questioned her own ability, but that was before Ron had messed her up so completely.

"Everything you will need, ingredients, cauldrons and so forth, can be found on this side of the room," he said as he swept his arm towards the left. "Should you need a reminder of the recipe, you will find it in any of the books on that shelf."

He pointed to the shelf by the window and then his gaze grew stern.

"I am leaving you to do this on your own, Miss Granger. Must I remind you of the... consequences if you so much as touch anything other than the necessary items needed for this potion?"

Hermione quickly shook her head.

"No, sir! I wouldn't dream of doing anything I'm not allowed to!"

Snape's eyes narrowed a fraction. Hermione could swear that she saw his lips quirk as if he was about to smile, but he never did, so maybe she had imagined it.

"Well, perhaps that is true now. However, I know that you have stolen dangerous ingredients from my private storage before."

Hermione's jaw dropped. He knew about the Polyjuice Potion in her second year!

"Come, come, Miss Granger," Snape said, almost sounding amused. "When it comes to potions, there is not much I miss. The Polyjuice Potion has a very subtle, but distinct smell. I knew you were making it in your second year."

She stared at him, unable to say anything, too afraid that he would punish her. But if he had known all along, why hadn't he stopped them all those years ago?

"Ah, you are asking yourself why I did not interfere, why I did nothing to stop you?" Snape said, successfully deciphering her confused expression.

Hermione nodded, feeling quite dazed.

"I was too curious to see if you could brew it accurately. Only a handful of previous students in my N.E.W.T class would have been able to get such a complex potion right. I had planned on intercepting it before you and the two dunderheads had a chance to drink it, but I miscalculated by a day, seeing as I was unsure of when you started and could only go after its appearance. Therefor I lost my chance to hand it over to the Headmaster."

Snape had been pacing back and forth while he spoke. When he came to an end with his story, he stopped and gave Hermione a meaningful stare.

"Enough of this for today, I think. But always remember, Miss Granger – I know what you are capable off."

He let the words hang in the air for a moment, making sure to get the meaning of his words clear. She nodded carefully, her stare quite determined. He turned to leave, but just as he was about to disappear out the door, he paused.

"Double the recipe, Miss Granger. Madame Pomfrey informed me last evening that she is almost out the potion in question. Should you need me, you will find me in the usual classroom. But make sure you only need me for emergencies."

And with that he left. Hermione exhaled sharply when the door was closed. She hadn't even been aware of that she had been holding the air in. There could only be three explanations as to why Snape had just told her all of that. Either he was just reminding of her of not to steal from him again – he had been nice about it last time, but this time he would not show her mercy. Or he could have been trying to convey that he knew that she was capable of doing anything – even stealing from a teacher – to be able to get truthful information. Or perhaps he was simply reminding her that she had been able to brew a extremely difficult potion when she was just twelve years old. She wondered if Snape had felt the doubt in herself and had wanted to reassure her that she was capable of doing this.

Hermione sighed as she got to work. She remembered the potion recipe very clearly, so she knew it wouldn't be too hard for her to get it done. Letting her instincts kick in, her mind wandered to her problems. Starting tomorrow, she would be have to start living on edge again, because Ron would now know where she was. She couldn't believe that it had just been two days since her flight, it felt much longer than that. The last two days she had felt safe, that Hogwarts was her sanctuary, and knowing that Ron could pop up at any moment was bad news for her nerves.

She wondered how everyone would react when they found out she was at Hogwarts as the apprentice of Severus Snape. Sure, they wouldn't be surprised that she was working on her Potions degree, but they would be very, very surprised that she was at Hogwarts now, and hadn't even told anyone about it in advance. She was mostly worried about how Harry would react. Even though the relationship between him and Snape had been somewhat mended over the years, they usually tried to ignore each others presence as much as possible. However, whenever they spoke, they were civil and even showed the other respect. But that didn't mean that Harry would like or even accept that she was under the watchful eye of the greasy old bat. Although, she did have to admit that there was nothing greasy about Snape's hair nowadays. Perhaps he had time to take proper care of it now, just like she had time to tame the wild bushiness of her own hair these days.

Around noon, the potion had to simmer for an hour before it was complete. It was right before this that Hermione realized that she could not permit Harry to find out about her being at Hogwarts through the Daily Prophet. Pacing back and forth, she wondered where Professor Snape would be at this time. As if on cue, the door opened and in came said Potions Master.

"Oh, Professor Snape, thank Merlin you're here!" she exclaimed.

Snape looked startled and gave her an odd look before turning to glance at the potion.

"There does not appear to be anything wrong with the potion, Miss Granger," he stated.

Hermione looked confused.

"What? Oh, no, there isn't," she said dismissively. "I know I am probably asking for a lot, but I really need to be excused for a moment."

Snape gave her an icy glare.

"And pray tell; Miss Granger, why must you be excused at this precise moment?"

His tone was cold and if Hermione hadn't been so panicked she might have registered the warning. Now she just plowed on instead.

"I need to tell Harry why I am here in person. I can't let him find out through the Daily Prophet, I just can't. I know he usually eats lunch in his room, so he is most likely still there. Please, let me go, Professor! Please," she begged him, her plead so heart-wrenching that Snape felt... something stir within hi.

He just appraised her for a moment and when he couldn't find a reason to refuse her request, other than out of pure malice, he sighed in defeat.

"Go," was all he said, his eyes downcast.

Hermione didn't waste any time. She sprinted down the hall to her room, knowing that the fireplace in her quarters would be sufficient to call Harry. If she remembered correctly, she had managed to grab the small bag of floo powder before she left the apartment and stuffed it in the bottom of her bag. She rummaged through the duffel bag, and just as she had thought, the blue bag of floo powder was in there. Throwing a handful of the green powder in the fireplace, she yelled "Harry Potter, room 14, Auror Academy!"

"Hermione!"

To be continued...

AN: Sorry for the short chapter! I just had a really hard time writing this chapter for some reason. I promise to make it up to you next time. =)