21.

Salazar's Chamber - Hogwarts - Late October 1997

Hermione slipped Salazar's locket into her jeans as she approached Severus, standing so straight, so stoic. Fate had cut a hard path for this wizard and she would be damned if he fell. Her hand slipped into his and her heart squeezed at the gentle returning pressure. Affection was so…alien to him that each act, no matter how small, wrapped around her. Warming and reassuring her.

"They took it well. Only six people tried to hex Harry."

Severus snorted. "It is a shame Salazar's magic was quite so powerful."

Hermione's mouth thinned. "Play nice!"

He leant in, his scent surrounding her and his lips briefly brushed her ear. His voice was a deep velvet rumble. "Oh, I am far from nice, little witch."

He drew back and that smile? That belonged to the devil himself.

Heat chased through her. Yes, he was a git, wasn't he? Perfect, going back into the hall with a bright flush to her face. Still…she leant into his touch as his fingers traced the warmth in her cheek. He was distracting her —and himself. She turned her face to press light kisses to his fingertips. "I know." She smirked and he drew a teasing line above the bow of her lip. Another butterfly kiss, before she stepped forward to wrap herself around him like Devil's Snare.

"Are you all right?"

"We will talk after, Hermione." His voice was a rumble under her ear. He eased back and waved for her to put on her locket again. "Come, we must share our plans for war."

"—but Harry, what about you—?"

Molly stood, close but not touching someone she considered almost another son, her arms crossed and fingers gripping her elbows, tight and bloodless.

"Mr Potter will be protected. He will not be a…sacrifice."

It was almost comical the way every head in the room snapped to the sound of Severus' voice. And more than one hand jerked to their useless wands. No, in spite of all of their reassurances, they didn't truly trust him.

Idiots.

Severus folded his arms and arched his eyebrow. There was a spark in his eye, a challenge. "Does anyone have anything to say?"

"Thank you, Severus." Minerva lifted her chin and her glasses sparked in the chamber's torch light. Her lips pressed together and she swallowed. Still there was a catch in her voice as she said, "Thank you for shouldering a burden that would've broken me."

Severus stared and inclined his head. His wand had flexed and Hermione ached to reach out and thread her fingers through his. To offer support and comfort. She scanned the gathered witches and wizards. No one else spoke up, but there was some favour there in the quiet nods and thoughtful expression, not much, but more than there had been since he'd first walked into the chamber.

Which was more than they could have hoped for, if she were honest with herself.

"Severus Snape has always been a hard man to know and understand…and therefore to trust," Salazar murmured.

That was certainly true. But Hermione would work on that. Severus Snape would be very much appreciated on her watch. The wizarding world had best prepare itself.

His gaze slid to her, the thing of a moment, but there was a hint of humour and warmth in his gaze. Bloody legillimens.

"Now if everyone would find their seats." Minerva clapped her hands and shooed them on, her voice brisk and sharp. "There is much to discuss and time is against us."

Murmurs and shuffled feet, groans as backsides hit unforgiving stone benches and then they focused on her and Harry, with covert glances at a silent and stoic Severus.

Remus sank down next to Tonks who took his hand and squeezed it. "But…and I can't believe I'm saying this," he tunnelled his fingers through his sandy hair, his face tight,"if Harry doesn't, if he doesn't…die, then Snake-Face's," he slid a quirk of a smile to Harry, "main soul, or what remains of it, is still here. Still a threat."

"Harry dying is not an option," Hermione said and ignored the narrowed look from her friend. He'd been raised for the slaughter by Dumbledore. And as she said, in some unknown way the old git benefited from it, therefore it was not happening. "We'll work to free him from the horcrux. It was what we were planning before Umbridge was foisted on us."

"Hermione—"

Hermione glared at her former professor. "Dumbledore wanted it. Raised him as his sacrifice. So no. No."

Bloody hall, dragging the truth out of her. She had to be careful. She pulled in a steadying breath and clung to the reassurances of Salazar. Why couldn't she be as immune to the place as she was to basilisk venom? What sort of Slytherin made the truth essential?

"A cunning and twisty one?"

Hermione stared at the floor to hide her smile at Salazar's murmur through her mind, before fixing her expression and looking up. "We cannot allow Umbridge into this school. Cutting her off at the knees —however pleasant an image," Molly gasped her name and more one of the Army snorted and smirked, "would achieve little. There'd be another and another pushed forward to replace her, all Death Eaters or bearing this new Mark of Loyalty, and no one at Hogwarts would be safe. We have to push to…eliminate as much of Snake-Face as we can. Right now."

Argh, she was taking over. She looked to Harry, who was smirking at her. She rolled her eyes. Yes, she knew she was bossy. Blame her ancestor.

"We have a plan." Harry tapped his sheaf of paper. "As I said before, for Hogwarts itself, the safety of the pupils and staff and for the site of our decisive attack."

He tossed the paper into the air, and a swirl of intricate magic broke it into large clear sheets. Yes, Hermione was rather proud of that spell.

"This…is Operation Rogue."