Disclaimer: I own nothing, but my thoughts of AU and OC, the rest all belong to J K Rowling. I don't have a beta, so please be merciful. Reviews would encourage this introvert writer to peep out of her literary closet. I would like to thank Moonvale for being the Beta Eyes and cleaning up this chapter. :)

Chapter 4

Minerva watched Snape from the corner of her eye and could tell, even if the man was sitting as still as an alabaster statue, he was worried and agitated. She could distinctly remember Snape had neither acknowledged nor complained about Hermione Granger during her 8th year at Hogwarts. The very mention of her name would unsettle him. The Scottish witch knew deep down the Slytherin Headmaster valued Granger and regarded her highly.

Staring at the dancing flames of the fireplace, she recalled how Granger had dragged her to the Hogsmeade Inn weeks after the battle to meet a Japanese traveler.

"Professor, this is Kokoro no masutā, Yūkan'na sō. He has recently retired from Mahoutokoro, the Japanese Wizard School at Minami Iwo Jima. A few weeks back, I had owled him about Professor Snape's health conditions. I might have mentioned in detail his falling mental condition. Master Yūkan'na sō has arrived today without prior notice…I wasn't expecting…" Granger grew quiet when the traveler smiled at the Transfiguration professor and bowed.

In a raspy voice, Yūkan'na sō addressed, "Madam, forgive me for arriving at Hogwarts unannounced, but this fine lady's letter was too powerful to ignore. Headmaster Severus Snape might have earned recognition for his contribution to the field of potions. But for scholars like myself, who practice the magic of the mind, he is nothing less than a celebrity. It would be my privilege and honour to help him recover. I truly don't wish for anything in return. Like Miss Granger insisted, we should really focus on helping him regain his mental strength. Poison works in strange ways but all evil forces fail in front of a man's will. Severus Snape has shown that he is indeed capable of nurturing great willpower."

Minerva had hesitated in the beginning, but the sagely monk had eased her worries, "In order to become a master of one's mind, one has to tread through both the murky waters of tempting dark magic and to burn and cleanse simultaneously in the light of pure magic. The Headmaster's extensive knowledge in the fields of potions, defense arts, Patronus, and transfiguration is indeed unparalleled."

The deputy Headmistress had fumbled with this new information. Yūkan'na sō grinned at her and produced several journals from his satchel. As the two Gryffindors flipped through the papers, their faces sharing an air of disbelief, the monk surmised, "Ravenson Sage is a funny name he had picked up. But I will value talent more than political affiliation, especially when it comes to Severus Snape's alias Ravenson Sage."

Indeed, the Japanese monk had salvaged Snape and his brilliant mind. After ten weeks of long sessions, the teacher had left Hogwarts leaving a cryptic message for the Gryffindor Head of House. "It was an honour indeed to save the mind of the brightest wizard of Britain and it was also an honour to watch how his protégé, the brightest witch of the age, toiled single-handedly to help her mentor in all possible ways. Hogwarts will forever be indebted to both of them and so will I."

Meanwhile Severus was also thinking of those excruciating hours he had spent trapped on his hospital bed, too weak to move even a muscle. Every time those whitewashed doors of the infirmary flew open; he would expect it to be the Aurors. But those law enforcement wizards and witches never turned up in those tiresome ten weeks.

Potter had come also and so had a few of the Weasleys. A few of the nights, he found Remus Lupin sitting by his side on a transfigured armchair, pensively staring out into the night. Neither said a word when just a nod would suffice. He had later learned, from a chattering Poppy, how the werewolf had avenged his wife's death. Fenrir Greyback had torn up Nymphadora right in front of the former dark arts professor's eyes. The pent-up sheer fury had made Lupin transform and shred the supporters of the dark lord with equal brutality. Along with Fenrir, several other werewolves had died at the hands of one grieving Remus.

Nightmares would keep Snape company the most. Those nights, the curtains were drawn over the windows. He could sense a presence beside him. Someone would wet his lips with water-soaked cotton or make sure to rid the sweat breaking out on his face. He hated this incapacitated state. Care or even the slightest display of it was foreign to him. But he was too weak and too frightened to push away those gentle touches.

Sometimes he would feel soft and small fingers stroking his hair when he would toss and turn; caught in the throes of nightmares which were mostly of Nagini biting him, Bellatrix slicing him or the Dark Lord roasting him in Fiendfyre.

Surprisingly, he never saw Hermione Granger. He dared not ask after the girl. It seemed everyone was trying their best not to mention her. It was as if the girl had simply vanished from the surface of the earth. Her disappearance was so sudden that the slowly recovering patient felt wary of the whole affair. A new sensation he just could not acknowledge, fathom, accept or even approve of. Among all those people watching over him, while keeping their respectable distances, only those changing small bunches of baby's breath greeted him with a homecoming familiarity.

The alarm embedded in his wards went off as soon as the floo connection to his office was activated. Both occupants of the room clustered before the green flames as soon as Neville Longbottom's young face materialized.

"Mr. Longbottom? What news…"

"Headmaster, Madam, if you would permit, Harry and Malfoy are willing to discuss the present situation with you. May we all come through? I know it is quite late, but the current situation is indeed…"

The astute Headmaster stood up immediately and stepped back a little. His baritone voice rang through the room. "Mr. Longbottom, walkthrough and do bring in Potter and Draco with you."

Within moments three young men, two with black and one with blond hair, stepped in; their presence throwing new shadows around the room.

"Good evening Headmaster, Deputy Headmistress", Draco Malfoy, regal and sure, dipped his head in greeting.

While Neville stood aside looking pensive and worse for wear, Harry Potter finally succeeded in brushing off the soot and greeted his former professors with subdued salutation. His voice was raw and pained.

"The news is rather worrying…" the Boy- who-Lived-Twice broke off.

Sensing his childhood nemesis' hesitance, Draco walked forward and stood in front of the quiet Headmaster. "Sir, it is a shame if they need to kill her. I don't quite believe in their speculations but the charts are screaming fatal threats. They can't even approach her. Her magic is erratic and violent, lashing out at anyone who dares to go any closer…"

Finding some strength at last, Potter had walked past Draco and took hold of Snape's hands. He pleaded like a child, "Please sir, Hermione is like family to me. A sister I never had. Please, help her. Save her."

Confused and bewildered at such a display of wild emotions, Snape had shot worried glances at Minerva, who tried to bring some order, "Gentlemen, why don't we just sit down..."

Draco, now standing beside a weeping Potter, urgently said, "You are the only wizard in Britain who has mastered the art of legilimency and occlumency and we know how powerful you are. Healer Norman thinks we can give it a try. We just need to find a way to break through her rogue shields…"

"You must at least try. You owe her a life debt." Draco's words finally forced him to just follow their lead. His godson had rocked his world by nailing a single sentence right there in the middle of his already racing heart,

Severus had started shaking his head, unable to make head or tails of the whole situation. An intuitive and decisive Minerva was able to grasp the gravity of the crisis at hand. She implored, "For me, Severus, please!"

Kokoro no masutā (Japanese) – master of mind

Yūkan'na sō (Japanese)- brave monk

I took the help of Google translate, I might be wrong. Any corrective suggestion would be of great help.