Disclaimer: The same as the previous chapters.
Chapter 56
"Severus, Minerva, I didn't wish to keep you both in the dark, about Miss Heskin…" Astrid tried apologizing.
Snape allowed McGonagall to assure the Healer," Astrid, I take it, you were acting according to Ablus's wishes. He never spoke about Adriana. But I am sure, deep down he blamed himself. The fact that Abe too hated him, made him a reclusive of sorts. He might have shifted his whole focus into running the school, but I have been friends with him for a long time. I know he had been sorry, for letting things happen in a way they shouldn't have," she looked at Snape and grew quiet.
"Healer Norman, did Dumbledore know about my involvement with this ward all this time?" Snape asked gingerly.
Astrid smirked and replied with a question of her own," Mr. Potter, do you think it is possible for anyone to hide something from Late Albus Dumbledore?"
Harry stole a glance at both his former professors and muttered," Well, if someone was trying to outsmart him, one needed to be exceptionally good at hiding one's thoughts," he flicked his eyes at Snape and looked away.
Clearing his throat, Snape addressed Potter, "I am certain you have some news from Madam Bones." Handing him over a folded parchment, Potter hurriedly informed, "I have been asked to accompany you in this joint investigation."
An owl entered the room, dropping a small parchment on Harry's palm, it flew away. The young man read it hastily and informed the others, "The Gringotts Bank has placed an official request to the Minister of Magic to aid them with the mystery of Hermione's vault, specifically asking for both of us and Malfoy to look into the matters."
"Madam Bones knows how to act swiftly under pressure and that was a very clever move from Griphook. Though I will have to place special inquiries at the Aurors and Muggle Relations department…"
The floo connection at Norman's fireplace activated with a chime, and when the old healer waved her hand, the head of Draco Malfoy appeared among the green flames. He sounded tired and irritated," May both Zabini and I step in?"
Before both men could question the obvious Snape informed," Things are under control here, I will explain the rest later. Did you get the journal Draco?"
Twisting his face in disgust, he furnished a murky black tied up a journal and shoved it at his godfather's raised hand. The young man turned and held the mantlepiece with both his hands. Severus gave him both a shocked and disapproved look and opened the journal only to close it shut and hurl it at the floor. Zabini was leaning against the bookcase.
Trying not to laugh at the expense of his former teacher and his friend, he quipped, "Seriously Sir, when we found that journal, we were dancing on us toes thinking we won the world cup from under the Gryffindor's bloody nose, but when we opened it, Spinx Darling with practically nothing on, winked at us from the cover of an old edition of Play Wizard Monthly."
Draco groaned and managed to utter, "And My Mum and Aunt were laughing at our awkwardness. Mum managed to get hold of the real thing." Snape noticed, Harry was discreetly trying to take a look at the open magazine laying innocently at the floor, and barked, "Focus, Potter!" The young man blushed and looked away.
"Draco, what did Narcissa say?" Snape managed to ask even when his patience was growing thinner by the second.
"Mother looked up the publication date and mentioned that it came out somewhere between our sixth and seventh year. Both Blaise and I thought who could have done the switch because obviously it won't be my pervert father. Mother mentioned my engagement to Pansy Parkinson, which I declared null and void as soon as the war was over."
Minerva cut in, "Miss Parkinson? I don't think she will be behind all this, she simply does not match…"
Snape agreed, "Even I don't think she could orchestrate the whole whatever it is. She must be a pawn or an accomplice. Do you both know anyone else reading this trash?"
Draco turned and joined Blaise when Snape was shouting at Harry. Harry mumbled," Well, many of the older Gryffindor boys had them tucked under their beds or in their trunks…"
Blaise confessed, "So did the Slytherins and Ravenclaws and even the goodie boys of Hufflepuff."
Draco sighed, "Severus, it could be anyone who had access to my house, it could be Crabbe, Goyle, Theo, anyone!"
"Well, then, keep thinking, because it is clear, someone had been on this, planning this for a long time, even while the Dark Lord was alive. In the meantime, Griphook has requested through the Ministry of magic that we got involved in solving the mystery of Hermione's vault. Harry, Draco, you and I are officially going to go to the Gringotts. I would need to ask Shacklebolt to provide me with the address of Granger's residence, take no offense Minerva, this should come through the Auror and Muggle Relation's office. And at last, we will pay a visit to the Magical Creatures regulations department, perhaps somewhere after the Ministry office hours. Mr. Zabini, please make yourself available, and if Mr. Finnigan is present...where is he by the way?"
Norman smirked, "The Auror escorted my weeping intern Liza to the cafeteria for a strong cup of coffee."
Snape grimaced, "Just make sure he is there when I visit the ministry, Zabini. I would also like to go and visit the archives, Minerva, could you ask Lupin to meet us at the ministry as well. He has already been there once."
"I will definitely pass on the invitation to him," the Deputy Headmistress nodded curtly.
Harry ventured, "I can in the meanwhile arrange for the papers that will allow us to visit the Granger Residence. Sir, but why are we going there?"
Draco beat Snape to it, "Potter, while the Dark Lord was alive, he had planned an attack on the Granger residence which was led by my father. I was supposed to go, but I chickened out at the last moment. They had come back empty-handed. The entire family had vanished, and the house was empty. They did thrash about, but there were no clues as to where they went."
"If I can recollect and if this matches with the specific time you are referring to, I am certain Hermione went to Grimmauld Place or the Burrows. We were planning to go and hunt for the Horcruxes...But I will check with the muggle relations department about the Granger parents. Strange, she never said anything about it…" he had rubbed his chin and had narrowed his eyes.
Snape came and stood beside him. Tentatively he placed his hand over the young man's shoulders. It was safe to say, all the occupants were shocked to see the man display such a rare form of considerate gesture. He choked over his words, but still managed to convey," And also, because, Hermione personally asked me to go home."
Harry and Draco both jumped at that, "Sir, she spoke, she spoke, sir! She actually." Snape found his hands trapped within both the younger exuberant men's vibrating one. He couldn't help but chuckle, "Yes, she did speak. I am just covering all the grounds, here, if we go find the clues anywhere we are going to visit today, it will help us in healing Hermione faster, right?"
The younger men nodded back and had literally tried sprinting out of the door, when Healer Norman shouted, "None of you are leaving unless you all are adequately fed, Molly has already sent a basket filled with breakfast for all of us. My assistant informed me while Bill dropped this at my office, he said, he would wait for you all at Gringotts as per the manager's specific orders."