FYI: Several weeks ago I was diagnosed with diabetes which has affected my eyes but I was able to update this story by having reding glasses over my regular prescription glasses. Please excuse any mistakes. Enjoy!
Chapter 4
In a split second, Hermione's whole world righted itself. She found herself, once again standing opposite Severus Snape. A very eager looking Severus Snape. Only, it wasn't a young Severus Snape. It was the Snape of her world, At least, she hoped to hell it was!
"Domina," he exclaimed, rapidly approaching her. "Finally. What news of the Granger girl? I thought perhaps you were angry with me and so refused my request to be heard."
This, this was continued craziness! His tone was pleasant, almost reverent. With her… Hermione Granger! He hated Hermione Granger with a passion usually reserved for Harry! It was obvious that she was still in Ivy Peverell's form, so could she really fault him on making a mistake? Still, the way he gazed at her. It was full of longing and hope and it was an expression she didn't ever expect to see on the man, making it doubly weird and uncomfortable.
"Professor," she greeted him tentatively.
He stopped. Understanding and disappointment warring in those black eyes of his. "Miss Granger," he replied briskly. "Are you well?"
Looking around, Hermione surmised that she must be in Snape's personal rooms at Hogwarts. It wasn't a large room, but the addition of a sizable mirror hanging across from her reflected back, making the dimensions of the room seem more so. Books were stacked on tables and haphazardly on the floor. Several were opened and clearly she'd interrupted whatever research he had been engaged in.
Lips trembling, Hermione answered, "I'm not sure. I was about to duel..."
Uh, this was awkward. She doubted very much she should tell him that she'd been about to kick the arse of a younger Snape from another dimension. That would be far too odd and he probably wouldn't believe her anyway.
"Were you injured in any way," he demanded, a question which took her off guard. I mean really, Snape asking after her well-being? Had she exited one Twilight Zone only to have entered another? "Quickly, Miss Granger as I have no idea how long you will remain here."
Nodding she said, "I'm okay, but strange things have been happening. Have you managed to bring me home?" Merlin, if he had, no matter what Harry or Ron thought, this wizard would have her undying devotion for the rest of her years.
Shaking his dark head, he disappointed her by saying, "I'm afraid not. You are but an apparition in this world. We must take this time to discuss what is happening in the universe you presently reside."
Dark blue eyes widened and Severus felt a pang of longing, she was as beautiful as his long-held memories recalled. She walked his dreams regularly, but this was the first time he had seen her so corporeal, so real. No matter his feelings, this was not his Domina; not yet. Hermione Granger was trapped in a world not her own, and he must assist her to the best of his abilities while still holding true to his task. Both worlds depended on it.
"You know?" She asked, eyes narrowing dangerously. "How the hell did I get here? How do I get back?"
"It was necessary, Miss Granger. As you have already surmised, you are in a totally different dimension where certain things may appear unusual to you." She snorted. Ignoring it, he continued. "How long have you been there?"
Brow furrowed, Hermione said, "Ivy Peverell has been with the Potters for over a week, but I've been this Ivy person for almost two days."
On eyebrow shot up. "Interesting," he intoned quietly. "You have been gone only hours here. It is as I suspected, time is moving differently between our worlds."
"Professor," she snapped angrily. "Why is this happening? Did you do this?"
The man hated her, sure but to intentionally send her to an unknown world as revenge? Not even he would be so vindictive.
He surprised her by saying, "You hold Lucius Malfoy's wand." Good. Things were happening just as was foretold, although the part where she would appear to him with this knowledge had not been known to him.
"Yeah, what of it," she demanded, eyes flaring with impatience. "This Lucius Malfoy is just as much as a pompous idiot as ours. Even had the same snake-head handle, talk about lack of imagination."
"Focus, Miss Granger! The top of his walking stick holds his wand. It is silver, crafted by Goblins and infused with great power. You must make sure of its keep it safety until the appointed time."
"Appointed time," she echoed nervously. "I need information, Professor and believe me, it is in short supply here except for that damned cryptic voice in my head. After what she just did, I don't trust her a whit!"
"She," he inquired. "Tell me of this voice."
Throwing her hands up in exasperation, Hermione said, "She talks to me in my head and her advice? Not so good. Then, there's Tilly who does know that I am not this Ivy Peverell, but is keeping it to herself. I mean, come on! I'm as far from a Pure-blood as they come and definitely not associated with the House of Peverell, yet Tilly keeps telling me that I'm marked by one of the Founding Houses!"
His gaze zeroed in on her hip, which shook Hermione to the core. He knew! Knew about her scar, or mark or whatever the hell it really was. What else did he know? The man seemed unsurprised by the turn of events that had led her to another world.
Pointing a finger at him, she accused bitterly, "It was you! You sent me here! Why? To get me out of the way? I thought you were on our side! Do you want Voldemort to take over the Wizarding World? Have you duped us all?!"
"Stop, child."
Hermione groaned. Not this again! Snape completely floored her when he dropped to his knees, whispering in reverent tones, "Domina."
"Rise, Severus. There is no need to subjugate yourself before me. We are friends of old."
"What the bleeding hell is going on?" Hermione demanded even as she felt the rush of disapproval at her language.
Ignoring her question, Snape rose to his feet, his expression one of immense love, his normally pasty face illuminated to the point of beauty. "I can see you," he breathed. "All of you."
"You are the first, Severus. The very first to witness this monumental step toward reunion. This child has opened herself to the magic in all, thus enabling us to converse more freely. She will need educated by each and every one of you, just as the sleeping heiress will need education by Hermione. Do you understand, my acolyte?"
"Yes," Severus said with great reluctance.
"There was a time, my acolyte where your love and devotion toward my James was boundless. Can you not transfer those feeling to his heir, not for my sake but for your own?"
Severus grunted, before saying bitterly, "He taunted my youth. Made my life miserable in countless ways. He and that irritating mongrel, of his. In this time and place, he has been my enemy. All of them have and you ask me to forget all of that?" Inhaling deeply to settle his emotions, he continued, "Still, if it is your wish that I do so, then I will try. I obey all of your orders, Domina."
Wow, Hermione thought. Who was this woman who held the fate of so many and was able to convince Snape to at least attempt to befriend the Marauders and Harry. Extraordinary sadness engulfed Hermione, she almost buckled under the force of it, and she could tell that Snape felt it too as his face twisted into an expression of pure agony.
"I have no wish to force your hand. It grieves me most desperately for you to think otherwise. I would release you of this bond which you find so burdensome if it were in my power to do so."
"I meant no disrespect to you or the bond," Snape hastily assured her. "I am merely pointing out, that they make it difficult to co-exist in harmony."
"Do you not also make it difficult? I see your heart, my acolyte. I know your pain, the loss you have suffered." Snape stiffened and it didn't take a genius to figure out that she meant Lily Evans.
"All have suffered in this world, you know this. My bright Star has lost family and friends… years of his life, tortured and broken in body and spirit. My Knowledgeable One, scarred and forever poisoned by that monster's venom; doubting himself when he should not. James' heir, treated poorly by those who should have loved him. Made to reside with child abusers at the whim of a doddering old fool! Lucius, forced into an erroneous belief that others are lowly and tainted in blood, beaten for speaking his own thoughts, rebuked and reviled as a child until conforming was his only salvation. Now tell me truly, my whatever, have you not all suffered in various ways?"
"You shame me," he muttered sadly.
"Such is not my intent," she assured him. "I will not hold you to the bond although we both know that to refuse its call is perilous. I would not have you be an unwilling slave as you have been to Dumbledore. All of mine have been enslaved by that horrid man in one way or another."
Hermione started. What? Enslaved?
"Yes, child. You heard me correctly. Dumbledore has his own agenda and none of it bodes well for yours nor mine."
"Harry thinks he's a great man," Hermione exclaimed out loud, angry. "He's done so much for him, for us."
Snape's laugh was hollow. "Miss Granger, you would do well to not believe everything that wizard has to say. Despite what Mister Potter thinks, Dumbledore is not infallible. In fact, he is wily and manipulative in ways you have no concept of and if you do manage to contact him from where you are, it would be best that you not inform him of all that is transpiring between the chosen ones in both dimensions."
"Why should I believe you," Hermione bit out waspishly."You've been nothing but a massive thorn in Harry's side, and mine, since First year, and now you expect me to believe that you have our best interest at heart?"
Severus controlled the urge to roll his eyes and it was a hard won victory. "Use that brain of yours, Miss Granger. Think of all that has, up to this point, transpired. Do you honestly think that the supposed most powerful wizard in our world couldn't have found a way to keep Potter safe without leaving them with his abominable relations? Start there, girl then work your way through your Hogwarts years and then tell me that man has Potter's or your best interest at heart."
For a moment, Hermione was struck dumb. It went against everything she believed in to now put her faith in Professor Snape, of all people. Yet, there was no denying his argument held merit. She hadn't thought too hard on it before, and maybe she hadn't was because she was afraid of what the outcome would have been.
Couldn't Harry had been kept safe at Hogwarts? It was supposed to be impenetrable, after all. He could have been taken out of the country to an unplottable location and placed with a magical family of little renown, and therefore out of Voldemort's reach? The Order could have ignored Dumbledore, whose opinion carried far too much weight now that she was thinking about it. There could have been many options open to Harry and his well-being, yet he'd been made to stay with the Dursleys. The Dursleys!
People who hated anything remotely magical. People who starved him. People who used him for slave labor. People who kept him under the stairs in a closet even though they had a spare room. People who didn't know squat about magic leaving Harry in ignorance. People who punished Harry when accidental magic presented itself, and poor Harry had no idea what was happening or why!
Had they all been utterly blind from way back to when the first Order had been created? Sirius in Azkaban without a trial when surely Dumbledore could have made sure he would have been treated fairly. Death-eaters had been given more consideration than Sirius! Remus who was encouraged (forced) into joining wolf packs to gather information, losing trust in Sirius and, vice-versus, in the process; the closest of friends torn asunder!
Holy Hell! Professor Snape was right! There had been various other methods that could have been employed on Harry's behalf when he was a baby. Thinking on events at Hogwarts up until now, would have to wait because she was already furious enough with Dumbledore. Furious, and sad. The trust they held in the man had been a lie. How was she going to convince Harry of that fact when she returned. If she returned.
"You are beginning to see the truth of the matter, child. I wish your trust had been placed in more worthy hands."
Even though this voice, this woman had her own agenda, Hermione believed her on this point unequivocally. "What should I do? Harry needs to be told."
"Have no fear. The time of James' heir to know all is approaching. He will need to put his faith in others such as Severus, if he so chooses to remain with me and the other Bonded Ones."
"No offense," Hermione replied honestly, "but there is no way Harry is going to believe a word that comes out of Professor Snape's mouth."
"Understandable," the voice agreed. "He does, however, hold you and your opinion in high regard. It will be your task to show him the way."
Hermione snorted, "Are you kidding me? I couldn't get him to calm down long enough to think through rushing to the Ministry to 'save Sirius' and I'm sure you know how well that went down. It was a trap."
"I am aware. Still, you are now open to the magic that imbues all that lives. This will assist you in convincing the boy. The Bonded ones will support you as well as the Peverell heir."
Hermione grabbed onto the one thing that was said that held the greatest meaning to her. "You're saying I will return to my own world?"
"When the time is right," she said in her usual cryptic fashion which really pissed off Hermione.
"Child, you have in your possession of a silver dagger and the wand of one of my own."
Confused Hermione said, "Sirius gave me a silver dagger for my birthday, is that the one you mean?"
"Just so."
Hermione could feel her satisfaction. "Yes, but I realized that the dagger seems to have disappeared along with my clothes when I came though the mirror. As for this wand, Malfoy offered it to me to use in my duel against…." She broke off, gaze flickering briefly to Snape. "Yes, I have Malfoy's wand."
"It is possible the blade reverted to its original owner when you traversed worlds. No matter, you shall eventually be able to retrieve it. Keep the blade safe. No one else must learn of its existence. You will need it in the upcoming days. It is integral to your way home as well as other events of great importance."
"Why can't you just tell me what I need to know," Hermione demanded, angry and frustrated. "I want to go back to my world and clearly you know how, so why can't you just tell me?"
"There are components needed for a specific spell that are not in your possession as of yet. Certain outcomes must be assured before you travel back to your world. Several of these components will come to you readily, while others will take time and cunning for their way is perilous."
Hermione's shoulders fell into a defeated slump. The voice could not send her home. She was powerful, Hermione could feel it radiating all around her, but not powerful enough. It required a spell, and Hermione was going to have to work for it. What else was new?
"What do I need," Hermione finally asked, determination written on her features.
"The dagger must be retrieved from its current owner. The cloak is in James' possession. A relic passed down from the Peverell legacy. He will need no convincing to release it unto your care."
"You must inform her of the dangers, my Domina," Snape added on, looking serious.
Oh, boy. Hermione thought. Of course there was danger involved. Wasn't there always? Tilly did mention the Dark Days and that it was happening all over again. The thought made Hermione feel even more exhausted than she already did.
"Child, in addition to the dagger, the cloak and the wand you now possess, you will need the Cup of Deliverance and the final creation of the Peverell's: the Elder wand. All of the Hallows must be united in order for the spell you seek to return you to your own line of existence."
Hermione was stunned. "The Hallows? Like in the book The Tales of Beedle the Bard? Tha… that's ridiculous! It's nothing but a story, a fable for children. They're not actually real!" Hermione noted Professor Snape's calm expression. "You don't seem too surprised by all of this."
"I'm not," he bit out succinctly. "I have been aware quite some time of the Hallows existence. I have searched but have had no success in locating them."
"There you go," Hermione pointed out with a triumphant smile, "you can't find them because they aren't real."
Rolling his eyes, Snape bit out in exasperation, "They are, Miss Granger. I've seen them in my dreams and visions. My Domina has been quite busy these last few years, but alas even with her guidance I have not been able to locate even one. I have failed her in this just as I have failed her in so many ways in this world."
Hermione had the baffling urge to reach out to the Professor to offer comfort, which was really, really weird. Still, his expression warranted comfort and compassion. He looked completely uncharacteristically distraught. It was so alien from the expression that she had been familiar with for years, that Hermione's heart was moved. Acting on instinct, she sent a small pulse of magical energy toward him.
The effect was immediate. He let out a long, pent up sigh of relief, the stiffness leaving his shoulders, and Hermione could sense the sudden peace pervading his entire being. The muscles in his face relaxed then transformed into a look of grateful bliss which shook Hermione to the deepest part of her being.
For the first time ever, she was seeing him not as a tormentor of innocent children, but as a mere wizard with weaknesses and strengths; a man with untold depths deserving of good things. Someone in need of compassion for all that he had lost and, to this day, continues to lose while fighting for 'the greater good'. Professor Snape was not evil. He was lost. He was misunderstood and he was being held captive by his guilt.
Hermione sent another, less tentative and warmer pulse of magic and watched as he slumped into it as if releasing all his cares into the hand of magic; her magic. It was a humbling and exhilarating experience. Hermione felt the power begun to well up inside, her heart aching for his situation. Her entire body was tingling and throbbing with the force of her magic and emotions.
"I forgive you," Hermione proclaimed, voice clear and ringing like a bell as a third pulse of magic shot from her, hitting him square in the chest.
Severus' eyes flew open as he staggered back, arms flung out wide under the force of her magic. It was almost as if as invisible arrow had struck him. Groaning he clutched at his chest, face twisted in a parody of anguished astonishment as Hermione witnessed with her own eyes as a pitch black, nebulous tendril began to protrude from the Professors' thorax. Hermione's brow furrowed as this tendril began to burrow back into Snape, and her first thought was an infuriated, No!
Raising her hand, palm facing forward, Hermione ordered, words echoing all around them, "The words have been said. The intent true. Release him!"
This time, with no hesitation. The darkness flew from the older man, leaving him gasping and shaking as he staggered backward, grappling to find purchase on a nearby bookcase to prevent falling into a heap on the floor.
The ribbon of black danced and whirled about in her palm. Focusing on the ribbon, she silently cast a spell and thick blue flames, not unlike the ones that had issued from the Goblet of Fire, enveloped the winding darkness. Hermione could feel the blackness momentarily fight against the will of those bright flames until finally, it succumbed to a power greater than its own.
"Well done, Daughter!"
'Well done?' Hermione mused. What had she done? Strangely, she didn't feel exhausted or even the least bit tired after such a strong display. She wasn't even taking into account that she'd done all that without the use of the wand she still held!
"You no longer need a tangible conduit to channel your magic."
"What has happened," gasped Severus, attempting to gather his wits. "Domina, what did she do to me? I feel… I feel empty," he cried fearfully. "Have I been cursed?"
"Quite the contrary, Severus. My daughter has given you a most wondrous gift. The void you are experiencing is due to her excising a small piece of the darkness your soul has been harboring due to years of torment inflicted upon this child. It has been your constant companion and therefore, you naturally attribute its departure as a loss. This false feeling will fade although you did fight to maintain its sway over you. You are as stubborn here as in the other realm." There was no mistaking the amused affection, and it was touching in an odd sort of way.
"I felt it," Hermione said quietly. "As I held it. The scorn. The anger. The pain. The hate that you were feeling toward me, but also the hate you felt toward yourself for those very same feelings. It was almost as if they forced on you, and not something you truly wanted to experience." Shaking her head, she continued with a sigh, "I don't know. It was all so very strange."
"My daughter, you have given your unreserved and heart-felt forgiveness to one of my own. You have unburdened his soul of a speck of darkness and I thank you for your generosity. He is special and worthy of your forgiveness."
"I am not," Severus disagreed strongly. "Forgive me, Domina for my dissent of your words, but I cannot allow you to absolve me so completely."
"It is not my absolution which has freed you from a portion of your long-standing malcontent. It is my daughter who has released you."
Professor Snape's gaze zeroed in on Hermione with such intensity that she felt herself shift uncomfortably. "I owe you a profound debt, Miss Granger."
"You owe me nothing, Professor," she rebutted his words with a sincerity that touched his heart.
"Then, allow me to apologize for my previous transgressions against you," he suggested solemnly. She did so with a gracious nod of her head, "Know this Hermione Granger, from this day forward I dedicate myself to you and your quest in bringing down the Dark Lord. I follow you willingly and will serve you to the best of my ability just as I serve my Domina."
A thin, golden rope of magic arose from Severus and raced toward Hermione, just as a sparkling midnight blue rope erupted from her and met his. They twined around each other, meshing in a lovely swirl of iridescent colors before whipping back to wrap around their metacarpals; painlessly fusing into the delicate skin. To Hermione's eyes, it looked like a tattoo of conjoined, exquisitely carved, ovals encircling the tiny bones of her wrist.
"I had not foreseen this event," the voice admitted. "Nevertheless, I am pleased. You have chosen to follow myself and my daughter, Severus?"
"I have," he intoned, face steadfast.
"You do this of your own free will, my acolyte? With no outside instigation?"
"I do," he repeated, fervently.
"As the words are spoken, so shall it be."
"I should never have doubted, should never have fought against the bond, my Domina. I will do my utmost to do your bidding," he promised.
"No, Severus! I am not Albus Dumbledore. I will not use you as a blunt instrument to suit my own ends! I offer opportunities and possibilities with my visions. You have chosen your path of your own free will and it will continue thus. The choices you make are your own. You are my acolyte, not my servant."
"I beg pardon, Domina," Severus quickly replied, shamed by her words of rebuke. "I am aware of the difference, but my natural inclination is to do well by you as you are my Lady of Light and to assist you is to assist the light."
"I am not angry, Severus. While it is true that I am of the Light, I have also been so much more to you. Please do not forget the intimacy of our time together in the other realm. I show those memories to you and the other bonded ones in the hope that you all retain what I also hold so dear to my heart. Do you understand, Severus?"
Hermione noted with awe the shimmering tears her Professor blinked away before saying with startling honesty, "Yes, my Domina. I recall vividly the time we spent together as merely man and woman before the duties that necessitated that we part our paths into Lady and Acolyte. While I was yours completely in that world, in this one, my heart belongs to another although my bond and vow to you, and now to Miss Granger as well, supersede my personal feelings. All that I am, will go toward the words I have spoken today in renewed support of you and of your daughter."
The very air was filled with a sense of satisfaction, tender warmth and remembered emotions. It was a tangible thing wrapping them completely in its thrall. Through Hermione's mind, brief images flashed fleetingly leaving her both curious and embarrassed by their personal nature. Professor Snape and this Entity, for lack of a better word, had been lovers in the dimension she was now trapped. This body which she inhabited, would one day be thrilled by his touch while he… he would be changed forever by the burning caresses of these delicate hands. Peverell hands.
"Are you disgusted," her Professor asked, for he had seen just as she had.
Tilting her head to the side, dark curls falling forward over eyes the shade of midnight blue, making Severus' heart clench painfully, Hermione breathed the words, "No. It feels right and true, what you shared." Severus eyes widened. "You loved each other. I can feel the intensity of it, and when it's real, there is no disgust in giving freely of yourselves. Sharing your bodies is the epitome of the pinnacle of joyous union between those who have shared everything else in the interim, and it's something to celebrate and revere."
Humbled by her answer, Severus moved closer, gazing at her with admiration and respect. "You truly are the smartest witch of your age. Wise beyond your years. Thank you for understanding so completely."
"Severus, it is time that the others be brought back into the fold. You know of those of whom I speak."
"Almost all are gathered, my Lady."
"It is not enough for you all to gather in body," she pointedly reminded him as he flinched knowing full well her meaning. "There must be a gathering of spirit. Spirit and body working with one mind. With my Daughters' generosity a dark part of you has been destroyed and as such, this should make things easier for you to be the factor which binds you all as one. My Daughter cannot return to the realm in which she was born until all is in its proper place."
"It shall be done," Severus acknowledged with a slight bow.
"I have faith in you, my acolyte."
"As do I," Hermione added before her brain caught up with the fact that sanctioning her Professor's behavior would be both weird and uncalled for.
Snape's black eyes bored into her own with an intensity to rival any snake intent on mesmerizing its prey. But, Hermione didn't feel like prey. She felt justified in her summation of his character, and for a split second, a small smile twitched at the corners of his mouth making her Professor more human in that moment than Hermione had ever been privy to in all her years at Hogwarts.
"I will do my best not to disappoint," he promised, once again giving a slight bow with her dark head, but this time to Hermione.
"It is all that we can ask of you," Hermione and the strange woman's voice replied in unison.
"Now, my Daughter, it is time for you to return and begin your quest in earnest. It is your task to find all those intended for the bonding as well as items of magical nature which will assist you. Blessed be to you both."
Hermione's world turned upside down and sideways once more, but this time it wasn't the sickening roller-coaster ride of before. Instead, she was able to maintain some sort of equilibrium as she landed back once more facing off with a younger and very determined Severus Snape, wand raised and ready for battle.