Just as Severus and Hermione were heading back into the castle, a tawny owl screeched overhead the pair. Hermione instantly looked up, and took a moment to admire the owl's extensive wing-span before noticing a single stone-colored envelope dropping from the animal's sharp black beak. The owl flew off silently, leaving the envelope to drift quietly down towards the Earth below.
The two figures stopped walking, and Severus opened his hand in front of him, accepting the piece of parchment dropping carelessly from the sky. Hermione watched as Severus' eyes narrowed.
Hermione looked at Severus. Moments passed between the two before Hermione frowned and spoke to the man next to her.
'What is it?' Hermione softly inquired.
Severus folded the note in his hand, and dropped the appendage by his side. He turned his gaze towards Hermione, a worried look upon his sallow face.
'Helen Crawford has gone missing,' Severus stated matter-of-factly, the slightest bit of concern heard in his deep voice.
Hermione swallowed and remained silent. She felt her stomach drop to her knees. Just a short while ago, she was in the woman's house, sharing a cup of tea with the sweet Mrs. Crawford. The thought of something bad happening to her made Hermione physically ill, not to mention entirely responsible.
'Where…where do you think-' Hermione stammered, but was immediately cut off.
'We must start tonight,' Severus interrupted, now looking straight in front of him at the doors to the castle. 'Tonight, you must re-learn what you have lost…what you have… forgotten. Time is running out, Hermione…' The potions master looked at her with dark eyes, behind them a hint of worry.
Severus began walking towards the doors of the castle, as Hermione quickly met his stride. Together, the two of them headed inside the old building, Snape a few paces ahead of his counterpart.
Hermione followed Severus silently down the marble steps, finally arriving into the depths of the castle. The smell of mildew, dirt, and burning wood flooded the young woman's nose. Such familiar smells from long ago. The two eventually stopped in front of a terribly worn-looking wooden door. Severus reached for his wand and with a flick of his wrist, opened the door, its hinges creaking in the echo of the deserted hallway.
Severus walked into the potions classroom, Hermione following silently behind. With a flick of Snape's hand, sconces on either side of the room lit, allowing forth a bit of dim light for the pair to see. Hermione passed cauldrons, benches, and various albeit familiar bottles and flasks as they hurried into Severus' quarters, located adjacent to the classroom.
Hermione stopped short once entering into the Potions Master's quarters. She watched as Severus went over to a bookshelf, taking hold of a slender case that sat idly on one of the shelves. He opened the case carefully, briefly looked down at its contents, and closed his eyes. Opening them, he turned around, and strode towards the young woman. Without a word, and with Hermione's wand in his hand, he held the piece of wood out to her.
Hermione's mouth formed a tight line. She swallowed hard, and stood looking for a few seconds at her old wand. Slowly a clammy hand picked up the slender object as Severus turned her back on her, walking towards the bookshelf once again.
'Here. You will read these. I have no doubt that you will finish them in a moment's time. This one is of special importance due to the fact that….' Snapes voice trailed on as Hermione was silently lost in thought. She averted her eyes to glance at her wand, a slight feeling of electricity pulsating throughout her arm. It was definitely hers. On one hand, she knew deep down that this moment would come ever since she discovered that her wand was still intact.
And while looking down at the piece of wood, Hermione's thoughts shifted once again, this time to the thought of Helen Crawford.
Hermione knew it was her fault that the sweet woman was missing. Her fault that she might even be…but Hermione could not bare the thought. It was a horrible thought, one that left the young woman very much worried. Hermione wasn't stupid – she knew that Helen Crawford's disappearance was no accident; that much was certain. Suffice it to say, Hermione felt more than responsible for the latest circumstances that have managed to present themselves…
As Severus turned back towards Hermione, he plopped four hard-covered books in her arms. She could see that one of them had binding that was literally held onto by a single thread. The one on the bottom was missing the back cover. Hermione looked up at the man standing before her.
'Read them. Learn from them,' he commanded her. 'You have a limited amount of time to relearn your teachings. I assume you will have no trouble with the text,' he added, a touch of smugness in his voice.
Hermione was lost in thought once again about the disappearance of the kind old woman. As her fingers gently brushed across one of the indented titles of a textbook, she nodded absentmindedly, and she turned around to exit the room.
Severus's eyes narrowed.
'Miss Granger,' he bellowed, '-have you heard a single word I said to you?' he added matter-of-factly. 'Or was there something else you wanted to discuss,' he added with a raise of his eyebrows. Obviously, she was in great thought about something.
Hermione stopped in her tracks, and looked up. She turned around slowly. The young woman began to open her mouth about Miss Crawford, but shut it quickly. And then she did something else that, to put it mildly, annoyed the hell out of the person standing opposite her.
Hermione averted her eyes when she faced the Potions Master.
She knew he was a superb occlumens. Looking him in the eye would subject her to even further inquiry and likewise she would be responsible for an appropriate answer. The last thing Hermione wanted was for another opportunity for her to explain her thinking, her rationalizing, and her judgment, whether it be good or bad.
Nonetheless, Hermione smiled a small smile, and nodded her head.
'Good night, Professor. And…thank you,' she added quietly, as she quickly turned back around and exited through the door out into the damp, dark hallway. Hermione stopped and outside the door. She looked down at the frail, albeit cumbersome books in her grasp and sighed.
…It would be a long night…
The young woman made her way up the marble steps of the castle. Each purposeful step echoed throughout the deserted hallways. The old building was silent and still this evening. Unlike tomorrow. Tomorrow, would be a much different story…
The last thing the young Doctor thought about before letting the last book slip from her warm fingers upon the wooden floor, was that the next day would bring some form of organized chaos about the castle. Likewise, she held the same thought when she awoke in the late morning. It would be an emotional day, to say the least.
Hermione quietly sat on the side of her bed, the springs of her mattress groaning ever so gently with her movement. The young woman yawned and began to rub the sleep out of her eyes. After stretching out her upper torso, she inhaled and exhaled deeply.
Today is not going to be a easy day, Hermione thought to herself.
As the young woman sat upon her bed, she stared at the floor and found herself lost in thought for the millionth time that week.
Things have gotten so…very strange, she thought. One minute, I was going home to nothing, and then a…a single piece of paper changed everything. A single visit. And everything changed…forever…Hermione continued to stare at one of the wooden planks in her floor. …And tonight, there will be even more changes…the students will come, their year will begin, and so…so will mine…
As of this very evening Hermione would become Madame Pomfrey's newest assistant in the hospital wing. In one aspect, the young Doctor was optimistic at the prospect of caring medically for the students at Hogwarts. On the other hand, she was terrified. The spells, the incantations – yes, Severus did give her a book to freshen up her spells and whatnot, and indeed she had remembered the majority of spells used for healing and such, but…but to put them into practice was…well…
…Hermione quickly remembered the last time she had used her wand.
She had all intentions of ending her life with her wand that evening. Funny how she was now going to be using the piece of wood to heal others…
Thinking back to that night, and all the events that transpired prior and subsequent to that evening, Hermione found herself growing nauseous and lightheaded. She frowned and placed a hand on her stomach. Rather than being…smart in treating her symptoms and fetching a warm cup of tea and crackers, she immediately willed her body to jump back into bed and burrow herself under the covers. And that is exactly what the young woman did.
'Mione?',..
The young woman laid with her eyes closed, and listened. She thought she had heard someone calling out to her, but she could not be certain. Why risk it, she thought to herself. She continued to lay in bed, not moving a single inch.
'Mione, wake up…' a male voice gently called out to her.
Hermione took two hands and peeled the warm blue blanket from upon her face. She squinted briefly trying to identify the figure in front of her, but she quickly recognized both sound and body.
Harry stood by her bed. He was dressed in…dress robes?
Hermione frowned.
'Oh shit,' she thought to herself. If by instinct, she turned towards her clock. It read 4:45 PM. The feast, she thought. Had she missed it? Had she really slept that late?
Hermione whisked off the covers and turned her body quickly towards the edge of the bed. With a single scoot, she had her feet plopped on the floor and planted herself on the ground. Rising quickly, she stood face to face with Harry.
She took a quick moment to look at the person in front of her. Scanning his entire length, she allowed herself to admit that he did look quite handsome this evening. And then he smiled his goofy smile at her, his green eyes lighting up at her awakened figure.
'They will be here soon…the students,' he added, still continuing to grin at her. 'You…did you still want to go down to the hall? I would understand if…if you didn't want to, but we would love for you to be there…I would really like for you to be there…' he added, almost appearing shy at beckoning her presence this evening.
Hermione smiled slightly.
She had made up her mind hours ago that she would go to the welcoming feast. As much as she didn't' want to go…as much as it would bring back memories of so long ago…they invited her to be there. And, if there's one thing Hermione always told her patients, it was better getting things over with if you just confronted them. Like a band aid. Just rip it off, because taking your time would be so much more painful…
'I need to shower, Harry. And I need to get dressed. Save me a seat, will you?' she asked softly, as she began to make her way across her bedroom to the bathroom.
Harry continued to smile.
'Of course, Mione. I…I'll save you a seat. No worries!' he added, a mixture of both joy and relief in his voice.
Hermione nodded slowly and giving him one last look, she closed the bathroom door behind her with a soft click.
A fresh bar of soap later, a few bobby pins here and there, and a pair of heels that Hermione despised for their lack of auditory discretion, the young woman found herself ready to face the music.
She walked towards her door, opened it, and shut it quietly behind her. Pausing a moment to regard her decision, and even for a moment relishing the notion of faking an illness in order not to attend, she willed herself to let go of the old doorknob and turned to make her way down the hall and onto the main staircase.
Pictures and portraits greeted her on her way. There were salutations, greetings of warmth and welcome, and there were also whispers, which incidentally made Hermione even the more subconscious given her evening attire. Sure, it had been years since she had dressed for a special occasion, but surely there was nothing even remotely special about her looks. At least that is what she believed.
Hermione reached the foot of the stairs just as the Headmistress was coming out of the Great Hall to fetch the students at the entrance to the castle. She stopped in her tracks, her sealed lips forming a warm smile upon her face. The older woman thought back to when Hermione was a little girl, how she looked in her Hogwarts uniform, and now…now that little girl had obviously grown into a beautiful, intelligent young woman. Minerva was proud to say the least. The Headmistress nodded towards Hermione, and the young woman in turn gave a brief smile and a small wave. Hermione turned her body towards the Great Hall, closed her eyes and with a deep inhale and exhale, turned the corner to enter the Hall.
The first thing Hermione saw when she entered the Hall, was the professors and guests already seated at the head tables. They were talking amongst themselves, providing most welcomed background chatter. As she continued her way down towards the table, her focus was on the wooden tables and benches on either side of her, the fireplaces that were blazing, and the night sky within the castle's ceiling, lit with floating white candles of all shapes and sizes.
As Hermione approached the tables, she took notice that there was an empty seat between two individuals. Seeing as if this was the only seat left available, she walked up two steps towards the platform upon which she would be seated. The two men on either side of her seat stood in unison, allowing her to pass. She nodded to them silently, and sat down in the golden plush chair that was reserved for her. Neither of the men spoke, but continued to discreetly stare at her. The young woman, obviously oblivious to their gazes, continued to scan the room and placed her view once again on the ceiling.
Hermione felt slightly nauseated once again. She had a slight headache. An at least for the moment, she did not want to engage in conversation. At least not right now.
This was fortunate for either man seated beside Hermione. For both instantly found themselves speechless when they saw her walk down the aisle.
As soon as she entered into the Hall, Severus felt his heart quicken.
She was breathtaking…
He remembered seeing a wedding photo of her in her home, but it paled in comparison to what he viewed this evening. She had on a burgundy gown, long sleeves, a v-neckline, which displayed a beautiful dark colored necklace upon her exposed flesh. There was just the slightest hint of beading on the satin fabric which was emphasized by candlelight.
Severus did not take his eyes off of the woman.
She was stunning…
He watched her as she viewed the décor of the Great Hall, clearly reminiscing about the last time she had entered the room. A hint of sadness coupled with nostalgia enveloped her face, and it made her look even more beautiful. Severus felt his mouth go dry, and was thankful that she appeared less than interested in holding a conversation as she sat staring next to him.
Harry spoke first.
'Mione, you look…you look amazing,' he said, a wide grin on his face as he admired his friend next to him. Hermione looked at him, absentmindedly reaching up her hand and placing a stray curl behind her ear as she felt her face grow flush.
'Oh Harry, it's just me. You know that. I found this gown in my closet. I thought…well, it was the only thing appropriate for this occasion, and I-' but their conversation was cut forth due to the sound of young voices approaching the Hall. Suddenly, Hermione was greeted with the sounds and sights of young students making their way into the Great Hall. They looked…small, she thought to herself. Rather short to be exact. There was one that had a head full of bright red curls. Another that had already spilled some form of food or drink on their school robes. And still another older student, who clearly did not adhere to the regulation skirt length that the school enforced.
The sorting ceremony began, and Hermione watched student after student sorted into their houses. One girl reminded the young witch of herself when she was younger. She had bushy brown hair, and a yielded a certain assertiveness about herself. Hermione smiled. She scanned the students in front of her, and closed her eyes.
She listened to the end of the Headmistress' speech, heard the students began to eat, the sound of silver-wear clinking, and the sound of happy chatter, full of giggles, laughter, and excitement.
And still with her eyes closed, she placed herself in their shoes. How…how carefree they were. How innocent. And these very thoughts made Hermione smile ever so gently.
Severus watched the woman next to him with great interest. Her eyes remained closed, yet a small smile grew upon her sealed lips. It suited her. He wondered what she was thinking.
Suddenly, her eyes flew open in response to a commotion at one of the tables closest to the head table. Two boys from the Hufflepuff table were in the midst of an argument, or a bet it would seem. The one was betting how many blueberries from the bowl of fresh fruit he could catch in his mouth by throwing them up in the air and catching them. Some of the other students at the table quickly became interested. The young boy grabbed a handful of blueberries, and one by one began popping them up in the air, and catching them in his mouth. While the other students looked in awe, the boy seated across from him pulled out his wand. The next blueberry the boy tossed in the air grew to the size of a pastry, and as it made contact with the boy's face, it exploded and a purplish-bluish tint grew upon his face, the contents of the blueberry splattering upon his face and new robes.
The Hufflepuff table broke out into fits of laughter. And truth be told, those professors who viewed the misuse of magic would have had some disciplinary actions for those involved, had it not been for the sound they heard coming from between Harry Potter and Severus Snape.
The moment Hermione saw the stunned expression upon the boy, his face covered in blueberry juice, she began laughing. Out loud. She put her hand on her stomach, and continued to laugh, almost doubling over. Tears formed in her eyes, as she continued to laugh at the scene in front of her. The face on the boy, it was priceless. And Hermione laughed like she hadn't laughed in years.
Severus was mentally calculating his first detention days of the new school year while watching the two boys, when his head snapped towards the direction of the laughter. He watched her double over in laughter, struggling to breathe in the midst of laughing so hard. As if she had forgotten all her worries, all her troubles, and all her sadness.
It made him smile ever so slightly, and greatly warmed his heart. And suddenly he had a thought that he knew to be true:
…Her laughter was perhaps one of the most beautiful sounds in the world…