Yeah, I normally don't update on Sunday, but I got so many great reviews, you all get a bonus!
Chapter 34: Meeting at the Weasleys'
Even if the meeting with more people might go very badly, Hermione was grateful to have Remus in her corner. It was amazing how liberated she felt knowing someone beside herself was aware of her situation with Severus—the whole situation and not just the bits and pieces Ron and Harry now possessed. It was a relief knowing Remus would remind people that the information Snape had been passing was valuable, regardless of the source.
Hermione sat at the Weasleys' table a few nights later and played with the cup of tea in front of her. Molly had gone all out preparing food for the meeting, even though she had no idea what it was about. Hermione had the conversation planned and felt she had a handle on how everyone would respond. That meant she could prepare her arguments. She really hoped she knew how people would respond. Her biggest fear was that someone would hex Severus the second he walked in the door and he would change his mind about the whole thing.
Harry and Ron were in the paddock practicing their Quidditch moves, and Ginny had just gone upstairs to change before dinner. Arthur and the older boys would be in shortly from work, and everyone else was expected in twenty minutes. Working to help Molly fix the feast had worn Hermione out, and she wasn't sure how she was going to get through the next couple of hours. Her stomach was roiling at the thought of the arguments and accusations she was expecting.
The time passed too quickly and before she knew it, the kitchen was full of people talking and laughing. Everyone kept shooting looks of curiosity toward Remus, who had been the one to call the meeting.
Hermione sat on the far end of the table from the front door, next to Ginny and Fleur, her fingers tracing the top of the cup over and over.
Finally Remus stood and everyone quieted down. "As most of you know, I've been receiving information from a source within the Death Eaters. Because of this information we were able to divert certain disaster at the Muggle athletic field this spring, saving thousands of lives. Also, through later intelligence gained from this source, we saved the lives of the Longbottoms, the Creeveys and, only this morning, the Clearwaters."
Remus took several steps to the right and scanned the faces of everyone in the room. "The informant has done so at great personal risk despite the fact that he received no recognition for them, and never expected to be acknowledged for his contributions. He knows he has earned derision for some of his activities and thanks for others. He doesn't expect anything but the former from you, but we decided the time had come for him to reveal himself and to gain your trust.
"I want everyone's oath that they will allow the individual to talk. I don't want anyone to hop up and hex him as soon as the door opens. There is a story to be told and we need to hear it."
"What, is it Snape or something?" Fred joked from across the table from Hermione.
Remus stood silent until everyone's eyes were on him. "Yes. It is."
A cacophony erupted as everyone tried to shout over each other. Remus stood still, the eye of the hurricane as everyone abused him roundly for even considering bringing Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore's murderer, back into the Order.
Hermione watched everyone to see their individual reactions. Molly nearly swooned. Tonks watched the man she loved through narrow eyes, then turned to Hermione and gave her an appraising look. When Tonks lifted an eyebrow of surprise, Hermione realized the woman suspected her relationship to Severus. She also realized she should have expected Tonks to put things together with the information she held that the others didn't.
Harry and Ron stood with the twins, yelling about the loss of Remus's mind, and Harry even went so far as to lift his wand—which Hermione silently summoned to herself, gaining his glare. McGonagall's lips had formed a firm line so thin they nearly disappeared—a sure sign she was about to blow her lid. Hermione said nothing, did nothing. Like Remus, she waited.
When the first bout of yelling and abuse was past, Remus motioned for everyone to settle down. "You need to understand, he's not trying to get back into the center of the Order. He knows that is too much to ask, no matter how much he has done for us in the past few months. His actions in the spring have seated him firmly in the upper echelons of Voldemort's camp making his spying abilities better than ever. Yes, I know we're all upset by what happened last spring."
"Upset? You think we're upset he killed Dumbledore and now wants back in our good graces? Upset doesn't cover it." Harry was standing again, his face bright red from anger. "He's nothing but a cold-blooded murderer."
"Guess that's what I get for trying to be non-confrontational about it," Remus muttered, though the sound traveled clearly across the room. "The reason Albus trusted him was because Severus gave the Headmaster an Unbreakable Vow. He swore to help the Order in whatever way Albus directed him and that he wouldn't work against us."
"Well, he's still alive, isn't he? And we only have his word on that, so what makes you think he actually took the vow? Maybe he's just trying to soften you up." Charlie Weasley spoke up this time, his voice was steady even if he looked like he could chew nails.
"He's still alive because after that he was backed into making another Unbreakable Vow last summer to Narcissa Malfoy; Albus ordered him to follow through. He was forced by both vows to kill the Headmaster." Remus looked them each in the eye, ending on Hermione, though she doubted anyone else noticed.
"Again, we have only his word for it. What makes you think he's telling the truth?" Arthur Weasley spoke up this time.
"He's willing to make another Unbreakable Vow. In front of everyone here so you all know what he's agreed to. He doesn't expect us to take the word of the vow holder and bonder. Would that content you?"
Harry stood from his chair, his face red with anger. "I will not allow that evil git in this house or into the Order again. I don't know how you all can believe him, but I'll never forgive him."
Sighing, Hermione pulled out her wand and wrapped him in cords. "Settle down, Harry. If he made a vow to Dumbledore and Dumbledore ordered him to fulfill the vow to Narcissa, there were few choices left."
"I would have died first myself before killing Dumbledore."
"You both would have died if he hadn't fulfilled his vow. All three of you, most likely. And then the Creeveys, all those Muggles at the football match and Neville's family would be dead as well. Would that have been better?" Hermione hoped her defense wouldn't give her away, but she couldn't sit there and listen to the abuse. "Would you rather Colin and Neville were dead? Do you think the Headmaster considered his life to be more valuable than those of thousands of Muggles?"
Harry stood quivering with anger for a long moment. Hermione removed his bonds and with a nod he forced himself to sit. "I still don't like it. I will never trust that git again."
Conversation broke out in a buzz. Harry and Ron still wondered how they were supposed to believe the git. Ginny rolled her eyes, but merely sat back in her chair to watch the others. Most of the older people seemed open to considering the option.
"The vow would have to have a truth clause in it," McGonagall said.
"And a loyalty clause," Tonks added, then darted a surreptitious glance at Hermione again. "One that makes him loyal to the Order."
"Yes, I believe we've come up with the appropriate wording. We've spent some time going over loop holes and think we've got it about right. I have a few copies to pass out. If everyone would like to take a look at it, see if there are any objections. Severus has agreed to these terms as well."
He passed the list around, and everyone lapsed into silence for a long moment.
"What about here," McGonagall said. "It says that he will tell the person he's vowing to the truth about all of Voldemort's actions. Why only that person? Who will it be, anyway?"
"We felt it would be counterproductive to have everyone badgering him about what is going on every minute of every day. There are a lot of sensitive issues that need to be handled carefully. Not everyone should have complete access all the time. Besides," he said with a half smile, "knowing Severus, someone would get hexed eventually. This makes him accountable only to one person. And no, Fred, I don't think you're very likely to be that person."
Fred grinned and George gave him a nudge. Charlie rolled his eyes and returned his gaze to the others.
Hermione just shook her head. Fred and George would never change. As long as it wasn't one of them she had to spend the rest of her life with, she could appreciate that fact.
It seemed most people were satisfied with the terms of the vow, though there was some disagreement on whom the person should be.
When Remus seemed satisfied that no one was going to hex Severus when he came into the room, he reminded them of their oaths. One by one he walked around the room receiving a wand oath from everyone in the room. Noe back in possession of his wand, Harry hesitated, but after being reminded the oath only lasted for the duration of the evening, he accepted. Hermione wondered if he had it in mind to track Severus down another day.
Finally, Remus pointed his wand toward the door and his Patronus shot out, melted through the door and skimmed across the grass to a copse of trees near the house. A moment later, a dark figure emerged from the trees and walked toward them. Hermione could tell right off that it was Severus; the gait and bearing couldn't be anyone else. And she was surprised he stood so close to the dwelling. She felt her heart swell, knowing how difficult it would be for him—despite everyone quieting down, the anger and tension in the room were still very high. His anxiety was clear to her, and she tried to send feelings of reassurance.
These people may not shoot out of their seats ready to hex him, but there were still a few mutinous looks, and the rest were well guarded. With another swish of Remus's wand, the front door opened before Severus reached it.
Hermione hadn't seen her husband for a few days so she had to fight the urge to gasp when he appeared in the light of the kitchen, a long, partially healed gash running above his right brow. She had felt the pain there earlier that day, but it had receded so quickly she hadn't expected it to be visible still. She could see the tension in his face despite his scowl.
"So who's going to take his vow?" Harry asked when Severus stood in the doorway without speaking for nearly a minute.
"Not you, Potter, that much I promise." Severus lifted a brow and began to skim the faces around him. They passed once over the circle without pausing or expression. On his second pass he paused for a moment on Hermione's face, pursed his lips, which had the effect of making him look surlier than ever, then continued on. "If I'm going to submit to this, it must be someone with an unassailable sense of honor. Someone too impossibly Gryffindor to take advantage of the opportunity." He managed to infuse the word Gryffindor with mountains of .
His eyes passed over the crowd one more time. The fact was, most of them had been Gryffindor, though, as Remus had said, the twins didn't quite fit the description. His eyes stopped on Hermione, and she felt his trepidation and applauded his acting ability. He cocked an eyebrow and spoke with more than a little derision. "Miss Granger, perhaps you would be acceptable."
The older adults made protests about Hermione being a child, forgetting that she was now a full Order member. She knew some of them thought he picked her because he thought she could be manipulated. Hermione stood and everyone around her slowly quieted down. She maintained eye contact with Severus, held her face without expression. "I'm rather proud of my sense of honor, Professor, so thank you for the compliment."
"I'm no longer your professor, girl. And you would be proud of that trait. I have to admit in this case it is an asset." The begrudging look on his face kept his words from sounding too complimentary.
She licked her lips, allowing some of the nerves she was feeling to show. Hopefully everyone else would think she didn't want the job and was trying to convince herself to do it. "We all have something to contribute to the cause. I suppose my sense of honor isn't the most amazing gift, but I'm glad to give it."
Severus nodded, surveyed the room's furnishings with distaste, then turned to Remus and filled his voice with loathing. "I suppose we can get to this some time tonight? Tomorrow is the full moon after all."
Hermione wished he wouldn't do such a thorough job of being surly Snape.
"Kneel before me on the floor. Hermione, if you would join us." Remus gestured to a spot in front of him.
"Remus, do you think it's best? Miss Granger is so young, to be saddled with such secrets and responsibility," McGonagall gave it one last chance.
"It will be her or no one. If I walk without taking the vow, you will all lose the information I have been passing. Miss Granger may respect authority, but I've never thought her to be a pushover." Severus stared down at his erstwhile coworker, then turned and curled a lip at Hermione. "Bossy and nagging is more like it."
"We're all learning responsibility at a young age these days, Professor." Hermione looked McGonagall in the eye, and caught the woman's nod of understanding.
Severus looked back at Hermione's face, met her eyes, and took her hand in his own. She was flooded by the indefinable feeling of rightness that always came over her when they touched, and she had the thought that three days apart was too long. Far too long. How they had ever managed a week before was beyond her. Why would she ever want to when she could feel like this with a simple brush of skin?
She wondered if this was how it would feel when they were one day living together full time, if they should both live to see that day come to pass. She thought she saw the same question echoing back to her in his eyes.
Remus lowered the tip of his wand to their clasped hands, and Hermione swallowed and looked down at the parchment sitting between them so the others wouldn't know she had the ruddy vows memorized. "Will you, Severus Snape, promise to give me, Hermione, the complete truth about any activity within the Dark Lord's camp that may be of concern to the Order of the Phoenix?"
"I will."
A lick of flame shot from Remus's wand and circled their clasped hands.
"And will you vow to do your best to bring about the long-term goals of the Order until the Dark Lord is brought to an end?"
"I will."
A second jet of flame shot out to join the first. Hermione glanced at them, then returned her gaze to Severus's face.
"Do you vow to remain true to the goals and values which Albus Dumbledore envisioned for us?"
"I will."
When the last flame leaped from the wand and joined the others, Hermione felt Severus's grip tighten on hers. For the first time, she fully realized the precarious position in which he had been placed. Caught between a mad man and his soul mate, he had to fight to find his way. Remus lifted his wand, and Hermione whispered, "Wait for me in the copse."
The flames dissipated as he nodded slightly, still without taking his eyes from her.
When he pulled away, Hermione wondered if she had just done him a great wrong.
* * *
Severus joined the others at the table for a few minutes. Hermione sat next to him, asking him a few, pre-worded questions that would satisfy the people in attendance that he had, in fact, been carrying out Dumbledore's expectations, and not acting outside of his responsibility to the Order. When he'd had enough of Harry's glares and the others' questions, he stood and excused himself from the table. With a brusque goodbye to no one in particular, he headed back toward a more distant copse. Hermione didn't watch him walk away, knowing any sign of more than respect from her now would be suspect.
She only stayed perhaps twenty minutes before making her own excuses about needing a breath of fresh air and slipping away. She wandered the yard for a few minutes before heading in the general direction where he hid. When she was only feet away, however, she was joined by Harry. "Hermione, wait."
Surprised, and worried about the amount of time she was making Severus linger, anxious to be with him again, and worried about what Harry would say, she turned to watch Harry cross the last few steps. "Hermione, things are breaking up in there and, well, that vow, it put a lot of pressure on you. Didn't it?"
"Not nearly as much as it put on Snape. But yes. Did Remus talk to you? He mentioned he wanted to talk to you afterward." Hermione tried to remove the focus from herself, turn Harry's attention in another direction.
"I just wanted to say, I still hate the greasy git, and I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him. I'm sorry you'll have to have regular contact with him now, but thanks for being willing to put up with him." He took her hand in his. "You're much more than a friend to me, more like the sister I never had. I know I don't say it often enough, but I appreciate your help. I'll work on not wanting to kill the git every time I see him, if he helps us get rid of Voldemort. I think you're very brave to take this on."
Hermione sniffed a little as tears rose in her eyes. "You better get inside before you make me cry, you prat." She pulled him into a hug, then released him. "I'm grateful for you, too. Being your best friend certainly keeps life interesting." She laughed with this last statement and wiped at her eyes before the tears touched her cheeks. "Get on with you, and let me cry alone. I hate tearing up in front of others."
Harry laughed, then placed both hands on her face and turned her head down to drop a kiss on her head. "Go find your mysterious soul mate. It looks like you could use a hug."
She swatted at him as he walked away and she watched him go for a moment before turning toward the copse most people used as an Apparition point. She hadn't taken more than a couple steps into the dark vegetation before Severus wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She tipped her lips upward and he kissed her firmly.
"I about hexed him when he said you were more than a friend," Severus said as he trailed his lips along her jaw toward her hairline. "Luckily sister was his choice, or I would have had to break my vow and kill him. I'm quite certain that wouldn't fall under the auspices of looking out for the Order's long-term goals. Brilliant play on words there, my dear." He placed his forehead on hers and looked into her eyes, despite the darkness surrounding them. "I was worried you'd forget, and I'd be trapped in a hole."
"There are too many possibilities, times you might find yourself with information that the Order would be interested in, but that might compromise your job if you acted. I can't take a chance with you."
"I also noticed you only asked me to be perfectly honest with you about Order business, and not in everything. You could have made me be perfectly honest in every question you asked me for the rest of our lives." He lifted a brow at her. "How did you ever manage to control your desire to know all?"
Hermione chuckled against his neck. "I'm not sure I want to know the truth all the time. You can be a real bastard sometimes."
He laughed as well—it was one of the most beautiful sounds she had ever heard.
"Besides, I trust you to tell me the truth, remember? The vow was for them, not for me."
The sound of voices calling into the darkness, saying their goodbyes, echoed on the air. "What do you say we move this to a more private venue?"
"Good idea."
Without altering their hold on each other, they Apparated into the night.
Chapter 35: Proof of Trust
When they arrived at the cottage, Hermione was surprised to see the place had been prepared for their visit. She lifted an eyebrow at Severus, but he only smirked. "I didn't realize we had plans tonight," she said
He led her to the living room, which filled with candlelight at a swish of his wand. Soft lights at the top of the stairs beckoned through the kitchen, and he set a hand on her waist, leading her to their room. The bed was surrounded by flowers, and candles floated around while a soft evening breeze blew through the curtains.
"Prepared well in advance, I see."
He turned her and guided her into his arms. "I hoped you could be persuaded to spend some time alone with me." His lips began a trail up the side of her face, soft caresses that lulled her and drugged her senses. "Imagine my satisfaction when you asked me to meet you in the copse. I came here a few hours ago to set up, plan, fantasize." He found her mouth and seduced her with his gentleness. "Any problems with that?"
Hermione slid her arms up his back and returned his kisses. "None at all." For a long time they stood there, holding each other and enjoying simple kisses, soft caresses.
When he led her to the bed, Hermione nudged some space between them. Something wasn't quite right. Being with him always felt great, but something was bothering him, worrying him, and she could tell it was taking part of his attention. It would bother them both until they settled it. "Hold on. What's going on?"
He slid her sleeve down a bit and pressed a kiss to her shoulder, sending shivers up her spine. "Come, my pet. We have all night."
She stiffened for a moment, then forced herself to relax. The only time he called her 'pet' was when he thought he might use the memory for Voldemort. A small moment of loss, of knowing this time he hadn't prepared her for the deception, unless one considered that 'endearment' as preparation. She knew it was his preference for these kinds of memories because the dark leader saw it as possessive, even dehumanizing. She forced a slow smile and looked into his face. Then, in a low, sensual voice, she asked, "And what did you have in mind, exactly?"
He leaned in and kissed her again, his lips playing hers, but she couldn't let the knowledge that this memory was intended for Voldemort leave her mind. "Everything, my pet. I have everything in mind for us."
In a moment, she found herself on the bed, slowly sliding down on the covers until her head hit the pillow, her wild hair splaying out behind her. He stroked her face. "Do you trust me?"
"You know I do." She felt his anxiety grow and her own heart quickened in response. What did he have in mind?
A moment later, he produced two vials of liquid. One was a deep burgundy, the other a rich purple. She hated taking anything without understanding its exact properties, but she could sense now was not the time to ply him with questions. He nuzzled her ear, and his fingers worked magic on her shoulders and upper arms—it was incredible what a gentle caress could do in a completely non-sexual location.
"Take these, the red first." His finger traced her lower lip, and Hermione shuddered.
Though she could tell he was nervous, he also managed to radiate reassurance—he believed this was the right thing to do, so Hermione reached out and took the vial of red liquid, popped the cork and swallowed it down. Peppermint and rosemary flooded her mouth, and she was grateful it at least tasted decent. Then she reached for the second. This was sweet, tangy, and fruity.
A smile, so seldom employed, slid across his face, and she could sense him relaxing. There would be time to question him later. Now, she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his face back down so she could nibble on his lips, his chin, his jaw.
After several minutes passed in this gentle kissing, he lifted his head and feathered his fingers over her face. "That's all for him; what's left of the night will be ours alone. I promise."
The lingering rigidness in her body fled, and she rubbed her neck. "You could have warned me."
"Perhaps I could have, but I knew you would have a million questions for me, and I wanted to get through that without the constant nattering you'd have subjected me to." The way his lips turned up at one corner told her he was only teasing at the moment, but she sensed a bit too much truth in his words to allow herself to relax completely.
"So what were the potions I drank?"
"They'll be to our benefit in the long run. Consider them a protection of sorts."
His reluctance to answer sent warning signals through her, and she pressed a hand to his chest, pushing him away when he drew nearer. "What were they?"
He lifted an eyebrow. "I thought you said you trusted me? Is my word that they will benefit us not enough?"
She weighed his questions, the possibilities, and her own heart. She hated going in blind, but she did trust him, told him as much—even if the words 'in the long run' made her nervous. Now, she needed to stand behind her word. "I do trust you. I just don't understand why you can't tell me what they were. I wouldn't have taken them so willingly if I didn't trust you."
Hermione felt his breath on her skin as he slid a kiss along her brow. "I swear to you that it will benefit us, even if it doesn't seem so at first. Consider it insurance." Then he leaned in and kissed her lips.
Though she knew he was avoiding the question, and his caveat sent out more warning signals, she pushed her reservations away for the time being and gave herself up to the sweet moment of time. When she allowed her eyelids to slide shut, she could still see the candlelight flickering on them.
* * *
Bill showed up at Headquarters shortly after he returned from his honeymoon. Harry had sent an owl the previous day asking him to come by when it was convenient. Remus and Tonks also joined the trio for dinner. "Sit down and have some," Harry said, gesturing to an empty chair.
"No, thanks. Fleur is cooking dinner tonight. You needed to talk though?"
"Yes. Have something to drink and we'll finish up here." Harry slid a butterbeer toward Bill, who took a seat and twisted off the cap.
When the meal was done, the trio and Bill went off to the library, leaving Remus and Tonks behind to speculate. "So, what's going on, then?" Bill asked when the proper privacy charms had been placed.
Harry removed the locket from his pocket and tossed it over to Bill. "Check that and make sure it's inert, would you?"
Bill pulled out his wand and cast a couple silent spells. "Yeah, whatever was in there is gone now." He tried to pass it back, but Harry held up a hand.
"Could you put it back in my vault for now? I don't want to spend too much time in Diagon Alley."
"Sure, no problem." Bill placed it in his pocket. "Anything else you need to know?"
"If we brought you something else with the same final spell on it, cast by the same person, would you be able to recognize the magical signature?" Hermione asked.
"Well, yeah, I suppose. So there will be other objects?"
"Two more. We're not certain of the identity of one of them yet, but we're working on it. We also need you to show us some spells that will help us locate hidden objects."
Bill's eyebrows rose. "You don't know what they are?"
"We know what one of them is, but we don't know where they are," Ron corrected. "We're working on that, but the locket was protected with wards, spells, various things that needed to be overcome. First, we have to know if something is around when we narrow down locations."
Bill swore. "You kids are getting in way over your heads. What makes you think you're capable of undoing wards erected by V-Voldemort or one of his Death Eaters?"
"What makes you think they were put up by Voldemort?" Hermione asked.
"This has something to do with him. You've as much as said the objects have to be denatured before you can attack him. I have my ideas about what the nature of these objects is, but I'm keeping it to myself. I'm sure I really don't want to know."
"Good, cause we won't confirm or deny your guesses anyway."
"Fine. I'm guessing the shielding charm must have worked all right for you, since you're still alive and the thing in the locket is gone."
"Yeah, though holding the shield was exhausting. I hadn't expected it to require so much energy," Hermione said.
"That's why we had two of you working on it." He scratched his chin for a moment, then nodded. "Make me a deal; if I teach you the spells to locate the hidden object, will you call me in to break whatever wards are in the way? It could take months to get you proficient enough at ward and curse breaking to ensure you won't be dead." He gave each of them a hard look.
Hermione looked at Ron, who shrugged; she nodded to Harry, who turned back to Bill. "You've got it. We'll let you know the day we plan to do it so you'll be prepared."
"All right."
Bill stayed another hour teaching them a spell, then promised to return a couple nights later to work with them some more.
* * *
Another week passed as Hermione worked with the boys and other Order members on their Occlumency. She had to demure several times when questioned about where she had learned Legilimency, but she always managed to change the subject or distract her questioner. She wondered how long before someone refused to be distracted.
The boys' Animagus training continued well. Harry was still dark and covered in fur, but his form was shrinking as he worked on it, and he was growing a long, twisty tail. She had her own ideas about his form, but hadn't ventured to mention them out loud yet. Soon she would be sure, and then she could tell him. Ron's scales had turned green and he was growing in size. She worried he would fill the room by himself soon. Her thoughts that he might turn out to be a lizard had changed when he got larger instead of smaller. Now, she was leaning toward a dragon. Welsh Green, maybe.
They were just finishing up their afternoon Transfiguration practice when George's head Flooed through to the kitchen. "Hey, Harry, you gonna make enough dinner for us, too?"
Harry grinned. "You'll have to ask Hermione as she's dinner grunt tonight."
"You learn anything, or is this a social call?" Hermione asked, pulling a couple of extra potatoes from the bag under the sink.
"No reason why it can't be both. We'll close up in a few minutes, then Apparate over."
"See you then," Harry said just before the Floo connection closed.
"Better get some more chicken from the freezer," Hermione said to Ron, then spelled the peeler to get to work while she turned to other tasks. Ron had suggested corned beef earlier, but the thought alone was enough to turn Hermione's stomach. The kitchen smells made her feel a little off as it was, but she managed to push the sensation back, wondering if she'd eaten something earlier that didn't agree with her.
Dinner was nearly ready when the twins came to the front door. "Help set the table, would you? We're expecting one or two more to show up eventually. Remus, at least. And if he's here, Tonks won't be far behind."
They sat down to eat, listening to the happenings at the store, joking and goofing off until dinner was done. Hermione wrapped up the leftovers and put them in the fridge while the boys spelled the rest of the room into order.
"Join us upstairs, would you?" Harry said, leading toward the hall door.
When they passed Remus in the corridor, Hermione smiled at him. "Dinner's in the ice box; help yourself. We'll be upstairs working."
"I still don't know what you three are working on most of the time." But Remus smiled back and continued on to the kitchen.
After everyone was settled in, lounging on the large cushions Hermione had found and enlarged for defense practice, Fred began. "We've continued looking around, putting in a word here and there—"
"Come up with some good buys, too." George interrupted.
"Then we had some bloke come into the shop to buy presents for his grandkids. He heard us talking about our interest in antiquities, said something about his uncle selling a family heirloom, years back—"
"Forty or more, he said, wasn't sure of the exact date—"
"To Borgin & Burkes. Family legend said it belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw. A hair comb." Fred looked at Harry. "Sound about right to you?"
Harry nodded, grinning. "Sounds about perfect. Right time, right place, right kind of artifact. Did he give you a description?"
"Silver, about four inches long, diamond encrusted," George told them. "He said it was supposed to have some beauty charm on it to make the wearer's hair tame."
"I can see the draw." Hermione grinned at them, thinking of her own unmanageable mane.
Harry grinned back at her, then returned his attention to George. "Any clue as to where it went from there?"
"No. Seems another family member went back to Borgin's months later when they realized what happened to it, but the store had no record of it. Seems a young clerk bought it, but he wasn't working there anymore."
The trio made eye contact and Hermione nodded. "That sounds like what we needed to know. Great work."
"Did you have to grease any palms for that info?"
"Nope, all free." Fred turned to Ron. "Can you come in tomorrow, all day? Change of plans."
"What change?" Ron asked.
George smiled secretively. "We're allowed secrets of our own now. Aren't we?"
Hermione tuned out the rest of the conversation. Now they knew what they were looking for, they could focus on where the items were.
* * *
Hermione spent the weeks of August helping the boys with their Animagus transformations, working on healing potions for the Order, continuing work on her own potion, and working with others on their Occlumency. Making time for her other independent study toward her N.E.W.T.s and her secret study of wandless magic became difficult when she tried to squeeze in time for her husband.
Added to all of this, whenever she visited the sweet cottage, she took a few minutes to pull a few weeds, trim a bush or thin out crowded beds. Hermione had never been especially keen on Herbology, but though she knew the cottage was only on loan, she felt a connection to the place and couldn't stand to see it so neglected.
When Severus came home and found her working in the yard one day, he paused to watch her. She knew he was there, could feel his presence, even if he didn't speak to her. When she finished replanting the irises she had thinned from a large clump near the front door, she looked up at him. "I hope the owner doesn't mind me making a few changes. The yard has been so neglected."
He smiled and reached out a hand to her. Hermione removed the gloves she always wore now when she worked around the yard's brambles and accepted the hand up. "I'm sure, my dear, that the owner is as happy to have you working in the yard as you could wish." He pulled her near and kissed her.
"You seem contented here," he observed when they strolled into the kitchen a moment later. "I feel it in you when you are here in a way I don't feel it anywhere else."
"This has become a refuge, a lovely little hidey-hole where I can forget about everything everyone else wants or needs from me. Here it's only you and me."
He tipped her head up with one long finger and placed a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. "This place will always be here for you, for as long as you need it. Now, before we begin the final stage on the potion of our own, I have a spell for you to try out."
It took great self-control for Hermione not to begin interrogating him in her excitement. He had found or created something for the final battle. She wondered what he had managed to put together. She allowed a smile and clasped her hands in front of her. "So what is it? How does it work?"
He led her through the kitchen to the back porch swing. This was part of the yard Hermione hadn't much time to work on. She had used a few spells to clean up most of the debris and trim a few dead branches from the bushes and trees in the back courtyard, but there was a great deal to do yet.
Severus pulled out a parchment and unrolled it. "This is a spell I found last night that is intended to share feelings in a therapy-type situation. This helps family members and friends gain empathy for one another's burdens and can be directed to focus on certain emotions. It is little used and hasn't been common for some decades. I thought it might work for the one part of your needs. I've made some adjustments to it already."
Hermione threw her arms around him and laid a huge kiss on his mouth. "That sounds perfect. Who casts the spell? How does it work?"
It took only a few minutes for Hermione to understand the mechanics and practice the incantation, though with their connection, it seemed to make little or no difference. "So will this work on someone against their will?"
He narrowed his eyes at her. "I wish I understood exactly what you had in mind. But no, it is only useful between two people who accept the spell."
She mulled that over, twisted and reshaped the plans to fit the situation. Maybe she should let Severus in on her full vision now. Her decision made, she turned back to him and began to explain.
* * *
Hermione returned to Headquarters the next day with the spell in hand. Once the three of them had worked on their silent spell casting, and before they moved onto their Transfiguration project, Hermione pulled the paper from her pocket. "I have something else I want to work on first."
"Come on, Hermione, I'm almost there; can't we do Transfiguration first?" Ron asked.
"No. This is more important. I need to know if it works the way we need it to, or if we'll have to look some more." They were upstairs in the attic where they did most of their combat work, special wards had been placed on the walls to prevent damage, and the space was wide and open without furniture to get in the way.
She took a moment and explained how the spell worked.
"So it's supposed to transfer emotion? What good is that going to do us?" Harry asked.
"Love is what protected you from Voldemort before. Your mother's love, your love for Sirius. It's also the way he must be defeated. I've also begun research on a spell you could cast that would force the love you feel, the love others in the Order will transfer to you, to transfer to him. This should make his body uninhabitable. If he removes his soul from his body because he is in too much agony, he will be stranded, unable to connect to this world anymore, since his Horcruxes will be gone."
"Ruddy brilliant! When have you had time to work on this? You've been busier than ever lately, what with Occlumency lessons for the Order and meeting with Snape," Ron asked, adding his derision on the last word.
"I have a few tricks up my sleeve," was her only reply. She felt guilty getting recognized for the work Severus was doing, but they had both agreed it would be best if she didn't admit his role. Not until after the battle.
"Did you pick up a Time-Turner somewhere?" Harry asked.
"No. Now, you want to give it a try?"
The spell worked exactly as advertised, though it took a little work for Ron to pick it up. Hermione had already practiced it with Severus, so she was able to focus on correcting the way Ron cast the spell and Harry's acceptance of it. She tried it out a few times herself to see how effectively she could cast it without the bond skewing the results and was very pleased with the progress.
When she finally let the boys turn to Transfiguration, she was confident that half of the final job was well underway. Now, she needed to pick out which people would help at the final confrontation and figure out how to orchestrate things the way they needed to be.
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AN: Sev's acting strange, the new spell is sure coming along, and when is Hermione going to learn what's those secret potions were all about?