Chapter 2
Severus Snape entered the office of the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry running like a bat out of hell. "They're after Granger!" he said earnestly. Without pausing a second to wait for an explanation Albus Dumbledore jumped out of his seat and in one motion grabbed Severus' arm and turned in a quick circle to apperate straight to the young woman's house.
They immediately entered the granger residence; they entered the living room to behold a sight so shocking they were both slightly faint for a moment. What could have possibly startled a spy this much? Well the sight that they beheld was the mutilated body of Mr. and Mrs. Granger, not to mention the shock of seeing a limp, bloody body of Hermione Granger. Once they regained they composure they said in unison "oh no", they ran to the center of the room to take the pulse of the three victims. "They're dead Son" Albus sighed sadly to the man he and his wife (Minerva) considered a son. "No, she's alive!" Severus gasped having managed to find a minuscule pulse. "Ok, ok son we have to get her to Poppy immediately. Poppy will be able to save her." Albus replied quickly causing Severus to nod and quickly gather the young woman in his arms. "Let's go!" Severus replied swiftly.
The appeared, nearly giving Poppy a heart attack in the process. The Elder woman stood up from her desk after having just about peed herself from the loud cracking like sound caused by apperation. She ran into the infirmary knowing only Severus and Albus were aloud to disapperate in and out of the castle. This made her fearful also knowing neither of them would be willing to disapperate straight into the infirmary unless something was extremely bad. "Albus what is going on?" She said having not yet noticed Severus or the small figure that was Hermione Granger "No time for explanations Poppy Miss. Granger is in critical condition." Albus replied calmly as ever. Finally having just noticed Severus and Hermione who was still in his arms she let out a small gasp "oh my, what happened to this poor young woman?" Albus shook his head sadly and said "we do not know, only that the Death Eaters have gotten a hold of her." Severus, feeling Poppy's eyes on him walked over to a bed and laid Hermione down on a bed close by. After about twenty minutes of constant testing and spells to try and figure out what was ailing with poor child. "Well it looks like the death eaters didn't touch her; she is just exhausted, she will be fine in a few days. "So she is really health? She is just very tired?" he asked sounding relieved and yet in a way concerned "Yes she will be fine." Poppy replied. "Why so worried Severus?" Albus asked jokingly. "I'm not worried Albus she is just a good student." Severus growled and stalked off grumbling. But as he left his thoughts stayed with Hermione. 'Why did it bother me so much to see Granger like that?' he thought. 'I never cared before so why now?' but as he thought about it he secretly knew why. Seeing the very young woman he had secretly respected and been proud of so hurt and broken; that had been like I knife to the gut. He thought it was his fault 'if I had been a little quicker they may all still be alive.' He believed it was his fault that at 16 years old the poor young woman had become and orphan. Then his thoughts went back to the pain of seeing Hermione so broken. 'But why should I care?' He asked himself she was still a fifth year but because of the time-turner had aged her till she was almost 15 in her third year. But she was still the Gryffindor princess for crying out loud and a student, and Severus didn't allow himself to care about the students. 'I don't even like her.' But the spy inside him knew that was a lie 'or … do I?' 'But how do I like her, is it like a friend, do I want to become a fatherly figure to her (like Albus and Minerva are to me?) But he had no real family so he had no idea what that would feel like. 'Or is it something else?' He looked at the clock and saw it was 6:15 so he had plenty of time to go and visit her before dinner. He walked into the hospital wing and saw Poppy and asked how Hermione was. "She's pretty good, fully stable and awake if you would like to talk with her for information for Albus."