Downside of Aging Potions - Chapter Three
"You're not in this alone
Let me break this awkward silence
Let me go, go on record
Be the first to say I'm sorry
And if the world needs something better
Let's give them one more reason now."
-My Chemical Romance, Skylines and Turnstiles
Stepping out of the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron, they brushed off their cloaks, removing most of the soot they had gathered along the way.
More than a few suspicious glances were received from the Leaky Cauldron patrons as they made their exit, but they had prepared themselves for that. Snape led the way to the Apothecary.
They parted in the store. Hermione searched for some Elephant hairs; a key ingredient in the Memory Potion. It was one of the potions that she carried everywhere; just in case she forgot something. She paid five sickles for it and left to find Snape.
She found him. But he wasn't alone.
Lucius and Draco Malfoy were in conference with him, and by the expressions on their faces, neither party were having a jolly time. She moved to stand beside him but remained silent, only looked up at him questioningly.
The muscles along his jaw were clenched and he was white-knuckled.
"Granger, what are you doing here with him?" Draco snarled. Lucius silenced Draco with his glare.
"I needed an ingredient for a potion. As did Professor Snape." Hermione said with defensive indifference. She glanced from the sneer on Draco's face to the unmistakable smirk of Malfoy senior.
"That's not a crime now, is it?" Snape added in a low growl.
"Well, Severus, the circumstances are questionable. You, in a shop...with a Muggle-born? Your student at that; what would He say?" Lucius asked in his deliberate drawl.
Hermione had a feeling she knew who 'He' was.
Snape returned Lucius' glare determinedly. He wasn't going to look away and he wasn't going to waver.
As if they were communicating telepathically, Lucius' delicately raised his eyebrow in enquiry. In an instant, fury had overtaken Snape's features and his eyes thinned into slits.
"Profess-"
Hermione was abruptly cut off when Snape threw a punch at Malfoy, hitting him square on the cheek.
Lucius Malfoy was stunned, gripping for his fallen cane. Draco lunged at Snape now.
However, Snape pushed Draco off him easily and he glowered at Lucius again.
"We are leaving." Snape said, still stabbing the two blonde men with his eyes. Then he turned abruptly and she followed him without comment; not daring to look back.
Hermione glanced at Snape nervously for the fifth time.
His fury only made his long strides quicker and she found herself almost jogging to keep up.
"Could you slow it down a little please?" She asked.
He stopped and chipped off a chilly, "Sorry."
She swallowed, gulping for breath.
"No, its okay...I just..."
Hermione looked around. There appeared to be nobody in the alley, so she leaned in and lowered her voice.
"Who is 'He'?"
About to speak, he suddenly caught himself.
"Over here."
She followed him into the sign that read proudly 'Hogsmeade.' Not long after passing the sign and archway, they entered the Three Broom Sticks and they made for the very back table.
"Severus! How wonderful to see you. It's been ages!" Madame Rosmerta said. "And little Hermione!" The barmaid beamed but her smile suddenly vanished, "What are you two doing her together?"
"Business." Snape answered, then added, "May we be alone?"
She nodded, "But, would you like something to drink?"
"Granger?" Snape asked impatiently.
"No, thank you." She declined politely.
"No, nothing from us. Goodbye." Snape said dismissively. Madame Rosmerta left; her spirits a little dampened.
"Miss Granger, what you have to understand is that...You see, you know Dumbledore has me as a spy, and I've had to convince some... Others believe I really am a Death Eater," he paused, but quickly added, "but I am not. Lucius Malfoy doesn't believe me, nor Draco, but they pretend to. Otherwise... He," he lowered his voice, "The Dark Lord, would do something to them. I don't want anything to do with the Dark side. But..." He paused. He was struggling to find words.
Should I tell her? He asked himself.
"Sometimes I..."
He couldn't say it... She wouldn't get it...
"You have to do what you can?"
He gave a slight nod.
He suddenly found a spoon on the table to be very interesting and turned it restlessly in his hands. Had he ever felt so... helpless, maybe? No, helpless didn't cut it, it was...perhaps fear. Fear of her reaction? Fear of the truth? He had no bloody idea.
Hermione was unfazed by his explanation, she figured as much; but it takes so much courage to express verbally, for such things often tend to come out sounding insincere and tedious. Risking his life and freedom for the Wizarding world...she always knew there was good in him. Everyone else just preferred to ignore it.
That had taken a lot of him to get it out. How many people had he made such a confession to? Dumbledore? McGonagall? No, not McGonagall. She was a colleague and most likely trusted him, but Dumbledore was the only person alive that could really understand Severus Snape. Except herself, and she wasn't all to sure why.
"Professor..." She said, struggling to pick up the thread of conversation.
"I don't need your pity, Granger. I only do what Dumbledore instructs me." Snape said bitterly.
"I don't pity you; it has just struck me that you must have some... Gryffindor bravery for you to risk your life under the instruction of a man whose sanity has been questioned by many."
Yes! She had called him a Gryffindor and escaped unscathed.
"Trust me, Miss Granger, others have it worse."
His smile was humorless as he tossed the spoon aside.
"Professor," She said gently, wishing he would look at her, "I appreciate what you do."
He held her gaze for a few seconds, absorbed in her toffee eyes, before averting his own dark ones.
What she had said... it was what he wanted to hear, but certainly not what he was prepared for.
"Come on. It's getting...Well, we should be leaving."
He was unable to voice the thanks he owed her, as he turned to leave.
Walking back to the Leaky Cauldron, they traveled by the Floo Network to Snape's office.
She helped him calculate the correct portions of each ingredient before he meticulously added the Vampire Blood. He briefly wondered why he hadn't thought of it; but, what were partners for?
The potion emitted wisps of smoke and turned a striking shade of blue.
"How do we know if it works?"
"Like this."
He went to a drawer and pulled out a small box. Sliding open the box revealed a dead beetle. Carefully, using special instruments, he delicately fed the potion into its open mouth.
A few seconds passed. Nothing happened.
Hermione put her elbows on the table and propped her chin up on her palm,
"It didn't work, did it?"
His expression affirmed her fears.
Hermione sighed, "Perhaps it needs more Healing Potion."
"It's worth a try."
He added the Vampire Blood first this time, then the healing potion. Five minutes later, he added the Aging potion.
The potion turned a fetid orange and a large, thick bubble popped.
He sighed and massaged his temples.
She drew in her breath.
"I'm sorry."
He shook his head and the potion vanished with a wave of his hand.
Going back to his private stores, he returned with a few ingredients.
"Perhaps you should be going."
"But I can give you assistance with–"
"I was getting along fine without it."
She was about to protest again when she saw the glimmer of pleading in his eye, and stopped.
"Fine. If you refuse to let me help you here, then I shall do so elsewhere. I'll be in the library." She turned, leaving him a solitary figure in the vacant dungeons. A few minutes later she thought, Perhaps I should not have left him alone...
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