Hermione had been meeting with Severus for a while now and had began to love him like a brother. He was mostly misunderstood and she realized that he didn't have the best home life, either. While looking through the library one day she found a ritual that she immediately knew she wanted to do with Severus. She was already late meeting him. Running down the halls, she came flying into the room where they were meeting.
"Severus, I found something and I would really like to do it with you."
"What is it?" Even though Severus trusted Hermione with his life, he couldn't help being sceptical.
"It is a blood ritual. We basically make a pact and exchange blood through a potion and we become actual siblings."
"Blood rituals are usually dark."
"Yes, but not all are and I would really like it if you were my real brother. I will only do this if you want to."
Severus had never felt so loved and he knew without a doubt this is what he wanted more than anything.
"Yes, I want to do it." Both of them sat down and read through what they needed to do.
"I can go and get all of these potion ingredients from my own supplies and be back here in ten minutes. It looks like it should only take half an hour to brew and then we can do the incantation and exchange blood and we're done." Severus informed Hermione.
"It almost seems too simple."
"That's what it says, so that must be all it takes."
"Ok, I'll see you in ten minutes." Severus ran out the door and Hermione set up for the incantation. When she finished she read through the ritual again. Severus came in just as she was finished reading. They set up the cauldron and Severus began to make the potion. Hermione helped when needed, even though he didn't need help and was really just including her; she could see how he became a Potions Master at such a young age. Before they knew it, they were pricking their fingers and adding the blood to the potion. They each took a vial and filled it up with the irridescent looking mixture. Hermione had never seen such a beautiful looking potion before. They both looked to the book and in perfect unison recited what the words said.
"We come willingly before the gods, placing our hearts, minds, bodies and souls together. Make that which is not, to be. Placing my life in theirs and theirs in me."
Both of them quickly drank the potion and a bright light shot out of each and travelled around the room before going back into the opposite person it came from. Hermione looked at Severus and wondered if that was it.
"We need to test and see if this worked."
"I could make a blood testing potion. It will tell us if our blood is related."
"How long will that take?"
"I could make it right now, I have all of the ingredients and it only takes a few minutes." Severus worked quickly and when he finished he handed Hermione a glass with the nasty smelling stuff. Hermione plugged her nose before gulping it down.
"Wow, for something that smells so awful, it sure does taste good!" Severus nodded his head, as he was still drinking down his half.
"Now what?"
"We wait a few minutes, then put a drop of blood on a piece of parchment and it will tell us."
Neither said anything for the five minutes that they waited. Finally, Severus pricked his finger again and Hermione followed suit. They let a couple drops fall onto the parchment and the drops rolled together to fuse into one. A mist floated above the parchment. It took a couple of minutes before it became clear enough to read. There floating above them were the words, "Blood siblings."
"Severus, we did it. Now you are offically my real brother." Hermione jumped up and hugged her new brother. "I have never had a brother before. I haven't had a sister for that matter, either. Oh, I'm so excited!"
Severus hugged her back and could feel behind his eyes starting to prickle. This strange sensation felt weird to him. Soon his vision became blurry and he could feel liquid leaking from his eyes.
"Hermione, I think the potion must have had a side effect. My eyes are watering."
Hermione looked at Severus and realized he was crying.
"Severus, it's not a side effect of the potion. You're crying, silly!"
"What?"
"Severus, haven't you ever cried before?"
"No, I'm a man and men don't cry." He backed away from her and put his hands on his hips.
Hermione couldn't help herself and doubled over in laughter. "Oh, you dolt, that is a load of rotten tripe. It takes a real man to show his emotions and be able to cry in front of someone. Now wipe your eyes and let's go and celebrate."
"Well, dear sister, what do you suggest?"
"I believe a trip to Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks is in order." With that, they marched off arm in arm to one of the many secret tunnels in the castle that lead to Hogsmeade.
A few hours later Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room and sat down beside Lily. Hermione whispered to Lily what had just happened. Lily had also gotten to like Severus and was excited for her two friends; one thing concerned her though.
"Have you said anything to Remus yet?"
"No, but I plan on talking to him tonight."
Just then the man in question came bounding into the common room with James and Sirius following.
"That was too good to be true, James. I can't believe he was there by himself. He is usually so careful to be with others. Did you see the look on his face when Remus growled at him. Hahahahaha, I don't think I'll ever forget that for as long as I live."
"Some of those hexes you used on him were pretty good, Sirius. Someone should find him soon and then they can take him to the hospital wing."
Both girls looked at one another and then stood up and approached their boyfriends.
"What did you guys do?" Lily asked James playfully.
"We met up with Snivellus in one of the corridors and he didn't have any of his Slytherin friends with him. He was looking very happy about something and we can't have a happy Snivellus! We scared him a bit and hexed him a bit; you know, the usual."
"WHAT! Where is he?"
"Don't worry about him. One of his fellow snakes will find him."
"James Harold Potter, if you don't tell me where he is right now, I will report you to the headmaster, take points off and not speak to you for the rest of the year!"
James looked at his girlfriend, shocked. Hermione was looking at Remus with a hurt expression.
"Remus, what did you do to him?"
"I just growled at him, to try and scare him."
"All three of you are going to come with us and show us where he is, right now." No one had ever heard that tone in Hermione's voice before, but they all knew it wasn't one you argued with.
The reached the corridor where the boys had encountered Severus. He was still on the ground, unconsious. Hermione and Lily ran to him and started to check him for further injuries. Hermione was crying and Lily was fuming. Lily ran to get Madame Pomfrey and soon returned with the mediwitch. She checked over Severus and woke him up. She had the three boys help him to the hospital wing and lay him on a bed.
Both Remus and James were very confused over their girlfriends' reactions. Hermione kept whispering to Severus and stroking his hair. Lily was rubbing her friends back and occasionally hugging her.
Sirius decided it was time to say something, the only problem was that he didn't say the right thing.
"Well isn't this cozy. Your girlfriends look mighty comfortable with that snake. Remus, you said you could never figure out what that strange smell on Hermione was? I think we've just found our answer."
Remus and James were both thinking the same thing as Sirius, it's just Sirius was the only one with enough guts to say it out loud.
"Lily, I don't think you should hang out with that traitor anymore. Who knows how many lies she's told already. Peter had it right, she's probably working for You-Know-Who."
"James, if you open your mouth one more time, consider us completely and offically through!" Lily turned back to her friend and wrapped her arms around her.
Remus cleared his throat and when Hermione finally turned to look at him he said, "I think that is a good idea. Consider us thoroughly finished. Please don't talk to me ever again. If you see me coming, go the other way. I don't even want to be breathing the same air as you. It would be better off if you were dead, at least then, it would hurt less." Remus turned and left the room, with the other two boys following him.
Lily looked down at her friend in shock and could see the tears pouring down Hermione's face.
"Mi, I will go and talk to him. He was just upset, that's all. I'm sure once he realizes what really happened, he will be back."
"No, Lily, you didn't feel what I felt. He purposely broke our connection. I won't be able to love another person. I will spend the rest of my life loving him, doomed to live in hell forever."
"I thought only you could break the connection."
"No, either of us can, but the person who breaks it is free to go and love whomever they want, while the other spends the rest of their life in love with the one person they will never be able to have. Only he can reestablish the connection, since he is the one who broke it, but it will mean I'll have to sacrifice something great in order for him to believe me and right now, I don't know if I'm ready to do that for a maybe. Please go to James and work things out with him. You still have a chance, please don't blow it." Hermione turned back to Severus sleeping form and laid her head down on the bed beside him.
Lily watched her friends for a minute and then headed back to Gryffindor Tower.
She entered the common room and saw the three boys sitting on the couch. She wasn't ready to talk to any of them yet, so she headed straight to her room. James watched her go and couldn't help but feel empty inside. He looked over to Remus, who looked worse than he normally did after a full moon. Sirius was sitting on the other end, flirting with a couple of girls.
The next morning in the Great Hall at breakfast Lily sat down beside Hermione at the opposite end of the table as the boys. For the first time in as long as the students could remember, the headmaster came down from the head table and sat down at the Gryffindor table beside Hermione. He started to eat his breakfast that he had brought with him. Hermione was talking to him and leaning her head on his shoulder. Occasionally Lily would make a remark and the headmaster listened to the two girls. All of the students were shocked at the headmasters actions and watched the conversation intently, though nothing could be heard because of the silencing spells. The headmaster wrapped his arms around Hermione and soothingly stroked her head. All three boys had also seen all of this.
"Crap, I forgot, she's the headmasters' granddaughter. Do you think he will want to get revenge?" asked a worried Remus.
"No, he's not like that; at least I don't think he is."
"Thanks for the confidence booster, James."
Sirius wanted to get his friends minds off of their former girlfriends.
"Hey guys, I was talking to the Webster triplets this morning and they are interested in going on a triple date with us. What do you say? Come on, they are some of the finest choice pieces of meat in this school." Remus and James were half listening to their friend and nodded their heads absently.
"Great, I'll tell them we'll go to Hogsmeade with them tomorrow." Sirius got up and went to the Ravenclaw table and sat down between three very gorgeous looking girls. They all looked over to the Gryffindor table and two of the girls smiled and waved. The third was busy flirting with Sirius. James suddenly realized what Sirius had said and saw the two buxom beauties waving at him and Remus. He hadn't officially broken up with Lily yet, but she did say she wasn't going to talk to him anymore, so that was about the same as breaking up, wasn't it? He nudged Remus and got his attention to the three girls.
"Sirius set us up on dates for tomorrow."
"Oh, ok, " was Remus' bland reply. Breakfast finished and everyone headed to classes. All day long, Lily and Hermione were missing from class.
While sitting with the headmaster they had told him everything that had gone on, but begged him not to punish the boys. His eyes started to lose their twinkle. He was proud of what Hermione had done for Severus, but knew how much pain she was in.
"I want to go home." The simple statement shocked Albus and it hurt him to hear her say that, but he also completely understood.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I know I am supposed to change things and I think I already have. I don't know if I can do this for much longer. I know that things in my time will have changed, but I can't stay here any longer. Please, I really want to go home."
"If you're absolutely sure, I will try and find a way; but I cannot guarantee anything."
"I know." Hermione laid her head on Lily's shoulder and the other girl put her arm around Hermione's waist.
"I think the two of you deserve the day off. I will inform all of your Professors of your absence; go back to your rooms." Both girls started to head back to Lily's room, but decided to visit the hospital wing instead. Severus was just being released and the girls convinced him to go to the Room of Requirement with them. There they told him everything that had happened since he had been attacked. He felt bad for his sister and her friend, but he was also glad that his three tormentors were now being tormented themselves. Hermione then went on to explain about herself and where she had come from. It took a little convincing to get Severus to believe he would be a potions master and the potions professor at the school, but surprisingly enough he had no trouble believing she was from the future. He was hurt that she wanted to return, but he understood her reasons. All three of them spent the entire night in the room, talking, laughing, crying and sharing memories. During the night, Hermione also shared with them why she was sent back. During the months here, she had figured out a plan. She was torn between leaving now or trying out the plan first. As much as she wanted to leave, her loyalty wouldn't let her, just yet. When morning came she ran to her grandfather's office and spilled her plan out to him.
"Absolutely not. I will not allow you to do that. Do not ask anymore, my answer is no."
"But you have to let me, it's the only way."
"I will not and I do not have to let you. Please don't make me do this."
"You know I will be perfectly fine. Please."
"I know it is the only way, but it doesn't mean I have to agree with it or even like it. Very well, but you will go with someone else."
"Severus has already volunteered."
"You realize if anything happens and you are caught, I cannot help you out. I will give you the full resources of the Order to use, but once you are inside, you are on your own. We have a meeting tonight, in fact. There you will be made a member and then your plan will be brought in front of everyone. They will also need to hear your story, your whole story."
"I understand. Just let me know what time and both Severus and I will be there."
"Very well. Meet here in my office at seven tonight. I will see you then. Go on and enjoy the rest of your day."
Hermione went off to find Lily and Severus. Along the way she bumped into the Mauraders and their dates and tried to brush past them. She had almost made it when one of the triplets yelled out to her.
"Hey bitch, it looks like I got your boyfriend. Oh sorry, ex-boyfriend. I hope you weren't too attached to him!" Her high pitched squeal was soon joined by her sisters. All three boys cringed at the annoying laughter and Hermione looked at the girl.
"I guess he is with a better person now. Please take good care of him." The comment left all six speechless. Remus was torn between going to Hermione and trying to make that empty look on her face go away and heading to Hogsmeade with his friends. Going to Hermione almost won out, until she turned away and started back down the corridor. He looked at her for a few more seconds and then hooked his arm around his dates shoulders and lead them into Hogsmeade.
Hermione knew the look on Remus' face and knew she couldn't allow him to do that. If she wanted to accomplish her mission, she would need to sever all ties. She couldn't leave while he was still attached to her. The was a very large possiblity that she would not return from this. Her original plan was to have her grandfather send an experienced Order member to do it, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that no one else was better suited for the mission than her and Severus. She went to find Severus first and told him of the new plans. He was more than eager to help out. Then they went and found Lily and told her all of the plans.
"No, you guys can't. Please don't do this. It's suicide. There has to be another way."
"You know there isn't, at least not that anybody has thought of in the last 10 years. If we succeed we can end this all now."
"Yes, but if you fail, then you're dead!"
"We know the risks and sometimes some risks are worth it in the end."
"How is getting yourselves killed worth it?"
"I can't speak for Severus, but for me, if losing my life means I have just saved someone, it was worth it."
"Your death better not save just one person. If you're going to die, I want you to promise me you're going to save at least a thousand!"
"Ok, I promise." The two girls embraced each other, both crying.
"You have to make the same promise, Severus."
Severus looked at his red headed friend and nodded his head.
The three friends spent the rest of the day just hanging out together. When 6:50pm rolled around, Severus and Hermione headed to Professor Dumbledore's office. From there, he brought them to the Orders Headquarters. After being made members, bringing the plan to the rest of members and Hermione telling her whole story with Albus backing her the whole time, most were convinced that this plan would work. No one liked that it had to be two students who did this, but everyone realized it wouldn't be believable if it were anyone else. Mad Eye came over to talk to the two in question when the meeting was dismissed and after talking with them and learning of their intelligence first hand, he became their strongest supporter.
"I think that went fairly well, don't you?" Hermione asked Severus.
"Yes, I always do enjoy having every personal aspect of my life picked apart, piece by piece."
"It wasn't that bad, besides you knew they would ask a lot of questions. Now that's done, we begin phase two. Are you sure you're ready; once we start this, there is no backing out."
"I am positive. You are just as good at blocking your mind and thoughts as I am." Hermione had found out that Severus was a natural Legilimens and Occlumens and he had been training her in their weekly sessions.
It was decided at the meeting that the two of them would start right away. That night, Hermione wrote a letter to each of her friends and professors and asked them to forgive her and she hoped that when all of this was through, she could have at least made a better life for all of them. Remus' letter was the hardest to write. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him, but it was no longer her place to do so, so she wrote exactly that down. She ended each letter by telling them to think of her each time they saw a full moon. She scheduled with the school owls to deliver them at breakfast, more than enough time for her to be long gone. There would be 17 owls in all delivering letters.
Dawn came early and it found Severus, Hermione and the headmaster outside the school gates. Hermione and Albus gave each other one last hug goodbye and the two young people popped out of sight.
Albus stood watching the spot where the two had just been and then turned and headed back inside, feeling empty.
At breakfast, no one noticed that two of the students were missing and the headmaster seemed unusually depressed. The owls swept in, and in 17 plates landed a letter. Each person opened theirs, curious to see who it was from. The only one who knew was Albus. Beside him Minerva gasped and placed her hand on his arm.
"Please tell me she didn't do what I think she has done."
"She has, and young Mr. Snape has gone with her."
"Oh, Albus. I knew of the plan from the meeting, but I didn't think they were serious about it."
"Indeed they were, Minerva, indeed they were." Albus stood and made his way to the Gryffindor table, stopping in front of Lily.
"Headmaster, please tell me she hasn't left yet. I haven't said goodbye!" Lily stood up and started to shout at the headmaster. This shocked the students to see the Head Girl yelling at him.
"You sent her to die and I didn't even say goodbye. How can you be so cruel and heartless?" Lily then started to pound on his chest and was sobbing into his robes. He just stood there and let her vent; when she could no longer stand she grasped his robes and sank down to the floor. He went down with her and kept up the mantra, "I know, I know," while she repeated over and over, "I never got to say goodbye."
All the Mauraders watched in complete shock at what Lily was doing to the headmaster and James knew he had to be there for her. He got up and went over to where the unlikely pair sat on the floor. Soon Remus and Sirius followed. The rest of the teachers cleared out the Great Hall.
Lily felt another pair of arms wrap around her and slowly stopped her crying.
"Why did you let her go? You know what they are going to do to her, don't you?"
"Yes, I do. Sometimes the greatest sacrifices are made because of love."
"How could she willingly do this? She hardly knows any of us and yet she is getting herself killed for us."
"The one thing you have to understand about Hermione is that she is one of the most selfless people I know. If there is a way to save someone, no matter how little she knows them or how great the cost, she will take it."
The three boys listened to the conversation, even more confused than before.
"Sir, what exactly is going on?"
"I will tell you in my office. Come on, up you get. That's it. Boys, please follow us." The small group made their way to the headmasters office and were soon seated in comfortable chairs drinking hot tea, waiting for the older wizard to begin his story.