Severus looked up from where he was sat, next to Minerva and the new Defence teacher Dolores Umbridge. The woman's face expressed similar features of a toad, she was pale skinned and wore pink everything. She was Severus' complete opposite of an ideal woman, and if she even dared to try and make conversation with him, he would not be in control of his actions. To Severus' delight, she seemed to have feared him and didn't dare to look at him twice. Instead she leaned forward and started to talk to Minerva, Severus' pupils dilated as scanned through the different houses at all the students who looked disgusted at the woman on his left. Some of them were already making jokes about her and he half-smiled as he eavesdropped on what some of his Slytherin students were saying, listening to them already plan on making her teaching career here at Hogwarts ultimate hell for her. 'I'm really going to enjoy this year' His thoughts stopped and his not quite half-smile faded as she laughed, it was possibly the worst laugh laugh he'd ever heard. She leaned back in her chair giggling rather loudly to herself and Severus looked at Minerva who quickly glanced back to Sever 'help' she mouthed to him, and he shrugged smirking at her. It was Dumbledore who ended all the conversation and laughter in the room, after the new first years had been sorted into their new houses, he stood up to make one of his speeches. "Good evening wizards and witches" he smiled, looking down on them all. "Now that we are all settled, I would like to introduce our new Defence against the dark arts teacher-" The woman in pink stood up cutting Dumbledore off, the old man looked taken back but nodded at her and sat down, Severus was actually laughing inside 'Oh I'm going to have so much fun making this woman's life hell' he arched an eyebrow as the toad began to speak. "Hello young children" she said in her squeaky voice, before giving another horrible giggle which made Severus shiver in disgust as he watched the students, knowing that the majority of them were planning this woman's funeral already. "I am Professor Umbridge, and it gives me great pleasure to have come from the Ministry to teach you all" she said feeling and looking rather impressed with herself "You should all be honoured to have the me here teaching you and I'm sure we're all going to have such great fun together" she squeaked, grinning. Severus was nearly in hysterics inside, but still managed to portray his usual expressionless face, 'Oh yes, we are going to have a lot of fun'. He caught Minerva smirking at him through the corner of his eye, she knew exactly what he was thinking, and by the look on her face, she was planning the same as him.
After a lot of babbling, Umbridge finally sat down back next to Severus, and everyone sarcastically clapped her, but of course she didn't know they were doing it sarcastically. Severus wasn't paying any attention anymore, his arm had started to itch a little, he wasn't being summonned, it was just a false alarm for some plan the Death Eaters had tonight, but it was still causing him a lot of bother. Noticing that he wasn't clapping, Umbridge nudged him and he gave her a split second of a deadly look, before giving her that smug smirk and clapped his hands slowly. Minerva started to laugh to herself, the staff had all clearly taken an instant disliking to the then looked at his food as everyone started to stuff their faces, he nudged a bit of bacon around the plate with his fork; he really wasn't feeling hungry and just wanted to slump back to the dungeons to his office and try to get some sleep. He'd spend a lot of the summer being summonned and was badly injured although his pale skin covered a lot of the scars that he had. His arm started to burn now, this could only mean that something bad had happened. 'Oh God... this is going to be bad'. He noticed Flitwick was leaving early and decided to follow him out, making small talk with him on the way before turning to the driveway he headed down towards the gate and glanced to check that he was completely out of site before applying his mask and cloak then answering the summoning.
He couldn't quite tell where he was, it was some sort of abandonned forrest. He heard Voldemort's laugh, that was never a good sign, he stood alone unable to see much "lumos" he said gesturing his wand as it lit up so he could just about see his surroundings. There were just trees everywhere and a few shadows, then the Dark Lord appeared right in front of him still laughing. "Ah, my spy" he hissed moving close to him, the stench of blood and flesh made Severus' stomach churn. 'I'm glad I avoided that bacon'. "My lord" he bowed, "I didn't expect to be summonned tonight" he said to his 'master'. Voldemort laughed again; "Can you think of a reason why I only summonned you Severus?" he hissed again and his eyes narrowed, if that was even possible. Severus felt the pulse in his neck twitch, "Because I deserve to be punished...my lord" he mumbled. "And why do you need to be punished Severus?" he asked gripping his wand and pointing it at him. To what would shock most, Severus didn't even look scared. He was so used to this happening now, and he would welcome death like it was Christmas. He stared at the want pointing at him then at the Dark Lord, "because... Potter wasn't at the Burrow... where I told you he would be... master" he said slowly, he closed his eyes, he was so used to lying to Voldemort, but thanks to Occlumency he managed to keep many things from Voldemort. He didn't reply, he just hissed again then screamed "CRUCIO".
Hermione headed to the hospital wing after finishing her meal, she had been doing a lot of studying on healing and was interested in becoming a nurse like Madam Pomfrey. She wasn't really sure if it was just a phase but she wanted to know if she could start learning and practising. She was just about to enter the hospital wing when she noticed something on the floor right by the door of the hospital wing. She recognised the cloak, the dark hair and pale, long, thin fingers. Professor Snape? She stared for a moment, he seemed to be unconscious. Slowly walking towards him, she tried to steady her breathing, he wasn't the most friendliest of teachers. Just as she reached him, the door swung open and Poppy Pomfrey stood there "Miss Granger, you're early! I..." she stared at the unconscious teacher on the floor horrified, she bent down to lift him up "Oh Severus..." she said sympatheticly. She dragged him over to the bed, he was completely out of it. "Miss Granger, the timing is unfortunate, anyway to cut to the chase, you may start learning healing, however it is Professor Snape that you will be healing, no don't look at me like that Hermione I've no time to explain to you, go through there and talk to Dilys the portrait, she'll explain everything and you can read Sever- Professor Snape's medical records, no stop Hermione, I can't answer any questions right now, please go make yourself some tea, it's going to be a long night". She sighed, then turned to Snape and started muttering healing charms as he whimpered with every word. Hermione was sure he was probably in 100 times the pain that he was actually showing, she cringed looking at the tangled body, sprawled across the hospital bed. Then turned to the kitchen part of the hospital wing and settled down with a mug of tea as Dilys the portrait explained to her the life of Severus Snape, she told Hermione everything about him being bullied by Potter and Black from school and being neglected all his life, explained why he joined the Death Eaters and that he was somewhat of a double agent for Dumbledore.
Tears streamed from Hermione's eyes as she slowly started to take all of this in. "Professor Snape, a spy? A good spy? He's on our side? After all this time?" she asked confused and feeling frustrated with herself for everything she'd ever said and thought about him over the years. Dilys smiled "Yes, he's really quite not that bad" she said. Hermione laughed, "this is the Professor Snape right? Are you sure this isn't some kind of joke?" she said shaking her head "Sorry... it's all just so much to take in all at once... I see how the timing is so unfortunate". She said, recalling a memory of her setting fire to Snape's leg in her first year at Hogwarts, she laughed to herself remembering his reaction to his leg being on fire then remembered how ill he had just looked. "Will he be alright?" she asked. "Yes, this isn't the worst we've seen him in... unfortunately Hermione". Hermione looked at her mug feeling fully ashamed of herself with how she'd been. But he's still that greasy bastard. He still stuck up for Malfoy. He... He's lying there in severe pain and I'm here holding on to petty grudges.She sat up straight as Madam Pomfrey entered "Miss Granger, here" she handed her the medical records. "Read this in your own time, you should get back to your common room now though. I'd have liked to have told you everything myself but, Hermione now you must promise me that you won't repeat this to anyone, not Potter, not Weasely-" "I won't Madam Pomfrey, I promise" Hermione said, this was non of their business and Hermione was allowed to have her own secrets. Poppy smiled "I'll get Dilys to tell you when I need you again, or it might be Phineas". Hermione placed her mug on the table "Okay... is he going to be alright Madam Pomfrey?" she asked, glancing over at her still unconscious Potions master. "Please, call me Poppy when we're here. He will, yes" she said. "Now leave quickly, Filch is on duty tonight and we know what he's like".
Hermione reached the Gryfindor common room and silently cried herself to sleep remembering all those horrible things she'd heard that had happened to Snape. How could Sirius do this? No... Snape is still that greasy haired bastard. He's been neglected though... all his life, and he regretted becoming a Death Eater, that's why he's doing all this. She shook her head, Snape had been hard enough to understand without her knowing about his childhood and him being some sort of James Bond hero like figure. This was going to take a while to sink in. She pulled Crookshanks close to her and cuddled him, petting him softly as she fell asleep.
I know I've probably rushed this a little. I think I got too carried away, but it's going to take Hermione a lot of time to come to terms with this. The next meeting won't be for a few months now. And she won't be reading much of the book any time soon either. Severus doesn't know that she was there either, and he won't do for quite some time.