Chapter 8 ~ Hermione's Close Call
Marcus made his way through the crowd and managed to shoulder his way through the circle of wizards surrounding the dancing witch. Hermione was gyrating and dancing wildly, oblivious of everything and everyone except the beat of the music. She was like a beautiful animal, her skin glowing slightly with perspiration as she moved.
"Damn," Marcus breathed. He stepped out on the dance floor and walked up to the witch. She looked at him, still swaying her hips.
"Hermione," Marcus said rather hoarsely, "I wonder if…"
Suddenly Severus appeared at Hermione's side.
"Miss Granger, would you like to take a walk in the moonlight?" the wizard asked the witch silkily.
Hermione stopped dancing and stared at him.
"You son-of-a-bitch!" Marcus seethed at the wizard, who arched an eyebrow at him.
Suddenly, Marcus took a swing at the Potions Master, who slipped it. The blonde wizard had swung so hard, he half-turned. Severus stepped to him and put him in a tight full-nelson, lifting his arms high so the wizard groaned in pain.
"I got here first, Mr. Delaluci," Severus said quietly. "If you wish to make an issue of this, we can arrange it for another time. Tonight, I win."
Marcus struggled futilely. Severus' hold was like iron. Around them the wizards all fell silent. Rosmerta bustled over.
"Gentlemen, you cannot fight in my inn," she said, drawing her wand.
Severus looked at her coolly.
"Just a minor altercation, Rosmerta. Forgive me," he said, releasing Marcus and pushing the wizard away.
Marcus spun on him, his eyes telescoping wildly as he rubbed his neck. Then they slowly calmed and he looked at Hermione a bit wistfully, then at Severus, then Rosmerta.
"No fight here, Rosmerta," he said. He scowled at Severus once more, then pushed his way through the crowd. Fuck. The Potions Master beat him out.
Marcus flopped back into the chair, a sour look on his face.
"Would you like another drink, sir? It would be on me."
Marcus looked up and saw the brunette waitress, smiling at him. His eyes raked over her body.
Nice.
"On you, eh?" he said, giving her a sexy smirk.
The witch's smile grew broader.
"On me," she replied.
"That sounds…delicious," the blonde wizard said with a bit of a growl in his voice so she wouldn't mistake his meaning. She didn't.
"It is," she assured him with a wink.
She left to get his drink.
Marcus watched her go. Well, the night wasn't going to be a total loss. The witch might not be Hermione, but she'd do it a pinch.
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Severus offered Hermione his arm.
"Shall we go?" he purred at her.
Hermione took his arm and the wizards parted so they could pass.
Minerva was up in arms.
"What in the world is she doing?" the witch said, watching her walk toward the door with Severus.
"Probably Snape," Rolanda said grinning.
Minerva stood up.
"We brought her here to get her away from him, not to push her into his arms," she seethed. She strode toward the couple.
"Hermione Jane Granger! Just what do you think you are doing?" she demanded.
The couple stopped walking, Severus looking at the irate Transfiguration teacher with amusement.
"I'm going for a walk in the moonlight with Professor Snape," Hermione replied. She sounded normal.
"The moon isn't even out, Hermione. Come back to the table with us," Minerva said, her eyes cutting towards Severus who smirked at her.
"No. I want to go with the Professor. I will be all right, Minerva," Hermione said, looking up at the wizard who met her eyes soberly.
"But…but…Hermione…you have no idea what…" she began.
"I will be fine, Minerva. I'll see you in the morning," Hermione said.
"Good night, Minerva…and don't worry…I'll take good care of the witch," Severus said, his black eyes glittering.
They exited the inn.
"Oh dear Merlin," Minerva breathed, walking back to the table where the witches were waiting.
"What happened?" Hooch asked excitedly.
"She wouldn't come back…she wanted to go with him," the witch said, sitting down and looking worried.
"Hot damn. Cherry-picking time!" Hooch said with a grinning, toasting the closed inn door with her glass.
Minerva scowled at the witch.
"This isn't funny, Rolanda. Hermione is an innocent…and Severus…well…he's little more than a devil. He's going to take advantage of her innocence," she said.
Hooch sobered.
"Minerva, Hermione is twenty-five years old. Did you ever think maybe she's tired of being an innocent? She's a woman, Minerva…in age anyway. The worst that can happen is she will become a woman in experience too. That's her right," the Flying teacher said, frowning slightly at the witch.
"But Severus? He is hardly the kind of wizard a witch would choose to lose her virginity to. He has no kindness, no gentleness or tenderness," the witch complained. "He doesn't care. He's a taker. You saw how he treated Sybil."
"You don't know what he is like behind closed doors, Minerva," Aurora said, entering the conversation.
"Sybil said he was an animal. Insatiable. That poor witch has no idea what she is walking into," Minerva declared.
"It's her choice, Minerva. Leave it alone and have a drink," Hooch said, sliding the last Nasty Sex over to her.
Minerva shut up.
But she still didn't like it.
Hermione walked arm and arm with the Potions Master. He was noticeably quiet. Hermione looked up at the sky.
"Minerva was right, there is no moon out tonight, Professor," she said to him softly.
Severus looked down at her.
"So there isn't," he replied shortly.
They walked a bit farther.
"So where are we going?" the witch asked him.
Severus' black eyes washed over her, resting on her red four-inch heels. The scent of jasmine drifted up from her hair.
"We are going back to Hogwarts…to my rooms," he said to the witch, waiting for her response. If she were all right, she would definitely protest this.
"All right," she said simply, then fell quiet again.
Severus looked straight ahead, his eyes thoughtful. This was quite an interesting situation he found himself in. A witch he wanted to fuck would do anything he asked of her. He looked down at Hermione again, then pulled her close and disapparated.
*******************************************
They appeared in the Potions Master's bedroom. He released the witch and stepped back, looking at her. Gods, that dress just said, "fuck me."
"Go sit down on my bed," he directed the witch.
Hermione obediently walked over to his four-poster and sat down on the edge of it, as Severus unbuttoned his dress robes. The witch looked around.
The wizard's bedroom was bare except for his bed, wardrobe, dressing table, and a single wooden chair. There were no pictures or any other decorations.
"Kind of Spartan," Hermione commented.
Severus looked up at her as if startled she spoke.
"What?" he said, peeling off his robes.
"I said your bedroom is kind of Spartan. You have nothing but furniture here," she said.
"What else do I need?" the wizard asked.
"Other than a hot little virgin sitting on my bed," he thought as he looked at her. Then the wizard walked over to the wardrobe and hung up his robes, taking his wand out of his pocket as he did so. He might need it.
Severus put his wand on the dresser, walked over to the wooden chair and pulled it closer to the bed. He sat down on it, looking at Hermione. His eyes were hooded.
"What are we doing here?" Hermione asked him.
"Nothing as of yet," the wizard replied, "Although that is quite likely to change, Miss Granger."
The witch looked at him, puzzled.
"I am trying to decide whether to fuck you or not," the wizard said, wanting to see how the witch took his statement.
Other than swallowing and shifting a bit on the bed, she said nothing but "oh."
Severus frowned.
"Aren't you concerned about this, Miss Granger?" he asked her.
She looked thoughtful.
"No. If you want to fuck me I'll let you," she said matter-of-factly.
Severus' frown grew darker. Did Marcus actually get off on this kind of mindless compliance? Hermione felt nothing, he could tell. Who wanted to fuck a witch who wasn't all there? It was like Hermione was soulless.
He couldn't do this. Not that he didn't find the witch sexy and desirable…he did. But he wanted her to feel something about it. Apprehension, nervousness…and lust. He wanted Hermione to react like a virgin would react...and he wanted her to want him to fuck her. Not just let him.
Ah well. The witch was safe for tonight…however…he did save her from Marcus. He deserved something for his trouble.
"Miss Granger, stand up," Severus said.
Hermione obeyed.
"Take off your dress," the wizard said, his eyes glinting.
Hermione caught the bottom of her dress and pulled it over her head, revealing her wand, stuck in the elastic of her silk red knickers, flared hips, flat belly and large, firm breasts with light brown areoles. Severus hissed. He could see the dark triangle of her pubic hair through her knickers.
The wizard's hand went reflexively to the front of his trousers as his cock hardened. Damn the witch was lovely.
"Turn around," he said, his voice raw.
Hermione obeyed, her rounded buttocks turned toward the wizard.
"Now, bend over and part your legs," he hissed.
Hermione did so, and the wizard's legs jerked reflexively as he struggled to remain in the chair. This was too much. The crotch of her knickers were damp, and his mouth watered at the darkened patch of wetness. He wanted to taste her. Fuck, he wanted to do more than taste her.
"Get dressed! Hurry!" he said to Hermione sharply, his voice hoarse.
Severus groaned as Hermione quickly retrieved her dress and pulled it on. Why had he teased himself like this? He had to get the witch out of here before he fucked her despite himself. He stood up and strode toward her, catching her arm and walking the witch hastily out of his bedroom.
"Where are we going now?" she asked, almost running to keep up with his stride, her heels clicking on the stone floor.
"You are going to your rooms. Me, I am going to bed. Alone. Now out!" he said, opening his study wall and walking her through his office.
Severus opened the door and pushed Hermione out roughly into the corridor, closing it behind her. He drew in a ragged sigh and helplessly looked down at his tented trousers.
"Shit," he said, walking back into his study and closing the wall behind him.
The wizard walked into his bedroom and sat down on the edge of his bed, his pale hands hanging between his legs. Damn the witch had a body on her. The Potions Master grimaced as his cock throbbed, then stood up, walked over to his dresser and retrieved his wand, divestoing his clothing. His long, pale cock stood at attention, the head red, swollen and angry-looking.
Make no mistake about it…Severus was no gentleman. It was only his own selfishness that kept him from fucking Hermione. And his ego. He wanted Hermione begging for it, and knew he could make that happen. Unlike Marcus, he didn't need magic to help him along. He wanted her natural.
The wizard climbed into his bed and rolled on his back, placing his arms behind his head and staring up at the ceiling, waiting for his cock to deflate.
Hermione knew he meant to have her now. He told her in no uncertain terms tonight at the inn that he intended to be the one to take her virginity, and she had creamed herself thoroughly at the thought of it. He knew that eventually she would challenge him about making such a declaration and was looking forward to the witch telling him he had some nerve saying he would take her virginity without even asking her.
How delicious that little confrontation would be. It would open up room for all types of reactions on his part.
Severus smirked. He was glad he managed to get her out of the room without touching her.
When he did, it would be just that much sweeter.
Hermione entered the Great Hall with one hell of a hangover. The bleary eyed witch sat down next to her party companions, all of whom were noticeably quiet.
"I feel as if I've been sideswiped by a troll," Hermione grimaced holding her head.
The witches all looked at each other. Well, that answered their unspoken questions about how she was feeling. Hermione ordered toast with butter and coffee. That was all she felt she could eat.
Severus walked into the Great Hall with a billow of robes. Immediately all the witches looked at him, and he gave them a smirk before sitting down and ordering a very hearty breakfast of sausages, eggs, toast and jam, and coffee. He glanced at Hermione. She looked hung over. Probably the leftover effects of Marcus' roofie. The blonde wizard was noticeably absent this morning.
Rolanda looked at Hermione.
"So, how was your night?" she asked the witch.
Hermione grimaced again.
"I must have drunk too much. The last thing I remember is dancing. Then I woke up in my bed," the witch said, sipping her coffee.
Minerva looked at the other witches victoriously.
"I told you something wasn't on the up and up," the witch said to the others, who looked at Hermione with concern.
"What?" Hermione asked them, irritated.
"You left the inn last night with Severus," Minerva said to Hermione, who looked shocked.
"What?" she said disbelievingly.
"You left the Three Broomsticks in the company of Professor Snape. You wouldn't come back to the table and said you would be all right," Minerva told her.
Hermione looked down the table at Severus, who was eating. Gods, she left with him? She didn't remember any of it.
The witch sat very still trying to feel if anything were different about her body. Anything…intimate. Other than a slight pounding in her head, she didn't feel any soreness or strangeness. But then again, the wizard could have given her something for aches. But had she gotten so drunk she just agreed to go with the wizard?
"So, do you feel any…different?" Rolanda asked. All the witches wondered if Hermione had been deflowered.
"No. I don't," Hermione said. She was still disturbed however.
"I suggest you…check…when you get back to your rooms, Hermione," Minerva said gently. "Find out if you are still 'intact.'"
Hermione felt her belly quiver uncomfortably. Did the Potions Master take her virginity last night? She looked down the table at the wizard.
Severus felt eyes on him and turned to see Hermione staring at him. He nodded at her soberly and returned to his meal. This wasn't reassuring to the witch. She didn't remember anything at all. If she didn't know better she would have thought the wizard gave her something…but other than when he danced with her that one time, he hadn't come near her again for the rest of the night…until she left with him.
Plus, for some reason…she didn't believe the Potions Master would tamper with her that way. He was more direct than that. She remembered what he told her last night…that he intended on taking her virginity.
Gods. Maybe he had.
Hermione stopped eating and just sat there. Minerva put a comforting arm around her shoulder.
"There, there, Hermione. If anything did happen…it's not your fault. You weren't yourself when you left the inn. If anything Severus is to blame. He was the one who took advantage of the situation," she said gently, but glowering down the table at the dark wizard.
"You don't know for certain anything happened at all, Hermione," Hooch said, "When you get back to your rooms, check. Use a small mirror to see if you still have your hymen."
Suddenly Severus rose and exited the Great Hall. Hermione stood up.
"I'm going," she said to the witches and walked out of the hall behind the Potions Master.
"Gods, what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall for that conversation," Hooch said.
Minerva twisted her hands and said nothing.
Severus was very aware Hermione was behind him. A few students skittered out of his way as he strode to the dungeon corridor and turned. Hermione hurried to catch up to him.
"Professor?" she called.
Severus stopped and waited for the witch to catch up to him. She looked tired.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" he replied, starting to walk again.
"You brought me back to the castle last night," she said to him, her voice trembling.
"Yes, I did," he agreed.
Hermione waited for him to say something more, but he didn't.
"What did we do afterwards? When we got back?" she asked him.
Severus stopped and turned to her.
"You mean you don't remember last night?" the wizard purred at the witch.
"No," she admitted, "I only remember dancing. Minerva and the others told me I left with you. I don't remember any of that."
"I see," the wizard said, starting to walk again and smirking to himself.
The witch thought he had fucked her.
When the Potions Master didn't say anything more, Hermione began to get a bit angry.
"Professor, did you do anything to me when we came back here?" she asked him, afraid of his answer.
"Anything like what, Miss Granger?" the wizard replied.
Hermione colored.
"Anything…intimate?" the witch asked him.
Severus stopped again, this time his black eyes washing over her familiarly before resting on her face.
"You want to know if I deflowered you. If I fucked you. Am I right, Miss Granger?" he asked her silkily.
"Yes," the witch said, her voice small.
Severus looked at Hermione for a moment or two, saying nothing, his jaw tight.
Then he said, "Miss Granger, if I had fucked you, believe me you would know it."
Hermione let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't done it.
"Not that I couldn't have," the wizard said, frowning at the witch. "Someone drugged you last night, Miss Granger, with the intention on doing what you almost accused me of. The only reason you still have your virginity is because of me."
Hermione blinked up at the wizard.
"Drugged me? How?" the witch asked him. "Who?"
Severus looked at her.
"As to how, witch…one of those many drinks you accepted last night. As to whom, that is of no consequence since he did not succeed. This time. You need to be more vigilant about what you drink and who you receive it from. Only take your drinks from the inn's employees from now on."
Severus was not about to send Marcus to Azkaban, pig that he was. The Potions Master may have been a spy, but he was no snitch. Hermione would just have to accept she had a close call and look after herself better in the future.
Hermione thought about last night. Not only did the waitress bring drinks, but individual wizards as well. There was no way she could figure out who did such a thing to her. Now she remembered how free and uninhibited she felt on the dance floor. She thought it was just the alcohol, but it had been more.
Severus studied the witch.
"I must say though, Miss Granger…you certainly can dance," he purred, "Every wizard in the Three Broomsticks had wood for you. I imagine quite a few wands were hand-polished last night with you as the focus."
Hermione looked up at the wizard, flushed with embarrassment. Severus stepped closer to her.
"You remember what I told you last night, don't you? That I am going to be the one who claims you when the time comes. I meant that, Miss Granger. I want to be the wizard who first experiences you. I will be that wizard," Severus said in a low voice, his eyes glittering, "I was hard put not to do it last night. The only thing that saved you was the fact that you were too compliant. You would have done anything I asked of you without any hesitation. I didn't want you like that. I want you apprehensive, trembling and hungry for it…like a virgin should be."
Severus backed the witch into the corridor wall. Hermione couldn't speak…she was lost in his dark eyes and his words, her belly all aflutter. Gods, he was so dominating…so sure of himself. So…so male.
"I saved you last night, Miss Granger, but I saved you for myself," the Potions Master said softly. It was a deceptive softness, however.
The wizard brought up a pale hand and caressed her cheek. Hermione closed her eyes at this first contact from the wizard. His palm was warm and slightly roughened as it slid slowly down her skin. Helplessly she leaned into his hand. The Professor watched her respond to his touch, letting his hand fall away. Hermione gasped slightly at the break in contact.
"You like my touch," he breathed at her. "But it isn't always this gentle, Miss Granger. In fact, I don't think there will be much gentleness when I take you. But you won't mind that. You won't need it. My strength is what you will be longing for. I will give it to you."
Hermione wrestled to reassert herself. She couldn't just let the wizard tell her what he planned to do to her as if she had no choice in the matter. Who did he think he was?
"Professor Snape…I have no intentions on letting you just take my virginity," she said, remembering Adam's words to treat her pussy as if it were made of gold, "I'm not just going to give myself to you without any preliminaries. If you want me, you're going to have to court me like any other wizard who wants to be a suitor."
Severus chuckled.
"This is as close to courting as I come, Miss Granger. And I am no suitor begging for your attentions. I already have your attention, witch. You are attracted to me…you said it yourself when you accused me of casting a spell on you. You will give yourself to me eventually. No one else moves you to things carnal as I do. You would fuck me without dates, dinners and drinks. I need take you no farther than my bedroom," the Potions Master said, his lip twisted in a slightly leering smirk.
Hermione's face turned black at his look. The nerve of the wizard! She pushed him back.
"How dare you say…" she began. Hermione never got a chance to finish as Severus shot forward and captured her mouth with his own, forcing his tongue into her mouth and ravishing it, his long arms wrapping around her and lifting her against the wall, pressing his hard lean body against her.
Hunger flooded out of the wizard and into the witch. She had never been kissed, and this was one hell of an introduction. Hermione moaned as the Potions Master licked and sucked at her mouth, exploring every part of it, exchanging fluids. The wizard let out a growl, then dropped her to the floor, pulling back suddenly. Hermione wanted to yank him back against her. She panted heavily, looking up at the wizard with half-lidded and heated eyes.
"That's how I dare say what I said, witch," he said to her. "I wish you could see your face at this moment. A wizard with less discipline than I would have you shrieking up against this wall by now, though I can't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind."
He remembered his first dream about the witch.
Severus heard voices and stepped away from the witch as several Slytherin students walked up the hall. They greeted the Professor and looked curiously at the Spells Mistress as they passed. She looked rather flushed.
When they passed, Severus said to Hermione, "I believe we have a ten o'clock appointment in your lab. That gives you an hour to…recover. You will be able to work won't you? Or did my kiss addle your brain as well as other parts of your body?"
"I'll be able to work, and you have some nerve taking such liberties, Professor Snape," Hermione said to him, trying to pick up the shreds of her dignity. He had just taken away almost all of her resistance with one searing kiss. It was frightening.
"You'll find out just how much nerve I have witch, don't worry," the Professor replied, walking down to his office and letting himself in without another word.
Hermione watched him go, willing her heart to slow its frantic beating. The wizard really was a tempter…just like Minerva said.
Hermione pushed off the wall and walked unsteadily to her rooms, her mind going a thousand miles a minute as she considered what happened to her last night and just now. Someone had planned to have magically induced sex with her, and the Potions Master saved her from it…only because he planned to have her himself.
Hermione really didn't think that qualified the wizard as a hero. He had selfish motivations after all. Gods, how her body tingled…and the pounding in her head seemed to have moved between her legs.
The Professor had been overwhelming, and she had wanted him to overwhelm her more. No, she couldn't imagine him gentle…not after that kiss. He had almost sucked her tonsils out of her throat. Damn, he really was an animal like Sybil claimed…and that was only a kiss. What would he be like when he…he…
Hermione felt a gush of flush roll out of her and soak her knickers. Again.
"Damn it," she hissed, looking toward the closed Potions office door.
The witch hurried to her rooms and let herself in before the Potions Master appeared again.
She needed a shower.
A cold one.
Hermione showered and dressed, this time deciding to wear her white muggle lab coat, a t-shirt, jeans and trainers underneath. The witch also decided not to make any allusions to what happened last night or this morning in the dungeon corridor. She needed to focus. She planned to stimulate the Mark again, this time testing the wizard's stamina to see how long he could stand the spell. This would be important as she came up with more testing. She had to make sure the tests could be accomplished before the Professor met his threshold for pain.
Hermione was sure the Professor would think she was being vindictive. Maybe a small part of her was, but she still needed to do this. He would just have to understand. The witch also needed to approach him on helping her to come up with a way to stop his blood from reacting to the summons. A simple demonstration should convince him it would be in his best interest.
The witch exited her rooms to find the Professor already standing in front of her lab. The wizard watched her approach with hooded eyes.
"So what kind of tortures do you have planned for me today?" he asked her silkily as she unwarded the lab.
"Sustained stimulation of your Mark," Hermione replied, opening the door and walking in. Severus scowled at her.
"Sustained?" he asked, his face black. "Miss Granger, if you are using my compliance as a way of paying me back for…"
Hermione whirled on him.
"I can't design experiments if I don't know how much pain you can stand, Professor. It is nothing personal," she snapped, stalking over to her desk and rifling through her parchments.
"Such hostility, Miss Granger. Are you suffering from misplaced aggression…or is it…frustration?" the wizard asked suggestively, unbuttoning his robes.
"It's exasperation," she hissed at him, walking over to the cooler and taking out the Petri dish of blood. The witch removed the stasis spell and brought it over to the counter. She looked up to see Severus standing in his silk boxers, socks and boots again.
"Oh dear gods. Couldn't you wear something under your robes?" Hermione asked him, trying to keep her eyes focused on his face as the wizard gave her a thin-lipped smirk.
"Miss Granger, I am already out of my comfort zone enough as it is. I refuse to be made even more uncomfortable just to make you more so," he replied, walking over to the counter and standing unnecessarily close to the witch.
"Space, Professor," Hermione said evenly.
Severus stepped to the side a bit, but not much. Hermione could see his rippled abs out of the corner of her eye. Gods, the wizard was tight.
"What are you doing?" he asked the witch as she pulled out her wand.
"I want to show you what happens to your blood when you are summoned," Hermione replied. She cast the summons spell on the blood and Severus observed the reaction.
"This reaction starts around the Mark itself, then spreads throughout the body slowly, which is why the summons becomes more painful the longer it goes unanswered. The sickle-shape of the cells slows circulation and the blood basically dams up in the veins, only a few slipping through. Very painful. If I can stop this from happening, I can render the summons painless, if not stop it," Hermione said, removing the spell and looking up at the Professor.
"You are going to need someone to cast the spell as you try to stop the process," he said quietly.
"Yes, I am. I'm hoping you will do it, Professor. I will give you equal credit if we are successful," the witch said for incentive.
Severus' black eyes washed over her.
"I don't need the credit," he responded. "I'll do it because I am tired of the random pain the Phantom Summons causes me."
Hermione smiled at him.
"That is wonderful. Thank you, Professor," she said as the wizard walked over to the chair and sat down, stretching out his long, muscular legs and laying his arm on the wooden extension, Mark up. His dark eyes rested on her.
"I believe you have some pain to cause me," he said in a low voice.
Hermione quickly cast a stasis spell on the Petri dish and returned it to the cooler. She approached the wizard, her amber eyes meeting his black ones as she put the tip of her wand to his Mark. Severus looked at her sullenly.
"Professor, really…I take no pleasure in causing you pain," she said sincerely.
Severus snorted.
"The Dark Lord used to tell me the same thing before casting the Crucio spell. Just get on with it, witch," he said, tensing.
Hermione whispered the spell, her eyes glistening.
In his lair, Peter Pettigrew grasped his forearm and hissed as the strange summons burned. He quickly jumped out of his bed, grabbed his wand and headed for the exit. It was daylight and he took held his wand at the ready. If he exited and anyone was in the graveyard, he would have to kill them and dispose of the body.
At the bottom of the stairs, he said the spell that opened the grave. It slid to the side and the rotund, balding wizard stepped out into the day, squinting against the light, his nose actually quivering like a rat. No one was about.
The pain increased.
"I'm coming, Master," the wizard said, then disappeared.
Severus was gritting his teeth against the pain. He had taken it for five minutes so far. All around the wizarding world, others were suffering as well. Hermione had no idea she had discovered the General summons Voldemort used to contact all his deatheaters. If she would just add a name she would be able to summon individuals. But the witch had no way of knowing that.
Suddenly there was a crack of thunder and both Hermione and Severus looked up.
Peter Pettigrew stood there, staring at them.
"Peter," Severus hissed as Hermione stared back at the wizard, shocked and unable to move.
The fat little wizard looked at Severus and his face contorted with hatred.
"Traitor!" he hissed, pointing his wand at the Potions Master, who was defenseless.
"Avada Ked…" he began.
"Expelliamus!" Hermione screamed, hitting the wizard with a powerful blast before he could complete the Killing curse, sending him flying against the shelving, glass beakers and vials falling to the floor and breaking all around the wizard. Peter was hurt but not unconscious. He groaned and struggled to sit up.
Severus dove for his robes, frantically trying to get his wand out as Hermione trained her wand on the wizard. Gods, everyone thought Peter Pettigrew was dead.
Suddenly both Peter and Severus cried out and clutched their Marks. Another Phantom Summons had been activated.
Peter grimaced and disappeared.
"No!" Hermione cried, then whirled on Severus. She ran up and grabbed his arm, making him hiss from even more pain.
"Follow the summons!" she yelled at the wizard. "Hurry! Peter's answered it! He's the key! Follow him, Professor!"
Severus grabbed his robes and disapparated, Hermione clinging to him. They appeared in the graveyard, wands held at the defensive. Unfortunately, they were facing the wrong way and didn't see the grave slide close.
Hermione released Severus' arm and started to look around.
"Stand still you silly witch!" Severus snarled at her as he pulled on his robes. "More than likely Peter figured we would follow him and hid quickly. He might not have had time to cover his tracks. You'll ruin them if they are present."
Hermione froze and rose to her tip toes, looking at the ground. She didn't see anything. But she didn't have the trained eye the Professor did. His black eyes scanned the ground. The dirt was hard, but there were some loose grains on top. He wasn't looking for impressions. The ground wouldn't hold them. He was looking for fresh patterns of scatter that couldn't be attributed to natural disturbance such as wind.
"The summons is more than apparation, Professor," Hermione said to the wizard. "It has to be. Peter should not have been able to enter or leave Hogwarts. The summons must transform the sender into a kind of temporary port key destination for deatheaters."
It was impossible for anyone to create a port key destination inside of the Hogwarts grounds except for Dumbledore. Hermione was only able to use the Track-a-port on Severus because she had the Headmaster's authorization. Obviously, the summons magic wasn't subject to this limitation, perhaps because of its temporary nature and the fact that the destination was a living being rather than an inanimate object.
Severus nodded, still looking at the ground. He found what he was looking for and followed the pattern to a small overgrown grave. He looked down at it, an eyebrow arched. Hermione walked over to him, still not seeing anything.
"What?" she asked.
Suddenly, Severus blasted the ground to the right of the grave, creating a small crater in the ground. He studied it for a moment, then pointed his wand at the grave. Hermione's eyes went wide.
"You aren't going to desecrate a grave, Professor?" she gasped.
"I don't think the occupant will mind…if there is an occupant," he replied silkily. He blasted the grave and a large cloud of dirt rose up, covering both of them. Hermione coughed and fanned the cloud away. When it cleared…the earth over the grave was unmarked.
"I believe we've found Peter," the Potions Master said darkly, "And the source of the Phantom Summons. Go back to Hogwarts and inform the Headmaster. I'll wait here."
"What are you going to do?" Hermione wanted to know, scared for the wizard. She realized she didn't want anything to happen to the snarky Potions Master. "Professor, this is dangerous. Come back with me and we can all return together. You don't know who's down there. Maybe Voldemort himself."
Severus looked at her. The witch was frightened to death for him. So, she didn't want anything to happen to her potential deflowerer. He fought back a smirk.
"Just go. I'll be fine. Get Albus," he ordered the witch, his eyes glinting. "I can take care of myself witch. I've been doing it all my wretched life. Now go! You're wasting valuable time."
Hermione stared at the wizard, then said in a small voice, "Please be careful, Professor. Please."
"Don't worry witch. I have no intention on leaving this world before bedding you," he replied, making Hermione flush.
Even in this situation the wizard just had to go there.
Hermione took one more worried look at the dark wizard, then disapparated.
Severus studied the grave for a moment, then put away his wand and rubbed his pale hands together.
"All right, Peter. Let's see just how strong your wards are," the wizard breathed, stretching his hands out over the grave and concentrating. He was going to try and pry the grave open with wandless magic. Only Albus knew he had this ability and it was somewhat limited. He couldn't perform every spell this way…but he could focus raw magic to an extent and through visualization, perform some feats.
The wizard's hair began to writhe and crackle as power gathered within him. He visualized a pair of large, powerful hands gripping the side of the grave's hidden entrance and wrenching it open. With a snarl Severus threw the power toward the grave and began to pull, shaking from the effort as the wards resisted him.
"Come on," he hissed, "Open! Open!"
The Potions Master felt a slight give and redoubled his efforts, perspiration starting to run down his face as it contorted. His entire body was tensed and straining as he magically yanked at the grave. There was a bit more give.
"Yesss," he hissed, pulling with all his might. Suddenly the grave slid open, revealing a stairwell leading down into darkness. Severus pointed his palms to the sky and released the excess magic, then quickly pulled his wand, and carefully peered into the grave's depth. Peter would most likely cast the Killing curse at him.
The Potions Master looked around on the ground and saw a broken piece of a tombstone. It looked to weigh about ten pounds. He picked it up and threw it down into the darkness.
"Avada Kedavra!" Peter screamed, shooting the dread green light at the sound, bathing the stone in the deadly spell.
Severus quickly charged down the stairs, his wand extended.
"Expelliamus!" he cried, sending the spell in the direction the Killing curse came from. There was a scream and a crash. Severus followed the sound, pressing against the wall just as another blast of the Killing curse shot past him.
"Shit," he breathed before shooting a spell several times in quick succession back at the desperate wizard. It had to have taken Peter by surprise.
"Avis! Avis! Avis! Avis!" the Potions Master cried, sending flock after flock of small, twittering birds toward the startled wizard, who starting swinging his hands as they collided with him. These particular birds didn't take kindly to being batted, and they converged on the wizard, beating him with their wings and pecking at him with their sharp little beaks.
"Get away from me!" Peter cried, flailing wildly at the birds, which flew at him over and over. The wizard dropped his wand.
Severus calmly walked into the room, watching Peter try and fight the little birds off. He noticed the dropped wand, picked it up and put it in his pocket. He looked around the small room, his black eyes falling on the beaker of blood in the center of the room and the jar of black liquid at the base. Severus frowned. He knew what it was immediately.
"So, you've been keeping the Dark Lord's blood viable, eh Peter?" the wizard said, walking toward the pedestal.
"You keep away from that!" Peter screeched, fighting his way through the birds and charging the Potions Master, his eyes crazed.
Severus waited for the wizard to get into range and hit him with a powerful right cross, breaking his jaw and knocking the fat wizard unconscious. He crumpled to the floor. Severus looked at him, then his black eyes shifted toward the blood bubbling in the beaker. The pain of the summons was gone now. He was in the presence of the last living part of the Dark Lord.
"A good try, my Lord," Severus said, reaching out and picking up the beaker, examining it. "Now I send you into the darkness forever."
Severus flung the beaker across the room into the stone wall, where it shattered, the blood pouring down the wall, then instantly coagulating, turning black. It was no longer in stasis and died immediately.
"No more Phantom Summons," the wizard thought, his eyes turning on Peter. The wizard's jaw hung slackly, his entire face bruised. He was out cold.
"I could kill you and claim self-defense, but death is too easy a way out. Better you go to Azkaban and be some deatheater's bitch for the rest of your miserable life," the Potions Master said to the unconscious wizard.
Severus looked around the room and saw the latest issue of Playwizard resting on the small bed. He walked over and picked it up, studying the cover.
"Madame Boobula, eh?" he thought, arching an eyebrow then opening the magazine, turning it sideways and letting the centerfold drop down. He nodded.
"Nice," he said as he looked at the curvaceous blonde witch, who was leaning back against a Hungarian Horntail completely nude offering up her breasts to readers.
It had to be a photo manipulation. The dragon would have swallowed her down, boobs and all. But the witch's breasts were huge. "Non-augmented" the caption read below her.
The wizard walked over to Peter's small table, pulled out a chair and sat down, rifling through the magazine of naked witches, guarding the rotund wizard and waiting for Albus and Hermione to return.
At least his service to Hermione was over.
It was getting close to the time she would service him.
A/N: Well, they've got Pettigrew and destroyed Voldemort's blood. Good use of the Avis spell. I always wondered what it was good for. Probably weddings. But Severus found another use for it. And a way to pass the time until Hermione returned. lol. Please review.