Hermione raced down the street towards the destroyed building. Sirens were already wailing in the distance. It was clear to her that the Death Eaters were still in this town, although she had no idea why they were blowing up seemingly random houses. She knew they had most likely used multiple reductor curses, which, when they bounced off each other, created a force strong enough to blast apart a house. Why in this dingy little town? What are they trying to achieve? By the time she reached the house, the house was burning but already torn apart. The street was littered with furniture that had shot out of the house like bullets out of a gun. Several muggles had been hit and were lying in the streets, dazed. But there seemed to be no serious injuries as far as Hermione could see.
She quickly cast a temporary muggle repelling charm, and then entered the ruined building. The flames were already dying down, making it possible for her to see an old man, curled up in a corner with his hands held protectively over his head. She picked her way over the debris to talk to him. "Sir, sir are you alright?" She asked him, taking him by the shoulder. He looked up, and upon seeing the wand in her hand, cowered against the floor. "I've already told you everything!" He sobbed, "I don't know anything else!" He thinks I am a Death Eater, Hermione thought. And he knows about the magical world, otherwise he would not have recognized me as a witch.
"Sir, I'm not with them. I'm a witch fighting in the anti Voldemort movement!" He looked up then. Hope lit his eyes. "You can protect me! They were here, they wanted information! They'll be back when they realize I'm not dead!" He implored. Hermione nodded, "My partner and I will make sure you are safe. Now come along, before the muggles get here." She extended a hand to pull him up. He stood shakily, and they exited the building. Hermione disillusioned them both, and they moved away from the house as police cars and fire trucks screeched to a stop in front of the smoking building.
Severus arrived at the scene just a few moments after Hermione. He saw her go in, and set about helping the muggles that had been hit by the debris. He had realized that he could count on her, and that it would not be necessary for him to do all the work. It was new for him, putting his trust in someone else like that, especially when it came to a mission in the fight against Voldemort. When she came out, he saw her disillusion herself and someone else. It seems we finally have a witness who can help us out.
Later they met up two streets down, where they shouts and sirens could no longer be heard as loudly. They sat the man down on a bench and cleaned him up with spells. Hermione gave him a bottle of water, which he drank gratefully. "I suppose you are wondering why Dark Wizards would take an interest in me?" Hermione and Severus nodded. "I'm a squib. Apparently Voldemort had an interest in recruiting people like me. The other house that burned down was the house of my sister. She didn't make it out alive." His voice broke, and Hermione placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I'm not really sure why the Death Eaters wanted me to join their ranks, the only thing they would disclose was that their lord had a job for people like me. He continued on that even though I was the lowest of the lowest scum, lower even than a muggle, they were prepared to offer me a deal. I had never been so insulted in my life. I grew angry, and told them to get out. They proceeded to blow up my house and dissaparated afterwards. That is all I know."Hermione and Severus looked at each other, each thinking the same thing. Squibs? What the hell is this?
They contacted Dumbledore by patronus that evening, back outside the town in their tent. The man, whose had introduced himself as Gregory Appleby, was snoring on one of the lower bunks. Half an hour later, Dumbledore apparated into the clearing outside with a loud crack, and they opened the wards to let him in. "What news?" He asked impatiently with a glance at the snoring guest. Hermione told him everything they had discovered while Severus glared at the headmaster, still miffed that he had disclosed them on this mission together. Its you fault I'm attracted to my student, all your fault!
Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "It seems Tom has grown desperate for hostages. I cannot imagine that he would want to 'recruit' squibs as actual followers. He sees them as the lowest people within the wizarding society. His pureblood mania would have never allowed such recruitment. No, he needed them for some sort of dark purpose…." He trailed off. "Ms. Granger, Severus, you will need to find out what they are planning to do with these squibs!" He pressed urgently, his long nose suddenly inches from Hermione's face. "Er….but sir, that will take a long time, what about my studies? We've already been tracking them for two weeks sir! And this man needs the protection of Hogwarts, the Death Eaters cannot know he is still alive." She said, somewhat irritated. Although, the idea of spending more time with Severus was….alluring. No we are not going there, she told herself firmly.
"Please Ms. Granger, " Dumbledore implored. "You are the most resourceful and brightest witch of your age. If anyone can find out what these Death Eaters were ordered to recruit squibs for, you are." She sighed. "Alright sir." The fight had gone out of her voice as she accepted the mission. Dumbledore turned to Severus. "What of you? Professor Mavis has agreed to cover your classes for the rest of the year. I daresay the only thing you will find disagreeable upon your return is that not as many students failed as you would have preferred." Severus scowled. "You misunderstand me, I do everything in my power to ensure a student passes my classes." He said smoothly, and heard Hermione snort behind him. He ignored her. Dumbledores eyes twinkled.
"I must go now. I will take along Mr. Appelby here, he will be safe at Hogwarts. Good luck to you two. " He went to the bunk, and slung the snoring man over his shoulder with ease. He seems spry for this old age, Hermione thought with surprise. He walked outside the wards and disapparated. Hermione and Severus stood at the entrance of the tent and looked at the spot where he had vanished. She suddenly realized she had agreed to spend Merlin knows how much longer with the man she was finding increasingly endearing. Shit.
"Why did you agree to elongate this mission, Ms. Granger?" Snape asked her softly, still looking ahead and not at her. She looked at his profile for a while, before saying "This is a war sir. Besides, your not such bad company when you actually speak like a human being instead of imitating a statue. " She smiled at him, seeing his usually stoic face betray his amusement through the quirk of his mouth. "Is that so." He said. "And you should call me Hermione. We might as well drop the formalities since, on this mission, we are no longer teacher and student." He looked at her then. "Very well, Hermione." His eyes, usually so dark and bottomless, had a touch of softness in them. Then they abrupty hardened and he turned away. "But you will of course continue to call me Professor, Hermione. I am still your superior, in many ways." He said loftily. Hermione's eyes narrowed.
Merlin help me, I might kill him after all.