Chapter Three

"Lead the way, Miss Granger," Snape said as soon as they materialized onto a dark Muggle street.

Hermione looked around her, trying to make sense of their whereabouts. "Oh, right, of course! I was expecting us to come out over there. Now everything is backwards. This makes sense. My house is right around that next corner."

She strode forward immediately, and Snape hurried to stay with her. She'd better be quick about this visit, he thought. He didn't want to be here. There could be Death Eaters watching them right now. Snape was under the protection of the Dark Lord, for now, but there have always been and will always be rogue Death Eaters who remain unconvinced of his loyalties. These particular Death Eaters would not hesitate to attack if they believed they had the chance to get away with it without any witnesses.

This business with the Dark Lord was a bloody mess. Severus Snape, had he been mature enough to make decisions which would affect the rest of his life, would never have gotten himself caught up in the pureblood propaganda. Besides, he wasn't even a pureblood. He was merely a talented half-blood with an aptitude for potions who was neglected in his youth, causing him to become attached to the first person or group to show him kindness. After the business with Lily Evans, he didn't think it would ever happen again, since she was the only one ever to speak to him without teasing or belittling. However, when Lucius Malfoy was in his seventh year he took sixteen year old Severus under his wing and "befriended" him. It took Snape years to realize he was being groomed to become a servant of the Dark Lord – Malfoy didn't actually want to be his friend. At the time, Severus felt so indebted to his friend that when Malfoy extended an offer to become a Death Eater, he didn't want to hurt his feelings or be rude in refusing.

From the start, Severus was manipulated. Manipulated into serving the Dark Lord, manipulating into spying on the Dark Lord for Dumbledore, manipulated into spying on the Dark Lord for Dumbledore whilst pretending to spy on Dumbledore for the Dark Lord. It got to the point where Snape wasn't sure where his loyalties lay. He was the one person who could see the inner workings of both sides in the war, and from where he stood they both looked as bad as the other. At least you knew what to expect from the Dark Lord. Dumbledore wasn't averse to using and sacrificing people to his cause without telling them – he'd just withhold important information until the time came, ensuring that the person is unable to refuse him.

They continued walking, their eyes darting nervously around them as they did so, looking for signs of any unwelcome presence. Hermione finally paused and said, "We're here."

They were standing at a little gate which led up a path through a very ordinary looking garden, to a very ordinary looking house. Hermione found the familiar house comforting. She had been so glad when Dumbledore had told her that her parents were able to move back into the family home, providing it was protected with the Fidelius Charm. Hermione had been born in this house. It's rooms and yard were as familiar to her as her parents themselves.

Hermione stood staring at the house, so Snape took it on himself to open the gate and begin up the path to the house. Hermione followed him quickly. When they reached the door, she pushed past him and knocked loudly.

"Mum! Dad! I'm here!" she said loudly. The door flew open, and Jean Granger's anxious face peered out.

"Come inside, quickly, darling. Your father is waiting in the living room. Oh, hello, you must be Professor Snape? Dumbledore informed us you would be escorting Hermione," Jean said.

Snape nodded. "Severus Snape, Potions Professor at Hogwarts. Pleased to meet you."

Jean inclined her head. "Likewise, Mr. Snape."

Hermione couldn't stand just standing there anymore. She flung herself at her mother. With her arms wrapped around her mother's waist, smelling the familiar scent of her mother's favourite vanilla shampoo, seeing her beloved house behind her, Hermione felt like things would be okay for the first time in a long time.

Hermione was so overwhelmed with the feelings of being reunited with her mother that she never noticed the figure in the bushes to her left. Snape nearly missed it himself, and only happened to notice as he shook his head to prevent a bug landing on his nose.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" The figure cried, pointing its wand at the group still standing in the doorway. Simultaneously, Snape tried to push Hermione and Jean inside the house and the protection of the charm, but it was too late.

The curse hit Hermione, and she crumpled to the ground.