A/N- Special thanks to IGOTEAMEDWARD for being my 400th reviewer...you're the bomb! I know it's been a week or so, maybe a touch more, but I've been so busy! I'll try to do better. I hope that my work schedule will be lightening up soon so maybe I'll be able to write more. Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following the story, it means so much to me!
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing except the aforementioned original characters. Maybe the plot twist, but I'm not even sure about that.
Chapter 17
November 15, 1995
Draco raked a hand through his hair and did his best to ignore the comments being made up and down the Gryffindor table. While eveyone treated the trio with a certain amount of hostility and disdain, the fact that they would be meeting for the first time tonight as a group had everyone excited. The Slytherin still couldn't believe that he had agreed to this madness, or Theo for that matter, but he wasn't about to let Harry and Hermione face the masses alone.
*Flashback*
Draco almost started when Hermione slammed her book closed in the classroom they usually used to study together away from the whispers. When he looked up from his own text book, Draco saw a flash of anger cross her features.
"This is complete hippogriff shite. There's a war on the horizon, Dumbledore knows it's true, and still we have yet to learn anything in Defense Against the Dark Arts in the two months since term began. We have to do something." Draco reached out and rubbed her arm soothingly. He had witnessed just how volatile she could be when angered.
"I know it's a raw deal, but what can we do? I see no other options." Harry narrowed his eyes at Hermione.
"You're plotting something and it's going to get us into trouble." Hermione smirked at him and in that moment Draco was proud. Her Slytherin roots were showing.
"I have an idea, but it mostly depends on you, Harry." He narrowed his eyes again at her.
"You always claimed that it was Ron and I that dragged you into trouble. I have a feeling that it's going to be the other way around from here on out." She laughed aloud, eyes sparkling. Draco loved it when she laughed like that, it just lifted his heart.
"I think we need to start our own Defense class. Draco can show Harry spells, I can help, this mixed with what Harry can do, it would make for a good class." Harry raked a hand through his hair.
"I love your ambition, 'Mi, but nobody is going to want to learn from us. They all see Draco as an evil Death Eater, they think I'm a traitor for aligning myself with Draco and turning on Ron, and they think you're a whore. Nothing in that statement makes me think that any of our peers aside from your brother would want to learn from us." Hermione hissed his way, but did her best to not let it bleed out in her tone.
"Don't you think we should at least let the others decide? If they say no then we can't say we didn't try." Draco had a feeling that if he didn't step in, it might just descend into an argument between the two more emotional members of their triad.
"I think it's a great idea, Princess, but we don't have anywhere to hold a class like that." She flipped her long, ebony curls behind her shoulders.
"I already thought of that. Dobby told me he knows how to get into the Come and Go Room. It would be perfect." Harry stood and started pacing the room, hand nervously running through his hair.
"What the fuck are we going to do if that bitch Umbridge finds out? We'll be carving words into our hands the second she catches wind of it. Yeah, she won't do anything to you because of your superior breeding, but the rest of us would be fucked." Draco knew that Harry had stepped over the line when the windows of the classroom blew outward. He watched as Hermione stood and advanced on Harry, her ringlets sparking in her anger.
"You think I consider myself to have superior breeding? You know what, fuck you, Harry. I guess knocking Umbridge into a fucking window is not caring who she hurts." Harry stepped forward and his face twisted in anger.
"You didn't do shite to Umbridge, that was your magic. Don't think you're fooling anyone, it's only because of that fucking prophecy." Draco heard the sound of skin on skin before he realized that Hermione had slapped her best friend in the world. Tears were tracking down her cheeks and pain flared in her gaze before she turned and unceremoniously shoved her books and parchment into her satchel. She didn't say a word before she turned on her heel and fled.
Draco couldn't wrap his head around what had just happened. Harry was wandering around the room, hands pulling at his hair. When he flopped down into the chair, he buried his face in his hands.
"What the fuck did I just do, Draco?" Draco really didn't want to take sides between the two of them, but he felt that Harry had definitely overstepped a line.
"I think you just insulted the best thing that ever happened to you. You made her cry." Harry nodded, but remained silent.
"You know she loves you more than anything. She just wants the best for the other students." Harry nodded.
"I know. I was just so angry because I know people aren't going to want to learn from me. It's going to hurt her when nobody shows up." Draco nodded. That much was correct. For all the Slytherin tendencies that Hermione displayed, she was a true Gryffindor at heart.
"That may be true, but you have to apologize. You took her love for you and threw it in her face." Harry nodded.
"How do I fix it? She won't forgive me." Draco heaved a sigh.
"She has a place to practice. I suggest you do your best to make this work for her. It'll be a start." Harry finally raised his head and met his eyes.
"Will you help me do this?" Draco couldn't help but chuckle.
"As much as I would have loved to see her castrate you a year ago, I might actually be a little sad if she managed it now." Harry actually barked out a laugh.
"I'd be sad if she castrated you too, Drake."
*End of Flashback*
Draco had to admit to himself that he was both nervous and excited for the first meeting of the Defense Association tonight. It had been a long road getting there, recruiting the members that had agreed to attend, but they had gotten there in the end.
Harry had groveled for three days before Hermione had deigned to listen to him. He had told Hermione that he and Draco had met with Dobby and checked out the Come and Go Room. Draco had researched spells while Harry put feelers out in all the houses except Slytherin about their plans. She had been impressed when the pair of them admitted that they had scheduled a meeting for the following weekend in Hogsmeade so Umbridge couldn't crash their party.
While absolutely nobody had been thrilled with the idea of Draco attending the meetings, not a single soul had said a word when they had turned up for the meeting. Hermione had been disgustingly triumphant when she saw the turnout of the students interested. Draco had wanted to be irritated with her for not being able to conceal her glee at the fact that she had been right, but he just couldn't. She had been right and he was capable of giving her her dues.
During the meeting, Hermione had informed the group of thirty that not only would Theo Nott be joining them in their meetings, everyone committing to being a member would sign a charmed document that would curse them if they should spill the secrets of the group. This information had caused quite the uproar, but Hermione had headed off their tempers with a display of her raw power. The bartender behind the bar looked less than impressed at her show, but he had ultimately remained quiet.
In the end, they had all signed the parchment and had watched while it flashed purple with a flick of her wand once it was complete. The group had parted ways after the first meeting had been set for that evening. Once they were the only students left in the bar, Harry had apologized properly and Hermione had accepted it. Draco had never breathed easier.
The bell startled Draco out of his thoughts, reminding him that they still had classes to attend. Hermione gave him a smile as she stood and waited patiently for him to do so as well. Harry seemed quiet and Draco could only attribute that to nerves.
The trio made their way through the corridors on their way to Charms. Draco once again let his thoughts drift to the fact that the Weasel, Brown, and Patil were going to be attending their meeting. Having Hermione so near the Weasel made him nervous as fuck, but he knew she would get all offended if he said he wanted to exclude them because of her safety. While Draco didn't have a personal problem with Brown or Patil, per se, they both did their absolute best to make Hermione's life miserable. Good riddance to bad rubbish, he felt.
Draco, Harry,and Hermione slid into their normal seats as they waited for Professor Flitwick to join them for class. He wasn't the most excited for this class since it was over the silencing charm. He had mastered this spell in his third year and he knew that Hermione and Harry also had no problems in casting it either.
The small-statured professor entered and began class with a flourish of his wand and a smile. He lectured on the uses of the silencing charm and when was an appropriate time to use them for three quarters of an hour. He bid them to split up and practice.
As always, the three of them were in one group since they sat at the same table. Not even ten minutes later, the trio had all demonstrated the charm correctly and were excused from homework in the class. Theo had been stuck with Crabbe and Goyle and it was obvious that he was having a difficult time trying to teach the two of them how to cast the spell.
As they usually did, Draco, Hermione, and Harry all three pulled out their homework from other classes and worked on it until the end of class. When Professor Flitwick dismissed the class, Draco, Hermione, and Harry all gathered their things and made their way to the library.
The Slytherin was not accustomed to hanging around the library quite as much as he had been, but he wasn't complaining. His grades were in excellent shape and he hoped that his father would find no reason to complain. He was sure that his father was thrilled with the fact that he was in a relationship with the granddaughter of the Dark Lord, but he still didn't see his father being happy about him being less than attentive to his grades.
The three of them settled at their usual table in the back of the restricted section of the library. Their books and parchment were spread everywhere by the time Theo appeared and asked if he could join them. Hermione happily accepted and Draco grinned inwardly. It was a tiny bit entertaining to watch Theo go all gooey over his half sister. Draco was even more impressed when Harry didn't seem to mind either.
The four of them worked on their homework from their various classes. They were all ahead of where the syllabus said they should be so Draco considered it a win. The only thing that they had to work on that was current was their Arithmancy project and that could only be done in class.
After an hour and a half of working in companionable silence, the four of them broke up and decided that lunch would be beneficial for all of them. Theo bid them goodbye since he had to make his way to the Slytherin common room before he went to lunch. Draco wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist and pressed a kiss to the side of her head before leading her and Potter through the corridors to the Great Hall.
-O-
Hermione sighed happily as she let Draco lead her and Harry to the Great Hall. She was extremely excited for their Defense Association meeting that evening. She had went out of her way to create special gallons so they could communicate with them rather than by word of mouth. The last thing she wanted was for the wrong person to overhear a conversation in the corridor.
She had used the theory of Voldemort's Dark Mark and applied the same concept to the galleons by means of a protean charm. Harry and Draco had both been thoroughly impressed. While she had been proud of herself, she didn't think that it was near the feat that they made it out to be.
They entered the Great Hall and found their usual seats at the Gryffindor table. For once, the table was awash with whispers, but they weren't about Hermione or their triad. They were all about the meeting tonight. She chuckled softly to herself as she ate the lunch that Harry had served her.
The pair had overcome their argument beautifully. She had been very hurt at his words and the casual application of her "breeding" to the situation at hand. It had taken her three days to be able to even consider his words of apology. It had been a rough three days, all of which she had spent near silent. When she had finally felt that she could listen to him, Harry had thrown himself at her mercy and begged for forgiveness. Then he and Draco had both showed her their plans and the steps that had been taken to make her plans for an underground defense class a reality.
Her father had been extremely proud of her wanting to help their classmates learn defense. However, he had cautioned them to be careful and take steps to ensure that they couldn't be betrayed. It was his wise words that prompted her to make everyone sign a document with a secrecy charm woven into the very parchment. If someone slipped the information without her express permission, they wouldn't enjoy the outcome at all.
They were to meet in Severus' room after their meeting, not only to inform him of how their first "class" went, but for another occlumency lesson. He assured them that they had all mastered clearing their minds, keeping him out of their heads, and creating barriers within the layers of their greatest asset.
Hermione was still unsure as to why occlumency came so easy to her. She had taken to the art like a duck to water and her father was proud. At first, Hermione had been sure that it had been because Severus and the Dark Lord were both skilled in the art. After Severus had informed her that it wasn't hereditary, she came up with a new theory.
Hermione had always been able to compartmentalize within her mind. While she was an extremely emotional person, and she understood that this made occlumency very difficult, the Gryffindor had always had the ability to ignore her feelings and act on them at a later time. Her father had pointed out that this was why she had been able to take the barbs from himself and her classmates, despite her pure Gryffindor heart, and cry about their words later. After he had explained that her ability to compartmentalize and her attention to detail made it possible, it all made sense.
Draco excelled at the art as well, not to Hermione's level, but he still held his own. He had just recently been able to keep Severus out of his mind for over an hour and had set several undetectable barriers within his mind. He was proud of himself for mastering that step fairly quickly and Hermione felt he deserved the praise that Severus had given him.
Harry had taken longer to master keeping her father out. He had been fair at it from the beginning, but he had a history of reacting immediately when he was upset, of acting on all his emotions really. It had been just the night before that he had finally reached the proficiency that Severus required before they could move on. Her father hadn't praised him by any means, but he had congratulated him on making it through the hardest part of occlumency.
They were all meeting again tonight so they could begin creating false memories. While Hermione wasn't sure that she could do this as easily as she had blocked someone from her mind, she did understand the theory behind it and had practiced the night before. It all came down to paying extremely close attention to detail so you could make the image in your mind believable. She had a feeling that both boys might struggle with this aspect.
Severus had assured them that since they weren't spying, that the Dark Lord wouldn't disbelieve their loyalty as long as they acted the part, he didn't think that they would need to master creating false memories. While his words were reassuring for the boys, it made Hermione more determined. She believed one hundred percent that her grandfather wouldn't delve into Draco's or Harry's mind because he didn't want to anger her and suffer her wrath. However, she also believed that he wouldn't be above trying to break into her mind to assure himself of their loyalty. Therefore, she was extremely motivated to master creating false memories.
Lunch drew to an end, and Hermione had to sigh in happiness. It had been one of the more pleasant meals that they had had since they had come out about being part of a triad.
Harry kissed her goodbye, a quick peck and a smirk that promised more for later. He hurried off to Divination while she and Draco made their way to Arithmancy. The corridors were bustling and it lent the feeling that the world was completely normal and she had no worries other than getting good enough grades to be made Head Girl.
Melancholy thoughts threatened to take over as Draco threaded his fingers through hers and they walked into Arithmancy. Life had been so simple even back in their younger years that had been filled with danger and intrigue. She hadn't truly appreciated just how much more difficult life could get when she had been running from a werewolf or solving a logic puzzle.
Hermione was pulled from her thoughts by Professor Vector making an appearance. With a wave of her wand, their projects were passed out to them and they were bid to begin. Hermione was partners with Draco, so she didn't have to worry about being stuck with someone that wouldn't pull their own weight.
They worked for three hours straight on their projects, and Hermione was happy to report that she and Draco were close to halfway done. The equation they were working on was the most difficult she had attempted so far so she was doing her best to be thorough by taking her time.
When the bell rang, Hermione and Draco gathered their parchment and sent them to the front where Professor Vector would store them away. She allowed Draco to lead her out of the classroom and through the corridors, peppering her hairline with kisses when she wasn't paying attention.
Draco pulled her out of the corridors and into the Great Hall where he led her to the Gryffindor table. Harry was already there waiting for them and favored them with a bright smile at their appearance. Hermione and Draco took their seats next to Harry and Ginny and were bombarded with questions about what they were going to be learning that night.
Hermione chuckled to herself as she let Harry field all the questions about tonight's lesson. They had decided to start off easy and she was sure that their pupils would scoff at starting out with the disarming spell. The truth of the matter, though, was that many of the students that had agreed to attend couldn't cast the spell to save their lives.
All the students had been instructed on how to open the Room of Requirement and they were to meet them there just thirty minutes after dinner had ended. Hermione didn't have much of an appetite since she knew she was going to be embarking on a new adventure in just under an hour.
When both Harry and Draco had ate their fill, Hermione pulled them to their feet so they could go and get the room ready for all their students. She could only hope that it went as well as she thought it would.
-O-
Harry paced the corridor in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, chanting to himself that they needed a place to practice defense. To his surprise and wonder, the wall across from Barnabas became a door. Without further ado, Harry stepped forward and opened it, letting himself, Draco, and Hermione inside.
He was flabbergasted. The room was huge, easily big enough for over thirty to practice defense safely. Practice dummies lined the walls and bookshelves with what appeared to be defense books took up the whole back wall. Hermione instantly headed that way, excitement in her eyes from the appearance of books she hadn't read. Harry and Draco both shared an exasperated look before they both grinned at her obvious pleasure.
"This room is amazing, Harry. We're going to learn so much here." Harry wanted to roll his eyes at her obvious excitement at learning, but he refrained. While he thought she would take it good-naturedly, the last thing he wanted to do was piss her off when she had just recently forgiven him.
Harry wandered the room, taking in every detail of which dummies were where, where they would need to move the mats on floor. Draco followed, a contemplative look on his face. Hermione was already several pages into a book.
Harry stripped off his school robes and threw them in a heap on the floor in one of the corners. Draco sneered lightly at his obvious lack of care for his clothing, but the Gryffindor just grinned. Draco conjured a chair so he could drape his robes over it neatly so as not to wrinkle his clothing.
Harry ran through his plans of how he wanted the lesson to go and for the first time he appreciated that Hermione had wanted to do this. He wanted to help others and he wanted to make sure they could protect themselves. He just hoped that he would be a decent enough teacher.
The door opened and the first wave of students entered, mostly those from Ravenclaw. He had figured that the students would stick together and come and go as a group. Safety in numbers after all. This didn't do much for secrecy though. The Ravenclaws followed his example and shed their robes, leaving them in a heap on the floor just a little ways from his own. Draco rolled his eyes and bent to pick Harry's robes up so he could brush them off and leave them with his.
Harry didn't speak until everyone had arrived. The Hufflepuffs had slipped in almost silently and were cowering off to the side. The Gryffindors blew in as loud and boisterous as ever, everyone exclaiming loudly what a banging room they had found to practice in.
Theo entered by himself and appeared to be nervous. Harry didn't blame him. Aside from Draco, he was the only snake and he lacked the protection that being in a triad with Hermione gave. They couldn't tell anyone that he was actually her half brother and nobody outside of Slytherin was aware. Harry vowed to speak with Hermione about having him come early with the three of them so he wouldn't be left open to attack.
Harry watched as Hermione ran to her brother's side and gave him a hug. Theo returned it tentatively. It was obvious that the Slytherin wasn't used to being touched, much the same as Draco wasn't overly familiar with it. She took his hand in hers and dragged him over to the bookshelves so she could show him the wealth of knowledge the room had privided. Harry wanted to rip Lavender's tongue out when she spoke.
"Merlin's balls, isn't one Slytherin boyfriend enough? She's becoming quite the little tart." Harry glared at her until she took notice.
"They're just friends, Lavender, which is more than I can say about you and the boys you keep company with." She glared at him right back until Ron stepped forward.
"Don't insult her, Potter. Hermione can handle herself if she wants to have a problem with Lavender's observation." He snorted his former friend's way.
"Trust me, Hermione could care less about what Lavender thinks about her. I, however, would love to point out that if you can't get along with everyone, you'll be asked to leave and not return." Harry didn't give them a chance to speak. He turned and headed towards the front of the room so he could call the room to attention. Everyone was milling around and talking between themselves so Harry resorted to shooting sparks out of his wand to catch their attention.
"Before we start, I want to thank everyone for coming. When Hermione had this idea, I wasn't completely sold on it, but now that we're here I'm glad she convinced me. Even though I'm teaching this class, it's been a collaborative effort between myself, Hermione and Draco.
Now, I feel a couple things bear mentioning before we begin. First, everyone will treat the other people attending these classes with respect. No trash talking, no insulting, no house shaming. If you are caught doing this, you'll get one warning. If you're caught again, Hermione will deactivate your coin and you will no longer be welcome in these classes. If this does happen, don't even think about trying to get revenge and snitch. The parchment you signed holds you to secrecy whether you attend or not.
Second, there will be no curses thrown at anyone unless it's been taught here. I've already heard whispers about how Draco and Theo are going to use dark magic on us because they're Death Eaters. I've seen both their arms and they most certainly do not bear the Dark Mark. They're here to learn and they will abide by the same rules as you will. So, in a nutshell, if I haven't taught it to you, you don't use it in this room unless otherwise specified by me.
Everyone understand?" The room at large nodded and Harry gave them a smile before continuing.
"I know that some of you will be offended and say that we think little of your skills, but this isn't personal. It's making sure that everyone is trained properly in the spells that we use to defend ourselves. This being said, our first spell will be expelliarmus." There were a few groans, but Harry was pleased that not too many people were showing their displeasure.
Harry split everyone into pairs. Deciding that he wanted to try to promote a little house unity, he paired Draco and Theo up with people from other houses rather than each other. Harry was unsure about Theo's dueling skills, but he knew that Draco was very advanced. Therefore, he paired Draco with Neville and Theo with Padma Patil, a shy but smart Ravenclaw that rarely spoke to anyone. After those two pairs, Harry did his best to pair everyone up with someone from another house. While almost everyone complained, nobody outright refused.
Luna paired with Colin Creevey, Ginny with Terry Boot, Fred with Zacharias Smith, George with Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones with Cho Chang, Marrieta Edgecomb with Dean Thomas, Seamus with Anthony Goldstein, Hermione with Ernie McMillan, Ron with Angellina, Lavender with Katie Bell. There were a few pairs that had to be within the same house, but Harry had done his best. When he walked past Hermione, he leaned over so he could whisper in her ear.
"You can't lose control if Neville lands a spell on Draco. The last thing we want is to have to cancel these classes because someone gets hurt." Hermione gave him a solemn look and nodded.
Harry began his instruction with the proper wand movement, the angle it needed to be held aT, and the correct pronunciation of the spell. After the first try, it was clear that only half the class had any idea on how to properly cast the spell. Harry was glad that he had put Draco and Neville together since the clumsy Gryffindor couldn't get the spell to cast at all.
Harry then reformed the pairs, putting someone that could perform the spell with someone that couldn't. It helped cut down on the time needed with Harry and it made the other students feel good that they could help out. Draco was behind Neville, gripping his wand arm and showing him the correct movements while Hermione was helping Colin Creevey. Theo was still with Padma and she seemed upset that she had failed to master the spell the first time.
Time slipped by and before Harry knew it, it was only an hour before curfew. He called everyone to the front again to speak with them before they left.
"I know it's just the disarming spell, but you guys are doing great. This seems like an insignificant spell, but it really can save your life. Everyone here is well on their way to mastering the spell. Keep practicing in your free time and we'll send out when the next meeting is. Great job, guys." To his supreme embarrassment and surprise, everyone broke out in applause. Well, almost everyone.
Everyone began to leave in pairs so it wouldn't look suspicious as to where they had been. Harry timed the pairs that were leaving and let them leave every five minutes. When it was just Harry, Hermione, Draco, and Theo, Harry gave them a grin. Hermione threw herself into his arms and kissed him happily.
"You were brilliant. You would make an amazing professor." Even though he wouldn't turn down her kisses, he shook his head.
"You three did just as much as I did. I think the four of us are going to be the ones consistently teaching the others." Theo actually smiled, something that he usually only saved for Hermione.
"Thanks, Potter." Harry grinned in return.
"You're Hermione's brother. You better call me Harry. It'll just be awkward when you call Draco and Hermione by their names but not me." Theo chuckled quietly.
"Alright, you make a point. It's Harry from here on." He nodded his head and made his way over to move the dummies back to the edges of the room so it would be ready for them the next time they held a class. He got so caught up in his task that he forgot about the time. Hermione called him back to the present.
"Harry, we have to go. We can't make my dad wait for much longer." Harry chanced a quick glance at his watch. They were due there in five minutes. With a quick thank you to the room, the trio exited the Room of Requirement and made their way to the dungeons.
-O-
Severus sat in his quarters sipping tea laced with firewhiskey. He was anxious to hear how the his daughter's first "class" had gone. He was aware that she wouldn't technically be teaching it, but he had a feeling that it was going to end up being a collaborative effort between the three of them. It was quite clear that they were the best students in attendance and he was sure that they would all share in the responsibility of teaching the others.
He cast a quick tempus to see exactly what time it was. Severus normally didn't like holding their lessons after curfew, but it was becoming more difficult to come up with reasons why all three of them would be needed in the potions classroom. It was far easier to have them come to his quarters and for that to happen it needed to be after curfew.
His door opened and the trio filed in, Hermione had been given the password to his quarters after their first lesson. She was his daughter and he wanted to be available to her at all times. He had a lot of time to make up for and this was only the first step. He waited until they were all seated to speak.
"How did it go?" Both boys sat back and watched his daughter with undisguised amusement as she launched into a long descriptive monologue about how the class had went. She finally fell silent after ten minutes, but the sparkle in her eye was still present. Severus gave them a smirk.
"You're off to an excellent start. I think the way you're pairing those who have mastered the spell with those who haven't is a great idea. If you need any help with lesson plans, let me know." Hermione went to her feet and flung her arms around his neck so she could give him a hug.
"Thanks, Dad. You're the best. Who knew you were a rebel at heart?" The other two boys chuckled, but remained silent. Even though Severus was very pleased with his daughter's easy show of affection, he shooed her back to her seat.
"Tonight we begin learning how to create false memories. This is the last step before you are considered Master Occlumens." He took another sip before he launched into how to go about creating false memories.
"The best way to go about creating a false memory is by basing the false memory on a real memory. You show the real memory and change the things you need to. It is possible to conjure completely false memories, but it is much harder.
In order to go about this, you must pay extremely close attention to detail. If you just make up a memory that has faceless people in the background, it won't be believable. Even if you don't remember who you see in a crowd, their faces are still there so you must create the details."
Severus launched into the way he went about creating false memories for the Dark Lord. His three pupils paid close attention and in Hermione's case, took notes. When they finally exhausted the lecture side of creating a memory, he beckoned Harry forward.
Severus had been surprised when he found himself calling The-Boy-Who-Lived Harry internally. He could only assume that the closeness the dark-haired Gryffindor shared with his daughter and Draco had finally broke through his formal approach to everything. Severus hated it. While he no longer hated his nemesis' son, he certainly didn't like him and thought that his daughter could do better. He, however, would never tell her that.
Harry was fair at creating a false memory, at least for his first time. There wasn't near enough detail in his memory of him beating the Dark Lord in the graveyard, but it was a good attempt. When he lowered his wand, Harry met his gaze expectantly.
"A very good first attempt, but it needs work. Not near enough detail, but better than I had expected. Practice every night at recalling tiny details of scenes throughout the day." Harry nodded and Severus waved Draco forward. He pointed his wand at his godson and let the familiar incantation leave his lips.
"Legilimens."
Severus was surprised that Draco's attempt was as good as it was. It was nowhere near where it needed to be, much like Potter's attempt, but it was a decent first try. When he broke the connection, Draco met his gaze and waited for his verdict.
"Much like , your memory lacks the amount of detail required to make the memory believable. I give you the same assignment as him, throughout your day try to notice minute details that you normally wouldn't. What color someone is wearing, the expression on their face when they're confused, how much pumpkin juice they put in their cup at breakfast. It seems inconsequential to you throughout your day, but those things still exist in your memories. When they aren't there in your false ones, it becomes hazy and completely clear that it isn't a real memory." Draco nodded and stood so Hermione could take his place.
Severus was truly excited to see what kind of attempt his daughter would make. He was still astounded that she had to put almost no effort into the art of occlumency. She had erected several barriers in her mind that he had never even considered.
His daughter took Draco's seat and he could tell that she was preparing herself. Maybe next time he should make her go first and give her less time to prepare. She needed to be able to do these things on the fly if she was going to regularly go before the Dark Lord. His wand came up and she trustingly gazed into his eyes.
"Legilimens."
Severus was assaulted with Hermione walking down the corridor and being jerked into an empty classroom. Harry and Draco proceeded to throw her to the floor. Her clothes were stripped off of her and they held her down. Draco wrenched her knees open and was trying to force his hard cock into the apex of her thighs. Hermione was screaming, crying, begging for him to stop, and Harry backhanded her. Severus wrenched himself from her mind and had his wand pointed at both boys before anyone else knew what was happening.
Twin spells, red in color, erupt from his wand and they hit their mark. Both Harry and Draco collapsed under his stunning spells before Hermione started screaming at him.
"What the fuck are you doing? Oh my God, are they alright? What did you hit them with?" Severus couldn't believe that she was fawning over her boyfriends after what they had done to her. He couldn't make himself move as he watched her wake them up. His heart was racing and he was doing his best to control the urge to strangle both boys in front of him. He watched as Draco sat up and threw a glare at him.
"What the fuck was that, Uncle Sev?!" Severus couldn't believe that the little bastard even had to ask. He started towards Draco while Hermione was waking up Harry. He brought his wand up again but Draco was ready this time. A shield flickered into existence so Severus threw his wand to the side so he could just physically take his anger out on his godson.
"Stop it! Right now, or I swear I'll hex everyone in this room!" Severus suddenly remembered just what his daughter was capable of when her mates were in danger. He stepped back, but he could feel the tension in the room. It was thick enough to cut with a knife.
"Why are you doing this, Daddy? They haven't done anything." Severus finally flicked his eyes over to her and saw the fear and confusion on her face.
"What about that memory? They've done more than they should have. They deserve to suffer." He watched Hermione rake her hands through her disheveled curls before she spoke.
"That memory was a fake. I wanted to make it something that you knew would never happen, that you would know I had to put so many details into it because it wasn't based on a real memory, that it was pure conjecture." Severus couldn't comprehend her words at first. He was trying to grasp the meaning behind them when Harry spoke.
"What fucking memory did you show him?" Hermione wiped the back of her hand across her nose and Severus felt terrible. He had upset her because she had done exactly what she was supposed to do. Granted, it probably wasn't the best choice for a false memory, but now that she claimed it false, he didn't know how he had ever believed that it was true. Her voice trembled when she answered.
"I was walking down the corridor and you two pulled me into a classroom and tried to rape me. You backhanded me while Draco was between my legs." Harry sat back and raked his hand through his hair.
"You didn't think that maybe that was a poor choice for a memory? Why didn't you just remember failing a test or something?" Hermione sat back and began furiously dashing tears from cheeks.
"I didn't think he would believe it. I didn't think it would be good enough for him to think it was the truth. I'm sorry, I'm so stupid. I should have known better." Severus watched as Draco crawled over to his daughter on the floor and pulled her into his arms.
"Princess, you aren't stupid. You underestimated yourself and your abilities. Don't cry, we're not mad. Uncle Sev isn't mad either, you just surprised him." She nodded as she lowered her head to continue wiping her cheeks.
Severus couldn't fucking believe it. That memory had seemed so real, he could feel her terror laced through the fibers of the memory, he could tell that she was fighting to stay calm. He didn't understand how she could create something so wonderful and terrible at the same time. He knelt in front of her and took her hands in his, trying not to grimace at the snot on the back of her hand.
"That was incredible, Hermione. I've never even heard of that being done. I could feel your terror and the visual was so vivid I thought it was real because nobody has ever created a memory that bloody good. Merlin, you're a fucking prodigy." She chuckled weakly at his words so he took it as she wasn't angry with him. He reached out and pulled her from Draco and into his own embrace.
"I'm sorry I tried to curse them. I would never do anything to hurt you if I could help it." She nodded into his chest.
"Harry's right, I should have chose something else. I just truly didn't think it would be that good." He snorted into her hair.
"I'm not angry. Its clear Draco isn't angry with you. Potter can't stay angry with you for long on any given day of the week so please stop crying." She nodded and wiped her eyes for a final time. Severus kissed the top of her head before gesturing for Harry to help her up. The dark-haired Gryffindor came forward and drew her into a hug after she was on her feet.
"I'm not mad at you, 'Mi. I promise." Severus stood while both boys were comforting his daughter. He was still reeling from the sheer talent his daughter possessed in occlumency. It was in that moment that he vowed to teach her legilimency. He brushed his lank hair back from his face as he spoke.
"I think we'll call it a night. Suffice to say, Hermione doesn't need anymore practice in occlumency. She has mastered it. I still expect you two to come see me in two days time. You need to be much better than you are now." Both boys nodded and started to drag Hermione with them towards the door. At the last second she turned and ran back to him, throwing herself in his arms again. She whispered against his chest.
"I'm sorry, Daddy." He kissed her forehead.
"Don't be sorry, baby. You're amazing." She gave him a smile before the three of them left his quarters.
Severus threw himself down in the armchair once his daughter was gone. He wandlessly summoned the bottle of firewhiskey and cursed when he remembered that he still had to report to Albus on the progress of his three charges.
With a sigh, he took a long drink before standing. He replaced his teaching robes, raked his hand through his hair, and left his quarters with a swirl of his robes.
-O-
Albus waited patiently for Severus to arrive. He knew that his Potions Master had a lesson with his three students that evening after curfew. He really wished that they didn't have to hold their meetings so late, but it was imperative that Umbridge not find out that the trio were learning to shield their minds. If that information were to find its way to Tom, the results would be disastrous.
The wards alerted him that someone was entering the staircase just past the griffin. The door opened and Severus appeared, his teaching robes billowing behind him. He didn't say anything, but headed to the cabinet where Albus stashed his firewhiskey. The Slytherin poured himself a generous four fingers before he came to sit in the armchair across from Albus. He knocked half the drink back before he met Albus' gaze.
"Did the lesson not go well? You said they were all ready for the false memories step." Severus snorted and took another drink. There was a trace of amusement in his voice when he spoke.
"I just attacked Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. I stunned them and then tried to go after my own godson for something I saw in my daughter's memories." Albus sat up straight. He knew that Severus had more impulse control than anyone he had ever met. For him to act so irrationally was disconcerting.
"What did you see?" Severus threw back the rest of his drink and stared into the fire for several minutes before he finally answered.
"Both Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy had poor first attempts, but better than I expected. Creating a false memory isn't something that everyone can do. I bid them to work on noticing details. Hermione stepped forward and allowed me into her mind.
She was walking a corridor and was pulled into an empty classroom by Draco and Potter. They hit her and tried to sexually assault her. I could feel her terror and her determination to stay calm." Albus felt himself angering.
"Where are they now?" Severus chuckled darkly.
"It was a false memory. Hermione broke down and said she wanted to do something that I would know would never happen. She didn't think that her attempt would be very good. Albus, I couldn't tell it was fake. Her first fucking attempt and she's mastered it. I am a Master Occlumens and I couldn't tell the difference. As her father, I want to shout it to the world, but I can't. My daughter is a fucking prodigy, her mind is a steel trap that nobody will be able to break into and I can't tell a soul except for you."
Albus didn't know what to say. What was he supposed to say? He knew that Hermione was smart, that she was clever and kind-hearted. He knew she found the good in everyone even when they didn't deserve it. The fact that she had mastered what was rumored to be one of the most difficult branches of magic in a month was unthinkable. After several minutes of silence, he finally spoke.
"You are her father, Severus. Alexandra was no slouch. As evil as Tom is, there is no denying that he's brilliant. Hermione has received the best from all of you. She will change the world." Severus smiled, actually fucking smiled.
"I'm so proud of her it hurts." Albus leaned over and patted the man's knee.
"You should be. Thats one less student for you to worry about now. We must focus our attention on Harry and Draco." Severus nodded.
"I told them I would meet with them in two days time. I've also decided I'm going to teach Hermione legilimency. There are several death eaters that don't have skills in occlumency. If she could find something about the Dark Lord's plans in their minds it would be beneficial." Albus nodded.
The pair sat in front of the fire for another hour, sipping their whiskey silently. When Severus had finished his second glass, he stood and took his leave. Albus needed to get some rest himself, but his spy's words played over and over in his head. Was Hermione really as good as Severus said or was it fatherly pride talking? It was no secret that the girl was now his world.
Albus needed to test her before he would sign off on her being finished with her lessons. He was excited to see if he could break through her shields. Aside from Severus, he hadn't performed legilimency on someone with any talent for the art in many years. Vowing to himself that he would test the girl soon, he threw back the rest of his whiskey and made his way up the stairs to his quarters.
Tomorrow was a new day.
A/N- I literally banged this chapter out in five hours. If it sucks, I'm sorry! I decided to do a little reading on other triads and read the best fic. It's called Convergence by jessiy and its a Hermione/Severus/Voldemort story. It starts out crazy, but it's seriously the bomb. I had also planned on putting some citrusy goodness in this chapter, but since it's already over 8000 words, I decided to hold off. Anyways, leave me a review, they make me smile.
Next chapter, our trio goes to see Grandpa together.
Love,
Alicia