A/N: Ok, so it has been over a year since I last posted - sorry about that. Life has been crazy with work, other projects, etc... Anyway, I am back and I hope stay here. I am thinking of having some chapters coming up from Snape's point of view, so any opinions would be great. Enjoy and review :)
Four days passed since Eliza's meeting with Dumbledore and she was completely lost. On that Sunday, after returning home from Hogwarts, Eliza put the old book that the headmaster had returned to her on a shelf to be forgotten and promptly began digging into her notes. Every day, after school, she would pour over the writing, mentally cataloging the failures and how they were made. But Four days later, she had finished reading the notes and realized that she had no idea where to start.
Since it had been fourteen years since Eliza lived and worked in the wizarding word, she had not learned about any new and modern potion developments. It had been years since she last picked up a copy of Journal of Applied Healing Sciences so her knowledge and potion theory was seriously outdated. Furthermore, her attempts to work with complex potions ingredients and spells were a bit rusty from non-use. All in all, Eliza needed help and there was one place to get it.
That Friday at school, Eliza was distracted and antsy. Her mind was on the task for that evening. As the day finally came to a close, she all but flew out of the classroom, ready to get started on her research. She darted home to change into her robes and quickly apparated out. Landing just outside the gates of Hogwarts, she ran up the path to the castle, waving briefly at Hagrid who was out in his garden. He stared after her for a moment, completely bewildered. By the time she reached the large wooden doors, she was panting heavily. A few students cast her strange looks as they passed by her trying to catch her breath.
Eliza followed the students inside and paused just inside the entrance. Was she supposed to ask Dumbledore first or should she just make her way to the library?
"Why Mrs. Slope, I was not aware that you would be joining us this evening," called a clipped high voice from across the hall. Nails on the chalkboard and screeching brakes were the first things that popped in to Eliza's mind as she turned slowly to greet the speaker with a clenched smile. Dolores Umbridge stood across the entrance hall, clad in her usual bright pink robes and bow on top. Eliza remained stock still with her frozen smile plastered across her face as the frog like woman walked over to her.
"Well Mrs. Slope, were you invited to join us?" Eliza didn't miss the warning that edged Umbridge's sugary sweet voice. Opening her mouth to return and equally biting response, Eliza was surprised when cool baritone voice cut her off. "Mrs. Slope is here on my invitation."
Dolores Umbridge's bullfrog mouth sagged open in surprise as Snape stepped into view of both of the witches. The tension between the three crackled in the air. Umbridge's eyes flitted quickly from Eliza to Snape and back again, carefully calculating her next move. Seeing that there was no way to argue the potion master's claim, Umbridge gave Eliza a jerky nod and stomped off towards the Headmaster's office. No doubt Dumbledore would be getting a full report of the intruder and Professor Snape's "invitation". Eliza watched after the woman for a moment with her best Black family scowl, and then swiftly turned towards the library.
"Will you be coming to dinner?" Snape called after her, his voice unusually polite and sneer-free. Eliza paused and glanced over her shoulder, puzzled by his rare kindness. First he saved her from the awful Umbridge, and then he invited her to dinner. Severus Snape was up to something and she didn't trust him a bit.
"I will take dinner in the library," she answered, careful to keep her face and voice void of any emotion. As she clicked away, Eliza felt the familiar black eyes on her back just it was in her garden day after day.
A few hours later Eliza's half eaten supper (graciously brought to her by Dobby) lay forgotten beside a growing stack of discarded books. After thoroughly scouring each possible book for the information she needed, Eliza tossed the useless tomes in the stack. At the moment she was 0 for 26. Tossing aside the last book that she pulled from the shelf, Eliza leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table and to rub her temples in a vain attempt to diminish her mounting headache. It wasn't as though she was completely lost – she was trying a very different approach than her previous research – but she just didn't know where to find the kind of information she needed. The direction that Eliza was heading this time around was very progressive, bordering on theoretical, and Hogwarts' library tended to house books on ancient and classical forms of magic.
Frustrated, Eliza decided to ask Madam Pince where she might find the books on the magical treatment of neurological disorders. Although the librarian tried her best to help Eliza by suggesting that she try St. Mungo's medical library, she was not able to direct the witch to any books in the library, including the restricted section. Slouching her shoulders in defeat, Eliza thanked Madam Pince and collected her belongings. This was going to be more difficult than planned and she was going to have to resort to conferring with her disagreeable neighbor in order to get the information she needed.
The hour was late, long past curfew, as Eliza walked slowly down the dark corridors. Her mind was swirling with thoughts of how she was going to access the St. Mungo's medical library. She couldn't return there unnoticed, and the library was not open to the general public so she couldn't send anyone in for her. She also had a feeling that the ministry was keeping a close eye on ins and outs of St. Mungos. If Eliza, who had disappeared off the face of the map 14 years previously, suddenly showed up to resume her highly controversial research, the Minister of Magic would probably haul her in for questioning himself. It was definitely best to keep a low profile.
Deep in her thoughts, Eliza was not watching where she was going and managed to run face first into a very tall figure. Papers fluttered through the air as she threw her arms back to try and break the fall. Acting fast, the person she ran into quickly grabbed her about the waist and kept her from hitting the stone floor.
"Perhaps it you should be researching how to create a vision potion since you clearly cannot watch where you are going," drawled a familiar voice. Eliza felt her face flush crimson, firstly because she had managed to physically run into the incorrigible Severus Snape, but secondly because he still had his arms around her even though she was steady on her feet.
"Well maybe you not roam the DARK halls dressed only in black," she sputtered.
Snape smirked and swept his eyes over her equally black robes. "Strange, I was able to spot you despite the color of your robes."
Eliza rolled her eyes and pushed the professor away from her. Crouching down she began to frantically pick up her papers. Half a second later, Snape was also on the floor gathering notes.
"I take it you were not able to find what you were looking for," he questioned in a low voice. Glancing up, Eliza was taken aback by the sincerity in his eyes.
Shaking her head, Eliza sat back on her heels to face the professor. "Hogwarts' library has a great deal of classical and ancient magic resources, but there is a severe lack of modern research in there."
Nodding in agreement, Snape handed Eliza the last of the papers and stood. "I might have something that could help you, but I need to know what you are looking for." Eliza started to open her mouth in protest, but Snape raised his hand to cut her off. "I don't want to know now - the castle has far too many ears for any discussion you are willing to have. When you are ready for my help contact me and I will come to you."
Eliza didn't know what to say. She just wasn't prepared to accept his help, much less his status as a "good" death eater. Giving him a short nod, she started to walk past him.
"Mrs. Slope," Snape called after her," Don't do this alone. You need help and there are many of us willing and able to help. Don't allow your foolish pride to get in the way when so much is at stake."
Eliza paused and glanced over her shoulder at Snape. The professor was startled to see and expression of sadness rather than usual defiance on her face. "For the love of Merlin, start heeding your own advice, Severus," she whispered before scurrying away.