We are closer to the end now, this is a bit of a filler chapter just to summarise the story so far. Snape is about to connect all the dots. I hope your enjoying the story, I guess if you have got this far it can't be all bad. My thanks again to littleblueeyes and everyone who has given me encouraging reveiws,without them I probably would have given up.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, McGonagall spoke," I need to know what's going on Severus. Hermione seems peaceful, I think you can leave her in Poppy's care now. I will give you ten minutes, and then I expect to see you in my office."
Snape remained still, looking at the ceiling, avoiding all eye contact with his superior. This was unfamiliar territory. He was mortified, to be so exposed after years of building the reputation he desired, that of the unapproachable recluse.
A few months, numerous near death experiences and a young woman had destroyed his whole character. She had changed the ending to his story; the ending where he would be dead by Voldermort's design, the ending he had prepared for. Snape was not prepared for this, whatever the outcome. He certainly did not want to be under Mcgonagall's scrutiny just now. He had his own questions he couldn't answer.
When he was sure the Headmistress had left, Snape sat up and looked at the small hand he still held. The grip was looser, Hermione was calmer. Gently he placed her hand on the mattress and slipped his own away.
She stirred slightly, but did not threaten to wake up. Gingerly he pushed off the bed. Snape straightened his clothes and looked at Hermione once more. It was hard to reconcile this sleeping young woman, with the child he once taught, and for a second he wished he'd never laid eyes on her.

The door to the medical ward opened, Madame Pomfrey strode in.
"She seems peaceful Severus, well done, I can take over now."
"Indeed, I will return later to check Miss Granger's progress."
Snape swept out of the room without a backward glance. He arrived at his own room and grabbed his cloak, swinging it over his shoulder's. With this retrieved he made his way to the Headmistress' office.

On the first floor of the tower the stone gargoyle barred the way.
"Toffee apples." Snape said with his usual sneer at such frivolous passwords. The gargoyle made a grating sound and slowly began revealing a spiral stone staircase...

Sat behind her desk straight backed with a severe yet tired look to her eyes, the Headmistress waited for him.
"Sit down Severus."
"I think I would prefer to stand."
"I didn't ask for your preference."
"It's probably going to be quicker just to acquiesce is it not Minerva."
"Probably...so sit."

Snape lowered himself into the chair.
"Tea?" McGonagall enquired.
Snape shook his head. McGonagall ignored him, poured out two cups of tea and pushed a cup towards him.
"Is this conversation going to be worth having, if your going to ignore everything I say and do?" he sighed.
"I will be selective about what I choose to ignore." she took a sip of tea and watched Snape begrudgingly sip his own.

"What has been going on? What danger are we facing? Explain to me how Voldermort can be back, and please tell me there is something we can do about it."
Snape looked up, his eyebrows arched in surprise at the sudden quick fire questioning.
"I've already told you, Voldermort has possessed Rabastan Lestrange." He stated.
"Why do I feel that there is a lot more to this story that you are not telling me Severus?"
"Because you have a suspicious mind, it develops with close association with Dumbledore and Potter." He answered.
A soft chuckle escaped the portrait behind McGonagall.
Looking up to the portrait, Snape sarcastically greeted his one time mentor. "Albus, how marvellous your awake!"
"Severus...tell her the whole story, the time is past for half truths, even I see that now. Don't make my mistakes." Dumbledore urged.
"It was you, who told me not to speak of The Hallows." Snape answered.
"Yes indeed, and I thank you for being most loyal and my most trustworthy friend, but times have changed, we need to trust all our friends. Start from the beginning my boy."
Snape told McGonagall everything he knew about the Hallows. He told her about how he had been twice manipulated by Narcissa. He explained how he knew she was a Kitsune and how he was convinced she still wasn't what she seemed. Snape further explained the Egyptian concept of Ren, and how to use the true names of the Hallows in order to master them, he told them that he now knew two of the names.
There was one embarrassing moment when he told both Professors how he had brought Lily back, albeit as ghost.

When he had finished his narrative he leaned back in his chair and waited for the Headmistress' reaction.
"Albus, it appears we have the opportunity to stop this progressing further. Harry still has the cloak or Khaibut, Severus still has the..."
Snape placed the wand on the desk.
"The death stick? The unbeatable wand? The stick of destiny? God knows its real name."
"Quite" McGonagall answered, eyeing the Wand like it might jump up and bite.
"Well, two out of three ain't bad." piped up the portrait.
"Muggle song references? Really Albus?"
Severus shook his head.
"Don't encourage him Minerva he might start singing it."
McGonagall shuddered, "Albus can you visit the room of requirement? I had a portrait placed there. Please arrange a meeting with Mr Potter and Mr Weasley, in half an hour in my office."

"Draco Malfoy as well, thank you Albus." Added Snape.
"My pleasure, it's a shame, I'm sure you would have enjoyed my musical rendition." With that Dumbledore left his portrait empty.

"Why half an hour? Why not immediately?" Snape asked.
McGonagall smiled, "Because we...are not done." She took out her wand and waved it gently. Earmuff's and gags appeared on every portrait. Turning once more to Snape she said, "Talk."

"Forgive me Headmistress but I was under the impression that I already had."

"Not once in your whole narrative did you mention Hermione. That's a rather telling Omission, does it affect any aspect of the story that may impede our fight against the Death Eaters?"
Snape was silent, his usual intense gaze was focusing on Dumbledore's empty portrait. "No... I've told you everything you need to know in order to protect the school."

"So why did you not even mention her? I know she was there when you found the Sekhan, I know she must have been around when ever you mentioned Harry and Draco. "

"I don't know, it's not important." Snape folded his arms in his usual defensive pose and lowered his eyes to the floor.

McGonagall sighed, "Severus... It's very important. Your going to hurt yourself, and your going to hurt her. Explain to me what you think your doing with her?"

"Why should I ? Why can I not have a measure of privacy Minerva?"

"Because I'm not sure it's appropriate, and I'm not sure what it is."

"It!... Is nothing."

"Severus half an hour ago you woke up with your arm around a barely twenty year old girl. You... That was you! A thirty-nine year old, who, forgive me Severus, acts and looks even older. You don't do that, your life has been almost a monastic existence. I've never so much as seen you admire anyone other than Lily. To be honest Severus, had it not been for Lily I would be convinced you were not interested in females at all. So don't tell me this is nothing, don't tell me it's just friendship, because I've been offering that, and you don't want it. You don't have friends."

"Your... my friend Minerva." he spoke still without looking at her.

McGonagall smiled. "Don't deflect Severus. What does she mean to you? And more importantly what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I'm confused. Every time she saves my life or I save hers it gets worse."

"What gets worse?"

Snape unfolded his arms and covered his eyes with his palm, his elbow resting on the desk. "The need to protect her."

"Is that all?"

There was a silence as Snape contemplated his reply. "The need to hold her." He said quietly.

McGonagall was quiet, she was waiting for him to speak more, waiting to see what more he would disclose.

"I think about her, and I see this annoying little eleven year old that sets my teeth on edge. Then I see her, speak to her, and she is this highly intelligent beautiful woman. She won't leave me alone. She was teasing me at the ball...me...Severus Snape! Why would she bother? How does she even dare? I treated her appallingly as a child. I don't even understand why I feel this way now, I've never, never felt like this before. With Lily everything was without expectation. But Merlin preserve me, I think I expect something this time... And it's wrong I know it is." He still did not look up, as he allowed himself to spew out all his emotional confusion.

McGonagall waited a few seconds before speaking.
"I understand it Severus. She's very like Lily... Muggle parents, highly intelligent, able to see past the cover of a book. It's not ideal... but it's not wrong, she's not a child, and you never entertained thoughts of her when she was young. It's just unfortunate that people will always know you were once her teacher. Have you acted on your feelings Severus?"

Snape groaned at the embarrassment of being asked such a question. "No."

"Severus!?"

"I'm not a child Minerva, stop treating me like one, why do think you have the right to ask me?"

"I'm your boss and I need to be aware of situations within the workplace. I'm also your much older friend, who likes to give you motherly advice, just as your own mother should have done. For all your power, your strength, and your intelligence, and I mean this Severus, you are the greatest Wizard besides Dumbledore that I have ever known; but in this area you are more of a child than Hermione. So don't lie to me, have you acted on it?"

"I... bought her a gift, a book."

"Is that all?"

"I kissed her face repeatedly."

"Merlin's beard, you mentioned the book first! When did you kiss her?"

"When she was unconscious in the coffin."

"Oh dear Lord! Could you get more gothic? So she doesn't know about the kiss."

"No... Thankfully. I'm not even sure she knew I was with her in the medi bay."

"Oh ...she knew my dear. Question is what now?"

"We could wipe her memory."

"Severus! No."

"Would you want to remember being buried alive?"

"Well no, but I think she might like to remember being rescued, and by whom. When she wakes up, how about I ask her if its a memory she can live with?"

"Fine, have you finished mortifying me Minerva?"

"Not completely. Let's defeat Voldermort again for good, but this time we are working together. We will win. Then maybe you can examine your position with a clearer mind. The feelings you have, may just be the result of a strong magical bond caused by the repeated saving of life. But in my experience, you only get bonded when feelings were involved in the first place. It's like the protection Lily gave Harry, it was strong because she was willing to die for him. Would you die for Hermione?"
For the first time Severus lifted his head up, thoughtfully he looked McGonagall in the eye and replied decisively,
"Many times over."

The headmistress gazed back at him seeing the depth behind his dark eyes.
"Well you both seem to keep trying. I do hope neither of you ever have to."

"No one must know."

"I won't damage your reputation. Although I fear Miss Granger might. Anyway, I think that concludes our heart to heart discussion Professor."
"Thank you, that was... painful." grimaced Snape.
"I'm sure it was. Everyone will be arriving in a moment. We need to discuss plans of action. Will you lead this conversation or would you like me to fill them in."
"I will, I have questions. Please I'm sure I have no need to reinforce this but..."
"Our conversation has ended and Mr Potter will not be made aware of any part of it."
Professor Snape stood up, lifted his wand and waved it at the portraits.
The gags removed the noise of the furious Headmasters and Mistresses was overpowering.
"Quiet! Or I will put them back on."
Shouted Snape, swinging round dramatically.

As if Perfectly timed a knock was heard at the Head's door.

Hermione jolted out of her sleep shouting out in fear, only to find the firm arm of Madame Pomfrey around her shoulders.
"Your alright, your at Hogwarts. Nothing's going to hurt you."
Hermione's frightened eyes searched the room, then returned to the Medi witch.
"Madame Pomfrey... It was...I was..."
"I know dear, but your safe now."
Hermione shook her head.
"No I will never be safe... No one will until all the Death Eaters are dead."
Madame Pomfrey didn't answer. She let go of Hermione to reach for the calming draft.
"Will you take some? Just for now, it will help you stay calm, I won't give you enough to sleep, just the right amount to be calm enough to reason and function."
Hermione nodded.
The potion did de-clutter her mind, it pushed back the disturbing flashbacks, not far enough to be forgotten, and certainly not far enough not to return, but it allowed Hermione to compose herself and think rationally, in doing so Madame Pomfrey sat next to her bed.
"A shower, some fresh clothes and you will feel much better."
"For now."
"Yes... For now. For now is fine, because that's what we have to deal with, the here and now. It's no good worrying about the future, let's deal with that when it becomes the present."
"The Death Eaters...They are still there, still after us. How can I not worry about dealing with that?"
The Medi witch looked thoughtfully at her.
"The look on Professor Snape's face when he brought you in... It was murderous! He's out for revenge, mark my words... he will deal with it."
"Then maybe I should worry about him." Hermione muttered under her breath.
Madame Pomfrey didn't hear Hermione's comment as she focused on her medical care.
"You have lots of bruises, I have a salve that will reduce them for you. You had a bite mark on your shoulder, I treated it when you came in. I have to ask did he..."
"No...he didn't, he just tried to scare me. Honestly, other than punches and bites he left me alone."
"Well that's a relief."
Hermione started to sit up, Madame Pomfrey aided her carefully.
"Shall we try that shower? Wash last night away?"
"We can try." Hermione replied with a thin smile. "Where is Professor Snape?" she asked as she shakily stood up from the bed.
"I don't know, I imagine he is catching up on some rest. He spent a good portion of the morning with you."
"Did he?" Hermione asked in surprise.
"Yes, he did. I think some how he blamed himself for whatever happened last night. It was most peculiar you would only calm when he spoke to you. Did you think he was someone else?"
"I don't remember, did he say anything?"she replied.
"Nothing much, he just held your hand and told you over and over again that you were just fine." The witch responded as she slipped her arm around Hermione's waist.
The young woman's body went totally rigid, she turned sharply to face her assistant. "He did What? He held what?"
"Oh my dear, I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said, I know ...horrifying for you. The Professor meant well and indeed it did seem to calm you down. Maybe Mr Potter's help or Mr Weasley's would have been more acceptable to you. Unfortunately, he was the one who found you, maybe this is what made him feel responsible for your distress, he meant well... In fact I don't think I've ever seen him make an effort like that before... Strange."
"It's fine, I just didn't expect Professor Snape to.. well it doesn't matter. I think I will be fine in the shower Madame Pomfrey. I'm not really hurt just shaken."
Hermione brushed off her confusion and was desperate for a moment to herself.
"Well if your sure dear. I will transfigure you some clothes, we can't go in your house yet. Call if you need help in there."
She held open the bathroom door for her to enter. "Here's the salve, pop it on your bruises."
Hermione entered the sterile bathroom and used the surprisingly un-magical shower. The scalding water steamed the room very quickly. Hermione placed her left hand on the shower wall to keep herself steady. The sting of the hot water on her cold skin made her gasp. She uttered an incantation to moderate the temperature. The water was now pleasantly warm, it ran soothingly over her body. Feeling wobbly she leaned forward, placing her forehead against the cool tiles that were dripping with condensation. Her right hand played with the pearl around her neck.
Memories of the bright light that had emitted came back her. The memory of the deep voice that reassured her, made her shiver despite the warm water. "He saved me again." she whispered to herself.

The Door to the office silently opened. Ron, Harry and Draco stepped into the room hesitantly, apprehension lingered on their faces. They all looked sleep deprived and irritable.
McGonagall gestured towards the extra chairs that had magically appeared. "Sit down Gentleman."
The Young men shuffled forward and sat opposite her desk, glancing at professor Snape nervously and exchanging worried looks with each other.
"I'm sure you will be pleased to know that Hermione is fine and you can all go and see her later. She is very distressed as you can imagine, the experience she went through will be hard to forget. However we now need to clarify what is happening, it is now time to involve the ministry."
She looked across at Snape who mutely nodded in agreement.
"I understand you know that the Hallows are the object of attention here."
All nodded in assent.
"We are all on a similar page then, Professor Snape is going to fill us in on some areas we are missing."
Everyone turned to stare at Snape.
His black eyes glittered dangerously, his hair was once more loose and framing his pale face.
Bereft of alcohol, Harry and Ron could not find him anything other than intimidating. Snape glared at them pausing as if willing them to make some smart comment. When he realised that non were forthcoming, he spoke. "I don't wish to cover old ground. The facts are simple... The death eaters are being aided by a kitsune, I would love to insult your tiny intellects by explaining what such a creature is, but I have, over the years realised that Miss Granger shares her extensive book learning indiscriminately... So has she?"
Harry and Ron replied "Yes Sir", Draco who was slouching casually in his chair, just gave a slight nod in his direction.
"Alright, the kitsune swears she wants the Death Eaters dead she's just a spy using them to get to the Hallows. Apparently she needs them to protect her family." he paused to look at Draco, the lanky figure had straightened up at this.
"I don't think I believe her. Narcissa is the Kitsune's chosen form. I do not believe that this has always been the case. I don't believe your mother is a Kitsune Draco. My reasons are simple, Firstly, in my whole acquaintance with her, I find it impossible to believe she could have deceived me or her family for so long. Secondly, if she was a kitsune the unbreakable vow I took to protect Draco would have been useless as it only works with wizards. Thirdly, I am a master of occulmency. I have deceived the greatest of wizards in history..."
Ron coughed, but it sounded suspiciously like "cock"
Snape raised his eyebrow and smiled dangerously.
"Well at least I have one."
Ron spluttered in surprise at the retaliation.
"I am not your teacher, so stop behaving like the class clown. Grow up Mr Weasley... It's overdue."
"Can we return to the matter at hand Severus. Mr Weasley, could you refrain from coughing, if you are struggling to contain yourself, suck a sherbet lemon."

Severus continued down his list of suspicions,

"The fact remains that Narcissa could not possibly hide the fox from my mind.

So we have three possibilities.

One, Narcissa has been possessed recently by a Kitsune.

Two, It's not Narcissa at all.

Three, I'm wrong and Narcissa is a Kitsune. It will be of no surprise to you that the third option is most unlikely. I'm sorry Draco but I fear your mother is possessed by the kitsune."

Draco didn't respond, his blanched face just remained focused on his Godfather.
"In summery regardless of who ever the person bearing Narcissa's form is, she should not be trusted. She wants Harry's cloak, she wants the wand, yet fortunately I have the wand here." Snape retrieved the wand from the desk and toyed with it as he continued to speak.
"The Death Eaters must not get them, alas they already have the resurrection stone. So, our first action is to protect these items.
The kitsune told me of old magic. She told me that those who are murdered by the killing curse can be brought back."
"May you die!" exclaimed Harry.
"Exactly Mr Potter, Hermione has excelled herself. The Kitsune insists that the Death Eaters must be killed by muggle methods, otherwise we risk evil bringing them back in the future. I say if the Hallows had been destroyed in the first place, we would not have this problem. It's too late now. We were fighting five death eaters and one of them is Rabastan, whom is host to the spirit of The Dark Lord. We are now fighting four, I drowned Antonin Dolohov last night in order to get the wand."
The silence in the room was almost deafening. Snape continued,
"I believe that the remaining death eaters are in residence at Grimmauld place. We need a plan, we need to imprison the death eaters and kill what remains of the Dark Lord...we need to get hold of that damn stone. So has 'the chosen one' any ideas?"
"I trust you. I will do as you tell me. I will not make the same mistakes as last time." Harry spoke seriously with unmistakeable sincerity.
Snape was taken back for a moment. "I'm afraid Mr Potter that the solution eludes me at the moment. I have some ideas that need clarifying. I may have to become the student and learn from Miss Granger. I need to research a few things. So let's focus on keeping the school secure, no student may leave. We must make sure the floo network is securely closed."
McGonagall spoke up to assure him.
"It is Severus, I also have Mr Potter's study secure."
"Please recruit Mr Longbottom and Miss Lovegood in the protection operation." Snape added.
"We have." replied Ron
"Good. Potter, what do you want to do with the wand? Your the master do you want to keep the cloak and wand?" Snape asked.
"No... if the items are split up then they are harder to steal, keep the wand Sir." Harry replied.
"Sensible Potter ."
Harry scowled at the note of surprise in Snape's voice. He choose not to retaliate.
"Don't let the cloak out of your sight."
"I won't."
Snape turned to McGonagall,
"Inform the ministry and any surviving order members of our position here. I'm now going to seek out a resolution. May I have your permission to depart from this meeting now."
"Indeed, please be quick Severus."
"I will endeavour to be as quick as possible. Draco? You know your commission. What ever the outcome I have your mother's best interest at heart."
"I know, I trust you too." was Draco's quiet reply.
With this Severus Snape swept out of the office in a billow of capes.