"My, it has been a long time."

"Woah..." Hermione couldn't hold in her surprise. She'd opened her eyes to the voice of a woman, no older than thirty, dressed in royal robes. Excessively elaborate, the black fabric was adorned with diamonds at every seam, they reminded her of the many layers she'd often seen Dumbledore wear but more en-detailed. A crown made of gold rested upon her long waist length black hair, her face very similar to Galia's. The narrow cheeks, long nose but her eyes were a brilliant golden yellow; she'd never seen anything like it.

The room they had been standing in was gone, instead, they stood in a large open field without a sun. There was light but without source. Hermione could only feel peace and serenity in her heart. The pain of her injuries gone.

Severus similarly was shocked at where they stood. He had read about magic like this but it was more than he could have ever imagined. The stone still rested beneath his palm, the magic flowing out of him into it, creating the world around him. His brow furrowed when he took in the woman's appearance making the same comparisons as Hermione had but to his own mother. She could have been her sister, or possibly her mother.

"What question do you seek to answer?" The woman gave each of them a soft smile, neatly folding her hands in front of her.

"Who...who are you?" Hermione could barely close her mouth enough to speak through her astonishment. She was speaking to the dead, to the soul trapped inside the orb. It was an impossible impossibility, yet there she was.

"I am, the first daughter of the seventh matriarch. My name is Natalisha and I am not trapped, little Lionheart. I chose to be here, to guide further generations of our royal line."

Hermione's brow ticked, why was everyone calling her that? Her brain cycled back to what the house elf and Parvapro had discussed in their thoughts then to the book titles she'd seen, The Forsaken Son.

"We need to get out of the catacombs...we need to get home." Severus pursed his lips. As much as he wanted to learn more about who, what and why; his magical core was presently too weak to keep the connection for long.

"You already are home, son." Natalisha smiled softly and turned to look over her shoulder. The beautiful grassy hills faded away leaving them all back standing right where they had been with Natalisha coming to be just in front of them.

Hermione could actually smell her light jasmine perfume under the cold stale air. She wasn't like any ghost she had ever come across in the magical world, she was almost real. She wanted to touch her so badly, her fingers twitched against Severus' waist but she restrained herself. Instead, she turned her eyes when the woman pointed down the corridor.

"Take this until you reach a fork, follow the path to the right and you shall find where you need to go. At the door, you need merely to touch the right eye and it will open to you." Natalisha inclined her head just a little, her eyes looking directly into Hermione's soul.

The young woman felt a wealth of information hidden just behind those unique golden eyes; she had so many questions. So many curiosities. She didn't want to leave this place, ever. Why did everyone they'd come across thus far seem to be holding some big secret? Just what was inside the books that filled the library? Why did they call her Lionheart?

"Thank you," Severus pulled his hand from the orb his palm tingling from the residual magic. So many questions rampaged through his mind as well and he knew they would be down there again.

"Please send my adoration to Parvapro, I miss her dearly." Natalisha's words faded to a soft whisper as her body slowly disappeared from before them.

Hermione would have put up a fight for them to stay if not for the pain that was slowly returning to her body. She was near to exploding with curiosity that almost had the power over her to touch another stone but the firm hand around her waist reminded her of what she had done. They needed to go home, to eat, to heal.

"We will return."

"I love you." Hermione smiled softly before helping Severus move forward. They moved closer to the center of the hall following it down to the junction. It was a long and slow walk. Severus was doing his best to keep his weight off of her but it was steadily becoming more difficult for him. Hermione forced him to pause before pulling her wand from her sheath. A whispered spell transformed the wood into a long cane and she offered it out for him to take.

"Who knows how far we have?" Hermione's voice was tight but kind. The pain of her empty stomach was growing harder to ignore as well, causing everything else in her body to ache with fatigue. "Unless you want to rest here...?"

"Not here..." Severus' mind was cluttered with the voices trapped inside the stones, as though touching one had awakened them all. He wanted to be out of there so that he could properly see to both his and Hermione's injuries.

"Then take it. It looks like this path leads up... It shouldn't be long..."

Severus frowned but took the cane. It did help him keep himself up and it did make him feel less of a burden. He raised the hand that he had used on her waist for support and lightly ran the back of his fingers over her cheek in a rare moment of adoration. Her resulting smile gave strength to his heart and he turned his head towards the path they had been told to take.

They walked in companionable silence for a good ten minutes, steadily climbing higher before Hermione could no longer keep her thoughts to herself and decided to test the waters, "Severus?"

"Mm?"

"What do you think was in all those books? The ones organized by date?" She kept her voice low, knowing now where they stood.

"You went all the way to the fifth floor without touching a single tome?" He had to admit that he admired her restraint. He hadn't been able to resist pulling out one for himself before everything had gone pear-shaped. The guilt over letting his guard down in the pursuit of his own selfish intentions was starting to rear its ugly head again.

"Well, I...they looked like records...sort of like the ones we keep at the ministry but with odd titles...I was curious to see how far they went..." Hermione could tell he was going back into his dark place again and lightly brushed his hand with her own.

"How far did they go?"

"The last placard I read said, 2020...there was no end date."

Severus paused at her observation as well as to catch his breath, "What was on the shelf?"

"Just a few books." Hermione gave him a wary look, she could tell his mind was turning.

"Titles? Same as the others?"

"No, they were different..."

"Did you have a chance to read them?"

"Four of them, yes." Hermione was starting to piece together her own theory as Severus started to move forward again, "The Forsaken Son, Destiny's Daughter, Victory Reborn, Lionhearted Redeemer and two others..."

Severus had come to a stop again his eyes narrowing. Natalisha had called Hermione Lionheart and he son. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see the connection between. It took his brain only a few seconds to realize what the books must have held. "They're Praevisas. History written before it can even be called history."

Hermione's eyes widened considerably. Was that how everyone seemed to already know who they were? If it was true, did their own lives exist inside those books? If she had opened one would she have learned something she wasn't meant yet to know?

Severus felt suddenly invigorated, "You say you didn't try to open them?"

"I didn't get a chance, just as I was about to Pavrapro startled me."

"Who?" Severus came to a stop again, it hadn't even occurred to him that Hermione hadn't been the one to heal him, she was more than capable of performing all the spells he would have needed after his fall.

Hermione swallowed feeling a little cowed under his intense gaze,"A demiguise...she touched my hair and that's why I screamed...I didn't know what she was at first...When I woke up she and a house elf named Librous had helped us both. Librous disappeared after giving me one of your potions and Parvapro suddenly vanished just as you were coming around."

Severus wanted to be upset by her obvious withholding of information but as neither of them were worse off for it he decided to let it go. Though it did beg the question on what else might be lurking in the castle. Demiguises were not violent by nature but house elves could be rather protective if somewhat unpredictable and they carried enough magic to do anyone in.

"They called you the heir, I think they know who we are..." Hermione took a slow breath, she was able to feel the tension winding up his back. Were they still in danger?

"Was there anyone else?"

"No... and they mentioned no one..." Hermione moved when he did but she couldn't help but worry get bottom lip, "I don't think they mean to harm us, least not you."

Severus hummed in the back of his throat but his face made it clear that their conversation had come to an end. He needed to think. So much information in such a little time sent his brain down winding and crossing paths of thought. Why was the library in tact with little to no protections if it truly held such precious knowledge? Where was the magic that had repaired the catacombs coming from? What else still lived in the castle? Why had neither the elf or the demiguise stayed in the catacombs? Who else was laid to rest inside the hallowed hall? Why had so many of his ancestors seemingly chosen to remain in a limbo instead of moving on into the next life? Who had written the books that Hermione had found?

The silence between them returned until they had found themselves approaching a narrow door with two ravens carved into it. Just like everything else in the castle the door held two eyes, though this time they were embedded inside the raven's turned heads. Severus took a moment to rest again, closing his eyes to push down his fatigue. He looked at Hermione to make sure she was alright before reaching towards the door. As soon as his palm rested flat over the eye there was a small click. There was no handle on this door so Severus merely gave it a push. It groaned loudly before opening up to a large room.

Hermione stepped through first, tilting her head up slightly to try and find the source of the dim white light that was just barely lighting the room. It was large, but not excessive. A large black runner ran from two double doors that they had come out close to. The door they'd gone through seemingly having been hidden inside the wall. The room was clean, meticulously so. Not even the air smelled remotely dusty. It reminded her somewhat of the Great Hall at Hogwarts sans the tables. Large tapestries hung on the walls in the shadows of the pillars that supported the tall ceiling. It was hard for Hermione to make out what was on them in the darkness.

When Hermione and Severus came around the support pillar they both turned their heads left away from the double doors. Hermione stifled a gasp when she realized just where they had gone.

"It's the throne room..." Hermione's whispered observation made Severus hum softly but his eyes were focused on what had caught both of their attention. They weren't alone anymore, there was someone sitting in one of the thrones. A ghost, a proper ghost sat in the center chair, it was large and tall and there was no question that a king was meant to sit there.

The ghostly man had his temple resting on his fist, a crown tilting precariously on the top of his head. His translucent robes much the same design as Natalisha's had been sans any color. When Hermione stepped out just a bit further, he raised his head turning down the hall in her direction.

"So you have come, at last." The man's voice was deep, deeper than Severus' if that was even possible to imagine. His face was sharp and stern, his lips in a permanent frown. He rose to his feet taking a soundless step down from the platform to stand at his full height before them, as though daring them to come forward. "Come to defile my throne with your filthy blood." He snarled at Hermione before turning his eyes to Severus, "The forsaken one, returned." He snorted and took a step closer, looking down his hooked nose, he stood even taller than Severus but was just as small built. A large raven flew in from one of the open domed windows overhead, it circled around him letting out a low caw before sweeping its way towards the both of them.

Severus had pulled his wand, ready to defend them both but the raven merely circled their heads letting out a soft caw before returning to the ghost's side landing on the floor beside his feet.

"You may take this castle, but I am the last true King. You shall never take my place." His words were venomous and harsh as though they had been building for lifetimes.

"We don't want your throne." Hermione kept her voice from wavering but an anger was welling inside her chest at the man's obvious superiority complex.

The man sneered as though offended that she would even dare to address him before he turned his eyes to Severus, "A man's heart is weak. You should do well to remember that." The raven at his feet jumped into the air and the ghostly king reached up. When his hand took hold of the raven, his body vanished seemingly inside it. The raven's eye glowed a bright blue before it turned in its flight soaring out of the domed window.

Hermione wanted to be amazed at the magic she just witnessed but she couldn't get past the arse who had used it. She supposed not everyone in his family was nice and helpful, "There's always one in every family. Severus..."

"Quite." Severus reached down taking Hermione's hand in his. "Let's get home..." He turned to the doors at his back before a soft popping noise just behind him paused his step.

"You can not leave."

"Librous?" Hermione blinked when the elf came closer stepping into the moonlight, "What do you mean we can't leave?" Hermione caught a glimpse of one of the tapestry's moving and could guess that Parvapro had come after them as well.

"The castle is-" Librous paused trying to find the right English word,"Locked." Librous came closer, holding up two small vials in his hand, the potions he'd been searching for all this time. "The orb to which it is," Another pause," Controlled is in the forbidden wing. You must wait until Daylight." Though his words were helpful his tone suggested an air of impatience. The elf turned his head to a soft chittering noise sneering slightly at whatever was being said to him.

Severus could hear only the light whispering of thoughts as the creature Hermione had described suddenly revealed herself. His brow ticked when he finally caught her eyes.

So you have met Alguth. He is a bitter man do not take his words to heart.

Are there others? Severus was surely not in the mood for any more mind games.

No, he is the only one, he failed in creating his orb, trapping himself here for eternity. It is a harsh reality for him to accept.

Hermione dug through her bag quickly pulling on the band, she'd just caught the tail end of Parvapro's words before her eyes turned to the elf who was holding up a clear vile for her to take.

"Drink. No tears." The elf turned and offered the other vial, a slightly purple-hued potion, to Severus.

"Why are you helping us?"Severus took the vial turning it in the dim light to try and see just what exactly it was. He didn't trust either creature as far as he could throw them.

You are meant to be here, you will become our new guardians. We have been ever so lonely these past 200 years.

Hermione's eyes shot open wide, she had thought the castle had only been vacant for 80 years, the book at the ministry had listed this as a place of residence down until Severus' great-grandfather. Stating that it had been abandoned during the Great War.

History is in the eye of the beholder, Lionheart. Parvapro smiled softly before motioning for her to drink. Drink, we shall protect you until dawn.

Severus turned his eyes down to the grumpy looking house elf, lack of socialization might have made up for some of the elf's rudeness but he still couldn't trust them. He turned his head back to the doors that would lead them to the entrance way.

"If we are to stay, then we must find a place to rest." His voice held a no-nonsense tone, as though he were testing the waters of the creatures willingness to serve them.

"I have prepared a bed." Librous was growing impatient that they hadn't taken the potions he had offered. His eyes turned pointedly between both vials in their hands before flicking his large ears. "We go now. Then you drink."

Hermione had just enough time to register Parvapro's soft hand taking her own before the feeling of being apparated twisted her stomach. When the world came back to focus she hissed softly to the bright torch lights that filled the room they had appeared in.

It was as large as the first floor of their house, beautifully adorned with dark furniture that had been meticulously hand-carved. Her eyes shot to the immense four-poster bed sitting on top of a small rise. The light smell of jasmine wafted through the air and she could take a guess as to whom the room used to belong to. It was perfectly preserved, unlike the other bedrooms they had passed in their initial search, either that or it had been beautifully restored for their arrival. In either case, it was clean and the bed looked heavenly.

"I restore many things, my power is not weak." Librous moved further into the room lighting more torches along the walls, chasing away the shadows. He pulled back a large set of curtains revealing the beautiful mountains behind the castle. "You drink then rest." He turned to look at them one last time before popping out.

Parvapro smiled softly up from Hermione's side before slowly disappearing from sight. Hermione followed the sound of her barely heard footsteps before the door behind them opened and closed as though of it's own will. She let out a slow breath before looking up at Severus. "It's better than sleeping on the floor?"

Severus sighed heavily through his nose but had to concede her point, "Just tonight."

"Of course." Hermione grinned a little before letting the small spark of childish wonder well up in her chest. What little girl didn't dream of being a princess in a castle at some point in their life? And there she was in a real castle in a real royal room about to sleep in a bed literally made for a queen. She couldn't help the goofy grin that crawled over her face despite the pain thrumming through her body. When her mind turned to other things that she wanted to do in this room Severus let out a soft grunt moving away from her side.

"Not a chance." Severus' hip would barely keep him on his feet, there was no way he could do what she wanted, even if he was willing. He limped his way over to the bed to accent his point before slowly sitting down on the soft mattress, he released the spell over her wand and set it down beside him before turning to look at the mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Insufferable, you are." She grinned and turned her head around to just appreciate the room. It was beyond anything she would have ever imagined. Brilliant colors, yellows greens, gold leaf and rich woods. It put the artist sketches in the book she'd read to shame. Truly to shame. Her stomach growled loud enough for her to hear and she grimaced when reality came crashing back down. She moved over to one of the large chairs beside the bed and carefully sat down. A slow breath removed her arm that she'd kept tight around her waist all this time and she flexed her fingers slowly testing her movement.

"We need to eat something." Severus' stomach was starting to make a fuss by now as well but there was no way he was going to call back Librous to request something to eat.

"I think I have something in my bag." Hermione curled her arm back around her waist before pulling her bag into her lap. She dug inside for a moment before pulling out four protein bars, "What flavor do you want?"

"Blueberry." He hated those bars with a passion but he wasn't about to pass up sustenance given their circumstances.

"Here you are," Hermione leaned out if the chair with a small wince handing over two bars before shifting uncomfortably in the chair. She magic-ed open one of the strawberry ones and brought it to her mouth that was starting to water with the promise of food. She chewed quickly but took the time to take in the room trying to imagine what living there must have been like.

Severus likewise opened his bar and took a grimacing bite trying to ignore the taste of preservatives. He'd have to show her how to make proper bars one day, these were simply awful. His eyes turned to the window behind her head trying to plan their next move. Daylight was at 5:45 this time of year but he was sure the sunlight would have to reach the west wing before the spell would lift meaning that they couldn't attempt to leave until sometime after 8 am given the height of the mountains. He turned his wrist to look at his watch and frowned, it was only 9:42. They had to remain for almost another 12 hours.

"We're going to be alright." Hermione gave him a gentle smile, "We're together right?" She swallowed down the last of her bar choosing to leave the second for the morning. She came to her feet moving to stand between his knees and ran her fingers down his cheek, "This has been amazing. Even though it didn't go as planned..."

Severus' brow relaxed to her touch and he let out a slow breath, "You really want to know more don't you?"

"Don't you?" Hermione didn't want to push the topic of his ancestry but the information they'd gathered thus far had to have sparked his curiosity, even just a little.

"I don't care about the people who used to live here... where I come from but I do want to know what is hidden here."

"Hidden?"

"The east wing, there's something dark lurking there... I've felt it ever since we entered the grounds...If you truly wish to know more we must ensure that it is safe to be here."

Hermione nodded her head solemnly, "I understand." She carefully leaned down placing a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. "I love you."

"And I, you." Severus ran his lips along the bridge of her nose before pressing his seal of love upon her brow. "Now let's rest."