"Shh.." Ginny hissed, Hermione rolled her eyes at her friend and stepped out of the little niche they'd ducked into to dodge Filch and Madam Norris. The last thing they needed was to be caught sneaking about but she also could not fill her friends in in the busy common room.
"Stop being so bloody bossy Gin." Ron snipped and Hermione shot him a look over her shoulder.
"Shut up Ronald, or you can go back to the common room." She bit out and Harry shook his head, green eyes gazing about carefully.
"Just be a little less of a git for a minute, would you." Harry chimed, Rose rolled her eyes and sniffed.
"Right, Ron be less of a git." Hermione smirked, it was common knowledge to everyone but Ron that Rose had a terrible crush on him. Not that he gave the girl the time of day.
"I will send you all back with detentions if you get me caught. I will feign ignorance I swear it." Hermione bit out over her shoulder, they were finally coming to the stairway to the Astronomy tower and then she would fill them in on what she'd found out from Remus.
She needed to talk it out with them, and as well as she understood the adult opinion that the group should not know until they were of age she was of the opposite opinion. The more the students knew, the more they had on their side.
It was never good for anyone to be caught off guard- her dreams taught her that.
She shivered when they stepped up into the cool night air of the open tower and they began to move around, talking more freely now they were at less risk of being caught.
"So what's this about 'Mi?" Ginny quizzed, settling in beside her friend who sat near the center of the large tower, her legs crossed and her cloak pulled tightly around her.
"Yeah, why did you drag us up here in the middle of the night?" Ron grumbled, Rose sat beside him, just a little too close for Harry's comfort, Harry who was looking at them with a dark look.
Hermione knew he wasn't a fan of the way Ron treated women, if it weren't for that she was almost certain he would be happy to let his best friend date his baby sister- well, one of them.
Fern Potter was too intelligent to be involved with a womanizer like Ron Weasley. Instead the girl sported a major crush on none other than Draco Malfoy- okay, so maybe not intelligent.
"Right, anyway, I brought you up here because I found out some important information from Lily, James, and Remus this afternoon."
"Mum and dad?" Rose cocked an eyebrow, Harry was watching her with peeked curiosity as well.
"Yes, they were there for the conversation, to help Remus, you know they travel in a bloody pack." She smiled fondly.
Now she knew exactly why they traveled in their little pack, she could remember in blurs and flashes the way their final year at Hogwarts had played out.
"Apparently, there was a man named Tom Riddle, and he hated everyone who was muggle or muggleborn, so he planned to wipe us all out. Fortunately, he was thwarted and stopped by our parents and Professors." She blinked at her slack jawed friends.
"I know, I thought it was mad as well." She rubbed the back of her head.
"But what does that have to do with right now?" Ron sniped, looking annoyed as he rubbed his arms.
Should have worn a cloak, git.
"His followers remained relatively inactive until recently. You remember all of the information in the Prophet about anti-muggleborn legislation, well, that's only part of it. They expect that they'll start trying to kill us again, as well." She glanced to her left. Her throat constricted.
Why was blood so damned important? It just didn't make any sense to her, it never would.
"I don't see how that's our problem." Ron grumbled and Harry elbowed him hard in the side, Hermione shot him a dark look.
"Lavender would be killed, famous witches and wizards, some of your favorite quidditch players for example." He blanched.
"No they wouldn't, they're important." He grunted stubbornly and Hermione shook her head, her eyes dark.
"Yes, that is why they would kill them first. Use your brain Ron." Ginny hissed, she looked concerned, in the way Hermione thought they should be.
Rose and Harry looked ill.
"When you turn seventeen they will invite you to join their Order, but listen, I told you this now so you can be prepared. If something happens, I think that it would be bad to be surprised." She stared down at her fingers.
"I believe that is enough education for one evening, Ms. Lupin." A deep voice raced down her spine and Hermione tensed.
Shit! He'd followed them, of course he had!
Damn the man for moving so quietly though!
"To bed, the rest of you. Ms. Lupin come with me." He grunted, Hermione winced and waved goodbye to her friends who gave her sympathetic looks before scampering away as fast as possible.
"Sir?" She looked up at him, they stood in the darkened corridor, the door to the stairs closed where her friends had left, he had his back to her and she found it quite disconcerting.
"You are not in trouble, Ms. Lupin." She exhaled. "Much as you should be, why, why did you think it was wise to tell them?"
He turned to look at her, judging her with his black eyes and she released an unsteady breath.
"If something happened and they didn't know, I would feel like it was my fault." She leaned back against the wall, her hands behind her to keep the harsh stone from her back. He gave a nod. He was closer than she was accustomed to, the cramped quarters of the stairway and the imposing dark making her feel just a little dizzy.
It didn't help that he literally exuded an overwhelming air of dark grace.
She wondered who the witch was who had his heart? She was frankly a bit jealous of her, whoever she was.
"I see. Well, let us be certain we only share this information with those we know well. Yes?" He questioned, black hair shadowed his face. His deep voice wrapped around her and made her skin prickle. Gods he had the most beautiful voice.
Hermione nodded and gave him a cautious look.
"Professor Snape."
"Yes, Ms. Lupin?" He was watching her, a dark look on his face and his arms crossed across his chest, as if he was still trying to decide whether she was in trouble.
Even though he'd already said she wasn't.
She wondered if it only looked that way to her because of her nerves, they were rioting inside her. His proximity, the flashes of her dreams.
"Did I know you, in my past life?" She questioned, his lips pinched into a thin line. She was almost certain it was pain that raced through his eyes but it was gone so quickly she couldn't be sure.
"I'm afraid I will have to postpone my answer for another day. Please return to your dorm, Ms. Lupin." His voice was low and deep and she gave a little nod, standing off the wall and wringing her fingers together she took off at a near run, leaving the man stood in the darkened stairway alone.
If only you knew, Hermione. If only you knew. He groaned to himself before making his way to his own chambers. He needed whiskey, whiskey and sleep.