Beta love to CarbConnoisseur.
Pandora was waiting on her when she finally made it down to Hogsmeade. "My Mya!" she called, waving so enthusiastically that more than one person walking past looked alarmed.
"Pandora," Hermione smiled.
"You seem more… grounded," Pandora mused as she reached her. "Perhaps it's your new dragon posing as a necklace."
"Perhaps," Hermione agreed. "Did you have somewhere you wanted to go?"
"Oh no, my Mya! You're in charge this time, remember?"
"I do," Hermione agreed. "So how about a look around and then tea somewhere? I have some things I need to speak to you about."
"Oh! How exciting! Well then, shall we? Maybe after tea we can pop in to see Aberforth. I have some potions for one of his goats. Gertie's been poorly, you know?"
"I… I did not," Hermione admitted, attempting not to laugh. "Poor Gertie."
"She'll be fine," Pandora dismissed. "She has a very strong constitution."
"Of course she does," Hermione snorted.
They meandered around the village. Hermione stocked up on parchment and quills, and Pandora grabbed some of Honeydukes' finest.
"Now, shall we go to Madam Puddifoots?" Pandora queried, grinning at Hermione's look of distaste. "It's rather frilly… and pink. And I wouldn't bring either of your boys. It would clash with their hair. Although you suit pink. Maybe it would make you so irresistible that no one would notice the decor? Do you think Fabian enjoys exhibitionism?"
Hermione choked on her own saliva. "Pandora, you can't!" she trailed off at the impish look on the other woman's face. "You did that on purpose!"
"You're rather preoccupied, my Mya. For example, you haven't even explained when your delightful new familiar hatched. I was so looking forward to hearing the story after meeting her egg."
"Nuri?" Hermione checked.
"Are you hiding more dragons?"
"Ah no. Just the one," Hermione muttered before sighing. "I apologise. Last night was rather intense and I'm still processing."
"And running on no sleep," Pandora finished. "You really do need more coffee or Severus will run rings around you." With that sage advice, she steered Hermione into the garish tea shop.
"Now the tea is lovely, and the coffee's… well it's strong at least. I'd suggest you also get tea."
"Right," Hermione murmured. "Do I get a cake recommendation this time too?"
"Oh, I'm so glad you asked!" Pandora smiled. "I suggest the lemon and lavender. It's delightful."
With a grin, Hermione nodded, giving her order to the waitress.
"Now, shall I assume you've cast privacy wards?" Pandora asked, smiling as she breathed in the scent of her tea.
"Of course," Hermione dismissed, taking a gulp of her coffee with a grimace. Strong was all it had going for it.
"Well then, what did you want to discuss?"
"Two things," Hermione sighed. "I have two people who want to meet you."
"Oh?" Pandora's eyes lit up. "Will I find these people interesting?"
"I imagine you will, "Hermione agreed. "Saul Croaker is one of them. He wanted to discuss whether you had Seen anything indicating the best time to tell people the truth. I… had some strange feelings of clarity during last night's ritual, and I narrowed down telling the twins and Caradoc before summer but that was as close as I got. The second was Perenelle Flamel. She wants to meet you on Monday if you're willing."
"Oh," Pandora looked slightly stunned. "The Perenelle Flamel?"
"Ah, yes," Hermione agreed slowly, not quite sure what to make of her reaction.
"Oh my," she murmured. "Well yes, of course. No one with sense turns down an invitation from Madam Flamel. And The Department of Mysteries is fascinating, so I'm sure Director Croaker and I will have lots to talk about."
"Right. So ah, this week?"
"I can do that," Pandora agreed. "Of course, in return I do require some help picking a dress."
"A dress?" Hermione frowned.
"Yes of course, for after the ceremony. You'll need one too."
"I… Pandora, what?" Hermione frowned, utterly confused as to what the woman was on about.
"My wedding!" Pandora tisked before looking at her face. "Oh. I truly thought I'd asked. Never mind. You'll be there won't you?"
"Of course," Hermione agreed.
"Wonderful," Pandora beamed. "We'll need to shop for ritual robes, wedding ones tend to be prettier than standard ones."
"You're having a ritual wedding?" Hermione asked with interest. Her grandmother had touched on them briefly and they sounded fascinating.
"Oh, of course. We're using the ritual my parents used. Xeno is very excited!" Pandora beamed, almost bouncing in her seat. "There's something special about it, don't you think?"
"I've never been to one," Hermione admitted.
"I know," Pandora's smile was impish. "I just wondered if you'd read anything."
"No," Hermione replied slowly, a sudden feeling of unease shooting through her.
"Ah well. I'm sure it'll be enlightening," she smiled. "Perhaps I can ask Madam Flamel for tips! I'm sure she married Nicolas Flamel in a ritual."
"Right," Hermione nodded. "Is there… something I should know?"
"Oh no! It'll be fine. You'll be well versed in rituals by June, perhaps it will even help you make a decision about my cousin and Fabian!" She paused, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Although it might give Caradoc an unfair advantage. I'm sure Fabian will remove his clothes so you can look if you ask though."
Hermione choked on the tea shed just taken a sip of. "What?"
"Oh, didn't I mention?" Pandora asked with exaggerated innocence. "Ritual marriages are performed skyclad."
"You're distracted," Severus glowered as she trailed into the room, still feeling dazed.
"Have you ever been to a ritual wedding?" she asked, registering the complete surprise on his face.
"No," he replied slowly, with a frown.
"Huh. I made a new friend who just invited me to hers."
The look on Snape's face would have been funny if she'd been in any state to appreciate it. "And this is relevant because?"
"Oh. They're performed skyclad, apparently," she turned to look at him properly. "Who just announces that to a person like it's normal to tell your new friend you want them to strip off in front of a group of strangers!"
Severus' jaw dropped as he attempted to find a response to that before he smirked. "Your new friend, apparently."
She gaped at him for several seconds before she laughed. "My life is insane," she muttered. "How is it this insane?"
"I have no idea. However, I do know that you're meant to be brewing potions. So… Draught of living death if you please."
"Yes, sir," she muttered sarcastically, moving to get ingredients while ignoring his amusement. It was strangely easy to work with this version of Snape. She almost snorted as she imagined what his original self would have thought of this. Perhaps it was best that she would never know for sure.
.
"It's… passable," he murmured once she was done, prodding the potion with the stirrer.
"Such high praise, Professor," she teased, knowing it was more than passable. The other version of him had taught her using his own recipes after all.
He rolled his eyes. "As if anyone would ever be stupid enough to leave me in charge of children."
Shrugging as she began to clear up her things, Hermione deliberately didn't look at him lest she laugh. "What are your plans after Hogwarts?" she mused idly.
She caught the way he froze out of the corner of her eye. "I imagine I'll have to work," he replied eventually. "NEWT scores are all well and good, but they do not fund a mastery."
"No, they don't," she agreed softly, wondering if it was too soon to offer help. Taking in the tense line of his body, she supposed it was. She didn't know this Snape. She hadn't known the other one well either, she admitted silently, but she'd seen little glimpses of him underneath his mask after Dumbledore had asked her to assist with his brewing in sixth year.
"What are your plans after yours?" he asked suddenly.
"Oh, I've sort of been herded into a timeshare between the Department of Mysteries and the DMLE," she shrugged. "I don't think it'll be forever. I'd like a Mastery at some point, but Saul keeps confronting me with already agreed to plans," she snorted. "And it is interesting. The magic they get to play with is utterly limitless. And some of the old laws are barbaric and someone needs to do something about them."
His huff of laughter stopped her. "You sound devastated by your lack of input," he drawled. In a move she'd never have dared use on his older self, Hermione stuck her tongue out at him. He sighed. "Are you sure you're old enough to work?"
"I'm older than you," she shot back.
"One would never know," he retorted drily
"Don't be an arse."
"Hadn't you heard? It's what I do," he smirked.
She rolled her eyes at him, nudging him with her elbow. "Luch Mr. Snape?"
"Offering to sit with the snakes, Miss Moody?"
"Are they going to poison me?" she asked bluntly.
He snorted. "I wouldn't rule it out."
"Then perhaps not. I'm stealing my dragon back too. Don't think I wouldn't notice."
She saw the twitch of his lips indicating a smile. "It would hardly have been acceptable to kill the poor thing off with potion fumes. I was doing you a favour."
"No potions fumes now," she pointed out, holding out her hand expectantly. With a huff, he gently removed Nuri from her hiding place inside his collar. The Dragon shot him a disapproving glare before yawning, stretching out its tiny limbs on the palm of his hand.
"How big will she get?"
"No idea," Hermione shrugged, nuzzling the dragon with her nose before pulling her close to her chest. "For all I know one day I'll wake up and she'll be full-sized. Although hopefully not. Dad might murder me if I break the house."
Severus gaped at her for several beats before he laughed, still eyeing her as if he wasn't sure she was actually joking. "You're right, your life is insane," he muttered.
"Ah! Moody! You survived Snape then?" Frank smiled at her as he walked into the classroom. Wherever he had been instead of lunch, he was rosy-cheeked and breathless.
Hermione tried not to think about that too hard. Alice had also been missing. Shutting that thought down with a suppressed shudder, she rolled her eyes. "He's not that bad!"
"You're the first to think so," Frank shrugged. "Although Amy mentioned he spent the morning with you both? Seemed to think the rumours of him being part vampire were greatly exaggerated."
Hermione sighed at him exasperatedly. "Has it crossed your mind that comments like that are part of the reason he acts like such an arse around you all?"
Frank paused. "Well it is now," he admitted, flushing slightly. "Is this your way of asking me to be nicer?"
"It wouldn't hurt," Hermione agreed.
"And the rumours about his ah… other affiliations?"
"His sleeves were rolled up when he was with me earlier. There was not a Mark in sight," Hermione retorted bluntly.
"Rumor has it that he'll be marked after school," Frank said gently. "You're not here. You don't see…."
"Has it crossed your mind that I do see, exactly because I'm not here all the time?" she threw back.
He nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll bite. What do you see?"
Hermione paused, wondering how best to word this. "I see the odds stacked against an entire House from the moment an ancient hat utters Slytherin," Hermione began bluntly. "I see some truly horrific beliefs, but not all from just one House. I see people… children left with nowhere else to go. And I see people ignoring blatant bullying all over the school."
Frank let out a harsh breath. "Fuck," he muttered. "That's… bloody Merlin. What do you intend to do?"
"Me?" Hermione asked innocently. "Nothing. As you quite rightly pointed out, I'm not here."
Frank's eyes widened as the implications of her words sunk in. "What would you have me do?" he sighed.
"In an ideal world?" Hermione asked.
"Why not?"
"Make some new friends. Call out the bullshit from everyone. Stop automatically assuming a House makes you evil. Cunning and ambition are not bad traits. We might not be able to save many, but what if you could influence the younger years to behave like human beings?"
"Can I talk to some people about this?" he checked.
"I can't stop you."
"Do you think Snape would help?"
Hermione froze, that question threw her. "I don't know," she replied finally. "He is in a precarious position. A half blood in a house of purebloods, a poor half blood at that. However, you can ask."
"But don't be surprised if he refuses," Frank replied wryly.
"No," Hermione admitted. "Self-preservation is also a Slytherin trait. I can't say I'd blame him if he refused. However, he is the man who was friends with a Gryffindor muggleborn for years despite the friction it caused, so who knows, he may just surprise you."
Frank nodded slowly. "Are all these sessions going to be so… revolutionary?"
Hermione snorted. "Merlin I hope not. It's fucking exhausting."
Giving a startled laugh, Frank gestured her forward. "Let's go to the greenhouses. I think some practical work is needed today."
Biting back a groan, Hermione followed him. She bloody hated practical herbology.
"So I hear you're starting your own revolution." Alice sat down in her seat looking at Hermione expectantly. She groaned, making Alice laugh. "I want in. It makes sense and Frank and I, we want to be Aurors. We can't go into that with in-built prejudices, not to the level we clearly have, anyway."
Hermione stared back at the woman before she grinned. "Wonderful. Then I suggest you talk to Frank. This isn't my revolution."
Alice snorted. "Of course it is. You're just delegating jobs!"
Hermione inclined her head. "Fine, it's not just my revolution then."
"Who else have you converted?" Alice asked with interest.
"No one deliberately, but I might have ranted at Aunt Min earlier. She's going to see about making some changes."
"Then who's next on your list?" Hermione's brow arched. Seeing it, Alice waved her off. "You admitted you don't need runes. Let's plan a revolution instead. It's much more satisfying."
Laughing, even as she wondered what Neville would have been like had this woman been able to raise him, Hermione attempted to formulate an answer. "Do you know Pandora Carrow?"
"Yes," Alice nodded. "We're cousins… somewhere, distantly, but I've met her more than once. Why?"
"You know about her Sight then."
"Yes," Alice agreed slowly. "How do you know Pandora Carrow?"
"We met at the Blishwick ball," Hermione admitted. "She's decided we're going to be friends."
Alice laughed, covering her mouth to stifle it. "I see. I'm almost sad we missed the Blishwick ball. Mother unfortunately wasn't well, but I imagine she was… startling the first time you met.
"You have no idea," Hermione muttered. "She had some insights though."
"Did she?" Alice checked curiously. "You intend to listen to them?"
"I knew someone very like her once," Hermione replied softly. "I learned that it was usually wise to listen to what she said. Pandora… knows far more than she should. It is quite literally impossible for her to be making it up. So yes, I'm going to heed her advice."
"And her advice impacts your list," Alice surmised.
"To some extent," Hermione allowed. "Although not entirely. She thinks that certain people are important. I intend to start with them."
"Interesting," Alice murmured, eyeing her curiously. "When are you going to start?"
"What makes you think I haven't?"
Alice's eyes widened as Hermione looked up at her, holding eye contact. "We're important," she whispered before she straightened. "Why are we important?"
"Truthfully, until today I wasn't sure, but both you and Frank have accepted the need for change in a way that's truly startling. Perhaps that's why you're important."
"And the others?" Alice demanded.
Hermione sighed. "Are important for reasons I can't share while you're still at school."
"Will you share them after?" Alice demanded.
"Yes," Hermione decided quickly. "But Alice? Learn occulmency." She grimaced. "I'm being made to."
"Who's teaching you?"
"Perenelle Flamel."
"The Perenelle Flamel?" Alice asked incredulously.
"Ah, yes?" Hermione hedged, wondering why the question seemed to always be asked in that tone.
Why?" Alice asked curiously.
"Because she's my grandmother's High Priestess and I'm being inducted into their coven."
"Oh!" Alice grinned suddenly. "It's mine too. I was inducted once I turned seventeen. I get to leave school for it. Dumbledore isn't a fan, but there's no way he's going to win an argument against centuries of tradition. Most girls from old families end up there."
"Then it'll be nice to see a familiar face," Hermione admitted, filing that information away to ask her grandmother about later. "Although, how exactly is it that a French witch is the High Priestess of a British coven that is thought to have been started by a Greek witch?"
Alice laughed. "I have no idea if it's Circe's original coven or if someone just decided it sounded good, but as for Madame Flamel, who's going to argue with her? I think she spent a hundred or so years here ages ago. I've never asked though. If you're getting private lessons perhaps you should."
"My grandmother would murder me for impudence," Hermione retorted.
Alice snorted. "Who's your grandmother?"
"Janet McGonagall?"
"Oh, of course she is!" Alice exclaimed looking her over. "I should have guessed. She's a fierce one, your grandmother."
"Tell me about it," Hermione muttered.
"Now, what other plans do you have?" Alice demanded after laughing at her.
Thinking quickly, Hermione attempted to come up with something she could actually share. "How well do you think a girls-only self-defence group would be taken?"
Alice's eyes lit up. "Yes!"
Hermione hummed. "Scrimgeour suggested I talk to an Auror who wanted to set some up. Dumbledore keeps refusing her, but I had wondered about Hogsmeade weekends?"
"Do it. Let me know and I'll get the word spread if she agrees. What else?"
Hermione laughed. "Bloody Merlin, is that not enough?"
"Not even close," Alice shot back.
"Ugh, I don't know! Nothing that can be spoken about just now. The focus should be on giving as many people alternative options as possible."
"And defence."
"And defence," Hermione agreed.
"Right then," Alice nodded before her grin turned wicked. "Want to sit with the snakes at dinner?
"Absolutely not. Snape indicated that they'd likely poison me."
Alice snorted. "Probably but it would be amusing to confuse them. What about the puffs?"
"We could do that," Hermione murmured.
"See! Plan!" Alice beamed. "Now, we've half an hour. I don't suppose you fancy discussing animagi training?"
"I'm not sure I agreed to that!" Hermione protested, not sure she wanted to be responsible for guiding someone through a transformation that was both difficult and potentially irreversible. Just thinking about all the things that could go wrong made her shudder.
"Ah, come on now!" Alice wheedled.
"Ugh, let's go and see Aunt Min," Hermione sighed, deciding she wasn't going to get any peace if she didn't offer the girl something. Neville would either have been terrifying or cowed growing up with Alice as a mother, she decided. Probably terrifying.
"Yes!" Alice shouted. "Can I see yours?"
Hesitating, Hermione deposited Nuri onto Alice's knee and shifted. "Oh, my gods, you are adorable!" Alice cooed. Reaching to stroke her. The otter glared back, releasing a series of annoyed chirrups that stopped when Alice stroked under her chin, Hermione's body going lax before she realised what she was doing. Alice had the sense not to laugh.
"I came to see how things were going," Minerva announced, opening the door. She paused taking in the scene in front of her. "This does not look like Runes, Miss Fawley."
Hermione shifted back looking at her Aunt sheepishly. "We decided to forgo runes in favour of planning a revolution."
"Planning a revolution," Minerva repeated faintly, shutting the door with a thud. "Explain."
With a thoughtful look on her face, Hermione gestured towards a chair. "It's really a continuation of what we discussed this morning," she admitted. "Frank and Alice have agreed to help."
"I see," Minerva frowned, before she shook her head. "Actually I do not see at all, for Merlin's sake speak plainly,"
"We're looking at more inter-house interaction," Alice supplied. "In the hopes of breaking down some of the automatic assumptions."
"Ah," Minerva nodded. "I see now. How do you propose you manage this?"
"We're going to sit with the Hufflepuffs for dinner tonight," Alice shrugged. "And Hermione mentioned the possibility of female self-defence lessons. That would force interaction between Houses."
"You did?" Minerva asked, turning to look at Hermione, clearly surprised.
"Scrimgeour mentioned an Auror who has been petitioning Dumbledore for a while. He keeps refusing, but in all honesty, anything that helps people keep themselves safe seems like a good idea. I was going to suggest a Hogsmeade weekend," Hermione explained.
"He's refused?"
"Repeatedly," Hermione nodded. "I can't understand why."
"I see. Who is the Auror?"
"A Stephanie Jarvis?"
Minerva nodded. "Ravenclaw if I remember correctly. Very well. I'll see what I can do about Albus. You're right it makes no sense. How is everything else going?"
"Reasonably well," Hermine shrugged. "I'm dropping History of Magic and Runes, so we're going to use the time for one on one practice. I need the Herbology and I'm going to continue with Arithmancy. Snape wants me to brew the curriculum so I'll be keeping Potions too. Defence should be done next week or the week after. Who knows what James and Sirius have planned though. I might be doing Charms and Transfiguration for the rest of the term. I'll arrange one to one's with the ones I need to after we practise tonight."
"Sounds reasonably well organised then," Minerva replied lightly.
"Yes. Although some of them requested help becoming animagi."
Minerva rolled her eyes. "Who?"
"All of them bar James, Sirius, and Remus?"
"I see," she muttered. "We can attempt it I suppose. Mr. Lupin too."
Hermione frowned, knowing she couldn't ask in front of Alice despite wanting to. She had no idea if werewolves could even become animagi. "I'll pass it on."
"I'll owl the students involved later. I imagine I'll need to offer the entirety of the year."
Biting back a smile at the look of exasperated annoyance on her aunt's face, Hermione merely nodded.
"Right, doubles," Hermione commanded when she faced them all. I've re-calibrated the dummies so they're also going to be working in pairs. For Merlin's sake work together!"
"Do we get to pick our own partner?" Sirius checked a slight glint in his eye.
Narrowing hers, Hermione inclined her head. "Perhaps. Go for it. We'll sort them if I'm not happy."
"I bags Moody!" he called, making her groan, she should have anticipated that.
Ignoring Scrimgeour's smirk, she walked towards him. "Fine, but you'd better have a good strategy. I am not doing all the work." She glanced around the other pairs, deciding she didn't like them. "Nope. James with Lily. Ah… Remus with Amelia and Snape with Cassie."
There were several disgruntled mutterings as they moved, Lily shooting her a betrayed look that she smiled sweetly back at, making the redhead glower. "Ten minutes. You have to work out what your plan is. Alright, then Sirius, what's your plan?"
Sirius took a deep breath. "I have no idea," he admitted. "Do we take one each?"
"We can."
"But you don't think we should?" he hedged.
"I think this is your strategy, and if you say that's what we should do then go for it."
He nodded slowly, clearly thinking. "Could we disillusion ourselves first?"
"Will you know where I am?" Hermione asked idly.
"The spell leaves a shimmer."
"Yes, but if you're concentrating on not getting hit…."
"Right," he muttered. "And if we did a version of what you did last night… and had one of us move behind them…"
"Uhuh,"
"But there's not as much room," he mumbled. Hermione nodded, pleased to see he was at least beginning to take this seriously. He let out a slow breath. "You took out Snape first yesterday, why?"
"Why do you think?"
Sirius rolled his eyes at her. "Because… because he was the strongest."
"Yes."
"And Cassie was next?" he asked, clearly surprised.
"Based on her practice runs yesterday, yes she was."
"By much?" he demanded.
"There's very little between all of you if I'm honest," Hermione shrugged. "At least in terms of the power behind your spells. The way you all think though…."
"Needs work?" he asked wryly.
"Yes. Understandably most of you are thinking like students and not like you need the skills to survive."
"But Snape doesn't," he replied flatly.
"No," she admitted. "Care to guess why?"
Sirius flushed. "Point made," he muttered. "Frank has already spoken to us."
"Huh, he's not waiting around is he?" she murmured, clearly amused. "Time is almost up. What's your strategy?"
"Shield and see which one's strongest. If there is one, take it out first. If not, one each," he replied definitively.
"Very well," Hermione agreed as Scrimgeour called time.
She waited for a beat as Sirius assessed the situation, a look of genuine concentration on his face. He focused on the dummy to the left of them. Nodding her approval, she joined him, watching carefully as he systematically hit it with a rapid volley of spells as she kept the shield up and alternated helping him and keeping the other one at bay. The second the first dummy deactivated, he joined her in dispatching the second.
"Well done," she offered.
He gave a wry smile. "Yesterday was an unfortunate wake-up call," he muttered. "I won't be accepted into the Aurors if that's my level."
"No," she agreed. "However, based on today, I don't think yesterday was your level, I think you just didn't have your head in the game."
He grimaced. "I might have been overconfident in our odds," he admitted.
"Overconfidence gets you killed," she replied softly.
"So I realised. When do I get to request a one-to-one?"
She shrugged. "I'm here Monday and Tuesday. I can do Thursday after dinner or weekends."
He hummed. "Monday after dinner?"
"Fine," she agreed, before turning to Rufus. "How did the rest of them do?"
"Better than yesterday," he murmured. "Apparently it was the kick up the arse they all needed. There were some minor hits but they all got there eventually. Miss Bones, you need to keep an eye on your surroundings. That slicing hex landed because you got distracted by Mr. Lupin casting the spell that took out the dummy. Mr. Lupin, stop hesitating. Mr. Snape, some of those spells were… questionable. Miss Meadowes, well done. Mr. Potter, you got distracted by Miss Evans, which is why you're now bleeding through your shirt. Miss Evans, you also need to hesitate less. Miss Fawley, well done. Mr. Longbottom, perhaps more variety?" He turned to Hermione. "If you're doing individuals, do you want the memory?"
She blinked at him before nodding. "If you don't mind."
"I'll get it to you before next week. Are we duelling?"
"Yes," Hermione replied. "Same pairs, bar Sirius." She tilted her head in consideration, turning to look at Rufus. "How much of a difference between Snape and Cassie?"
"Not enough for what you're thinking," he replied. "Bones and Black?"
She hummed. "Remus and Cassie?"
"Should work," he shrugged.
Nodding slowly, she hoped this wasn't going to end in utter disaster. "Right, slight change of plan. Sirius and Amelia against Snape. Cassie against Remus. Everyone else stays the same."
James looked horrified. "I can't hex Evans!"
"You can," she retorted. "What's more is that you're going to. Do you think she's not going to hex you?"
James looked warily at Lily's smirking face. "How much is this going to hurt?"
"Hopefully a lot," Lily replied cheerfully, making the rest of them laugh.
Hermione turned to look at Both Sirius and Severus. "I'm aware your history is… volatile. Nothing that maims, nothing that can kill, nothing permanent. One day very soon you will leave here, and your House won't be the thing that defines you." With matching sharp inhales, they both nodded. "Good. On three then."
"Three!" Scrimgeour called with a grin, leaving them scrambling.
"You enjoy that far too much," she muttered, shaking her head.
"I do it every time! They should know by now!" he retorted.
"Time!" Hermione called, an hour later. "Well done. That was a huge improvement over yesterday."
"It couldn't have been worse," Amelia muttered, sounding exhausted.
"No," Hermione agreed with a slight smile. She'd been surprised at how much they all improved when they focused. Even Sirius and James had managed to take it seriously, the first not pushing it with Snape and the second actually making Lily work, even if it was with clear reluctance. It was rather reassuring to see them walk out together, having a real conversation rather than the sniping and overblown attempts at attention that she'd heard him discussing over Christmas.
She turned when she heard someone clearing their throat behind her. "We did agree…"
"Oh, oh yes, we did," Hermione smiled. "I just got lost inside my head for a bit."
Severus hummed. "It looked… pleasant, wherever you were. You were smiling."
"Oh. It wasn't unpleasant," she shrugged. "Now, what did you want to focus on?"
"Have you any advice for using water?"
She let out a slow breath. "Not beyond practice, to be honest. I'm still attempting to control mine. I can ask some experts though for next time."
He nodded. "How do you practise?"
"For fire? I've been practising making it burn and preventing it from burning without the production it is currently. I've also been practising changing the shape and size of the flames."
"Oh?" he arched a brow looking intrigued.
Considering him, Hermione held out her hand, focusing on the flames that appeared, sending them out in a rope of flame, encircling him.
"Bloody hell," he muttered before a contemplative look crossed his face, a stream of water materialising in front of him, mimicking the shape before splattering onto the flames around him. He looked rather smug when they went out.
"Huh. I wonder if I could make them water resistant?" she mused
"Does that mean I could make the water fire-resistant?" he shot back.
She shrugged. "No idea. Why would you want to?"
"To see if I could? What if I could make unmeltable ice? Or water that doesn't evaporate with heat? The implications for potions could be interesting."
"Huh, I never thought of that," Hermione murmured. "Well then, Mr. Snape, want to experiment?"
"Yes!"
They left almost two hours later, completely exhausted and nowhere near reaching their goals, but strangely optimistic that they would. She had always known that Snape was brilliant, but having access to his mind now in a way she'd never been granted originally was awe-inspiring. He was creative and quick with almost genius-level intelligence. She was going to be devastated if she couldn't change his fate this time around. Beyond the complications of him being on the other side of the war, the man had been wasted as a Professor. She could weep with frustration as she contemplated just what he could achieve if he wasn't bound by his own bad choices and the machinations of two insane dictators. It made her all the more determined to do everything she could to prevent it happening again. Briefly she wondered how adverse to kidnapping her father would be.
Still amused after her first run at Hogwarts, Hermione bounced into the Ministry atrium, spotting Pandora waiting on her.
"You look… happy," Pandora mused, greeting her with a hug.
"My run this morning was rather amusing," Hermione replied with a smirk.
"Oh?"
Well, I discovered that Alice Fawley is surprisingly fit, but Frank is not. Cassie runs like an uncoordinated colt, which was hilarious… for the rest of us. Snape, less surprisingly, is rather fast, although the fact he joined us was the surprise there."
"It is?" Pandora asked.
Isn't it?" Hermione replied with a frown.
Pandora looked at her as if she were an idiot, perhaps she was because she had no idea what she'd missed. "You stood up for him, you challenge him, you won't take his nonsense, and you offer him an out of a situation he doesn't want to be in in a way that Lily couldn't, partially because she doesn't have the resources and partly because she doesn't understand the realities of the choices he has to make in order to survive his House. He lost the only real friend he had due to his own bad choices, but despite his ill-advised attempt at integrating himself with his housemates, we both know he doesn't agree with the ideology of… certain groups. He's going to latch on to you and hold on tight. You are going to have to help him find his own self-worth and ensure the relationship remains healthy. We both know his last friendship was not."
"Oh," Hermione muttered, attempting to process that.
"I'm sure you'll do fine," Pandora smiled, patting her arm. "We're here by the way."
Startled, Hermione looked up. They were indeed in front of the entrance to the DOM. "Right," she murmured, still contemplating Pandora's words. It was rather a lot of pressure if she was honest. "After you then." She gestured Pandora forward into the circle of doors calling out, "Saul Croaker's office.
Saul looked up when they walked through, his face breaking into a smile at the sight of the tiny dragon perched on Hermione's shoulder, sniffing the air cautiously.
"Oh! Oh, it's not asleep this time!"
"Make the most of it. She sleeps for most of the day," Hermione replied dryly. "You have about half an hour before she's going to demand more food and a nap."
"But who could say no to that adorable face!" Saul cooed, stroking the dragon reverently.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "She's going to be so spoiled," she muttered. "She already has everyone she's ever met wrapped around her talon."
He snorted. "You started it. You literally carry her on your shoulder."
"Well she's too little to walk and she can't fly yet!" Hermione protested.
He arched a brow. "Uhuh. Am I to assume that this is Miss Carrow?"
"Yes, sorry. Saul, Pandora Carrow. Pandora, Saul Croaker," Hermione introduced.
"Wonderful. We'll have half an hour here discussing the best way to handle things and then I really should take you to Bole. He's been desperate to get his hands on that dragon of yours."
"I know. I've had multiple owls," Hermione replied drily. "At least four a day."
Saul laughed, waving her off. "It's what happens when you acquire a dragon. Get used to it. Now, sit down and let's discuss things. Miss Carrow, Hermione indicated you might have some insights for us."
Pandora sat, looking at him intently. "In what way?"
"She mentioned telling people the truth. Have you any thoughts as to who?"
"Oh. Well, most of the people on her list I imagine. Narcissa probably." She turned to Hermione. "You'll meet her soon. Remember she's not the same person as you knew, and sometimes, the defence that seems unbelievable, unfortunately, is."
Hermione frowned. "Who's defence? Narcissa's?"
"Nooo," Pandora replied slowly. "Not Narcissa's, but once you're in you're in, regardless of the circumstances."
"Once you're in…" Hermione repeated, "Lucius?!"
Pandora smiled serenely. "Well yes."
"His imperius defence was genuine?" she checked incredulously
"Yes. His father is a rather controlling man," Pandora murmured.
"Jesus Christ," Hermione muttered. "Right. Don't judge Narcissa."
"Splendid," Pandora beamed. "Now, Marlene might be another one to get onside. Izzah should be told at the same time as the twins I think."
"And when do you think that should be?" Saul asked with interest.
"Soon," Pandora murmured. "Before Imbolc."
"That soon?" Saul exclaimed.
"The longer it's hidden the harder it will be to explain," Pandora replied softly. "And you are going to want them onside. I wouldn't advocate telling more than the twins, Caradoc, and Izzah Shafiq this time. Hopefully by the time it comes to tell everyone else it will all be over, otherwise, James, Sirius, Remus, and Marlene at the end of the school year."
"Is it likely to be over?"
"I don't know," Pandora murmured. "There are too many variables, too many possible outcomes. The future is far from certain currently."
"What about Lily, Snape, and the Longbottoms?" Hermione asked.
Pandora considered her. "I don't know," she admitted. "Severus won't take well to being left in the dark. He might be one to consider sooner rather than later, to be honest."
"Can we trust him?" Saul interjected.
"Yes," Pandora agreed. "Once he gives his loyalty it's very hard to lose, and he wants to trust you."
"Right," Hermione sighed. "I don't know how I feel about that, to be honest."
"If it helps, you'll know when the time is right," Pandora offered. "He'll come to you with something and then you'll know."
Hermione sighed, but nodded. "Fine, I'll take your word for it."
"What about how best to do things?" Saul checked.
Pandora considered him. "As I said there are too many variables. The only certainty I can offer you is that you need Severus, Gideon, and Narcissa. I don't… it's not clear why, but you do. You cannot win this without them,"
"Right," Saul murmured, looking thoughtful.
"You are currently on the right track," Pandora offered.
"Thank you, Miss Carrow," Saul murmured, clearly still lost in thought. "If you See anything else do owl me?"
Pandora hummed. "Of course," she agreed, standing. "I'll see you on Friday, my Mya?"
"For the Weasleys? I don't think Charlie would let me say no."
Pandora grinned. "I'll see myself out. There are several Unspeakables desperate to get their hands on Nuri. I can't promise they won't try to break in."
Saul snorted. "I'm surprised they've waited this long. It was nice to meet you, Miss Carrow. Perhaps you'll consider discussing the Thought room with me at some point?"
"Oh! I'd be delighted," Pandora replied happily. "Thoughts are such interesting things, don't you think?"
"Time is more my passion," Saul admitted. "But we've several Unspeakbles who would be happy to assist if you happened to be free next week?"
"I'm sure I will be," Pandora agreed, moving to open the door. "See you soon my Mya!"
"Well, she's something else, isn't she?" Saul murmured into the silence she left.
"You didn't believe her?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Oh, I did," Saul disagreed. "I had one of the experts set up some newer technology. Nothing she said was a lie and brain activity indicated some fluctuations on a different wavelength than is typical. It's as close to being able to prove that those claiming to be Seers are genuine as we've gotten."
"Interesting," Hermione murmured. "Remind me to bring you a Sybil Trelwany at some point in the future."
"Why?" Saul frowned.
"Because she claimed to be a seer, and while she did make two prophecies, the rest of the time she was a fraud."
"Ah," Saul nodded. "Fair enough. Now, Bole?"
"Lead the way," Hermione sighed.