NOTE: I should note with my tagging and warnings in Chapter 1 - this is NOT a dark fic.
Also this chapter is about as deep as I get into the Die Hard-verse. If you've never seen Die Hard and read a summary of the movie, you're pretty golden as I've switched things up anyway.
***Chapter Two***
March 1988
"Did you see today's paper?" Theo asked.
"I have not," Hans said in his perfect German-accented English.
Even Theo wasn't aware of his true beginnings. Theo also thought that Hans didn't know about his true actions. It was an association, and friendship, built on Hans having the ability to plan. Theo's abilities leaned to the more modern. Theo knew things about computers that Hans would likely never learn, so Hans had to weigh the pros and cons of having someone on his team he knew had the propensity for killing on a job.
Both men were misfits to some degree, neither fitting in with others very well. Both experienced violence in their youth. Neither were completely innocent parties in those experiences. Hans turned a blind eye to what things Theo might get up to in his free time, so long as those things didn't occur on their jobs. Hans didn't need him often, but they checked in with one another regularly.
Today, he had come to go over their last job. They always did. Theo interacted with the teams picked for various jobs a bit more than Hans did. So Theo often had criticisms Hans didn't know about. (And in some instances praise.)
"You're not going to like it," he said.
Likely this was the reason he'd waited until their meeting was just about over to bring it up.
"I never do," he drawled. There was very rarely a good reason for one of their jobs to make the papers. The only time he didn't mind publicity was when he was attending an event like the opera or a benefit.
And the little shit (this was thought affectionately, not as an insult) had the audacity to withhold said newspaper from him.
That was not a good sign at all.
"Hand it over," he prompted in an unusually clipped tone for conversations between them.
He'd rather get it over with than wait.
Theo set the newspaper on his desk and stepped away to look out the windows of his boss, Hans Gruber's, office. Theo had no idea that Hans had been using him for years to turn over information to Monty and the ISA. There were ideas for jobs Theo presented to him that he had decided to pass on for various reasons. Theo usually saw his point of view when he explained it to him. Occasionally, he did not, but he never seemed to think his boss was a prick. That he knew of anyway. More often than not, though, he'd read about a job much like the one he'd passed on being done. He couldn't pass on the information on every idea Theo presented him with, that would be suspicious and Monty knew that.
SECURITY GUARDS REPORTED DEAD IN CAIRO HISTORICAL MUSEUM BREAK IN
This was the headline on the front page.
Above the newspaper's fold, so prominent.
The first thing someone picking up this newspaper would see.
Fuck.
He slammed the newspaper down, glancing out of his windows for a moment. He subconsciously scratched his left arm. The one with the Dark Mark, that no one ever saw uncovered. It was so faded these days that he could probably pass it off as an old tattoo, but if he crossed paths with someone who happened to be magical that he didn't know was a wizard or witch. Well, he'd likely blow his cover over something ridiculously stupid. So, long-sleeved shirts were a constant part of his wardrobe when leaving the house.
At the house, one could find him in black denims and T-shirts, some with logos of his favorite bands. There was always a flannel shirt by the door, though, in case someone stopped by unexpectedly. Such a thing didn't happen often, but he'd dated more than one woman over the years who didn't seem to think they needed an invitation once they knew where he lived.
He turned his head to meet Theo's gaze. Dark eyes met dark. Hans huffed. He hated feeling incompetent and clueless. That was precisely how he felt about this, though.
He lifted his right hand from his left arm to his face, stroking his perfectly coiffed beard near his mouth. (Merlin, with the right resources, that mostly being proper finances to afford things, he thought himself to actually be a decent looking man. The fact that he didn't lack for companionship from someone of the fairer sex told him he was correct in his thoughts.)
The first thing he'd done when he and Monty arrived in Bamberg, Germany? Cut off his hair. Not military short, but shorter than he had ever worn it in his life. Shorter as it was, he was able to finally get the hang of caring for it properly. He had never once in seven years been made fun of for his greasy-looking hair. He didn't get laughed at or ridiculed by women.
Or men.
This though.
The headline was distressing. The fact that he didn't know what the fuck was going on was even more so.
Hans Gruber did not like not being in control. It's how he'd gotten this far in his employment as an ISA agent without an arrest, one that was unplanned anyway.
"They were not dead when we left," Hans hissed, displeased that he could get blamed for this when he hadn't done it.
He knew that they were not near death when they left. He would have had Theo call for an ambulance if that was not the case.
"I know," Theo said.
What in the devil was going on? It was not often he felt … out of the loop, but he just could not get a bead on this.
Whatever this was.
Hans did a lot of questionable things as an ISA agent over the past six plus years. Murdering security guards was not among them. He had to this point, eight plus years into his role as a spy (wizarding and muggle), not done anything as soul-staining as murder.
Not to say that their jobs had gone off without issue every single time. He had always refrained from taking a life, though.
He had no idea why he valued his soul. It clearly hadn't helped him realize that Voldemort was really little more than a charlatan. Or to realize that Lily didn't return his feelings years before he'd finally come to terms with that being true.
Foolish.
He checked on occasion, in his private lab that no one but Monty knew existed, to ensure he could still cast a patronus.
He could, though it had changed from his doe to a Carpathian grey wolf, matching his animagus form (or it matched his animagus form all along, but his idiotic infatuation of Lily prevented it from being what it should have been). He'd never told Dumbledore about his patronus' change. Or that he could cast one.
He picked up the newspaper again, scanning the article for any clues. The reporter of the various articles over the years was never the same one, so it wasn't the reporter.
This wasn't the first time someone had died, or been gravely injured, during one of their jobs that Hans knew he wasn't responsible for. Theo didn't know why Hans didn't kill. To this point, he'd succeeded in getting what he wanted without a body count tied to any of his crimes.
At first he thought it was a fluke. A reporter trying to increase the newspaper's sales for that day or something, by exaggerating the findings at the crime scene. It happened too … frequently, and, as he just thought, with different reporters to be a fluke any longer. Damned if he knew who was doing it, though.
He slammed the newspaper down for a second time.
His handler knew he wasn't killing security guards, but one of these days, someone was going to report something that Monty was going to hold him accountable for. The first time a murder had occurred on one of their jobs, he'd performed legilimency on Monty, showing him that when he'd left everyone had been alive.
He'd done things as part of his tenure infiltrating the Volksfrei. Monty didn't know about all of them, but he knew Hans Gruber had gotten his hands very dirty. He'd had to, and it had been the reason he'd been chosen for his role.
Had he brought the Volksfrei down? No, but he had gotten information and names.
Sadly, Monty must have been told it was time to pull him out. His time living as Hans Gruber would be drawing to a close soon. He knew when Harry Potter had been born. He knew when Harry Potter would be starting his magical education. He knew when Dumbledore would call him back and make him keep his promise to ensure the young Potter's safety while he attended Hogwarts.
Compared to the Dark Lord's inner circle, climbing the ranks of the terrorist organization hadn't been problematic. Upping his apparent extremism in order to get kicked out was going splendidly. He had no doubt other higher ups were wondering what he'd do next.
Monty had never asked him to show proof of his innocence after that one time. He hadn't liked seeing the things Hans did any more than Hans liked sharing them. He didn't know Monty well, but he was almost as private as Hans was.
Hans frowned at the newspaper, as if by staring at it, the headline would change. Of course, he could make this newspaper's headline change if he wanted to, but that wouldn't fix the problem. He lifted his eyes from it to Theo. The only member of his team he truly trusted at all. He made it worth his while to be loyal. The others? If the jobs Hans gave them dried up, they'd be a henchman for someone else tomorrow.
"This isn't the only reason you stayed later today, Theo."
It wasn't a question.
He still hadn't figured out how these deaths and severe injuries were occurring. It was as if someone was … following in their footsteps. It wasn't on every job, but it happened on enough of them to make Hans realize someone knew what he was doing. He didn't think it was Monty either. While he had been sharing his memories with him, he had lightly poked around. There were no nefarious or crooked thoughts in his handler's mind. Of course that had been years ago, but Monty was pretty transparent. (Hans wagered he'd be a Gryffindor if he was magical.)
He was a dedicated ISA agent. A rule follower. He was not a killer.
"No, I think that thing we discussed could be possible. I have to look a little closer at some other things involved as far as their network."
Other things being computer stuff that, while Hans Gruber knew about to some degree, he was no expert. That was why he had Theo as his man.
"I believe it is very possible, Theo."
"That Ellis is not to be trusted," his tech guru said.
"I am aware," he said.
Hans Gruber was going to attempt the heist of a lifetime while working a legitimate ISA case..
He'd been approached by Harry Ellis, who wanted him to steal something from the company he worked for. From their initial conversation to their first face-to-face meeting, Hans hadn't trusted the man.
Hans approached Joe Takagi as an ISA agent with Monty's blessing. Both men knew Hans would be gone soon. Hans had let the businessman know someone inside of his company was trying to steal from him. Mr. Takagi wanted to see if Harry Ellis would actually follow through with his plan. The company's owner didn't seem to think Mr. Ellis would follow through, but Mr. Takagi hired him just the same. So he was apparently not entirely convinced his faith in his employee was correctly placed.
Hans Gruber's job was to expose the man attempting to rob the company of their secrets.
Severus Snape had another plan.
His own, self-serving plan.
Severus Snape wanted an insurance policy that if the Dark Lord returned, which seemed (incredibly) possible, based on things Dumbledore mentioned at their last meeting a few months ago. It seemed there were followers who did not believe the wizard was truly dead. Some of those who shared that belief started going on … journeys, trying to find, if not their Dark Lord, evidence he was trying to return.
Severus had no idea how Dumbledore got this information, but the wizard wasn't one to raise false alarms.
Severus thought it was far-fetched, but had learned in the magical world over the years, never to presume something was impossible. If there was anyone with the know-how and the … desire to survive death. Well, it would be Thomas Riddle.
As a result of that update, Severus Snape wanted a backup, in case Dumbledore planned on throwing him to the wolves. He still wasn't entirely sure he trusted the headmaster. The look in his eyes the day he'd accepted the offer from the ISA still, nearly seven years in the past, bothered him. Their meetings occurred about every six months or so, usually around Hogwarts breaks. Severus hadn't seen that look since in Dumbledore's eyes, but he hadn't forgotten it. Lauded as a hero by many, Severus knew Albus Dumbledore had not lived the life of a saint either.
Likely that feeling was reciprocated by the headmaster of Hogwarts.
He'd been approached about this job, reported it as he was supposed to to his ISA handler. He was confident that Monty would never know exactly what Severus Snape had gotten away with. He'd been nothing but honest to this point.
Seemingly anyway.
His Gringotts vault in Montreal insured that.
Hans Gruber didn't take much off the top from jobs, but he always took something. Not enough to make Monty suspect he was stealing. Enough, though, that in nearly seven years he had more than enough for a rainy day.
The small safe-house he'd bought and outfitted under an alias also insured that. He would live off the grid for the rest of his life if he had to.
Or needing to run for his life if Voldemort did return. (Realistically, he knew this was impossible so long as he had the fucking Dark Mark on his arm, but it was pretty to think it might be possible.)
Shady and illegal, but Hans was going to survive this. Whether he'd survive it as Severus Snape or Hans Gruber, or someone else entirely, he still had no idea.
Seven years ago he wouldn't have cared. Lily was dead, despite his efforts. His reputation and name were pretty well ruined.
He did care now though.
He still wasn't entirely sure he believed Dumbledore's intentions were good, suggesting him for this job as he had. He'd done some heinous things performing his role. There was a part of him that wondered if the headmaster thought, hoped, Severus would end up in a muggle prison, or dead, as a result of this job.
Yes, he was proficient at both wandless and non-verbal magic. However, he was still amongst muggles, so was limited in what he could do, even on a job. He couldn't draw attention to himself and risk breaking the Statute. More than a few of his assignments had been dangerous. Life threateningly so. Wouldn't that just be poetic. Survive a magical war just to die via muggle means.
He didn't completely trust his former boss and sort of friend. He wasn't sure why, other than he had no idea what the wizard knew that had him suspecting Voldemort might not actually be dead. Death should be permanent. If he knew something specific, why wasn't he sharing it? Forget with Severus, but the Minister for Magic, or others who might have ideas on stopping it! Why wasn't he doing more to stop it? It was as if he was complacent in allowing the Dark Lord's return, assuming it was possible. He had yet to say anything about working at preventing it. Perhaps he just wasn't telling Severus.
So, as the time for Harry Potter to arrive at Hogwarts got closer. Well, Hans Gruber was being a selfish fuck and going to ensure he was set in case the shit hit the fan. He had promised Dumbledore he would look out for the wizard when the time came for him to start his Hogwarts education. He would keep that promise. He was a man of his word, but he would not risk prison for James Potter's son.
"I'll let you know what my tests come up with," Theo said.
Hans had gotten him information on the vault and alarms used at the Nakatomi Plaza building. While gathering that information, he had stumbled upon the information, through ISA documents, that they stored bearer bonds there from time to time. (Lots of bearer bonds.)
The job he'd been approached about had to do with legal documents not bonds; it was sheer coincidence he'd seen anything about the bonds before his face-to-face meeting with Ellis.
There was absolutely no reason that Hans couldn't do two jobs at once in his opinion.
One for the ISA, one for Hans Gruber aka Severus Snape.
Once Theo was assured he could bypass the alarms in place at the Nakatomi Plaza, then Hans would start putting his complete focus on finding out when the next load of bearer bonds would be there.
Hans would plan from there, including which of those he'd choose from his available crew for the job. And who the crew members would likely be who'd take the fall. And the blame. He felt a little bad about double crossing Joe Takagi. He'd been respectful overall, and seemed like a good man. He did not feel so bad that crew members of his would be sacrificed. They all knew the risk, every job, no matter how easy or difficult.
He was a criminal as required by his employment.
The crew chose a life of crime.
A man had to protect himself when all was said and done. Neither Hans Gruber nor Severus Snape had anyone to look out for him.
Oh, certainly, the past six plus years living as Hans Gruber he had led a more social life than Severus Snape could likely ever have hoped to.
He was invited to galas and important dinners. He attended opera and orchestra concerts. He had women finding him attractive, vying for his affections. Wanting to become his wife, something for various reasons, he never even entertained the notion of. He only knew without a doubt, none of the women in question were his woman.
No doubt Joe Takagi had insurance, and the bonds being missing would be less irritating than his building being destroyed. Of course, the business owner would have to deal with both if Hans' plan came together.
"Thank you," he said simply.
He frowned with a scowl as he glanced at the paper once more.
Who was harming and now killing these people?
One thing he thought he knew was that it wasn't anyone he had working for him. They wouldn't do that. Only Theo was trusted enough for Hans to confide in as far as his distaste for murder.
He had to get to the bottom of it before Monty started believing he was acting as a double agent after all.
This time for the wrong side. Uncertainty about Dumbledore trusting him made him want to ensure Monty suspected nothing.
The heist he had approached Theo with the idea of them pulling off recently aside.
With Potter's magical education drawing near, Severus could admit, he would sort of dislike leaving this world behind.
Hans Gruber wasn't a bullied man who'd fooled himself into thinking he was in love with the first girl he ever had a crush on.
No, Hans Gruber was no fool.
Did he have a richer life? He wasn't sure. He liked to think so, but the people he associated with here weren't really anymore his friends than the death eaters had been.
So other than not being bullied and laughed at, he supposed little was hugely different.
Other than his financial status.
One day soon, though, he knew it'd be time to return. He was assuming Dumbledore would want him in place in the Potions classroom once more the year prior to Harry Potter starting. If not, the actual year. So, that left him with 2-3 years before he had to return.
He would not be a fool in that world this go around. He had infiltrated a terrorist organization not once but twice and got out of both alive. This was not something every man would be able to do.
Theo left and Hans did the same. He pulled the empty crisp bag out of his outer coat's pocket, black of course, once he arrived at a suitable location to activate an unauthorized portkey.
He found himself in northern London. They altered their meeting locations, always agreed upon at the previous meeting. He glanced at his nice muggle watch, realizing he was early. Quite early actually, so took the opportunity to shift into his animagus form.
It had been a while since he'd allowed himself to. He needed to take the time, because it really was a welcome reprieve from … everything. And it wasn't as if muggles were going to see him and assume he was a wizard, not really a stray dog.
He hated the form the first time he'd seen himself in a window's reflection. What the hell good was a barely thirty kilogram animal that looked like a dog but was half wolf? He'd soon learned, though, his dog was quite the successful hunter. And because he looked unusual (like a dog, but other enough that people gave him a wide berth when he was in their area), most people ignored him (probably thinking he was not just a stray, but dangerous).
His only complaint was that if he stayed in this form overlong, the species' appetite sometimes took over. (From what he could ascertain from looking at himself in mirrors over the years and researching the animal that his animagus form had taken. Well, he seemed to resemble more the early generations of the breed (more wolf than dog) than the later ones.
He … felt … magic … and trotted in that direction, his tongue hanging out as he went, assuming he'd find the headmaster had arrived early, and sneakily, away from their designated meeting spot, as if he thought Severus couldn't be trusted. (Severus had no clue to this day if the old man truly trusted him after all was said and done.)
He did not find Dumbledore, but instead a girl about eight or nine he gauged. He was not overly familiar with the various stages of children pre-Hogwarts age, and in this form it was difficult to discern some things. She was younger than Hogwarts age, but not by much he didn't think. The girl, though, was in tears. He could feel her anger rolling off of her in violent-like waves.
With that anger, he felt her magic.
Reaching.
He yipped, fighting back the urge to run up to her. No doubt he'd startle her if he did. Another thing he'd discovered about this form, beyond the ravenous appetite. He liked people. He always found himself in parks or other places like them where people would be around.
There was always someone who was up for a bit of play with him. One day last summer, someone had a flying disc that he'd thrown to Hans over and over again for well over an hour. Hans had been ecstatic with both the socialization and the exercise.
He forced himself to approach her slowly. She hadn't seen him yet. He let out another soft yip, something he didn't do often. He had no one to communicate with in this form.
"Oh," she said, looking up and wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her coat.
The anger he'd felt coming from her subsided some. Her magic, though, wrapped around him as if it was searching for something. She likely had no idea she was even doing it. This was a muggle area, he was certain of it. Dumbledore never suggested meeting anywhere close to magical areas. Once done wiping her eyes, she reached out as if to touch him. He sat, tongue lolling, waiting for her to pet him. It obviously had been too long since he'd taken this form. He wanted attention.
"Oh look, Granger's finally got a friend."
She dropped her hand then, and he felt that anger build up again.
"Yeah, one who can't tell her to shut up."
This was said by another child who walked near this girl with a small group of students. He presumed they were students anyway. The group of children laughed, a laugh Hans recognized, very well, as being at the girl's expense. He knew it well, personally. As a result, his kind yip of a moment ago turned into a warning-like snarl in the blink of an eye, aimed in the direction of the group of students.
"It's okay," she said. Her voice sounded shaky. He could still feel her anger building again. "My mum says to ignore him." She tilted her head a bit, regarding him when he turned to give her his attention again, instead of the other students. "I've never seen you before." She offered him the back of her hand. She was letting him smell her. Trusting thing. "I'd remember. You're beautiful."
He bumped his head against the back of her hand and she took the hint, petting him. He'd never been called beautiful before. (He'd groaned the first time he saw his reflection in a mirror. He couldn't be a regal dog, no. He was kind of a misfit dog, looks included.)
He liked it.
Beautiful.
Oh, yes, women attracted to his power, wealth, and status said all sorts of complimentary things to and about him. With proper grooming habits, sufficient monetary means to clothe himself properly, and those means also enabling him to eat sufficiently. Well, he managed to turn heads when he wanted to. He rarely believed any of them, because he knew they didn't really like him, just what they thought he could get or give them. They wanted to be the one to land him.
To show her that he appreciated the compliment, he shifted his face against her hand so she could pet under his chin and along his pointy ears. He was even sighing contentedly.
He'd think it was humiliating to do so in front of a witch, but she seemed to need the reassurance.
"Thank you for coming to my rescue."
She reached into her coat pocket. He heard the crackle of what could only be a wrapper of some sort.
"Are you hungry?" she asked, offering him a cracker of some sort. Crackers weren't really what this form craved, but he opened his mouth just the same, accepting the cracker. "Sorry that's all I have."
She pet him for a while longer, saying nothing. He was okay with that. She seemed to need the contact, the comfort as much as he liked the contact.
She stood suddenly, drawing her hand away from him. Had he done something wrong? He didn't think so. She brushed off the back of her dress before she walked in the direction of a motor car that he had noticed just pull up in front of them.
"How was your day, Hermione," he heard before the passenger door closed behind her. She waved through the window as she was driven away.
Right. Time to go meet Albus Dumbledore. Young witches were not his concern.
Young, powerful witches.
He'd felt her pull very acutely. That had never happened before. He hadn't been drawn in the same fashion to Lily even. He'd just observed her, saw her do accidental magic, and knew what she was.
XvXvXv
"She has one of those headaches again," Jane Granger whispered to her husband after she hung up with the school.
"We can try another doctor," he offered.
They'd already gone the medical route when the headaches started. She was barely able to talk when she'd clutch her head and say "Owie, Mummy." She was a child, she wasn't going to allow medications meant for adults to be given to her still developing child.
By now they knew what to do, with very little help from the medical professionals. Jane and Frank Granger had never felt so helpless. And as if the money they'd earned, the times they'd gone through false positives and miscarriages before they'd finally gotten Hermione were enough heartache for a lifetime.
They'd created her. She'd carried her for forty weeks. She should be able to take her daughter's pain away.
Cold compresses with her bedroom as dark as it could be worked best for her these days. Frank would go home to take care of getting her bedroom ready while Jane went to pick up their daughter. The nurse would keep her comfortable until she got there. Judging by the time, she wouldn't get there much before school finished for the day.
Once they'd had to excuse her from a week of preschool because even leaving her bedroom caused her pain. She'd just turned two, and Jane was so disappointed that she wouldn't get to take her now walking daughter around trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. She'd found her the most adorable Little Red Riding Hood costume. She hoped another little girl was able to wear it the following year, as donating iti was the only option because there was no way it would fit Hermione in a year.
That had been the worst flare up of whatever caused the headaches. For her to go to the nurse, to take herself out of her school day, meant she must really be in pain.
Frank gave her a comforting smile, seeming to know exactly what his wife was thinking.
XvXvXv
Hermione slid the cold compress over just enough to see the room. She was hoping after a bit of rest she'd feel better and be able to go back to class. The sick room wasn't exactly set up for her headache flare ups, though. At home her bedroom curtains would be securely closed. They blacked out the sun almost completely. Today she'd been brought to her knees in class from the sudden pain in her head.
As if she didn't have enough to be embarrassed and picked on about.
The nurse must have heard her stir so Hermione sat up slowly, taking a sip from the cup of ice water the nurse brought for her. A glance at the clock on the wall told her that even if she did start feeling better, it was almost time to go meet her mum and go home.
NOTE: Happy Sunday! Thank you for giving this one a shot. I hope you had a great weekend and I'll see you Wednesday.