Chapter 93
"I just don't want to add to any stigma," Hermione said, shaking her head as she finished eating dinner.
"Come on, Hermione," Lee said.
"Yeah," George agreed, nodding his head.
"You know Oliver's going to want to know," Fred finished.
"That's fine," Hermione said lightly before looking at each of them with a meaningful look in her eye. "Then I'll be the one to tell him."
"Alright," Lee said glumly and the twins nodded in agreement. They had tried all evening to get Hermione to tell them what it was that Professor Snape had said that had upset her so, but she hadn't revealed what it had been despite their badgering, and their curiosity was left unsated. She caught Viktor's eye and inclined her head toward the door before she glanced at the High Table and saw Professor Snape was also nearly finished.
"Well, I'll see you guys later," she said as she organised her dishes and then stood.
"Okay," Lee said.
"See you," the twins replied glumly.
"Zere you are," Viktor said when he exited the Great Hall a few moments later and found her waiting in the Entrance Hall. "I vas vondering vat happened zis morning," he continued. "You did not come to ze library. Are you uh.."
Hermione smiled.
"I'm alright," Hermione said. "And I'm sorry. I didn't make it because I was in the Infirmary earlier, but I'm fine now, really," she assured him when she saw the concern flash in his eyes.
"Vot happened?" Viktor asked. "I heard ze Slytherin... ze blond one in your year... Can't remember his name - say zere was a duel and you were injured?"
Hermione couldn't help but laugh. Wouldn't that surprise the arrogant boy who sat with him at every meal and gloated about being friends with him, that Viktor Krum, the famous Bulgarian Seeker didn't even remember his name.
"Yes," she said simply. "Harry and Draco got into a duel this morning and I was hit with one of their spells when it ricocheted off the wall. Madam Pomfrey was able to fix it straight away though. She taught me the spell I needed to know and then went off to help that Slytherin student who also got hit. He was making quite a fuss, but then I guess his injury was more painful than mine, though it didn't seem like it at the time."
"Vant to head to ze library now?" Viktor asked.
"I'd like to," Hermione said and her gaze shifted to the doors of the Great Hall when they opened again, and she saw Professor Snape exit, heading toward the dungeons. "But," she continued, looking back at Viktor. "I really must talk with Professor Snape about making up today's lesson."
To her surprise, Viktor accompanied her down the stairs to the dungeons, and they trailed behind Professor Snape, following him at a distance until he passed the entrance to the Potions classroom and entered another room nearby that she assumed was his office.
Reaching the door, it was a moment before Professor Snape opened it after her knock, and he peered out at the two of them with a sneer. "Yes?" he asked in irritation when neither spoke.
"Oh, um," Hermione said, kickstarting her brain. "Professor, I needed to speak to you."
"Obviously," Professor Snape drawled.
"I - I wanted to speak to you about earlier today."
"As I presumed," Professor Snape said. "Otherwise you wouldn't be darkening my door." He turned to Viktor then. "And you?"
"Sir," Viktor said and bowed slightly. "I just accompanied Ms Granger."
"I see," Professor Snape said. "Then don't you have a ship to get to?"
"Sir," Viktor said but didn't move.
"I am sure that Ms Granger is quite capable of returning to her dorm after our discussion."
"I ave no doubt," Viktor said but still didn't move.
"Very well," Professor Snape said, making a mental note to talk with Karkaroff about the tenacity of his students. "Then you shall wait here."
As Viktor inclined his head, Professor Snape stepped aside allowing Hermione to enter his office and shut the door.
Hermione felt small, all alone with Professor Snape, and she chided herself mentally.
"Professor," she said under his cold gaze after a moment. "I was wondering about making up today's lesson."
"You realise of course that I should deduct house points and issue you a detention for the stunt you pulled," Professor Snape replied. "You should have attended class."
Hermione inhaled sharply and looked up in defiance. "B-but you let Goyle go to the Infirmary!"
Professor Snape glared at her. "You dare interrupt me?" he snapped, his dark eyes glittering with anger, and Hermione fell silent. "I thought since you seem to have the answer to everything, that you would at least have some common sense as well."
Hermione swallowed thickly over the lump in her throat, but stayed quiet.
"I would have expected such a response from Mr Potter," Professor Snape continued. "But it was my understanding that you had more brains."
"Y-yes, Professor," Hermione murmured, lowering her head and waiting to hear how many points she had lost. She peered up at him uncertainly when he didn't continue right away and saw that his anger had cooled, though his firm, no nonsense attitude was still present.
"As I said, you should have attended class," Professor Snape said when he continued. "As Mr Goyle's head of house, I can send him to the Infirmary straight away, as you well recall, I did."
"Yes, Professor," Hermione murmured.
"You, on the other hand, required a note, which I would have given you upon completion of marking you and the others as present for the class," Professor Snape said. "As you were not there, I had to mark you as absent from the class which goes against your grade."
Hermione swallowed and nodded in understanding.
"Today's lesson was on Antidotes," Professor Snape continued. "I expect you to have your recipe to me by tomorrow. You may then brew it tomorrow evening while Mr Weasley and Mr Potter are serving detention. I will then be selecting someone on whom to test it."
"Yes, Professor," Hermione answered, keeping her gaze down still waiting for the other shoe to drop. When he remained silent after a few moments, she looked up to see him studying her intently.
"Hmm," he hummed at last.
"Sir?" Hermione asked in confusion.
Professor Snape drew his wand and pointed it at the door and Hermione looked over and saw a soft blue glow enveloping it and then spread along the wall, recognizing the effect of a silencing charm and looking back at him thoroughly confused.
"Tell me, Ms Granger," Professor Snape said silkily. "Are you good at keeping secrets?"
"I - what?" Hermione asked.
"Are you good at keeping secrets?" Professor Snape repeated. "It's a simple question, a yes or no would suffice."
"Yes," Hermione replied. "I mean, I had the Time-Turner all last year and -"
"Kept that secret until the end of the year when, as I understand from Professor McGonagall, you told Oliver Wood and three others about it, correct?"
Hermione swallowed, remembering why she had to tell them about it, but nodded.
"What I am about to tell you does not go beyond this room, not even by owl, do you understand?" Professor Snape asked. "If it does, you will be punished by more than merely lost points or detentions, and I will deny this conversation ever happened, do I make myself clear?"
Hermione swallowed at the thought of expulsion or maybe even worse, and nodded.
"Yes, Professor," she said quietly.
"It has not escaped my notice that you and Mr Potter seem to be on the outs with Mr Wesley again, though it is of little importance to me."
"Yes," Hermione replied sadly. "I've done everything I can think of to get them talking, but when they do, all they do is fight."
"Jealousy is a strong motivator," Professor Snape replied. "Yet you have decided to stand by Mr Potter?"
Hermione nodded.
"Well, yes," she replied as she wondered about Professor Snape's line of questioning. It seemed very unusual, and she wasn't sure what to make of it. "He's my friend."
"And Mr Weasley is not?" Professor Snape's question was more of a statement.
"No," Hermione replied. "He's my friend, too, it's just..." she trailed off and sighed, not sure how to explain and confused about the Professor's apparent concern over the situation even though he claimed it didn't matter to him.
"You are caught in the middle," Professor Snape observed.
"Yes, and I hate it," Hermione said. "I don't want to choose sides between my friends."
"That is... understandable," Professor Snape replied. "Though it is... fortunate... that you chose to stay beside Mr Potter; for the time being."
"Sir?" Hermione asked in confusion, wrinkling her brow.
"I assume," Professor Snape said. "That the prospect of the danger that Mr Potter may face as an entrant in the tournament is at least part of the reason that you stayed?" Professor Snape asked and as Hermione looked at him, she swore that she could see a shudder course down his spine. "It appears that you checked out the book on the tournament from the library practically the moment it was announced."
Hermione flushed slightly, and shifted uneasily.
"Yes, Professor," she replied. "I - I wanted to know what he was getting into."
"So that you could assist him, no doubt," Professor Snape replied. "Even though the Headmaster said that he would stand alone, am I correct?"
Hermione felt like a rabbit trapped by a predator with no hope for escape.
"Yes," she murmured quietly, her voice a mere whisper in the otherwise empty room.
"Good," Professor Snape said, causing Hermione to look up and blink at him in surprise. "Mr Potter is clearly underage," Professor Snape continued. "And should not be allowed to compete in this rubbish. It remains uncertain exactly how Mr Potter's name appeared in the Goblet of Fire, but it was his handwriting on the parchment that was retrieved. The Headmaster allowed me to see it and compare it to previous examples of Mr Potter's - chicken scratch - that I had available from his homework. The handwriting is identical in every way. Now, unlike the other professors, such as Professor Dumbledore and your head of house, I have no qualms in ...bending the rules... when it comes to protecting Hogwarts students. As much as I am loath to admit, this is one of those times, as Mr Potter is bound to compete regardless of his age. That is how the Goblet works."
"A binding magical contract," Hermione said.
"Yes," Professor Snape replied. "That is correct."
"Professor," Hermione said, looking at him with uncertainty.
"Yes, Ms Granger?"
"Are you certain that you're feeling okay?" Hermione asked. This whole conversation just felt too weird, too off to be happening.
"I'm fine," Professor Snape replied. "Not that it's any of your concern if I weren't."
"Yes, Professor," Hermione said, feeling scolded.
"You should be going now," Professor Snape said. "You should also keep your apparent friendship with Mr Krum a secret as the Durmstrang students sit with my house and the rivalry between houses."
"Yes, Professor, but the spell," Hermione said and headed trailed off, motioning toward the door.
"It will dispel once you turn the handle, it is of no consequence," Professor Snape said and shooed her away. "The students should be in their dorm by now," Professor Snape said and shooed her away again.
Hermione cocked her head slightly and then shook it. "Good night, Professor," she called and reached out grasping the handle, and gasped as she felt a tingle rush up her arm. He'd done something to her, but she didn't know what, then suddenly, her mind went fuzzy with the same tingling sensation and the thought was gone as she turned the knob and opened the door.
"Oh, and Ms Granger," Professor Snape called her attention and she turned back before stepping out the door. "Don't do that again, or I'll be forced to remove points and you'll be serving detention. I expect your recipe tomorrow at breakfast and will see you in the evening to brew it."
"Yes, Professor," Hermione replied. "Thank you. Good night."
"Are you oh-kay?" Viktor asked when she came out in the hall. "You were in there for - how you say? While?"
Hermione smiled at him as she closed the door to the Professor's office.
"Yes, I'm okay," she replied. "Thank you for waiting. Mostly he just scolded me for not being in class this morning. It took some time, but I convinced him and luckily, he's not going to take any points from Gryffindor for my actions, and he's letting me make up the work."
"This is... uh... not normal?" Viktor asked as they approached the Entrance Hall once more.
"It can be," Hermione said. "Due to the house rivalry."
"Ah, I understand," Viktor said.
"Thank you for waiting for me," Hermione said again as they approached the Grand Staircase. "I should be going. I don't want to be out after curfew."
"Have you heard from Oliver Vood?" Viktor asked.
"No," Hermione said. "Not since I talked to him last night after the champions were chosen. I figure he's probably as busy as I have been."
"You should contact him," Viktor urged.
"Yeah, it's just been crazy this past few weeks with homework, and trying to get the club off the ground. The one thing that I hope for as the tasks get closer is that the workload lessens. At the same time though, I dread them coming."
"Mmm," Viktor murmured. "You fear harm vill come to Harry Potter."
"Yes," Hermione admitted. "But not just Harry. I'm worried about what could happen to all the champions, not just those from Hogwarts."
Hermione blinked when she thought she saw Viktor's lips twitch.
"Zat is good to know," he said. "You will be in library tomorrow?" Viktor asked.
"Yes," Hermione replied with a smile. "You're right though, I should probably write to Oliver tonight while there's still time to make it to the Owlery."
"I will bid you goodnight then," Viktor said with a slight bow, and he turned, heading for the doors.
"Good night," Hermione murmured as she watched him go until the doors closed behind him, then turned and ran up the steps toward Gryffindor Tower.