Chapter V : A Thin Veil of Secrets
The days after Christmas passed in a haze. Hermione was so absorbed inThe Hogwarts Lexicon of Secretsthat she failed to notice Snape's increasingly watchful gaze each time their paths crossed. He observed her with an intensity that would have alarmed her, had she noticed. But her obsession with the Lexicon had only deepened. The near-miss encounter in the Restricted Section had left her shaken, but not enough to stop her from returning.
And so, that night, Hermione found herself once more in the shadowed confines of the Restricted Section, the Lexicon open in her hands. She was entranced by the story of a Ravenclaw who had crafted potions capable of manipulating minds and emotions, using her knowledge to control those around her. Hermione shivered as she read, but she couldn't stop, her fingers gripping the pages as she drank in the forbidden knowledge.
Lost in the Lexicon's pages, she failed to hear the soft footsteps approaching until it was too late.
"Miss Granger," a familiar voice drawled from behind her, dripping with sarcasm. Her heart stopped as she looked up, meeting the sharp, calculating gaze of Professor Snape.
Without missing a beat, she snapped the book shut, but Snape's dark eyes had already fallen on it. With a flick of his wand, the Lexicon flew from her grasp, hovering mid-air as he examined it with a look of utter disdain.
"So," he murmured, his tone laced with sarcasm, "you've decided to take up adventuring, Miss Granger? Searching for something darker now that the war is over, perhaps? How noble of you, truly."
Hermione swallowed, her face burning with shame and defiance, unable to find the words to defend herself.
"Tell me," he continued, his voice a dangerous whisper, "does the taste of dark magic appeal to you so much that you'd risk venturing into the depths of a book like this? Or have you grown bored with ordinary knowledge and innocence? Surely, someone of your intelligence could find less destructive ways to pass the time."
Hermione could only stammer, the weight of his words pressing on her. "I… I was just trying to understand… the history, the secrets of Hogwarts…"
"Ah, yes. Of course." Snape's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Because a book steeped in dark magic, filled with confessions of cruelty and spells too dangerous for even seasoned wizards, must surely be meant for an innocent student to leaf through in her spare time."
She winced as he continued, his words cutting deeper. "Do you even know the origin of this book? Do you have the slightest understanding of the price that comes with its secrets?"
Hermione shook her head, feeling the weight of her ignorance settle over her like a shadow. She had been so consumed by the Lexicon's allure that she hadn't considered the intent or consequences behind its creation.
"This," he said, lifting the Lexicon for emphasis, "is not a history book, Miss Granger. It was crafted with intentions far from innocent. Those who first compiled it had an appetite for power and an utter disregard for the consequences of their actions." His eyes narrowed. "But perhaps you have already noticed the effect it has on you?"
Hermione's throat tightened as the truth of his words washed over her. She had felt the pull of the Lexicon, the obsession that seemed to grow stronger with every page she turned, the hollow exhaustion that weighed on her more each day.
"If you'd cared to do even a fragment of research," Snape continued icily, "you would know that those who've attempted to read it cover to cover have rarely left unscathed. There is a reason why this book is hidden from students, why the castle itself seems reluctant to reveal it."
Hermione tried to speak, but his words were relentless.
"At the very least," he added with a look of cold amusement, "one might have thought you would check its author. Do you even know the name behind the pages that have stolen your sleep?"
She stared at him, the full weight of her ignorance pressing down on her as she shook her head.
"Precisely." Snape's voice dropped to a near whisper, lethal and soft. "The authors were wizards who sought to peer beyond the veil of ordinary knowledge, men and women who paid dearly for their hubris. They believed their discoveries would grant them power, and power has a cost—one you seem remarkably willing to ignore."
Hermione felt a mix of fear and shame wash over her. Snape's words cut to the heart of her fixation, laying bare the dangers she had willfully ignored in her pursuit of forbidden knowledge.
"Consider this," he said, holding the Lexicon with a final look of disdain before tucking it away in his robes, "your only warning. You may have survived the war, Miss Granger, but you seem determined to jeopardize your future by meddling with forces beyond your control."
She could hardly breathe as he took a step back, his gaze never wavering from hers. "For the remainder of the term," he continued with a hint of grim satisfaction, "you will report to my office each evening for detention. Perhaps some menial tasks will remind you of simpler, less reckless pursuits."
Hermione opened her mouth to protest, to explain, but his glare silenced her. "And rest assured, I will make certain this," he said, tapping his robes where the Lexicon lay hidden, "never finds its way into your hands again."
Without another word, Snape turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Hermione standing alone, her heart heavy with the loss of the Lexicon—and with the realization that she had crossed a line she could not uncross.
As she made her way back to the dormitory, dread mixed with defiance churned within her. Detentions with Snape were a small price to pay, and though she didn't yet know how, she knew she would find a way to finish what she had started. The Lexicon's secrets still whispered in her mind, calling to her in the silence of the castle, and her determination had only grown.
