Authors Note:
Hey pals! Welcome to Whole, a story about love, trauma, and learning to heal. The story starts from Order of the Phoenix, and continues on past the final book. Although the events in this timeframe will be altered, the events leading up to Book 5 will basically be the same. Also, fair warning, this story is a slow burn but will be rated M for later chapters. Hermione/Snape is probably my most loved ship of all time, and I have so much love for those characters, so I hope I can do them justice and *try* to stay true to how I think they would be.
If you enjoy, feel free to leave a review 3
Disclaimer: JKR owns all of this, as it should be.
The vibrant golden tones of the headmaster's office made a stark contrast against the murky black sky outside. Shadows played quietly on the walls as a cozy fire burned in the hearth. The only sounds to be heard were the soft whirs of trinkets and gadgets, and the crackling over the coals. This room had the power to make even the most nervous of students feel at ease, it had a timeless homely feel despite the grandiose finery within. Over in the corner, a delicate standing clock let out a singing chime. 10 o'clock. The first week of classes at Hogwarts had been completed, there had been (almost) no complaints about the new curriculum, the new students were settling well enough, and so far there had been no incidents. All things considered, a successful first week back.
In the middle of the room Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk, head gently resting on the backs of his palms, his eyes clouded with thought as he replayed the events of the last year, and the challenges they were sure to face in the year to come. A soft, tired sigh left his lips. The summer had been long. It was no secret that the school had received multitudes of letters from concerned and angry parents, terrified of sending their children back to resume studies. Could he blame them? No, he supposed not. Ah, but to live in a world where the threat of Lord Voldemort was little more than a ghost story. They had faced scandal before, certainly, but it had never resulted in the death of a student. It was becoming harder to convince the parents - not to mention the press or the Ministry - that Hogwarts was safe.
The Ministry.. Albus thought to himself with a grimace. Harry Potter's situation before the Wizengamot was not something Albus had been prepared for, although he was not overly surprised. The Ministry had been looking for a way, any way, to discredit Potter since the fateful events of the last school year. Although he could not be sure who had orchestrated the dementor attack in Little Whinging, he had a fair idea and was less than pleased that the suspect was now to be sharing a castle with him for the foreseeable. He had seen her in the chambers, dressed in that hideous pink.. everything.. with a smile that gave away more than she probably intended. Although she had remained cordial, her eyes betrayed her, they were the eyes of someone who wanted nothing more than to punish the boy. It had taken every ounce of resolve Albus had to say only as much as he did, and even then he knew he had let his temper get the best of him. This was a show, a pointless display, meant to distract them and take their eyes away from the real threat. Albus would not be phased, he saw through it easily enough, but the boy.. He could see the changes in Harry already. The angst, the anger, the distrust. It was difficult to discern whether these were merely the raw emotions of a teenager, or something darker. No 15 year old boy should ever have been exposed to what he saw in that graveyard.
Cedric..
His heart tugged, he could feel the grief rising in him but he refused to let it consume. The Diggory boy had been a casualty, needless, but he would not be the last. Albus Dumbledore, as was the case with the Headmasters that had gone before him, felt the pain over losing a student more than he cared to show, but more than a Headmaster he was a General. This war would continue to take, and the time for real grief was not here yet. Oh yes, the war was coming, there was to be no mistake, and the only way in which to win would be to press forward, mercilessly if he must.
The clock chimed once more. 11 o'clock. He readjusted his weight and looked towards the portraits on the wall, unsure of where the time had gone. Many of the previous headmasters were asleep, such as the time that it was, or away roaming the corridors they once called home. Only Armando Dippet was awake, and he watched Albus as one would a small child who had skinned his knees.
"You won't be able to save them all, you know?" Albus sighed again, this was a conversation he had replayed many times over the last months.
"I fear I am not doing enough, Armando. All my proverbial eggs have been placed in one basket, but I worry I have no one to carry it."
The elderly wizard let out a soft chuckle, and gave Albus a small nod, before settling back into his chair and resting his eyes. "Perhaps the basket already has a carrier, but they know not where to take it." With that, Armando drifted off to sleep, his light snores adding to the others in the room.
Albus furrowed his brow. Harry Potter was the Chosen One, there was no escaping it. Middling intelligence, he excelled in 'doing' rather than explaining. A slow learner at times, and lacking in patience, but he was a natural on the Quidditch pitch and held a genuine interest in Defense. The horrors he had already witnessed in his 15 years were enough for any lifetime, but the worst was still far off, and he must be ready. His friends would no doubt stand by him, as they always had. Ron Weasley, fiercely loyal even if he wrestled with self-confidence. Not the most academically gifted by far but he had determination, and eventually he would come to find his flaws as challenges designed to make him stronger. Being in the shadow of one such as Harry Potter had not been easy, but Ron was still very much a child and with time, he would learn to look past it. Then there was Hermione Granger, without a doubt one of the brightest witches of her age. Skilled in all subjects, a raw need to learn ever present, and a gifted logical thinker. She would have the pick of any career once she finished school, he thought. She suffered in her own way, he supposed. Her eagerness to learn branded her a know-it-all, a thirst for knowledge as great as the one she possessed was an easy target for bullies, combined with her unruly hair and disinterest in things most teenage girls obsessed over. He also saw the difference between her and the two boys, and hoped that those differences would make them stronger friends, not break them apart. The Golden Trio. Three children. Was it enough though? To expect so much, to place such a heavy burden on them?
Press forward..
Albus let out the breath he had subconsciously been holding and checked the time once more. It was growing later, nearly midnight, but this was important. He knew what the next move should be. Summoning parchment, he took a quill and ink and carefully wrote out his request. Finally happy with his wording, he folded the letter and sealed it with a waxy Hogwarts crest. He then turned it over and with the same careful handwriting, noted the recipient. Clearing his throat, he called out "Dobby!" and in a puff there appeared the lanky, wide-eyed house elf.
"Headmaster sir, how can Dobby be of assistance this evening?" Dumbledore bent down and handed Dobby the letter.
"This letter is very important Dobby, it must be delivered straight away. Be careful not to wake any of the other students, and report back here when you are done. Run along now." He gave Dobby a gentle smile.
Dobby took the letter and held it careful, as if it might shatter if he squeezed it too tight. "Of course sir, Dobby will be returning most promptly!" And with another small puff, the house elf was gone. Albus sat back in his chair and summoned what appeared to be a timetable of sorts. Along the grid there sat days and times, and a list of names. He checked each name and day, scratching the sides of his chin in careful consideration. This was not a task that could be completed by just anyone, as much as he trusted the competency of his staff. Not all of your staff, not anymore, a voice in the back of his head reminded him. As he moved down the list, his eyes sparked as he rested on a particular name. He looked along the row of days, trying to find a suitable spot. Yes, he thought, this just might do.. As he vanished away the list, Dobby reappeared beside him, and haphazardly stood to attention. The elf was keen, nearing desperate, to prove his worth to the Headmaster. He had been this way since Lucius Malfoy had unwittingly released him of his service a few years back, and Albus suspected that the Malfoy's treatment of the timid elf had more than a small part to play in that regard.
"Dobby has done as you asked, headmaster sir. Dobby was sure to not disturb the students, and leave the letter for only the intended. What else may Dobby do, sir?"
Albus leant back in the tall chair, and smiled. "That will be all for tonight, Dobby. In fact, could you ask the kitchens to send up some tea and perhaps something sweet." He grinned. "It is not quite time for bed, and I have a hankering for chocolate."
Dobby beamed. "The headmaster should be taking some rest sir, you would not want to exhaust yourself so quickly into the term! Dobby will have someone send up what you require, headmaster sir!" And with that, he was gone.
Albus allowed himself to briefly close his eyes. He heard the familiar pop of a house elf, and the soft sound of ceramic against the oak table. Another pop, and he was alone again. Opening his eyes, he stifled a yawn, took a sip of the piping hot tea and nibbled on a piece of treacle fudge. Stretching his arms and back, he brought out more parchment and began to write. There was still planning to be done.
Early the next day, as the first morning light began to drift through the large windows of the Gryffindor dormitories, a bushy-haired girl returned to the land of the living with a start, her honey-laced eyes shooting open. She had been dreaming again, one of the same dreams since the end of term last year. The screams, Harry's face, Cedric…
Cedric..
Propping herself up in bed and rubbing her face to bring her back into the present, she yawned and looked to the window. It must not be later than 7am, she thought. Far too early to be up at the weekend, although it did mean more time could be spent working on her first week's essays. With the threat of O.W.L.s looming at the end of the year, she was determined to push herself harder than she had yet to do, and achieve the highest marks in the entire year. She looked over to her bedside table for the copy of Challenges in Charming she had been reading the night previous, something to calm her still jumpy nerves after yet another nightmare. She wasn't usually one for periodicals, but found the research contained in it to be fascinating. Her eyes, still sticky with sleep, trailed over the magazine and settled on something she was sure hadn't been there when she'd drifted off. A neatly sealed envelope with the Hogwarts crest nestled in the wax was placed next to her. Looking around confused, she saw that she was the first to stir. It must have been left.. When..? During the night..? Odd.. She picked up the letter gingerly, the parchment was crisp. When she turned it over in her hands she saw writing that was familiar but unknown, and a strange feeling of dread washed over her.
~Miss Hermione Granger~
Hermione gripped the letter a little tighter, and hesitantly broke the seal. Opening it up, surprised at how little was written, she began to read.
Miss Granger,
You are instructed to pay a visit to my office at some point over the weekend.
There are matters we need to discuss pertaining to the year ahead. Please
bring an open mind.
A. Dumbledore
The feeling of unease was still there, coupled with the familiar twinge of curiosity she felt every time she opened a new book. An open mind? What could be so important that Dumbledore felt the need to leave her a message in the middle of the night, yet not so that he wouldn't request her company first thing? Folding the letter back up and returning it to the nightstand, she ran a hand roughly through her mess of hair and yawned again. It was too late to go back to sleep, and to be honest even if she tried she wasn't sure she wanted to. Lately, Hermione had found that being awake was much more preferable, at least there she had some semblance of control over what she saw. Well, some pre-breakfast studying would have to suffice, and perhaps she could get some time in at the library before heading to Dumbledore's office. Yes, even if this little note was distracting, she could at least have a productive day!
After a quick shower and a particularly poor attempt at controlling her mane, Hermione settled into an armchair in the Gryffindor common room, a small table pulled up next to her with various books on Ancient Runes scattered around. The essay she was working on was fairly basic, she supposed it was to ease them into learning again. This one was two lengths of parchment on the various origins and histories of numerical runes, something she had spent time reading about during her third year. It had only been assigned on Thursday, but she was confident it would be finished by the start of the week. Besides, the quicker she finished this the quicker she could work on something interesting - her first Potions assignment. This was to do with the known qualities of powdered moonstone, but also required them to consider what other uses the ingredient could have. Hermione thought this was fantastic, not only could she display her brilliant research skills, she would also have a chance to demonstrate her aptitude for creativity. There were few classes that set this level of work, and she relished it.
Chewing the end of her quill absentmindedly, she made short work of Ancient Runes. Double checking her essay, she let out a triumphant sigh and rolled up the parchment. Pinning it in place, she stored it neatly in the satchel she carried along with her array of books and got up to stretch. She could hear the hustle and bustle begin up the stairs and knew that it was time for breakfast. Swinging her bag over her shoulder, she paused. Perhaps she should wait for Harry and Ron.. No, she decided. If I want to get some library time in before Dumbledore's meeting, looking like I'm in a rush makes more sense. I'll just tell them I went ahead to make the most of the day. She stopped herself again. "Why are you hiding this from them?" She thought to herself. "Why are you making it all look so suspicious?". Truthfully, she wasn't sure, but that feeling of unease from earlier was still sitting in the pit of her stomach and that told her all she needed to know. She stole a final glance up to the boys dorms and headed towards the portrait, ready for the day ahead of her.
