Severus had returned to his quarters to rest a bit after Hermione's revelation, but only managed a few scant hours of sleep before he had to be up again. He choked down a few pieces of toast and went for the coffee instead of tea for breakfast before returning to the hospital wing. Albus was just telling Poppy that none of the wounded students or Order members should be moved to St Mungo's, perhaps out of concern for their security, but it did leave the Hogwarts school matron with way too many patients and not enough hands to care for them. The sight of the Headmaster had Severus slam his Occlumency shields up tighter than during Death Eater meetings. He still hadn't had the chance to come to terms with it all.
He was tasked with brewing several batches of potions for the patients who should never have been put in the position of duelling Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries. He had grumbled out of principle but Poppy said she trusted his brews far more than anything the St Mungo's potioneers could concoct and she was of course right in that. At least it was the exam period so he didn't have any normal classes, but Albus had still been reluctant to agree for someone else to supervise the second- and third-years' final exam so he could get some work done. Poppy had backed him up and the Headmaster had relented when she threatened to bring in Minerva.
It took him most of the day to whip up the potions Poppy needed but brewing gave him the opportunity to reflect. He had always found brewing to be a great way to let his mind solve problems on its own while his focus was on the potion and the ingredients and his hands were occupied with chopping and stirring.
Hermione Granger, Gryffindor witch and prodigy was no mere witch. She was a demon and by the looks of it not a simple low-level one either. This would change everything. The war, his life. Hogwarts.
He had surprisingly few scruples about making plans with a demon. Not when the demon was her, not with his memories returned. The situation with Albus was more difficult to work out. It hurt.
Taking a deep breath he Occluded again, pushing the Headmaster down deep below the surface. Albus would have to wait, he had potions to deliver.
"There you are! I just discharged Miss Weasley," Poppy called to him as he entered the Infirmary cradling a crate of potions. She hurried up to him and plucked the potions from him, swiftly assessing the contents. "Could you make another batch of Sanity and Blood-replenishing please? And Skele-Gro? I just used the last for Nymphadora."
"Yes Poppy, you're welcome Poppy, I'm well thank you even though I spent all day brewing for you without a break Poppy," Severus retorted.
He'd always had a soft spot for the school matron. She ran a tight ship usually with a few younger assistants on loan from St Mungo's but she was more used to Quidditch accidents or accidental hexing than to students being wounded in battle.
She smiled and cuffed him on the arm. "None of that snark, young man. You know I appreciate you. I checked on Miss Granger around lunchtime but she was asleep. I'd rather keep her a few extra days for observation, that wound was not a simple matter. The St Mungo's healer who was here — what was his name, Johnston? Jefferson? — anyway, he was most interested in hearing what you did."
He raised an eyebrow at that. The man could continue asking, Severus wasn't about to say that the solution to that particular kind of Dark Magic was to be born a demon.
"What is the situation here now?"
Poppy walked him through the Infirmary wing. Miss Weasley had already been accompanied by Molly to the Burrow, but the youngest Mr Weasley had to stay a few more days after a run-in with a brain, apparently. Severus thought it quite ironic and hoped it would have rubbed off at least a bit, but suspected that would be too much to ask for. Miss Lovegood was in a healing coma and Poppy was a bit salty with Albus for refusing her transfer to St Mungo's Spell Damage ward, but expected the Ravenclaw to be on the mend within a week. Mr Longbottom would have to stay another night but wouldn't suffer any long-term effects aside from the occasional nightmare. As usual, Potter had made it out without a scratch even when his friends were badly wounded.
Of the Order members only Tonks remained at Hogwarts and was currently asleep or sedated to give the Skele-Gro time to work on her legs. Both Black and Lupin were apparently hurt but recovering in the Black residence since Black couldn't show his ugly mug at St Mungo's or even at Hogwarts. It was only pure luck no one had died. Sheer dumb luck. Severus shook his head, trying to make sense of the insanity of the events that had just transpired. A bunch of teenagers on a wild goose chase in the bowels of the Ministry, hunted down by Death Eaters.
Poppy followed him to Hermione who now looked much like her normal student self. She was dressed in a fresh set of school robes and lay back in the bed reading a book on Charms.
"Didn't we say you should take it easy, young lady?" Poppy admonished and handed the witch a vial of Healing potion.
Severus held his breath, reasonably sure the potion would not poison one such as her.
"But I am! I only have this one book and not even anything to cross-reference it with," Hermione protested. She eyed the potion dubiously and then downed it in one go.
"I don't think the Headmaster has contacted your parents yet, dear. You will stay here at least two more days just to make sure you are out of danger, and take the potions Severus has brewed for you."
The not-really witch nodded and smiled and Severus could see the strain in the way her hands gripped the bedsheets and her nostrils flared.
Severus cleared his throat. "Thank you, Poppy. Please don't let me stop you from your other tasks."
Poppy raised an eyebrow at him but nodded briskly and strode off, used to his strange manners.
They fell silent and studied each other for a while. Demon and spy, student and Professor.
"I should like to continue this elsewhere, not here, but that is not feasible with Poppy and the Headmaster lurking nearby. We will have to find other opportunities later."
She nodded minutely and watched as he flicked his wand around the bed, warding against eavesdroppers and setting up an alert that would warn them if anyone was approaching. Her features shifted slightly to show more of the demon, a hint of horn and muzzle just so.
He took a deep breath. "We need a plan. I have absolutely no wish to become the next Dark Lord and enslave the Wizarding world, so whatever we do needs to be done in a way which doesn't leave me — us — in an unfortunate position. Having you here changes the game considerably, especially since neither of the old fools expect it."
Hermione shrugged. "Those that have wronged me, us. They must be punished. It is completely out of the question to let anyone get away with wronging a demon and trying to break her Contract without punishment."
Severus hummed in vague agreement. "Who would you put on that list? Just to compare notes."
Her nostrils flared slightly. "Albusss. He wronged us both, imprisoning me in the body of a child, forcing me to grow up human. It shouldn't be possible for him to do that. There are Rules, you know. Stealing your memories of me was also wrong of him. If it weren't for you I would have him ripped to pieces already."
Severus inhaled slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, he did. Unfortunately he is what currently stands between us and the rampaging horde of Death Eater morons. Please refrain from eating his soul at this point, the paperwork is too tedious and it would cause more issues than it solves. I need more time to figure out what our best plan of action is when it comes to the Headmaster."
She muttered something under her breath. Severus wasn't sure what language it was but the general meaning was rather obvious.
"I assume Dolohov is also high on the list? He was the one to curse you, he bragged about it yesterday."
She tilted her head. "Yes, Dolohov hurt me in the Ministry. While that wasn't against the Contract he should still pay for daring to hurt me. Then there are some Hogwartsss students. I need to think about this. Ronald Weasley was supposed to be a friend but he hasn't been. Draco Malfoy has been a little shit since his first year. Neville Longbottom is an annoying boy with no confidence who keeps using me for support in Potions, and he tried to stop us from going after the Philosopher's Stone in our first year. He's trying in his own way though, so perhaps he gets a bit of a pass even if he is quite trying. Lavender Brown, Pansy Parkinson and Parvati Patil have been horrible little bullies from the start but they never claimed to be my friends."
She turned to face him directly, looking rather serious.
"And you, Severus Snape. You nearly broke our Contract."
Severus stilled. "I apologise, Hermione. I was young and stupid. Are you talking about when I told you to go away?"
"That too but no, I meant when you stopped calling for me, stopped being my friend, stopped asking for my friendship. I waited, Severus."
He closed his eyes and thought back to those days, now that his memory was back. Hermione had fallen by the wayside, it was true. "I do not know the proper etiquette here. If I can make it up to you, I would."
Hermione let her tail curl around his wrist. A hint of scale could be felt as it rubbed against his skin and the unusual contact made the hairs on his arm stand on end.
"This time as a human has taught me a thing or two about how to friend. I am not the same as before. Friends put up with a lot from each other, but they gain a lot too."
She took a deep breath. "I accept your apology, Severus Snape. I think I want to keep you in my life as you make things interesting. The Contract has not been broken."
"I would rather keep you in mine too, Hermione."
The demon smiled at him, causing his chest to feel odd.
His wards buzzed. Poppy was on the way back, accompanied by the Potter brat. Severus rose immediately, having no interest in being caught chatting with a Gryffindor student.
"We need to continue this at a later time."
Hermione sighed but nodded, letting her features morph back while Severus dismantled the wards and swiftly left in the other direction.
~oo~oo~oo~oo~oo~
The Headmaster made sure to personally escort her out of the hospital wing when she was declared healthy after a few days, and entrusted her to Minerva for Side-Along transport to her supposedly Muggle parents. Severus stayed away but caught a glimpse of her before she left. He couldn't interpret the glance she gave him, not before turning towards Pomona and asking her what she needed for her plants before he could take his leave for the summer. Anything to keep Albus' beak of a nose out of his business. He could only hope that she managed to play her role well enough not to traumatise the Muggles who were supposed to care for her.
Severus stayed at Hogwarts for a few weeks after the students left. Albus usually took a week or two to travel, and this year was no different. The Headmaster had undoubtedly noticed how Severus avoided him more than usual and how he kept Occluding, but Severus claimed it was to keep his mental strength up now that the Dark Lord would call on him more often. The truth of it was that Severus couldn't stand to be in his presence.
The Dark Lord called on him every few days. There were raids to be planned, Ministry officials to bribe and coerce, potions to be supplied including a few more dubious ones to his Death Eater comrades. The Dark Lord wanted information on Albus and the Order, wanted attention and adoration and an audience for when he went off monologuing again. They were mainly staying in the Lestrange Manor with the occasional meeting at Malfoy Manor when the Dark Lord wanted to impress someone.
Severus took the opportunity to scour the Hogwarts library for books about demons, but there weren't many he hadn't read already. He had thought that this was one area of Dark magic he had never touched, but nine-year-old him had apparently had other plans. Retreating back to his quarters he settled down in his armchair to read with a tumbler of Lucius' third best Firewhisky on the table beside him.
Demons were agents of Chaos and Discord but they were also oddly rule-bound. For them to interfere in any way with human life there needed to be a Contract with a Summoner. They would try to wriggle their way out of the Contract but weren't allowed to directly go against it and interfere with others outside of it. If the Summoner broke the Contract, usually by refusal to pay whatever was listed as the price, the demon was allowed to punish them accordingly. Severus wasn't sure how the infractions were calculated but rather often it seemed the demons ended up eating the Summoner's soul.
Severus put the books down and took a sip of Firewhisky. He would have to discuss the details with Hermione as her knowledge would be infinitely more useful than what was found in books. He also needed to study their Contract just to make sure he didn't mess it up by mistake.
It was strange to see her like this. Not merely a student any more but as a friend, an ally and an equal even though she wasn't. Someone he could trust, finally.
He still hadn't decided what to do about Albus.
~oo~oo~oo~oo~oo~
Severus didn't see her again for a few weeks, not until the next Order meeting Albus called for at Grimmauld Place. Hermione was already there after having put on a good show when Albus tried to convince her it was her own idea to spend time there instead of with her supposed parents. She was back in her teenaged girl body, playing at being friends with Saint Potter and the Weasley sidekick, and she did not seem very pleased about it. The Weasley matriarch had moved her full house over to Grimmauld Place and was bossing everyone around and ensuring there was no peace to be had anywhere in the large and strangely sinister building. Potter wasn't around yet but the confusion of Weasleys was bad enough.
Albus appeared none the wiser but Severus still felt the old man's eyes on him whenever he happened to be in the same room as Hermione.
They got the chance to speak after Molly had insisted on feeding everyone — yes you too, Severus, don't you dare leave now, I made treacle tart just for you — and Albus and Minerva finally left for Hogwarts. Severus had been sent to check on the Order's Safe Houses and returned late at night when the house was quiet and most inhabitants were asleep. As he had assumed, she waited for him in the Black library. She sat curled up on the couch with a set of Dark Arts books and a cup of tea on a side table. She looked up when he arrived and a second cup materialised itself on the table by the armchair. He sat down and stretched his legs, grateful that nothing had happened during his watch.
"I hate it here," Hermione hissed. "There's been something very weird going on in this house, I wonder what the Blacks have been up to. There's been a demon here before, I'm sure of it."
He tilted his head and looked at her over his steepled hands. "Weird? Yes, anything you can think of, probably. The Blacks has always had a bit of a history to their name. Has the dog been giving you any trouble?"
Hermione glowered and let a hint of horns show. "He's annoying as well. Seems to have sniffed out that I'm no mere girl any longer. Remus is also acting odd around me, as if I smell wrong. Perhaps I do? He might pick up on something that I'm not human anymore? Or perhaps I just need a new antiperspirant."
Severus hummed. "If you were what you actually look like I'd be having words with the mangy cur, but now I think it will be more amusing to watch him dig his own grave. Do let me know if you want me to interfere. I think Albus wants him alive but cannot fathom why."
She sniffed. "I used to like him but he's insufferable. They all are. A house full of males and then Mrs Weasley who thinks she can boss us around. Harry is coming soon and I've no idea what to think about him. He wilfully dragged his friends into real danger just because he was too hot-headed to realise you'd understood his warning about Sirius. As if you could have said anything clearly in that room with Umbridge and the Slytherin gang. Then there's Ron and Ginny who just bicker all the time. The Twins are interesting company though, they asked to bring me into their business the other day."
He raised an eyebrow at her but had nothing much to add to her analysis of her Gryffindor companions. The Weasley twins were among his most interesting set of students in the past few years and it would be amusing to see where their business acumen took them although he'd probably end up regretting that thought whenever their inventions were used at Hogwarts.
The swirling steam rose from the surface of his teacup. He took a sip.
"Pettigrew is being moved into my house," Severus said a while later, changing the subject. "As some kind of punishment for me, I presume. I think we could take the opportunity to get rid of him."
She perked immediately, sitting up straighter and leaning forward. A hint of fangs gleamed in the light from the fireplace. "Excellent. Do you have any ideas or preferences?"
"We need to make it public," Severus said slowly. "Obviously I can't poison him or push him down the stairs or I will have a bit of an explanation to do towards the Dark Lord. I also think it benefits the Order more if the mangy dog is cleared from the murder of the Muggles, however much I want to keep him in Azkaban. Albus will probably not like it, but that's more of a bonus nowadays."
Hermione hummed and sipped her tea.
"Did I tell you what I was up to at Hogwarts? With the Marauders."
He raised an eyebrow her way. She didn't need much more encouragement and started telling him of all her antics over the years. Haunting their dreams. Letting imps loose in their rooms at night, devouring half their homework and for reasons unknown one of their socks each. Jinxing their brooms and swapping their Hogsmeade purchases, or putting things from the Gryffindor girls into the Marauders' packs so they'd be blamed for it. He'd seen some of it, and was blamed for some, but she'd been fairly subtle about it and aiming for nuisance rather than serious harm.
She put her cup down and stretched. "I'll tell them my parents insist on me joining them for a few weeks just so I can get out from under Molly's thumb. I cannot stay here, Severus."
"What do they actually think of you?"
"My so-called parents?"
He nodded.
"I'm not sure they have noticed, to be honest. They've always been a bit hands-off, at least ever since I started school." She shifted slightly. "This is strange, you know. I used to think I was a human but could never understand why I wasn't like the others. Then I got the Hogwarts letter, and I thought magic was the explanation right until I actually came here and still didn't fit in. Now I'm a demon again and have to try to crawl back into the same human skin without anyone noticing."
"Were you adopted or what do your parents think of your background?"
Hermione bit her lip. "They have never said anything. They're older for a Muggle couple, Helen would have been 36 by the time I was born if I'd been human, David is five years older. It's odd that they haven't mentioned adoption. Either Albus modified their memories or they're lying to me for whatever reason. I hope not, they're nice enough for a pair of clueless Muggle dentists. I'd hate for something to happen to them because of me."
He bowed his head. "If there's anything I can do please let me know. We need to navigate Albus, he let me know in no uncertain terms that offering you an Apprenticeship was out of the question and wouldn't take kindly to me openly assisting you."
"When was that?"
"After your summoning shenanigans. You wanted to brew with me, he made it clear I had to turn you down."
"Back when I wasn't what I am now I would have cherished the opportunity for an Apprenticeship with you, and he took it from me?" She crossed her arms in front of her, looking genuinely hurt. "I thought you just didn't want to spend time with me any longer."
"I am truly sorry, Hermione. I couldn't go against him."
She deflated. "I know."
A yawn took him by surprise and he checked the time and somewhat reluctantly rose from his chair. "I should retire. Good night, Hermione. We'll figure out a way."
She nodded at him and he left her there, with a book and a cup of tea in the library.