sekkoon

CHAPTER 3

November 17, 2002

Necromancy, the art of bringing back the dead, also an art that had never been proven possible, was something that Severus Snape was contemplating, that way he could bring back Harry Potter back to life after killing him. What question his had been, not that he could really blame him, it had been quite an innocent inquiry and yet it brought forth such memories. Why had Remus even brought the topic up to begin with? He took a deep breath, his fingers moving his hair behind his ear as he took long strides to get to the castle, hoping that perhaps Hermione was back and that he could--dare he even think it--talk to her. Not about Hermia, of course but about their so called fight. He still refused to believe it could be a fight.

She wasn't there. For a moment Severus considered going back to his reading, he had been getting to one of the best parts, the meeting of Tom Bombadil, but he didn't really want to go to his office to get the book or for that matter even read it. He sighed as he sunk into his favorite chair by the unlit fireplace. He didn't bother lighting it and instead just slumped in his chair but was startled as he begun to get comfortable when the door was opened.

Hermione stepped into the room and stared at him, not knowing what to do. She shifted from foot to foot slightly and then she walked forward, making toward their bedroom.

"Hermione."

She stopped, not turning, but still standing in that spot.

"Yes." She whispered, now.

"I'm sorry." Severus said in a low tone, not liking how his words were coming out.

She still had not turned or addressed his comment. "I don't know what I did but I hate not talking."

Hermione scoffed. "You will still always be the same." she told him and then walked to their bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Severus stood up, following after her with a groan. He opened the door to the bedroom but did nor enter the room, preferring to remain standing in the doorway. "I have never apologized for anything to anyone in my life--"

"I hardly doubt that," Hermione said, interrupting him.

He walked to where she stood, putting her cloak away in her wardrobe. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "What do you want from me?"

"If you have to ask me that, then there is no point in me telling you." She said, shrugging his hands away and walking past him to another part of the room.

"I'm here to listen; I want to know what is wrong. I need to know what is wrong."

Hermione turned back to him. "It's the law." She said.

"What of it?" He walked to stand in front of her, he reached as if to take her in her arms before dropping his arms as if changing his mind.

"You know what part I am talking about, Severus." She said, looking down at her shoes.

Severus did know. The part where it gave them five years to conceive a child, the loose reason as to why the law was formed to begin with. This was Harry's fault. He could pin point it exactly, why had he gotten Luna pregnant? It was giving his wife ideas, no doubt.

Nevertheless, Severus answered with an affirmative, "yes."

"I've been wondering lately how a child would fare with us as its parents." Hermione said, still not looking at him.

Severus reached for her this time, pulling her towards him. "You would make a great mother, Hermione, a great mother and I, I would try but I would never hurt our child, never believe that I will. You know my past, Potter might have told you."

He felt her shake his head.

Still holding onto her, Severus led her to their bed and sat down, pulling her with him onto his lap, her head resting in the crook of his neck. He somehow scooted them to the middle of the bed and laid back with Hermione still in his arms. "Let me tell you a story." He murmured to her. "About a young woman of about eighteen, a witch. She was a beautiful woman, pitch black hair cascaded down her back, curling in some sort of perfection, her hazel eyes bright, happy. This woman never found a reason for going against her parent's wishes until she found knowledge that her father had made an arranged marriage for her. Of course she was a stubborn woman, fancied herself in love with a muggle she had met once with a friend and of course one led thing left to another and they were together. He was an alright fellow for the time they dated and then she became pregnant.

"For a long while he wanted nothing to do with it, telling her that perhaps the child was not his. Her fiancé, the man her father had arranged a marriage for her with broke everything off upon hearing she was with child and her family no longer wanted anything to do with her. The only person she could turn to was her boyfriend and he was still in denial, not for long however, when she received inheritance from a widowed and childless aunt. He was a money grabbing scoundrel and interested only in making better of himself.

"They were married and soon their son was born. He was a disappointment. I was a disappointment. My father hated me from the moment I was born. I was too much of a cost for him to take. My mother didn't tell him she was a witch and once the money was gone he became dangerous, drinking every night, beating her. I hid in my room on most nights, hearing his cane as it struck her. When I was old enough to understand that he didn't have a right to do this I begged my mother to leave him. Her once beautiful personality had been broken and she was nothing more than a woman who would let him do anything to her if she could only stay with him. It was apparent by the time I was eight that I was more of the reason behind the beatings. She was protecting me and so I got in between them one night, trying to stop him from hurting her.

"By the time I was eleven it was so bad that I hated going home. I would never want that for anyone. I think he made me strong but in making me strong he also broke me and made me an easy target for others to pick on. Many people have wondered as to what led the event of my broken nose. It was my father who broke it, already large the rupture did nothing to help my looks. I never want that for any child, Hermione, I would hate it so I think that you shouldn't worry because I would take care of him or her, of you."

Hermione was crying against him. "I am so sorry that happened to you. I never knew." She buried her head deeper into his neck. "Severus," she said, now, "I've been meaning to--"

A furious tapping on the window stopped her from continuing.

"I should get that." Severus said, sitting up.

Hermione let him go; watching him as an owl flew in, dropping a letter in his hands.

He opened the letter, reading the Remus Lupin's scrawl.

Severus,

I'd appreciate it if you were to come to the ministry of magic, Harry, even though he is the boy who lived, will need you to help him out of a mess. I'll explain when you get here. It's urgent so please don't take your time and come right away.

Remus

Severus groaned. "I have to go, Hermione." He handed her the letter.

"I hope it's nothing serious." She said, cleaning up her face. "Could I come with you?"

"I--yes, if you must." He said, making sure he had everything he needed, as she once more put on her cloak, the conversation and whatever she had been about to tell him, forgotten.

The Château d'If was all that Harry could think about while he sat in the plain white room he had been put in once he had arrived in the ministry, escorted by two of his fellow aurors, Ron Weasley and Charlie Barttlet. Ron hadn't been at all friendly or understanding while Charlie had tried to get Harry off the hook, Ron hadn't been a help. However at the moment Harry had no thoughts about Ron Weasley or for that matter the ever comical Charlie Barttlet. At the moment he was contemplating how much he hated sitting in the plain while room but how much better it was then the Château d'If which was, much like Azkaban, located on an island, the isle of If off the coast of Marseilles. Of course such thoughts about the Château d'If led to thoughts of Edmund Dantes and his false crime. Dantes had never been a supporter of Napoleon just like he, Harry Potter, had not thrown the unforgivable curse but who could believe him? Not that they necessarily needed to, in his opinion, no special treatment for Harry Potter, he blamed Ron Weasley and the suddenly bad reputation he had among the ministry. It was to do with his work against the marriage law and perhaps his friendship with Hermione who had been blacklisted from any job within the ministry, maybe just the fact that he had helped some of her fights against the ministry on elf rights or other such things. He sighed, comparing himself to a character from a book wasn't helping, in fact, it was becoming a bit of a bit of a habit and not one that would help him get out of this mess. The ministry was trying to find a way to get back his support for them but Harry knew that until something changed with the marriage law he would stand against them even if once upon a time he had been friends with Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Harry stood up and began to pace, he was just about to speak to the guard posted in front of the door when he heard two sets of footsteps. Then the familiar voice of Severus Snape carried into the room. At least Remus had listened to him which was more than he could ask for. Remus would never have gotten him out, being a werewolf and all; Remus was one of the least desirable people to go against the ministry. After Hermione had fought for more werewolf rights a year or so ago the ministry had been made to give werewolves a more open understanding but of course it still allowed room for bigotry. Things were never going to change.

"You will let him out this instant, Mr. Corner." Severus Snape said. "If you haven't noticed that is Harry Potter you're holding in there the reason you are alive and as for that matter he is an auror and would never have produced the cruciatus. Now, you will let him out."

Michael Corner muttered something that Harry did not hear and then there was a jingling of keys and the door was being opened.

"Come, Mr. Potter." Severus said, looking more like his old teacher than ever. Harry grinned at him. "I'm afraid the ministry has no real hold on you or proof. You aren't even supposed to have been put in there. I believe this has something to do with the marriage law. The ministry is becoming more and more corrupt. Kingsley should be talked to."

Harry nodded as they walked out of the room. Hermione was standing not far off from them.

"Are you alright?" she asked, hugging Harry.

"Yes, fine. Has anyone told Luna?"

"No." Hermione answered. "It is best this way. Wouldn't want to upset her more, in fact, Harry, I don't think you should go home, last I saw her she didn't seem ready to forgive you and I have to say I kind of admit that she has a right to be mad."

Harry groaned. "Can I stay with you guys, just for tonight?"

Hermione nodded even while Severus was motioning for her to say no. She shot him a glare.

"Thanks."

"Why?"

Hermione who had just gotten into bed and had just opened her book to read looked up at her husband. "Why what, Sev?"

"Why did you offer him to stay here?"

"Is that why you've been in such a grouchy mood? Harry's alright, you know, considering how much time you spend together I will have to point out that you are his friend."

"Yes." Severus hissed.

Hermione laughed, turning back to her book.

"What are you reading?"

Hermione sighed, frustrated, "nothing, because you won't let me." She gave him a sardonic look.

"I'm bored." He whined much like a five year old would to his mother.

"And?" Hermione asked.

"Can't you do something about it?"

"No, now let me read."

He opened his mouth once more but Hermione interrupted him. "If you don't let me read I will make you share the guest room with Harry."

This made Severus also get into bed and attempt to read his book.

November 20, 2002

It could often be said that when one is having the perfect day, in some way, something will happen that will change the perfect day into something monstrous.

It was one of the best days for Hermione Snape. She had woken up with no nausea to speak off and even though Severus had been missing from his spot in their bed there was just something in the air that had made her smile. After a quick shower and dressing in her favorite robes, a pair that Severus had given her for her birthday, Hermione walked out of hers and Severus' rooms towards the great hall. She was going to enjoy her breakfast.

Bacon, eggs, and toast made up only part of her breakfast, but even when outstanded at how much she was eating Hermione reminded herself that she was eating for two. After sharing a conversation with Professor Flitwick and wondering where Severus had gotten to, seeing as he wasn't in breakfast, Hermione headed to her classroom where she proceeded to finish grading the last two essays for the week, ready to be handed back to her first class of the day. When they entered she smiled at them. It was going to be an easy class; they weren't going to be working on a potion but rather talking about the kind of things that went well together. During her next class only minimal burning happened when a first year accidentally spilled some of her potion on another class mate before it was finished resulting in burning.

It was right before lunch that things began to get, for lack of a better word, weird. Hermione stepped into her office to leave some of her papers when she heard a loud thump coming from hers and Severus' rooms. She walked into the rooms but there was no one there. After deciding that it had been nothing, Hermione went to lunch from which Severus was once again missing.

"Have you seen Severus today, Hermione?" Professor Vector asked her as she took her seat.

"No, actually, I've been wondering where he has gotten to myself, is he not in his office."

"No." Professor Vector said, "But it's alright, I guess, I'll talk to him when he shows up."

Hermione nodded, wondering where her husband had gone. It wasn't at all like him to not tell her if he was leaving the castle.

The swishing amber liquid in his glass made him frown. A sigh escaped him after a long moment and then he brought the glass to his lips, taking a sip, welcoming the burning in his throat as the alcohol traveled down it. The blazing fire in front of him crackled. Severus groaned. He was sitting in the drawing room of his house at Spinner's End thinking about Hermia and her death, not quite--like he had done in the past few months--comparing her with his wife. Twenty-one years. It had been twenty years since her death; such a long time and still he loved her, still he missed her and mourned for her. A lone tear traveled the length of his cheek and got lost in his clothes. He cleared his throat, he wouldn't cry, he shook his head, wondering if perhaps his life would have been different had she lived. His thoughts were interrupted when someone began to rap hard on his door. Severus looked at the door but didn't bother getting up, hoping that whoever it was would leave him alone.

However, Minerva McGonagall wasn't one to give up so she unlocked the door and strode purposely towards where he was sitting, not seemingly interested in the house.

"Severus Tobias Snape," she said, ready to reprimand, her lips thinned looking strict. "I would think better of you, mourning another woman when you have a wife who--"

"A wife I did not choose or want to have!" He spat back, bitterly. "I mourn the woman I love."

"Loved, Severus." Minerva said, her lips no longer thin, "It is in the past. You can't lose yourself to the past. You have a future and if you do not forget the past, forget her; you will lose something so much more important."

He shook his head. "I don't want to hear it, Minerva, I have nothing to lose, leave me!"

"I've warned you." Minerva said. "You can't say I didn't do that, I've warned you and now it's all up to you."

Severus scoffed as she turned away from him. He heard her walk to the door. Suddenly she stopped. "Hermia came to me that night, Severus, she told me everything and standing here I can safely say she was right about you."

"Right about me?" He asked. "About me?"

"Yes. You'd do well to take care of your wife and stop caring for Hermia Dumbledore." Minerva said.

"You know nothing of the life Hermione and I share." He said. "Nothing about how much I care for her."

"You care only for yourself, Severus," she said and then she was walking out the door.

He shook his head. She didn't know what went on in his life; she knew nothing about him, about Hermione or about Hermia. He stood up, throwing his drink at the wall, watching the liquid run down the wall and the glass scattered on the floor reflect the fire.

"Hermia, my love." He called out.

# posted by Sek Koon @ 7:27 AM