STORY - Calling in a Debt - Chapter 13
Disclaimers: Neither the idea of Harry Potter nor the characters belong to me in any way. They are the sole property of JKR. I do not make any money of this story either.
AN: This chapter was finished before Hard Truths and it is probably one of my most favourite ones to write of this story. Thanks to darkmoore and Christine Pierson for looking through it so quickly.
Go to Chapter 12
Index
Go to Chapter 14
Chapter 13 - Full Disclosure
It was raining heavily the evening Ron and Hermione arrived at Hogwarts, still, it was like coming home. They had both missed the ancient building since they had left it for the last time after 7th grade. Hermione especially thought of Hogwarts as her second home. It had been the first place she encountered magic in and in her mind the school was still the most magical, beautiful place she'd ever seen. The atmosphere was a peaceful one, especially after the daily chaos she knew from “London Academy for Highly Gifted Witches and Wizards”. Breathing deeply Hermione waved her wand and brought their luggage further into the entrance hall, when she spotted Albus walking down the stairs. “Albus,” she exclaimed, elated by his presence. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something that made her uneasy.
The headmaster smiled at them, nodding in welcome, “I’m so very glad both of you are here.”
Frowning at the exhaustion evident in Albus Dumbledore’s every word, the undefined bad feeling in the general area of her stomach became stronger. She exchanged a wary look with Ron, whose expression was a study in puzzlement. “Has anything happened to Harry?” She reached for Ron’s hand, needing something to hold on to desperately, as she tried to judge the way Albus’ acted. Why is Harry not here? He knows we're arriving, he should be here, her mind supplied in a daze. Something isn't right here.
“No. Harry is not the reason you are here. Severus is,” he said and motioned them to follow him. “Let me show you to your rooms. I asked the house-elves to have food and drink ready for your arrival. We can talk while having dinner.”
Hermione followed Albus with Ron at her side, deeply worried. What could have happened to Severus Snape? He had been fine during the end of the marriage contract to Harry. When the ceremony for the dissolution of the martial bond had taken place, Harry had been the one to look ill and in pain. Severus had acted perfectly normal.
Heart sinking, Hermione sighed. It was supposed to be a nice weekend, a visit to old friends and mentors. But since they had received Harry's answer to her invitation, there had been this nagging suspicion in the back of her mind. First they didn't hear anything from Harry in weeks and then he suddenly pounces on them to come and visit him? “I don’t think this will be a restful visit, Ron.”
“Me neither,” Ron muttered under his breath, “me neither.”
***
Drowsily Harry rolled around, snuggling up to the warm body next to his. He sighed with content.
"I hope you don't intend to drool on me."
Harry's eyes snapped open at the acerbic tone and the muddy thoughts of happiness came sharply into focus. "Good morning to you, too, Severus," he answered quite cheerfully. The reprimand didn't worry him as Severus was giving him a mild smile. “Did you sleep well?” Harry certainly had slept very well, better than he had slept in a very, very long time. Maybe he could have gotten more sleep, but that strange nightmare had left him awake for a few hours. Certainly he hadn't felt better than right now in a very long time. Sore from last night's activities for sure, but at the same time relaxed and happy. However, on afterthought it worried him how quickly Severus’ anger had turned into passion. Propping himself up on one arm Harry looked down on his lover and he felt a warm glow spreading through him. Lovers. Severus Snape and Harry Potter were finally lovers.
For the longest time Severus just looked up at him with an unreadable expression. “Yes, I did.” He reached up with one hand and brushed a wayward strand of hair out of Harry’s face. An unprecedented show of tenderness that nearly took Harry’s breath away. “Harry, I’m sorry for last night, I was ...”
“Perfect. You were perfect,” Harry finished the sentence for Severus, determined to let nothing overshadow what they had shared. Yes, it had been rough - he would have to sit gingerly for a while - and he had never expected Severus to be so possessive, but it had been good. It had been what he had needed. The closeness, the reminder that Severus was not yet dead. He was still alive, still breathing and there was still a chance left to save him.
Smiling a little, Severus sat up enough to brush his lips against Harry’s in an apologetic little kiss. “We’re going to be late for the morning meeting,” he said in a low voice.
“I don’t care,” Harry growled and reclaimed his lover’s lips for a more passionate kiss. Before he knew it, Harry was lying on his back with Severus on top of him. “This is more fun,” Harry panted when they broke for air, his hands running over Severus’ bare back caressingly.
“I’m not sure your little friends will be too impressed by that, considering they came all the way to Hogwarts just for you,” Severus said, his eyes alight with amusement and his voice blatantly teasing.
Harry tensed. He had completely forgotten that Hermione and Ron were supposed to arrive last night for dinner. And that after he asked them to visit him as a personal favour. His empty stomach grumbled at the thought of food as well. “Crap.” Hiding his head in Severus’ shoulder he felt suppressed laughter shaking his lover’s thin frame. “Not funny,” he muttered, awed at the older man’s reaction to the situation. Laughter was the last thing he had expected from the thundercloud that had terrorised the school in the past.
Eyes sparkling with mischief Severus’ looked at Harry, “Maybe if we save time by showering together …”
The suggestion that hung between them made Harry feel more than just a little hot. “A possibility,” he murmured, his lips already on the soft skin of Severus’ neck.
***
Hermione and Ron exchanged a glance. They had been waiting for half an hour now and again all they got was small talk. Dumbledore seemed less inclined to tell them anything today than he had been last night. Dinner had been pleasant, but the feeling that something was wrong got worse as the evening went along. They had talked about god and the world, but not what was obviously weighting on Albus so much. Now they were having breakfast together and the headmaster had gone through all the gossip of the whole last school year already. Entertaining as it was, Hermione felt that there was something big underneath it. “No thanks, Albus, I can’t possibly eat any more,” Hermione said in answer to his offer of yet another bread roll. What is he waiting for? “Albus, you said that Severus is the reason we are here?”
“Yes, yes indeed,” Albus answered and put down his cup of tea. “Would you like another cup, Ronald?”
Ron quickly put his hand over his cup in a warding gesture, “Thanks, Albus, I'm fine. About Severus-”
The sudden grumbling of stone moving over stone shook Hermione out of her thoughts. The staircase was moving. Maybe now Ron and her would finally get to know what it was that had happened to Severus Snape.
“Stop it, impertinent brat.”
Hermione blinked. The words stood in stark contrast to the tone of voice, that was almost - warm? Then a slightly dishevelled Severus entered the headmaster's office followed by an equally tousled Harry, who was grinning in a goofy way Hermione hadn't seen on his face in quite some time.
“Sorry for being late, some trouble with the shower,” Harry announced loudly and sat down on a free chair. Without waiting for much of an invitation he made a grab for one of the bread rolls on Albus' desk and started munching while the headmaster poured the two newcomers a cup of tea each. “D'lici's,” Harry muttered around a full mouth.
“Good morning, Albus, how are you today?” Severus asked as he accepted his cup with a polite nod. He took a sip before he so much as acknowledged Hermione or Ron.
Albus looked at Severus in surprise. “Quite well, thank you, Severus.” Albus's eyes twinkled suspiciously, but he didn't say any more.
“So,” he finally said and cleared his throat. “Have you told them yet?”
“I was waiting for your presence, dear boy,” Albus answered, a dangerous glinting in his eyes. “After the last time we talked I had the distinct feeling you would want to be present.”
Unable to keep quiet any longer Hermione's eyes moved between Albus and Severus as she asked, “Told us what?” She had always hated not knowing, had always detested her horrible lack of knowledge about the Wizarding word. Her reading everything she got her hands on had been her way of making up for that dreadful ignorance. She absolutely hated secrecy.
“Yeah, told us what?” Ron echoed her words, his voice far less demanding, more filled with terror. Maybe Hermione wasn't the only one with a bad feeling.
Harry swallowed hastily, washing down his bread roll with his tea, looking at Severus as if asking for ... something. It was most puzzling.
“I'm dying.”
Stunned into speechlessness Hermione opened her mouth to say something. Anything. But nothing wanted to come out. She sat there, gaping at Severus Snape as if he had grown a second head until finally her brain started working again. “What? How?” Well done, Hermione. How very eloquent, she thought bitterly to herself at her inadequacy. No wonder Albus had not mentioned anything during dinner the night before. Severus Snape is dying, she thought to herself unbelieving. How could that be possible? Her eyes went to Ron, who was staring at Severus as if the same thoughts went through his head. “I mean - what happened?”
“I rendered you speechless, Miss Granger? I ought to mark today in my calender,” Severus said, but it was more an expression of his amusement than an attempt of hurting her. “As it happens I'm experiencing some problems with the Mindguard spell I'm under.”
This wasn't good. It couldn't actually get any worse. Mindguard. What a stupid thing to do. Nevermind the reasons, nevermind what was going on. To perform the Mindguard ritual with anyone was not a good idea. Jumping off the Astronomy tower was a better idea. “What were you thinking when you consented to that, Severus? Of all the stupid things you always accused your students of doing...” She paused for a moment to find the right words to voice her thoughts. “How could you do something so incredibly moronic?” Only after she had said it Hermione realised who she had been talking to. Before she knew it she felt like a 1st year again, waiting breathlessly for the inevitable ”50 points from Gryffindor for terminal stupidity”.
When Severus finally answered the rage she had been prepared for wasn't there. Instead he seemed to be amused. “Interesting. I wouldn't have thought a Gryffindor would be able to see the inherent core of my problem quite that accurately.”
“I've heard of the Mindguard ritual, but why you did it really is beside the point. The war is over, why don't you break the bond, go through the Closing ritual and be done with it? Voldemort isn't a problem anymore, hasn't been for a while. There is no need to hide your memories like that,” she demanded. What was so important about Severus' memories that they couldn't break that damnable Mindguard bond? “That'd solve all your problems in not even the half-hour it would take to go through that and-”
“That would be quite a feat, Miss Granger. First, I would have to raise my Guardian from the dead. I'm not quite sure how that would influence the Closing. Do you?” Severus interrupted her with a sharp voice.
She frowned, “Who was it?”
There was silence. Severus wasn't even looking at her anymore, his eyes riveted onto the bottom of his tea cup as if it was the most fascinating thing he had seen in a long time.
“James Potter,” Albus finally said, his voice grave.
“WHAT?” Ron's roar and the breaking of the good porcelain tea-cup from his direction was a far more adequate response to the bomb-shell Albus had just dropped on them than Hermione's shocked stare.
What the-. That's impossible, Hermione thought dazed. James Potter and Severus Snape had loathed each other in school. An intimate ritual like the Mindguard could not be performed by mortal enemies. They'd sooner kill each other before the first chant was said than form a viable bond. “James Potter?” She couldn't stop herself from repeating the name out loud.
“That's impossible,” Ron said, glaring accusingly at Severus. “You're lying! You hated his guts, how the hell is that supposed to work?” He suddenly jumped up. “Harry's dad has been dead for over 20 years. Did you summon his ghost for the ritual?”
James Potter .... Hermione repeated to herself. Only then did Ron's last accusation penetrate the haze of confusion. “Don't be an idiot, Ron,” she reprimanded. “You know as well as I do that the Mindguard ritual needs a living wizard as the Guardian. Besides, it takes more than just one wizard to tear the veil and recall someone who has been there so long.” Then suddenly it hit her, “James Potter is still alive? We are talking about Harry's father, aren't we?”
Severus got up, looming over Hermione like he had done so often when she had still been in school, “You idiotic twit. If James was still alive we would have broken the Mindguard bond years ago.”
“You've been under the Mindguard spell for more than 20 years?” Hermione managed to ask with an unsteady voice. “That's impossible. It's unthinkable that a Guarded can survive the death of the Guardian, nevermind the length of time!”
Looking at Hermione and Ron in disgust Severus suddenly turned away. “As it is your fault that I'm being bombarded by questions, Potter, I suggest you take your little friends upstairs and explain everything to them. In detail.” With a small nod to Harry and a near bow to Albus he left the office with long strides.
“What the hell is going on, Harry,” Ron burst out, demanding answers. “That can't be real, you guys are pulling our legs, aren't you? It's a prank, a joke. Please, Harry, tell us this is a joke. Lie to us if you have to.”
Harry sighed and rose. “Come on. I'll explain everything while Albus gets some rest.” It didn't escape either of them that he Harry had not answered a single of Ron's questions.
“I'm quite fine, Harry,” Albus interjected albeit a bit hesitant.
“You need rest. We all do. Why don't you go and get a few winks while we go through the important information? It's Saturday morning, Minerva has the children well under control and you look like hell.”
They looked at each other for a moment before Albus sighed and rose, “Some rest would not go amiss. Thank you, Harry.”
Hermione staggered after Harry with Ron at her elbow. “I'm fine, Ronald,” she hissed when he cast his third nervous glance at her as if she would break down any second. “Look where you're going instead.” More steady she nearly ran until she was at Harry's left, while Ron closed in on his right, “There is something else, isn't there?”
Harry grimaced, pain obvious on his face, “Yeah, there is more. You won't like it very much either.”
With a sudden start she realised that Harry didn't want to tell them. He grimaced at the thought of doing so and Hermione's heart dropped into the vicinity of the cold knot in her stomach. Today is a day for bad news it seems, Hermione thought, steeling herself for the rest. With the track record they had going it could only get worse.
“You see ... it has a lot to do with my parents. My real parents. But I'd rather not talk about that in the corridor,” he muttered as he lead them towards his quarters.
***
Hermione sat in the armchair by the fireplace as she watched Ron pacing their room. She was only half listening to his voice as he ranted.
“You-know-who ... his father. I mean. Voldemort! That's impossible. Everyone keeps telling Harry how he has his mother's eyes, I mean, how is that possible? It was just one encounter.”
“It was rape, Ron,” Hermione interrupted, unable to allow that to simply pass.
Ron didn't even falter in his steps as he turned around, robe billowing around him impressively. “Whatever. You know how hard it is for wizards to get pregnant? Or witches for that matter.”
Trust Ron to latch onto the most important issue at hand. “Ron, leave it. You know as well as I do that there is that possibility. Harry is a Parselmouth and while both James and Lily are said to be very powerful they were nothing compared to the Dark Lord. It all makes sense in a really twisted way. Poor Harry, he must be terrified at the thought.” Turning her mind from the past and onto the future she suddenly was afraid of something entirely else. “Shouldn't we be worrying about Severus right now?”
“I can't believe the greasy git is dying. Mindguard ... I mean, Mindguard! Impossible that he's not bonkers yet. I always told you he's stark raving mad,” Ron exclaimed while his long steps led him back and forth between the door and the window dominating their living room. Sometimes it was so easy to change the subject with Ron.
Hermione barely heard him anymore, her mind already busy going through the information Harry had divulged. “Ron, love, if you don't sit down I'll use a full body bind on you and put you to bed,” she said mildly, but with such force behind her words that Ron dropped on the couch instantly, glaring at her in a way that told her he wouldn't forget that easily. “I think instead of raving on about him being mad, we should try and focus on why he isn't. Because really, Severus Snape wasn't mad while we were in school. He was not nice, but he wasn't crazy.”
Ron just glared at her, then his expression became pensive, “Yeah, it's weird. He should be dead by now. 23 years with the Mindguard spell on him should have - realistically - killed him a long time ago. Especially with his Guardian dead for so long.”
Nodding at that, Hermione tried to think of an explanation - any explanation - as to why Severus Snape was still alive. It was a minor miracle and the scholar inside of her was intrigued at the puzzle she had in front of her. She needed to sit down with Harry and Albus, after they got some much needed rest, to get all the details from them. After all they had spent weeks researching the problem already and it would be a waste for her to look through the same books again. “I'm not familiar enough with the subject, yet, but there must be a reason for this seemingly sudden breakdown. Magical laws don’t just apply to some and not to others. If the Mindguard spell is unstable and the illness goes a certain way then that’s what should happen. You know as well as I do that exceptions for the length of time as in this case are quite impossible. So what is different here?”
“You think there were changes made to the ritual?” Ron asked puzzled. “Wouldn’t that be just that little bit dangerous?”
“I’m terrified at the mere thought,” Hermione muttered lowly. “But why would Lily and James take that awful risk? Considering James was pregnant by then, it could have backfired terribly.”
Ron swallowed convulsively, “They might have been scared. That plan of Snape's, now that's what I'd call moronic, tho.” A great deal of admiration swung in his voice and a touch of sadness that Hermione felt as well. They had both seen the memories, had both heard Harry's explanation and his desperation at what was happening.
“I hope Albus still remembers everything, I think the ritual was changed. Maybe just a bit, but that might be enough to make it more stable. That doesn't answer the question of why James would want the Mindguard to be as stable at that. It was just a temporary solution, wasn't it?”
Looking up at her Ron seemed just a little bit dazed, “I don't think so. From that last one, with Harry as a baby I got the feeling that it was more a long-term solution, that they were past the point of no return then. Severus must have been in Voldemort's Inner Circle by then, at least on the way to it. It would have been madness to turn back. Suicidal even.” He paused for a moment, frowning deeply at first, then looked at Hermione, deeply troubled. “I love Harry like a brother, you know? But I doubt I would have done that for him.”
***
Go to Chapter 12
Index
Go to Chapter 14
AN: This chapter was finished before Hard Truths and it is probably one of my most favourite ones to write of this story. Thanks to darkmoore and Christine Pierson for looking through it so quickly.
Go to Chapter 12
Index
Go to Chapter 14
Chapter 13 - Full Disclosure
It was raining heavily the evening Ron and Hermione arrived at Hogwarts, still, it was like coming home. They had both missed the ancient building since they had left it for the last time after 7th grade. Hermione especially thought of Hogwarts as her second home. It had been the first place she encountered magic in and in her mind the school was still the most magical, beautiful place she'd ever seen. The atmosphere was a peaceful one, especially after the daily chaos she knew from “London Academy for Highly Gifted Witches and Wizards”. Breathing deeply Hermione waved her wand and brought their luggage further into the entrance hall, when she spotted Albus walking down the stairs. “Albus,” she exclaimed, elated by his presence. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something that made her uneasy.
The headmaster smiled at them, nodding in welcome, “I’m so very glad both of you are here.”
Frowning at the exhaustion evident in Albus Dumbledore’s every word, the undefined bad feeling in the general area of her stomach became stronger. She exchanged a wary look with Ron, whose expression was a study in puzzlement. “Has anything happened to Harry?” She reached for Ron’s hand, needing something to hold on to desperately, as she tried to judge the way Albus’ acted. Why is Harry not here? He knows we're arriving, he should be here, her mind supplied in a daze. Something isn't right here.
“No. Harry is not the reason you are here. Severus is,” he said and motioned them to follow him. “Let me show you to your rooms. I asked the house-elves to have food and drink ready for your arrival. We can talk while having dinner.”
Hermione followed Albus with Ron at her side, deeply worried. What could have happened to Severus Snape? He had been fine during the end of the marriage contract to Harry. When the ceremony for the dissolution of the martial bond had taken place, Harry had been the one to look ill and in pain. Severus had acted perfectly normal.
Heart sinking, Hermione sighed. It was supposed to be a nice weekend, a visit to old friends and mentors. But since they had received Harry's answer to her invitation, there had been this nagging suspicion in the back of her mind. First they didn't hear anything from Harry in weeks and then he suddenly pounces on them to come and visit him? “I don’t think this will be a restful visit, Ron.”
“Me neither,” Ron muttered under his breath, “me neither.”
***
Drowsily Harry rolled around, snuggling up to the warm body next to his. He sighed with content.
"I hope you don't intend to drool on me."
Harry's eyes snapped open at the acerbic tone and the muddy thoughts of happiness came sharply into focus. "Good morning to you, too, Severus," he answered quite cheerfully. The reprimand didn't worry him as Severus was giving him a mild smile. “Did you sleep well?” Harry certainly had slept very well, better than he had slept in a very, very long time. Maybe he could have gotten more sleep, but that strange nightmare had left him awake for a few hours. Certainly he hadn't felt better than right now in a very long time. Sore from last night's activities for sure, but at the same time relaxed and happy. However, on afterthought it worried him how quickly Severus’ anger had turned into passion. Propping himself up on one arm Harry looked down on his lover and he felt a warm glow spreading through him. Lovers. Severus Snape and Harry Potter were finally lovers.
For the longest time Severus just looked up at him with an unreadable expression. “Yes, I did.” He reached up with one hand and brushed a wayward strand of hair out of Harry’s face. An unprecedented show of tenderness that nearly took Harry’s breath away. “Harry, I’m sorry for last night, I was ...”
“Perfect. You were perfect,” Harry finished the sentence for Severus, determined to let nothing overshadow what they had shared. Yes, it had been rough - he would have to sit gingerly for a while - and he had never expected Severus to be so possessive, but it had been good. It had been what he had needed. The closeness, the reminder that Severus was not yet dead. He was still alive, still breathing and there was still a chance left to save him.
Smiling a little, Severus sat up enough to brush his lips against Harry’s in an apologetic little kiss. “We’re going to be late for the morning meeting,” he said in a low voice.
“I don’t care,” Harry growled and reclaimed his lover’s lips for a more passionate kiss. Before he knew it, Harry was lying on his back with Severus on top of him. “This is more fun,” Harry panted when they broke for air, his hands running over Severus’ bare back caressingly.
“I’m not sure your little friends will be too impressed by that, considering they came all the way to Hogwarts just for you,” Severus said, his eyes alight with amusement and his voice blatantly teasing.
Harry tensed. He had completely forgotten that Hermione and Ron were supposed to arrive last night for dinner. And that after he asked them to visit him as a personal favour. His empty stomach grumbled at the thought of food as well. “Crap.” Hiding his head in Severus’ shoulder he felt suppressed laughter shaking his lover’s thin frame. “Not funny,” he muttered, awed at the older man’s reaction to the situation. Laughter was the last thing he had expected from the thundercloud that had terrorised the school in the past.
Eyes sparkling with mischief Severus’ looked at Harry, “Maybe if we save time by showering together …”
The suggestion that hung between them made Harry feel more than just a little hot. “A possibility,” he murmured, his lips already on the soft skin of Severus’ neck.
***
Hermione and Ron exchanged a glance. They had been waiting for half an hour now and again all they got was small talk. Dumbledore seemed less inclined to tell them anything today than he had been last night. Dinner had been pleasant, but the feeling that something was wrong got worse as the evening went along. They had talked about god and the world, but not what was obviously weighting on Albus so much. Now they were having breakfast together and the headmaster had gone through all the gossip of the whole last school year already. Entertaining as it was, Hermione felt that there was something big underneath it. “No thanks, Albus, I can’t possibly eat any more,” Hermione said in answer to his offer of yet another bread roll. What is he waiting for? “Albus, you said that Severus is the reason we are here?”
“Yes, yes indeed,” Albus answered and put down his cup of tea. “Would you like another cup, Ronald?”
Ron quickly put his hand over his cup in a warding gesture, “Thanks, Albus, I'm fine. About Severus-”
The sudden grumbling of stone moving over stone shook Hermione out of her thoughts. The staircase was moving. Maybe now Ron and her would finally get to know what it was that had happened to Severus Snape.
“Stop it, impertinent brat.”
Hermione blinked. The words stood in stark contrast to the tone of voice, that was almost - warm? Then a slightly dishevelled Severus entered the headmaster's office followed by an equally tousled Harry, who was grinning in a goofy way Hermione hadn't seen on his face in quite some time.
“Sorry for being late, some trouble with the shower,” Harry announced loudly and sat down on a free chair. Without waiting for much of an invitation he made a grab for one of the bread rolls on Albus' desk and started munching while the headmaster poured the two newcomers a cup of tea each. “D'lici's,” Harry muttered around a full mouth.
“Good morning, Albus, how are you today?” Severus asked as he accepted his cup with a polite nod. He took a sip before he so much as acknowledged Hermione or Ron.
Albus looked at Severus in surprise. “Quite well, thank you, Severus.” Albus's eyes twinkled suspiciously, but he didn't say any more.
“So,” he finally said and cleared his throat. “Have you told them yet?”
“I was waiting for your presence, dear boy,” Albus answered, a dangerous glinting in his eyes. “After the last time we talked I had the distinct feeling you would want to be present.”
Unable to keep quiet any longer Hermione's eyes moved between Albus and Severus as she asked, “Told us what?” She had always hated not knowing, had always detested her horrible lack of knowledge about the Wizarding word. Her reading everything she got her hands on had been her way of making up for that dreadful ignorance. She absolutely hated secrecy.
“Yeah, told us what?” Ron echoed her words, his voice far less demanding, more filled with terror. Maybe Hermione wasn't the only one with a bad feeling.
Harry swallowed hastily, washing down his bread roll with his tea, looking at Severus as if asking for ... something. It was most puzzling.
“I'm dying.”
Stunned into speechlessness Hermione opened her mouth to say something. Anything. But nothing wanted to come out. She sat there, gaping at Severus Snape as if he had grown a second head until finally her brain started working again. “What? How?” Well done, Hermione. How very eloquent, she thought bitterly to herself at her inadequacy. No wonder Albus had not mentioned anything during dinner the night before. Severus Snape is dying, she thought to herself unbelieving. How could that be possible? Her eyes went to Ron, who was staring at Severus as if the same thoughts went through his head. “I mean - what happened?”
“I rendered you speechless, Miss Granger? I ought to mark today in my calender,” Severus said, but it was more an expression of his amusement than an attempt of hurting her. “As it happens I'm experiencing some problems with the Mindguard spell I'm under.”
This wasn't good. It couldn't actually get any worse. Mindguard. What a stupid thing to do. Nevermind the reasons, nevermind what was going on. To perform the Mindguard ritual with anyone was not a good idea. Jumping off the Astronomy tower was a better idea. “What were you thinking when you consented to that, Severus? Of all the stupid things you always accused your students of doing...” She paused for a moment to find the right words to voice her thoughts. “How could you do something so incredibly moronic?” Only after she had said it Hermione realised who she had been talking to. Before she knew it she felt like a 1st year again, waiting breathlessly for the inevitable ”50 points from Gryffindor for terminal stupidity”.
When Severus finally answered the rage she had been prepared for wasn't there. Instead he seemed to be amused. “Interesting. I wouldn't have thought a Gryffindor would be able to see the inherent core of my problem quite that accurately.”
“I've heard of the Mindguard ritual, but why you did it really is beside the point. The war is over, why don't you break the bond, go through the Closing ritual and be done with it? Voldemort isn't a problem anymore, hasn't been for a while. There is no need to hide your memories like that,” she demanded. What was so important about Severus' memories that they couldn't break that damnable Mindguard bond? “That'd solve all your problems in not even the half-hour it would take to go through that and-”
“That would be quite a feat, Miss Granger. First, I would have to raise my Guardian from the dead. I'm not quite sure how that would influence the Closing. Do you?” Severus interrupted her with a sharp voice.
She frowned, “Who was it?”
There was silence. Severus wasn't even looking at her anymore, his eyes riveted onto the bottom of his tea cup as if it was the most fascinating thing he had seen in a long time.
“James Potter,” Albus finally said, his voice grave.
“WHAT?” Ron's roar and the breaking of the good porcelain tea-cup from his direction was a far more adequate response to the bomb-shell Albus had just dropped on them than Hermione's shocked stare.
What the-. That's impossible, Hermione thought dazed. James Potter and Severus Snape had loathed each other in school. An intimate ritual like the Mindguard could not be performed by mortal enemies. They'd sooner kill each other before the first chant was said than form a viable bond. “James Potter?” She couldn't stop herself from repeating the name out loud.
“That's impossible,” Ron said, glaring accusingly at Severus. “You're lying! You hated his guts, how the hell is that supposed to work?” He suddenly jumped up. “Harry's dad has been dead for over 20 years. Did you summon his ghost for the ritual?”
James Potter .... Hermione repeated to herself. Only then did Ron's last accusation penetrate the haze of confusion. “Don't be an idiot, Ron,” she reprimanded. “You know as well as I do that the Mindguard ritual needs a living wizard as the Guardian. Besides, it takes more than just one wizard to tear the veil and recall someone who has been there so long.” Then suddenly it hit her, “James Potter is still alive? We are talking about Harry's father, aren't we?”
Severus got up, looming over Hermione like he had done so often when she had still been in school, “You idiotic twit. If James was still alive we would have broken the Mindguard bond years ago.”
“You've been under the Mindguard spell for more than 20 years?” Hermione managed to ask with an unsteady voice. “That's impossible. It's unthinkable that a Guarded can survive the death of the Guardian, nevermind the length of time!”
Looking at Hermione and Ron in disgust Severus suddenly turned away. “As it is your fault that I'm being bombarded by questions, Potter, I suggest you take your little friends upstairs and explain everything to them. In detail.” With a small nod to Harry and a near bow to Albus he left the office with long strides.
“What the hell is going on, Harry,” Ron burst out, demanding answers. “That can't be real, you guys are pulling our legs, aren't you? It's a prank, a joke. Please, Harry, tell us this is a joke. Lie to us if you have to.”
Harry sighed and rose. “Come on. I'll explain everything while Albus gets some rest.” It didn't escape either of them that he Harry had not answered a single of Ron's questions.
“I'm quite fine, Harry,” Albus interjected albeit a bit hesitant.
“You need rest. We all do. Why don't you go and get a few winks while we go through the important information? It's Saturday morning, Minerva has the children well under control and you look like hell.”
They looked at each other for a moment before Albus sighed and rose, “Some rest would not go amiss. Thank you, Harry.”
Hermione staggered after Harry with Ron at her elbow. “I'm fine, Ronald,” she hissed when he cast his third nervous glance at her as if she would break down any second. “Look where you're going instead.” More steady she nearly ran until she was at Harry's left, while Ron closed in on his right, “There is something else, isn't there?”
Harry grimaced, pain obvious on his face, “Yeah, there is more. You won't like it very much either.”
With a sudden start she realised that Harry didn't want to tell them. He grimaced at the thought of doing so and Hermione's heart dropped into the vicinity of the cold knot in her stomach. Today is a day for bad news it seems, Hermione thought, steeling herself for the rest. With the track record they had going it could only get worse.
“You see ... it has a lot to do with my parents. My real parents. But I'd rather not talk about that in the corridor,” he muttered as he lead them towards his quarters.
***
Hermione sat in the armchair by the fireplace as she watched Ron pacing their room. She was only half listening to his voice as he ranted.
“You-know-who ... his father. I mean. Voldemort! That's impossible. Everyone keeps telling Harry how he has his mother's eyes, I mean, how is that possible? It was just one encounter.”
“It was rape, Ron,” Hermione interrupted, unable to allow that to simply pass.
Ron didn't even falter in his steps as he turned around, robe billowing around him impressively. “Whatever. You know how hard it is for wizards to get pregnant? Or witches for that matter.”
Trust Ron to latch onto the most important issue at hand. “Ron, leave it. You know as well as I do that there is that possibility. Harry is a Parselmouth and while both James and Lily are said to be very powerful they were nothing compared to the Dark Lord. It all makes sense in a really twisted way. Poor Harry, he must be terrified at the thought.” Turning her mind from the past and onto the future she suddenly was afraid of something entirely else. “Shouldn't we be worrying about Severus right now?”
“I can't believe the greasy git is dying. Mindguard ... I mean, Mindguard! Impossible that he's not bonkers yet. I always told you he's stark raving mad,” Ron exclaimed while his long steps led him back and forth between the door and the window dominating their living room. Sometimes it was so easy to change the subject with Ron.
Hermione barely heard him anymore, her mind already busy going through the information Harry had divulged. “Ron, love, if you don't sit down I'll use a full body bind on you and put you to bed,” she said mildly, but with such force behind her words that Ron dropped on the couch instantly, glaring at her in a way that told her he wouldn't forget that easily. “I think instead of raving on about him being mad, we should try and focus on why he isn't. Because really, Severus Snape wasn't mad while we were in school. He was not nice, but he wasn't crazy.”
Ron just glared at her, then his expression became pensive, “Yeah, it's weird. He should be dead by now. 23 years with the Mindguard spell on him should have - realistically - killed him a long time ago. Especially with his Guardian dead for so long.”
Nodding at that, Hermione tried to think of an explanation - any explanation - as to why Severus Snape was still alive. It was a minor miracle and the scholar inside of her was intrigued at the puzzle she had in front of her. She needed to sit down with Harry and Albus, after they got some much needed rest, to get all the details from them. After all they had spent weeks researching the problem already and it would be a waste for her to look through the same books again. “I'm not familiar enough with the subject, yet, but there must be a reason for this seemingly sudden breakdown. Magical laws don’t just apply to some and not to others. If the Mindguard spell is unstable and the illness goes a certain way then that’s what should happen. You know as well as I do that exceptions for the length of time as in this case are quite impossible. So what is different here?”
“You think there were changes made to the ritual?” Ron asked puzzled. “Wouldn’t that be just that little bit dangerous?”
“I’m terrified at the mere thought,” Hermione muttered lowly. “But why would Lily and James take that awful risk? Considering James was pregnant by then, it could have backfired terribly.”
Ron swallowed convulsively, “They might have been scared. That plan of Snape's, now that's what I'd call moronic, tho.” A great deal of admiration swung in his voice and a touch of sadness that Hermione felt as well. They had both seen the memories, had both heard Harry's explanation and his desperation at what was happening.
“I hope Albus still remembers everything, I think the ritual was changed. Maybe just a bit, but that might be enough to make it more stable. That doesn't answer the question of why James would want the Mindguard to be as stable at that. It was just a temporary solution, wasn't it?”
Looking up at her Ron seemed just a little bit dazed, “I don't think so. From that last one, with Harry as a baby I got the feeling that it was more a long-term solution, that they were past the point of no return then. Severus must have been in Voldemort's Inner Circle by then, at least on the way to it. It would have been madness to turn back. Suicidal even.” He paused for a moment, frowning deeply at first, then looked at Hermione, deeply troubled. “I love Harry like a brother, you know? But I doubt I would have done that for him.”
***
Go to Chapter 12
Index
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