Severus, Redux: Chapter Four
(In which Severus is told the truth about Lily and Sirius.)
Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, 20 May 1996, 1:40 AM
Professor Snape's expression was menacing. "Perhaps it hasn't got through to you yet, dunderhead, but I didn’t let Lily do anything. I had absolutely no input on any of her decisions following...that day."
"Really, Professor, it doesn't make any sense to call yourself a dunderhead," Professor Dumbledore objected benignly, and Severus shot him an irritated look.
Hermione’s lips twitched as she glanced from Severus’ to Professor Snape’s face, then twitched again. Her lips compressed as she clearly tried to keep a straight face, and failed miserably. Severus felt his own expression grow darker.
Instead of being properly intimidated and backing off, the girl broke into suppressed laughter. No different from any other Gryffindor, then. Perhaps the need to mock one Severus Snape was programmed into all of them at their sorting.
"I...huh...huhm...sorry!" Hermione tried to gasp out the apology. "You just look so perfectly alike and synchronised. Your expressions..." she took another gasping breath. "It's just funny."
"I told you," Professor Snape looked at his younger self with an aggrieved expression. "the most insufferable, annoying creature-"
"Yes, well. Now that the subject of Lily Evans has been brought up," Dumbledore interrupted, his expression serious, and twinkle-free, "there is something you should know about the matter." He directed the comment at Severus, an edge of pity in his expression. Severus hated pity. More than he hated mockery or cruelty. Hermione abruptly cut off her giggling, her expression an odd mix of curious and stricken.
Professor Snape abortively shook his head. "Headmaster,"
"Professor." Dumbledore levelled the Professor with a hard look. "Would you rather he heard it from somebody else?"
"Heard what?" Severus was more than a little concerned by the heaviness the conversation had turned, though he was fairly certain he was hiding it well. "It can't really be worse than Lily marrying the Arse can it?"
"Severus," The headmaster said gently, "about three months after you graduated Hogwarts, in 1979, Lord Voldemort declared open war on the impure blooded. A lot of very terrible things happened, and many people were killed. Lily Evans-Potter by then-was part of the resistance movement, as was her husband and several of their friends. In 1981, a spy in the resistance's ranks turned over the Secret Keeper's pass-key to Lord Voldemort for Potter Place. That very night both James and Lily Potter were murdered by the Dark Lord. Their son, Harry, survived by the skin of his teeth, and only because of some complicated blood magic. I'm sorry, my boy."
Severus had felt his blood draining and going cold in turn as the Headmaster had spoken; by the time he had finished he felt light headed. Then enraged. He turned on himself and shouted.
"YOU! You were supposed to protect her! He was going to let you! I saw it! She was supposed to be yours! What did you do to change it?"
"'Saw it,' Severus?" Dumbledore looked mystified as he glanced at the older Severus, slipping into calling him by his first name by long habit.
Professor Snape's face was stone. "The Mirror of Erised, sir."
"Ah, I see." The headmaster's face was contemplative, and sad. "That's why you were so certain-"
"Yes." The professor's voice was clipped.
Hermione's eyes were wide. Clearly she had been just overloaded with a surplus of unexpected information, even for her. "The mirror...Harry told me that it…" She glanced at Severus, clearly incredulous, then her gaze flew to her professor. "You fancied Harry's mum?"
Tears were beginning to leak down Severus' face, and he angrily swiped at his cheeks, hating them. "Will someone please explain? How did this happen!"
"The mirror doesn't tell the future." Professor Snape ground out. "It never did. It tells you what you wish the future would be." His face was stone.
"But...Lily..."
"Is dead." The Professor said harshly. "She was never your friend again. She married Potter, had his brat, and then died for it."
"I...I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt..." Hermione's voice trailed off as both men glared at her. "I didn't mean to compare myself--"
"There is no comparison. There never could be." Severus lashed out scornfully, cruelly. The Professor’s mouth twisted in an odd grimace.
Hermione bit her lip.
"Anything else I should know about?" Severus glared at the Professor.
"Be glad you haven't taken the Dark Mark, yet." He responded quietly. "I did, and now must play a cat and mouse game with one of the greatest legilimens of all time; secretly doing everything in my power to bring him down. I've been tortured, watched the only men who've ever supported me be tortured, and we have all kissed his hem and thanked him for it afterward."
"Rosier? Mulciber? Avery?"
"Death Eaters, all, and more than a little insane. I would not call them my friends, now."
Severus hesitated. "Giselle?" She had been so sweet. An anomaly in Slytherin House, prone to day dreams and flowery verse. More than once he had wondered why she had been sorted there.
Professor Snape's face was expressionless. "She married beneath her father's standards, was disowned, and eventually died when a spell of her own design backfired on her."
"Oh!" An expression of realisation dawned across Hermione's face.
Both Severus Snapes ignored her, focusing on each other.
"You said you are a member of Lord-'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's'-council. Is Lucius there, too?"
Professor Snape scoffed. "Indeed. Lucius is a pretty, deep-pocketed supporter that the Dark Lord likes to keep in his entourage, and has more or less bought his place at the table. He has no more influence than the rest of us, if that's what you are asking." The professor's face twisted into an ugly grimace. "It is ironic that of all his loyal Death Eaters, the five that remain his closest and most trusted are three friends from his own days at Hogwarts-Nott, Dolohov, and Rosier senior, and then his two oddities. The only woman allowed the Dark Mark, and the only half-blood."
"You say he murdered Lily." It was a statement, cold and hard.
"Yes."
"After promising to spare her, he killed her. Now you're attempting to kill him."
"Yes."
"Why don't you just...do it? Poison him, Avada Kedavra, hell, stick a knife in him."
The headmaster answered his question instead. "It's more complicated than that, I'm afraid. He has expended a lot of effort in making himself near-invincible. I doubt any of those methods would work, and it would only compromise the Professor's delicate position."
"But you do know a way." Severus levelled the answer at the elderly wizard.
"Yes, I do believe so. It will be far from easy."
Severus nodded shortly. "I want to help."
Professor Snape's expression didn't change; he had already known the verdict. Hermione's expression, however, seemed to ease, and the Headmaster positively beamed. "Excellent! You'll start school next term, then, as planned. You'll have to think of a fitting first name for yourself."
"Fitting?" Hermione's brows furrowed, her gaze flitting from the Professor to the Headmaster and back in confusion.
"Oh, yes, of course. Naming among pure-blood families is a very serious matter, most of the prominent families have their own traditions. The Malfoys tend to choose Roman names, the Blacks are fae-blooded, and tend to choose astronomical ones. Young Narcissa is the notable exception, of course, I've always found that a bit odd, haven't you, Professor Snape? All that blond hair...yes, well."
The dark man snorted in amusement, and the headmaster continued as if he hadn't just cast doubt on the woman's parentage. "The Weasleys name their children after either kings or Arthurian characters. The Prince family," Dumbledore nodded to the Professor, "always found their names among characteristics they admired. For instance, Severity. His mother was Eileen for her mother's side, the Macnairs, who stick to traditional Scottish and Irish names, but her middle name, as I recall correctly, was Honour." He looked to Severus for confirmation, who nodded.
"Severus would best be served by a Prince name, I think, since he generally prefers to capitalise on that connection. Something to think about in the next week." Professor Dumbledore switched topics abruptly, his easy manner suddenly disappearing under a very grave expression. "Miss Granger, you mentioned that Harry has been receiving dreams about the Department of Mysteries?"
His older self shot the headmaster a look that Severus couldn’t decipher.
"Yes sir." Hermione outlined what sounded like a fairly mundane dream about a doorway at the end of a hall to the Headmaster; it didn't sound particularly ominous, but the Headmaster treated it as if it were an incredibly serious matter, questioning the girl about minutiae.
She finished in a small voice. "Sir, do you think you will be returning to the school, soon? I only ask because that woman is torturing students. She's been making Harry write lines with a Blood Quill all year, and several of the DA members that she caught when you left. She's authorised Filch to use corporal, as well. Sir, it's getting bad."
Severus had shot back to paying attention when she had mentioned a Blood Quill. Those were typically considered Dark objects, not sanctioned by the Ministry. Of course, not all blood-oaths or blood-magic was dark, but still, if a teacher at Hogwarts was using one on children then the world he had entered was clearly a very different one than he had left.
The Headmaster shot Professor Snape a look that clearly said, Did you know about that?
The Professor shook his head minutely, but added "She did authorise corporal, and has been demanding Veritaserum from me for student interrogations. I was not aware of the Blood Quill."
The Headmaster looked slightly shaken for a moment before realising two of his students were still in front of him. He recovered his composure quickly, and turned back to Hermione. "Soon, I believe, Miss Granger. Very soon now, I think. I would not abandon my charges, I promise."
The girl looked visibly relieved. "Thank you, sir. That's good." The girl shot a sideways glance at Severus, and tentatively continued, "Sir, you mentioned that he was going to be staying here for the next week or so, and through the summer?"
The Headmaster inclined his head.
"I really don't know that that's prudent, sir, considering..."
The Headmaster seemed to know what she was referring to. "Quite right, Miss Granger, but they will just have to deal with it, and be adult about the situation."
Hermione looked doubtful, but all she said was, "Yes, sir. Does he know yet? Where is he?"
"Out taking in some air with Witherwings." Dumbledore’s mouth firmed minutely; Severus could see the faint sign of displeasure. "Against my better judgment."
Neither had yet mentioned the mysterious other person by name yet, and Severus was about ready to hex one of them any minute if someone didn't fill him in. His older self seemed to understand and explained to him softly.
"This safe house...it is ancient town home of the Black family."
Severus felt a sound that sounded remarkably like a menacing growl rise in his throat. "You mean the other Arse."
Professor Snape nodded once, shortly. "Just so."
Severus shook his head. "No. No, I won't do it! I don't care if I have to sleep on the street. I am not going to sleep under the same roof as that wanker."
"If it keeps you safe, though…" Hermione started, then bit her lip when both Severus Snapes turned their glares on her.
After he seemed assured of her silence, the Professor turned back to the Headmaster. "Sir, there are plenty of unused chambers at Hogwarts. If I might suggest…"
The Headmaster was frowning. "I do not think it’s a good idea Professor. There are many eyes at Hogwarts, and not all of them are loyal to our cause. All it would take is the wrong person or portrait to recognise him."
"It might be best if you want any sense of peace here." Professor Snape drawled. "After all, he's sixteen, and Black certainly hasn't matured at all. I'm certain I was intelligent enough at sixteen to know how to keep myself hidden for a mere week and a half."
Severus felt himself nodding in agreement, desperately hoping that his older self would persuade the Headmaster to not keep him in the same house as the Arse.
Dumbledore did not look happy. "You truly believe then, that he should not be staying here, Professor? Is it really worth the risk?"
"As much as I would love to inflict my sixteen-year-old self on that animal, if you think Black is at all a worthy addition to the cause, it is probably better if my idiot self doesn't stay here." Professor Snape answered, sneering.
"Perhaps one of the spare staff rooms?" Hermione murmured, apparently lost in thought, one finger fiddling with a frizzy curl. "I'm certain Winky would particularly benefit from the prospect of having a secret and important responsibility only for her."
The Headmaster was smiling broadly. "An excellent notion, Miss Granger. I confess, I would be more comfortable if Severus stayed with the Professor, however."
Severus eyed himself dubiously. "I beg your pardon, sir, but I don't think-" came tumbling out of him over the top of "I'm not sharing my quarters with a student just because it's myself-!" Both cut off abruptly with identical looks of horror, and Hermione appeared to be fighting laughter again.
"Your pet fugitive is due back at any moment," Professor Snape asserted, his voice cold. "I think it is best if we left, now."
"Indeed." Dumbledore inclined his head. "You will be taking Severus by Side-Along, I imagine? Whereas Miss Granger, I believe, can get herself back admirably by herself." His eyes twinkled.
Hermione flushed and glanced at the floor. "Yes sir."
"I find it very odd that no alert has gone up concerning underage Apparition." He continued. "Usually the Trace would have alerted the Ministry by now."
To Severus' interest, the red tint on her cheeks grew brighter. He would never be interested in anyone who wasn't Lily, of course, even if she was lost to him, but the colour in her cheeks turned her relatively plain features into something almost...pretty.
She seemed to understand some unspoken message from the Headmaster and shrugged awkwardly. "There was a lot to do, sir."
Dumbledore chuckled. "Quite. Perhaps it was for the best that you gave it up after all. Off you go then."
Confused, Severus followed the furiously red-cheeked girl and his older self down the stairs to the ground floor of the house, only vaguely hearing the Professor muttering darkly under his breath about insufferable swotty Gryffindors.
In the oddly warm air outside the house, Severus looked to the girl for an explanation. "He said you were underage, but that you could Apparate, and that the Trace didn't seem to apply to you." He waited for an explanation, and got a raised brow instead.
"So he did."
"So?"
"So, what?"
"How old are you?"
She looked amused. "It's complicated."
"Your birthday is complicated?" Severus gave her an unfriendly look.
She, irritatingly, lifted a shoulder in a blasé half shrug. "Well, sure. Isn't yours?"
There was, Severus mused, as the Professor roughly grabbed his arm and Apparated them back to Hogwarts, really nothing he could say to that.
A/N: Thank you all so much for reading, and especially to those wonderful readers who have also reviewed! I really do appreciate both the con-crit and the support and encouragement I've gotten! You have all been so amazing! Also, please say halloo to the newest person to join my Beta team: Tom Without. She is super cool, and a great writer. If you're looking for a fun read, you should absolutely check her out!
I am not certain when the next chapter will be ready, as I've been rather frightfully busy lately and haven't started writing it (shame on me), but it will hopefully not be too much longer than seven to ten days. As always,
Keep the Candle Burning, -Tyche
Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter
Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, 20 May 1996, 1:40 AM
Professor Snape's expression was menacing. "Perhaps it hasn't got through to you yet, dunderhead, but I didn’t let Lily do anything. I had absolutely no input on any of her decisions following...that day."
"Really, Professor, it doesn't make any sense to call yourself a dunderhead," Professor Dumbledore objected benignly, and Severus shot him an irritated look.
Hermione’s lips twitched as she glanced from Severus’ to Professor Snape’s face, then twitched again. Her lips compressed as she clearly tried to keep a straight face, and failed miserably. Severus felt his own expression grow darker.
Instead of being properly intimidated and backing off, the girl broke into suppressed laughter. No different from any other Gryffindor, then. Perhaps the need to mock one Severus Snape was programmed into all of them at their sorting.
"I...huh...huhm...sorry!" Hermione tried to gasp out the apology. "You just look so perfectly alike and synchronised. Your expressions..." she took another gasping breath. "It's just funny."
"I told you," Professor Snape looked at his younger self with an aggrieved expression. "the most insufferable, annoying creature-"
"Yes, well. Now that the subject of Lily Evans has been brought up," Dumbledore interrupted, his expression serious, and twinkle-free, "there is something you should know about the matter." He directed the comment at Severus, an edge of pity in his expression. Severus hated pity. More than he hated mockery or cruelty. Hermione abruptly cut off her giggling, her expression an odd mix of curious and stricken.
Professor Snape abortively shook his head. "Headmaster,"
"Professor." Dumbledore levelled the Professor with a hard look. "Would you rather he heard it from somebody else?"
"Heard what?" Severus was more than a little concerned by the heaviness the conversation had turned, though he was fairly certain he was hiding it well. "It can't really be worse than Lily marrying the Arse can it?"
"Severus," The headmaster said gently, "about three months after you graduated Hogwarts, in 1979, Lord Voldemort declared open war on the impure blooded. A lot of very terrible things happened, and many people were killed. Lily Evans-Potter by then-was part of the resistance movement, as was her husband and several of their friends. In 1981, a spy in the resistance's ranks turned over the Secret Keeper's pass-key to Lord Voldemort for Potter Place. That very night both James and Lily Potter were murdered by the Dark Lord. Their son, Harry, survived by the skin of his teeth, and only because of some complicated blood magic. I'm sorry, my boy."
Severus had felt his blood draining and going cold in turn as the Headmaster had spoken; by the time he had finished he felt light headed. Then enraged. He turned on himself and shouted.
"YOU! You were supposed to protect her! He was going to let you! I saw it! She was supposed to be yours! What did you do to change it?"
"'Saw it,' Severus?" Dumbledore looked mystified as he glanced at the older Severus, slipping into calling him by his first name by long habit.
Professor Snape's face was stone. "The Mirror of Erised, sir."
"Ah, I see." The headmaster's face was contemplative, and sad. "That's why you were so certain-"
"Yes." The professor's voice was clipped.
Hermione's eyes were wide. Clearly she had been just overloaded with a surplus of unexpected information, even for her. "The mirror...Harry told me that it…" She glanced at Severus, clearly incredulous, then her gaze flew to her professor. "You fancied Harry's mum?"
Tears were beginning to leak down Severus' face, and he angrily swiped at his cheeks, hating them. "Will someone please explain? How did this happen!"
"The mirror doesn't tell the future." Professor Snape ground out. "It never did. It tells you what you wish the future would be." His face was stone.
"But...Lily..."
"Is dead." The Professor said harshly. "She was never your friend again. She married Potter, had his brat, and then died for it."
"I...I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt..." Hermione's voice trailed off as both men glared at her. "I didn't mean to compare myself--"
"There is no comparison. There never could be." Severus lashed out scornfully, cruelly. The Professor’s mouth twisted in an odd grimace.
Hermione bit her lip.
"Anything else I should know about?" Severus glared at the Professor.
"Be glad you haven't taken the Dark Mark, yet." He responded quietly. "I did, and now must play a cat and mouse game with one of the greatest legilimens of all time; secretly doing everything in my power to bring him down. I've been tortured, watched the only men who've ever supported me be tortured, and we have all kissed his hem and thanked him for it afterward."
"Rosier? Mulciber? Avery?"
"Death Eaters, all, and more than a little insane. I would not call them my friends, now."
Severus hesitated. "Giselle?" She had been so sweet. An anomaly in Slytherin House, prone to day dreams and flowery verse. More than once he had wondered why she had been sorted there.
Professor Snape's face was expressionless. "She married beneath her father's standards, was disowned, and eventually died when a spell of her own design backfired on her."
"Oh!" An expression of realisation dawned across Hermione's face.
Both Severus Snapes ignored her, focusing on each other.
"You said you are a member of Lord-'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's'-council. Is Lucius there, too?"
Professor Snape scoffed. "Indeed. Lucius is a pretty, deep-pocketed supporter that the Dark Lord likes to keep in his entourage, and has more or less bought his place at the table. He has no more influence than the rest of us, if that's what you are asking." The professor's face twisted into an ugly grimace. "It is ironic that of all his loyal Death Eaters, the five that remain his closest and most trusted are three friends from his own days at Hogwarts-Nott, Dolohov, and Rosier senior, and then his two oddities. The only woman allowed the Dark Mark, and the only half-blood."
"You say he murdered Lily." It was a statement, cold and hard.
"Yes."
"After promising to spare her, he killed her. Now you're attempting to kill him."
"Yes."
"Why don't you just...do it? Poison him, Avada Kedavra, hell, stick a knife in him."
The headmaster answered his question instead. "It's more complicated than that, I'm afraid. He has expended a lot of effort in making himself near-invincible. I doubt any of those methods would work, and it would only compromise the Professor's delicate position."
"But you do know a way." Severus levelled the answer at the elderly wizard.
"Yes, I do believe so. It will be far from easy."
Severus nodded shortly. "I want to help."
Professor Snape's expression didn't change; he had already known the verdict. Hermione's expression, however, seemed to ease, and the Headmaster positively beamed. "Excellent! You'll start school next term, then, as planned. You'll have to think of a fitting first name for yourself."
"Fitting?" Hermione's brows furrowed, her gaze flitting from the Professor to the Headmaster and back in confusion.
"Oh, yes, of course. Naming among pure-blood families is a very serious matter, most of the prominent families have their own traditions. The Malfoys tend to choose Roman names, the Blacks are fae-blooded, and tend to choose astronomical ones. Young Narcissa is the notable exception, of course, I've always found that a bit odd, haven't you, Professor Snape? All that blond hair...yes, well."
The dark man snorted in amusement, and the headmaster continued as if he hadn't just cast doubt on the woman's parentage. "The Weasleys name their children after either kings or Arthurian characters. The Prince family," Dumbledore nodded to the Professor, "always found their names among characteristics they admired. For instance, Severity. His mother was Eileen for her mother's side, the Macnairs, who stick to traditional Scottish and Irish names, but her middle name, as I recall correctly, was Honour." He looked to Severus for confirmation, who nodded.
"Severus would best be served by a Prince name, I think, since he generally prefers to capitalise on that connection. Something to think about in the next week." Professor Dumbledore switched topics abruptly, his easy manner suddenly disappearing under a very grave expression. "Miss Granger, you mentioned that Harry has been receiving dreams about the Department of Mysteries?"
His older self shot the headmaster a look that Severus couldn’t decipher.
"Yes sir." Hermione outlined what sounded like a fairly mundane dream about a doorway at the end of a hall to the Headmaster; it didn't sound particularly ominous, but the Headmaster treated it as if it were an incredibly serious matter, questioning the girl about minutiae.
She finished in a small voice. "Sir, do you think you will be returning to the school, soon? I only ask because that woman is torturing students. She's been making Harry write lines with a Blood Quill all year, and several of the DA members that she caught when you left. She's authorised Filch to use corporal, as well. Sir, it's getting bad."
Severus had shot back to paying attention when she had mentioned a Blood Quill. Those were typically considered Dark objects, not sanctioned by the Ministry. Of course, not all blood-oaths or blood-magic was dark, but still, if a teacher at Hogwarts was using one on children then the world he had entered was clearly a very different one than he had left.
The Headmaster shot Professor Snape a look that clearly said, Did you know about that?
The Professor shook his head minutely, but added "She did authorise corporal, and has been demanding Veritaserum from me for student interrogations. I was not aware of the Blood Quill."
The Headmaster looked slightly shaken for a moment before realising two of his students were still in front of him. He recovered his composure quickly, and turned back to Hermione. "Soon, I believe, Miss Granger. Very soon now, I think. I would not abandon my charges, I promise."
The girl looked visibly relieved. "Thank you, sir. That's good." The girl shot a sideways glance at Severus, and tentatively continued, "Sir, you mentioned that he was going to be staying here for the next week or so, and through the summer?"
The Headmaster inclined his head.
"I really don't know that that's prudent, sir, considering..."
The Headmaster seemed to know what she was referring to. "Quite right, Miss Granger, but they will just have to deal with it, and be adult about the situation."
Hermione looked doubtful, but all she said was, "Yes, sir. Does he know yet? Where is he?"
"Out taking in some air with Witherwings." Dumbledore’s mouth firmed minutely; Severus could see the faint sign of displeasure. "Against my better judgment."
Neither had yet mentioned the mysterious other person by name yet, and Severus was about ready to hex one of them any minute if someone didn't fill him in. His older self seemed to understand and explained to him softly.
"This safe house...it is ancient town home of the Black family."
Severus felt a sound that sounded remarkably like a menacing growl rise in his throat. "You mean the other Arse."
Professor Snape nodded once, shortly. "Just so."
Severus shook his head. "No. No, I won't do it! I don't care if I have to sleep on the street. I am not going to sleep under the same roof as that wanker."
"If it keeps you safe, though…" Hermione started, then bit her lip when both Severus Snapes turned their glares on her.
After he seemed assured of her silence, the Professor turned back to the Headmaster. "Sir, there are plenty of unused chambers at Hogwarts. If I might suggest…"
The Headmaster was frowning. "I do not think it’s a good idea Professor. There are many eyes at Hogwarts, and not all of them are loyal to our cause. All it would take is the wrong person or portrait to recognise him."
"It might be best if you want any sense of peace here." Professor Snape drawled. "After all, he's sixteen, and Black certainly hasn't matured at all. I'm certain I was intelligent enough at sixteen to know how to keep myself hidden for a mere week and a half."
Severus felt himself nodding in agreement, desperately hoping that his older self would persuade the Headmaster to not keep him in the same house as the Arse.
Dumbledore did not look happy. "You truly believe then, that he should not be staying here, Professor? Is it really worth the risk?"
"As much as I would love to inflict my sixteen-year-old self on that animal, if you think Black is at all a worthy addition to the cause, it is probably better if my idiot self doesn't stay here." Professor Snape answered, sneering.
"Perhaps one of the spare staff rooms?" Hermione murmured, apparently lost in thought, one finger fiddling with a frizzy curl. "I'm certain Winky would particularly benefit from the prospect of having a secret and important responsibility only for her."
The Headmaster was smiling broadly. "An excellent notion, Miss Granger. I confess, I would be more comfortable if Severus stayed with the Professor, however."
Severus eyed himself dubiously. "I beg your pardon, sir, but I don't think-" came tumbling out of him over the top of "I'm not sharing my quarters with a student just because it's myself-!" Both cut off abruptly with identical looks of horror, and Hermione appeared to be fighting laughter again.
"Your pet fugitive is due back at any moment," Professor Snape asserted, his voice cold. "I think it is best if we left, now."
"Indeed." Dumbledore inclined his head. "You will be taking Severus by Side-Along, I imagine? Whereas Miss Granger, I believe, can get herself back admirably by herself." His eyes twinkled.
Hermione flushed and glanced at the floor. "Yes sir."
"I find it very odd that no alert has gone up concerning underage Apparition." He continued. "Usually the Trace would have alerted the Ministry by now."
To Severus' interest, the red tint on her cheeks grew brighter. He would never be interested in anyone who wasn't Lily, of course, even if she was lost to him, but the colour in her cheeks turned her relatively plain features into something almost...pretty.
She seemed to understand some unspoken message from the Headmaster and shrugged awkwardly. "There was a lot to do, sir."
Dumbledore chuckled. "Quite. Perhaps it was for the best that you gave it up after all. Off you go then."
Confused, Severus followed the furiously red-cheeked girl and his older self down the stairs to the ground floor of the house, only vaguely hearing the Professor muttering darkly under his breath about insufferable swotty Gryffindors.
In the oddly warm air outside the house, Severus looked to the girl for an explanation. "He said you were underage, but that you could Apparate, and that the Trace didn't seem to apply to you." He waited for an explanation, and got a raised brow instead.
"So he did."
"So?"
"So, what?"
"How old are you?"
She looked amused. "It's complicated."
"Your birthday is complicated?" Severus gave her an unfriendly look.
She, irritatingly, lifted a shoulder in a blasé half shrug. "Well, sure. Isn't yours?"
There was, Severus mused, as the Professor roughly grabbed his arm and Apparated them back to Hogwarts, really nothing he could say to that.
A/N: Thank you all so much for reading, and especially to those wonderful readers who have also reviewed! I really do appreciate both the con-crit and the support and encouragement I've gotten! You have all been so amazing! Also, please say halloo to the newest person to join my Beta team: Tom Without. She is super cool, and a great writer. If you're looking for a fun read, you should absolutely check her out!
I am not certain when the next chapter will be ready, as I've been rather frightfully busy lately and haven't started writing it (shame on me), but it will hopefully not be too much longer than seven to ten days. As always,
Keep the Candle Burning, -Tyche
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