The Hepatic Hex

Chapter 8

Hermione was sitting in the Great Hall the next morning forcing herself to eat a decent breakfast knowing that her work today may prevent her from taking a break during the day. Around her, her fellow Gryffindors were discussing how they were going to fill in their day. Usually on a Saturday students would roam the grounds and head Hog Hogsmede for shopping and butterbeer, but because of the recent events no one was allowed out of the castle.

“Who is up for a wizards chess tournament then?” said Ron to the older students in their house.

All of the seventh years except for Hermione and most of the sixth years took him up on his suggestion and soon began a lively banter on wagering as Seamus Finnigan began taking bets on the winner of the competition. Naturally Ron was the favourite at unbackable odds.

Hermione sat quietly not taking notice of the conversation and Harry noticed her withdrawn mood.

“You okay ‘Mione?” said Harry quietly to her. She looked up at him and tried to force a smile onto her face.

“Yeah Harry I’m okay, just thinking.”

“Your always thinking ‘Mione. Are you going to join in the competition?” Harry said with enthusiasm trying to lift Hermione’s mood.

Hermione was unsure what she was going to say but was relieved inwardly when the Potions Master cleared his throat behind her. All of the Gryffindors looked up at Snape with fear in their faces while Hermione merely turned calmly to face him.

“Miss Granger” he started, “I trust you have not forgotten our… ‘appointment’ this morning after you have finished your breakfast. Please don’t dawdle, you wouldn’t want to make your situation worse by aggravating more me with your tardiness.” Before she could respond Snape turned and with his black robes billowing out behind him as was the Snape trademark and disappeared from the halls.

“Bloody hell Hermione.” said Ron. “How did you manage to get a detention on a Saturday with Snape?”

Hermione opened and closed her mouth a couple of times trying to come up with a decent lie when the fates once more smiled on her as a flurry of owls entered the hall with the morning mail and distracted everyone from her lack of response to Ron’s question.

A large black owl she recognized as belonging to her friend Artemis landed on her shoulder, after dropping the package it was carrying in front of her plate.

“Hello Aeon girl” Hermione said to the owl, which pecked her ear playfully before helping itself to the leftover bacon on her plate.

Hermione reached for the small package and removed the scrolled parchment attached to it.

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My dearest Hermione,

I was pleased to receive your last owl and have included shrunken copies of a few texts and research articles I found on the Internet. I hope that they help you with whatever you needm fom for. I must say it is a bit of a mystery as to why you need them at Hots, ts, but I suppose you will come around and tell me why eventually. You always do.

Anyway, so tell me how it goes with that Professor of yours you wrote to me about during the holidays. Have you made any headway? I wish you would tell me his name-but I suppose you have your reasons for remaining secretive. Speaking of Professors, one of mine disappeared a few days ago and hasn’t been seen. You know the bizarre anatomy and physiology lecturer I told you about?

I hope things are well Hermoine and I look forward to your next owl. Stay safe.

Love

Artemis.
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Hermione blushed at the content of her friend’s letter and stuffed it ungracefully into one of her inner robe pockets. Taking out her wand she said ‘Engorgio’ and the texts that Artemis sent her swelled to their normal size.

Hermione sent Aeon on her way and discretely picked up the tomes she was sent. She was gratefully able to slip from the Great Hall unnoticed, as her fellow students were all still engrossed in the piles of mail they had received.

Five minutes later Hermione reached the door to Snape’s private lab and making sure no one was watching or listening mumbled the password and walked inside.


“Good morning Professor Snape.” Hermione said as she moved to put her books on the counter opposite the one Snape was working at. He was staring intently at the cauldrons in front of him but made no move to recognize her presence and so after a couple of minutes she tried to gain his attention again.

“Thank you for rescuing my from an awkward situation this morning at breakfast by implying that I was to serve detention with you. When Harry asked me if I was going to join in the wizarding chess tournament that Ron had arranged, I wost ost for an excuse to wriggle out of it. So thanks”

Snape sighed audibly and turned to face her. “Miss Granger if you have finished with your senseless prattle which, by the way has now given me the need to take a headache potion -a strong one I might add, then maybe you would like to step forward and tell me what the colors of the potions in these cauldrons tell you.”

‘Good job ‘Mione. You’ve been here 5 minutes and already you’ve pissed him off. That must be a record for even you.’ Hermione thought as she walked over to the cauldrons.

Hermione studied the cauldrons carefully, but in actual fact there was no need. If the tests had shown an abnormality within his blood, pertaining to his liver then they would have, like the Medi witches wand, turned green. Instead they were bright red indicating that the samples were normal and that no abnormality had been detected.

“I don’t understand sir.” Hermione started. “How could these tests show that your liver is functioning normally when we know for a fact that it isn’t.”

Snape stood motionless for some time and Hermione thought that he was once again ignoring her. He looked at her skeptically and sighed again before replying.

“I don’t know Miss Granger. For the first time in my life, I’ll admit I am in an absolute quandary as to what to do next,” Snape admitted almost reluctantly.

‘Crap this must be bad if he’s admitting this to me so soon’ Hermione thought. ‘Okay ‘Mione, what’s needed here is some serious Slytherin- like discretion. Change the subject.’

“Maybe sir we should go over the notes Madam Pomfrey gave us and the texts and articles Artemis sent me this morning. They may give us a clue to our next move.” Hermione offered.

“So you did in fact receive a reply from Miss De la Rosa. How is she doing may I ask?”

‘All right, more questions about Artemis. This is bizarre. I’ll have to owl her and ask her if she knows the reasons for his interest in her’ Hermione thought.

“Uhh…yes I received a reply and she sent these tomes for us tudy.udy. As for how she is, well she doesn’t understand why we need anatomy texts here, I have yet to inform her of the problem we are having. Besides that she said very little but did mention that one of her professors at university has disappeared. An anatomy and physiology lecturer she said.” Hermione blurted out

Snape’s only reply was a barely audible \'hummph\' as he motioned towards his sitting room and conjured up to cups and a pot of tea.

“So what can you tell me about the liver Miss Granger?” Snape asked.