Triumph Out of the Bitter Taste of Ashes
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
34
Views:
6,790
Reviews:
244
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
34
Views:
6,790
Reviews:
244
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter Nine
AN: This story is neither espousing \'freedom of choice\' nor \'right to life\'. As an author, I am merely putting forth the most likely reactions of the characters I\'m attempting to recreate believably. The author\'s personal opinions on this very volatile matter will be kept to herself, as this forum is neither the time nor the place for it. Thank you for your cooperation. Kiri
Zephyr -- Thanks!
Farfie -- hehehehehe yeah, I kinda liked that image myself. ::snickers:: Got it in one!
Deb -- and you too are right. : ) and research continuing. I\'ve even started to run the numbers. If I ever finish them, I may put a link to them in the appropriate chapter. lol
AureliaFlint -- Thank you. : ) I prefer a slow build up with evidence showing how things came about. (well, not *toooo* slow LOL)
Shemham -- LOL Well, I did promise, didn\'t I? ::grin:: This chapter find out more about why.
SecretelySeverus -- ::grins widely:: This quick enough? Probably not, but, hope you enjoy ay. ay. lol
Rilla -- ::laugh:: Glad you\'re still enjoying the story.
**********
Chapter Nine
**********
Severus strode toward the front hall, irritated by the interruption. Saturdays were supposed to be his, barring the occasional patrol, student scuffle, or preplanned detention. Albus, however, having to leave on urgent business -- Severus suspected his absence was connected to the continuing search for the Granger girl -- had divided the headmaster\'s official duties between Minerva and himself. He\'d been the lucky one to get linked to the alarms placed on the school\'s entrances. At first, he\'d liked the idea. It was the one duty he\'d thought least likely to result in him running all over the castle. He\'d been wrong.
Albus had not been out of the castle proper for more than thirty minutes when the alarms signalling the arrival of non-hostile guests had gone off. No one but him, and presumably Minerva heard them. They were set up that way purposely, so as not to interrupt the daily schedule of the professors and students. Usually, Severus appreciated that fact. Right now, however, he hated it. Traveling from the dungeons to greet unwanted guests at the front door wasn\'t his idea of a pleasant stroll -- the castle was bloody huge!
He swept into the main hall at precisely the same moment as Minerva, he noticed. With a near snort of amusement, he realized they couldn\'t possibly have timed it better had they prepared before hand. From opposite directions they closed in on the two guests who, deep in quiet conversation, saw neither of them approach. Minerva only a moment before he, recognized one and froze.
\"Miss Granger?\" she breathed incredulously, raising a trembling hand to her mouth. It was clear she was hoping she wasn\'t merely hallucinating.
Eyes narrowing, Severus felt differently. This *student* had put her friends and a good many of her professors through hell. He, for one, wanted to know where the hell she\'d been.
\"Miss Granger!\" he snapped, striding toward her and the woman next to her. \"Kindly explain your extended absence!\"
Both women jumped, Granger, wide-eyed, ducked behind the older woman.
\"You know her?\" the stranger asked, her eyes flashing angrily, hands on hips, feet planted shoulder width apart.
\"Of course, I do,\" he snapped. \"Who are you?\"
\"Severus!\" Minerva exclaimed. \"Wait for an explanation before you go on a tear, please. There\'s quite likely an ana-ana--\"
\"There *always* is,\veruverus retorted angrily. **Everything for the precious Gryffindors, no sin too sinful to forgive, no crime too heinous to expiate.**
\"Please, don\'t fight,\" Miss Granger asked quietly, her subdued voice little more than a whisper. \"Could you please answer a question?\" she continued, directing the question toward Minerva; though, she darted a wary glance his way.
\"Of course, but you are going to have to tell us what kept you away.\"
Miss Granger nodded. \"What is my name? Did I attend school here, as Mrs. Annetti seems to think likely?\"
**What?!**
Beside him, Minerva seemed to wilt, her throat moving convulsively in a horrified swallow. \"You don\'t remember?\"
Miss Granger shook her head. \"No Ma\'am. I woke up in this woman\'s home -- Mrs. Annetti -- she nursed me back to health. I was very wounded you see. But in all that time, I\'ve never remembered one thing from before her home.\"
To say he was shocked would have been to state the bloody obvious. Of all the scenarios that had entered his mind, this had not even been close to one of them.
\"You\'re name is Hermione Granger, and yes, you *do* attend school here,\" Minerva offered shakily.
\"I\'m still a student then?\" Granger asked quietly, throwing a worried glance to her companion.
Severus frowned. Why would that concern her so much? What possible difference could it make? He remained silent, listening to the tale unfold.
Mrs. Annetti stepped closer to her patient, giving her a comfortsmilsmile before turning to face Minerva. She seemed to ignore him, which suited Severus just fine. \"She\'s been recuperating quite well in my family\'s home after we found her near to dead. I cast a very low level protection from location charm, to hide her from casual searches. I\'m all too aware of what kind of people would do such things to a young girl. It wasn\'t very strong, however, and easily chedched if anyone was interested enough to do an intensive location spell.
\"No one did, until last night. one one is looking for her, someone that found her. It wasn\'t until then that I managed to convince her to come to Hogwarts to seek aid. Even if no one knew her, the headmaster is well known for helping protect those in need.\"
Severus frowned, wondering if the spell was Albus\' doing, or whether someone else had cast it. \"Your family, are they still in your home?\" he asked. If it had been any of the remaining death-eaters -- though, he had no reason to believe it had been -- her family might be in danger.
\"Of course not,\" Mrs. Annetti replied immediately, \"they\'re visiting relatives until we can figure out whether friend or foe is on the hunt.\"
Severus nodded. \"It\'s possible it was the headmaster or his associates who cast the spell. Until recently Miss Granger was assumed to be deceased. New . . . information led us to reopen the search.\"
\"The headmaster is currently not in-residence, but he will be returning this evening,\" Minerva jumped in, stepping toward Miss Granger. \"Mrs. Annetti, you and your family are in our debt for helping Miss Granger. Please, consider yourself our guest, and tonight, when the headmaster returns you can speak with him directly regarding your concerns for you and your family\'s safety.\"
\"Hermione!\"
**Weasley!**
Severus turned slowly, and almost laughed as Draco ran directly into the frozen Weasley\'s back.
\"You\'re not supposed to be *easy* to catch, Weasley. You\'re supposed to--\" Draco taunted, his words cutting off mid-sentence. \"What are you talking about?\" he dded ded petulantly, scrambling quickly to his feet and immediately stepping around the still frozen in place red-head. It didn\'t take the boy long to figure out what had his companion so enthralled.
Severus smirked as the blond\'s jaw dropped. **Red and white bookends,** he thought with amusement. The abrupt shrill, ear-piercing scream that sounded behind him cut off all amusement. He spun around, instantly ready to face anything -- except what he faced. Miss Granger\'s startling scream cut off just as abruptly as it had began as she suddenly went limp and fell gracelessly.
He leapt forward, but Minerva and Mrs. Annetti, closer, reached her side before he did, both managing to catch her before she hit the stone floor.
With eyes spitting anger, Mrs. Annetti glared at him. \"Is it possible that either one of those boys is responsible for what happened to her,\" she demanded loudly, the venom in her voice promising dire circumstances if the answer was yes.
\"No,\" Severus hissed, quietly, reluctantly continuing when it appeared the dragon-like Mrs. Annetti just might question the boys to verify his answer. He reached out and grabbed her arm, forestalling her movement. Under his hand she stiffened, her glare deepening. \"But it is possible that someone *older*, that happens to look a lot *like* one of them is.\"
It took only a second for the woman\'s eyes to widen in understanding, then relax under his grip. He tentatively released her, hoping she really did understand what he\'d been hinting. He didn\'t want Draco Malfoy traumatised any more than he already was.
\"We need to get Miss Granger to the hospital wing,\" Minerva said firmly. Rising to her feet, she drew her wand.
\"No,\" Mrs. Annetti denied instantly, shielding Miss Granger. \"No magic.\"
\"Why on-- Oh!\" Minerva exclaimed, blanching.
Severus frowned, irritated with the delay. Why wouldn\'t-- His own thought processes caught up with Minerva\'s. **Bloody hell!** \"Why wasn\'t it aborted early on?\" he hissed quietly, angrier than he\'d ever expected to be on Miss Granger\'s behalf.
\"I\'m merely a hedge-witch. I do not have the ability to brew the potion required for that, and the only spells that might accomplish the same thing, wreck almost as much damage on the mother\'s body as it does to the embryo. What would have had me done, Sir, torture the girl?\"
\"Of course not!\" he snapped. Stepping forward he swept the unconscious student up into his arms and strode toward Madam Pomfrey.
Mrs. Annetti stuck close to his side.
**Joy,** he thought sourly.
\"You must also remember,\" the woman reminded him quietly, \"she hasmemomemory of what happened to her. Was I supposed to inform a critically wounded patient that not only was she was pregnant, but that a brutal rape was what made her that way?\"
Put that way, he had to admit the woman, confound her, was right. Even he knew that amnesia victims were supposed to recover their memories in their own time and at their own pace. Forcing the return of the memories most often led to disaster.
As he lay Miss Granger on a hospital bed, he mentally tallied up the time that had passed. She was a touch over 3 1/2 months along. He shook his head. He didn\'t know if he believed it would be better if Miss Granger didn\'t recover her memories soon or not. Not, certainly meant ng ang an easier time accepting the pregnancy. Recovering them meant either a very difficult abortion or a very traumatic pregnancy.
Neither were good choices, he thought as Madam Pomfrey hustled forward.
\"Oh my!\" the medi-witch exclaimed upon seeing her patient.
First, quickly outlining the problem to Poppy, Severus stepped aside to allow the medi-witch to tend Miss Granger.
\"Mrs. Annetti, the woman who has been caring for Miss Granger will be better able to give you any information you need,\" Severus said with a brief nod, heading out of the hospital without further adeu. Nothing against Poppy, but he *really* didn\'t like being in the hospital wing. He had spent far too much time there over the years.
Minerva stopped him as soon as he stepped outside its confines.
\"What, Minerva?\" he asked tiredly. It had already been a long day, and the day itself was less than half over.
\"Mr. Malfoy didn\'t take Miss Granger\'s reaction at all well. You may need to speak with him.\" Minerva paused, looking more hesitant than he\'d ever seen her.
\"Spit it out, Minerva,\" he said shortly. \"Whatever it is, isn\'t going to go away if you delay long enough.\"
\"Mr. Malfoy is a very intelligent young man. He\'s coned ted the clues and, I think, made certain . . . assumptions as to why she might have reacted that way to the sight of him.\"
\"Merlin\'s ghost!\" Severus exclaimed, then sighed in defeat. \"Very well. Do you know where he is?\"
TBC
Kiristeen
Feedback; craved and definitely inspirational. : )
Kiristeen@kiristeen.com
.
Zephyr -- Thanks!
Farfie -- hehehehehe yeah, I kinda liked that image myself. ::snickers:: Got it in one!
Deb -- and you too are right. : ) and research continuing. I\'ve even started to run the numbers. If I ever finish them, I may put a link to them in the appropriate chapter. lol
AureliaFlint -- Thank you. : ) I prefer a slow build up with evidence showing how things came about. (well, not *toooo* slow LOL)
Shemham -- LOL Well, I did promise, didn\'t I? ::grin:: This chapter find out more about why.
SecretelySeverus -- ::grins widely:: This quick enough? Probably not, but, hope you enjoy ay. ay. lol
Rilla -- ::laugh:: Glad you\'re still enjoying the story.
**********
Chapter Nine
**********
Severus strode toward the front hall, irritated by the interruption. Saturdays were supposed to be his, barring the occasional patrol, student scuffle, or preplanned detention. Albus, however, having to leave on urgent business -- Severus suspected his absence was connected to the continuing search for the Granger girl -- had divided the headmaster\'s official duties between Minerva and himself. He\'d been the lucky one to get linked to the alarms placed on the school\'s entrances. At first, he\'d liked the idea. It was the one duty he\'d thought least likely to result in him running all over the castle. He\'d been wrong.
Albus had not been out of the castle proper for more than thirty minutes when the alarms signalling the arrival of non-hostile guests had gone off. No one but him, and presumably Minerva heard them. They were set up that way purposely, so as not to interrupt the daily schedule of the professors and students. Usually, Severus appreciated that fact. Right now, however, he hated it. Traveling from the dungeons to greet unwanted guests at the front door wasn\'t his idea of a pleasant stroll -- the castle was bloody huge!
He swept into the main hall at precisely the same moment as Minerva, he noticed. With a near snort of amusement, he realized they couldn\'t possibly have timed it better had they prepared before hand. From opposite directions they closed in on the two guests who, deep in quiet conversation, saw neither of them approach. Minerva only a moment before he, recognized one and froze.
\"Miss Granger?\" she breathed incredulously, raising a trembling hand to her mouth. It was clear she was hoping she wasn\'t merely hallucinating.
Eyes narrowing, Severus felt differently. This *student* had put her friends and a good many of her professors through hell. He, for one, wanted to know where the hell she\'d been.
\"Miss Granger!\" he snapped, striding toward her and the woman next to her. \"Kindly explain your extended absence!\"
Both women jumped, Granger, wide-eyed, ducked behind the older woman.
\"You know her?\" the stranger asked, her eyes flashing angrily, hands on hips, feet planted shoulder width apart.
\"Of course, I do,\" he snapped. \"Who are you?\"
\"Severus!\" Minerva exclaimed. \"Wait for an explanation before you go on a tear, please. There\'s quite likely an ana-ana--\"
\"There *always* is,\veruverus retorted angrily. **Everything for the precious Gryffindors, no sin too sinful to forgive, no crime too heinous to expiate.**
\"Please, don\'t fight,\" Miss Granger asked quietly, her subdued voice little more than a whisper. \"Could you please answer a question?\" she continued, directing the question toward Minerva; though, she darted a wary glance his way.
\"Of course, but you are going to have to tell us what kept you away.\"
Miss Granger nodded. \"What is my name? Did I attend school here, as Mrs. Annetti seems to think likely?\"
**What?!**
Beside him, Minerva seemed to wilt, her throat moving convulsively in a horrified swallow. \"You don\'t remember?\"
Miss Granger shook her head. \"No Ma\'am. I woke up in this woman\'s home -- Mrs. Annetti -- she nursed me back to health. I was very wounded you see. But in all that time, I\'ve never remembered one thing from before her home.\"
To say he was shocked would have been to state the bloody obvious. Of all the scenarios that had entered his mind, this had not even been close to one of them.
\"You\'re name is Hermione Granger, and yes, you *do* attend school here,\" Minerva offered shakily.
\"I\'m still a student then?\" Granger asked quietly, throwing a worried glance to her companion.
Severus frowned. Why would that concern her so much? What possible difference could it make? He remained silent, listening to the tale unfold.
Mrs. Annetti stepped closer to her patient, giving her a comfortsmilsmile before turning to face Minerva. She seemed to ignore him, which suited Severus just fine. \"She\'s been recuperating quite well in my family\'s home after we found her near to dead. I cast a very low level protection from location charm, to hide her from casual searches. I\'m all too aware of what kind of people would do such things to a young girl. It wasn\'t very strong, however, and easily chedched if anyone was interested enough to do an intensive location spell.
\"No one did, until last night. one one is looking for her, someone that found her. It wasn\'t until then that I managed to convince her to come to Hogwarts to seek aid. Even if no one knew her, the headmaster is well known for helping protect those in need.\"
Severus frowned, wondering if the spell was Albus\' doing, or whether someone else had cast it. \"Your family, are they still in your home?\" he asked. If it had been any of the remaining death-eaters -- though, he had no reason to believe it had been -- her family might be in danger.
\"Of course not,\" Mrs. Annetti replied immediately, \"they\'re visiting relatives until we can figure out whether friend or foe is on the hunt.\"
Severus nodded. \"It\'s possible it was the headmaster or his associates who cast the spell. Until recently Miss Granger was assumed to be deceased. New . . . information led us to reopen the search.\"
\"The headmaster is currently not in-residence, but he will be returning this evening,\" Minerva jumped in, stepping toward Miss Granger. \"Mrs. Annetti, you and your family are in our debt for helping Miss Granger. Please, consider yourself our guest, and tonight, when the headmaster returns you can speak with him directly regarding your concerns for you and your family\'s safety.\"
\"Hermione!\"
**Weasley!**
Severus turned slowly, and almost laughed as Draco ran directly into the frozen Weasley\'s back.
\"You\'re not supposed to be *easy* to catch, Weasley. You\'re supposed to--\" Draco taunted, his words cutting off mid-sentence. \"What are you talking about?\" he dded ded petulantly, scrambling quickly to his feet and immediately stepping around the still frozen in place red-head. It didn\'t take the boy long to figure out what had his companion so enthralled.
Severus smirked as the blond\'s jaw dropped. **Red and white bookends,** he thought with amusement. The abrupt shrill, ear-piercing scream that sounded behind him cut off all amusement. He spun around, instantly ready to face anything -- except what he faced. Miss Granger\'s startling scream cut off just as abruptly as it had began as she suddenly went limp and fell gracelessly.
He leapt forward, but Minerva and Mrs. Annetti, closer, reached her side before he did, both managing to catch her before she hit the stone floor.
With eyes spitting anger, Mrs. Annetti glared at him. \"Is it possible that either one of those boys is responsible for what happened to her,\" she demanded loudly, the venom in her voice promising dire circumstances if the answer was yes.
\"No,\" Severus hissed, quietly, reluctantly continuing when it appeared the dragon-like Mrs. Annetti just might question the boys to verify his answer. He reached out and grabbed her arm, forestalling her movement. Under his hand she stiffened, her glare deepening. \"But it is possible that someone *older*, that happens to look a lot *like* one of them is.\"
It took only a second for the woman\'s eyes to widen in understanding, then relax under his grip. He tentatively released her, hoping she really did understand what he\'d been hinting. He didn\'t want Draco Malfoy traumatised any more than he already was.
\"We need to get Miss Granger to the hospital wing,\" Minerva said firmly. Rising to her feet, she drew her wand.
\"No,\" Mrs. Annetti denied instantly, shielding Miss Granger. \"No magic.\"
\"Why on-- Oh!\" Minerva exclaimed, blanching.
Severus frowned, irritated with the delay. Why wouldn\'t-- His own thought processes caught up with Minerva\'s. **Bloody hell!** \"Why wasn\'t it aborted early on?\" he hissed quietly, angrier than he\'d ever expected to be on Miss Granger\'s behalf.
\"I\'m merely a hedge-witch. I do not have the ability to brew the potion required for that, and the only spells that might accomplish the same thing, wreck almost as much damage on the mother\'s body as it does to the embryo. What would have had me done, Sir, torture the girl?\"
\"Of course not!\" he snapped. Stepping forward he swept the unconscious student up into his arms and strode toward Madam Pomfrey.
Mrs. Annetti stuck close to his side.
**Joy,** he thought sourly.
\"You must also remember,\" the woman reminded him quietly, \"she hasmemomemory of what happened to her. Was I supposed to inform a critically wounded patient that not only was she was pregnant, but that a brutal rape was what made her that way?\"
Put that way, he had to admit the woman, confound her, was right. Even he knew that amnesia victims were supposed to recover their memories in their own time and at their own pace. Forcing the return of the memories most often led to disaster.
As he lay Miss Granger on a hospital bed, he mentally tallied up the time that had passed. She was a touch over 3 1/2 months along. He shook his head. He didn\'t know if he believed it would be better if Miss Granger didn\'t recover her memories soon or not. Not, certainly meant ng ang an easier time accepting the pregnancy. Recovering them meant either a very difficult abortion or a very traumatic pregnancy.
Neither were good choices, he thought as Madam Pomfrey hustled forward.
\"Oh my!\" the medi-witch exclaimed upon seeing her patient.
First, quickly outlining the problem to Poppy, Severus stepped aside to allow the medi-witch to tend Miss Granger.
\"Mrs. Annetti, the woman who has been caring for Miss Granger will be better able to give you any information you need,\" Severus said with a brief nod, heading out of the hospital without further adeu. Nothing against Poppy, but he *really* didn\'t like being in the hospital wing. He had spent far too much time there over the years.
Minerva stopped him as soon as he stepped outside its confines.
\"What, Minerva?\" he asked tiredly. It had already been a long day, and the day itself was less than half over.
\"Mr. Malfoy didn\'t take Miss Granger\'s reaction at all well. You may need to speak with him.\" Minerva paused, looking more hesitant than he\'d ever seen her.
\"Spit it out, Minerva,\" he said shortly. \"Whatever it is, isn\'t going to go away if you delay long enough.\"
\"Mr. Malfoy is a very intelligent young man. He\'s coned ted the clues and, I think, made certain . . . assumptions as to why she might have reacted that way to the sight of him.\"
\"Merlin\'s ghost!\" Severus exclaimed, then sighed in defeat. \"Very well. Do you know where he is?\"
TBC
Kiristeen
Feedback; craved and definitely inspirational. : )
Kiristeen@kiristeen.com
.