Deliver Me

Chapter XI – Misconceptions


“Morning Ron,” said Hermione the next morning, in her robes, showered, and ready to face the day.

Ron, however, was still sleeping in her bed, “Ugh, what time is it?”

“Seven thirty.”

“Woman, are you mad? That’s too early, and there are no classes this morning, just lessons this afternoon.”

“So?”

His eyes were still closed and he waved his hand in the air, “So, it’s too damn early.”

She threw a pillow at him, “Wake up. C’mon Ron wake up, it’s a beautiful day.”

“Bugger. No. I want to sleep. Stayed up with you half the night, least you can do is let me sleep.”

“She’s absolutely right, time to rise Ron,” said Harry just opening Hermione’s door.

“Ugh, two against one, I don’t like these odds,” Ron still didn’t move, he turned in the opposite direction when, “Ah! Bloody hell – what – damn it Hermione – ice water!”

She used a spell and tossed freezing water over him so he’d get up.

“Stop giggling, I’m up, I’m up already,” Ron complained running his hands through his wet hair very grumpily.

“We have lots to do before lunch,” Harry told them.

“Yeah, like what? Haven’t even had breakfast and you’re talking about after lunch,” muttered Ron, using a cleansing spell, and still sounding cranky.

“Like going to the library,” he answered.

“Fantastic, I do have some reading to do for Hagrid-” Hermione started, and Ron finished, “-For what? I don’t have any reading to do,” then adding “We have something we need to look into?”

“Oh yea?” asked Hermione.

“Why are we going to the library?”

“It’s important, and I’m not too sure, but once we research it, I’ll know if it’s life or death.”

“Whose life and death, Harry?” asked Hermione.

“I’m hungry! Can we go? Talk about this over breakfast?”

“Hermione what do you know about Jadelisk?” Harry asked ignoring Ron.

“Jad-a-who?” said Ron.

“Isn’t that something that Voldemort use to use back in the old days, I mean when he first came into power?”

“I think so, what do you know about it?” Harry continued.

“I’m not sure. But I think he used it to control people, but not like the unforgivables. No. Umm…” she was thinking.

“Oh wait, you mean the one where it controlled a person, but not just any person, people with special powers, and he could will them, subconsciously to make and do stuff for him.”

Harry and Hermione looked at him surprised.

“What? Don’t look at me like that, I do happen to listen to Percy, occasionally, just don’t let him know that.”

“What else do you know about it?” Harry asked very much so interested.

“What kind of people with powers?” Hermione added.

“Well, according to Percy, like, certain witches and wizards have special powers, most times they don’t know it, until they are faced with something and show signs of it.”

“Like Harry?” she asked.

“Well, no, it’s more natural, they are born with it. Like take McGonagall for instance, she’s key at Transfiguration, right?”

“Yea, so?” said Harry.

“Well, if Voldemort used her, as a Jadelisk, then he could have her transfigure something, or someone, and will it, something he invented actually.”

“But is it like a dark mark? How does he control the person to do the stuff for him?” asked Hermione.

“Kind of like what he did to Ginny and how it works with his Death Eaters, he marks them, or steals their ‘self’.”

“And a Jadelisk?” Harry inquired.

“I think he brands them, with part of the dark mark.”

“I don’t get it. What do you mean ‘part of the dark mark’? You can’t just have a piece of a mark, a mark is a mark after all,” said Harry.

“Well, the dark mark only appears when he’s calling for them, right? But with a Jadelisk, a portion of the dark mark, is inconspicuously on their body, and usually they don’t know they have it.”

“What? Ron that doesn’t make sense, how can you not know you have something branded on to you so evil?” asked Hermione very confused.

“I don’t know! Ask Percy - he’s the genius, something about it’s inflicted doing something normal and you get a bruise or something.”

“Well Percy seems to know a lot about this kind of stuff now, doesn’t he?” said Hermione.

“Well, yeah, they caught a Jadelisk about three months ago, some wizard who was specializing in Potions. Brilliant git, absolutely brilliant, he’s under the Ministry’s care right now, trying to regain his sanity.”

“His sanity?” Harry gulped.

“Oh yea, after a while, a Jadelisk goes mad. If they’re strong they’ll fight it, go through mood swings, do irrational stuff, don’t eat, can’t sleep, it’s terrible. They keep their emotions in tact though, it’s just they feel like they’ve got no control of themselves or their lives anymore.”

“That’s awful,” Hermione said, “how terrible, he’s so evil. That’s really awful.”

“Is there anyway to counteract it?” asked Harry.

Ron raised and eyebrow, “Why are you so interested Harry? I don’t know, you go and ask Percy yourself. All I know is that, it’s a part of the an Auror’s job, he’s just mentioning it for the sake of mentioning, what we might have to face,” he ran his hands through his hair, “Ugh, woke me up – asking too many questions before breakfast!”

Hermione laughed, “Fine, let’s go.”

They were almost out the door when Seamus stopped Ron while Harry took the opportunity to talk, “Hey Hermione,”

“Yes?”

“You okay?”

“With what?”

“About last night, you and Snape.”

“No.”

“You want to stay back?”

“The best way to face a problem isn’t to run, right? You said that.”

“I know, but this is different.”

“I’ll be alright.”

“He touched you didn’t he?”

“He kissed me – no we kissed.”

“That’s what Ron said, but I want to hear what you have to say.”

“Harry, I don’t think…I mean you don’t really want to know…I shouldn’t tell you…”

“I see,” he gave her a hug, “being a virgin is overrated.”

Hermione almost jumped three feet into the air, “What?”

“You came back in his robes.”

“It was raining.”

“You looked like a mess.”

“I was angry, Ron scared me-”

“-So then tell me you didn’t.”

She looked at him, “I can’t.”

“I promise you, if he ever comes near you again, and I mean it Hermione, run.”

“Harry I-”

“I mean it, or I swear he’ll regret the day he ever laid eyes on you.”

“You can’t-”

“I can and I will.”

“You don’t understand he’s-”

“-what? Not who I think he is? Save it for someone who will believe it and give a damn.”

“Harry, please, just don’t…”

“I won’t tell Ron, you will, when you’re ready. But, mark my words Hermione, I don’t care what he does or didn’t do, keep it professional.”

“I am.”

“If you were, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.”

She nodded.

Harry kissed her cheek, “Look I know I didn’t say it right, but I care about you, you’re my family, and I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Hermione let out a small smile and she hugged him back, “You can always stick Fluffy on him.”

Harry smiled.

“Stick Fluffy on who?” Ron asked coming up to them, “Let’s go I’m hungry.”

xxxxxxxxxx

The library was packed with Seventh years all researching for their thesis projects or studying.

Harry, Hermione and Ron joined Lavender and Seamus at a table at the far end near the Restricted Section.

“Will you two quit snogging, I would like to research my stuff with my breakfast still in my stomach,” Ron snapped at them.

Hermione brought over a few large, dusty, leather back books and flopped them on the table, ignoring Lavender and Seamus’ make-out session, “You look through these.”

“And what am I looking for?” Ron asked curiously.

“Information on a Jadelisk in this one,” Hermione said pointing to the large book with the green cover, “You’re looking for mind control in that one.”

He gave her a look of disdain, “And while I search through half the library, what are you going to do?”

“Look through these,” She said bringing over, more books just as big as Ron’s pile.

xxxxxxxxxx

After a half hour of reading and taking minor notes, Ron didn’t turn his head up, but asked, “Where’s Harry?”

Hermione was sitting next to him, books were spread all over the table, Lavender and Seamus were still snogging, and there was an empty chair next to them, left for Harry.

“Oh he’s trying to get into the Restricted Section, he’s looking up something on Tom Riddle.”

Ron did look up this time, and turned to her, “Tom Riddle?”

She kept on writing, “Yes, after Voldemort’s first fall, there was a book published by this woman Katie Ann Aiken, she was one of his girlfriends, or toys for that matter, and closest followers when he was at Hogwarts.”

“What about her? Wait isn’t she dead? He killed her…”

“Yes, and Hogwarts' has the last remaining copy of her book, ‘Behind the Mask: Life with the Dark Lord’, which by the way, describes in detail, his surveys, ideas and whatnots.”

“And the Jadelisk-”

“Should be in there.”

Ron nodded and they both when back to researching.

xxxxxxxxxx

“Please?” Harry begged.

“No Mister Potter,” Madame Pince told him for the forty-fifth time; she was indeed counting, “I cannot let you into the Restricted Section without a note.”

“But I told you, it’s important, and I told you what’s its about, I need to get I in there.”

“Harry,” she exhaled, “can’t you find a note from someone? Anyone?”

“Hagrid’s gone to look for Cornish pixies, gods only know why, McGonagall is teaching, she’d flip if I interrupted her, I can’t find Dumbledore, Professor Flitwick is arguing with Professor Sprout and sparks are flying out of their wands, I’m not going near them, Madame Hooch is in the middle of a Slytherin - Ravenclaw practice session so that leaves no one!”

“What about Professor Binns?”

“He’s dead, remember?”

“Madame Pomfrey?”

“She might think I killed someone.”

“Severus Snape?”

“I’m not going to ask him for anything.”

“Harry you know I cannot let you in without a pass, ask Professor Lupin.”

“He’s out with Sirius.”

“Then your only option seems to be Professor Snape.”

“C’mon please, anyone but him.”

She smiled and pointed to the door. Harry huffed and walked out.

xxxxxxxxxx

Harry walked down to the dungeons, wondering how on earth he was going to convince Snape to write him a pass to the Restricted Section and actually live to tell the tail without burn marks. The man was infuriating, irritating, cranky, and downright mean – to everyone.

“Professor?”

“What is it Mister Potter?” Severus said dryly, not looking away from his copy of the Daily Prophet.

“I was wondering,” Harry started, “I was wondering if you could write me a pass to get a book out of the Restricted Section.”

“No. Goodbye Mister Potter,” Snape’s answer was short and deadly.

Harry didn’t move.

Severus put down his paper, “Leave Mister Potter or I will deduct house points.”

“Sir, it’s important, I wouldn’t come to you if it wasn’t.”

“Nothing you need Mister Potter is important to me, now kindly leave! I will not ask again.”

“Sir, it’s about…” Harry lost his words because Severus cut him off, “Well what is it?”

“It’s about Aiken’s book on Tom Riddle!”

Severus’ eyes narrowed, his lips became thin and color ran into his face, “What do you want with that?” his voice dark and smooth.

Harry gulped, “I want... I need to look up a Jadelisk.”

“Why?”

“Why?”

“Yes, Mister Potter, try not to be daft, why?” Snape said sardonically.

“It’s for Hermione.”

That did it that was his unwinding; Severus arched an eyebrow in defense.

“And why would Miss Granger need that particular book?”

“You know why,” Harry’s voice had gone low and dark as well. He was clenching his teeth in frustration, this man was impossible, what she saw in him, Harry did not understand.

xxxxxxxxxx

“Where have you been?” Hermione asked looking up from her books when Harry came over.

“I went to get a pass to get into the Restricted Section.”

“From who?” asked Ron inquisitively.

“Doesn’t matter,” Harry said dodging the question.

“Well, did you get it?” Hermione was impatient.

“Madame Pince had to look for it, it’s kind of under lock and key, if you get me.”

“Oh,” that’s all she said before burying herself in the books again.

xxxxxxxxxx

“Finally,” Harry said, twenty minutes later, dropping a heavy dusty old book on to the table. Lavender and Seamus had moved on to actually studying, and Neville had joined the group reading about plants, the only thing he seemed to be quite decent at.

“Wow, we are going to be here for awhile, unless-”

“No, we can’t take it out of the library, Hermione. It has a lock spell on it. It won’t leave more than twenty feet from the restricted section, and you can’t use any magic on it, cleaning or otherwise, it’s fully locked,” Harry scolded at her audacity to even dream of taking the heavy thing to the tower.

Ron let out a small yawn, “I’ve been through at least three books so far, and I’m getting nowhere,” he closed the last one he was reading, “when’s lunch?”

“In twenty minutes,” said Neville, not looking up from his Herbology books.

“So how’s the reading coming along Nevs?” asked Ron.

“It’s alright, Professor Sprout lent this to me, said it would help me,” showing him the cover of ‘Plants, Weeds, Shrubs, Flowers and How They Kill’, “She said it would help the Ministry with some guy. And we all know, I’m not much good at lots of things, but Herbology seems to have a nitch for me.”

“What about Honeydukes?” asked Hermione looking up from her books.

“Yea, well I’ve had enough exploding jelly beans to last me a few life times,” he laughed.

“So Sprout’s your new mentor?” asked Harry.

Neville nodded.

Ron groaned, “I’m hungry.”

“You are always hungry,” snapped Hermione.

“Can we take a break and go to the Great Hall?” he nagged.

“You can go, we’ll stay here,” Hermione said answering for herself and Harry.

Not wanting to hurt Hermione, feeling uncomfortable, Harry agreed, “Yeah, Ron, umm bring me back a sandwich will you.”

Soon the entire library was empty leaving only Hermione, Harry and the books.

“Harry?”

“Yea?”

“I was thinking, this weekend, want to go back to Mystic Mayhem?”

“It’s a Hogwarts weekend at Hogsmeade, the entire school is going to be there, you sure?”

“I think we need some fun.”

“Am I hearing right? Hermione Granger lecturing Harry Potter on fun? Ron should hear this.”

She laughed, “No seriously, let’s go, Ron, you and I. It’ll be fun.”

“Let’s see classes resume tomorrow. We have McGonagall in the morning, I doubt she’ll give homework, and then thesis sessions; he’s not giving you extra work is he?”

“Who?”

“Snape. Hermione, does he give you extra work?”

“Not usually, at least when he’s not there, he usually leaves like a zillion books for me to read, but that’s only sometimes.”

“Neat, so we’ll go Friday and Saturday night, make it a party weekend!”

She smiled.

xxxxxxxxxx

An hour later, Ron returned alone, holding a tray in his hand that contained a few cookies and mini sandwiches.

“Listen to this,” Hermione started, when Ron sat down, “‘Da Capo’, Latin term for ‘back to the beginning’ – As early as his second year at Hogwarts, Thomas Marvolo Riddle, gave the term a new meaning, Dalius Caponius Rectifus. The ability to give the inflicted a new beginning.’ In other words,” she stopped to grab a cookie, “Well, in other words, whoever he infects, well they don’t exactly ‘loose’ their mind per say, but they just have two minds, and one takes over the other, like they can’t function, and go mad, because their heads are telling them more than one thing.”

“That’s what I said earlier,” Ron pointed out.

Hermione gave him a nasty look, “So what? The book just confirms it.”

Ron opened his mouth to tell her something, but decided against it, and rather grabbed a cookie, in hopes of silencing himself.

“Anyway, as I was saying,” Hermione said unusually bold, “Between what he makes them do, and what they are apt to do naturally, it’s a conflict in their mind or minds, for that matter, therefore, they go insane. However, particular potions taken in succession and timely can counteract its effects, by creating an aura around the person through their body. I guess it’s like invisibly sweating a protective garb.”

Harry nodded, and Ron proceeded to chew the same mouthful for the twenty-second time.

Hermione smiled, quite pleased with herself, and went back to reading.

xxxxxxxxxx

Thesis sessions started and Hermione waltzed into the dungeons with a bizarre air about her.

Severus was sitting at his desk in his office, dreading the moment he would have to see her, unsure if whether she would show or not, whether she was still angry at him. She should be; she should be hurt - he hurt her, it was too emotional. Severus ended the thoughts plaguing his mind.

She walked past his office, gathered a few supplies from the shelf, never glancing through the doorframe, and walked right past him again.

Hermione sat down and started to brew, oblivious to anything around her.

“Miss Granger.”

She didn’t look up, “Professor Snape.”

“Miss Granger, pray tell, what are you doing?”

“I’m brewing a potion, was does it look like?”

“And under whose permission did you devise such an task?”

“My own.”

“You do not have the authority to make such a decision.”

“But I did.”

“Miss Granger, what are you making?”

“Den Svarte Ormens Krydder.”

He swept his hand across the table knocking everything on the floor.

“What the hell – have you lost your bloody mind?!” he was screaming at her.

Hermione just sat there looking at the desk, “Why did you do that?” her voice was meek and unemotional.

“Hermione, what the hell did you think you were doing? Den Svarte Ormens Krydder!”

“Thomas wanted it.”

“Thomas…? Oh Gods, Hermione,” Severus said moving over to her and shaking her insistently, and if he had to, Severus was going to slap him out of her.

The moment he touched her, her head flew back, her eyes went dull, her mouth jarred gasping for air and her vision went black.


** “Den Svarte Ormens Krydder” means “The Black Serpent’s Spice” in Norwegian, i.e.) the most dangerous dragons in Harry Potter come from Norway, interesting that the Black Serpent’s Spice should be from there too.**