The Power of the Quill

Author's Notes:

I'm so sorry for the extra wait on this chapter. It's not my fault, I swear. My beta took her two-week vacation at the normal time I finish a chapter. I also had a bad case of flu that really slowed things down. It's really isn't my fault - "I swear to God." I promise to have the next chapter done before New Years.

As for my question: almost everyone wanted Harry to get some kind of pay back. Since the Dursleys did give Harry food, clothing, and a place to live, they technically held up their end of the bargain as caregivers and could spend the money anyway they saw fit. Remember, his parents probably had Sirius in mind when they set up the account. So Harry can't sue; he'll just have to find a more personal lesson to teach them.

This chapter was eventually Beta'd by Nakhash Mekashefah. I'm thoroughly addicted to her great skills as a proofreader and editor. I can only hope that she loses both legs in a car accident so that she is always at her computer to help me.

Nakhash would like to say that if this actually occurs, she promised to beat the holy crap out of Pink with her prostheses.



Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and Co. I own nothing.



The Power of the Quill.


Chapter 15. Getting to know you.

It was near dusk when Draco entered Malfoy Manor. His father had just summoned him from Hogwarts. It had been nearly five months since he had seen his father last; a lot of changes had taken place in the meantime, the absence of his mother being the biggest. His father told him that mothers were just for children, which is something Draco no longer considered himself.

"Welcome home, Master Draco," two house-elves greeted in unison as they both shook with fear.

"Where is my father?" Draco demanded as he threw his cloak at the two frightened elves.

"Master Malfoy is in the library, Master Draco," one of the terrified elves answered. "The Master has requested that Master Draco come see him as soon as you arrive."

Draco promptly kicked one of the elves out of his way and headed for the main stairs. He slowly ascended the staircase. Even after a week, he was still very sore from the humiliating assault Granger had perpetrated upon him. With every painful step he vowed vengeance against the filthy Mudblood. Draco couldn't believe that old hag McGonagall only gave her a week's detention for the attack. He had laid awake at night over the past week, just daydreaming about what it would be like to break her, then finally choke the life out of the bitch.

Draco entered the large library to see his father standing next to a desk reading a piece of parchment. "Welcome home, father. How was your summer with Aunt Beatrice?" Draco boldly asked as he approached his father.

"My summer was quite dreadful, thank you," Lucius answered in an annoyed voice. "My sister can be both maddening and a bore at the same time. Half of the time, I wished that I had chosen Azkaban instead of her Estate to wait for my plan to develop. At least in prison I would have been afforded some peace and quiet."

"Sorry to hear that, father. I'm happy that you have returned with your name cleared," Draco told his father.

"I see by these financial statements that you have been celebrating my return a week in advance. In just under two weeks you have spent in excess of ten thousand Galleons. Would you care to explain this, Draco?" Lucius said in an accusing tone.

"I was simply playing my role as new heir to the family fortune. It would have looked very suspicious it I didn't go on some kind of spending spree," Draco calmly answered. If there was one thing his father taught him well, it was to always have an answer for your crimes.

"Three thousand Galleons for two Firebolt Two racing brooms? Why did you feel you needed more than one?" his father impatiently asked.

"I had only intended to buy one broom, father. Unfortunately, the first one I bought was damaged beyond repair due to the carelessness of another Quidditch player, the first day I had it. If I had gone back to using my old broom, it would have been an insult to our family's pride," Draco answered. He had no intention of ever telling his father, or anyone else, what a fool the Mudblood had made of him.

"As of this moment your freelance spending days are over, Draco," Lucius firmly told him. "I did not spend three months with that cow of a sister of mine, trying to secure you a fortune of your own, just to have you spend mine."

"I did do as you asked father. I made sure Mother was out of here with nothing more than the clothes on her back," he told his father.

"Do not call her that, Draco," Lucius angrily warned. "She is not your blood. She was merely a receptacle necessary for your birth. You owe her no more loyalty than you do to the house-elves that helped raise you."

"I understand, father. I have no intention of ever seeing her again," Draco stated. "The way she disgustingly went after Potter so quickly proves she's everything you ever said she was."

"She is our enemy now, Draco. You would do well to remember that. She will have to be dealt with soon if my plan is to succeed. She is cunning enough to guess what my intentions are. She is also ruthless enough to strike at us first. You must be very careful in the near future, Draco. Narcissa will not hesitate in killing you now that she sees you as a threat to her," Lucius informed him.

"I will be careful, father, all though I will miss the sweets and cakes she always sent," Draco disappointedly told his father.

"Narcissa never sent you any of those, Draco. I've had one of the house-elves doing that," Lucius informed him. "It will now have to stop since you no long have a mother to send them to you." Draco was very disappointed to hear this. Not that it wasn't his mother sending them to him, he was disappointed that he would no longer have the sweets and cakes to help bribe Crabbe and Goyle.

"Draco, we have much to do in the next couple of months. It will take a lot of skill and a little luck if we are to frame Potter for your mother's murder. Next Saturday, I want you to bring Miss Parkinson to the Manor with you," Lucius ordered.

"Why on earth would you want me to bring that Mudblood here?" Draco anxiously asked.

"Because, my dear boy, she is our ticket inside Dumbledore's Order. She is to be wed to Potter's closest friend. It's very possible that most, if not all, of the Weasleys are in Dumbledore's Order; Parkinson will be invaluable to us," Lucius told his son.

"She is no longer any use to us, father. I was not going to have a Mudblood stain Slytherin's good name. I made sure she was removed," Draco firmly stated.

"That was very foolish of you, boy. She was an asset to be used; when will you learn that everything has its worth? You made the same mistake by not befriending Potter in your first year," Lucius heatedly scolded. Lucius let out a disappointed sigh and put the parchments he was holding on the desk. He looked at Draco with his cold gray eyes and said, "Maybe it's not too late. She has been your friend for over ten years. You could tell her that you had to pretend to dislike her so that Weasley and Potter would begin trust her."

"It won't work, father. She is no longer at Hogwarts. She is a virtual catatonic now, anyway. I'm surprised she hasn't taken her own life yet," Draco said with a proud smirk.

"Just what did you do to her, Draco?" his father asked in an irritated voice.

"I did what you taught me to do with Mudblood filth like her, father," Draco answered.

"YOU DID THAT INSIDE OF HOGWARTS!?!?" Lucius angrily shouted.

"I was very careful. We used secret passageways to trap her in an abandoned room. I set up silencing charms in advance so that no one could hear her screams. And she did scream, father - just like a stuck pig. She was even a virgin at the time, it was better than I imagined it could be," Draco said with a sick sense of enjoyment.

"You foolish child!!" Lucius said heatedly, through clinched teeth. "How many times have I told you? Never shit where you eat. Dumbledore and the Weasleys are probably coddling the girl now. It's only a matter of time before she talks. You should have at least killed her."

"I truly didn't think she would survive, father. Not to worry though, I made sure Pansy knew that she would be dealing with the Dark Lord if she betrayed me," Draco confidently told his father.

"What? You didn't show her your Mark, did you?" Lucius anxiously asked his son.

"Of course," Draco simply answered.

With lighting speed, Lucius stepped forward and struck his son hard across the face with the back of his hand. The force of the blow sent Draco crashing to the ground. "YOU IMBECILE. I SHOULD KILL YOU FOR SUCH STUPIDITY!!!," Lucius roared at him. "I have just spent a considerable amount of our family's fortune convincing the Ministry that this family has nothing to do with dark magic. All of that will be wasted if it's known that my only son carries the Dark Lord's Mark."

"Even if she tells, no one will believe her. She's just a filthy Mudblood," Draco said as he wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Our enemies will believe her and they will try to use her against us," Lucius furiously said as Draco got up off the floor. "This mess is your making, Draco, and I will expect you to clean it up. The girl must be killed as soon as possible."

"How can I do that? She's not even at Hogwarts anymore." Draco asked.

"She is most likely at that hovel the Weasleys call a home. Take whatever help you can get, then sneak out of Hogwarts and kill her and anyone else that is present at the Weasleys' home. Destroy everything. Leave nothing for the Aurors to scrutinize," Lucius ordered. "It's time you demonstrated that you deserve that Mark on your arm, Draco. It's time you proved yourself to be a true Malfoy."

............................................................................................................

It was late Sunday afternoon when Harry returned from his second trip to Black Manor. The sex, which he had enjoyed on his wedding night, was very different this time around. Narcissa insisted on bringing him to the edge just to deny him release. She told him it was part of his training and that he had to learn to keep pace with her. She said that any future wives he may have would one day thank her for it.

He had spent most of the weekend exploring Black Manor. The history of the Black bloodline filled each hallway and corridor. He found several tapestries with slightly different versions of the Black family tree on them. It would seem that once a family member was disowned, they would not appear on the next tapestry. When he finally found a three hundred year old tapestry, he got a good idea just whom the Blacks were related to. He was surprised that nearly every pureblood family he knew showed up. Even the Potters had shown up twice. Harry was beginning to believe that maybe this marriage law did have some merit to it.

He made his way down the school corridors on his way to Gryffindor Tower. As he passed by the corridor that led to the kitchens, Harry saw a lone figure on her hands and knees scrubbing the floor with a large brush. He had put this off for a week but thought it was about time he resolved it. "Hey, Ginny," he said as he approached the redhead. Ginny just looked up at him with a tired expression on her face. "I was wondering if we could talk about what happened last week?" Harry asked.

"There's nothing to talk about, Harry. You got married so I hit you. Then I got two weeks detention and my Prefect badge taken away," Ginny glumly answered.

"I want to talk about why you hit me, Ginny," Harry said.

"You mean, you still don't know?" Ginny fretfully asked as her eyes began to water.

"Well, I know now. I just didn't know then," Harry awkwardly answered.

"How could you not know how I felt? It was so obvious to everyone else." Ginny dejectedly asked.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," Harry said as he knelt down on one knee next to her. He reached out and took hold of one of her pruned, dishwasher hands. "Ginny, do you know what my greatest wish in the world is?"

"To defeat Voldemort," Ginny answered.

"No. It's to have the family that he stole from me. Ever since I met you, Ron, and your brothers, I felt that I had gotten back some of the family that was stolen from me. I used to lie at night in my cupboard under the stairs, just fantasizing about what it would be like to have real brothers and sisters of my own. Yours is the family that I always dreamed of, Ginny. Your mom is the closest thing to a mother that I will ever have. You're the sister that I always wanted and I never want to give that up. I could always find a girlfriend, or even a wife, but there's only one person in the world that will ever be good enough to my sister - that's you, Ginny" Harry emotionally said as tears began to roll down his cheeks. "I don't think I could take it if you stopped wanting to be that for me."

Ginny just stared at Harry with her huge brown eyes that had begun to tear. "I'm sorry for hitting you, Harry. I knew you didn't have a choice but I just couldn't help it. I thought that you thought I wasn't good enough for you," she said through her tears.

"That's ridiculous, Ginny. You're one of the smartest and most beautiful witches in the whole world. I see how all the other guys in school look at you. I sometimes feel like tearing their heads off for staring at my little sister that way," Harry said, trying to reassure her. He wasn't lying about the way the other male students looked at her. On a number of occasions he had heard her name being mentioned, right along with Parvati and Cho, as to who was the best looking witch in Hogwarts.

"So there no chance you'll ever see me as anything more than a sister?" Ginny sadly asked as she wiped the tears from her face.

"I really don't want to see you as anything more that a sister, Ginny," Harry answered. "But I'm only sixteen now. Who knows how I'll feel in five years." This brought a smile to Ginny's face, a smile that Harry had really missed for the past week.

"Can you forgive me for what I did, Harry?" she pleadingly asked. "It was just a case of temporary insanity. I promise it won't happen again."

"I can forgive you, if you can forgive me," Harry answered.

"Why would I need to forgive you?" Ginny asked.

"For not inviting you to my wedding," Harry said with a smirk.

"You're a real prat sometimes, you know that, Harry?" Ginny said with a smile.

"Of course, all big bothers are prats, didn't you that, Ginny?" he said with a smile.

"So, what is she like?" Ginny asked in a more serious voice as she looked down at the wedding band on his finger. Harry thought about how he should answer that. He still didn't really know how he felt about his new wife, yet. Harry figured that the straight truth was probably the best way to go.

"She's a very smart, beautiful, and graceful woman, she even has since of humor. But she is also an arrogant, elitist pureblood that will only do things that directly benefits her and what she cares about. She is also a very lonely and scared person, who was probably abused pretty badly by her last husband," Harry earnestly answered.

"She sounds complicated," Ginny said with a worried expression on her face.

"I think that's a real understatement, Ginny," Harry told her. "The truth is she kind of scares me. I have no idea how this marriage is ever going to work. I'm not really scared that she'll try and to turn me over to Voldemort, that much. She has too much to lose if she did. I'm afraid what it's going to be like with her as the mother of my children. I don't know if she even plans to include me in their lives at all. According to the marriage contract, she can divorce me and take them away. I would only get to see them if she allows it."

"I don't think Dumbledore will allow her to do that to you, Harry. I think the Order will keep her in line," Ginny told him as she got up off her knees.

"I don't know, Ginny. Dumbledore wasn't even upset when I told him I got married. I'm starting to suspect that he may have known what Narcissa had in mind when she first invited me to her home," Harry distrustfully said as he stood up.

"You don't think Dumbledore actually wanted you to marry her, do you, Harry?" Ginny skeptically asked.

"Tell you the truth, Ginny, I really don't know. But I get the sneaky feeling there is something Dumbledore knows about Narcissa that he isn't telling me, yet," Harry told her.

" Don't worry, Harry, the D.A will always back you up, even if Dumbledore and the Order isn't willing to help," Ginny confidently said to him.

"That reminds me, Ginny. I have to talk to Professor McGonagall and get you your Prefect's badge back. We'll need as many Prefects in the D.A club as possible," Harry said.

"Don't bother, Harry. Not having to deal with those snotty firsts years anymore was almost worth punching you in the nose," Ginny informed him.

"Sorry Ginny, the D.A club needs you and your badge. Besides, your mother would never forgive me if she found out that I was partly responsible for ruining her only daughter's shot at Head Girl. Remember, in less that two years Ron, Hermione, and I will be gone from Hogwarts. It will be up to you to lead the D.A after that, Ginny," Harry told her.

"ME?" Ginny said with a surprised look on her face. "Why would you want me to lead the club?" Ginny nervously asked.

"Who else is there, Ginny? The only two people I really trust in fifth year or lower is you and Luna. Luna's great but I just can't see anyone following her. You have already shown that you're tough enough to lead. Who else would I pick?" Harry asked her.

"You could always pick Ron. I only give him about a fifty-fifty chance of passing his N.E.W.T's. He might have to repeat a year," Ginny jokingly said with a smile.

"Don't worry about Ron, Ginny. Hermione will never let Ron or I fail the N.E.W.T's. She'll drive both of us crazy, just like she did for our O.W.L's," Harry assured her.

"Hermione might be a mom by then, Harry. You guys might not be her top priority anymore," Ginny told him.

"You're probably right, Ginny. There's a good chance all three of us could be parents by then. No matter what, next year is going to be very hard on us all," Harry gloomily stated.

"As long as you don't try to teach us how to change a dirty nappy in the D.A club, I think it will all work out, Harry," Ginny said, trying to cheer him up. "Speaking of the D.A club, we should try to learn some hand-to-hand stuff this year. Especially you, Harry, one punch and you were out like a light. Even Snape can take a punch better than you."

"It wasn't the punch that did the damage, Ginny. Your knee is what did me in. The punch finished me off. But you're right; we do need to learn some hand-to-hand skills. What happened at the Ministry proves that," Harry agreed.

"When is our first meeting, anyway? I haven't heard anything from Hermione yet," Ginny asked.

"Maybe next week. Hermione is still working on the new loyalty oath; she would have had it done by now but the week long detention McGonagall gave her slowed things down a bit. " Harry told her.

"I hope the oath is a strong one. We can't afford to have another Marietta this year," Ginny warned.

"It will be. I'm heading into the Chamber of Secrets tonight for the secret ingredient," Harry said.

"The Chamber of Secrets, what do you need in there?" Ginny nervously asked.

"I need a fang from our old friend down there. Believe me, Ginny, I'm not looking forward to going back into that place," Harry worriedly said.

"Just don't ask me to go with you, Harry. I still have nightmares about that place." Ginny said with a frightened look on her face. Harry knew he shouldn't have mentioned the chamber around Ginny. What happened to her down there was something no one can entirely get over.

"Don't worry, Ginny. It's just a chamber full of old bones now; there's nothing down there to be afraid of anymore," Harry said, trying to reassure her, and himself, a little.

"I sure hope you're right, Harry," Ginny said as she leaned forward and embraced him in a hug. Harry placed his arms around her, hugging her back. It was at times like this he truly felt she was his sister.

............................................................................................................


Sunday evening, just after dinner, Hermione made her way down the corridor that led to the staff room. It had taken her nearly a week, and Dumbledore's help, to arrange this meeting. It was set here, instead of the dungeons, because Professor McGonagall didn't want Hermione anywhere near Draco after classes were over. The only reason McGonagall was so upset about what Hermione did to Malfoy was because she was afraid she'd end up like Pansy. Hermione still thought the detention was well worth it.

When she reached the staff room door, Hermione wiped her sweaty hands on her robes. She then took in two deep breaths to try and calm her nerves. She knocked three times on the staff room door.

"Come in, Miss Granger," a cold voice said from the other side of the door. Hermione entered the room; Professor Snape was sitting in one of two large chairs next to the fireplace. "Have a seat, Miss Granger," Snape ordered. Hermione took the chair opposite him. The large chairs seem to only amplify the size difference between the two. Snape's oil-black eyes seemed to shine brilliantly in the firelight as he stared at her. "I have reluctantly agreed to this so-called interview, Miss Granger. Just precisely what is it that you wish to know?" Snape asked in an irritated voice.

"Professor, we are to be wed in less than three weeks. The fact is, you're still very much a stranger to me. I know very little about you or what you think of this marriage and myself. Harry got married only twenty minutes after he met Miss Black but he still knows a whole lot more about her than I know about you. Our marriage may only last a year but we will be forever bonded together by our child. Don't you think it would be a good idea if we knew a little bit more about each other before we got married?" Hermione asked, trying to sound sincere and logical.

"Miss Granger, arranged marriages have always been a tradition in the Wizarding world. It is more common than not for the bride and groom to meet for the first time on their wedding day. What you know and don't know about me will be irrelevant. We will still be forced into this marriage against our wills," Snape told her.

"Professor, I'm from the Muggle world. Arranged marriages are almost unheard of there. I don't think getting to know the person I'm going to marry is too much to ask," Hermione firmly said.

"Very well, Miss Granger, what is it you wish to know?" Snape asked, sounding very bothered.

"I wish to know about your past and your family. I wish to know why you chose to do the things that you did in the past. I would also like to know what your plans are for the future," Hermione told him.

"Those are very personal questions, Miss Granger. You may not like the answers I give," Snape informed her.

"The truth can be hard to hear, Professor, but it's never regrettable," Hermione answered.

"That only proves just how naive you really are, Miss Granger. Truth is a weapon that can be use for or, most likely, against you. Our secrets are our weaknesses. I thought you would have learned that by now," Snape said in a shrewd voice.

"That's the Slytherin in you speaking," she told him.

"Of course it is, Miss Granger. What else would you expected?" Snape asked.

"I was hoping to appeal to your more logical Ravenclaw side," Hermione answered.

"I can assure you, Miss Granger, that I have no Ravenclaw side. I'm Slytherin through-and-through," Snape firmly stated.

"All of your ancestors were Ravenclaws. If you hadn't gotten attacked on the train your first year, you might have been sorted into Ravenclaw, too," Hermione bluntly told him. Snape instantly stiffened in his seat at hearing her words. It was quite apparent that he was very surprised at the fact that she knew about what happened to him on that train and he didn't look too pleased about it at all.

"How do know about that?" Snape angrily asked in a low hissing voice.

"A week ago I had a long talk with Hagrid about you. He told me about what happened to you when you were a Hogwarts," Hermione answered.

"Who else have you told about this?" Snape demanded.

"No one," Hermione answered. "It seemed very private and I didn't think you wanted it known by all."

"You told no one? Not even Potter or Weasley?" Snape anxiously asked.

"I haven't said a word to anyone," Hermione told him.

"What else did Hagrid tell you about me?" Snape asked, giving her a very suspicious look.

"We talked about your parents and how they died. He also told me that your father was in the Order but no one really liked him," Hermione said.

"A moment, Miss Granger," Snape said as he got out of his seat. He walked over to the door then took out his wand and put a locking charm on it. He then put a silencing charm on the room. "I hope you are not this careless when mentioning the Order to that Gryffindor rabble you pal around with," Snape said as he took his seat.

"We are very careful. We put silencing charms on the Gryffindor table and we never mention any names when we speak about the Order," Hermione told him.

"It would be best if you and your acquaintances didn't speak about the Order at all. It would only take a single innocent slip of the tongue to get someone killed," Snape suggested.

"As I said before, we are very careful, Professor. We don't talk about the Order that much, anyway. It may surprise you that we do have lives of our own and not everything revolves around the fight against Death Eaters," Hermione assertively said.

"You couldn't be more wrong, Miss Granger. Everything that happens in the Wizarding world revolves around the fight against the Dark Lord. It's a fact whether you like it or not," Snape forcefully told her. "Your foolish action against Mr. Malfoy proves to me that you don't take this fight very seriously."

"My actions were completely justified. Not even you can tell me that the creep didn't get what he deserved," Hermione angrily said.

"No, Miss Granger, he didn't," Snape said in a very cold voice that gave Hermione a shiver. "You had a perfect opportunity to deal young Mr. Malfoy some real justice and you threw it away."

"I don't understand what you mean, Professor," Hermione said, giving him a puzzled look.

"Of course you don't, you're a Gryffindor," Snape cryptically answered. "Tell me something, Miss Granger, why did you throw that severing hex at Malfoy's broom instead of Malfoy himself, when he first started to attack?"

"It was a very powerful severing charm. If I would have thrown that at Draco, he would have been severally injured, probably even killed," Hermione answered. "Just how do you know what I did to Draco, anyway?" she suspiciously asked him.

"As we told you before, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy will never be out from under someone's eye as long as he is here at Hogwarts. It just so happened that I was keeping an eye on him when you two met on the path to the Quidditch pitch. I watched the entire confrontation from a hidden vantage point. Imagine my disappointment when you failed to rid us of Mr. Malfoy when given the perfect opportunity. When I realize that you only intended to give Malfoy that childish act of corporal punishment, I alerted Professor McGonagall to put a halt to it."

"Wait, you wanted me to kill Draco?" Hermione asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Of course. It would have been very easy to prove that Malfoy attacked you with serious injury or death in mind. The Ministry might not praise you as a hero but they'd have nothing to prove you provoked Malfoy. Your story would only be confirmed if the Aurors used Veritaserum on you," Snape told her.

"That's only true if I actually thought Draco could beat me in a duel, which I don't," Hermione stated. "I would never kill someone unless I had no choice, not even Draco. I would prefer that he and everyone else like him spent the rest of their lives rotting away in a prison somewhere."

"That just shows how foolish you really are, Miss Granger. What would you have done if Malfoy had thrown that broom half at you and then charged? A well placed hit and you would have been at his mercy," Snape told to her.

"I doubt that would have happened. Draco doesn't seem to have any fighting skills at all," she said to Snape.

"He doesn't need any, Miss Granger. He only needs to get lucky once," Snape angrily told her. "And with you continuing to give him further opportunities, it's only a matter of time before a set of these are in your future," Snape said as he took something out of his robe pocket and slammed it down on the small coffee table that stood between them. Hermione sucked in a quick breath at the sight of the object. It was Pansy's blood-soaked knickers.

"Why do you have those?" Hermione asked as she stared at the undergarment.

"To remind me what is truly at stake, Miss Granger. Perhaps it would be better if you keep them. Maybe they will help sharpen your resolve the next time a Death Eater attacks you," Snape suggested to her. "Your humiliation of young Mr. Malfoy has all but guaranteed that you will be his next target. Do not expect him to play fair, Miss Granger. If he is anything like his father, he will use others to fight his battle for him. You may very well find yourself outnumbered and at his mercy, just as Miss Parkinson found herself," he informed her. That thought sent a chill down Hermione's spine. Over the last week and a half she had four nightmares about just that. Each time, she had woken in the middle of the night with sweat covering her body. Hermione reached out and picked up the blue, stained pair of knickers. With care, she folded them and placed them in her pocket. Snape raised one of his eyebrows and gave her a surprised look.

"What, you told me to take them?" Hermione defensively asked.

"I never expected you to obey," Snape answered.

"I didn't take them for the reason you gave. I took them for reasons of my own," she informed him.

"Are you referring to some kind of kinship you now feel for Miss Parkinson? What makes you think she will now feel the same way about you?" Snape skeptically asked.

"She is not the same person as before. She knows now who is really on her side," Hermione told him.

"Miss Parkinson only knows two things at the present. The first is the shame she feels about what happened to her and the second is fear that it will happen again. She will not trust anyone from her past, which includes you, Miss Granger. That is why she so quickly attached herself to Mrs. Weasleys, she seeks the safety of a stranger rather than the betrayal from another friend," Snape told her.

"In time she will see that we are both on the same side. She will learn to trust Ron, Harry, and myself," Hermione said.

"Something very precious was torn out of her soul, Miss Granger. What takes its place can be very dark and sometimes dangerous. It would be wise if you didn't try to get too close to her," Snape said.

"She will need friends if she is to get through this. You of all people should know how a single traumatic event can change a person," Hermione defiantly said.

"If you're referring to my unfortunate first trip aboard the Hogwarts Express, you couldn't be more mistaken. Hagrid and McGonagall also believe that that was the reason for my sorting into Slytherin but it's far from true. Ever since I was five, I found myself attracted to dark magic. It was this, more than anything else, that led me to be a true Slytherin.

"But who knows how that silly hat really works. The fact that Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw already had nineteen students apiece sorted into them, and Slytherin only had eighteen, might have been all that really mattered when I was to be sorted. In chase you haven't noticed, the Sorting Hat always seems to find an equal amount of students for all four houses each year[NM1]. If your name is last in the alphabetical order, it may have more to do with luck than what your personal talents might suggest," Snape said.

"You think it was just luck that you ended up in Slytherin?" Hermione asked.

"Perhaps, but I firmly believe it's where I belonged," Snape answered.

"Hagrid said that the Slytherins didn't like you very much. He said that they thought you should have been in Ravenclaw," Hermione said.

"At first that was true. They had been told about my ancestors by their parents. My high academic scores only enforced this. But once it became clear what my passions truly were, they accepted me as a Slytherin. Many even started to fear me," Snape told her with a little bit of pride in his voice.

"They all thought your father was a Death Eater. Did you ever tell anyone he was in the Order?" Hermione asked.

"No, Miss Granger, I didn't. The main reason being that my father was never in the Order," Snape sharply answered.

"But Hagrid told me he was. He said your father joined after he found out who Voldemort really was," Hermione told him.

"Do not speak that name to me, Miss Granger," Snape warned. "It's true that my father did start to help the Order when he found out the Dark Lord's true identity. But he didn't give his help for free. He made the Order pay for the potions that he provided and not just with money. He made them find him rare illegal ingredients he couldn't get past the Ministry. He cared nothing for their cause or the lives of the people in the Order," Snape said with an air of resentment.

"It doesn't sound like you cared much for your father?" Hermione asked.

"He was an arrogant, conceited bastard that was in love with his superiority and nothing else. In the end, that arrogance guaranteed that he would fall prey to the family curse. But the selfish bastard had to take my mother with him," Snape angrily answered.

"Family curse?" Hermione asked with a confused look.

"Hagrid didn't tell you about the curse? How remiss of my godfather to leave that out," Snape sarcastically said.

"Wait, wait just a minute. Hagrid is your godfather?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"It wasn't as if I had any say in the matter, Miss Granger. My mother thought that he and McGonagall were the only ones trustworthy enough, at the time. You'll find that Hagrid is godfather to quite a number of people. My father didn't really care as long as he didn't have to bother with it," Snape answered.

"I can't believe this. Professor McGonagall and Hagrid are your godparents. The Head of Gryffindor is godmother to the Head of Slytherin," Hermione said in amazement.

"In case I haven't made it very clear, Miss Granger, anything we discuss here is to remain strictly private and is not to be mentioned to your friends - "EVER!" My relationship to Professor McGonagall is no one's concern but our own. It would be very dangerous if it were known that I have such a close connection to someone everybody naturally assumes is in the Order," Snape said in a warning tone.

"I understand completely, Professor. I doubt Professor McGonagall would like it known that she had you as a godson," Hermione told him. She didn't mean for it to sound like an insult but that's the way it came out. Snape just sneered at her. "What was this family curse you mentioned?" Hermione quickly asked, trying to change the subject.

"It started out as a warning from one of my ancestors about the dangers of our family genius. She warned that anyone that pushed too hard would probably destroy themselves. After a large number of my ancestors did, in fact, succumb to their own experiments, the legend of the Snape family curse was born. Unfortunately, the last couple of generations of my family have only given the curse more credibility," Snape told her.

"More of your relatives have died in experimental accidents than just your parents?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, it started with my grandfather Samuel, who was very eccentric, to say the least. He was a great admirer of dragons. There was a small herd of Blue Atlantic dragons nesting in the cliff caves that were on the north side of Thunder Island. Their loud roars are where the island gets it name," Snape said.

"Atlantic Blues. That's the biggest dragon in the world; they're supposed to be almost extinct," Hermione excitedly said.

"Yes, they are. Their near-extinction was the reason my grandfather embarked on his very foolish plan. He thought if the dragons were harder to find, they would stand a better chance in the wild. He came up with the not-so-bright idea of making the dragons invisible," Snape told her.

"It didn't work?" Hermione asked.

"On the contrary, Miss Granger, it worked on the first bull he tested," Snape answered. "Unfortunately for my grandfather, he was no longer able to keep track of the bull and was promptly eaten by it in short order."

"That's really horrible. Did all your relatives die in accidental experiments?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, with the exception of my grandmother. She was killed during a horse-riding accident. Of course, she was not a Snape by blood, only by marriage," Snape answered.

"And the curse ended with both your parents dying in that lab accident," Hermione said.

"No, my father had a sister nearly twenty-five years his junior. My Aunt Tiara was only five years older that myself. She was considered a genius with Charms, but was not a very mentally stable person. About six years ago, she was killed while trying to combine three very powerful spells together. I can't really say that I was surprised to hear what had happen. It was quite apparent to me, even at a young age, that she would go the same way as my father and his father before him," Snape unapologetically said.

Something about what Snape had just said struck a familiar cord with Hermione. "Professor, do you have any relatives left that are still alive?" she asked. Snape tilted his head to the side for a second. He looked like he was searching his memories for the answer.

"I believe my aunt had a child before she was killed. She had married some kind of publicist and I think they had a daughter. My grandmother died when I was twelve, after that I had no contact with my aunt. The only reason I remember her having a child is that it was mentioned in the Ministry's report on my aunt's demise. The child had apparently witnessed her mother's death," Snape answered.

"So you have a cousin that is much younger than you. Do you know her name?" Hermione asked with a slightly evil smile on her face. She had already put the pieces together in her head.

"I have no idea what her name is, nor do I care," Snape coldly answered.

"I know her name," Hermione announced as the smile on her face grew.

"I seriously doubt that, Miss Granger. My aunt stopped using the name Snape soon after the death of my father. It would be very hard to trace her, or her daughter, back to my family," Snape confidently said.

"You may be right, Professor, but I just so happen to know a female student here at Hogwarts that witnessed her mother's death while experimenting with spells six years ago. And her father just happens to be the editor of a magazine," Hermione said with a smug look on her face.

"Who?" Snape impatiently asked.

"Luna Lovegood," she answered.

"That's impossible," Snape heatedly said. Hermione tried to keep a calm expression on her face but inside she was full of glee at Snape's obvious discomfort on hearing her revelation.

"It's true. She told Harry about how her mother died. She said she even witnessed it. And her father is editor of The Quibbler," she told him. Snape just sat there for moment considering what she had told him.

Finally he looked back at her and said, "It seems fairly obvious that you're right, Miss Granger. Now that I think about it, Miss Lovegood does resemble my aunt, not only in looks but also in regards to her very bizarre personality. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a member of my family is currently the most intelligent student in Hogwarts."

"WHAT?!" Hermione blurted out. "Professor, I'll have you know that I had the highest O.W.L's scores and the highest grade average last year."

"That is only because you find academics a challenge and Miss Lovegood does not," Snape said to her. "The entire staff of Hogwarts has commented on Lovegood's peculiar study habits. She reads her textbooks from back to front while holding them upside down. Apparently, she finds it too boring to read them like a normal student. I myself have found her classroom antics very annoying."

Hermione wondered if it could be true. Was Luna smarter than she let on? Luna was so different from her. Hermione had always assumed that most intelligent people would be like her. Luna was in Ravenclaw and she was related to a family known for producing brilliant witches and wizards. Hermione looked back at Snape; he now had an evil little smile on his face.

"What's wrong, Miss Granger? Do you suddenly see a threat to your precious O.W.L's scores? You shouldn't concern yourself; Miss Lovegood doesn't seem to have any real interest in academic achievements. Of course you never know," Snape said with an evil smirk.

"I'm happy just knowing that I beat your scores, Professor," Hermione said in rebuttal. This instantly wiped the smile off his face.

"As enjoyable as it has been discussing my family with you, Miss Granger," Snape sarcastically said to her in an irritated voice. " I would prefer that we finish this conversation as quickly as possible. What is it really you wish to know, Miss Granger?"

Hermione could tell he was becoming impatient with her. She still thought it best to ease into the tougher questions. "When did you become a Death Eater?" Hermione seriously asked.

"On my eighteenth birthday. The Mark can only be taken willingly on the night of your birthday," Snape informed her.

"When did you decide to join the Order?" she asked.

"Just after the death of my father. Of course, the Headmaster didn't let me officially join until I was sixteen," Snape answered.

"Wait a minute. I thought you joined the Order after you became a Death Eater. I heard you came to Dumbledore and begged him for a second chance," Hermione said with a puzzled look on her face.

"Please, Miss Granger. Do I seem like the kind of person that would ever beg anyone for anything?" Snape said as if she had insulted him. "The Headmaster gave that story to the Ministry so that he wouldn't expose my spying activities for the Order."

"Why did you become a Death Eater if you were already in the Order? Were you trying to betray them?" Hermione asked as she gave her Professor a very suspicious look.

"No, Miss Granger, I had no intention of betraying the Order, although some in the Order thought that at first. Because of the rumors surrounding my father's alleged connection to the Dark Lord, I found myself with a unique opportunity to infiltrate the Dark Lord's inner circle," Snape told her. "Unfortunately, I was still too young and foolish to know what I was getting myself into. My thirst for knowledge about the Dark Arts overwhelmed my common sense."

"If you were in the Order before becoming a Death Eater, why didn't Wormtail rat you out to the Dark Lord? He was in the Order, too," Hermione asked.

"Only the Headmaster and a few others knew that I was in the Order. No one except Dumbledore and a couple of others know everyone that is in the Order. The Dark Lord also uses this strategy with his Death Eaters. That's why no one knew about Wormtail," Snape answered.

"So you joined to learn about the Death Eaters and their master. You planned to spy on them for the Order," Hermione said, trying to make sense of what she was told.

"That was my rationale at the time. It almost sounds heroic when you put it in that light, but it isn't true," Snape said in a cold logical voice.

"What do you mean?" Hermione apprehensively asked.

"I didn't admit it to myself at the time, but what I truly hoped to gain by taking the Mark was power. I wished to be as powerful a wizard as Dumbledore and the Dark Lord. I saw the Mark as a shortcut to that goal. I had no idea how much that reckless mistake would cost me," Snape said with bitter regret.

"I take it being a Death Eater isn't all it was cracked up to be?" Hermione asked.

"No, it isn't. The Mark is just a form of slavery, Miss Granger. The Dark Lord does not share his power or his secrets. What I didn't realize until it was too late was that the Dark Mark is much more than just a tattoo. It fills you with a dark magic that changes your very soul. It seeks to destroy your conscience. And it can never be taken back," Snape stated as if it were a warning.

"Are you saying that you have no conscience?" she asked.

"I still have mine but it is always a battle to keep it. Since the new rise of the Dark Lord, it is always under attack by the dark magic within me," Snape told her.

"Are you sure it hasn't won? The way you treat people, I would wonder," Hermione only half-seriously asked.

"I'm quite sure, Miss Granger. If I suddenly start treating everyone nicely instead of the way they truly deserve, then you will know I have succumbed to the Mark," Snape told her. Hermione had to admit it; a nice Snape would be even creepier than normal.

"Is the Dark Mark the reason you never got married?" Hermione asked.

"My father's marriage is the reason I never got married, Miss Granger," Snape answered.

"You were never in love?"

"No," Snape answered without hesitation.

"Did you at least have a girlfriend?" she asked.

"No," he said once again.

"Professor, you're not still a virgin, are you?" Hermione asked with a bit of embarrassment.

"No, Miss Granger, I'm not," Snape said again, sounding insulted. "Like most teenage boys, I felt that sex what a rite of passage into manhood. On my nineteenth birthday, I sought out a Muggle prostitute to relieve me of my virginity."

"So you've only had sex once?"

"No, I made seeking the company of a Muggle prostitute a tradition on my birthday. I gave it up once I turned thirty. Sexual activities never really held my interest," Snape explained.

"Why Muggle women? There are brothels in Knockturn Alley," she asked.

"I chose Muggles for secrecy. I always Obliviated their memories of me afterward," Snape flatly said as if he were discussing a potion ingredient.

"So what you're telling me is, you've only had sex with whores. I'll be the first person you won't have to pay for," Hermione angrily stated.

"I can assure you, Miss Granger, I will pay dearly for sharing my bed with you," Snape mockingly said.

"Isn't this just great. I have to marry a egotistical, half-possessed, power-hungry pervert that also has a family curse to boot," Hermione irritably said.

"I believe I've answered enough of your questions, Miss Granger," Snape angrily said as he rose from his chair and headed for the door.

"Why stop now? You were painting such a rosy picture," she sarcastically said to him as he took the charms off the room and door.

Before opening the door, he turned to her and said, "I remind you one last time, Miss Granger. What we said here today remains between us. None of it is for your gossiping little rabble," Snape warned.

"Don't worry, I plan to take most of this stuff to the grave. I'll file it in the same folder as Dumbledore's butt," she told him.

"What?" Snape asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Just forget I said that and I'll forget everything you told me," Hermione suggested.

"Very well," Snape said as he open the door to leave.

"WAIT! You didn't ask me anything. Don't you want to know about me and my family?" Hermione asked.

"No," Snape coldly and smugly said as he left the room.

"YOU ARSE!!!" she shouted after him, but he was already gone. It became clear to Hermione that even after all she had learned about him, Snape was still a major prick.

............................................................................................................

Next chapter coming soon.

Hermione and Snape will finally get married in the next chapter. Harry will also get a surprise in the Chamber of Secrets.

A couple of chapters from now, Draco will pay a visit to the Burrow. I know Crabbe and Goyle will join him. I'm curious who else do you think he should take with him? Or should it just be the three?
[NM1]The books suggest the sorting is done alphabetically.