A Turn for the Better

Chapter 17 ~ Preparations and Suspicions

"And the last announcement I have before you're all dismissed, is that Rubeus Hagrid, the groundskeeper, will be patrolling the castle after curfew for the rest of the year," Harry said, his mouth twisting slightly.

Draco's eyes widened. Hagrid would be patrolling the castle? Why? Anyone could see that oaf coming a mile away.

"Why is Mr. Hagrid patrolling the castle?" one of the Prefects asked Harry, as the rest of them looked at him curiously.

Luna was there, sitting quietly, playing with her pink masks as if she had nothing at all to do with the morning Prefect assignments. But, she was listening, and closely.

Harry shrugged.

"I don't know, really. I just received this parchment from Dumbledore stating he would be," Harry replied. "There's probably some reason for it, if to bring him in out of the cold."

This elicited chuckles from the rest of the Prefects. Only Luna didn't crack a smile.

"All right, everyone is dismissed," Harry said.

The Prefects left, Luna wandering out behind them. Of course, Draco remained behind.

"What's this about Hagrid? Who needs him? We have you and Luna, not to mention Professor Snape patrolling the castle during the week, and you add two Prefects on the weekends. That's more than enough," Draco said.

"I know, Draco," Harry replied, filing the parchment in a file cabinet. They met each morning in the small ante-chamber that was used to hold first-years for Sorting at the beginning of the term.
"But for some reason, the Headmaster added him. He didn't take a vote or anything, so we're stuck with the big goon. I doubt if he catches a single person. Anyone gadding about will be able to smell him long before they see him."

Draco followed Harry out.

"How's he going to take points? You have to have a wand on you for the hourglasses to reflect the points lost," the pureblood said.

Harry shrugged.

"He'll probably have to take their names and write them down. If they're smart, they'll fudge their names. After a couple of mistakes, Dumbledore might put him back on the grounds where he belongs," Harry replied.

"Maybe," Draco agreed as they headed for breakfast.

They arrived just as the owl post did. The birds flew overhead, dropping envelopes, newspapers and parcels down on the students.

Luna caught a parcel in a plain brown wrapper. She looked at the address it originated from and smiled. Her father had sent it along after picking it up at the post in London.

Luna shook the box slightly and it rattled. She was quite pleased.

That hadn't taken long at all. She'd make sure she kept it on her at all times.

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The third night of Hagrid's patrolling, he ran into none other than Professor Snape. The Potions master studied him as they stood near Myrtle's bathroom on the second floor.

"Good evening, Hagrid," the professor said to the half-giant, who looked a bit jumpy.

"Hiya, Perfesser," Hagrid said, "jes' checkin' things out."

"Yes, that much is obvious, Hagrid," Snape replied, looking around the wizard and down the little utilized hallway. "But, this area is never used by students to hide in, due to the ghostly occupant of the girl's bathroom. She serves as a rather reliable deterrent"

"Oh, yah mean Myrtle? Yeah, but yer never knows, perfesser. Tha might creep down here anyway, tryin' ter shag an' all," Hagrid responded.

"I've never caught anyone down here in all my time at Hogwarts, Hagrid. It is not necessary to patrol this area. That ghost repels anyone who enters her domain," Snape said, his eyes narrowing.

Something was going on here. He had been surprised to hear that Hagrid had been assigned patrol duties, although he knew Dumbledore favored him.

"I was curious as to just why you are patrolling, Hagrid. We have more than enough Prefects to cover the castle," Snape said, his dark eyes studying the half-giant.

"Oh, I'm lookin' fer Stone Gougers. Seen signs of 'em workin' at tha castle walls," Hagrid said. This was the excuse he used to get Dumbledore to let him check the castle out at night, "Tha only comes out at night, yer know. Nasty lil' buggers."

Snape didn't say anything, but he knew that Hogwarts castle was perfectly capable of repairing any minor damage to itself.

"The castle can repair any Gouger damage, Hagrid," Snape replied.

"Ah yeah, it kin. But tha statues can't," Hagrid replied, his eyes shifting a bit guiltily.

Ah, Gryffindors. No matter their age, they were all so easy to read, with the exception of Dumbledore, whose twinkling blue eyes hid a multitude of sins.

"Very well, Hagrid. Carry on. Let me know if you are in need of any . . . assistance," Snape purred at him, turning and leaving with a billow of robes.

Hagrid let out a sigh of relief as the dark wizard left. He wasn't any good at lying, but he hoped Snape accepted his explanation.

Of course, Snape hadn't. He'd be watching for more than students in the upcoming months. Hagrid was up to something, and he'd find out what.

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"Hermione, I feel bloody ridiculous," Neville complained.

The week of study had passed, and now Hermione was focused on prepared for their assault on the Chamber of Secrets. They had a way in, but now they needed to be able to look at the basilisk without being killed or petrified. She had an idea and was building it around Neville's head. Using an inverted wok-like pot, Hermione made holes all around the rim and attached little iron rods with adjustable swivels on the ends.

"Just hold still, Neville. I've got several more adjustments to make," Hermione hissed at him.

Hermione was building a kind of reflector hat, made of mirrors, regular ones in the back and dark tinted mirrors in front, planning to use reflection in order to see. The back mirrors were lower, and extended like wings on either side behind Neville's head, and she was trying to angle the wings to reflect to the dark front mirrors. It sort of looked like a Mongol's helmet. Hermione gave the left back mirror a twist.

"Can you see in front of you?" she asked him.

He could, but mostly stone floor. It was very dim.

"You have to tilt it up more," Neville said, then "Ow! That's my ear, Hermione!"

"Stop whining, Neville," Hermione snarked at him, the tip of her tongue extending from the corner of her mouth as she twisted the screw. "Now, how's that?"

"Better, but the right side has to be adjusted too," the wizard said.

Hermione worked on the helmet a bit more, and finally Neville could see in front of him, but the images on the front mirrors were rather dim. Hermione was working on the premise that they could look at the reflection of the basilisk and see where it was without actually seeing it in entirety, more like a shadow. Its eyes would be shadowed too.

But the hat looked ridiculous. Like a bad prop from a "B" space movie. But aesthetics aside, it was a pretty good idea, in theory. Neville walked around the room, then Hermione tried it.

"I wish I had some of that light adjusting tint that goes darker when the surroundings are lighter," she said wistfully. They had no idea how bright the chamber would be.

"You really think that thing will work?" Neville asked her doubtfully.

"It should. You have to meet the gaze of the basilisk in order for it to affect you. If you can't see its eyes clearly, then you should be all right. But we need to add a chin strap, otherwise the hat could slide off."

Chin straps?

Good Godric. Neville hoped no one saw them wearing those things. He'd never live it down.

Hermione pulled out her wand and duplicated the helmet. She looked at it with satisfaction.

"And there you go, Neville, the first 'Basilisk Gazer One Thousand,' she said with a smile as Neville rolled his eyes at the sappy name.

"Shouldn't that be the 'Basilisk Gazer One?'" he asked her.

Hermione shook her head.

"The 'Basilisk Gazer One Thousand' sounds much more impressive," she replied. "Now, we have to work on spells."

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Severus Snape was quite an observant man. He hadn't developed the impressive skills he had in the other timeline, but he was still quite good at noticing subtle differences in people he was familiar with. He couldn't help but notice that Hermione seemed rather giddy and excited in his class, and not only in his class but every place she went.

Also, she seemed to have lost interest in him, not that it was glaring, but it was apparent for a few days whenever their eyes met, but then . . . it fizzled out. Had she come to terms with what happened between them and just pushed it to the back of her mind, or even out of her mind all together?

Snape fervently hoped not. He had hoped that link between them could be utilized to start a relationship in this timeline as well. If she just . . . took it in stride, it didn't bode well for him. And it wouldn't do for him to become solicitous this early. He planned to subtly approach the witch after she accepted his offer of apprenticeship. Intimate relationships between masters and apprentices were generally accepted. Usually it was male/male due to most masters taking on male apprentices. Actually, he and Hermione would be considered a rather odd match. Usually the practice was divided along strict sexual lines, mistresses teaching female apprentices, and masters teaching the males.

So, some gossip might arise if they did become involved, just because of the novelty of the situation. But Snape was more than willing to suffer through the grinding of the rumor mill to acquire Hermione. She was more than worth a few whispers.

Hopefully she would feel the same way.

Still, there was something going on with the witch that had her on point, and he wanted to know what it was. Maybe some assignment or new area of study that caught hold of her fertile imagination. Well, at least her marks were back to their usual high quality. They had slipped for a short while, so that meant she was attending to her studies. He hoped she would continue to do so.

"Miss Granger, a word, if you please," the Potions master said as class let out.

Hermione donned her backpack and walked up to his desk.

"Yes, professor?" she asked him.

"I noticed that you have a rather, shall we say, buoyant air about you recently. I'm curious to know what has captured your interest. A new area of study perhaps? I hope that it is not overshadowing your appreciation for potions, if that is indeed the case."

"Oh no, professor. I love potions as much as ever. I've just been doing a bit of interesting research into mythical creatures and find it fascinating," she told him, her eyes shining, "in fact, I think I'm about to make a breakthrough."

"Do tell, Miss Granger, and what kind of breakthrough would that be?" he asked her, cocking his head slightly.

Hermione was brought up short.

"Ah . . . well . . . I'd prefer to keep that to myself until I actually . . . present it, professor," she said.

Snape frowned at her.

"Miss Granger, I sincerely hope you aren't doing anything dangerous," he said to her softly, "your hesitance to reveal what your breakthrough is, leads me to think you possibly are."

Hermione went crimson, and Snape wasn't pleased.

"Are you involved in dangerous research, Miss Granger?" he demanded of her, truly concerned now.

Hermione got herself together quickly.

"My hesitance is because I want my research finding to be a surprise, professor. What fun is it if someone knows exactly what you are going to present? Surely you don't give away your original potion secrets when asked, do you, professor?" she asked him.

Snape eyed her.

"No, I don't," he said softly, "however, I am an adult wizard and . . . "

"Er . . . professor, I'm an adult too," Hermione reminded him a bit curtly.

Snape blinked at her.

"Yes, technically you are, Miss Granger, but you are also a student at this institution and thus the responsibility of the staff, of which I am a member," the Potions master responded tightly.

"I understand that, professor, but just because you are in authority over me, it doesn't mean you can arbitrarily access information from me. You can only do that if some rule or law has been broken. And it hasn't. I just want to keep my research to myself until it is completed and ready to be shown to the world," the witch said.

Brown eyes met black eyes steadily. Hermione was right of course. He couldn't force her to tell him anything if she wasn't in error. He was just trying to keep her from making an error, and possibly getting hurt. He was invested in the young witch after all.

"I'm afraid you are right, Miss Granger. Sweeping powers would come in handy right now, but I am curtailed by your rights to privacy, I fear. However, you have made me suspicious, and I warn you, young lady . . . I will have my eye on you," he told her flatly.

"That's fine, professor," she replied, then said cheekily, "I'll have my eye out for you as well. Goodbye, sir."

Hermione turned and exited his classroom.

Snape sat there, looking after the witch long after she was gone.

He had the feeling he'd just been issued a challenge.

He liked nothing better than a challenge, and added another person to his "Watch List."

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A/N: Ooh, cheeky Hermione. Well, Snape suspects both Hagrid and Hermione are up to something. No doubt he'll be lurking in the shadows. Thanks for reading. ****