In a Lifetime
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
28
Views:
6,494
Reviews:
134
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
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Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
28
Views:
6,494
Reviews:
134
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.
26: The Sabbat of Yule
In A Lifetime
Chapter 26: The Sabbat of Yule
AN: I am well aware that Ginny's canon name is Ginevra. In fact, since it was announced on JKR's website, I have used it exclusively and changed my fics on other sites to reflect this. However, due to the instability of AFF over the past few weeks, I have been unable to change the earlier chapters. I received a review of chapter 19 recently that stated Ginny's canon name. Chapter 19 was written in April. Ginny's name had not been announced at that time. I will try to muddle through AFF to make the corrections over the next few days. added 8/18: All chapters have been repaired to reflect canon. ~Aoibheann
Disclaimer: I own nothing of what you’re about to read, with the possible exception of the plot, although I’m sure it’s been done before. The places, characters, etc. belong to JK Rowling. Thanks.
“Oh my goddess,” said Hermione, her eyes wide, “I killed Ron.”
“You did no such thing,” replied Severus, “he’ll come around eventually. The soul just has to reintegrate itself.”
“He’ll be fine, Hermione,” stated Albus, smiling, “you did a good thing.”
“I did nothing. I’ve been searching for Ron for over 9 weeks,” argued Hermione, “to no avail.”
“And I found him for you. Happy Yule, Hermione,” said Severus, smiling at his confused fiancée.
Hermione shook her head as Ginny floated Ron to the hospital wing for Kyla to watch over. Albus smiled at the couple before him.
“It’s only 2 more weeks,” he said, sitting in his place at the Head Table and motioning for the others to sit as well, “are you prepared?”
“Absolutely,” said Severus, “we left everything in the capable hands of Minerva and Ginevra.”
“Not planning your own wedding, Hermione?” queried Albus as he helped himself from the steaming platter in front of him.
“No sirnswenswered Hermione, “I planned my wedding to Harry and look how THAT turned out.”
“So, Hermione, are you joining us to welcome back the Sun God tonight?” asked Minerva.
“I would like to,” said Hermione, sipping from her butterbeer, “I’ve never celebrated Yule the Old Way.”
“It’s a joyous celebration,” explained Minerva, “we witness the birth of the God.”
“Severus explained a little of the Wheel of the Year,” said Hermione, leaning forward, The God is born at Yule…”
“He seeks out the Goddess at Ostara and unites with her on Beltane,” continued Severus.
“The God impregnates the Goddess with himself on Litha, they wed at Lughnassadh, he rules the Greenwood and Underworld through Mabon, and on Samhain, the Crone appears and the God dies, to be reborn again at Yule,” completed Albus.
“And Samhain is the New Year…”
“To some. To others Yule is often looked at as the New Year,” said Severus, “although the Western New Year, or Hogmany Eve here in Scotland, is still a between time for us, which is why it is a strong time for us to wed.”
“And if you look at the Egyptian tradition, December 31 is Sekhmet’s lucky day, followed by the Day of Ishtar, very lucky for those in love,” smiled Minerva.
“There’s so much,” said Hermione, her voice tinged with awe as she selected a lemon biscuit from the dessert platter, “so much I don’t know about the old ways.”
“The trick,” stated Albus, “is to marry the old ways with the new to advance and grow. Now, if you will excuse me, I wish to relax and meditate before heading out to the clearing. Minerva, I trust that you can oversee getting the students to the train?”
“Of course, Albus,” stated Minerva, smiling, “and I will also check in on Mr. Weasley, although I daresay he’ll be in the capable hands of Madame Bennett in the Hospital Wing. I daresay he will not awaken until the morning.”
With that, Albus arose and left the Great Hall, followed in short order by the remainder of the staff. Severus and Hermione headed for his quarters to prepare themselves. They relaxed in a whirlpool that Hermione created in Severus’ large stone tub, and then dressed in robes of forest green with red sash cords. At a little past midnight, they exited the castle towards a clearing deep in the Forbidden Forest.
Hermione stopped in her tracks as she surveyed the clearing. She gasped and took in how lovely it appeared. In the center of the clearing was an altar of birch planking laid across two stumps. The altar was dressed with holly, mistletoe, ivy, pinecones, and pine boughs, making a fragrant display and bed for several magical items, a large cauldron, and the half of a log that sat upon it. Into the log were bored three holes, each holding a red or green candle . Hermione could see the faint etching of a circle in the snow, delineated by candles at the compass points. Hermione noted that the candles were green, yellow, red, and blue. ‘Yes,’ she thought, ‘the elements; earth, air, fire, and water.’
Hermione watched as Albus appeared to light the candles and some incense that Hermione recognized as bayberry. Silently, Albus motioned to the forest, and many of the staff appeared, all robed in the same fashion as Hermione and Severus. Only Albus wore robes of white. Albus smiled as he picked up a bell from the altar and rang it three times. Albus spoke, calling on the Lady and Lord of the Greenwood to join them. He lit each candle of the circle with the center candle from the altar, invoking each of the elements and their deities to strengthen and illuminate the circle. He then picked up a silver dagger from the altar (Hermione later asked Severus, who informed her that it was called an athame), drawing a circle along the faint line in the snow. Hermione watched in awe as the trail of the dagger shone silver blue against the stark white of the snow and remained there. Severus glanced at Hermione and smiled at her expression of awe as she watched Albus complete the casting and consecrating of the circle. He magically opened a “doorway” in the circle and the staff entered silently. Albus closed the doorway behind them, the silver blue line growing solid once more.
Albus picked up a goblet of wine and poured a small amount into the cauldron. He then passed the goblet around for each of the participants to take a sip. Hermione savored the deep, rich, fruity tones of the wine as she sipped. Albus rang the bell three times and spoke again, he voice commanding the forest.
“Blessed are the Lord and the Lady of the Greenwood, who turn the wheel of the year. Welcome the Yule. The end of the solar year has come, a new year has begun.”
“A new year has begun,” repeated the participants.
Albus picked up his wand, held it up to the sky, and again spoke.
“I send my power to you to join with the energies of the Sun God. Let the Sun God’s rebirth rekindle my strength!”
“Let the Sun God’s rebirth rekindle my strength,” repeated the participants, holding their wands aloft.
Albus then lit the kindling that was in the cauldron with the middle altar candle and dedicated the fire to bidding farewell to the old God and greeting the newborn God. Albus again picked up the dagger and held it up as the rest held up their arms to the night sky. In unison, they chanted.
“Hail the Sun God. Hail the eternal movement of time. Hail the death and rebirth of Yule. Hail the Lord of the Greenwood!”
Hermione watched the remainder of the ritual go by in awe, participating as though it were second nature. She watched as Albus offered the traditional cakes and ale to the Lord and Lady. He then wished the elements and their deities peaceful parting as he snuffed out the candles and closed the circle, a faint shimmering line remaining when it was all over. With a wave of his hand , tables appeared at the circle’s perimeter, laden with food and drink.
“Well, that’s done,” said Albus, smiling at the staff, “I say we tuck in, keep warm, and wait for the Sun God to reappear!”
A rich baritone voice from Hermione’s side began to sing,
Sing we of a mystery, now as long ago
Blood red holly berries, blood upon on the snow
The Oak king shall rise, the waxing year to bring
Therefore bid we farewell to the Holly king…
Hermione looked in wonder at her fiancé as he sang the old words to the traditional song. The rest of the group joined in, their voices blending with one another as a beautiful musical instrument.
Now in deep midwinter all seems in a trance
Comes the golden Oak King in his age old dance
Comes he to slay, yet honor he does he bring
To his fallen brother the darksome Holly King
In the bright midsummer the year's wheel turned around
Then shall be the Oak King's blood upon the ground
Ever it comes, once more the years waning
Then shall be victorious the Darksome Holly King
Sing we of the Mystery now as long ago
Blood red holly berries, blood upon on the snow
The Oak king shall rise waxing year to bring
Therefore bid we farewell to the Holly king
With that, the music began in earnest, Professor Flitwick picking up a lute he had left outside the circle before the ritual. Remus summoned a guitar and the group sang and feasted throughout the night. Albus lit a bonfire to keep them warm. Hermione was hardly aware of the passage of time until Severus took her hand and pointed at the sky.
“Look,” he said, “the Sun King appears.”
The music halted and the group watched in silence as the tendrils of dawn snaked across the sky, kissing the darkness with the pastel hues of a winter sunrise. To Hermione, this sunrise was different from all others. This one was special. Hermione felt like she belonged to the earth, the air, the sky. She felt alive like she never had before. And she owed it to Severus. She snuck a glance at the dark haired man beside her, for so long an object of derision for the students at Hogwarts. She smiled at the way his pale cheeks were touched with a bit of pink from the cold winter air, the way his hair brushed across his face. It was a beautiful face. He was a beautiful man. He was her man. Her past was over. He was her present and her future. She reached over and took his hand in hers.
“I love you, Severus,” she said simply.
“As I do you, Hermione,” he replied, gracing her with a crooked grin that melted her heart.
“Well,” said Albus, “the sun has risen, the Lord has returned, and I think we all need some rest. And for some of you,” he glanced pointedly at Remus, Filius Flitwick, Minerva, and Pomona Sprout, “I would suggest something to take care of the headaches you will undoubtedly awaken with in a few hours.”
“I’m going to check on Ron before heading to bed,” said Hermione, “your place or mine?”
“Make it mine,” he replied as they trekked back to the Castle, “yours is too close to that bloody Hospital Wing.”
Hermione smiled and nodded, agreeing with him wholeheartedly. They parted company with a quick kiss at the stairway, Hermione heading to the Hospital Wing. She smiled as she climbed the stairs and entered the infirmary. She looked around the empty room. Ginny entered from the storage closet and looked at Hermione, shaking her head.
“He’s gone,” she said, “Ron left sometime during the night. He didn’t say a word.”
“How could Kyla just let him leave?” asked Hermione.
“She didn’t,” said Ginny, “I came onto the ward, Kyla turned to talk to me, and we turned around, he was gone. I’m sorry, Hermione, I know you did a lot for him. I’m sorry he left without a thank you.”
Hermione felt a tear roll down her cheek. It wasn’t the apology she missed. She wanted to see if he was different with the soul fragment returned. Perhaps she would find out in the future, perhaps she never would.
“It’s his life,” she said sadly, “I just hope the piece returned helps him find more life than he’s had.”
With a quick hug for her friend, Hermione headed to the dungeons, to the understanding arms of Severus.
Chapter 26: The Sabbat of Yule
AN: I am well aware that Ginny's canon name is Ginevra. In fact, since it was announced on JKR's website, I have used it exclusively and changed my fics on other sites to reflect this. However, due to the instability of AFF over the past few weeks, I have been unable to change the earlier chapters. I received a review of chapter 19 recently that stated Ginny's canon name. Chapter 19 was written in April. Ginny's name had not been announced at that time. I will try to muddle through AFF to make the corrections over the next few days. added 8/18: All chapters have been repaired to reflect canon. ~Aoibheann
Disclaimer: I own nothing of what you’re about to read, with the possible exception of the plot, although I’m sure it’s been done before. The places, characters, etc. belong to JK Rowling. Thanks.
“Oh my goddess,” said Hermione, her eyes wide, “I killed Ron.”
“You did no such thing,” replied Severus, “he’ll come around eventually. The soul just has to reintegrate itself.”
“He’ll be fine, Hermione,” stated Albus, smiling, “you did a good thing.”
“I did nothing. I’ve been searching for Ron for over 9 weeks,” argued Hermione, “to no avail.”
“And I found him for you. Happy Yule, Hermione,” said Severus, smiling at his confused fiancée.
Hermione shook her head as Ginny floated Ron to the hospital wing for Kyla to watch over. Albus smiled at the couple before him.
“It’s only 2 more weeks,” he said, sitting in his place at the Head Table and motioning for the others to sit as well, “are you prepared?”
“Absolutely,” said Severus, “we left everything in the capable hands of Minerva and Ginevra.”
“Not planning your own wedding, Hermione?” queried Albus as he helped himself from the steaming platter in front of him.
“No sirnswenswered Hermione, “I planned my wedding to Harry and look how THAT turned out.”
“So, Hermione, are you joining us to welcome back the Sun God tonight?” asked Minerva.
“I would like to,” said Hermione, sipping from her butterbeer, “I’ve never celebrated Yule the Old Way.”
“It’s a joyous celebration,” explained Minerva, “we witness the birth of the God.”
“Severus explained a little of the Wheel of the Year,” said Hermione, leaning forward, The God is born at Yule…”
“He seeks out the Goddess at Ostara and unites with her on Beltane,” continued Severus.
“The God impregnates the Goddess with himself on Litha, they wed at Lughnassadh, he rules the Greenwood and Underworld through Mabon, and on Samhain, the Crone appears and the God dies, to be reborn again at Yule,” completed Albus.
“And Samhain is the New Year…”
“To some. To others Yule is often looked at as the New Year,” said Severus, “although the Western New Year, or Hogmany Eve here in Scotland, is still a between time for us, which is why it is a strong time for us to wed.”
“And if you look at the Egyptian tradition, December 31 is Sekhmet’s lucky day, followed by the Day of Ishtar, very lucky for those in love,” smiled Minerva.
“There’s so much,” said Hermione, her voice tinged with awe as she selected a lemon biscuit from the dessert platter, “so much I don’t know about the old ways.”
“The trick,” stated Albus, “is to marry the old ways with the new to advance and grow. Now, if you will excuse me, I wish to relax and meditate before heading out to the clearing. Minerva, I trust that you can oversee getting the students to the train?”
“Of course, Albus,” stated Minerva, smiling, “and I will also check in on Mr. Weasley, although I daresay he’ll be in the capable hands of Madame Bennett in the Hospital Wing. I daresay he will not awaken until the morning.”
With that, Albus arose and left the Great Hall, followed in short order by the remainder of the staff. Severus and Hermione headed for his quarters to prepare themselves. They relaxed in a whirlpool that Hermione created in Severus’ large stone tub, and then dressed in robes of forest green with red sash cords. At a little past midnight, they exited the castle towards a clearing deep in the Forbidden Forest.
Hermione stopped in her tracks as she surveyed the clearing. She gasped and took in how lovely it appeared. In the center of the clearing was an altar of birch planking laid across two stumps. The altar was dressed with holly, mistletoe, ivy, pinecones, and pine boughs, making a fragrant display and bed for several magical items, a large cauldron, and the half of a log that sat upon it. Into the log were bored three holes, each holding a red or green candle . Hermione could see the faint etching of a circle in the snow, delineated by candles at the compass points. Hermione noted that the candles were green, yellow, red, and blue. ‘Yes,’ she thought, ‘the elements; earth, air, fire, and water.’
Hermione watched as Albus appeared to light the candles and some incense that Hermione recognized as bayberry. Silently, Albus motioned to the forest, and many of the staff appeared, all robed in the same fashion as Hermione and Severus. Only Albus wore robes of white. Albus smiled as he picked up a bell from the altar and rang it three times. Albus spoke, calling on the Lady and Lord of the Greenwood to join them. He lit each candle of the circle with the center candle from the altar, invoking each of the elements and their deities to strengthen and illuminate the circle. He then picked up a silver dagger from the altar (Hermione later asked Severus, who informed her that it was called an athame), drawing a circle along the faint line in the snow. Hermione watched in awe as the trail of the dagger shone silver blue against the stark white of the snow and remained there. Severus glanced at Hermione and smiled at her expression of awe as she watched Albus complete the casting and consecrating of the circle. He magically opened a “doorway” in the circle and the staff entered silently. Albus closed the doorway behind them, the silver blue line growing solid once more.
Albus picked up a goblet of wine and poured a small amount into the cauldron. He then passed the goblet around for each of the participants to take a sip. Hermione savored the deep, rich, fruity tones of the wine as she sipped. Albus rang the bell three times and spoke again, he voice commanding the forest.
“Blessed are the Lord and the Lady of the Greenwood, who turn the wheel of the year. Welcome the Yule. The end of the solar year has come, a new year has begun.”
“A new year has begun,” repeated the participants.
Albus picked up his wand, held it up to the sky, and again spoke.
“I send my power to you to join with the energies of the Sun God. Let the Sun God’s rebirth rekindle my strength!”
“Let the Sun God’s rebirth rekindle my strength,” repeated the participants, holding their wands aloft.
Albus then lit the kindling that was in the cauldron with the middle altar candle and dedicated the fire to bidding farewell to the old God and greeting the newborn God. Albus again picked up the dagger and held it up as the rest held up their arms to the night sky. In unison, they chanted.
“Hail the Sun God. Hail the eternal movement of time. Hail the death and rebirth of Yule. Hail the Lord of the Greenwood!”
Hermione watched the remainder of the ritual go by in awe, participating as though it were second nature. She watched as Albus offered the traditional cakes and ale to the Lord and Lady. He then wished the elements and their deities peaceful parting as he snuffed out the candles and closed the circle, a faint shimmering line remaining when it was all over. With a wave of his hand , tables appeared at the circle’s perimeter, laden with food and drink.
“Well, that’s done,” said Albus, smiling at the staff, “I say we tuck in, keep warm, and wait for the Sun God to reappear!”
A rich baritone voice from Hermione’s side began to sing,
Blood red holly berries, blood upon on the snow
The Oak king shall rise, the waxing year to bring
Therefore bid we farewell to the Holly king…
Hermione looked in wonder at her fiancé as he sang the old words to the traditional song. The rest of the group joined in, their voices blending with one another as a beautiful musical instrument.
Comes the golden Oak King in his age old dance
Comes he to slay, yet honor he does he bring
To his fallen brother the darksome Holly King
In the bright midsummer the year's wheel turned around
Then shall be the Oak King's blood upon the ground
Ever it comes, once more the years waning
Then shall be victorious the Darksome Holly King
Sing we of the Mystery now as long ago
Blood red holly berries, blood upon on the snow
The Oak king shall rise waxing year to bring
Therefore bid we farewell to the Holly king
With that, the music began in earnest, Professor Flitwick picking up a lute he had left outside the circle before the ritual. Remus summoned a guitar and the group sang and feasted throughout the night. Albus lit a bonfire to keep them warm. Hermione was hardly aware of the passage of time until Severus took her hand and pointed at the sky.
“Look,” he said, “the Sun King appears.”
The music halted and the group watched in silence as the tendrils of dawn snaked across the sky, kissing the darkness with the pastel hues of a winter sunrise. To Hermione, this sunrise was different from all others. This one was special. Hermione felt like she belonged to the earth, the air, the sky. She felt alive like she never had before. And she owed it to Severus. She snuck a glance at the dark haired man beside her, for so long an object of derision for the students at Hogwarts. She smiled at the way his pale cheeks were touched with a bit of pink from the cold winter air, the way his hair brushed across his face. It was a beautiful face. He was a beautiful man. He was her man. Her past was over. He was her present and her future. She reached over and took his hand in hers.
“I love you, Severus,” she said simply.
“As I do you, Hermione,” he replied, gracing her with a crooked grin that melted her heart.
“Well,” said Albus, “the sun has risen, the Lord has returned, and I think we all need some rest. And for some of you,” he glanced pointedly at Remus, Filius Flitwick, Minerva, and Pomona Sprout, “I would suggest something to take care of the headaches you will undoubtedly awaken with in a few hours.”
“I’m going to check on Ron before heading to bed,” said Hermione, “your place or mine?”
“Make it mine,” he replied as they trekked back to the Castle, “yours is too close to that bloody Hospital Wing.”
Hermione smiled and nodded, agreeing with him wholeheartedly. They parted company with a quick kiss at the stairway, Hermione heading to the Hospital Wing. She smiled as she climbed the stairs and entered the infirmary. She looked around the empty room. Ginny entered from the storage closet and looked at Hermione, shaking her head.
“He’s gone,” she said, “Ron left sometime during the night. He didn’t say a word.”
“How could Kyla just let him leave?” asked Hermione.
“She didn’t,” said Ginny, “I came onto the ward, Kyla turned to talk to me, and we turned around, he was gone. I’m sorry, Hermione, I know you did a lot for him. I’m sorry he left without a thank you.”
Hermione felt a tear roll down her cheek. It wasn’t the apology she missed. She wanted to see if he was different with the soul fragment returned. Perhaps she would find out in the future, perhaps she never would.
“It’s his life,” she said sadly, “I just hope the piece returned helps him find more life than he’s had.”
With a quick hug for her friend, Hermione headed to the dungeons, to the understanding arms of Severus.