A Matter of Circumstance

Chapter 26 ~ Surprise Visit

Severus finished up his classes, went to supper then retired to his private rooms. Thank the gods it was the weekend. He entered his study and made himself a small firewhiskey and water, then sat down in the armchair facing the fire and sipped it leisurely.

Hera watched Severus through the mirror, waiting for the moment he would discover where the pregnant witch lived.

”Hurry up, mortal” she muttered, exasperated by his slowness.

The Potions Master was actually preparing himself for the worst. Anytime he was about to enter a potentially volatile situation, he took a moment to center himself, to find his inner calm. That was what he was doing now.

He finished his firewhiskey, set the glass down on the small table beside the armchair then pulled out his wand.

“Quiete Locus,” Severus intoned, flicking his wand in a specific pattern. A translucent map appeared, floating in the air in front of him. It was quite similar to the Marauder’s Map except it only showed Hermione’s footprints.

It took a few minutes for the map of the surrounding area to fade in

The Potions Master studied the map, his face growing black as the words “Cedric’s Sex Symposium” appeared, then “Knockturn Alley.”

Hermione’s footprints were in a small flat actually located in that dismal, dangerous area.

”Is she mad?” the wizard snarled to himself, “Knockturn Alley? She's got a flat in Knockturn Alley?”

His face contorted with anger, Severus strode into his bedroom, threw on his black traveling cloak, pulled up the hood and disapparated.

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Severus appeared in Knockturn Alley, looking like a specter with his hood drawn up and pale face barely visible as he strode toward the door of Hermione’s flat. He was almost there when a wizard stepped in front of him.

The man was as tall as the Potions Master, bald and with a jagged scar that ran from his cheek to under his jaw. His robes were slightly worn and he had sharp gray eyes.

”Pardon me mate, but are you going to see that bird in that flat?” he asked the Potions Master, “’Cause I want to know who to talk to so I can get a go at her. She’s a mean one…you can’t approach her directly. She hexes fast. But after I saw that old bloke go in there last week and come out smiling, I knew she was doing something. A witch like that is always doing something which is why she’s pregnant and alone in the first place, little slut.”

Severus glowered at him, saying nothing. The wizard continued.

”I was thinking maybe Cedric pimps her, but he claims he doesn’t…but you know Cedric. He’s not licensed to work whores…so he probably does it under the table. Careful bloke, Cedric is. So tell me…what does she do? Fuck? Suck? Take it up the ass?” the wizard said, his eyes taking on a look of lust.

“Get the fuck away from me,” the Potions Master growled, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

”Oh come on now, mate. No reason to get territorial. I just like ‘em big like that. Tell me…how’d you get to her? What’s she charge?” the wizard said insistently.

“I’m going to say this one more time,” Severus said evenly, his pale hands curling into fists, “Get away from me.”

Severus lowered his hood, his face contorted as he looked at the wizard who backed away in horror.

”Snape! Oh…I…I…didn’t know it was you. Sorry. Sorry. I’m…just going to go now,” the wizard said, slinking away quickly.

All around Knockturn Alley wizards and witches whispered to each other at the sight of Severus Snape in Knockturn Alley. He was a hero, but more than that…he was a very dangerous and unfriendly wizard who’d hex a fellow as soon as talk to him. What was he doing here? Probably the little pregnant witch.

His face terrible, Severus walked up to Hermione’s door and knocked on it hard.

There was no answer at first. He pounded on it again.

”Who the hell is it?” Hermione called through the door, the warning in her voice evident.

Severus blinked. Well, she certainly had the proper greeting for the area down pat. At least she didn’t just open her door.

”It’s Severus, Hermione. Open the door,” he said, staring at it as if he could see her standing on the other side, overcome with shock.

There was a full minute of silence, before the Potions Master pounded again.

”I’m not going to go away, witch. Open this damn door or I’ll open it for you,” he snarled.

Standing against the wall across the street, a witch with a large hooked nose which rivaled that of the Potions Master nudged her male companion with a sharp elbow.

”He’s going to try the knob,” she cackled gleefully.

”This ought to be good,” the wizard replied in a deep voice.

They watched as Severus grasped the doorknob and got the shock of his life, the wizard stiffening, unable to let go of it as his hair stood up, crackled and smoked. Finally the shock ceased and Severus stumbled back.

The pair across the street and several other observers collapsed with laughter as the wizard recovered, trying to smooth down his stiffened hair and waving away the wisps of residual smoke that surrounded him.

Completely pissed, the wizard strode back up to the door and roared, “Hermione Granger, you open this door immediately or I will blast it off its hinges, collateral damage be damned!”

Severus stood there, panting and furious as the door clicked and slowly opened.

Hermione peered up at the scowling Potions Master. His nose had black smut on the tip of it and his hair was all over his head. She knew better than to laugh.

“Come in,” she said, widening the door.

Hermione decided to let Severus enter. He couldn’t have blasted her door in because she had very powerful wards on it that could withstand a lot of power. But he was here and not letting him in would only make a bad situation worse.

The Potions Master stalked in and she closed the door behind him. The Knockturn Alley regulars all shook their heads.

“He’s going to kill her,” a witch said, “They’ll never find the body.”

”Do they ever in Knockturn Alley?” another witch asked, then they both dissolved into laughter.

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Severus stood in the small flat as Hermione walked into her bedroom, then the bathroom and retrieved a small towel, wetting it first. She returned to the living room and offered the towel to the Potions Master.

“Wipe your face,” she said as the wizard glowered at her, “You have some soot on it.”

Severus snatched the towel out of her hand, rubbed it over his face then tossed it back to her. Hermione returned it to the bathroom as Severus looked about the small flat. Inside, it really didn’t look too bad, but it was the outside that was the problem. And what was this about smiling men leaving her flat and that pervert who owned the Sex Symposium…Cedric?

Hermione walked back in and looked at the Potions Master with a frown.

”How did you find me? I checked myself for tracking spells before I disapparated,” she said to the wizard.

”Never mind how I found you,” Severus snapped, “What the hell are you doing living in Knockturn Alley? Are you mad? This is one of the most dangerous areas in Wizarding England!”

“I had to take what I could get, Severus. I am an unwed, pregnant witch. People don’t rent decent flats to people like me. I was lucky Cedric rented me this one,” she snapped back at him.

Severus’ looked got even blacker.

“Cedric? Surely you don’t mean the owner of the Sex Symposium,” he said to her in disbelief.

”Yes, that’s him. He’s my landlord,” Hermione said.

Severus made a very ugly face then.

”I’ve heard he’s your pimp as well,” the wizard hissed, his eyes washing over her.

“What?” Hermione cried, “What did you say?”

”I was stopped by a wizard who wanted to know how to “get at you.” He told me you had a wizard here about a week ago who left with a broad smile after spending some time here. I never dreamed you’d resort to whoring,” the Potions Master said nastily, “I suppose I’ll have to give you a galleon or two for pussy from here on out.”

Hermione hauled off and slapped Severus as hard as she could, the wizard’s head actually twisting at the impact. He grabbed her by the arms and shook her roughly.

“How can you do this to yourself?” he said, his eyes hard, “Why are you living like this? In this place! Selling yourself!”

“I’m not selling myself, Severus! How could you think that?” she said to him, her teeth rattling.

Severus seemed to realize what he was doing and stopped shaking her, but he didn’t let her go.

”Who was that man then?” he demanded, “The one who was here who left with the broad smile?”

”He was someone Cedric sent,” Hermione said.

Severus’ eyes became murderous.

”But he never touched me, Severus. All he wanted was to hear the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. He’d paid me to tell him the story,” Hermione said, her face contorting a bit at the memory of the diapered wizard.

”How much did he pay you?” the wizard asked.

”Cedric gave me two hundred galleons the next day,” Hermione replied.

Severus looked incredulous, then snorted.

“No wizard is going to pay two hundred galleons and not touch you,” he said darkly.

“Well, he did. And I’ll never do anything like that again,” Hermione said shuddering, “It was awful. But I wanted to make some money for myself so you wouldn’t think I was trying to live off yours. I can’t get a job anyplace other than Cedric’s store and I don’t want to work in a sex shop. So since Cedric said there was no sex involved, I thought I’d give it a try. I didn’t know he’d dress up like a baby and play with himself in a huge crib.”

Both of Severus’ eyebrow went up.

“Let me see,” he demanded.

Hermione colored but nodded.

”Go ahead,” she said.

”Legilimens,” the wizard breathed, then watched Hermione’s memories.

Good gods, did she really witness that? The wizard would have died laughing if the situation wasn’t so serious. He withdrew from Hermione’s mind and let her go. He was still angry however.

“Word is in Knockturn Alley is that you’re a whore, Hermione. Eventually, some wizard is going to break in here and take what he thinks you are selling as well as rob you, maybe even kill you,” the Potions Master said, calmer now.

”I can protect myself,” Hermione said stubbornly, “Besides, there’s no place else I can go Severus. I looked all over before I took this place. It’s the best I can do.”

Severus looked down at her and her protruding belly.

”Your best isn’t good enough for my child,” the wizard said softly, “This arrangement is completely unacceptable. You are leaving here…tonight.”

Hermione shook her head.

”No. This is my home for now Severus. After I have the baby….” she began.

”You won’t live long enough to have the baby, Hermione. I know this area…these people. You’re already targeted. A pregnant woman alone with no wizard in sight…”

Here the Professor faltered and fell silent. It was his fault there was no wizard in sight…his fault she was living this way. Again, his conscience prodded him.

“You have to leave here…tonight,” Severus said, “I’ll put you up at the Three Broomsticks for now…”

Hermione shook her head again.

“Rosmerta isn’t going to let me stay there, Severus. I’ll be bad for business. Her other customers might not want to stay in an establishment that accepts witches in my condition…” she began.

”Your condition? You sound like you are carrying some kind of contagious disease, Hermione. You aren’t. You are expecting a child,” he said to her angrily.

”Well it feels as if I’m diseased! Dirty! Filthy! As if my ‘sin’ will wash off on everyone I come in contact with. No one wants to see me, Severus! No one wants me in the proximity of decent people! I belong in Knockturn Alley!” the witch cried, running over to the sofa and falling on it, crying her eyes out.

She had held it in so long and now it all came pouring out. Hermione had never felt so alone in all her life and it did feel as if she were some kind of leper, people afraid to even come in contact with her, whispering behind her back, hissing nasty slurs as she passed. She was handling it as best she could…but now…now she just had to let go and cry.

Severus stood there impotently, not knowing what to do as Hermione buried her face in the couch cushions and sobbed.

“You have to do something,” a voice said in his head, but it didn’t sound like his conscience, “You have to make this right, Severus. Here’s what you do…”

The wizard listened to the voice, glad to have some guidance and believing it to be something subconscious welling up to the fore because of the situation. He was in desperate need of direction, though he would have never accepted it from an outside source. But this…this was inner guidance.

Or so he thought.

Hera stood behind the wizard, whispering into his ear…planting the seed of responsibility in his mind, giving him a plan of action that he wouldn’t balk at. It was too soon to nudge him toward the inevitable ending, but this would be a very good start.

”Yes…yes,” the wizard intoned, drawing in a deep breath and walking over to Hermione.

”Get up and stop crying witch. I have a solution for your living situation,” he said softly, catching Hermione’s arm and drawing her up to a sitting position.

Her face was mottled, her eyes swollen and the sofa cushion soaked with tears. The witch sniffled uncontrollably, like a child that’s cried too much and is unable to stop all at once.

“I am going to get you a room at the Three Broomsticks. Don’t worry about Rosmerta…I will pay her well enough for you to stay. In the meantime, I will find you a place to live myself…in a decent area. That way I can be sure you and my child are not in danger,” the wizard said, making sure to add why he was doing it so Hermione knew it wasn’t because of any affection on his part, but being protective of his issue and the witch carrying it.

“Now, go pack your things,” he ordered her, folding his arms.

Hermione blinked up at him.

She was tired of having to be so vigilant all the time, drawing her wand every time there was a knock on her door, having to check behind her constantly whenever she had to go anywhere. Severus was right. Sooner or later someone in this place was going to get the drop on her.

”What about my furniture? The baby’s crib?” she asked him.

”Leave them,” the wizard said, “Just get your clothing and whatever else you need.”

Hermione wiped at her eyes. She was so tired. She needed someone to take care of her right now. Severus might not love her, but he was giving her what she needed right now. As she looked up at him, she realized she’d like to be in his arms and feel him immersed in her body. It would be a comfort to her, though only sex to him.

”Severus?” she said to him softly.

”What is it?” he responded a bit gruffly, wanting her to pack.

”You said that you missed me, earlier. Do you still…miss me?” she asked him, “Because…because I could use a little contact right now.”

Severus studied Hermione. Her face was still flushed from crying and her amber eyes moist. He looked around the flat and thought of where they were.

”I definitely could use a bit of trim, Hermione, but I can’t begin to become aroused knowing where we are. As randy as I am…I will not fuck you in Knockturn Alley. Not here,” he said firmly.

Hermione looked at him. Severus must really hate this place to pass on pussy after not getting any for several weeks. This was a man who had screwed her on top of dusty boxes in the subdungeons, brushing cobwebs out of her hair.

“All right,” she said softly, heading into her bedroom to pack.

Severus walked in behind her, his black eyes falling on the crib. Although it was a few weeks before the baby was due, Hermione had it all set up, spread with frilly sheets, stuffed animals resting in the corner and a mobile hanging over it.

The wizard stepped closer to the mobile and studied it.

Little potions bottles hung from it. They weren’t real but they were brightly labeled.

The wizard swallowed and straightened. Hermione hadn’t seen him examine the mobile because she was busily pulling clothes out of her dresser.

Severus watched her pack, his eyes sober as they drifted from her to the mobile and back. She didn’t hang that mobile to impress him but to teach her child about them. Since Hermione was partial to charms Severus knew that she wanted the child to be familiar with his art. She wanted their child to know what his or her father did.

An odd feeling washed over the wizard and he shook it off as Hermione neatly folded and reduced her things.

Hera smiled as she looked through her mirror at the wizard and felt the unfamiliar shiver run through him.

“I think the icecap around your black heart is beginning to melt, mortal,” the goddess said to the image in the mirror with a smile, popping a grape into her mouth, “And when it cracks and falls, you’re going to feel as if the entire earth has moved.”

She watched as Severus reduced Hermione’s bags, pocketed them and escorted the witch from the flat.

They disapparated.

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A/N: Thanks for reading. ***