A Maid in the Devil's Manor

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 3 ~ Hermione Gives the Professor Proof


At exactly twelve o’clock, a heavy knock sounded on Hermione’s front door. Hermione, who had been sitting nervously on her couch, her research piled neatly on the coffee table, swallowed, took a deep breath and walked over to the door. She opened it and found herself face to face with the Potions Master.

Severus let his eyes sweep over her in a precursory manner, taking in the muggle clothing she wore. Obviously, she liked wearing jeans. She had on a button up white blouse and her hair was pulled back in a bun. She looked a bit apprehensive. Good.

“Please come in, Professor,” she said formally.

“Thank you,” he said shortly as he swept by her, a slight scent of sandalwood lingering behind him. She sniffed it appreciatively. She had always loved that scent. The Potions Master made a beeline for the neat stack of papers on the coffee table. He scooped them up and walked into her kitchen, situating himself at the kitchen table and setting the pile before him. She followed him and stood uncertainly at his shoulder. She started to explain what he was reading.

“Miss Granger,” Severus snapped, “I am perfectly capable of comprehending what it is I’m reading if you have compiled your information properly. Now, please go and occupy yourself with something other than hovering over my shoulder like some chestnut-haired vulture. I shall tell you what I think when I am finished.”

Hermione’s mouth opened and closed several times as she fought with herself not to say anything rash to the snarky bastard. She realized that even if Professor Snape became her patron, there would probably still be a lot of clashes with him. No matter, she was up to it. She wasn’t his student anymore and didn’t have to hold her tongue. And if he thought becoming her patron would give him any kind of control over her, he was sadly mistaken. She spun on her heel and walked back into her living room, sat down on her couch and pretended to read “Spells Weekly.”

The waiting was awful. The Professor read slowly and deliberately, often picking up two papers at a time as if comparing them, before setting them down and going on to the next page. Hermione surreptiously watched his facial expressions. Sometimes he scowled, then the next moment his eyebrows would lift in surprise, then they would furrow. There were long moments when he sat with his lips pursed, eyes sliding from left to right and returning to the next line. He grunted on a couple of occasions. Hermione was a nervous wreck, and stood up and started pacing, stopping every few minutes to look over at the dark wizard furtively, before starting again. Finally Severus sighed loudly and shot her a black look. She sunk back down on to the sofa again.

After about an hour and a half, Severus picked up all the papers and knocked them against the table to straighten them neatly, then set them back down. He moved the chair he was sitting in back a ways, and stretched out his long legs, bringing his fingers to his chin and stroking it thoughtfully as he looked down at the papers. Then he turned his head and met Hermione’s eyes with his own. His gaze was penetrating. Hermione felt that he was reading her every thought. But he wasn’t. He was simply marveling at her brilliance. Of course, he didn’t show it. Finally, he spoke to her.

“Interesting,” he said shortly. “Plants? How in the world did you ever come up with using plants to study the effects of the Killing Curse?”

Hermione colored. “I couldn’t afford to keep buying animals,” she said. “Neville Longbottom has his own flower shop, and gave me plants at a discount. The Killing Curse works on all living things, so I figured using plants wouldn’t make that much of a difference. Then I discovered that the plant material held the effects of the curse much better than flesh. The effects were easier to study.”

“I see, but that isn’t the most exciting part of your experiment…” he breathed, trying not to show his excitement.

“No, it isn’t,” Hermione said, trying to hold back her elation. “While using the plants, I discovered one that the Killing Curse did not kill. I couldn’t believe it. I cast the spell several times, and nothing happened other than the plant wavered a bit under the power of the blast.”

“And what is the name of that plant?” Severus asked her. Hermione looked at him.

“That is privileged information, Professor,” she replied evenly, “I won’t divulge that to anyone not involved in my research.”

Severus smirked inwardly. Good girl. She knew the importance of her discovery and to protect it.

“Have you discovered the properties of the plant that keep it from being affected at least?” Severus asked her.

Hermione dropped her head a bit. “No…I don’t have the necessary equipment to discern that yet. It is the step that stumped me.” She looked up at him. “That’s why I contacted you. I have moved to the point where my lab is no longer sufficient to continue my research and experimentation.”

She took a deep breath and looked at the Professor steadily.

“I need your labs and your resources to continue,” she said, her chin lifted, determined not to seem as if she were pleading for his help.

Severus approved of her dignified way of putting the ball in his court. She didn’t ask him for his assistance. She simply stated what she needed, leaving it up to him to respond. He liked that very much. Miss Granger was no beggar. She knew what she had to offer was a powerful incentive. A brilliant witch, but shrewd too. Severus let his black eyes settle on her.

“Well, Miss Granger, your research seems quite sound. However, I will need proof that this plant actually exists and has the attributes you claim. It would be foolish to grant you access to my labs without having witnessed your claim,” he said a bit acidly.

Hermione had been expecting this. She knew the Professor would insist on seeing the plant throw off the Unforgivable. But he would have to give her something first.

“In order to do that, Professor…I will need a wizard’s oath from you that you will not share this knowledge or research with anyone, until such time as a feasible defense is found and I am ready to share it with the world,” she said, her amber eyes meeting his black ones.

“I take it my word is not enough, Miss Granger,” he said silkily. She was right to insist on an oath, but he still wanted to make her feel uncomfortable. He expected her to be a little apologetic. But she wasn’t.

“No it isn’t,” Hermione said flatly. “No oath, no demonstration.”

“Miss Granger, I am pierced to my heart,” he replied, his eyebrow arched at the sober-faced witch. She snorted.

“You must have used a diamond tipped drill to get to it,” she shot back. “Now, the oath?”

Severus made a vow not to disclose any information pertaining to her project until it was completed and she were ready to share it with the wizarding world. A stirring of magic in the air sealed the oath. Satisfied, Hermione turned.

“Follow me,” she said.

Severus rose from the kitchen table and followed the petite witch down a short hallway. He noticed how small in stature she really was. He had always viewed her with an eye for her mind and not her body. Intellectually, she was a giant, and he perceived a bit larger than she really was until now. Her head would fall a bit short of his chin if they were standing face to face. He let the thought pass idly out of his mind as she opened a door to her right and walked in. He followed behind her.

It was a second bedroom she had converted to a small lab. A very small one. She had utilized the space well however, creating a counter that wrapped around the walls with shelf space beneath it. Every inch was covered with lab equipment.

She had a small centrifuge, a rotary shaker, several meters of varied purpose, a tiny incubator, three sets of distillation stills and the various glass implements, burners, instruments, cauldrons and so forth. She must have spent quite a bit of money on the few items she acquired. They were all set so closely together that she had to be extremely careful not to cause an accident or contamination.

In one corner, under a fluorescent lamp stood several plants. Next to them a small box of earth in which shoots were pushing up from. The soil looked extremely wet. The room itself was quite small, twelve by fourteen feet. But then again, Hermione was small, so it probably caused no problems for her, but Severus gathered his robes close to him, so as not to knock something over. She had gave it a good effort, but the Potions Master could see that the lab was far from adequate for her needs. Hermione walked over to the plants and selected one and set it on the floor. It had leaves that looked lidded, like a container of some sort.

Hermione turned to the Potions Master and gestured toward the plant.

“This is a species of the North American pitcher plant. It’s a member of the genus Sarracenia, which belongs to the family Sarraceniaceae. Sarracenia are carnivorous plants. All Sarracenia trap insects and other prey without the use of moving parts. Their traps are based on lures including colour, scent, and nectar. Typically the entrances to the traps are one-way by virtue of highly adapted features.

As you can see, this plant's leaves form tall lidded pitchers. It also produces enzymes to digest its prey. Sarracenia usually inhabit permanently wet, low pH, regions where nutrients are continuously washed away by water. They gain an advantage from the substances and minerals they extract from their animal prey.”

She looked at Severus excitedly.

“All species of this family that I have experimented with, have survived the killing curse. I just need to find out why,” she said. She was breathing heavily, her face flushed and eyes dancing with excitement as she shared this knowledge with the Potions Master. Now he saw in her the reflection of the young girl she used to be, who became excited at a new discovery or bit of knowledge. He looked at her a bit sardonically.

“As much as I would like to rely on your estimation of this plant’s supposed properties, Miss Granger, I really need to see it for myself,” he said, eyeing her.

Hermione caught herself, sobering. “Of course,’ she said.

The witch made an intricate pattern with her wand. Severus was aware of the room suddenly seeming close and constrained. He felt as if he were trapped. It was very uncomfortable. He loosened his collar a bit, scowling at Hermione.

“Miss Granger, what did you just do?” he asked her, his dark eyes focused on her face.

She looked at him as if he were thick as pudding.

“Professor, I just can’t go about casting Unforgiveables. The Ministry Aurors would be on me in a flash the moment the spell’s signature was detected. And I know this since I am the one who did the most work on the Unforgivable Detector Spell. I have created a containment field around the room to keep the signature from being recognized,” she said.

Severus scowled at her.

“No containment spell can be used in this manner. Only small items can be contained,” he stated flatly.

Hermione looked at him smugly.

“Maybe that’s how it used to be. But my containment spell can be whatever size I need it to be,” she said with a bit of pride.

Severus looked at the witch trying to digest the fact that she had adapted a spell that others had not been able to manipulate at all. He knew she was telling the truth. He could feel that he was surrounded by some magical force. Hermione pointed her wand at the pitcher plant. She frowned, obviously thinking of some past memory that made her feel murderous. He hoped that he wasn’t the impetus for her spell.

“Avada Kedavra!” she shouted, the horrifying green light of death blasting from the end of her wand and enveloping the plant.

Severus felt his heart catch at the display. He had used this curse so many, many times to bring a merciful end to the shuddering, suffering bodies of his victims, and the those of the unfortunates taken in the Dark Revels. His reaction to the curse was a soul reaction, and guilt slammed into him as if he had been blasted himself.

Hermione held the curse on the plant for over a minute. Her ability to sustain the curse so long made Severus wonder how much anger and hatred she had stored inside her to maintain such a powerful blast. Obviously there were deeper, darker aspects to the witch than he was aware of. He never thought of her as being one to hate.

Finally, Hermione ended the curse. Severus looked at the plant, expecting to see the equivalent of a burnt matchstick in the pot. But the plant stood there, healthy as ever. Completely unaffected by the curse. In a burst of rare spontenaity, the Professor grabbed the potted plant, lifted it close to his face and examined it thoroughly, his mouth partially opened. He turned it around in his hands in amazement, his brows raised.

“This…is…amazing!” he gasped, setting the plant down on the counter and actually having to catch his breath.

“I told you,” Hermione said crossing her arms with satisfaction.

She was not prepared for what happened next.

Severus strode to her, invading her personal space, and grasped her by both arms, his body inches from hers. His black eyes stared down at her intensely and passionately. Suddenly she felt all knotted up inside, as he shook her rather roughly.

“Do you know what you have here, Miss Granger?” he asked her, his voice low. “You have within your grasp the answer the wizarding world has been looking for for centuries. You are on the verge of a monumental discovery. You figure this out and you will become an icon,” he hissed. He held her there, staring at her for several moments before he realized he was probably hurting her. He released her. Hermione just stared at him.

“I’m sorry Miss Granger. As you can see, there are times when even I can lose my composure when moved by great emotion,” he said shortly, turning back to the plant again.

“It’s…it’s quite all right,” Hermione replied, a bit dazed at cold, unfeeling Professor Snape’s momentary lack of control. The Potions Master turned back to her.

“You shall have the use of my lab, my resources and anything else you desire, Miss Granger. You simply tell me what you need, and I will give it to you,” he said, grasping her hand in his sincerety. This was the second time the Professor had put his hands on her unconsciously.

“I want the terms in writing,” she said to him, still a bit unsettled by his showing of actual human emotions.

“Yes, of course,” he said, “Whatever makes this more comfortable for you.”

He looked at her and began to scowl a little as he released her hand. This research was much more important than her current employment at the Ministry. But to suggest she leave her job to focus entirely on finding the defense for the Killing curse would start a terrible row between them, he was sure. She was an irritatingly independent young woman. She would never consent to staying at the Manor. As long as she was employed, that is. That could change. Quickly. With a little artful manipulation on his part. Hm.

Severus’ selfish nature was beginning to assert itself. The Potions Master developed a serious lack of conscience when it came to acquiring the things he wanted. And he wanted Hermione to devote her time to finding out why the pitcher plant was unaffected by the Killing curse, and how that ability could be transferred to a human subject. It was not the kind of problem that could be solved over several scattered weekends. The problem needed focused, intense study. He had his duties at Hogwarts, so could not devote his time to the pursuit of this knowledge. Yes, he had to find a way to make Hermione move the development of this defense to the primary position of importance in her life. And soon.

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A/N: Well, there we have it. Hermione has tackled the curse in a different way. Severus is highly impressed, and of course, immediately sets to plotting. I have a feeling Hermione is going to be looking for a job soon, and a place to stay. Please review.