A New Beginning (DH -COMPLIANT)

Chapter 33 ~ A Bit More Closure

Eli winked into the worksite the moment the master left and found Hermione dressed and ready to leave to visit Seymour Finley, a solicitor she hoped to secure to represent Rod. She was still quite angry with the Potions master and scowled when Eli delivered his parchment.

She set it on the kitchen table and left it there without reading it, then sent Eli to Bartleby to get apparition authorization. Although Snape had removed most of the wards, the apparition protections were still in force. An hour later, she was able to leave and arrived at Hogsmeade.

After discussing Rod’s situation with Mr. Finley and arranging his retainer, the solicitor left his office to contact the Ministry as Hermione waited. Five minutes later, he returned.

”Ah, Mrs. Weasley, I’ve been told Mr. Dormers already has representation,” the wizard said.

Hermione scowled.

”Ministry appointed?” she asked.

The solicitor shook his head.

”No. Mr. John Bartleby is representing him,” he replied.

”John Bartleby? But he’s . . . but that’s . . .” she stammered, then just fell silent for a minute or two before thanking Mr. Finley for his time, then leaving his office and making a beeline for Bartleby’s place of business.

Snape hadn’t informed Bartleby that Hermione knew who he was, so when the witch arrived at his office and asked about his representing Rod, the solicitor tried to give her as little information as possible, despite the fact that his client was about to “come out” as it were.

”You are a company employee and I provide legal services for all employees, Mrs. Weasley. It is part of my job. You do not need to retain anyone else,” the solicitor said.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. She knew Professor Snape told him to represent Rod for her. Enough of this.

”Mr. Bartleby, I am well aware Professor Severus Snape is my employer and the owner of Sparse Venues. I’ve known for some time now. Did he tell you to do this?” Hermione asked the solicitor, who looked flabbergasted.

She knew?

”As I said, Mrs. Weasley, it is part of my jo…” the wizard began.

“Did he tell you to represent Rod Dormers?” Hermione demanded, her chin thrust out.

Bartleby sighed.

”Yes he did. However, your Mr. Dormers would not cooperate. He wouldn’t tell me anything. He is refusing to tell anyone anything,” Bartleby said, “Obviously he’s protecting someone.”

”Oh no,” Hermione breathed, “Can’t anyone talk any sense to him?”

”That remains to be seen. Mr. Snape is down at the Ministry with the boy now,” the solicitor replied.

Suddenly, it seemed as if the world stopped turning. Hermione stared at Bartleby as if she hadn’t heard him correctly.

”Mr. Snape is where?” Hermione asked him, her face pale.

”He is down at the Ministry,” Bartleby repeated.

”But why? Why did he go there?” Hermione cried.

Bartleby shook his head.

“He only said he had a personal interest in getting the young man off. I didn’t understand it myself. Of course, he is going to be recognized and unable to conceal his continued existence any longer. He’s given up quite a bit for this young man,” the wizard said, then he looked at Hermione sharply.

”Do you have any idea why he would suddenly give up his lifestyle to try and help this young wizard, Mrs. Weasley?” Bartleby asked her.

Hermione blinked at him. The wizard was surprised to see the witch’s eyes full of tears.

”Yes, I think I do,” she said softly, rising and exiting the office, leaving a bewildered Bartleby looking after her.

“What kind of answer was that?” he muttered.

**************************

At first, Hermione was tempted to go down the Ministry, but realized she probably wouldn’t be able to get in to see either Rod or the Professor, so she returned to the worksite. She was completely stunned and vaguely was aware of apparating and entering the building. Walking slowly, she headed down the corridor and let herself into the apartment, immediately walking into the kitchen and retrieving the letter Eli had delivered from the Professor . . . the one she had totally ignored. She removed her cloak and sat down, opening the parchment and reading it.


Dear Hermione,

After leaving you, I dispatched Bartleby to the Ministry to serve as counsel for Mr. Dormers. However, the young man would not reveal any information as to how he learned the Locomordres spell. Even the application of Veritaserum did not bring about a satisfactory answer. I have decided to speak to the boy myself since he and I share knowledge of the spell. I may be able to reach him.

I am in his debt because by saving your daughter Rose, he inadvertently provided Sparse Venues a valuable service. You would have been out of work for months dealing with funeral arrangements and the resultant grief usually involved in losing a child. Time is money and any time an employee spends away from work is a potential loss for the company. Mr. Dormers should be rewarded for his timely rescue of the girl for that reason.

I have made arrangements to meet with the Minister and will try to secure a deal for the boy in exchange for whatever information I manage to glean. This attempt might possibly require a few other small concessions on my part. I will let you know if I have been successful upon my return, providing that you do not slam your door in my face a second time when I present myself.

Sincerely,

Professor Severus Snape

Hermione shook her head in amazement. He was helping Rod because he kept her from taking a leave of absence to mourn her daughter?

Like she really believed that.

”Professor Snape,” she said softly, folding the letter and resting it against her chest, “You do have a heart after all. You just don’t want anyone to suspect it pumps anything other than poison. But you’re too late. Everyone knows your story. Everyone.”

Hermione’s eyes glistened.

Professor Snape was about to have his entire world turned upside down, and in her heart Hermione knew the only reason he was doing it was because of her. He had retained Bartleby. That had been enough of a gesture in itself. If Rod didn’t cooperate, then that was the young wizard’s fault. The Professor could have left it at that and it would have been fine.

But no. He went down to the Ministry to speak to the boy and expose himself. His quiet life was going to explode, absolutely explode.

And he had done it for her.

Did she mean that much to him? She was just his employee. Yes, she was skilled, but to go to such lengths to keep her happy?

Well, he did like making money and was happy with her work. More than likely he was considering revealing himself anyway.

No,” Hermione thought, “This isn’t my fault. Not at all.”

At least, that’s what she told herself.

**********************************

In the infirmary, Rose awoke, her head pounding. She groaned and saw a shape leaning over her. As her eyes adjusted, the blob resolved itself into a very worried looking Hugo.

”You’re awake,” he said to his sister, relief on his face, “James, Albus and Lily tried to get in to see you, but Madam Peabody wouldn’t let them.”

The wizard drew his chair closer to the bed and sat down.

Rose blinked at him.

”What happened?” she asked her brother, feeling the bandages wrapped around her head.

“Oh. The Slytherins tried to kill you,” Hugo replied, “One of them hit you with a bludger and two others rammed into you. They tried to get you stuck on that piece of wood that was sticking out of the support beam.”

”Bastards,” Rose spat, “So what happened? Why didn’t I die?”

”Because Odd Rod saved you, Rose. You should have seen him. He just zoomed right out of the stands and grabbed you out of the air. But they arrested him,” her brother said.

Rose sat up in the bed at this bit of news, wincing.

”Arrested him? Why?” she demanded, her voice carrying.

Madam Peabody looked up from her paperwork in the office, then headed for her patient.

”Because whatever spell he used was banned,” Hugo informed her, “He wasn’t supposed to know it. I think mum is trying to help him.”

Rose was about to reply when Madam Peabody entered the privacy curtain. She took pulled out her wand and made a precursory check on Rose’s progress, then looked at Hugo.

”All right, Mr. Weasley. It’s time for you to go. Your sister is going to be fine. There’s nothing you can do here, so head back to Gryffindor house,” she said to him sharply. If Hugo wasn’t family, he wouldn’t be here at all. The girl needed rest.

Hugo looked at his sister.

”I’m going to go, sis. I’ll be back later,” he told her, leaning and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“You’ll come back tomorrow. Miss Weasley needs her rest,” Madam Peabody said.

”I’ll see you tomorrow,” Hugo said, giving Madam Peabody a little scowl, then exiting through the curtain.

Rose lay back down and Madam Peabody examined her more thoroughly. Yes, she was recovering nicely.

”You rest, Miss Weasley. I am going to bring you a bit of gruel in a minute. We have to build you back up,” the medi-witch said, exiting as Rose grimaced.

Madam Pomfrey and Madam Peabody must have used the same recipe for gruel. This incarnation of the gritty concoction tasted just as bad or even worse as when Rose’s mother and father attended Hogwarts.

Rose settled back on the cot, thinking about Rod.

What kind of spell had he used to get in so much trouble? Didn’t he know that he could get in trouble?

The witch lay there, trying to figure out why he would put himself in that situation for her. They weren’t friends. Yes, they spoke on the rare occasion but that was about it. Still, she was grateful he saved her. She just hoped her mum could help him.

It would be terrible if Rod had to go to Azkaban.

********************************

”You traitorous bastard!” Voldemort screamed at Snape, who gave him a rather lofty look.

”I would think that designation would also apply to you, my Lord, since you rewarded my years of dedicated service by giving me to Nagini,” the dark wizard replied.

”It was necessary. I had to secure the Elder Wand,” Voldemort hissed at him.

“Which you failed to do. To be precise, you’ve failed at everything you attempted to do, Tom,” Snape said, “And in the end brought about your own demise. You were such a fool.”

Voldemort purpled with rage. How dare this . . . this mere servant, address him by his given name and call him a fool to boot.

”Do not address me in such a manner!” the spirit snarled, his fists tightening.

”I will address you in whatever manner I please, you scaly bastard,” Snape snapped back, his eyes narrowed.

Rod listened, spell-bound to the one-sided conversation going on before him.

“How does it feel, my Lord? How does it feel to be the one on that side of the veil instead of me?” Snape asked him.

Voldemort didn’t answer him. He couldn’t. He just shook with rage. Snape continued.

”You were too stupid to lead, Tom. Too fearful. You realize that if you hadn’t gone after a helpless child all those years ago . . . if you hadn’t slaughtered a defenseless witch that begged for mercy for that child, that you would have gone on to power, don’t you? If you had even one ounce of compassion, Harry Potter would have never become as strong as he was. Never become the catalyst for your demise. All you had to do was brave your own destiny and not try to change his. Yes, you were a coward and a fool. You still are,” Snape mocked him. “You brought about your own demise. Harry Potter didn’t kill you. You killed yourself. If that isn’t the act of a fool, I don’t know what is.”

“BE SILENT!” Voldemort screamed at him.

Snape considered the stone in his palm.

”Soon it is you who will be silent, my Lord, when I send you back into the dark. This time, forever. You are beaten. You were beaten before you ever began,” the wizard said smugly. “Dumbledore knew it. He always knew you would fall. I am just glad I was able to play a part in your ultimate destruction. Now you are nothing, less than nothing. Even in the afterlife, you are a non-entity,” Snape purred.

“Shut up, Snape! I command you to be silent! BE SILENT!” the despot cried.

”I’ve no more time for you, my Lord,” the pale wizard said, “I’ve spent too much time on you already. You command nothing. You are and always have been a monarch of empty dreams and a master only of a kingdom of failure. You can go now.”

”You presume to tell me when to go? I AM LORD VOLDEMORT!” the spirit screamed insanely.

”YOU ARE NOTHING!” Snape roared back at him, “And to nothing, I return you!”

“NOOOOO! NOOOOO!” the spirit screamed as Snape turned the stone over once more.

The spirit began to dissolve, screaming horribly.

”Not the dark! I don’t want to go back into the dark!” the despot cried as he faded, “I’m all alone! All alone!”

”As you should be,” Snape said quietly as Voldemort disappeared.

The pale wizard sat there, staring at the stone for a moment, then at Rod.

“You’re not very big on intelligence, are you Mr. Dormers?” the wizard asked the boy.

Rod shook his head.

“I guess not,” he replied honestly, staring at the stone in the Potions master’s hand, “But he was someone, you know? He was interested in me. Said he would help me.”

”In this world, Mr. Dormers, it is best if you help yourself,” Snape said to him, “That way you are indebted to no one. The Dark Lord intended to live vicariously through you. Luckily, you weren’t enamored by the desire for power. That is what saved you. Many wizards fell to him simply for that reason.”

Snape stood up, pulled on his hood and opened the door.

“Mr. Potter, come in here,” he said to Harry, who was hovering outside.

Harry stiffened at that voice and stood there, staring at the hooded wizard.

He knew who he was.

From within the hood, Snape scowled.

”I see you still can’t respond to a simple instruction, Mr. Potter. Stop acting as if you’ve seen a basilisk and get in here, you dolt!” Snape hissed.

The Aurors behind Harry looked at each other, unable to believe the Head of their department would let anyone speak to him in this manner. Scowling, they started forward. This seemed to wake Harry up, and he held out his hand, stopping them.

”No. Just wait here,” he said, walking into the room.

Snape closed the door, then lowered his hood.

”Professor,” Harry breathed, taking in the pale features, the hawkish nose, narrowed black eyes and cruel mouth curled disapprovingly. Severus Snape looked just as cold and unforgiving as ever.

He found it a welcome sight.

Snape drew back a little, not liking what he saw in Harry’s green eyes.

”If you try to embrace me, Mr. Potter, I guarantee you will never wrap your arms around another person,” the Potions master snarled. “My regard for you hasn’t increased over the years, believe me. I wouldn’t have even revealed myself to you if not for this . . .”

Snape held out the stone.

Harry looked at it, his eyes widening. It looked like the Resurrection Stone, but there were no markings, only the split.

”Don’t let the lack of symbols fool you, Mr. Potter. This is the stone you sent to me. It seems it found its way to Mr. Dormers here,” the wizard hissed, “No doubt you tried to get rid of it with your usual finesse, or lack thereof.”

”I . . . I threw it into the middle of the lake,” Harry said, his voice disbelieving as he gazed at the stone. “It was supposed to be buried beneath the giant squid.”

Snape made a disparaging sound.

”You idiot! You spent seven years at Hogwarts, eight if you count the extra term. You know the squid throws anything that comes in contact with it back to the shore! Mr. Dormers was on the shore when this stone was cast on it. He accidentally summoned the Dark Lord,” Snape said, his eyes narrowing, “Because of your idiocy he was subjected to Tom Riddle. Because of your stupidity, he was arrested.”

Harry looked at the young man sitting on the bed.

Rod was a bit star struck. Harry Potter was a real hero.

”That’s all right,” Rod said to Harry.

”It certainly is not all right, Mr. Dormers. Mr. Potter has been let off the hook for his actions far too many times as it is. All his life in fact. He owes you an apology,” Snape snarled.

Harry blinked at the boy.

”I’m . . . I’m sorry,” Harry said, meaning it.

"No problem," Rod responded, unable to believe the great Harry Potter was apologizing . . . to him. To insignificant Rod Dormers.
Snape snorted.

”I’m sorry,” he mimicked, “It’s been more than twenty years since I last saw you, and you still make me want to vomit, Mr. Potter. Now, go get the Minister . . . and an Unspeakable from the Department of Mysteries. We need to dispose of this stone for good.”

Chastened, Harry looked at the wizard, who drew his hood back on. The Auror silently left the room, closing the door behind him.

Snape turned to Rod.

”I imagine you will be released soon, Mr. Dormers. You are quite fortunate,” the Potions master said.

”I’m realizing that,” Rod replied, “Thank you sir.”

Snape scowled.

“Don’t thank me, Mr. Dormers. As I told you, I have my own motives for assisting you. Thank the mother of the witch you saved. If not for her, you would have rot in Azkaban for the rest of your life for being so foolish as to associate with a magical being you knew next to nothing about. There aren’t many second chances given in life, boy. Next time, you may not be so lucky.”

Snape sat down to wait for the Minister and the Department of Mysteries representative, his face slightly contorted.

One problem solved. Most likely that one solution was going to lead to a world of other problems for the wizard.

Well, he was in for it now.

*********************************
A/N: Wow, Snape was harsh as hell to Harry, wasn’t he? He tormented Voldie too before sending him back. It could have been a longer scene, but I think Snape’s dismissal of the wizard was something that caused Tom more anguish than a continuing banter back and forth. Thanks for reading.