Angelica's Sorrow

A/N - hopefully, heading for the end in the next couple of chapters.

These are late - but as they say, better late than never.

Shiv - I am so honored that yould uld follow my story and that you like it.

Mele - if she chooses another body - magic might be possible i\'s \'s contained in the body and not the spirit. I don\'t believe the ghosts of Hogwarts can do much so it might be possible.

Rosie, Redflower,Titania, ChevyBaby and Irma - Always nice to hear from someone new. I promise your views will all be considered.


Deb - always there - Hi and thanks so much.

Katarah - glad to see you\'re still reading!

azulkan2 - I agree Harry is an idiot, but someone has to fill in for poor old Ron.

jonelin - would you really hunt me down? Severus can handle him - I think. Yeah, pretty sure he can.

Hmm - don\'t quite know what to think of the comments made by Salazar and Dumbledore - think someone\'s trying to pull my leg, but that\'s ok. It\'s all in fun.


CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR


Hermione successfully made her way back to her quarters unseen. Some of her frustration was taken out on the door by slamming it shut. A unusually strong ward was placed with a certain wizard in mind. \'Lets see if he can get through that! Bloody-boy-who-lived-to-be-a-pain-in-my-arse. Can\'t believe he\'d try and pull that on me. Must think I\'m totally stupid not to see it for what it is.\'

\"I do hope that display wasn\'t on my account,\" Severus drawled from a chair by the fireplace, startling her slightly. A book loosely held in his hand was placed on a side table. \"From the strength of the ward you placed on the door, I expect a batallion of Death Eaters to be arriving soon.\"

\"Nothing like that. Only a misguided, soon to be ex-friend if he doesn\'t come to his senses,\" she snarled, tossing her cloak towards a rack.

\"Potter? I\'m intrigued, what would cause such a calamity?\"

Pursing her lips, she strode over and sat in the chair facing him. \'How much do I tell?\'

Decision made, she glared at him and stated, \"Give me your word you won\'t try to handle this for me and I will tell you everything.\"

\"Would this \'handling\' involve anything dangerous?\"

\"No. Other than the risk I would take by killing the bloody prat,\" she hissed.

\"Ah, well if it indeed doome ome to that, please allow me to assist. I have spent many pleasurable hours devising different ways and means to successfully accomplish such a task. Possibly without any consequences at all,\" he said as his voice took on a dreamy quality, eyes slightly unfocused, retrieving some of the more innovative methods conceived during Potter\'s school years.

Laughter broke the enjoyable daydream and he looked over to see her trying to control further snickering.

\"Harry always said you were out to get him. I guess in that respect he was right,\" she said with a final chortle.

\"Merely wishful thinking, I\'m afraid. Now, are you going to divulge what put you in such a deplorable mood?\"

\"You haven\'t given me your word. I handle this on my own, no interference from you.\"

Severus was surprised his diversion hadn\'t worked and his eyebrow went up as he asked, \"You don\'t trust me?\"

The only response he received was a raised eyebrow of her own while she folded her arms and leaned back in the chair. Obviously she was prepared to wait him out.

\"As much as this goes against my better judgement, I give you my word you may handle Mr. Potter as you see fit,\" he said, while thinking to himself, \'and I will handle him as I deem necessary.\'

\"Thank you, I appreciate that. I want you to know I had no idea he was going to come up with this - this tripe. Harry, of all people. I still can\'t believe it.\"

\"If I was informed, I might be able to enlighten you with a different perspective. As it is, I haven\'t a clue.\"

\"Sorry. I\'m just afraid you\'ll be really upset and I don\'t want anything to \'rock the boat\' so to speak.\"

\"Hermione!\"

\"OK, he - Oh, bloody hell!\" She leaned her head back on the chair, looking at the ceiling. \"He asked me out on a date, said he loved me and eventually wanted to marry me and have kids. I told him I was already involved with someone and the only reason he thought he was in love with me was because of all the people he\'s lost. His parents, Sirius, Ron, Charlie and Hagrid. He\'s grasping to hold on to something that was - and isn\'t any longer. I talked and talked and finally had to walk out - and - I don\'t want to lose him as a friend, but - \" she finally stopped, closing her eyes while a few tears slipped out and ran down her face.

Fear was making his heart race and he couldn\'t catch his breath. Rage began to build and he could feel it bubbling under the surface, overtaking and squelching the fear. The bane of his existance was coming back to haunt him. \' Control, can\'t let her see this.\'

\"What was the response when you told him you were involved?\" he managed to ask in a tightly controlled voice.

Her eyes flew open as her head jerked up.

\"You\'re angry. Damn, I knew it would be difficult, but I don\'t want any secrets to come between us. I didn\'t want you to find out from someone else and get the wrong idea. I don\'t and never have loved him that way. I still don\'t beliee loe loves me that way. All the years we\'ve known each other there\'s never been a hint, a hug or a kiss that wasn\'t brotherly.\"

\"I wouldn\'t say I was angry,\" he stated evenly, wresting the rage into a corner of his mind to deal with later. \"He\'s kissed you?\"

\"Only on the cheek or the forehead when he got taller than me.\"

\"Again, what was his response?\"

\"The usual.\"

\"What, pray tell, is the usual?\"

\"Our ages and the fact he sees you as mean. I basically told him to grow up and quit looking through the eyes of a child.\"

\"I take it you were unable to persuade him otherwise?\"

\"I wish I could give you an unqualified yes, but he\'s a stubborn twit when he chooses to be. I put a bug in his ear about a witch named Sarah Matthews who\'s been trying to catch his eye for quite some time. She\'s also attending Auror school and from what I understand is very intelligent.\"

\"The fact she\'s going after Mr. Potter would tend to make me question that statement. Who told you about Miss Matthews?\"

\"Ginny. Her mum\'s been keeping her informed on all the latest goings on. Could we continue this after I get something to eat? I\'m starved.\"

\"I thought you had breakfast with Mr. Potter?\"

\"I ordered breakfast, but the conversation quickly killed my appetite.\"

\"I believe I\'m scheduled to make rounds, so I will rejoin you later,\" he stated as he rose from the chair.

\"I\'m so glad you\'re being reasonable about this,\" she said, also rising and walking over to put her arms around his waist. \"At least there\'s one sane male in my life.\"

\'Portraying a loyal Death Eater all those years apparently honed my acting skills. Potter had his window of opportunity and shall bloody well find out I\'ve closed it.\'

Severus took her face in his hands and made sure she was thoroughly well kissed. He broke the kiss, intending to leave. \'He didn\'t put that glazed look in her eyes, I did.\'

Grasping him tighter around the waist she asked, \"Are you sure you have to leave?\"

\"Yes. We\'ll have plenty of time to \'talk\' later,\" he said as he unclenched her arms.


Striding down the hall, his conscience twinged slightly. \'Really didn\'t lie. I am scheduled for rounds, just not right now. Potter should still be meeting with Albus. Good a time as any to set him straight. Have to be \'tactful\' in telling him to sod off.\'

His thoughts continued as he rode the circular stairway, \'Have to do it in a way that lets Hermione think she handled it. Yes, that could work. If that fails, could put the remains in the room where Angelica\'s body - blast - Dumbledore would know.\'

As Severus approached Albus\' office the door gently swungn ton to admit him. They were looking very cozy togetheatinating cakes and drinking tea.

\"Severus, would you like some tea?\" Albus asked.

\"No, thank you. Have you finished your discussion with Mr. Potter?\"

\"Yes and he has agreed to assist us.\"

\"Mr. Potter, would you accompany me now?\" Severus asked in his best company voice, fighting again to keep the rage contained. \'If he attempts to touch her, I shall have to kill him.\'

\"Severus, are you quite all right? You - seem disturbed.\" Albus frowned.

\'Damn him and his empathy. You\'d think I\'d remember. Calm, must project calm.\'

\"I\'m merely - anxious, Headmaster. Nothing more.\"

\"Perhaps I should accompany you. To be sure nothing unforseen occurs?\"

\"If nothing happened for over seven years, I think you may be assured nothing will now,\" Severus regretfully promised him.

Harry sat with a confused expression on his face, looking back and forth between the two. He wasn\'t at all sure he wanted to go \'anywhere\' alone with Snape, let alone the Chamber.

\"Very well,\" Albus saionteontent.

\"You\'re not going with us?\" Harry asked.

\"Afraid, Mr. Potter?\" Severus sneered, sure it would sting enough to motivate him out of the chair.

Harry flushed and stood. \"Lead the way, Professor.\"

\"It\'s not necessary to leave, Harry. I established a floo connection in my office when it became apparent we needed ready access. Severus, I think it would be best if you went ahead. I will send Harry along in - say five minutes? That should give you time to \'prepare\' the way, shouldn\'t it?\"

\"Yes, that should be more than adequate,\" he said, walking over to grab a small handful of floo powder. \"If your bravado doesn\'t fail you, Mr. Potter, I shall see you shortly.\" Throwing the powder, he stated, \"Pensieve Room.\" and stepped through.

\"Angelica?\"

\"Has it been several days, already?\" she asked as he stepped away from the floo.

\"No, only one. I need to prepare you for what is going to occur.\"

\"You\'ve found someone to open it, haven\'t you?\"

\"Yes.\"

\"But you don\'t like him and you\'re concerned about how I\'m going to react.\"

\"Sometimes you\'re worse than Dumbledore. He, at least, lets me say what I intended before second guessing me. I\'m also \'concerned\' about how you will feel when the room is opened.\"

\"I don\'t like the thought of a stranger being present.\"

\"Understandable. I will have him leave as soon as possible, but I must caution you not to \'say\' anything to him. He doesn\'t know you\'re here. To him it\'s just opening a door that\'s sealed.\"

\"So it isn\'t my other grandson?\"

\"No, thank Merlin.\"

\"Why are you so furious with him?\"

\"I don\'t have the leisure of time to explain right now. He will be here momentarily.\"

\"It has something to do with Hermione, doesn\'t it?\"

\"Angelica, please. I need to control myself and this isn\'t helping. If you behave, I promise the whole story will be divulged at a later point.\"

\"How much later?\"

\"Angelica, I honestly don\'t know. It will be soon.\"

\"You\'d better - \"

The flash of the floo interrupted her speech and for once Severus was almost glad to see Potter. Almost.

\"Mr. Potter. So glad you decided to overcome your reluctance and join me.\"

\"Save it, Snape. I\'m here to help Professor Dumbledore, no other reason.\"

\'So, it\'s to be open war. Better yet. She can\'t blame me if he\'s the one with the opening salvo.\' Severus mentally rubbed his hands in glee.