Hunter and Prey

Hermione timed her visit to exactly thirty seconds under the fastest location charm yet devised. Even if Fenrir Greyback could somehow trace her, Dark Arts or not he could not do it in less than ten minutes without divine intervention. She had time to hug her parents and show them she was doing fine.

It was a long drive for her mother to come to Grimmauld Place plus the dental practise was very busy. Their last visit had hardly been delightful. She wished she had a time-turner so she could say everything she wanted to her parents but just seeing her smiling was enough for them. Hermione made introductions, Draco was on his best behaviour and invited the Grangers to Sunday lunch.

They had picnic on the grounds of the heavily warded Malfoy Manor. The Granger women had a nap on a blanket in the sun, lulled by the assurance of safety and the exhaustion of worry. Draco and Martin spoke at length but civilly.

Hermione went back to work on Monday and got stuff done. The Ministry quaked in her wake. Her stay at Grimmauld Place lasted only until the end of the week. On Friday the news broke that the Aurors had finally caught Fenrir. Basingly went north to help identify the body and gave her his word it was Greyback. It was Harry who gave her the details.

Lying on the sofa in the Potters’ flat, Hermione listened intently as she entertained James by making his toys dance. Ginny was frugal by nature and had given her eldest her own childhood playthings. The innate magic in them had long since dissipated but the little boy’s enjoyment had not.

“Foxley and Telfer chased him down into a farm house but he must have caught their scent because he’d rigged it to burn. Spilled cooking oil, kerosene, anything flammable. We think he made the old man who lived there help him.” Harry glanced at James, who was jigging with the toys oblivious to his father. “It went up like a bonfire. Telfer is still in St Mungo’s. But they found Greyback in the ashes. Your werewolf expert confirmed it.”

There was silence between them for a long while. Ginny clattered in the kitchen, pretending she had not been eavesdropping. Baby Albus slept in his crib in the spare room. James clapped and laughed as the battered tin soldiers twirled.

“It was like the war all over again.” Hermione didn’t have to say anything else. Harry knew exactly what she meant. She would cry later but for now Ginny had roast chicken a la Weasley.

And she did cry all that night, letting go of her fear. There were still loose ends but it was over. She had wanted him dead and he was. She could go home and forget.

Life of course went on. The Scientific Magical Studies Department teams went back into the field, she moved out of Grimmauld place and reports happened. Hermione threw herself into her work whilst trying not to look at the calendar. There were two reasons for that. The first was time was passing and Snape’s progress had been more sideways than forwards. And secondly, Draco had done a Malfoy and twisted her words.

He had turned down the Flints’ invitation but had sent his own. He was going to have a party. They were going to host the party. Because even with Greyback safely dead, there were still lies to air. Draco had shown her the guest list and she had told him he was bonkers. The end of August drew nigh.

The day before the Malfoy fete, Severus Snape came to her house. It was Saturday and Hermione was lounging in the garden with her feet up. Her swollen ankles were giving her trouble as was the Department budget. There were cost overruns for which she could not account. The Professor’s sudden Apparition into her backyard was an unwelcome diversion.

Snape stepped out of the rosemary and sat down on one of her wrought iron garden chairs with only the barest pause for invitation. He put down two vials of red liquid on the table, regarding her so grimly she set her laptop aside to give him her full attention.

“Someone has sabotaged my research.” Severus Snape’s voice resonated with anger but he kept his tone even. “As I said in the latest report, we have had far more success eliminating ingredients than finding compatible ones. So much so, I went over every step of the testing process to make certain there were no errors.”

Hermione nodded. She had visited Hogwarts to meet the students helping the Professor. Both had impressed her and she had felt a little guilty checking up on their backgrounds. The Ravenclaw half-blood and the Hufflepuff muggle-born had passed the vetting with flying colours. There were no questions about their diligence or integrity. And she refused to question Snape’s honour.

“I found something unexpected.” He held up the test tubes, both marked with the sigil of the SMS Department. “I have been receiving regular amounts of werewolf blood for testing the brews we have formulated. My assistants do the actual pour and mix as I have to concentrate on the potions. We tested the first batch of blood. It came from a lycanthrope. When I went back to verify the process, I discovered the subsequent batches did not.”

With shaking hands, she picked up a vial and studied it. There was nothing to say where the blood originated. Hermione put it down, looking to Snape to end the suspense. She did not want to think until she had all the facts. Then she thought she would throw up.

“Its wolf blood. Ordinary canis lupus.” The Professor sat back and restrained himself from shouting. “Completely useless. We might as well have been pouring the potions down the privy.”