Life Begins Anew

Chapter 49 Planning and Preparing

Voldemort waited for those that he summoned to appear. He stroked his snake Nagini as he reviewed his plans. Everything was in place to take over the Ministry. There was only one detail that needed to be attended to.

The members of the Inner Circle arrived and stood at their places. Soon a single Death Eater appeared bowing down at the Dark Lord’s throne. “Arise young Malfoy!” He commanded. Voldemort looked to the young Death Eater. “Is your task complete?”

Draco looked to his master. “It is My Lord.”

Voldemort looked to his right hand man. “When is Dumdledore the weakest in the castle?”

“My Lord, he has been going to the Astronomy tower on Thursday nights and spending a lot of time there.” Severus replied. “He arrives there at 9 pm and does not leave until midnight. It would be easy to confront him there as there is only one way out.”

“Young Malfoy, you will attend to the task I set you upon this Thursday at 10 pm. Do you understand what must be done?”

“Of course My Lord. It shall be as you command.” Draco replied.

“Then go before you are missed.” The Dark Lord commanded.

Draco hurriedly left Voldemort’s presence. He had a witch to warn. If he died, at least someone would know the truth.

Voldemort looked to his Inner Circle and began to instruct them.

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Severus and Sara arrived back at the castle and made their way up to the grounds. Sara placed her hand upon her brother’s shoulder as he whirled, facing her.

“Severus, I will begin brewing my potion tomorrow night. I promised your wife that she could watch. The Fates are driving our actions and no matter how much you hate it, you must follow through! Hermione must be involved as she will be able to tell the Wizarding world the truth when all is said and done.” She looked to him.

“I hate you sister! You had to go and heal him.” He snarled at her. “This makes it murder! He was the only one who redeemed me, and trusted me despite that damnable oath!”

“You have murdered in your service to our Lord. This one should not be any different.” She replied back coldly. “Besides, he wants it.”

“Yes Sara, I have tortured, raped, and killed many. All that I have not known, or maybe known in passing. All for the Light.” Severus darkly told her as he strode quickly away from her, making his way up to the Headmaster’s office to tell him the plans of his demise.

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Meanwhile Draco entered the common room of the Head Boy and Girl chambers, looking to Hermione as she was studying.

Hermione looked to him questioningly as Draco sat down next to her and looked into her eyes. “Hermione, very soon your mudblood status will not be protected.” Draco looked to her. “Do not come back here after Christmas break, and convince Potty and Weasel to take the same advice.” Draco stood up and looked to her for a moment before he left her and went to his bedchambers as she noticed his haunted look.

Hermione watched the retreating form of Draco as he stood up and walked to his bedchambers. She walked into her chambers and addressed the floo. “My husband’s chambers!” She commanded as she stepped through.

She stepped out of the floo and noticed her husband sitting in front of his fireplace looking intently into the flames while holding a glass of Firewhiskey.

Severus glanced to her. “So Draco told you?” He spat at her.

“Yes.” She simply said as she touched his shoulder. “Though we both know it will not be him in the end. I also knew it from the bond.”

He stood up and looked to her. “Soon my beautiful wife your burden will grow heavier. We must make plans to…”

Hermione pressed a finger against his lips. “Husband, let me take the weight of the world from you, if only for a little while.” She whispered to him as she grabbed his hand and led him to his bedchambers.

Hermione slowly unbuttoned and removed his robes, walking over and placing them on a chair and removed her robes as well, placing them on top of his. She walked back slowly, her eyes only focused only to his as she wrapped her husband into her arms. He leaned his head down and kissed her lovingly, his long fingers feeling the softness of her body as she moaned with pleasure. Hermione pushed him onto the bed and straddled him, kissing each scar on his chest with light, searing kisses. Severus felt her find the tip of his cock by moving her body until it was positioned just right and slowly sank down along his thick shaft until she was resting fully upon it, and gyrated her hips, eliciting a moan from him. “If there ever was such a place as heaven Mrs. Snape, I believe I am in it now.” He placed his hands lightly on her hips, allowing her to continue at her own pace, enjoying the feeling of being sheathed by her.

They had experienced lust and passion, and need; but this was different. It was something that he could not put words to. Severus flipped his wife onto her back while still sheathed within her and slowly stroked into her whispering his need for her, his love for her. Both felt the love of another thrum through the bond as they continued with one another until the early hours of the morning.

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Hermione joined Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor Table for breakfast the next day and filled her plate with eggs and bacon. She noticed Ron looking strangely at her and asked “Ronald, why are you staring at me?”

“I dunno. You look different Hermione, though I don’t know why. You look at peace.” He replied.

She laughed at him as she buttered a piece of toast. “It is amazing how one can look like when one gets a proper nights sleep. I had no patrol and decided not to study at all last night and went to bed early.”

Harry whispered to them “Voldemort is satisfied. I felt his emotion last night and whatever plans he has made has come together.” He looked over to the Slytherin table and noticed Draco huddled in conversation with Crabbe and Goyle. “It concerns Malfoy, of that I am sure. I am going to have to keep an eye on him. Something bad is going to happen this week, I am sure of it.”

****Harry has felt Voldemort’s satisfaction and is now looking to Draco**** She sent along the bond. Hermione looked to her husband and noted no change as she watched him talk to his sister.

***You must be late to your Defense class today to garner a detention. We will be brewing tonight.*** Severus sent back along the bond.

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The Seventh year advanced Gryffindor/Slytherin class entered the defense classroom noticing a strange device placed at each table.

Sara chuckled to herself noticing that the entire class had entered with wands drawn and looked to her warily noting that she was seated at her desk. They sat down and looked to her, relieved that there would be no attacks.

“Put your wands away. I am impressed as I feel your protective shields about you.” She told the students. “I am sure you noticed the Sneak- o- Scopes placed at your table. This will be the subject of today’s class.”

The door banged open, spilling Miss. Granger into the room “I’m sorry Professor Snape I…”

“Late to class Miss. Granger?” She glared at the student, preventing further conversation. “Detention with me, 7pm tonight.”

Hermione said nothing as she took her seat next to Draco. “Don’t say a word as I will hex you to tomorrow Malfoy!”

Draco sneered to her. “Try it mudblood.”

“Silence!” Sara shouted out as she looked to Mr. Malfoy and Miss. Granger. “Really Mr. Malfoy. You already found out that Miss. Granger would not hesitate to cast a spell to hurt you. Do you wish detention as well?”

Draco said nothing as he looked to his Defense professor.

Sara looked to her classroom, noticing the absence of her brother. “Before I was rudely interrupted by Miss. Granger’s tardiness, the subject is Sneak-o-Scopes. Can anyone tell me the purpose of these devices?”

Several people raised their hands and she called out “Mr. Longbottom, what is the purpose of this device?”

Neville looked to his professor and nervously replied “They show an enemy that is in close proximity to you so that you can defend yourself.”

“Very good Mr. Longbottom. What do you see in your scope?” She answered back, watching the wizard look into the scope.

“I see all of the Slytherins that are in this room.” Neville replied back.

“Very good Mr. Longbottom, and you Slytherin what do you see?” She asked the snakes.

She heard the murmurs of the Slytherins as they responded that they saw the Gryffindors in the class.

She chuckled darkly. “So it seems class rivalry has not died despite the fact that I have mixed you.” She then began to lecture on the properties of Sneak -o-Scopes, explaining that they can be programmed to reveal enemies to certain groups that held the same desires to protect persons, places, or things.

Harry sat back and thought about the lecture, realizing the timing of their recent trip. He raised up his hand and asked. “Professor Snape, do you have any enemies?”

Sara chuckled darkly as she responded. “Let’s find out if there are any in this room, shall we?” She walked over to her closet and pulled out a full length Sneak-o-Scope and stood in front of it and the class noticed it was empty. “As you can see it is empty. In the past I have killed all of my enemies, so I have none.”

The whole class gasped out in shock as they saw the intimidating form of their potions professor appear suddenly in the Sneak-o-Scope. Every student turned around and noticed that their potion’s professor had entered and took his normal seat at the back of the classroom.

“It seems that I have missed one.” She lightly chuckled. “You will research Sneak-o-Scopes and write about their properties and advantages. Class dismissed!” She bellowed out.

Soon the classroom was empty. She looked at the Sneak-o-Scope and realized that her brother was standing directly behind her. Sara turned and looked to him. “You still do not trust me?” She asked of him. “After all that I revealed to you?”

Severus eyed the Sneak-o-Scope as he replied. “No, Sara I do not. You have your own agenda, and despite what you revealed, I still have my doubts.”

Sara looked to her brother. “You are a stubborn man brother! I am brewing the potion tonight and I require your personal labs. Perhaps after this, you can see my true intent.”

“And what is your true intent sister?” He sneered to her.

“I have told you before, I long to die and helping Harry Potter will help me accomplish it.” She quietly told him. “You know my bond to DEATH. You think immortality is a good thing? All I have done with my immortality is to murder and experience death and destruction because of my bond with DEATH and with other oaths. I have grown close to people and watched them die. Sometimes they protected me, and other times I was the cause of their demise. I envy you brother, because you can die and I cannot!” She spat out. “I have spent five hundred years in Hell and this is my chance to properly die, and I will not allow you to prevent it!”

Severus ignored his sister’s rant as he looked thoughtfully at his form in the Sneak-o-Scope. “Are you teaching this subject to all of your classes? He asked with interest as an idea formed.

“What?” Sara asked distracted at the change of subject. “I was only going to talk about them to the Fourth through Seventh years as they may need to know the information in the future.”

“Teach all your classes about them today Sara.” Her brother suggested. “I will come in at the end of every class so that everyone will know that we are enemies.”

She thought about his words as she watched him leave her classroom. She chuckled darkly as she realized his plan and altered her oath so everyone in her classes could talk to one another about Sneak-o-Scopes.

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The Golden Trio took their places at Gryffindor table noticing the excitement of their fellow students. Harry gave Ginny a hug as he asked her “Why all the excitement?”

Ginny looked to her fiancé as she excitedly told him. “Sneak-o-Scopes, and the fact that our Defense professor does have an enemy in the guise of our dreaded Potions professor.”

Harry sat and listened to the conversations.

“I would not want Snape as an enemy. I feel sorry for her!”

“I bet she would best him, after all her hexes are scary!”

“Nawww, they’re both evil. They would kill each other and then it would be a draw.”

And so on.

The Great Hall fell into an uneasy silence as they noticed the Snapes sit down at the Head Table and began to eat. Soon the conversations began again.

“Look at her! I can’t believe she’s sitting with her enemy.” Lavender told Ron.

Ron looked to the table. “She really has no choice. The Snapes are the least tenured, and they seat based on that.” He buttered a piece of bread as the tactician came to him. “Besides, what’s the saying? “Keep your friends close, but your enemy closer” or something like that.”

“Ron, I’m impressed.” Hermione told him. “How did you know about seating arrangements of the Head Table?”

Ron laughed as he reached over and frizzed her hair as she angrily batted his hand away. “I do know how to read and I have been known to read “Hogwart’s: A History” every now and then when forced to.”

The entire Gryffindor table heard the conversation and laughed at Hermione’s hair. Hermione glared at everyone for a moment, and then laughed with the rest of her fellow students as she began to eat.

Severus looked down from his place, hearing the light laughter of his wife and feeling her mirth along their bond. ***What has the students buzzing like a hive full of bees?*** He asked along the bond.

Hermione looked her husband discretely for a moment. ***The subject is Snapes and Sneak-o-Scopes. Most side with her dear. Though at least at this table it is the consensus that it would be a draw as you would kill each other as you are both evil. There is actually a bet pool going around. I‘m thinking about getting in on the action, as I have insider’s knowledge*** Hermione felt his humor along the bond as he leaned over and talked to his sister. She saw the tight lipped smile of her Defense professor at her husband’s words.

She watched as the Headmaster talked to the siblings and left the hall. ***We may be delayed as we have a meeting with the Headmaster. Go to the Defense classroom and Sara will meet you there as soon as she can for your detention.***

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The Snapes traveled to the Headmaster’s office together as one removed points from students and the other remained silent.

“Brother, you really enjoy that too much.” Sara reprimanded him.

“Yes sister, it is the only thing that keeps me half sane around here.” He darkly chuckled as the feeling of mirth from the bond affected him.

“Really?” She asked, noticing a confrontation between a gang of Third year Slytherins and a single Hufflepuff.

“Slytherins!” She snarled at the group. “Five against one? That is truly unfair.”

Severus glared at her as she took twenty points a piece from Slytherin and sent the students on their way. “You are right as that was strangely satisfying. Perhaps I’ve had it all wrong.” She chuckled as they continued toward their destination.

They watched the gargoyle leap aside without waiting for a password and made their way up to the Headmaster’s office and walked through the open door.

“Severus, Sara thank you for meeting with me.” Albus told them as he gave them a large glass of fire whiskey. They both rolled their eyes at his greeting. It was expected that they would attend.

Albus looked to them both. “Severus, will you do what must be done, either by my oath or the Unbreakable that you took with Narcissa? And Sara, you will not prevent it?”

Severus looked to Albus angrily as he spat out. “Yes Albus, I will! When have I not ever obeyed your command? At least with your death I will be free from your damnable oath!”

Sara looked to Albus with unreadable eyes. “I am always in favor of traveling to the Veil. I will not prevent your death as I have been commanded not to be involved.”

Albus looked to his professors. One he trusted explicitly, and the other unsure.

“Albus, I find we must discuss this.” Pulling her sleeve up and revealing her Mark. “Severus will be departing this school and I will remain here. Any thoughts to that?”

The Headmaster looked to her thoughtfully. “The Aurours will come after you. But you are a resourceful witch and I am sure the Dark Lord will ensure that you remain ensconced within Hogwarts. After all the buzz in the Great Hall tonight will prove to your benefit after everything is said and done.” He drank from his glass of fire whiskey as he watched their reaction.

“Sara, I must ask you this. Will your Headmistress vows hold true when it is needed?” Albus lightly asked.

She felt the concern of the castle wash over her at his question. “My vows will hold Headmaster. I will do all that I can.” She replied as she drank from her glass.

They sat without any words needed to be spoken, a witch looking thoughtful while a wizard sat glaring up at the Headmaster.

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Sara entered her Defense classroom noticing that Hermione was sitting at a desk reading a book. “Come Miss. Granger. Your detention will be held in your husband’s personal lab.”

Hermione followed Sara not remarking on her robes. They were not their customary blood red. Soon they found themselves inside the Potions classroom as she noticed that her husband was similarly clad in the same robes as his sister.

Severus strode over to a particular scone and pulled it down, revealing a door as he pointed his wand and whispered the incantations to lower the ward to his personal lab.

“Severus, do I need to tell your wife how to properly brew?” She asked as she looked for his reaction.

Severus glared at her as he led his wife over to a screen and whispered into her ear. Sara chuckled as she saw the look on Hermionie’s face as she went behind the screen to change. After all, with serious potions one had to be undressed under potions robes. It insured no cross contamination and quick access to the brewer’s body in case something went wrong.

Hermione and Sara stood before Severus as he pointed his wand at them, uttering an incantation to make them pure. Sara glanced at the lab and noticed a glass cauldron and ingredients on the table next to it.

Sara looked to her brother in surprise as she pulled out her vial of first blood. “You know what I am brewing?”

Severus sneered at her. “I am a Potions Master sister! Even though it is old, I know of it. I researched it after our activities at the Forbidden Forest.”

She nodded to him as she began her potion as Hermione looked on with interest. She noted some of the ingredients listed in an ancient book that Sara was looking to. camal-buide, sianlus, meena madar, flax, and of course Draco‘s donation… “This is a Celtic potion! Hmmmm I recognize buttercup and mullien, and plaintain.” She looked to her Defense professor in surprise. “This is like a healing potion in a way. One of the ingredients is rumored in Celtic lore to cure all evil.”

Severus looked to his wife in approval. “Celtic potions is all but a lost art as modern Potion Master’s scoff at the lore behind it. Do you know why?” He chuckled as he watched her chew her bottom lip, a sure sign that his wife was thinking.

Sara added first blood and sounded out “Silence. This last step requires my focus for five full minutes.” As she placed the glass rod into her brew, and closed her eyes, fully focusing on the intent to help Harry Potter and how.

They stood silently watch the glass rod flare brighter and brighter with each passing minute. Suddenly a bright light flared out lighting the room and disappeared as Sara sank to her knees. She felt her brother pull her up as he force fed her a pepper up potion. She felt the effects of the potion and was able to stand on her own after a few minutes.

Sara immediately looked to her potion as she removed it from the flame. It was deep purple, indicating a successful brew. “Now it must cool for thirty minutes before I can batch it up.” She tiredly told them.

Hermione realized the answer to her husband’s answer as she shrilled out. “Intent! Intent is the answer!” She then frowned. “The view of modern Potions Master’s are ridiculous Severus! After all witches and wizards use intent for spells and charm work. Why should some potions be any different?”

Severus and Sara looked to her, amazed that she figured it out.

Severus wrapped his arms around her as he chuckled. “Hermione, if you ever decide to pursue an apprenticeship in Potions, I recommend that you select Celtic potions as you final thesis. You would certainly turn the potions world in an uproar when you proved it. It would do the Master’s good as most are full of themselves. We are a small group and most are unwilling to acknowledge the importance of the ancients to our Art today. I can’t stand to be around most of them.”

Hermione laughed at his words. “Dreaded Potion’s Master, I always thought you tolerated no one.”

“True Hermione.” He told her. “But I find that a tolerate a certain witch quite well.”

They watched as Sara placed the potion into a phial, and then transfigured it to look like a green locket and placed it about her neck. “Many thanks for assisting me.” She told them. “Miss. Granger, you must end your detention in my classroom, or certain spying parties will get suspicious.”

Hermione noted the formal address of her. “Of course, Professor Snape. Just give me a moment while I change.” Walking to the screen to change into her school robes.

She appeared back a few moments later as she watched her husband place a glass cauldron onto the table. She turned and followed her Defense professor out of the room.

Soon Hermione found herself back into the Defense classroom. Sara looked to her as she opened her door to her personal chambers. “Miss. Granger, there is one more lesson that you must learn tonight.”

Hermione looked to her professor questioningly as she entered the Defense professor’s personal chambers.

A/N If curious about the potions text Google some of the ingredients will lead you to an ancient Celtic text. Do not know if factual based, but it fit my needs. Next chapter, Voldemort’s plan moves forward.