Through the Looking Glass ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 5 ~ Meeting the Headmaster

Hermione raced down the dim dungeon corridor, her robes billowing as she ran for the stairs that led up to the Main Entrance. If she could just get on the grounds, she might be able to find someplace to hide.

"Miss Granger! Come back!" Snape called after her, his own robes billowing as he tried to overtake the terrified witch. Why was she so afraid of going to the Headmaster? She was a Muggle-born, and it was common knowledge that she and Riddle engaged from time to time, which was why she received preferential treatment. Whatever happened to her had screwed her up but good.

Hermione heard the wizard behind her, and it only served to make her run faster. She tore up the stairs and paused to cast a spell on them before running for the main doors. Snape got about two steps up before his feet slid out from under him and he crashed painfully on the stone stairwell, just managing to avoid hitting it face first. He cursed as he tried to stand up, but couldn't.

Hermione had covered the stairs in oil.

"Damn her," Snape hissed as he crawled up the stairs and stood up, Scourgifying the oil off of himself before taking off through the double doors. He saw Hermione running for the Herbology area. It was like a jungle there, dangerous plants abounded, growing wild. One had to know the path in order to make it through without being strangled by Devil's Snare, or pulverized by crushing vines. Snape doubted that Hermione could make it through in her current condition.

Suddenly, he Apparated and appeared in front of the witch just before she entered the tangle. Hermione ran right into him and he grasped her to him tightly.

"Let me go!" Hermione yelled at him, struggling. But unlike her counterpart, she didn't know any fighting moves, so she tried to pull her wand out on him. But Snape was used to that, and deftly plucked her wand out of her hand.

"Stop it!" he said to her. "Get yourself under control, Miss Granger. You're just going to the Headmaster to see if he can divine what's happened to you."

"Tom Riddle will kill me!" Hermione sobbed, ceasing to struggle, crying against Snape's chest. "He hates Muggle-Borns."

Snape held her for a moment, amazed she was crying. The only way he thought Hermione Granger would ever shed tears was if someone chopped a limb off. He was also aware of her curves. He had never engaged Miss Granger. She never wanted him to, saying she would do with just a passing grade in his glass. He was too soft to fail her.

"You're distraught, Miss Granger. Tom Riddle reveres Muggle-Borns, you should know that. Besides, you and he have a rather 'special' relationship. He wouldn't harm a hair on your head. Now, calm down," Snape told her.

His words effectively stopped her tears and she looked up at him in disbelief.

"A special relationship?" she asked Snape, who relaxed and let her step back a bit. He still held on to one of her arms however, placing her wand in his robes pocket.

"Yes. You are called to his office from time to time, and from what I understand, not to talk," Snape said to her softly.

Hermione stared at him, then said, "Ewwww! No, that's insane!"

Snape couldn't help thinking it was Hermione who was insane.

"Regardless of how insane you think it is now, you've been going to him since you reached the Age of Consent three years ago. Believe me when I say you are in no danger. Now, let's go back to the castle," he said to her gently.

Hermione let him lead her back toward Hogwarts, thinking now. At first, she thought Voldemort had somehow taken over the school and put himself in power, but that wouldn't explain this nice Snape and the strange Minerva McGonagall. She shuddered as she thought about what the wizard said about Tom Riddle and her. Three years ago, she would have been fifteen. Riddle would have gone to jail if he had touched her when she was that young. But this Snape claimed he did, and had been touching her ever since.

"So, Tom Riddle isn't the Dark Lord?" she asked the wizard walking beside her.

Snape chuckled.

"Sometimes, that's a matter of opinion around here," he replied with a smile, "but no. He isn't. Albus Dumbledore is the darker of the two. He's known as Lord Bedaub Mules."

Hermione stopped walking.

"Albus Dumbledore is after Muggle-Borns?" she gasped at him.

Snape frowned at her again as he urged her forward. They walked up the stairs leading into the castle.

"You are really out of it, aren't you, Miss Granger?" he asked her. "Albus Dumbledore wants to give power to the Purebloods, who are almost considered sub-magical. Although I appreciate his sentiments, his methods are less than stellar. Torturing and killing Muggle-Borns is not the way to go about it. Societal change is the way."

Hermione felt as if the world had turned upside down. This was no dream. She stopped again.

"What now?" Snape asked her, slightly irritated.

"Could I see your left forearm?" Hermione asked him.

"If it will make you move faster, here," he said, cautiously letting her go and pulling up his sleeve. The skin was pale and bare. He had no Dark Mark.

Hermione blinked at it, and at him.

"I don't think I'm at Hogwarts anymore," she said softly as Snape took her arm again, marveling at her statement. How could she say that when she was inside the castle?

Hermione didn't say anything else as they rode the shifting stairwells up to the seventh floor and headed for the Headmaster's tower. The Grinning Gargoyle was there before the wall. Snape murmured something and Hermione screamed as it ran forward snarling, towering over them, before reluctantly moving aside and letting them pass.

Snape looked at her. That was a strange reaction. The gargoyle was a sentry and could divine if a visitor was there for good or ill. If for ill, it would rip the intruder to pieces. It hadn't done so in ages, because everyone was on to it.

But it remained hopeful. Still, that was an unusual response from a witch who visited the Headmaster at all hours of the day and night. Sometimes she would even be summoned out of class.

They rode the spiral stone staircase up to the top, getting off of it. Snape could feel Hermione trembling against him as he knocked on the door.

"Come in," a pleasant male voice responded.

Snape and Hermione entered the office. Minerva was seated in an armchair, and Tom Riddle was seated behind a large mahogany desk. Fawkes was there too, on a perch, but a darker, less vibrant color, almost crimson as he eyed her. His eyes weren't the golden color she was used to, but black as night. He didn't make a sound.

Tom Riddle smiled at Hermione, his dark eyes taking her in. He wasn't the least bit scaly, in fact he was a rather handsome, slender man, with dark eyes and hair. He even had a dimple in his cheek.

"Ah, I see you've caught our little runaway, Severus," he said to the professor. But although he addressed Snape courteously, there was evidence of dislike in his eyes.

"Yes sir," Snape replied, directing Hermione to a chair. She sat down and stared at Tom Riddle in disbelief.

There was silence in the room for several moments, then Tom said, "My, Miss Granger . . . you look a fright without your makeup. And your hair . . ."

"I told you. Hideous," Minerva piped in.

Tom's eyes settled on her attire.

"Gryffindor colors, Miss Granger? It's enough to turn my stomach."

Snape stood by silently, not reacting to this slur on his house. He was used to it.

"Now, Minerva tells me you are acting strangely . . . claiming that those . . ."

Tom flicked an elegant finger at her robes

" . . . are your proper attire. I realize you have a devilish side, Miss Granger . . . in fact, I know for certain you do . . ."

The Headmaster gave her such an intimate, knowing look that Hermione felt like just covering herself with her hands.

"Now tell me, are you playing some kind of game with your professors? Don't worry, if you are it will attributed to your high spirits. You won't be given to Filch."

Hermione stared at him, not knowing what to say.

"Speak up, Miss Granger," Minerva hissed at her.

Hermione turned to look at the dark witch, taking in her attire and cold demeanor.

"I don't belong here," she said softly, "something's gone wrong. This isn't . . . this isn't my world."

Tom cocked his head at her.

"Isn't your world?" he repeated.

"No. In my world, everything is different. You are the Dark Lord, Professor McGonagall is the head of Gryffindor House, Professor Snape teaches Potions and Albus Dumbledore is the Headmaster of Hogwarts," she told them.

Silence fell, then Minerva broke out in cackling laughter.

"Severus teach potions? We'd lose every student we have in that class if that were true. That dolt couldn't brew tea," she chuckled.

Snape kept his face neutral, although his fingers spasmed slightly as if itching.

Tom smirked at Severus.

"True indeed, Minerva, but . . ."

The wizard rose and walked over to Hermione, who stared up at him, mesmerized. He leaned down.

"I need to get to the bottom of this . . . and to do that, I'd better go straight to the source. Legilimens!"

Hermione let out a scream as a searing pain exploded inside her head, then everything went black.

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"The 'Ripple Effect,'" a groggy Hermione heard Tom Riddle say as she regained consciousness. Her head was pounding. She sat up in the chair, blinking. Professor Snape was still standing beside her, staring at her incredulously.

"Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor. It's just madness," Minerva said, frowning at the witch. "Such a waste of potential and good breeding. Surely we can't put her in that house, Tom. It would be better if she were to stay in Slytherin."

Hermione was fully conscious now. They wanted to put her in Slytherin? Were they mad?

"In Slytherin house? With Draco Malfoy? No way. I don't get along with him," she said.

"Ah, awake I see," Tom said to her, his dark eyes rather curious. "I've divined why you are so out of sorts. You passed through the Mirror of Noisreva into our world, and our Miss Granger has passed into yours. We must get her back and of course, return you to your proper universe. Until we can do that, however, you will be placed like any other student, in your proper house. Slytherin."

Hermione took this in, but she was more concerned right now about being placed in the midst of her enemies, than passing through a mirror.

"But . . . but Draco . . . Pansy . . . we can't stand each other," Hermione said.

Tom chuckled.

"At least that much remains consistent between you and your counterpart. But no worries. Mr. Malfoy is a Gryffindor," he told her.

Hermione blinked at him.

"What? A Gryffindor? Are . . . are Harry Potter and Ron Weasley here?" she asked.

All three staff members looked at each other, then at Hermione. She didn't like the look they gave her. Particularly McGonagall, who wore a rather nasty smirk.

"Your playmates are here, Miss Granger . . . in their house. Slytherin."

Playmates? What did he mean playmates? Well, at least they'd be together. Obviously they were still close in this universe. It seemed everything was reversed. Those students who were Gryffindors were Slytherins in this universe and vice versa.

"Harry . . . is . . . is Dumbledore after him?" she asked tremulously.

"Oh yes. Has been since the day he was born. He didn't approve of his mother marrying a Pureblood, being she was a Muggle-Born and murdered her, along with his father. He tried to kill Harry too, but . . . it didn't work out," Tom said. "He considered James Potter a traitor to his own. Nasty business. Left quite a scar on his son. A lightning bolt shape on the boy's forehead. But you've seen it up close a hundred times, I'm sure," Tom purred as Minerva smirked unpleasantly again.

"Of . . .of course I have. Harry and I have been friends for years," she replied, not understanding why she felt as if they were hiding something from her.

"Friends," Minerva cackled from the chair.

Snape said nothing. Miss Granger was going to find out very quickly that her counterpart's life here at Hogwarts was much different than her own. He didn't agree that she should be put in Slytherin house, but he knew his input wasn't welcomed. He was sure it would be a disaster. Maybe after a few flare-ups he'd suggest she be taken into Gryffindor until she could be returned. Right now, there was nothing he could do.

"Now, you will attend classes just as every student does. Miss Granger has very high marks . . . she does quite a bit of 'extra credit' work. I'm sure you'll wish to keep those grades above par while here," Tom said, amusement in his eyes.

"Yes. There is only one class that Miss Granger is not leading the pack, as it were," Minerva said, her eyes shifting to Severus. "That's Advanced Transfiguration. But, she's marginally passing and is satisfied with that."

Hermione frowned up at Snape.

"Why doesn't she just do extra credit like for her other classes to bring up her mark?" she asked him.

Minerva and Tom both smirked. Their Hermione wasn't willing to fuck Snape because he represented everything she found weak in a wizard. Snape just shrugged.

"She doesn't want it," he replied obliquely.

"Well, that makes no sense. If I'm going to do her work, then I'm going to up her marks as well," she declared.

Snape blinked down at her. Hermione had no idea extra credit meant she'd have to shag him. He imagined the marks would stay substandard when she found out.

"A fine ambition, Miss Granger. Now, we are going to wait until the students all go to supper. They are there from five to seven. While they are eating, we will slip you into Slytherin house. I advise you to stay in your room for the evening and let no one in until we can advise them all of your . . . situation. Most likely that will happen tomorrow morning. In the meantime, we will put our heads together to figure out a way to get you back to your own world. While we wait, Professor MeGonagall will clue you in as to how our school operates. It is . . . quite different than your own. The students have far more freedom here."

Tom's eyes flicked to Severus.

"You may go, Severus. You're not needed here. This is a Slytherin affair," he said to him sharply.

Snape bowed and left without a word.

Tom and Minerva both looked at Hermione, and again, she had that cold feeling as she met their knowing eyes. She felt unsafe, and wished Snape could have stayed. He was a rather comforting presence.

"Keep your mouth closed and your ears open, Miss Granger," Minerva said with a rather feral smile. "There's a lot you need to know if you want to survive here."

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A/N: Another chappie. Ah, poor Hermione. Ron and Harry "playmates?" Lol. This can't be good. Heh heh. Thanks for reading.