Doppelganger

Chpt 8 Explanations

Severus looked to the headmaster scowling for a moment before he indicated that they should go to his chambers.

They entered and he motioned for the headmaster to sit down as he poured two very large glasses of Fire whiskey and set them on the table before two chairs as he took a seat himself.

"You remember after the Tri-Wizard tournament when the Dark Lord came back and I was late in his calling?"

Albus picked up a glass and sipped. "I do Severus."

"When I arrived at the graveyard it was only him and Pettigrew there. He questioned me extensively about where my true loyalty lay after 13 years and began to torture me as well to see if I would break. He kept me there for a week torturing me cruelly. At the end he looked down to me and told me that he was pleased of my loyalty and that if I survived then I would be welcomed back as his right hand man."

He grabbed the glass of fire whiskey and drank down half in one gulp. He hated to remember how weak he was at the time praying for death and of afraid of what would happen to the Wizarding world if he did die.

"But you were gone longer than a week Severus."

"The Dark lord left me my wand but I was so weak that I could not even reach it to heal myself. That was when the Mother of Magic appeared to me two days later." He looked to the Headmaster bracing himself on the lecture that she was a fable. He closed his eyes and continued the tale picturing his memory.

The beautiful woman sat down next to him. "Severus Snape you fight death. I see what drives you and you fear that if you die too early your suffering will be for naught."

"Yes My Lady. But tell me who are you? Am I dying?" He rasped out as he had no food or water in a week.

"I am the Mother of Magic and respond to the calls of those worthy of my appearance and you are one Severus Snape."

"Save me My Lady so that I can fulfill my vow to protect the son of one I once loved." He begged hating himself for it.

The beautiful woman leaned down and softly touched his lips and he felt himself whole and healthy as she pulled him up. "Such a noble one despite the hatred for the father of the son that you vowed to protect."

He said nothing as he stood looking to her as she whispered in his ear. "You never need fear death again Severus Snape." She continued to whisper to him. "Remember the incantation and say it if you are dying. You will join with yourself and live to fight another day. We are destined to meet again."

He watched as the beautiful woman slowly faded from view.

Severus shook his head for a moment and looked to the headmaster.

"I realize the sacrifices that you have made Severus." Placing his hand on the dark wizards shoulder.

He angrily pulled the Headmaster's hand away from his shoulder and continued.

"I came back and continued on brave in front of the Dark Lord as I knew I could not die. He is always impressed that he could not break me. It garners his respect and worries him at the same time always doubting my loyalty. Then I find myself in a cell containing the beaten body of Miss Granger with an order to heal her for her impending death."

Serverus drank down the rest of his Fire whiskey and continued. "Miss. Granger is a perceptive witch and took the news of her coming death and me being unable to save her quite well. It was when I looked into her eyes and saw her resolve that drove me to give her the incantation that was gifted to me. She took my advice mocking the Dark Lord until he was driven to kill her. The Dark Lord has not doubted my loyalty since."

He twirled the empty glass in his hands. "I waited at the gates the next evening after dinner and saw Lucius deposit her body at the gates. Miss. Granger was barely alive so I conjured up a bone into her likeness and left it at the gates and took her to my chambers and healed her. As her body was here I was sure that her soul would appear but it never did. I waited years and finally put her body in stasis hoping one day she would arrive. Then I saw the flash of magic appear to the muggle Captain Hermione Granger. I once again felt hope and as soon as I arrived back I paid for a wand and deposited money into the bank as I was sure that the muggle would arrive. And she is here now."

Severus placed the glass down and looked to the headmaster and observed the old wizard was deep in thought.

"Severus where is the body of Hermione Granger?" He gently asked after a few minutes.

Severus said nothing as he rose up and walked to the wall and revealed a hidden doorway and opened it.

Albus joined his professor and they walked in together noticing a beautiful woman sitting on the corner of the bed containing Miss. Granger. "Severus Snape I told you that we would meet again."

&.&.&.

Madame Pomphrey sat next to the bed of the muggle woman shaking her head at the diagnostics. She could not believe the two magical signatures. Her wand must be malfunctioning. She called her apprentice over to her. "Alice be a dear and verify my diagnostics."

Alice casted the diagnostics and the same results appeared. "Master is that right?" She asked in confusion.

Madame Pomphrey looked. "It must be Alice as yours verify mine. Go on to bed while I think upon this." Watching as her apprentice left the infirmary.

The medi-witch was pulled from her thoughts by a floo call. "How can I help you Albus?"

"Bring our guest to Professor Snape's quarters."

"Are you sure Headmaster? Her readings are quite strange." She told him.

"Just bring her down Poppy. It will be explained when you arrive." Cutting the connection.

She grumbled to herself as she conjured up a stretcher and placed the unconscious woman upon it and added a couple of blankets. It was always cold in the dungeons despite the time of year.

She arrived at Professor Snape's quarters and found the Potions Master waiting for her at the open door. "Madame if you will?" Severus indicated as he turned and entered his quarters.

She followed him with the stretcher levitating behind her as she suddenly stopped noticing a beautiful woman sitting on a bed containing a still form.

"Merlin help me but is that Hermione Granger laying there?" Poppy gasped out.

She placed her patient on the empty bed next to the unmoving form and waited for an explanation as the stranger grab the hand of her patient for a moment and let go.

"You are both here?" A musical voice sounded out.

"Yes we are." A duel British-American accent sounded out in reply.

Poppy watched as her patient sat up.

The Mother of Magic looked to Severus. "Severus Snape how old was you when you gave the witch Hermione Granger the incantation meant for you?"

Severus thought for a moment. "38 My Lady." He replied.

"Major Granger how old was you on the day of your battle?"

"I just turned 38 M'aam. I do not know how to properly address you as it seems you have status in this world." She replied.

"You are doing just fine." The beautiful woman assured her. "You can call me My Lady or M'aam as you wish."

"Severus Snape as the incantation was meant for you the soul of Hermione Granger had to wait until her doppelganger caught up to your age."

Major Granger spoke out. "This is all well and good but can you get her soul out of me and return me to normal? I am slowly losing my sanity. She assured me that there would be an answer if I traveled here."

The woman turned to her. "Brave soul who sacrificed so much. There can only be one as there are two souls magical and non-magical in one body. One must sacrifice for the other."

The witch Hermione Granger sounded out. "And who will make this choice?"

"Major Granger will make the choice Hermione Granger. After all she had no choice in this." The lady replied. "She has one week before you become lost in one another and her insanity drives her to take her life."

"Oh Merlin." Hermione Granger moaned out feeling guilty. "I do not want to influence her My Lady."

The Mother of magic grabbed the hand of the muggle putting the witch Hermione Granger's soul to rest within Major Granger.

She looked to Major Granger. "The witch Hermione Granger's soul is at rest within your body. Do you understand the words that I have spoken?"

"I do M'aam. It is either me or her." She replied as she looked to Major Snape with hate. "I should have killed you when I had a chance." She muttered as she fell asleep.

"I will come back in one week." The Mother of Magic stated as she faded from the room.

&.&.&.&

General Potter sat in his room with his wife. "I am worried about her Ginny. We have not heard from her yet."

"Give it time Harry. You spoke so much about her and you trust her. I am sure Major Granger will return soon. After all it has only been two days."

"You trust me on this even if it is far-fetched?" He asked his wife.

"We saw the magic Harry and I believe in you." Pulling him out of his chair and leading him to the bed. "Let me make you forget about your worries for a time."

He kissed her deeply as he placed her on the bed. "After 20 years of marriage Ginny Weasley I find that I am still infatuated with you."

&.&.&.&.

Major Granger woke up and grabbed the wand placed next to her looking to the young witch resting in the opposite bed for a moment. She walked out of the room and found Major Snape standing there as he looked to her. She looked to him in hate.

Severus Snape closed the distance between them. "You choose to judge me muggle not knowing me at all?" He demanded as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

"You think that you have suffered with your petty little battle Major Granger? And you condemn me without knowing a thing about me." He roared out pushing her down onto his couch as he grabbed his wand and held her down with one arm as he pointed his wand to her in the other. "Legilimens!" He spat out. Pushing forcefully into her mind.

"Bastard!" She shouted using unfamiliar magic to push him out and suddenly found herself trapped within his mind.

"Welcome to my world Major Granger." He sent to her as he pushed the images of his entire life to her.

He continued to stare into her eyes as he left her mind. "Do you understand pain and suffering now Major Granger? Do you think that you have truly suffered?"

Major Granger looked into his dark eyes. So he knew horrible suffering and pain as well. She pulled him down roughly and kissed him.

He returned her rough kiss in kind and felt the woman hold onto him as he looked into her pained eyes.

"Foundering ships at sea Major Granger." He purred as he magically removed their clothes.

"The magical world is not very romantic." She moaned out as she felt him at her entrance.

"I assure you that it can be but we do not need that now do we?" He replied as he pushed himself deep within her.

He looked to her eyes and saw the desperation within them and started to thrust deeply feeling her body react to his movements driving him to thrust harder as he filled her.

Major Granger looked into his dark eyes as he pounded into her and was surprised to see the same desperation in the man that she felt as an arm looped around her hips and pulled her tightly against him as he continued.

Soon he growled out as he released into her not stopping until he was spent and felt her release as well.

"I think that we have taken what we needed of one another Major Granger." He told her as he stood up and pulled her up as well.

"I think that we have Professor Snape." She replied as she allowed him to guide her to his bath chambers.

He did not remark on the change of address and turned on the shower and motioned for her to enter first and joined her.

"Foundering ships in the sea." He told her once again as they both looked to the scarred body of one another for a moment and began to wash separately.

&.&.&.&

Albus approached the podium and addressed the students. "I am sure that you noticed our visitor. She is an American from the Salem School of Witchcraft and is observing our school. Please provide any assistance that she may require of you."

The students politely clapped and began to eat as the mail arrived. The loud hum of conversations ceased as those with subscriptions to the Daily Prophet began to read the listing of deaths from the attack of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named from the night before.

Five students rushed out of the hall as Major Granger watched the Headmaster whisper to two older women. They left the hall as well.

Major Granger looked to Professor Snape for a moment as he handed her the newspaper and motioned her to read it. The moving pictures surprised her for a moment before she remembered the world that she was in.

She read about the attacks on the muggle world. Continuing to read she realized that the reported attacks were in her world.

Albus arranged for her to sit through the Seventh year classes so that she could garner an understanding of the magical world that she was suddenly thrust into. The last class was potions with Professor Snape.

She sat in the back of the classroom as the door banged open and Professor Snape strode quickly to his desk and pointed his wand to the board as the potion and the ingredients suddenly appeared. The students did not flinch as this apparently was normal.

"An easy assignment for you today as I do not wish to have our guest injured while observing my class. It is the Elixir to Induce Euphoria. And Gryffindor you while behave or experience my…displeasure. Now get to it!" He snapped out.

He sat and watched as the students arrived back to their seats with shrivilfig, porcupine quills castor beans and wormwood and placed them in order. He wondered if anyone would remember to add the sprig of peppermint to it as he had left it out. It wasn't needed but counterbalanced the side effects of excessive singing and nose-tweaking.

"And class take your time as the most acceptable sample will be given to our guest so that she experiences the quality of education provided here at Hogwarts."

He smirked as he saw Major Granger's body freeze for a moment. This would be perfect for her as long as the students were up to par. He walked around the class and "evinsiod" a few that were already beyond hope at an early stage. "This is a Sixth year potion. You've brewed it before. Detention this Friday and fifty points from Gryffindor for such appalling potions skill in front of a visitor."

He looked to the caldron of Slytherin Alice Hornsby. Out of the entire class she was the only one who remembered the peppermint.

Professor Snape sat back down and waited for the students to complete the elixir and bring up a sample. Soon the cauldrons were away and the students waited.

"Can anyone tell me what optional ingredient I left of the board that counters possible side effects of this elixir?"

Only one hand was raised. "Yes Miss. Hornsby?"

"It is a sprig of peppermint Professor Snape." She smugly replied.

"50 Points to Slytherin for the correct answer. Approach my desk." He addressed Major Granger. "Can you come forward Madame and determine what grade this student will receive?"

Major Granger made her way to the front of the classroom uncomfortable in the teaching robes provided her and took the offered sample and watched as the professor set a five minute timer on his desk.

"Madame the effects of the elixir should last for five minutes. You will tell us how you feel so I can judge the quality of the sample."

She drank down the sample and immediately felt happy. No better than that she felt elated. "I feel happy. The happiest I have ever been in my entire life." Beginning to hum as she smiled and began twirling about the classroom as the class discretely laughed. The timer went off and a few seconds later a very embarrassed Major Granger walked up. "It seems acceptable Professor Snape. I experienced the euphoria mentioned in the title of the potion."

"Class dismissed. Those who have detentions remember it."

Major Granger had never seen a class empty as quickly as his. "You teach with a strong hand Professor."

"Potions is an exact and unforgiving art Major Granger. Compare it to chemistry. Would you like a teacher that did not pay attention resulting in explosion and death?"

"No I suppose not. I think there was something wrong with that sample. I feel at peace with myself."

Professor Snape walked to the door of his classroom motioning her to follow. "No Major Granger. The elixir takes away existing stress and anxiety. I believe that the Headmaster is waiting for you in his office to hear about your day." Pushing her out the door and closing it behind her to prevent any unnecessary conversation.

He walked back to his desk and began to grade essays and smirked as he reflected that he really was a selfish bastard. The Dark Mark suddenly burned on his arm as he went into his chambers and dressed into his Deatheater robes and placed the mask on as he touched four stones with revealing a tunnel. There never is any rest for the wicked he reflected as he entered it. As soon as he was clear of the exit outside the castle boundary he pressed his Mark and Apparated away.

&.&.&.&

Major Granger sat in the chair across from the Headmaster as she told him about her day observing the classes. "I can see why you hide your world. There would be some that would take advantage of it." She looked to the old wizard. "Now I need to know the whole story behind Voldemort. I know some from the guest that resides within me but I understand that it goes back before she was born."

She listened as the headmaster gave her a history lesson of the Wizarding world pulling out sketches as he mentioned names of the persons that she had drawn. He finished and waited for her questions.

Major Granger pulled out her wand. "When I was given this by Mr. Ollivander he told me that it was made because of a prophecy made 700 years ago and sent other to Hogwarts. The box that contained this wand had my name on it."

Albus pulled the wand boxes from his desk. "They are here but I do not know the prophecy."

She observed his body language as she noted the names on the boxes. She pushed her sketches to him. "Please tell me why you lie about the Prophecy."

"I assure you Major that I am not." He answered.

"Sir I am not a student or a being of the magical world. I am a doctor and skilled in Physcology. I have had enough airmen and soldiers lie to me in the course of service to my country and your body language indicates that you are lying."

"Major Granger you have a large decision to make and I did not want to influence it." He pulled out the scroll and handed it to her with the updated notes from her arrival and handed it to her. "No one else knows about this and I prefer it to remain that way."

She read it. According to the Headmaster's notes the two stars circling are her and Miss. Granger. And Severus Snape and Hermione Granger was the Dark watching the light. There were no notes under magical and non-magical.

"Headmaster, the non magical are here as the wands match the people that accompanied me to Scotland." As she handed him her sketches.

Suddenly the door opened and Professor Snape strode in. "Headmaster he knows about…" Noticing Major Granger. "Major Granger." He greeted.

"Go on Severus as there is no purpose in hiding anything from her."

"Very well Headmaster. He knows about Major Granger being here. I was vague and only told him that she was introduced as a representative from America. He is not ready to confront the Americans and is discretely inquiring through his contacts. He expects to have an answer in a few days. He told me to be ready to bring her to him if it comes back that she is not a witch."

Major Granger looked to the headmaster. "We must bring everyone together. After all I have a decision to make soon. This will help and according to what you have shown me it needs to happen."

Professor Snape looked to her in confusion.

"You are right Major Granger. The doppelgangers will meet tomorrow night away from the castle as it is not safe."

"Make sure that Professor Snape is there as well Albus. He started all this." As she left the office.