Treachery

A/N: For all that clamored for Hermione's "house cleaning," this is for you! Thanks to my beta, MadBrilliant.

***

Kingsley led Hermione into the back way of the store, where Rosie lived.

"Kingsley! I got a Patronus from Gawain. I had to send Sabine home. What is happening?" Rosie said as she closed the door and locked it. She walked towards them as Kingsley spoke.

"It's as we all feared, Rosie. Actually, it's worse than what we feared. There is a Death Eater at Hogwarts," he said solemnly.

Rosie's face was one of pure horror. She quickly ushered them into her quarters. She took Hermione and sat her on the couch. And placed a protective arm around her.

"Oh, Severus!" Hermione cried out. "He's in danger! Oh, Rosie! I thought this was all over!" She broke down sobbing on the witch's lap.

"There, now. It's going to be all right! What makes you think Rosmerta and I were so eager to watch over you? We knew there could be trouble the moment we heard there were Durmstrang lads coming to Hogwarts! We thought how crafty it would be to cause dissention between you and Severus, destroy all that you have built and have held up with the strength of your love and devotion to each other. You and Severus are the ones that hold Hogwarts together. All those children would be lost if you were chased out by shameless people who want to use the school for their own ends, or worse, if you left and gave up."

Hermione sat up and covered her face in her hands. "I nearly did today, Rosie. I was on my way to walk out on Severus, our marriage, Hogwarts, everything. I couldn't take it anymore. But, then Severus, he just fell to pieces and begged me not to leave him. We were ready to break our wands and leave it all behind!" she said in horror.

Rosie sighed. "They came so close to winning, Hermione, dear. Now, I know Severus, and he is not going to take this well at all! He's going to blame himself and say something very stupid, like, 'this is what he deserves for letting love into his heart' or some rot like that."

Rosie looked up at the Minister. "Kingsley, you must bring Severus here when the Aurors come. Perhaps between Hermione and I, we can help him to see reason," the older witch asked.

"I shall, Rosie. Thank you so much for keeping faith with the Order, not that there was much left after the war, but you have been invaluable to Severus and Hermione," he said to her.

"I shall take my leave now, ladies," said Kingsley. "I need to meet up with Gawain."

After he had Disapparated, Hermione got up and began to pace. "Oh, Rosie, I was so jealous of Professor Holden. I was so sure she was going to take Severus from me. I was so afraid and insecure. This has been a nightmare. A complete nightmare!"

Rosie smiled. "Yet, here you are. And here you will remain. Why? Because you and Severus belong together. You are exactly what the other needs and what Hogwarts needs to hold it up and keep it steady until it can on it's own," she said confidently.

Hermione stood and returned the smile. It's true, she thought. We have to see it all through. There is more than just dealing with these troubles. Severus and I have to stay and keep Hogwarts from going under.

***

Severus came a couple of hours later. He was fuming and in a vicious mood. He was as Rosie anticipated: full of anger and doubt. He said horrible things that nearly broke Hermione's heart and could have utterly destroyed their already strained marriage. However, Rosie was there to keep Hermione calm and to confront Severus about his words.

"You can't say such things, Severus! She's so young and vulnerable; those words are things a young wife may never forget. Don't ruin what you've worked so hard to keep!" she pleaded.

"Rosie, I should have seen, I should have known! I was played for a damn fool!" he raged as he looked out a window.

Hermione walked to him, and he saw the pain in her eyes. She looked so small, so fragile; he wanted to hold her and comfort her. She placed her small hands against his teaching robes and rested her forehead on his chest. He closed his eyes and gave in to her.

"Do you want me to go?" she whispered.

"No," he said deeply. "Never." He cupped her face and raised it to look at his own. "If I've been a fool, then I don't care. There is nothing without you."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he rested his cheek on the top of her head.

"Come, you two, rest here and eat. The Aurors will be here soon enough, and there shall be trouble to go around in the days to come," Rosie said quietly.

She left them to rest and eat some sandwiches she brought in for them. They sat in companionable silence for a while. Finally, once they had eaten and rested in the safety of each other's arms, Hermione said softly, "We have to think about the long term, Severus. It's more than just losing a couple of professors. How do we regain the trust of the parents? How are we going to keep the school open after such a scandal?"

He tightened his embrace and replied, "Hermione, we began with just the two of us. I'm confident the remaining teachers will continue at least until the end of term. You will have to take over the Muggle Studies classes. Perhaps Mr. Ketsall can do something with the Herbology classes. Damn! I'll figure it out, Hermione," he said worriedly.

Hermione sat up and looked at him straight in the eyes. "No, Severus. WE will figure this out. It's our problem: yours and mine. Together, remember?" she reminded him.

"Of course," he murmured as he held her close.

***

They returned back to Hogwarts to stand witness as the Aurors dragged their treacherous professors from the grounds. Ivan Domask remained cold and unrepentant. Emilie, however, was crying and wanted badly to speak with Hermione and apologize. Severus refused her to approach them.

"Get on with it, Gawain," he whispered dangerously, "before I forget myself and start casting Unforgivables!"

Satine and Christine stood by watching Emilie dragged off in magical bonds, looking shocked and horrified. Selinski remained aloof and withdrawn. He spoke with Severus in private, confessing he felt like a damn fool and wanted nothing more to resign, but the idea of returning to Durmstrang made him ill.

"I never thought I vould vant to stay avay from my country," he said sadly.

Severus was kind to the young man. Selinski had allowed himself to be Legilimized by the Headmaster and was found to be without malice intentions. Later that night, whilst the couple sat in bed, reading, Severus confessed to Hermione that it was the fact he had been sorted into Gryffindor that made him want to trust the young wizard.

"If a Durmstrang lad can be a bloody Gryffindor, he must truly be noble and good," he said as he turned a page.

Hermione smiled as she glanced up at her husband from her own book. "I think Harry must have turned in his grave, Severus Snape!" she said as she laughed.

"You know that's the first time you've spoken to me about Potter without sadness," he observed as he put down as book and looked down at her.

She snuggled into her husband's arms. "I think I'm healing. I am able to think more about Harry and Ron without crying these days. I'll always miss them, but I can remember the good times and smile."

He held her close to him. "Now, wife, we have a very upset and angry witch waiting to see us in the morning. Are you quite prepared?" he asked cautiously.

"I am," she said confidently as Severus put out the light.

***

The next morning, Headmaster Snape spoke to the entire school and staff. Orla Quirke the eldest Ravenclaw female and a sixth-year prefect were given temporary status as Head of house.

Severus stood tall and forbidding in his dress green Slytherin robes. He wanted to make an impression of being in complete control over his school and to announce the reclaiming of his own house that had tried to discredit and ruin him.

"As you all are aware, those responsible for attempting to tear down what we have built have been sent to Azkaban. Hogwarts has been shaken by they who would see it fall into darkness and evil; however, we who love this institution and all that it stands for refused to lie down and allow it to crumble. It shall take more than they who would live to see the rise of another Dark Lord or the resurrection of the ideology of one dead to destroy what we have wrought.

"Although, it pains my sensibilities as a Slytherin to do this, I am resolute," he said firmly as his black eyes glowered at the young witches and wizards sitting at Slytherin's table.

"We have always kept the secrets of Slytherin house, its traditions, rules, and punishments safe amongst our own. However, in this situation, my hand has been forced, and I must turn away from the shame that so many of you have brought upon Salazar's name. Those who have turned and have tried to thwart me, I give you over to one who can only make your humiliation complete." He turned and sat down in the Headmaster's chair, and his wife, Madam Snape, Head of Gryffindor house, stood her dress robes of magnificent red and gold.

"It does not pain me to mete out just punishment," she said clearly. "Your actions have merited this, and now the Headmaster and I, his Deputy Headmistress, will now call your names where you shall be placed under the house arrest until your parents can come and collect you.

"Astoria Greengrass."

Astoria stood and glared at Hermione as if she were filth. Hermione allowed a sly smile to creep on her face as she returned her stare. She made to leave the hall, and the doors of the Great Hall opened. Two Aurors came through the door and stripped Astoria of her wand.

Hermione continued. "Malcolm Braddock, Sebastian Capper, Emma Dobbs, June Dornby, Derek Flint, Percival Harper, and Graham Pritchard."

Each student called stood and walked towards the Aurors now holding Astoria at wandpoint. They all were stripped of their wands and made to stand in front of their classmates. When Pritchard had joined them and his wand stripped, Hermione spoke again to the assembly.

"These students are hereby expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. According to the decision handed down early this morning from the Wizengamot, these witches and wizards will each be monitored and their case evaluated as to whether or not criminal charges may be brought to bear on those who have already reached Legal Wizarding Age or whose actions have been so heinous as to warrant imprisonment."

The Aurors led the ex-students out of the Great Hall, and Hermione Snape breathed a sigh of relief as the rest of the students watched in wide-eyed disbelief. She turned her head to the side to see the tear-stained face of Professor Holden looking at her.

***

After the Aurors had their charges in their common room, the remaining Slytherins were placed in the library under the watch of the librarian, Olive Pince, and the caretaker, Mr. Shunpike. The rest of the houses were confined to their common rooms. All classes were cancelled for the day.

Samantha Holden came into the Headmaster's office as soon as the remaining Slytherins were safe in the library. Her face was red and her eyes puffy from crying. She was silent and withdrawn. Hermione felt such guilt over all the wicked thoughts she had held towards the witch. She was really a good person who had been exploited and violated by ruthless people. Samantha expressed her gratitude for the support of the school and the Ministry, but she said she would be leaving at the end of the year.

"I know it would just cause more trouble if I were to quit now, and I do not want to ever be the cause of any trouble for you both. So, I'll stay on for the semester, but I won't be returning. I will write up a list of names for you to look over as possible replacements." She then rose to leave, and Hermione stopped her.

"Please, Samantha, you will receive from us the highest of recommendations. A recommendation from Severus Snape is as good as gold! Your career will not suffer because of them," she insisted.

"As if that were the main cause of my unhappiness!" she barked. "I was abused and raped! I know not in the traditional way, there was no violence, but my heart is broken and my faith in myself shattered. I can't believe I did not see this coming!"

Hermione went to comfort her, but she held her at a distance. "I'll be alright," she said through her anger. "I'm going back to Salem to stay with my best friends and take some time for myself, try to find a new direction for my life. Here I thought I was doing my fellow wizard some good. I guess that just proves 'no good deed goes unpunished,'" she said bitterly.

"Have you spoken with Professor Selinski?" Hermione asked delicately.

She nodded. "Yes," she said uncomfortably. "We both are just so confused and feel violated. He has been decent about it all. He doesn't blame me or try to make me feel badly about it."

"I'm glad for that," Hermione replied.

After Professor Holden left them, Hermione rubbed her shoulder.

"Tired?" asked her husband.

"Exhausted!" she said. "So bloody knackered. What a horrible day this is going to be," she said tiredly.

Severus chuckled as he took her by the waist and made her to sit with him on the couch. He lifted her legs and placed them on his lap. She lay back and let him massage her feet. "We are going to get through this semester, my love, and then once we have finished with the year, we are going to Australia to retrieve your parents," he announced.

Hermione got up upon her elbows. "Oh, Severus, that would be lovely. Thank you," she said happily as their eyes met each other in a knowing look.