Consorting with Felons

A/N: As usual, I make no money from the writing and sharing of this story. J. K. Rowling owns anything and anyone you recognize. I just enjoy playing with her characters.

I want to thank my wonderful betas, JenGeorge and SheBringsMeWater, for all of their help in taming the commas and adding their suggestions. I didn't always follow their advice, but I do always value their opinions. And lyn_f here at TPP advised me on my illogical punctuation and capitalization. They all helped me iron out the rough patches. Thanks, ladies.

Consorting with Felons

In her animagus form Rita Skeeter had flown from window to window all evening in an attempt to gain entry into Granger’s home, but to no avail. Must be an insect repellant charm of some kind, she thought as she had finally given up on entering the house and made her way to the kitchen window for a better look.

Wooden blinds covered the window most effectively, but she had managed to find a gap between the slats that she could peer through. Not much to see, just three people cooking and brewing a potion. But no matter how hard she tried, she had not been able to hear a word anyone had said. Perhaps a privacy or silencing charm, she thought. And a very effective one at that. No wonder she took Flitwick’s place as Charms professor.

Rita had been frustrated beyond measure but was determined to find something untoward to write about before the evening’s end, so she had stuck around until the moment when Snape was donning his travelling cloak and saying his goodbyes. The sliver of a window beside the front door didn’t afford much of a view. Snape’s back was to it, and she couldn’t see his face. She could barely see Granger’s eyes and the top of her head thanks to Snape’s broad shoulders blocking her view.

Then he raised his arm just as he shifted his weight to the other foot. Damn! Now I can’t see anything. Is he touching her arm? Her face? Her hair? But as Rita flew to the top of the window to get a better look over Snape’s head, the moment had passed, and he had cast the Disillusionment Charm.

When the door cracked open, Rita tried once again to gain entry, but the insect repellant charm successfully redirected her. The door closed with a whoosh that sent her tiny beetle form twirling through the air. Then the spin of Snape’s Disapparition sent her toppling into the shrubbery. When she finally regained her sense of balance, she flew off in a huff. One meeting between the two was not really newsworthy, so she would have to do some more digging. A trip to Hogwarts seemed in order, and she knew from past experience that the school did not have an insect repellant charm around it. She could easily slip into someone’s pocket at the front gate to get past the magical barriers, and once on the grounds, she could go wherever she pleased.

Somehow, she would find a way to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

Hermione made it back to Hogwarts the next morning just in time to deliver Hugo’s potion to the hospital wing and still catch the end of breakfast in the Great Hall. She slipped into a seat on the end of the staff table beside Madam Pince as the librarian was finishing up her second muffin.

“Good morning, Irma. How are you this morning?” asked Hermione politely.

“So far, so good,” the old spinster chuckled, “but the day is young. And how was your weekend?”

“Splendid, thank you. And yours?”

“Rather quiet, actually. No major projects coming up soon that require immense amounts of research, I suppose.”

Hermione snorted. “You mean my daughter hasn’t been driving you to distraction in the library every weekend?”

Irma knitted her brow in concentration. “No… no, I don’t believe I’ve seen her in the library any weekend so far this year. And that’s saying something, since it is already mid-October.”

“Really!” Hermione found this news alarming since it meant that Rose had been lying to her. “Does she come in at all?”

“Oh, of course, dear. She’s smart and studious, just as you were. But I must say that she isn’t nearly as bookish as you were at her age. She is popular with the other students and she has quite the social life.”

Hermione’s astonishment was evident by the wide-eyed look on her face.

“Of course you would know this, if you had bothered to stay here on weekends like the rest of us are required to do!” Madam Pince pushed her chair away from the table and stood abruptly. “Good day, Hermione.”

Hermione knew that her need for weekends away from the castle would cause resentment with some of the other staff members, but this was the first time anyone had actually voiced those feelings to her face. She sat in stunned silence for a moment, wondering just how many other teachers shared that same sentiment.

Just then, she noticed Rose readying herself to leave the Gryffindor table as Scorpius Malfoy came up behind her. They walked beside each other to the door, talking and laughing like she used to do with Ron and Harry. She wondered how Lucius and Draco would feel about that little scene. Then Hermione remembered that Rose had been lying to her and felt the need to speak with the girl right away so it wouldn’t nag at her and distract her from her teaching duties.

With this goal in mind, Hermione jumped up from her chair and walked briskly toward the door, catching the two children just as they made their way into the entrance hall. “Rose, darling, may I have a word?”

“Oh, hi, Mum.” They shared a brief hug. “Go on, Scorpius. I’ll see you in class.”

Hermione grasped Rose’s hand firmly and pulled her into a nearby alcove. Rose gave her a worried look. “What’s the matter, Mum? Is everything alright?”

Hermione wanted to simply blurt out what Madam Pince had told her, but she knew that she would get much more out of Rose with a softer approach. “Nothing. I just haven’t seen you for a few days and I was wondering how your other classes are going.”

Rose eyed her mother suspiciously. “Everything’s fine, Mum. And since I don’t want to be late to Potions, I had better get—”

“And how’s all that extra research going in the library?”

“Uh… fine.” Rose shrugged her shoulders, still not sure where this was leading.

“Finding all the books you need for your research? Anything you would like me to buy or borrow for you?”

“No, Mum. Look, I really need to get going. And don’t you teach a class during First Bell as well?”

Rose was right, of course. But Hermione felt a keen need to get the truth out of her. She could tolerate many transgressions from the people she loved, but lies were not among them. “My teaching schedule is neither here nor there, young lady.” There was no more time for beating around the bush. “Rose, Madam Pince has informed me that you have not been in the library once in all the weekends since school started. Why have you been lying to me?”

The girl turned a violent shade of scarlet that would have matched the Hogwarts Express. “I dunno, Mum.” She shuffled her feet in an attempt to stall while she manufactured a graceful way to get herself out of this pickle. “I just wanted to be with my friends. We’re so busy during the week with classes and studying. The weekend is the only time I get to have fun with them.” She continued to glare at the floor as she scuffed the bottom of her right shoe on the flagstone.

“Then why didn’t you just tell me the truth?”

Rose finally looked up and met her mother’s stern gaze. “I guess I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

“I’m afraid there’s quite a bit more to it than that, Professor Granger,” Headmistress McGonagall interjected as she walked up with Kathleen Finnegan in tow. “I need to see both of you in my office. But first, Rose, please go deliver this note to Professor Slughorn, and retrieve Mr. Malfoy. He’s part of this, and he should come along.”

It wasn’t until then that Rose and Hermione both realized that the Headmistress held Kathleen’s shoulder with an iron grip. It seemed that Seamus’ daughter had something to do with all of this as well.

“But what about my class?” asked Hermione.

“Professor Longbottom is free first period. He will cover your class until you can return. With any luck, we’ll get to the bottom of this in short order.”

A few minutes later, a very confused Hermione sat in Headmistress McGonagall’s office, along with a guilty-looking Rose, Scorpius Malfoy, and Kathleen Finnegan. “What’s all this about, Headmistress? I can understand why Rose would rather spend the weekend with her friends. I just wish she had been truthful with me about it to begin with.”

“As I said, it’s not just about being with her friends, Professor Granger. Is it, Rose?”

Rose was studying her shoes intensely. “No, ma’am.”

Hermione felt her pulse rate skyrocket. “What in Merlin’s name is going on here?”

“Perhaps you should tell your mother the real reason you chose to stay here on weekends.”

Rose looked at the headmistress pleadingly, as if begging for a different course of action to choose from. When none was offered, she looked at her mother with a knitted brow, then desperately at Scorpius, then through narrowed lids at Kathleen. When she finally met her mother’s eyes again she spoke softly. “I’m afraid of Professor Snape.”

Hermione couldn’t believe her ears. “You’re what?”

Rose’s Gryffindor courage finally began to surge forth and spur her on. “He’s done horrible things, Mum. Unforgivable things. You shouldn’t spend time with him either. And you certainly shouldn’t expose Hugo to him!”

“Look, Rose, I know he was a Death Eater, but he’s changed. He fought for our side in the war. We’ve been over this.”

“That’s all well and good, Professor Granger, but we have a growing problem due to your association with Professor Snape.” McGonagall interjected.

“A growing problem? Why should anyone care what I do or who I spend my time with when I am away from the castle?”

“You are a teacher at a boarding school, Professor. You are responsible for other people’s children. Surely you can see why the parents have a right to know if you are associating with unsavory characters.”

“Unsavory? Oh, please, Minerva, you of all people—”

“The truth about Severus is not widely known, Professor,” the Headmistress gently admonished Hermione for the use of her familiar name in front of the students. “And I must respect the parents’ wishes in this case.”

“How did they find out in the first place?” Hermione glared at her daughter.

“You never told me to keep it a secret!” Rose declared in her own defense.

“I have received several letters over the past couple of weeks from concerned parents.”

“What exactly are they so concerned about?” asked Hermione warily.

“They are justifiably concerned that a teacher here would be consorting with a convicted felon.”

Hermione deflated into her hard wooden arm chair. Professor Snape had warned her that this might happen. “How did these rumors get started?”

“The answer to that question lies with these three children. That is why I have summoned you all here this morning. I need to know how this started and what precisely was said, so we can nip this problem in the bud before it gets out of hand.”

“Scorpius and I were having a private conversation while standing in the queue waiting for Potions class to start,” Rose offered through gritted teeth, “when she butted in—”

“He’s a murderer, he is!” Kathleen blurted out. “He should be in Azkaban!”

“Should not!” yelled Scorpius and Rose simultaneously as they glared at Kathleen.

“Should, too!” insisted Kathleen.

“Children, I think—”

But all hell broke loose as the three tried to out-shout each other, ignoring the Headmistress completely.

“He saved my father from Azkaban.”

“He’s a DEATH EATER!”

“Not any MORE!”

“He was a SPY for Dumbledore!”

“He MURDERED Dumbledore, and he should ROT in—”

“SHOULD NOT!”

“SILENCE!” McGonagall’s shrill Scottish brogue rattled the rafters. “This is an office, not a school yard. Now, if you will please calm down, children, perhaps we can try this one at a time.”

“Minerva, may I make a suggestion?” An ancient voice that sounded like a grist mill floated down from the portrait above the Headmistress’ desk.

“Of course, Albus.” Minerva smiled warmly up at her predecessor’s two-dimensional facsimile. All eyes turned to the old man in the frame, and the children took in a sudden breath as one when they realized who was talking.

“Perhaps one of the students would be so kind as to share his or her memory with you, so you and Professor Granger can view it in the Pensieve. And while you two are occupied, I shall take the opportunity to explain the truth about Severus Snape to the children, so they can go forth and tell a more accurate tale.”

“Excellent idea, Albus. Thank you.” Minerva turned to the children. “Mr. Malfoy, you seem a bit more objective than the two girls. Not that that matters for Pensieve memories, of course, but would you be so kind as to share your memory with us?”

“I’d be happy to help, ma’am. But… w… will it hurt?”

Minerva chuckled. “You won’t feel a thing. I promise.”

Minerva stood and walked around her desk, past the side table where Albus’ delicate silver instrument collection sat whirring and sputtering, and approached the cabinet that held the Pensieve. Everyone joined her as they stared into the basin at the glowing silvery liquid in a constant state of flux. Hermione and the children, having never seen it before, found it mesmerizing.

“Now, Mr. Malfoy, concentrate on the incident in question; bring it to the forefront of your mind.”

His eyes closed, and his eyebrows came together as he concentrated hard. She placed the tip of her wand on his temple and muttered something under her breath. Then she pulled her wand away, and it was followed by a silvery strand. After she had placed it into the Pensieve, she motioned for the wide-eyed children to return to their seats. “Don’t worry, Mr. Malfoy. After Professor Granger and I have viewed the memory, I shall return it to you intact.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I wasn’t worried.”

“Now, Headmaster Dumbledore has a story to tell you while Professor Granger and I get to the bottom of this.”

Hermione and Minerva both plunged their heads in at the same time and found themselves standing in the dungeon hallway leading to the Potions classroom. About fifteen second-years had lined up, waiting for the door to open. More were trickling down from the Great Hall as breakfast had just ended. They could hear low voices in semi-private conversations and made their way over to listen in on Rose and Scorpius.

“This stuff Slughorn is teaching us right now is so boooring. I wish we could go on to the more challenging stuff, like Polyjuice,” Rose bragged to Scorpius.

“Polyjuice!” exclaimed Scorpius, “That’s NEWT level! You couldn’t brew that any more than I could.”

Rose smiled like the Cheshire Cat. “I’ll have you know that just this morning I gave Madam Pomfrey a dozen phials of Skele-Gro that I brewed myself over the course of the last few weeks. And my mum successfully brewed Polyjuice Potion during her second year here. So if she can do it, I can too!”

Scorpius couldn’t conceal his skepticism about the accuracy of her claims. “And what makes you such an expert in Potions all of a sudden?”

“Well, if you must know… Mum has this friend who comes over every Sunday for dinner, and he’s been teaching both me and Hugo how to brew. He knows all the methods outlined in these new textbooks, and he’s an expert Potioneer.”

“Oh yeah?” Scorpius’ interest was piqued. “What’s his name?”

“Severus Snape. He used to teach here a long time ago. I bet your dad had him for a teacher.”

“I’ve heard the name. Severus Snape…” Scorpius raked through his memories.

“Wasn’t he a Death Eater?” asked Sally Thomas, who happened to be standing in front of them.

“He isn’t just a Death Eater, he’s a murderer!” stated Kathleen flatly, who was standing just behind them.

Rose scowled at this. “He is NOT!” she insisted.

“Is, too, you bushy, red-haired, know-it-all!” Kathleen taunted. “He murdered Headmaster Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of all time!”

Rose was incensed. “How dare you speak of him that way! He’s a respectable man. He’s smart, he’s very powerful, and he’s my friend!”

“He’s nothing but a criminal, and he should have been thrown in Azkaban for LIFE! That’s what my parents tell me.”

“Well, your parents DON’T KNOW SQUAT!” Rose drew her wand in a furious attempt to shut the girl up permanently, but Scorpius pulled on her arm just in time.

“Rosy, calm down,” he said in a soothing voice. “I hate to say this because my dad and grandpa do speak highly of him, but Kathleen’s right. Severus Snape did kill Albus Dumbledore.”

Rose recoiled from Scorpius with this revelation. “No. It can’t be true.” She shook her head in shocked denial. “My mum would never make friends with a killer.”

“I’m sorry, Rosy, but it is true. My dad was there. He saw it happen. Snape used the Avada Kedavra on Dumbledore.”

Kathleen stepped closer to her classmates. “You mean to say that you and your mum have been spending your weekends schmoozing up to a Death Eating murderer?” Her eyes narrowed menacingly. “And she’s my Charms teacher! Wait ‘til my dad hears about this!”

Now Rose had tears welling up in her eyes. She grabbed the girl by the shoulders and begged. “No, Kathleen, please… please don’t tell your parents. He’s changed. He’s a good and decent man now. Otherwise, my mum would never let him near me or my brother. You’ve got to believe me.”

“I’m telling,” the Finnegan girl stated with a raised chin as she shrugged out of Rose’s grip, “and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

Just then, the classroom door flew open and Slughorn’s voice floated into the hall. “Come now, children, time for Potions class.”

They all shuffled in, Kathleen with her head held high, and Rose with an obviously heavy heart.

The next moment, Hermione and Minerva landed feet first back in Minerva’s office as Dumbledore’s deep voice droned in the background.

“… so you see, children, Severus Snape is no more guilty of murdering me than Harry Potter would have been had Severus not gotten to me before the potion from the cave killed me. To be honest, I would have expired in a month or two from the curse I brought upon myself by foolishly wearing Marvolo Gaunt’s ring. The ring’s curse combined with the potion had placed me in excruciating pain. Severus did me a huge favor by keeping his promise and putting me out of my misery. Don’t condemn him; thank him, for all of his many sacrifices.”

Rose’s eyes were filled with tears for the harsh man who had won her over by teaching her the healing spell. Scorpius felt awe and admiration for the man his father and grandfather had spoken so fondly of over the years.

But Kathleen was still skeptical, having apparently heard nothing but negative stories about Snape all through her childhood from her parents and their friends. She still felt contempt for the man and defiantly asked, “So why did he end up in Azkaban for manslaughter?”

“The Wizengamot, in their infinite wisdom,” Dumbledore patiently explained with a note of resentment in his voice, “would not allow my testimony on his behalf. The memories Harry viewed were considered hearsay and were also not allowed into evidence. A shame, really. Severus Snape is an outcast in a society that he sacrificed everything to protect. I should have done more for him. I should have planned for his survival.” The old man hung his head in shame as he reached into a side pocket to extract a lavender-laced hanky.

“Now that you know the truth, children,” McGonagall announced, “it’s time to get back to class. If you would all be so kind as to spread this tale with the same zeal with which you spread the previous one, perhaps the parents’ fears will be quelled and things can return to normal. You are dismissed.”

The children all departed with a promise to spread Dumbledore’s tale of Severus Snape. But before she left the room, Rose turned to her mom with pink cheeks. “I’m sorry I ever doubted him, mum. Or you. Please forgive me.”

Hermione shook her head. “It’s okay, love. You stuck up for him. Until I found out the truth, I had my doubts about him as well.”

“We all did,” added Professor McGonagall. “Your reaction was only natural. Now run along.”

“Yes, ma’am.” And the girl joined her friends as they ran down the spiral staircase.

“Thank you, Minerva. Thank you so much.” Hermione made a move toward the exit.

“Just a moment, Hermione. I must warn you that good news never spreads as fast or as far as bad news. I’m afraid the damage has been done and I will only receive more letters from concerned parents as to your association with Severus. Perhaps you should rethink your relationship; cut down on your time together. At least make it less predictable.”

“I still don’t think it should be anyone’s business as long as I take good care of their children.”

“I understand your point-of-view, but I also must answer to both the parents and the Board of Governors. If there is too much disapproval… ”

“I understand.” Hermione nodded solemnly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Hermione awoke the next morning to a tapping noise on her bed chamber window. She sat up as she rubbed her eyes and looked around the room before she realized that an owl was the culprit. When she let the strange little fellow in, he dropped the envelope into her hand and hastily flew back through the window. A heartbeat later, she understood why. It wasn’t just a letter, it was a Howler, and Seamus Finnegan’s harsh voice began to assault her eardrums.

“Hermione Granger, you should be ASHAMED of yourself, sneaking around and meeting with such a HORRIBLE GIT as SEVERUS SNAPE! Did he put you under the Imperius Curse, or have you GONE MAD? Merlin knows what sort of DESPICABLE ideas he’s been putting into your head to pass along to MY DAUGHTER! If you want to keep your JOB, I suggest that you develop BETTER TASTE IN FRIENDS! Leaving Ron was STUPID, but leaving him for SEVERUS SNAPE was down-right MENTAL!!”

As the last horrendous shout faded in the brisk morning air, the envelope burst into flames. Hermione let out a bursting sigh and slumped back down on the bed. She felt deep dismay at the thought that most of the wizarding world felt the same way about her beloved professor as Seamus did. But she was also puzzled. Hadn’t Kathleen believed what Dumbledore had told her yesterday? She seemed to have changed her mind by the time the children had left the office. Perhaps the girl was just too busy yesterday to owl her parents and tell them the story. Perhaps once she did write to them, everything would be smoothed over. But just in case, she decided that she would try to find Kathleen at breakfast this morning and see if everything was alright.

When Hermione entered the Great Hall, the din seemed at a higher decibel level than usual. She scanned the Gryffindor table and found Kathleen. As she approached the girl, a hush fell over the room and all eyes turned to watch. Hermione glanced around and scowled. Did the whole school know about this Howler?

Kathleen turned to Hermione with a contrite look as she shook her head. “It wasn’t me, Professor. I swear. I didn’t have time to write my parents yesterday. I was going to do it this afternoon. I had nothing to do with this.”

Hermione smiled at the girl and patted her shoulder. “It’s alright, Miss Finnegan. It was only a Howler. I’ve heard worse, believe me.”

“Howler?” Kathleen asked her with a blank look. “What Howler?”

“You didn’t know that your father sent me a Howler?”

Kathleen shook her head adamantly.

“Then what are you talking about?” asked Hermione, thoroughly confused.

The girl turned back towards the table and pointed to an older student’s Daily Prophet. “This.”

Just then, a Great Horned Owl swooped down from an open window near the enchanted ceiling and dropped her own copy of the Prophet into Hermione’s hands. As she unfolded it, comprehension dawned, along with absolute horror. The story graced the top half of the front page.

WAR HERO CONSORTS WITH WAR CRIMINAL!

By Rita Skeeter




Most readers know that war hero, Hermione Granger, took Filius Flitwick’s place as Charms Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when he was forced to retire due to his battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. But what only a few are aware of is that since the break-up of her thirteen-year marriage to fellow war hero Ronald Weasley, she has been seen regularly in the company of convicted felon and Death Eater, Severus Snape. Snape has been lurking in the shadows for the past twenty years since his release from Azkaban. Many readers will remember his conviction for manslaughter in the death of Albus Dumbledore. Although most believed him guilty of murder, the compassionate pleas from Harry Potter helped to get the sentence reduced. But the circumstances surrounding Dumbledore’s death have remained dubious at best.




Most parents have found the notion alarming that someone in charge of and close proximity to their children would expose herself to such an unsavory character on a regular basis. Does he have her under the Imperius Curse? Are they plotting to poison the minds of the students and create another evil uprising? Or is Miss Granger simply showing poor judgment in her choice of friends?




Here is what some of the concerned parents are saying about the situation:




“I don’t like it, not one little bit,” admitted Joyce Thomas. “He was a greasy bat when he taught school there. I always knew there was something evil about him. Now he’s poisoning Hermione’s mind and she’s liable to poison the minds of our children as well. Merlin knows what she’s been teaching our kids. She needs to stay away from that git or find employment elsewhere.”




“What was she thinking, spending time with a man like that? Wasn’t he a Death Eater?” asked Melanie Doolittle. “My son, Aaron, is in her class. I shudder to think what sorts of things she might be teaching him.”




“I knew Hermione in school,” admitted Seamus Finnegan. “I always thought she was smarter than that. She, Harry Potter, and her husband – oh, right, I mean ex-husband, Ron Weasley, hated Snape in school. We all did. Why she would want to spend time with him now is beyond me. She should stay away from that greasy git if she wants to keep her job. The school will be hearing from me, if you know what I mean. That’s all I have to say.”




So there you have it, dear readers. The parents are in an uproar with this bit of news. A letter writing campaign for Professor Granger’s removal is already in the works. Would you trust her with your child?

This was lower than low, even by Skeeter’s standards. How could she write such drivel, especially when Harry had given her an exclusive twenty years ago on what he had seen in Professor Snape’s memories?

Tears of anger welled up in her eyes as her face reddened with rage. As she stormed towards the staff table, Rose reached out to her. “I’m so sorry, Mum.” The tears were already streaming down the poor girl’s face.

Scorpius had abandoned his Slytherins to sit next to her as soon as he was aware of the contents of the article. “Rose didn’t mean any harm, Professor.”

“It’s okay, I know you didn’t.” Hermione patted Rose’s shoulder as her bottom lip began to quiver. “We’ll sort it out… somehow.”