Among the Lilies
Chapter 8 of 34
Ariadne AWSHermione returns to Grimmauld Place, looking for answers. She does not expect to find Severus Snape. Best Fanon Het (Quill-to-Parchment, Round 2). Runner-up ~ Best HG/SS, 2006 OWL Awards.
Summary: A message from the past, for both of them. The Potions master returns, and something explodes.
A/N: The seeds of this chapter were sown during a discussion with Luna305 and Bathilda one weekend last summer. Thanks to Luna for the lightning-fast beta, and to Anastasia for inspiration.
Note to Readers: Thank you for flying Air Hermione. The seat belt sign has been turned off.
Softly, she asked, “What were the symbols you traced on my forehead?”
He looked at her, startled. That was not the question he’d been expecting.
----------------------------
Hermione looked at him expectantly.
Severus hesitated.
Still softly, but more firmly, she insisted. “You’re going to have to tell me. I can’t work this any further without them, you know. And after all this,” she gestured toward her notes, “I’m a little fried.”
He nodded once and, keeping his hand hidden within his cloak, turned to the bookshelf, reaching for the book that had nudged him earlier. Its cover was well-worn, and he rubbed his thumb along the spine tenderly, his touch lingering, almost as if he were saying goodbye.
Enchanted by the way he was holding the book, Hermione smiled tiredly.
He sat on a small loveseat by the bookshelves, lighting a nearby lamp. It glowed, softly pink, in the dark corner. He gestured for her to join him.
Hermione stood and stretched, arching her back like a cat. Her brain hurt, but she was used to that. She welcomed the familiar feeling, a touchstone in what had been, thus far, the most frightening, most exhilarating few hours of her life.
Summoning more brandy, she sat down and waited.
He held the book almost reverently, rubbing a worn, frayed corner.
He loves that book, Hermione thought absently, leaning into the corner of the loveseat, tucking an escaped curl behind her ear, watching him.
Wordlessly, almost apologetically, he held it out to her.
“Wait - you’re bleeding.” She reached for her wand.
“Leave it, Hermione.” Something in his eyes spoke of his need for her not to push him on this.
That gave her pause. “Are you sure?” she gestured toward the book.
“Take it. Please.”
Taking the book, her fingers brushed his, driving one of the shards of glass in a little deeper.
A smear of blood over the title, World Mythology.
She looked up. He gestured back toward the book and, drawing a deep breath, she opened it.
There was an inscription. She wasn’t sure she was supposed to read it. She glanced at him.
He closed his eyes and looked away, but nodded.
“All ceased, and I abandoned myself,
leaving my cares forgotten.
Always,
Lily
P.S. I’m a dreadful poet, I know, but that popped into my head yesterday during Binns’ lesson when I was thinking about Saturday. Shameless of me, wasn’t it?”
Below the postscript, there was a drawing of a witch and wizard watching a cauldron. As they watched, characteristic spirals of smoke rose slowly from the surface. The witch and wizard looked at each other and smiled.
“P.P.S. I can’t draw, either.”
For once in her life, Hermione had absolutely no idea what to say.
He spoke in a strangled voice, “She -” He couldn’t finish. He started again. “I was reading it when Professor Flitwick came to my office.”
She nodded, blinking.
“I read it often, that last year. The… inscription.”
She blinked again, her vision blurring.
“I- ah.” Collecting himself, he tried again. “I always had it with me, just in case.” He looked toward the shadowy ceiling, eyes bright.
She did not want to be looking at Harry’s mother’s handwriting. She didn’t dare look anywhere else.
“You'll find the symbols on page 394."
Brushing her eyes with the back of her hand, she nodded, relieved that he had removed the burden of staring at those terrible words.
“Osiris, Isis and Horus. see also Set. x-reference Anubis; later, Hermanubis (Greek: Hermes).”
Symbols for each were illustrated below. She looked up, questioning.
He nodded sadly.
She closed the book. “I-” she ventured, holding it out to him.
Abruptly he stood up and swept away from the loveseat, coming to light, finally, by the door. Without turning around, he said harshly, “You will wish to read it.” His voice was almost toxic. The voice she remembered from her first days at Hogwarts.
“I don’t need to. I- ” she paused and glanced around the room. “I… um… ” she faltered. She wasn’t at all sure how to keep the next words from suggesting more than she intended.
Although he did not move, something of the edge went out of his posture. “You have a copy of your own.”
"Yes."
He turned and leaned wearily against the door frame. "Of course you do."
A question threatened, finally, to tumble out of her mouth. She clamped her lips firmly shut.
Some of the weariness left Severus’ face as he noticed her expression. He'd seen it countless times; it was the expression she got just before her hand shot into the air.
“Ask your question, Hermione.”
“Your patronus. It isn’t… is it by any chance a jackal?”
She saw the answer in his eyes before he spoke. “Yes.”
“It… it changed, didn’t it.” She held herself very still.
His eyes glinted dangerously. He didn’t answer. The temperature in the room dropped suddenly.
She froze.
A voice in her head yelled, "Move! Now!"
Using reflexes she hadn’t known she possessed, she threw herself off the loveseat and rolled sideways, getting distance and furniture between herself and where she'd been sitting. She ended face down under a sofa, covering her head with one arm, clenching the book with the other, protecting it with her body.
With a roar, he hexed the loveseat into oblivion. Wood, metal, and scorched fabric flew through the air, and flaming stuffing settled everywhere, coating that end of the room in a wintery white.
In the terrible silence that followed, Hermione, heart pounding, was pointlessly reminded of the snow globe she’d had as a child. The flaming bits of stuffing sparked and went out.
A corner of Lily’s book pressed into her face. It rubbed her cheek consolingly, exactly as if it were saying, “I understand.”
Sources: World Mythology is one of the books on the bookshelves on JKR’s website. It doesn’t open. *grin*
Lily’s inscription is from a poem by St. John of the Cross, based on the Song of Solomon. The line actually ends “leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies.”
Oh, and the Legend of Isis and Osiris is worth reading. *innocent look*
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Latest 25 Reviews for A Walking Shadow
230 Reviews | 5.53/10 Average
Such an amazing, complex story. Hate to see it unfinished, but maybe it will be someday. Faith, right? Thank you, for writing such beautiful tales..
Any chance you'll be able to finish this ? It's such a suspense story, just working up to the climax! I've enjoyed Tayet very much - you have a way with animals.
Response from Ariadne AWS (Author of A Walking Shadow)
...It was finished in '06; I've just not finished uploading it to this site; RL has utterly intervened in my time on fic archives. I think you might be able to find it if you poke around the internet. :)Thanks for reading!
Response from Ariadne AWS (Author of A Walking Shadow)
Hi,
oh this thin line between light and shadow, between earnesty and laughing about the irony, about the funny side of everything.
I am glad he still has his sense of humour.
yes, that woman is the road to hell, but she plasters it with lots of genious and wits and love and passion and fun and perfection.
one really feels how they deserver and need each other.
I like your Snape, may he be non-canon or not. He is adorable.
He was curious to learn about what the Mirror hat revealed her.
Interesting, how Molly took her death sencence.
Always worrying about her family, and now it is her she has to worry about. But it seems she doesn't, or does she?
She couldn’t deny the truth. “I still hate it,” she muttered.
“Good. Use that hatred, when the time comes,” he said. “It will keep you whole.”
I find his advice here very very good and not for nothing I am sure. He is really concerned about her staying whole. He is adorable. also to be seen when he explains about making unforgivables... It is always " am already bruised, so I will do it for you, he did it for Draco, he does it for Hermione, he is a good person indeed.
it's not done because it cannot be done."
Minerva looked at Dumbledore's portrait. "So naturally you had to try."
I love your sense of humour. makes the dark story lighter, more human more alive.
What a brilliant plan!! You are grand.
Let Pettigrew get imperioused, do the job, and 2 Horocruxes are done. great!!
I bet this works out! it sounds just soo clever.
"She seemed to scowl back"... that made me laugh!! Oh sodding Severus makes a big deal out of her trunk entering his bedroom or not. Her entering his real life or not.I can not quite follwo him here. he lives under the same roof with her. he spent a night in the hiding room with her. he shars his mind or her mind when entering there, he shares the knowledge ot her and his death and how and almost when. Where is the problem in sharing a room or a bed, porperly?I have no idea.he expains it with wait...his rigid sense of honour, his saftey net. all right o,k,. but, still, not so understanable. and then he let her choose. Why? she had already, hadn't she.Her responce : "I'd only hit you with it anyway " was rather taking the tenseness away. good idea. and much more natural than anyhting.And thank you thank you thank you for letting us peek at the soo necessary conversation between McGonagall and Dumbledore.tehe.He solved the problem of how to make her trust in Hermiones source without giving it away or giving to much information brilliantly. Trust her Arithmancy? well, if so, then you must only know, that it can only work with the correct information.Good idea of yours!!As so many others are and were.keep up the good job!!
Response from salvamea (Reviewer)
oh, and I agree with the other reviewer!! not being able to finish reading this WOULD be tragic!or anything like that.
What did he offer to put lower?
His hair?
What had happened? I must have missed quite a bit here.
But The Poenix Tears were healing or fixing someting, this much I know.
And Tayet is fully grown, this I also know.
You descirbe it all so marvellously. it is a real pleasure to read it.
Never blunt, or plump. always a little transcendent, like a little behind a veil, weaving your words in a poetical, philosophical way. very interesting.
thank you for sharing!
he let Voldy bind Wormtail to him. Sounds clever. he is glad about it, so it must be of use for him.
Hermione wanted Wormtail, now she has him.
Still am in the dark about how that would help. But it MUST! please...
Their interrupted lovescene got even more intense after the new developements, it seems to me.. phew. quite a scene.
i wonder why she wanted him in these robes. Everyone would have expected her to be absolutely turned off, but no.
Maybe a chance to dis-charm the brutal character of the deatheater uniform.
What will he do about his new task? find her and bring her to me? he will do that? and when and how? and what will happen there and then?
awful.
I am glad I still can click on to the next chapter. But soon enough I will up to date, and then I will have to wait as patiently as ... Tayet for her feathers to grow?
You mentionted it would be some 30 more?
Happy as I am to hear that, I am also eager to hear that the next 30 will not last for 2 years? got a plan? anything?
the whole chapter was soo funny.
especially McGonnagalls reaction on finding out that Dumbledore was well aware of the going ons and awake for quite a while!! her being furious. I would love to hear THAT conversation!!
hope she gives him her piece of mind!! ha!
and seeing Severus so playfull, and right in the middel of a wonderful seduction HE the bloddy VOLDY comes to summon him. Bad timing.! But what would one expect of the person who has no heart, seven souls and none of them good.
bah.
And he is soo close ..shiver...
Your Tayet is just soo adorable.
How she reads the one persons thoughts and acts in their behalf. I love these scenes. touching.
Is she really just one day old? cant belive how much had happened in this very short time.
So many revellations.
Horrible, to know that you have to die, from the hands of someone you love, and that this willl be a gift too, and that all has to be in a certain timetable or connected to some progresses. awful. unbelievable.
They found the Trapping Spell. and he has to cast it. and either he kills her then, or he will die. also horrible.
She says they bloddy well are the main charactes in this story. well, I think they are both right.
Voldy and Harry on the front line, Hermione and Severus doing the mind-work in the back. both lethal.
I also like your Mrs Black, she is quite tamed now, and her Rommy - I want to know what is going on in the library - game... just sweet.
how sweet, Arthur wants to join his Molly in death. He is soo sweet.
I do so hope that he will not have to. and that she will not have to do this.
Hermione saying farewelll to her parents. what a bitter jounrey, a what she will call her last visit. bruta. so sad.
he has no one to say goodbye to.
Minverva is writing letters.
Hagrid? well, he will say good bye to G....
Molly has her family around.
Very touching scenes.
and Severus asking her to come home, oh so sweet.
Now please be quick, and show us what happens at 2 o'clock!!
please!!
What does he mean with his appearance.
have faith!
She worked that out already!!
And how dare he say anything about their "relationship" whatever it may be.
He is so mixed in it, the planner and plotter and everything.
grr.
At least he gave Severus his blessings. sort of.
And he made away with the awful thing hanging between them about his death and guilt or not guilt.
I liked that. Him thanking Severus.
That was the best about his visit, Ifeel.
ah, so they have to take the Horocrux itemst with them through the veil. But how does she mean that they don't have to die then? er?
coming back isn't possible, I thought?
Hagrid will have to kill Nagingi, did I get this right?
Hermione has to give Severus time to run, and when all is done, and Nagini dead, and Harry seperated form his Scar then
HE will KILL HERMIONE??
WHAT IS THAT!???
Why? what for?
Did he make an unbrakable Vow?
About her in person? or about the person he would find fit for the job. And with whom did he make the vow?
urgh, that is soo ugly.
This man!!!
poor Minerva, she took it like a really powerful strong Lady.
wow.
I don't understand. The deatheaters are trying to kill all those who could free or undo the horocruxes? But if they do,then the Horocuxes will be destroyd, I thought?
So it must be the way the people die, that destroys the Horocruxes?
Still in the dark about that.
And poor Hermione had to be veeery strong here. "In what position is he?" well, very often inside her .. mind...
nice chapter again.
It’s not actually impossible to lie about love to someone who has the evidence of your broken soul emblazoned over her heart, but it really is the height of bad taste.
I can't belive it!
He took her on the floor, then, when she cried these black tears? I didn't realise. oops.
and now he wants her love to be safed, but can not provide any love of his own. Tragic.
good hit, Hermione.
I am all caught up now, having somehow lost track of this story. The complications just suck the reader in, don't they? You have to work at understanding, but only because it's richly complicated and savoury. I do hope you come back and finish it.
I love your words are like slow drops of rain....wonderful!! Your Snaape already makes me cry....Alan Rickmans face as he is portraying Severus killing Dumbledore is one of the saddest scenes ever. you have beautifully captured the afetr effects...
I love it I already LOVE it!!
Now things really begin to heat up.
I know Tayet will play a crucial role (hopefully in keeping Hermione alive and/or healing Severus' torn soul that he be able to love again) before all this is done.
Brilliant idea to drop the Horcruxes through the veil. I hope Wormtail's prosthetic hand will be able to pierce it since it is not living flesh, only animated by Voldemort's magic and Wormtail's intent. I suppose intent is the key word here.
Wonderful update, I was beginning to wonder if I would get the chance to finish reading this beautifully written story, because not to would have been a tragedy.
I am completely in love with this story. Thanks for the wonderful update, I can't wait for more.
Phoenix magic is very powerful. :)
Very good, Love the new Phoenix. Looking forward to more.
I think this chapter is key to everything that follows. It's taken a while, but I think I get it. The inclusion of Hermanubis as a healer made the formula so perfect there could not be one name as a solution...it had to be both, but not either/or...it had to be you in the plural. But, because the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts, the prediction of death went up in flames and the phoenix was born. This inverted the passion, desperation, and sacrifice of the formula and its conclusion on the parchment into the faith, hope, and love represented in the phoenix. It is so perfect the way Tayet reflects both the light and the dark of Herminone and Severus combined. Severus' despair, but at the same time rejecting it by tearing off his many-buttoned frockcoat. The spontaneous appearance of both Hermione's and Severus' patronuses. Awe, playfulness, healing, and nurturing. Hermione going back to planning and researching, taking charge, and sending Severus to collect fireflys (nurturing). This is story telling at its best.
Funny, poignant, and a phoenix.
"I'm to stay here while I research. Um...uninterrupted....orders....I have orders."
"It's an acquired taste"...."Dark, bitter, enervating." Sounds a lot like "tall, dark, and brooding."
The agony of getting the formula to work and the wait.....almost unbearable.
The wonder of the birth of a new phoenix....beautiful
Funny, poignant, and a phoenix.
"I'm to stay here while I research. Um...uninterrupted....orders....I have orders."
"It's an acquired taste"...."Dark, bitter, enervating." Sounds a lot like "tall, dark, and brooding."
The agony of getting the formula to work and the wait.....almost unbearable.
The wonder of the birth of a new phoenix....beautiful