A Secret Revealed

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

A/N: Many thanks to Septentrion for the beta.

'I know this isn't what you're used to,' Hermione said, opening the door, 'but they were the most suitable quarters I could find for you at short notice, and I wanted to check—'

'Please do not trouble yourself,' Severus interrupted. 'This is more than adequate.' He appraised the room quickly. Standard, second-floor teachers' apartments: a small, cheerfully decorated living room/study with a bedroom and adjoining bathroom. It was light and airy, for which he was grateful. In the years since his brush with death, Severus had hated dark, confined spaces. No, this was much better than he had expected.

Hermione was relieved. 'Well, you know your way around. I'll leave you to it.' She turned to leave. 'Oh, that's odd... That door wasn't there before.'

Hermione walked over to it and tried to turn the knob, but it wouldn't budge. 'Locked,' she said, drawing her wand and casting Alohomora. Nothing happened.

Intrigued, Severus offered his assistance. At the first touch of his wand, the door opened with a soft click, revealing a flight of steps. Warily, he descended—with Hermione following on his heels.

At the bottom, a stone archway led into a small, cloistered, and very neglected, courtyard.

'Oh...' Hermione looked up and around, getting her bearings. 'I've been searching for this place for years.'

'Seems it did not want to be found,' Severus murmured.

'Apparently not.' She smiled. 'Well, anyway, it obviously goes with your rooms, so you may use it as you see fit. I think it may have been a knot garden once, though.' She pointed to her office window. 'If you look down on it when it rains, you can see the layout.'

It certainly had great potential. 'That is most kind. Thank you.'

Up on the roof, a raven was observing them keenly.

They walked in silence back to the archway where Severus spotted another door tucked behind the stairs. Opening it revealed a large, square room with an enormous fireplace at one end. Judging by the cobwebs, no one had set foot in it for years.

'This would make an excellent lab,' Severus muttered to himself.

'Indeed it would.' Hermione agreed. 'Are you doing any research at the moment?'

'Yes, but not very much. I don't really have the resources...' he trailed off.

'Hmm... Well, you have a garden and a lab...' She grinned at his look of astonishment. 'It's a start.'

Severus was feeling overwhelmed. He'd all but given up on his research projects, but now he had a steady income and the means to pursue his interests once more. And... Didn't the woman ever stop talking? What was she on about, now?

'I'd love to hear about it...'

'My research?

'Yes.'

They'd climbed the stairs again. 'I have regular meetings with all my staff—nothing formal—you can tell me about it then.'

'If you wish.'

Hermione stopped by the door and grinned cheekily. 'See you at dinner. I expect you remember the way to the Great Hall.'

Unpacking didn't take him long as Severus' possessions were few. After the war, despite being officially pardoned, his employment prospects hadn't been good. He'd tried his hand at the brewing business, but with his history and background, no one had trusted his potions—after all, he'd taught a large chunk of his potential customers, and they were not forgiving. In fact, a lot of them were only too happy to take pleasure in his failure. Opening his wardrobe, Severus was surprised to discover it stuffed full of teaching robes. This was too much. He was not a charity case.

Severus sat on the bed and put his head in his hands. He should have died—he knew that. There was no purpose to his existence now. Everything that had driven him up until his confrontation with Voldemort had ceased to be, and the victory had been an empty one. The freedom he'd craved for so long was hollow: Lily was no less dead. What was the point of living? Swallowing his pride and returning to Hogwarts had not been easy—but it was either that or sell his house. And Severus was not willing to do that.

Something was tapping on the window. Severus turned his head to see a raven pecking at the glass, but by the time he had walked over to investigate, the bird had flown off. He opened the latch and leaned out to watch it soaring over the Astronomy Tower before dropping his gaze to the little courtyard below. A knot garden... Severus wondered who had tended it last. It would certainly be a challenge to revive it... Yes, that would be his purpose for the present—as well as imparting his wisdom to the latest batch of dunderheads, of course.