Chapter 21

Feeling stunned, Raven reached a hand out and patted the creature's head. It licked his hand and then turned toward the wall. It seemed to look into the wall, as if patiently waiting for something. Then it whined and looked back at Raven.

Hermione, finally finding her voice, said, "Maybe if you touch the wall, like all the stuff in the house, we will discover this cave's secret."

Raven nodded and turned to the wall. He reached out his hand and pressed it to the wall. The wall shimmered and dissolved, leaving a doorway to a room.

What a room it was! The two travelers stepped into the room, and torches lit automatically. Their mouths dropped open. It was filled with potion ingredients, cauldrons, as well as many, many books and piles of gold, jewels, and other spoils of war. There were trunks, food storage containers, and many other things a person might need to survive if in hiding.

Raven asked, "What is this? It's similar, but it's not the cave we saw in the Pensieve."

"I think it's Snape's hideout...a place he could come if he was able to escape after the war. It's a hideout for a Death Eater hunted by the Order."

"You mean all this belongs to me!" Raven choked and waved his hands around. He went to pick up a ruby the size of a golf ball, and his eyes were as wide as saucers.

Hermione laughed at him. "I told you Snape might have money. He was obviously storing treasure for a long haul of solitude. With this, he could go to any remote village and purchase supplies."

The 'dog' went to a corner and found a huge pillow. He walked around and around and then settled to sleep."

"Well he's certainly at home. I never thought of Snape as an animal lover." She smiled thoughtfully.

Raven gulped. "What do you think it eats?"

"I think it hunts and fends for itself. Maybe it has a magically replenished supply of food. There's no telling how long it's been since Snape was here." Hermione started to look over the many shelves. "Raven, look at this," she called excitedly from across the room.

Raven came close to see what she was looking at. "Are those more memories?"

"It looks like it. Do you think he sent us on this part of the journey and left more clues here?"

"I say let's look at it and find out...anything to get this trip over. I'd like to go home."

"Your not enjoying this trip at all, are you?" Hermione asked with tears filling her eyes.

"Hermione," he sighed and said softly, "I love being with you, but this trip is filled with possible dangers, and I fear for you. That thing might have killed us. I thought it was going to. The next beast will not turn out so friendly. I should have blasted it before it got that close."

She nodded. "We were both slow in reacting. I couldn't get the thoughts to form or my hand to really move. I felt paralyzed, but I don't think it was from fear after all. I've been very near Voldemort in the past, and it hasn't stopped me. There might have been some sort of spell at work...one that recognized its caster and protected the animal."

"Are these kinds of spells known?" he asked curiously.

"Not that I know of, but you were a very gifted spellcrafter. It came from the bad days at school and was more for protection and then later for your work as Voldemort's spy."

She looked at the sleeping animal. "Who knows. I know it's far fetched, but maybe Snape played games with him and tried to slip past his defenses."

He reached out, took a bottle from the shelf, and held it up, looking at the swirling silver inside. "I seem to have been very keen on memory sharing. This one says last will and testament." He put it back on the shelf as if it had burned his hand. "Let's skip that one; after all I'm not dead, and he's not yet, sort of. He took another one. It was labeled watch immediately. "It looks like this one is the obvious choice."

"Good thing for us they are labeled," she replied, turning to look for a Pensieve.

They spent some time rummaging through the cave, looking into trunks and on shelves.

Raven finally called out to Hermione, "This thing doesn't look much like the one in Minerva's office, but it's got a bowl."

Hermione came and peered at the object. It was more oblong than round, and it was made of black marble with white feathery veins. It was bowllike and had no pedestal. "I think you're right. Maybe it's a portable Pensieve."

Raven picked up the Pensieve and carried it to what must be Snape's desk and placed it in the middle. Standing on opposite sides of the desk, they poured the silvery memory into the Pensieve and slipped into it together.

They found themselves standing upon a sheer, stone cliff, and they heard Snape's voice whispering. "Below is a cave system. It's enchanted. I haven't had a chance to search the cave. Time is running out. I do not know if I will be able to return to search this one. In the unlikely possibility that I survive this war and then find my way back to this cave with no memory, I am leaving this to help you speed up your search for our memories. The other caves had to be eliminated before searching this one. With the knowledge of the actual terrain, you can Apparate here and save yourself a lot of traveling time. Of course that must mean you've had help, as you probably won't have the skill to Apparate on your own. Whoever is with you, possibly Minerva, maybe Lupin, I bid you be very careful as you go into this cave. I have felt the power that surrounds it. I came upon it only moments before being summoned away by the Dark Lord and have only returned to add this memory. The war is at hand, and I fear for Potter and his friends. I am one wizard between legions of Death Eaters who have no conscience and Order members who would kill me without a chance to defend myself. Be on guard for guardians that won't lick your face. I bid you find a home for my faithful companion, Grendel, if you cannot care for him. He was a gift from Hagrid many years ago. At the time I assumed he hoped Grendel would eat me." There was an uncharacteristic laugh. "Now I understand, Grendel is invaluable. Perhaps he will look after him for you, if I can not care for him myself. There is a black, leather-bound book on my desk, here in the cave. It will give you some very helpful spells and thoughts that will render some of the foes you may face in Voldemort's Lair inactive. Take care: Both our lives are at stake."

They found themselves back in the cave. Hermione was blinking away tears from the mention of Lupin. She still missed him. She also was touched by the tone of Snape's voice and the concern he'd had for Harry and 'his friends.' The laugh had been very unexpected and sounded oddly like Raven. Had Snape had qualities of Raven in his character that he'd just kept hidden? Grendel was obviously an enigma in his life. He obviously had great affection for the creature. It was a terrible shame he'd had to keep himself hidden from the world for so many years.

Raven took her arms and pulled her to him. "He didn't sound so bad, did he? Maybe he had a heart, too."

"I'm sure he did, Raven. You are who he might have been without all the horrid baggage of his choices or the masks he wore to complete the tasks he was forced to do."

"What do we do now?" Raven asked.

She gave him a hug back and turned to look around the desk. "We need to find that book of spells."

They looked through the many books and papers and found the book among stacks of parchment, quills, and ink. They searched the cave a bit more and found another hidden door.

There was a fine bed draped in rich burgundy. This cave held all the comforts of home. Hermione and Raven decided to send the horses home and bring their stuff into the cave for safekeeping. They discovered that Grendel understood them when they asked him for directions back to the mouth of the cave and he took them back across a stone bridge about 50 feet from the now-broken rope bridge. The stone of the bridge had been colored to look like the surrounding area, so it was difficult to see until they were on top of it.

They called Dobby and asked him to bring a broom. The little elf appeared a few minutes later with the broom and greetings from Albus and Minerva. Hermione gave him an account of their progress and discoveries. They introduced him to Grendel, who seemed to know instinctively that this could be a friend. The little House-Elf shook and hid behind Hermione. His saucer-size eyes were huge with fear. Finally they coaxed him out, and he made friends with Grendel. It was a sight to behold the huge animal bowing to the tiny elf so he could pat his massive head.

*******

Later their cave companion showed them the most wonderful natural bathroom with a waterfall shower. They used a warming spell on the water and took a long, warm shower together, gently washing each other with handmade soap and sharing some gentle kisses. Raven used a soft piece of muslin to dry Hermione and himself, and then he carried her to their bed. Inside the curtained bed, they felt almost at home. Only the rumble of Grendel's snoring reminded them they were still in the cave.

They spent the next week reading the spells and doing some practicing. Grendel didn't seem to mind being the target of spells that froze or incapacitated the victim. He'd jump up and bounce once released like it was a big game, and Hermione rewarded him with treats they had found in the cave supplies.

At night there was more desperation to their lovemaking. Both feared the coming exploration because of the possibility of reaching their goal and losing what they had with each other. Their fingers grasped at each other almost as if they wanted to become the other. Their bodies pressed together. Their kisses were deep, and lips swelled with the pressure of their angst; their joining was fast and hard. Their cries echoed through the caverns, causing Grendel to howl, but he did not intrude on them.

The last night, Hermione lay panting against Raven, their bodies entwined. She held him so tightly she felt him trying to expand his rib cage to breathe, and she loosened her hold slightly. "Raven, I love you," she whispered to him.

He turned her to face him. Side by side, they lay and looked into each other's eyes in the dim light of a single candle at the bedside. He reached up and pushed his finger along her face, moving the hair back behind one ear. "I love you, Hermione. Thank you for finding me, for trying to help me find my life again, and especially for loving me. I doubt Severus has ever felt love before."

"Other than his mother, you're probably right. Her love was flawed, but she did love him," she reminded him softly. "But you're right. I'm not sure he ever knew that. I love you, Raven, more than I thought I could ever love any man. I know that if that is Voldemort's Lair we could die trying to find out its secrets. If we succeed, you could be lost to me."

"I would like to grab you and run as far and as fast away from here as we can. We could live in another country and make a life for ourselves." He sighed and then said, "No, it's a pipe dream. We must try to save Harry. You have told me I sacrificed my life and happiness for decades for that boy. Now I can't even remember his face."

Hermione ran her fingers over his face and placed soft kisses on his lips and nose. "I'd like to run with you, too, my love. But I also pledged myself to Harry when we were kids. I have to go through with this, too. I promised you I will try my darndest to make Snape remember our lives together. This may all be angst for nothing. You could remember your life as Snape and our life. I can only hope that the man Snape was will allow the man you are to continue to love me. The workings of the mind can be so confusing, Raven. We just have to work with what we are given." She teased his lips with her teeth. "For tonight, you are mine, and I want to make love to you, Raven."

He nodded, eyes clouding with emotion, and he lay there and caressed her body with his hands as she kissed and nipped and explored every part of his body. Their joining this time was soft, gentle, and very sweet.

Sated, she finally slipped into a deep sleep in his arms.

Raven held Hermione close as she slept and let tears roll down his cheeks. He felt foolish and weak, but he could not stop the onslaught of pain in his heart. He knew beyond a shadow of doubt he'd never before been loved this way. He could feel it in his bones, in the fiber of his muscles, in a heart that once was dead and now lived again. The simple act of going forward might lose him everything he had, but he would do it. He would put on one of those masks that Snape had been so famous for, and he would go into that cave and find his destiny no matter what the cost for the man named Raven.

********

The next morning they were quiet as they dressed and prepared themselves for battle. They didn't talk much to each other, preferring to stay focused and deep in their own thoughts. They would pass, their fingers reaching for the other, and they only smiled and let their fingers slide together.

Then with fear and a bit of trepidation from Raven, Hermione helped him collect a few of the memories they had made together. Some memories came from Raven and some from her, and they bottled them for Severus. They stood looking at each other, gently telling each other what the lost memories were. For Raven it was awaking with no memories and their first kiss, and for Hermione, it was finding him and making love that first night. They couldn't bear to give up any more of their memories. They hoped one day they would be able to put them back were they belonged.

About midmorning, after a good breakfast, they stood outside the cave. Grendel stood with them and whined as they patted his head and tried to assure him they would come back for him. He licked Raven's hand and then walked back into the mouth of the cave.

"Can we send a message to Minerva about him? Let's make sure she will send Dobby to fetch him if we do not come back?" Raven asked.

"Yes, of course." Hermione took a paper from her pocket and with her wand wrote a note and wrapped it around a small stone from her pocket. She set it down on the snow. It was a miniature Portkey, and it vanished ten seconds after activation.

She took Raven's hand and pulled him close. Visualizing the cliff, they Apparated away to their destiny.