Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Dolores Umbridge sat at her desk, humming to herself. Her office was pink, just like her outfit. Oh, how she loved her office. She glanced around it. Her babies were all there. Every single little kitty had its own place on her wall. An occasional meow would come from one or another of them.

"That's it, my pretties. You are all such darlings!" she gushed.

An interoffice memo shot into her office and landed on her desk. Umbridge picked it up and unfolded its paper airplane form. Her eyes scanned the paper and a frown crossed her face.

Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron at noon. I have a way to punish Snape.

That was the entirety of the message. There was no signature, no details, just this order to go to the Leaky Cauldron. Umbridge pulled her wand out and waved it over the memo. She could determine nothing from her spells. Staring down at the paper for a long time, she finally made up her mind. She wanted Snape punished, and she would do everything she could to see him rotting in a cell for the rest of his life. The only choice was to meet with whoever had written the memo and find out what they had in mind.

Umbridge had been sitting in the Leaky Cauldron for fifteen minutes, waiting for whomever she was to meet. She was beginning to think she'd been duped when a young boy sat down at the table across from her. Umbridge's mouth dropped open.

"Young man, I am waiting for someone! It is impolite for you to just plop yourself down at my table."

A gruff voice came from the boy. It was a voice that was of a much older man than the youth sitting across from her. "I sent that note," the boy said.

Umbridge sputtered.

The boy leaned across the table and sneered at Umbridge. "Haven't you heard of Polyjuice?" he snarled.

Realization washed over Umbridge's face. "Oh, of course," she whispered. "Why are we here?"

"I thought my memo was clear," the boy said with a bored tone.

"It was not."

"I believe you want to see Snape punished. Am I right?"

Umbridge scoffed. "Of course I do! He's a murderer and a no-good Death Eater. Everything he did was for his own advancement and to ingratiate himself with You-Know-Who. He needs to be put away."

"What would you say if I told you I could help to punish him in an even better way?"

"There is no better way. Azkaban is the only answer for such criminals!" Umbridge responded haughtily.

"Do you think so?" the boy asked. His tone belied the fact that he'd obviously found an even better way.

"Tell me what you have in mind?" Umbridge urged. Although wary, she was eager to find out if it were possible to make Snape suffer more for his crimes.

"I have developed a spell that will turn anyone it is cast upon into an automaton. Their magic is blocked, so they cannot escape their fate. Their personality is trapped deep within them. They can do nothing. They are incapable of responding to anyone, they are just simply... nothing."

Umbridge scowled. "You're describing the effects of a Dementor's Kiss," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Even though I would love to see Snape kissed, the Minister has forbidden the use of Dementors as punishment."

"This isn't a Dementor's Kiss. It's a spell that works almost like it. The best part is, the subject can respond to simple commands."

Dolores pondered the boy's words. She tapped her finger on her lips before responding. "How does this spell work?" she asked excitedly.

The boy sat back. "When it is cast, it has the ability to concentrate the personality and magical ability of a wizard into a small part of the wizard's brain. That part of the brain is disconnected from the rest of the body, leaving a shell of a person, who is able to follow commands, but has no ability to think for himself."

"What happens to the personality and magic of the wizard?" Umbridge asked.

"It stays dormant."

"Can it be released back into the body?"

"The spell can be reversed, but it is a lengthy process. You can't just cast a Finite Incantatem to reverse it. Besides, who would ever want to reverse it? The entire world wants to see justice for the crimes Snape has committed. Once cast, there will be no way for Snape to break free of the spell. He will remain an empty shell. Think of the things you could do with him!" The boy was leering at Umbridge. She leered right back.

"This will truly be glorious!" she cried.

"Shh! Keep your voice down."

"Who are you, anyway?" Umbridge finally asked.

"That's not important. What is important is that we have the same goal. You must convince Shacklebolt that this is the best punishment for Snape."

"I will," Dolores vowed. "Oh, I will."

"Minister, thank you for seeing me on such short notice," Dolores Umbridge gushed. Her fake smile never came up to her eyes.

Kingsley looked at the toad-like woman standing before him. He chided himself on a daily basis for letting her stay at the Ministry. She should have been fired at the end of the war. She probably should be sitting in a cell in Azkaban right now, but she had sweet-talked herself out of that punishment. Claiming to have been a victim of the Imperius Curse, she'd convinced the Wizengamot into giving her a pardon for her horrid treatment of Muggle-borns during the war.

Kingsley wasn't convinced that she'd truly been Imperiused, but had chosen to keep her on staff anyway. If truth be told, her organizational skills were second to none. He also believed she would be less trouble if he could keep an eye on her. When she was monitored closely, she did her job, and did it well, not infecting others with her special form of hate. Umbridge had retained her seat on the Wizengamot, but he'd demoted her to what was effectively a receptionist and secretary in his office. That, of course, didn't stop her from "Hem, hemming" whenever she saw fit. This was, unfortunately, one of those times.

"What can I do for you, Dolores?" he said diplomatically.

"I have found the perfect punishment for Snape!"

Kingsley narrowed his eyes at her. "We will not execute him."

She tittered. "Oh, no, sir! That would be too humane! We need something that fits the crime. Wouldn't the public love to find out that the soul had been driven from Severus Snape's body?"

Kingsley gave Umbridge a sour look. "Dolores, I refuse to reinstate the Dementors."

The short, pink woman waved her hand in the air. "I'm not talking about the Kiss, Kingsley. A friend of mine has come up with the most wonderful spell! It separates the wizard from his mind and magic. He will be turned into a robot that can't think for himself. The best part is he is open to suggestion, so he can be told what to do."

"So, you're saying I should make Severus Snape into a slave that cannot think?"

Umbridge frowned a tiny bit. "Well, yes, I suppose you could look at it that way."

"No."

"But, Minister..."

"No."

"Surely..."

"I said no, Dolores. That is too great of a punishment for anyone. It's... what... a step up from the Dementor's Kiss? He won't just be an inanimate blob; he'll be able to take care of himself when ordered to? No. I will not play a part in such foulness. He will go to Azkaban if convicted."

"Minister, please, just give it some thought."

"I don't need to give it any thought. I refuse. I don't want to hear about this any more."

Umbridge frowned. Kingsley thought that just that one look from her could send the walls around him tumbling down. Nothing happened thankfully, except for Dolores Umbridge turning on her heel and stalking out of his office.

Good Riddance! he thought as he watched her backside storm out of the room.

Dolores sent an owl that night to her contact. Putting down the short note that had detailed the Minister's response to his new spell, he frowned. Obviously, he'd have to take matters into his own hands. Umbridge was incapable of convincing anyone to do anything.

No matter... He had a plan. He rose and went into the back room, where a cauldron sat, waiting to be used. He gathered what he needed and began to brew.

Hermione had been holed up in Severus' cell for the past three days. It had taken long hours to mount a defense, but both Severus and she were happy with what they had gathered and were to present. Hermione looked up at Severus.

"There's nothing else you can think of that we can add?"

Severus shook his head.

Hermione looked down at the huge file that now sat on the table. "They'd be foolish to ignore everything in here anyway."

"The Ministry is made up of nothing but fools."

Hermione's eyes closed. "I know."

"You should get out now, while your reputation isn't smeared."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Don't you think that the papers will be filled with gossip about you once they find that you are representing me?"

"Well, they already found out and are badmouthing me as we speak. Personally, I don't care what the papers say. You deserve a good defense. I can give that to you."

Severus looked at her with a bit of admiration. "Miss Granger, you have finally gotten the self-assurance you were seeking in your youth. It... suits you."

Hermione was stunned. She'd received a compliment from Snape, and it had been delivered in a pleasant way, too. She didn't know what to say.

"I thought we'd agreed to call each other by our first names," she sighed finally, choosing to ignore his comment.

"Hermione, then."

She smirked at him. "You're always so to-the-point."

"I appreciate the truth and those who give it quickly."

"I think I've always admired that about you," Hermione confessed.

"I didn't think you admired anything about me, Hermione."

"Well," she responded as she leaned in conspiratorially. "You're wrong."

Severus looked away. He seemed embarrassed.

"I've always admired your intelligence and your bravery. I even admire your sarcasm sometimes. Not too often, though."

"Yes, well, you have to understand it to admire it."

Hermione laughed. "Oh, I understand it, all right. I just think you are a bit harsh at times."

"Harsh times deserve harsh responses."

Hermione tilted her head and looked at Severus. "Perhaps you're right. You don't seem to be nearly as caustic as I remember before the war."

"Sorry, I can try harder if you'd like."

Another laugh escaped Hermione's throat. She had come to find his quick wit refreshing, if not surprising. "No, that's quite all right," she said. "I think that I like you better when you're not railing at everyone and everything in sight."

"Kill-joy."

Hermione's mouth dropped open. She eyed Severus, whose face didn't belie the joke he'd just uttered.

"Wow," she said finally. "You really are quite a bit more than I ever expected."

"Certainly you didn't think I was that mean teacher twenty-four hours a day."

Hermione thought about that. "To be honest," she said sheepishly, "I think I did."

"So, you, Hermione Granger, are the same with your work colleagues as you are with your friends?"

"Of course not."

"But I should constantly be a snarky bastard?"

Hermione's lips thinned as she looked up to the ceiling. Embarrassment came off her in waves. "No, of course you shouldn't. I'm sorry, Severus. Just like you considered me to be a little girl when we first met this week, I have considered you to be a... how did you put it? A snarky bastard... for all these years."

"So, there's room in that enviable mind for you to see me as something more?"

A jolt went through Hermione. She knew what he'd meant. It hadn't been anything provocative whatsoever. Why, then, had she felt hot all over with his question? Something more? Severus Snape? That was not something that had ever crossed Hermione Granger's mind. A picture of him kissing her flashed through her mind.

Okay, now stop that. Where did that come from? Hermione, you have been alone for much too long. That man would never, ever, ever, ever do that with you. She studied his face for a moment. He does have nice eyes, though. Oh, for Merlin's sake, give it a rest! Drop it! It falls into the realm of impossibility...never going to happen. Quit being a dunderhead!

"Hermione?" Severus asked, looking a bit concerned.

Hermione snapped out of her berating and focused on Severus. "Sorry," she said quickly. "I got distracted for a minute." She looked at Severus and saw him in a new light. "I think I had already figured out you weren't just a snarky bastard, Severus. It's nice to get to know a different part of you."

"It is also nice to get to know a different part of the know-it-all that invaded my classroom."

Hermione blushed.

"Thank you, Hermione, for doing this for me. It doesn't matter what happens. I will always remember how you have taken this upon yourself."

Her mouth wanted to drop open, and she wanted to gape in an unladylike manner. She fought it with all her might. She would not let Severus see how his words had affected her. That would be a bit too revealing. She didn't want him laughing at her for hours after her departure. She clamped her mouth shut and pretended that his words hadn't affected her in the least.

"Thank you, Severus." She got up. "I'll see you tomorrow. It will be the last day we have to prepare before the trial."

Severus gave her a curt nod before she turned and sent her Patronus to get the guard. She waited silently, knowing that Severus was watching her, but she didn't turn. Soon, the guard came and opened the cell for her. She waved to Severus and was gone in an instant.

Severus watched Hermione go. He settled himself onto his cot with his hands behind his head. He would need to grow accustomed to spending his time in this manner. After all, a lifetime in Azkaban would be filled with days just like this.

Frowning, he mulled over the situation. Granger was good, but the Ministry was against him. He didn't think that anything Hermione said would make any sort of impact on his future. The Ministry already had made up its mind that he needed punishment for his non-crimes.

Too bad I'll be locked away forever; I was beginning to enjoy Granger's company.

Severus frowned more at that thought. Granger and enjoyable company were not usually synonymous in his brain.

She has changed. The years have refined her. She's nice to look at too.

Severus blinked. Nice to look at? Was that phrase even in his vocabulary before today?

I've been alone way too long. I'm starting to create impossible scenarios.

Why would Granger ever even look at me as more than a git? She admitted it herself; she's seen me as nothing but a snarky bastard for years. How could she ever leap from that to having feelings for me?

Who said anything about a relationship? Remember... you're a snarky bastard.

Severus shook his head. This conversation was going nowhere. He needed to get Granger out of his mind before something horrible happened. He began to recite the ingredients for potions in his head.

Chamomile, dove feathers, Ashwinder eggs...

Severus stopped. He was listing the ingredients for a Love Potion. His hands came up to his face. He sighed as he ran his fingers down his cheeks in frustration.

Knock it off, you fool. Nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING, will ever happen between you and Hermione Granger, is that clear? You are destined to live a life of solitude in a cell similar to this one. Get her out of your head!

He returned to his ingredient listing and quickly put the beautiful, young woman out of his head.

Hermione stared out the enchanted window at her office. Being underground, the Ministry had installed magical windows in the building so workers wouldn't feel closed-in. The window could be made to show anything the office occupant wanted. Hermione had chosen a view of the ocean. She found the waves lapping up on the beach to be quite hypnotic. Sometimes, they even helped her to brainstorm ideas when she had a case to solve. Today, the waves sent her into her own head, where her thoughts were tumultuous.

That man... what was she doing thinking about him like that? The thoughts she'd had about Severus in his cell were repeating themselves over and over again in her mind. She'd tried everything to cast them out, but to no avail. Severus Snape pulled her to him and ran his fingers through her hair as his lips pressed against hers passionately. Just the repeating image had made Hermione's breath shorten. Could a kiss from him really be so magnificent? Did she really want to find that out?

Hermione shook her head rapidly back and forth to clear her mind. These thoughts were useless. The man had other things on his mind! He was about to be sent away for life. Besides, what could he ever see in her? Severus had reviled her for most of her life. He'd just barely become civil to her. What kind of idiot was she to be jumping to a relationship when they'd barely been nice to one another for less than a week?

I'm truly hopeless... she thought as she returned to the paperwork on her desk.