To Stand Before a Giant

This is a response to the HP Chapter Challenge issued by Southern_witch_69 over at her Yahoo! Group: Potter Place and at The Petulant Poetess. Rules are at the end of the first chapter.

Disclaimer: I own nothing that you see here. All characters belong to the wonderful and talented Ms. J K Rowling.

Harry informed the Aurors of only the pertinent details of the investigation. Because I'd been looking into Severus' case on my own, he is careful to only mention that I am certain there is a memory of Dumbledore's in Harry's home.

Kingsley, Tonks, and another Auror named Morgan follow Harry into the study, with Ron, Ginny, and me close on their heels. Harry kept locked up in a cabinet at least twenty humming and whirling gadgets of Dumbledore's.

I would like to say that it only takes a couple of minutes to find what we are looking for. It doesn't. The Aurors insist on looking through everything first. All I can do is wait for them to finish.

Of course, they come up empty-handed.

It is only then that they allow me to go through each item with them. After I go over what seems like every little silver and obnoxious knick-knack, I finally come across a small, solid-looking silver box with a runic symbol on one side. Running through my knowledge from school, I recognize it as "merkstave," meaning mistrust and betrayal. I pick it up, and carefully turn it over to "ehwaz," which represents trust and loyalty. At that moment a small puff of silvery mist comes out of the runic symbol, swirls around, and re-enters the box.

"Harry, this is it," I say, a smile growing on my lips.

Kingsley comes forward with a phial, and I turn the box back to "merkstave" and flip it to "ehwaz" again. Once more, the silvery mist comes out of the seemingly solid box, and Shacklebolt collects the Pensieve memory so that it can be viewed.

I truly have no idea what the memories will contain, and I worry that there may be something there that Severus won't appreciate other people seeing. I look over at Harry; he's not happy, I can tell from the glares that he is shooting at the phial encased in the dark Auror's hands. I hear the Aurors talking amongst themselves. They want to take the memory back to Auror Headquarters and view it there, and then take it to Severus' trial, which is to be held on Monday morning.

"I want to see the memory now," I interrupt.

The four Aurors turn to look at me. Auror Morgan gives me a rather odd look. "This is possible evidence in an ongoing investigation, Miss Granger. I'm afraid that we cannot allow civilians to interfere."

Before I can retort angrily, Ginny places a hand on my shoulder and shoots a pleading glance at Harry. I am surprised at the resigned look Harrygives me. He turns to the other three Aurors and then looks back at me, as if he's having a silent debate.

It is Tonks who finally speaks up in my defense. "All right, Hermione."

Harry reluctantly removes the old Pensieve from the same cabinet in which the gadgets were held, and the seven of us gather around it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We all fall into the ancient Pensieve in turn and find ourselves, unsurprisingly, in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts. The current resident is seated at his desk, his fingers steepled, and he is staring intently at his guest sitting across from him: a greasy, dark-haired young man, with coal black eyes.

"I need help, Professor Dumbledore," comes the waspish voice of a young Severus Snape. I hear a snort and look up as Harry rolls his eyes in disgust.

"I see," replies Dumbledore.

"I don't know where else to turn, sir," Severus continues. I'm not sure if the others recognize the near-pleading tone in his voice.

The Headmaster looks at him carefully over his half-moon spectacles and asks, "Why don't you turn to your master, Severus?"

He swallows thickly. "I did, sir." Severus pauses and closes his eyes; whatever it is that he wishes to tell Dumbledore, it is obviously causing him great pain to recount it.

When it seems that he has composed himself again, he opens his eyes and meets the Headmaster's gaze. "I did not realize what he was going to do with the information, or how he would interpret it. You must believe me," the young man begs. He took another breath before stating, "The Dark Lord has promised me that he will do everything in his power to not harm her."

My mind starts to spin. Her? Who is it that he so desperately wishes to protect? Not that I'm jealous, mind you. These events occurred well over twenty years ago, but whoever she was, her welfare had a great impact on Severus' allegiances.

"Then why are you here?" Dumbledore prods him.

"I do not trust him."

"I cannot promise you that no harm will come to Lily Potter, Severus," Dumbledore warns.

My own surprise is outweighed by that of Harry's and my eyes instinctively shoot up to his face to see the look of horror in his eyes. He looks as if someone has just kicked him in the chest. His wife takes a step towards him and reaches a hand out to him, but he jerks away. Instantly Ginny recoils, and knowing Harry's temper, we all leave him be for now.

"I know that," the younger wizard says defeatedly.

The old man sighs. "And what will you do if I am also unable to save her, Severus?"

There is a long contemplative pause, and I hold my breath, awaiting a reply that was given when I was only a year old.

"I was wrong, sir," I hear him softly utter. "If I ... whatever happens, the blame lies with me. Had I known that he would interpret... that he would..." My heart wrenches within my chest for the young man before me; I long to wrap my arms around him and cradle him to my chest as I've done so many times in the past, though it is the distant future of this memory.

Severus looks openly into Dumbledore's face, their gazes locking. It is apparent to all of us what is happening. As the Headmaster sifts through Severus' thoughts, the sadness in his eyes deepens. I drop to my knees beside the chair in which the younger version of my lover sits. After several long minutes the silence is broken by Albus, who says, "You realize what you are asking, Severus?"

A silent nod is his reply.

"The only other to try to leave was Regulus Black; he came to me... I did what I could, but I was unable to save him."

"I understand, sir."

"What you are considering – what you are proposing – is even more dangerous, but an offer which I am afraid I cannot refuse. If you are truly willing to pose as a spy for Riddle..." Dumbledore's voice trails off as he runs his hands thoughtfully through his beard.

The room fades. I rise and walk towards Ginny, who offers me a comforting arm as the surroundings change. The pain in my chest grips and tightens around my heart. I silently thank God for giving Severus the strength to turn to Dumbledore at such a time in his life, and I pray that we find enough information here to help release him from Azkaban.

The new setting is not familiar to me, although we are obviously in a bedroom. Dumbledore is once again present. He is lying upon a bed with the covers drawn up tightly around him.

"Thank you, Severus," he says, and my head whips around to look for the other man. I spy him near the door, carrying an empty goblet.

"Of course," is the simple reply.

Poppy Pomfrey brushes past him and enters the room as the dark-haired man leaves. She approaches the bed and pulls back the duvet to reveal the blackened arm that Albus Dumbledore had been cursed with for much of our sixth year. "How are you feeling, Albus?" she asks.

"I'll live, Madam Pomfrey," he answers.

"Only thanks to Professor Snape. You owe that man your life," she reprimands.

"I am well aware of that fact, Poppy," he says with a small smile.

The hospital matron waves her wand over him, casting numerous diagnostic charms. "I'm afraid that the news is not good, Albus," she finally announces.

"I did not expect it to be," he replies gently.

"With the potions that Severus is giving you, I think that we can hold off the full effects of the curse for upwards of a year," she continues.

"I do not wish anyone to know the full repercussions of the curse..." As Madam Pomfrey opens her mouth to protest, he raises his good hand. "Not even Professor Snape, though I'm sure that he has a pretty good idea already."

The witch nods her head reluctantly as the room fades away again.

I feel Ginny squeeze my hand as Tonks' gaze meets my own. My theory is at least confirmed. It's too bad that Poppy hadn't told anyone her findings; it would've made some of my research so much easier. However, she was obviously sworn to confidentiality. It doesn't help that she died during the peak of the war, either.

I see that the furnishings of the bedroom are now replaced by trees, rocks, and underbrush. Looking up to the sky, I can tell by placement of the stars that it is mid-February.

Dumbledore is sitting alone on a rock when a figure dressed in black Death Eater robes approaches him quietly.

"I wasn't expecting you so soon, Severus."

"Neither was I."

"How did things go this evening?"

"The same way that they always go, Headmaster," he replies with an exasperated sneer.

Dumbledore stands up from the stone and joins the younger man. "You know that it must be done, Severus."

"No, I don't know, Albus," he snaps in reply. "You take too many things for granted! You expect all of us to blindly do your bidding, for all of us to be able to fulfill your every whim! Well, there are some things that I cannot do for you, sir. I cannot and I will not."

"There are things that you promised to do, Severus, things that you agreed to, and you will hold to your promises to me," the Headmaster tells him firmly.

Severus huffs in exasperation. "You don't realize what you are asking of me."

"Yes, I do, Severus. I know exactly what I'm asking of you, and I am telling you that it must be done this way. You must trust me on this." He puts his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "It is not the right time yet, but when it is, you will know, and you must complete this task that I have set for you. Trust me when I say that everything depends on it, Severus. Everything! Remember what you promised me. Remember why," Dumbledore finishes softly, looking the younger wizard in the eyes.

Severus sighs, resigned, and bows his head. "Yes, sir."

The pair slowly begin making their way back towards the castle. "Now, have you finished with your investigations?" the Headmaster asks, as the memory begins to fade and we find ourselves back in Harry's study.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a very long weekend. Between the events of Saturday night, and Sunday morning, I barely had three hours of sleep. Ginny had to physically drag me through the Floo back to my flat after we all viewed the memories. She is a good friend; she sat with me, kept me company, and never once judged me for the things that I've done over the last few years.

Harry had refused to allow me to go to Azkaban to see Severus, insisting that it was best that others not know how close we are in case Severus is still convicted. It's nice to know that despite how angry Harry is with me, he still wants to protect me.

Now, outside of Courtroom Ten in the lowest level of the Ministry of Magic, I can barely sit still. Ginny and Ron are both here to keep me company, but I am finding it difficult to concentrate. I want to know what is going on behind the closed doors. The fact that people aren't allowed to witness the proceedings is very unnerving. I would like to at least see the witnesses they've found, both for and against him; I saw a gentleman with auburn hair and blue eyes who looked vaguely familiar as he checked in his wand this morning.

I smooth the non-existent wrinkles out of the fabric of my robes, just for something to do to ease my anxiety. Ginny reaches over and squeezes my hand for support. It is sweet, but it doesn't calm me at all.

"It will be all right, Hermione," she reassures me.

I give her a tight smile.

Ron has not been able to sit still since we arrived, so he has been walking around. I'd like to think that he's nervous, but the truth is that he's tired. Sleeping on the floor is never comfortable and never equates to a restful night. Last night he stayed on the floor of my flat. That is two nights of no sleep for him.

He comes up to me and hands me a stack of pamphlets. I think that he's hoping they will entertain me and get my mind to something else.

Yes, I like to read, but this is a tad ridiculous.

The correct means to overcome a kelpie is to get a bridle over its head with a Placement Charm, which renders it docile and unthreatening.

I give Ron a small smile, then hand the stack of pamphlets over to Ginny. "Thanks, Ron, but I don't think that I can read at the moment," I politely say.

"Oh, right," he answers.

The three of us continue onto wait in silence for another hour: Ron walking and avoiding having to think, me unable to do anything but think about the possibilities, and Ginny watching the both of us, trying to decide if she should do something and if so... what?

Just when I'm feeling like I cannot take any more, the courtroom doors open and a multitude of voices are heard... all excitedly talking at once. I jump to my feet in an instant and rush over to stand near the doors.

The members of the Wizengamot begin filing out first and my heart leaps. Surely, if he was found guilty, he'd be escorted out in custody before the others, I tell myself.

Harry makes his way out of the room. He's not smiling, though I imagine he would be smiling if Severus were actually convicted. I finally tire of waiting to hear something, and I admit, I'd rather not ask Harry, so I enter the courtroom. In the center of the room, I see Severus standing and speaking with Headmistress McGonagall. Even if I wanted to, I cannot hide the smile growing on my face, nor can I slow down my pace.

As I'm quickly walking towards the pair of old colleagues, Minerva spies me and smiles genuinely. This causes Severus to look my way as well. Of course he doesn't smile ... he never does ... but I can see his eyes shining, even from this distance. He closes the gap between us and takes me into his arms.

This is more than I had expected from him. Though most of our time together has been spent in privacy, I know him well enough to understand that he is not one for public displays of affection. I suppose that being acquitted on charges murder are enough to cause one to forget such a small detail.

Holding me tightly against his chest, he kisses the top of my head. I barely hear him whisper, "Thank you."

Tears are now flowing freely from my eyes. I am so overwhelmed with emotion that I'm not sure what to do next. All I can think of is how much I want to take him home.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Quote: The correct means to overcome a kelpie is to get a bridle over its head with a Placement Charm, which renders it docile and unthreatening.

GinnyW's Note's: Huge thanks go out to JuneW and SnarkyRoxy for beta reading the remaining chapters for me. Thank you, ladies! :-) I'm sorry that this chapter took a bit longer to get out. I added in a scene that I had originally not written and I feel that it is better with it there. *cough, cough the Pensieve memories were only recapped in a paragraph before* It took me longer than expected, I broke my arm about 1 1/2wks ago and it's been horrid trying to write. Thanks for your patience! Cheers!

The information on Runes were found at: http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/meanings.html