Return to Hogwarts

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! A couple of people asked how old Hermione was and/or when this takes place, so I thought I'd mention here – the story began just after the end of Hermione's sixth year, which I believe makes her 17 years old at the beginning of the story (but please remember that I've made no attempt to be HBP- or DH-compliant!).

Oh, and, as always, the characters and concepts herein belong to JKR – I'm just playing.

Chapter 2 – Return to Hogwarts

They arrived at the Hogwarts gates, and Hagrid was there to let them in. He grabbed Hermione into a bear hug, lifting her off her feet as he said, "Welcome back, 'ermione! Betcha didn't expect to be back so soon!"

"No, I certainly didn't," Hermione agreed.

"Well, ye'll be safe here, never worry 'bout that. And I'll bet you'll read yer way through the entire Hogwarts library afore the other students come back in September."

Hermione laughed as they reached the main entrance. Hagrid opened the door for them, and Snape said, "The Headmaster wanted to see you right away, Miss Granger. Hagrid, I'm certain you have duties to get back to?"

"Oh, er ..." Hagrid stammered, looking guilty.

Just then, Hermione heard something growl. She turned toward the sound, finding herself staring back at what looked like a weird cross between a lion, a goat, and a dragon. "Hagrid?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, 'ermione?" Hagrid asked, apparently not having noticed the creature growling in the shadows.

Snape had followed her gaze. Hermione heard him sigh, then he looked back at Hagrid. He sounded resigned, yet oddly, uncharacteristically gentle when he asked the half-giant, "Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?"

Hagrid looked even guiltier. "Well, er ... nothing so bad as all that ... it's just ..."

"You have, haven't you, Hagrid? Is that a Chimaera?" Hermione asked, incredulous.

Hagrid turned to follow her gaze, and a big smile broke across his face. "Ah, there ye are, Hubert! I was wonderin' where ye'd got yerself off ta!" He approached the beast, which seemed to calm down as Hagrid approached, although Hermione knew perfectly well that Chimaeras were deadly and vicious with everyone else.

Snape said firmly, but not unkindly, "Hagrid, get that thing out of the castle and preferably off the grounds. Come along, Miss Granger."

And with that, he led Hermione up to meet with the Headmaster.

Dumbledore was waiting for them, as Snape had said he would be. "Hermione!" he greeted her happily. "Welcome back! I'm so glad you've chosen to join us for the summer!"

"Oh, er ... thanks," Hermione said uncertainly. Dumbledore certainly wasn't behaving as though he had been worried at all. "I was wondering, sir, why you felt Hogwarts was safer than the Burrow, or perhaps Order Headquarters?"

"Oh," Dumbledore said, suddenly looking serious. "I'm afraid, Hermione, that we suspect there is a traitor amongst the Order."

"A traitor?" she gasped. "But ... who?"

"I'd rather not accuse anyone without proof, Hermione. Professor Snape is working on finding evidence –" Snape snorted derisively, but Dumbledore ignored him "– but until then, the only place in the United Kingdom that is safe for you is Hogwarts Castle. The enchantments are such that we would know immediately if anyone breached the wards in an attempt to harm a student, thus giving us the chance to protect you."

"Oh," Hermione said, feeling saddened that one of the people she trusted implicitly might have betrayed the rest of the Order, and might be looking for an opportunity to capture her.

"In any event, Hermione," Dumbledore said, changing the subject, "we'll be considerably less formal here for the summer than during the school year. I have arranged for you to stay in the Head Girl's Quarters in Gryffindor Tower for the summer, as the dormitories will likely seem quite empty and lonesome." He winked at her mischievously, adding, "And perhaps you will not have to move when the new term starts." Snape snorted again.

"Oh, er ... all right, thanks."

"Now, you shall have free run of the grounds for the summer, except, of course, the Forbidden Forest, which naturally remains dangerous. In addition, you may freely use the library, except the Restricted Section, as there remain some dangerous tomes in there, as well. However, if you find that you need something specific for your research, please let me know."

"All right," Hermione agreed readily, even as she wondered, what research? Fortunately, Dumbledore was already answering her unspoken question.

"Now, so that you don't get bored, we were thinking you might like to undertake some independent study over the course of the summer. You would have time for up to three subjects of your choice, depending on the material you wish to study."

"Of course," Hermione said, thrilled at the prospect. "Are there any restrictions on what subjects I may choose?"

"Anything is fine, so long as someone capable is available to supervise you. Perhaps you should think about fields you may be considering for a career?""

"Great!" Hermione said, unable to contain her excitement. "Could I combine two fields of study?"

Dumbledore looked amused. "Again, so long as someone qualified is available to supervise you, I see no reason why not. Did you have something particular in mind?"

"Well, I had been thinking about trying to use Arithmancy to develop a potion that would protect against use of the Cruciatus curse. I was reading in Charms Quarterly about a new pain-relieving charm, and I got to thinking about pain-relief potions, and then I thought, what if one could take a daily dose of a potion, prophylactically, to protect the nerve endings against curse damage?" Hermione was speaking rapidly now, having forgotten that Professor Snape was in the room.

Dumbledore chuckled. "All right, then. Professor Snape, perhaps you would be willing to supervise the Potions portion of such a project?"

"If you insist, Headmaster," Snape said, although he didn't sound happy about it.

"Wonderful," Dumbledore said. "I shall see if Professor Vector would be available to supervise the Arithmancy portion of the project. Now, as I see it is time for supper, perhaps you would both accompany me to the Great Hall?"

After dinner, Hermione found herself too keyed up to sleep. The very idea of doing an independent study was so exciting that she had pulled out all her notes on the Charms article she had mentioned to the Headmaster and re-read them. Then she had begun reviewing the section of last year's Arithmancy text that dealt with the use of Arithmancy in Potions development. Tomorrow, she would begin researching everything she could find on pain-relieving potions.

As she readied for bed, her mind drifted back to the earlier part of her conversation with Dumbledore. She found it hard to imagine that there might be a traitor within the Order of the Phoenix. Everyone seemed so devoted to engineering the defeat of Voldemort. How could one of their own have betrayed them?

She tried for a while to figure out who it was, but she just couldn't believe it of anyone. Well, she supposed she might have thought it was Snape, but Dumbledore spoke of it so freely in front of him, and Snape's own demeanor suggested that he thought Dumbledore should be acting on whatever information they already had. And anyway, despite his avid dislike of her and all her friends, he had always protected them when it came right down to it. But who else could it be? And why couldn't she go to the Burrow, just because the Order might be compromised?

Unless ... No, it was impossible. The Weasleys would never betray the Order. They just wouldn't ...

Eventually, Hermione forced herself to stop thinking about it and get some sleep. Tomorrow she would start her independent study, and she wanted a clear head. She would, after all, be dealing with Professor Snape, and it was never wise to do that on insufficient rest.

Quote from CS: "'Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'"