Chapter Five

Several hours after Severus left her for his potions lab, Hermione awoke. Her throat hurt again, and her eyes were gritty from crying. She was lying there feeling sorry for herself when a light knock sounded on her door.

"Hermione? It's Eileen; are you awake?"

Hermione sat up as quickly as she could and answered, "Yes, please come in."

Eileen took one look at Hermione's tear-ravaged face and immediately set about pampering her. She conjured a soft cloth and cool, scented water and helped Hermione to wash her tired face and eyes. "What did my son do this time?" she asked a bit slyly.

Hermione was taken aback and then burst into tears again. "Oh, no, he didn't do anything. It was me. I think I hurt him. He was always so mean and hard in school, and here he has been another person, one I could be friends with, I think, and he was only trying to help. I said something about trusting him because of the Headmaster trusting him... "

Eileen tutted and shushed Hermione while embracing the girl. "All my boy ever wanted was to be trusted and liked for himself. I know you didn't mean to, but I think you probably did injure his feelings. He probably doesn't even know why, either."

"I am truly sorry. I do trust him; even when my friends didn't, I always knew he was trying to protect us."

Eileen hugged Hermione again and asked, "What were you talking about?" She brushed Hermione's hair back from her face. "Perhaps something you would be more comfortable talking about with me?"

Hermione blushed. "I was trying to tell him some of the things I remembered after I was blinded. I didn't realize how hard or embarrassing it would be."

"It may be easier to talk about personal things with me. Perhaps I would understand more?"

"I suppose. It does seem easier to talk to you. Narcissa would talk to me when we were in that cell... "

Eileen looked shrewdly at Hermione and then made a decision. She transformed a small table into a plush ottoman. Smiling in satisfaction, she took Hermione's hand and said, "Careful; I am going to let you walk about the room for a few moments, get that circulation going. Then I am going to do something with your hair."

Hermione only hesitated a moment, then took the hand Eileen placed in hers. The two walked around the bedroom until Hermione said she was beginning to tire.

"That's fine. Now, why don't you settle onto this ottoman and I will clean your hair. I gave you a bath while you were sleeping, but you seemed to be having bad dreams, and we didn't want to risk scaring you even more." Eileen placed her hand on the top of Hermione's head. "I am going to cast 'Tergeo' to clean off the worst of the filth. After I brush your hair well, we will clean it again. Luckily, you don't have anything in your hair but dirt."

Hermione blushed in mortification. "Oh! I didn't even think... "

"Hermione, you were taken care of when you got here, and we didn't find anything other than six months of grime. I promise, you are fine, and I am enjoying being able to take care of you." She looked slyly down at her charge. "You know, Severus always refused to sit still long enough for me to do his hair."

At first, Hermione thought nothing of it, but when it struck her what Eileen had said she couldn't contain her giggles. After several moments of unsuccessfully trying to calm herself, Hermione finally got the laughter under control. It was hard not to laugh at the idea of Severus, as a small boy or a young man, fidgeting while his mum brushed his long hair.

"It is beautiful to see you laugh, Hermione. Now, let me play with this hair of yours, and you tell me your story, starting with where you and Severus left off."

Hermione nodded, for once not terrified of what she had to say, and then started speaking. "Greyback had the females in his pack take turns putting a salve on me. Now that I think about it, it must have been around the time of the full moon. Obviously, it was daylight, because they were still human. I am guessing it was part of the ritual that Greyback wanted to perform."

Hermione shuddered at the memory. "I just couldn't tell the professor about the last time that they put it on me."

Eileen thought for a moment, and then made another decision. "You tell me, and I will pass on what is important for Severus to know. It won't be as hard for you to finish now, will it?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I suppose it won't. I'm just so embarrassed by this. I know that the intent was for me to be raped on the Solstice. I remember the conversation Greyback had with You Know Who, and in my head I know what was planned, but I had never really been touched, much less by a woman. Whatever they put on me, they put it everywhere. I felt like I had to be touched to relieve the burning and itching sensations. They ran their hands all over me, and that salve made me WANT them to. I think I would have done anything to make that feeling go away." Hermione's hoarse voice broke. "I would have let any of them touch me, and it wouldn't have been rape."

"Always before, they came to my cell, but the last few times they took me to, I think, an altar, and the entire pack was there. I could hear them taunting me and Narcissa. Greyback dragged me to a stone and pushed me down. Four times I was chained to that stone – twice on my knees, and twice on my back. Four times I begged them to finish me. All I heard was laughter as I begged those women to do whatever they wanted to me."

Hermione's voice, already roughened, was getting weaker as she went on. "That last night was also the night Narcissa died. She tried to help me by attacking the female that tormented me the most. All I could do was listen to her scream. Right before she died, she asked me to watch over Draco. I was still chained down, but she fell right next to me. I can still smell her blood, but I don't remember any more until I woke up here."

Eileen finished brushing Hermione's hair and cast another Cleansing Spell before plaiting it tightly. She then washed Hermione's face again with the damp cloth and took her hands firmly in her own. "I've finished. You don't have to think about this any more. We'll see if there is anything Severus can do, since it isn't a memory that can be removed normally."

Shrewdly determining the crux of Hermione's torment, she continued, "Hermione, what you've told me is awful, but you must realise you didn't do anything wrong. You were being used, and I know that has to make you feel so unclean, but you must listen to me... " Eileen emphasised what she was saying with another embrace. "You are the victim, and we will make this right."

Hermione nodded tearily, and some of the guilt she had been carrying over what had happened with the potion, and the resulting death of Narcissa Malfoy drifted away. Eileen helped Hermione clean up and change into a fresh nightgown. They shared tea, and then Hermione asked to lie back down.

"I can't believe just moving around for a little while has made me so tired," she yawned before easing off to sleep again, the steady rhythm of Eileen's fingers through her hair lulling her gently into slumber.

*****

Severus Snape spent the last few days of his Christmas holidays brewing healing potions, along with an assorted supply that one might need during the harsh Highland winter. He also spent several hours a day at Hermione's bedside, giving her potions and counteracting the several curses and hexes that had been used on her. Only two things stymied him – the curse that had rendered Hermione blind, and the aphrodisiac she had been dosed with.

The night before he returned to Hogwarts for the new term, he told his mother of his frustration.

"I don't know what curse Bella used. I have never seen anything like it before."

He paced in front of the window in the Library, stirring the heavy blue velvet curtains with every pass. "It's almost like pure, unadulterated Dark Magic is wrapped around the optic nerve. Nothing is broken or severed, there is no damage at all, but a black veil of magic is preventing her from seeing."

Eileen watched Severus pace, and her heart went out to him over this. She knew he prided himself on finding answers to tough questions, and that he didn't like to be defeated. This was definitely defeating him.

"And to make matters worse, the aphrodisiac has no antidote. But even if it did, it wouldn't matter. There is so much of it in her system that it will take months for it to be flushed out completely. There is nothing I can do."

"Do you think it will be a problem?"

"No, from what she related to us, it only seemed to affect her when it was freshly applied. As long as we keep her hidden, she should be all right." He blew out a sharp breath. "She won't be able to have relations with anyone until it is completely out of her system. The aphrodisiac employs the dried, ground seedpod of Cowitch. That doesn't interact well with the pennyroyal or liferoot flowers in contraceptive potions."

Eileen rolled her eyes. "There are other methods of contraception, son."

Severus just arched a brow and sniffed. "None as sure as those," he stated.

*****

Severus glanced around the room waiting for the storm. He was fully prepared to remove this night from everyone's memory and take Hermione and Alexander somewhere far away. Deep down, he knew that was no option, but he would do whatever it took to protect his family.

The Headmaster seemed to realize this and spoke up. "If anyone has any questions, Severus will field them. It sounds as though Hermione could do with a cup of tea for her throat."

Severus nodded at Albus in thanks as the Headmaster summoned Winky and asked for tea. "Let us take a break, everyone, and stretch a bit. I'm sure we are all stiff from sitting here for so long."

Drained, Hermione sat back in the plush comfort of her chair and breathed a sigh of relief. No one had been revolted, and no one had left as she spun her tale. She had been terrified to let everyone know what had happened to her for fear they would turn away from her, and she would be left alone. Even now, almost two years later, she still had moments of anxiety when she thought Severus would realize what had happened to her and be disgusted. Almost as if sensing her thoughts, Severus leaned forward, his warm breath tickling her ear.

"Hermione, I know I don't say it enough, but I love you and will never leave you. Mum loves you and Alexander loves you. You won't ever be alone. Don't let these memories latch on again. You have done nothing wrong... "

Hermione nodded slightly, tears welling in her eyes. "I know in my heart what you say is true, but my head doesn't always want to listen."

Severus pressed his lips against her temple. "It will all work out."

Anything else he would have said was interrupted by Winky and the tea trays. As soon as everyone had a cup and a plate of sandwiches and biscuits, Professor Dumbledore said, "We are coming to an important part of this tale. I want everyone to listen closely and keep any questions until it is finished. I believe that Severus will pick up where we left off, as Hermione needs to rest her voice."

Before Severus could start again, Molly blurted out, "What's wrong with her voice?"

He answered somewhat disdainfully, "It was injured during her captivity."

Someone snorted in the background and a few muffled chuckles were heard. Even Hermione smiled at the answer her snarky husband had given. She decided it would be best to answer herself before he could respond again.

"Bellatrix forced a potion down my throat. It was supposed to fix the damage that had been caused by the collar I had been wearing. Unfortunately, while she excels at Dark potions, she's pants at brewing a healing potion."

Hermione took a sip of the hot tea laced with citrus. The mixture immediately soothed the roughness that she was beginning to feel in her throat, and she whispered a thank you towards her husband. The potion that flavoured her tea would ease the pain and tiredness, but nothing would ever heal all of the scarring in her throat.

Severus drank down his tea and resumed his stance behind Hermione's chair. He waited a short time, then cleared his throat to regain the attention of the Order. "The next part I will relate is second hand information given to me by both my mother and Hermione. They spent an inordinate amount of time together researching the weapon we have determined will finish this war."

Before he could continue, Albus interrupted. "I want everyone to listen closely to the research information; you may know something that we haven't been able to discover yet." He nodded to Severus. "Thank you, you may continue."

Severus arched a brow and sneered slightly. "Indeed... "

*****

Hermione stretched and was relieved when she felt her spine pop in several places. She may not be able to read herself, but sitting in the desk chair, listening to Eileen or a Reading Charm pore over the huge number of genealogy books was tiring. It was nearing the end of February, and, for two months, the ladies had been searching for clues to who the other Ladies of the Vale were. So much information was missing, because entire generations had failed to come to the Vale and keep up the records. One genealogy had sounded promising, but soon the trail dwindled until there was nothing but dusty parchment and guesses.

Eileen had once again risen from her spot near the window and made her way to the massive bookcase that held the Vale records. As she was replacing one book, she reached for another. The new book was wedged tightly between the top and bottom shelves. Using two hands, she yanked on the bound parchment which finally gave way. Shrieking, Eileen fell backwards, along with the genealogy.

"Is everything OK? Eileen?"

She could hear the fear in Hermione's voice, so Eileen answered as quickly as she could. "I'm fine, dear. Just took a tumble along with this last book and... "

Eileen trailed off, her attention drawn to the sheaf of parchments that had been wedged between the top shelf and the book that had thrown her to the floor. "What have we here?" she asked curiously.

Hermione waited a few moments, and when Eileen still hadn't said any more, she asked, "What have you found?"

Eileen looked up from the parchments and apologised for getting lost in thought.

With a rustle of papers, and a quiet call for an elf to bring tea, Eileen sat down near Hermione and spread the parchments on the desk. "What do you know of King Arthur?"

The question surprised Hermione. "Well, I suppose I know what most everyone does. My mother loved 'Le Morte d'Arthur' and the stories about the Holy Grail. She would read them to me at night before bed."

"What if I told you that King Arthur is the reason you are here?"

Hermione frowned. "I don't understand. What does a legend about a king that may not even have existed have to do with me?"

Eileen just smiled. "Do you remember when Severus spoke briefly about the wards that allowed you to pass into the Vale? I told you that only those with the Vale bloodlines could enter."

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, you are a Lady of the Vale. One of the things I have been looking for in the genealogies is which line you descend from. Severus is a Vale Knight. There is only one at any given time. He is a descendent of the knight Gareth and the priestess Lynette. I have determined that you are a daughter of Roisinn's line. What you have told me of your family, together with the records we have, leads me to that answer. There were three more priestesses: Aine, Brigid and Morgana."

Hermione sat quietly for a moment, then began firing off questions as quickly as she thought of them. "A Lady of the Vale? King Arthur was real? Who else is a Lady? What did you mean the professor is a knight...?"

"Hermione, slow down; I will answer everything I can." Eileen chuckled at the excitement that showed in her charge's face. It was the first true animation she had seen since Hermione had first come to the Vale.

"When Arthur was wounded at the Battle of Camlann, the Lady of the Lake and several of her Priestesses took him to Avalon to be healed. Most of the weapons that he had used were returned to the Fey where they came from. All but one weapon. Arthur carried a dagger called Carnwennan. It had been given to him by Nimue when a terrible evil terrorised the land. The Very Black Witch had killed many, and was invincible, according to any who heard the name. Arthur managed to destroy the darkness using the dagger, but he chose never to carry it again. He was warned that only a select few could touch the weapon and not fall prey to the darkness with which it was tainted. He feared one of his knights, or even an enemy, would acquire the dagger and use it for ill. It was hidden away in a secret room in the castle at Camelot."

Eileen took a long sip of tea and watched as Hermione impatiently waited for her to finish the story. She could see the emotions playing across her face and decided to finish the story.

"Camlann was fought in Cornwall, and Excalibur was returned to Dozmary Pool when Arthur fell. Nimue cast a powerful piece of magic to hide what was left of Arthur's Court and Camelot, and to hide the way to Avalon, as she knew that the mundane world was beginning to encroach on the magical one. Before she completed the magic, she gave Carwennan into the charge of five of her most trusted followers along with one of the Round Table knights. They made their way here and hid the dagger."

Hermione was nodding her head as she listened, pieces of the story falling into place. "Yes, I see. If we can locate the other bloodlines, we can get the dagger and use it to destroy You Know Who." She sat back in her chair. "Brilliant! You Know Who is the creature Arthur killed, isn't he? It's the only thing that makes sense, the only reason that the effort would be made to summon the bloodlines together. But why didn't the Lady just come back from Avalon and call us more directly?"

"The magic she used to wipe away the evidence of Arthur and Camelot took almost all of her power. She was, for the most part, sealed across the mists in Avalon. When the Old Ways died out, she had no channel to move through the mists at all. I don't know how she was able to summon the blood."

"Professor Snape knew I was connected to the Vale. How?"

"When he touched your hand the night you were rescued, he knew you were a Lady. The Summoning is very strong, and we hope that if we can get even one more of you together it will lead the other two to find us, or us to find them."

"Well, what's in the parchments you found? Maybe we're one step closer to finding what we need to know," Hermione said.

Eileen began to read over the tattered pages and realised that they weren't written by hand. These parchments were self-recording. "It can't be that simple, can it?" she asked.

"What?" Hermione's impatience was returning full force.

"This is a record of an attempt to summon the Carn in 1990. The person who did it was killed because of the incredible amount of power harnessed. She couldn't handle it alone, and that is why there are four Ladies to do the ritual."

"Does it give a name?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"Yes, the name is Columbine Winters. Do you recognise it?"

"No, but I am sure that if she went to Hogwarts, the Professor will know who it is. We must contact him!"

"He will be here for the weekend, and this can wait 'til then. Remember, we don't want to draw attention to him unless we must." Eileen tilted her head at Hermione. "Why are you calling him 'Professor' again? I thought the two of you had decided to use first names."

Hermione shrugged. "Oh, well, I do call him by his first name in private. But 'Professor' is a hard habit to break. I imagine even after many years I would still call him that."

Eileen laughed, and the two went back to their reading until dinnertime. No other headway was made, and after dinner, Eileen read to Hermione all the tales of Arthur she could stand.