Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I'm not J K Rowling. I don't own Harry Potter. Never mind a Knut, I've not made so much as a ball of fluff out of this.

Thanks again to LadySunflower for being my beta and to the people who've reviewed this story so far: you know who you are.

Chapter 1

Severus Snape was deeply troubled and struggling not to show it to everyone in the Great Hall of Hogwarts castle. The average student might not realise it, but both the Hogwarts Express and the castle itself registered the presence of each and every student. It was very rare that these precautions flagged up absences, an example in recent years being Potter and Weasley missing the train in their second year.

This September first had one student missing the train entirely and another failing to leave the train without the assistance of one of the Order of the Phoenix's pet Aurors. This resulted in his own considerable pleasure in lambasting the tardy student, who was of course precious Potter. The filthy brat still had a bloodstained face with his hangers-on fawning all over him at the Gryffindor table. Obviously, he was used to his every problem being solved by the still missing student, Miss Granger. Severus supposed it was a credit to Potter and his little friends that they did look concerned about the empty seat in their midst.

The dark wizard scowled down into his mixed vegetables, pushing them around on his plate. He half-heartedly skewered a carrot on his fork and bit into it, finding the usually scrumptious food held no taste for him.

When Severus had been alerted by Nymphadora Tonks's Patronus that Potter was delayed, he had hoped that the bigheaded brat would know where his friend was. It was a disappointment when Potter asked him where Miss Granger was.

The only comfort was that if the girl was now in the Dark Lord's hands, he would surely let Severus know, as one of the Inner Circle of Death Eaters, even if he was only summoned to be executed as a traitor. The girl knew too much, especially about his own position as a spy. What was worse was that Severus had allowed her to know more, more about him than even Albus knew.

Severus found himself more concerned for Miss Granger's fate than his own. 'I let her get too close. I should have... but even if I could go back, I wouldn't change anything.' Even as Severus tried to reprove himself, he was well aware that the events since the Dark Lord had returned would have been much harder for him if he didn't have his tentative friendship with Miss Granger.

'Now Herm...Miss Granger is missing despite what I wrote to her to assure her of her family's, and her own, safety.' Although Severus constantly referred to the girl as 'Miss Granger,' her given name kept slipping out in his thoughts, no doubt because in those letters they had exchanged, they had referred to each other by name. Not once had they slipped up in person, thankfully.

As someone who could count his friends, living and deceased, on one hand, Severus was highly protective of those few who had managed to work their way far enough into his trust to be considered as such. Miss Granger had the potential to be more if she survived long enough to graduate. If she was still alive...

Severus pushed his plate away, his already poor appetite failing completely. Albus caught his eye. "Severus, I would have thought you would be celebrating. It's not every day that you are named Defence master."

"I'm not hungry." Severus almost winced at his own reply. He sounded like a petulant child even to his own ears. Thankfully, Minerva elbowed Albus in his star-spangled side, distracting the meddling old man.

"Albus, have you failed to notice the empty seat in this hall? Perhaps you need to replace those spectacles." Minerva also seemed worried about Miss Granger's absence, allowing Severus to discover what Albus knew without revealing his true feelings for the chit.

"Indeed I have. The Ministry has been alerted, and I hope for news soon."

Sometimes Severus wanted to strangle his employer with his long, wispy, white beard. Namely now. Feelings that Minerva shared, by the feral gleam in her eyes. "I thought the Order was watching the girl and her family. Don't tell me you sent Fletcher after his failure with Potter, or I'll turn the misbegotten fool into a cauldron and give him to Longbottom to explode!" Both men listening had to struggle not to laugh at the cruel and unusual punishment Minerva had devised.

"No, Mundungus is not trusted with guard duties of any sort now. Kingsley Shacklebolt lost them in the heavy traffic. He also reported a nasty automobile crash near King's Cross..." Albus trailed off, his unusually twinkle-free gaze cutting to the now choking dark wizard at his side, who'd made the mistake of taking a swig from his goblet. "Severus, you've gone as pale as a ghost. What..."

"What if that's why she never arrived for the train?" Severus gripped the table hard, trying to stop his hands from shaking. Inwardly he cringed. So much for keeping his feelings hidden!

"I hope not, for Harry's sake." Albus said, his tone grim.

"Potter!" Severus spat the name out. "It's always about Potter with you. Why not for Miss Granger's own sake? She is, after all, one of the only students worth teaching in this dunderhead overrun school."

"Harry is vital to the cause, although he would have died before his twelfth birthday if not for Miss Granger. Do not mistake me, Severus. I am just as concerned as you are with the girl's safety."

"Hardly, Headmaster. You are as always blatantly favouring Potter, valuing his scrawny hide above all others. While I concede that without Potter we stand little hope of overthrowing the Dark Lord, he is, for all intents and purposes, a weapon. Miss Granger is the living example of our cause, a Muggleborn witch capable of achievements far beyond her pureblood peers." Albus opened his mouth, but whether to agree with Severus or not it was impossible to know, as Minerva slapped the back of the old coot's head, almost knocking his hat off.

"Severus is quite right, you old goat. We should be concentrating on Hermione Granger, and we all know that you are preoccupied with Potter even when the lad is safely within the bounds of this castle." Minerva's Scottish brogue was now coming through quite clearly, a sign of her distress. Miss Granger was quite possibly her favourite student. Severus glanced along the Head Table and amended that. She was quite possibly the favourite student of every professor that Severus acknowledged as such. Neither Hagrid nor any Divination teacher really cut it, in his opinion.

The students began leaving the hall under the supervision of the prefects, but Severus was not watching the organised chaos. He was watching the silent flight of a solitary owl, swooping down towards the Head Table from the rafters. The owl landed in front of Albus, who relieved it of the scroll tied to its leg. The owl immediately took off before the eccentric headmaster could offer it a lemon drop. Albus unrolled the scroll, scanning the contents. While a relieved sigh escaped his lips, ruffling his beard, his lined face tightened with some anxiety as he read further.

"Miss Granger is currently under observation in St. Mungo's. It seems you were correct, Severus; she was involved in that crash. As her magical guardian, my presence has been requested. I must leave for London at once, before Minister Scrimgeour gains access, as it appears that the Healers believe..." Albus trailed off, his lips thinning as blood drained from his face.

"What Albus? What's wrong?" Minerva's voice became shriller as Albus failed to answer her. Severus cast his own Muffliato spell, to keep the other professors from eavesdropping, as it appeared that there was some sensitive information in the letter.

"Miss Granger should by all rights be dead. Apparently, she was beyond all aid, magical or Muggle, by the time anyone reached the burning wreck of her parents' car. The Healers don't know how she survived. If Rufus finds out, he will have the girl killed as a precaution. Even the most liberal Minister would react this way, with someone coming back from the dead."

"How did she survive? Albus, you don't think..." Severus was surprised at how steady his own voice was. If what the Healers suspected was true, Miss Granger was in even greater danger than before. Albus said nothing in reply, just summoned Fawkes, who appeared in a flash of fire. It was on the tip of Severus's tongue to demand that he accompany Albus, but he knew that it would just attract unwelcome attention for the Head of Slytherin to demand to see a sixth year Gryffindor. Man and phoenix disappeared in another flash of fire.