Chapter Three - by ladyinthecloak

Disclaimer: I am JKR in disguise. Just kidding.

The wondrous Robisonrocket has volunteered to beta this story. She probably had no idea what she was letting herself into. Thanks, dahling, we all appreciate it!

This story is the start of a round robin, which is being brought to you by some of the Admins here at the Petulant Poetess (amsev, CocoaChristy, ladyinthecloak, Soul Bound, and Southern_Witch_69). I have more details listed in the author's note at the bottom.

Chapter Three – By ladyinthecloak

~±~±~±~±~±~±~±~

Harry stepped through the fireplace into the headmistress' office, brushing off some soot.

"Oh, thank goodness, Mr Potter, you're here!" exclaimed McGonagall. "Mr Longbottom is very worried about Miss Granger, and, to tell the truth, I'm getting rather worried as well. It's been more than a whole day now since they disappeared."

"Yeah, I'm not sure what I can do here, but I've brought my map with me, just in case they show up on it," Harry replied, still rather grumpy about the loss of his morning in bed with his lover and not caring if the secret of the Marauders' map was finally going to be revealed. He pulled the map out of his cloak and opened it, silently casting the words that would show the map's purpose.

The headmistress stepped towards him, looking over his shoulder just as the writing appeared on the map. Her frown deepened as she studied the map.

"I can't see them anywhere," Harry finally admitted. "It looks like they're not inside the castle." He looked at her. "I don't know... Maybe Professor Dumbledore would be able to help."

If McGonagall was surprised, she did not show it. "Go ahead, Mr Potter."

Harry approached the portrait of a smiling Dumbledore. "Harry! How wonderful to see you!"

Harry greeted the former headmaster and came immediately to the point. "Unfortunately, this isn't a social call, sir, as much as I'd like it to be. Professor Snape and Hermione have been missing since Sunday night. Their names are not showing up on the Marauders' map either."

"Are you generally worried or do you still not trust Severus, Harry?" He gazed at Harry, his face one of polite interest.

"I trust him. But it's worrying that nobody seems to know their whereabouts, and from what I understand, both missed their classes, which is very uncharacteristic," Harry responded. He truly had no trust issues with Snape; those were buried the moment he entered the Pensieve just before Voldemort's downfall. He could not see himself being on friendly terms with the Potions professor, but he respected him.

"Yes... You have a point. I don't recall Severus missing a class, ever. I wonder... Excuse me for a few minutes, Harry, I must find out something." With that, Dumbledore stood and left his portrait.

Minerva cast a questioning glance at Harry, who shrugged. "He said he has to find something out and will be back shortly."

"Well, we might as well have some tea then." Minerva summoned a house-elf and motioned for Harry to sit down.

~±~±~±~±~±~±~±~

"Hermione!"

Severus followed her eyes as she stood there, in utter horror, and watched with morbid fascination the scene unfolding in front of them.

A burly, bald man in a police uniform was putting handcuffs on a middle-aged man and woman and said, "Under the new Bill of Paranormal Suppression, you are herewith arrested. You have the right to remain silent, as everything you say now can be used as evidence against you."

The couple looked at each other, speechless. "And what is the crime we've allegedly committed, sir?" asked the man calmly. Severus assumed it was Hermione's father, considering the physical resemblance between them.

"You are guilty of having produced offspring engaging in... paranormal activities. The government does not approve of such." The policeman gave him a stern look. "Weirdos, the lot of you," he mumbled as he dragged them towards his car, lights flashing. A crowd had formed around them, gaping and staring.

An elderly lady came rushing out of the house next door. Breathlessly, but standing tall, she uttered, "How dare you arrest such respected people! They've been running this dental practice for as long as I've lived here, and there's never been any trouble!"

"Madam, that is none of your concern. We have evidence of their crime, and that's what I'm arresting them for." Rather unceremoniously, he pushed Mr Granger's head down and shoved him onto the back-seat. Dragging the woman, who was obviously Mrs Granger, considering her hair color and bushy hair, to the other side, he deposited her inside the car in the same manner. "Now, make way if you don't want to get run over!" he shouted at the crowd as he lowered himself behind the steering wheel, started the engine and took off with lights flashing and the noise of the sirens polluting the air.

Hermione stood rooted to the spot as the scene faded in front of her, tears running down her cheeks.

"Mum, Dad... It's all my fault. What can I do?" she sobbed.

"Hermione... it's not real." Severus tried to reassure her, but sounded hollow even to himself. Everything had looked real. But it couldn't be... He shook his head. She didn't seem to have heard him.

Before the lights had completely disappeared, a house in a typical middle-class Muggle neighborhood came into view. Hermione ran towards the door, still sobbing, and rang the bell frantically. "Oh, please, be home. Let this just be a bad dream. Please...." she muttered, still ignoring Severus, who had followed her, not knowing what else to do.

Foot steps rang through the momentary silence, and the door opened. A teenage girl opened the door. She looked at Hermione, then at Severus. "You," she sneered. "I was hoping you'd turn up so I can tell you that she doesn't love that freak. But you know what? She hates you enough to be with him because she knows how you feel about that!"

"You... you don't know what you're saying, Tuney," Severus stuttered.

Hermione had never seen him so completely white. His complexion was pale at the best of times, but now he looked as if the last drop of blood had seeped out of him.Tuney? Oh Merlin, that must be Mrs Dursley! But how can that be? She's a great deal older than this girl, the thought. And... "What on earth are you doing in my home? This is my parents' house!" Hermione shouted.

"This is my parents' house! And besides, who are you? You're one of them freaks, aren't you, being with him?" Petunia shot her a distasteful look and turned to Severus. "Surprised now, Sev, are you? Well, good. I've never liked you, anyway. I don't know what Lily saw in you. And I'm glad she's rid of you!"

Hermione shuddered as Petunia's spiteful words hit her. She wished they could return to the other room for a moment, and suddenly she remembered that the previous room reflected their desires. If the other room held our deepest desires, this room is probably confronting us with our deepest fears... So... A kind of boggart room. She looked at Severus, who was still rooted to the same spot in complete shock.

"Severus, we need to cast Riddikulus! This room is about our worst fears, it must be! Remember how the other room was about our desires? I'm pretty sure this one is about our fears!" The urgency of her voice finally made him react.

Severus gave her a blank look, but then took a deep breath and said, "Right. Of course. On the count of three."

They cast the spell together, and the room changed instantly. Gone was the house with Petunia. In its place was a large, dark, wooden dining table and several non-matching chairs, giving it a homey and inhabited feel. The table was set with two plates and cutlery and glasses. Hermione looked in wonder as food dishes appeared between the plates.

"Good," Severus said blandly. "I'm starving." He sat down without further ado and raised his eyebrow at her.

"Oh. Right." Hermione sat down opposite him and inspected the culinary choices. "Mmmm, this looks and smells like Coquilles St. Jacques! I love those!" At Severus' questioning look, she added, "We used to go to France during the summer holidays, and I really came to appreciate the food."

"Really? You don't find a lot of English people who like the food. I'm rather fond of French cuisine myself," Severus replied, lifting the lid of another dish. "Coq au Vin," he said appreciatively.

A tall, slim bottle appeared in front of him. He grabbed it and scrutinized the label. "Riesling d'Alsace. That'll do nicely, I suppose." He opened the bottle with a corkscrew that had appeared on the table now and poured a couple of sips into his own glass. He tasted it. "Hm, yes." Then he proceeded to fill Hermione's glass.

The first few minutes were spent in silence, with each concentrating on the food. "Oh, this is so good! I didn't realize how hungry I was," Hermione said.

Severus nodded. "It must have been a while since we have eaten. Mind you, if this is the kind of food served here all the time, I'd be tempted to stay."

"Erm, I do appreciate the food, but you know, I'd really like to get back to Hogwarts proper. Like somewhere that doesn't frighten the living daylights out of me by confronting me with my worst fears!"

"I agree. That was an experience I could have done without. I.... thank you, Hermione, for regaining your wits and figuring out how to change the room." He was by no means comfortable saying it, but as far as he was concerned, it was necessary. At least to retain his clear conscience. Conscience? Since when do you consider yourself the owner of a conscience? a small voice whispered to him viciously. He was side-tracked by the blush that suddenly graced Hermione's cheeks.

"I... I appreciate you being here. Sometimes, I wish I was still as ignorant as in my school days. But with all the new Muggle regulations going on these days, it reminds me of Voldemort's reign, and I can only hope that my parents will never be made to pay for what I am." Her eyes filled with tears, and she avoided meeting his.

He was at her side instantly. "Hermione! No Muggle will ever know you're a witch. I'm sure your parents have enough sense to keep it quiet." He looked at her intently.

"Yes. I mean, they've never told anyone, not even close relatives. But I can't help being afraid for them..." She took a deep breath. "Thank you, Severus. I can't tell you how much it means that you're not making fun of my fears."

"Fun?" he asked incredulously. A bitter laugh escaped him. "Do you know how many fears I've had in this life? No, of course not, how could you. Let me just say fear is no stranger."

"I guess not," Hermione whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." His voice was rough. "It's not as if it's your fault."

Hermione looked at him. He'd never returned to his seat opposite, but instead seated himself on the chair next to her. "No. But that doesn't mean... whatever."

"Indeed," he sneered.

At that moment, true to the French tradition, a board with cheese arrived, together with a bottle of red wine. Severus opened the bottle and again poured some in his glass, tasted it and filled her glass. Then he scrutinized the cheeses on the board. "St. Albray, yes, I like that one. Not too sure about the French Emmenthal. Personally, I prefer the Swiss variety. But, oh, yes, Munster! As smelly as it's tasty."

Hermione laughed at that, and he thought he'd just entered heaven. He looked at her in wonder, and, forgetting all self-imposed inhibition of the past forty or so years, he said, "Do that again."

Hermione looked confused. "Do what again?"

"Laugh, silly!"

To his delight, she blushed again. "It... it was funny how you described the Munster." Her smile was bashful, and he was certain about having arrived in heaven. His idea of heaven.

"Well, isn't it the truth?" He smiled down at her, and she looked at him with wide eyes. "It is very smelly. And I could quite happily eat it every day because it is rather tasty."

He cut off a small piece and handed it to her on a small fork.

Hermione tasted it and gasped. "Oh! I'd never thought it can be this tasty, considering the smell. You were absolutely right!" She took a knife herself and cut off another piece.

Severus pointed at her glass. "Have some wine with it. It brings out the taste even more."

Finally, Hermione said, "If I have one more bite or sip of anything, I'll burst! I don't remember having eaten this much in a long, long time."

Both scanned the wood-panelled walls, and indeed, where there had been mere wooden panels on the long side of the wall, a door had now materialized.

"Well, let's see if it takes us back to the corridor," Severus drawled. Both exited through the door and found themselves back in the corridor, which hadn't changed at all since they'd last been there.

"Oh, for crying out loud. This seems to be some silly joke the castle is playing on us," Hermione complained.

"You know," Severus said thoughtfully, "you sound lovely when you laugh. I can't say the same about when you sound petulant." He ignored her glare and pointed at a new door. "Oh, what a surprise. Another door for us to try."

"And this time, I'll let you go in first." She still glared at him.

He nodded curtly and proceeded to the door. Suddenly, the air was filled with deep laughter. Is this Severus laughing? I've never heard him laugh a happy laugh like that!

~±~±~±~±~±~±~±~

Harry and Minerva were silently sipping their tea, occasionally glancing at the map spread out on the desk between them.

"So, Mr Potter, how did you come to be the owner of such a useful map?" Minerva enquired, curiosity finally getting the better of her.

Harry replied hesitantly, "Erm, Fred and George gave it to me in third year. Later, I found out that Remus, my dad, Sirius and Pettigrew had made it. When Remus learned that I had it in my possession, he first took it away, but then returned it to me when he left Hogwarts." He took a deep breath. "Not that it's helpful this time..."

Someone knocked at the door. Upon Minerva's call, it opened and revealed Neville. "Harry! I'm so glad you're here!" His face fell when he saw Harry's expression. "They're not showing on the map?"

Harry shook his head. "No, their names aren't there. But Professor Dumbledore..."

"Harry, Minerva...oh, hello, Mr Longbottom...I can assure you, there is no need to worry." Dumbledore had returned to his portrait and looked positively smug. Upon blank looks from the headmistress and the two young wizards, he added evasively, "You see, Hogwarts Castle has always harbored its own magic, occasionally in a way we do not comprehend. But rest assured, Severus and Miss Granger are perfectly safe where they are and will soon enough reappear.

"Although, judging how stubborn either of them can be, my estimate would be days rather than hours." He turned to Minerva. "It might be an idea to cover both their classes for the next few days."

~±~±~±~±~±~±~±~

Litc's Notes: Hermione and Severus both have fears, and both like French Food. Severus likes her laugh. And Hermione likes his. Oh, and obviously, Dumbledore knows something about their disappearance it seems.

Amsev will carry on next.

We can promise that this fiction will be updated quickly, as per our own rules upon getting together. The fun thing is that we aren't making outlines with each other, and whatever one of us writes is a surprise for the rest of us as well! This should be fun for everyone involved! Please let us know what you think! Thanks!