The Headmaster Returns

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o 35 o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Headmaster Returns

~H~

Hermione was in utter shock when she entered the Great Hall for lunch Thursday and saw Severus sitting in the Headmaster's chair, conversing with Professor McGonagall. As she moved into the room, he looked up. Their eyes met and locked on each other for several heartbeats.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked, pulling gently on her arm to move.

"He's back!" Hermione said, turning to Ginny with a look of shocked wonder.

"I can see that. You're blocking the door," Ginny urged her, finally drawing her aside. "Let's at least sit down. Everyone is staring."

As she walked to their usual spot at the Gryffindor table, she couldn't help notice that, even though Severus was still carrying on his conversation with Professor McGonagall, his focus seemed to be on her. "He didn't even tell me he'd returned."

"Maybe he didn't have time; he could've arrived just before lunch," Ginny said, tugging on her arm again to make her sit.

Hermione wanted to run up and talk to him, but after a quick glance at Ginny, she opted to wait until later. She didn't want to cause a scene in front of the entire school, and it could wait.

She sat down, grabbed a Cornish pasty and glanced back up at Severus, running her schedule for the day over in her mind. Unfortunately, she knew that she didn't have much time after lunch because she had Ancient Runes next. She'd finally gotten all her work caught up, and she really wanted to recheck her translations before class began. Moreover, she did have a revision break this afternoon before dinner.

She watched him, taking in every detail of his appearance. He looked good. All the rejuvenation potions seemed to have helped his complexion, and his hair was smooth as if he'd washed it.

"You have to eat, Hermione," Ginny said, bumping her shoulder into hers.

Hermione quickly turned to look at Ginny. "What?"

"You can't take your eyes off of him, can you?" Ginny asked with a smirk. "You'll have people talking again."

"That's hardly new. They have been since it all started." She glanced back up at Severus as she added some chips to her plate. "He looks good though, don't you think?" she asked, turning back to Ginny.

"If you say so," the redhead said with a chuckle. "Harry is more my type."

While Ginny chatted with two other Gryffindors about Quidditch, Hermione tried to check her runes translations as she ate. She made small checks on her parchments where she wanted to double check the symbols in her dictionaries, smiling occasionally at her friend's enthusiasm of the game and occasionally making quick glances at the staff table. When Severus and Professor McGonagall rose to leave, Hermione stuffed the last of bite of her pasty in her mouth. "Goffta go," she mumbled with her mouth full as she wedged her parchments between her books in her bag.

Ginny simply laughed and waved good-bye.

She didn't see any sign of Severus in the Entrance Hall, and thinking he'd possibly gone to Professor McGonagall's office, she raced up the stairs. It was on her way, sort of, to her lesson. However, he wasn't in the office when she got there, and she didn't want to take the chance of being late to class by going to his office. Where I should have gone the first place, she berated herself, taking her seat in time to quickly check the answers that she'd marked at lunch before Professor Bocher asked for the assignments.

Hermione felt distracted all through class, and the lesson seemed to drag on. She copied what Professor Bocher wrote on the board and tried to pay attention to the lecture, but her notes were a complete mess. When the new pages for translating were handed out, she took one, passed the rest on, discreetly checking her watch, and wondered if Severus would be in his office. However, when her Professor told them the due date, she wasn't sure if she'd said Friday or not. Didn't matter, she'd finish them tonight after seeing Severus.

The bell finally tolled. Hermione quickly stuffed everything into her bag and uncharacteristically bolted for the door. She didn't stop running until she stood before the gargoyle to Severus' office.

However the statue just stared down at her imperiously. "Password?"

"I don't know it," she admitted, hitching her bag back onto her shoulder. "Isn't there some way to tell him that Hermione Granger would like to see him?"

The statue stood immobile while Hermione waited, wondering what to do and hoping that somehow Severus would know she was there. After what seemed like ages, the gargoyle moved. "You may go up and knock."

"Thank you," she said and hurried up the stairs. The door opened the moment she raised her fist. When she entered, Severus was sitting at his desk with several piles of parchments and scrolls neatly stacked before him. "You're back." She closed her eyes and turned her head, silently berating herself for stating the obvious. "I mean, it's good to have you back."

"Is it?" he asked as he stood up and came around his desk.

She dropped her bag on the floor and faced him. "Yes, I... I tried asking Kingsley to allow me to visit again – but he refused. How are you?"

"Much better," he replied smoothly, leaning against the desk with his ankles and arms crossed. "How are your studies going?"

"Much better, thank you. I've gotten caught up," she replied. Up close, he did look better, healthier. His raven black hair was clean, and his robes looked new. He turned and picked up something off his desk, then held the parcel out to her. "I missed your birthday. It is customary to give a witch your age a watch, but you already have two. I thought you'd appreciate this a bit more."

He noticed my watches? It was true, her parents had given her a watch for her sixteenth birthday and a lovely gold watch their last Christmas together. "Thank you, Severus," she said as she stared at the gift. She knew it was a book even before she opened it. What she hadn't expected was to be holding a very old book in excellent condition. There was a complicated Triquetra symbol on the handcrafted binding and a very old Welch symbol of a dragon on the cover.

Severus stood unmoving as he watched her examine her gift.

She dropped the wrapping on the chair next to her and carefully opened the book to the first page. The words, The Magicks of Myrddin Ambrosius and Vivianne Morgaine were printed in copper above a thirteenth century style picture of a robed wizard talking to a monk scribe. She turned the page, amazed at the detail of the illustrations and the gothic text. "Is this... an original?" she finally asked, looking up at Severus in awe.

Severus shook his head once. "A second edition," he said smoothly with a faint smile on his face. "I have another," he added while touching two more parcels on his desk, one the shape of another book and a narrow box, both wrapped in blue paper. "I was going to gift this to you our first evening together."

Hermione smiled, not believing his generosity. "May I open them now? I don't have anything between now and dinner," she stated, her finger idly tracing the pattern on the cover of her book.

He shook his head as he uncrossed his ankles and stood. "I have things that require my attention that have been put off due to my hospitalization," he reminded her. He closed the gap between them and cupped her face, lifting her chin slightly. Very slowly, he leaned forward until their lips were only an inch apart. He watched her, as if gauging her reaction, before very gently touching his lips to hers. Hugging her book with one hand, she slid her other up and around his back. His kiss was teasingly light, in slow, soft, tender strokes. She moved closer, and his arm tightened around her waist. She tried to deepen the kiss by tentatively tracing her tongue on his lower lip, and the tip of his tongue slid on hers. Taking a bit of control, her tongue followed his back into his mouth, and she attempted to mimic him when he kissed her this way.

He dragged her with him as he leaned against the desk again, holding her more firmly. Hermione set her book on the desk by his hip and hugged him back, now completely lost in his embrace.

His hand cupped her cheek as he pulled back, his dark eyes heavily lidded with lust and his lips curving up into a smile. "As much as I'd really love to keep kissing you, we both have work to do," he said, his voice strained. "Please, come back tonight."

"All right," she said. He handed her back her book, watching as she reverently rewrapped her new book in the paper and then tucked it carefully into her bag.

Hermione turned to go, still in awe of his gift. As she closed the door, she took another quick glance at him and heard Severus say, "Not one word from any of you," apparently admonishing the portraits as he took his seat at his desk.

She cringed as she descended the stairs, suddenly realizing that the portraits had just witnessed the entire scene, and she felt herself blush hotly. Well, that can't happen again, she admonished herself. The thought of snogging Severus in front of Dumbledore, even his painted self, was humiliating. She had gotten so carried away she'd completely forgotten about the portraits.

She shook her head and headed quickly for her dorm, anxious to read her new book.

~S~

Severus left the owlery and headed down to dinner. Minerva had reviewed most of the official letters and documents requiring his signature and had already apprised him of their contents. He'd only had to peruse them before signing. As expected, the Board of Governors wanted to review the stipulations in the bylaws regarding his betrothal and confirm the dates for the Hogsmeade weekends. Severus copied the dates down in a letter to Kingsley and the Aurors office so that security could be arranged if necessary.

He entered the Great Hall and walked to his place at the staff table, pointedly ignoring the fearful, speculative, and curious expressions of the students. He turned to Minerva to ask her about various matters of the school as the students filed in and took their seats. He was momentarily concerned by Hermione's absence, but she showed up several minutes after the food had appeared. Nevertheless, after she sat down, she looked at him with the same wistful dreamy expression she'd had after opening her gift. If he was any judge to her character, he knew she'd spent her revision time reading her new book.

Her reaction to the book was more than he'd hoped. The amazed smile and the way she'd examined the book – he knew it had been the perfect gift.

"You seem happy," Minerva said, catching him off guard.

He decided to tell her the truth. "Hermione came to see me after her last class."

Minerva's eyes widened and her brows rose. She turned to look in Hermione's direction, both her and Severus catching Hermione's attention.

Hermione waved, and Minerva waved back. "So things are going well?"

"Yes," he said and brought up the new amendments to the bylaws.

After dinner, Severus excused himself and went to his chambers to change into a shirt and black trousers under his robes. He called for Mispy and requested pumpkin juice and brownies to be brought to his sitting room. Then he alerted the gargoyle to admit Hermione when she arrived. He waited at his desk, reading over the bill statements pending his approval before being sent to Elaine Prevatt.

The grandfather clock chimed the hour, and he scowled, wondering what was delaying her.

When the half hour chimed, he clenched his teeth, trying to concentrate on the monthly feed bill for the animals maintained on the school grounds for the Care of Magical Creatures and Transfiguration lessons. A loud pop, followed by the sound of tumbling bottles, made him rise quickly to his feet.

"I is sorry, sir, if Pepper is disturbing you, sir!" the elf squeaked as she tried to snatch up the bottle rolling away from her while still holding four in her arms. "But sir says Pepper is to brings you bottles when Miss Priswell replaces thems, sir." Pepper set two bottles down and ran after the one rolling toward the door.

The door opened, and Hermione picked up the bottle that hit her foot. "Pepper is sorry, miss," the elf said in embarrassment and turned to bow lowly to Severus. "Pepper will punishes herself properly for dropping potions, sir."

"That won't be necessary, Pepper. I doubt you've harmed them," Severus said as he picked up the two bottles off the floor and uncorked one, holding it away with a frown at the putrid smell. "Damn witch!"

"What is...?" Hermione asked, placing the potion bottle on the desk next to the ones Pepper had placed there.

"Thank you, miss," the elf said and turned to face Severus, tugging nervously on her thumb.

Severus checked the other bottles. "Hermione, I need to take care of this matter. Will you wait here?" he asked, stacking the bottles in his arm.

Hermione picked up two before he could. "I'll go with you. It looks like you could use a hand."

"Sir, it is almost time for Miss Priswell to gives them, sir," Pepper said nervously.

"Pepper, go back and do whatever you can to stall her," Severus said, turning for the door. "I'll call for you in a few minutes."

Hermione followed Severus, having to run to keep up with him, but he wouldn't slow down for her.

"What's going on? Who was that house-elf? What are these potions?" she asked as they hurried to the hospital. "Who is Miss Priswell?"

"Quiet," he snapped. At the door he paused. "No questions. Not now." He strode straight into Madam Pomfrey's office. "Poppy, Miss Priswell's at it again. I can't even begin to determine what this one is," he said as he tried to read the label on one of the bottles. "It says Sleeping Potion, but as far as I can tell it has boot polish in it and smells like antiseptic and sulfuric-tar."

"Let me see it," the Healer requested.

Severus handed her the bottle and crossed the office to the storage room. "I need to replace these again; they're all foul, just as before. I am really going to love wringing this wench's neck!"

"I'll document the contents like before. Save the samples you have."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Poppy pour the contents of the supposed Sleeping Potion into a cauldron as he set the other bottles down to replace the potions for viable ones. He emptied the first bottle in a glass jar, rinsed the bottle out with water and then with isopropyl alcohol before using his wand to magically clean it. It was a shortcut he'd not allow any student to do, but he was in a hurry. After refilling it with the properly made version, he leaned around the doorway and said, "Poppy, we're really stressed for time. Pepper indicated that Miss Priswell was due to administer them."

"I can only go so fast, Headmaster," she replied.

He heard the Healer ask Hermione to help her separate the ingredients, giving clear instructions as he dumped the contents of the Pain, Rheumatoid, and Bronchodilator Potions into jars, labeled each one and cleaned the bottles the same way as the first.

"Severus, this is a combination of a Sleeping Potion and Doxycide," Poppy finally announced.

Hermione looked at him with deep concern. "Someone wants to kill – Severus, what's going on? Who is Miss Priswell?"

Severus was wracking his brain for any ingredient that could be mixed with a Sleeping Potion that would turn it black. "Hermione, let me think. I have to make it appear the same – black and quick ..." He had picked up two sleeping potions: the standard one Poppy used was the basic Sleeping Potion taught in sixth year Potions and was clear, the Deep-Soporific Potion was a bit stronger, but the color was a light orange. "Without changing the efficacy..."

"What are the chances that you could use Dreamless Sleep?" Hermione asked.

"It counteracts with the Rheumatoid Potion by actually restricting air flow, and if it's taken the same time with a Bronchodilator Potion, it can stop the heart," Poppy stated and then looked up alarmed. "Oh, Severus, I hope she doesn't know that!"

"I have serious doubts that she would." He opened up Poppy's ingredient cupboard. "I wish I had time to brew a new one." He picked up a thin vial, then a small bag. "Squid ink – reacts to the wormwood. Anise fungaria – cannot be taken if there is a heart condition. If I add additional sopophorous beans – the potion will turn a dark purple..." He set both containers back and picked up the jar of beans.

"If mixed with chocolate, the Deep-Soporific Potion would be a dark blue – almost black," Hermione stated, and Severus' head jerked in her direction, wondering where or how she'd discovered that.

"I've seen it done," she stated. "But I'm not sure of the efficacy of the potion. The sugar..."

"No, you're right, the refined sugar diminishes the efficacy; but unsweetened baking chocolate would not," he said, considering the idea and finding it sound. "With additional sopophorous beans it should be dark enough."

"Chocolate?" Poppy asked as Severus called out for Mispy.

The house-elf bowed as soon as she popped in. "I need a bowl of unsweetened dark chocolate, melted to a liquid, immediately," he said, and before she even stood up, the elf was gone. Severus poured a bottle of the light orange sleeping potion into a cauldron. The heat of the chocolate if added too quickly would alter the potion making it unusable, and too much could ruin it as well. He was crushing some of Poppy's sopophorous beans with her knife when Mispy returned with a bowl of the liquidized chocolate. "Hermione, add one spoonful at a time of the chocolate," he instructed, pouring the juice from the beans into the cauldron and stirring slowly.

Hermione added one spoonful after another while he stirred until the color changed to a blue so dark that it was nearly black. Severus stilled her hand and checked the consistency. It was almost too thick. "I need to test this."

"I'll take it," Poppy said, reaching for the spoon.

Severus shook his head, wishing he had more time. "No, the potion..."

Hermione had scooped up a dose, and he reached for it.

"No, I will. If anything goes wrong, I trust that you'll both find a way to counteract it," she said, holding the cup tightly in her hands.

"Hermione! No," It was too late. She'd turned, blocking him as he tried to stop her from drinking it.

A sharp pop sounded behind them in the hospital, but Severus' attention was on Hermione. For two heartbeats, nothing happened, then suddenly her eyelids drooped, and the cup fell from her limp hand and crashed on the floor. Severus and Poppy both reached for her as Hermione's body went completely slack and she collapsed against Severus. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the nearest bed with Poppy following right behind him.

The Healer cast a series of quick diagnostic charms, repeating three of the wand movements. "She's asleep, nothing more. I think its fine," she finally said.

Severus brushed the hair from Hermione's face.

"Sir, Pepper is so sorry to insist, sir, and Pepper will punishes herself most severely, but I's has to haves the potions now, sir," the elf squeaked fearfully from behind him.

He was checking Hermione's pulse and didn't turn to look when he said, "Poppy, please give the elf the bottles." Hermione was all right, but he wanted to throttle her for being so reckless. From the corner of his eye he could see Poppy place the bottles in a small box with rope handles and hand the box to the house-elf. "Pepper, no punishing yourself; she might question you as to why," he started to say, but Pepper popped out as soon as she had a good grip on the handles. "Damn."

"Nothing to do but let her sleep," Poppy said quietly when she returned to his side.

"I know," he said with a sigh, then snarled, "Idiotic girl," as if cursing at her.

"Not so idiotic. She has complete faith in you." He turned his head to look at her, and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Severus, it was the obvious choice; if anything had gone wrong, you and I together would have set her to rights in no time."

"It was reckless," he said, coming out more like a grumble.

"But necessary," she replied. "She obviously trusts us completely or she wouldn't have taken the risk."

He sighed softly as he stared at Hermione's face. She looked so young when asleep – so vulnerable. He was tired of her taking unnecessary chances, but Poppy was right: necessity meant taking a risk in this case. He just didn't like not being the one to make the decision. Gryffindors.

"Do you want to change her clothes or should I?"

He turned his head. "I'll do it. Will you inform Minerva for me?"

"Of course." She smiled as she walked away. "I'll be in my office, documenting my findings."

After changing Hermione into pajamas and covering her with a blanket, he joined Poppy in her office.

The healer was bent over a cauldron, separating out one of the potions. "Why haven't you had this woman arrested?"

Severus sat down in her chair. "Since you're involved... There are three other wizards whom I haven't fully fitted into the equation yet. If Miss Priswell is so inept as to not notice when the potions are replaced, she isn't a very intelligent witch or has no affinity for Potions. That in itself negates the possibility of her being a Healer. So far, all I know is that she has been acquiring these potions from Ludwick 'Jude' Graven and, up until recently, a street thug named Ashton Foulkes. Pepper is keeping a very close eye on my Great-grandfather. She prepares his food, helps him drink, bathes and changes him. Miss Priswell only gives him his potions and then spends her time reading or sleeping. If I remove her now, I'd hate to think who these wizards would set up to replace her. Better an incompetent I can fool than one I can't."

Poppy stared in the direction of the cauldron with an absent gaze, apparently deep in thought. "I remember Mr. Graven; he was really quite the bully while in school. He was several years your senior I believe, possibly in his sixth or seventh year when you started."

Severus nodded, remembering him. "He was friends with Rowle and Gibbon. That would put him in sixth year when I started school."

She looked up at him and worry creases appeared on her usually calm face. "Was he a Death Eater?"

"I didn't see him at any raid or meeting I attended, so I can't say," he replied with a slight shrug. "But his associations lead me to believe he could've been or he was simply a supporter. Not everyone took the Mark."

"Well, I will help you in any way I can," she said, standing up and facing him. "But you're taking a very big chance with your great-grandfather's wellbeing."

"I have a very capable house-elf taking care of him," he said, handing her the next bottle. "But I do appreciate your assistance."

~H~

When Hermione woke, Severus was sitting beside her cot, reading a Daily Prophet .

"I have no idea what prompted you to take an untested potion, Hermione. That was incredibly reckless," he said, glowering at her as he lowered the paper.

"I had every faith in your abilities, and I knew that between you and Madam Pomfrey that I'd be fine." She sat up and stretched. "Oh, that was a peaceful sleep."

"You could've had an adverse reaction," he said, nearly a snarl.

"Which you'd have created a counter potion for," she pointed out to him. He was very cross with her, but the potion was apparently fine. "Besides, I knew about the chocolate. Fred and George..."

"Those two!?"

"...tried the combination while creating their Skiving treats," she said as she scooted back against her headboard. "Yes, those two. It didn't work as a joke item, but it did make the potion a very dark blue, almost black unless you hold it to the light." She picked up the cup of water on her bedside table. "Do you think this Miss Priswell will know the difference between the new potion and the Sleeping Draught laced with Doxycide?"

"I don't know, but I will find out today when I visit," he folded the paper and dropped it on the pile on the floor.

"What are you looking for?" Hermione asked as he picked up another Daily Prophet.

His eyebrow quirked at her question.

"That's not today's – the headline reads that the Cannons beat Puddlemere United by three hundred points!" she said, pointing at the Prophet he'd picked up. "I happen to know that Puddlemere won the British-Irish cup this last season and the Cannons came in ninth."

"I wasn't aware you followed Quidditch so avidly," he said offhandedly, turning the page.

"My best friends are Harry, Ron, and Ginny – they keep me well-informed," she replied as she crossed her legs. "What are you looking for? I might be able to help." She crossed her fingers in her lap as she watched at him attentively.

He laughed as he lowered the paper. "I forgot; you were the brain behind Mr. Potter's meddling," Severus said with a smirk.

"They're quite capable of thinking for themselves, but I could help you if you're looking for something in particular," she said, hoping he'd say yes.

He looked at her as if actually considering it. "I don't want you getting behind with your studies."

"Not a problem, it's not like I didn't keep up my own assignments when I was helping Harry with the Triwizard Tournament or when I helped Hagrid build a case to defend Buckbeak or when I researched spells for the DA my fifth year."

He had the audacity to smirk at her examples. "I'll consider it," he said as he exchanged his Daily Prophet for another one.

Madam Pomfrey carried in her breakfast tray with two cups of breakfast tea. The Healer performed a series of diagnostic charms and then smiled. "Well that potion certainly had no adverse effects on you. You may get dressed and go after you eat something."

Hermione handed Severus a cup of tea, grabbed a crumpet, and then slipped behind a curtain to get dressed. Severus had collected the papers and was waiting for her when she came out. "I had Mispy get your things from your room," he said, indicating her bag.

She quickly checked it. "I'll have to get my books for Arithmancy and Transfiguration."

"Very well," he said as he stood.

They talked about Fred's experimentation of combining chocolate with the sleeping draughts until they reached the stairs. "I'll see you at lunch," he said softly. He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips before departing.

Hermione watched him speculatively for a moment and then hurried to her room to exchange her books.

After her Transfiguration lesson, she saw Severus strolling down the corridor and hurried to catch up to him. "I have break until dinner if you would like a hand with your research," she suggested.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "What about your assignments?" he asked.

She shrugged. "It's Friday, so I have the entire weekend. If I get my Arithmancy and Ancient Runes work done tonight, I only have two essays to write per day. I'll be fine. My Potions essay is nearly complete, and I only need to recheck a resource for my Charms essay, but it's nearly complete, so those are the two I'll finish tonight." She walked with him, hoping he'd agree to let her help him with his search.

He must have figured that with two looking he'd get more accomplished, because he allowed her to go with him up to his office. "It goes without saying, Hermione, what I am about to show you is to stay between you and I – no one else." He walked over to a cupboard and pulled out a Pensieve.

Hermione was immediately excited, having only heard about Pensieves from Harry and reading about them in books.

Severus took two small vials out of his pocket and showed them to her. "These vials contain memories that link Miss Priswell to the wizards in question." He poured them into the basin and indicated for her to enter.

Remembering what she'd read, Hermione bent forward, touching her nose to the mist and immediately felt like she was falling. Images swirled around her, and it felt like she was intruding on someone's dreams. The sensation was strange; the changing succession of images was not so fast she couldn't see the people clearly, only they were brief. When they ended, she stood up confused.

"Enter again," he suggested.

She did and this time he entered with her.

"I'm trying to identify this one," he said pointing to a man that had short blond hair, a hooked nose, dark blue eyes, and had a somewhat stocky build. "None of the Aurors recognized him."

The image changed again, the same wizard and a woman Severus identified as Miss Priswell were talking to a dark-haired wizard he said was Clemet, and one that looked like a thug that Severus identified as being Ashton Foulkes. During one slower memory, Hermione got really close to the blond wizard so she could take a good look at his face. When the memories ended, she stood again and turned to look at Severus. He ushered her up to his sitting room and dropped the Prophets on a large pile sitting on the coffee table.

"Who is he? I mean – I know you don't know his name, but why are you trying to identify him. Is this related to the poisoned potions?"

"Yes," he said, indicating the pile of old Prophet's. "I want a name and anything else you can find on him."

She closed her eyes, visualizing the man with the long, pallid face, heavy eyebrows, and thin frame that resembled Severus's mother somewhat. "The other wizard – he bore a resemblance to your mum."

"Very astute," Severus stated. "He goes by three names that I know of: Clemet King, Clemet Richfield, and Clint Richman. It's very possible that I'm related to him, but I don't know the connection. There is a picture of my grandmother holding a baby in her arms with a toddler standing next to her. He could be that toddler."

"Who are they trying to kill?" she asked, trying to lock the images of the men in her mind's eye.

"My Great-grandfather," he admitted. "Up until only a few months ago, I thought him to be my only living relative. Now I know I have at least an uncle. The other man is involved with Miss Priswell – a lover or relative, I'm not sure. But I need to find out and soon."

Hermione picked up a paper and began to peruse it for anything on a Miss Priswell or the wizards he mentioned.

A house-elf appeared at dinnertime with a tray of sandwiches, fruit, and tea.

The discarded pile at Hermione's feet was growing, but the stack of Prophet's on the coffee table didn't appear to be shrinking any. "You know that this would go faster with help."

"I don't want any of your friends involved," he said as he turned a page.

"Ginny and Luna are discreet," she countered. "I know they would be able to help find any connection... What?"

He'd lowered his hands holding the paper to his lap and was glaring at her.

She turned to face him squarely. "Look, if you and I are going to be involved, don't you think that they will eventually learn some things about you anyway? I'm not saying divulge everything, but they are smart, and four people will cover this mess faster than two."

"That is the only reason I accepted your assistance, because we are, as you say, involved," he said and picked up the paper.

"All I'm saying is that they are my friends, and I trust them." She heard him snort as she picked up the paper she'd been reading. It was pointless trying to get him to see her way if he was being obstinate, so she resumed her search.

After hours of searching, Hermione decided that the obituaries and possibly the birth and marriage announcements were the most likely places to find any mention of Miss Priswell or the wizard, Clemet, who apparently had several identities. She checked each picture for either wizard and then read each birth, death, or marriage announcement, since many of the marriage and obituaries had pictures. It seemed that the persons who wrote the announcements liked to include the names of relatives. "Wizarding society really likes their family trees," she mumbled, as she exchanged her paper for another.

"I'm aware of that," Severus grumbled.

She left at the lower-years' curfew and returned to his office the next night after dinner. The Gargoyle let her pass without question. Severus was already reading through the papers in his sitting room. Hermione plopped down on the floor by the fireplace and began reading.

"Did you finish your essays?" he asked from behind his paper.

"Two are done, my Potions and Charms essays. I only need to rewrite my rough drafts of my Transfiguration and History of Magic essays tonight, which won't take me very long, and my other two I can finish easily enough tomorrow." He didn't comment, so she assumed he trusted her to keep up on her studies. She crossed her ankles as she read.

So far, there wasn't anything all that exciting. Anthelia Wellbegott, who apparently had a scandal column on the next to last page, usually had some interesting articles, like Bertie Bott's errant mistake of dropping his sock into his cauldron. Hermione giggled, knowing that was how he'd invented his Every Flavor Beans according to his Chocolate Frog card.

In another issue, Maribella Marjoribanks was chided for breaking twenty of her bones in a fall during a Quidditch game and getting herself banned from all future Tornados games. According to the article, she'd been so smitten with Quidditch player Johnathan Stykes that she had leapt out of the stands as he'd flown near her in hopes that he'd catch her. Apparently he hadn't, being too focused on the Bludgers at the time. But Hermione hadn't found anything relevant to their search.

Hermione came back on Sunday after finishing her last two essays, but she'd been too busy on Monday or Tuesday to help. Wednesday she joined him after dinner until curfew, and Thursday she came up to Severus' sitting room after completing her Potions essay and Ancient Runes translations.

Hermione turned the page to the obituaries and sat up. "This is the obituary for John Howard Prince. 'Survived by his wife of only three months, Frances Marie Prince, nee Griswold... and his parents Mr. and Mrs. Talfryn Eldward Prince.' Is this one of your relatives?"

Severus dropped the paper he was reading onto his lap. "Yes, Talfryn Prince is my great-grandfather."

"So is this John Prince your grandfather?" she asked, trying to fit the pieces together.

"No, my grandfather was Edgar Prince," he said, exchanging the paper he'd been reading for another.

"So this is your great-uncle, then," she asked, rolling over and sitting up so she could look at him. "It says he didn't have any children. 'Edgar Albert Prince will be hosting the wake at the...' so... wait. Frances Griswold." Hermione remembered that name. She'd read something about her. "Frances Griswold – I saw an announcement... I think. Yes, it was on the scandal column. Something about a rushed marriage and a suspected affair..." She rummaged thought the papers checking Anthelia Wellbegott's columns. "Yes, here it is. 'A widow of only one month... married Thomas Osgood in a simple affair in a quaint cottage on the River Stour in the Blackmore Vale. Only three couples attended...' There is a picture of the couple."

"So she remarried. That doesn't help me," he said, exchanging papers.

Hermione knew there was more to it – something nagging at her in the back of her head. Anthelia Wellbegott had written something else about the witch. "But if John Prince died three months after his marriage to Frances Griswold – I think I saw a birth announcement..."

"So she had a child with her second husband. The obituary stated that my great-uncle didn't have any surviving heirs," he said dismissively.

"No, there was something... this Anthelia Wellbegott is a lot like Rita Skeeter – she loves gossip." Hermione tried to remember which paper she'd seen it in. "Yes, there was something about the baby being too big for a premature birth so she suspected an affair..."

Severus dropped another paper on his discard pile and picked up the next one on the table beside him, clearly unimpressed.

If she could only find the right paper! "...and that she rushed to get married... No, this is the one about the woman who claimed to have married a Satyr."

"Delightful," he sneered. "Please don't bother me with petty gossip."

She finally found the one she was looking for. "Here it is. Frances Griswold remarried and gave birth to Charles John Osgood barely seven months into her second marriage." Hermione picked up the papers with both articles. "She had been married to your great-uncle for three months, married again only one month later and had the baby less than seven months into her next marriage. The baby was most likely your great-uncle's son."

Severus looked at the picture of the wizard and woman holding a baby. "It's possible, he'd have been conceived one month before my great-uncle died."

"How did he die? Do you have any idea? The obituary didn't say," she asked, wondering how well he knew the Princes.

He shrugged slightly and dropped the paper on the coffee table still staring at the announcement. "I don't know, but it would've been recorded in the Obituary and Life Termination register."

"In Maggie Whitmire's office," Hermione said with a sigh.

"Yes," he said with a nod. "All deaths are recorded with date, time, and cause. Therefore, if foul play is involved or suspected, the Aurors are immediately notified."

"So the likelihood of her telling you is unlikely – she still insists that we have to sign her forms." She leaned back against the sofa and crossed her arms, gazing unseeingly at the bookshelves. "Okay, what if Charles Osgood was told by his mum that he was actually the son of a wealthy family, a pure-blood family. If he'd tried to contact your great-grandmother or great-grandfather, introduced himself as their grandchild, and they refuted him..."

"It's likely, he'd have no proof, unless the Birth Registration ledger indicated the impropriety," he said patiently. "It's more likely that the Birth Registration ledger recorded him as Osgood's son, since that is what the announcement in the Prophet stated. Births, deaths, and marriages are always confirmed with the Magical Marriage and Birth Registration Office. Without proof of his paternity, he'd have been turned away."

"But if he is related, then it may explain why he's after your Great-grandfather." She turned to face him with her arm resting on the sofa. "He could've been angry about being cut from what he deemed as his inheritance – your Great-uncle John's estate."

"Which I do know would have reverted back to his living relatives – Talfryn Prince. This speculation doesn't connect him to Miss Priswell," he said, shaking his head.

"No, but it's a start," she insisted. "The announcement states that he was born in Sturminster Newton in Dorset; he might still be living in the area."

"That's easy enough to check – unless his home is under the Fidelius Charm."

She sighed, he wasn't taking her theory very seriously, but at least he wasn't discounting it. "What about marriage? It could be possible he's married. If we look through the marriage announcements..."

He shook his head. "You're assuming that Miss Priswell is married to Charles John Osgood – that's quite a stretch."

Her shoulders dropped a little. "It's just a theory," she stated, dejectedly.

"That sounds like a bad mystery novel," He set aside the Prophet and stood, stretching. He walked over and sat on the sofa near her. "I almost forgot about these," he said, pulling her two gifts from his pocket.

Hermione set aside the papers, rose from the floor to sit next to him and reached for the first present. Severus had a slight smile on his face as he watched her carefully open the slender box. She gasped in delight at the beautiful swan quill nestled on the soft velvet. "Oh, Severus, it's lovely!" she said, picking it up to examine the delicate work on the quill tip.

"And this," he said, handing her the second present.

She placed the quill back in its box and opened the other one, laughing softly in amusement at the study guide. She turned and hugged him. "Severus, you know me so well. Thank you, they're perfect."

"I'm glad you like them. I hope you use them well," he said and tipped her head up so he could kiss her. He turned slightly, wrapping her in his arms, holding her tightly. She closed her eyes, enjoying the languid sensuality of his lips on hers, and felt herself lifted. She opened her eyes in shock as he turned her slightly to sit on his lap and stroked her side. "It's easier this way," he said as he nipped at her jaw.

"You could've asked," she chided him, and he kissed her neck making her moan. "I don't mind sitting on your lap."

"Then I'd have had to stop kissing you," he purred softly near her ear. His one hand trailed down her side, slid across her stomach and back up, his fingers grazing the side of her breast as he continued to tantalize her. After a few minutes, he shifted, lowering her to the sofa and stretching out beside her, with one of her legs trapped between his. She pushed his hair back so she could see his eyes, and inhaled deeply at the desire she read there.

He leaned down and kissed her mouth; his free hand moved to her breast in tantalizing slowness, one finger sweeping across the soft mound, then trailed downward and back, but only grazing her breasts. She moaned into his mouth and his hand slid down slowly, one finger slipping under the waist of her skirt, going from one side to the other. She shifted, unsure if she was ready for more, and his hand moved up to her waist. Breathing deeply, she nipped at his lower lip, and he deepened his kiss. As if taking a cue that she'd relented, he caressed her breast again, and then slid his hand down her waist to her hip and pelvis. The soft, swirling touch sent a shock of awareness to her fog-addled brain and a yearning inside her when his hand moved away. He was teasing her, and she squirmed unconsciously to move her body to regain the contact. She bent her knee and tried to lift her head to kiss him, but this position left him in complete control.

He laughed softly against her throat when she arched her hips to meet his hand as it moved down her body again. He slid his hand to cup her thigh and hugged her leg to his hip. She could feel his erection pressing against her, its heat missing her core by only a fraction of an inch. She tried to shift herself closer, to fit herself to him, but he held her in place. "Stop that. If you don't – if you push me, we're going to be in my bed in a heartbeat."

"You can't Apparate in Hogwarts," she said, gasping for breath as her heart pounded in her ears.

"I'm Headmaster, Hermione, the rules don't necessarily apply," he purred. "I know the spells to lower them and raise them. It's a flick of the wrist, and I'll have you in my bed."

She gasped.

"So either be a good girl, or tell me yes, because it's all I can do to hold onto my self-control with you." His hand slid from her hip to her side, right next to her breast. "Unless you're ready to be intimate with me again," he said as a finger swept over her breast, stimulating her nipple through her jumper. "So say the word: yes or stop."

She stared at him, momentarily lost in the depths of his gaze, her breathing deep and ragged.

"Perhaps you'd simply just like to continue," he said silkily before capturing her mouth again.

She tried to utter, 'uh huh,' but it only came out as a moan.

An hour later, a slightly disheveled girl slipped from the Headmaster's tower, her lips swollen, her blouse untucked, her eyes sparkling, and her heart pounding as she ran to her dorm, hoping that Filch wouldn't catch her out so late after curfew.

~ T B C ~>

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Author's notes:

I want to thank my betas, EverMystique and to DuchessOfArcadia, for helping me clean up all my mistakes. I really appreciate it very much.

Myrddin Ambrosius is another way of writing Merlin Ambrosius, only using the old Welch spelling Myrddin for Merlin instead of the more common spelling. Vivianne is adapted from Niviane: she was the huntress in the Suite du Merlin, which describes King Arthur's early adventures, and was the daughter of the king of Northumberland. She is also called: Nymue, Nimue, Niniane, Nyneue, or Viviane in some versions of the legend.

The name of Morgaine was simply added for artistic license, as if Vivianne Morgaine might be a relation to Merlin or another great witch of the age.