Chapter 6

For A/N, refer to A/N in Ch 1

Method in Madness

Chapter 6

There, it was complete. Severus Snape had finished assessing Hermione’s latest calculations. She could hold her own in arithmancy and in intellect; there was no doubt of that. If she was capable of such complex equations when exhausted, her reasoning abilities must be doubly enhanced when her faculties are completely clear and awake. She had very innovatively set out to hypothesise that the addition of dragon bile would stabilise the rowan bark abstract. Furthermore, she had chosen to bind part of the incantation for a particularly obscure but powerful healing charm with mandrake juice to prevent the body from experiencing soreness at its prolonged disuse when the body came to. Severus merely added his own hand, “Use the incantation while stirring. I trust you know which one. Thank you. Severus Snape.”

* * *

Hermione awoke from a very comforting dream in the early evening. She had dreamt that someone was patting her to sleep while lecturing her on a complicated brew for a counter poison. It was an interesting formula and she resolved to look into its veracity. Sitting herself upright on her bed, she reached over to the right bed stand to consult one of her spell books. In so doing, her fingers found a neatly sealed note addressed to “Miss Hermione Granger”. It was in Severus’s hand she noted and frowned. How was it possible? She broke the seal and examined its contents, which read:

Dear Miss Granger,

You are not going mad. There is a muggle saying that claims you are not going mad if you think you are already thus. I am still among the living though my spirit has the ability to detach itself from my body. Your only madness is that know-it-all propensity to help others. While I do not approve of such foolish displays, I must own that I am pleased to see some method on this madness of yours. I shall be anxiously awaiting the results of your experiments. Though I am loath to confess it, I am in your debt.

S. Snape.

So, she wasn’t hallucinating – he had been communicating with her. Rather, he tried communicating with her. Suddenly, her hands flew to her mouth and her eyes widened in horror as she realised that he witnessed her display before she retired. Waves of embarrassment and shame washed over, he had seen her babbling like a silly girl! At least, he had not made any reference to her behaviour; at least, he knew how to behave like a gentleman. Her analytical mind, however, was not meant to dwell on personal embarrassment. Thus, she quickly laid down the facts before her – she knew that his spirit had only been around for a short while. It was only in the past two days that she could only sense his presence. She needed to clear her mind, so she quickly pulled her hair into a chignon, buttoned up her basque at her slender neck and headed to Severus’s office.

She earnestly believed that he would be there reading her notes or brewing a potion. She was so certain that he was there that she could not help her disappointment from escaping her lips when she saw Albus Dumbledore seated at Severus’s seat, evidently waiting for her. Albus regarded her with amusement and a twinkling wink as she gaped at him. She advanced slowly and deliberately before running to his open arms and kissing him on the cheek. “Professor Dumbledore!” she squealed, kissing his other cheek. Dumbledore chuckled, pleased with reception.

“Does Professor McGonagall know you’ve been discharged? When did this happen? How long have you been here?” she asked in one breath, releasing him from her embrace.

“My dear, please call me Albus; we are to be colleagues, you know,” he announced, popping a lemon drop into his mouth before offering her the bag.

“I don’t quite follow, sir…erhm…Albus,” she answered, folding her arms in front of her as Severus was wont to do. “My apprenticeship is only terminated when Professor Snape has assessed my final project, and he’s in no condition to…”

“My dear Hermione,” began Dumbledore with a raised eyebrow at her Snapesque gesture. “You would want a job when your apprenticeship ends. And since Professor Vector has departed, you would be ideal for the arithmancy position. Your position, Arithmancy Mistress, would be effective with the commencement of the new academic year.”

Hermione considered the offer and could barely suppress a joyous grin. “I’d like that very much,” she chirped as she crooked a finger reminiscent of Severus, summoning a lemon drop to her hand. “I’ll have that lemon drop now if you don’t mind.”

“Did he teach you that?” Dumbledore enquired, peering at her over his half-moon spectacles.

“Actually,” her voice faltered as she mentally steadied herself. “Actually, he did not. Professor Snape’s injunctions to me were always to watch and learn. It was the little gestures that mattered because they often went unnoticed amidst foolish wand waving. He also taught that what is unsaid or omitted is more important than what is put before one. It’s true…” she added on a faraway, self-reflective voice. “The simplest things often are ignored or unnoticed because we tend to think in an overtly complicated manner. He made that apparent in all his potions classes. He’s a good teacher.”

Dumbledore eyed her intently and with a knowing smile asked, “And how are your experiments coming along?”

“Oh!” she cried, starting out of her reverie. “My own work should yield results; the calculations prove it and with any luck, we would be able to cure Remus. But I’ve been remiss in that responsibility, I’ve been preoccupied with a cure for Severus that I’ve…Professor Snape, I mean… I’m sorry…My priorities…”

“Are quite right as always, my dear,” interjected Dumbledore, indulgently smiling at the stammering young lady. “I’ll leave you to work then,” he glanced meaningfully at the papers on the desk. “Now that I’ve seen your reaction, I think I can take these old bones and surprise Minerva.”

Hermione couldn’t help laughing at the Headmaster and his ability to be young at heart. “I’ll apprise you of my progress when I deem fit, sir,” she laughed with his twinkling eyes. “Oh, your lemon drops.”

“No dear, keep them, you have more on your plate than I do and you need to keep your blood sugar levels up.” And with that, he walked out of Severus’s office.

Hermione smiled at herself, pleased that there was hope for Severus. If Dumbledore could make a full recovery, so could Severus. Having an incentive to work harder, she seized her notes with renewed vigour. To her surprise, her eyes met with Severus’s penmanship.

“He forgot the asphodel powder,” she muttered, “Or did he want me to discover it for myself? No matter, even if it takes a month to brew like polyjuice, it would be worth it.” Straightening herself, she proceeded to begin her work over the cauldron.