Chapter Eight: No more may gulls cry at their ears

Note: AU. Not DH-compliant.

Chapter Eight: No more may gulls cry at their ears

February 1998

At lunch, Hermione had given him the signal that she had to meet him that day, and so immediately after his last class, Severus left the dungeons and made his way to the Headmistress's Office. It had been determined that that was one location where either of them could be seen approaching or leaving without anyone becoming suspicious. Hermione was still a prefect...many had been surprised that she hadn't been made Head Girl, but she had expressed great relief, being unable to imagine how she could have done that in addition to everything else she was doing...and so it was a simple thing for her to say that she had Hogwarts business with the Headmistress, who was also her former Head of House. Severus, as Deputy, came and went from the Headmistress's Tower all of the time.

Minerva had provided Hermione with a special password that allowed her to access the Headmistress's Library, and that was where she and Snape met. There were no portraits in the library, and other than the staff, very few people were even aware of its existence. Once, Hermione had had to stay hidden in the library when the Headmistress had a meeting, but otherwise, the arrangement had worked out well. Dilys had been enlisted to notify Minerva each time that Hermione used the library whenever the Headmistress wasn't present, so that if anyone asked Minerva, she would be ready with confirmation that Hermione had met with her or had done some task for her in her office. So far, no one had noticed and no one had asked.

They always met during the day or in the evening, and never after curfew, which had been Hermione's first thought when Severus told her that Minerva had asked that he work with her more closely and begin meeting with her regularly.

"No, Miss Granger. It is far more suspicious when people are seen out in the dead of night, as attractive as that may seem to the amateur. Much better to do it openly...or apparently openly...when both of us have good reason to be out and about. The Headmistress has suggested we use her library," Severus explained, trying to ignore Hermione's bright eyes at the mention of a library, "as either of us might have a plausible excuse to visit her in her office, and you may also find some resources in her library that you would not find elsewhere...she does request, however, that you do not touch any of the shelved books unless either she or I, or, um, Professor Crouch, is present. Some might be dangerous. If there are any that she believes will be helpful to you, she will leave them for you on the table by the door, and you may look at those freely."

Since that conversation in January, they had met a half dozen times, approximately once a week, and always at a time prearranged at the previous meeting. This was the first occasion that Hermione had used the signal that they arranged...she deliberately spilled her milk at lunch, breaking her glass, said something about not crying over spilt milk, then banished the entire mess. Given that Hermione usually drank either apple juice or pumpkin juice, Severus had immediately noticed when she had taken the milk instead, and he knew to watch for the signal.

He only waited ten minutes in the library before Hermione joined him there.

As soon as she'd closed the door behind her, Hermione said, "The Gringotts break-in on Friday was them."

Severus ignored her grammar. "Lovely...don't they realise they could have been killed?"

"That's where we determined the Cup was being kept. I didn't know they were going to do it until they did, but when I saw it in the Prophet, I knew it was them. I received a coded and Charmed message from them with the morning owls, confirming it." She sighed. "Now they have two of those things hidden in the attic at Grimmauld Place. No wonder no one from the Order spends any time there. Luna said the closer you are to it, the more depressed and morose you become. Now that there are two of them there, they've taken to sleeping downstairs in the kitchen to be as far from the attic as possible."

"I will inform the Headmistress about the Cup, then."

"That wasn't why I wanted to see you, though. We need to find a way to destroy them. Harry destroyed the diary with the basilisk fang, and Professor Dumbledore told him he used the sword on the ring, because it was impregnated with the basilisk that Harry killed with it. I think that using the sword again is the only way they are going to manage it. There may be other ways, but that has been proven to work before, and I would assume that it would work on the others, as well."

"That is a reasonable assumption," Severus said with a nod.

"The trouble is, the ring was cursed," Hermione continued. "Dumbledore told Harry that he had made a colossal blunder in not checking the ring for other curses, assuming that all of the Dark Magic around it was because it was a Horcrux. Of course, then after Dumbledore died, Harry became convinced that the ring contained one of those Hallows." Hermione shook her head, rolling her eyes. "I still don't know that he is completely convinced by my arguments, but fortunately, he believes that he has one of them, since Professor Crouch fetched his Invisibility Cloak from his trunk for him this summer, and he believes that the other two are safely tucked away in the Headmaster's tomb for now, so he has returned to focussing on the Horcruxes."

"The Gryffindor sword is an easy enough proposition," Severus responded, trying not to think of either the dead Headmaster or of the punishment he received when the Dark Lord learned that Potter had been moved early by the Order and Snape hadn't been told. "I cannot fetch it for you, as I am not a member of your House, but I can bring you the Hat. Minerva tells me the Hat serves as a sort of sheath for the thing. I wouldn't be able to draw it out, but a true Gryffindor can at need."

"The biggest obstacle is the possibility of curses," Hermione explained. "I know that I am not untalented, but my experience with the Dark Arts is limited." She took a deep breath. "You are the only person I know whom I would trust to check them for curses. I considered Professor Crouch, as he is close to the Headmistress and a member of the Order, as well as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, but I would be much more confident of your ability and your trustworthiness...not to say anything negative about Professor Crouch, of course. But," Hermione continued, looking a little uncomfortable, "I think you are also uniquely qualified."

Severus looked at her impassively. "Because I am a Death Eater."

"Because you were a Death Eater. And because you have knowledge of the Dark Arts and of, um, of him that someone like Professor Crouch doesn't have."

"How do you know he's not a Death Eater too?" Severus asked impulsively.

Hermione looked shocked at the suggestion, then she said, "First, because he's so close to the Headmistress...though, of course, that isn't definitive...but also, he often wears loose robes and when he demonstrates spells, sometimes his sleeves fall back, both of them. He doesn't have the Mark."

Severus smirked. "So it occurred to you. You looked."

"Actually, until you asked, no, it hadn't occurred to me," Hermione replied. "I just remember, now that you mention it, that I have seen his left forearm, and it's bare."

Severus ignored this, though he felt slightly betrayed. "So you want me to see if there are any dangers associated with the locket and the Hufflepuff Cup other than those posed by the fact that they are Horcruxes." He paused, thinking about it. "I will do it. I will inform the Headmistress. I do not know if she will approve, but I will do it. There is some danger that the fact that I bear the Mark will . . . have some effect on the Horcruxes themselves, or on me, but there is no way of knowing that until we do it. I believe we should begin with the locket, as that seems most likely to have been cursed."

Hermione shook her head. "It's ironic that it was in the house all that time . . . well, except when Mundungus had it for those months during our fifth year."

"That man is a fool and a danger to the Order," Snape said venomously. "He isn't even evil...just a selfish, venal, lukewarm weakling."

"He has been useful, I am sure," Hermione said, although she agreed with Snape's estimation of his character. "I think that a lot of the information that Harry and Ron get comes from him, although they are smart enough not to meet with him at Grimmauld Place. At least Mundungus had the sense to realise there was something wrong with it and eventually return it and not try to pawn it off on someone else."

"Probably too afraid of what the consequences would be for himself," Severus said with a snort. "I am curious, though . . . how did you find out where he had put it?" It had finally been found at the back of a high, dark cupboard in the kitchen, well above anyone's head, so no one ever looked in it and only Summoned things from it.

"That was Harry. You know that he found out about the locket from Kreacher in September just before he and the others left the school, but they couldn't find it in Kreacher's, um . . . den," Hermioned explained. "We all immediately thought of Mundungus. We assumed he had already sold it, in fact. At first, he denied ever having it or knowing what they were talking about. Then Harry drew him aside, asked him to remember James and Lily and to know that if we didn't find it, it would go badly for everyone, including for himself. I don't know what else he said, but when they were done talking, Mundungus left, and Luna said it looked as though he was crying. Not that I think that Luna is a particularly reliable observer, but something Harry said persuaded him. Of course, he was in his cups, as they say. Harry and the others moved it to the attic immediately. Other than Lupin or Tonks, who come feed Buckbeak every day...or did until Harry started to...no one else goes into the attic, and Buckbeak serves as a sort of guard."

"All right. So we will arrange for me to test the objects and break any curses on them. This weekend, I think. I will need to have you with me. Someone will need to keep watch in case anyone comes to the house, or if anything goes awry. Not that I anticipate any problems, but if something does happen . . . you should get Professor McGonagall. Or," Severus said reluctantly, "Professor Crouch."

Hermione nodded.

"Have you come any closer to identifying the next one?" Severus asked.

"As I mentioned the last time we met, I think one is the diadem. That leaves only two. I believe we are all agreed that one of them is likely Nagini, as foolish as that seems. But the last Horcrux . . ." Hermione shook her head. "I don't know what that is, although . . . although I do have a fear about it."

"What is that fear?" He wondered whether she had come to the same conclusion that Dumbledore had. When Minerva had talked to him about the Horcruxes in January after he had arranged to begin meeting with Hermione, and informed him of what Dumbledore believed to be the final one, Severus had fought the urge to laugh hysterically at the irony of it, an irony that seemed to encompass his own life and all he had done to try to protect Harry for six miserable years.

"I would rather not say until I am more sure," she replied hesitantly.

"Saying it won't make it so, Hermione," Severus said gently. "What do you fear?"

"That it's Harry," Hermione said in a whisper. "That it happened when Voldemort couldn't kill him as a baby. And I don't know how to destroy that Horcrux without . . . without . . ."

"Without destroying Harry himself?" Snape asked softly, for once using the boy's first name, sensitive to Hermione's feelings. When Hermione nodded, he said, "Minerva told me that Albus believed it likely, too."

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Hermione asked, her voice strained.

"Think about it, Hermione: why might I not want to tell you such a thing...especially as you would eventually come to that conclusion, anyway."

Hermione raised her eyes to meet his and was suddenly struck breathless by the uncommon warmth in them. Severus averted his own gaze.

"There was no point in telling you something like that when you would discover it on your own," Severus said softly. "And Harry will eventually realise it, too, though it's possible he does already, on some level. But it does help explain so much...particularly the failed Occlumency lessons and why the Dark Lord had such an easy time entering his mind. And obviously, that is one Horcrux we will not try to destroy. Dumbledore assured Minerva that the problem would resolve itself, that something the Dark Lord himself had done ensured it. But I don't know what that might be, or I would tell you."

Hermione regained her power of speech. "I see, and I won't tell Harry that he might be the final Horcrux, either . . . at least not unless it becomes necessary. But I do want to think about the consequences for him...I have been telling Harry that we need to research the ritual that Vo– the Dark Lord performed in the graveyard. Whether they are connected because Harry is a, um, a Horcrux, or not, they are certainly connected because of that ritual. I think that must be important. There is a physical connection between them as well as a . . . a spiritual one, for want of a better word."

"Of course!" Severus suddenly saw what Hermione was saying. "Yes, that would be why Dumbledore said that the Dark Lord had done something himself . . . there must be something there, something about taking some of Potter into himself . . . of course. Once we are done with the locket and the Cup, we can work on that problem together. "

"But there is still the problem of the diadem," Hermione reminded him.

"Bring Lovegood back. Sneak her in. The Grey Lady clearly knows more about it. She may speak with Lovegood, since she is a Ravenclaw...well done, by the way, Hermione, in determining what the next object likely is," Severus said.

Hermione smiled happily. Not just an "adequate," but a "well done"; she thought her face would split, she was so happy. "We still aren't certain. We won't be until we actually find it."

"Dumbledore seemed to think that one of the objects would be here at Hogwarts," Severus said. "I am not sure why he came to that conclusion, and the Headmistress didn't say. But if he was correct, it may actually be very nearby."

"Perhaps it's in the Chamber of Secrets," Hermione speculated. "Vo– er, he opened it, we know that. With some effort, we might be able to get back in and search there. If we could open the entrance. But I don't know any Parseltongues other than Harry, do you?"

Severus twitched a smile. "I know one other, but I doubt you would like me to ask him if he could lend us his assistance."

Hermione smiled at his attempt at humour. "No, that would be rather unwise! But perhaps Harry could just teach me enough that I could say the words. If I can convince him that it's important, he might do that."

"We will see. For now, we will take care of the other two objects. I trust you are not sharing with Potter and his friends my participation in your activities."

"No, I will just say that it's an anonymous member of the Order who will do it. That Professor McGonagall wants him...or her...to remain unknown for security purposes."

Severus nodded. "That will do. But I would only inform them after the fact, nonetheless."

"That's a good idea. Can you talk to Professor McGonagall and Mr Weasley to make sure that nothing is scheduled on Saturday? I will go ahead of you and make sure that Harry, Ron, and Luna are all gone from the house. They spend very little time there, as it is, so we will probably have the house to ourselves." Hermione blushed, though she couldn't say why.

"I am meeting with the Headmistress after dinner. I will talk to her then, tell her what we have planned. She will no doubt communicate with Arthur."

Hermione looked at him speculatively. "Can I ask you something, sir? Something . . . personal?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, but said, "One may ask without expecting an answer, Miss Granger. And you may ask."

"It is just . . . what happened between you and Professor McGonagall? I don't mean that September, with the spell, but after," she said with a slight blush. "You seemed to be getting on fine for a while, despite all that, and then after Christmas . . . it just seemed, I don't know, strained."

Severus looked away.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Hermione said with a blush. "I oughtn't have asked. And I'm probably wrong. But she . . . she seemed a friend."

"Yes," Severus said softly. "She did seem a friend. She was a friend, and a good one. And I suppose she still is, in some sense. But friends have fallings out, as I am sure you know."

"I am sorry. That must be difficult for you," Hermione said sympathetically, thinking of how few true friends he must have.

Severus shrugged. "I get on quite well as I am."

"Of course you do." Hermione thought for a moment. "Did it have something to do with Professor Crouch? I know that he arrived at Hogwarts sometime after Christmas, and they seem very good friends."

"That did not help matters," Severus said honestly, "but that was not it. I was the bearer of bad news, one might say, and you know what happens to them. But do not blame the Headmistress, Hermione. It was my doing, all of it." He took a deep breath and let it out. "Dinner will be served soon. You go on ahead. I will come along later."

"What time, though, Professor? What time on Saturday, I mean?"

"Morning. Ten o'clock. You should arrive Disillusioned, and do look around you before you open the door. I understand that Moody has taken to lurking about outside Grimmauld Place. Seems to believe I will lead a band of Death Eaters to ambush members of the Order as they come and go." Severus quirked a smile. "Despite his paranoia, Moody has better strategic thinking than the Dark Lord. He has never once asked me to lead him or anyone else to a place where we might ambush any of the more important Order members as they arrived for or left the meetings. Yet I could easily bring others to the little square across the way without breaking the Fidelius. I have had to . . . to arrange other ambushes for him, but only ones that were coincidentally bound to fail, most of them, anyway. The Dark Lord doesn't like that, and he takes his displeasure out on me, but we generally are able to protect the targets without it seeming suspicious."

"You said, 'most of them'...does that mean . . ."

"Yes, it means that I have had to arrange ambushes or attacks that were successful. Only two, and they..." Severus swallowed. "...they were successes despite my efforts." He looked directly at Hermione and said softly, "You see, Hermione, I am a Death Eater."

"No," Hermione said with a shake of her head, "that is to be expected of spies in war. I couldn't do it. Most people couldn't. You are very brave. And what you must suffer...it must be like deliberately putting your hand in flame every time that you find yourself having to do something like that. I can't imagine how you do it."

"Has it not occurred to you that perhaps I enjoy the flame, or that I have no sensation left, that I cannot feel the fire?" Severus asked cynically.

"No. No, that has not occurred to me." She looked into his eyes. "I am certain you do feel it, and that you bear it. You may accept it on some level, but I doubt you enjoy it or find any satisfaction in it. The things you must have to see and do . . . it would give me nightmares just to hear of it, I'm sure."

"I have no doubt it would. And I don't bear it." Severus shook his head. He had no idea why he was saying any of this, except that since Albus had died the previous March, he hadn't spoken with anyone about it, not even Minerva, really, wanting to spare her something.

"You must bear it," Hermione said, puzzled. "How else could you continue? Continue doing anything at all, even getting up in the morning?"

Severus looked at Hermione. Such sweetness there, and such innocence, though she wasn't naive, and he felt suddenly torn between laughter and tears. "I get up in the morning because I know that there will come a day when I won't have to any longer. It is destroying me only slowly, from within...rather like woodworm. But before I crumble completely into dust, something else will destroy me. I know that. Until then, I get up and do what I can to make amends for . . . for everything." He swallowed hard. "You will miss dinner unless you leave now, Miss Granger."

Hermione stood, then hesitated.

"Go on, Miss Granger. To dinner," Severus said softly.

She nodded and left, closing the door behind her with a quiet click. Severus put his head in his hands and sat there for a long time, finally rising when he judged it time for his meeting with another Gryffindor witch, one who knew too well the sorts of things he had seen and done.

Severus and Hermione's outing to Grimmauld Place was successful and without any significant event. Initially, being in the presence of the Horcruxes affected Snape to such a degree that he vomited, fortunately making it to the loo before he lost his breakfast, but he was able to determine that neither the locket nor the Cup had any additional curses on them with no other untoward effects.

Afterward, sitting in the kitchen with Hermione, where she had not only made him tea but produced several sandwiches that she had brought with her from Hogwarts, Severus felt uncommonly relaxed. He never relaxed at Grimmauld Place...he rarely relaxed at all, but certainly not there...and he put it down to the relief of leaving the attic and the Horcruxes. Looking across the table at Hermione, the thought briefly flitted through his mind that perhaps her presence had something to do with it, as well, but he dismissed the thought.

"I do not know if this is a good idea, Miss Granger," he said, though he reached out and took a sandwich. Roast beef with horseradish. One of his favourites.

"They are gone all weekend. They asked me not to tell Professor McGonagall, but they have all gone off to Albania." Hermione took a bite of her chicken and pesto sandwich.

Severus stopped with the sandwich halfway to his mouth. "Albania? Are they all mad?"

"You know that I took your advice and smuggled Luna into the castle on Thursday night using one of the tunnels. The Grey Lady told her that she'd brought the diadem to Albania," Hermione said. "I tried to tell Luna that it was highly unlikely that it was still in Albania, that it was probably the item that Professor Dumbledore thought had been hidden at Hogwarts, but she wanted to know how I knew that...rather big error on my part, forgetting they didn't know that bit of information, or if Harry does, he hasn't shared it with any of them...and I had to say that Professor McGonagall told me. So after that, the conversation flitted from one tangent to another, and I couldn't get back to my original point with her before she had to leave." Hermione frowned slightly. "She has a tendency to do that. But I received an owl from them yesterday from Luna, and she said they were all off for Albania today."

"How are they getting there? And back?"

Hermione shrugged. "I haven't a clue. Possibly having Fred and George help them, or Mundungus. They seem to be the ones they are in contact with most frequently. Possibly illegal Portkey."

Severus put his sandwich down. "What concerns me is that they may be caught returning to the country. The Ministry has tightened its magical border security. They have all kinds of new detection systems in place. The fools."

"We can't do anything about it now," Hermione said. "I have to assume that they have thought of this." She sighed. "Luna did mention the Hallows again, though, which irritated me. I think she's the only one who is still completely convinced it's not a hoax. Probably because of the thorough job Professor Dumbledore did with the memory charms on her father." Hermione took another bite of her sandwich.

"I suppose there's nothing to be done, then." He picked up his roast beef sandwich again, and he was just about to take a bite when they heard the front door slam, followed by the screeching of the Black portrait. From the sound of the other voices, it appeared that the three hadn't made it to Albania, after all, and none of them sounded happy.

"Stay here...I'll distract them, and you can leave," Hermione said, standing. "Take your sandwich with you and leave the others."

He waited until he heard them go upstairs, Ron clumping up them like a Hippogriff in hobnail boots, and then Severus left to stand across the road, watch the house, and wait for Hermione to leave for Hogwarts. He felt unaccountably disappointed with the day, despite the successful tests on the locket and on the Hufflepuff Cup. Later in his office, as he unwrapped his sandwich from its white linen napkin, he realised that it had seemed much more appetising in Hermione's company. But there was no point in thinking about that at all, and he ate the sandwich that she had brought for him. It would have been nice to have had a quiet lunch with her, but a quiet lunch on his own . . . that was better, he told himself. Much better.

The following Saturday morning, Severus had the first opportunity for a private talk with Hermione since leaving Grimmauld Place. Apparently the Weasley twins hadn't been able to procure "the transport," as they called it, and the trip to Albania was off indefinitely. She thought it was likely off permanently, though they hadn't admitted it. They were glad of the sandwiches, which Hermione said she'd brought hoping to catch them before they left, and they hadn't questioned her about it.

"I have the Sorting Hat for you," Severus said, gesturing at a canvas bag. "I do assume you will be meeting them today, as it's a Hogsmeade weekend. If you aren't, it will have to wait. I don't want to have the Hat missing for long, and it wouldn't do to have someone discover you with it, either, as unlikely as that may seem."

"Yes, I'm going this morning at ten o'clock. I'll be Disapparating from the edge of the village." She smiled at him. "I assume my guardian angel will be watching over me."

Severus nodded. "I will follow on." He hesitated. "I wish I could be there when they use the sword on those things. There could be danger, despite the lack of any other curses on the objects. Dumbledore said the bit of . . . him seemed to evaporate once it escaped, but he said that the curse activated at the same moment, so his observation might not be accurate. And for all we know, the ring wasn't cursed as the Headmaster believed, and the mere act of destroying a Horcrux caused the devastation to his hand. I would recommend, therefore, that whoever wields the sword does not use their wand-hand. I also recommend against it being Potter, but I doubt that he will miss the opportunity to be a hero. We need him alive and whole. I do hope, however, that you stay well away from it, Miss Granger. Someone with a clear head should remain safe in case there is an untoward event. You are the most clear-thinking individual among them."

"We will exercise care, I promise, Professor." Hermione smiled, pleased with his compliment and his scarcely veiled concern for her welfare.

"Meet me here this evening after dinner," Severus instructed. "You can return the Sorting Hat to me and tell me how the operation went."

"You did tell the Headmistress, didn't you...that we were taking the Hat?"

"You are questioning me, Miss Granger?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, of course not," Hermione said hastily. "But if somehow it is discovered in my possession, or if she notices it's missing . . ."

"She is aware, yes. Unhappy about it, I believe, but in agreement that it is necessary," Severus replied.

Hermione nodded. "I'm not particularly happy walking around with something as old and important as the Sorting Hat, myself. Speaking of ancient artifacts and such, I talked to Harry about learning how to say 'open up' in Parseltongue so that I can look for the diadem in the Chamber of Secrets. He wasn't enthusiastic about it, but he is going to try to teach me today. But even if he does, getting to the Chamber might be more difficult than it was. There was quite a large collapse in the tunnels. The only reason they were able to get out easily was that Fawkes was there." Hermione took a deep breath. "Would you come with me, sir? I know there's a danger of our being caught, and being together would be suspicious, but we might be able to . . . to create some kind of diversion so that there won't be anyone there to see. Myrtle, of course, is a bit of a problem, too, but if I insult her badly enough, she'll get upset and leave."

"I do not relish the prospect of your entering the Chamber on your own, even with the basilisk no longer there. It is possible that Slytherin set other traps." Severus thought for a moment. "I would normally recommend that you choose someone else to accompany you, someone from your little 'Army,'" he said, twitching a smile, "but it is better for you to have a Slytherin with you, and someone with more experience. Yes, I will go with you. But this is one occasion when I think that my usual caveats about meeting during the day do not apply. I think this expedition would be better undertaken at night, very late. We will go together. We can discuss it when you return."

"He's asked that I fetch the basilisk fangs, as well, if I can get in. He believes they may be useful to destroy the other Horcruxes when we find them."

"What will he think when you bring him the Sorting Hat today?" Severus asked.

"I will tell him that I asked Professor McGonagall directly, of course," Hermione responded. "I certainly could have; she used to be the one I went to. Harry never liked it, of course, but he'll be happy about the Hat. And Ron will be glad to see me again, for once."

At Snape's questioning look, she explained, "He had a minor Splinching accident when trying to get away from Gringotts. Well, not particularly minor, actually. Luna has tried to treat it, but her notions are peculiar at the best of times, and he seems to be in a great deal of discomfort. The others aren't very sympathetic...which surprises me, particularly coming from Luna, as I had the impression that she . . . doted on him." Hermione made a face, thinking of the way Luna normally hung off of Ron. "I'm bringing him some potion I brewed last night that should help. I wanted to ask you about it, actually, but I didn't want to bother you with an extra meeting for something like that."

"I would not have minded," Severus heard himself say, somewhat to his own surprise. "It is Potions-related, after all. And Order business, as well."

Hermione graced him with one of her brilliant smiles that brought him a peculiar sense of well-being. It was a short-lived and curious sensation, but he found himself not questioning it. They were co-conspirators, after all, the two of them, and Severus twitched a slight smile at the memory of her first cheeky wink. He hadn't been himself at the time, of course, and had been fairly miserable, as well, but her wink had cheered him as much as her Cheering Charm had, perhaps more. As Hermione had said at the time, she was better at nonverbal jinxes than nonverbal Cheering Charms.

Severus was struck again by the fact that Minerva had made him Hermione's new primary contact. Minerva did trust him, he supposed, though he still had the sense that there was something going on that she hadn't shared with him, and that it involved Crouch. The wizard was still annoyingly friendly to him and, equally annoyingly, almost always with the Headmistress, usually standing just behind her; even when they were walking together, he always seemed just a step or two behind, as though he truly were her shadow. It was bizarre, to Snape's mind.

It didn't help his feelings about it that he had come into the staff room late one afternoon to see the two standing together, looking out the window, and Minerva leaned back against Crouch and took his arms and pulled them around her, holding them to her. When they heard him come in and close the door behind him, Crouch had begun to step back, but Minerva, seeing that it was Severus who had entered, had held onto one of Crouch's hands, not letting him go far, though he remained behind her. It seemed to Severus that Crouch had actually appeared more uncomfortable in that moment than did Minerva, who seemed wholly unbothered by having her Deputy find her in an embrace with one of her staff members. Not that they had been doing anything improper; they had only been standing there, but Severus could not imagine anyone else embracing the Headmistress in that manner. When Filius and Pomona had entered the room, Minerva had let go of Crouch's hand, but he had stayed behind her, standing in her shadow, as always.

Severus nodded to Hermione, letting her leave the library and office first, as usual. He would, also as usual, follow her to Grimmauld place, wait outside for her, then follow her back to Hogwarts. They would meet again in the Headmistress's Library that evening, and, again as usual, he would ask her about the Horcruxes and about the welfare of the threesome...not that he particularly cared, as long as they didn't get themselves killed, particularly Potter, but Minerva always asked...and then they would make arrangements to meet again. It was all routine and somewhat dull, in a strange way, but Severus was looking forward to it. Perhaps he would not disappoint this Gryffindor witch, after all, even if he didn't live to see the end of the war; perhaps there would be one person who would remember more than just his misdeeds once he was dead.

Severus rose and left the library, ready to follow a Gryffindor witch and ensure her safety.