Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognizable. I do own the new characters I decided to throw in though.
AN: Warning! A few curse words or borderline curse words within this chapter.
I am having formatting issues. FF won't let me put more than a single space in between paragraphs. I am trying to fix this by using page break lines. I use giant spaces to denote time or scene changes (you will understand quickly in this chapter) so it's crucial i find a way to fix this. Please forgive me as I try to work around this setback.
Also: I apologize but it might be a while before I am posting with regularity. I was so pumped to get going on this again but then...As if my life isn't complicated enough, we have the new baby, still dealing with the another lost pregnancy, and now...We had a death in the family that is going to be directly affecting us for quite some time. It's now been a week and a half and I swear nothing feels normal and it's hard to feel like we will ever be happy again. A lot will be changing for our family in probably a very short period of time. Please bear with me. As I have said before, even if it takes me 10 years, I plan to see this story through to the end.
"All around me are familiar faces, / Worn out places, / worn out faces. /Bright and early for their daily races, / going nowhere, going nowhere ..." - Mad World by Gary Jules.
The rest of the week went by in near silence for the two occupants of the Potions Dungeons. Every morning Hermione would report to the lab and read whatever instructions Master Snape had left for her, then go about her work. In the few rare moments, mostly meals, that they were forced to coexist, they made polite, superficial conversation.
Saturday came with relief for both of them. Severus was just finishing the morning post when Mila came stumbling sleepily into the study to retrieve her mail.
"Apprentice Granger," Snape murmured gently. She looked up at him warily, a pile of correspondence in her hand. "Your work this week has been admirable. Today and tomorrow you may take the days off. I will be out of the castle today, so should you have need of anything, call for Felix, he'll know where to find me." She simply nodded before tottering back to her chambers.
Severus quietly gathered his things and left via the fireplace in his chambers. The moment she felt the wards tug as he left, Hermione opened the door and peered around. Not seeing nor sensing a soul, she grinned and called for Mouse.
"Mouse, love, we are having lots of people over for tea this afternoon. If I give you the list, can you have it all organized for roughly one o'clock?" The little elf nodded and, upon accepting a small piece of parchment from her mistress, set out to ready everything.
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Upon his arrival at Malfoy Manor, Severus was greeted by the senior most elf, Bippy.
"Master Severus, the master is awaiting your presence in the study," Bippy stated respectfully as she led him through the halls. Not that Severus needed the help to find the study; the Manor was nearly a second home to him. "The Master was finishing a very important floo call and apologized for not being there to greet you himself." Severus nodded vaguely, instead contemplating the improvement in Bippy's speech in the last few months. She had only just started her schooling in June.
Severus' first steps in enacting some of the regulations that Ms. Granger had come up with was to get Lucius on board. Now, with his financial backing and political pull, there were laws to improve and maintain proper Elfish Welfare. Any elves wishing to be educated in order to better serve their house were to be allowed to do so. Any evidence of elf abuse and the family would be fined 1,000 galleons, their elves re-homed – no new elves for 5 years. There were even re-homing committees, schools and an 'adoption' center for displaced elves.
Though many of the younger elves in households across Britain had taken to the changes right away, some of the senior elves had to be persuaded and were only coming around to the changes within the last year or so. Bippy (at 605 seasons old) among them. And even she was not all that old. House-elves these days could live to 1,000 seasons – 250years.
As he entered Lucius' study, the man in the floo was just finishing.
"I'll bring them by for your signature later in the week, Mr. Malfoy."
"Thank you Mr. Bellisle." And with that, the flaming floating head was gone. "Ah, Severus, welcome back old friend!" Lucius handed him a decanter of brandy as they sat. "How have you been chap?"
"My health is as good as ever, Lucius. How have things been here?" Lucius grimaced as he sipped his own drink, trying to maintain nonchalance.
"Oh, well, you know," He sighed and gave up the act. "To be honest, I am bored out of my mind Severus!" He let out a dark chuckle. "I miss the Company and working in general. Oh, I realize the Company is in good hands with Draco running it. I just, simply put, miss it. The occupation of my time has become something of a challenge."
Severus nodded his understanding. While recovering in St. Mungo's after the Battle of Hogwarts, he had been so bored, so lacking in anything to occupy his mind, he gladly would have talked with anyone, even Umbridge (well, okay, maybe not Umbridge), just to ease the tedium. As an elf brought in the finger sandwiches – a prelude to their luncheon – each man pondered his time spent in near isolation.
"So I understand you have taken on an apprentice," Lucius raised an eyebrow over his brandy. Severus let out a long suffering sigh.
"Oh yes, but believe me it was under force, under duress, even. I was told the ministry would start meddling soon if I did not. In order to keep my peaceful life as close to such as I could, I figured I would take care of it before they imposed a list of stipulations and guidelines. Do the damnable deed on my terms, instead of theirs, so to speak."
After a moment of contemplative silence, Lucius suddenly burst forth with,"Well?! Out with it man! Who did you select?"
Eyeing his friend bemusedly, Severus explained his selection process. It wasn't until Lucius waved his hands in a "go-on or die" motion that Severus finally gave in and murmured, "It turned out to be Hermione Granger."
" ? Really? That's bloody fantastic!" Lucius' excitement baffled Severus, though he kept his impassive mask in place and merely quirked a brow at his oldest friend. "She really is an engaging and brilliant young witch, isn't she? Then again, you already knew that – having taught the chit for several years."
"You think she's brilliant?" Severus gazed fixedly at his friend of 30 years incomplete and utter astonishment. He let his eyes widen and his lips purse, no longer trying to conceal his shock.
"Oh come now Severus," Lucius waved at him in a scolding fashion,"Times have changed. Also remember – she vouched for my household and thereby saved my entire family from the Dementor's Kiss. I owe her three life debts." Taking a sip of his brandy and then refreshing his glass and Severus', Lucius eyed the dour man carefully. "In an effort to begin fulfilling those life debts, my first step was to aid her in getting some of her more genius ideas and creations patented. She has officially created – and owns the rights, recipes, and monies to –seven spells and twelve potions so far. When you came to me about the elves, it was easy to say yes. Another notch in the list of things I could do for her." Lucius waited, watching for Severus' reaction to the startling news. He was not disappointed.
"What?! How is this possible? How have I not heard about this?!" Severus stood and began pacing. The enigma that was Hermione Granger became more baffling by the day. It seems for every facet of her he thought he had figured out, another new one presented itself – each with more delicate details than the last. Would he never understand the woman now sharing his Hogwarts residence?
"She wanted it kept relatively quiet, at least until everything went through. She had had enough of the limelight already, being friends with Potter and being one of the Golden Trio," Lucius scoffed at this. The ridiculous moniker had always irked him. It was one of the surprising bonding moments between Ms. Granger and himself.
Flashback
They had been in the library for a few hours already, discussing the latest patent application. Bippy had brought them tea and the evening Prophet. The headline, as sensationalized as ever declared:
Golden Trio Spotted in Hog's Head!
It had been only a month of so after Lucius' release to his home. Scoffing at the newspaper he had raised an eyebrow at Ms. Granger and offered her the toe-rag of a publication.
"Here, Ms. Granger. Would you care to read all about yourself in this evening's extravagant print-press?" As she eyed the headline, she had rolled her eyes and gently refused the paper.
Primly and very articulate, she had declared, "I refuse to read anything that awful paper has printed about me or my loved ones, to be honest. Particularly if it uses that absurd pet-name for Harry, Ron and I. And if that, that bug has had anything to do with it, I will burn it by magic before even touching it!"
The vehemence in her voice had surprised Lucius. "I take it you are...not very fond of the appellation?" He had quirked his brow at her, in a very Snape-like fashion, if he did say so himself. Then, as a puzzled look came over his face, he had inquired, "Wait a moment. Bug? May I ask to what or whom you are referring when you say "bug"?" She had blushed in response and proceeded to explain all about Ms. Skeeter and her pesky little pest problem. Lucius had made it a point to strengthen the wards on his house and properties against unfriendly animagi that very same night.
After all that had been explained, Lucius had calmly brought the conversation back to its starting point. "Why does the moniker "The Golden Trio" bother you so?"
had scoffed and accepted his offer of a refill to her small snifter of Elderflower Cordial. "It alludes to the idea that we could and can do no wrong. Like we are some kind of perfect trifecta of wizard- and witch-kind." She had sighed softly, sipped her wine and taken a deep breath before continuing. "You, of all people, know and understand that nobody is perfect. Least of all me. On top of that - Ron has no manners to speak of, so can hardly be considered a perfect role model. Harry himself hates the high regard in which people hold him. He has always wanted to be 'just Harry' with no outside expectations. We all hate that stupid nickname." The sobering tone of her voice had left him a little heart broken. He had swiftly launched into a long-winded apology, again, for his family's actions against her and her friends in the war, She had waved him off good naturedly
"Lucius,you have made up for it every day since Dumbledore's death."
Present day
"Everything was done and is being done through Malfoy Industries." Lucius sipped his drink calmly. "While the copyrights and monies all belong to her, we put everything under our masthead - with her permission of course -to help grant her some anonymity." Lucius stood and retrieved a small file folder from the book shelf behind his desk. He pulled out a small news clipping from The Prophet. "This is all the announcement there was." He handed it to Severus to inspect.
The article was short, only about 50 words;
'MALFOY TEAMS WITH GOLDEN LADY
Lord Malfoy Sr. and none other than Lady Hermione Granger herself (currently studying to be an Arithmancy Mistress) have put their collectively large brains together to further Lady Granger's success. Malfoy Industries has helped Lady Granger patent several new creations for their fellow magic kind.'
And below the article was a comprehensive list of the products she had created. The number of spells was astounding. It was not, contrary to the hopes and beliefs of all newly graduated students, a common ability - the ability to create new spells. It took a very special and powerful type of magical concentration and powerful magics to create new spells that actually worked for the general population. As he came out of his reverie, Severus looked up at Lucius, realizing his aristocratic friend was still talking.
"...Well of course that meant I would open my library to her. She ended up spending quite a bit of time with Draco, Cissa and myself. We got to know the young chit and she really is..."
"A sorceress," Severus interrupted. His face was a strange combination of pale and blotchy. The article was being slowly crushed in his fist. Lucius blinked rapidly - a sure sign he was surprised - and gently set down his glass of brandy.
"I think I must have misheard you, Severus. What was that you said?"
Severus slowly laid the article on Lucius' desk and smoothed it out before turning back to face the pale-headed man. "Exactly what you heard, Luc. Mistress Hermione Granger is a sorceress." With the utterance of such a profoundly life-changing statement, the fight went out of Severus and he sat down, hard, in Lucius' desk chair with a heavy sigh. He selected a blank piece of parchment and a tawny owl feather quill and began to sketch something as Lucius took his turn pacing.
"Are you sure? How can we possibly know for sure? There has not been record of a descendant in, oh, at least 200 years! Is it entirely possible..."
"No, Lucius, I am sure. This is how I know." Severus interrupted his friend to hand him the drawing. With careful precision and long, slow strokes, Severus had sketched out the exact rune he had seen above Hermione's heart.
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Back at the castle, there was quite the luncheon occurring in Hermione's rooms. Eight people, including the young Mistress herself, were crowded around a large round table in the private potion's library. Currently the conversation was utterly benign - mostly catch-up and idle gossip. Mila, for her part, was silent. She sat fingering the lip of her teacup, contemplating how to say what was on her mind.
"Neferia?" The group went silent as Mila addressed the stunningly tall and beautiful Egyptian Ancient Runes Mistress seated across from her. The dark-haired woman laid a gentle tattooed hand on Mila's where it now rested on the table, tea forgotten.
"Yes, Mila?" Neferia probed gently when the youngest of the gathered Masters did not continue.
"Have you had any luck finding out what my rune means?"
Neferia pursed her lips tightly, silent for a moment. "Not as of yet, my little one," She murmured, closing her eyes and letting out a soft but frustrated sigh. When Mila did not immediately respond, the conversation slowly returned around her; albeit more muted and now centering on the problem at hand.
For the last 5 years the people currently camped out in the Potion's suites had all been working together to try and save a very dear friend. It all began in December of 2009. They had already made the connection that the magical surges currently tearing Mila's magical core apart (and the increased power that came with them) had begun directly after she became a fully fledged animagus. The day after she first succeeded in a full transformation, she had her first magical surge. At first only a handful of people knew. Then, when she started her apprenticeship with Magnus, a few more people got in on the secret. Now, 5 years later, they were all still desperately trying to figure out why her magic was trying to explode out of her with regularity. They knew what started it; just not why. They found a way to stabilize her; but not to cure her.
"Neferia- have you checked the animagus registry as I suggested? I still want to know if any others had this happen - ," Selena started up her theories of correlation again. Magnus shook his head.
"Child, I've told you, my Arithmancy shows her transformation to be a trigger, not the cause itself..."
"Could it be a bad reaction to the Mandrake leaf?" Neville interjected.
"We've already checked, but it's a good theory," Cissa sighed fretfully. She had come to care for the gentle muggleborn as the daughter she never had. It absolutely broke her heart to see her friend go through this; to know that she might lose her just a few short years after finding the treasure of her friendship.
"Based off of the combined Arithmancy of several of us, and several other outstanding factors, we believe these magical surges have been building over time. This, of course, suggests that the initial cause has had a delayed onset," Minerva began explaining the latest theories and discoveries to Neville. He had been hunting down some special, hard-to-find plant specimens in Papua New Guinea for the last several months and therefore was out of the loop.
After a few moments of discussion between some of the louder voices of the group, Luna finally spoke up softly, "I think it would be interesting." Once everyone had quieted down and turned their attention to the quietest member of their group, she continued. "I want to know every documented case of like-symptoms occurring. Maybe there is a commonality we can build off of."
"I want to check my bloodline - further back this time," Mila's comment was so quiet, it was nearly missed by the voracious group. Magnus, however, had heard just fine. He sent a gently scolding frown towards his ward.
"Why, Mila? You are Muggleborn - I doubt there is anything in your bloodline to cause this..." Magnus' gruff rebuke was gentle still, but a rebuke nonetheless. It was a long debated topic between Master and his former apprentice. In some small ways, Mila still placed blame on her heritage for many of her worst memories in the wizarding world. Prejudice being what it was in her childhood, and still sometimes was even now, she would sometimes become quite melancholy and declare that she wished she had been born at least a half-blood.
"Sorceress..." Mila whispered to herself, "that's what he called me..." The table went deathly still and silent.
"That's what who called you, Mione?" Luna questioned, though she had a pretty good idea. Luna had never forgotten the way Hermione had always come to his defense. Especially in his trials. Nor had it escaped her notice how often her friend referenced their once-professor in day-to-day life.
Mila finally looked up after a few moments, gazing around the table in consternation. Staring them all down, she took a deep breath and spoke with as much conviction as she could muster. "After catching a glimpse of my rune, Master Snape called me a Sorceress."
Luna seemed to ponder this a moment. Then she hopped out of her chair and over to the book shelves. Holding out her hand, she murmured softly, "Accio Prince Hystories & Blood Lynes." She began flipping through the gigantic tome; when she found whatever it was she had been looking for, she glided back to their table. Biting her lip, a habit she had picked up from Mila, she paused a moment, seeming distracted. "I believe the Magi theory bears further research. I will go back to Lovegood Villa and search my family manor for pertinent tomes." Without another word, she was gone. That was Luna's way - follow the lead of you soul. Do and say only what your soul leads you to.
"Is she always like that?" Neferia asked, having only met the lovely young blonde woman a small handful of times. Neville, staring at the spot from which Luna had disappeared with a slightly crooked smile on his face, murmured,
"Trust your soul - it is the only guide that will never lead you astray."
"Excuse me?" Neferia looked even more confused.
"It is something Luna says frequently. What Neville means is - yes, our slightly eccentric, though often correct, friend often exits like that. She simply does what she feels her soul is telling her to do. She is not one for wasting time, in her mind, so this often is precipitated with no warning or explanation," Cissa, gently chuckling, explained. "And before you even ask, no one has figured out how she can apparate on Hogwarts grounds yet either. Not even Minny." This brought small, gentle smiles to the faces of those in the room who had known Luna the longest. She had always been an odd owl to begin with; as an adult she was baffling.
Shortly after Luna's departure, the luncheon began to break up. Each person bid their farewells; all promising to search their familial tomes and histories for similar occurrences. They would reconvene when new evidence was found to support any one of the myriad of theories they had.
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"...Severus?...Severus?"
Severus looked up from the cool amber liquid in his tumbler. "My friend, the answers you seek are not to be found at the bottom of your whiskey glass." Lucius' smile was sympathetic, if a little condescending. "You are going to have to speak with the chit."
"I know - I just wish legilimens were an acceptable manner of..."
"Severus," The blonde man's tone swiftly gained a note of warning and no small amount of exasperation. "If this is truly the marking you saw -Don't give me that look. Even you can be mistaken sometimes! - if this is truly the marking on her chest, you already know legilimency will not help. Her natural shield would be so strong, it could easily hurt you just for trying and she would never even know what was occurring." Lucius rolled his eyes at Severus' glare. "Oh shove it, Sev, that was not an insult to your talents. You know as well as I just how strong the natural magick of a true Magi is supposed to be. Besides, old friend, from what you have told me -she doesn't know."
Severus scowled. Even though it should ease his mind of her duplicity, the fact that the young witch may not know what she was did not ease his mind at all. If anything it set him more on edge. "None of this explains what she had been brewing in my lab..."
"That I leave up to you to solve, my good sir. Do be careful - she is quite volatile when her privacy is breached," Lucius chuckled and it was Severus' turn to roll his eyes. And yet, he could not help a smile smirk from twisting the corners of his mouth.
"I believe I am already well aware of that fact, thank you Luc." He shouldn't be so surprised at Lucius' probing and pestering. It's what he got for having lunch with a snake.
A moment later a bell-like voice rang through the room. "Darling? I have returned - Oh! Severus! Good afternoon, dear! How are you this afternoon?" Narcissa leaned in to kiss Severus' cheek, having descended upon them so fast neither wizard had had time to stand. Severus stood, albeit belatedly, and kissed her hand.
"Lady Malfoy - Cissa," He corrected at the gentle glare on her delicate features, "A pleasure to see you again, as always. Thank you for allowing me in your home."
Cissa smiled as she moved to her husband's side. Lucius was now standing a swell and gently folded his wife into his embrace. Gently tipping her head back with a single digit, he placed a chaste but loving kiss on her lips and hugged her ever so softly. Severus was one of a very rare few who ever got to see even this much of their private selves. "Welcome home, My Lady. Here for a visit or the remainder of the weekend?" Cissa's answering blush was subtle, but only added to her beauty. She turned back to Severus, still encased in her husband's embrace.
"You are always welcome here, Severus, you know this. It is always a joy and pleasure to see you." A feminine smirk crept across her thin lips. "Even if we do see each other daily at work."
"Ah, yes, well..." Severus cleared his throat and shuffled his feet for a moment. "I must return to the school; I have papers to grade." Severus bid his oldest and dearest friends farewell and made his way to the floo. Just before he spun away, he heard Lucius' deep laughter.
"Ah yes - and a wayward apprentice to check upon." The sound of Narcissa not-so-gently smacking her wizard's shoulder followed Severus through the soot on his trip back to Hogwarts.
Upon arriving back at Hogwarts, Severus was frustrated, though not necessarily surprised, to find that his apprentice had already warded herself into her rooms for the night. Sighing heavily, he made his way to his showers, forcing himself not to investigate the strange feelings of disappointment that had settled in his stomach.
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The next several weeks were incredibly tense and busy for the potions Master and his young apprentice. At first they barely spoke. Severus had a full teaching schedule. Every morning he would compile a list of tasks for his apprentice and gruffly hand it to her during breakfast in the Great Hall. Most of the tasks involved things like brewing back-ups for and replenishing the stocks of the infirmary. This normally was Severus' task, but with his heavy teaching load, he pawned it off on his unwitting apprentice. He often smirked at the idea of stumping her with a larger than average potions list – the beginning of a new term always seemed to herald a remarkable increase in accidents and hiccups. 1st years – what more was there to say?
However, tasks such as these barely phased the young witch. Mila had never had a problem working several brews at once. It was mundane work. And since most of the basic potions were only just beyond NEWT level, she barely had to think about them. The more difficult ones, such as Skele-Gro, she had become overly familiar with during the war. Harry and Ron were complete bollocks at potions so it always fell to her to be the acting MediWitch.
Brewing never bothered her; she didn't even mind harvesting or creating or pickling the ingredients to replenish the stores. Every decent potions Master or Mistress knew that to have properly filled stores, one should always fill them oneself. Lest they end up with shoddy or half finished ingredients. No – it was never the work directly related to potions brewing that got to her. It was the other tasks he sometimes included that often made her sigh. Things like creating syllabi for the first years. Or tedious book work. Though she knew it was required as part of the Mastery, it left her brain a little too unoccupied. Which usually lead to wandering thoughts. Which often lead to bouts of depressive thinking over her condition and the lack of success in researching a cure.
As September faded to October and All Hallow's Eve drew nigh, Severus and Mila fell into a steady compatible rhythm. Severus' frustration and resentment over her deceitful behaviour took a backseat to the brilliance of their minds and the apprenticeship itself. Every morning they'd share breakfast – either in the Great Hall or in their private conjoined study – and read their mail. After discussing any news or necessary topics, Severus would hand over the scroll with the list of the day's tasks. This was usually accomplished with an offer of where he'd be at various points of the day – if she ever needed help. Slowly the days of him gruffly shoving the scroll onto her plate and swiftly departing, robes billowing around him, receded to an almost pleasant camaraderie between them.
Though she usually, and quite sweetly, gave him a "thanks, but no thanks"response to his offers of help, he would find himself checking on her between his classes anyway. Though he told himself he was only making sure she was not brewing that mysterious potion again; a small voice deep in his subconscious whispered that he truly wanted to see the witch succeed. Besides, he had yet to catch her brewing that thrice-damned potion again anyway. There was no reason why it shouldn't be easily forgotten. So, even though the mystery of that blasted potion was slowly driving him barmy, he continued to aid Mila in her quest for a potions Mastery. Damn-it-all if he didn't want to see her standing proud, a beautiful Potions pin clipped to her robes, as she beamed up at him as he named her an accomplished Potions Mistress.
As the, not friendship, per se, but acquaintanceship (this he could allow) rose between them, they often walked to lunch together. Though the staff was given some lee-way as to where they broke their fast and ate their final meal of the day, it was an arbitrary staff rule (it may even have been in the handbook) that all teachers, staff and apprentices were to be in the Great Hall for the noon meal. Severus often used this as an excuse to collect Mila from the lab and walk with her to the Hall. Mila often used this, mentally, as her excuse to spend time with her taciturn Master.
They would walk, he slowing his paces to match hers, side by side, discussing advances in potions, new theories, and, more often than not, Mila's training. She was progressing much quicker than Severus had originally anticipated. Normally a full potions Mastery could (potentially, with an exceptionally bright pupil) be completed in a short 5 years; the average was 7 years. At her current rate of progress, Mila would Master the discipline in 3 years or less.
After lunch was completed (at which Severus would lose Mila's attention to the many other staff members who wished to converse with her) Severus would generally head back to his classroom for the next round of classes and Mila would head back to the lab to complete whatever tasks were left on the list. If she had completed the list, she would motivate herself into restocking Severus' stores and trying to get ahead on some of her dreaded book work. Both of them often found themselves still entrenched in work right up until the dinner hour. Thus, they would arrive in the Great Hall separately – though they often left for their quarters together. Once safely ensconced in the privacy of their suites, they would share a hot cuppa together; along with a platter of their favorite Blueberry Fudge Squares. As their mutual respect for each other grew, the time between finishing the pot of tea and departing to their separate bedrooms for the night lengthened.
On Halloween morning, when Mila exited her rooms into the study, Kai was waiting for her; as was Irsia, Neferia's beautiful white egret. Mila had already gathered her mail and warded herself back into her rooms by the time Severus entered, yawning, into the study. When, after he had finished with his tea, she had still not emerged, Severus had become curious. He gently knocked on her door. "Apprentice Granger – arise, there is plenty to be done today..." No answer. "Granger?" Still no answer. "Hermione?" Severus' tone took on a note of worry. He tried the door and was startled with how strongly it was warded. Sure, they had started out rocky, but he had truly thought they had come to an understanding. She hadn't warded her rooms quite this carefully in weeks. Though they had yet to move beyond a strictly professional, albeit borderline friendly-professional, relationship – he had come to respect ('care,' whispered his subconscious) for the young hard-working chit - Again. "Mila, are you unwell, witch?"
"Just go, Severus. Leave the list, I'll get it done." Her voice seemed to come from the wood door itself.
"Apprentice- "
"GO!" Incredulous, but knowing that tone meant she would not yield, Severus dropped his customary scroll on the floor in front of her door and stalked away, murmuring under his breath the whole way to his rooms.
"Impertinent wench! I am her Master, not her sidekick to command. Not some soft-hearted professor for her to walk all over whenever she wishes! I cannot believe..."
Behind the warded door, curled up by the light of the fireplace, hugging her knees to her chest, Mila let the letter from Neferia drift to the floor. The newly formed tear-stains nearly obscured the short message in Firi's tight scrawl -
Nothing new. Will keep looking.
Stay strong.
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When Severus made it back to their quarters after dinner he immediately checked the lab. Though he had meant to check up on her progress through the day, his 3rd year potions class had kept him busy. Turns out a simple swelling solution was much too complicated for his class; even though they had learned it in first year and this was only a suppose to be review. His first years had not fared much better the next hour and several older Slytherin students had kept him after their double potions class to ask questions. He had been so busy, in fact, he had not made it back to their suites even once all day.
When he entered the lab, having not actually seen Mila all day, he was only slightly surprised to find every task completed; perfectly done, as always.
And still she would not talk to him. He had tried, he really had, to politely ask her to tea that evening. No response. When he had asked through her door again, albeit more gruffly this time around, she had shouted at him to leave her be. Grumbling he had stalked to his rooms and lost himself in Potions Monthly.
The next morning, Severus was at the table eating his breakfast and reading the mail, per usual, when she emerged from her quarters. Though she looked more wan than usual, she had a smile on her face and greeted him politely enough.
"Good Morning, Master. How did you sleep last night?" She helped herself to some of the scones piled in the middle of the table and started sorting her mail. He looked at her, brow artfully raised, and set aside his mail.
"I slept well enough, Apprentice. Are we speaking again then?" His skeptical tone and pinched facial expression were the only tells of his...displeasure. Without looking up from her mail, she shrugged and flipped an unopened envelope into the air, sending it careening for the fireplace.
"I was not aware that we were, er, not speaking?" She glanced at him for a moment, a faint blush on her cheeks. She knew to what he was referring; she just wished not to speak of it. He eyed her curiously; part of him wanted to lambaste her for her behaviour, the rest of him just wanted his peace and quiet back.
'Very well – if that is how she wants to play it. I shall over look the behaviour once; in the interest of a peaceful working relationship, of course.' Severus truly had no wish to fight with the witch; tension betwixt them was high enough as it was.
"I apologize, I must have mistook your solitary day yesterday. I am glad you appear to be feeling well. There is much to be done today." Sneering slightly, he handed her the scroll and was intrigued at the relief on her face that he had not pushed the issue, 'What is she hiding?'
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The days got colder; the nights longer. Whenever Severus, even in jest or passing, brought up that day of solitary confinement, Mila would suddenly become deaf. Severus eventually gave up – his resentment of her seemingly endless secrets growing ever so slightly; even unconsciously.
They slowly fell back into their normal routines once more. Mila began to relax as time passed without him questioning her again and Severus nearly forgot the occurrence entirely. There were far too many other things to be worrying about in a school full of underage witches and wizards; especially since none of them seemed to be able to make it even a week without some kind of potions explosion. As they both became consumed with the individual calls upon their time, and Mila's training of course, their conversations and debates became more frequent and much more friendly.
Severus kept his eye on the witch; that much was guaranteed from the moment he saw that rune. He watched for unusual behaviour or particularly strong displays of magic. So far, she seemed the same as always –still a know-it-all swot. It wasn't until the morning of the 20th of December – the day the students boarded the trains for hols –that Severus got a clue as to her strange behaviour way back in September - though he would not put the pieces together for some time.
He was sitting in the study, drinking his normal morning cup of earl grey, when she stepped out of her rooms carrying a moderately sized duffel. He eyed her questioningly – they had not actually agreed on a plan for her studies over the hols. Yet, somehow, he had figured she would be staying; here, alone in the castle, much like him, For some unknown reason (at least, unknown to him) it greatly bothered him that she had plans; that she would not , in fact, be stuck in the dreary castle, relatively alone. It irked him that he would be alone, while she went off and enjoyed her holidays; without him.
"Heading to the Potters', I take it?" He bit out gruffly, folding the newspaper back up so that he could hide behind it. She stopped fidgeting with the strap, which had had her complete attention until he spoke, and looked over at him. A certain wariness had settled onto her face, though she stuck her chin out a bit in an attempt to hold fast and stand up to the stern potions Master.
"No, actually. While I did receive the standard invitation to Grimmauld Place, I had already accepted one from Magnus – I will be spending Yule with Firi, Lena and him." When the confusion did not lift from his face, she continued, "I am going to Egypt. He is still embroiled in research with Selena and Neferia. We have all been invited to stay at Qalea Sesputi – Neferia's chateau in Alexandria." She eyed him askance, mild indecision, or perhaps confusion, on her face. "You were invited too, you know?" Had he not received the invitation? She vaguely pondered this for a moment. It was both relief and regret that ran through her at the thought of him not accompanying her to Egypt. She returned her gaze to the duffel and continued to fidget with the zipper.
Though he had seen the invitation from a Mistress Sesputi, he had not given it more than a passing glance. He had not immediately recognized the coat of arms and therefore had vaguely written it off as more fanmail. It still made him scowl – he? A war hero? What utter rot and nonsense. Still, there was a small population that, for reasons known only to them, still lauded him for his help in defeating Tom Riddle. As he watched his young apprentice continue to avoid eye contact and fidget, he suddenly felt acutely aware that he had turned down, though it was not intentional, an invitation to a very private gathering. One at which he would have had quite a bit more close contact with his apprentice.
After a few moments of silence, and with utterly no reason for the lie, he finally blurted, "Actually, I have accepted an invitation to Malfoy Manor, but please pass on both my thanks and my regrets to Mistress Sesputi." He removed his gaze from her form and returned to his tea and The Daily Prophet (even if it was all utterly tripe). She nodded, a tiny smile gracing her features.
"Please give them all my best wishes." She seemed to ponder something for a moment longer. A look of slight embarrassment settled on her delicate features as she gently murmured, "And please ask them to let me know if there are any problems with their gifts." She had gotten a fine new riding habit for Narcissa – it was being imported from Africa. She hoped the silkworm clothe held well in transit.
She was also vaguely worried about Lucius' gift – a beautifully intact 1st edition of Shakespeare's Hamlet. She had accidentally stumbled across it in the Bibliotheca Alexandria and had immediately inquired as to how they had received it. Turned out the one on display was a copy – the original itself was still in the possession of an ancient ab Alexandria prophetam, who lived just beneath the waves surface. She had bargained with him for weeks to get the copy from him. It helped that he knew his death was soon – at nearly 700 years old, he was ready for eternal rest. She was sincerely regretting trusting it to air-post – even if the carrier was Fawkes. She worried like that.
Draco's gift was a great deal sturdier, though the legality of it made her cringe a bit. She had, while on a "learning adventure" (as Mag liked to call them) in Ireland, discovered a rather modest knife at a merchant's booth. When she picked it up, however, she could feel the power radiating from it. Knowing the Muggle merchant had no clue what he had, she gave him quite a bit more than he was asking for and happily walked away with the Elfen-made Valerian steel blade; goblin-wrought and enchanted beyond conceiving. She had left it safely stored in her room at Qalea Sesputi until it was posted for the holiday season– she hoped that the laws regarding transport of enchanted relics did not apply here as it was not officially registered as a relic. She had been able to trace it back to Merlin – she just hadn't told anyone yet.
Recalling herself to the conversation at hand, Mila ruefully realized Severus was eyeing her strangely – she had been standing there, lost in thought, for a bit too long. She quirked her lips in an embarrassed smile before taking a deep breath and turning away. Mila walked over to the floo and paused. Biting her lip, she rushed back to him. "Happy Christmas, Severus," she breathed, before pecking him on the cheek and racing through the floo.
Severus, his face shining bright red, lifted his hand to softly run his fingers across his cheek. He could feel his pale skin tingle where her lips had touched. He sat there, stunned, for a few moments; too shocked to even move.
"Felix," his voice came out as a rasp. He quickly cleared his throat as the elf materialized in front of him.
"Master Snape, how may I be assisting you this evening?" The elf bowed slightly and then pulled a small package out of his tunic as he stood. Offering it to Severus, a small smirk, reminiscent of his master, flit across his wrinkled features.
"Felix what is this? I've told you before, you are not - "
"Master said I could spend my earnings on anything I wanted," Felix interrupted smoothly, still smirking. While Felix had been nursing Severus back to health, quite the bond had formed between the two. Only this long standing knowledge and near-friendship allowed the exchange to occur as such – as it did every year. "I promise sir, it is something small." Felix winked at Severus as the man let out a sigh and begrudgingly accepted the parcel. The small smile attempting to twitch into being notwithstanding, Severus never accepted gifts with grace (at least, that's what Felix would tell anyone who asked).
Severus, still pretending he was only humoring the elf, carefully unwrapped the gift. His breath caught for a moment in gratitude as he unwrapped his mother's father's pocket watch – beautifully restored, cleaned and set to the proper time. One of the last vestige's of his mother and her family. It was perfect.
"Thank you, Felix," Severus murmured, running his thumb softly over the gilded surface of the Prince Coat of Arms. He gently smoothed the dark hair on Felix's head and smiled ever so slightly at his willful elf. Just so. He wouldn't abide weak-willed beings around him constantly anyway.
"You are most welcome sir. Now, tell Felix what I can be doing for you?"The elf's knowing smile was wide, his ears flapped slightly.
"Please pop into Malfoy Manor and ask Lucius if he wouldn't mind some company." Severus' cheeks had a curious pink tinge to them. What had he been thinking? Lying to his Apprentice like that? Obviously his brain had short-circuited momentarily for some reason. The elf nodded, preparing to pop away, but Severus stopped him for a moment more. "Oh, and Felix?" The elf turned his gaze back to his Master curiously, though a gentle glint in his eyes seemed more amused. "Happy Christmas." Severus smiled benignly and tossed a tiny wrapped package to the elf.
After unwrapping the new pair of reading spectacles, Felix's eyes were strangely wet and shining as he nodded his thanks and disappeared. This is the way it was between the two every year. Small sentimental gifts full of meaning only the other would understand.
A short time later, Severus accepted a laughingly formal invitation to Malfoy Manor for the hols.
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After arriving in Egypt and being greeted formally by Neferia, as hostess of her home, and Magnus, as Firi's long-term guest and thereby the default secondary host, Mila was shown to her old rooms. Though, officially, Magnus lived in Korea, in The House of Tohku-Seonsaeng, he had been a long-term guest at Castle Sesputi for a little over 8 years. It had started as a research venture between Neferia and Magnus. Hired on by the Egyptian Magical Government, they were researching how to better restore some of the most ancient tomes in the Alexandrian Library. Three years into the project, Mag took on Mila as an apprentice. Once Mila showed him her rune (at the behest of Minny), they all stayed in Egypt. Better to be close to the current team of everyone trying to help the young British witch. Not to mention the oldest and most extensive library in the magical world.
As Mila entered her original rooms in Firi's home, she smiled slightly; they had been left exactly the same as when she had moved back to England. They were kept clean, of course. Merlin forbid! Qali, Neferia's elf, would never let a single surface gather the ever-present dust that most of Alexandria seemed to be eternally covered in. Hazards of living in a desert.
Mila flopped on her bed, tossing her beaded bag next to her and letting her duffel drop to the floor next to the bed. As she stared up at the ceiling, her eyes barely registering the enchanted moving painting above her, she pondered the next few weeks ahead of her. While yes, she had been officially invited for the holiday season, this visit was really in order to finish more of her Alchemy Mastery and get as far as she could in her Ancient Runes Mastery. There were celebrations to come, but Mila had more interest in her books anyway.
After a few minutes of quiet reflection, she stood and made her way to the window. She felt honored that Neferia had chosen rooms on the same side of the chateau as herself for Mila. This meant that they both had spectacular views looking into Andron de Virtute and the magical city of Hekka.
Qalea Sesputi was a modest sandstone construct chateau in the heart of Alexandria. Set atop the highest point in the city limits, the beautiful castle over looked the once great city of Alexandria. Very few Muggles knew the truth – that the now underwater city still lived on. Most of the magical folk of Egypt rebuilt the city under the waves centuries ago; renaming it Hekka after the Ancient Egyptian God of Magic. They re-named their ancient city to better help keep it hidden from the Muggles. The underwater city of Hekka was the Egyptian equivalent to Diagon Alley – or so most travelers from England would name it. The locals usually sneered and took offense to this as their city was eons older than Diagon Alley.
Neferia's home was right on the outskirts of the Muggle city of Alexandria –what remained above the waves. Some of her windows looked out over the ocean, where anyone within could still see the living city beneath its watery defense. The other part of her windows looked out into the Muggle populated, modern Alexandria. The home looked like a ruined castle to anyone who did not know otherwise. It was secret-kept as well as unplottable and all the other usual most powerful safeguards of wizard/witch-kind.
As Mila watched the waves undulate, giving brief glimpses into the marketplace below, there was a light rap-a-tap on the door. "Come in," she murmured, knowing the wards on her door (the same as at Hogwarts) would project the words to the visitor. The door creaked open and the sound of sandal-ed footsteps carried the visitor to stand beside her at the window.
"Sughirati, why do you weep?" Neferia's deep voice was like silk over pebbles. Mila looked up, ready to refute the claim she was crying, but Firi beat her to the punch. "My Mila, you may not let your tears form and fall, yet your soul does indeed weep. Tell me child, why are you so forlorn?" Mila sighed as she tried to sort through her thoughts.
"Firi, I feel as though we will never sort this out. I fear that I will die before – "
"Hush, sughirati, be still," Neferia grasped Mila's hands in her own, letting her calm demeanor bleed over into Mila; willing her to calm herself. "My child, you must set this weight aside. You carry much on your shoulders. It only drains your spirit and your energy. Save your strength for where it is needed," she murmured. She stroked Mila's once-again short hair (really, it was just too hot in Egypt for any real length of hair) comfortingly, softly. "Now, tell me, my Mila, have you told him yet?"
Mila, startled, glared at her. "You know I can't tell him, Neferia. If he finds out I'm dying he'll – "
"No,sughirati, not about your – erm – maziq, I mean about your soul," she paused here. When Mila looked even more confused, Neferia sighed. She gazed at her young apprentice with concern, the emotions in the room causing her to let her accent slip and thicken into her original Egyptian accent. "'Ermione, you need to tell him you love him."
Mila spun away from the window abruptly and began pacing the room. "I don't dare acknowledge my feelings Firi – "
"And why not?" Neferia demanded.
"He is twice my age!" Mila was bordering hysterical.
"And in ten years he will be but 20 years your senior rather than double anything. In our world, your world as well, if you have forgotten, it means nothing!" Neferia stated calmly, if with a level of fierce determination.
"He's my teacher!" Mila shrieked, throwing up her hands as she continued to pace.
"He will not be forever..." Neferia shrugged, unfazed.
For every reason Mila gave, Neferia presented a foolproof counter argument as to why that reason did not matter. "Mila, sweet child, what are you truly fearing of?"
Mila finally stopped pacing and gazed at her friend, true devastation in her eyes. "What if I don't make it?" Tears began forming in her eyes.
"Oh, oh, sughirati, my Mila. Come here." Neferia opened her arms, now seated on the bed, and Mila fell, sobbing, into them.
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At Malfoy Manor, Severus was seemingly having a staring contest with Lucius over their glasses of brandy.
"And tell me again, what is the problem?" Lucius demanded, not taking his eyes off Severus' as he sipped his drink. Severus rolled his eyes and chose not to answer; for the moment. "Well I can see why you're interested," Lucius said slyly. "Intelligence, wit, strength of magic and body, and she is beautiful? Who would not be interested in the chit?" Lucius paused, sizing up his friend's attempt at nonchalance and non-caring. "I must confess," he began again, standing and facing the window so Severus would no see he was being set-up. "I even have imagined how she'd be. I know Draco, too, once held a taste for her -" As fast as an Avada, Severus had him pinned to the window by his collar.
"Do not speak of her in such a manner!" His eyes were blazing, his breath rapid, and his hands clenched white in the front of Lucius' robes.
"See? My friend, you do care for the witchling."
"I already knew that!" Severus spat, releasing his friend as he began pacing again, running a hand through his long hair. "But Merlin's saggy balls, Luc! I cannot act upon anything! I -"
"Why ever not? You are both consenting adults," Lucius calmly pointed out.
"She is my apprentice!" Severus exclaimed.
"And you know as perfectly well as I that Apprentices and their Masters have often entered into intimate relations. Dating back for centuries for that matter!" Lucius let a bit of his exasperation show for a split second before his cool facade fell back into place. Severus grimaced as Lucius brought up this fact. Though it was true, and widely accepted, it was also common knowledge that the relationships of which he spoke were not always mutual and consenting. Masters of olde often used the Master/Apprentice bond to coerce the student into the relationship.
They went 'round and 'round for a candlemark and a half. Lucius shot down every excuse Severus could come up with. Until, finally, in a fit of pique, Severus burst forth with, "She is keeping secrets from me!"
"Oh and that just kills you, I know! But Sev, think about it! When have you ever made yourself available for her to confide in? Not talk to, truly confide her secrets?" Lucius set his empty glass down on his desk again, barely keeping from slamming it in frustration. Severus pondered Lucius' assertion with discomfiture. "You yourself have said your relationship has been purely professional so far. Well maybe you should start by being her friend." Lucius' suggestion washed over a very disgruntled Severus like a tidal wave.
Severus sat back down with a thunk. It had not occurred to him that he had been quite distant himself. 'I guess I am out of practice with...friendship.' It had been years, decades even, since he last had had to think about making a new friend. All of his current friends, the few he did have, already knew his personality and simply put up with him. Or at least told him when he was being a massive git. The last time Severus had spent any length of time with Hermione Granger for real, she had been his student – they had not been equals. There had been no question of making friends. They were student and teacher and had been in the midst of a war. A war in which he had been on the opposing side – or at least had had to appear to be – right up until the end. Severus looked up at his friend, a profoundly confused and terrified look on his face. "Luc, what do I do?"
Lucius rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh, but took pity on his socially-challenged friend. "You start by letting her in. Be kind, Severus. Care."
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It wasn't until New Year's Eve that Severus got hit first chance to invite her friendship. It was the annual Malfoy New Year's ball. This was the first year that everyone, or nearly everyone anyway, who had been invited had actually shown up. The Malfoy's had their social standing back finally. Everyone and anyone of import had been invited, as well as all the close friends and family. Even the Weasley's were there. It had not, incidentally, escaped Severus' notice that Mila was not in attendance. He had pondered it for a moment but let it go. She perhaps had not received the invitation; being in Egypt and all. As Severus stood discussing various unimportants with Lucius, he felt a gentle tug on the hem of his dress robes.
"Master Severus Snape, sir," the Head Elf, Moxy, gently murmured to him, "you have a phone call in Master's office." This baffled Severus. He, of course, knew what a telephone was, but...
"You have a telephone?" He asked Lucius incredulously. Lucius' deep booming laugh startled several nearby party guests; causing them to glance sideways at the pair strangely.
"Draco showed me his cellphone a number of years ago and explained all about them. Fairly genius devices, if I may say. Much quicker, and cleaner, than a floo call. We've had several installed at Malfoy Ind. and here to help with certain communications." He eyed the Potions Master with interest. "You better go answer it – I suspect I know who it is." Lucius watched with amusement as his oldest friend was led from the room by the elf. The truth of the matter was, there were only three people who had that phone number who were not in attendance. And only one of them who would have any interest in the resident snarky bat of Hogwarts' dungeons.
Moxy led the wide-eyed professor to the office and pressed the phone into his hand. With a level of trepidation and confusion, Severus held the phone to his ear and murmured a soft, "Hello?"
"Severus?" The soft female voice on the other end sounded breathy and anxious.
"Yes, who is calling?" 'Stupid!' Utterly stupid question. By now even Severus had worked out who it was; there were only a small handful of people not in attendance to the ball in the other room. And only two people of that group knew Severus Snape well enough to call and ask for him.
"It's me, Severus, it's Mila." The voice on the other end caught for a moment and Severus heard her take a deep steadying breath. Remembering his conversation with Lucius at the start of Yule, he took a deep breath himself and forged on.
"Is something wrong, Ms. Granger?" He would confess, only to himself, he was worried about her.
"I just -" She paused and he heard her suck in another deep breath; letting it shudder out in a whoosh of air. "How are your holidays?"
Bemused, Severus let out a wry chuckle, "I'm at Malfoy Manor, primarily unaccompanied, attending a party in which I hold no interest. To say I am bored to tears would be a vast understatement. How are yours, Ms. Granger?"
A short silence. "You can talk to me, you know that, right? Hermione?" He heard what he thought might have been a muffled sob. After another beat of silence, her voice rasped through the phone and it was now obvious she was crying.
"I'm lonely."
Shocked did not even begin to cover it. Severus was astonished that, not only was the Hermione Granger, war heroine and 'Brightest Witch of her Age', lonely - a baffling descriptor as it was; she was confessing her ache to him of all people. Swallowing roughly and taking a fortifying slow breath, he gently inquired further.
"Where are GrandMaster Tohku, Mistress Sesputi, and Mistress Rhantep?" A small hiccup was all he heard at first. Then, nearly inaudible:
"At Lucius' and Cissa's party." Hiccup.
"Why did you not attend?" He spoke softly, trying not to upset her and nearly instantly regretting the question. If she had not actually received an invitation, he had just committed a serious faux pas. However, her answer nearly stopped his heart cold.
"You are there."
CLICK. The line went dead.
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'Stupid. Stupid, stupid, STUPID!' Mila was gently banging her head against the window in her room back at Firi's place in Egypt. She let her cellphone fall to the window sill, groaning to herself. 'WHY did I do that? Because I am a masochistic sap who seriously enjoys torturing herself apparently! Torturing myself by wanting someone I can never have! Get a grip Hermione!' Mila was having the same argument she had been having with herself for years. 'You are not attracted to Severus Snape!' She told herself sternly, as she began pacing the room. 'You are NOT! So get your head together and get back to work!'
As at the end of every similar argument she had had with herself since the end of her 6th year at Hogwarts, she let out a sigh of defeat and threw herself across her bed. Lying on her back, staring at the enchanted painting above her (ironically depicting an old Egyptian legend about two lovers separated by great distances), she closed her eyes and let a few more tears slide down her face. 'I wish I could tell him how I feel.'
So, now begins the hard part. Will they manage to take that next step? What is going on with Hermione?
I will admit, this Is not where I originally had the chapter ending. It was getting too long though and this just felt right when I was retyping it. As a result, the next chapter (which is the continuation of this one) might be a little short and more of an interlude/interim between now and the main continuation of our story. I suppose we will see how it works out ;)
~ Genevieve