It was January and freezing cold outside Tara's University for Advanced Witchcraft and Wizardry in Ireland, but Dr. Hermione Granger was too exited to notice. It was in the middle of the night, one of those hours destined to be the time of a great discovery and she had been working day and night for the last 4 years to make one. Tonight would be perhaps be the night, it had to be… she was almost certain of it…

With a small proud smile she looked at the test-tube she held in her right hand. If she was right…she had to be right this time…

Three drops of nightshade essence… a gentle shake…

Suddenly a violent hissing came from the tube and with a loud bang it exploded, a clear, foul smelling, bubbling fluid oozing over her gloves.

With a frustrated scream she threw the remains of the tube against the wall. What had gone wrong!? her theory and the formula were perfect, they should work, they just had to…

With a sigh she took off her dragon hide gloves and her protective glasses. She sat down on the floor of her small laboratory and put her head in her hands.

*I need help with this* she thought.

*I know the manuscript I found in Romania is authentic, this potion will change the world, don't tell me I gave up so much for nothing…*

She felt a lump forming in her throat, remembering exactly what she had given up; Victor, their engagement, her chance on happiness, perhaps even a family… Not that that was impossible now, but she was 28 and married to her research, there were not many men who could deal with being on a second place as long as she hadn't finished this project.

"No Granger, now is not the time to cry, just leave things as they are and start all over again tomorrow" she said to herself, forcing herself to be strong, but no matter how hard she tried, she felt tears of frustration softly sliding down her cheeks.

*Hmpf…start again tomorrow..like I haven't tried everything I could possibly think of yet*

The very best potions and charms masters of this university and thus of the world had looked at the manuscript, worked with it and judged it impossible, but not Hermione. She knew she was one of the best and her inner feelings told her she was right, it had to be possible…but how?

Later in her quarters, when she was somewhat more relaxed, sipping a glass of an expensive red Rioja in a hot bath with a very elderly Crookshanks sitting at the edge of the tub she thought of the only possibility she had not tried out yet. It would mean not working with one of the best, but THE best when it came to potions… Too bad that when it came to social skills he was the worst you could get, and to be perfectly honest, after 11 years not seeing him he still made her feel VERY uncomfortable.

It was 11 years since her graduation, and eleven years since she had last set foot in Hogwarts. Harry and Ron were still her best friends, but they both had their family now, with Harry as a proud father of two and Ron as a nervous wreck because his first born was due in a month. Needless to say that they didn't spend as much time together as they used too. Her dedication to her job not being one of the least reasons…

But if she worked there for a while they could spend more time together as they both lived in Hogsmeade… Harry in a nice old townhouse and Ron above Fred and George's shop, small but very cosy…

Hermione made her decision, she would go to Hogwarts tomorrow and talk with the headmaster first. He could talk to Snape that way things were easier and even more important; she didn't have to ask him…

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"What!? Why on earth would you want to work with Snape!?" Ron exclaimed. "He's as easy to work with as a king cobra!"

Hermione tried not to laugh at the shocked look of her childhood friend. "I do not like him any more than you do Ron, but it's important"

"Who's a king cobra" asked Harry's smiling face as he apparated in Ron's cosy living room.

"Harry, I tell you, that woman is insane! She wants to work with Snape out of her own free will, to work on some important ancient abracadabra"

"What kind of important abracadabra?" Harry asked seriously after giving Hermione a firm hug.

"Very important abracadabra, it's an ancient potion to reverse immortality, I believe it is the counter spell to the one Voldemort used in our fourth year, remember?"

"I wish I did not remember, I was there as Voldemorts special guest, in case you forgot". Harry said with a sad look on his face.

"But if you have a counter spell it means that…" he said looking suddenly very shocked

"Voldemort can be finally killed" Hermione stated

"My decision is made, this afternoon I'm going to Hogwarts"…