This was written for Gamma Orionis' "OTP Boot Camp Challenge" on HPFC. Basically, Gamma provided 50 prompts and encouraged everyone to write 50 fics centered on their "one true pairing". Mine is, of course, Hermione and Severus. My husband gave me an idea one night while he was jokingly "writing" fanfiction (don't ask; it was awful) and so each of these 50 stories will be in some form of a mystery! From silly to sad, sexy to serious, and everything in between, may I present Fifty Mysteries.

I didn't want to spam my profile every time I wrote a little SSHG one-shot, so I decided to make this into a collection. Each chapter is a different story corresponding to one of the prompts. They are not intended to be taken as a cohesive story; just some semi-related one-shots involving Hermione and Snape. Could be during her school years; could be 19 years later; could be canon-compliant or AU or even UA (Universally Alternative—FYI, I made that up). I make no promises.

With that being said, please enjoy!

The Case of the Mirror Image

Prompt: silence is golden

Holding his breath in anticipation, Severus eased open the heavy wooden door and slipped into the darkened room. He quickly slid the door shut again and took a moment to get his bearings. A small sliver of moonlight sliced a path across the floor, only just bright enough to assure him that he was alone in the room.

And not only was he alone, but the room was very nearly entirely empty—with one exception. Severus released the breath he held, his muscles relaxing as he gazed at the tall object. He had found it again.

Approaching the Mirror of Erised with excitement coursing through his system, Severus reached out one reverent hand to stroke the gilded scrollwork along the sides. He hadn't seen it since just before bloody Potter had discovered it.

Severus had always prided himself on sniffing out Dumbledore's hiding spots. For years now, they had played an unspoken game of cat and mouse with the mirror: Severus would discover it, Dumbledore would find out and relocate it, and Severus would begin the hunt again. Sometimes it only took a matter of days; sometimes, like this time, months might pass before Severus would stumble upon it again.

The last time he'd found the mirror, he'd only been able to visit it once. Then Harry dratted Potter had come along and discovered its delights, and the irritating boy had returned every night after, leaving no opportunity for Severus himself to view the mirror undisturbed.

Severus snorted softly, remembering how he'd nearly revealed himself to Potter one evening, intent on asking the boy if he realized that his mirror image was halfway identical to Severus' own. That would have surely frightened the boy off, but Severus refused to acknowledge anything at all in common with The Boy Who Lived, and certainly not something so personal as that.

Rubbing his hands together in gleeful anticipation, he closed his eyes as he stepped in front of the mirror. The moment just before he looked was always his favorite: the heady thrill of knowing what he would find when he opened his eyes and the anxious excitement of seeing her again were the only things that kept him going sometimes. Taking a deep breath and deliberately calming his frenzied thoughts, he squared his shoulders and snapped his eyes open.

It took several seconds for what he was seeing to sink in. The childish grin on his face ebbed away and was slowly replaced by confusion and dawning anger.

The fiery red hair and sparkling green eyes of Lily Evans were nowhere to be seen. His fists clenching, Severus glared at the mirror. For years, the Mirror of Erised had provided him with the fuel for his fantasies—he and Lily, standing side-by-side, arms entwined. Together. In love. He wanted—no, needed—for the blasted mirror to show him his darling Lily. It was the only bright part of his otherwise dark and dreary existence.

And yet, the mirror was now showing him something else entirely. His classroom, to be precise, full of students. Severus scoffed. There was no way in hell that his heart's deepest desire was to be back in front of his students just now. Circling the mirror twice, Severus checked for any sort of spell damage or other malformation. Who knew? Maybe there had been a leak that caused some water damage...or a particularly determined mouse had chewed into the wood of the frame...

No, there was nothing. Growling in frustration, Severus looked again at the smooth glass. Still, his beloved Lily was absent. However, a flash of her eyes caught his attention, and he realized that he was observing his current Gryffindor-Slytherin first-year Potions class. Potter was sitting in the front with his obnoxious sidekicks, Weasley and Granger. Brilliant.

He turned to storm from the room when something made him stop. Moving closer until his nose was almost touching the mirror, Severus scanned the image in detail. Finally, he saw it—something so bizarre and outlandish he had no idea what to make of it.

Stepping back in surprise, Severus contemplated the mirror's image again. It was supposed to show him the darkest desires of his heart, which in the past had always been Lily. Now, however, it seemed that his deepest desire was nothing more or less than...a bit of peace in class?

The Miss Granger in the mirror was grotesquely altered. She had no arms to raise, no hands to wave about, and, most importantly, no mouth to speak.

He rested his forehead against the mirror dejectedly. What was his life coming to?

A/N: Just a short one to kick this thing off. I have a handful of other ideas, but nowhere near 50, so hang in there! I'm not JK Rowling, I don't own anything at all, and it's truly not worth your time to attempt to sue me, I promise.