Chapters 11-20

Awakening

‘There will be a number of changes once school starts again,’ Minerva was telling Slughorn. ‘New teachers—Henrietta Hitchens will take over Muggle Studies. Bill Weasley will take over Defence Against the Dark Arts. Alberic Switch has agreed to join us in a year to take over transfiguration. Until then I will continue to teach. Potions—’

‘Well, Minerva, I wouldn’t worry. Even if Severus can’t shoulder a full work-load for a while yet, I am sure I can turn Miss Granger here into a more than acceptable apprentice until September. And she has the energy of youth to help her deal with the pranks of the lower forms.’

Hermione lifted her head from her soup, trying not to stare at Headmistress McGonagall. But of course the woman noticed and gave her the tiniest wink. Hermione lowered her gaze again. If the Headmistress wanted Snape to take an apprentice, she doubted that the Potions Master would be in a position to refuse. Thinking of the still, slight form that was all that remained of the once imposing man at the moment, she realised that he likely would need an apprentice.

‘Hermione, we need to talk about your NEWTs after lunch. Would you come to my office at two o’clock?’

‘Of course, Headmistress. And thank you for allowing me to sit with you. Professors.’ She nodded politely to the other teachers at the table.

oooOooo

‘I know you would really prefer to take all subjects again, Hermione,’ McGonagall said, as she held out a cup of tea to Hermione. ‘But that really wouldn’t be feasible.’ Hermione nodded. ‘I know. And I—’ She sighed a little. ‘I have to admit that I really wouldn’t have the energy, even with private lessons.’

McGonagall looked at her sharply, eyebrows raised. ‘You hardly eat,’ she observed. ‘And you don’t look as if you’re sleeping much. You should see Poppy about that.’

Again, Hermione nodded. ‘I will.’

The Headmistress sighed. ‘It has been only six months. It takes time to recover. But you are young, you have your whole life ahead of you. I won’t give you that rubbish about ‘time heals all wounds‘—time doesn’t. But the passage of time will make it easier to live with them.

‘Now, your subjects: Potions, naturally. Also, Charms—the most difficult Potions are Charmed Potions. Herbology, of course. I suggest you take Arithmancy as your fourth subject—stirring figures, measurements and brewing times are all dependant on arithmancy and numerology.‘

‘I’ll miss transfiguration,’ Hermione admitted. ‘But I agree. That’s all I will need, and that combination is regarded as one the most challenging besides the one you need for Auror training.’ She smiled faintly.

‘Good.’ McGonagall sounded satisfied. ‘Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley won’t be coming back to school, I gather?’

Hermione shook her head. ‘Harry has already started Auror training. He’ll be taking his NEWTs as he goes along. It will be easier on him than returning to Hogwarts and get stared at like an animal in the zoo all the time. Ron is taking evening courses in accountancy of all things. He and George and Lee Jordan will continue to run the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. But Ginny will be back. And Neville, and Luna.’

‘That’s good. I am looking forward to seeing them again.’

oooOooo

A week later, Headmistress McGonagall summoned Hermione to her office, breaking up an extremely interesting Arithmancy lesson. ‘He’s awake,’ McGonagall told her when Hermione stepped into her office, slightly out of breath. The Headmistress was very pale. ‘I was there when he woke this morning.’

Hermione’s heart skipped a beat, she sucked in her breath and felt her knees go unaccountably weak.

‘Sit down, girl. You need to go and see him, not faint in my office.’

Wordlessly, Hermione sank down on the visitor’s chair in front of the desk.

‘How…is he?’

‘Awake. Alive.’ Headmistress McGonagall had to swallow before she could continue. ‘Confused. Unable to speak.—For the moment. The Healers are…somewhat hopeful that he will recover some faculty of speech in time.’

‘Oh God,’ Hermione whispered.

But as always, there was no answer.

oooOooo

‘He is really much better,’ Healer Mugwort assured Hermione. ‘Of course he still can’t talk, but he knows where he is, and what happened.’ ‘You told him?’ Hermione asked.

‘Of course. He needed to know at least the bare-boned facts of what happened to be able to re-orient himself and to accept that he is still alive.’

‘How…how did he react?’ Hermione’s voice was shaking.

‘Not as bad as he might have,’ the healer said succinctly. ‘Now, here we go. Don’t allow him to move too much—nodding or shaking his head. You may have half an hour.’

‘Professor? You have a visitor.’ Muriel Mugwort put her arm around Hermione and drew her closer to the bed.

Snape was indeed awake. His bed had been transfigured so that he was propped up in a half-lying, half-sitting position. He had been staring straight ahead at the rain outside the window. At the healer’s voice he turned his head. Gradually, in tiny, slow, feeble movements.His eyes lay deep in their sockets. Against the deathly pallor of his face they were almost black, but dull. The burning intensity that Hermione remembered from his volatile dungeon temper was gone.

‘Professor Snape?’ she said hesitantly. ‘May I—may I stay with you a bit? Sit down, perhaps?’

His gaze focused on her. His mouth twitched. A minute shrug of his bony shoulders seemed to indicate that he couldn’t care less if she did or not.Hermione sank down on the chair, knees once more weak with nerves and relief.

Healer Mugwort smiled at them and nodded encouragingly. ‘I’ll be back in half an hour. Call me if you need anything.’

Mugwort gently closed the door behind her, and Hermione was alone with her former teacher.

‘I’m so glad that you’re awake,’ Hermione whispered.

A painful snort answered her. Severus Snape did not agree with her.