Chapters 21-30

Conditions of Indenture

‘Here’s to Hermione!’ ‘Miss Granger!’ ‘Four Outstandings!’ The toasts rang out, and the resident ghosts clapped their translucent hands.

At the other end of the High Table, Severus Snape, once more dressed in his customary teaching attire of black—black trousers, black frock coat, black robes—scowled bleakly. He was even paler than usual. His skin had lost the sallow tinge that might once have indicated that he’d actually be able acquire a nice tan if he’d only get out into the sunshine regularly. The bite marks of Nagini stood out against the pallor of his neck, thick, knotted scar tissue in angry reds and purples.

Minerva McGonagall shook Hermione’s hands. A wave of giddy pleasure flowed over Hermione. She just couldn’t stop smiling tonight. She’d even dared to smile at Professor Snape.

‘We need to talk about your apprenticeship,’ Headmistress McGonagall informed Hermione briskly. ‘Are you free after dinner?’

At the mere mention of her apprenticeship Hermione’s heartbeat quickened and her stomach quivered. ‘Uh… I wanted to go to Hogsmeade with Bill—with Professor Weasley. But I can easily change arrangements.’

McGonagall nodded. ‘I don’t begrudge you your celebration, my dear. Your results are truly outstanding. But someone has to explain all the ramifications of an apprenticeship in the wizarding world to you. And as Professor Snape has made it plain that he does not wish to have an apprentice –’

‘– least of all me –’

McGonagall gave her a wry grin. ‘There is that, too, yes. But therefore I do not think he would care to make sure you truly understand the conditions of the apprenticeship you will be entering. And if you enter a binding magical contract, you need to be aware of exactly what you are doing.’

Hermione’s stomach felt as if a herd of hippogriffs had decided to stampede. She swallowed hard and was glad that the noise of conversations buzzing around the High Table covered what was most likely a very audible gulp.

She took another deep breath. ‘Yes, of course, Headmistress. I appreciate that very much.’

McGonagall smiled. ‘Good. In my office at—shall we say 9.30?’

oooOooo

‘Here,’ Minerva McGonagall said. ‘I have already drawn up the indenture.’

The headmistress placed a large roll of parchment covered in swirls of dark green ink on the desk between them. ‘I’m afraid that such binding magical contracts still require you to sign them in blood.’

Hermione took a deep breath and pulled the parchment a little closer to her. She’d read up about magical apprenticeships, of course. She knew that the blood signature was an essential part of the contract, but it still made her uncomfortable.

‘The roots of the ceremony go back to antiquity, but the procedures in place nowadays have been formed in the Middle Ages. The medieval oaths of fealty have much in common with parts of the ceremony,’ McGonagall explained.

Hermione frowned. ‘In what way?’

She couldn’t remember reading anything about that.

The headmistress gave her a thin-lipped smile. ‘Blood to sign you, kiss to bind you.’

Hermione gulped. ‘Oh. I didn’t know that.’

‘That’s why I’ve asked you to meet me here tonight.’ McGonagall sighed. ‘Your plan—as far as it goes—is a good one. Severus would never accept help out of pity, no matter how deserved it was. He—Hermione, what we are going to talk about here tonight, I do hope that it goes without saying that it stays in this room? Not even your co-conspirators may hear of this. The only chance your plan has of succeeding is that you follow this through with the trust and honour traditionally demanded in this indenture.’

Hermione nodded. ‘Of course, Headmistress.’

‘I think we can move beyond this form of address,’ McGonagall said. ‘Tomorrow you will be made Severus’ apprentice and as such you will be a member of the staff. My name is Minerva, as you well know.’

Hermione needed a second until she was able to talk. Her heartbeat pounded so much that she could feel it in her ears. ‘Thank you, Minerva.’

Suddenly Minerva McGonagall’s smile warmed. ‘It’s normal to be nervous, Hermione. When Albus asked me to use his first name, I panicked and almost bit off the tip of my tongue.–

‘Back to Severus. You know a bit of what he’s been through. Even based on the little you know, you have to be aware of the fact that he is not inclined to believe that someone might respect him, or much less care about him. That apprenticeship may give you the opportunity to win his respect as much as make him aware that you truly respect him. I fervently hope that mutual respect may give us an opportunity to convince him that marriage to you is an acceptable way of keeping him out of Azkaban at the end of his probation.

‘However, I am not certain if he will agree. The question you must ask yourself today is: can you live with that risk?’

Hermione bit on her lower lip. Images that kept her awake at night crowded into her mind. Blood, so much blood. And that empty, despairing look. She closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head to clear her mind.

‘I don’t know,’ she admitted at last. ‘But if it comes to that, I will have to.

‘Do you know if he is going to try and find a way to…fulfil the terms of that condition on his own?’

Minerva sighed. ‘He won’t. That’s what he told me, and I have no reason to doubt him. In fact, I’m almost surprised that he has not tried to kill himself.’

Hermione flinched, then she forced her attention back to the parchment in front of her. ‘I think I may need a few minutes to work my way through this.’

The headmistress nodded. ‘Take your time. If you have any questions, ask them now.’

Hermione bent over the coiled green script and read: