Chapters 21-30

Slytherin Colours and Order Business

‘As this is an official Order meeting,’ Snape said softly, ‘It behooves you to be dressed as my apprentice. We are not going to Grimmauld Place to enjoy ourselves.’

Hermione glared at him, but she had expected that. ‘Of course, sir.’

Her master frowned, as if her reaction had taken him by surprise, and she had a hard time suppressing a small smirk. When he quirked a black eyebrow at her, she knew she hadn’t succeeded and allowed herself a broad grin.

‘Whenever you are ready?’ Snape drawled.

Her grin smoothed into a smile—his voice was getting better. If he was gentle on his voice, she could almost hear her old teacher again.

‘Just a moment, sir, I’ll need my cloak.’ She hastened into her room and returned with her newly transfigured cloak. Solid black before, it was now a deep Slytherin green with a silver clasp shaped like a snake-like dragon to fasten it.

Snape’s frown deepened.

oooOooo

Soon they were hurrying away from the castle, keeping their heads down against the downpour of what passed for summer rain in the Highlands. When they reached the edge of the grounds, Hermione was soaked.

‘Really, girl, why didn’t you cast an Impervious Charm?’ Snape grizzled.

Shivering, Hermione ducked hear head in embarrassment. ‘I—the transfiguration has to settle in the fabric first—sorry, sir.’

Snape shook his head, but didn’t comment on her foolishness. Instead he whipped out his main wand and cast a quick drying charm over her. Warmth enveloped her.

‘Ahh…’ she sighed gratefully.

But when he put his arm around her for Side-Along Apparition, she shivered again, although Snape’s body generated still more heat than the charm—even through his thick teacher’s robes. She had just a moment to inhale his scent. Very male and very mysterious, she thought, vetyver, bergamot, possibly neroli.

Then the familiar CRACK split the air (and very nearly Hermione’s ears) and they were gone.

oooOooo

They arrived arm in arm, appearing in a grey square that could have won prizes in a stock photo competition for urban decay.

Cracked plaster in various shades of grey revealed brick structures erected in another century. Paint peeled from doors. Windows were broken or even boarded up, and piles of rubbish in the gutter indicated that a visit of the dustmen was long overdue. It wasn’t raining yet in London, but the low clouds and dreary light indicated that it was only a question of time until it would start to drizzle.

For a moment neither of them moved, then Snape stepped away from Hermione and briskly turned to the black door of Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Inside they were met by Molly Weasley, whose eyes widened in surprise as she took in the new colour scheme of Hermione’s robes.

When Hermione glared at her, Ron’s mother blushed.

‘Those colours really suit you, dear,’ she assured Hermione, more than a little flustered. ‘A beautiful green, really.’

‘Then why don’t you wear that hue once in a while, too, really?’ Snape suggested testily, indicating to Hermione that she should move along.

‘Oh—uh—it might go well with my hair, I suppose,’ Molly stammered. Then she pulled herself together and continued in a more business-like fashion, ‘The meeting will be held in the library. Hermione, Harry and Ron are already there. Professor—Healer Mugwort is waiting for you in the kitchen.’

‘What?’ Snape bit out. ‘Am I to be hounded by healers even when I’m occupied with Order business?’

‘Oh, no, of course not,’ Molly hastened to assure apologetically. ‘I—uh—assume Minerva thought this would be the most efficient way of—uh—providing you the opportunity of regular check-ups.

‘Believe it or not, we have been worried about you.’

oooOooo

When Hermione entered the library, she was met with identical expressions of shock and consternation in very different faces.

Green eyes blinked at her like an over-sized owl.

A generous spattering of freckles paled on round cheeks, while a rather big mouth dropped open.

‘What?’ Hermione snapped. ‘What did you expect? I’m the apprentice of the head of Slytherin house. It would hardly be appropriate for me to wear anything but Slytherin colours.’

Harry stared at her as if she were a ghost. Then he swallowed and attempted to speak, but Hermione would have none of it. ‘And don’t you dare to tell me that those colours really suit me. I’ve heard that from just about everybody already and I don’t need to hear it again. I know that I look good in green!’

oooOooo

‘We have had excellent leads on at least five Death Eaters who were trying to hole up in three different countries.

‘And now, from one day to the next, they are gone without a trace. Our sources have clammed up and claim that they have no new information about their whereabouts. It’s as if they’ve vanished into thin air,’ Sturgis Podmore concluded his report.

Minerva McGonagall frowned. ‘That is indeed very worrying. Thank you, Sturgis.

‘Arthur? Would you, please?’

Arthur Weasley nodded and cleared his throat. ‘The ministry’s stance is that the SSS—the International Confederacy’s Secret Service for Sorcerers—is best equipped to deal with runaway Death Eaters.

‘Shacklebolt has been after me to support his plan to disband the Order at the end of this year. Mind, I can understand where he’s coming from—the pureblood faction of the Wizengamot has been giving him hell, and there are many Ministry Officials who do not sympathise with uh… the Order’s mode of operation. But I have to admit, I don’t much care for this plan.’

‘Neither do I,’ Snape agreed in a soft voice. He was speaking very slowly, carefully enunciating each syllable.

He doesn’t want them to know how badly his voice was hurt, Hermione realised with a start.

‘So many Death Eaters should not have been able to escape our pursuit at one and the same time,’ Snape continued. ‘Not without assistance.’

‘But who would help them?’ Hestia Jones asked fearfully.