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A PERFECT MATCH

Chapter 28: Justice!

They went together to the Great Hall for breakfast. Nobody said anything, but several glances were shot at the Head Table during the meal. Snape seemed to ignore it, but Hermione felt her stomach turn.

Halfway through the morning, she bumped into Ginny and her friends.

“Oh, Hermione.” They looked a bit embarrassed.

Hermione said ‘hi’ and wanted to leave, but the girls stopped her.

“Say Hermione, we all feel really bad about that article; you know.” Hermione nodded. “Not as bad as we do, I assure you.”

“I just want to tell you no one believes any of it and … well, because it seems rather inappropriate now, we wanted to let you know we have pulled down the posters.”

Hermione smiled gratefully. “Thank you.”

Relieved Dumbledore had been right about the loyalty of the school, she headed for the library to catch up on some reading on charms. She received a message from Dumbledore, asking to have lunch in his rooms. When she went up there, Snape and Harry were also present. Harry came up to her and took her hands in his.

“Oh, Hermione, I’m so sorry about that bloody article. I want you to know I sent a furious letter to the editor.”

She smiled at him.

Dumbledore scraped his throat: “Serious as it may be, the article is not why I asked you to come over. Harry has some news regarding the Death Eater trials. Harry ?”

“Yes. Trials are held as we speak and we’ve come up with a punishment that involves your weakening potion. Those who are convicted, and I assume it will be all of them, will be forced to drink the potion and then their memory will be altered so they can be re-educated to live a normal muggle-life. Carefully monitored of course.”

“Know anything about Voldemort yet ?” Hermione asked, since she knew he had been working on his case.

“Well, I’ve managed to convince them to let him live.” Snape frowned, but Harry continued: “It won’t be fun, mind you. He’s to remain in Azkaban, in a dungeon, chained to the wall where he will live on water and bread. Every month, his guard will be replaced, all guards being recruited amongst survivors of families attacked by Death Eaters.”

They all agreed it was an appropriate punishment, but Snape would have liked it better if they executed him.

“Don’t take any chance with him.” He said.

“We won’t. So, can we have the potion ?”

Hermione looked up. “Is there enough left ?”

“No. I will have to brew some more.” Then he looked at Hermione. “Although the key ingredient is no longer available.” She blushed and saw Harry’s confusion.

“I’ll find a way to get it.” He stood up and left the room.

Harry was on his way to the fireplace when he remembered something.

“That’s right, I have a letter for you from Ron.” He gave Hermione a little note in which Ron expressed his sympathy regarding her troubles with the press. She smiled when she read his final remark: “Anyone that believes such crap obviously never had to endure his classes!”

Another letter came that evening. It was from Mrs Weasley. She wrote she had cancelled her subscription and wished her all the best with her ‘gorgeous professor’.

Hermione was in a much better mood when she entered the dungeon, ready to tell him about all the support people had given them during the day. She passed Draco on his way out, busy rolling down his sleeve. When she looked for Snape, she noticed he was stirring his cauldron. The liquid was familiar.

“You’re already brewing the potion ?” she asked, surprised.

“Yes. I just added the final ingredient. It will only take a few days before it is ready.”

“Who did …” and then she realised “You mean Draco … but … he and Ginny … er …” she was astonished. “Are you sure he qualifies, I mean, it will work, will it ?”

He looked up, raising one eyebrow.

“On what grounds are you accusing him of being a liar ? Because he’s a Slytherin ? You disappoint me. I would never have thought a noble Gryffindor would be capable of displaying such prejudice.”

His sneer hit her hard and she totally forgot about wanting to comfort him.

“Considering the circumstances, I would think it’s only natural to have some doubts.”

“And his word is not enough for you ? What will ? Will you have Poppy examining Ginny to satisfy your curiosity ?” he bit.

She felt like throwing up and needed all her inner strength not to slap him in the face.

“It only surprised me, that’s all.” She left him with his cauldron and went into the bedroom. The excitement of the day had worn her out and she desperately needed some sleep. Why did they always have to end up arguing ?

~

When the Daily Prophet arrived the next morning, Snape grabbed it before Hermione had the chance to see it. She heard him grumble and then he passed it over to her. Right in the middle of the front page stood in large print: “RECTIFICATION”. A small paragraph was written beneath it and Hermione smiled when she read it.

“The offices of the Daily Prophet were invaded by owls, carrying furious letters from readers concerning yesterday’s article on professor Snape and Miss H. Granger. Even the famous Harry Potter has taken the time to assure us first-handed the relationship between previously mentioned wizards has always been professional during Miss Granger’s time as a student. PJ Blackink wishes to stress she did not have the intention to slander the reputation of two of our greatest heroes and apologises if her article has given the wrong idea. She will voluntarily go on early retirement as of next January. Once again, our most sincere apologies.”

“This is pretty amazing, isn’t it ?” Hermione looked smiling at him, he only managed a little grin.

“It shouldn’t have been necessary in the first place.”

She was about to tell him he should lighten up a bit, when green sparks were cracking in the fireplace and a whole bunch of letters emerged.

“Wooow, look at that! I wonder if that’s more support.” She picked up a few and browsed  through them.

“It seems most of them are from your former students; all expressing their sympathy. Not bad hey ?” She noticed the larger part of the letters were from female students; but she was too happy to let it worry her. He seemed a bit overwhelmed and picked up a letter as well, not sure he wasn’t dreaming. The letter had a pink envelop and Hermione was a bit worried when he began to read. That worry changed into panic when she saw him stiffening.

“Poster ?” He asked and then he looked at her and his eyes shot fire.

“Judging by the look on your face, you know something I don’t. Explain !”

Hermione didn’t have time for fear, she ignored his menacing look and started to tell him about the poster from Teen Witch.

“And you knew this all along ?”

She nodded remorseful. “But they’ve taken them all down.”

He snapped: “As if that’s going to change the fact you obviously have a very selective memory when it comes to telling me what’s going on. Did you ‘forget’ about this as well ?”

She lowered her head, unable to look into his eyes. Of course she should have told him about the posters, but she had been afraid about his reaction, and with reason !

He went out, straight to his classroom. Hermione felt sorry for the students that had to face him the next hours. She only hoped he wouldn’t say something about the posters; then again, he probably wanted to forget they ever existed.

She didn’t see him during the day. He was busy teaching and she wanted to do some more reading on Charms. She was on her way to her room in the Gryffindor tower to collect a book on protection charms, when she heard a loud scream. It came from the Gryffindor common room. “daffodil” she said to the painting and stepped into the common room. When she saw no one was there, she headed for the girls’ dormitory. She heard a lot of upset voices and a fifth year still had her mouth open from screaming. The poor girl looked paralysed and Hermione had to shake her gently to get her to speak.

“What’s wrong ?” The girl looked at her with fear in her eyes, shook her head and stuttered:

“I only wanted to take a little peek, nothing more … and then …”

Hermione saw what she knew to be a ‘Snape-poster’ lying on the ground. She picked it up and turned it around. Surprised at what she saw, she let out a little scream herself. The poster did not show Severus Snape in his black robe anymore, but a gigantic, ugly and mean-looking troll. He looked so real, Hermione understood all too well why the girl had reacted so emotionally. Obviously Snape had something to do with it. But he couldn’t have charmed the posters, unless…

“GINNY !!” she yelled, but she needn’t have to, because when she turned around, a grinning Ginny was standing behind her.

“Honestly Hermione, I didn’t know what he was going to do with it, but he threatened to take 100 points from Gryffindor if I didn’t give him one of the posters. You never told me he had a sense of humour ?”

Hermione laughed green. “He hides it well, and judging by this girl’s reaction, it’s for the better.”

 

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