20.

Salazar's Chamber - Hogwarts - Late October 1997

"Are you ready? Because I'm not. And I am." Harry rubbed his hands together as they stood in the little atrium. A flame flickered in a wall sconce, dancing shadows over the carved walls and the wide doors that led into the meeting room.

Was she ready? No, not really. The Order was on the other side of them, gathered there by McGonagall in yet another of Salazar's secret rooms. The bedrock upon which the school stood was mostly hollow.

"Three quarters. Seven eighths…at a push."

Hermione bit her lip, stopping a smile at Salazar's words. And they eased through the twist of her nerves, of her rolling over what could be said and what must be hidden.

Horcruxes and the one in Harry's head.

In.

Her has a descendent of Salazar Slytherin and with a mission set in motion by his —her— prophecy.

Out.

Severus Snape working for them; always working for them.

Most definitely in.

Her relationship with Severus.

Oh, not before hell froze over—

The door creaked and McGonagall stood there, her face tight, lips pinched. There was a strain to her these past hours. More than working to pull the Order and the most trusted members of the Army together.

Was she cutting out a certain wizard's name from the title of that group? Was she that petty? Oh, yes she was. On both counts. Old manipulative git.

McGonagall's realisation that the former Headmaster had used her, pitted her against Severus when she could have been his ally —his confidant— was rubbing raw. Dumbledore had been her friend. Trusted. A wizard upon whom she could rely…utterly. Though now, it was obvious he couldn't be trusted to the edge of his golden frame. And Severus, though cordial…was still reserved with the witch. There was a dark pain in the older witch's eye every time she looked at him.

The witch looked back into the shadowy hall. "Everyone on our list is here."

Some had been deliberately left out. Mundungus, for one, was as trustworthy as Dumbledore himself. The whole fiasco at the Ministry with the locket had been due to his sticky fingers. He'd robbed them of Moody…though it was doubtful he would've been brought to this first meeting. Not with the way he felt about Severus.

Some were added. The Heads of the Houses. They had plans for Hogwarts and her children that would need their co-operation, and damn it, she would not have them thinking badly of Severus Snape for a moment longer.

Salazar's warm approval lurked at the back of her thoughts. "I'm pleased you think so. And I've always thought he'd make an excellent life-companion for my Augury."

"You surprise me. You've been so subtle about your favour, so-may-times-removed great-Grandfather. I never knew your opinion about him at all."

Salazar's laughter chased through her mind and eased her nerves. "Indeed, I was the very epitome of…myself."

Hermione huffed a breath as she followed Harry into the long, vaulted meeting hall, faces she knew crowded onto concentric rings of stone-carved benches. She pulled her thoughts into focus. Their harried whispers echoed. Fear. Worry. Anger. All of it chased around the hall.

"Thank you for coming here today." Harry's voice echoed over the stone and the chatter instantly died back.

"You're looking very well, Harry." Luna's soft voice rose out of the silence. Her pale eyes shifted to Hermione and her head tilted. A touch of a smile lifted her lips. "Finally, Hermione" was all she said.

"Seer?"

Salazar snorted. "Seer," he agreed. "One who looks remarkably like the young girl who first spoke your Prophecy."

Hermione almost groaned. "Don't add yet more strangeness to my life, please!"

"Yeah, really well."

And that bitter murmur came from the back and one hunched Ronald Weasley. They couldn't leave him out. As much as she would like to. He couldn't be trusted not to do something completely idiotic left to his own devices.

Harry's gaze narrowed for a moment, before he lifted his shoulders. "There's going to be a lot to get through today. A lot." He shook his head. Another breath. "Okay. All right."

He pulled a folded over piece of parchment from his jeans and opened it up. His gaze slid to Hermione and there was a spark there. Yes, the first point would be…fun.

"Point one. It's been confirmed. Severus Snape is on our side."

Uproar. Many on their feet, wand in hand…and the spell-dampening wards buried thick in the walls did their job. Not one of the spells aimed at her and Harry sparked free. That raised the anger.

"Sit!"

McGonagall's command ripped through the room. Most had been educated by her and that tone was ingrained. Hermione had to fight the real urge to park herself on the nearest bench.

"Remarkable woman."

Salazar was back to approving of her…and Hermione did not want to know.

Silence fell again. But it was tense with wands still gripped in bloodless fingers and lips pressed tight. "Allow Mr Potter to speak. This is the truth."

"Now Minerva…"

Remus' patronising tone itched under Hermione's skin.

"Remus. Enough. As de facto head of the Order and as Deputy Head of his school, I am commanding all of you," her gimlet gaze seemed to pin every one in the room at once. Some fidgeted and looked away, "to listen to what he has to say. The threat is imminent and we do not have time for…theatrics."

Harry nodded to her. "Thank you, Professor." He straightened. "Now, as I was saying, Professor Snape is on our side."

"He killed the Headmaster. You saw it yourself, Harry!" Ron's voice rang out. Of course it was Ron.

Harry ignored him and looked to Hermione. She stopped herself from rolling her eyes. So much for her staying out of the initial presentation. "Kingsley, did you confirm the wards in this hall? Please list them."

The auror ran a hand over his bald head and let out a long breath. "A magical suppression charm, focused on spells spoken in anger and with dark intent. And an encompassing truth spell."

"So bite back on a few things," Harry added and a smatter of snickers broke out from the Army.

Hermione lifted her chin. "We cannot lie here. What we say, is not only what we believe, but truth in fact." She slid a look to Kingsley. "Is that the reality of it?"

Kingsley gave a slow nod. The first revealed fact and his knowledge concerning the spell was obviously rearranging his worldview. Good. "That's it, Hermione. It's a powerful charm. It can't be…circumvented."

She twitched a smile at him. "Thank you. Harry…?"

"Then what I just said is true!"

Shame the suppression in the hall made it impossible for her to bind and gag him…as they'd be a little bit too much anger and dark intent in her wand arm.

Harry ignored his friend and ploughed on. "Professor Snape was under orders from Dumbledore himself. The former Headmaster suffered from a curse, a cursed object. He wanted Professor Snape to be…prized by…Snake-Face. Killing him would secure him as Head of the school and ensure the protection of the school. That plan has failed. But more on that in a minute."

Harry drew in a breath and she reached out to take his hand, squeezing it. A loud huff came from the general direction of Ron and she ignored him. Here was the truly difficult point.

"Point Two. Snake-Face has tried to make himself immortal."

Horace Slughorn pressed a trembling hand to his face and sank down in his seat. Yes, he knew exactly what was coming.

"He split his soul. Seven times. Placed them in objects. He's anchored to the world and he cannot truly die because they exist. Kill his body and he becomes this spectral…thing. It possessed Professor Quirrell." For a moment, he pressed his lips together. Gods, Quirrell felt like a lifetime ago. "Two were destroyed. I…killed a diary." Ginny buried her face in her hands. "And Dumbledore destroyed a Gaunt ring. The ring that gave him the curse that killed him."

Oh Hermione approved of that phrasing.

"And why I —we— trust Professor Snape. He's destroyed three of them, in our presence…and is ready to finish off the sixth. The seventh…" Harry winced. "I…I am the seventh."

"No!"

A cry broke from Molly. Remus and Arthur were on their feet. Ron had slumped, staring. Neville, Ginny, the whole Army, blanched.

Harry held up his free hand for calm. "Point three. Dumbledore's plan for the school failed. Snake-Face has appointed Dolores Umbridge as the new Head, starting the week after half-term."

The whole room lurched to their feet in fury, swearing and spitting anger and Flitwick would be heard curing in Gobbledegook. Yes, nothing unified a body of people like their hatred of the Toad-Umbridge.

"Quiet!"

McGonagall's order bounced off the walls.

Harry drew in a long breath. "Now we have a plan, to secure the school, protect the children and end all of this." Harry ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know about you lot, but I'm tired." He slid her a dark look. "You have no idea how many books Hermione has had me reading. Merlin, I miss quidditch."

She gave him a mock scowl and released his hand.

Hermione turned to the door. It was time to bring in Severus.