A Place of Contemplation
by Jardyn39
Chapter 6: Seagull Pie
"What? No," said Harry weakly. "Hermione wouldn't do that."
"I agree it was most uncharacteristic, certainly. Unfortunately, I haven't seen her in person since."
"Who has?"
"Molly was utterly convinced that Stein somehow influenced her. Minerva thought-"
"Had she been protected?" interrupted Harry. "I mean, Hermione was obviously an important part of the Order's defence."
Snape hesitated before saying, "Yes. Ron Weasley volunteered to stay with her. In retrospect, of course, this may have been unfortunate.
"At the time, Kingsley was wanted but actually hadn't been apprehended then. He tracked Ron down to demand to know what happened to her. Kingsley was arrested shortly after but he claimed that Ron denied seeing her at all that night, saying she had sent him away while she did her research."
"So, where is she now?"
"My point is, Ron Weasley lied. He later claimed that Miss Granger discovered evidence that proved the Order was involved in serious illegal activity. It was, apparently, her conscience and civic duty required her to ensure the guilty were brought to justice."
"And?"
"It's getting late. We'll lose the best of the morning if we don't make a start."
As Harry followed Snape along the path from the cottage, he imagined the smoking pair of boots that he intended to be all that remained of Snape after their morning session.
*
They spent the morning practicing duelling on the beach before walking back up to the cottage for some lunch.
The physical exertions of the morning had calmed Harry by then, and he was feeling a little more reflective.
"Brooke, Mrs Weasley's cousin, doesn't know, does he?"
"No. Molly decided that if he was to keep you in the dark and for you not to become suspicious about what's been happening, then he couldn't know."
"She pretended that everything was fine?"
"Yes," Snape said sadly. "She has spent more time with them than she has for several years, I believe. I suspect having the children to fuss over took away part of the pain."
"I can't believe she was able to keep it up for so long."
"Molly is an incredibly strong woman, but I agree it is remarkable. Had circumstances permitted it, the first place she would have gone for comfort would have been her cousin's."
Harry nodded.
"Molly has been extraordinarily motivated these past few months," continued Snape, his voice containing none of its usual waspishness. "I'm quite convinced her efforts have saved lives, more than just her own children's. Her priority has been to keep the remainder of you alive to fight another day."
They arrived at the cottage and Harry sat on a broken stone wheel that had once been used to make flour.
Harry stared out to the horizon. It was clearer today, and he could see far out to sea.
He really couldn't imagine how difficult it must have been for Mrs Weasley.
Not only did she have to contend with the Ministry and her personal losses, she also had to pretend to her non-magical family that everything, no everyone, was fine.
He remembered Brooke's friendly enquiry about them and her response. Her emotions must have been unbearable, but she had maintained all that façade for him.
*
Snape carried a large wooden cutting board outside upon which was their lunch of bread and cheese.
"You are already nearly as strong as you were," complimented Snape, handing him some bread to tear himself off a piece.
"It's the atmosphere here, I think. Will I lose my strength when we leave? It was rather different the last time I was here."
"No, at least, that wasn't my experience. I believe the fact that you have retained your knowledge of the spells and curses has helped you, though. If it had been much longer, you would have had more difficulties."
Harry nodded.
"What did happen the last time you were here?" asked Snape tentatively.
Harry shrugged and said, "Dumbledore trained me constantly for almost my entire Sixth Year, until one night in early May.
"We had been tracking each other throughout the night, laying ambushes, fighting skirmishes. You know the kind of thing. This particular night, Dumbledore said we could engage each other anywhere in the castle, out in the grounds and in the Forbidden Forest. He also said there was no limit to the spells and curses that either of us could use, including the Unforgivable Curses."
"I didn't know you actually used those."
"Well, I didn't," admitted Harry. "But it was important that I learned to defend myself against them."
Snape nodded, and Harry continued.
"It was quite clear, from our very first encounter that night, that he meant business. He didn't pull back at all.
"After I'd managed to get away, just, things went pretty well. I caught and duelled with him three times in the castle and twice in the forest. We were about even at that point.
"The final time was out in the grounds, by the lake. I caught him trying to sneak past me whilst invisible. He was trying to attack me from behind again.
"Anyway, we began our duel. It lasted longer than ever. He just wouldn't yield to me at all, and whenever I let up even slightly for fear I was going to hurt him, he'd attack in a frenzy."
Harry paused.
"What happened then?"
"Er, I beat him. I honestly thought I'd killed him. He was so still, lying on the grass like that. I'd kicked his wand away, of course, and I had him covered in case he was faking, except, he wasn't," Harry finished weakly.
"It was some time before I was able to revive him. He had the most terrible burns down one side. He must have been in agony. I tried to get him up to the hospital wing, but he refused. Fortunately Madam Pomfrey came charging out of the castle to see to him. I suspect she'd been waiting for one of us to get seriously hurt for ages. She was rather shocked to see it wasn't me.
"Once he had recovered a little, he insisted upon bringing me here. We arrived at the jetty before dawn.
"The thing is, it was ages before he told me why he'd brought me here. I got most of it from those stupid birds."
"He wanted the island to temper you," said Snape wisely.
"Yes. I was quite annoyed with him at the time. I didn't like being thought of as some kind of weapon. He was right, though, as usual. The magic here changed me, and it changed the way I fought. I'm not sure what it was, but it gave me something."
"Actually, I think that's wrong," said Snape gently. "The island took something away, not the other way around. It was quite noticeable, as soon as you returned. I just didn't realise why."
"What?"
"Well, you were so much calmer. I saw you in at least three life threatening situations after that, and you never once lost your head. You survived because you thought and reasoned your way through."
Harry shrugged.
"Indeed," continued Snape with a small smile, "it was more noticeable whenever I insulted you. I had to work much harder to make you show how angry you were after that."
Harry rolled his eyes and they sat in silence for a few moments. He knew full well that Snape had been waiting for the island to have the same effect again before he told him too much more about what had happened.
"Tell me, do you always have such dreams?"
Harry looked up, raising his eyebrows.
"You cried out a couple of times, that's all."
Harry shrugged and said, "Yes. I generally have only two dreams these days. The Voldemort one and, well, another."
"I got the impression you were reliving the defeat of the Dark Lord last night."
Harry frowned, wondering if Snape had read his thoughts.
"No, don't be concerned," said Snape, "your Occlumency skills are as strong as ever. I just heard you shouting."
Harry nodded, feeling reassured. It was important to him that the Occlumency he'd finally mastered thanks to Dumbledore's teaching was in tact. Quite apart from his wish to keep Snape outside his head, it was now a matter of pride for him not to forget Dumbledore's teachings.
"Yes and no," continued Harry. "I do relive that, but it is a nightmare made up of all my experiences with him. Back in my First Year, I thought I remembered a green light from the night my parents were killed. I had nightmares about that then, and I still do. In the same way, I still hear my mother's voice the moment before he killed her. The Dementors made me remember that."
Snape nodded.
After a while, Snape said tentatively, "You appeared to be having a conversation at one point. It was jumbled, but you mentioned Hermione's name a couple of times."
Harry nodded sadly.
"That was when I told Ron why I was really leaving. That's part of my second nightmare."
"So, Ron has always known?"
"Yes."
"Did Hermione?"
"I couldn't tell her."
"Interesting."
Harry looked up.
"Tell me about Hermione," demanded Harry. "What has become of her?"
"First, tell me about Ron Weasley's reaction when you told him. When was that, by the way?"
Harry considered Snape before answering. Clearly, he was avoiding telling Harry about Hermione, but he couldn't know what Harry had told Ron, could he?
"I told Ron the morning of our Graduation. He visited me in hospital. He was bouncing off the walls and the ceiling with optimism. He'd just heard that the Ministry had given him a job with good prospects. He said Percy had called in a few favours, but Ron's involvement with the defeat of Voldemort sealed things for him. He kept talking about the money he would get and what he would spend it on.
"When he calmed down enough, I congratulated him properly, and told him I was planning on going away for a while. I told him that as I couldn't do magic anymore, I needed to make my way elsewhere. I also said it would be a nice change to get away from the attentions of the press for a while, and he appeared to accept that."
Harry paused, collecting his thoughts.
"He was about to leave when I decided I owed him the entire truth. He was my best friend after all. I called Ron back a moment. I think he thought I was going to ask him to bring my dress robes for the graduation ceremony, or something. He was certainly shocked by what I told him."
"Indeed?"
"Yes."
"His own love life was a little complicated then, wasn't it?"
"I had no idea who he was going out with most of the time, then. I vaguely recall him being hooked up with Luna again for a while, but while I was in hospital things must have changed again."
"No, surely he was going out with Hermione all through that period."
"Well, they were kind of on and off, as I recall. It was certainly off during Hermione's exams and all her revision. I remember Ron complaining. I barely managed to say Hello to her without getting my head bitten off after Easter. You know how important those exams were to her."
At these words, Snape turned his head slightly, as if thinking something through.
"Actually, I do remember Ron and Luna visiting me in the hospital once, and they were all over each other."
Snape frowned now and said, "During the Graduation tea, I was there when Minerva spoke with Hermione. I'm sure that she implied that they were going out then."
"Well, like I said, I was out of touch."
"Very well, Potter. Now, what was it that Ron Weasley reacted so strongly to?"
"I'm not sure I want to answer that."
"No, really?" Snape responded sarcastically. "I've already heard almost half the conversation, remember?"
"Tell me about Hermione," demanded Harry.
Snape sighed.
"Miss Hermione Granger is currently one of the most feared witches in the wizarding world."
"They didn't marry? I thought that was Ron's intention."
"No, although they are still a couple in public," answered Snape, unable to hide his surprise about Harry's first question about what he'd just said.
Harry realised he had probably betrayed his feelings and hurried to ask, "Why is she feared?"
"She was formidable when she graduated, but now she has developed her powers. She is the Minister's public enforcer."
"Why hasn't the Wizengamot acted?"
"The Wizengamot no longer has any authority. The Ministry conducted tribunals behind closed doors and verdicts and punishments were handed down for the Wizengamot to rubber stamp. Most of its members resigned in protest, and from then on the Ministry didn't bother."
"But what is Hermione's role supposed to be in all this? Is she still providing legal advice to the prosecutors?"
"That is unknown. The speculation was, before I lost contact with the Order, that they may have had slips of paper with her handwriting on them, but they never used them while the trails were still public. For all we know, they could have been her shopping lists."
"Or pleas for help," Harry suggested darkly.
"Well," said Snape hesitantly, "that still wouldn't account for her reputation. She is supposed to be responsible for some of the worst torture conducted by the Ministry. Even mention of her name is enough to have people confessing to anything they are asked about."
"Reputations aren't necessarily true," argued Harry. "Look at mine and even yours. I will continue to believe Hermione utterly incapable of torturing anyone," unless she's nagging you about your homework, he thought.
Snape shrugged.
"So, who has her under an Imperious curse?"
"You are that certain she wouldn't act under her own volition?"
"Yes! How many more times?"
"Well," considered Snape, "you may have guessed correctly. Molly is convinced as well, except that Hermione does not act nor converse, like someone under an Imperious curse. It is probably some other form of control."
"When did Mrs Weasley see her?"
"I believe it was at one of the Ministry Receptions, but the last time was a few months ago."
"Where does she live now? I mean, could we pay her a visit?"
"I have no idea where she lives. It is probably very well protected anyway."
"True. So, one of these Receptions, then?"
"Why do I suspect you are about to suggest something reckless?"
Harry snorted.
"You know, we always blamed you for everything at school. Hermione was the only one to stick up for you."
"In that case, I owe her my gratitude. I'd rather thank her while she isn't under another's influence, if you don't mind?"
Harry grinned at him.
"Should we contact Molly first?"
"We'll have to be careful. That may be dangerous for her. We certainly shouldn't go to the Burrow."
"Right," agreed Harry.
"I happen to know where she'll be tomorrow, though. Fortunately, she knows many people willing to risk helping her in small ways. Tomorrow she'll be visiting a place where an old school friend of hers works. The place should be secure for us to visit."
"Can we call upon anyone else for help?"
"Let's allow Molly to advise us on that. The initial move should be ours alone, though. We may not have entirely lost the element of surprise, so long as everyone believes you cannot perform magic."
Harry nodded.
"If the worst happens, will you be prepared to kill?"
"No, I have no intention of killing anybody."
"Dumbledore would be proud, I'm sure," Snape commented dryly. "Remember this is a little different from last time," he added earnestly. "You aren't linked with whoever is behind all this, and there's certainly no Prophecy that I'm aware of."
"I stopped believing in Prophecies when mine came true," quipped Harry with a smile.
"You still can't see what they are seeing, though, can you? Look, whoever is responsible for all this has clearly learned from the Dark Lord's mistakes. They had almost immediate control over practically the entire magical community through the Ministry and the first thing they did was remove the only creditable threat, which was the Order.
"We cannot afford to be flippant about this. There are too few of us left."
Harry decided to brighten the mood.
"Hey, come on. It's my turn to cook dinner. What do you fancy?"
"Seagull Pie," responded Snape, with an evil look up towards the cliffs.
"That'll teach those damn birds to talk to me like that."