The Burning Pen

The Ring

by Ruth Solomon

The story content is adult in nature and can contain graphic sex and violence.  Those under the age of 18 are asked to leave this site immediately.  You are not welcome here.  The author is not responsible for those under-aged who view these works.

CHAPTER 23

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 23 ~ Snape in the Village

Snape, Hermione and Raucous apparated into the center of town, directly in front of the inn, startling passerbys with their sudden appearance. If the group’s sudden arrival stopped the people of the village in their tracks, it was nothing compared to seeing a Snape in their village. No one had seen a Snape in the flesh in over a generation. The Lemurians gaped and whispered to one another, children hiding behind their mothers, mothers hiding behind their fathers, all peering at the tall, pale, black-robed wizard in their midst. Snape looked around rather majestically, his face neutral as he studied the people who studied him. Hermione looked at the gaping Lemurians, her brow furrowed.

“Why are they all staring at us?” Hermione whispered to the Potions Master.

“I’m a Snape, Hermione. One of the descendents of the original overlords who oppressed these people and treated them as little more than slaves. I imagine parents here tell children stories about us to make them behave. Something along the lines of ‘the Snapes will get you if you don’t watch out.’ So, I am sort of the boogeyman incarnate,” he said, smirking.

Hermione scowled at him.

“You act like you like being perceived as some kind of monster,” she hissed at him as her amber eyes swept around the town.

“I do,” he replied, striding forward toward the inn.

Hermione followed, Raucous clinging to her shoulder, squawking at the villagers and fluttering his wings rather threateningly, basking in the terror that was his former master.

Severus walked through the inn door. Petra was behind the counter, looking over her guest book. She saw a shadow fall across the floor and looked up with her best “welcome to my inn” smile, and froze in place as Snape stopped in front of the counter and looked down at her imperiously. Petra’s smile faded, and fear filled her brown eyes.

Hermione followed Snape in and saw him standing at the counter terrorizing the innkeeper. She walked up and pushed his shoulder, frowning at him.

“You stop frightening Petra this instant, Professor!” she scolded.

The Professor’s eyes twisted slowly towards Hermione, glinting with dark pleasure. He silently walked to one of the tables, drew out a chair and sat down. Petra’s eyes followed the tall, dark wizard until he sat down, then shifted back to Hermione.

“You…you brought a Snape to the village? Hermione…this is not done. There hasn’t been a Snape here in over a generation. What if he destroys our village?” she whispered at the witch.

Hermione smirked at this. The Professor might look frightening to them, but he would no sooner destroy their village than put on a tutu and dance down the main street.

“He’s harmless, Petra. He only wants to leave Mu. He is the reason I went up the mountain,” Hermione said to the innkeeper, who was staring at Snape. Petra looked at her openmouthed.

“This is the dead wizard you told me about?” she gasped, “How did you…did he…?”

“He wasn’t quite as dead as I supposed. I resurrected him using a crystal,” Hermione said.

Petra made some kind of sign over her breast at this revelation.

“You used the ‘terrible crystal’ to revive him? Great gods,” Petra said, the horror in her eyes renewed as she looked at the Professor. At that instant, Peter walked out from the back of the inn. His eyes fell on Hermione and his entire face lit up.

“Hermione! You live!” he cried, running towards her. Then he skidded to a stop as his brown eyes fell on the Professor, who was looking at the boy with interest. Peter’s eyes swept over the Professor. He didn’t blanch however, and puffed out his chest bravely. Snape’s eyes twinkled a bit at the little boy’s courage.

“You’re a Snape, aren’t you?” the boy asked boldly.

“Peter!” Petra cried, horrified at her son’s forwardness. The Snape might blast her boy. “Come away from him!”

The Professor looked at Petra.

“I won’t hurt the boy,” he said in perfect Lemurian.

Petra fell silent, but wrung her hands nervously as Snape turned back to the boy.

“Yes, I am one of the Snapes,” he replied. “My name is Severus. And I suppose you are Peter.”

“Yes, I am Peter. How do you know my name?” the boy asked, walking up to the table and standing opposite the Potions Master, showing no fear.

“I know it because Hermione told me we couldn’t leave the island until she came to see you. You held me up,” Snape replied, scowling a little at the boy with no effect.

“Well, she promised to come see me when she came down from the mountain,” the boy said stubbornly. “That was before she saw you. So I come first.” The child sounded a tad possessive. Snape fought back a grin as Petra looked as if she were about to faint.

“Yes, you come first,” Snape agreed, looking at the boy somberly before gesturing toward Hermione, who was watching them interact, a smile on her face. She had never seen Snape interact with a child outside of Hogwarts.

“Well, there she is if you want to see her so badly. As you can tell, she is all in one piece,” Snape said to the boy, one eyebrow arched.

Peter studied the Potions Master’s face for a moment.

“You’re not scary,” the boy commented. Snape scowled at him blackly.

“I’m not, eh?” Snape said, relaxing his scowl a little.

“No. You look different, and you make mean faces. But you’re not scary. You wouldn’t hurt anybody without a reason. I can tell. Plus Hermione wouldn’t have brought you back here if you were like that,” Peter said, his eyes meeting the Professor’s levelly. His mother was about to have conniptions.

“You are correct about that, Peter. I wouldn’t hurt anyone without a reason,” Snape agreed, “You are a very perceptive young lad. You don’t let anyone make up your mind for you. That’s quite commendable,” Snape replied, giving the boy a small grin.

“Mama always told me not to believe everything I hear. She said I should try to find the truth out for myself,” Peter said, looking at his mother proudly. Petra looked a little ashamed. Her own advice had come back to her full circle.

“Your mother is a very wise woman,” Snape replied. Now Petra felt really bad. She walked from around the counter.

“May I bring you something to eat, Lord Snape?” she asked, curtseying.

Snape’s black eyes fell on the stout witch.

“Yes, Petra. Some food would be excellent,” he replied, giving her a slight smile. “But you do not have to address me as ‘Lord’ or curtsey. I am no overlord of Mu. Professor will be fine.”

“Yes sir,” Petra said, fighting the urge to curtsey again. Showing deference to Snapes was ingrained in her blood. “I will be back with some fish stew.”

She bustled off to the kitchen to prepare the wizard some food.

Peter ran to Hermione and embraced her tightly around the waist.

“You came back!” he said, looking up at her, his brown eyes shining with gladness. Hermione stroked his hair.

“I told you I would,” she said softly, leaning down and kissing him on his forehead.

Snape watched her interact with the boy, his eyes hooded. She would make a good mother.

Peter turned to Snape.

“You went to get him, didn’t you?” he asked her, looking at the wizard, who stared back at him.

“Yes, I did. But I didn’t know that was what I had to do,” Hermione replied.

“Oh,” Peter said, processing this. “I bet you were surprised.”

“Yes. Yes I was Peter,” she said, her eyes meeting the Professor’s. Snape’s eyes glinted at her hotly. Peter caught it.

“He likes you,” the boy whispered. “Do you like him back?”

Hermione nodded. Peter scrutinized the Potions Master again before turning back to Hermione.

“I guess he’s all right. He won’t let anything bad happen to you,” the boy said sagely.

“No, I don’t think he will,” Hermione replied softly.

The Professor had already proven that when he rescued her at the final battle. He had killed to protect her. She gave Snape a rather tender look, one that made the dark wizard’s chest clutch. Gods he couldn’t wait to get her alone and have her look at him like that again.

“Hermione, what happened on the mountain? Anything scary?” Peter asked her excitedly as Hermione slipped off her pack and set it on the floor. Raucous flew to the table Snape was sitting at and perched on the back of the chair across from him. He cocked his head at the Potions Master.

“So Raucous, I take it you and Hermione have ironed out your differences,” Snape said to the bird in a low voice. Raucous cawed in the affirmative. “I guess you see now why I am attracted to her,” the Potions Master said. Raucous eyed Hermione for a moment, then turned back to Snape and let out a noise that sounded very similar to a wolf whistle. Snape fought back a laugh.

“That is stating the obvious, Raucous. But she is also beautiful inside, don’t you agree?” Snape asked him. Raucous nodded. “She’ll make a fine wife,” he said, looking over at the witch as she regaled Peter with tales of her adventures on the mountain. The boy was exclaiming and jumping about with excitement as she told him about the unicorns, the wolves, the wizards, the giant snake and almost being crushed by a boulder.

“Raucous! You’re a hero!” Peter called over to the bird, who fluffed up his feathers proudly, before flying over to Hermione’s shoulder, so he could better be heaped with the small boy’s praises.

Petra returned from the kitchen, with three bowls of fish stew. She set them on the table.

“Here you go, Professor. On the house,” she smiled at him.

“Thank you,” he said, spooning a bit of the hot stew into his mouth. He chewed, then a look of pleasure spread across his face. He looked at Petra, who was watching him nervously.

“Madam, I must say that this is the best fish stew I have ever tasted,” he said sincerely. “My deepest compliments to the chef.”

Petra flushed with pleasure at receiving a compliment on her cooking from a Snape.

“Thank you, Professor,” she gushed. Then her voice grew stern. “Hermione! Raucous! Come over here and eat something good for you. Three days of eating dried beef and jerky must have made you weak. Come, now! Peter let Hermione come eat,” she chided.

Raucous flew over to the table and immediately moved to the bowl with the most stew in it. Hermione walked over and took the smaller bowl. Before Raucous could dive in, Snape reached across the table and switched his bowl with Hermione’s. The bird squawked at him in irritation.

“You knew that bowl was Hermione’s,” Snape said to him. “That will fill you up good enough.”

Raucous rolled his eyes at the Potions Master, but no one could tell because he had no whites to show the motion. He set about eating, picking out a juicy shrimp and swallowing it down. He squawked appreciatively at Petra.

“Why, thank you Raucous,” the innkeeper replied, stroking his glossy feathers.

Hermione tucked in. Petra already knew how she felt about her cooking.

Petra watched them eat, occasionally catching the Potions Master looking at Hermione in an unmistakable way. She smiled to herself. Her initial thoughts that the wizard meant more to Hermione than the witch was letting on were confirmed. And by the way he was looking at her, he meant to possess her soon. Petra let her eyes sweep over the dark wizard. He wasn’t an overly handsome man, but he was still attractive. He radiated strength and power. A bit of danger too. Quite a delicious combination. She suspected Hermione would be very happy with him. Soon they finished their meal.

“Would you like to go to your room to freshen up a bit, Hermione?” Petra asked her, producing her room key.

Before Hermione could reply, Snape said, “No. We will be leaving Mu immediately. We have much to do when we return to Hogwarts. He looked at Hermione intensely. The witch blushed. Petra grinned. The wizard was anxious to get the witch alone.

“I see,” Petra replied, smiling broadly at the embarrassed Hermione as Snape rose, walked over and pulled the witch’s chair out, helping her to her feet solicitously, before walking over to her backpack, picking it up and placing it on his own shoulders.

Hermione looked at him.

“I don’t want anything slowing you down,” he said shortly.

He said goodbye to Petra and Peter, then exited the inn. Hermione looked at the witch.

“I’m glad I met you and Peter, Petra,” she said, hugging the innkeeper. Both witches’ eyes were glistening. “Thank you for everything.”

Petra nodded, unable to speak. She knew she would never see Hermione again.

Hermione turned to Peter and opened her arms. The little boy hugged her tightly.

“You take care of your mother and attend to your studies,” Hermione said to him, ruffling his hair.

“I will, Hermione,” Peter said, his little voice choking a bit. He liked the witch, even though she didn’t have magic. He wished she could stay.

“Will you come back?” he asked her hopefully. Hermione looked at him and thought the truth would be best.

“No, Peter. I won’t be coming back. I have my own life to live in England,” she said softly.

“Ok,” the boy said, “Have a nice life with the Professor.”

Hermione looked at him, stunned for a moment. The boy was certainly perceptive.

“I will, Peter,” she said, kissing him on the forehead and exiting the inn. Snape was standing in the middle of the street, Raucous on his shoulder, being ogled by the townspeople. He opened his arms to Hermione.

“Let’s go home,” he said as she moved into his arms, and he held her tightly. He looked down at the ring, which had begun to glow.

“Portis,” he said.

The group disappeared, leaving the startled villagers gaping at the empty spot they left behind.

Petra and Peter were standing in the inn doorway when they departed, Peter’s small arm around his mother’s waist, while her arm rested on his shoulders. Peter looked up at her.

“Do you think they’ll be happy, mama?” he asked the witch.

Petra looked down at him.

“Oh yes, Peter. Some people in this world are born to be together. The Professor and Hermione are two such people,” she replied, smiling at him. Peter smiled back.

“I’m glad,” he said simply.

Both mother and son turned and walked slowly back into the inn.

A Snape in the village. What a wonder that had been. People would talk about it for years to come.

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A/N: Made another run to get this chapter up. There you have it. Snape and Hermione are heading home to Hogwarts. I bet the Professor creates quite a stir. Got to love that Peter. He wasn’t afraid of Snape at all. Bless his little heart. Please review.

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