The Love Lagoon: Snamione Edition

Seven

Minerva

"What do you mean he is dead?" Minerva McGonagall, deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts asked, her tone silky and on the verge of shouting. "I will have you know that Severus Snape is the most responsible, anal retentive person you can imagine."

The young airline attendant at the counter at Heathrow looked flustered. It was true that she didn't dress in her usual witch's robes, but she could still intimidate people when she chose.

"I..I don't know what to tell you about your nephew, ma'am, but the news and investigators reported that no one could have survived that crash," The woman stammered.

"I want to see the full passenger list," Minerva demanded. "Did he have anyone traveling with him?"

She had no idea why the hell she would ask such a question, but she knew Snape's habits. Maybe he had picked up some random conquest in the airport.

"I can check."
"Please do. And hurry."

The woman's fingers flew on the keyboard, and then she took a smaller rectangular computer, and pulled up the list. Minerva took her finger, and looked through each name carefully. Her heart dropped to her chest when she scanned the name she did not want to see: Hermione Granger.

She knew that Miss Granger had taken back her maiden name immediately after her divorce from Ronald Weasley was finalized, but she did not imagine it was a coincidence that Miss Granger was on the same flight as Snape.

"May I have a copy of this list?"

"Yes, ma'am. Let me just print it up," The woman said, getting to work. She handed a printed piece of paper to her. "I'm very sorry for your loss."

Minerva left the airport feeling a great crushing sense of loss. She had no idea until this moment just how much she cared for her two former students. Her feelings for Hermione were more those of a grandmother for her granddaughter, but with Severus, he had become like a surrogate son to her.

In his youth, she had had her hands tied in being able to do anything about his school and home life, and she was still haunted by that even now. But now, she could investigate to see if Severus and Hermione were, indeed, alive. If that was the case, time was of the essence. She had to find them, and fast. But she couldn't do it alone, and the one person who could help her was Lucius Malfoy.

So it was, that the older witch found herself on the doorstep of Malfoy Manor, and when Lucius admitted her, she was escorted to his private study by a house elf.

She knocked on the door, and she heard Lucius's voice say on the other side, "Enter, Professor."

She entered the room, and it was classically beautiful with rich dark wooden panels, beautiful green leather furniture, a cheery fire burning in the fireplace, but Lucius Malfoy sat before the fireplace looking anything but cheery.

He wore expensive black wizard robes, and he looked a little worse for wear, but he had been crying, his eyes were red, and he was nursing a crystal glass of brandy.

"Please sit down, Professor."

She did, and refused his offer of alcohol. The last thing she needed was to lose her wits completely in this place.

She sat in the adjacent green wing back chair, and said, "I need your help finding Severus, and Hermione Granger. She was on the flight with him, and they sat in first class together. I do not find that coincidental by any stretch of the imagination."

"Do you have proof?"
"Yes."

She produced the printed passenger manifest, and Lucius's eyes scanned the names quickly. He handed it back to her.

He sipped his brandy, and said, "I take it that you want to use my resources to go searching for them."

"Yes, naturally."

"What makes you think that Severus wants to be found?" Lucius shot back. "The wizarding world has never been kind to him, and I dare say, he might not mind overly much being in the witch's company."

Minerva narrowed her eyes. Was the man depraved or simply that debauched? She had no way of knowing, of course.

"They both had promising careers," Minerva pressed. "What more could they want, and--"

Draco Malfoy entered the study, and ignored her completely to whisper his news into his father's ear. Lucius's gray eyes widened. "You...you are certain, son?"

"Oh yeah, definitely."
"What is it?"

Both Malfoy men turned to look at her as if to say 'duh!' Lucius cleared his throat. "I think I need us both to see this proof in the tapestry room, Draco. Thank you, for bringing it to our attention."

Draco shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, well, whatever. Me and Pans are going to be in my room in case you need me."

Lucius nodded. "Of course. Now, if you will follow me," He rose and drained his glass, and set it aside on his desk. "I think we have a family tree to look at."

He held her hand, and she took it, and inside the Malfoy family tapestry room, a startling truth was revealed to them all...