Let Me In

Chapter Five

The New Year started and, with it, came Professor Snape, much to the dismay of the other students. He was back to his usual self; Hermione took pride in the fact that it was her doing. It was as if he'd never left. He was back to terrifying students and docking house points left, right and centre whenever he felt like it. He was in his element again. Nothing like the man Hermione had seen in his chambers.

Hermione was rapidly improving in her apprenticeship, spending all of her time after classes in the library, doing her reports and researching Healing as much as possible. When she took on this apprenticeship she never anticipated enjoying Healing the way she was. She couldn't remember the last time she had completely thrown herself into her work like this and she loved every second of it. Her only complaint was not being able to see her friends very often anymore, but she knew they understood. Besides, they were always occupied with Quidditch and she vaguely remembered hearing something about Ron and Lavender. She'd have to ask him about that.

"Hermione?" Madame Pomfrey called her, breaking her train of thought "how would you feel about working shifts, here, in the hospital wing?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, she was under the impression that she worked here already.

"Well, years ago, I used to volunteer at St. Mungos hospital, it was something I loved doing, something I've wished I could do again, but never had the time. I thought, if you could work a couple of shifts a week here, then I could go back to St. Mungos whilst you're here, watching the infirmary."

"Being in charge of the whole infirmary? With you away from the castle? Do you really think I'm ready? I've only been here a couple of months"

"Hermione, dear, you are one of the most gifted witches I have ever met, Healing comes naturally to you. I think you are more than capable of handling the hospital wing a couple of times a week in my absence, I have no doubts."

"Thank you so much, Madame Pomfrey, you have no idea how much this means to me, I won't let you down!"

"I know you won't dear. Now, I've drawn up a shift schedule for you, which you will find on the desk in my office – which, in my absences, will be your office. I will provide you with a new schedule at the start of every week. Your first shift is this Friday night, 4:00 until 7:00."

Hermione spent the rest of her night incredibly excited, Healing was slowly becoming her life and she was incredibly grateful for it. Hogwarts had gone back to normal and she had taken it into her stride gracefully. The pupils had returned, and she had immediately fallen back into her role as Healer without fault. It had also become common knowledge around the school that Hermione was working with Madame Pomfrey, this surprised no one. Students expected to be treated by Hermione now, and trusted her wholly. They were now in February and everything was back in to routine for her. So much so that she had put Project Panther right at the back of her mind. She'd had no contact, outside of class, with Professor Snape since sneaking into his chambers. Now, it was as if none of it had happened. The only contact she had with him now was giving him a list of potions the infirmary needed every other week, to which he would nod and dismiss her. To Hermione, it was hard to picture Professor Snape weak and in need of doctoring when, every day he stands at the front of his classroom, terrifying everybody just by being there. To her, he didn't need help anymore and she was going to focus on those who did.

She spent the whole day of Friday excited for her first shift that evening. 4:00 couldn't come quick enough, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Madame Pomfrey was putting entirely too much trust in her hands. Three hours didn't seem like much of a shift, but a lot could go wrong in that time. Hermione was as scared as she was excited and, by the time 4 O'clock rolled round her excitement had completely vanished leaving only pure fear.

She entered the hospital wing feeling a lot less confident than usual and Madame Pomfrey picked up on it immediately.

"There is no need to worry, Hermione, I trust you completely" Madame Pomfrey gave Hermione a briefing of all of the patients currently in the infirmary and what they'd be needing, before leaving, by floo, for St. Mungos.

Hermione sat in her new temporary office, going over her patient reports and attempting to steady her breathing. So far; so good. She'd currently been in charge for a full forty five minutes without killing anybody. She called this a success. But, she found she still couldn't relax properly. She had walked around the infirmary; checked on and tended to all of the patients; and even dealt with two new students who had come in (one had burnt off their eyebrow, the other had grown an extra ear) but, without Madame Pomfrey here, she couldn't help but question and over-analyse her every decision, a big mistake in healing. She had no safety net to fall back on and she was struggling to remain calm. And, to think, she had to do this all again tomorrow night for her next shift. She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. She could do this.

Two floors above Hermione, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape were having a meeting in the Headmasters office.

"Albus, my Dark Mark is growing darker and more painful. I fear tomorrow night is the night that the Dark Lord will summon me. He knows that I am available on Saturdays and therefore will be able to escape the castle unnoticed, and he knows I will have made a full recovery by now. I have no information to offer him, I will be killed!"

"What is it that Lord Voldemort wants to know, Severus?"

"He wants to know your plans for Harry Potter and your reasoning for bringing back Slughorn. He finds it interesting that you would suddenly appoint me Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts after denying me the position for over ten years."

"I believe that that fascinates us all, Severus. But, we'll give the Dark Lord what he wants. Harry Potter and Professor Slughorn will be safe at Hogwarts under my protection. Tell him that Slughorn holds a memory of a very old Hogwarts student, one that I believe will be key to winning the war. Tell him I've recruited Harry Potter on somewhat of a mission to aid me in retrieving this memory and, tell him, I trust you enough in the position of the Dark Arts professor. After all, you have earned my trust, Severus."

"Very well, Albus, but, this memory, the key to winning the war, what is it?"

"That's what I hope to find out."