The Serpent and the Lioness

Chapter 19

oOOo

Dinner was completed in silence, each one doing the others bidding for the time being. Hermione stood having finished her taco very, very slowly. Severus was already cleaning and putting away the dishes when she came to stand beside him shifting slightly as a small twinge in her back made itself known.

"How's your back?"

"It...aches but not too badly."

"Do you have any of the salve I left with you?"

"No, it was in the bag, that was left at Draco's Manor."

"Right..." Severus looked around the room for a moment, "There's a cellar, my grandfather had a cellar where he used to preserve his food."

"Do you think Professor McGonagall would have left potions ingredients down there?"

"It's worth looking into."

"Where's the cellar?"

"Its..." Severus pursed his lips as he tried to remember. "It's not in the house." He turned leaving the room and turning towards the small room off of the kitchen that had an old washer and dryer, there was a door that led into the backfields in the small alcove where the firewood was stored. He was sure the cellar was outside, but he just couldn't remember where.

He could hear Hermione trotting after him and continued on towards the back door. He released the old lock and pushed it open looking into the large overgrown fields and the small garden that preceded it. Hermione followed after him ducking under a piece of wood that was charmed to go into the boiler when the fire was starting to die. She watched him curiously, his black shirt almost made him disappear into the darkness.

She came up beside him as her eyes adjusted to the lack of light. He pulled his wand out casting a Lumos over the area. She said nothing staying right behind him turning and walking just a few paces to his right. They made it about 10 feet into the back garden before something thumped under foot and Severus stopped, backing up into her.

"Here."

Hermione scrambled to keep her balance but managed to thankfully stay upright. She pulled out her own wand casting her own charm as she looked at the old steel door that was nearly flush with the ground. "Is that, an old bomb shelter?"

"Possibly." Severus ran his wand over it, the weeds had all been magically pulled away and the door would have been plainly visible in the daylight, that gave him a bit of hope as he leaned over to release the handle. The door gave a loud groan and something black darted out from the crevice causing the woman beside him to shriek and stumble back. He gave her a mirthful glance, "It's just a mouse."

"No, that was a rat." Hermione said watching the creature dart off into the overgrowth, "And I would think you would understand my dislike for them after my third year, thank you very much."

He snorted and let the door fall to the side, he cast a small ball of light off of his wand watching the stairs come into focus. "After you?"

"Not a chance, dungeon master."

He snorted again and started down the steps. He had to duck when he made it to the last few, the small entrance way opened up and he sent a few more balls of light into the corners.