The Beach House

13

The days rolled into weeks taking on their own kind of routine. Severus would leave Hermione and the castle in the morning to travel, often around the world in order to procure the ingredients needed. He would return back exhausted in the evening with his day's spoils which Hermione accepted readily. She would spend the following day boiling and bubbling and adding and mixing and keeping notes and working to bring the potions to the final conclusion. She was the only person Severus trusted who was competent enough to complete the daily tasks. Both tired at the end of the day they would both tumble into bed where sleep would quickly over take them until the morning.

The dungeon chambers were unusually warm, such was the heat of the day outside. Hermione, who had increased the cooling spell throughout the day still felt hot and sticky.  They'd been working on the complicated spells and potions for almost six weeks and with amount of time spent in the claustrophobic rooms, Hermione would be glad when they had finished.  She set a stasis on three of the bubbling cauldrons and retreated out of the laboratory and up the winding staircase and out of the castle.  She needed to breathe some fresh air and soak up some warm summer rays.  She conjured up a blanket from her small clutch bag and sighing lay out on the baked  hard ground.  Relaxing, her mind wandered back to her parents and the imminent use of The Revelator.  The thought of returning to Hogwarts during the war was one that made her shiver, but if it was the only way of stopping her parents being killed then she would go back willingly.  The only problem she could foresee was getting Severus to fall in love with her back then.  After all, back then she was nothing to him but a buck toothed, bushy haired insufferable know-it-all.....

"Penny for them?" A deep baritone voice interrupted her musings.  Surprised, she jumped slightly but then looked up smiling.

"I was just thinking about how things shall be when - if - I get to go back?" She stood up and put her arms round Severus' neck and kissed him soundly. 

"Well hello to you" he said grinning and kissed her again.  "Did you miss me?"

"I did.  What did you bring this time? Did you manage to get the Goblin Dew Breath?"

"Better.  I got the Goblin Dew Breath and on the way home I called in a favour from a rather dubious old Half-Gnome I met some years ago and he got me the Longicaudis Leaves."  He put his hands to her waist and spun her round.  "This means, my love, that we have everything we need to make The Revelator work.  How did your potions go today?"

Hermione giggled as he placed her firmly back on the ground.  "Good.  All good" she nodded "I've put a stasis on them to hold them at temperature as I need you to double check them but I think they're all fine."

"I'm sure they will be.  Let's go look now."  And with a flick of his wand he picked up her blanket and shrunk it back down into her bag.  He took her hand and they both made their way back down to the dungeon. 

That evening they finished off making the last of the potion and learning the final incantation and with a sharp intake of breath Severus declared them ready.  Hermione had brought the old mirror from the Beach Chalet and this was going to be the dais from which the whole series of spells and potions would take place. 

Severus had placed every thing together.  Three potions would have to be mixed together, and then tipped onto the mirror.  Then a series of complex incantations would have to be spoken.  Hermione would have to be holding the mirror at the same time. 

"We will need help with the potion mixing so I've asked Draco to help.  He'll be here presently" Said Severus.

"Is Harry coming too?"

Severus shook his head "No. I thought it best not to ask Mr Potter.  When you go back I am not exactly sure of the time frame.  It's quite likely it will be when Harry is battling the Dark Lord.  I can't risk him not being where he should be for that.  If my memory serves me right on that awful day, Draco was near here anyway, and I was here then went to the Shrieking Shack."  Hermione paled at the thought of him being bitten by Nagini again. 

"You will look after yourself won't you?" She said, climbing onto his lap as he sat on the small settee and putting her arms round his neck. He circled her waist with his large, slender fingers and his forehead rested against hers.

"Don't worry." He said smiling softly "forewarned is forearmed, or so they say.  I've taken precautions that will counteract the venom in the snake's bite.  I shall be fine."

"I've worked it all out in my head." She said pulling away slightly "I'll get to mum and dad and get them away before the Death Eater gets to them and then I shall get back to Hogwarts and save Fred and Remus and Tonks and....."

"NO!"

Severus shot up in the air, causing Hermione to fall off his lap. 

"No" he said again but slightly quieter.  Realising the young witch was now lying on the floor he reached down and picked her up, and absentmindedly dusted her off.  "You cannot save anyone but your parents.  You cannot change the history of anyone else.  Do you understand? The Revelator came about due to the mirror being bought by your parents and all of circumstances being aligned to allow you to go back and change their past...or future - depending on which way you look at it... but you cannot - MUST NOT change anything else."

"But you're taking measures so you aren't hurt by Nagini."

"But one"' he put up his finger "I wasn't killed by Nagini last time, and two" he put up another finger "I took the same precautions last time - no more no less.  So my future will not be changed."

Hermione sat back on the settee with tears misting her eyes.  "How will I ever be able to look at Molly again knowing I could've saved her son but did nothing?"

Severus took her hands in his own.  "But she won't know, my darling.  It won't be Molly reliving the events over again, it will be happening for the first time.  She will never know you've come back.  And you won't know either.  None of this...." he swept his arm around him "or us, or the events of the last few weeks will have existed.  You'll have absolutely no recollection. And neither will I."

Hermione took a deep breath and blew out slowly.  The reality of what was about to happen was starting to dawn on her.  It scared her but thrilled her in equal measures.  She never wanted to leave Severus but knew she had no choice.

"Ok let's do it when Draco gets here" she nodded, as much trying to reassure herself than Severus.

"He's here now." Severus stood and flicked his wand to remove the wards from his door, just as Draco entered.

"What ho!" Said Draco cheerily.  "I've just spoken to Minerva and she's told me The Revelator is all ready to go.  Is that what you called me here for?"

"Indeed it is"

"Right." He replied still grinning "Come on Granger - let's do this!"