Hermione Riddle

Harry

Soon Hermione, Severus, and their impromptu friend tired of running and the panther led them to the woods. Hermione looked to Severus who nodded his head and they followed. Once they were a reasonable way into the woods the panther shifted into Tom.

"Hello my friend, daughter." Tom scratched behind Hermione's ears and she let out a growling purr. Severus switched back and chuckled at her antics. Hermione sat and allowed Tom to continue to pet her, it felt amazing. Tom conjured seats for all of them and Hermione huffed before transforming back into her human self before taking a seat.

"Tom." Severus and Hermione greeted him together and the men sat down as well. "As you can see, I keep up the 'Voldemort' disguise in front of most of the Death Eaters, but in front of my inner circle I appear as I am now. Voldemort is a guise for the others. I have a leak, a spy in the ranks and I don't know who. I know Severus is a spy, but he is truly on our side. Dumbledore would have everyone believe that we despise muggles. But we merely want the two worlds separate, and better ways to educate muggle born parents. There are too many muggle borns that end up disowned or separated from their parents and end up on the streets. Or the parents accidentally slip up to one of their friends about magic and then we have a breach of secrecy on our hands. Sometimes it is not even responded to in time." Tom took a break to call an elf for tea and coffee and Hermione took her steaming of coffee thankfully.

"I know some of this, but I did not know the extent, there is also no education in Hogwarts for muggle borns on wizarding customs, or vice versa." She went back to nursing her coffee and looked to Severus for him to continue.

"Not to mention Dumbledore has taken away a lot of the academic and extracurricular classes. He said they were not useful and just took too much money. I am still not sure what exactly to make of that, but it doesn't make much sense." Severus paused to think about his next words, choosing them carefully. "I think he may be taking the funding and using it to pay people off." He steepled his fingers and Hermione gasped and shook her head.

"Why would he pay people off? Who would he need to pay off?" She thought for a moment and gathered her thoughts. "Do you think he is paying people in the Order and people associated with Harry?" She slumped into her chair and finished her coffee. "I need to speak with Harry, I think he knows of Dumbledore's manipulations. He knows I was going to speak with Severus last night. Severus can you kidnap Harry and put him in my room with me so I can speak with him?" She looked over to Tom for acceptance and he nodded.

"I can do that. Should I go now Tom?" Severus looked over to Tom who was starring off into space in deep thought.

"Do as she says, bring the boy here. Talk to him Hermione and then meet me here. Is Potter also an animagus?" Tom raised a dark eyebrow and Hermione nodded.

"Yes, he is, funnily enough he is a fox." Hermione chuckled and Severus snorted. "Should I bring him with me if it goes smoothly?" Tom nodded and she changed back into her lioness form. Severus apparated from the spot and Hermione went back to her room. She waited for Severus to arrive as she wondered how it was going.

~*~*~

"Potter, my office now." Severus glared at the boy and Harry glared back at the dour man. Once inside Severus heavily warded the room and sat down in the chair in front of his desk. "Harry, we need to talk." Severus motioned to the chair next to him and Harry sat down, eyeing Severus wearily.

"What do you want?" He looked at Snape and couldn't figure out what the man wanted.

"Hermione has left Hogwarts, she wishes to see you, would you allow me to take you to her?" Severus raised an eyebrow and Harry looked at him with wide confused eyes. "She is somewhere that is safe and I need you to change into your animagus form in order to sneak you in. Hermione will explain everything when we get there, will you trust me?" He stood and Harry stood, quickly taking out his wand.

"Why do you have Hermione?" Harry glared at Snape and Severus held his hands up. "She isn't hurt is she?" He raised his wand further, his grip sure.

"No, Hermione is fine, she is safe and on the right side, but we cannot talk about this here we need to leave. If you do not trust me I can show you." Severus summoned his pensive and was ready to pull out the memories.

"I trust you, take me to her." Harry quickly shifted into his fox form and leapt up onto Snape's shoulder.

"Let's go." Severus brought the fox down into his arms and apparated to the front gates of the Malfoy Manor.