Sodalis

Chapter 17

Severus sat studiously at his desk, grading term finals. The winter holiday would start the day after next and he was determined not to have any grading to do during it. Although, he actually wasn't sure if he would be leaving Hogwarts at all during the holiday. Spinner's End was gone, and he wasn't interested in holing up in Grimmauld Place with the Order. He couldn't travel like he would sometimes do, as there was no doubt that the Dark Lord had his followers watching for such an escape. The only bright side seemed to be that he wouldn't have to go to the Dark Lord's horrific revels.

There was also the problem of the bond and how it was becoming ever harder to ignore. He was plagued with headaches and a soreness in his chest that was only slightly mitigated when he saw her in the Great Hall or in the classroom. But if he didn't have some extended interaction with her soon he feared what more the bond would put him through. The dreams were never as detailed as that first one, but they were none-the-less about the girl and filled with amorous scenes and feelings that seemed to stick long after he had left his bed.

If he couldn't leave the castle then it was likely that Hermione wouldn't be able to either. With her parents gone and the unpredictability of the bond it would behoove her to stay close. The Potter boy would try to stay unless Black convinced him to visit. Would I even approach Hermione if we were the only two in the castle?

The first day of the holiday would begin with a meeting of the Order, as many of them as could safely arrive at Hogwarts. Dumbledore was still keeping something key to the war close to his chest and it was irking him to no end. He suspected that Potter knew considering the one-on-one meetings the Headmaster still held with the boy. The only opening he had to that information would have been Hermione, if the boy was smart enough to share it with her. But it seemed that Hermione was the one who kept the most secrets.

Draco had told him that Potter had no clue about the bond between him and Hermione. So it was another instance of the smart witch forcing someone into a bond. But what for? In the Hospital Wing, he recalled Potter saying he had refused to do the ritual with his friend. If so, which bond was this and when did she perform it?

The questions were only increasing and there had been no headway in Hermione remembering anything on her own. A part of him hoped that the bond would be a trigger for her, but it almost seemed as if she couldn't feel it, based on how she didn't seek him out. Draco had informed him about Potter's reticence to allow them to see each other but that she had not asked after him either. The jealousy that simmered beneath the surface of his facade reared its ugly head.

Severus had no further time to contemplate his near future as a house elf appeared, handed him a missive, then promptly returned from whence it came. He recognized the gray paper, although it held no identifiers as it would have in the past when they were students. Lucius.

Knowing that the walls of the castle talked, he left his cluttered desk and moved into his quarters, ripping the missive open.

Prince,

The CurseMaker and The Executioner are dead. They told him. He knows you've adopted another doe and that she removed your mark. She must not leave your side. If he cannot have you he will use her. We both know that you are not the only enemy he has that favors her.

White Light

His blood ran cold as he read and re-read the letter. The Dark Lord knew he had a connection to Hermione. In a panic he searched his mind for the memories of the torture, closing himself off from the emotions so he could find what he was looking for. Then he saw it, Macnair had heard his drunken musings before they attacked him. He had said her first name. Severus had hoped that her identity would be kept safe from the Dark Lord. She was in enough danger due to her close relationship with Potter, but now, thanks to him, the Dark Lord knew she was the one who removed the mark.