The Boy: Brandon Dursely

Chapter 33: The Missing Link

Severus ushered the girl into his Office, which was now back to its prior condition, as it was repaired by the house elves a few moments before.

The girl seemed to have known something was wrong. She glanced at Snape nervously, looking at her mentor with big, brown, hazel eyes, obviously asking for some explaination.

"Thank you for letting me in, Sir. But I need to know where Bran is. I know something happened! Please, I need to know!" She had wet lashes by the time she finished her plea. Severus just looked at his student.

Granger and Harry had always been close, but it was the boy's rather secretive nature that was keeping the boundaries for both. Hermione Granger was a smart girl, rather frighteningly wise like Harry, and at her tender age, already shows intuition and intiative. She likes it when Harry would choose her for a lab partner, or would sit next to her during study hours. Harry seemed to be enchanted by the Muggleborn witch, and already shows that he gives her importance amongst all his other friends. But how can she know? Surely, there must have beeen something beyond the surface that is waiting to be uncovered. Some missing piece of the puzzle that was the key to unlocking the way she and Harry Potter, or Bran Dursely, in her perspective, was connected. Whenever one was hurt, especially since the resuming of term, one would know where to find and how to help the other. There was in no way that some Magical Bond was existing between the two children-- they and their Magic were far too lacking in experience and maturity to prove that they are bound by Fate and Magic itself.

Severus sighed. He tapped the desk and said, "How can you come up to such incredulous ideas, Miss Granger? I have--"

She clasped his hand. It took Severus by surprise and he hastily took his hand away.

"Please."

She was practically appearing desperate in front of her Professor, but something-- something other than a hunch was telling her that everything was so wrong. Everything seemed out of sorts, and out of place. Snape looked rather haggard, like he had not slept the whole night, at all.

To her surprise, Snape sighed again. What was it? Something was wrong, and she needed to know.

Besides, Bran had been a great friend, and he was the first person besides her parents to have ever shown appreciation for her intelligence. Because of Bran, she found Magic wonderful, and had learned to accept her new world and her new life.

"Please, Sir. He-- I-- I know. Please!"

Severus looked at her with awe. But his interest was piques when her hand clasped the pendant of the necklace on her neck.

"Brandon is gone, Miss Granger," he admitted. The girl gasped, "I shall bind myself to a promise of telling you the answers to your questions, as an assurance, should we find him. But for now, I need to look at the necklace."

Her eyes widened and made a protective gesture over the pendant. Severus looked at her straight in the eye, "I will return it to you, Miss Granger."

Hermione looked at the pendant. This was Snape, and even Bran trusted him with his life.

She hesitantly handed the necklace to him, and watched anxiously as Snape examined it. His eyes were curious and in deep thought. Hermione stopped herself from snatching the thing away, crushing the feeling of fear at the possibility that Snape might actually take it from her.

To Snape, he found the necklace (cryatalline, swirling) as a piece of art. He had seen Harry worked on it during the Holidays, using the ornament making textbook as a basis, and a few other researches as well. He was well aware that Granger was eager to get it back, seeing her widened eyes and twitching hands.