janus ~ hermione granger

lvii

"you're joining us tonight," blaise zabini spoke as daphne greengrass intertwined her fingers with maddy's.

"i thought you two don't associate with blood traitors or whatever," the taylor girl scoffed.

"we don't, but you're an exception, seeing as you're best friends with draco and pansy despises you," daphne shrugged.

"yeah, she can get a tad bit annoying," blaise agreed.

"a tad bit?" maddy raised an eyebrow.

the trio arrived to the slytherin table, people instantly moving aside.

"took you long enough," draco rolled his eyes, and for some reason, pansy began laughing until she noticed who had just sat down opposite of her.

"what is she doing here?" pansy shrieked, catching the attention of others.

"shut it, pansy," was heard from the others, who seemed to be done with her.

"are you mates like not scared of her? she can kill you with one snap," a seventh year slytherin came to a halt at the group.

"i don't see her being able to kill anyone," draco furrowed his eyebrows then looked back up at the boy. "who are you?"

"you're kidding," the boy scoffed. "i'm-"

"no one cares," theodore nott waved him off.

"malfoy does, seeing as he asked."

"you look a little too proud of yourself there," blaise responded.

"take a seat-dumbledore is about to start," nearly headless neck flew past.

the students looked, quieting down as their headmaster rose to his feet. the seventh year scrambled to his seat, causing draco to snort in amusement.

"the very best of evenings to you!"

"what's up with his hand?" daphne asked, pointing out dumbledore's right hand, which was black and dead-looking.

whispers swept around the room, so the way older man smiled and covered his hand with his injury.

"nothing to worry about. now-to our new students, welcome. to our old students-welcome back! another year full of magical education awaits you."

"theodore nott," he whispered, extending his hand in maddy's direction.

"oh, right! you might not know our names. daphne greengrass," the blonde smiled.

"blaise zabini."

"ah, look at us, being friends," draco sarcastically smiled, causing some soft chuckled to emit from the others, except for pansy, who was still glaring at maddy.

"take a picture, pot-it'll last longer," maddy winked, zoning back into what dumbledore was saying.

"-and mister filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called weasleys' wizard wheezes. those wishing to play for their house quidditch teams should give their names to their heads of houses as usual. we are also looking for new quidditch commentators, who should do likewise."

"are you playing this year?" draco asked the gryffindor girl.

"i heard harry was allowed to play again, so probably not."

"we are pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year, professor slughorn. he is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of potions master."

"potions?" echoed throughout the great hall.

"professor snape, meanwhile," dumbledore raised his voice so it could be heard over all the muttering, "will be taking over the position of defense against the dark arts teacher."

"no!" harry said a bit too loudly.

whispers continued at the slytherin table, excited that their head of house finally got the position he wanted.

"good luck," pansy smirked at maddy.

"when will you get it into that thick skull of yours? professor snape is my godfather-phoebe and i are his favorites at this school."

"and salazar is your ancestor," crabbe trailed off, getting nudged by goyle and glared at by draco.

"now, as everybody in this hall knows, lord voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining in strength."

draco lifted his fork with his wand, suddenly uninterested in what dumbledore was saying.

maddy noticed harry glancing at the group, making eye contact with the scarred boy. she raised an eyebrow and harry just shook his head, looking back up at the front of the great hall.

and just like that, everything seemed to pause.

hermione glanced over at the wrong time.

they ex-lovers caught each other's eyes, not knowing what to do.

daphne saw the interaction, and didn't know what to do either.

"mud blood," another slytherin snarled, following maddy's line of view.

this brought maddy out of her trance, instantly getting up by was stopped by the two on either side of her.

"i cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at hogwarts must take to ensure we remain safe. the castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student or member of staff. i urge you, therefore, to abide by any security restrictions that your teachers may impose upon you, however irksome you might find them-in particular, the rule that you are not to bed out of bed after hours. i implore you, should you notice anything strange, to report it to a member of staff immediately. i trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard to your own and other's safety. but now, your beds await, as warm and comfortable as you could possibly wish, and i know that your top priority is to be well rested for your lessons tomorrow. let us therefore say good night. pip pip!"

"pip pip?" blaise scrunched up his face as the group of seven stood up, making their way out of the great hall.

"are you heading to our common room with us?" daphne asked, seeming a bit too excited.

"it's getting a bit late-"

"then stay the whole night," draco shrugged, making it seem like it was the most obvious thing ever.

"i don't know if-"

"you may," snape glided up to them, "but i need to have a word with you first. the rest of you can wait-if you'd like."

the two walked off, stopping once they were out of earshot.

"show me your arm," snape demanded.

"i didn't harm myself," maddy quickly replied.

"i know you didn't. i would like to see it-for other reasons."

maddy sighed and extended her right arm.

"no. left arm."

"well, you have to be more specific-"

"madison."

"okay, i'm going. geez."

maddy glanced around before pulling her sleeve up and snape harshly turned it over, revealing the faint dark mark.

"i should've known," he sighed, softly letting go of her forearm. "you're allowed to go back. i figured after what happened last school year that you wouldn't be spending as much time with gryffindors, so your luggage is already down there, along with miss greengrass'. don't worry, dumbledore agreed. if you ever feel like going back to your corresponding house, just let me know and i'll fetch a house elf for you."

"thank you," maddy mumbled, wrapping her arm's around severus' torso. after some hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her small figure.

"hide that as best you can with make-up. no one can see it."

word count- 1192
date written- november 3, 2020