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Dark Gods In The Blood	By : Hayseed Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 3951 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 14
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A/N: None for this
chapter. Thanks for reading.

Summary: A wandering
student comes home, a broken man pays his penance, and a gruesome murder is
both more and less than it seems. Some
paths to self-discovery have more twists and turns than others.

Rating: R, for
intermittent dark themes, violence, and language

Disclaimer: Nothing
you read here (save the plot and bits of the text itself) belongs to me. Harry Potter and his cronies are the
property of JK Rowling and Warner Bros. (and someone else, probably, but not
me). All chapter headings are properly
credited to their sources.

Dark Gods in the Blood

by: Hayseed (hayseed_42@hotmail.com)

Chapter Fourteen

Only
in the very last moment, as though in response to some

sign we could not see, to some whisper we
could not hear, he

frowned
heavily, and that frown gave to his black death-mask

an
inconceivably brooding, and menacing expression.

-- Joseph Conrad,
Heart of Darkness

�Ah, Miss Granger,� the
receptionist at Perkins cried as Hermione stepped through the front door. �How are you doing this morning?�

�Fine, thank you,� she
said with a pleasant smile. �And how
are you, Ms ...?�

cla class=MsoBodyText2>

�Oh, everyone just calls
me Marcy,� she replied. �I�m well,
thank you, Miss Granger.�

Her smile widened. �Hermione, please,� she said. �Is Sn -- is Severus seeing visitors
today?� Snape�s first name still tasted
strange in her mouth -- she wondered if it always would.

The receptionist -- Marcy
-- slid the familiar box onto the countertop briskly. �He is,� she told her.
�In fact, I believe someone came in earlier to see Severus. That other one. He�s the only one that visits, other than you, of course. Such a nice fellow -- there�s something
familiar about him. I know I�ve seen
him in the Prophet before.�

�Did you attend
Hogwarts?� Hermione asked wryly, assuming that the only other person in this
world that would actually visit Severus Snape was Albus Dumbledore. Especially given the curious and
unexplainable fact that he was, according to Dr. Cuthrell, Snape�s next-of-kin.

�Gracious, no,� Marcy
exclaimed. �I�m a Squib. Barely a speck of talent -- just enough to see the wizarding world. Not nearly enough to get a Hogwarts letter.�

�l'>�Oh,� she said softly,
putting her wand in the box, afraid she�d just hurt the kind woman�s feelings.

But Marcy�s face was full
of compassion. �Don�t worry, my dear,�
she said with a sad little smile. �I�ve
had my entire life to adjust to it. Now
... you go ahead back. I�m sure that
nice Mr. Dumbledore is nearly through.
And won�t Severus be pleased to have two visitors in one day?�

Stripping off her shoes,
Hermione suppressed a laugh. Pleased wasn�t the word she was thinking of. �Thank you, Marcy,� she said politely as the
receptionist slid the now-full box back under her counter. �See you in a bit.�

�Give Severus my regards,
won�t you, Hermione?� she asked as Hermione walked down the hallway.

Again, she had to refrain
from giggling. Marcy apparently hadn�t
spent much time with Snapean san style="mso-spacerun: yes"> No ...
probably hadn�t spent any time around
him, if she still felt warmly enough to send along her regards.

Cuthrell was already hovering
beside the door leading into the sitting room she usually saw Snape in. He gave her a triumphant look as she came to
stand beside him.

�Dr. Cuthrell,� she said
with a cold nod.

His smile lacked its
usual charm, taking on a more predatory quality as he spoke. �Ah, Hermione,� he said. �Good morning. And how are you today?�

Raising an eyebrow at his
false cheer, she remained silent.

With a short nod of his
own, Cuthrell dropped all pretense and frowned at her. �Do you know who is in there, Hermione?�

�Severus Snape, I
expect,� she said dryly. �Although you
probably have multiple patients under your care.�

�I am not nearly the fool
you take me for, Miss Granger,� he replied.
�It is still Miss Granger, isnt, Ht, Hermione?� She ignored the small jab. �No ... no, Albus Dumbledore himself is in
there with Severus. To be honest,
Hermione, I am quite glad you�ve chosen today to drop by -- I�m very interested
in what Professor Dumbledore has to say to you. Especially once I make him aware of your conduct.�

�My conduct?� she echoed
slowly. �Dr. Cuthrell, you sound as if
you think I�ve done something wrong.� She offered him her sweetest smile.

Lips thinning, Cuthrell
straightened, glaring squarely at her.

Suddenly, the door to the
visiting room opened, a metallic clang in the quiet. Albus Dumbledore shuffled out into the hall, head
uncharacteristically bent down. She
could not see his face but was transfixed by the sight of his milk-white,
blue-veined toes, peeking out from under the hem of his rich purple robes. �Ah, Dr. Cuthrell,� he said, glancing up to
look at the do.

�Professor Dumbledore,�
Cuthrell said respectfully, nodding.
�How was your visit?�

Dumbledore sighed and
Hermione could finally see the despondency in his expression. �As well as usual,� he said. �How goes his treatment?�

She wondered if he�d
noticed her presence yet as he hadn�t given any such indication.

�It progresses,� Cuthrell
replied evasively. �Although we still
have several barriers to break through.�

�Of course,� he said with
a grave nod. Hermione had the suspicion
that he took Cuthrell about as seriously as Snape did. Was that a smile playing around his lips? She could not see his entire expression.

�But now that you put me
in mind of it ...� Cuthrell continued in a thoughtful sort of tone that
Hermione did not believe for a moment.
�There is something I wanted to
talk with you about.�

�Yes?�

�She�s standing there
behind you,� he said flatly.

Dumbledore turned halfway
around and she saw in his eyes that he�d known she was there the entire
time. �Oh, good morning, Hermione. Good to see you.�

�You too, Professor,� she
replied politely, watching his twitching mouth turn into a full-blown smile. �How is Prof -- erm, Severus doing?�

�As quiet as ever,� he
said, smile fading slightly. �Oh, and
Hermione? There�s no need to stand on
such formality. We�re among friends
here -- please, call me Albus.�

She wondered how much of
this was for Cuthrell�s benefit.
�Certainly ... Albus. I must
say,� she continued. �I�m rather
surprised to run into you today -- I would think you�d be up at Hogwarts.�

Shrugging, his expression
was unreadable. �I visit Severus
weekly, Miss Granger. Every Wednesday morning,
actually. Minerva is kind enough to
tend to my duties in my absence.� He
turned to Cuthrell. �What did you and
Hermione wish to speak with me about?�

�Were you, Professor,
aware of Miss Granger�s visits with Severus?� he asked brusquely.

Dumbledore looked
amused. �I believe it should be clear
from our previous conversation that I did not, doctor. But I see no harm in it. Quite the contrary, in truth. The more human contact Severus has, the
better, in my opinion.�

�Professor Dumbledore,�
Cuthrell began, voice tight with fury, �Hermione Granger has been nothing but
counterproductive to my progress with Severus since she walked through the
front door. It is my belief that she is
actually encouraging his belligerence.�

�It is my belief that Severus generally needs no such
encouragement,� he said, still smiling gently.
�But I do confess, I am curious as to how you came by such a
conjecture.�

�They speak for an hour
or more at a time,� he said loudly.
�And neither will disclose any inkling of the conversation.�

Abruptly, Dumbledore�s
face shifted from bemused to interested.
Concerned, almost. �Is this
true, Hermione? You�ve spoken with
Severus?�

She shrugged
slightly. �Nothing of great import,�
she replied. �But, yes.�

In that moment,
Dumbledore underwent a curious transformation, looking as if he wanted
simultaneously somehow to both embrace and strangle her. She tried not to think on it as the
conversation progressed. �Really ...�
he said carefully. �And you�re saying
you�ve actually spoken with Severus?�

�Yes,� she said
again. �Yes, I have.�

�And he has responded?�
he pressed her, taking a rather ominous step in her direction.

Hermione held her
ground. �He has. Rather irritably, I grant you, but he has.�

There was that
indescribable expression again. Truth
be told, Hermione found it quite worrisome.
�Dr. Cuthrell,� Dumbledore said briskly. �I woulde a e a word with Miss Granger.�

�Certainly, Professor
Dumbledore,� Cuthrell replied, shooting her a victorious look. �I myself am very curious to see --�

�No!� he interrupted, in
the sternest voice she�d ever heard out of her former headmaster�s mouth. �Alone,
Dr. Cuthrell.�

As if Dumbledore had
actually physically struck him, Cuthrell recoiled, withering into an obsequious
weed, nodding and backing away. �Why
... yes ... yes, of course, Professor.
Erm, good day, then.�

�Good day, Jake,� he
responded, not unkindly. Hermione
realized with a start that he�d addressed the doctor by his first name. As soon as Cuthrell had scuttled out of
earshot, he turned back to her, an intensity in his eyes that sent her stomach
roiling with an unidentifiable fear.
�Hermione,� he said, quiet and dangerous as a tiger on the hunt.

�Yes?� she asked
cautiously.

�You will tell me what
you and Severus have spoken of,� he stated in a firm, unyielding voice. �You will tell me now.�

The unheard of sharpness
in his countenance undid her -- even in her recollections of Dumbledore�s
encounters with Voldemort himself, she remembered amusement, stoicism, even
anger. But cold anger, useful
anger. This tight fury now seemed to be
anything but -- if she did not bend to his will, she saw in his eyes that he
would force her without so much as a second thought. �I ... we ...� she hesitated, more out of fright than a desire to
keep information from him.

�Hermione,� he warned
shortly.

�Mostly he asks me why
I�ve come to visit him,� she said miserably.

He cocked his head and
his voice gentled. �And why do you visit him, Hermione?�

Her hesitation now was
more genuine. �I ... I don�t know,� she
admitted. �It�s just something I feel
that I need to do.�

�An obligation?� Back to his usual steady calm -- his eyes
were patient with her unease.

�No,� she said
definitively. �Certainly not. More like ... well, I can�t explain
it.� Her tone was suddenly defiant. �Why do you vihim,him, sir?�

Dumbledore blinked and
for a moment she thought he was going to take points away from Gryffindor for
her impertinence. Then reality came
crashing back down on her -- she was no longer his student; she hadn�t been his
student for nearly fifteen years. �That
is between Severus and myself, Miss Granger,� he said sternly. �If he chooses to tell you why I visit him,
it is his concern. I myself find that I
do not wish to share such information.�

With a small sigh and a
slight nod, she accepted his response.
After all, she�d told him nothing as well.

Again, he studied her
closely. �I do not think that is all
you discuss,� he said. �After all,
young Jacob Cuthrell says that you have spent upwards of an hour in his company
before. Certainly you do not spend all that time evading a single question?�

�He does not speak
much. Professor -- Severus, I mean,�
she told him, Snape�s first name tasting more strangely in her mouth than ever
before. �And when he does, it is
generally only to say cruel things. He
did, though, seem interested in Harry�s ... in his ...� Trailing off, she found herself unable to
say it.

He quirked an
eyebrow. �Severus asked after Harry
Potter?� he asked, mild disbelief in his voice.

�No,� she said, shaking
her head. �I told him about Harry. It just ... slipped out. But he was almost ... curious about the whole thing. Asked for details, that sort of thing. Up until that moment, he�d just been ... I
don�t know ... toying with me. Acting
complacent for a little while so that when he was nasty, it hurt more.�

�Interesting,� Dumbledore
said thoughtfully. �Are you aware, Miss
Granger, that you are the first person in more than five years that Severus has
actually spoken with at any sort of length?�

�Marginally, sir,� she
said. �Dr. Cuthrell had alluded to the
fact that Sn -- Severus was recalcitrant to speak with him.�

Sadness in his voice, his
face was wistful as he spoke.
�Hermione, I�ve visited Severus every week for the past five years. He has not spoken to me once. And to my knowledge, I am his only
visitor. Present company excluded, of
course.� A shadow of humor flickered across
his face and was gone nearly as it appeared.

�Oh.� She pondered this for a moment. And to her horror, a question started to
slip heedlessly off her tongue. �Then
why do you --?�

Mercifully, Dumbledore did
not wait for her to finish her unkabnkably brazen question. �I hope, Miss Granger. Someone must hope for Severus, after all,
since he himself has lost all of his.�

She did not have anything
to say to that and the sadness in his eyes was unbearable.

But after a pause, he
straightened and his expression cleared.
�Go on in, Hermione,� he said, shreds of his usual good humor in his
voice. �You�ve done far more good for
Severus in less than two months than any of us have been able to do for five
years. Today, I could swear that
Severus spent our fifteen minutes glaring at me -- he usually has no
expression.�

�Really,� she choked out,
torn between laughter and horror.

He chuckled at her
confusion. �Farewell, Miss
Granger. I hope to see more of you.� And with that, he shuffled down the hallway,
age apparent in his gait. In his wake,
Hermione realized that this was the first moment she�d seen him as the old man
he truly was.

-- I am always watched -- it might as well be
you as anyone.�

Curious, she regarded him
with a quirked eyebrow and silently asked for elaboration.

Unbelievably, he provided
it. �The nurses, the doctors, even the
other patients. Someone is always around, watching, �keeping us safe,�
ostensibly,� he said distastefully. �I
am never truly alone..�

She was surprised at his
candor. �Is that why ...?� Catching herself just in time, Hermione
switched gears to a far more inane, but far less incendiary, question. �You miss it, then?�

�Miss Granger,� he
chided, choosing to let her question remain unanswered. �It is rumored that you possess a great intellect. It would speak well of you to use it on
occasion.�

The same could be said of you, she thought ruefully but tactfully kept her mouth shut as he
continued to speak.

�Of course ...� he
drawled, reminding her disturbingly of a fifteen-year-old Draco Malfoy. �Your continued presence here is a clear
counterexample to my previous statement.�
He smiled at her and she immediately wished that he would stop.

And so they had come full
circle, back to the same old question.
Any moment now ... yes. Here he
went.

�I will ask you again,
Miss Granger,� he said, losing the smile.
�Partially because I would like an answer to my question and partially
because it discomfits you so. Why
are you here?�

She sighed. �Why are you here?�

�Insufficient,� he snapped. �Answering a question with an echo is
childish.�

�So is asking the same
question again and again,� she shot back.

Shifting in his chair,
Snape leaned forward slightly. �And
what�s more, Miss Granger, your question has a stupidly obvious answer, while
mine is a valid query.�

�What is the obvious
answer to my question, then?� she asked with a small smirk. �As you�ve neglected to actually give it.�

�I am mad, Miss Granger,�
he said. �Ergo, I belong in an asylum.�

Hermione clasped her hands
together on top of the table. �I
contend that you are a sane individual, sir.
Thus, your position is called into question just as mine is.�

�Very well,� he conceded
with a jerk of the head. �According to
your own definition, even if I am a
rational creature, I still maintain that
my presence here is incontrovertible.�

�You tried to kill
yourself,� she supplied.

He frowned and looked for
a moment as if he would retreat, but then Professor Snape came back in his
expression full force. �Yes.�

She attacked. �Why?�

Snape actually recoiled
physically. Flung himself out of his
chair and retreated half a dozen steps backward. �What?�

�Why did you attempt
suicide?� she asked as blandly as she could.

With an inelegant shrug,
his posture became less defensive. �It
was the preferable option.�

�Insufficient,� she
barked in a conscious mimicry of his previous behavior. �I am asking you how you reached the point
in your life that suicide appeared to be your only option, sir.�

�Not my only option,� he
corrected mildly. �Just the best one.�

Shoulders slumped once
more, eyes downcast, his ill-fitting scrubs sagging limply on his body, Snape
looked utterly defeated. His hands did
not seem to know where to rest, clenching and unclenching fistfuls of fabric at
his sides. In that moment, she finally
was able to bring herself to feel pity for the broken man she was only now able
to recognize.

He ruined the moment,
however, when his head snapped up, hair flying off his forehead. �Don�t look at me like that,� he spat.

Hermione obeyed, turning
her eyes to the tabletop and remaining in her seat as he began to pace.

�I am not a fool, Miss
Granger,� he continued, clasping his hands behind his back in an academic
gesture incongruous with his current situation. �And I do not make decisions lightly. But my reasons are my own and I do not wish to discuss them.�

�Will you discuss
something else?� she asked cautiously, accepting his obvious desire for a
subject change.

He laughed, short and bitter. �More sophistry, Miss Granger?�

�No ...� she began,
deliberately hedging. �A question,
actually. Mere curiosity, more than
anything else.�

Still pacing, he flapped
a hand at her. �Ask your question,
Granger, but keep in mind that I reserve the right to deny you the answer, if
indeed there is one. And no �angels
dancing on pinheads� nonsense, if you please.�

Hermione found herself
surprised at that last -- Snape was being droll. How inconsistent of him, really.
�Well,� she said. �Dr. Cuthrell
has mentioned several times that Albus Dumbledore is your next-of-kin.�

�Is that your question,
Miss Granger?� he asked, finally coming to a halt in front of his chair.

�Not exactly,� she
replied, intent on her right thumbnail.
She felt his gaze on her forehead.
�I doubt Cuthrell would lie about such a thing and what�s more,
Professor Dumbledore all but confirmed it.
What I want to know is why he is
your next-of-kin.�

Snape was quiet, but it
was more contemplative than angry.
After a long pause, she finally met his eyes and saw a strange mix of
confusion and thoughtfulness. �Not
today, Miss Granger,� he eventually said.
�Ask me again one day.�

Accepting his response
with a nod, she stood up herself -- both bare-footed, Snape bested her in
height, but not by many inches. She
wondered briefly if he could still loom as menacingly over her as he used to
many years ago and doubted it. �Very
well, sir,� she said politely. �I will
leave you in peace, then. Good day.�

He snorted as she turned
to leave, remaining otherwise silent.
Hermione felt his eyes on her back until she closed the door, planted
firmly on the other side.

-- -- --
-- --

**Footnote -- Quotation,
of course, taken from Lewis Carroll�s Alice in Wonderland. The Cheshire
cat uses this logic to explain to Alice that he is mad (and everyone in this
wood is mad, thus Alice herself must be mad, and so forth). I�m reasonably certain that Snape would be
familiar with most of the major works of English literature in passing, but I
would think (this is pure conjecture, mind ... ) that he would be drawn to both
of Carroll�s Alice books just as a matter of course.

-- -- --
-- --
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- 16
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Dark Gods In The Blood