A Muggle in Wizard's Clothing

By clare009

Disclaimer: Harry Potter's universe and all it contains is the brainchild and property of JK Rowlings. No infringement or disrespect is intended.

Rating: PG13

Genre: A Severus Snape fic. romance/humour/drama/action/adventure...

Chapter 2: Sneaking Suspicions

Summary: Hermione and Lilian are both anxious to find out why Professor Snape missed his lessons for the day, but both come up with different theories.

The thing about Snape, really, was his completely mercurial mood swings.

It had been a few days since the... incident... in the dungeons, and she had yet to see him again. Lilian wondered if she had dreamed the whole episode up. Did he really kiss her like that? Severus Snape? And, more to the point - did she actually kiss him back? Lilian frowned. It was more than a little disconcerting. His eyes had evoked feelings in her that she would never have allowed with most men, let alone the less than ingratiating Potions' teacher. For one thing, when she had first met him, she hadn't found him attractive in the least. She thought he was sour and greasy and with the way he treated some of the students, quite nasty. If there was one thing that Lilian couldn't tolerate, it was a superior attitude - and Snape had seemed to have that in abundance.

But he wasn't arrogant or condescending when she had told him her secret. In some ways, she was glad that someone else besides Dumbledore knew about her true nature - that she was practically a Muggle and with exactly the same talent for magic as one. She knew how to keep her secret, even in a school of magic like Hogwarts, and of course, she always had her grandfather to cover for her. Most students would either assume she was eccentric and preferred not to use a wand, or the more callous would call her a squib, but that she was a Muggle would be unthinkable. But, it lightened her burden that 'someone else' knew the real truth.

Why that someone had to be Professor Snape, she still couldn't quite work out. Always saying things before you've had a chance to think, Lilian remonstrated herself. But, of course, Lilian knew herself better than that. A part of it had been the moment - that voice, which she had on occasion heard turn out a cutting phrase - had insinuated itself into her head and played clever tricks. He had sounded like a priest in a confessional making it seem like she could tell him anything and be forgiven for it. But then, she couldn't believe that he had in anyway manipulated her into telling him. It had come from herself entirely. Or perhaps he had known all along and was merely waiting for her to trust her tongue to say it...

She was over-analysing and she wanted to kick herself for it. There was nothing to it. Snape had not known, nor had he manipulated her into telling him. And what made him kiss her was completely unfathomable, but she guessed that even stuffy Potions masters got hot under the collar every now and then, and, if she had to admit it, she had been a terrible tease - although she hadn't quite expected him to react to her so extremely. I guess he's just a man, after all, and it was only a kiss.

Her mind drifted back to what had happened after the kiss - they had not let go of each other and then he had said something ... how much I would need you ... She was in a state of confusion as it was, and although she hadn't comprehended his meaning, the words had lodged in her memory. Now that she had time to mull over them, however, they made her stomach tighten with anxiety. They had sounded like Snape knew exactly what he wanted from her - in precise, minute detail. She wasn't even close to understanding her mixed up emotions about him - she had yet to decide weather or not she liked him or despised him. But that calculating voice of his, in retrospect, made her shiver. She wasn't sure if it was with anticipation or dread.

Not that it actually mattered anyway, because it had become painfully obvious that he was avoiding her now.

"Miss Goldfind," a light voice sounded at the door to Moody's classroom.

Lilian's head jerked around and once again she berated herself for falling into pointless reverie. One of her fifth year students was standing on the threshold of the doorway with a tentative look on her face. "Oh, come in, dear," Lilian waved her hand at the student to enter, a Gryffindor from the style of her badge. She smiled and said, "Miss Granger, isn't it?"

The girl smiled in return. "Yes, Hermione Granger." She still lingered in the doorway, though.

"What may I do for you, Hermione?"

The girl looked at her quite frankly and said, "Actually, there's something I wanted to ask you about."

A familiar foreboding caught at her. The student was going to ask about her wand. Lilian didn't think much got past the Granger girl. "Go ahead, dear, you're welcome to ask me anything and I'll try to give you what answers I have. Remember what I said in class?" Lilian tried to sound nonchalant, as though the discussion was a matter of course.

"Yes," Hermione smiled again. "You said you had an open door policy and didn't hold much with convention or formality." The girl's eyes dipped briefly to look at Lilian's bare feet.

She laughed, "I certainly don't."

"Which is why I thought I could ask you - since we're all dying to know anyway-"

Here it comes, thought Lilian, bracing herself.

"-what's happened to Professor Snape?"

It took her a few seconds to register the question. "Excuse me?"

Hermione, clutching her books, said, "Well, you know - we haven't seen him since he walked out of the dining hall that night. I mean, not that we had any reason to yesterday, or the day before, because it was weekend, but he wasn't in class this morning and I spoke to some of the other years and they say he didn't turn up for their classes either..."

Lilian grinned - more out of relief than anything. "And you're worried about that?"

Frowning, Hermione said, "It's not like the Professor to miss out on his classes. I mean, if he's going to do it again tomorrow, then we should arrange an alternative study lesson or something. Someone really should have let us know today, anyway."

"I'm surprised you didn't go looking for the Professor, Hermione." Lilian's eyes were glinting. The girl was a treasure, but she needed to learn to loosen up about her studies occasionally.

The girl coughed, then said, "Actually, I wanted to, but the rest of the class..."

"Threatened to lynch you if you did?"

Hermione nodded sheepishly.

"I see. Well, I really can't help you on this one, dear - I am sure Severus had a good reason for skipping his classes - probably involved in some delicate potion brewing, and if I were you, I would be prepared to receive double the amount of homework when he's back tomorrow."

Hermione's face brightened considerably and Lilian just shook her head. Suddenly worried, Hermione said, "What if he does the same thing tomorrow?"

"If he's not in his class tomorrow, come and find me and we'll sort some activity out to keep you all occupied for the lesson."

"Okay," she said, but still didn't sound satisfied.

"The other alternative would be to interrupt Professor Snape - and although you would probably have no compunctions against it, his foul mood would make the rest our lives a misery, so I implore you, dear, don't do it." Lilian's tone was light and her words had the desired effect.

Laughing, Hermione said, "I promise I won't do anything to put the Professor in a bad mood. He doesn't need me for that."

"Quite right, he doesn't. Now, anything else I can help you with? Any teachers not giving you enough homework? Or setting easy tests? I'll sort them out!"

Hermione laughed again. "That's okay, Miss Goldfind. Unless you want to speak to that Defence Against Dark Arts substitute - she's far to lenient."

Lilian grinned. So, the girl had a sense of humour after all. "Scram, young lady, I don't want to see you until you've finished that essay on 'Muggles' Involvement in the Second Dark War'. I do believe it's due first thing in the morning."

Coughing innocently, Hermione said, "I believe it's on your desk already..."

Groaning, Lilian turned the shambles of a desk and saw the pristine roll of parchment with Hermione's name on it. When she looked up again, the girl had already disappeared down the passage.

***

She spun around the corner and careered into two obstacles.

"Sorry," Ron and Harry said hurriedly as they helped their friend pick up her books and rolls of parchment that had scattered all over the corridor.

"It's okay. No harm done," Hermione told them. She decided that she was in a good mood, despite the events of the non-potions lesson today. When she had collected herself again, she looked up at the two eager faces of Ron and Harry.

"So...?" Ron said.

"What?"

"Well, did you ask her, or not?" Harry pushed.

Hermione grimaced. "Ask who what?"

Ron rolled his eyes in his most common exaggerated gesture. "Did you ask Miss Goldfind about her wand?"

"Oh!" Hermione rolled her eyes in mock imitation of her friend. "That question!" She paused, then said emphatically, "No."

Ron groaned and Harry just shook his head. "Hermione, you promised to ask her for us," Ron said.

"Look, if you're really that interested, why don't you ask her yourself?"

Harry hid a smile when he saw Ron blush, then said to Hermione, "You're so much better at sucking up to teachers than we are."

"I am not!" She frowned at them and would have put her hands on her hips if she hadn't been carrying books and such.

"Course you are," Ron said, having recovered from the thought of approaching the Substitute teacher, Miss Goldfind. "Besides, Harry and I always get into trouble - I wouldn't be surprised if all the new teachers get a list of students to keep an eye on and we're at the top of it."

Hermione laughed. She wasn't really cross with the boys. "Don't be ridiculous. Your brothers would definitely top that list, Ron."

They all grinned at the thought of all the mischief that Fred and George Weasley had been caught at during their previous years at Hogwarts. Of course, the infamous twins had been up to much more mischief than they had actually been discovered at. Ron turned to Harry. "We'll have to do something else to see if she really is a squib like Malfoy said."

At this, the smile vanished from Hermione's face. "You really aren't going to let this go, are you? I was going to ask her about it, but when I saw her again, I realised that it's really not important - and you should do the same, Ron. And Harry, I can't believe you're taking his side in this!"

Harry turned his eyes to avoid Hermione's glare. "It's just... Well, why doesn't she come out and tell us, anyway, if it's not that important. I mean, we know nothing about her as it is -"

"Besides that Professor Dumbledore hired her," Hermione pointed out. "The Headmaster knows what he's doing - you have to believe that, Harry."

"I do," Harry replied, but he still didn't sound convinced.

"Look, Dumbledore's not perfect - maybe she's pulled the wool over his eyes," Ron chimed in. Both Hermione and Harry turned to him as if to say 'Never in a million years!' but Ron continued, "He does seem rather charmed with her - and she's spends an awful lot of time in his company from what I've seen."

"If you're implying that she's cast a spell of enchantment over the headmaster, then she certainly isn't a squib," Hermione pointed out.

"I know, I know," said Ron, "but didn't you say that you don't need to be a witch to do magic? Maybe she got him to drink a love potion or something."

Harry was shaking his head, "I can't imagine Dumbledore would ever fall for something like that. He's got so many protective spells around Hogwarts and such. No, that's very unlikely, Ron."

This time, however, Hermione's brow was furrowed. "Wait a minute. I think you might actually be on to something there." The boys threw started looks at her. "Dumbledore would never be fooled into drinking a potion from someone he didn't know and trust, but what if he was duped by someone he did know?"

"So you do think Miss Goldfind is up to something?" Ron said.

"I didn't say that! I just said it's possible. Technically speaking, Dumbledore would not hesitate to drink, say for example, a cup of tea that was made by someone he trusted."

"So he would have to know and trust Miss Goldfind to begin with - in which case, she would never do something like that, therefore she's a witch. Case closed, let's go back to the tower," Harry said. He was starting to tire of the topic now.

Ron shook his head while Hermione chided, "You're being too simplistic, Harry. It doesn't mean that Miss Goldfind necessarily administered the potion to Dumbledore. It could have been someone else - someone Dumbledore trusts implicitly but perhaps has a bit of a blind spot for, also someone who's talented enough to make a potion with an effect based on a non-magical third party -"

"Snape!" Ron and Harry said simultaneously.

"And then there's the matter of why Snape didn't turn up for class today." Hermione's brain was now whirling with possibilities.

"You don't think that Snape and Miss Goldfind are in cahoots," whispered Harry, his eyes wide. "They don't seem to like each other much."

"Ha!" said Ron, "That's probably all just an act. I don't know what they're up to, but we have to put a stop to it. Who knows what schemes they've planned. And it's no use going to the headmaster - he's so completely enchanted, he's lost all his reason. Harry, that's it, we'll just have to get hold of Sirius!"

Ron had already turned in the direction of the Owlery when Hermione put a hand on his shoulder. "Hold on there, slow down. This is all just speculation. We have no reason to believe that Miss Goldfind has any schemes against the headmaster."

"Besides the fact that she's being rather less than forthcoming about her wand," Harry said.

"Come on," said Ron, "The way she looks at you, I wouldn't be surprised if they put the potion into everyone's tea so that all of us could fall in love with her!"

Hermione's eyes flared and Harry coughed. "Not all of us are in love with her, Ron," he pointed out delicately.

Ron blushed so that his freckles disappeared. "Well... okay - but there's no denying that it could happen!"

"The one I don't trust is Snape," Harry added as an afterthought.

Raising her eyebrow, Hermione said, "There's something we've never heard before."

"Ron's right. Snape could mastermind something like this - whether Miss Goldfind knows she's being used or not. I say we keep an eye out, maybe do a bit of investigation. We'll contact my godfather if we find anything concrete."

Ron nodded. "Deal." He turned to Hermione, "are you going to help us?"

"Well, Miss Goldfind was pretty quick to make sure I didn't go looking for the professor today. She seemed quite eager, in fact, to brush over the whole thing when I asked her why he missed his lessons. Maybe there is more here than meets the eye." Particularly, Miss Goldfind's words came back to her - probably involved in some delicate potion brewing. She looked at Harry and Ron. "Okay, boys, I'm in - but only on the condition that we're discreet and some of us don't get carried away." Her last statement pointed clearly at Ron, who reddened again and cursed his Weasley complexion.

"Deal," the boys said.

***

Severus did not turn up for the evening meal either, and worry started to nag at Lilian. What if he's not just avoiding me, but has actually gone and got into some trouble? She looked over at her grandfather and tried to catch his eye, but he was too involved in a deep and meaningful conversation with McGonagall. Perhaps Hermione was right to be concerned, after all, she thought.

Letting her gaze drift over to the Gryffindor table where the girl sat, Lilian was startled to find three pairs of eyes fixed on her. Harry, Ron and Hermione averted their eyes quickly after she smiled at them and Ron went red. Lilian laughed to herself - the Weasley boy appeared to have a crush on her. She looked over the rest of the hall, then suddenly found herself shivering. At the Slytherin table, the pale Malfoy boy was also staring at her, but he didn't drop his gaze when she looked back.

Lilian frowned, giving the boy a glare that she knew many grown men had been unable to take, but Malfoy merely spread his thin lips into a smile and returned to chatting with his friends.

He knows! Lilian shuddered involuntarily again.

She was subdued for the rest of the meal, not even rising to Hagrid's attempts to make her laugh. Besides becoming increasingly paranoid about what had happened to Snape, she was now filled with dread about what Draco Malfoy knew. The large Care of Magical Creatures teacher eventually gave up trying to speak to her and turned to join in with the debate that Sprout and Trelawny were having.

At the end of the meal, Lilian decided to go directly to her rooms and avoid anymore unwanted confrontations. When she felt a hand on her elbow, she jumped.

"Are you okay, child?" It was Dumbledore, and he spoke in tones that only she could hear. She looked at her grandfather, and said nothing, but her wide eyes told all. "How about some hot chocolate in my rooms. I haven't had a chance to catch up with you since Friday."

Lilian smiled in relief and nodded. She followed Dumbledore through the passages of Hogwarts and eventually into the old man's private chambers. Very few people were allowed in here - teachers and students alike. They were the headmaster's sanctuary from Hogwart's demanding affairs and were tucked neatly away behind the facade of his office.

Of course, Lilian knew these rooms well. Her grandfather had often magically transported her there so they could spend time together when Dumbledore was unable to leave Hogwarts to visit her. She had become intimately acquainted with the articles of furniture and the various magical items in the rooms as she wasn't allowed to leave them to roam through the rest of the castle. Dumbledore, in his wisdom, had wanted to keep the knowledge that Lilian was his Muggle granddaughter a secret. She wasn't sure if anyone in the Wizarding world knew of her exact identity. When she was younger, however, Lilian had snuck out to explore Hogwarts on one or two occasions - and had received the roasting of her life because of it.

Dumbledore motioned her towards the big comfy chair that was conveniently placed next to a cheery fire burning in the old-fashioned grate. Lilian loved the chair. It was large enough for her to curl up in, even now that she was grown up, and it smelled like old men, fruit scones and home. She hurried over to it while her grandfather magicked up a tray with two steaming mugs, and sunk into it with a contented sigh.

Reaching for the mug that was handed to her, she sipped it quietly while her grandfather's penetrating gaze fixed on her. Dumbledore sighed and sat down in the chair opposite and said, "how did Severus take your apology?"

Lilian nearly choked on the contents of her mug. "Well! I mean, he took it well, Grandfather." She quickly took another gulp of her drink to hide her consternation. "How did you know that I apologised?"

Dumbledore smiled with affection at his granddaughter. "I know your limitations and failings, dear, but I also know that you are quick to right a wrong and not ashamed to say you're sorry. You would have been in Gryffindor, you know."

The unspoken words were clear as day between them. Would have been, if you could be sorted, if you were in Hogwarts, if you were a wizard... Dumbledore didn't imply the distinction, but to Lilian, it was always there. She smiled gently, though, and said, "Perhaps the sorting hat would have put me in Slytherin or Ravenclaw."

"Slytherin never! You need guile to be in that house, and you, my dear, have none. Ravenclaw neither - you're practical and versatile, but there's no one thing that you really excel at, is there?"

"Not unless you count being a Muggle," Lilian said wryly.

Dumbledore looked at her thoughtfully. "No, I don't think you do that very well, either."

She threw up her hands in mock resignation. "Gryffindor it is then, because there is no way Hufflepuff would let someone as lazy as me in."

Chuckling, Dumbledore said, "Not lazy, child, but an exceptional ability to find the path of least resistance, I would say. A rather creative talent at that. I myself have found it often useful - especially when one is in charge of such an industrious school like Hogwarts."

"How do you keep it all together, Grandfather," Lilian asked, genuinely intrigued.

Dumbledore leaned closer and his voice dropped conspiratorially. "Want to know the real secret?" Lilian nodded. "Hogwarts is like a beautiful machine. Once set in motion, it pretty much runs itself. All I need to do is to be there to encourage the cogs to keep on turning. Like Severus, for example - a brilliant teacher and very useful in other areas - but he often needs a word here or a look there to keep him going."

Lilian blinked, "So you're telling me you're a glorified cheerleader?"

Leaning back into his chair, Dumbledore opened his mouth in a belly laugh. "If you want to put it that way!"

Grinning, Lilian watched as her grandfather laughed at her absurd comment. He was downplaying the role he had in Hogwarts as well as the greater scheme of things. However, she knew that Dumbledore was the school's mainstay and possibly one of the major forces in the Wizarding world. He was the one mage that the Dark Lord actually feared and his cloak of protection spread far and wide. Although she wasn't completely up to date with the goings on in the realm of magic, Lilian knew that her grandfather played a big part in the conflict between good and evil. In some ways it was comforting, but in others, it scared her a little.

"You know, he's not that bad, Lilian." She started, not realising that her grandfather had gone quiet during her musings.

"Of course," Lilian said with a half smile and a touch of sarcasm. "He's curt, obnoxious, thinks he's better than everyone, and let's not forget greasy and unsociable. That's almost normal by Wizard standards."

"Well, he can't help being greasy," Dumbledore said with a straight face. "It comes with the job of potions brewing."

She had to laugh at that. "I guess it does. But, what are you trying to say, Grandfather?"

Dumbledore leaned over and rested a gnarled hand on her knee. His eyes shone with affection and something akin to mischief. "I'm saying don't dismiss our dear Severus just because of the hard veneer he has. It has served its purpose in the past and in one instance, saved his life. But now he needs to rely on something else." He patted her knee twice, then leaned back into his chair. "And I do believe you're the one who has to show him."

Narrowing her eyes with suspicion, Lilian said, "Show him what, exactly, Grandfather?"

The old man raised his hands in a gesture of vagueness. "I thought you would have figured that out already. It's usually self evident when two young people kiss each other."

"Grandfather!" Lilian bolted upright in her chair. "Is there nothing that happens in this school that you don't know about?"

"No, dear. I forgot to tell you the other part of the secret to running Hogwarts." Dumbledore grinned. Lilian stuck out her bottom lip at him. "Don't pout," Dumbledore said, "it was cute on you as a child, but now it's positively frightening."

Sighing in resignation, Lilian sank back into the big chair and started to pick lint off its arms. "You know, I really don't think much about you trying to match make me with Severus."

Smiling, Dumbledore said, "I'm not sure I know what that means - it sounds painful."

"Yes. Yes, it is," Lilian said, quite seriously. She looked up at her grandfather and decided to tell him the truth. "Maybe you don't understand, but being in love is not easy. It certainly isn't a piece of cake if the object of your affections is a decent, upstanding Muggle with a mortgage and car repayments. But when you have a penchant for dark, brooding Wizards with no hope of redemption and a masochistic nature, then you know it's going to be utter hell."

"I know all about loving the wrong type, Lilian. Don't ever doubt that I loved your grandmother." Dumbledore laced his hands together in front of him.

"I know that," she whispered. "I don't doubt it. But I don't have your strength. I can't live like this for the rest of my life, pretending to be something I'm not - and I certainly won't pretend around him."

"Oh, Lilian," Dumbledore sighed. "who said anything about pretending? He knows you're a Muggle already, doesn't he?"

"Yes... But the point is, nobody else does. And you know what would happen if they found out what I really was. I don't want that for you... or Severus."

"Child," Dumbledore said, a bit of steel in his voice, "that's not the reason why we've hidden your identity and you know it. You're sounding very spoiled right now, and heavens forbid that it was I who did the spoiling!"

Lilian climbed out of her chair and went to perch on the edge of her grandfather's chair. She put her arms around him and gave him a quick hug. "You spoil me rotten," she whispered. "But I'm still not convinced about Severus. He certainly doesn't have your temperament."

Touched at her gesture, Dumbledore smiled and squeezed her cheek. "That's why he needs you." Suddenly, Dumbledore's look turned from tender to grave. "You're not going to have too much longer to decide where you stand."

***

The sun was shining on his face. It was an experience he hadn't had a very long while, and it almost felt good. Or rather, it would have if not for the wet, cold and uncomfortable surface he was lying on. Sharp things dug into his skin and his robes under his back were sodden. Immediately his brain registered that he was not where he was supposed to be - which was the dungeons of Hogwarts School of Magic. Admittedly, the dungeons had no access to the sunlight and would probably have been a lot colder and danker than where he presumably was at the moment, but at least they were familiar, and in a way, home.

He dared to open his eyes and regretted it instantly. The sunlight was indeed harsh and a lot brighter than he remembered it. It sliced into his sensitive eyeballs and made him wince in pain, forcing him to shut them again so that he could see only blissful dark. He was usually averse to the daylight, but this was extreme even for him. The questions started to write themselves down in neat, ordered lines on the parchment of his brain. Where was he and why did he feel like he had the old hag of all hangovers? His only consolation was that he hadn't been bitten by a vampire - the sun would have turned to him to toast long before now if that was the case.

Severus dug his hands into the ground beneath him to gain purchase and heaved himself into a sitting position. Every muscle used in the process grouched at him and he realised that not only did he feel like hell, he could probably do a good impersonation of the damned as well. He opened his eyes again, but this time with experience on his side. His lids lifted so that only the barest of slits were available for him to look through. After the initial glare had worn off, he could see quite well where he was: a desolate hillside in the middle of nowhere. Fun, thought Severus, let's play twenty questions with the scenery.

However much he was intrigued to know where he had landed up after... after Salazar knew what, because he sure as hell didn't, Severus decided it was time to get back to his nice, cosy and best of all dark dungeons. He reached for his wand, which, of course, wasn't there.

He cursed out loud, then cursed silently for doing so as his vocal cords protested. He couldn't Apparate back to Hogwarts without his wand, he would just have to find another way home. The best course of action would be to find one of those things, what did Muggles call them? Roads? Yes, that was it - find a road, which would no doubt lead him to a Muggle village or something and where there were Muggle villages, there were wizards.

Snape got unsteadily to his feet and lurched off in a random direction. After all, his odds were the same no matter which one he took.

Luck, for the first time since the blank spot in his memory of the last several hours, seemed to be on his side. Over the first rise, he was greeted with the sight of a cheery country lane. Severus staggered down to the winding road and continued along it, making sure all the while that the morning sun was on his right side. It wasn't too long before a Muggle mechanical apparatus on wheels came up behind him, spluttering and groaning loudly and generally making his ears hurt. The motor vehicle, for that's what it was called, stopped a few yards ahead of him and a bland looking old Muggle leaned out the cabin.

"You there! Need a lift?"

Snape grunted in what he hoped sounded like a 'yes'. He was desperate enough to travel via Muggle technology - even technology as inept looking as the contraption that was still grunting loudly on the road in front of him.

"You look like hell, mate - rough night out?" the vehicle's operator said as Snape climbed into the empty side of the cabin and hugged his arms around himself. The Muggle shoved a lever that was sticking out between the two seats in the cabin and the whole contraption lurched forward in a way that left Snape's digestive system behind.

Snape turned and levelled an unimpressed look at the man. His current state must have rendered it useless, however, because the man merely shook his head and muttered something about today's youth under his breath. Snape unfolded his arms and brought his hands up to his face to rub his eyes. Unfortunately, he got to see them first and quickly shoved them back into the folds of his robe before the innocent Muggle did too. His long fingered hands were covered with black, crusty stains that looked more than suspiciously like blood. A dark fear told him that it wasn't his own, either.

***

It was late when Lilian left Dumbledore's rooms - actually, the old man had fallen asleep while she was still talking to him and so she had snuck out and was now making her way back to her own room. Lilian, being a 'non-mage' as she would rather call herself, had to be very careful as she walked around Hogwarts' shifting corridors. If she didn't pay strict attention to where she was going, she could end up anywhere. But it was now sometime close to dawn and after a long night of deep discussion with her grandfather, Lilian's mind was drifting. Soon, she wasn't watching where she was going at all and found herself falling into a somnambulant state.

Her feet stopped before she walked into a barrier and it was only then that she realised where she was: a door - Snape's door. She hesitated, then not quite thinking, she raised her hand and was about to knock. Quickly, she dropped her hand before she made that faux pas; suddenly aware of the absurdity of it. What would he think of her paying a visit at this early morning hour? Lilian could only imagine the scathing comments she would get if she woke him up now.

There was also the possibility that he wouldn't be there - considering his unusual absence the day before, but Lilian had eventually asked her grandfather about that, and although Dumbledore had been vague about Snape's non-appearance, he had reassured her that all would be fine for breakfast, whatever that meant. No, Snape was probably deep in sleep - dreaming, no doubt, about performing cruel experiments on children. Lilian guessed that he was no morning person and to risk his ire by waking him up now, would be like giving him the gun to shoot her with.

Groaning, she wondered why her feet had brought her to his door in the first place - although it could have been the building itself that had guided her there in her stupor. She turned around, now more awake than she had been, and resolved to take herself out of the dungeons and to her original destination in the west wing.

A noise caught Lilian's attention. It wasn't the usual dungeon sound of dripping or chattering, or the whistling wind through the passages. She stopped moving and strained to listen. It was coming from the shadows just beyond Snape's door. Holding her breath, Lilian thought she could just make out a pattern to the sound: she heard a rhythmic, ragged sussing and sighing that sounded just like... Breathing!

There was somebody in the lurking in the darkness behind her.

Lilian froze. Her hand itched to towards one of the rings on her opposite fingers. Concealed behind a gaudy topaz was a lock of hair, which had belonged to her grandmother. It was a Portkey that would take her straight back to her grandfather's rooms if she touched it. She had never had to use it in an emergency before, but strangers hiding in dark passages would certainly qualify.

The laboured breathing seemed to get louder, and then the person coughed, making her start. She was now fiddling with the ring, trying to find the catch that would make the topaz flip open and reveal the lock of hair. Her fingers were all thick and clumsy, though, and she couldn't get to it. She heard movement this time, and knew with gut-wrenching fear that whoever it was, they were coming towards her. Some Defence Against Dark Arts teacher you are, she thought, the first sign that you might have to face an actual evil Wizard, and you're too scared to move properly.

Lilian gave up trying to work the ring and let herself go limp. If whoever was going to attack her, she knew she would take any physical blows better if she was relaxed. It wasn't the physical blows she was worried about, though. If the assailant was a normal person, like herself, then she had plenty of ways to stop an attack, but a Wizard was another matter. Her only recourse now would be to scream as loudly as possible and hope that Snape would hear her. She opened her mouth and drew in a large portion of air.

"Lilian..." He was barely able to form her name.

She spun around at the sound of his cracked voice, and saw him kneeling where he had literally crawled out of the shadows. Somehow, she took in his whiter than white skin, torn and stained robes and horror filled eyes all at once.

"Severus! What the hell's happened?" Quickly she knelt down next to him to help him up, but he winced and flinched away from her. "Are you hurt? Of course you're hurt! I'll be gentle - let me take you into your rooms, at least. You can't stay here in the passage."

For some reason, he kept his face turned from her and wouldn't let her take his hands. "Go away," he croaked.

"Well, that's likely. Stubborn man! Let me help you." She tugged again at his arm. Snape still refused to give in to her; his whole posture was defensive and rigid. Lilian sighed, then she did something completely compulsive - showing no restraint, she wrapped her arms around him and drew him into her embrace. When she did, she found that he was cold and shaking.

It didn't take too long for Severus to begin to relax into Lilian's arms. Her hands were continually soothing him and patting his hair and she whispered sounds of comfort to him as if he were a scared child. A little while later, and he was clinging to her himself. Then, his whole body started to shudder violently. He began cry horribly, choking and sobbing at once while his hands painfully clutched at her..

Lilian was terrified. She had no idea what would cause Severus to break down like this and it frightened her to think that a man who seemed so invulnerable and full of pride was bawling into her robes. She continued to try and soothe him, but wanted nothing more than to run away and leave him alone with his wretchedness.

She began to get cramps in her legs from kneeling, but Severus eventually calmed down and rested silently with his head on her chest. Lilian whispered softly to him, "Now, will you tell me what happened?" He lifted his head and looked up at her. His eyes were swollen and his face so pale it was blue, but his mouth was a hard, harsh line. Lilian frowned slightly, knowing that he wasn't going to say anything, but she gently let her fingers touch his face and said, "I only ask because I want to care for you."

As soon as she said it, she realised it was true. What Dumbledore and what Snape himself had said was right - he needed her. And I need to care for him. The truth made her reel and she became light-headed as she held his gaze.

Snape smiled a little under her hand's caresses. "Please, help me to my room."

Lilian nodded in relief. She moved her stiff limbs off the hard floor and helped Snape get to his unsteady feet. "Lean on me," she commanded, and he meekly obeyed, putting an arm around her shoulder. Lilian was surprised at how light he was, considering that he was several inches taller than her. Even though he leaned heavily on her, he seemed to weigh nothing.

She opened the door to his office as he instructed, and he directed her to his bedchambers.

With great relief, Snape sank down onto his bed and his eyes closed immediately as if he'd just returned from a long journey. Lilian tentatively sat herself down next to him. She wasn't sure if she should stay or leave him to sleep and go. She had only one flickering candle to see him by; she knew that she couldn't just leave him in the state that he was. With fingers that were trembling, she began to unlace his black boots and thoughts unbidden and completely inappropriate rushed into her mind. The man is half dead, she chided herself, you can't think about that now! Pulling his boots free, she proceeded to work on the clasp of his robe. Snape seemed not to notice her ministrations, however, when his robe fell away and Lilian gasped loudly, his eyes snapped open.

"I have to call Madam Pomfrey!" She said.

"You will do no such thing," Snape replied in a hoarse but firm whisper.

"But look at you!" Lilian was staring with horror at the myriad cuts and scrapes on his chest that she could see through the shredded remains of his shirt.

"They are just surface wounds - nothing deadly. I have some salve that will heal them."

Lilian narrowed her eyes. "I won't ask you any questions, Severus, but I think you should speak to the headmaster."

Snape's hand suddenly gripped her arm and fear cast a shadow over his features. "Lilian, please, don't say anything to Dumbledore." His eyes begged her and she couldn't refuse.

Smoothing his hair back from his warm brow, Lilian reassured him, "It's okay. We don't have to mention this to anyone if you don't want to." He nodded and Lilian smiled wearily. "You can trust me, Severus. Now, where do you keep that salve?" She knew that outside the sun was already making its way across the sky and the day's first lesson was not too far away.

Notes from the author: Thanks so much to Yolanda from Sugarquill for beta reading and for her encouraging comments. Thanks also to Nieke for liking Snape, too. And finally, big thanks to all of you who reviewed The Substitute at ff.net - you're the reason why I wrote this part :)