39

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE:

When Harry and Severus returned to Grimmauld Place they found Remus waiting for them along with Alastor, Kingsley and Poppy.

"It all worked out without a hitch," Harry smiled tiredly; it was already long past 6 AM, and all-nighters did not lie well with Harry. Then he turned to Remus with a pout. "Severus didn't let me torture them," he whined, and behind him Severus rolled his eyes.

"Behave," the man said, lightly hitting the back of Harry's head and ignoring the betrayed look his lover turned on him. "It's the lack of sleep talking," he informed the other adults, who chuckled or shook their heads depending on their personalities.

"Then I'm glad Severus was with you," Remus said to Harry with a soft smile.

The younger man grinned sheepishly. "So am I," he confessed. "They did deserve it, though..." Moody grunted in agreement, and the other men's silence spoke volumes.

"Enough," Poppy clapped her hands. "I, for one, am exhausted, and the school day begins in just over an hour. We can discuss this at length another time." That said, she strode to the Floo and cast a look back before entering the fireplace. "Are you coming or not?"

"The good Madam is right," Severus said, following her briskly. "There is another meeting this evening; we shall see you then." Harry followed with a wan grin and a wave, disappearing into the flames as the two before him.

Remus sighed. "Thank goodness Harry has Severus," he said quietly. He knew how heavily the weight of killing people weighed on Harry – he didn't want to know how hard it would have been on Harry to have the weight of torture added to it.

"They do appear to be better suited than I had at first thought," Kingsley acknowledged, and Alastor grimaced but didn't protest. "But that is a discussion for another time," the man smiled. "Let us follow their example – I, for one, am on duty tomorrow."

"Good luck with that," Remus returned with a smile, and Kingsley snorted lightly.

"Thank you." With a wave the man left.

Remus sighed tiredly and turned to the last man. "Can I offer you a room to rest in for a small while? I don't know about you, but I am dead on my feet."

Moody considered the offer for a few moments, his blue eye spinning around wildly, before jerking his head in a nod. "I appreciate it, Lupin. It has been a long night."

Remus smiled crookedly as he led the way out. "That it has been."

OoOoO

It was with a slight sense of vindication that Harry called for Dobby. "Please go let Harry, Ron and Hermione know that we have returned from the last mission," he said with a dark grin. It wasn't his fault if Dobby had to wake them up to deliver the message, right?

"Yes, Master Harry!" The elf chirped, seeming to understand why Harry was asking him to do so, and Harry once again wondered just how much house elves overheard.

Once the house elf was gone Harry and Severus got changed, having decided to sleep for a while. Severus would have to get up again in an hour, but it wasn't like Harry had anything else to do that day. They were just slipping between the covers when Dobby reappeared. "Grangy says thank you for letting her know, and Mister Harry Potter sir and Wheezy say for Master Harry to go screw himself," the house elf reported cheerfully, bouncing lightly on the spot.

"Thank you, Dobby," Harry laughed. "I'm going to sleep now; please wake me if there's anything important."

"Yes, Master Harry!" Dobby acknowledged, popping away more quietly than usual.

"Dobby's the best," Harry smiled as he rolled over and laid his head on Severus's chest. "Good night, Severus," he yawned widely, and heard his lover's smile in his voice when he echoed the phrase.

OoOoO

"What's got him in such a rotten mood?" Ron muttered darkly as he cut pickled slugs for that lesson's potion.

Hermione shot her friend an exasperated look. "The man was most likely up all night, and you wonder why he's short-tempered?"

"He should have just cancelled the class, then," Harry retorted testily, and she bit back an annoyed reply, concentrating instead on her cauldron. Some days she wondered why she put up with the two.

"No talking in my class, Potter, Weasley," the man in question barked, and both boys glared at their ingredients.

"Hermione was talking, too," Ron muttered under his breath, and Hermione blinked. It was true – usually the man would have reprimanded all three of them, even if only one of them had spoken. A small smile pulled at her lips as she remembered their conversation from the previous day. Severus, she thought, tasting the name in her mind. She still couldn't believe that the professor had given her permission to use his given name, but it was a concession that strangely warmed her, just as the thought that Hames considered her his best friend did. What about Ron? she wondered as she stirred the potion slowly. Isn't he Harry's best friend? Or maybe Hames meant currently: She was sure that Ron had still been his close friend in the future, but now that he was in the past she wondered whether he and Ron would even be friends. Despite Hames and Harry being the same person, she knew that the redhead couldn't understand the time traveler, and didn't even seem to want to get to know him. Maybe that's what he meant, she thought.

Just then Professor Snape swooped in to inspect their cauldron. "Acceptable," he grudgingly appraised the potion. "Potter, you didn't crush the poppy finely enough. Weasley, your cuts are not even. Fix it." With a last unreadable look at Hermione he turned away to inspect another cauldron.

OoOoO

"Granger, stay behind." At the professor's words Hermione looked up from her bag, slipping the last item into it.

"Yes, sir," she responded, gesturing for her friends to leave without her. "What is it, sir?" Hermione asked once the door had closed behind Ron, slinging her bag over her shoulder and walking to the front of the classroom.

"I merely wished to inform you of last night's missions," the man sank into the chair behind his desk, appearing more tired than before. Hermione was surprised that he would relax even that much in her presence. "I assume that Dobby's message wasn't enough information for you," he smirked and her lips twitched in response.

"I wouldn't mind getting a bit more information," Hermione agreed, "but I was glad to hear that everyone was safe and sound."

Professor Snape inclined his head, his expression relaxing somewhat. "The missions all ran smoothly, and the entire Inner Circle has been dealt with." He hesitated, then added lowly, "You may wish to inform Longbottom that the Lestranges will never again cast the Cruciatus curse." Hermione nodded gravely; Neville had never mentioned it, but she had known about his parents even before coming to Hogwarts. She HAD read 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' and other such books, after all, and remembered mentioning so to Harry when she had first met him on the train.

"I hope I'm not being impertinent," she said softly, "but I would ask – who dealt with them?"

The man looked at her earnestly for a minute before saying, "Longbottom may not be reassured to hear it, but Harry and I dealt with them. I give you my word that they no longer walk this world, although they did not die as painfully as their victims may have wished."

Hermione understood the meaning behind his words and nodded minutely. "I'll make sure he knows," she promised.

"Out of curiosity," the man smirked, "How long did you stay up watching the Map before Potter and Weasley gave up?"

Hermione blushed slightly. "Actually, this time we were smart and took turns," she confessed, "So I was awake when Dobby came to tell me that the missions were over."

"I see," the man drawled. "Was there anything of note last night?"

Hermione shook her head. "No; it was supremely boring. I hope your night was less mind-numbing than ours."

"Oh, that it was," Professor Snape replied drolly. "Although I have to admit that interrogating my fellow Death Eaters when I already knew the answers to almost all the questions was rather... uninspiring."

"I'm sure," Hermione said, her facial expression something between a grimace and a smile. "You have my deepest respect for continuing to spy for the Light despite the horrible characters you were surrounded by."

Professor Snape raised an eyebrow and drawled, "Do you mean the Death Eaters or the Order?" Hermione choked, then burst out laughing.

"Good point," she laughed. "Though I would hope that the Death Eaters were more unpleasant than Mundungus or Moody."

"I suppose," Professor Snape sighed, and Hermione laughed again. "I am afraid that if you do not leave now you will be late for your next lesson, Hermione," the man said, and she beamed at the use of her first name.

"Oops," she said frivolously, and the man actually chuckled. "I'll see you later, then, Severus," she said the name smoothly, having practiced in front of the mirror. "Is there any chance that we could be included in the Order meetings now that Snake Face is almost dealt with?" She had adopted the term Hames called Voldemort – it was so fitting, somehow.

Severus hesitated. "I am unsure, but I cannot dismiss the possibility. I will bring up the issue for discussion at tonight's meeting."

Knowing that was as good as she would get, Hermione smiled and took a step back. "Thank you, Severus." The man merely inclined his head in acknowledgement and Hermione left for her next class in a rather good mood.