Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery

Chapter 23 ~ Enter the Dogstar

Hermione blinked. Why was she in the infirmary? She was just in Voldemort’s stronghold. She looked to her right and saw Severus sitting on a chair. He was…he was…

Hermione’s jaw dropped. He was holding her hand. But how could that be when she was standing right next to him. What was going on here?

Hermione walked closer. The wizard was crying. Severus Snape crying?

She got a bad feeling in her stomach. She looked at herself. She was pale and not breathing.

Shit. She was dead. But she wasn’t dead…she was right here.

“Severus!” she called to the wizard.

He made no motion. He just sat there looking at her, tears rolling down his face. She made an attempt to shake his shoulder, but her hand passed right through him.

She stared at him. He looked so lost…so not in control. He wasn’t sobbing. There wasn’t even a true expression on his face. He was just staring at her blankly, tears rolling down his face. She could tell he didn’t want to cry, but the tears were coming despite his wishes.

She was dead. Voldemort must have killed her. She remember him casting the spell at Severus, and the Potions Master not seeing it coming, and her running to push him out of the way. Then, she was here.

Suddenly, the tears on Severus’ face froze in place. He didn’t move.

What was going on now?

“Is that greasy git actually crying?” said a voice behind her. “I can’t fucking believe it. I didn’t know he even had tear ducts. I tried to make him cry so many times in school. Well, at least I got a chance to see it.”

Hermione spun around and found herself looking into the bearded face and bright eyes of Sirius Black.

“Sirius! What are you doing here? You’re dead,” Hermione said, shocked.

The wizard looked over at the bed containing Hermione’s body.

“Well, you aren’t exactly the picture of health yourself,” he said, smiling at her and opening his arms.

Hermione walked into them. He was warm and solid. They embraced for several moments, then Sirius released her. He looked at the Potions Master.

“What’s going on with Snape?” he asked her, his eyes becoming a bit intense.

“He’s upset because I died,” she responded. She still couldn’t believe this.

“Why would that bother him? He doesn’t care about anyone…never did,” Sirius said.

Hermione scowled at the wizard.

“You know damn well he cares. He was in the Order just like you, and made a lot of sacrifices for the wizarding world!” Hermione retorted.

Sirius held his hands up.

“Okay, okay. I don’t feel like hearing the praises of Severus Snape again. I hear it enough already,” he said.

Hermione looked perplexed.

“What do you mean?” she asked him, “You hear enough of his praises.”

“Old Snapey is the topic of a lot of debate here in the Afterlife. Most are of the opinion he is some kind of fucking hero. I don’t agree of course…but then again, I hate him,” Sirius said.

“It sounds to me like there are a lot of smart people in the Afterlife, then,” Hermione said, “He brought about the death of Voldemort.”

Sirius rolled his eyes.

“Actually, the snake brought about the death of Voldemort. I don’t understand why everyone wants to give that snarky bastard credit for shit he didn’t do,” Sirius said. “And anyway, Voldemort might be out of the way down here, but he is already starting shit where I’m from.”

“Voldemort’s alive?” Hermione asked.

“In a matter of speaking, yes and no. Earthwise, no, he’s dead. But Afterlife-wise that bastard and his deatheaters are alive and well. He’s already trying to recruit new members,” Sirius said, scowling.

Hermione was truly confused now.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

Sirius looked at her.

“Well, it’s like this Hermione. When you die, it’s like slipping off a cloak. Your physical body is tossed, but your spiritual body…the eternal part of you continues. And so does life. We have our battles here just like on earth, and we pass on from this plane, just as we do from earth, becoming more and more spiritual until we are part of the whole again. A.K.A. reaching Heaven. Then we can come back and start over if we want. But in the meantime, we have our trials and tribulations just like we do on earth,” he said, looking over at her body again.

“That’s amazing,” she said, “We really do continue.”

“Yep. And most of us are no angels, let me tell you,” he said, shaking his head.

“Do you still use magic?” she asked.

“Of a sort. Wandless. Pretty powerful for the most part,” he said, making a globe of light appear above his palm and bouncing it back and forth between his hands.

“That’s pure energy,” Hermione breathed.

“Yes, that’s right,” he said, throwing it high above his head, making it expand and fade away. Then he looked at Hermione soberly.

“You’ve come to take me, haven’t you?” she said.

Sirius looked at her.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked her, looking at Snape. Hermione looked at the frozen Potions Master too.

“No…not really,” she said. She still loved the wizard. She didn’t want to leave him.

“Damn,” Sirius hissed, frowning at her.

“What?” she asked the wizard.

Scowling, Sirius kicked at the floor. His foot passed right through it. Then he looked at Hermione.

“I was hoping you’d say you were ready to go so I wouldn’t have to do this. This is my penance. Someone thought it would be cute if the job fell on me, considering how I feel about Snape,” he said darkly, frowning towards the ceiling.

“What job?” Hermione asked.

“Well, it seems the Higher Powers think that the snarky bastard should have a chance at redemption. He’s so down on himself, if he dies he’ll be stuck in a really dark place…not with the rest of us. A place he made for himself because he’s such a miserable twit. I say let him go there, but nooo. He’s ‘sacrificed too much’. A load of rot if you ask me,” Sirius griped.

He looked at Hermione.

“And they are of the opinion that you stand the best chance of redeeming him. Plus you are up on ‘mercy points’ because you died saving someone completely not worth saving if you took him at face value. Soooo…

He scowled at Severus.

“I’m here to put you back,” Sirius said. He didn’t look pleased about it.

Hermione, however was ecstatic.

“Really?” she gushed.

“Yes. Snape is one lucky bastard, let me tell you,” Sirius said. He walked over to the wizard and attempted to slap him in the head. His hand passed right through the Potion Master’s skull.

“How I’d love to knock him in the head just once for old times sake,” the animagus said, looking at Severus with hunger.

“When can I go back?” Hermione asked, ignoring Sirius’ attempted attack on Severus. “The human brain can’t do without oxygen long.”

The wizard walked back over to her.

“Time’s frozen,” Sirius said. Your brain’s fine. Your body will be fine too. You can go back now, though why you would want to go back to such a heartless fuck is beyond me. You’d have a much better time on this side. With me. You’re a real looker now, Hermione.”

Sirius waggled his eyebrows at her.

Great. Now a dead guy was hitting on her. Hermione didn’t even want to ask if they had sex in the Afterlife. Judging by those waggling eyebrows, they did.

Hermione shook her head.

“No, I want Severus,” she said, “Thanks anyway.”

“No accounting for taste,” Sirius intoned as he rubbed his hands together.

“Now hold still, I have to make you denser so you can kind of bridge both worlds,” he said.

Sirius shot a beam of green light at her, and she immediately felt heavier. Sirius gestured toward the bed.

“Now go over there and lay down in the bed,” he said.

“But I can’t touch anything. I’ll just fall through,” she argued, yet walking toward the bed.

“You won’t. Your body will catch hold of you. Now go on,” he said waving his hand at her.

Hermione approached the bed and gingerly sat down on it. It held her.

“Lay down,” Sirius urged.

He wanted to get back. Making Snape happy was pure torture. He didn’t want to witness any parts of it.

Hermione laid down and felt her body slip over her like a glove. It was extremely thick and heavy. Uncomfortably so. And cold too. She lifted her head to look at Sirius. It was an odd image, one head lying down with another head sticking out of it.

“Feels uncomfortable, doesn’t it?” Sirius asked her.

“It really does,” Hermione said.

“It won’t after I get you situated,” he said, walking up alongside the bed, “Now lie down and be still.”

Hermione obeyed. Sirius rubbed his palms together again, and held them flat above her body. Starting at her head, he moved downward. Hermione felt the sensation that she was being zipped inside. She could no longer lift her head.

Then Sirius covered her in blue light. She felt all kinds of wriggling sensations throughout her body.

“I’m restoring your damaged organs. They all shut down,” he explained. He worked on her for several minutes. Finally he put his hands down.

“All right. All fixed. Now, I’m about to start your heart, and you’ll wake up on Earth again. You won’t remember any of this,” he said to her.

“Thank you, Sirius,” Hermione said softly.

“Don’t thank me. This is my punishment, remember? I’d like to see Snape buried under the Afterlife, but it appears…”

Sirius raised his voice and looked up.

“…that MY opinion doesn’t matter!”

Hermione fought back a giggle. Sirius was certainly pissed.

He looked down at the witch.

“I’ll see you in about a hundred and seventy years,” he said, grinning at her as he shot a golden beam of light into her chest.

****************************

Hermione coughed.

Severus’ black eyes shifted to her face as she drew in a deep breath and coughed again.

The Potions Master leapt to his feet and stared down at the witch in amazement. He realized her hand was warm. He clutched it tightly.

“Ow,” Hermione said, her voice a bit raspy. He loosened his grip.

The witch opened her amber eyes and looked up at the pale wizard.

Severus hurriedly wiped his face with his other hand and scowled down at her.

“What…what am I doing here?” she asked him, her brow furrowed.

Severus gave her a small smirk.

“Apparently miracles,” he replied, before dropping back into the chair in relief.

******************************
A/N: Now you all knew I couldn’t let Hermione go that way, especially lemonless. Lol. How did you all like Sirius? He was a card, wasn’t he? Didn’t want to help Severus a bit. Too funny. Please review.

PLEASE REVIEW “BECOMING FAMILAR” >>> NEXT CHAPTER

Email Ruth Solomon | Home

Number of Visits:

The Burning Pen

Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery
by Ruth Solomon

 

The story content is adult in nature and can contain graphic sex and violence. Those under the age of 18 are asked to leave this site immediately. You are not welcome here. The author is not responsible for those under-aged who view these works.

CHAPTER 24

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
*******************************