The Museum

A/N; Back in July, I rather rashly offered to write three drabbles for the livejournal community, hpcon_envy. The prompts I was given were: Severus and Hermione go to the movies, Severus and Hermione bump into each other at a museum and Severus and Hermione at the Harry Potter Exhibit in Chicago. This was the result. Needless to say, they evolved into something a bit longer than drabbles.

The first ficlet, The Museum, is for Bambu.

Big thanks, as usual, to Septentrion for the beta.

With closing time fast approaching, Hermione strode purposefully towards the centre of the Victorian brick and glass edifice, otherwise known as the Municipal Museum. The last of the stragglers were making their way towards the exit, occasionally bumping into Hermione as she moved against the flow. The indignant, “Watch where you’re goings” were met with mumbled apologies, but Hermione’s eyes never left the arrows directing her towards her goal.

The entrance to the Egyptian room was flanked on either side, rather appropriately, by two large statues of Anubis. Hermione barely noticed the jackal-headed guardians as she passed through. Usually, she would have been only too happy to linger amongst the ancient dead, examining their grave-goods and admiring the workmanship on the jewellery and the alabaster Coptic jars; today, however, they held little appeal. This was also true of the Natural History wing, although she did spare a sympathetic glance for a stuffed otter, frozen in time with a rather surprised look on its face. ‘I know the feeling,’ she muttered, glancing over her shoulder. Someone was following her; she was almost certain of it. Undeterred, she pressed on.

The Dolaucothi Hoard had pride of place in a custom-made vault with doors of gunmetal steel that would slam shut in the event of an attempted burglary, trapping the thief within. The bored attendant sitting on the bench outside looked pointedly at his watch as Hermione paused to read the information panel. She smiled. ‘Just a quick look. Won’t be a minute.’

Inside, the subdued lighting added a sense of drama to the priceless exhibits in their glass cases. Hermione scanned them hurriedly. If she was right, the trail of breadcrumbs left by her mysterious informant would lead her to the find of the century—if not the millennium. She tried not to get too excited; it could just as easily be some gigantic hoax.

Coins, lots of coins... bracelets... torcs... brooches... No, not here... Hermione turned the corner, feeling the magical pull long before she located its origin. She let it draw her closer, hardly daring to breathe until her nose was almost touching the glass.

‘Oh. My. God.’

The amulet on the velvet cushion was labelled: Gold talisman. Romano-Celtic. Provenance unknown. To a Muggle, it would have looked like a gold pendant with a large ruby at the centre—the intricate engravings depicting long forgotten gods and magical beasts merely decoration to the untrained eye. But Hermione saw something else entirely, as any witch or wizard would.

Transfixed, she watched a two-headed dragon rear up from its metallic prison, both mouths opening in silent greeting. The Ogam script dancing around the ruby proclaiming its message to those who could read it only confirmed what Hermione already knew:

Myrddin made me.

‘Fucking Hell.’

‘Language, Miss Granger.’

The scream died on her lips at the unmistakeable feel of a wand pressed between the shoulder blades. ‘Snape? What are you doing...? It was you, wasn’t it? All those cryptic messages...’

‘You took your time working it out, didn’t you?’ The voice was weak, raspy. ‘It would seem your much vaunted intelligence has been somewhat exaggerated.’ He stepped back dropping the wand. ‘Don’t make a scene,’ he whispered. ‘There are cameras everywhere.’

Hermione spun around, but there was no one there.

‘What was the purpose of this-this charade?’ she hissed. ‘Why not tell the Ministry you’d found Merlin’s amulet?’

‘Because I need it.’

Hermione’s head turned in the direction of the voice, spotting the tell-tale shimmer of a Disillusionment Charm. ‘You mean you intend stealing it?’ She watched it squeeze between two cabinets, coming to rest in the corner. Only then did she wonder why it could be seen so clearly.

‘What are you doing?’

The illusion faded. ‘I could hardly appear out of nowhere, now could I?’ Severus pointed to the camera above him before stepping out of the shadows. ‘This is the only blind spot in the room. And to answer your first question...’ He shrugged. ‘The amulet would only disappear into the Department of Mysteries never to be seen again if the Ministry got its hands on it. Besides which, my need is greater.’

Hermione’s eyes widened in shock. It had been many years since she’d seen her former teacher, and while she’d heard the rumours that he’d never fully recovered from Nagini’s bite, she’d taken it all with a pinch of salt. But here was living proof: Snape’s robes were hanging loosely on a skeletal frame, his skin almost translucent. The white dressing on his neck, standing out in stark contrast to his customary black attire, made her shudder.

‘Are you all right?’ Hermione asked. ‘You look terrible.’

‘No, Miss Granger, I am not.’ Severus held out a shaky hand. ‘Which is why I require the healing powers of that amulet.’

‘So why haven’t you taken it?’ Hermione asked. ‘Why involve me in all this?’

‘Because my magic is virtually non-existent,’ he spat. ‘As you saw, my Disillusionment Charm would barely fool a Muggle. And I can’t Apparate. I’d be stuck here if I tried to break the glass.’

‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t know...’

‘I don’t want your pity—’ Severus clutched his throat and started coughing violently. ‘I don’t have much time. Will-will you... help me?’

How could she not? After all, he wouldn’t be here in this dreadful state if they hadn’t left him for dead in the Shrieking Shack all those years ago. Hermione sighed. ‘Of course I will. What do you want me to do?’

It didn’t take Hermione long to Transfigure one of the buttons from her jacket into a replica of Merlin’s amulet. Under her own, flawless, Disillusionment Charm, she was just about ready to make the switch when the Museum attendant came looking for her.

‘Time to go home, miss...’ He stared at Severus in confusion. ‘Where’s the girl? Where did you spring from?’

Hermione did the first thing that came into her head. She set off the fire alarm.

~ * ~

Leaning against the wall near the service entrance, Severus tried to gather what was left of his dignity. ‘Are you trying to kill me?’ he panted, shivering with cold.

‘I didn’t think about the sprinklers,’ Hermione admitted, wringing her hair out. She glanced around the narrow alleyway, withdrawing her wand once she was sure they weren’t being observed. ‘Shall I do the honours?’

‘Don’t point that thing at me,’ he snarled, although his teeth were starting to chatter. ‘Give me the damned amulet.’

Sighing, Hermione took it out of her pocket, staring in wonder at it momentarily before unclasping the chain. ‘Here, let me help you.’

Severus didn’t object as Hermione fastened the ancient artefact around his neck. She watched his face closely for any changes. ‘Is it working? Do you feel any better?’

‘I feel... feel...’

Helplessly, Hermione watched Severus slide to the ground. She crouched down beside him, gently sliding an arm around his waist. ‘I’ll take that as a no, then.’