Chapter 44: The Downside To Being An Insufferable Know-It-All

The Library, Hogwarts...

Hermione Granger had been in her element sitting in the library with her amber eyes scanning the pages of yet another book. The bushy haired Gryffindor had been on a mission to locate Sebastian Prince. After not being able to hear from him for that brief amount of time when Professor Snape had been in that awful place filled her with a fear she had not felt since the days of Voldemort. She had searched the shelves for hours searching for the document that she had shown Harry a year prior while they were trying to figure out who had been "The Half-Blood Prince" when Harry was using his book in potions class. Of course they found nothing until Snape himself revealed to Harry that he was "The Half-Blood Prince" that they were searching for all along.

It stood to reason that Snape was the last of the once formidable Prince line and it made sense to look where she had before to get an idea about Sebastian. Due to her age she was permitted to enter the hall of records and obtained a copy of The Prince Family tree. It had been a relief not to have to scrounge around on bits of information when she could obtain it directly from the source. She had searched for hours but had been unable to come up with anything that would indicate that Sebastian had even existed.

The Prince family line ended with Severus Snape's name and there was no lower branch indicating that he had a child. If "Sebastian Prince" was indeed apart of this family, there was no record of him.

"T-That can't be right." she said in shock, looking over the records once more.

Still she found nothing, the last of the Prince line had been Severus S. Snape, son of Eileen Prince and Muggle Tobias Snape. There was no sign of Sebastian nor anything on Lady Hamershal for that matter. Either the information had been altered or Sebastian had not truly existed at all. Utterly confused by her findings the Gryffindor witch had not understood what her overworked brain had been trying to process.

Sebastian S. Prince.

Severus S. Snape.

Both Half-Blood.

Both related to the Prince line.

No real record of Sebastian's existence.

Professor Snape's name is the only name at the end of the tree.

Does Sebastian even exist?

Sebastian S...what does the S stand for?

Sebastian Severus Prince?

What if she reversed it?

Severus Sebastian Prince.

The Professor's middle initial had been an S. as well.

Severus S. Snape

Could it be that Sebastian is his middle name...?

No.

There's no way.

The image of Sebastian Prince came to mind as she thought to herself. The boy had looked an awful lot like a young Professor Snape. She thought back to the mirror in the room of requirement. From what Dumbledore had told her the mirror was suppose to reflect the image of one's greatest desire. When looking into it "The Mirror of Erised" had shown her the image of Professor Snape as the object of her greatest desire. It was how she saved him. The Gryffindor witch thought back to her connection to Sebastian being lost.

Could it have been because he was indeed so very far away from her?

The connection had returned when Professor Snape returned.

Professor Snape?

The Professor had scars on his body from his service with Voldemort. Sebastian had a good deal of scars and he had only been 17 when she had first met him. He had also possessed a startling amount of knowledge of potions. When he brewed she noticed that he had seemed to be working at a master's level.

A Potions Master at 17?

Impossible...Unless...

Her obsessive mind scrambled the images of Sebastian Prince and Professor Snape until they over lapped. They fit perfectly in her mind. The scars, the adept knowledge in potions, the being targeted by death eaters all seemed to make perfect sense.

Severus.

Sebastian.

Severus.

Sebastian.

Snape.

Severus.

Sebastian.

Snape.

Severus Sebastian Snape.

"Sebastian Prince IS Professor Snape." she said in disbelief at her own conclusion.

Hermione quickly put away the books and left the library in search of answers. If anyone would be able to give her in site into Professor Snape's past it would be Professor Lupin. He had been the only staff member who had attend Hogwarts with Snape after all.

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The Defense Against The Dark Arts Classroom, Hogwarts...

Remus Lupin had been grading parchments when Hermione Granger arrived. She had looked quite upset and he could smell the fear coming off her in waves. The bushy haired Gryffindor witch stepped up to his desk and he gave her his full attention. The distress had been unlike anything Lupin had ever seen from Hermione before, not even during the war did she look this upset.

"Can I help you, Miss Granger?" asked Lupin in an even tone.

"Y-Yes." replied Hermione not even an ounce sure she wanted to do this. "Can you tell me what Professor Snape was like when you both attended Hogwarts?"

Lupin arched an eyebrow at this.

What brought this on?

"Miss Granger, would you mind elaborating why you wish to know so much about your Potions Professor?" asked Lupin.

Hermione took a moment to consider her answer.

Think like a Slytherin.

"I was just curious." she replied visibly relaxing but the scent of her fear had still lingered. "Everyone says that Sebastian was so much like him."

Lupin nodded thinking back to when Sebastian had been around.

"That he was." he replied.

Hermione watched The DADA Professor as he leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling.

"Snape was every bit as anti-social and intelligent as he is now." replied Lupin with an odd smile. "Needless to say he didn't have an easy time of it when we were young...but you already know that."

Hermione nodded. She had indeed known that much.

"I was curious to know what his middle name was." she said with a slight smile. "I already know your is John...and everyone knows Professor Dumbledore's entire name...Professor Snape's first name is quite unique...I just wanted to know if his middle name is the same."

Lupin gave her a small chuckle.

"What are you going to send him a Christmas card?" he asked trying to make light of the situation.

"Maybe." replied Hermione. "He is my boyfriend's father."

Lupin considered this for a moment.

"He can never know that I told you." he said.

"You have my word." replied Hermione sweetly.

"It's Sebastian." he replied. "Severus Sebastian Snape...what a name huh?"

Lupin seemed uneasy as he spoke, and almost fearful, carefully choosing his words and so forth.

Hermione took in the conformation of her first suspicion.

Lupin suddenly leaned forward resting his arms against his desk.

"Y-You know don't you?" he asked suddenly.

Hermione's amber eyes had been filled with a combination of tears and well placed anger.

"Yes." she replied evenly. "I know quite a bit Professor Lupin."

Lupin sighed.

"Miss Granger...Hermione it's not what you..." he began.

Before he could finish his sentence the young witch had stormed out of the classroom in the direction of the infirmary. Remus Lupin got to his feet and made his way toward The Headmaster's office. He had hoped that Dumbledore would be able to talk to her before she found out anything else.

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The Infirmary, Hogwarts...

Madam Poppy Pomfrey had been devastated when word reached her about Severus Snape's adventures in a demon's realm. She figured that she would be in for quite the night when Remus Lupin had been brought in looking as if he had been in a terrible fight. She had known that he had recently transformed but she had not expected him to be as injured as he was. What had been even more surprising was that Lucius Malfoy had been in to see her with minor cuts and scrapes. When Severus Snape came through her doors with both Lucius Malfoy and The Headmaster holding him up, his clothes in tatters, blood seeping from his wounds, dust and ash coloring his pale skin, and a look of utter exhaustion on his sallow face she didn't know what to make of him. He had not looked that terrible since the days of Voldemort.

"S-Severus." said the old Med-witch in disbelief.

"P-Poppy." he replied through ragged breath.

"Albus, what's happened to him?" she asked as the two wizards got him to a bed.

Severus groaned as his injured back hit the bed. He figured it was an injury he sustained while falling.

"He was dragged into a demon's realm by Rodolphus LeStrange." replied Lucius.

Poppy looked over at Severus.

"You poor boy." she said as tears swelled in her eyes.

Severus had not heard much more of the conversation because as soon as his mind and body registered the familiar atmosphere of the infirmary and being in Poppy's care he passed out. The Med-Witch worked her magic after kicking everyone else out stating the Severus needed his rest and that visiting hours were over.

Snape had woke in a darkened room alone. Without thinking about it he reached out and contacted Hermione Granger via their connection. He had not been surprised to find that the witch had still been wake. He he had been a grateful to her. Dumbledore had explained to him that it was Hermione that saved him from the fate that LeStrange had in store for him. The Potions Master had not known what became of the deranged wizard but he had been pleased that he didn't have to stick around to see it. Snape contacted Hermione pleased to hear the sound of her voice even in his mind. She still seemed to believe that he was Sebastian Prince and for now it was a decent enough excuse to talk to her but eventually he knew that he would have to let her find her own way.

It pained him to have to think about that time but he had no real right to ask her to put her dreams on hold for him. She was young and had her whole life ahead of her. He thought of making a clean break from the young witch, she'd be able to piece herself back together and she had her own plans for her future no doubt. The idea had been good in theory but he had gotten quite attached to the young witch. Severing all ties to her would destroy him in the process. He then thought about revealing himself to her, hoping that he could make her understand what had happened and maybe she would forgive him.

Then the thought of her hating him because of the deception was weighing on him. The added bonus of not really being able to see her because he had been her professor and she his student made this an impossible choice as well.

There was no point in denying it any more. He had been in love with Hermione Granger despite his best efforts to keep his distance. Snape found that he couldn't go a day without hearing her voice, or listening to her tell him how much she loved him. It no longer mattered that she meant it for someone that didn't exist, the Potions Master came to the conclusion that he would be Sebastian Prince for the rest of his life if he could be with her.

Wishful thinking.

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Later...

Severus Snape's obsidian eyes had barely come into focus when he took in the sight of Hermione Granger as she glared at him with rage behind her amber eyes. The Potions Professor had no idea why she had been there or why she seemed to be so angry with him. He sat up feeling a good deal uncomfortable under her gaze. His body had still ached and he had been quite tired. Hermione had her arms folded across her chest as she continued to glare at her Potion Professor.

"Might, I ask why you are taking time out of your day to come here and stare at me...Miss Granger?" he said in his usual Professor tone.

Hermione said nothing as she continued to stare at him.

Snape had become rather annoyed with her inability to answer his question.

"Miss Granger, I do not know where you grew up in the Muggle world, but here in the wizarding world it is considered rude to stare at people." he said still in the same tone.

Still she said nothing.

Snape glared at her about ready to say something venomous when he suddenly felt her reach out to him via their mental connection. He tried his best not to ignore her.

{"Sebastian."} she said.

"Miss Granger, why are you here?" he asked unnerved by her silence.

{"I know that you can you hear me."} said Hermione determined via her mind.

Snape continued to ignore her. Growing all the more uncomfortable under her gaze.

{"Sebastian."} she said.

He continued to ignore her. Becoming flustered by her lack of respect.

{"Sebastian!"} she shouted.

Snape was becoming even more flustered by her constant prodding.

"Miss Granger, I suggest you find some other method of..." he started.

{"Severus!"} she said demanding his attention.

"WHAT!" he shouted irate.

In a matter of seconds his obsidian eyes widened. He had barely realized that she had called him by his true first name via the mental connection she had with Sebastian.

"Y-You know?" he asked in a low voice.

Hermione nodded slowly neither taking her eyes off him nor easing her venomous glare.

"H-How?" he asked in a soft tone.

"I figured it out." replied Hermione aloud at last.

Snape looked down at his hands.

"Insufferable know-it-all indeed." he said in a low tone.

"In your case, yes." she replied.

Snape looked back at her and he could see the silent single tear that fell down her cheek.

"So Professor, was this all a game to you or some prank gone wrong?" she asked with a voice still full of venom.

"Miss Granger." said Snape trying to quell her line of questioning.

"Don't you Miss Granger me..." she said highly upset. "Sebastian."

Snape sighed.

He knew that she would take this poorly if she ever found out.

"Hermione." he said in a helpless tone.

"I bet you had a good laugh when you read my letters." she said still clearly upset.

"It wasn't like that." he said.

"Then what was it like Professor?" asked Hermione. "You had me writing you letters about my feelings for someone that never even existed and never once did you think to tell me the truth."

"I-I tried...I...I just couldn't..." he started unable to find the words to express how he felt.

"You couldn't resist getting one over on a Gryffindor." said Hermione. "Is that why you tricked me into that bet with the house cup...just another sick scheme to shame Gryffindor house."

"Hermione please..." said Snape.

He moved to try to grasp her hand. He had only wanted to make her understand that what happened between them was no form of malice on his part. He had not intended to hurt her. She pulled away from him in a huff.

"I HATE YOU!" she said angry as the humiliation began to take hold. "I WISH I LEFT YOU WHERE YOU BELONGED!"

Snape could feel it happening all over again. He was losing her just as he had lost Lily all those years ago.

"Don't say that." he said. "You just don't understand...I..."

Hermione had been so disgusted with him that she took off out of the infirmary. The Gryffindor witch had been determined not to burst into tears in front of him. He had made her cry one too many times in the past and she had not wished to waste any more on him. Snape got to his feet despite the pain and chased after her.

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The Corridors, Hogwarts...

Hermione took off down the corridors, her eyes wet and her cheeks stained with tears in the wake of her sorrow. She was angry, hurt and confused all at the same time. She had given herself to her Potions Master. He had known about this for months and simply sat back and watched her cry and go about fancying herself in love with him. She had not wanted anything more to do with him. The stupid Slytherin bastard. Realistically, she couldn't get him fired because he had been a student himself when they engaged but she didn't have a problem with making his life every bit as miserable as he made hers.

Snape rounded the corner. He had been wearing on his black trousers as he followed her into the open corridors. He wasn't suppose to leave the infirmary but he knew he had to try and get through to her. It had not been his wish to break her heart. The prospect of the young witch becoming cold because of him hurt worse than his injuries. Despite said injuries, he had still been a good deal faster than the witch. He caught up to her and pulled her into a near by niche and into his arms. She fought him not wishing to be touched by the sick man.

"Hermione please." he said. "I never meant to hurt you."

She remained hard hearted.

"I don't want anything more to do with you." she said still highly upset. "Leave me alone!"

Snape sighed.

"I want you to calm down." he said. "We'll go to the Headmaster's office and he'll explain everything."

Hermione's eye widened.

"Dumbledore knows about this!?" she said in disbelief.

"I do not believe he knows that we were engaging while I was Sebastian." said Snape. "But he can tell you the truth behind why I was posing as a student in the first place."

"Who else knows?" she asked.

Snape had hoped to spare her the humiliation but it seemed she wanted real answers.

"About us or my being Sebastian?" he asked.

"About us?" she replied.

Snape sighed and closed his eyes pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Harry Potter, Remus Lupin, and Lucius Malfoy." he replied honestly.

"Harry?" said Hermione sounding more hurt than angry. "Harry knows?"

Snape nodded.

"Mr. Potter has been sworn to secrecy via the wizarding oath." he explained. "By the time that he figured out I was Sebastian Prince, he had known that we were...involved...Mr. Potter is not to blame for this."

Hermione considered this. If Harry had known something before hand he would have told her. If only to keep her away from Snape.

"Fine." she said the bitterness returning. "But what about Lupin?"

Snape sighed once more.

"Lupin overheard Potter and I talking." he replied. "I felt it best if he stayed out of it."

Hermione glared at Snape.

She couldn't believe that she had fallen for him.

"Let's just get to The Headmaster's office." she said snatching away from him.

"R-Right." he replied in a low tone.

The two of them made their way to Dumbledore's office.

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The Headmaster's office, Hogwarts...

Hermione had not been surprised when she and Snape entered The Headmaster's office to find him discussing her and Snape's situation before they had even arrived. Lupin had been utterly shocked to see that she had gone to Snape and that she had been radiating fury. The Potions master had been more pale than usual, dressed in only his trousers as he entered the office.

"Good evening, Miss Granger." said Dumbledore in a pleasant tone. "Severus."

"Headmaster." said Hermione in reply.

"Headmaster." said Snape in a low tone.

"I believe we are all here because Miss Granger has discovered the true identity of Sebastian Prince." said Dumbledore in the same tone.

"Obviously." replied Snape in a soft tone this time.

He looked down at his feet with his hands in his pockets. The Headmaster couldn't help, but see him as an unsure boy in that moment. He looked to be in a good deal of pain both in a physical and emotion sense.

"Why was he a student, Headmaster?" asked Hermione wanting her answers.

"I was the one that decided to de-age Professor Snape, because I believed it to be the most logical course of action." replied Dumbledore. "The remaining death eaters had wiped out his memory and he had been utterly defenseless...given his mistrusting nature it seemed more feasible to have him under my protection as a student rather than a grown wizard with no family to speak of."

Hermione nodded.

This aspect of the story made sense.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" she asked.

"It was in Professor Snape's best interest to remain hidden, any small slip would have cost him his life." replied Dumbledore simply. "Besides, it took quite some time to restore his memories."

Hermione considered this.

"If you knew that he was my professor why didn't you say anything when we were together at the lake?" she asked.

"Miss Granger...I am sure that you are well aware that the staff cannot be everywhere at once." said Dumbledore. "It is one of the many reasons why we have Head Girl and Head Boy positions...have you not heard of the Muggle phrase "it takes one to know one?"

Hermione considered this as well.

"Your and Mr. Prince's attraction to one another was something that no one had planned for." continued Dumbledore. "I'm sure if Severus had known that he was your Potions Professor he would have been the first to dismiss the notion of his feelings for you...as he had when he was restored with his memories."

The Headmaster went on to explain how Lucius Malfoy had taken Sebastian's memories and how Snape had discovered the truth about what had happened. He even included The Potions Master's anger at the deception and subsequent revenge.

"That still doesn't explain Valentine's Day Sir." said Hermione.

It was Lupin's turn to enter the conversation.

"Miss Granger, Professor Snape had not meant to cause you any trouble." said The DADA Professor. "He had not even intended to have anything more to do with you on a personal level...but then he say how heartbroken you looked and...well he had to do something."

Snape remained silent as the two men spoke up in his defense. He had known most of her anger had stemmed from her shame at being with him physically. How was she to know that she lost her virginity to a man twice her age, let alone that man being her dreaded Potion Professor. She would be the laughing stock of the school if word had gotten out. Not to mention all of her hard work being called into question. While he still loved her, Snape wanted nothing like that for the young witch.

Hermione couldn't bring herself to look at him after that.

"Thank you for telling me the truth Headmaster." she said.

The Gryffindor witch glared at both Snape and Lupin. Her rage had not been dissipated in the slightest. She looked down at her finger and slipped the lion's ring off her finger. She turned to Snape and held it out for him.

"I believe this belongs to you, sir." she said with an eerie iciness to her tone.

Snape tried his best to control his emotions as he looked down at the golden ring.

"You keep it." he said.

"I don't think so." replied Hermione. "You can keep the other ring as well, it was a gift for your birthday after all."

Snape held out his pale hand as she dropped the ring into it.

"Keep the books...they are useful... for academic purposes." he said in a tight voice.

Hermione nodded.

"Good day Professors." she said taking her leave of them.

"Good day Miss Granger." replied The Headmaster still in a pleasant tone.

"Good day Miss Granger." replied Lupin polite.

Snape said nothing as he stood there holding the ring Draco had given her that he bought for her for Valentine's Day. He gripped it in his hand tightly as he tried to reign in his emotions. It was over. She knew the whole truth and now she was free to move on with her life.

Was this not what he wanted for her?

Was this not best scenario for them both?

If this had truly been best for her then why did he feel so cold?

The Headmaster put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright Severus?" he asked in a concerned tone.

"I'm fine." he replied in an icy tone. "She's free to live her life...is that not what was suppose to happen?"

The Headmaster gave him a sad smile.

"Severus." he said softly.

Snape pulled away from him.

"Don't." he said bitterly. "I do not need your pity old man."

With that he walked over to the floo and tossed in some powder.

"My Quarters, Slytherin Dungeons." he said.

The flames turned emerald and Snape stepped through disappearing from the sight of both Lupin and The Headmaster. The older wizard sighed as he watched his Potions Master go. He had known all to well what the younger wizard had been feeling. He had no doubt that he would bury his pain as far down as he could make it go and carry on as if nothing had ever happened.

"I am so sorry Severus." said Dumbledore feeling sorry for the younger wizard.

This was not what he had in mind when he came up with his plan to save The Potions Master's Life all those months ago.