Should I go? Should I stay? Why did this have to happen? How did it happen? Didn't Hermione do it right? She always does it right! What on earth is the old bat doing, just standing there? What is he thinking about? I hope he doesn't ask me who Hermione is supposed to be! Who am I kidding? It's Snape! I could lie? What if I said she's a Weasley? Would he buy it? Possibly? What if I just leave? He asked me to leave after all. Maybe he won't ask me. Maybe he'll forget. No, I can't just leave! Hermione needs me.

Harry's head was spinning. He kept opening and closing his eyes as he tried to concentrate and bring the world into focus.

”Stay.”

The icy voice caused Harry to jump as it reached his ears. He looked up at the professor and flushed with anger. What was Snape doing speaking to him like a dog? The man's demeanor told Harry he had better not ask that question. Snape turned around and once again directed his attention towards Hermione.

”I've stabilized her for now but this is going to take a while and it won't be the least bit pleasant.”

”Can't you just undo the glamour?” inquired Harry.

Snape placed a hand on Lily's forehead before transforming an empty jar into a pillow and placing it under her head. The woman made a small huffing sound as she was momentarily raised.

”I could. However, that will not cure the poisoning and by now simply waving a wand at her will not be the best idea. Do you honestly think she's strong enough to transform as she is, Potter?”

Harry got up and walked over to the cot.

”Poisoned?” he whispered as he reached out to touch her hand.

*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*

Severus' hand flew forward and slapped the boys hand out of the way. He didn't register the look of surprise on the boy's face as he sneered:

”Don't touch her!”

- James Potter!

”Don't ever touch her!”

The words came out with more hostility than he intended - not that he intended to speak them at all. The boy was just standing there – looking at him with wide emerald eyes.

”S...Sir?” stammered the boy.

Tears were once again forming in the corners of Potter's eyes and Severus took a deep breath. Then another. Then yet another.

What am I doing? I'm going to have to obliviate the living daylights out of the boy!

Severus regained control over himself. That would have to wait. There was nothing he'd like to do more than obliviate the boy of having been there tonight – let alone seeing Severus faint, then heal the girl and send on her merry way with just as empty a mind but he couldn't. Not yet anyway. There was still the mystery of why on earth the Granger girl had spelled herself to look like the love of his life in the first place! Of course she'd done it because Potter ordered her to! Just what game was he playing?

Severus narrowed his eyes and grabbed the boy by his shoulders before marching him over to the desk.

”Hey! Pro... Professor! What are you...?” the boy protested.

Severus grabbed the spellbook and slammed it down in front of Potter.

”Read!” he instructed.

The boy looked at him with a mixture of confusion and fear.

”That is if you remember how to,” Severus added hastily.

Potter turned his head and studied the pages.

”I don't understand, sir! I thought Hermione cast the spell correctly!” he said as he shook his in defeat and starred the letters.

”She did,” Severus replied menacingly.

*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*

”And just how she was able to on her first try is beyond me.”

Huh?!

”What you mean?” inquired Harry now focusing entirely upon the potions master.

Snape raised an eyebrow and starred back at him.

”Try again, Mr. Potter.”

Harry grimaced.

”What do you mean, Sir?”

”It's quite clear to me now how you might find yourself in this amount of trouble, considering the fact that you appear to be an imbecile and Miss Granger appears to be unable to read.”

”But you just said...”

”Potter, look! Care to read that aloud for me?”

Snape pointed a long thin finger at a passage in the book.

”Ehm... 'For 15 minute uses only'. But sir, Hermione already knew that...”

”By Merlin, surely no one is this dense!” Snape interrupted.

”But sir, we waited but she didn't change back!”

Snape lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. His long black hair fell forward over his face. He sighed deeply.

”Potter, you have no idea how lucky you are that I found you tonight. Miss Granger would likely be dead now if not for that potion!”

Some help you were lying about on the floor.

Harry suppressed a smile at that thought and looked over at 'Lily' who was once again drooling orange fluids.

”Since I have to spell it out for you, Potter, the spell doesn't cease after 15 minutes – it must be TERMINATED before 15 minutes!”

”Oh,” Harry replied silently and starred at Snape who now raised his head and looked down at him.

His already thin lips had become almost nonexistent as he pressed them together and he was glaring daggers.

”Oh, indeed! Do you know why only the theory of this kind of glamour is taught in school? I assume you don't! Because, Mr. Potter, not only is it very difficult and has too many variables – is extremely dangerous! In short, boy, it is poisonous.”

”How can it be poisonous? It's a spell! Sir!” Harry blurted out.

”It is more than just a regular glamour. Several of those spells are only taught in school as examples. Several, this one included, were discarded by their inventors because they either did not work as intended or are simply too dangerous! The longer you are under the spell – the more poisoned you become. It's not dangerous in small amounts but Granger has had more than enough to do serious damage!”

Oh, no! Hermione, how did you miss that!?

”That is the price you pay for not turning the page,” Snape said as if reading Harry's mind and flipped the page where at the top even Harry could clearly see the word Warnings in a box.

However, in Hermione's defense it really did look like the description had ended on the previous page due to the ornamentation at the bottom.

Harry suddenly felt a twinge of fury, but he was quite sure what he was angry about. At bit at Hermione, he supposed, for not being as perfect as she always where, but that was ridiculous he quickly told himself. He was angry at himself for not noticing either, but he hadn't really been responsible for studying the spell had he? He might be angry at Snape for sticking his nose into this but Snape was saving Hermione wasn't he? If only he could do so without being an absolute prat about it – yes that would have to do! Harry raised his eyes and glared at Snape.

”How was I supposed to know?” he muttered.

Stupid, evil git!

”You weren't supposed to know! You were supposed to know not to break the rules! You were supposed to know not to practice advanced magic – not to mention alone, at night, after curfew! Am I making myself clear?”

Snape starred at Harry for a second or two clearly expecting an answer but none came and Harry didn't even meet his gaze. The professor simply turned and began searching a nearby cupboard instead. The sound of glass vials clinking together was the only sound other than the faint moans coming from Hermione.

Harry looked at her. There was nothing he wanted more than to run over to her, hold her and beg her forgiveness for getting her into this. However, he didn't move an inch as he was afraid Snape would start yelling at him again if he touched her. The man was being weird. Sure, he was every bit as nasty as usual but something was off and Harry wasn't quite sure why.

Maybe he hit his head when he fainted? Why did he even faint to begin with?

Harry unknowingly smirked thinking about what Ron would say when he told him. He was bound to laugh himself to death. Harry reconsidered. How could he tell Ron? He'd have to tell him what they were doing out in the first place. Harry blushed. Ron was bound to think him a big baby – crying over a photo.

The view of the Lily imposter's weak body was momentarily obstructed as a big black figure swept in front of her. Harry watched as Snape lifted her head and tried to get yet another potion in her. This time it was a bit more of an effort and going by the look on her face the potion had to be absolutely disgusting. It looked that way too. Harry likened the colour to bird droppings and it appeared to have a thick consistency.

Snape managed to get almost the entire vial in her, though a bit of it ended elsewhere on her face during her initial struggles against him. Harry wanted to ask a thousand questions but instead he moved back to the desk he'd previously been seated at in an attempt to be as much out of the way as possible. He held his hands up in front of his face like he was keenly studying his own hands and peaked through his fingers at the potions master.

The man had finished giving Hermione the potion and was currently wiping away the mix of orange drool and potion that covered her face. When he finished he banished the used cloth and stood completely still looking down at her with the vial still in hand. Harry held his breath as he watched Snape study his mother's face.

Oh, no! I bet he's wondering who she is now!

Of course Harry had no idea just how wrong he was.

*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*-_-*

Severus lied to the boy. He could have easily transformed her back and healed Miss Granger in her natural form. It was just that he didn't want to.

But Potter doesn't need to know that.

Severus smirked, knowing the boy was starring him in the back. The question now was what to do with the brat. He might as well get some answers while he decided what to do.

”So..” Severus began as he slowly turned around to face the boy.

”We've clarified what happened, now I would very much like to know why.”

The boy showed no inclination towards moving but simply looked at Severus through his fingers.

”Stop that, Potter! Sit up strait and look at me!” Severus began as he crossed his arms and watched the boy jerk right up and lower his hands.

”Now, would you mind very much telling me what exactly Miss Granger is supposed to be?”

If it had been in some other connection, Severus might have enjoyed the expression of terror that appeared on the boy's face but in this instance it only made him furious.

”Well? Answer me, you arrogant little...”

”Please, sir. I... I'd rather not,” said a small voice below him.

Severus raised an eyebrow.

”You're not getting a choice, Potter. You will explain yourself.”

The boy squirmed in his seat and blushed visibly.

”But sir, surely it doesn't...” Potter began.

”Don't test my patience boy. It most certainly does matter,” replied Severus.

Merlin, haven't I been punished enough? Do I have to deal with this horrid little Potter-clone as well?

”It's just... You see... Hermione said she'd lost her scarf and then I said... No, wait! Snape, the thing is I just..”

”Professor Snape, to you! And what on earth are you rambling about?”

The boy paused as if he was considering something. Severus looked at him with suspicion.

Any minute now. Any minute.

Potter suddenly found the empty desk very interesting.

”Hermione was just trying to help, sir. It's not her fault.”

”Hrmpf,” Severus groaned.

Oh, isn't it?

”She's responsible for her actions, Mr. Potter, as are you!”

The boy grimaced and momentarily locked eyes with his professor before speedily fixing his gaze on the desktop again. The moment had been enough. Severus could see the cogs turning in Potter's head.

All two of them.

”Professor, must I? Isn't it more important to...”

”You must. Now you answer me before I decide you're more useful in a jar,” replied Severus icily and gestured towards a shelf filled with glass jars containing various limps of various creatures. The boy bit his lip.

”She's supposed to look like someone we needed a picture of,” said Potter quietly.

Come on. Out with it.

”And who would that person be, Mr. Potter?”

The boy eyes darted from left to right.

”Uhm.”

”Who?” repeated Severus and took as step towards the boy.

”Mary Weasley, Ron's cousin.”

Liar!