alisanne

Title: Master of Arithmancy
Author:

alisanne
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Severus Snape/Harry Potter (implied), Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger, Minerva McGonagall.
Challenge: Written for

harry100/

harry100's prompt 325: Arithmancy.
Rating: PG
Length: 100 x 9
Warnings: None, pre-slash.
Beta(s):

sevfan and emynn.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.

~

Master of Arithmancy

~

“…spend all night reading?” Ron asked Hermione just as Harry entered Grimmauld.

“Not me,” Harry laughed, collapsing onto the sofa. “I refuse to read anything right now. Robards has us studying case law.” He groaned.

“Sounds fascinating,” said Hermione, looking up. “Although this Arithmancy text is interesting, too. Did you know—?”

“No!” both Harry and Ron cried at the same time.

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Fine, I won’t tell you. Though you should be interested, Harry, given your Snape obsession.”

Harry sat up. “What’s Snape have to do with Arithmancy?”

Hermione smirked. “It’s all in the numbers. Numbers never lie.”

~

It didn’t take Harry long to understand what Hermione was saying. “And you’re sure your Arithmancy calculations are correct?”

Ron groaned. “Please don’t make her go through it again, mate. It’s Hermione. The calculations are accurate.”

“Fair point.” Harry leaned forward. “So what do your numbers say about his location?”

She shook her head. “They’re not that precise. All they say is—”

“Snape’s alive.” Harry shook his head. “Bloody hell, he’s alive!”

“Here we go,” muttered Ron.

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Meaning?”

“Meaning you were just beginning to get over your Snape obsession.”

“I’m not—”

“Actually,” interrupted Hermione. “You are.”

~

After Hermione loaned him one of her Arithmancy books, Harry went to his room and spent the night reading. By morning he was bleary-eyed and somewhat delirious.

“Did you get any sleep?” Hermione asked upon seeing him the next morning.

Harry grunted, shuffling over to the kitchen table. “Not as such, no.”

“Oh, Harry.” She ruffled his head as she walked past him. “I made tea, would you like a cup?”

“Please.”

Once he’d tea and breakfast, Harry felt better.

“So?” said Hermione, watching him. “Learn anything?”

Harry shook his head. “Just that you’re right. The numbers say he’s alive.”

~

When Ron got up, he found Harry and Hermione poring over another Arithmancy book.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered, helping himself to tea and breakfast. “It’s bad enough having a girlfriend who’s Arithmancy obsessed, but you, too, Harry?”

Harry snorted. “I’m not obsessed with Arithmancy. According to you two, my main obsession is Snape, remember?”

“Oh, I remember.” Ron grinned. “I remember you cuddling up with his Potions book every night sixth-year. If you could’ve, you’d have shagged it.”

Harry held up two fingers in a lewd gesture.

“Shush, Ron,” said Hermione absently. “Look here, Harry.”

Harry did, gasping. “You’re brilliant!”

~

“Let me see if I understand,” said Ron. “You think Snape’s hiding somewhere in Hogwarts because the numbers in your Arithmancy book said so?”

“That’s about right, yes,” said Hermione.

“And no one knows about it because—?”

Harry snorted. “I bet McGonagall does. She’s the Headmistress after all.”

“So why wouldn’t she turn him over to the Aurors?” Ron asked.

“Because he’s her friend. And because Harry exonerated him, remember?” Hermione sighed. “The only questions now is, what should Harry do now?”

“Now?” Ron snorted. “It’s obvious. He has to go look for Snape at Hogwarts.”

Harry nodded. “You’re right.”

~

“Welcome, Potter.” McGonagall smiled. “Pardon me, Auror Potter.”

Harry grinned. “Not yet, Headmistress, I’m in training.”

“You still deserve the appellation. Come in, sit. To what do I owe the honour of your visit?”

“You may not be aware, but Hermione’s doing a mastery in Arithmancy.” Harry exhaled. “And while researching, she came across something interesting.”

“I’d heard about Ms Granger’s activities, yes,” said McGonagall. “What has she discovered?”

“It’s complicated,” said Harry. “But the bottom line is, she thinks Snape’s alive. Is he?”

McGonagall shook her head. “Granger’s always been too clever.” She sighed. “And so’s Severus.”

~

Harry blinked. “You’re saying he really is here?”

McGonagall chuckled. “Do you want the official or the unofficial answer, Auror?”

Clearing his throat, Harry leaned forward. “I promise not to tell anyone in the Auror office, Headmistress, but I need to know. Did he make it?”

“Yes.” Standing up, McGonagall gestured to him to follow. “And I believe you, Potter. And although it’s disconcerting to think Ms Granger discovered him because of an Arithmancy formula, not many are as bright as she is, so I suspect the secret shall remain so for now.”

Harry nodded. “Hermione won’t tell anyone.”

“Excellent.”

~

The part of the castle McGonagall led him through was unknown to Harry. “Wow,” he said, looking around. “I never knew this was here.”

“It wasn’t when you were in school.” McGonagall smiled. “Hogwarts provides what’s needed.” She stopped, pointing to a door. “Through there is what you seek.”

Harry eyed the door. “Does he know I’m coming?”

“Probably.”

Harry paused. “Did you know?”

“I didn’t.” McGonagall pursed her lips. “Severus told me you would, however.”

“Really?” Harry blinked. “How—?”

“Granger’s not the only Arithmancy expert in the world, Potter.” McGonagall turned away. “Stop by my office before you leave.”

~

“Come, Potter.”

Harry opened the door, entering a room with comfortable furnishings and a large window overlooking a garden.

Snape, seated by said window, nodded. “Right on time.”

Harry frowned. “You expected me?”

“Indeed.”

Harry eyed Snape’s book. “The Headmistress said you used Arithmancy to…predict my visit. What else did it predict?”

“Many things, actually.”

Intrigued by Snape’s expression, Harry moved closer. “Like?”

“That depends. Do you believe in fate?” Snape extended his hand.

Harry took it, feeling the touch to his toes. “Yes.”

“And love? What about love?” Snape whispered, dawning hope in his eyes.

Harry smiled. “Definitely.”

~