Hermione didn't awake the following morning, to the point where Molly went to check on her, and was shocked to discover that she was pale, her skin clammy to the touch, as well as exhibiting rapid eye movement behind her lids. The moans in her sleep did nothing to ease her fears, especially when she saw the terrible scar on her inner right arm—the word Mudblood slashed with a poisoned dagger. Molly had seen wartime nightmares before, but this was something else; combined with both magical exhaustion and malnutrition, Hermione Granger's body was close to giving out due to the poison having made its way to her vital organs.

"What is it, Molly?" Arthur asked, looking up from the breakfast table; his wife had made the customary fare of eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, kippers, potatoes, and toast, while he saw to it that all his children were eating. He, meanwhile, was also holding onto Ginny, giving her a bottle, while Harry and Ron perched in booster seats, eating some eggs and potatoes cut into small, manageable pieces.

James looked up from his own plate of breakfast, Sirius and Remus doing the same. "Is Hermione still asleep?" he wanted to know.

"No, it's..." Molly hesitated, looking down at her children; Harry, Ron, and Ginny were much too young to understand, while the twins, Percy, and Charlie would likely glean some of what was wrong. "She's quite poorly, actually," she went on, choosing her words with care. "I know that she said not to call Poppy, until she can be trusted, so I know of only one other alternative, but I needed to tell you first."

Sirius crossed his arms. "I don't know if I want Snivellus around Hermione," he said, his tone quite firm.

Remus sighed. "Siri, you need to stop this. For Merlin's sake, we're out of Hogwarts now. If Hermione says we can trust him, then I agree with her."

James quirked an eyebrow. "You didn't even see her memories firsthand."

"No," Remus agreed, "but you and Sirius showed me, Molly, and Arthur your memories of what Hermione showed you. Nothing about them rang false; they were far too detailed to be false memories anyhow. Not to mention the fact that Harry's last words... Erm, her Harry," he corrected, once the toddler looked up at him.

"Moony need Harry?" the toddler asked.

Remus smiled at the nickname. "No, Harry. Sorry. Eat your breakfast."

Harry immediately returned to his breakfast, and attempted to chase some of his serving of scrambled egg with a fork.

"Anyhow," Remus continued, "Hermione said that he said that Snape was trustworthy. I think if the pair of you were willing to put your differences aside, he would be willing to come to the Burrow." He turned to look at James. "At the end of things, you both loved Lily."

James' expression darkened. "He called her a—"

Arthur's gaze snapped to James. "I won't have that word spoken in my house."

James sighed. "Sorry, Arthur," he said sheepishly, before looking back at Remus. "He called her that despicable word—"

"He was embarrassed, and rightly so, given what you and Siri put him through," Remus said, shaking his head. "It was wrong of me not to come forward as a Prefect, and I will continue to regret what I did, not stepping in. However, I have since apologized to Snape, and he and I are now cordial to one another—"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Just because he brews your Wolfsbane monthly, doesn't mean you have to be nice to him."

"Of course it does," Remus hissed, doing his best to keep his temper. "He also refuses payment for the potion ingredients, let alone time it takes to brew it."

Sirius sighed. "I give you an allowance for a reason, as does James..."

"Which I use for rent on my dingy flat, as well as to keep food on the table," Remus told him. "Do you know how expensive meat is? My body craves it to the point where, if I go one day without it, I feel as if I'm starving to death. It's the curse..."

James sighed. "What do you suggest?"

"I suggest that we allow Snape to come here and check on Hermione," Remus told him. "It was considerate enough for Molly to ask us our opinion, but, at the end of things, this is her and Arthur's house, and we have no say in who either of them welcomes into it."

James crossed his arms. "Anything else?"

"Yes," Remus said. "Put your differences aside with Snape. He loved Lily, too, you know, and the two of you, if you would stop bringing up how you're different, could realize how alike the pair of you are. You can grieve together. And, as for you," he went on, giving Sirius a look, "know what it's like more than anyone to have an abusive parent and a neglectful one. You were lucky enough to have a friend whose family had the means to take you on, as well as provide a healthy foundation for your future."

Sirius sighed. "I suppose that is a good jumping off point."

"Excellent," Molly said, clasping her hands together. "So, it's settled, then."

"Best contact Severus directly through his Floo, love," Arthur suggested. "If you try the Great Hall, Dumbledore could hear the conversation."

"He could probably even hear it in the Head of Slytherins' rooms," James mused.

Molly's eyes widened. "I'll just keep it brief, then. Perhaps I'll mention that one of the children is ill if he presses me for more information. That should keep Dumbledore from sniffing around overmuch."

"What if he decides to come over himself?" Sirius asked.

"Well, let's hope he doesn't," Molly said, walking towards the fireplace, before grabbing a handful of Floo Powder, and tossing it into the grate. "Incendio," she whispered, and the flames roared to life, and she declared, "The private quarters of Professor Severus Snape, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Arthur, meanwhile, got to his feet. "Charlie, why don't you take Percy, Fred, and George over to the Lovegood's'?" he asked, grinning. "Uncle Xeno was anxious to see you, and you know how he loves a surprise."

Charlie sighed. "Dad, do I have to—?"

"And," Arthur continued, "I have it on good authority that Aunt Padme is making those special jam tarts you're all especially fond of."

Charlie's eyes widened, before he hurriedly got to his feet, his face set with determination of being the oldest child still at home. "All right, you lot!" he declared. "Time to brave the wilds of the marshland to venture to the Rook!"

Percy got to his feet, doing so with much more decorum for a mere six-year-old, leading Fred and George to nearly upset the table in their enthusiasm. The children then hurried along, scampering towards the kitchen door, which Charlie threw open, and they darted quickly through the tall grass and beyond.

"Now, then," Arthur said, turning to Harry and Ron, "you two finish your breakfast, and then it's off to Ron's room to play, while you, Miss Weasley," he said, turning his only daughter to face him, "will go for your morning lie-down."

The flames, meanwhile, cracked and popped for a moment before fluttering, establishing a Floo connection, and Severus's face, marred with devastation, appeared.

"Good morning, Severus," Molly said warmly to him.

"Molly," Severus responded, his tone clipped, and his throat hoarse, as if he'd spent the last several hours crying. "How may I be of service?"

"I need you to bring your advanced potions kit straight through, Severus," Molly told him, her voice harried.

Severus blinked. "Is something the matter, Molly?"

"No time to explain, Severus; it's urgent. Please come through directly."

Severus, stunned, called out the proper Summoning Charms and came through, brushing the soot off his robes, before he staggered at the sight of James, Sirius, and Remus at the breakfast table, and looked over at where Harry was sitting. "What are they...?"

Remus slowly got to his feet, putting up his hands in surrender. "Sirius switched roles of secret keeper with Peter," he explained to Severus in a diplomatic voice. "Sirius thought his appointment was too obvious. Sirius it not the traitor here; Peter is."

Severus cleared his throat. "All right, very well." He appraised James from where he stood, catching a glimpse of the curse scar upon his chest. "Are you the patient, Potter?"

James raised his eyebrows, likely surprised at the lack of rancor in his tone. "No," he replied, and shook his head. "Molly saw to me and Harry last evening."

Sirius blinked, turning to regard Harry, which is when he saw the curse scar marring his forehead, and grimaced. "I am sorry to see that he was hurt."

Harry, meanwhile, turned completely towards Severus, who gasped at seeing the striking shade of his eyes. Harry seemed to concentrate for a while, and then, almost as if he'd figured something out, cried, "Sevy!"

James stiffened. "Have you met my son before, Snape?"

Severus shook his head. "I have not, Potter. I have seen a photograph or two of him in The Daily Prophet, but none recently, due to you and... Well, when you went into hiding, there were no recent photographs."

Harry blinked, seemingly confused again. "Mummy had photo of Sevy," he proclaimed, grinning, as if he was mightily proud of himself for communicating this. "Sevy always sad in the photo... Mummy sad, too."

Severus's gaze snapped back to James. "The child doesn't know?"

"No," Sirius snapped, "and you're not to tell him, Sniv—"

"Siri," Remus said warningly.

"Snape," Sirius said, huffing slightly, every inch the spoiled child.

Molly sighed. "Let us return to the matter at hand," she said, waving her wand towards the Floo, thus locking it. "Arthur, see to the wards around the property, so that no one unauthorized may come or go."

Severus looked over at her. "Are you intending to keep me prisoner, Molly?"

"They're to keep undesirables out, Snape," Potter said quietly, summoning a cloth and dabbing at Harry's face, as it had egg smeared all over it. "If you fell into that category, you wouldn't be here."

"I suppose I could be lured to my death," Severus said dramatically, before turning to Molly as Arthur stepped out of the kitchen door, having handed Ginny to Remus. "Where am I needed, then, Molly?"

"This way, Severus," Molly said, beckoning him out of the dining room and around the bend, before they reached the hallway. "A young woman brought James and Harry here last night, with Sirius to help."

Severus blinked. "A young woman?" he asked, perplexed. "Who?"

"Her name is Hermione Granger, and she's a time traveler," Molly explained carefully. "She showed both James and Sirius her memories last evening, and then James and Sirius showed us accounts of them this morning when we awoke."

Severus quirked an eyebrow. "Why did she not show you the memories herself?"

Molly halted outside the parlor door. "I'm afraid it's due to the fact that Hermione is the one who's ill, Severus," she answered, taking ahold of the door knob and turning it, before she led Severus into the parlor.

Severus took one look at Hermione and sighed; he could see the mark on her arm, and knew well enough that it was Bellatrix's handiwork. "Do you believe her?" he asked, grabbing a chair and hauling it beside the daybed Hermione was lying on, having fits in her sleep, and began saying various Diagnostic Charms to ascertain her well-being.

"I do," Molly answered softly. "Although the memories were second-hand, they didn't feature any signs of being false. Far too many details for that..."

"How far in the future is she from?"

"Seventeen years," Molly whispered. "She had just lost her two closest friends in a battle, which was held at Hogwarts of all places, in May of 1998. She was extremely gifted as well; she had her OWL and NEWTs results in that bag underneath her pillow," she went on, nodding towards it, "and they were authentic."

Severus inclined his head, before opening his kit and grabbing various bottles. "Her surname?"

"Granger; as I'm sure you can tell from her arm, she's Muggleborn," Molly put in.

Severus, once he had administered the potions, as well as set a Monitoring Spell upon her, turned to regard Molly slowly. "Her magical core is not that of a Muggleborn, Molly."

Molly blinked. "Pardon me?"

"Blood Status of any wixen comes up via a Diagnostic Spell," Severus explained carefully. "I assume you didn't perform one on her last night?"

Molly shook her head. "No," she whispered, inwardly cursing herself for spending time looking after James and assisting Hermione with Harry, but not helping her medically. "I... I suppose I believed she was exhausted, likely from the travel, what she'd been through, as well as the magic she'd expelled since her arrival. I believed she needed sleep..."

"Not to mention a good meal... Or, rather, several of them," Severus said. "She's suffering from malnutrition, Molly, and this has been going on for a good nine months or so, due to her lack of cholesterol, iron, and calcium deficiencies, among other vitamin disorders. Nutrient Potions will suffice for now, which will return her appetite, as well as stomach size, to what it was when she was eating healthily. It will, of course, take some time; we will slowly have to wean her off the potions and give her proper food once she awakens..."

"And when will that be?" Molly asked.

"Tomorrow, at the latest. Likely tonight," Severus responded.

Molly tentatively stepped forward. "What is her Blood Status?"

"She's a Half-Blood, born to a Pureblood father and a Muggle mother," Severus told her. "Since she is of the firm belief that she is Muggleborn, as well as holds the surname of Granger, I cannot access information on her biological father. A blood test, which I could administer, or a magical core test, which Gringotts could do, are our only options, unless she has some information herself, although I doubt it. From what I can glean, before she was malnourished and vitamin deficient, she led a good life. She was a healthy weight, proportionally developed for her age, and, although they look threadbare now, her Muggle clothes are high-end. She was loved, Molly, that is for sure and certain."

Molly gazed at the girl, her heart aching. "How old is she, Severus? I thought she may have been around your age..."

"The Diagnostic Spell says she's eighteen," Severus told her.

Molly shook her head, her motherly protection flowing through her. "The poor lamb. Hopefully we can figure out more about her when she awakens."

Severus gathered up his potions and began filing them away in his kit. "May I ask why you summoned me, Molly?" he asked. "I can see that this was a specialty case, and although you're quite a brilliant healer..."

"You don't offend me, Severus," Molly told him gently. "We don't know if we can trust Poppy yet, is all."

"Yet?" Severus asked, looking up at her. "I don't understand. Has Hermione imparted some knowledge of the future?"

Molly sighed. "You could say that," she said, looking over at Hermione. "Will any conversations we have disturb her sleep?"

"No," Severus assured her. "I gave her Sleeping Draught in addition to everything else. She won't awaken until the toxins are drained from her body. It was the wound from the dagger, as well as post-traumatic stress," he explained. "Those things, combined with magical exhaustion and malnutrition, made her gravely ill, which caused the fever. Hopefully, when she awakens tonight, she can have some of those healing herb teas you keep, and perhaps some bone broth, to keep up her strength. We need to get her body used to the vitamins and minerals she needs, but slowly, so that it doesn't rebel."

Molly nodded, pulling up a chair herself, and perched upon it. "The knowledge that Hermione imparted, first upon James and Sirius last night in Godric's Hollow, was an extraordinary use of magic, Severus. She animated the memories... I saw them second-hand, along with Arthur and Remus, this morning, before she awoke. We thought she was exhausted, due to her time traveling so far into the past, that we left her to rest. You know how impatient James and Sirius can get, so they gave us the information. Although I could sense that Hermione was very powerful, something told me she wouldn't hurt the children..."

"Did any of us know her in the future?" Severus asked.

Molly nodded. "All of us, with the exception of James," she responded. "In Hermione's timeline, James perished at Godric's Hollow as well, leaving Harry as the only survivor. Harry was brought up by Lily's sister, Petunia, and her husband, Vernon, in Surrey, until he was eleven. It seemed as if they neither of them wanted him to attend Hogwarts, so they used certain methods to keep him from becoming a wizard."

Severus cursed under his breath. "Of course they, likely the most ignorant Muggles on planet Earth, wouldn't know that you're born a witch or wizard, you don't become one..."

"You knew Lily as a child, Severus... Remus mentioned it," she said softly. "I suppose you met her parents, as well as her sister?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Evans were perfectly lovely people. They had questions, of course, about the Wizarding World, as any Muggle parent would... My father being the exception," he muttered darkly to her. "As for Petunia, she was mad, Molly, terribly mad. She frequently called Lily a freak for demonstrating accidental magic, and sought to keep their parents from paying her any kind of valuable attention. When Lily's acceptance letter from Hogwarts came, Petunia was quite enraged, to the point where Lily suggested she write to Albus herself and request that she be sent to Hogwarts as well."

Molly gaped at Severus. "Surely, Lily didn't think that would work..."

"Of course she didn't," Severus replied. "Lily is unfailingly kind. She merely wanted to appease her elder sister because of her nature."

Molly sighed. "Yes, of course. Well, in Hermione's memories, there are many conversations between herself and Harry. She, along with Harry, as well as my Ron, were in the same year at Hogwarts, all Gryffindors, and were best friends. Harry frequently spoke of the ill treatment he received from the Dursley family, about how he was routinely beaten, starved, and made to work as a house-elf constantly. He was their slave, Severus, and kept in a cupboard under the stairs, until he received his Hogwarts letter. I suppose Petunia and Vernon believed that some of 'our lot'—their words, not ours—would come and check up on them to ensure that they weren't treating Harry so horribly."

Severus clenched his fists. "So, they believed that beating and starving the boy, as well as working him to the bone, would be enough to extinguish the magic within him?"

"That was Harry's summation, yes," Molly agreed.

Severus shook his head. "Whoever authorized that someone like Petunia would get custody of Harry... Even the mutt or the werewolf would have been better."

Molly bit her lip. "With James dead, as well as Sirius disowned and locked in Azkaban, Remus wouldn't have been financially able to provide for Harry. Sirius only has the inheritance from his uncle, Alphard, which likely couldn't be transferred to Remus."

Severus sighed. "In Hermione's timeline, the mutt would have gone after Peter himself..."

"According to Hermione's memories, Sirius did just that," Molly confirmed. "He tracked down Peter to Muggle London, where Peter caused an explosion, killing twelve Muggles in the process, and creating a giant crater in the ground. Obliviators had to come in, and, when they did, they found Sirius laughing hysterically, believing that the Black family madness had finally gotten to him."

Severus sat there, his face like stone. "And Peter?"

"Faked his own death like the coward he truly is," Molly answered bitterly. "He also had the sense to leave behind a finger to ensure it was covered up properly. He then wormed his way into this family, my family, as Percy's familiar, in his rat Animagus form. I can't believe that Arthur and I permitted him to keep the wretched thing..."

"Your Percy keeps the rat, then?"

"He called him Scabbers, and yes," Molly said, shaking her head. "Percy kept Scabbers until 1991, just before his fifth-year, when he made Prefect. Arthur and I then got him an owl, and Percy decided it would be lovely to give Scabbers to Ron..."

Severus gritted his teeth. "Thus ensuring that Peter kept an eye on Harry until it was safe for him to return to his master," he said softly. He gazed at Hermione for several moments, obviously considering everything. "Trusting me means you don't trust someone else, Molly. What was lurking within Hermione's memories? Tell me."

"According to Harry," Molly said softly, "before he handed himself over to him, he was given pensive memories, which seemed to confirm some truths." She hesitated, watching as Severus continued to stare, unblinking, at Hermione. She wanted more than anything to place a hand on his arm, to offer a gesture of comfort, but she knew that it could be seen as patronizing, so she held herself back. "He told Hermione that we can't trust Dumbledore, Severus. He also said that you were his man all along, but that you were to be trusted, not him."

Severus didn't move, but he did speak. "Did he?"

"He did... You loved her, didn't you, Severus? Lily."

Severus finally turned to look at Molly, his dark eyes filled with complete anguish. "He used it against me, Molly," he whispered; although he did not weep, it seemed as though the potions master had cried all his tears. "I promised him anything if he swore to hide Lily, Potter, and their son, due to a prophecy. Harry was that prophecy, Molly; it spoke of a boy, born at the end of July, to two parents who had thrice defied him. He would, then, mark the boy as his equal, and he has done so, with the scar now etched upon his head..."

"Hermione trusted Harry implicitly; her memories prove it," Molly told Severus softly. "Those were his dying words to her. He sacrificed himself for the war, while my son died attempting to kill that blasted snake of his. Hermione was the lone survivor, before she tumbled through time and arrived here, to us."

Severus turned to gaze at Hermione again. "She intends to change history."

It wasn't a question.

"I believe she does," Molly confirmed. "So far, we know that she trusts us, as well as James, Sirius, Remus, and you, Severus. We are unsure if Hermione trusts anyone else—"

"Surely, she must," Severus countered. "You mentioned that she was exceedingly bright, due to her OWL and NEWTs scores. She must trust others, Molly, she must..."

"Anyone can be bright, Severus. It doesn't automatically transfer to marks," Molly said gently.

Severus huffed. "Indeed, given that Slughorn was convinced I was only worthy of Exceeds Expectations in his classes. I'm sure I wouldn't have scraped by with an Acceptable if he was in charge of the OWLs and NEWTs..."

"Would you help us, Severus?" Molly asked, after silence settled upon the room again. "I realize that Dumbledore asked so much of you, but could you work against him, knowing what you know now?"

Severus sighed, looking very tired at the prospect. "If Hermione was willing to show me all her pertinent memories, ones that have to do with me in the future, yes. I need to know all that I can, Molly. I won't have myself signing up for anything if I have to go in blind."

"Of course not, Severus," Molly told him. "None of us were asking you to do it that way. I'm sure, once Hermione has her strength back, she will tell you everything you need to know."

"Very well, then," he said, gathering up his kit. "Albus keeps me on a tight leash; I have only been teaching for two months, as you know. If I am away from the castle for very long, without proper explanation, he will summon me, in public, potentially in front of the other Heads of House, and demand a full explanation."

Molly nodded; this didn't sit well with her, now that she knew all that Hermione had managed to communicate with James and Sirius. "Well, it certainly won't be that way with us," she told him, her voice firm. "Will the Monitoring Spell extend to Hogwarts?"

"It is connected to my wand," Severus told her patiently, getting to his feet. "Once Hermione awakens, I shall return, never fear. I will simply say that I was harvesting some hawthorn; I know you keep a patch of it in your garden, some of the best around..."

"Take some with you," Molly told him; she had special charms on her gardens, to ensure that she could access various herbs and vegetables, as well as fruits from their orchard, year-round. "Just in case Dumbledore does some creative snooping through your belongings... Do you have everything you need for harvesting?"

Severus gave her a genuine half-smile, before he pulled a vial and dragon hide gloves from inside his robes. "A potion master never goes far without them," he said, following her out of the parlor and down the hallway.

Several hours later, once the sun had set on that freezing first day of November, Hermione Granger's eyes flew open. Although she had been given a Sleeping Potion, she had heard all the words passed between Severus Snape and Molly Weasley. Of course, she was pleased that Severus was willing to listen; things would go a whole lot better if he worked with them, due to his prowess when it came to dueling, and his knowledge of potions.

However, there was something else that had stunned her, and stunned her completely. This was, of course, the notion that Severus had declared her a Half-Blood. She wondered if, perchance, this had something, anything, to do with Sirius knowing a little too much about her mother...