The 2004 SSHG Ficathon Answers
Here are the answers for the Ficathon quiz. How did you do?
And now may I just say...
Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!?
The sshg_exchange is starting today!
1. Necklace by Claudia aka wildwinterwitch
2. As They Seem by violet_quill
3. The Anniversary by shiv5468
4. Inappropriate Behavior by andrian1
5. The Affairs of Dragons by hayseed_42
6. Of Want and Waiting by stevie_jane
7. Cat and Mouse by mmyrtle
8. Remembrance by ozratbag2
9. This Forbidden Knowledge by wendynat
10. House Points by tatiana422
1. Severus took off his silver mask and let it disappear in the folds of his cloak, and brushed the hood back off his head. Then he entered.
And at the same time, Hermione stepped out of the pantry, and she let out a terrified shriek.
"You scared me!" she said crossly, still trying to calm herself down.
"Why are you still awake?" Severus scowled.
"I was hungry," Hermione replied defiantly. She was wearing a robe and slippers, and her hair was in a dishevelled braid. "It was Tonks' turn to cook tonight."
Severus grunted noncommittally. The witch was having a point. Tonks' talents as a cook were rather limited, and he couldn't blame Granger for being hungry. But this was about his nightcap, after all.
"I was making myself a sandwich," she chattered on. The relationship between her and her former professor had changed since they worked together for the Order. The student-teacher etiquette no longer applied, and this had given Hermione the confidence to treat Severus like any of the others in the Order - if a little bit more guardedly. Her behaviour was respectful, bordering on the formal, and she generally left him alone, which was good. Severus, in return, had had no problems of treating her like the adult she was. It had never been difficult for him to leave behind the pupil he had once taught. In most cases, anyway.
"Would you like one?" she offered, following a sudden impulse.
"Pardon?"
Necklace by Claudia aka wildwinterwitch
2. Severus Snape hated Halloween. Ever since Albus had insisted on hosting another idiotic social function to mark the occasion, Snape always had considerable difficulty deciding which even he would try the hardest to get out of attending every year. The Yule Ball and the Halloween Masquerade were equally unpleasant, so this year he simply opted for the one that came first. In fact, it seemed even more distasteful than usual, due to his current state of mind. He wasn't sure if he could deal with the onslaught of adolescent hormones. It was only recently that he - that he, Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master, began to realize that he was not, after all, immune to certain... yearnings. During the war it seemed that he was too busy, too stressed, too on edge and on the edge, to worry about anything other than the matters at hand. But now that it was over his life had settled into a dull routine.
As bizarre as it seemed, he almost wished that Voldemort would return just so that he would have something to deal with besides his infantile, dunderhead students.
As They Seem by violet_quill
3. Whatever-her-name-was had insisted on giving her a medical examination, with the result that she'd been stripped to her underwear, stuffed into a draughty gown and forced into an uncomfortable bed in the Infirmary. She'd pursed her lips and sighed heavily throughout the whole undignified process, and then tried putting her foot down and forbidding Hermione from coming up here. Hermione was old; Hermione was ill; Hermione shouldn't take the risk.
She wished Severus had been there to see the look of shock on the old trout's face when she had simply said, "Bollocks. Severus will be expecting me, and I won't be letting him down."
Hermione had to give her credit though, she didn't back down in the face of her indignation. "You're mad," said the Old Trout, and there had been a horrified silence in the Infirmary. Perhaps she was, they were thinking, perhaps the old woman had finally lost her marbles. That was the hardest thing about growing old: her mind had lost none of its sharpness and agility, but somehow people assumed that her powers were fading.
Not twice, it had to be admitted; nearly eighty years of marriage to Snape had seen some of his vicious tongue rub off on her. A verbal flaying was usually enough to make the impertinent youngsters back down, but this woman was clearly unimpressed.
They didn't understand that, yes, she had difficulty remembering names these days, but that was because the youngsters of today were so dull. She'd spent the last Ministry dinner talking to Draco Malfoy and they'd both agreed that the present crop of witches and wizards had the personality of flobberworms.
The Anniversary by shiv5468
4. It has been a night of surprises. First the removal of the Head of Gryffindor, the disappearance of Hagrid and the request from the self banished Headmaster to check in on the poor little Gryffindor fledglings.
Taking advantage of the rare treat, he slides into the hidden passages of Gryffindor Tower. The boys are tucked in their beds, the curtains drawn tightly. A quick spell reveals the hidden bodies behind the curtains, a faint glimmer of red here, and a splash of brown there.
He is disappointed as he enters the girls’ dorms. They too are hidden behind the heavy drapes, secure from the cold and his roving eyes. Success is his when he enters the fifth years girls’ dorm.
One occupant has not drawn the heavy curtains that keep out the chilled night air. She has left them opened to draw upon the full moonlight flooding over the floor and onto her face. Puffy and red, she has been crying, undoubtly mourning the loss of her mentor and Head of House. Bedclothes are twisted into a pile at the foot of the bed and the girl’s flannel gown has wrapped around her body until it looks painful in places. Tangled brown curls are spread over a pillow, whilst the glow from the moonlight reflects on the smooth ivory skin of one exposed thigh.
His eyes are transfixed on the smooth, rounded flesh, which only the young possess. A deep hunger erupts in his stomach as he watches her turn once again, the rumbled garment sliding up higher, revealing the curve of a supple, dimpled cheek. Eyes glittering, it is impossible to turn back from this sweet temptation.
Inappropriate Behavior by andrian1
5. Unable to help herself, Hermione inwardly cringed as the words tumbled off her lips. "You're not a very modern dragon, are you?"
"I think, little one, that may depend on one's definition of 'modern.' But that is a discussion we must postpone. It is time to go in -- we have spent entirely too much time outdoors. While we are in a more remote part of America, it is not totally unpopulated." The dragon snorted and another smoke ring puffed into the air.
"I suppose that you chose this particular section of rural America due to an overabundant supply of rather large caves?" she asked sarcastically, realizing that she'd mistaken comfort for bravado. She wasn't relaxed; she was absolutely terrified. But she'd be damned if she'd let the dragon see that.
Besides... it was being awfully reasonable. Maybe there was no real need to be afraid.
Right, her internal Ron Weasley sneered. Because American dragons routinely abduct girls from the Scottish countryside to give them decorating advice. For a smart girl, you can be really, really stupid sometimes, Hermione.
Perversely, Hermione wished that Ron were really here, telling her that. So she could hit him.
The dragon was snorting lightly; flames danced around its snout. And Hermione realized that this was its version of laughter -- her fear doubled. "There aren't any caves around here, little one. No, my lair is behind you."
Turning, Hermione saw the same warehouse she had noticed earlier -- in all of the fuss, she'd quite forgotten about it. "That's a warehouse," she said flatly.
"It's a lair," the dragon corrected, sounding somewhat defensive.
The Affairs of Dragons by hayseed_42
6. “Miss Granger,” he greeted her with a slight formal bow that made her wonder if she had indeed gone mad, and ahead of schedule.
“Professor Snape, hello. Was there something you needed or…?”
“Yes, indeed, Miss Granger. I needed to ask your something of utmost importance.” He looked a little different; Hermione noticed, looking closer she realised it looked like he’d actually washed his hair, and his billowing teaching robe was nowhere to be seen. It was quite unexpected, to say the least.
“It must remain completely confidential, you understand.”
“Of course, Professor, ask away.” He was being civil, and extremely formal; she wondered what he needed to ask of her, in fact she was sure if he didn't tell her soon the curiosity would kill her.
“Would you-“ he hesitated and glanced both directions down the hallway before grasping her arms, with surprising care, and pushed Hermione back into the room before closing the door behind them. He made unflinching eye contact, moved subtly closer, so that the full lengths of their bodies were almost touching. His height was quite imposing, as always, but his demeanour wasn’t what Hermione would call threatening.
A little alarmed, and strangely eager, Hermione couldn’t help herself from urging him on, “Would I what, sir?”
Of Want and Waiting by stevie_jane
7. For a moment, he toyed with the idea of waiting her out, testing to see how long she could hold her silence, but he didn’t have the patience to play that game tonight.
He was tired after what had been a very long day. He’d had two double Potions classes, a staff meeting, and then Filch had cornered him to whinge (yet again) over how soft the school’s punishments had become. All of that had come on the heels of last night’s lovely little soirée with the Dark Lord which was exhausting, even if it not for the reasons most imagined.
While many assumed that the Death Eater meetings involved rampant debauchery coupled with gratuitous torture of random members, the reality was much more prosaic. In fact, the Dark get-togethers were eerily similar to Order meetings: the charismatic but bizarre leader would make some general comments about the current status of the group’s goals, ask questions regarding the progress of any special projects or assignments, and then there would follow an hour or so of general “we’re better and we’re right, therefore we’re going to win” propaganda and cheerleading. There had been more than one occasion where Snape’s attention had drifted during the rhetoric and he’d realized that he was safely able to give the same response at either camp.
He steadfastly refused to think too hard about what that implied.
Cat and Mouse by mmyrtle
8. Perhaps it is better to just say that life is a strange conundrum and all things considered, a stranger one to experience. My beloved would be the first to agree with me and though now absent from my life, I only hope to see that one soul burnished and naked to my own particular knowledge…soon. It's poor comfort to know that of the two of us, she went first, but all in all I have my recollections and my own sentiments to guide me. She would think me foolish to grieve, but that doesn't make it any easier not to do so. I just remember…everything, and the whole simplicity of her love comes crashing about me like waves tossing flotsam in a turbulent sea.
Love is that one constant feeling and though absent now in the physical sense, it hurts all the more for what should have been; and yet what it became was well its equal. How maudlin I have become, but I did promise to record this trifle and I cannot cease to do so simply because remembering leaves me numb and unable to handle the power of my own recollection.
Remembrance by ozratbag2
9. “I trust you are all well rested from your holidays?”
Professor Severus Snape enjoyed the looks of confusion on the students’ faces - he could well imagine their thoughts. Professor Snape… being friendly? Merlin, what’s he going to do to us?
He did so like to keep them off-balance. With that aim in mind, his next words came in a low, menacing tone. “It is my dearest hope that some of you, perhaps, were able to rest enough that you will not perform so inadequately in my class as you did the previous term. Perhaps now you are prepared, perhaps now you understand what I expect from my Advanced Potions classes?”
He eyed each student in turn, hovering on Miss Granger’s face with a small sneer. The girl was talented, but far too arrogant for her own good. Rather typical of Gryffindors.
“Then again… perhaps not.”
Turning sharply on his heel, he faced the board and flicked his wand. Potions ingredients appeared on the dark surface. “Turn to page 394.”
This Forbidden Knowledge by wendynat
10. Hermione sat at the table in the corner, sipping her glass of wine and watching the festivities before her. She didn't even need to look up to the balcony to know that he was watching her, and at the thought of his eyes on her, she felt a familiar tingling sensation creep slowly from the base of her spine straight to the nape of her neck.
Professor Severus Snape. Or as Ron and Harry affectionately called him, the greasy git. Since she had arrived back at the school to take her place as Professor Flitwick's apprentice, Hermione had made every effort to stay away from her former professor. Over her seven years at Hogwarts, he had made his dislike for Hermione and her friends more than obvious and because she was a student she had no other choice but to endure his presence. But now, since she returned as a member of the staff, she realized just how solitary he really was and over the past few weeks Hermione had found herself even more intrigued by her mysterious colleague. She barely saw him except in the staff room during meetings and in the Great Hall at meals. It was a shame really, Hermione had been looking forward to having the opportunity to speak with Professor Snape regarding work he had published in one of the alchemy journals over the summer.
Hermione glanced up at the empty balcony and felt a sharp pang of disappointment in the pit of her stomach when she realized that he was no longer there. Idly she wondered where he had disappeared to and wondered how he had managed to escape under Professor Dumbledore's ever-watchful eyes. Perhaps it was time for her to attempt her getaway, but as she stood and turned to leave, she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
"Good evening Miss Granger." Hermione whirled around to find herself face to face with Professor Snape.
House Points by tatiana422
And now may I just say...
Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!?
The sshg_exchange is starting today!
1. Necklace by Claudia aka wildwinterwitch
2. As They Seem by violet_quill
3. The Anniversary by shiv5468
4. Inappropriate Behavior by andrian1
5. The Affairs of Dragons by hayseed_42
6. Of Want and Waiting by stevie_jane
7. Cat and Mouse by mmyrtle
8. Remembrance by ozratbag2
9. This Forbidden Knowledge by wendynat
10. House Points by tatiana422
1. Severus took off his silver mask and let it disappear in the folds of his cloak, and brushed the hood back off his head. Then he entered.
And at the same time, Hermione stepped out of the pantry, and she let out a terrified shriek.
"You scared me!" she said crossly, still trying to calm herself down.
"Why are you still awake?" Severus scowled.
"I was hungry," Hermione replied defiantly. She was wearing a robe and slippers, and her hair was in a dishevelled braid. "It was Tonks' turn to cook tonight."
Severus grunted noncommittally. The witch was having a point. Tonks' talents as a cook were rather limited, and he couldn't blame Granger for being hungry. But this was about his nightcap, after all.
"I was making myself a sandwich," she chattered on. The relationship between her and her former professor had changed since they worked together for the Order. The student-teacher etiquette no longer applied, and this had given Hermione the confidence to treat Severus like any of the others in the Order - if a little bit more guardedly. Her behaviour was respectful, bordering on the formal, and she generally left him alone, which was good. Severus, in return, had had no problems of treating her like the adult she was. It had never been difficult for him to leave behind the pupil he had once taught. In most cases, anyway.
"Would you like one?" she offered, following a sudden impulse.
"Pardon?"
Necklace by Claudia aka wildwinterwitch
2. Severus Snape hated Halloween. Ever since Albus had insisted on hosting another idiotic social function to mark the occasion, Snape always had considerable difficulty deciding which even he would try the hardest to get out of attending every year. The Yule Ball and the Halloween Masquerade were equally unpleasant, so this year he simply opted for the one that came first. In fact, it seemed even more distasteful than usual, due to his current state of mind. He wasn't sure if he could deal with the onslaught of adolescent hormones. It was only recently that he - that he, Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master, began to realize that he was not, after all, immune to certain... yearnings. During the war it seemed that he was too busy, too stressed, too on edge and on the edge, to worry about anything other than the matters at hand. But now that it was over his life had settled into a dull routine.
As bizarre as it seemed, he almost wished that Voldemort would return just so that he would have something to deal with besides his infantile, dunderhead students.
As They Seem by violet_quill
3. Whatever-her-name-was had insisted on giving her a medical examination, with the result that she'd been stripped to her underwear, stuffed into a draughty gown and forced into an uncomfortable bed in the Infirmary. She'd pursed her lips and sighed heavily throughout the whole undignified process, and then tried putting her foot down and forbidding Hermione from coming up here. Hermione was old; Hermione was ill; Hermione shouldn't take the risk.
She wished Severus had been there to see the look of shock on the old trout's face when she had simply said, "Bollocks. Severus will be expecting me, and I won't be letting him down."
Hermione had to give her credit though, she didn't back down in the face of her indignation. "You're mad," said the Old Trout, and there had been a horrified silence in the Infirmary. Perhaps she was, they were thinking, perhaps the old woman had finally lost her marbles. That was the hardest thing about growing old: her mind had lost none of its sharpness and agility, but somehow people assumed that her powers were fading.
Not twice, it had to be admitted; nearly eighty years of marriage to Snape had seen some of his vicious tongue rub off on her. A verbal flaying was usually enough to make the impertinent youngsters back down, but this woman was clearly unimpressed.
They didn't understand that, yes, she had difficulty remembering names these days, but that was because the youngsters of today were so dull. She'd spent the last Ministry dinner talking to Draco Malfoy and they'd both agreed that the present crop of witches and wizards had the personality of flobberworms.
The Anniversary by shiv5468
4. It has been a night of surprises. First the removal of the Head of Gryffindor, the disappearance of Hagrid and the request from the self banished Headmaster to check in on the poor little Gryffindor fledglings.
Taking advantage of the rare treat, he slides into the hidden passages of Gryffindor Tower. The boys are tucked in their beds, the curtains drawn tightly. A quick spell reveals the hidden bodies behind the curtains, a faint glimmer of red here, and a splash of brown there.
He is disappointed as he enters the girls’ dorms. They too are hidden behind the heavy drapes, secure from the cold and his roving eyes. Success is his when he enters the fifth years girls’ dorm.
One occupant has not drawn the heavy curtains that keep out the chilled night air. She has left them opened to draw upon the full moonlight flooding over the floor and onto her face. Puffy and red, she has been crying, undoubtly mourning the loss of her mentor and Head of House. Bedclothes are twisted into a pile at the foot of the bed and the girl’s flannel gown has wrapped around her body until it looks painful in places. Tangled brown curls are spread over a pillow, whilst the glow from the moonlight reflects on the smooth ivory skin of one exposed thigh.
His eyes are transfixed on the smooth, rounded flesh, which only the young possess. A deep hunger erupts in his stomach as he watches her turn once again, the rumbled garment sliding up higher, revealing the curve of a supple, dimpled cheek. Eyes glittering, it is impossible to turn back from this sweet temptation.
Inappropriate Behavior by andrian1
5. Unable to help herself, Hermione inwardly cringed as the words tumbled off her lips. "You're not a very modern dragon, are you?"
"I think, little one, that may depend on one's definition of 'modern.' But that is a discussion we must postpone. It is time to go in -- we have spent entirely too much time outdoors. While we are in a more remote part of America, it is not totally unpopulated." The dragon snorted and another smoke ring puffed into the air.
"I suppose that you chose this particular section of rural America due to an overabundant supply of rather large caves?" she asked sarcastically, realizing that she'd mistaken comfort for bravado. She wasn't relaxed; she was absolutely terrified. But she'd be damned if she'd let the dragon see that.
Besides... it was being awfully reasonable. Maybe there was no real need to be afraid.
Right, her internal Ron Weasley sneered. Because American dragons routinely abduct girls from the Scottish countryside to give them decorating advice. For a smart girl, you can be really, really stupid sometimes, Hermione.
Perversely, Hermione wished that Ron were really here, telling her that. So she could hit him.
The dragon was snorting lightly; flames danced around its snout. And Hermione realized that this was its version of laughter -- her fear doubled. "There aren't any caves around here, little one. No, my lair is behind you."
Turning, Hermione saw the same warehouse she had noticed earlier -- in all of the fuss, she'd quite forgotten about it. "That's a warehouse," she said flatly.
"It's a lair," the dragon corrected, sounding somewhat defensive.
The Affairs of Dragons by hayseed_42
6. “Miss Granger,” he greeted her with a slight formal bow that made her wonder if she had indeed gone mad, and ahead of schedule.
“Professor Snape, hello. Was there something you needed or…?”
“Yes, indeed, Miss Granger. I needed to ask your something of utmost importance.” He looked a little different; Hermione noticed, looking closer she realised it looked like he’d actually washed his hair, and his billowing teaching robe was nowhere to be seen. It was quite unexpected, to say the least.
“It must remain completely confidential, you understand.”
“Of course, Professor, ask away.” He was being civil, and extremely formal; she wondered what he needed to ask of her, in fact she was sure if he didn't tell her soon the curiosity would kill her.
“Would you-“ he hesitated and glanced both directions down the hallway before grasping her arms, with surprising care, and pushed Hermione back into the room before closing the door behind them. He made unflinching eye contact, moved subtly closer, so that the full lengths of their bodies were almost touching. His height was quite imposing, as always, but his demeanour wasn’t what Hermione would call threatening.
A little alarmed, and strangely eager, Hermione couldn’t help herself from urging him on, “Would I what, sir?”
Of Want and Waiting by stevie_jane
7. For a moment, he toyed with the idea of waiting her out, testing to see how long she could hold her silence, but he didn’t have the patience to play that game tonight.
He was tired after what had been a very long day. He’d had two double Potions classes, a staff meeting, and then Filch had cornered him to whinge (yet again) over how soft the school’s punishments had become. All of that had come on the heels of last night’s lovely little soirée with the Dark Lord which was exhausting, even if it not for the reasons most imagined.
While many assumed that the Death Eater meetings involved rampant debauchery coupled with gratuitous torture of random members, the reality was much more prosaic. In fact, the Dark get-togethers were eerily similar to Order meetings: the charismatic but bizarre leader would make some general comments about the current status of the group’s goals, ask questions regarding the progress of any special projects or assignments, and then there would follow an hour or so of general “we’re better and we’re right, therefore we’re going to win” propaganda and cheerleading. There had been more than one occasion where Snape’s attention had drifted during the rhetoric and he’d realized that he was safely able to give the same response at either camp.
He steadfastly refused to think too hard about what that implied.
Cat and Mouse by mmyrtle
8. Perhaps it is better to just say that life is a strange conundrum and all things considered, a stranger one to experience. My beloved would be the first to agree with me and though now absent from my life, I only hope to see that one soul burnished and naked to my own particular knowledge…soon. It's poor comfort to know that of the two of us, she went first, but all in all I have my recollections and my own sentiments to guide me. She would think me foolish to grieve, but that doesn't make it any easier not to do so. I just remember…everything, and the whole simplicity of her love comes crashing about me like waves tossing flotsam in a turbulent sea.
Love is that one constant feeling and though absent now in the physical sense, it hurts all the more for what should have been; and yet what it became was well its equal. How maudlin I have become, but I did promise to record this trifle and I cannot cease to do so simply because remembering leaves me numb and unable to handle the power of my own recollection.
Remembrance by ozratbag2
9. “I trust you are all well rested from your holidays?”
Professor Severus Snape enjoyed the looks of confusion on the students’ faces - he could well imagine their thoughts. Professor Snape… being friendly? Merlin, what’s he going to do to us?
He did so like to keep them off-balance. With that aim in mind, his next words came in a low, menacing tone. “It is my dearest hope that some of you, perhaps, were able to rest enough that you will not perform so inadequately in my class as you did the previous term. Perhaps now you are prepared, perhaps now you understand what I expect from my Advanced Potions classes?”
He eyed each student in turn, hovering on Miss Granger’s face with a small sneer. The girl was talented, but far too arrogant for her own good. Rather typical of Gryffindors.
“Then again… perhaps not.”
Turning sharply on his heel, he faced the board and flicked his wand. Potions ingredients appeared on the dark surface. “Turn to page 394.”
This Forbidden Knowledge by wendynat
10. Hermione sat at the table in the corner, sipping her glass of wine and watching the festivities before her. She didn't even need to look up to the balcony to know that he was watching her, and at the thought of his eyes on her, she felt a familiar tingling sensation creep slowly from the base of her spine straight to the nape of her neck.
Professor Severus Snape. Or as Ron and Harry affectionately called him, the greasy git. Since she had arrived back at the school to take her place as Professor Flitwick's apprentice, Hermione had made every effort to stay away from her former professor. Over her seven years at Hogwarts, he had made his dislike for Hermione and her friends more than obvious and because she was a student she had no other choice but to endure his presence. But now, since she returned as a member of the staff, she realized just how solitary he really was and over the past few weeks Hermione had found herself even more intrigued by her mysterious colleague. She barely saw him except in the staff room during meetings and in the Great Hall at meals. It was a shame really, Hermione had been looking forward to having the opportunity to speak with Professor Snape regarding work he had published in one of the alchemy journals over the summer.
Hermione glanced up at the empty balcony and felt a sharp pang of disappointment in the pit of her stomach when she realized that he was no longer there. Idly she wondered where he had disappeared to and wondered how he had managed to escape under Professor Dumbledore's ever-watchful eyes. Perhaps it was time for her to attempt her getaway, but as she stood and turned to leave, she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
"Good evening Miss Granger." Hermione whirled around to find herself face to face with Professor Snape.
House Points by tatiana422