Magdelina's Rose
He looked up and sighed. She was not there. The barren space beside him sent shivers up his spine. He gazed at her seat, transfixed by its emptiness. The 'snap' of a bubble popping in his cauldron startled him back to reality. With a determined glint in his onyx eyes, Severus finished his potion and exited the room. Making good time as he sprinted up the seemingly unending staircases, he arrived at the Hospital Wing. Catching his breath, the Slytherin pushed open the door, stepping inside and taking a seat next to her bed. Her eyes were closed, her breathing even. Severus gripped her hand gently as he thought of the day so long ago when all of this had started.
"Can I see her?" a worried looking Severus questioned.
"Yes but not for too long," Madam Pomfrey answered.
The black-haired teen sat in a chair by one of the many beds in the room. In this bed lay a girl with reddish-brown hair and olive green eyes. She looked at her visitor and smiled weakly at him.
"Hi," she greeted.
"How are you feeling Lina?" Severus questioned pointedly.
"And it's nice to see you too," Lina teased.
"I guess I feel ok. Tired and all," she mumbled, not meeting her companion's gaze.
"What aren't you telling me Magdelina?" Snape pushed, use of her full name an indication of his seriousness.
Magdelina went quiet for a moment. She seemed to be weighing her words in her head. She hadn't expected him to be so pushy. But then it was Severus Snape, the boy of many moods. The young woman took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Sev…I'm sick," she began softly.
"Well anyone with an ounce of sense could see that," the Slytherin retorted.
"I have leukemia," Lina blurted as tears filled her serene eyes.
"What? This isn't funny Magdelina," Severus snapped.
"I'm not laughing," she sniffed, running a hand over her eyes.
"Oh God! How? When? You're going to be alright aren't you?" the boy pressed, his pale skin becoming sickeningly paler.
"I…I don't know. I'm scared Sev," she whispered fearfully.
"You're going to be fine. I….I'll make sure of it," the 16-year-old promised hastily.
Severus was startled as he felt the hand beneath his trembled. He looked down and was met with that same pair of olive green eyes, though they were much duller than they had been so long ago. Lina struggled to sit up against her mass of pillows. She was pale and her cheeks were slightly sunken in. Her hair had thinned but only slightly.
"Hi stranger," she said, squeezing his hand.
"I didn't mean to wake you up," Severus muttered.
"I'm glad you did. Sleeping is getting rather dull," Lina mused.
"I'm so behind in classes. I don't think I'm going to graduate with the rest of you," she said sadly.
"Magdelina, we're only in sixth year. I'm sure Dumbledore will let you make up the courses over the summer or something," Severus remarked, giving her an odd look.
"You're probably right," the leukemia patient whispered.
"Are you feeling well enough to go for a short walk out by the lake?" he questioned in a hushed voice.
"Yes but I don't think Madam Pomfrey will let me," Magdelina answered as the mediwitch walked over.
"You can go just make sure you're back in twenty minutes," she stated with a stern look.
Severus grabbed Lina's cloak and helped her into it. It wasn't that cold outside but in her weakened state, she needed to stay as warm as she could. Severus led her through the castle and out to the lake. His arm was wrapped tightly around her shoulder, keeping her close.
"It's so pretty out," Lina proclaimed as they passed by a group of young Hufflepuffs.
"Hmm," Severus muttered as they continued walking.
"What's wrong? You hate being outside," Lina exclaimed suddenly.
Severus looked around them to make sure they were alone before he spoke.
"I've been working on a curative potion," he said softly, excitement radiating from his dark eyes.
"Sev! That's really sweet of you but…" she trailed over, looking at lake.
"Magdelina I made a promise and I damn well intend to keep it," Severus hissed, turning her face so that she was looking at him.
"I know you did. But…the doctor said it's getting worse. They said I'm not responding to the potions," she said, tears spilling from her eyes.
Severus pulled her to him, rubbing her back gently. She had lost a lot of weight since falling ill. He could feel her shoulder blades and where her rib cage met in the back. He smoothed her hair, doing his best to calm her.
"We better get back," he muttered, not wanting to anger Madam Pomfrey.
"O-ok," Lina replied through a loud sniff.
The pair walked slowly back to the Hospital Wing. Severus bid his friend farewell with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She wiped her eyes once more as she watched him leave. Severus headed towards the dungeons. He had no intention of going to Transfiguration, not now. He had a potion to brew. He unlocked the classroom he was using and checked the simmering cauldron. It was a pale green and painfully reminded Severus of the vibrant shade Lina's eyes once were. Regaining control, he began cutting up dragon heart-string and adding it in two ounce increments. He stirred counter clockwise for sixteen rotations and then let the concoction sit.
He then pulled a small vial from his bag, filled with a recognizable substance; blood. He poured it in and set the vial aside. He reached into his bag and pulled out a capped needle attached to an empty vial. Rolling his sleeve up, he inserted the needle and filled the vial. Stopping the flow of the pin-hole sized wound, Severus poured his own blood into the mix. The potion immediately hissed and turned dark purple. He got up, gathered his used supplies and headed to the dorm to clean up before dinner.
As he was heading towards the Great Hall, a team of mediwitches rushed past him carrying a stretcher. On said stretcher was a passed out Magdelina Dakarai. Severus's heart fell to his stomach as he rushed after them. He was stopped by Professor McGonagall.
"Where the hell are they taking her?" he demanded angrily.
"St. Mungo's," Minerva answered.
"I will see you in detention at seven," she added as the mediwitches exited the castle.
"What! Why?" he protested, longing to run after them.
"For cutting my class," she snapped and walked away.
Severus shot the woman a loathsome look but stormed off back to his dorm. He'd suddenly lost his appetite. He sullenly served his detention that evening. On his way out the door, he felt a hand on his arm. He turned to look at his Professor.
"Miss Dakarai is going to be fine," Professor McGonagall said gently.
"I know," Severus murmured, pulling himself out of her grasp.
He walked down the hallway in the direction that would lead him to the Slytherin Common Room. However once out of sight of the witch, he doubled back and managed to slip out of the castle and past the border of school property. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a spare bit of parchment. He charmed it to become a portkey. Within a matter of minutes he was standing the entryway to St. Mungo's. He walked up to the nurse's station and waited for one of the women to return. Finally a heavy set woman with graying blond hair and watery brown eyes spotted Severus standing there.
"Young man, may I help you?" she asked, leaning on the counter opposite the pale skinned youth.
"I need to see Magdelina Dakarai," he stated as calmly as he could.
"I'm sorry but visiting hours are long over and only immediate family are allowed to see Miss Dakarai. She's very ill," the nurse answered.
"When are visiting hours?" he questioned further.
"Ten to four. But as I said young man, only immediate family are allowed in," the nurse said and ushered Severus out of the building.
Severus glared at the woman but moved to sit on the bench nearby. He was going to see Lina tomorrow and no one was going to stop him. Finally standing up, Severus returned to Hogwarts. Sprinting down to the dungeons, he checked the potion. He was sure it was ready. He ladled some into a vial and put it in his robes. He began to pace around the room. His nerves were too frazzled to let him succumb to sleep. His mind was filled with racing thoughts of Lina and her current condition. He longed to be by her side, to comfort her. To make her well. The following morning he skipped his morning classes to return to the hospital. He was able to persuade the nurse at the station that he was her half brother. His hand clutching the vial in his pocket, he was led down a long corridor to the last room on the left. Magdelina lay immobile in the bed, the white sheets giving her an eerie glow.
"Hi Lina," Severus whispered as he sat in the chair next to her pillow.
Her eyes slowly opened. She looked dreadful. Her skin seemed to hang off of her bones. A smile worked its way onto her face at the sight of her friend.
"How'd you get in?" she queried weakly.
"That's not important. I'm here and I finished the potion," Severus murmured, running this thumb over her bony hand.
Severus slipped the vial of purple-blue potion from his pocket and held it up for her to see. Her eyes held a nervous shine to them. She struggled to sit up a little more. Her gaze stayed on the glass tube in her friend's slender fingers.
"I can't Sev," she sobbed softly.
"Yes you can. Just drink it," he urged, uncorking it and beginning to hand it to her.
Without warning, Severus was grabbed and the vial disappeared from view. Two men were holding him by the wrists and dragging him from the room. A mediwizard in his mid thirties was holding the vial.
"Get him out of here," the doctor ordered harshly.
Severus fought against his captors but to no avail. He was forcibly dragged from the room, his eyes clouding with tears as he saw Magdelina sobbing, her arms outstretched to him. She looked like a mother whose child had just been snatched from her arms. The sixth year Slytherin was escorted off the premises and then back to Hogwarts. They were met by an absolutely livid Professor McGonagall. She thanked the two men and dragged Severus up to the Headmaster's office.
"I don't know what it is you have been doing but you had better explain yourself," Minerva snapped angrily.
"Minerva, please. I'm sure Severus here will tell us everything," Albus said calmly.
"It's none of your business," Severus hissed.
The door burst open and the doctor from Lina's room stalked in and glared at the boy. He greeted the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress hastily.
"Sir, do you know what this boy was trying to give my patient?" he asked, pointing an accusatory finger at Severus.
"No I do not," Albus answered truthfully.
"Well neither do any of my staff. How he even got in with an unidentified potion is beyond me. He could have been trying to kill her!" the mediwizard erupted.
"Why would I want to kill her? She is my best friend! I was trying to help her you ignorant prick!" Severus roared.
"Severus please sit down," Albus ordered.
"Doctor, I'm sure he was only trying to help," the Headmaster assured the other man.
"Good day," Dumbledore said and ushered the doctor to the door.
He turned to face his colleague and pupil. He dismissed Severus with strict instructions that if he leaves the school grounds, he will be in danger of expulsion. Severus sulked out of the room and attended the remainder of his classes in a foul mood. He was seated in the Common Room, staring angrily at the wall across from him when Professor Slughorn interrupted him.
"The Headmaster wants to speak with you," the obese Potions Professor informed the boy.
Severus rolled his eyes but got up and made his way to Dumbledore's office. Upon his arrival, Severus got the sudden feeling that something was terribly wrong. He bolted up the spiral staircase and burst into the room without bothering to knock.
"Thank you for coming Severus," Albus stated somberly.
"What happened? Lina…is she alright?" he demanded immediately.
"I've just received word from St. Mungo's. I'm afraid…I'm afraid Miss Dakarai passed away this afternoon around half past five," the Headmaster admitted, his usually sparkling eyes, shining with tears of sadness.
"Lina…no," Severus gasped, sinking into a chair.
He sat there for what seemed like centuries, his body shaking. He had zoned out, not realizing he'd been crying. He'd broken his promise to her. He'd failed her. Finally he pulled himself together enough to return to his Common Room. He cried himself to sleep the rest of the week. He'd lost the one person in his life that he truly cared about.
The funeral was held the following week. Severus stood in the entrance to the Common Room, ready to go but he found he was afraid. He was scared of everyone seeing how vulnerable he was, how grief stricken and heart broken. He finally resolved to go and sit in the back, unnoticed. He slipped in just as Lina's mother began reading her daughter's eulogy. The entire school had come and many people were sniffling. Severus made no moments, no sounds. He did not go through the receiving line. He couldn't bear to see hr family. He waited for everyone else to leave before he approached the closed casket. He lifted the top portion up to reveal Magdelina, her skin smooth and done up to hide her sickness. He reached into his robes and produced a white rose, her favorite. He slid it among the gentle curls that adorned her head. He slid another, the thorns removed, into her hands. Lastly, he bent down and kissed her lips gently. Stepping back he closed the casket and left the room, a broken and lonely soul. He was left to walk this world without her, forever.