Chapter 7: A Gilded Cage
Severus apparated with Lottie from the Order's Headquarters to the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade, which was the closest he could get to Hogwarts quickly. He hadn't counted on the effect that it would have on a pregnant woman.
Lottie fell to the floor on her hands and knees, gagging.
"Hair," she coughed out as she started to gag once again, trying to avoid what she knew was coming. She'd done this often enough recently to know what was coming next. She held her weight on one arm while bracing her stomach with the other, in an attempt to ease the pain. Severus knelt next to her and held her hair as she requested. Once the retching subsided, he, reluctantly, helped her get back onto her feet. He stepped a few feet away to avoid the smell.
"Are you well enough to walk?" he asked, abandoning his original plan to leave her there while he spoke to Minerva. He decided that, given her condition, it would be better to take her along in the event she became ill again. She nodded in response. He led her through the tunnel that took them to the exit under the Whomping Willow.
The second thing he hadn't counted on was the weather. By the time they emerged onto Hogwarts' grounds, it had started to rain which only got progressively worse the further they went. He tried to move swiftly but was hindered by Lottie's shorter legs and her fatigue. They were both soaked to the skin when they finally arrived at the castle. It was a small improvement, however, as he was appreciative of the fact that she no longer smelled of sick.
Fortunately, it was lunchtime for the students and the halls were empty so that he had gotten her to his quarters without living witnesses. The portraits weren't interested in anything beyond their own frames and the Baron was busy scolding Peeves for whatever latest mischief had caused problems. Once they were safely behind the locked door of his quarters, Severus handed her a towel.
"Take off those wet clothes and dry yourself. The toilet is behind the door there," he said as he rummaged his closet and pulled out some garments.
A fire roared to life in the hearth with a flick of his wand while Lottie retreated into the offered privacy of the bathroom. He set his kettle over the fire to boil water for tea and then picked up his bathrobe from the bed. It was warm and dry so it would have to do as a temporary measure. He knocked on the bathroom door and pushed his arm through a small opening. "Put this on. When you're dressed, come out and sit there by the fire. After all this, avoiding pneumonia would be advisable."
While she was taking care of herself and out of sight, he stripped off his own soaked clothes and put on a fresh shirt and trousers under his professional robes. He removed the letter he'd taken from Draco and put it into the pocket of his dry trousers. He didn't want to forget to address that little issue.
Once she emerged, he pointed her over to his stuffed chair and she settled in to watch the flames dance on the logs. She'd become mesmerized by the fire and though she heard him speaking; she hadn't at all caught what he'd said or realized that he'd moved next to her until he set his hand on her shoulder.
"I am going to speak with Professor McGonagall," he repeated. "I'll have one of the kitchen elves bring you a tray. What would you like to eat?"
She shrugged. She didn't really have a preference or care what was brought, if anything was.
Severus pulled a wool blanket from the cupboard and wrapped it around her slight frame. She looked even smaller sitting as she was in his chair. As he tucked the blanket around her, he brushed some damp hair away from her face in a surreptitious move to check her forehead. She did not seem fevered, but he did notice she was obviously exhausted. He stepped back, poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to her.
"Drink that when the temperature is to your liking," he directed. "Are you warm enough?"
She nodded, too tired to care what was going on around her and the heat of the fire was making her drowsy. She tucked her feet up under her and cuddled into the large chair, almost willing it to protect her from this new reality she had to deal with.
He stopped briefly to ask one of the elves to take a luncheon tray and a pot of tea to his quarters. As he walked, the class alarm sent students scrambling out of the Great Hall to get to their next classes on time and Severus had to fight against the flow of children to make his way to the Headmistress' office.
He saw Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger walking along to whatever classes they had for the afternoon and for a moment, he considered having them assist Lottie in obtaining clothes during their next Hogsmeade visit. That thought was dismissed the moment he recalled what the two silly little girls had dressed her in at Christmas. He decided that he was a better judge of appropriate attire for the woman than they were and he continued to his destination.
He stood outside of the office feeling all at once nervous and inept as he tried to figure out how to explain the situation with Lottie to Minerva. He paced for a moment and remembered that Minerva was a kind hearted woman. All he had to do was explain that Lottie was battered and in a wretched condition and surely, he had an obligation to ensure that she was brought back to health while they looked to break the curse on her. He'd already explained that he'd been unkind to the woman before so surely the desire to make amends would be reasonable. Wouldn't it?
Severus was in uncharted territory as he knocked on the door. Once he'd been given permission to enter, he immediately drew himself into his most professional and detached demeanor so that he could offer no hint of uncertainty in his actions.
"You sneaked a woman into Hogwarts?" Minerva asked in a tone that indicated mirth behind her dismay after he made his report.
"It wasn't sneaking her onto the grounds as much as avoiding unnecessary publicity amongst the student body," Severus replied. "I came here immediately to inform you of the situation. She's been attacked more than once and needs to be kept safe until she is well."
"As you well know, we have some discretionary power as long as things don't interfere with the students' education," Minerva said. "How long might it take until she is well?"
"By my estimate, sometime in September," Severus admitted, his detached and emotionless demeanor crumbling slightly. "She's pregnant, Minerva. I'm going to be a father. Merlin's beard! She's having my child. She doesn't trust me but she's carrying my baby!"
The realization finally came to him that this was no dream he could wave off as foolish wish fulfillment. His heart felt like a two ton weight was pressing on it and he couldn't catch his breath. He wasn't feeling well at all and he closed his eyes for a minute to regain his composure.
Minerva practically jumped out of her chair, nearly toppling it as the young man's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed. Of all the things she never thought she'd see in her lifetime, Severus Snape, the austere, unhappy Potions Master, falling in a dead faint was definitely one of them. She levitated him to the sofa to recover as she laughed in surprise. It was about time that he matured beyond his stunted petulant teenage behavior, as she regarded it. Having a child would definitely force him to change.
'Perhaps, he may even find the capacity to love,' she thought, romantically.
When Severus came to, he was lying on the couch in Minerva's office as she wiped his face with a cool cloth and waved a small bottle of smelling salts under his nose. He was humiliated that he'd fainted in front of his most trusted colleague but horrified at the thought of his being a father.
"Congratulations, Severus," Minerva said, setting the smelling salts aside. "What can I do to help?"
Severus sat up and regained his equilibrium before trying to think. "Camelot will need quarters of her own, someplace quiet. It would be presumptuous of me to expect her to remain in mine as a guest and it would invite discourse to have her near the student body. I will see to any furnishings and necessities."
"There are enough unused areas of the castle that I do not foresee a problem with offering her an apartment in a secluded spot and storage is filled with anything she could require in setting up her own space," Minerva offered. "I require, however, that both of you to be seen for a physical examination this afternoon. If she is in as poor a state as you describe; I believe it will benefit everyone to make sure neither of you are carrying anything communicable. Have you come in close contact with anyone else since your return?"
"I left an order for food at the kitchen to be taken to her but made no other stops and spoke to no one," Severus reported. "I believe any risk to be minimal."
"Very well," she said, moving out of his personal space. She went back to her desk and sent a note to Poppy in the hospital wing explaining that she would be needed in Severus' quarters for a couple of examinations and it was to be kept strictly on a need to know basis. Once she sent her letter on its way, Minerva waited for Severus to feel up to moving. "I will return with you to your quarters and await Poppy's arrival. If this young woman is to reside here, I need to see her for myself."
Severus took the lead out of the office. "I cannot say for certain that she will be cooperative, Minerva," he said. "Her moods can be unpredictable. I believe she thrives on being difficult."
"I believe I will manage," she replied. "I do have some experience with moody individuals."
They walked in relative quiet to his quarters and he saw Lottie curled up in the same spot where he'd left her; the meal that had been brought for her was left untouched. "Do you see what I mean? She hasn't even bothered to feed herself! Camelot, Professor McGonagall is here to see you."
Lottie didn't stir from her position as he approached her.
"Camelot, did you hear me?" he asked, only to find that she was sound asleep. He leaned in close to her and whispered, "Wake up."
Lottie jumped out of the chair, startled by the sudden order, looking annoyed.
"What?" she asked before noticing that Minerva was also in the room and she relaxed her features almost immediately. "Oh, h-hello, P-p-professor."
"Good afternoon," Minerva said and sat in the chair opposite where the younger woman had been sitting by the hearth. "Professor Snape, Severus that is, has told me of your particular problem and has asked that you be allowed to stay here. Are you aware of that?"
Lottie went back to the chair and sat up straight and tried her best to look neat, though it was not an easy task when wearing a bathrobe that was several sizes too large. Though it did not escape her notice, Minerva made no mention of the young woman's attire as it would serve no good purpose except to embarrass everyone in the room.
"Y-yes M-ma'am," she nodded. "Sn-nape thinks it will be sa-fer."
He stood behind the chair and observed the meeting rather than participate even though he thought it might expedite things if he did. Minerva noticed that the younger woman seemed to have tensed at his proximity.
"I take it that you do not agree with his assessment?" Minerva asked.
"N-n-no, Ma'am," she said and shook her head for emphasis.
"You agreed with it earlier," he growled. "What's changed in the last hour?"
"Who w-w-will care f-f-f-for the others?" she asked, still looking at McGonagall. "We can't r-r-resist magic. M-m-most c-can't even sp-speak to d-d-d-defend themselves.I w-was lucky so I take care of them."
"But who takes care of you?" Minerva asked.
"N-n-no one. I take c-care of me," Lottie replied.
"Barely," Severus snarled.
"You have to consider the child now," Minerva interrupted. For now, she had a determination to make and that wouldn't happen if they started bickering.
"I w-w-want to t-t-take care of it so I am here, if y-you will l-let me. No... no m-matter where I am, though, I am in d-danger. I ca-ca-cannot even pro-tect myself from the ch-child-ren in this castle," Lottie explained.
"That is why you will be given a private apartment in a part of the castle where the children are not permitted to go. You will be assured some measure of safety that way," Minerva said gently, having already made her decision that she would remain on the grounds. "Beyond that, I will be here as will the other teachers and Severus, of course, to help you through this very delicate time."
Th-thank you, Professor," Lottie replied. She was certain that Severus would be a constant pain in the rear for her but the safety of her child was the most important thing to her in the world. Having her own space away from him would help quite a bit though.
There was a knock at the door and Severus moved to answer it. Madame Pomfrey stood there with her full medical kit and stepped in without waiting for an invitation. "The headmistress said that I was to perform two examinations?"
"Yes, you'll need to check the woman here and myself for any communicable diseases. I do not think there is much chance of it, however," he explained as he shut the door to prevent nosey students from hearing what they ought not.
Poppy waved a diagnostic spell at him where he stood and said within a few seconds, "You're fine, Severus."
"Give Madam Pomfrey your full cooperation and I am going to locate suitable living quarters for you," Minerva said, patting Lottie's hand and standing. "Do you have any requests?"
Lottie looked around before asking, "M-may I have a win-dow, please? I d-don't care for the d-d-dark, Ma'am."
"I believe that can be accommodated," Minerva said.
Poppy opened her bag and pulled out a number of different bottles. It appeared that she'd come prepared for anything as Minerva had expected. Severus followed Minerva into the hall while Poppy examined Lottie.
"I told you she was being extraordinarily difficult," Severus declared. "She changes moods without warning and she's only barely civil."
"She was perfectly cordial," Minerva said.
"To you," Severus replied. "She snarls and glares at me."
"Give her time. You told me that you were unkind and those wounds are still very raw for her," Minerva reminded him gently. "Experience has given her little reason to trust and she will have to learn that not every witch and wizard means her harm. It's a lesson that will be taught only through actions. Words will be of little use. Fortunately, you are an excellent teacher, even if something like this isn't your usual subject."
"I'm more novice than master, Minerva," Severus said. "At least at this."
"Then it may be she who will help you to learn a few things as well," Minerva suggested with a friendly pat on his shoulder. "Excuse me now, Severus. I'm off to find Argus to prepare the ground apartment in the south-west corridor. I believe it will do for her use."
"I will come to take care of the furnishings as soon as Poppy has finished with me. No doubt that Camelot will wish to rest for a while so I should have some free time," Severus replied.
"I can take care of that," Minerva answered. "You should look into returning the lady's clothes to her. Walking about the grounds in your dressing gown is likely to cause some talk."
Severus felt his entire face turn red as Minerva walked away, seeming almost merry as she left. He paced outside of his quarters as it seemed to be taking an eternity for Poppy to finish her examination. How long did it take to use a simple diagnostic spell and decide that the woman was fine, anyway?
It then dawned on him that she might not be fine. He hadn't bothered to check and it was certainly a possibility that she had picked something up living in a tent community. The end of classes alarm sounded and the main corridor filled with students returning to their dormitories and other open areas of the school for the afternoon. A few peered curiously at him standing outside of his own quarters but no one had reason to turn down that particular hallway so none did.
As the crowd thinned out, Severus spied Harry Potter strolling along with his nose, surprisingly, in a book and he looked to be deep in concentration. He stepped to the intersection and cleared his throat.
"Oh, hello, Professor," Harry said, remembering to be respectful at school. Things were smoother between them which gave him even more reason to respect the elder man. "What's up?"
"If you have a moment, Mister Potter, I will tell you what is 'up'," Severus said, motioning the young man toward his office. Once they were inside and the door was closed, Severus took out the letter he'd been holding onto. "Would you like to explain to me why your house elf is mimicking my handwriting and signing my name to letters?"
"I don't know," Harry replied, looking over the content of the letter. "Kreacher?"
"What can Kreacher do for Master?" the tiny old elf asked, arriving with a pop. When he saw the letter, he began tugging at his own ears nervously.
"Why did you write this?" Severus demanded impatiently.
"Because Sir needed to rescue Miss," Kreacher said simply. "Miss needs Sir."
"Why didn't you just tell Professor Snape where she was?" Harry asked. "It would have been much simpler."
"Kreacher wanted to. Miss begged Kreacher not to tell," the little elf answered, still pulling his ears. "Kreacher promised."
"How did you know that I had been in contact with Mister Malfoy?" Severus asked.
"Kreacher was told that Sir sent owls. Many, many owls," he said. "When Kreacher tooks Miss to get help, Kreacher makes a letter that Mister Malfoy would answer and then Sir would find Miss, and Miss would not die."
"Who told you?" Harry asked, kneeling down to meet the elf face to face. He carefully disengaged the elf's hands from his ears. He was doing what it was in his nature to do; serve the humans he was ordered to and that included everyone in the Order of the Phoenix. "You don't have to do that."
"Kreacher's brother, Rumble," he answered, referring to one of the school's many elves.
"How did you know where she was?" Severus asked, no longer angry or even annoyed at the little elf. "Miss Weasley told me that no one knew where she went, so how is it that you did?"
"No one asks," he said. "Kreacher is a good elf and takes care of his friend. Kreacher gives Miss the tent from the attic to borrow."
"I didn't even know we had a tent up there," Harry said. "I think you should apologize to Professor Snape."
"No, Harry, I owe your elf some gratitude," Severus said, uncharacteristically. "It was a somewhat convoluted method but you managed a great feat on my behalf."
"Are you sure, Sir?" Harry asked somewhat surprised. This was the same guy who'd given Ginny hell not twenty four hours earlier for meddling and now he was thanking an elf for doing the same thing? It didn't make sense.
"Am I ever uncertain?" Severus asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Stupid question; sorry," Harry grinned, thinking how much better it was that their relationship had improved since the War. "So what was so important about you finding Lottie now? I mean, I can understand Kreacher looking out for her so I could give her the rest of the wages she'd earned but you?"
"That will make itself clear in time," Severus said. "Suffice it to say, for now, that I owed the woman an apology for my misunderstanding that your 'girlfriend' caused."
"Ginny will be relieved to know that you were able to apologize, at least," Harry said. "She's been sick over it since Christmas."
Severus snorted. "Yes, well, perhaps you and Mister Weasley can keep your women out of other people's affairs from now on."
"I doubt it but we'll try, Sir," Harry said, making sure he did not laugh at the use of the word 'affair'. "I have a lot of homework to deal with tonight. May I be excused?"
"Yes, get out of here," Severus grumbled, opening the door. "How is your potions work going?"
"Honestly? Professor Kernfaul isn't very good," Harry said. "He's had more blown up cauldrons than you ever did."
"Is that so?" Severus replied, as he noticed that Poppy stepped out of his apartment and motioned to him. "I will look into that later. Good evening, Mister Potter."
Note: Again, my hugest thanks goes to Lady Ru for helping me with the editing process. I also want to thank everyone who has left a review, followed, or put my story on your favorites list. I appreciate it very much. Some folks have their PM turned off so I couldn't send a private note but thank you, thank you, thank you. I appreciate your support SO much!
For my returning readers: Yes this chapter is entirely new but there will still be plenty of the original story being interwoven so you aren't losing anything, I promise. I'm just working to make this story the best work I can possibly give you all. I think I owe it to all my readers and to myself to work on it to the most professional extent a non-professional writer can manage.
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