Disclaimer: Not mine.
Chapter 10: First Aid
As the latest batch of Wolfsbane began its slow simmer, Severus considered his next step. Now that she had assisted him with the potion, he intended next month's batch to be brewed entirely by the girl, who was now watching him with a strange, wondrous expression on her face. They had only been at Spinner's End for around four hours, so obviously he would need to teach her to brew something else before they could return to Hogwarts.
She had done well, Severus begrudgingly admitted to himself. He supposed she could have a very talented touch with potions if she ever got over her incessant need to regurgitate textbooks. Not in the least, he was impressed at the lack of incessant questioning on her part. Perhaps she was growing more mature.
Drawling out instructions to label several decanters with today's date, the date exactly six weeks from now and the expiration date, he climbed the basement stairwell and deftly found his way into the kitchen. Casting a distracted Warming Charm on the food he'd nicked from Hogwarts' kitchens before he'd come by this morning, he made a mental note of what potions would be most useful for healing and survival, what ingredients the little witch should keep in her little triage kit.
Severus Snape had no questions on who the brains of the Gryffindor Trio was and suspected that, more often than not, it was Miss Granger that kept the Potter boy alive. In the "What if…" scenarios that plagued his mind when he attempted to sleep, Severus had decided that Miss Granger and the youngest Weasley boy were sure to accompany Potter if he were to flee.
How long would they be able to stay alive? Did any of the three have enough know-how to rough it?
Weasley was an imbecile. A menace, really. Potter wasn't much better, but he had sworn an oath to do everything within his power to ensure that the boy with emerald green eyes survived. To ensure that Lily, his beautiful Lily, had not died in vain.
That left Granger. Despite her highly annoying classroom habits, she had proven to be only mildly annoying when dealt with directly.
He was of the opinion that the Potter brat couldn't save himself out of a wet paper bag, let alone save the Wizarding World. With everyone insisting that it was on Potter's shoulders to do so, it would invariably wind up Miss Granger's responsibility to deliver him safely to whatever small role he would play in ending the Dark Lord.
He was fortunate, really, that he'd discovered the girl's plan. It gave him a backup plan of his own and the chance to protect Potter without anyone realizing he was doing so. It seemed the winds were finally in his favor, as his Grandfather would have said.
Sighing, Severus descended once more into the basement lab and motioned for the girl to follow him through a doorway. He led her into his personal study and sat the tray of food down on a small table between two large, plush chairs near the fireplace. After a quick flick of his wand, flames roared to life and filled the room with warmth.
Miss Granger looked around, seemingly caught in between awe at the amount of books hoarded on his shelves and the décor. "Its…cozy. I would have expected lots of green and black, not blue and mahogany,"
Severus rolled his eyes. "Are the only colors you tolerate blood red and garish, gaudy gold?"
"N-no. Of course not. But you only ever wear black, Professor. Or your House scarf to Quidditch games."
"I seldom see you out of your Hogwarts uniform, Miss Granger, but I refrain from making inferences on your personal preferences based on your attire. Look around you," he said, sweeping a casual hand towards his bookshelves as he lowered herself into one of the armchairs. The girl did the same. "Do you decide what kind of information you can glean from a book by the color of the cover?"
The girl had the good sense to look ashamed of herself, at least, but didn't speak.
For a blessed, blissful moment.
"Is this your home, Professor? Do you only come here during the hols? Where are we?" Merlin, did she even breathe between questions?
The raven-haired man felt a headache creeping up from the base of his spine. "Never you mind. Where we are or what I do during my holidays are little concern of yours, girl."
Fortunately, that shut her up rather quickly. For a short while, they ate in awkward silence.
"I hope," he said, "that you paid attention today. Next month you will be brewing it alone. I have also been giving our lessons some thought…before we move on to any Defense projects, I believe we should cover Potions more thoroughly. I believe it would be useful for you to build a…first aid kit of sorts."
"So…we're not going to be working on Defense?" she asked, crestfallen.
"You're as bad as the Umbridge woman, telling me what to teach. Does all of that hair prevent you from hearing me?" he snapped. "We will work on Defense. I simply believe that it would fall along your best interests to first focus on Healing and Potions. I realize headstrong Gryffindors are apt to think the only way to save yourselves is to wave a wand and block a curse, but survival—real survival—is about whether or not you can survive outside of Hogwarts. Do you really think the Dark Lord is merely going to waltz into Hogwarts? This war has been going on for longer than you've been alive. It is very likely going to go on for a good deal of time longer. You will see battle, Miss Granger, with your idiot friend Potter. I am sure of that. You may find yourself Apparating from a battle if you're outnumbered. I can tell you on good authority that good many wartime injuries are from Splinching when Apparating out of battle. Essence of Dittany could heal most of the injury and prevent infection." He spoke with passion, impatient anger showing in his every word. "I suspect you'll also need to be there to hide with him, if necessary. Nutrient Replenishing Potions are essential if you can't build a fire to cook or are hiding in a barren place. If you're injured in battle, a Blood Replenishing Potion given within minutes will mean the difference between life and bleeding to death. You will need to learn spells to repair gashes, mend broken bones, reduce fever or prevent hypothermia."
Taking a calming breath, Severus raked his fingers through his dark hair and continued. "Fighting is the part of war everyone thinks of and remembers, but it is not all of it. Before the Dark Lord fell, many people simply went on the run when their families were threatened, only to be found frozen to death in some forest or starved in a cave. And I can think of at least six Order members who succumbed to infection from battle injury or Splinching. Surviving a battle makes witches and wizards feel invincible. They are not. If you'd rather spend valuable time learning the Entrail-Expelling Curse, fine. But I'll thank you to not come crying to me when Potter or Weasley bleed to death."
Later, as he sat in the Great Hall—finally—having his supper that he may have been too harsh on the girl. But he could cross Skele-Gro off of the list of potions she needed in her First Aid kit.
A/N: Sorry. That took longer than I expected it to. For reference, I expect this to be a long story. I have 25 chapters outlined and that only brings us to the end of 5th year. I also have parts of 6th year already written (Muse striking and all that). I'm not sure whether or not this is worthwhile to continue. Please don't take this as begging for reviews, but I'm not getting much feedback and I am starting to suspect my story is boring
So…sorry if it is.