A/N: Thanks, as always, to everyone who is reading and reviewing. Thanks again to Cat (quaffswinegaily) for the Britpick. Errors are, of course, mine.

Chapter 10: The Cure

Severus was relieved that it hadn't required more argument to get their agreement to what he was certain was the only acceptable plan. Thus, when he and Bill arrived at Shell Cottage a short while later, after a quick walk to the Hogwarts gates and an equally quick Apparition to the coordinates Bill provided, he was in an unusually good mood. As a consequence, he was rather more courteous than usual as he greeted Fleur.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley, we appreciate your willingness to assist us in our research," he said politely.

"Of course we want to help. It's just horrid that the Headmaster is so very ill. I put the children down to sleep in a guest room for tonight so that your research would not disturb them." She led the way to the nursery, where she pointed out the bookshelves. "This is about half of what we have. The rest is in boxes in the attic. Perhaps you will start here, Professor, while Bill brings the rest down?"

"Certainly," Severus said smoothly. He very much preferred that option to mucking about in a dusty old attic himself. Bill and Fleur took themselves off, and he immediately cast a Summoning Charm. "Accio books referring to 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." Several popped off the shelves and flew toward him, so he quickly followed up with, "Alveus." After catching the books in the basket he had conjured, he carried them back downstairs to the sitting room, where he began examining each one in turn.

When Harry and Ron finally Flooed into the Headmaster's office a total of forty minutes late, Hermione was tapping her foot impatiently. "What took you so long?" she demanded.

"Sorry we're late," Ron said offhandedly.

"Yeah, the Director insisted on an update. We tried to make it quick, but he wanted every detail. He wasn't happy that none of the leads we've followed have gone anywhere," Harry added.

"Well, we have to get to Shell Cottage. We think we've figured out what happened."

"What?" Ron asked. "And why didn't you tell us?"

"We weren't entirely sure until Bill looked, too. And I'll tell you on our way to the gates." She hustled them out the door and down the stairs.

By the time they Apparated, Harry and Ron were up to date on everything they had discovered. Thus, when they arrived at Shell Cottage, they were eager (for once) to look through books to find an answer to their problem.

They found Severus and Bill in the sitting room. Severus was paging through a book while Bill was using enlarging charms on some shrunken boxes in the far corner of the room.

"Oi!" Ron called. "How's the search coming?"

Bill looked up and said, "It'll go faster if you get over here and help me with this." Severus glanced up but said nothing.

Harry and Ron hurried over to assist him, while Hermione approached Severus. "Which ones have you looked through?"

"Those are done," he replied, pointing to a stack to his left. "These are not." He gestured toward a stack on his right. Hermione summoned a chair and took the top book from the stack, wondering distractedly where Fleur was.

The five of them worked in silence for a while, until Fleur entered with a tea tray hovering behind her. Setting it down on a side table, she said, "I thought you might like some refreshments." Naturally, Ron was first to reach the food. Fleur asked, "Professor, may I bring you something?"

"No, thank you," Severus said politely. So politely, in fact, that Hermione's attention was caught by it. She certainly hoped he wasn't yet another male under the spell of the blonde beauty. She glanced at him to see if he was staring at the other woman the way every other male on the planet usually did. He must have felt her eyes on him, because he met Hermione's eyes and raised a questioning eyebrow.

Not wanting to admit that she might be feeling just a tiny bit jealous, Hermione shook her head slightly and returned her attention to the book on her lap.

Two hours later, when so many books were scattered around the sitting room that it was difficult to tell who had read what, Hermione finally found something useful. It wasn't in a children's book at all, but in a dusty tome about the history of magic that had caught her eye because it seemed so out of place. It was apparently focused on one of the many important topics that was never covered in the Hogwarts curriculum because of Professor Binns's obsession with the Goblin Wars.

The relevant chapter described how during the years of anti-witch hysteria throughout Europe and the Americas, some creative witches and wizards had discovered that their magic could be temporarily hidden away using seemingly innocent children's verse. "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" was just one example of this – the magic was literally hidden in the stars so there would be nothing in the aura that a witch-hunter could sense. Other songs transferred the magic to everyday objects, including such diverse objects as teapots ("I'm a Little Teapot"), toy spiders ("Itsy Bitsy Spider"), and jack-in-the-boxes ("Pop! Goes the Weasel"). She scanned the page, looking for reference to how the magic was retrieved when the danger passed.

Three pages later, she finally found it. "Severus, look at this!" She pushed the book toward him.

He read through it. "Bill, come and see this."

Bill hurried over with Harry and Ron close on his heels. Taking the book, he paused to glare at his brother, who was trying to read over his shoulder while Harry watched expectantly. "Sorry," Ron said, "but hurry up."

"Give me a minute." Bill turned his attention to the book. When he finished, he handed the book to Ron, looking thoughtful as the two younger men read together. He said to Severus, "A very clever plan our ancestors had, wasn't it?"

"Indeed. Brilliant in its simplicity, really."

"I suppose we should go back to Hogwarts and see if conditions are proper to do it tonight," Hermione offered.

"Yes, that would probably be wise," Severus agreed.

"Who's going to do it?" Ron wanted to know.

"It will have the most power if we all cast it simultaneously. That's what we do at Gringotts with the most powerful curses, anyway. Let me just tell Fleur we're going." He hurried from the room.

As soon as he returned, they all Apparated back to the Hogwarts gates. As one, they turned to look skyward. Ron was first to break the silence, "It seems clear enough, doesn't it?"

"Looks good to me," Harry agreed.

Hermione was the first to begin striding toward the castle, calling over her shoulder, "Yes, but we'd better hurry. You know how quickly the weather can change in Scotland."

Severus caught up quickly. "I'll go get the Headmaster and Poppy if you'll try to find Minerva and Filius. One more would be even better, so we'd have nine."

Bill chimed in. "Shame Fleur is too far along to Apparate. What about Professor Sprout?"

Severus nodded. "Anyone will do, really. We have several powerful people already, so it's just a matter of rounding out the circle."

"All right, I'll go find Minerva, Filius, and whoever I can find for a ninth."

"Good. Harry, Ron, and I will make the circle while you two round everyone up. We'll see you at the Quidditch pitch."

They hurried off to complete their various tasks.

Hermione hadn't been able to find Professor Sprout, but she had managed to round up Minerva, Filius, and Madam Hooch. They arrived just as Severus was placing the headmaster in the centre of the circle.

"All right," Severus said. "Everyone please take your places. All we have to do is cast a powerful Summoning Charm simultaneously, directing the magic toward the circle. It should recognise and resume its proper place. The incantation is Accio magus navitas. Is everyone ready, or does someone need that repeated?" He looked around the circle. No one indicated any problem, so he continued. "First, we should try to raise our energy level as high as possible. The simplest way to do this is by deep breathing – more oxygen equals more energy, according to the book we found." After several minutes of deep breathing, Severus asked, "Now, to concentrate our energies, please hold your wand in your right hand and touch the shoulder of the person to your left with your left hand." When everyone had complied, he continued, "All right, if everyone is ready, I'll count down and we'll all give the incantation." Upon their affirming nods and raised wands, Severus said, "On three. One … two … three!" As soon as he said the last number, the entire group called out, "Accio magus navitas!"

A bright gleam of light flashed in the sky and plummeted toward them. Hermione watched in awe as it streaked straight into the circle and into the headmaster's still form at the centre. Within seconds, he was sitting up. No one said a word; they all seemed stunned at how readily that had worked. "Well, that certainly feels wonderfully refreshing," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.

A/N: According to an online Latin translator:

"alveus" ="basket"

"magus" ="magical"

"navitas" = "energy"