Ch.11
Sorry everyone!! A bunch of my classes are coming to an end, as well as hockey playoffs, etc. so I didn't have a lot of free time. But now that's all done so I should be ok for the future.
Thank you to all of my reviewers and everyone who added the story/author alert or favorite- I live on your support!
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For anyone who reviewed I tried to PM you individually and to any anonymous reviewers who have questions or bring up good points I'll answer them below:
Estante: Thanks for your review!!
Noway: You're right- usually Snape is smart and would be prepared (would have made sure the vials were unbreakable)- but this time he didn't check each vial because he's so stressed and he had so many things to get accomplished that a little spell like that just fell through the cracks.
Maintenance:
Thought
"Normal speaking"
"Spell"
Nonverbal Spell
"Parseltounge"
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"Severus!"
McGonagall shook his shoulder gently once more, getting more panicked as the seconds ticked by and the man did not stir.
She looked up desperately to see Albus making his way over at an alarmingly fast pace for the old man.
He reached them, slightly winded, and dropped to kneel next to the fallen man.
"Oh, Severus" he put a hand on the spy's pale cheek. "I am so sorry."
When he didn't answer with a sarcastically out of place comment Dumbledore looked over to McGonagall.
She shook her head, "He hasn't responded for at least a minute."
Alarmed, Albus quickly reached to Snape's neck, sighing loudly when he found a pulse, albeit not as strong as he would have liked.
"Let's get him up to the castle" he waved his wand and conjured a stretcher and then turned his wand on the young man. "Enner-."
"No, Albus" McGonagall knocked his arm aside suddenly.
"Minerva? I know he'll be in pain but he needs to be awake to tell Poppy what happened" Dumbledore spoke much too calmly for the Transfiguration professor's taste.
"Before he passed out he said something about a poison and not using magic on him" McGonagall tried to remember the poison's name.
Dumbledore's face fell and his voice shook, "Vomica Donum?"
"Yes, that was it. He insisted that I not use magic. Albus, what's wrong?" McGonagall watched as the Headmaster raised his hands and buried his face in them.
"Albus! Severus needs to go to the Hospital Wing immediately. I don't know what that poison does but pull yourself together and help me get him on the stretcher" she paused. "Can we use the stretcher?"
He nodded mutely and helped McGonagall carefully place Snape on the stretcher. He silently manipulated it to float alongside them. "Minerva, go tell Poppy to expect us."
She nodded and ran ahead through the halls of the school. As soon as she was out of sight Dumbledore stopped, the stretcher stopped next to him as well.
"Forgive me, Severus." Muttering the incantation he cast a Silencio and two Disillusionment charms in quick succession (1). His heart wrenched as Snape was torn out of unconsciousness, mouth open in a scream that couldn't be heard.
Dumbledore gripped the man's hand as Snape's eyes clenched shut and his chest rose and fell rapidly, trying to breathe the pain out.
Moving again they reached the Hospital Wing minutes later and Dumbledore guided the invisible stretcher into a secluded ward off to the side of the room. It was guarded by a portrait and the other entrance was through Poppy's office. Mostly it was used for when professors were sick and needed Poppy's supervision, but recently it had become Snape's unofficial room.
Muttering the password he slowly moved the stretcher ahead of him and guided it to the bed that was waiting. Poppy and Minerva were already there and waiting and they both looked confused when only Albus came through the portrait.
Watching her friend carefully Minerva noticed how extremely sad and old he looked. When he waved his wand, muttering "Finite" she couldn't choose between throttling him and comforting him, but the choice was put to the side in favor of her injured colleague that had appeared with Albus's spell.
Gasping softly she could only stand there looking down at Severus, while Poppy moved around hurriedly. He was much paler than she had ever seen him and sweat had matted his head. He was trembling and moaning softly and she would have moved to comfort him had the Headmaster not beat her to it.
He stood out of Poppy's way, off to the side of the bed, but he was softly stroking Snape's head, and with his other hand he was mopping the sweat off of his brow with a handkerchief. Minerva couldn't hear it, but he was softly talking to Snape as well. She was almost furious with how calm the old man seemed, but something was out of place here, something was pulling at Minerva's focus, something Albus had said…"As far as I can tell, he has had some degree of injury, mental or physical, after each meeting with Voldemort."
And there it was, plain as day; Albus had been expecting this. Severus probably had too. Wiping away tears of surprise and anger, she turned to the Potions Master.
So far, Poppy had only examined him physically, since McGonagall had strictly warned her against using magic on Severus. With Minerva's help they were able to slowly turn Snape onto his stomach to get a look at the cursed wound on his back.
Grumbling to herself about Potions Masters who wear too many layers of clothes, Poppy worked to get off his robes first, to better see the cut. McGonagall hissed at the sight; it easily covered most of his back, making a slightly skewed diagonal line from below his right shoulder to the middle of his back.
Dumbledore turned silently to Poppy, who shook her head, "If this was the curse that I think it was than it's much too late to prevent a scar or even attempt to minimize it. I need to use magic, and the longer we wait the harder it will be close the wound."
Snape had been awake since the Headmaster used the Disillsionment and Silencing charm on him but the pain was stealing away his thoughts. He dimly heard Albus speaking to him, heard Poppy and Minerva in the background, but he felt as if he was a great distance away from them when they spoke.
He felt Dumbledore stroking his head again and he welcomed it, focusing all of his energy to that touch and anchoring himself to the world of the conscious. There was something important that he needed to tell Dumbledore but his thoughts continued to elude his fading consciousness and he stopped fighting after a while.
Dumbledore turned to Poppy, "There's no antidote for Vomica Donum, since, for all the pain it causes, it wears off on its own after a while."
Poppy interrupted, "That wound will continue to bleed the longer it goes unchecked, Albus. Severus can't afford to wait."
"I know" Dumbledore sighed. "Take care of his back first. Then we will determine the nerve damage and continue from there."
Minerva started, "Albus, what will the poison do if we use magic on him?"
Albus glanced up at his Deputy, then back down to Severus, "It was originally created to be given to prisoners. Just five drops inhibits the person's ability to do magic and makes any spell cast on them extremely painful (1). It's a block on a person's magical core, so that any magic that the person uses or has used against them must first go through the poison itself, which creates the pain, typically equal to the amount of power needed for the spell to work. Eventually Severus's body will recognize that the poison is harmful and will work with his magical core to expel it" Dumbledore's eyes hadn't left Snape's face the entire time.
Minerva's hands flew to her mouth, "And that- that monster gave it to him, knowing what it did. And then cursed him. And Severus had to- had to apparate. Oh Albus" she buried her head in his shoulder, and he gripped her tightly.
Poppy had listened to Dumbledore's explanation of the poison as she carefully inspected the cut again, silently apologizing for having to cause him more pain by healing him.
As she raised her wand, thankful that Snape had taught her the proper way to heal the Sectumsempra curse, the man himself spoke.
"Dark Lord-didn't" he rasped. Poppy immediately conjured a glass and filled it with water, offering a small amount to the spy, who welcomed it gratefully.
Dumbledore knelt down near Snape's head and Minerva stood over Albus's shoulder. "What was that Severus?" The Headmaster put his hand on the injured man's shoulder.
"Accident-had-poisons in robes-it broke-cut on chest from-before" Snape said weakly. Minerva took his place by Severus's side as Dumbledore went over to the robes that Poppy had placed off to the side.
Searching for the front he opened the robes as if to put them on, and then ran his hand down the inside front, hardly having to search at all as he felt several bumps almost immediately over the left breast.
He pulled out the three remaining vials, and with them came several small pieces of glass. He put the vials safely down and out of the way, and on a second thought, inspected the vials magically.
The three vials had been charmed to be unbreakable, but from the remaining glass of the fourth vial he was able to tell that it hadn't been, otherwise it wouldn't have broken.
It is unlike Severus to be so lax in regards to his potions. He didn't check each vial to make sure they were unbreakable, and he usually has more than just that charm on them. He is lucky to only have had one vial missing the charm if he never checked them at all.
He jerked back around when he heard Severus cry out before clamping his jaw down to muffle the noises. Madam Pomfrey was tracing her wand over the wound on Snape's back, muttering a singsong like incantation. After one spell the bleeding had slowed; two and it had stopped completely; three and the edges were beginning to knit together; four drew the cut together tightly; and the fifth closed the wound, turning it a vibrant white tinged with new pink skin.
McGonagall had been at his head, stroking his forehead and letting him clamp onto her hand with each time the spell was renewed. She frowned after the fourth time the healing spell had been cast. It usually only takes two or three times to fully heal.
Minerva felt Snape's hand go limp in her own after the last charm was cast; she looked worriedly over to Poppy, who moved quickly to check his vitals.
"It's just from the pain."
Well that's a relief Minerva snorted. As long as it's only from the pain.
She looked over to Dumbledore, but the Headmaster seemed to be in his own world, still holding several vials of potions.
Poppy moved over to him, gently placing a hand on his elbow and startling him out of his reverie. "Albus" she gave him a soft smile that did not reach her eyes. "He's as stable as I can get him without any diagnostic spells. How long until the poison wears off?"
He turned to look back at Severus, "I don't know. It usually lasts no longer than two weeks. But the longer it takes Severus to regain full use of his magic, the more I fear for him."
"Can potions help at all?" Minerva asked Poppy. Glancing briefly at the Headmaster, Poppy shook her head slowly, "No, I don't think so, Minerva. Potions are derived from magical substances, and depend on the innate magic in wizards to work; it's the reason that we can't use them to help Muggles."
"I do not think that it will take long for Severus to recover, he's alw-" Dumbledore broke off as he turned to look at the younger man. He could see slight tremors wracking his body, the spy was shivering as if he was cold, but within moments the tremors had evolved into a full blown Cruciatus seizure.
Dumbledore rushed to Snape's side, trying to hold his shoulders down to keep his head and neck from thrashing too wildly. Pomfrey moved quickly to hold down his knees, she snapped at McGonagall, who was standing off to the side, "Hold his head Minerva!"
Blinking rapidly she moved over and gently held Severus's head, adding pressure to keep him stationary at certain times, but when the tremors did not abate after several minutes Minerva looked over to Albus, and then to Poppy. Neither had anything to console her with; Poppy was frowning and seemed to be counting under her breath, and Albus's usually clear eyes were clouded over in sadness.
Several more minutes passed in tense silence until Severus's fast and uneven breaths caught Poppy's attention. Abandoning her position she moved to hover over his chest, one hand over his heart and the other resting lightly on his jugular.
"Damn, his heart. Albus-"
The Headmaster placed a hand on her shoulder, "I know Poppy. Treat him as best you can. I will see what I can do in the meantime. Minerva can you-"
"Min-erva" Snape rasped. She knelt down near his head. "Potter-no Peter- Peter-watch rat…"
He coughed, and one of his hands came up to weakly cradle his chest, trying to still his overtaxed body. Minerva looked over to Dumbledore, confusion evident in her eyes.
"What about Harry and Peter, Severus?" Dumbledore leaned closer as well, close enough to see the pain and frustration in the Potions Master's eyes.
"Dark Lord-Peter…rat to watch-watch Potter" He coughed again, and his Albus could see his hands shaking and the sweat forming on Snape's already pale face.
"Tom has ordered Peter to watch Harry in his Animagus form?" Dumbledore confirmed, and watched as Snape nodded weakly.
He couldn't not ask, "How bad, Severus?"
The spy managed a grim smile, "Worth it. Potter's friends- Weasley's- others- they'll be next."
Dumbledore's mind was instantly grasping what Snape was telling him, "Tom's targeting everyone close to Harry?"
Again Snape nodded and heard Minerva gasp. Dumbledore seemed to be lost in thought, no doubt coming up with various ways to keep everyone safe, and Poppy had a restorative potion that he waved away.
She presented it to him again and he shook his head, trying to hold in the coughs. The potion won't do any good when I'm poisoned and too weak to supplement the healing.
At a look from Dumbledore Poppy huffed and walked away, cursing Snape's obstinacy and Dumbledore for allowing it. As Minerva moved close once more Snape gave a hollow laugh and turned to look at her. "Cancel detention- won't be there- to enjoy it. Saturday with you."
Minerva could only stare for a minute, not understanding where Severus was coming from at all. When it clicked she almost smacked him on the shoulder, "Severus I could care less about that now."
She could have sworn that he sighed, "Foolish Gryffs."
Albus came over after that and Minerva vacated her spot to allow the Headmaster to sit on the edge of the bed. She watched as the two conferred, or rather as Dumbledore spoke softly to Snape and waited for any reaction from the latter.
Content with the knowledge that, for now, her colleague and friend was safe she quietly left the portrait room to try to sort everything out in the quiet of her chambers.
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Brilliant green eyes flashed open, and a boy sat upright, breathing heavily and sweating. He gave a frustrated cry when he determined the time and lay back down on his pillow, angry and confused.
He dare not close his eyes again so soon after being loosed from the grips of his 'visionmare' as he had come to name them. For they weren't figments of his imagination, he just knew that these were real, and very disturbing.
Unwittingly he found himself replaying his latest vision;
He couldn't remember what happened before, but he was suddenly very angry. How dare Severus fail him- Snape?- and in this regard, his most important mission to date.
"Care to explain Severus?" a cold voice asked.
Without a pause his wand cut through the air, "Crucio" and he watched as the wizard thrashed and screamed under the power of his anger. What's going on? It was a surreal experience- in the back of his mind he knew that this wasn't him casting the curse on his Professor, but on some level he could not pull away. He felt satisfaction well inside him and he cut off the curse.
Snape tried to explain himself, "My Lord- Dumbledore- keeping it- from me."
Of course he is you fool!
"Why?" he asked, more to question why Snape had not procured the information regardless than to question Dumbledore's motivations.
"Knows- I would- tell you." So even Severus has his limits; it has been a while since he's misinterpreted a question of mine.
"Show me" Voldemort demanded. Harry was becoming so lost in this tangled game that he barely grasped the fact that he was slipping away.
And then he was awake; confused and tired, and debating on what to do with this new information about Snape, the traitor.
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No one was surprised when the Potions Master did not turn up for breakfast, but they were surprised when the Headmaster unexpectedly called for silence and stood from his spot at the Head Table.
"Good morning all. I regret that I must inform you all of a terrible accident that has befall Professor Snape-" now the hall was silent- "while he was brewing yesterday. An unforeseen reaction with an experimental potion has confined the Professor to bedrest for at least the next week. Until Professor Slughorn arrives to fill in I will be assisting the fifth and seventh year students in practicals while the other years complete coursework."
He watched the reactions of each House, as did McGonagall, and she was embarrassed and furious when several members of Gryffindor broke into smiles and laughs, high-fiving each other. To be fair it was not many, but compared to the carefully neutral expressions on the Slytherin's faces, the quiet thoughtfulness on the Ravenclaw's, and the tentative frown on the Hufflepuff's, Minerva could honestly say that she was disgusted with her House.
And she would change their attitudes very soon.
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Contrary to popular belief, Dumbledore was not all knowing, neither was he all powerful, so when he glanced around each class he was teaching and recognized a face or a name and connected that child to an anecdote that Severus had related to him, he was glad that he only had to supervise two years worth of students brewing.
And for the most part the fifth and seventh year classes did very well; he learned with them that under no circumstances should even a pinch of sneezewort find its way into the cauldron too early. Luckily singed hair could be regrown.
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Poppy was debating on what she should do. Normally when a Professor was ill and required attention they would stay in the room behind the portrait and she could monitor them with a long range spell to detect shifts in their general health patterns; breathing, temperature, etc.
But such a spell was not an option for the Potions Master. Unfortunately he did require constant attention, because the new nerve damage was worse than Poppy had seen it so far, and unless he was monitored he was liable to bite his tongue off or worse if a seizure caught him.
Not realizing that Severus was awake she fluttered constantly beside his bed, going back and forth about casting the spell.
"Just do it Poppy" he said tiredly.
"Severus, I can't" she protested.
"We both know that you'll do it in the end. Some brat will wander in eventually" he paused to take several deep breaths. "Just do it now so I can sleep."
She knew he was right, he was usually right when it came to his health, although he didn't take enough care of himself in her opinion, but that couldn't make her feel any better about the situation.
She didn't bother asking him if he was prepared, as he would only snap at her, so she raised her wand and cast the spell, and her heart clenched as the magic fought its way through the poison to take effect and Severus's body tried to repel the spell. When his breathing evened again she left a glass of water on his bedside table, as well as several potions that could help if he chose to take them.
She learned long ago not to expect Severus to change his mind when she argued with him, and if the potions were accessible then he wouldn't hurt himself trying to Accio them later.
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It was all Dumbledore could do at the end of the last class not to sigh in relief. Potions was never my strongest subject; my mind would always wander on some idea and then my potion would be ruined. It takes a strong mind and a stronger will power to teach this subject. And if Severus has any qualities it is those two.
He walked slowly to the Hospital Wing, nodding and smiling absentmindedly as the students greeted him. Surely now- after Severus's own carelessness resulted in his poisoning- he will see that he needs help. I can certainly understand his reasons, but Miss Granger would be my first choice and I hope he can look past his prejudices to see how much she could help.
Entering the Hospital Wing he was pleased to see that it was empty, no students to worry about seeing the main entrance to the portrait room, and no students in need of medical help.
He muttered the password and walked quietly to Snape's bedside. The man was sleeping, and if possible sleep made him look even more worn out. Frown lines on his face and premature wrinkles creased his forehead and face, the bags under his eyes stood out starkly against the sickly pale color of his skin, and his hair was matted down in places and sticking up in others.
He noticed with a frown and then a nod the potions on the side table, and then returned to surveying the young man in front of him until Snape seemed to be aware that he was being watched and slowly returned to consciousness.
Snape didn't even attempt to greet the Headmaster; instead he reached for the water next to him and took several small sips before turning to face Albus.
"You're looking better, Severus" he said benignly. Snape just snorted. "How is your back?"
"Stiff" he answered, not showing an inch of discomfort, although the fact that he had returned to lying down instead of sitting up to talk clued the Headmaster to how weak the other man really was.
"You should have told me sooner" he admonished gently.
"It would have accomplished nothing" Snape didn't pretend to misunderstand. "What would you have done that I hadn't already? Aside from asking the Dark Lord to ease up on my punishments?" he asked scathingly.
Dumbledore conceded the point with a nod of his head. "I should still like to have known, Severus. You are my friend and I worry."
Snape didn't answer, knowing how heavily he himself contributed to the old man's burden during a troublesome time.
The older man spoke, "The Order has been warned to look out for Peter, and the Weasley's and Remus have been instructed to not take any chances and always carry a Portkey on them."
Snape shook his head, "They should be safe for now. The Dark Lord started this plan some time ago, with the murder of Potter's relatives, although at that time there was no plan- just pointless murder. Now that he has a focus he will have patience. Maybe a classmate's family or even a classmate turns up dead or missing and with each victim Potter will feel the pressure building up until someone close to him is lost."
Dumbledore almost shuddered at the imagery of Snape's description, so many innocents.
The Headmaster tactfully changed the subject, "Severus you must acknowledge that you are too overburdened to continue in this fashion."
"I was unaware that I had been denying that fact, Headmaster."
Dumbledore pushed on, far too used to Snape's remarks, "You need help from-"
"I will not endanger a fifteen year old student just because you are too foolish to change your mind!" Snape's breathing was rapidly becoming shallower and he had to close his eyes for several minutes after he sat up to face Albus.
"Why do you insist on throwing this girl into my life, Albus?" he asked quietly, desperately.
The Headmaster was forced to turn away and give the reasons that sounded weak even to his own ears, "She is bright, already aware of your status in the Order. I think she can help."
Snape sighed, "'Had I but world enough, and time,' Albus, I would have liked to foster her knowledge of potions. As it stands now she is little better than a parrot, and is a responsibility that would be both unwelcome and dangerous (3)."
"I understand your concerns, Severus, but I cannot think of any other student who could aid you without threatening your position in both Tom's ranks, and the Order's."
Snape fell back against his pillow exhaustedly, reminding Albus that only last night Severus had come back close enough to Death's doorstep that this talk was unnecessary and taxing.
"You think about it, Severus. I will accept a compromise should you find one that pleases you" he stood and placed a hand on Snape's shoulder. "Rest now, and recover."
When the door closed Snape allowed himself a small smile; at times Albus seemed as Slytherin as any Malfoy, but at times like this his compassionate Gryffindor nature took over and gave Snape the leeway he needed to push his own agenda forward.
He already had a plan in mind, and with nothing but time on his hands for quite some time, he was sure he could have a solution by this time tomorrow.
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And we see Harry for the first time...
(1)Yes, Dumbledore can see through Disillusionment charms- if he can see through Harry's Invisibility cloak then he can see through a charm.
(2) The poison doesn't necessarily inhibit a person's magic- but for the person to use their magic they have to suffer pain equal to the power of the spell so the person always chooses not to use their magic. If this is confusing PM me or leave a review and I'll explain it the best I can.
(3) "Had we but world enough and time" is from the poem To his Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell
So it's a little shorter than previous chapters- sorry.
Again- I'll probably be able to write the chapters and update at a better rate than I have been in the past, but I'm planning a major overhaul of my other Harry Potter story, Hope, and that might distract me.
Any suggestions? For Snape's characterization? Minerva? Albus? Thanks for reading!
Always,
Sinkme