Chapter 21

"You've received another parcel." Severus said, hovering a rather large cardboard box in through the white French front door. He gently shut the door as sunlight streamed in through the individual window panes. Riley looked up from her book on the floor of the flat they shared and her eyes glittered in excitement at the sight of the mysterious box. She gently shut the old tome and rose, uncrossing her legs beneath her.

"What is it?" She asked curiously, walking barefoot across the cool tiled kitchen.

"It's from your parents again." Severus replied, looking swiftly at the label imprinted upon it.

Riley stood over the hovering parcel and gazed down with Severus. She shrugged her shoulders and allowed him to pass her and place the package down on the wooden planks in the living room. Once it was seated on the floor, Riley dashed over like an eager child on Christmas morning and ripped at the box. Severus watched with an amused expression as packing material flew in multiple directions as Riley dug her hands in.

"A television set!" Riley cried in delight, clapping her hands together.

Severus grimaced at her words and looked at her with annoyance on his face.

"Why would your parents send us that muggle noisy contraption?" He asked looking at it like it was a misbehaving child.

Riley turned to her partner with a tickled grin and laughed at his perturbed appearance. She turned back to the television in the box and peered down at it thoughtfully.

"Now I can watch MASH!" She mused aloud in joy.

"Is that a cooking program?" Severus asked in confusion.

Riley laughed loudly at his uncertainty and slapped her knee.

"I'm glad my ignorance in muggle culture amuses you." Severus grumbled.

Riley walked back over to Severus with a sympathetic look planted upon her face.

"I'm sorry, Severus." She said with a simpered pout playing at her lips.

She stood up on the tips of her toes and placed her lips over his, locking him into a steamy kiss. She pressed her body into him gently, allowing him to feel the curves of her body.

"All is forgiven…" He murmured into between kisses, causing his voice to reverberate against her lips.

"Mmm…keep talking." Riley said, wrapping her fingers in his dark raven locks. They sunk to floor together, intertwined as Severus moved his lips to her ear whispering scandalous things that made her blush.

"Severus." She mumbled, entranced as he laid kisses upon her slender, tan neck.

"You know what that does to me…" He rumbled, snaking his hands around her torso, pulling her to the floor.

After some activity and while later, Riley draped herself across Severus' bare chest, nuzzling his bare skin with her button nose.

"Are you sad I'm leaving on Monday?"

"Extraordinarily sad." Severus mumbled as he kissed her on the top of her head. "But it is only for the week and then you'll be back this weekend to start preparing yourself for your apprenticeship."

Riley nodded against his chest at this rationality, comforted in the fact that the trip would be short enough.

"And remember, after the preliminary set up with the team, you'll be able to apparate back and forth at your pleasure. No more overnight trips." Severus added, adjusting himself so he could gaze into her eyes.

Riley silently nodded again and looked deeply into his eyes.

"Just stay out of trouble when I'm gone." She joked, poking him gently in his ribs.

"I'll try." Severus said dryly, rolling his eyes.

Thoroughly exhausted from a week of Quidditch, Riley was in a deep slumber, nestled warmly in their bed. She wore one of her many band t-shirts and undergarments as she lay tangled in their warm, silver sheets. She smiled in her sleep as she lay placid and unassuming. The other side of the bed however was cold and empty. She knew not of the missing figure as she stretched her body over, dreaming away. Suddenly, she jolted straight up at the sudden slam of the flat door. She jumped out of the bed, sans pants and reached for her wand at the nightstand. She groped for it in the dark and grasped it within her fingers. She turned her head towards the bed abruptly startled by the thought that Severus did not awake with her. The realization hit her and she bolted out of the room into the tiny living room where she gasped in shock. The front door lay open, struck against the wall and on the floor was her beloved Slytherin. He looked semi-conscious as she rushed towards him, scooping his befallen head into her lap.

"Severus!" She cried, patting at his cheek. His eyes were languidly shut and his skin was pallid and paler than its normal tone. There were purple circles under each eye and his skin was cold to the touch. She pushed her own chestnut hair aside behind her ear and listened as she lowered her head to his mouth. She could hear a wheezing breath escaping his lungs as she clung on to him.

"Oh, Severus." She whispered, her eyes tearing up more than they ever had before. She knew at that moment she had to do something, so she made a rash decision. She materialized a pillow and lifted his head upon it. He looked so weak for someone of 18 years of age. She glanced at him again as she turned back to the bedroom and slung on a pair of jeans and the first pair of shoes she could find. She rushed out of the bedroom, carrying a cloak and wrapped his lithe, lean body in it as best as she could to keep him warm. Grabbing her own cloak, she wrapped herself in it and kneeled down beside Severus.

"Severus." She tried again, with a much firmer and stern voice. "Focus on my voice. Do you hear me?"

She stared at him with unblinking blue eyes that had cleared themselves of tears. She stroked his cheek and was thrilled to hear the slightest of murmurs resonate through his closed pale lips. The mumble of assent was all that she needed to give her the extra strength to move forward.

"I'm taking you to Dumbledore. I will not have you die on me." She said stubbornly, raising her wand to cast a spell. Eyelashes fluttered open at the headmaster's name, and the black eyes beneath the fringe opened and closed at a narrow gap with an unfocused gaze. His long fingers twitched at his sides in sparse movements.

"No Dum-dum-ble-dore—" He croaked out in short syllables, trying to annunciate the words the best he could manage. His voice was dry and crackled like logs on a fire as if the strain of his own words could harm him further. It did not sway her in the least, if anything it made her more motivated to move him and herself to Hogwarts as fast as her legs or magic could take her. She bent over and kissed his now still lips briefly and stood up quickly.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Riley commanded swishing and flicking her wand as Severus had done for her a many matches ago back at Hogwarts, although she had never known. She levitated Severus' immobile body upwards, lifting him from the floor. He hovered a good three feet in the air as she guided him along with her wand. She led him to the brick fireplace in the flat and opened up a pot on the mantle. Riley dug her left hand in the pot while holding Severus in place with her wand hand. She threw the Floo powder in the fireplace and called into it with a loud voice.

"Dumbledore!"

Riley waited as the green flames illuminated the room with its glow. It took but a second for a silvery bearded man's face to appear in the flames, his head dancing upon them like some strange Halloween decoration. The head adjusted his glasses and peered at her through the flames.

"Why, Miss Brannigan! What do I owe this twilight pleasure to?" He smiled jovially, although Riley caught on to the note of the lateness of the hour. She drifted Severus closer to the flames without allowing them to lick him, as if he could be harmed by their magic touch.

"Professor, it's Severus! He needs help now and I don't know what else to do." Dumbledore's head appeared to grow larger as the face got a closer look at the suspended figure in the background. Something passed in the headmaster's eyes just brusquely before maintaining their mysteriousness once again.

"I see. Well, come through the floo to my office and we'll get Severus to Madam Pomphrey right away."

Riley stepped through the flames, guiding Severus' prone body with her wand. Moments later, she found herself in Dumbledore's office standing in front of the old man who was adorned in deep purple robes. Severus' body bumped into her own as it hovered unnaturally above the ground. Riley looked at the elder wizard with panic in her clear blue eyes.

"I may be assuming the worse, but I think it was death eaters." She blurted all at once.

"Quickly, Miss Brannigan." Dumbledore said in a firm voice, opening the door to his office, a dark shadow in his eyes as he waved her to the door. She walked out stepping swiftly and positioning Severus' body ahead of her, careful not to veer him into the familiar stone walls. She guided him down the staircase of the tower to the first floor towards the hospital wing. Behind her, she felt the comforting presence of Albus Dumbledore matching her quick pace. They reached the hospital wing where she had stayed not even a year before due to her school Quidditch injuries and saw the surprised face of Madam Pomfrey.

"Miss Brannigan! Albus?" The mediwitch said and asked in confusion.

"Take a look at the boy first, Poppy, and then we'll get the details later." Dumbledore said with an assertive kindness. Madam Pomfrey nodded her head remembering her duties as a healer and quickly instructed Riley.

"Set him down on this bed here." She said calmly, pointing to the nearest beige colored bed. Poppy looked Severus over and examined him with her outstretched wand. The matron tsked as she looked over Riley's significant other. Riley stood anxiously on the balls of her feet awaiting the list of maladies that affected Severus. Dumbledore stood calmly by her side with a knowing expression on his aged face. He placed a composed hand on Riley's shoulder and her rocking ceased. She looked at Dumbledore who was irritatingly passive and unreadable and turned back to Severus.

"Cruciatus curse and yes, broken ribs…" Poppy said to herself, examining the young man's body. Riley's stomach gave a sudden lurch at the thought of the pain that Severus had endured and she doubled over, clutching her stomach, suddenly feeling the strong urge to expel her stomach's contents. Dumbledore caught the bent girl and stood her upright, holding her up with a surprisingly strong arm.

"Oh Severus…" She whispered, holding back tears in her eyes. Dumbledore turned her to face him and his blue eyes looked directly into her blue eyes.

"Tell me everything that happened." He said firmly in a clear and concise voice. Dumbledore's voice woke something in Riley and she mustered the strength to stand as tall as she could. She had to be brave for Severus now more than ever. She described her first night back and how she awoke to find him missing. She told her Professor how he had abruptly come home with a crash and lay unconscious on the floor. While she explained everything at great length, careful not to leave anything out, she watched Poppy spoon various liquids into the young man's mouth. Dumbledore nodded at the conclusion of her statement and turned to look back at Severus' currently unconscious body.

"You were right to contact me." He said softly. "I assume you'll be staying with him." He waited for the girl to answer with a twinkle in his eye. When she nodded and before she say thank you to her former headmaster, he waved her comment away, taking her aback. It was like he could read minds.

"Let me know when he wakes. I need to every detail of what the death eaters may be up to." Dumbledore stated and left the hospital wing in a swish of robes.

Poppy looked at the girl and nodded to the bed next to Severus'.

"Might as well get some sleep, Miss Brannigan, it will be a while before he wakes." Madam Pomfrey said, gathering up her materials at the side of the bed. Riley nodded and watched as Poppy walked off behind a row of curtains. Riley slid her hand in Severus' cold hand before climbing into the bed next to him, clutching his fingers tightly and staring at him. She thought she would never sleep in the emotional state she was in at that moment, but after a while, she shut her eyes and fell into a nightmarish sleep.

Severus awoke feeling oddly sore all over his body. He opened his dark eyes, ready to see his flat surrounding him, but started suddenly at the sight of the familiar Hogwarts hospital wing. The jolt made him physically wince and hold his ribs with his left hand in pain. He tried to use his right hand as well, but noticed that it was intertwined with a smaller, tanned female hand. Riley, his brain shouted at him and he relaxed at the sight of her peaceful sleeping body. She was turned toward him on her side with her eyes tightly closed, her black lashes fluttering from the light breaths her mouth expelled. She looked perfectly angelic, with her chestnut bob framing her pretty face. Her band shirt and jeans looked a bit rumpled in appearance like she had been wearing them for more than a day. He tried to adjust himself without moving his entangled arm, feeling crusty all over. His dark robes were hot and clung to him like a second skin. His black hair was matted to his face and dirty in appearance as he looked out of the corner of his eyes.

He felt a shift in his stiff hand and saw the blue polished and tanned fingers curl in his palm.

"Severus…" Riley whispered, her eyes opening slowly in recognition of his gaze. Her eyes opened larger as the synapses fired in her brain and a surprised expression lit up her face.

"You're awake! Oh thank Merlin! You're awake!" She cried all of a sudden, swinging herself up from her prone position on the bed.

She stood over him, grasping his cheeks between her hands gently, cradling his face sweetly. She deeply peered into his eyes with concern twinkling in her eyes and stroked his black hair with her left hand.

"How are you feeling?" She asked in a more reserved tone, noting the volume of her voice.

"Fantastic." Severus said sarcastically, grimacing as he tried to rise into a more comfortable sitting position.

"Lay down." Riley said firmly in the sternest voice Severus had ever heard.

Obediently, he lowered himself back down to the bedding as Riley rearranged his pillow behind his head. Riley looked at him still with the same unyielding expression and her tone remained serious as she carefully spoke her next words.

"Tell me everything that happened."

"Perhaps I should get more rest." Severus said quietly, closing his eyes.

"Severus Snape, open your eyes and tell me what happened." Riley demanded with an even tone.

Severus peeked out under his eyelashes and saw the look on her face that did not waver. He sighed silently and opened his eyes a bit more.

"I was in Diagon Alley on Thursday when I ran into Avery from school. He was quite happy to see me, which should have tipped me off, and he told me that he had been seeking me out for a great job opportunity that was worth its weight in galleons. Naturally, I told him about my apprenticeship and how I appreciated the information, but I was quite fine at the moment. He didn't seem to want to take no for an answer though and kept prattling on. He insisted that I come with him and just check it out, so in order to get him to shut up, I went with him."

Riley lowered herself to the bed next to Severus', continuing to listen intently to his tale. Severus watched her sit down heavily as if she knew what was coming next, but was proud of her ability to just listen without chiming in. Taking a quick breath, he continued on.

"He apparated and took me to this shack and explained to me how he had told his employer of my great skill in potions. He said his employer had a great need for a skilled potioneer and would pay handsomely to obtain the right one. I suddenly knew I had made a poor choice as I started looking around at my surroundings. The shack was decrepit and dilapidated; no one in their right mind would be living in place like that. But it was too late; he was leading me into a grand room where a man with a distorted face sat in a throne-like chair. I knew at once that Avery had led me to the Dark Lord."

Riley gasped and threw her hand over mouth to cover up the shock on her face. Severus turned his head away at that and nodded.

"I stood in horror as I let Avery introduce me to him. I immediately threw up an Occlumency shield so that that thing wouldn't pry into my terrified thoughts. Apparently, the shock had thrown me off a moment too long and the Dark Lord spoke to me. He said he felt my reluctance, as he called it, and that he would reward me greatly if I were to work for him. He then said—"

Severus uncharacteristically paused, clearly uncomfortable with what he was about to say next. Riley looked at him sympathetically, dropping her harsh demeanor.

"Go on, Severus." She said in a calming voice.

"He said that he would protect you from any harm that might come to anyone with dirty blood if I were to join him. But it was the way he said it, as if it were a threat. He also congratulated me on your appointment to the Tutshill Tornadoes. He heard that you were quite the flyer for a Gryffindor."

Severus looked green in pallor and he turned back to Riley and looked at her sadly, his eyes sparklingly with moisture.

"He was playing with me. Blackmailing me to join him. Using you to make me his puppet."

"Oh, Severus…" Riley said breathlessly, her eyes heavy with emotion.

"And you know, I'd do anything for you."

Riley nodded her head as a single tear escaped and made its way down her tan cheek. Severus maintained his eye contact and stared at her intensely. He reached for her hand with his long fingers, letting their intertwined fingers dangle between the beds.

"I love you, Riley. I love you so very much. I know I've never said it to you. I guess I couldn't hide it from my thoughts."

Riley sobbed silently, feeling the tears slide down her cheeks, knowing that his love for her had caused him the pain he had suffered.

"So I left, he said he would let me consider the appointment." Severus said with a scoff. "Then you returned back from Tutshill and you were so happy. I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell you what had happened. You went to bed with that smile upon your face and I received an owl from Avery. It had mentioned your homecoming and how delighted I must be to have you back safely with all the unfortunate muggle related incidents. The Dark Lord wanted my answer tonight. So I went. Not to join up, Riley, but to protect you."

Severus squeezed her hand tightly, urging her to understand the circumstances. Riley nodded silently as the tears continued to roll down her face. No secrets lie between them, Severus saw to that.

"I apparated back and I told him that I would not become one of his death eaters. Do with me what he wished and leave you out of it. So he laughed and informed me he would convince me as much as I needed. I surprised myself by getting out alive. I expect Madam Pomfrey told you he put me under the Cruciatus curse."

Riley nodded and sniffed, wiping her wet eyes on her sleeve.

"It's my turn to look after you, Severus." Riley said decisively. "I'll talk to Dumbledore and we'll find protection."