Chapter 29: True Confessions

Amidst the crumbled walls and shattered glass, Death vanished. All of the collectively held breaths released as one as people checked on their injured loved ones, desperate to see them breathing.

Artemis leaned forward, searching Severus for any change. From somewhere deep in his chest, there was a rattle, a shaky breath that rose and then seemed to fade away. Grief burned in Artemis' chest, threatening to consume her utterly. She started to pull away, to cover her face with her hands in some vain attempt to hide her agony, and nearly screamed when Severus' eyes opened and he grabbed her arm.

"Artemis. Stay. Don't leave." It was little more than an agonized whisper, but the knot of people surrounding them all heard it.

"I won't. I won't." She smoothed his hair and smiled through tears.

"You came back for me." Speaking sent waves of pain shooting through him.

"I promised I would," she said and kissed his hand. "I promised. And I keep my promises. Now, shh. Rest, Severus. Just rest." His eyes fluttered shut, but he kept breathing. Artemis looked up at McGonagall and Pomfrey, her eyes huge.

"You rest, too," said Madame Pomfrey as she pulled out her wand. "Minerva and I can get him to the medical wing of the school." Together, they levitated Severus' unconscious body and hurried towards Pomfrey's medical wing. Artemis followed them, so exhausted she felt like she was watching the world from inside a glass jar.

The next few weeks were hazy for Severus. For a time, Pomfrey kept him sedated to keep him quiet and still while his body replaced the massive quantities of blood that he'd lost. His wounds began to knit, but it would be a long time before the scars disappeared.

Artemis sat with him each day for at least a few hours. When he wasn't under the influence of the herbal potions, they would talk… or at least they did until the subject of the charms came up.

"The one I have like that." Severus' comment was off-hand. "I used to never want to take it off, but now I don't seem to have that sentimental attachment to it. In fact, I'm sorry to say this Artemis but I don't quite remember when you gave it to me."

Artemis folded her hands in her lap. "I'm not surprised," she said. "I, oh, let's just say I insisted that you take it."

"Insisted? Why does that sound like a polite way of saying something else?" he asked.

"It is, I guess. To be honest, Severus, I Imperiused you," confessed Artemis.

Severus was silent, but his face darkened. "You what?" You put me under an Imperius Curse? Why?"

"I was afraid of what the Death Eaters would do to you," she argued. "It was the only way I had to protect you!"

"You put me under the Imperius Curse," Severus repeated, his anger rising.

Artemis flared back at him. "And you've never done that to anyone yourself, is that it? I was desperate, Severus. I didn't think I had another choice."

"You don't do that to someone you love," he snapped. Somehow, the fact that she'd forced him to do something, anything, disturbed Severus deeply. The logical part of his mind knew that he'd done far worse, and that he was overreacting, but he couldn't help himself.

"How dare you judge me," hissed Artemis, her temper finally snapping.

Severus didn't want to keep arguing. "I think it would be best if I rested now," he informed her coolly. He turned over in the bed and feigned sleep. It was a childish way to deal with the anger, but it was all he was capable of in the moment. Artemis, torn between fury and tears, stormed from the room.

"Artemis, what's wrong?" asked Pomfrey when she saw her.

Artemis threw her hands up in despair. "Severus won't talk to me. I told him something that I'd done…" She hesitated for a second, unsure if she should trust Pomfrey with the knowledge that she'd used one of the Unforgivable Curses. Pomfrey just waited.

"Oh, hell," said Artemis at last. "I used the Imperius Curse on him."

"Oh? And what did you make him do?" Pomfrey kept her voice very neutral.

"I made him wear the bloody charm. I made it for him because I knew that eventually the Death Eaters would turn on him and hurt him. I filled it with as many healing spells and protection charms that I could, but I knew it would only work if he had it with him. So, I put the Imperius Curse on him and told him that he would never want to take the charm off. That's all. I didn't force him to do anything wrong…" She sat down hard on one of the benches in the hall and dug her fingers into her hair. "I just wanted to keep him safe."

"And did you tell him that?" Pomfrey sat down next to her.

"I started to, but then we argued." Artemis sighed.

"Well, my advice for what it is worth," said Pomfrey, "is to go back in there now, before time cools down how you're feeling and tell him why you did it. Even if he doesn't answer you or say anything. Tell him and then leave. Let him think about it. I'm sure that he'll understand. It will just take some time."

Artemis nodded. Pomfrey had a point. Running away wasn't going to fix anything. She stood up and squared her shoulders and marched back into Severus' room while Madame Pomfrey went back to checking her inventory of bandages and ointments.

"Severus?" In the room, Artemis could tell by the tenseness in Severus' shoulders that he was still awake, but he didn't turn to look at her. "Fine, then just listen. Maybe it was wrong to use the Imperius Curse on you. But you know what? I'm not sorry. If I hadn't done it, you would have thrown that charm away or put it in a drawer after I left because, and then it would have done you no good."

She paused but he didn't move. "I created the charm because I love you, Severus. I put the Curse on you because I love you. If you hadn't been wearing the charm the day Nagini bit you, you'd be dead. You would have bled out on the floor of the Shrieking Shack. Maybe you can't forgive me for what I did, but I would do it again because I would rather have you alive than dead."

The next day, Artemis came back right on scheduled. She told Severus about her evening, not even acknowledging the fight the day before. The conversation was strained, but not hostile, and Artemis accepted it. What she had said to Death held true here; this had to be Severus' decision.

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Hopefully you found that to be a satisfactory answer to Severus' choice, but I couldn't just let them fall into each other's arms so you'll have to bear with me while this gets resolved. Thanks for reading – I'd love to get a review from you!