AN. I do not own Harry Potter universe and JK Rowlings does
Chapter 38 Healing
Hermione pulled herself from the floor wiping the tears away her eyes and fell on the bed in the room, breathing in his scent. Why did he leave when he appeared to her?
She closed her eyes and thought of him. Breathing deeply she gathered her magic and sent it out focusing on her husband and the response was nothing.
No! My husband is alive and I will find him! She pictured him, remembering when she found him looking down to her when he pulled her out of Voldemort's twisted mind fuck.
She felt nothing return and wept lying on the bed that her husband previously occupied. He left her without saying a word. Severus Snape was in for some words when she found him, breathing in the sandalwood scent left on the sheets that was uniquely his.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Severus showered and dressed in tan slacks and a dark blue long sleeve button down shirt. Leaving his room he went down the steps and into the dining room of the bed and breakfast he booked a room fat or a week.
He asked for eggs on toast with tomatoes and watched the old lady move away to place his breakfast order and walk back with a pitcher of orange juice and a glass placing the items in front of him and walked away without a word.
The waitress must have sensed that he did not want to talk, watching her interact with other lodgers, speaking to them and smiling back at their replies.
He left Hermione without a word of good-bye or a note because the White lady hinted it. He Apparated away from Hermione's house thinking of the White Lady and wound up here.
Hermione. He knew their Bond was broken but why was he still connected to her?
The waitress interrupted his thoughts and placed his breakfast in front of him asking if there was anything else he required. He shook his head and tucked in, knowing he would be contacted in time.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Arthur and Neville visited her the next day excited that she would find her husband and explain the plan.
Hermione answered the knock on her door smiling when she realized her visitors and motioned them in and led them to the kitchen, motioning them to sit at the counter and made tea for them and placed the mugs in front of them. "What brings you here this morning?"
Neville looked to Arthur unsure, not seeing Severus in the room.
"We just wanted to see how you were doing after last night." Arthur murmured in reply, picking his cup of tea up and sipped it. "I'm fine Arthur. Dwight promised to clear Severus's name and I hope he did."
Neville realized that she did not know her husband was alive. What the hell? They left wards on the house as strong as those at Hogwarts.
He pulled the Daily Prophet out of his robes and handed it to her. "He did Hermione."
Hermione took the paper and read it, the front page with a picture of Voldemort dead body and the details of the raid heavily edited. On page two there was an article with Justice detailing the rise and hunt of Voldemort, stating time and time again that Severus Snape was involved in it and realized the fact after the Dementor kissed him, declaring that they were wrong and a monetary award would be given to the widow Hermione Snape. She flicked through the pages and noted that her name was mentioned time and time again in the raid, not mentioning she was incapacitated most of the battle.
She placed the paper down. "Too late for him Arthur." She whispered. "You should have done more because you knew he helped us."
Arthur held his hand out. "Severus turned himself in publicly. You know if he acted differently we could have done more." Where the hell did the ex-headmaster go to? He should have been here for Hermione to find.
Hermione grasped it. "At least Voldemort is dead and we are safe once again. You are a father to me and I will not blame you for how things panned out." She chuckled dryly. "I loved Ron with all my heart and he was the best husband. Loving and caring and he always understood me." Voice breaking. "I know that everyone did not understand I married Severus." Pulling her wand from her pocket and conjured a phial from a page of the Daily Prophet and transformed it into a phial. Pointing her wand to her head, she pulled all of her memories and placed it into the phial and handed it to him. "State secrets Arthur and this must never be released. Tuck them away wherever the Ministry hides nasty little secrets."
Arthur took the phial from her. "You're going to leave?"
"Not right away but I might in the future. It depends on how things settle down now that Voldemort is dead again."
Neville looked confused. "What the Hell's is going on here?"
Hermione looked to Neville. "Tell him as well."
Arthur nodded and pulled Neville to him. 'Come, Luna is at St. Mungos and you haven't seen her yet."
Hermione escorted them to the door and watched her friends leave. She would have to think carefully and plan her future accordingly. She sensed that she would have to hide the fact that she knew her husband was alive.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Arthur escorted Neville to the special ward created just for those hold by Voldemort. An Auror stood at the door leading to the ward, wand pointed to them as he motioned for the two to place their wands in one of five stands on the table.
"Arthur Weasley Minister of Magic Allowed. Neville Longbottom, husband of Luna Longbottom Allowed." A voice sounded out.
The Auror took the wands out of the stand and gave them back and tucked his wand back into his robes.
Neville watched the door open and followed Arthur inside. "A bit much don't you think Kingsley?"
"Voldemort gathered new followers and we have no idea who they are. This is best for the time being to keep them safe." Arthur replied back as a Medi-Witch approached them.
"Your arrival is unscheduled. All that visit this ward must have an appointment." The older witch remarked with disapproval evident on her face.
"I apologize Madame but we are here for Luna Longbottom. Her husband fought in the battle and has not seen his wife since rescued. He has been busy giving reports." Pushing Neville towardthe Medi-Witch.
The Medi-Witch's harsh expression softened. "Come with me Mr. Longbottom and I will take you to your wife and call her Healer."
Kingsley watched Neville leave with the witch and motioned another Medi-Wich to him. "I want to visit the rest."
The witch led him to a door and opened it, watching the Minister observe the emaciated forms.
"If you want a detailed report I will need to call the Healer in charge of this ward."
"Do it and be quick about your business." Arthur whispered. He watched the witch leave, remaining silent as tears ran freely down his cheeks.
Five minutes passed and Healer Thywaite came in and stood watching the Minister cry in silence.
"Minister, why don't we go into my office and discuss things? They are in a medically induced healing coma but there is always a chance they can be disturbed." He whispered to the red headed wizard and gently took hold of his arm and led him out of the ward.
Thywaite's office was a short distance away and soon Arthur was sat in a small office holding a glass of Firewhiskey.
"Drink the Firewhiskey wizard Healer's orders." Thywaite commanded.
He watched the Minister do as commanded and placed the glass down on the desk in front of him and wiped away his tears.
A clock on the wall clicked out in the office marking time, silence making it sound louder than what it was.
Thywaite watched the younger man shudder and relaxed and let a few more minutes pass by before moving to a chair and sat down and grasped the man's hand.
"I know that it is hard for you Arthur. You know them all personally and I have been involved in it all. That is why Justice came to me and I am the Healer in charge of this ward. I know all of their history. It's hard for me as well and it breaks my heart."
Arthur looked to the older Healer. "Thywaite what are their chances?"
"I think all will survive save one. McCormick has the highest survival rate because he has been fed during his captivity. The others have been starved and suffered extreme sexual and psychological trauma. They were kept alive for a reason and I suspect McCormick was fed to be kept aware, probably allowed to escape by choice but that is speculation on my end."
Thywaite paused, taking a moment to sip his drink before he continued.
"Luna Longbottom will not survive. She is the victim of the Draught of Living Death and been in its embrace for weeks. If caught early I could have healed her myself. It is the strongest of sleeping potions and insidious. The longer it is in place without the counter-potion the more it holds the body and affects the mind and soul. It mimics death but keeps the victim alive, the body slumbering eventually thinks it is dying and the soul inside wastes away. There was a case early on in Voldemort's second rising and nothing I did helped. A Potions master with advanced Legilmens skill was able to pull the wizard from the brink of death."
Arthur shot up from his chair. "Who is the Potions master Thywaite? I will move the earth to get him to her!" He demanded.
"You would have to move the earth and get a shovel to help you." Thywaite replied sadly. "Severus Snape was the Master. Mind you I called many and unsuccessful to date."
"How long does she have to live?" Arthur whispered.
"Two weeks at the most. I'm surprised Luna has lasted this long. It may be because she is a Fey witch and many do not understand their unique majiks." Thywaite murmured and stood up when Arthur left him without a word.
Meanwhile Neville sat next to Luna in the private room and held her cold, bony hand, numb at the Healer's words of no more than two weeks before she succumbed to death.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Severus sat on a large rock facing the bay and looked out. It was beautiful here he reflected. Three days with no contact and that gave him plenty of time to reflect. Oh Hermione! She had given him purpose in her love for him.
He sensed he was being watched and jumped up from the rock he sat on and twirled, wand out and snarled. "I see your shimmer at your pathetic attempt to hide yourself and I will kill you if you do not reveal yourself!"
A moment passed and Severus watched the intruder revealed himself. "You've not changed at all Severus Snape." The wizard chuckled.
Severus observed the man dressed in the robes of an Unspeakable watching him with no wand in hand.
"So the Ministry has found me. Enjoy the last moments of your life!" He snarled out.
"Ignore the robes of my office Severus." Donovan replied. "I did not have a chance to change and I am aligned with the Lady. I know you remember me."
Severus stood still remembering his fellow Slytherin from years ago wand still held out. "I remember you Donovan. Why are you're here?" He growled out.
"Put your wand down Severus. I'm not here to turn you in but to take you to what you seek but we have something to do first. " Donovan replied.
Donovan chuckled watching Severus continue holding his wand out to him. "Whenever you're ready Severus. I have all the time in the world but a young witch does not have that choice."
Severus lowered his wand and tucked it into pocket eyes narrowing in distrust. "Who sent you? Only three know I am alive." He snarled out.
"Erin sent me. I was supposed to take you straight to her but a matter in the Wizarding world takes precedence Severus." Donovan replied.
"And who is that Donovan? Surely not my wife because I know she is well."
Donovan took the chance to approach his fellow Slytherin. "It's Luna Longbottom. Erin says she is important and we must save her."
"She survived Voldemort's imprisonment? Good for her and I do not understand why you are here." He warily replied not trusting the wizard.
"Luna is at St. Mungo's with no chance of survival Severus. She is a victim of the Draught of Living Death and Erin told me that you would understand. I am here to escort you because I can take you there un-noticed to heal her because I am an Unspeakable. I've been told you are her only hope because she has been under its influence for weeks."
"Take me to her." Severus growled out and felt Donovan's hand on his shoulder, feeling cold.
"Don't worry of it Severus. The Magic I use will ensure you are not detected as the ward of Voldemort's victims is heavily warded. It will be dark when we get there and hardly any people about as I can hold us in flux until the proper time to appear.
Severus felt sleep take hold of him and felt himself pulled and found himself at an opened door at St. Mungo's.
Donovan urged Severus forward. "All guarding the victims are unconscious. Come!" Donovan whispered. Severus moved past the two Aurors slumped at the door and stood for a moment seeing the bony, emaciated witches in beds for a moment before Donovan dragged him through another door.
Severus grabbed the chart and hissed at Donovan. "Watch the door!"
Donovan moved to the door and cracked it open, his view of the patients in the ward.
They've overdosed her with the antidote trying to bring her back and it was not counter-acting but joining itself with the Draught of Living Death. He could work through that.
He grasped her cold, bony hand and held it, thinking of life, what he knew of her. Concentrating on her alone he slipped into her mind. It was dark in there, as cold as he body. "Luna! Luna Lovegood come to me!" Sending the words out into the darkness.
The light flickered as if it awakened and pulsed becoming brighter.
"Your husband misses you Luna. He is sad that you are in this state and loves you so. Wake up so you can see him." Severus urged.
Donovan turned to look at Severus holding the poor witch's hand, a light sheen of sweat the ex-Headmaster's forehead.
The light grew brighter and pulsated growing larger, pushing the darkness away.
"Focus Luna. Everyone has been rescued and you must come back to help them. We need your Fey magic. They need your Fey Magic to live. Hurry Luna! Push the darkness back." He urged.
A brilliant bright light shot out and surrounded him before he was pushed out of her mind.
Severus came to his senses and looked to warm eyes that should be impossible given her state.
"Voldemort is dead Luna." Severus whispered to her.
Luna smiled. "I don't think so Headaster Snape. You don't believe it." She croaked out before falling back to sleep, her chest rising normally know versus shallow. A soft yellow light pulsed in the room and shot out.
Donovan pulled Severus from the chair and pushed him to the wall and used a special shimmer that would not be revealed from any Auror revealing charms sent. Sensing the wizard was spent, he pulled him down to the floor to rest . "They had an alarm set if she recovered her magic. We will wait and see what happens."
Three wizards and a witch rushed in with one shouting . "Justice I can't believe your Aurors are sleeping on the job! It helps because we did not have to go through their security for this is a miracle!"
Justice growled he would look into it and stood aside as Neville, Healer Thywaite and Hermione Snape rushed to the bed.
Thywaite pulled his and out muttering diagnostic spells and all came back green indicating full magic and recovery.
"I don't understand Thywaite. We haven't done anything yet." Hermione spoke out.
Neville fell on his knees next to the bed. "Can you wake her? I need to see if this is true or just a horrible nightmare I am going through!"
"Patience Mr. Longbottom. No one has recovered fully from the amount of time under the Draught of Living Death's influence in such a short time. Maybe she sensed you earlier. She is Fey and her magiks are different. Perhaps your visit was a catalyst. I don't know." Thywaite calmly replied looking for her chart and found it on the floor and picked it up, tapping his wand to record the diagnostics. He would have a word with his staff about being sloppy later.
Hermione held Neville back thinking. She was called here on the off chance she could help because she was married to the only Potion Master known to bring one back such as she. But they were not meant to start until tomorrow.
Thywaite thought for a long moment. He could wake her and if his diagnostics were true it would not affect the patient and if not would not change anything. Pointing his wand to Luna he whisper "Reinverate" and watched the witch stir and opened her eyes.
"Oh Luna!" Neville sobbed out. "I thought I lost you and I've missed you so!" Grabbing her hand.
"Water," Luna croaked out. "Get Harry! Get Arthur and Molly!"
Hermione rushed to the table and poured a glass of water and helped her up trying not to grimace at the bones pressing into her arms. There was not much left of Luna. She placed the against her friends lips and allowed a small bit of water.
Luna drank the small sip down and felt the water go down. It was the best and sweetest thing she ever tasted.
"Luna how were you able to come back?" Hermione whispered.
Thywaite shouted out. "Get them now Justice!"
His words fell on empty words for the wizard already left.
Soon Harry, Arthur, and Molly arrived escorted by Justice. "I'm sorry about not allowing you to dress but you see why I was urgent."
Harry rushed to Luna. "Hey you." He whispered
"Good five are here that cares and loves. It's what I need to heal them." Luna spoke in a faraway voice. "Fey magic intensifies with those that love."
"What do you mean Luna?" Neville whispered out.
Luna sat up and Thywaite noticed she was in a trance.
"Harry, Arthur, Molly, Hermione and my sweet husband Neville. Think of love you have for those out there and conjure up roses. We need the petals."
The room grew quiet and Severus watched the most beautiful roses he had ever seen appeared. "Luna is using Fey Magiks." Severus whispered to Donovan.
Luna glanced over where the two wizards were hid and smiled for a moment before focusing on Hermione.
"Good. We must be as born fresh." Luna murmured back before standing up with the help of Neville and pulled her hospital gown off.
"Snape saved me and reminded me what I need to do. You must be as I." She murmured. "Fresh as we call to the Mother of Majik"
Neville undressed immediately and looked to the shocked group. "Do it if you want to heal them. I love and trust her."
Harry and Hermione immediately complied and a warm light enveloped them just as it did to Neville.
Arthur and Molly complied once they saw the light.
Luna smiled. "Take me to them Neville. All follow in a line and pluck petals off and surround the room."
Thywaite and Justice watched the naked wizards and witches Luna and Neville out of he room and into the ward.
"What do we do Thywaite?" Justice hissed.
"We stay here and let her work whatever magiks she that has drawn to her. We will not break it as she was specific on who she called."
Justice nodded. "She said Snape and glanced to a corner." Pulling out his wand and spoke revealing charms and nothing returned.
Thywaite looked to Justice. "Perhaps the presence of Hermione Snape close by triggered her release. We will not know until I speak to Luna afterwards."
"Are you going in there?" Justice demanded
"No and you will not as well. We will break the pure majiks that are being performed."
The group moved plucking petals off and covering the floor of the ward. The roses never became bare and soon all surrounded Luna holding roses.
Luna moved away and closed her eyes. "Mother of Magik I call upon you and plead that you heal those that have suffered from the Dark. We love them and wish for you to focus our love for those that have suffered. We stand before you just as we arrived into this world, our Magiks pure for you,"
All fell into a trance speaking an unknown language as all of the witches suddenly sat up screaming in pain before shouting out in joy and laid back into the bed as one.
Thywaite held Justice back holding the wizard close to him. "We wait!" He growled out.
Five minutes passed after the screams were heard and silenced. . "Now Thywaite?" Justice growled out.
"Stay Justice and I will see what has happened. You must promise not to follow me."
Thywaite entered the ward and found the naked group on the floor unconscious. Moving to one witch in the bed his diagnostics flared green. He quickly conjured up five beds and placed the naked witches and wizards into them before calling Justice in.
"She healed them Justice using Love. Go and I will call you when they are awake."
Justice nodded in understanding. Being in his Order trained him not to question when the Lady intervened in those of the world.
Severus and Donovan watched the wizards leave. "We need to go now Severus." Donovan whispered.
"No we stay." Severus hissed out.
Soon the door opened to Luna's empty room and Hermione appeared looking gaunt and spent dressed in a hospital gown.
"I know you're here Severus and thank you for saving Luna. Our Bond is broken but I love you Severus. Please come to me when you can." She whispered out.
The wizards watched her leave, closing the door softly behind her.
Donovan pulled Severus to him "Time to meet your destiny Severus Snape."
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Justice interviewed them all and no one remembered anything except arriving in Luna Longbottom's room at St. Mungos. He told Thywaite to releasethey were healed as no one remembered anything. Even the victims only remembered the time captures and not the time spent at St. Mungo's only remembering there capture and Luna did not remember anything at all, especially her words of Snape saving her.
He watched Luna closely. She connected all of the victims to one another and allowed them to heal. A miracle in itself he reflected. He opened the parchment from Aunt Erin with the demand that he step down and go back to Ireland.
He grabbed a quill and inked a response. "No I will see this through."
Calling his owl down from the rafters above him, he handed the bird his response. "She'll be angry and you know how she is so don't bother to stay."
The owl flew out the window and he closed it behind the bird.
Justice sat at his desk, candles flickering in the room. He could not forget the way Hermione looked naked and cursed that his thoughts drew to her, realizing why she undressed without a thought. He was a wizard after all and a very interested one when it concerned Hermione Snape.
.