The Reveal had its consequences. Let's see, how well our Headmaster is handling it. An avid reader of this fic had wished the goblins to play a bigger role. And they are all in. From now onwards. These are shrewd and calculating magical folks. But against a common foe, all must unite. Things will get AU. The previous generation will not get a chance to complete their education like they could under normal circumstances. Severus and many of his classmates would have to wait for two years after the school is attacked and students are killed by death eaters. They would be invited back to school, once it is made certain had Voldermort's plans of reigning over Magical Britain has been thwarted. They would attend courses that would see them through their newts and owls. And help them get jobs as soon as they step into adulthood. And many would choose to stay away from the castle and instead opt for distant tutoring, a move the Hogwarts teachers and ministry would approve because none of them, could imagine, their beloved school would be attacked in this fashion. This would also be the last time Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic would agree upon something. Have patience, allow the story to clear your doubts as it progresses at its own pace.
Consider yourself pre-warned. And to all those readers under house arrest because of Convid-19, sending across prayers, courage and warm wishes to keep your spirits high. Once again- MournfulSeverity stands as the source of inspiration. In her very first review of the first chapter of "Love Empowered Empathy- Prologue," she had mentioned the word "Obscurial". That got me researching like a mad hare. Thoughts of "venom" and some sequel of "Spiderman" flooded my mind. And with the emotionally loaded "Mute" and the huge fantastic tale weaving in the backdrop of "Love Empowered Empathy"- Baby's Breath was quietly born in one of my sleepless nights. I hope against hope I shall not disappoint my readers.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, but my thoughts of AU and OC, the rest all belong to J K Rowling. This mind lives in the Harry Potter fanfiction world though this body is still thankfully anchored in the monotonous reality of existence. The stories I write can indirectly be influenced by many of the brilliant fanfiction writers on this site. And I humbly bow to such creative genius who give me much needed literary pleasures to see through the toils of mundane life. Lastly, I don't have a beta, so please be merciful. Reviews would encourage this introvert writer to peep out of her literary closet. My very first attempt at writing a Snape and Hermione and Dramione fanfiction ever.
chapter 24
Remus Lupin had been on his toes the moment, he had started feeling the surge of Severus's magical force, bristling against his own. A quick glance around the room had given more thrust to his growing unease. Narcissa Malfoy had been shooting pleading glances at him. His mother in law had been trying to signal him to root himself behind Severus. And Draco Malfoy had truly been afraid. Though that man had learned to mask all that under the guise of nonchalance. And like him, the Malfoy Head had not put his trust entirely on the Goblin's tale. He had questioned and had pushed at the other's buttons. Lupin had sensed those subtle swifts in Griphook's moods, goblin or not, that man was certainly holding onto his withering senses for too long.
Lupin had known first hand, Severus Snape's prowess. But today, he had tested his extents. When the man had closed his eyes to hold on to his slipping control for the last time, unlike many others, Lupin had quietly made for the banister again. If Snape had harmed all the others while unleashing that fury burning within his heart, someone should be around to handle him instead. And Time had been of greater importance. While others had been mercilessly tossed out of the room, portraits dropped off from their perches and shattered across the floor, chairs exploded, the headmaster's desk, crashed on the spot, the tall bookshelves broke off, books and parchments ripped themselves apart- the werewolf thought perhaps, this was how those disaster-hit seaside towns looked like after a hurricane had passed over.
And in a batted breath, he had waited. He had stood still, under the staircase, beside the shelf of potions, whose bottles had evaporated into dust and whose liquid contents had started overflowing. From his hideout, he had witnessed Fawkes coming to Severus's aid. Singing to him, even Lupin had felt his nerves relaxing to the soft chirping. The wizard in question had swayed in response, a while later, he had crumbled into a heap. His billowing robes, surrounding him like ripples of a dark lake. And he had moaned, hitting himself with growing force, and had held up his wand and a curious case. He had been talking to himself, in broken words. He had suddenly, leaped up to his feet and had dashed up the stairs hitting on the boards with such determined forces, and Remus feared they might crash under the man's weight.
The moment the door of his private quarters had banged against its hinges and was shut close, the rampant magic, making those pages and scrolls whirl in the thick air of the destroyed office had dropped on the floor. Undecided and scared for his own safety, the DADA professor had taken a couple of deep breathes and had thought of counting numbers to steel his nerves. A psst psst sound from the right had surprised him. Coming out of his hideout in muffled tiptoes, he had discovered, that the portraits of Dilys Derwent and Phineas Black have miraculously survived. And it was Dilys who had been beaconing him to come closer still. Kneeling in front of the portrait of the dead headmistress, he had whispered in a shaky voice, "What…?"
The portrait had given him a cross look and had replied in a hurry, "Get a grip Mr. Lupin, grab those phials from under the debris, check on Adriana's portrait. Poor lass was never able to handle too much strain, wrap her portrait up and keep it close to the door. Once Severus allows you to leave, which he will, don't worry, trust me, you look whole and intact, the others are definitely doing much worse. Go up, and stand quietly near that hideous door to those private chambers, never was good enough on those hinges. He would need you. Trust me, he surely would."
Nodding back like an obedient schoolboy, the man had, grabbed the intact phials, and shoved them into his coat pocket. Next, he had walked up to the other portrait, leaning against the broken excuse of a stool, with a covering Adriana Dumbledore peering from behind a pillar of a grey arch. He had wrapped the portrait and had tiptoed close to the door, and had gently placed the frame against the wall, next to it. He had thought of trying the exit door, but with magic bristling over it like a thin sheet of a veil, he decided against it. Standing up, turning towards the staircase, he had glanced up to the other unscratched portrait and nodded at them reassuring. Then without deterring any further, he had crept up. Cautiously he had tried the doorknob and had burned his palm with a nasty jinx. But he could hear sounds coming from the other side. Resigning his fate to those powers he had long started believing in, he had placed his ears at a crack on the door and had listened on.
Snape's eyes had grown wider when newer realizations had started knocking at his disposition in full force once again. in reverence he had muttered "baby's breadth"- then he was clambering across the ruined office, ancient books and tomes, glass and scrap wooden crushing under his dragonhide boots. Taking the stairs at two, he had hurriedly got into the chambers. Without being aware, he had simply flicked his wand at the door. And had made his way into his bed chambers. The candles had lit up at the approach of its occupant and the light had bathed the walls with a dull golden glow.
Severus had sensed the presence of the werewolf at the other side of the closed door, but he was past caring for accusing him to take his snout out of others' affairs. This was about Lily and about Hermione, and Severus was sane enough to understand, he would need to rely on someone like one patient and cool headed Remus Lupin.
Once inside his sparely furnished bed-chamber, Severus with shaking hands had opened the ribbon tied letter given by Draco. It read,
"How do I love thee… (1)
If thou must love me (2)
E.B.B
When his tears had started falling afresh, a few drops had landed on the piece of the parchment, more lines had appeared in the elegant script of his long-dead friend.
When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."
J K, G urn
"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies."
Aristotle
"Good Morrow" my sage "Good morrow".
JD
Severus had dropped to his knees. Hold his faces within his palm, he had started weeping. "Oh! Merlin! Lilac!"
His head was pounding. His heart was throbbing in his veins. A stray owl had hooted close to the nearby window. His head had snapped at the sudden sound. And in trembling hands, he had leaned forward and had unlocked the last compartment of his dresser. From within it, he had brought out, a crate. With great caution, he had canceled the spells that kept it secured, undetectable. Under the flickering light of the candles, one could see several small globes of glass-lined up neatly within. Every inch of the crate was filled with glass globes, and within each globe, small bouquets of baby's breath were kept, fresh like the day they were cut from their bushes. He had run his hands over all of them, speaking to himself, "She knew, she knew, and I had pushed her away."
"Oh! Merlin, she knew…she knew, and she had tried to tell me, I was not alone and that I had a reason to live once again."
Among the glass globes, there was an old notebook. With utmost care, he had picked that up and opened it. In the middle, two pages from each half were joined together and had been cut out to represent a three-dimensional bunch of baby's breaths. Below the pop-out image, in small handwriting, it was written drawn by SS, painted by LE.
The first half of the notebook was covered with doodles of sage leaves and on each page, quotes of love, friendship, spring were written, they were mostly from famous muggle poems. Sobbing still, reverently, he had closed the notebook. He had held it close to his chest. Along with it, he had picked up the letter, and a single glass globe, that still cushioned a fresh bunch of baby's breaths. And had truly, cries out in pain and anguish. Rocking on his knees, wailing at his loss, he had allowed those locked up hopelessness to fall. tears of desolation had tumbled one after the other. Finally, in realized panic, he had uttered," Lil, Oh! Lil, all these while, all these years…"He had picked himself up from the floor and had hurled himself across the glass windows looking out to the grounds of Hogwarts.
Since Severus had forgotten to place a silencing spell on his door, Lupin could hear him rave and wail through the door. The werewolf had to place his palms on the doorframe, to keep his struggling emotions reined up, but he could not foresee how tears were now rolling down his miserable face. Then he heard a loud crash, and simultaneously the main door to the office had clicked open. Surprised and hopeful, he had tried the door to Severus's chambers. A second later, with a yelp he had nestled the bruised palm, the jinx was still active.
Making up his mind, he had dashed down the staircase, barreled across the office, picking up the wrapped-up portrait of Adriana Dumbledore, he had flung the exit door open and ran down the spiral staircase. At the cue of his arrival, the gargoyle statue had jumped aside. And Remus Lupin had found himself face to face with the apparition of "Knight of the undead". Fearing for his life, he had scrambled back, his face that had been lit up with urgency and determination to reach for the grieving the Headmaster had gone ashen, fearing for his own life. As soon as he had fallen back, the apparition had faded away.
A/N: Do drop a word, reviews will help me tackle these depressing times.
