Chapter 14
"This is exceedingly promising, Albus," I state, doing my best to remember that I am a Healer and must temper my elation in the name of professionalism. After all, it wouldn't benefit my reputation to have it be known that my response to a treatment proving effective is to break out into a happy dance, complete with the Cabbage Patch. Although, knowing Albus, he would most likely join me. "The rate of spread has decreased by 72 percent! I really think we are on to something with this treatment. Between the spell regiment, the muggle meds, and the potions Severus created I believe we can slow it even further, maybe even cure it completely."
"You and Severus are a formidable team, to say the least," Albus replies nonchalantly. "That is why I have full faith in you both for what I am about to ask of you."
"Go ahead, Albus, you know I will help you in any way I can."
"If, for some reason, your combined genius is still not enough to stem the curse and save my life, you must firstly, not blame yourself. Secondly, I am sure Severus has confided in you the task I have requested of him, despite my demanding his secrecy," he says with a distinct twinkle in his eyes, "so surely you are aware that his role within the Order will significantly change." He looks at me expectantly and all I can do is nod as I try to figure out where he is going with this. "When that happens, our communication line for the vital information Severus attains will be severed. It is essential that Severus's cover remains uncompromised and that Tom, and the world at large, see him as a loyal Death Eater. Unfortunately, this will have to include the Order members. I fear Severus will face retribution from those he needs the most, and from those who still need him, though they will not know it. He will become a pariah. As much as I loathe for that to be the case, it must be done for the Greater Good. Therefore, I am asking you to step in as the conduit for Severus and the Order. He will send information to you through a secure method and I am asking you to relay it to the Order. You must not reveal where the information has originated, but you must convince the members that it is reputable and that you personally are trustworthy."
I am frozen for a moment as I try to process what Albus has told me. My Ravenclaw brain knows that it makes perfect sense for me to act as the conduit between Severus and the Order, after all, I am clearly the person closest to him, but my cynical side can't help but doubt the feasibility of this plan. "No offense, Albus, but how exactly am I supposed to accomplish that? I have been a member of the Order for less than a year, and I have only been on the Hogwarts staff a few years. Most of the rest of the Order members have worked here for decades, and they were part of the Order during the 80s. Do you really expect them to just trust my word when I suddenly start bringing them insider Death Eater information and refuse to reveal how I obtained it? They are going to think I am a traitor and am setting them up for a fall, especially after what happened to poor Lily…and Potter. Don't get me wrong, I think you are a brilliant man, but this plan is just plain barmy! Couldn't you inform someone else in the Order about what Severus is doing? Just one person, who everyone already knows well and trusts implicitly? Oh, how about Minerva? She would be perfect!"
"Minerva is well respected and trusted by everyone in the Order, yes, but unfortunately she is not skilled in occlumency so her security could be compromised far more readily than yours. It is also well known that she is my second in command both inside and outside of the school, so she will be the most likely target, aside form Harry of course, once I am gone. Your relationship with me is no more than Headmaster and Professor, as far as the world at large knows. Aside from that, uh…incident with Dolores and Cornelius, your allegiance in this war is not known. From the outside looking in, you appear to be one of many neutral parties who is just trying to keep her head down and go about her professional duties. That low profile makes it unlikely that the Death Eaters would consider you a target of much worth."
As much as I hate to admit it, the Headmaster makes some good points. Still, I can't acquiesce without flushing out all possibilities. "Couldn't we try to teach her occlumency? I feel like that might be easier than getting the entire Order to trust me."
"I have tried, my dear girl, Merlin how I have tried! Minerva has many admirable strengths, but unfortunately Mind Magics are not one of them. I am afraid her forthright nature makes it more difficult for her to occlude. I suspect that is why a great number of accomplished occlumens have donned the green and silver uniform."
"Ok, well isn't there someone else in the Order? Maybe Kingsley, or Moody? They were both Aurors, I imagine they have to have some training in occlumency," I throw out.
"Indeed they have, but given Moody's current distrust of Severus, I harbor no hope that he would give him any chance to explain his position after I have been…gone. As for Kingsley, I appreciate and admire the man greatly, but his relationship with Severus is tepid at best. Honestly, Severus's relationship with everyone other than you falls into that category. That is why it is essential that you be his contact. You are the only one, sad to say, who will equally consider the matter of Severus's safety, in addition to his usefulness to the Order. Even I am guilty of sacrificing the poor boy's well being for the sake of this war. I am not as much a foolish old man as some believe. I know the toll Severus's service to me has taken upon him, and on the day of my death, that will be one of my biggest regrets. The only solace I may find, is that he will have you beside him to help him through the darkness. He will need you more than he ever has before, though I have no doubt he will do his best to push you away. He will say horrible things to you and try to shut you out in an effort to save you from the curse he believes himself to be. Please, promise me that you will not desert him as everyone else has. He has spent his entire life trying to rectify the sins of his youth, and he has had no one to count on, in all that time. If I am to die, I need to know that he will not be left alone. Please Eleanor."
I am not usually an emotional person by any means, especially in front of others, but I know there are tears pouring down my face, thinking about the Hell that my beloved has endured and the effect it has had on him. "Of course I won't desert him! Severus is the love of my life, and I will stay by his side no matter what. If he has to walk through Hell, then I will too, right next to him. I know how difficult it is going to be, and I am fully expecting him to try to pull away through any means necessary, he already has tried a few times, but I'm a tough, stubborn woman and once I have a goal in mind I don't quit until I reach it. Being with Severus and being able to live our lives together, having him free of that madman and able to move on and forgive himself, that is my ultimate goal. Nothing short of death will stop me from reaching it," I vow with a fire burning in my eyes.
Albus gives me a small smile and nods as if I am confirming something he already knew. "I am glad to hear it. That is precisely why you must be his line of communication. Giving him a reason to stay in regular contact with you will make it more difficult for him to force himself to let you go, and it will remind him what he is fighting for when times are darkest. As for the Order trusting you, I will do what I can to plant the seeds of confidence, starting with the meeting this evening."
"Very well," I sigh, knowing when I am beat. Truth be told, I would welcome the opportunity to be Severus's continued connection to the Order, so long as I know the members won't turn on me in suspicion. With any luck, though, none of this will even be necessary. Given the progress in Albus's treatment I am hopeful that he can be cured and we will not need to resort to Severus killing him in order to save Draco and cement his place in the Dark Lord's inner circle. I am sure if Albus is no longer faced with his certain death via curse we will be able to come up with an alternate means to save Draco.
"Excellent! Then we shall begin right away. As you know, there is an Order meeting scheduled for this evening. I shall begin laying the groundwork for your trustworthiness then.
"Ok, what should I do to help?" I inquire anxiously.
"Just be yourself, my dear girl. Trust your instincts and you will be just fine," he replies cryptically.
"Very helpful, thanks," I say with heavy sarcasm which seems to go right over the Headmaster's head since his only response is a twinkling eye and a smile.
"He's late," Severus seethes as he stares at the door of Grimmauld Place as if it has personally offended him.
"We're well aware," Moody grumbles in response.
"He's never late," Severus continues, ignoring Moody's aggravated comment altogether.
"Perhaps he got held up at the school?" Arthur Weasley suggests, doing his best to keep the tense group of Order members calm in the face of uncertainty regarding Albus's whereabouts.
"He hasn't called upon me," Minerva counters. "If it was an issue at Hogwarts that was keeping him he would have sent me a patronus, or Fawkes."
"I can go back to the school to see if he is there," I suggest, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. I can see them silently conferring with one another, a hint of suspicion lingering on some of their faces. Minerva, Remus, and Severus are the exceptions, knowing me better from working with me and having known me in my school days, but aside from them it is clear that the rest of the Order are still wary about me. I try not to take this personally; after all, they have only known me a short while and most of them have been working together since the first war. Given the fact that have also been betrayed by one of their own in the past, it is only natural that they would be cautious. Still, I can't help but think that if they are suspicious of me going back to the school to check on Albus, they are certainly not going to just accept my classified intelligence about the inner workings of the Death Eaters if it comes down to Severus needing to go deep under cover.
"If you could, Eleanor, that would be-" Minerva begins, but is interrupted by the crack of apparition. Suddenly, all eyes are off of me and onto the Headmaster, who is on his knees in the living room, doubled over in clear pain.
I barely register the gasps all around me as I automatically go into "Healer Mode" and run towards the injured Headmaster. "Albus, what happened? Where are you hurt?" I ask as I begin casting basic diagnostic spells.
"Ambushed. Hogsmeade. Cursed…from behind," he wheezes out. "Pain…in abdomen."
I concentrate my scans to the area of pain and find that Albus has been hit with an ApostemaMulta curse. I exhale in relief; the cures isn't fatal, just painful. It creates a series of ulcers and abscesses in the victim. "Okay, Albus, lie down," I instruct as I conjure a stretcher. Severus and Arthur help to gently pull the Headmaster up off the floor and place him on the stretcher as I instruct everyone else to back away and give us some room. Once everyone is a few feet back I raise my wand and begin casting the countercurse. "Prazole Tollo Congero Maxima!" I emphasize as I swirl my wand in a serpentine pattern over Albus's abdomen. To my relief, a pale blue light eminates over his stomach and I see the grimace fade from the Headmaster's countenance. In a matter of moments he is back to his usual twinkling self.
"Excellent work, my dear," he exclaims with a smile as he sits up from the gurney. "I knew if anyone would be able to help me, it would be you."
"Albus, what happened?" Minerva interrupts, caught between worry, relief, and frustration.
"I popped over to Hogsmeade to speak with my brother and upon leaving the pub I am afraid I was accosted from behind. I was barely able to apparate here before the pain became overwhelming," he says with an annoying smile on his face.
"Why were you out in Hogsmead alone, you foolish old man?!" Severus snaps. "You know damn well the Death Eaters will take any chance they can to eliminate you, and yet you go traipsing about on a jolly stroll to visit your brother!" he seethes, earning glares from a fair portion of the Order members.
"Watch your tone," Moody growls at him, but all he gets for his trouble is Severus's patented Glare of Messy Death in return.
"Although I disagree with Severus's method of delivery, I agree with his sentiment, Albus. It was indeed foolish for you to go out there alone. What would have happened if there was more than, I assume, a lone Death Eater in Hogsmeade today? You could have been killed, and then where would we be? You are not invincible, Albus! You had best remember that if you wish to survive this war," Minerva huffs, turning away sharply and heading for the kitchen, no doubt to grab a fortifying cup Scottish Blend.
"Indeed, I was not thinking properly, it seems," Albus concedes with a near shrug of his shoulders. "Lucky for me Elle here agreed to join the Order and was able to fix me up, right as rain. My sincere thanks, for that," he directs towards me, making me blush at the compliment.
"Thank Merlin for that!" Minerva shouts waspishly from the kitchen, and her sentiment is echoed by the other members of the Order, some even capping me on the should with thanks. Of course, this only makes me blush more. Stupid pale Welsh and English skin! Why do you have to glow like a string of fairy lights every time someone compliments us!
Suddenly, though, my embarrassment at his praise and self-castigation over that embarrassment is usurped by blinding outrage. Why, you ask? Well, it is at this moment that Albus quite distinctly winks at me. He winks with that insufferable twinkle in his eye and it is then that realization washes over me. This was no random lone Death Eater attack! Albus would never be caught so unawares; not when the man is near omniscient! This is the one man Voldemort fears; do we really think some low level lackey would be able to sneak up on him? And even if they could, why would they cast an ApostemaMulta of all curses upon him? Sure, it's painful, but it doesn't lead to death, or have the possibility of permanently incapacitating the victim like the Cruciatus. This is more the type of curse someone would cast on an irritating neighbor, or someone who owes them money, or on…an annoying brother! That's it! Aberforth must have cast this upon Albus! He did say he was at Abe's pub, after all, and every good Ravenclaw (and probably Slytherin) knows the most convincing lies are the ones centered around a truth. But why would Albus's own brother curse him? I have heard rumors that they don't precisely get on, but I can't believe it would be this bad! NO! Of course not! Abe may have cast this curse, but I'll bet my bottom galleon that Albus is the one who told him to! That bloody tosser! This was his plan that he alluded to as a way to get the Order to start trusting me!
"Oh, you're dead!" I mouth to him once everyone has retreated towards the kitchen or dining room.
He beams at me, and I wonder, not for the first time, how Confunded the Sorting Hat was a century ago when it put this man into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. What in the world have I gotten myself into?