Before they knew it, winter was upon them and the Hogwarts lawn was covered in a thick layer of puffy snow. Serena enjoyed trudging through it on her way to the greenhouses to help Pomona twice a week, and sometimes extended her walk to reach the lake where she charmed snowballs to whizz over the frozen surface.
The Order continued to have regular meetings, and Albus appeared to grow more and more concerned about the infiltration of the Ministry. They were all advised to no longer use any floo network and to take precautions in case they were being followed.
Tensions ran high in the run up to Christmas when Boderick Bode, one of the unspeakables in the Department of Mysteries was rushed to St. Mungo's with brain damage.
"The Ministry have categorised it as a work-place incident," Arthur Weasley explained to the worried Order members one Saturday morning. "But we all know this is too much of a coincidence to be so."
"Is it possible he was under the Imperius, Albus?" Minerva asked, "Or is it more likely that You-Know-Who has simply got him to change sides?"
Albus took off his half-moon spectacles and folded his arms across his deep purple robe. "Severus has no news of Bode having any links to known Death Eaters. Nymphadora is currently surveying his family to make sure they have not been threatened in anyway, in return for the prophecy."
Serena looked up at Severus and raised her eyebrows. They tended to stand next to each other at meetings now, often in the far corner of the room, listening and watching. The many looks they had first received had lessened, although she often caught Molly Weasley's concerned gaze or a scowl from Sirius if ever they stood too close.
"How is Bode's condition?" Remus asked calmly from where he was sitting at the long table.
Arthur Weasley sighed. "He believes he's a teapot. His brain is completely addled, he has no speech."
"Will he know if he has been under the imperius curse?" Molly asked.
"Yes," Severus said curtly, his eyes dark. "If he recovers his senses he should be able to tell us."
"What protection does he have?" Remus asked, looking at Albus questioningly. "If he recovers his mental capacities he will become a threat to Lord Voldemort."
Serena felt Severus' slight twitch next to her and frowned. Hearing The Dark Lord's name caused him pain and it always annoyed her when the others said it in his presence.
"We have one undercover spy stationed in the hospital," Albus said quietly, looking over at Severus. "Anymore would attract too much attention."
There was a general murmur of agreement and Serena turned to Severus quietly. "Do you know who could have imperiused him?" she murmured quietly.
"I have an idea," he said shortly, gazing into her eyes and bringing the image of Lucius Malfoy to the forefront of his mind.
She grimaced, "that's what I thought."
…
It was the last week before the holidays and Serena and Severus were sitting in a small pizzeria in the centre of London. Severus had been in a bad mood all week as someone had bewitched snowballs to fall him around every time he stepped into the grounds, and mistletoe kept appearing over the entrance to his office. Serena suspected Peeves. She had reserved one of their favourite restaurants to try and cheer him up and had been surprised by his gratitude.
"What do you think of the wine?" he asked in his deep, silky voice, his eyes reflecting the candle dancing on the table in front of them.
"As rich and delicious as your eyes," she smiled flirtingly, laughing when Severus snorted with disgust. "Sorry, that was way too cheesy."
"Indeed."
"Almost as cheesy as the Christmas decorations this year, although I'm surprised that Umbridge hasn't got involved."
"She only likes pink," he said in a scornful voice.
"Unfortunately," she agreed.
"And is probably too busy with writing decrees, honestly, it's become quite ridiculous."
"I thought you were happy ever since Gryffindor's quidditch team had their members banned?"
He raised one of his eyebrows and looked at her with amusement, "I am not happy about her decrees, although Potter thoroughly deserved what he got."
It was Serena's turn to raise her eyebrows.
"And…" he continued in his low, tantalising voice, "I must admit that it is quite enjoyable seeing Minerva's face every time she passes the Quidditch Cup on the fourth floor."
"You terrible man," she smirked, her eyes twinkling.
"Slytherin look set for the win this year."
"Hmm," she said, smiling. "Ravenclaw are in good shape too, you know."
He tutted, "Their seeker Chang is too distracted."
"Oh, I know, the poor thing," she said sadly, "She was in my office again last week, crying. Apparently Sybil made some stupid prediction about her and it really upset her-"
She cut off as the waiter arrived with their food and they began to eat.
"I assume you are at the Malfoy's for Christmas this year?" she asked quietly as she cut up her pizza.
"I am," he said shortly.
"Shall we celebrate on the twenty fourth then? Like last year?"
He gave a small smile. "As you wish."
She smiled back, "Perfect."
They finished their meal and headed back to the castle individually, making sure that Umbridge was unaware of their absence.
"Thank you," Severus said quietly from where he lay on the bed, still dressed in his muggle suit and tie. "For a relaxing evening." His eyes roamed up and down her body as she undressed in front of him and she gave him a reproachful smile.
"You're welcome," she said, blushing under his gaze and pulling her black pyjamas towards her. In a second they were whizzing from her hands.
"No need for those," he said slyly, pointing his wand at her as she tried to cover herself, laughing.
"Accio my wife."
She shrieked as she felt herself being pulled towards him and fell into his arms laughing, shrieking even more as he began to smother her with kisses and caresses.
She was so happy to have found her Severus once again.
…
Her eyes flashed open and she was up and on her feet in an instant, her wand in one hand, her knife in the other, completely naked in the darkness.
"Lumos." The light from Severus' wand illuminated the bedroom and she saw his smirk as his eyes found her.
"Wards," he said softly, tearing his eyes away from her and stepping to his wardrobe to pull on his robes and boots. "Stay here."
She pulled a cloak around her and sneaked through to the hallway, listening intently as Severus walked out into his classroom, fully dressed and alert as though it wasn't one o' clock in the morning at all.
She was surprised when he poked his head around the door just thirty seconds later and said. "You're needed too, get dressed."
She span wordlessly into the bedroom, pulling on jeans and a jumper, charming her comb to brush her hair and casting several breath freshening charms. When she emerged just a minute later, pulling her thick black cloak around her, she, too, looked presentable.
She was startled to find Minerva sitting at the kitchen table, her tartan dressing gown pulled around her, and her hair in a lose braid down her back.
She looked between Severus and Minerva with questioning eyes and sat down in the chair that Severus had pulled back for her.
"What's going on?"
Severus sat down too and Minerva began her tale quickly.
"It's Arthur Weasley," she said in her thick Scottish accent. "He's just been taken to St. Mungo's. He was on duty tonight at the Ministry. It would appear that You-Know-Who sent his snake into the Ministry itself to try and get information. It attacked Arthur. He's in a bad way-"
Severus was already on his feet, pacing back and forth in the small room, his brain clearly whirring with questions and solutions.
Serena leant towards Minerva, "How was he found?" she asked quietly, "Has Molly been informed? How-"
"It was Potter," she said in a shaky voice, and Severus stopped moving, turning rigidly to the table and watching Minerva closely. "Yes, he had some kind of dream…he dreamt that Arthur was being attacked. Albus took him seriously and when Everard checked he was really there, at the entrance to the Department of Mysteries, covered in blood. Albus made sure he was found by the right people, and he's at the hospital now."
"I must see Albus," Severus said sharply, turning into the living room to find his cloak.
"What can I do?" Serena asked quickly.
"Not much with Umbridge," Minerva said darkly. "The Weasley children and Potter have been sent to Headquarters to wait for news. She knows they are gone and is furious. We need to make sure the Ministry doesn't find out that we knew before anyone else, even before Molly for goodness sake."
"Ok, I'll try and head her off and make her think it's all something unrelated," she said quickly. "And I'll try and pop in at Headquarters."
"Yes, Sirius is alone there, I believe, it's a full moon. I must return to Albus"
"Okay, let's go."
Severus was already standing by the door. Without speaking to her, he turned and rapped Serena on the head with his wand three times. She felt the familiar trickle of a dissilusionment charm creep over her body.
Severus cast a discreet Homenum Revelio charm and the three of them slipped out of his rooms and began walking quietly up the corridors, Severus using his years of being a spy to listen and sense anyone approaching. As they neared the Entrance Hall, he stopped suddenly and held out an arm, pushing Minerva into the shadows behind him. Serena had already slipped behind a marble bust and was watching the hallway intensely.
Then she heard it, that familiar click clack of high heels, followed by a short, stunty shadow with its nose held high in the air.
Crack!
Umbridge screamed loud enough to hide the gasp that had escaped Minerva as a flash of light illuminated the hall followed by another loud Crack!
In a heartbeat Peeves the poltergeist was wooshing around Umbridge, cackling loudly as he threw another firecracker into the air and Umbridge shrieked again.
"Oh Umbridge is walking the halls on this night,
So Peevsey he sees her and gives her a fright!"
Umbridge began to scream threats at him and Serena had an idea. She caught Severus' eye in the darkness and sent him a thought.
I'll take care of her, go to Albus.
He gave a short nod and Serena felt her disillusionment charm leave her. She took a deep breath, pulled out her wand, and just as Umbridge turned her back to her, she ran out towards the first floor staircase, she made it to the second step before she span around and cried out, pretending that she had just run down the stairway from her office.
"Peeves!" she cried angrily, her wand pointed at the poltergeist who held a firecracker threateningly. "There you are! I know what you- oh, Professor Umbridge!"
The squat witch narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her.
"Professor Lake," she said rather haughtily, "what are you doing here?"
"Yes!" cried Peeves, "what is Sereeny-weeny doing out of bed? Come to play?" he made to launch the firecracker but Serena vanished it just in time.
"I heard you setting off firecrackers from my chambers, Peeves," she lied in an angry tone. "And it's the second time you've woken me up in two weeks!"
"Not true!" he pouted, but Umbridge seemed to have taken the bait.
"Don't worry Professor Lake, it is just a matter of time before Peeves is expulsed from this castle for good."
"You hear that, Peeves?" Serena said, glaring at him. "Now scarper."
With a muddle of curse words, Peeves threw his last firecracker at Umbridge and zoomed away towards the kitchens.
Serena glanced back to the dungeon staircase, but Severus and Minerva were long gone.
"Professor," she said quietly, stepping closer to Umbridge who was trying to mend a burn in the sleeve of her pink dressing gown. "Whilst I was on the fourth floor, I saw Sir Cadogan who informed me that students were out of bed, I assume that's why you are awake too?"
She congratulated herself on her tactics as Umbridge tumbled into her trap, clearly furious that students had seemingly escaped from under her nose. She went on a long rant which allowed Serena a moment to think hard.
"But Professor, I don't think they're doing wrong at all, Sir Cadogan said that the Fat Lady told him that one of their aunties is sick, so they've been called home. It must be serious, why don't I accompany you back to your quarters?" She took Umbridge by the arm before she could protest and started complaining about Peeves again, a subject Umbridge was all to happy to take up again and let distract her.
It was too risky to leave the castle after that, so Serena slipped back down to the dungeons and awaited news of Arthur nervously. Severus came back at three in the morning, looking angry. He swept past her, his black cloak billowing wildly over the arm of the sofa as he marched to his bookshelves and began pulling out various works, shrinking them wordlessly and slipping them into his pocket.
Serena waited. He chose four or five then span around to her, glaring.
"No news," he said curtly, "other than they do not know if he will live or die. I obviously am well-qualified in poisons, but The Dark Lord is very protective of Nagini and I know nothing about the type of poison she may contain."
"Do you think you can help?"
"St. Mungo's have a special department for developing antidotes and experimental treatments. Healer Smethwyck is in charge of Weasley's care. He is capable if not a tad… unconventional… I have one or two suggestions based upon treatments I have developed for other poisons… I must leave immediately."
She got to her feet as he picked up his emergency potions bag. "Do what you can," she said softly, watching sadly as he took a deep breath and headed back out of the room, stress and pressure lining the creases in his face.
She tried to sleep for a few hours but felt even worse when her alarm went off that morning. She showered and dressed for classes, and at half past eight, Severus got back.
"Well?"
"I believe his is no short-term danger. The leading healer has tried many antidotes and mixed with a particular concoction of mine, it has started to neutralise the poison."
"And the long-term danger?"
"The wounds won't close," he said, frowning. "Their specialists are on the case; it is quite beyond my capacities; it is neither Dark Magic nor poison…"
Serena nodded. "Do you think it is something I could try? Perhaps my powers could-"
"No, it would be pointless," Severus said firmly, his dark eyes boring into hers.
She frowned and made a mental note to go to the hospital that evening. If there was even a tiny chance that she could close Arthur's wounds, then she should try.
"Do you have classes at nine?" she asked, looking him over carefully. His hair was greasy, his face was lined and his eyes were red and exhausted.
He gave a curt nod.
She grimaced. "Right, you have twenty minutes, get a shower, I'll make you a coffee and some toast."
He gave an appreciative nod and went through to the bathroom.
She made a strong coffee for the both of them, added a few drops of pick-me-up to Severus' and handed it to him when he came back just five minutes later, his hair wet and dressed in fresh robes.
"Here," she said quietly. "I should go, there will be students everywhere, do you want to come and throw me out of your classroom? Or should I just storm out?" Not being able to use the floo network was extremely annoying.
"Storm," he muttered, sipping his coffee. "I'll criticise you in front of the Gryffindors."
"Thanks, nothing too personal I hope. I do have a reputation to keep up."
He grunted, finished his coffee and accompanied her into his office. She adjusted her cloak, conjured a nasty scowl and stormed across the classroom, wrenching open the classroom door and turning to snap loudly, "I woke up early for nothing then, Snape, as helpful as a flobberworm as usual!" she turned to face the Gryffindors who were waiting for class, wide-eyed and shocked to see her so angry. She glared at them and stormed up the stairs, enjoying how they scattered like mice before her.
At lunchtime she went straight to Grimmauld Place. Sirius looked even more tired than Severus had. He accepted her hug gratefully and led her down into the kitchen. "The kids are all sleeping," he explained quietly. "Arthur is out of the woods, they're sleeping and they're going to go to the hospital this afternoon."
"Ok," she sighed quietly. "Are they ok?"
He nodded, "just shocked."
"And Harry?"
Sirius' eyes darkened. "I'm not sure yet. Albus won't give me any more information about the boy, it's infuriating."
"You'll have to hope Harry will confide in you then," she said softly, glancing at the door. "He often does."
Sirius made a non-committal noise.
"I'm stopping by St. Mungo's tonight," she said quietly, "Severus was there last night, he said Arthur's wounds are still bleeding. I'll see what I can do."
"Be careful," he said, narrowing his eyes, "Make sure that it's not too much for you."
She rolled her eyes. "Is Remus ok?"
Sirius shrugged, "he's sleeping it off in the attic. He won't come out for at least another twenty-four hours."
She nodded quietly. "Ok."
…
She finished teaching at five o' clock and headed straight down to the gates to apparate to the hospital. Arthur Weasley's ward was almost entirely empty, apart from two men in beds opposite, and he didn't have any visitors. She was grateful.
She gave him a small smile, but inside her stomach clenched. Arthur was deadly pale and his right side was covered in bandages which had blood seeping through them. He was propped up on his pillows with his eyes closed, but as she approached, his eyes flew open and he tried to smile.
"Serena."
"Don't try to speak," she said quickly, slipping down into the visitor's chair next to his bed and glancing hastily around. "You need to save your energy. Look, I don't have much time, but I needed to come and see how you are. Severus said they'd managed to find something against the poison?"
Arthur nodded, a small smile still fixed on his pale lips.
"But it's the wounds that are the problem?"
He nodded again.
"Have they ruled out Dark Magic?"
He nodded.
"What have they tried?"
Arthur reeled off a list of potions and spells in a weak voice whilst Serena listened intently.
"Ok… well, I thought I might as well come and try… It would amaze me if it works, but it's always worth it, right?"
"Serena," Arthur shook his head slowly, "I can't let you do that, they've told me how it works, you have to absorb the pain-"
"Arthur, there is no risk whatsoever here," she said firmly, "The poison won't touch my body and with wounds or cuts, all I feel is the pain, I don't actually get wounded myself. I promise you, there is no risk, but we need to try."
He frowned.
Serena glanced around at the other patients suspiciously. If anyone knew about her special powers, she probably would be kept prisoner in the hospital forever.
"It's ok," Arthur said weakly. "That's the Unspeakable, Bode… doesn't even know his own name…"
"And him?" She eyed the younger man who was sitting upright in his bed and staring into space.
Arthur grimaced. "Just been bitten by a werewolf, he's not really with it either at the moment, poor chap."
Serena matched his grimace and turned her back to the two men.
"Ok." She reached out and gently took Arthur Weasley's cold hand into her warm one. She tried to ignore his feelings- the relief that battled constantly with fear- and focus on his pain. She closed her eyes.
She focussed on Arthur's wounds, finding them with her mind and centring her magic where it was needed. She took deep breaths and used her occlumency to tune out the background noise of the ward and focus only on his body, on his skin, on the great, deep gashes she could visualise in her mind. She tried to take it from him, she imagined the pain and the wound seeping into her own blood, she felt it in her mind, she felt it pulling, resisting her, unyielding, unchanging. She felt the pain he was experiencing, a slow, burning pain, deep into his arm and side, burning like fire and tugging against her will. It wasn't working, she knew it, she felt it. No matter how hard she concentrated, it simply wouldn't heal. She tried a last time, willing her magic to comply, when-
"Having fun?"
Her eyes flashed open and she jerked her hand away from Arthur's as she span around to meet the dark, furious eyes that bore down on her.
She stood up, feeling Arthur's pain subside and wiping what she realised was sweat from her upper lip.
"Severus."
His mind penetrated hers instantly, bursting angrily into the forefront of her thoughts as images and words burst like wand sparks in front of her eyes.
Behind my back, dangerous, forbidden, stupid, idiot, dunderhead, killed!
She tried to push calm and reassurance towards him but she didn't feel very calm or reassured at all.
This could have worked!
It would never have worked! You have no idea the power that snake possesses!
"If you will?" They both jumped as Arthur interrupted their thoughts quietly.
"Arthur," Severus snapped, "I came to talk with Smethwyck, but I can see healers are no longer needed with this one."
Serena glared at him, "not here, Professor."
"Wherever I like," he hissed, his eyes flashing dangerously at her.
Arthur butted in, his eyes flickering between them. "Will someone tell me what is going on?"
"Nothing," Serena said firmly, looking warningly at Severus. "But it's not going to work, Arthur, I really tried my best, nothing was happening… I'm sorry."
Arthur squeezed the hand she held out for him. "Thank you for trying, Serena."
"I'd better get back to the castle," she said quietly, glancing at Severus. "Do you want to accompany me?"
"No," he growled, not looking at her.
"Fine," she said curtly. "I shall see you soon, Arthur, look after yourself."
Severus had refused to go back with her, yet he arrived in their quarters just ten minutes after herself, slamming the door needlessly behind him and stalking up to her with angry eyes.
"How dare you!" he hissed, leaning close to her, his face mere inches from her own.
"How dare I what?" she snapped, pushing past him and walking to the other side of the living room to give herself more space. "I didn't promise you anything, I had to try."
"I said no!"
"And I said yes!" she cried, throwing her arms in the air.
"You sneaked off after lessons-"
"I went after lessons, and I didn't speak to you about it because I already had your opinion."
"It wasn't an opinion¸ it was- it was-"
"What?" she retorted, "an order? Or a kind request? I am your wife not your house elf!"
"Then behave like my wife!" he cried, his brow creased and his eyes losing some of their fierceness. "Behave like someone who has got something to lose!"
Serena paused, feeling all the anger leave her body immediately. "Oh Severus," she said softly. "Severus, you can't expect me to not have tried… I really don't believe there was any real danger, and as you heard, it didn't work anyway… But I had to try… you know me well enough to realise that…"
Severus, too, seemed to lose some of the tension in his shoulders and when she stepped into his arms to hug him tight, he let her without protest.
She felt him rest his chin on the top of her head and sigh heavily. "I knew you were trouble from the moment I saw you," he murmured in a rough voice, his arms wrapping tightly around her.
She chuckled, relieved that they had managed to diffuse the tension as quickly as it had come. They weren't too bad at this marriage thing, after all.
