"Okay, okay," she hushed, trying to support more of his weight as she stumbled along the Hogwarts corridor, a half-unconscious Severus draped over her shoulder. Her wand was held awkwardly in her hand around his back and only half-lit the corridor, but she was sure he was dripping blood onto the stone slabs. She would have to come back and clean it up later, lest Filch find it.
Severus was shaking and silent; two bad omens. She could feel this body fighting the urge to scream and collapse, and her own heart was shrieking with grief inside her.
It had been several months since he had come back from a Death Eater revel in such a state. It had been bound to happen, after all, but it didn't make it any easier to accept.
"Nearly there, nearly there," she whispered, more to reassure herself than him, as sweat dripped down her lip and into her panting mouth.
"Here." She pressed her palm to the door of her quarters and helped him through the doorway. When he collapsed onto her rug, she wondered if he would have even made it back to the castle, had she not been sitting by the window and watching for him.
When she'd seen a dark heap of robes stumbling along the driveway, she had sprinted outside into the cold, February night without a moment's hesitation.
With a thought from her mind, the candles and lamps lit the room almost violently bright, and she summoned her emergency potions from the bathroom, crouching down and undoing the clasp on his Death Eater cloak. Severus was slumped against the sofa, his face deathly pale and his entire body shaking. His eyes were shut, luckily so, because when she undid his cloak she was sure her face must have shown disgust at the extent of the injuries hidden below.
The holes in his shirt showed burns, raw, angry burns and singed, black pieces of skin that were literally hanging off him, revealing the tender red flesh below. A large slicing hex had opened up the lower part of his stomach, just above his belt, and blood dribbled from the wound steadily.
She swallowed hard, her mind working fast, then, trembling, she reached for a large bottle of pain relief.
"Have you taken any potions?"
Severus jerked his head no, his eyes still shut.
She unstoppered the bottle and lifted it to his lips, caressing his cheek soothingly and helping him tip his head back slightly. He drank half the bottle, and then she turned to his wounds. She needed to get his shirt off, but she didn't want to pull more skin off with it. She carefully cut around the worst areas and helped him shrug it off. It was his chest that was the worst, and she could see angry red lines, as though he had been burnt with a red-hot poker.
She turned her attention to his gash, and with one hand on his stomach, she closed her eyes and focussed on the wound, using her powers to knit the skin slowly back together, pressing her teeth together harshly as the horrific pain tore through her body, but not letting out any sound.
She panted through the pain as it subsided and tried to concentrate on the burns.
Then, very delicately, she began to cut away the dead skin, trying not to watch as pieces fell onto her knees. At one point Severus let out a moan of pain and she had to stop to let him gain control of himself again.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she had removed his shirt and sat, staring at the horrific mess of burnt skin and flesh before her.
She swallowed back sick and reached for the burn paste he brewed himself.
Smothering copious amounts onto her fingers, she began to carefully cover each burn, holding him still with a firm hand as he squirmed and writhed against the pain her touch caused.
She knew the burn paste would cool and soothe the wounds, but he was in for a painful few days. She took her time, sometimes going back over the more serious wounds two or three times, layering up the paste and chanting prayers in her head.
When she had finished and verified that he had no other wounds elsewhere, she cleaned her hands and cupped his face gently.
He opened his eyes, flinching slightly at her tender touch. His mind was all steel walls and self-hatred.
"Do you require medical assistance anywhere else?" she asked quietly, keeping her voice as neutral as possible.
He shook his head.
"Okay. I suggest you lie on the sofa, on your back. Don't put anything on your chest and stomach, the air needs to get at those wounds. Do your mind exercises when you are ready, I can see your head is still… back there…"
Severus didn't make any sign of hearing her, but she knew he was still in Death Eater mode and was probably just waiting for her to leave.
"I'm going to retrace your steps and make sure there is no trail of blood," she said quietly. "Then I'll come back, but I'll sleep in my room… take your time."
She stood up shakily, trying not to look at her white rug that was stained crimson. How often had she seen stains of his blood? How often had he been torn open as punishment?
She siphoned the blood off her clothes and hands and summoned her cloak. As she slipped out of the door, she let her eyes fall upon his broken body. His shoulders were hunched over, and his eyes had shut again, as though he was willing the world away.
She closed the door with a quiet click and began retracing their steps, vanishing the drops of blood every few metres.
It was scary how normal it was to them both now, how they knew the motions, how she knew by heart which potions he needed and how much… what terrified her, though, was how he had accepted her help without a single protest. That he had let her heal him with her telempath powers was a clear sign of how bad it must have been for him, and how tired and in pain his body must have felt.
The issue was, however, that they would soon be separated, and he would have to deal with his own injuries. What would she do if she felt the tug of their soul bond? What if her soul pulled her towards him because he was in mortal danger again, because he was dying? What was she supposed to do?
She walked all the way back down to the castle gates, carefully avoiding the aurors that were patrolling, and giving Severus as much time as he needed, before turning back to walk heavily up to the castle.
What had it been this time? She wondered. What had he refused to do or not been able to say? Had he refused to rape someone? Had he stopped a child being tortured? Had he simply tried to protect them all?
When she got back to her quarters, she felt apprehensive as she pushed open her door. The stain on the carpet was gone, the potions bottles were sitting neatly on her coffee table and Severus was nowhere to be seen.
She shut the door carefully and slipped off her shoes and cloak, padding quietly through her living room to the bedroom door. She found him on top of the covers of her bed, lying flat on his back, the burn paste visible all over his chest, and his hands clasped behind his head.
Her side of the bed was free and clearly an invitation.
She gave him a grim smile and went into her bathroom, brushing her teeth and changing into her pyjamas.
When she went back to the bedroom, she took her time carefully undoing his dragon-hide boots and slipping them off his feet before she climbed into bed beside him. She left as much a gap between them as she could, and made sure she didn't touch his skin, but as she looked at his face, he turned his head towards hers.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
She was glad to see that he was back, and that his Death Eater persona had been pushed down into the depths of his mind palace.
"You're welcome," she whispered. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Severus raised his eyebrows and gave half a shrug, wincing as he moved his shoulders. "The Dark Lord wants to know where Albus is going when he leaves the castle… I don't have that information… that is all…"
Serena gave a small nod.
"The Dark Lord… hinted that another attempt would soon be taken on Albus' life… I took that to mean that Draco is planning another attack. I must see him in the morning."
Serena wanted to tell him that he wouldn't be able to put on any clothes for at least two days, but she knew he wouldn't be having any of it, so she merely nodded meekly again.
"Do you want me to warn Albus?"
"No," Severus sighed, "he is well aware that Draco could try at any moment… he is more than careful."
"Do you want me to try to speak to Draco?"
Surprisingly, Severus didn't shake off her idea immediately. He thought for a moment, and then shook his head. "Not yet."
"Okay." She contemplated everything he had said for a while, gazing into his dark eyes. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Come closer and go to sleep," he said softly, and she snuggled up to his side, touching his skin very lightly and summoning her thick blanket to fold gently over their legs.
She knew he wouldn't fall asleep easily, and even when she felt herself drifting off, she could feel him still wide-eyed and alert, but she was so tired she couldn't help herself.
Unfortunately, Severus didn't have time the next morning to speak to Draco.
Serena was just stirring that morning when there was a sharp rap on the door of her quarters. She glanced at her watch and frowned. It was eleven o' clock in the morning. They had slept in late. She glanced across at Severus, whose hair was sprawled across his face, and his mouth was slightly open. He was still asleep. She wondered what time he had finally drifted off, and how exhausted he must have been to still be sleeping.
She very quietly slipped out of bed and pulled a dressing gown around herself tightly. She crept out into her living room and moved to the door, opening it a tiny crack.
"Yes?"
"It is I." Minerva's Scottish accent surprised her. "Is he here?" she added quietly, eyeing Serena meaningfully.
"Erm… yes," she said, confused.
"We need him."
Serena hesitated, and glanced around the corridor carefully. "Come in."
Minerva stepped into her room and Serena took care to brush slightly against her arm, checking it was really her before trusting her, as she often did these days.
Minerva stood in the living room, her bottle green cloak and pointed hat standing out against the pale furniture.
"Late night?" the older witch took in Serena's pyjamas.
She grimaced. "Yes, but not what you're thinking. Wait here, I'll go and get-"
"No need," his rich voice interrupted her calmly. Both witches turned towards the bedroom door where Severus stood, dressed in his black trousers, black boots and a crisp white shirt. "What is it Minerva?"
"Severus," Serena protested, her eyes on his chest and cringing as she imagined his wounds sticking to the fabric. He wasn't supposed to cover them for at least two days, he must have been in a lot of pain. "You mustn't-"
"Don't be telling me what I must or mustn't do, Serena," he drawled in the same calm voice. "Minnie?"
Minerva pursed her lips and frowned. "It's Weasley."
"Who?" Severus snapped, frowning.
"Weasley, Ronald Weasley. He was with Harry Potter in Slughorn's office this morning, and they opened a bottle of Mead… Weasley drank first and was poisoned. He almost died. Potter thought of a bezoar and saved his life, but… Albus needs you to identify the poison. Horace says… well, he says the bottle was destined for the Headmaster."
Minerva looked distraught as she finished her story, and she clutched at Serena's armchair for support.
Serena could see Severus' head turning. "Weasley is with Poppy?"
"Yes, but he should be fine."
Severus nodded. "I shall be with the Headmaster in ten minutes, and then I shall check on Weasley. Thank you for finding me, Minerva."
Minerva nodded, looking slightly relieved as she moved to the door. "Thank you, Severus."
When she was gone, Serena hurried over to Severus and undid the buttons of his shirt with a wave of her wand. "You silly man," she muttered as Severus hissed with pain as she gently tugged the white fabric away from his burn wounds. "If you'd have just waited for me…"
She slipped off his shirt and summoned more burn paste, lathering it over his wounds again. Then, she took up his white shirt and lay it over the sofa, before casting carefully pinpointed cushioning charms over the front of the fabric. She cast a cooling charm for good measure and handed it back to him.
He raised an eyebrow, but she could see he was grateful. He slipped on his shirt and picked up the remaining pain potion, before finishing the bottle. She watched as he slipped on his outer cloak and did up the buttons with a tap of his wand.
"Keep your eyes open," he murmured before he left.
…
He told her afterwards, that Draco had indeed laced a bottle of mead with poison. He had known Slughorn was going to give it to Albus for his birthday. Obviously, Severus had said dryly, Albus had been checking everything he drank for poison for years, and he thought Draco's attempt was rather half-hearted, but he knew the boy was getting desperate, and the Dark Lord's threats were becoming more and more vicious. If Draco didn't succeed by the end of the year…
Well, they both knew that Severus would be the one to take control of matters.
Ronald Weasley had been saved by sheer luck and Potter's brilliance, which even Severus couldn't deny. When Serena praised the boy's quick thinking, he didn't even have a single sly comment to make and let her praise hang in the air without saying a thing.
Albus gathered the teachers together that evening, warning them to be wary of dark objects and to try to limit the foreign items they introduced into the castle. He didn't mention that he had been the target, but Serena could see that the teachers were both worried and suspicious.
"You need to speak with Filch," Minerva said in a pointed voice to Albus over the oval table in the staff room. "The students walk all over him, I have never seen so many Weasleys products in the castle as this Christmas. If they can get those snack boxes in here, then they can get dark items in too."
There was a general murmur of agreement around the table, as Albus nodded calmly. "I have spoken with Mister Filch, he will be adding extra checks to the owl post, but Mr Weasley and Mr Weasley have always had a talent for flouting the school rules, as we all know, and it seems that this talent continues even after their departure from Hogwarts."
"You don't seem to be taking it very seriously," Horace said, looking startled.
"I am speaking with the upmost sincerity and severity," Albus said gravely. "We almost lost a student today."
"We need to be paying more attention to the students themselves," Pomona said, sitting up straight in her chair. She had mud smudged across her right cheek, and Serena knew she had come straight up from the greenhouses. "The threat is within the castle at the moment."
"Severus," Minerva turned to him, pursing her lips. "You need to control the Slytherins, if-"
"And why, Minerva," Severus drawled, "do you address your command to me and not the other heads of houses, yourself included?" The atmosphere in the room became suddenly glacial and Serena saw several teachers shifting nervously in their seats.
Minerva pursed her lips even further and raised her eyebrows challengingly.
Serena felt her stomach groan in anticipation. She willed Minerva to drop it, she knew that Severus was sitting there in pain, that his shirt must have been clinging to his wounds by now, that his chest and stomach were roaring with hot burns, and that his temper would surely be very short, but the damage was already done.
"You know very well why," Minerva said shortly. "If there is anyone in this castle bringing in poison and cursed necklaces, I would bet my hat that it's a Slytherin-"
"Now, now," Slughorn said, shuffling uncomfortably in his seat.
"That's not fair," Serena said quietly.
"She's right," Pomona and Poppy agreed.
"And why would that be?" Severus said in a low, dangerous voice, leaning over the table and resting his clasped hands on the polished wood. "Why, do you think that it is a Slytherin, Minerva?"
"Because it's always the Slytherins!" she said in an exasperated voice. "We all know they've got dark-"
"Maybe, Severus interrupted in a silky, threatening tone that sent shivers down Serena's back. "Maybe, if those children weren't all thrown into the same basket, as they have been since the moment they were sorted, maybe they wouldn't be accused of having dark intentions. Maybe," he repeated, cutting across Minerva's reply, "they would have lived different paths if they hadn't been chosen for a condemned house at eleven years old, maybe", he continued a little louder now, "if they weren't stigmatised and treated differently by their teachers, they wouldn't be isolated and marginalised-"
"Oh, we don't treat them differently," Pomona interrupted loudly, "you're being dramatic."
Severus turned his flashing eyes to her now, his jaw clenching. "Then look me in the eye and tell me you don't cast wordless shield charms when you have to turn your back to the Slytherins."
Pomona spluttered and looked anywhere but at Severus, her face gradually turning a beetroot colour.
"I think my point has been made," Severus said calmly, turning back to Minerva.
"The Slytherins," Minerva said firmly, unfazed, "have had exactly the same opportunities as the other houses-"
"Pomona has just proved otherwise," Severus snapped. "The majority of children are scared of being sorted into Slytherin because they very well know that they will be judged and cast aside just for a name! Slytherin means bad blood and dark roots. Slytherin means untrustworthy. Slytherin means that you are all too fucking scared to even try and get close to my students, who are, let me remind you all, children!"
"If I may." Everyone's gaze turned to Charity Burbage who sat calmly at the far end of the table. Serena left her eyes on Severus, who had almost risen from his seat with anger. He was sweating profusely and she could see the slight tremble in his right hand. He was obviously in a lot of pain. "Obviously I don't have a very easy subject to teach at the moment, but I must say that the anti-muggle sentiment and the mugglist words and jokes that come out of the Slytherins mouths are very worrying. I have often sent reports to Albus when discriminatory comments are made, and yes, it happens in every house, but the Slytherins are by far the worst."
"Of course they are!" Severus snapped. "The majority of Slytherins have grown up in families who with very old traditions and beliefs. If you have been told all your life to hate the Chudley Canons, you're not going to start supporting them from one day to the next! We are here to educate them! That's supposed to be your job!"
"And a great role model they have in you," Pomona muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear.
Severus was on his feet in an instant, and Serena, as angry as she was, gathered all of her calm in an instant and threw it at him through their connection.
He stiffened, staring furiously at Pomona, his hand just inches from his wand.
When he spoke, his voice was low, controlled, but menacing. "If we have students joining the Death Eaters then it is our fault. All of us."
Severus stepped out from behind his chair and marched towards the door, his black cloak billowing behind him. When the door had shut behind him, several teachers let out a long breath.
"That was a low blow," Serena couldn't help but snap at Pomona. "Really low."
"I only said what we were all thinking," Pomona sniffed.
"Not all of us 'Mona," Minerva said quietly, narrowing her eyes.
Albus cleared his throat. "Well, I was about to put end to this meeting anyhow. We shall reconvene in a fortnight. Keep your eyes open, all of you."
Serena barely waited for him to finish. She had to find Severus.
She couldn't believe Pomona, blurting out such a hurtful thing in front of the entire teaching team.
She was only saying what everyone we know already thinks, the dark voice in her head reminded her. She pushed that thought away abruptly. She didn't need anymore negativity thank you very much.
Strangely, she found him in his office, his back to the door, staring out of the tall window like a bat ready to jump into the night.
She hovered in the doorway.
"May I come in?"
He didn't move so she took that to mean yes.
She walked slowly over to him and touched his shoulder gently. "Will you let me take a look at those wounds?"
Severus stiffened and then sighed. "If you must."
She gave him a small smile as he turned around, and it was then that she noticed the pensieve sitting on his desk behind him. She frowned internally. It was never a good sign when Severus spent too long pouring over his pensieve.
She pushed off his cloak and undid the buttons of his shirt, which, to no surprise, was stained with pinky-red blood and puss.
She grimaced as she opened it up to reveal his mangled chest. "Some of these look infected already," she scolded. "You should have renewed the charms on the shirt." She cleaned the wounds as best she could with her wand and summoned some dittany and burn paste from his stores. As she re-applied the paste, her left hand caressed his shoulder soothingly.
"Minerva defended you, after you'd left," she said softly.
"Who cares," he snapped. "No one, and especially not me."
"I care," she corrected softly. "Pomona's comment was disgusting."
"Pomona's comment was entirely true," he said in a voice laced with anger. "Those whose parents I don't socialise with know that I joined the Death Eaters at their age, and the rest of them hear about me at Death Eater revels over Christmas dinner. Of course it's true."
She didn't know what to say so she didn't say anything.
She caressed his skin tenderly and finished rubbing cream into the last wound. Then, she took her wand and cleaned his shirt as best she could, before casting the cushioning and cooling charms again.
She began doing up his buttons, but he pushed her away, stalking around the other side of his desk angrily. "I'm not a child," he snapped, tapping his buttons with his wand.
She watched him turn around his desk and then her eyes fell back to his pensieve between them.
"Been brooding?" she asked lightly, trying to raise an eyebrow like he did.
He scowled. "No… Just thinking."
She narrowed her eyes. He wanted to talk about something, she knew, but he didn't have the words.
She jerked her chin towards the stone basin. "May I?"
Severus shrugged, the scowl still plastered on his face.
She took a few steps closer and looked into the silvery whisps of memory. She was surprised to see Albus' face, which grew bigger and bigger before her eyes. The old wizard opened his mouth and she heard an echo of his voice.
"Sometimes I think we sort too soon…"
Serena felt her heart ache inside her chest, reacting naturally to the meaning behind those words, not just for Severus, but for every Slytherin that had ever been sorted.
"Well," she said calmly, grasping control of her emotions. "I never thought I would agree with Albus about something."
Severus raised an eyebrow and scowled again, smoothing down his robes and clearing his throat.
"I have rounds."
He stepped briskly out from behind his desk and marched towards the door.
"Severus?" she said quietly, turning to look at him with her mind entirely open. "You're a Slytherin through and through, but that doesn't make you bad, you know."
Severus stared at her for a very long time before he pulled his cloak around himself and left her in his office, Albus' voice echoing behind her.