Spoilers: Order of the Phoenix
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One thing Severus Snape liked was to be able to spend some quiet time in his quarters, reading or brewing some potions. Unfortunately, with his duties as Head of Slytherin and teacher, added to the mission of keeping an eye on Hermione, his time alone had been drastically reduced. So he had decided to take advantage of this Saturday, while the students were in Hogsmeade, to remain in the dungeons, his nose buried in a new book. Hermione was probably with the unicorns and he could check from time to time in the charmed wall for Hermione.
Being who he was, he forgot everything outside his book, which dealt with the use of potions in the Dark Arts and presented very controversial and interesting opinions, and started with an irritated growl when a firm knocking was heard. Looking up, he noticed that it was already the middle of the afternoon. Walking through his office, he worked out the cranks from his neck and back. He yanked the door open and was surprised to see a breathless Harry standing in front of him.
"Five points from Gryffindor for disturbing me," he scowled. "You have a Head of House, go disturb her."
"It's Hermione," Harry panted. "She's hurt… Hospital Wing…"
Immediately, Severus swore under his breath and left for the infirmary in haste. Harry leaned on the wall for a brief instant, trying to catch his breath, and then hurried behind the Potions Master.
Hermione was lying on one of the beds, looking dreadfully pale, blood flowing from a nasty wound in her ribs, Poppy fussing around her. Ron was seating quite calmly nearby and worriedly following Poppy's every movement with his eyes.
"Severus! I thought you were supposed to watch over her when she's near those unicorns! I don't understand why Hagrid let her–"
"Poppy. What happened?"
"A unicorn speared her, obviously," sniffed the mediwitch.
She vaguely pointed a spiralled horn on the nightstand by Hermione's bed. One long stride and Severus took it. He hissed, his eyes narrowing.
"Did you give her anything?" he asked curtly.
"No. I'm trying to stop the blood loss for the moment!" Poppy snapped.
"It's not a unicorn horn. It's a narwhal tusk. I would have preferred a unicorn horn."
"A what?" Ron asked.
"Narwhal. Also called sea unicorn. Believed by most to be a most common animal, when it's as magic as a unicorn. In Middle Ages, people used its tusk to track poison in food. Third year lesson. Don't you ever listen in class? Honestly, Poppy, I can't believe you made this mistake! The foals are not yet four years old, they don't have horns and anyway, this tusk is black, not white."
"I didn't care that much, Severus. I'm trying to save her!"
"Well, it matters! Narwhal tusks have properties very different from unicorn horns! It's especially used in Dark Arts, for example for blood poisoning!"
Poppy looked up at him, startled.
"What is the cure?"
Severus scowled.
"Fresh unicorn blood."
A cold sneering voice rang in his mind: something about virgin blood and unicorn blood. It looked like Voldemort's – and Lucius's – wishes were coming true, though maybe not the way they had expected them to.
"How does he know?" Ron whispered to Harry.
Severus turned toward them and hissed:
"Death Eaters!"
Ron opened the mouth to add something but Harry stomped on his foot.
"Madam Pomfrey doesn't belong to the Order!" he said to his friend's ear. "Don't put Snape in trouble."
"Who found her and where?"
Harry and Ron were just coming back from Hogsmeade, having bought candies from Honeydukes.
"How about going to see Hagrid?" Harry suggested.
Ron nodded. Both knew the real reason what that they hoped to see Hermione on their way to Hagrid's. Since the morning of the argument between Ginny and Hermione, Ginny had been bugging them for apologising to Hermione. Naturally, Lavender had told them where they could find her, but they had doubts she had done it for reconciliation's sake.
As they arrived near Hagrid's, they could hear the booming voice of the half-giant and frightened noises. The two Gryffindors looked at each other.
"It seems to be coming from the foals' paddock–" began Ron.
"Hermione!"
They broke into a desperate run and almost fell flat on their face at the sight awaiting them. The two foals were outside the paddock, kicking and rearing, neighing shrilly, while Hagrid was trying to calm them. Behind the foals, a small bundle of black clothes, motionless. Harry felt his blood freeze in his veins.
"Harry! Ron! Hermione is here!" Hagrid called. "Yeh have ter carry her ter the infirmary!"
Ron was already kneeling beside the bundle, which was Hermione, something sticky with blood sinking deeply in her ribs.
"Harry! Go ter Professor Snape an' tell him about Hermione, will yeh?"
Ron used Mobilicorpus on Hermione, hoping it wouldn't hurt her more than she already was, while Harry ran the fastest he could to the dungeons. As Ron left with Hermione, Hagrid was trying dealing with the furious foals.
"Wonder what made the foals so enraged…" mused Severus.
"Whatever! Severus, we need fresh unicorn blood now! She lost too much blood and I need to do a transfusion!"
"Take my blood!" Harry proposed immediately. "I know Hermione and I have compatible blood types."
Severus looked at him through narrowed eyes.
"Mr. Weasley, go get Professors Vector and Grubbly-Plank and tell them it's an urgent matter about unicorns," he ordered. "Poppy, no matter what happens to Miss Granger, do not transfuse any blood in her veins!"
"Severus, we will lose her if–"
"I don't care!" Severus yelled. "Stop the blood flow, maintain her in a temporary state, anything, but don't give her any potion and don't transfuse her. She needs the unicorn blood first."
"You cannot do that!" blurted Harry. "She'll be cursed as soon as–"
"Mr. Potter, I am a Potions Master, in case you've forgotten, and I know Dark Arts. Believe me, I know what I'm doing."
Ron, Callisto Vector and Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank entered the Hospital Wing.
"That was quick," commented Severus. "Ten points to Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley."
"Albus," said Callisto between gasps. "Apparently, he already knows."
"Will she be alright?" asked Ron, still panting.
"Time for you to inquire about the subject! Had you been the friends you claimed you were, Miss Granger wouldn't be on this bed right now, because she would never have felt the need to find shelter by the foals' paddock!"
"Did you never make a mistake?" Harry yelled, feeling that the reproach was aimed at him.
"I made a mistake, Potter, only one, and I'm still paying for this," Severus hissed softly, leaning toward Harry so their eyes were level. "You, on the other hand, made a mistake easily reparable. So if you know what's good for you, you'll go to this angel of forgiveness and beg her on your knees, because if she doesn't forgive you, nobody will!"
He grabbed Callisto and Wilhelmina's wrist and dragged them toward the door.
"Remember, Poppy, don't transfuse her or give her anything until I come back!" he called before leaving the room.
"Did I dream or did Snape call Hermione an 'angel of forgiveness'?" asked Ron, stunned.
Severus, Callisto and Wilhelmina were already half-way to the Forbidden Forest. Albus, always far-sighted, had placed broomsticks on the way out and they had mounted them without waiting, Callisto clutching her silver flute in her left hand.
"We need… the ritual," she said as they plunged in the Forbidden Forest.
"We don't have the time," Severus cut in, "and, anyway, none of us is a virgin, so it's pointless."
They landed in the same clearing Severus used with Hermione when they came to see Firene and he gestured to Callisto to begin to play. The Arithmancy teacher brought her flute to her trembling lips and began to play the song of the unicorn. Severus listened with half an ear to the familiar notes – after all, he had heard them over and over for more than a week – and noted absent-mindedly that the quality of the music was definitely different from Hermione's. Callisto had all the confidence of an accomplished flutist and the years of practice, yet her song was flat whereas Hermione's, now that she had found some confidence by calling the lord of the unicorns, was full of emotions.
Time passed and nothing happened. Callisto was already on her third rendition of the melody and Severus closed his eyes, trying to fight off the sense of failure that invaded him. He was supposed to watch over Hermione – he knew she was in danger – and he had overlooked it for a book. Oh, he was never going to forgive himself for this mistake! He had accused Harry and Ron and though what he had said was true, he knew he was responsible for the accident too.
Please, Firene, I know we don't meet the requirements for an encounter with a unicorn, but please, it's important! I swear it's not a trap, Firene, please come!
Callisto was still playing and he knew she would continue until her fingers bleed. He was sinking deeper into despair, thinking that Firene would never come to them because they were not pure as Hermione was. Suddenly they heard a wild gallop coming toward them. A white silhouette stood at the edge of the clearing. Severus stepped forward, realising it was the first time Firene would see him in the sunlight.
"I am Hermione's friend."
"Thou art the Dark One," Firene's silvery voice stated.
"Yes. Yes, I am the Dark One."
"What happened to Hermione? I can feel thine anxiety ripple through the forest. I could have found thee just by following it."
"She needs helps. She's dying and she needs some unicorn blood."
Firene looked lengthily in the depths of Severus's black eyes.
"She trusts thee. I shall do the same."
Severus produced a small vial, surprised to notice that his hands were shaking. Firene let him come next to him and grazed his horn against his flank. Silver blood ran on the white coat and Severus pressed the vial against the warm flank to gather the precious blood that would save Hermione's life.
"What happened to Hermione?" repeated Firene as Severus carefully applied some pressure on the wound the time for the blood to coagulate.
"I don't know exactly. She was speared with a narwhal tusk and the foals were frenzy. I should ask them what they saw."
"We unicorns do not like the presence of narwhal items. It is unnatural for us to come in contact with them. Feeling the narwhal tusk may have sent the young into sheer fright. But thou wilt not be able to communicate with them. Their coat is still gold and not before the silver age can they share their thoughts with humans."
Severus's eyes blazed with anger at the thought of Hermione's aggressor getting away with it.
"But set thy soul at rest. I feel thine anger and resentment at this infamous act is also burning in my veins. I shall come with thee to talk with our young. They will tell me."
"I thank thee, Firene, lord of the unicorns," Severus said seriously.
"Doest thou have means of transportation? Bearing thy presence is a pain for me and I cannot carry thee on my back."
"No worries to have, but we must hurry."
Firene nodded before slowly turning his head toward Callisto.
"Thy song was pure, but it lacked soul."
The Arithmancy teacher returned the ebony gaze wistfully.
"It's because I lost my soul with my heart," she replied quietly.
The liquid black eyes stared at her unwaveringly.
"Thy pain will soon be gone," he said enigmatically.
With that, he turned away and departed with Severus. Both Callisto and Wilhelmina released their breath; Firene's presence was overwhelming.
Severus had never flown this fast, his hand clenched on the small vial on which Hermione's life depended, yet he was careful to keep an eye on Firene's moving back under him. The unicorn was running at a surprising speed, as it unhindered by the tortuous paths of the Forbidden Forest.
Hagrid had managed to lead the foals back into their paddock but they threatened to break free again when they saw Firene appearing in front of them. The lord of the unicorns calmed them rapidly and asked questions that Severus could not hear. Finally Firene turned to him.
"They say a man of darkness came here and threatened her. They escaped from their bonds to protect her, but they are sensitive to the darkness and could not come too close. The man then used the narwhal tusk and left Hermione here to die. Then the huge man came but he could not understand what the young said."
"The man of darkness, who was he?"
"I cannot tell thee, but I can show thee what the young saw."
Firene lowered his head and from his horn, a blurred image unfolded in front of Severus. Blonde hair, icy pale eyes… Severus hissed.
"Draco Malfoy. I should have known. My gratitude is with thee, Firene, for allowing me to save her life."
"Go to her, Dark One, and give her my greetings."
"I shall. Farewell, Firene."
"Farewell, Dark One."
Poppy, Harry and Ron were frantic with worry while waiting for Severus. Hermione's state was deteriorating and Poppy had already settled Harry for the transfusion, though she had not proceeded yet.
"We shouldn't wait! He doesn't care for her. For him, she's just another Gryffindor, another Muggle-born who doesn't deserve to live!" exclaimed Ron.
"Lucky for your friend that Poppy trusts me more than you do then," said the silky voice of Severus behind them.
He came toward them, holding carefully the vial between his long fingers.
"You can begin now, Poppy. Just remember to mix the unicorn blood with Mr. Potter's blood as you transfuse it into Miss Granger's veins."
"Are you sure it will be enough to save her?"
"Mr. Potter, mixing bloods is like mixing potions and I am a Potions Master, after all."
Experimentally, Poppy mixed some blood from Harry with a drop of unicorn blood. The result turned briefly gold before turning back to a rich red. Severus's eyes glittered with interest.
"I never saw this reaction," said Poppy, puzzled.
"Unicorn blood is also a revealing agent," muttered Severus. "Begin the transfusion before it's too late."
Poppy huffed in protest but proceeded without further protestation.
"And keep me two drops of unicorn blood, will you? I need to conduct some tests."
Anxious, Severus observed closely what happened to Hermione; her wound had an unhealthy colour and he mentally ran a list of punishments for Draco. As soon as the mixed blood entered her system, it shone a dark bronze. Severus hid his smile; it was the last confirmation of what he thought. If Hermione had had only Rowena's blood, the bronze colour should have been lighter. She truly had the blood of Rowena and Helga… and now Godric. He felt something constricting in his chest; the only missing blood was Salazar's…
The transfusion seemed to go on forever. Ron was almost bouncing in exasperation, while Severus stood by Hermione's bed, his arms crossed on his chest, as motionless as a statue. Then Poppy stopped the transfusion and Ron jumped on his feet.
"Is she alright?"
"It's a bit early to know, Mr. Weasley, but I think she's fine."
"And the blood poisoning?" asked Harry, straightening on one elbow.
Poppy waved her wand above Hermione's still form.
"It's gone. Thank you, Severus, for the unicorn blood. We would have lost her without it."
He nodded curtly.
"Thank Miss Granger for becoming the friend of a full-grown unicorn. The foals would never have understood why I wanted it, let alone let me come near enough to gather it."
"And a full-grown unicorn did?" exclaimed Poppy, surprised.
"It made him suffer, but he knew it was for the good cause."
"How did he know it wasn't a trap?" wondered Ron.
"Because if it had been a trap, I would have had another virgin with me, rather than two women attuned to unicorns. And he knows me; I was with Her… Miss Granger each time."
"Wow!" breathed Harry.
Severus looked back at Hermione, her face still pale, but not as white as before.
"Yes, wow," he murmured.
It was done. Hermione was now the Child with the three bloods. And the mix of immortal blood and virgin blood. He shuddered.
"Poppy, Albus and I need to have a talk with Miss Granger as soon as she awakes. Will you please call us?"
"Naturally, Severus. But what is so important?"
"It's something about virgin blood and unicorn blood," replied Severus, his eyes still on Hermione.