ICLYLM Chapter 30 "Good News and Bad News"
A/N: who was it that was saying the chapters were getting a bit short?
Jeffrey and James Barnes are the creation of Raven Dancer who knows the importance of community health care in the magical world and is letting them come
out to play in my story.
Lupin walked over the dark, frost covered grounds, arms crossed and wand grasped in one fist as he went. He had been unable to sit still last night and the healers and Dumbledore had been only too glad send him out to roam the grounds. Now night was giving way to day and still there was nothing. No sign of Sirius.
Of course, the logical part of his brain told him that Sirius wouldn't have been likely to turn up until morning, anyway. The logical part of his brain told him his friend would be safe as a dog... that the other dogs were clearly going to protect him. Lupin smiled ruefully at this thought. It was a sad thing that animals could often be counted upon to be more loyal and brave than humans. Well, many humans not all. He looked back at the dark castle in the distance with it's few corridor lights winking out of windows here and there.
He had seen extraordinary courage on the part of humans. Two rather brave ones were still right under The Dark Lord's nose as he spoke. Unless he was very much mistaken, another was under the care of the healers and the bravest man he had ever known. Damn, this was a hell of a mess.
Later, long after the castle had begun to stir and wake, Hagrid came walking over the grounds with a basket dangling from one of his massive fingers and a blanket over his shoulder. Of course, on Hagrid's shoulder the woolen blanket looked more like a mere tartan scarf, but it was large enough, and warm, when the giant draped it over the DADA professor's shoulders. Without a word Hagrid guided Remus a few feet into the forest to a fallen log and sat down with him.
"Well, 'S no good I suppose, to try ta tell yeh tae come in. Not that I blame ye, mind," the Giant sighed placing the basket between them. "Ah least eat summat, eh, Remus?"
Lupin sighed, "How long have you known, Hagrid?"
"I don't reckon I could say... a while. Since Sirius, ah, Snuffles came. Headmaster asked me tae keep a watch o' the woods. Looks like yeh got tha' covered today, though" Hagrid finished with a small grin.
"Sirius and Severus are both still there, Hagrid. I've no idea what's going on with Severus and I know Sirius is exhausted and weak. Last I saw him he was Snuffles and with some other dogs. I'd hoped to see him by now."
"The other dogs were friendly-like?"
"Yes, they were... remarkable quite frankly. They seemed to know Sirius and be helping him."
"Well then," Hagrid said, patting a massive hand on Lupin's back, "Ye ought not worry for him. Some animals are more trustworthy than humans. If they're his friends they'll watch out for him."
Lupin smiled weakly. He had just been thinking something similar. But it was one thing to believe your friend was alright and quite another to actually know it. With a sigh he looked into the basket and was pleased to note that the food therein was apparently from the castle kitchens and not Hagrid's own. As Hagrid reached in for what turned out to be a canteen of pumpkin juice Remus picked up a sandwich. He didn't feel much like eating but the logical part of his brain said he should. He could heed logic at least once today.
He and Hagrid sat there for quite a long time as the morning began to wear away. The Big man seemed content to lend his company. Remus was tired and, though he could not sleep, his body was happy to sit quite still, resting. Hagrid was just rummaging around in the basket when Lupin's keen ears picked a particular sound out of the many noises of the forest. The sound was distand and out of place. There. It was the sound of someone crashing clumsily through the trees!
Remus was on his feet, listening intently. Hagrid had arisen as well, his face perplexed. Then the giant heard it, too.
"What would make that noise in the forest?" Remus asked.
"Nothing tha' belongs there, 'specially not durin' daylight." Hagrid said reaching behind him to take his crossbow off it's strap. "Right then, lets have a look, shall we?"
"Indeed," Remus said grimly pulling his wand from his sleeve with a look of determination. He hoped it was Sirius but both he and Hagrid knew it could be anything.
It wasn't Sirius.
Something on two legs was moving clumsily through the brush and the trees with a jerking, yet steady determination. It was Severus. His pale face was down and he seemed to be having some trouble with his coordination and motor control; but his expression was determined as the man dragged himself along, gripping his wand and biting his lip.
"Severus!/Perfessor" Lupin and Hagrid cried out in unison.
Snape's head jerked up in surprise and he overbalanced, crashing into the underbrush.
Hagrid was there in two strides, Lupin not far behind.
The giant was already lifting the weak professor, murmuring, "We'll get ye to the castle straightaway and fix ye right up, you'll see."
"NO!" Severus' expression was frightened and a bit wild.
"Severus," Lupin said, concerned, "You're hurt we've got to get you some medical attention. Besides, the grounds are likely the safest place to be."
"I know," Severus ground out, "But I cannot be seen. Voldemort sent me on a mission. If I allow myself to be seen and word gets back to him... more lives than my own are at stake, Remus!"
Lupin thought for a moment, then rose from his crouching position beside the two men.
"Hagrid, bring Severus as close to the edge of the forest within the school grounds as you can without being seen. I know what we need and I'll be back shortly." With that he sprinted off.
Hagrid was just about as far as he dared go when he heard the very soft howl of a wolf. He smiled. Most wolves didn't howl during the day without very good reason. He moved toward the sound and, as he expected, spied Lupin looking around intently.
"Perfessor Lupin!" Hagrid hissed.
Remus turned and moved purposefully toward the giant with the potions master cradled (grudgingly) in his arms. As soon as he was near, Lupin unfurled a silvery sort of cloak. Snape sighed but said nothing.
"Harry's invisibility cloak!" Hagrid cried happily.
"Yes, we'll need to wrap Professor Snape in it. Then I think if you ... Severus I'm so sorry about this... if you hoist him over your shoulder we can both walk fairly naturally to the castle with no one the wiser."
Severus gritted his teeth but said nothing. He was running out of time and this would be faster and easier.
Lupin led Hagrid into the castle and up to the third floor. They were through the door to the corridor with a simple spell and a password. Lupin then strode across a dusty chamber to a statue of a unicorn. "Three-Headed-Dog" Lupin said firmly, and the unicorn rolled smoothly aside. Hagrid grinned "Like tha' one," he murmured as he shifted his invisible bundle to his arms and ducked through the door.
They were in a rarely used room that looked to be part of a disused suite. There was a bed and several chairs and tables. James Barnes was sitting on the bed feeding energy to Phoebe Taylor while Jeffrey Barnes and Dumbledore stood next to the single window conferring in tense tones. All three men looked up expectantly as Lupin and Hagrid entered the room.
Hagrid immediately pulled the invisibility cloak off of Professor Snape, prepared to behold an awful glare. Snape, however, was in no shape to glare. It seemed he had passed out somewhere along the journey.
Jeffrey Barnes sprang forward and Hagrid quickly knelt to allow him to examine the man. Lupin moved to Dumbledore.
"We found him moving through the forest alone... he was having a rough go of it, too," Lupin noted.
"Cruciatus Curse," Jeffrey said aloud as he scanned his patient, "multiple applications, dammit."
"He told me that he couldn't be seen because Voldemort had sent him here on a mission. He said more than one life depended on it. There's still no sign of Sirius so I don't know if he meant him or Phoebe or both." Lupin finished.
Dumbledore frowned in concentration. He then looked at Severus and Jeffrey and waved his wand to conjure another hospital bed for the clandestine ward.
"Hagrid, Jeffrey," He said, indicating the bed.
Just then however, Snape began to stir and his eyes flew open.
"How long?!" He asked desperately, clutching Jeffrey's robes.
"Severus?"
"How long have I been out? How long?" he asked again, alarm clearly in his voice.
"Shhh, Severus," Jeffrey said, putting a hand on his patient's shoulder, "Hagrid only just brought you in. You passed out on the way up here."
Snape let out his breath but relaxed only very slightly. "Thank Ptolomey," he whispered, "There's not much time, I need to speak to the Headmaster at once," Snape said more firmly.
"Severus, friend, I'm right here," Dumbledore said kneeling down. Snape held a shaking hand toward his mentor ...whether to gain the Headmaster's attention or assure himself the man was real, no one could tell.
"Albus, Phoebe?" Snape asked.
He wanted comfort, then, the Headmaster realized capturing his friend's shaking hand. He feared Phoebe was dead and, come to that, he was only half wrong.
"She's alive Severus, she's right here" Dumbledore soothed, moving aside a bit and gesturing in the direction of Phoebe and James. Snape moved his head, his eyes searching hopefully. They found what they sought and closed as a small shudder passed through Snape's body. He mouthed something no one could hear and took a very deep breath. No one spoke. Hagrid got a bit snuffly, but still held the Potions Master gently and firmly.
"Albus," Severus continued, reaching to clutch the older wizard's robes with his other hand as well, "Voldemort sent me after her. I don't know what to do. He's sent me to bring a pregant woman or a, a, dead one. By midnight." Snape was gripping the robes so tightly his knuckles had gone white. Dumbledore covered those hands with his own trying to send some warmth and re-assurance into his friend.
"Then the solution is simple, Severus. You shall not bring him either. You shall not return."
Snape looked confused, "But I have to, the cause... if I don't-"
"Severus, you have already given more than several persons' fair share to our cause. You deserve to stop now. What's more, you need to. The situation is now untenable. You cannot return safely because you cannot return without betraying your true loyalties. Severus I will not allow you to return. That is my final word." Dumbledore's voice was firm.
Severus looked up into those eyes and saw something that looked very much like relief. Relief. He closed his own eyes and took a shuddering breath. No more. No more. He was done. Relief washed through him and he felt a tear slip from his eye as darkness began to swirl in the corners of his sight.
A moment after, Snape went limp.
"Alright, that's it," Jeffrey snapped, "The man is hurt, I need to work on him. Hagrid, move him to the bed."
"Right ye are, Jeffy," Hagrid said, a bit hoarsely as he rose and crossed the room in two giant strides. He laid Severus down very gently and turned to the headmaster as the young healer launched himself at his patient.
"Anything else I can do for ye, Headmaster?" Hagrid said.
"Hagrid, please keep an eye out, we're still one person short." The Headmaster said gravely. Then, turning to Lupin he said, "Come, Remus, let's leave the
healers to their art."
Severus woke to the horribly familar pain and twitching that followed the Cruciatus curse. Where was he? He opened his eyes to an unfamiliar room with stone
walls. Ah, of course, Hogwarts. An unfamiliar room. He turned his head and caught sight of James Barnes sitting next to a bed which, to his relief, still
contained Phoebe. Barnes' eye had caught the movement and he spoke warmly to Snape.
"She's very ill, Severus. She's on the mend, though. How are you?"
"I'm not sure," Snape said, "I feel a bit groggy and I'm not sure I remember correctly."
"Well I do," said another voice, and Snape turned to see Jeffrey Barnes moving toward him with a potion bottle and a cup. "The Headmaster said your career as a spy is over. You're not going back to that foul creature." Jeffrey set the cup and bottle down sharply on the bedside cabinet and sat in the chair, reaching for Snape's hand. "This, my friend, will be the last time I have to treat the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curse on you. In fact," He continued, eyes glinting, "As soon as the Headmaster has had the chance to speak with you I intend to administer my best sleeping draught."
"That conversation won't take long," Snape murmured looking around Jeffrey to catch sight of Phoebe's quiet form. Jeffrey surpressed a chuckle and moved his chair a bit out of the way.
"Everything had to do with Phoebe, there's nothing new to tell him."
"Well, I mostly think he's interested in hearing what you can tell him about Sirius." Jeffrey said.
Severus looked confused, "Sirius? Black? What about him?"
"You didn't see him there, as the dog? You didn't see him at all?" Jeffrey asked sharply.
"He was there?" Snape said incredulously, moving a hand over his forehead as if he were trying to clear his thoughts. "When? Why?"
Jeffrey shifted nervously, he couldn't say why, but he didn't like this at all. "He was spying on the Riddle House to see if the three of us were there. He helped Phoebe and I escape. You never saw him? Never saw a large black dog?"
Snape frowned as he struggled to recall. A large black dog, hadn't he seen one? When?
"OH Merlin!" he said suddenly, struggling to sit up, "Merlin's name, I need to speak to the headmaster!"
Jeffrey struggled to try and make the Potions Master lie back down, "Severus, he's coming to speak with you any minute. Lie down, for Cerridwyn's sake!" The older healer was on his feet. He crossed to put a calming hand on Snape's shoulder. Both healers were relieved to hear the stony rumble of the statue moving.
"There, Severus, the Headmaster is here, sit back at least. Listen to Jeffrey."
Snape, seeing he would get farther if he stopped trying to quit the bed sat back tensely as Dumbledore entered and moved toward his bed, eyes twinkling.
"Headmaster," He said, before the older man could speak, "Headmaster, Jeffrey tells me Sirius was there, at the Riddle place. He says he was Snuffles... is this true?"
Dumbledore's expression had turned wary and grave, "Yes, it is. He was instrumental in helping get Phoebe and Jeffrey out. But he did not return with us. He stayed in his animagus form in the care of some other animals. He was too exhausted to apparate when the warning sounded that the Death Eaters were returning."
"Has he come back?" Snape asked in a small, hopeless voice.
"No, not as of yet." Dumbledore replied.
Snape dropped his head into his hands with a groan. "Damn it all, damn everything!" he whispered fiercely. Jeffrey looked alarmed and made to put his hand on his patient's shoulder. Instead, the older header gently guided his son up out of the chair so Dumbledore could sit next to his troubled friend.
A warm hand was laid on Snape's shoulder another took hold of the hands in which Snape had buried his face and pulled gently.
"Severus, what is it?"
Snape let his hands be pulled down into his lap. He looked up as Dumbledore with despairing black eyes.
"I have to go back. Black is hurt. I saw Malfoy blast the dog this morning. I have to go."
"No, Severus!" Jeffrey spoke up, "We will send someone else, you cannot go. You're hurt for one thing!"
Snape turned his eyes on Barnes, "It has to be me. We all know I'm the only one who could get in there now. I will just have to return empty-handed and hope for the best. If I apparate a distance away I may be able to locate Sirius before presenting myself to Voldemort." Snape said heavily. He looked at the golden light of sunset coming through the window. "I have to go now, Midnight is coming."
