I guess I don't really know what to say this time. The title today is a hymn that I know, very simple and pretty. Well, I hope you enjoy.
Ladymage Samiko ; )
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Listen For My Heart
Part 5 ~ Like a Child. . .
That morning, Severus dressed and made his way to the staff room. He had debated seeing Dumbledore immediately, but had decided against it. The matter wasn't that urgent and two o'clock in the morning seemed an unreasonable to discuss suspicions that didn't really exist, anyway. He had seen her talents, so that part of her story was undeniably true. He wondered absently what other powers a hedgewitch possessed. They were believed to be frauds, after all. . . And, well, Eiluneth didn't really seem like the Death Eater type. She was just too. . . too. . . 'Nice' came to mind, though that wasn't it. True, but not what he meant. Not quite cowed. . . Belittled, he supposed. Always believing herself inferior and pathetically grateful for any praise that came her way. Not surprising, he supposed, after having spent thirty years being compared to a standard she could never achieve. And this, of course, would have produced insatiable ambition in a Slytherin, in a Death Eater. In a boy called Severus Snape.
He entered the room, still musing, and glanced around for Eiluneth. She was usually one of the first awake, sitting quietly in a corner, but nonetheless radiating a disgustingly irritating cheerfullness that he felt was singularly inappropriate for the early hour. However, she was not in this morning.
"Where has our bothersome little ray of sunshine gone to this morning?" he asked, managing to sound like his ordinary abrasive self. "This is the first time in months I haven't winced as I came in the door."
"Oh," Professor McGonagall said. "She won't be coming in today. She sent a note down saying she was feeling ill and not to disturb her. She said it was a normal thing for her and not to bother Madame Pomfrey about it. All she needed was a bit of rest."
"Really?" drawled Snape, hiding his alarm. "She must not be very ill, then. Perhaps an unscheduled holiday?" he insinuated nastily.
"I wouldn't know," McGonagall replied stiffly. "I have not yet seen her this morning and have no intention of intruding on that girl's privacy. She does more than her fair share here, Severus, as well you know. If she needs a day off, then I have no objection to letting her have one."
"Hmph," Snape snorted, as he stalked out of the room. "You've gone soft on the girl, Minerva. But I assure you that I have not."
With that, he swept out of the room, making his way rapidly to Eiluneth's rooms.
Fool, fool! Twenty times over a fool! He continued to berate himself as he swept down the corridors, fighting to maintain a reasonable pace. When he found himself finally at her door, he flung it open, then stopped to look around carefully. No spells, ordinary or otherwise. The candle still stood on the side table, nothing was changed from what he remembered from the night before. Though, he noticed, studying the objects, there was next to nothing of her personal goods in the front room. His lips thinning, he stalked across the room to the small door opposite and pushed open that one as well with more force than grace. And stood, gaping.
Eiluneth was indeed there, in her bed, looking much smaller and almost corpse-like as she lay among the pillows. Her face was snow-white, save for the large, dark bruises that surrounded her eyes, which opened slowly at the disturbance at her door. They dominated her features, looking much too big for the small face they were set in.
"Professor Snape," she greeted him, her voice whisper-quiet and hoarse.
"I-- I--" For once, he was entirely speechless. Then he gave himself a mental shake. "You should be in the infirmary," he nearly ordered her.
She smiled slightly. "No point," she whisper-spoke.
"No point?" he repeated incredulously. "You look like death warmed over and you say there's no point?"
"Won't. . . help," she replied, forcing herself to answer.
"Won't help?" A light dawned in his mind. "Are you dying?" he demanded bluntly.
She spoke haltingly, catching her breath and her strength between each word. "No. . . Sorry. . . Hedgewitches. . . immune. . . potions. . . medicines. . . Just. . . need. . . rest." With that, she slipped into unconsciousness.
Severus simply stared at the girl. It was very irritating when people behaved in no predictable manner whatsoever.
"Eiluneth?" called a voice. "Eiluneth?" A few moments later, Dumbledore entered the room. "Ah, Severus," he said. "I must say, I did not expect you to be here. How is our Miss Pierce?"
"As you see, sir," Snape replied, gesturing towards the bed.
"Hmm. . ." The old wizard went to the girl and laid a hand on her forehead. "She's sleeping naturally," he said in a conversational tone. "That's good. But for her to be in this condition. . . I'm afraid our little one here has been overworking herself. What have you been doing, child? Ah, well." He turned to the man standing quietly behind him. "You know why she's here, Severus?"
"She said," he replied, slightly stressing the latter word, "that she is a hedgewitch and that you asked her to attempt to locate Voldemort."
"Do you believe her?" Dumbledore asked, a small spark in his eyes.
"That she is a hedgewitch, yes," Snape answered. "She gave a very convincing demonstration last night. As to your commission, I do now believe it."
"You are a wise man, Severus," Dumbledore told him, "to accept something which has always been said to be false when it can be demonstrated to be true. It cannot be denied," he continued, turning to Eiluneth, "that Rhysiart Pierce is a remarkably intelligent wizard, but even he is unable to recognize the value of what he has been given. And he has never allowed Eiluneth to realize it. A very stubborn man.
"Well!" His mood changed as he straightened and turned. "I trust you will take good care of her, Severus?"
"I beg your pardon, sir?" he said, drawing himself up to his full height.
"Miss Pierce is undeniably unable to care for herself," Dumbledore pointed out. "She will require aid. I certainly cannot remain and Poppy is needed in the infirmary. If Eiluneth were to recuperate there, questions would undoubtedly arise. As you are already aware of the situation and have no classes today, I believe you are the obvious choice. Let me know if anything changes." With a cheery smile, Dumbledore vanished from the room.
Severus sighed with annoyance. In a half-hearted tone, he said, "Accio chair," and prepared for a long, tiresome day.
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It was full dark before Eiluneth awoke once more, still tired and somewhat disoriented. Most of the room was pitch black, but a soft glow seemed to be coming from the far side of the room. "Mama?" she questioned softly.
"Hardly," replied a wry voice, accompanied by the sound of a closing book and a rustle of cloth. "I shall record this as a first, Miss Pierce. I have been called many things, but 'mama' has not been one of them."
"Professor Snape," Eiluneth identified the voice. "Have you been here all this time? How long have I been asleep?"
He was suddenly at her bedside, checking her temperature, as Silca popped her head out to say hello. Eiluneth gave her a small smile. "You must be feeling better," Severus commented. "You are much more loquacious than you were earlier. To answer your questions: yes, I have been here all day at the request of the Headmaster and you have been sleeping since this morning. Now I would appreciate it if you would answer some of my questions."
"I--" Eiluneth began, then caught herself. "Of course. You deserve an explanation. And Professor?" She slowly reached out a hand to grasp his. "Thank you."
"Hmph." He pulled away. "I did what was expected of me. No more, no less."
Eiluneth looked at him with disturbingly clear eyes. "You have no idea how rare that is, do you?" she asked.
Severus didn't answer. "What happened this morning?" he asked instead.
"I was just--overtired," Eiluneth told him. "I rather overdid things last night."
"And I should say you have a remarkable gift for understatement," Snape snorted. "Elucidate, if you please."
"Beg pardon?" she asked, looking puzzled.
He sighed. "Explain," he said shortly.
"'Tis simple, really," Eiluneth said. "I Listened before you arrived last night, to the edges of my range. I Listened with you, something I should do when I'm fully rested. It's very. . . draining. I went haring off to the Forbidden Forest. I spoke with you when I returned. All take a toll, emotionally, physically, mentally. I knew that I would be exhausted after Listening with you. Everything else just made it worse." Her voice grew fainter as she continued, tiring with the effort of talking.
"I must say, I find you incomprehensible, Miss Pierce," he informed her. "Now, go back to sleep. There will be food the next time you awake."
She smiled as she shifted slightly to make herself a little more comfortable. "You're. . . a good man. . . Professor," she whispered as she drifted into sleep.
Severus stared at her. "Hardly," he drawled, before leaving the room and extinguishing the light.
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"You look much improved," Snape commented as Eiluneth entered her sitting room. Silca poked her head from underneath his hair and hissed a welcome. Eiluneth smiled slightly in reply, though she moved to sit before she fell over.
"I feel much better," she said. "It wasn't as--severe-- as I expected it to be."
""Wasn't as severe?'" he repeated incredulously. "What were you expecting, a near-death experience?" He motioned with his hand, sending a platter of food and a table to sit in front of the girl. In spite of his words, she still looked pale and seemed as though the slightest touch would break her.
Eiluneth gave him a shy smile and shook her head. "I wasn't quite sure what to expect," she told him. "I felt this way the last time I Listened with someone. She was a friend of mine that I've known for years. And I that was all I did. With everything this time. . . You are surprisingly easy to work with, Professor."
Snape digested the information. "'The last time?'" he queried. "How many times have you practiced that particular technique? And how could I be any easier to work with than someone you know well?" He sounded somewhat sceptical.
To his surprise, the girl blushed and avoided his eyes. "I--I've only done this once before. It's a very difficult thing to do and not often needed or used. I am the first hedgewitch in a century with the strength and talent."
"And what other hidden talents do you possess?" he asked drily.
"I can Listen," she began to recite slowly. "I am versed in all levels of potions. I know everything there is to know of plants. I can speak to all animals. I have an empathic gift."
"Empathy?" Snape raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. How does that talent operate?"
"I try never to use it," she replied. "It is very--distressing. But if I will, I can focus on something and will experience the most powerful moment related to it. Like--" she looked around, "Like this table. If I were to use my empathy, I would probably feel as the tree did when it was chopped down. I do not deal. . .well. . . with the emotion." Eiluneth shuddered, remembering the times she had been forced to exercise her skill.
"If that is so, then I will not ask you to demonstrate," Snape continued smoothly. "However, you did not answer my earlier question. How is it possible that I could be easier to work with than someone you know and feel comfortable with and, I imagine, is familiar with your methods?"
"I--I don't know. . ." she answered slowly, then lifted her eyes to his. Snape found himself staring into eyes that were uncomfortably clear, their Mediterranean blue causing him to fear not that he would drown, but that they would transform him into something as transparent as they, leaving him open for the rest of the world to see. And yet he could not look away.
"You have the gift," Eiluneth said, surprised, finally blinking away the connection. Severus began once more to breathe. "It's something I would never have expected."
"Because I am a wizard," Severus stated, shocked himself.
"Because you are a man," Eiluneth countered. "The-- fledgling ability to Listen can be found in anyone, Wizard, Hedgewitch, or Muggle. But it is very rare that it is found in a man. I believe it is because women, on the whole, tend to be more--connected--with the world around them. Men tend not to be so--"
"Sensitive?" Severus suggested mockingly.
"Insightful," she shot back. "Well, it doesn't matter, anyway," she continued dismissively. "Unless you want to be trained."
"What if I said I did?" he asked in an idle tone.
"Then I would remind you that it is a difficult task you choose. I would ask you why. I would tell you that once you start, I will not let you quit. You train until you reach the limit of your understanding. That's what I'd tell you."
"Very well, Miss Pierce," he told her. "I accept. If there is any weapon I can use that would help us, I will learn how to use it."
"Hmm. . ." Eiluneth stared at him hard as he looked steadily back at her. "Well. Just remember, Professor, there's no turning back."