Disclaimer: Alas, I do not own any of the characters in this story. They
are all creation of the wonderful J.K. Rowling. The only characters I do
own are Angeline, Lyle, and a few lesser characters who will pop up to
visit from time to time.
~ Chapter 4 ~
One week had passed and Snape had not recovered. Harry sat in a chair across from the bed. It was disturbing seeing him like this. Snape was always in control, and always had something demeaning to say to someone. Harry realized that Snape now looked helpless and almost innocent. He forgot for a moment all of the bitterness that Snape held against him and, and he felt sorry for not doing more to help back at the Three Broomsticks. Harry cautiously reached out to touch Snape's arm.
Angeline came through the door at the same moment, and Harry about jumped out of his seat. She smiled at him and apologized for startling him. Harry was slightly embarrassed but quickly calmed down. "I'm going to try again," Angeline whispered. Harry nodded and backed away from the bed.
"Are you sure that you're ready?" Harry offered with a note of concern.
"No, but Snape is not getting any better. I have to try." She stood beside the bed and concentrated. She placed her hands on Snape's chest and the glowing began again. The room seemed to fill with a warm breeze.
Harry felt the atmosphere in the room change suddenly. The glowing was fading now. Professor Atwood's powers were leaving her. Snape seemed unchanged, however, and Harry knew that Angeline's efforts were not working. Almost instinctively, Harry ran to the other side of Snape's bed and placed his hands on top of Angeline's. The glowing grew brighter and Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on making Snape feel better. Moments later, Hermione and Ron entered, mouths gaping. Hermione took Ron by the hand and nodded approvingly. They, too, placed their hands on top of Angeline's and Harry's. The glow grew brighter and brighter until it filled the room. Lyle began to charge into the room when Dumbledore stopped him. He held up his finger to his mouth and pointed for him to watch. Dumbledore smiled and clasped his hands in the front of his robes.
The glowing continued for several minutes. The four finally fell backward and the glowing stopped. Surprisingly, no one felt drained of energy. In fact, Harry felt a wonderful, almost powerful sensation running through him.
Angeline's legs were a little shaky, and she leaned on the bed behind her. Had it worked? Why did she not feel weak like she normally did?
Snape shifted uncomfortably. He ached from head to toe, and he felt as though he had a fever. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was struggling to move his arms. He opened his eyes. The room swam around and then came into a fuzzy focus.
"How do you feel, Severus?" Dumbledore's figure came slightly into focus.
Snape attempted to sit up in the bed. His muscles did not agree with the notion and he gave a slight groan. "Marvelous," he answered in a raspy voice. The room slowly came into complete focus. Snape was now aware of the five smiling faces staring down at him, and he became extremely uncomfortable. Harry, Ron, and Hermione must have sensed Snape's irritation because all three of them filed out of the room, smiling triumphantly. Lyle turned to leave as well, although he was not smiling.
"Do you remember what happened, Severus?"
"Vaguely."
"Tell me what you do remember, if you feel strong enough."
Snape felt awful, but he refused to let anyone else know it. "There were four men. Three were in masks. I opened the door just before they came in and something knocked me to the ground before I had a chance to react." Snape trailed off and thought hard. "I can't remember exactly what happened after that. Just that I couldn't breathe." Snape stopped talking. He felt humiliated. He should have been able to control the situation, but he had failed miserably.
"Severus, this was not your fault. You were hit by one of the Death Eaters most powerful torturing spells. You couldn't have fought successfully after that." Dumbledore looked thoughtfully at Snape. "We almost lost you, friend. You were extremely lucky." Dumbledore winked at Angeline. "Now you need to rest. I shall tell Poppy to check on you~"
"Let her rest, Sir. I'll tend to Professor Snape," Angeline raised up from the bed and interrupted Dumbledore.
"Very well. Call if you need anything. I shall be in my study." Dumbledore patted Snape on the shoulder and left the room.
Angeline reached into the cabinet and pulled out a red potion. She opened it and told Snape to drink it. He normally would have argued, but his fever was coming back and he only felt like resting. "This will bring down your fever and help you to get some rest." She had read his mind. "You'll have to relax for the next few days if you want to be well when the students arrive on Monday."
Snape looked perplexed. "Monday?" he asked.
Angeline's concern was apparent. "You've been in the infirmary for a week. It took some time and . . . effort to bring you around." She leaned forward and gently helped Snape to raise up in the bed to take the potion. His long, black hair fell across his face and she brushed it back as he drank. Snape did not object. There was something comforting about having her there. It was a feeling he was having difficulty understanding.
As she helped Snape lie back again, he felt a warm, tingling feeling throughout his body. Angeline whispered to him, "You saved my life back at Hogsmeade. For this, I will always be grateful . . ." This was the last thing he heard before the potion took over and he was asleep.
~ Chapter 4 ~
One week had passed and Snape had not recovered. Harry sat in a chair across from the bed. It was disturbing seeing him like this. Snape was always in control, and always had something demeaning to say to someone. Harry realized that Snape now looked helpless and almost innocent. He forgot for a moment all of the bitterness that Snape held against him and, and he felt sorry for not doing more to help back at the Three Broomsticks. Harry cautiously reached out to touch Snape's arm.
Angeline came through the door at the same moment, and Harry about jumped out of his seat. She smiled at him and apologized for startling him. Harry was slightly embarrassed but quickly calmed down. "I'm going to try again," Angeline whispered. Harry nodded and backed away from the bed.
"Are you sure that you're ready?" Harry offered with a note of concern.
"No, but Snape is not getting any better. I have to try." She stood beside the bed and concentrated. She placed her hands on Snape's chest and the glowing began again. The room seemed to fill with a warm breeze.
Harry felt the atmosphere in the room change suddenly. The glowing was fading now. Professor Atwood's powers were leaving her. Snape seemed unchanged, however, and Harry knew that Angeline's efforts were not working. Almost instinctively, Harry ran to the other side of Snape's bed and placed his hands on top of Angeline's. The glowing grew brighter and Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on making Snape feel better. Moments later, Hermione and Ron entered, mouths gaping. Hermione took Ron by the hand and nodded approvingly. They, too, placed their hands on top of Angeline's and Harry's. The glow grew brighter and brighter until it filled the room. Lyle began to charge into the room when Dumbledore stopped him. He held up his finger to his mouth and pointed for him to watch. Dumbledore smiled and clasped his hands in the front of his robes.
The glowing continued for several minutes. The four finally fell backward and the glowing stopped. Surprisingly, no one felt drained of energy. In fact, Harry felt a wonderful, almost powerful sensation running through him.
Angeline's legs were a little shaky, and she leaned on the bed behind her. Had it worked? Why did she not feel weak like she normally did?
Snape shifted uncomfortably. He ached from head to toe, and he felt as though he had a fever. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was struggling to move his arms. He opened his eyes. The room swam around and then came into a fuzzy focus.
"How do you feel, Severus?" Dumbledore's figure came slightly into focus.
Snape attempted to sit up in the bed. His muscles did not agree with the notion and he gave a slight groan. "Marvelous," he answered in a raspy voice. The room slowly came into complete focus. Snape was now aware of the five smiling faces staring down at him, and he became extremely uncomfortable. Harry, Ron, and Hermione must have sensed Snape's irritation because all three of them filed out of the room, smiling triumphantly. Lyle turned to leave as well, although he was not smiling.
"Do you remember what happened, Severus?"
"Vaguely."
"Tell me what you do remember, if you feel strong enough."
Snape felt awful, but he refused to let anyone else know it. "There were four men. Three were in masks. I opened the door just before they came in and something knocked me to the ground before I had a chance to react." Snape trailed off and thought hard. "I can't remember exactly what happened after that. Just that I couldn't breathe." Snape stopped talking. He felt humiliated. He should have been able to control the situation, but he had failed miserably.
"Severus, this was not your fault. You were hit by one of the Death Eaters most powerful torturing spells. You couldn't have fought successfully after that." Dumbledore looked thoughtfully at Snape. "We almost lost you, friend. You were extremely lucky." Dumbledore winked at Angeline. "Now you need to rest. I shall tell Poppy to check on you~"
"Let her rest, Sir. I'll tend to Professor Snape," Angeline raised up from the bed and interrupted Dumbledore.
"Very well. Call if you need anything. I shall be in my study." Dumbledore patted Snape on the shoulder and left the room.
Angeline reached into the cabinet and pulled out a red potion. She opened it and told Snape to drink it. He normally would have argued, but his fever was coming back and he only felt like resting. "This will bring down your fever and help you to get some rest." She had read his mind. "You'll have to relax for the next few days if you want to be well when the students arrive on Monday."
Snape looked perplexed. "Monday?" he asked.
Angeline's concern was apparent. "You've been in the infirmary for a week. It took some time and . . . effort to bring you around." She leaned forward and gently helped Snape to raise up in the bed to take the potion. His long, black hair fell across his face and she brushed it back as he drank. Snape did not object. There was something comforting about having her there. It was a feeling he was having difficulty understanding.
As she helped Snape lie back again, he felt a warm, tingling feeling throughout his body. Angeline whispered to him, "You saved my life back at Hogsmeade. For this, I will always be grateful . . ." This was the last thing he heard before the potion took over and he was asleep.