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 7 ~
Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. Harry noticed that Snape had not shown up, and he felt a twinge of concern. Angeline had been released by the hospital wing and was sitting in her place at the head table next to Professor Sprout. Harry decided to tell her about Snape's overly strange behavior. "I'll be back," he muttered to Hermione and Ron, and he approached the head table. "Excuse me, Professor Atwood, I need to tell you something."
Angeline followed him into the area just outside. "What is it?" she smiled genuinely at him.
"I know it's none of my business, but I believe Professor Snape is sick." He proceeded to tell her about the incidents in class and afterward.
"Thank you, Harry. I believe I'll take him some dinner and force feed him."
"Dobby is working in the kitchen. He'll fix anything you'd like," Harry offered, his concern for Snape growing.
"Thanks. I'll tell Dobby you sent me." She smiled again and headed off towards the kitchen.
When she pushed open the door, a small elf in mismatched socks and a bright blue shirt greeted her at the door. "I is Dobby, Miss, and I's at your service. What can Dobby be doin' for you?"
Angeline was very familiar with house elf manners, but was tickled to find one who was apparently free and enjoying it. The clothes were a giveaway. "Thank you, Dobby. I require a bowl of hot soup, a glass of ice water, and a small glass of orange juice. Mr. Potter said that you were just the elf to help me."
Dobby's ears wiggled with excitement. "Master Harry Potter is recommended me! Oh he is being so nice to Dobby. I is being getting it for you right away!" Dobby ran off and came back not fifteen seconds later with her order. "Here you is, Miss. Any friend of Master Harry is being friends with Dobby."
Angeline was delighted with his kindness. She thanked him and headed towards Snape's quarters. "Now if only I could expect the same reaction from Snape," she thought to herself.
Snape sat in his large, cushioned chair with his thickest potions book in his lap. The last potion he had taken had suppressed his fever to a low enough grade that he could research a better cure. Unfortunately, he was having no luck and was feeling weak again. A light tap on his door caused him to jump slightly. "Who is it?" he barked in a raspy voice.
"Room service," a cheery voice answered from outside the door.
Snape furrowed his eyebrows. Curiosity more than anything moved him to open the door.
Angeline stood smiling up at him with a tray of food in her hands. "A concerned student of yours was kind enough to inform me of your strange behavior this afternoon."
Snape frowned. "Potter. He's as meddling as his father used to be." He moved out of the doorway allowing her to come in.
"I don't know much about his past family life, but I think he's a very sweet child. He seems to be rather concerned for you."
"You know little about his past? You're obviously not from London, are you?"
Angeline hesitated. She supposed it would be alright to tell him. "Well, I was born here, but my mother, brother, and I moved to the United States when I was ten, so I don't know a lot of the specific history of London thereafter."
"The United States? Which school did you attend?"
"Not many have heard of it. It's not a well known university. There aren't as many witches and wizards in the area where we lived. Many of them fled or were killed during the Salem Witch trials. Those who did remain kept their school in complete secrecy. The muggles in the States are much more violent to outsiders than the muggles in London. The lack of magical atmosphere makes it much more difficult to cast Memory Charms on the muggles which, in return, makes it more dangerous to live a normal life if you have magical powers." She stopped talking and placed the tray on a small round table. "Now, on to more pressing matters. I have brought you some dinner since you decided to skip eating for the last few meals."
"Thanks, but I have no appetite." He felt exhausted. All he really wanted to do was go to bed and hope that the fever had worn off by morning.
"Be that as it may, I think that you will have an appetite if you'll taste it." Angeline pulled out of her robes a bottle filled with a golden potion.
Snape watched as she poured it in the soup and waved her hand over the bowl. A small puff of glittering, gold smoke rose out of the bowl and then vanished. Curiosity overcame him.
"You should have told me about the fevers. I'm sorry that I didn't catch it before." She walked over to where Snape was standing. "Now, sit down and eat this," she added forcefully.
Snape opened his mouth to say something, but quickly changed his mind. He still was not quite sure how to take her, and he was in no mood or position to see her angry.
Angeline gave him an evil grin. "That's better now. I promise that you'll feel one hundred percent better in the morning. However," she added in a meaningful tone, "if you don't start eating, you'll never get your strength back."
She sat down in a chair across from him. Snape felt agitated at being hovered over, but he decided not to say anything. As he obediently ate, he felt his fever lower and his headache faded. "What potion did you put in this?" Snape inquired, amazed. None of his potions had come close to doing any good.
She looked thoughtful. "It's. . . well. . . Actually, I haven't given it a name." She fidgeted slightly. "I was a medic in a muggle hospital once. I gathered different muggle remedies together that I had used in the hospital and added some roots and herbs that I bought in Hogsmeade and. . ." she thought for a moment and continued, "well another ingredient, but," she decided to stop. "Anyway, I'd better go and let you get your rest."
Snape looked at her curiously. What was she so nervous about? Angeline gathered the kitchen ware together and bid Snape a good night.
Snape laid down in his bed and allowed his mind to wander. Angeline was the most curious witch he had ever met, and that just made him want to get to know her better. Lyle's warning crossed his mind and he brushed it off with an air of irritation. Getting closer to Angeline would not be easy with her nosey brother around.
~Chapter 7 ~
Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. Harry noticed that Snape had not shown up, and he felt a twinge of concern. Angeline had been released by the hospital wing and was sitting in her place at the head table next to Professor Sprout. Harry decided to tell her about Snape's overly strange behavior. "I'll be back," he muttered to Hermione and Ron, and he approached the head table. "Excuse me, Professor Atwood, I need to tell you something."
Angeline followed him into the area just outside. "What is it?" she smiled genuinely at him.
"I know it's none of my business, but I believe Professor Snape is sick." He proceeded to tell her about the incidents in class and afterward.
"Thank you, Harry. I believe I'll take him some dinner and force feed him."
"Dobby is working in the kitchen. He'll fix anything you'd like," Harry offered, his concern for Snape growing.
"Thanks. I'll tell Dobby you sent me." She smiled again and headed off towards the kitchen.
When she pushed open the door, a small elf in mismatched socks and a bright blue shirt greeted her at the door. "I is Dobby, Miss, and I's at your service. What can Dobby be doin' for you?"
Angeline was very familiar with house elf manners, but was tickled to find one who was apparently free and enjoying it. The clothes were a giveaway. "Thank you, Dobby. I require a bowl of hot soup, a glass of ice water, and a small glass of orange juice. Mr. Potter said that you were just the elf to help me."
Dobby's ears wiggled with excitement. "Master Harry Potter is recommended me! Oh he is being so nice to Dobby. I is being getting it for you right away!" Dobby ran off and came back not fifteen seconds later with her order. "Here you is, Miss. Any friend of Master Harry is being friends with Dobby."
Angeline was delighted with his kindness. She thanked him and headed towards Snape's quarters. "Now if only I could expect the same reaction from Snape," she thought to herself.
Snape sat in his large, cushioned chair with his thickest potions book in his lap. The last potion he had taken had suppressed his fever to a low enough grade that he could research a better cure. Unfortunately, he was having no luck and was feeling weak again. A light tap on his door caused him to jump slightly. "Who is it?" he barked in a raspy voice.
"Room service," a cheery voice answered from outside the door.
Snape furrowed his eyebrows. Curiosity more than anything moved him to open the door.
Angeline stood smiling up at him with a tray of food in her hands. "A concerned student of yours was kind enough to inform me of your strange behavior this afternoon."
Snape frowned. "Potter. He's as meddling as his father used to be." He moved out of the doorway allowing her to come in.
"I don't know much about his past family life, but I think he's a very sweet child. He seems to be rather concerned for you."
"You know little about his past? You're obviously not from London, are you?"
Angeline hesitated. She supposed it would be alright to tell him. "Well, I was born here, but my mother, brother, and I moved to the United States when I was ten, so I don't know a lot of the specific history of London thereafter."
"The United States? Which school did you attend?"
"Not many have heard of it. It's not a well known university. There aren't as many witches and wizards in the area where we lived. Many of them fled or were killed during the Salem Witch trials. Those who did remain kept their school in complete secrecy. The muggles in the States are much more violent to outsiders than the muggles in London. The lack of magical atmosphere makes it much more difficult to cast Memory Charms on the muggles which, in return, makes it more dangerous to live a normal life if you have magical powers." She stopped talking and placed the tray on a small round table. "Now, on to more pressing matters. I have brought you some dinner since you decided to skip eating for the last few meals."
"Thanks, but I have no appetite." He felt exhausted. All he really wanted to do was go to bed and hope that the fever had worn off by morning.
"Be that as it may, I think that you will have an appetite if you'll taste it." Angeline pulled out of her robes a bottle filled with a golden potion.
Snape watched as she poured it in the soup and waved her hand over the bowl. A small puff of glittering, gold smoke rose out of the bowl and then vanished. Curiosity overcame him.
"You should have told me about the fevers. I'm sorry that I didn't catch it before." She walked over to where Snape was standing. "Now, sit down and eat this," she added forcefully.
Snape opened his mouth to say something, but quickly changed his mind. He still was not quite sure how to take her, and he was in no mood or position to see her angry.
Angeline gave him an evil grin. "That's better now. I promise that you'll feel one hundred percent better in the morning. However," she added in a meaningful tone, "if you don't start eating, you'll never get your strength back."
She sat down in a chair across from him. Snape felt agitated at being hovered over, but he decided not to say anything. As he obediently ate, he felt his fever lower and his headache faded. "What potion did you put in this?" Snape inquired, amazed. None of his potions had come close to doing any good.
She looked thoughtful. "It's. . . well. . . Actually, I haven't given it a name." She fidgeted slightly. "I was a medic in a muggle hospital once. I gathered different muggle remedies together that I had used in the hospital and added some roots and herbs that I bought in Hogsmeade and. . ." she thought for a moment and continued, "well another ingredient, but," she decided to stop. "Anyway, I'd better go and let you get your rest."
Snape looked at her curiously. What was she so nervous about? Angeline gathered the kitchen ware together and bid Snape a good night.
Snape laid down in his bed and allowed his mind to wander. Angeline was the most curious witch he had ever met, and that just made him want to get to know her better. Lyle's warning crossed his mind and he brushed it off with an air of irritation. Getting closer to Angeline would not be easy with her nosey brother around.