Chapter 26- The Cure
Love me or not, love her I must or die;
Leave me or not, follow her needs must I.
O that her grace would my wished comforts give,
How rich in her, how happy should I live!
All my desire, all my delight should be,
Her to enjoy, her to unite to me:
Envy should cease, her would I love alone;
Who loves by looks, is seldom true to me.
Could I enchant, and that it lawful were,
Her would I charm softly that none should hear.
But love enforced rarely yields firm content;
So would I love that neither should repent.
By Thomas Campion (1567-1620)
Five days later, Severus and Aletta had finally reached Hogwarts with every one of the ingredients to the potion. Luckily, Severus had extracted a sufficient amount of venom from the lifeless snake before it became entirely futile. He had to heave himself away from Aletta's grapple to do so.
All of the castle's occupants were ecstatic when the two professors arrived. Though the gratitude and welcoming was pointed more toward Aletta than Severus. Severus didn't mind at all that he wasn't being welcomed with hugs and pecks on the cheek. He actually found it quite repulsive. Though he couldn't help but show a touch of pride when Aletta kissed him in front of the staff. The looks on their faces were priceless. Though Albus didn't seem to be surprised at all. Severus couldn't help but have a suspicion that somehow Albus was watching them all along, despite the foolishness of the thought. But the old geezer was brilliant and he knew everything and anything that went on in the world around him, to Severus' irritation. He remembered the numerous times that he had been told by Albus to be non-discriminatory against the little Gryffindor monsters. But he insisted to himself that he was just making up for the time when Mad-Eye Moody was so despicable to his class. Although he had to admit, the time he turned the little Malfoy brat into a ferret was quite entertaining. But he had to put up with Lucius Mafloy's displeasure the next day.
Severus walked over to a nearby tree while the students and faculty expressed their revolting joy and delight for Aletta's return. He wished that he and Aletta were still back in the forest, away from these gleeful people, making love under the stars. Making love. Something he and Aletta had not partook in yet. Maybe she still didn't want him? But of course, they were both so busy, what with them watching the ingredients and walking constantly. And when the night had befallen, they had been so tired that they didn't even think of just sleeping in the same blankets. But now that they were back, Severus hoped that they would be able to get around to that happy activity.
"Hey, grease ball," a taunting voice jeered from his right.
Severus turned and looked Sirius Black up and down disapprovingly. "Who are you calling grease ball?"
"Oh, come now, you can't even wear a hat on that or it'll slide right off!" he mocked, gesturing toward Severus' smooth locks.
Severus arched an eyebrow and said, "I used to think you were a gibbering idiot, though now I have a much lower opinion of you."
Sirius' brow furrowed and he said haughtily, "You were such a loser, Severus. Always being picked on by James and I," Sirius poked his face into Severus view of Aletta, "And you know what? I don't regret any of it, and I know James wouldn't either."
Sirius had hit a nerve. And if they were not near such a public display, Severus would have beaten the living hell out of hateful man across from him.
"Some people are has-beens," Severus said calmly, though gritted teeth. "But you, you are a never-was."
Sirius eyes flashed, but he acted as though he hadn't heard him as he started to examine his hands, "I hope you really aren't keen on Aletta because she can't stand you. Over there the slut was telling us how-,"
The rest of Sirius' sentence was muffled from the metal-fist punch that Severus had given him. Sirius flipped back onto the ground, his head hitting it hard. Severus walked toward him quickly, ready to do anything to kill the man he had always despised. Instead, Sirius lay on the ground chuckling, and then laughing. He sat up with a big toothy grin on his face as he looked up at Severus.
"You do love her!" he yelled, thrusting his fist up into the air with mirth.
Severus raised an eyebrow and him in question. Sirius laughed again and stood up, though a bit to quickly since he almost lost his balance. He slapped a hand on Severus' shoulder and received a death glare.
"You know I didn't mean any of the things I said, mate," he laughed. "Though I was impressed with my grease ball joke."
Severus was not impressed. He pushed Sirius hand off of his shoulder.
"You did that just to see if I . . . had feelings for Aletta?" he growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.
Sirius nodded happily and Severus grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, but realizing where he was, he let him go.
"Do you understand that you could have gotten me sacked?" he hissed. "Someone could have seen!"
Sirius smiled again and said, "Someone did see."
Maya Claire approached them from the crowd, almost as if on cue, and said, "Nice show, Snape!"
"What is the meaning of this?" Severus snarled at her.
"Whoa, calm down," she said uneasily. "I just wanted to see if you really loved her or not. I mean, you can't blame me for being curious considering your . . . usual demeanor."
Severus sighed. "I take it she already told you about us."
Maya smiled and said, "Of course! Plus you guys kissed in front of us. I mean, how thick do you think we are?"
Severus arched an eyebrow at her and she glared at him, but dismissed the rude gesture almost instantly.
"So, did you guys have a good time, if you know what I mean?" Sirius asked as he raised his eyebrows suggestively at Severus.
"Of course not!" Severus hissed. "And it's none of your damn business, anyway!"
Sirius looked over at Maya with confusion, and she glanced back with as much. Sirius turned back to Severus and said, "So . . . you mean to say that you didn't have a nice time at all?"
Severus sighed with annoyance, but answered anyway. "I did have quite a pleasurable time, if that's what you mean."
A evocative snort came from Sirius and Maya smiled at him.
"Can't you think of anything other than fornication?" Severus asked with a disgusted look, though he couldn't help the fraudulent image of him and Aletta pop into his mind.
Sirius laughed even harder and Severus' use of words, and Maya joined in with just as much alacrity.
"What, pray tell, is so amusing?" Severus asked with even more irritation than before.
"Man, do you refer to sex as fornication in public?" Sirius asked between cackles. "If you do, then . . . well . . . I pity you."
Severus suddenly boomed, "I do not and have not put myself in such an inelegant position where I had to utter about such a subject in public. But I'm convinced it is your preferred topic to converse about over a nice, candlelight dinner. And aren't you a bit old for Miss Claire, here."
Sirius had calmed down by now and he held his aching stomach that was triggered by his loud guffaws. "Ah, a man's only as old as the woman he feels."
Maya snorted and hit Sirius on the shoulder. "I'm only three years younger than him."
Severus nodded his head in acknowledgement. "What ever happened to that one woman you chased when we were in our 7th year?"
Sirius let a remembering smile sneak onto is face and he said, "I chased that girl for two years only to discover that her tastes were exactly like mine: We were both crazy about girls."
Severus smirked and Maya laughed as Sirius sat down on the cool grass to stretch. Little footsteps were heard as Professor Mcgonagall approached Sirius. She muttered a little welcome to Severus, then turned to Sirius. Minerva had a very stern look on her face, more than usual, and she drew her nose upward.
"Don't point that chin at me," said Sirius jokingly, "it might go off!"
Maya snickered as Mcgonagall glared at him through her spectacles.
"Sirius," Minerva said in a reprimanding tone, "you left your class unattended, and Draco Malfoy thought it was a good time to have a snogging session with one of the girl's in the corridor."
"Ooh! Who's the girl?" Maya asked with hilarity.
"Now that is none of your business, Miss Claire," she scolded gravely.
"Why not?" Sirius complained. "You would tell Snape!"
Mcgonagall's thin lips formed into a sly smile, "You're right, I would."
Sirius through his arms up into the air, "Than why not tell us?"
"Because you are not responsible enough to know. You would run around and scream it at the top of your lungs," she said harshly. "I know that you would go by any means to destroy the Malfoy name."
Sirius shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "And what's the problem with that?"
Severus joined the conversation, "Lucius Malfoy is the problem. We don't want the prick to hassle the school any more than he does."
Sirius sat still, seemingly in thought, then he piped up. "Then we'll kidnap him and feed him to my griffin!"
Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm leaving this discussion before it makes me go stupid."
"So long, mate," Sirius called to Snape's retreating back. "And get laid tonight, will you?"
Severus' shoulders stiffened and his fists clenched at the offensive comment. The blow he gave Sirius didn't seem like an error anymore.
* * * * *
"Headmaster."
Albus Dumbledore turned around to see Severus Snape standing in the doorway of the private infirmary room, a potion bottle in hand.
"It has been two days," Albus said quietly, "and you have already finished the potion? Haven't you even visited Aletta since you two had returned?"
Albus looked very frail lately, Severus thought. The blue eyes that used to twinkle so frequently, only shone slightly. He seemed to have dark circles of sleep under his eyes, and he hunched more than usual. But brushing the thought away, Severus walked fully into the room and strode across to Albus, who had taken a seat in the chair next to Ron's bed, though it was empty.
"Where is Weasley?" Severus asked into the uncomfortable silence, ignoring the headmaster's earlier question.
"Ah, you see, I have made an error!" Albus said suddenly, catching Severus by surprise. "I apparated into the room, and I daresay the poor boy is frightened of me."
Severus smirked at the thought and asked, "So he has . . .escaped?"
"No," Albus answered simply. "Just cowering in the bathroom. Now," he said getting up slowly and gesturing toward the bottle in Severus' hand, " that is the potion, correct?"
"Yes," Severus said as he handed it to him.
"Are there any side effects we should know about?" Madame Pomfrey piped up as she entered the room in a rush.
"Drowsiness."
"And if he is allergic?"
"I have the antidote," Severus answered plainly. "But I highly doubt that Weasley will be allergic."
Dumbledore nodded and said, "Thank you, Severus."
Severus nodded in return and handed the bottle to Madame Pomfrey's outstretched hand. He pivoted toward the door to take his leave when he suddenly felt a light tap on his shoulder. He looked back and Albus smiled at him.
"Don't you want to learn how he had gotten in this position?" Albus asked as he nodded his head toward Ron who was now reluctantly exiting the bathroom. Madame Pomfrey was muttering things to him, telling him that everything was going to be all right.
"I do," Severus answered.
The professors gathered around the bed when Ron was settled down in it. Madame Pomfrey was just about to hand the uncorked bottle to Ron when they heard the door fly open behind them. Madame Pomfrey looked up sternly, about to chastise whomever stumbled into the room without knocking. But instead a smile planted on her face, and Severus turned around too, followed by Albus.
"Sorry!" Aletta whispered as she closed the door silently.
She tiptoed over to the bed and Ablus said, "This is not a funeral, Aletta. You may talk and make as much noise as you want. Though I wouldn't make to much on account of our terrified student here."
Aletta smiled at him and walked over to stand next to her uncle. She avoided Severus gaze and looked on toward Ron.
"Ready?" Madame Pomfrey asked in her gentlest voice as she handed Ron the bottle.
Ron nodded and brought the mouth to his lips. He leaned his head back and gulped it down the small amount in one swallow. The next thing that happened was so fast that they could barely tell if it even happened or not. A whole wind of sparks broke through one of the glass windows, shattering the shards onto everyone and everything. The brush of wind blew past Aletta and knocked her over with a vast strength. Albus almost fell, but was caught by Severus. The sparks rushed toward Ron and sucked up into his ears and nostrils. Then it was over. Ron's eyes seemed to have changed. The confusion that was planted there before had diminished. And the way he held himself was the same as how he had before.
"Why am I here?" Ron shouted suddenly as he jumped up with such a rapid pace. "Where are Harry and Hermione? I need to tell them what happened!"
Severus quickly ran over to Aletta and ran his hand over her flawless back. It was amazing that her plunge onto the debris of glass made no abrasion to her. They walked out into the infirmary where they were alone, and she looked up at him and smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You did it, Severus," she whispered as the other occupants were busy talking. "You revived his memory."
"No matter how lacking it was," Severus added with a smirk.
"You are so evil," she said with a laugh as Severus arched a brow. "But I wouldn't want you to be anything more than that."
Severus chuckled and said, "You go for the wicked, malicious ones, don't you?"
Aletta smiled and answered, "It appears so."
PS. Next chapter (last chapter) will be for you 'desperate' folk, if you catch my drift?
Love me or not, love her I must or die;
Leave me or not, follow her needs must I.
O that her grace would my wished comforts give,
How rich in her, how happy should I live!
All my desire, all my delight should be,
Her to enjoy, her to unite to me:
Envy should cease, her would I love alone;
Who loves by looks, is seldom true to me.
Could I enchant, and that it lawful were,
Her would I charm softly that none should hear.
But love enforced rarely yields firm content;
So would I love that neither should repent.
By Thomas Campion (1567-1620)
Five days later, Severus and Aletta had finally reached Hogwarts with every one of the ingredients to the potion. Luckily, Severus had extracted a sufficient amount of venom from the lifeless snake before it became entirely futile. He had to heave himself away from Aletta's grapple to do so.
All of the castle's occupants were ecstatic when the two professors arrived. Though the gratitude and welcoming was pointed more toward Aletta than Severus. Severus didn't mind at all that he wasn't being welcomed with hugs and pecks on the cheek. He actually found it quite repulsive. Though he couldn't help but show a touch of pride when Aletta kissed him in front of the staff. The looks on their faces were priceless. Though Albus didn't seem to be surprised at all. Severus couldn't help but have a suspicion that somehow Albus was watching them all along, despite the foolishness of the thought. But the old geezer was brilliant and he knew everything and anything that went on in the world around him, to Severus' irritation. He remembered the numerous times that he had been told by Albus to be non-discriminatory against the little Gryffindor monsters. But he insisted to himself that he was just making up for the time when Mad-Eye Moody was so despicable to his class. Although he had to admit, the time he turned the little Malfoy brat into a ferret was quite entertaining. But he had to put up with Lucius Mafloy's displeasure the next day.
Severus walked over to a nearby tree while the students and faculty expressed their revolting joy and delight for Aletta's return. He wished that he and Aletta were still back in the forest, away from these gleeful people, making love under the stars. Making love. Something he and Aletta had not partook in yet. Maybe she still didn't want him? But of course, they were both so busy, what with them watching the ingredients and walking constantly. And when the night had befallen, they had been so tired that they didn't even think of just sleeping in the same blankets. But now that they were back, Severus hoped that they would be able to get around to that happy activity.
"Hey, grease ball," a taunting voice jeered from his right.
Severus turned and looked Sirius Black up and down disapprovingly. "Who are you calling grease ball?"
"Oh, come now, you can't even wear a hat on that or it'll slide right off!" he mocked, gesturing toward Severus' smooth locks.
Severus arched an eyebrow and said, "I used to think you were a gibbering idiot, though now I have a much lower opinion of you."
Sirius' brow furrowed and he said haughtily, "You were such a loser, Severus. Always being picked on by James and I," Sirius poked his face into Severus view of Aletta, "And you know what? I don't regret any of it, and I know James wouldn't either."
Sirius had hit a nerve. And if they were not near such a public display, Severus would have beaten the living hell out of hateful man across from him.
"Some people are has-beens," Severus said calmly, though gritted teeth. "But you, you are a never-was."
Sirius eyes flashed, but he acted as though he hadn't heard him as he started to examine his hands, "I hope you really aren't keen on Aletta because she can't stand you. Over there the slut was telling us how-,"
The rest of Sirius' sentence was muffled from the metal-fist punch that Severus had given him. Sirius flipped back onto the ground, his head hitting it hard. Severus walked toward him quickly, ready to do anything to kill the man he had always despised. Instead, Sirius lay on the ground chuckling, and then laughing. He sat up with a big toothy grin on his face as he looked up at Severus.
"You do love her!" he yelled, thrusting his fist up into the air with mirth.
Severus raised an eyebrow and him in question. Sirius laughed again and stood up, though a bit to quickly since he almost lost his balance. He slapped a hand on Severus' shoulder and received a death glare.
"You know I didn't mean any of the things I said, mate," he laughed. "Though I was impressed with my grease ball joke."
Severus was not impressed. He pushed Sirius hand off of his shoulder.
"You did that just to see if I . . . had feelings for Aletta?" he growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.
Sirius nodded happily and Severus grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, but realizing where he was, he let him go.
"Do you understand that you could have gotten me sacked?" he hissed. "Someone could have seen!"
Sirius smiled again and said, "Someone did see."
Maya Claire approached them from the crowd, almost as if on cue, and said, "Nice show, Snape!"
"What is the meaning of this?" Severus snarled at her.
"Whoa, calm down," she said uneasily. "I just wanted to see if you really loved her or not. I mean, you can't blame me for being curious considering your . . . usual demeanor."
Severus sighed. "I take it she already told you about us."
Maya smiled and said, "Of course! Plus you guys kissed in front of us. I mean, how thick do you think we are?"
Severus arched an eyebrow at her and she glared at him, but dismissed the rude gesture almost instantly.
"So, did you guys have a good time, if you know what I mean?" Sirius asked as he raised his eyebrows suggestively at Severus.
"Of course not!" Severus hissed. "And it's none of your damn business, anyway!"
Sirius looked over at Maya with confusion, and she glanced back with as much. Sirius turned back to Severus and said, "So . . . you mean to say that you didn't have a nice time at all?"
Severus sighed with annoyance, but answered anyway. "I did have quite a pleasurable time, if that's what you mean."
A evocative snort came from Sirius and Maya smiled at him.
"Can't you think of anything other than fornication?" Severus asked with a disgusted look, though he couldn't help the fraudulent image of him and Aletta pop into his mind.
Sirius laughed even harder and Severus' use of words, and Maya joined in with just as much alacrity.
"What, pray tell, is so amusing?" Severus asked with even more irritation than before.
"Man, do you refer to sex as fornication in public?" Sirius asked between cackles. "If you do, then . . . well . . . I pity you."
Severus suddenly boomed, "I do not and have not put myself in such an inelegant position where I had to utter about such a subject in public. But I'm convinced it is your preferred topic to converse about over a nice, candlelight dinner. And aren't you a bit old for Miss Claire, here."
Sirius had calmed down by now and he held his aching stomach that was triggered by his loud guffaws. "Ah, a man's only as old as the woman he feels."
Maya snorted and hit Sirius on the shoulder. "I'm only three years younger than him."
Severus nodded his head in acknowledgement. "What ever happened to that one woman you chased when we were in our 7th year?"
Sirius let a remembering smile sneak onto is face and he said, "I chased that girl for two years only to discover that her tastes were exactly like mine: We were both crazy about girls."
Severus smirked and Maya laughed as Sirius sat down on the cool grass to stretch. Little footsteps were heard as Professor Mcgonagall approached Sirius. She muttered a little welcome to Severus, then turned to Sirius. Minerva had a very stern look on her face, more than usual, and she drew her nose upward.
"Don't point that chin at me," said Sirius jokingly, "it might go off!"
Maya snickered as Mcgonagall glared at him through her spectacles.
"Sirius," Minerva said in a reprimanding tone, "you left your class unattended, and Draco Malfoy thought it was a good time to have a snogging session with one of the girl's in the corridor."
"Ooh! Who's the girl?" Maya asked with hilarity.
"Now that is none of your business, Miss Claire," she scolded gravely.
"Why not?" Sirius complained. "You would tell Snape!"
Mcgonagall's thin lips formed into a sly smile, "You're right, I would."
Sirius through his arms up into the air, "Than why not tell us?"
"Because you are not responsible enough to know. You would run around and scream it at the top of your lungs," she said harshly. "I know that you would go by any means to destroy the Malfoy name."
Sirius shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "And what's the problem with that?"
Severus joined the conversation, "Lucius Malfoy is the problem. We don't want the prick to hassle the school any more than he does."
Sirius sat still, seemingly in thought, then he piped up. "Then we'll kidnap him and feed him to my griffin!"
Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm leaving this discussion before it makes me go stupid."
"So long, mate," Sirius called to Snape's retreating back. "And get laid tonight, will you?"
Severus' shoulders stiffened and his fists clenched at the offensive comment. The blow he gave Sirius didn't seem like an error anymore.
* * * * *
"Headmaster."
Albus Dumbledore turned around to see Severus Snape standing in the doorway of the private infirmary room, a potion bottle in hand.
"It has been two days," Albus said quietly, "and you have already finished the potion? Haven't you even visited Aletta since you two had returned?"
Albus looked very frail lately, Severus thought. The blue eyes that used to twinkle so frequently, only shone slightly. He seemed to have dark circles of sleep under his eyes, and he hunched more than usual. But brushing the thought away, Severus walked fully into the room and strode across to Albus, who had taken a seat in the chair next to Ron's bed, though it was empty.
"Where is Weasley?" Severus asked into the uncomfortable silence, ignoring the headmaster's earlier question.
"Ah, you see, I have made an error!" Albus said suddenly, catching Severus by surprise. "I apparated into the room, and I daresay the poor boy is frightened of me."
Severus smirked at the thought and asked, "So he has . . .escaped?"
"No," Albus answered simply. "Just cowering in the bathroom. Now," he said getting up slowly and gesturing toward the bottle in Severus' hand, " that is the potion, correct?"
"Yes," Severus said as he handed it to him.
"Are there any side effects we should know about?" Madame Pomfrey piped up as she entered the room in a rush.
"Drowsiness."
"And if he is allergic?"
"I have the antidote," Severus answered plainly. "But I highly doubt that Weasley will be allergic."
Dumbledore nodded and said, "Thank you, Severus."
Severus nodded in return and handed the bottle to Madame Pomfrey's outstretched hand. He pivoted toward the door to take his leave when he suddenly felt a light tap on his shoulder. He looked back and Albus smiled at him.
"Don't you want to learn how he had gotten in this position?" Albus asked as he nodded his head toward Ron who was now reluctantly exiting the bathroom. Madame Pomfrey was muttering things to him, telling him that everything was going to be all right.
"I do," Severus answered.
The professors gathered around the bed when Ron was settled down in it. Madame Pomfrey was just about to hand the uncorked bottle to Ron when they heard the door fly open behind them. Madame Pomfrey looked up sternly, about to chastise whomever stumbled into the room without knocking. But instead a smile planted on her face, and Severus turned around too, followed by Albus.
"Sorry!" Aletta whispered as she closed the door silently.
She tiptoed over to the bed and Ablus said, "This is not a funeral, Aletta. You may talk and make as much noise as you want. Though I wouldn't make to much on account of our terrified student here."
Aletta smiled at him and walked over to stand next to her uncle. She avoided Severus gaze and looked on toward Ron.
"Ready?" Madame Pomfrey asked in her gentlest voice as she handed Ron the bottle.
Ron nodded and brought the mouth to his lips. He leaned his head back and gulped it down the small amount in one swallow. The next thing that happened was so fast that they could barely tell if it even happened or not. A whole wind of sparks broke through one of the glass windows, shattering the shards onto everyone and everything. The brush of wind blew past Aletta and knocked her over with a vast strength. Albus almost fell, but was caught by Severus. The sparks rushed toward Ron and sucked up into his ears and nostrils. Then it was over. Ron's eyes seemed to have changed. The confusion that was planted there before had diminished. And the way he held himself was the same as how he had before.
"Why am I here?" Ron shouted suddenly as he jumped up with such a rapid pace. "Where are Harry and Hermione? I need to tell them what happened!"
Severus quickly ran over to Aletta and ran his hand over her flawless back. It was amazing that her plunge onto the debris of glass made no abrasion to her. They walked out into the infirmary where they were alone, and she looked up at him and smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You did it, Severus," she whispered as the other occupants were busy talking. "You revived his memory."
"No matter how lacking it was," Severus added with a smirk.
"You are so evil," she said with a laugh as Severus arched a brow. "But I wouldn't want you to be anything more than that."
Severus chuckled and said, "You go for the wicked, malicious ones, don't you?"
Aletta smiled and answered, "It appears so."
PS. Next chapter (last chapter) will be for you 'desperate' folk, if you catch my drift?
