Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Nope, not me.
A/N: Yay for reviews!
This is a Severus chapter, and it is also the chapter for Tuesday.
___________
"Is she - all right?" Severus asked, hovering awkwardly over Dumbledore's shoulder as the headmaster examined Helena.
Dumbledore stood up and sighed. "Yes, I think so," he replied tiredly. "It's shock, I think, that's causing the fever. Remus, can you go and Floo Poppy?"
"Sorry, Professor," Remus said. He was halfway out the door. "It's getting dark and it's full moon and…"
"That's quite all right," Dumbledore said. "Go and take your potion."
"I'll go and Floo her," Aemilia offered.
"Thankyou, Aemilia," Dumbledore said. "Use the fireplace in the Hospital Wing. We'll be right up."
Aemilia nodded and disappeared out the door.
"I shall go and look in Miss Seraphim's rooms," Dumbledore told Severus. "I would like to know how she knew about the destruction of Telae Domus. Can I ask you to carry her up to the Hospital Wing?"
Thank Merlin she's unconscious, Severus thought. "Certainly, Albus," he replied.
"Thankyou, Severus," Dumbledore said, and left.
Severus looked down on Helena. She looks so helpless, he thought.
She did look helpless. She had flung herself onto her side and was curled up around her left arm. Her golden hair was tangled. Her white robes against her creamy skin made her look like a porcelain doll. Fragile. Delicate. Breakable.
He lifted her up gently. He knew she didn't weigh much but he was still surprised at how light she was. She is almost not there, he thought.
She is the last one left.
Now that was a disturbing thought.
Severus shut his door behind them and began to make his way up the stone steps to the Hospital Wing. Memories of his time at Telae Domus were flitting back - not just memories of Helena, but of the other priestesses too. Diana, Aralinda, Marianne, Miriel, Ysylde, all the giggling novices, the serene grey-robed priestesses, the masters in their robes of black - all dead, all gone.
I guess Diana's worst dreams did come true, he thought. He remembered thinking, when she had handed over the title of High Priestess to Helena, that the woman with moon-pale hair was a coward. That she could not stomach facing the Dark Lord, and so passed the responsibility to someone else to face. To Helena.
And, ironically, Helena had been the only one that did not have to face him.
He knew, that the next time the Dark Lord called his Death Eaters together, he would have to hear about the destruction of Telae Domus. He might even have kept one of the priestesses alive, to tell the tale herself, before they tortured her to death. And he would have to watch, and pretend to enjoy it, while it killed him inside.
For an instant, his sight blurred, and he could almost see Diana writhing on the ground, victim of a dozen Cruciatus curses. Tortured to madness, like the Longbottoms, then killed.
The Death Eater meetings made him sick, and yet he knew he had to keep going, had to keep pretending to be a loyal servant, so he was useful. Useful to the Order. So Harry Potter had a chance to defeat Lord Voldemort and drive him into black oblivion.
He did not feel the rush of hatred he usually felt at the thought of Harry Potter, and he knew why.
There is another child out there I hate far more, even though I do not know who they are, he thought fiercely. Damn you, Sirius Black. Damn you to hell.
He pushed open the door to the Hospital Wing and went in.
*
Poppy Pomfrey was already waiting for them when he got in, Aemilia at her side. 'Dear, dear," she tut-tutted as Severus laid Helena carefully down on the bed nearest the window. She felt Helena's forehead and immediately bustled off into another room, doubtlessly preparing some kind of poultice or fetching some kind of medicine.
Aemilia was staring very hard at Helena, brow furrowed, as if trying to figure something out. "Are you quite all right, Fudge?" Severus snapped.
"Yes, yes," Aemilia replied, clearly too distracted to rise to the bait.
"Didn't your mother teach you it was rude to stare?"
Aemilia shot Severus a dirty look. "My family isn't my favourite topic at the moment, Severus," she said sharply. "I've just been disowned."
"I thought you already were."
Aemilia laughed bitterly. "No, last time it was an argument. This time, it was the whole, 'Aemilia, I'm cutting you off from my will, never set foot in my house again, you are not my daughter' spiel."
Severus raised his eyebrows. "I never picked your father as someone that petty. Surely he knows you have to find work somewhere."
"Oh, that wasn't the reason."
Severus raised his eyebrows even further. "What was, then?"
Aemilia blushed bright red. "Well -"
"You were snogging Lupin, weren't you?" Severus accused. "And he caught you."
"Maybe," Aemilia shot back. "There are plenty of other reasons my father would have disowned me."
"Your father hates half-breeds. Umbridge poisoned his mind."
"That's true, but it doesn't mean - oh, all right, Snape, you're right," Aemilia snapped. "My father walked in on me and Remus snogging in the library. Satisfied?"
"Very."
They lapsed back into silence as Dumbledore came into the room. "It was a letter," he announced, handing it to Severus. Aemilia began reading it over his shoulder.
Helena -
I hope to Arachne you get this. The Death Eaters are here - they've just broken in to the First Circle. By the time this makes it to you everyone will be dead. It's only a matter of time till they get through and break down the doors that lead to the sanctum. It was so sudden - and the wights that protect us will never make it in time. Anyway - there are so many Death Eaters and so few of the seelie wights left. Farewell, Helena!
They wanted the Libri on Life and Death, but we burned them. They did get all of Regina's old books in the Gatehouse, but there were no great secrets in them. Diana immolated the Libri herself before they killed her. Our great secrets have gone up in flames - he will never get them now. If he finds the key to the gates of death, it will not be from us.
I charge you, Helena, to start again. You are the last one of the Arachniae left - do not let Arachne's noble wisdom die out! Go to the wights and beg protection - begin Telae Domus anew!
Arachne guide you and guard your thread, Helena.
Ysylde
"Oh dear god," Aemilia breathed. "That's terrible."
Severus cast desperate eyes on Dumbledore. "Albus - is there any way…"
Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "No, Severus," he said heavily. "The enchantments guarding Telae Domus were never strong, just very obscure. Their main protection were the wights, but if they were gone…"
"But it was Unplottable!" Severus exclaimed. "How could he have found it?"
Dumbledore sighed. "Lily Potter was not the only one who went to the Arachniae seeking knowledge of eldritch death magic."
And Severus remembered. "Sweet mother of Merlin," he murmured. "Bellatrix."
"She never made it far up, of course," Dumbledore said. "Not above the First Circle."
"I remember," Severus breathed. "She left - because it was useless. The Dark Lord ordered her to." I had been terrified for Regina, he remembered. I was glad when the Dark Lord pulled Bellatrix out. Bellatrix with the powers of wights… that is a terrifying notion.
Madam Pomfrey had come back in and was fussing over Helena. "Dear, dear," she muttered.
"She never did have the natural disposition for it," Dumbledore agreed. "Not like Lily - Aemilia?"
Aemilia had resumed her staring at Helena and had suddenly crossed the room, kneeling at the priestess's side.
"Fudge, what are you doing?" Severus snapped.
Aemilia didn't answer. Instead, she laid her left hand flat against Helena's stomach and muttered a word under her breath that Severus could not here. After a second, her hand glowed golden. She and Madam Pomfrey shared darkly significant looks.
"What?" Severus said shortly.
"I knew she was hiding something," Aemilia replied, "and now I know what it is." She looked sharply at Severus. "I don't think she knows it, but your little priestess, Snape, is pregnant."
______________
REVIEW!
