Two very different potions, two potions with two opposite effects
administered to one person. That was calling for trouble. No, that was
calling for a catastrophe.
The night began peaceful enough, the Dreamless Sleep potion had done its job and Lierin was embraced in a peaceful slumber. But, when she finally entered the realm of dreams, Evoke began to work and soon memories and visions started to poor into her dreams, her thoughts, her mind. But, the just administered Dreamless Sleep potion was still strong and the moment the visions and dreams started to interrupt her peaceful slumber, it forced them to the back of her mind again. Peace at last, or at least for a short while, until Evoke was able to override the Dreamless Sleep potion again. The dreams and visions came back, stronger than before, just to be pushed back again by the Dreamless Sleep potion. The two potions battled each other, neither bound to give up soon or easily, and both tormenting Lierin in her sleep until she awoke with a scream of pain and anguish. The thoughts that tumbled through her mind were incoherent and didn't make a lot of sense. It was as if somewhere in a far dark corner of her mind, a trashbin had been emtied and she now had to view and select every tiny bit again. Every old memory was put back in it's place; good memories, bad memories. Suddenly the giant trashbin was gone, and so were the dreams and the memories. For a moment Lierin sat in her bed, confused and disoriented accompanied with the mother of all headaches. She got out of bed, shuffled towards the lavatory and splashed her face with refreshing cool water. She looked up into the small mirror, which wisely kept its mouth shut, and tried to shed the cobwebs from the empty dusty space in her mind. Suddenly, without a warning, horrible images tumbled in, and, not matter where she looked and how she turned, they were still there, haunting her, tormenting her. She closed her eyes and opened them again and saw the reflection of one of her nightmares grimacing back at her. A scream of anguish struggled out of her throat, just before she collapsed to the ground. And then, as sudden is they had come, they were gone. Her mind was her own once again. Lierin struggled to get up from the floor, ignoring a fresh bruise on her left knee, there was only one thing left in her mind. Severus, I need to go to Severus. He can help, at least if he wants to.
Once outside her private quarters, Lierin for the first time cursed the fact that Severus' private quarters were situated so far from hers. One glance in the direction of the dark isolated hallways and her resolve melted like snow in the sun. The walls started to dance in front of her eyes, or was that because she was swaying on her feet? She didn't know and she certainly didn't care, she only cared about how she could reach his chambers as soon as possible. It's only a matter of placing one foot in front of the other, she thought to herself, and forced herself to walk. And so began her journey to Severus' private quarters, a journey through Hogwarts filled with pain, anguish and confusion. The two potions were still enticed in a harsh battle deep inside of her and were either allowing her to continue her weak attempt to reach Severus or caused her to writhe in pain. Finally she reached the familiar stone steps that led to the classroom and past that to his private chambers. Just a few more steps, it won't be long now, Lierin encouraged herself and forced herself to continue, she could already faintly see the door to his bedchamber. She had to make haste now, she could already feel the tranquility of the Dreamless Sleep potion fade away and after that it wouldn't be long before the pain would be back again. She knew that if she couldn't reach Severus before that, she wouldn't be able to reach him at all, she was at the end of her strength. But it was right at his door that her body finally gave in, and she slumped forward against it with a loud thud.
A short moment later the door flew wide open, Snape bewildered standing in the doorway with only a pair of black trousers on. With the solid support of the door gone, Lierin collapsed forward and straight into Snape's arms. Too shocked to utter a single sound, Snape glanced down at the warm female body that was suddenly in his arms. He quickly looked up to see if someone else had noticed what just had occured. And finally, after convincing himself no one else was present, he lifted Lierin up and closed the door. He hurried into the room where he usually passed his spare time, and ran towards a flight of stairs. He carried Lierin into his bedroom and placed her small figure in his large four-poster bed.
"Well, let's see what's wrong with you... Lierin, can you hear me?"
Snape got no reaction, he tried again but still she didn't react.
"Lierin, for the love of Merlin, woman! Speak up!" And Snape slapped her in the face. Her eyes flew wide open and Snape immidiately noticed the thick haze of pain in them. Whatever was going on, it was serious.
"Severus, please... help me... something is wrong, inside my head..."
There she stopped again because another wave of pain and tormenting images overwhelmed her. She writhed underneath the cool silky blankets and worried Snape tried to keep her calm. She was in no condition to tell him what was wrong with her, so he needed to run a few tests to determine the cause of her ailment. He gingerly touched his right leg, right above his boot and he felt the contours of Lierin's gift, the knife of Bia, which he kept close to him at all times. Carefully he took the knife from its hiding place, and once more he marveled at the beauty and the cruelty of it. Then, without any sign of hesitation, Snape deeply cut her in one of her hands, and squeesed it to let the blood drip into a small vial he had taken from one of his pockets. With quick expertise he then treated the fresh cut and left for his study. It wasn't a very difficult task to do, not with his years of experience and his knowledge, and after just a few simple tests he already found out that Lierin was under the influence of two or more potions. His large nose was very helpful determining the aroma's and after a short half an hour, he was writing down the key ingredients used in the potions and soon he discovered the usage of the Dreamless Sleep potion. But that one he knew about, hadn't he helped Poppy administering the potion himself? The other ingredients formed only one more potion. Snape already had a suspicion, and though he really didn't need to, he looked up the right potionsbook to confirm his suspicions. He quickly ran his finger through the index, found the right page and the right formula. He furrowed his brows and quickly closed the book. He was right. The potion Evoke had been used, and much more than the general prescribed dose. And together with the Dreamless Sleep potion... a cry of anguish shook him from his thoughts and with a paled look on his face Snape hurried back to his bedroom. He flung the blankets from bed and gathered Lierin in his arms. She was deathly pale and she rolled with her eyes. Cold sweat was trickling down her face while severe spasms made her shake uncontrolably. The first signs were there, he didn't have a moment to lose. He sat off at a run while he wondered how many times he had carried her to the Hospital Wing by now. The woman really must have broken somekind of record!
"Poppy, prepare a bed again for Miss. Heartilly!" cried Snape from afar.
Madam Pomfrey shot out of bed like a lightning bolt at his first cry and quickly grabbed for her robe. She didn't know what was going on now, but she trusted Snape blindly, even though Professor Heartilly was supposed to already be in bead. She hurried to the ward to Professor Heartilly's bed and found it empty. Of course. She quickly pulled the covers away so Snape could easily lay her back into bed.
"What's wrong with her?" asked Madam Pomfrey when Snape rushed into the room, carrying Professor Heartilly in his arms.
"Potion-poisoning, Poppy, two potions have been administerd to her with exact opposite effects."
"She got the Dreamless Sleep potion from me, what other potion was used?"
Snape glared at her.
"Evoke."
"Dear Merlin!" cried Madam Pomfrey, and, had she been a religous person, she would have made a cross sign with her fingers.
"Inform the headmaster, Poppy, I want to give her the Cleansing potion with his permission."
"Consider it done, Severus," said Madam Pomfrey and she hurried away. Snape stayed with Lierin at her bedside, and allowed himself to run his hand over her sweaty forehead and he stroke a few damp strands of hair away. Lierin stirred under this gentle caress and softly her eyes fluttered open. Snape noticed that the thick haze in her eyes wasn't so obvious anymore, but he knew the peace wouldn't last.
"Severus..."
Her voice sounded so weak.
"I'm here, Lierin, don't worry. You'll be all better soon, I promise."
"Severus, the poem... it was not complete. Remus was just..." Lierin faltered and didn't seem able to continue.
"Remus was just, what? Lierin, come on. Stay with me now."
"... was just kidding around. It wasn't complete, Severus... Sybill knows... she knows the words. The last words of the poem... and her premonition... are the same. Remember? Remember Remus poem."
Severus had no idea what she was talking about, and he couldn't ask her because she was unconscious again. He did know that, to understand what she was trying to say, he had to work together with... heaven forbid... Remus.
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The night began peaceful enough, the Dreamless Sleep potion had done its job and Lierin was embraced in a peaceful slumber. But, when she finally entered the realm of dreams, Evoke began to work and soon memories and visions started to poor into her dreams, her thoughts, her mind. But, the just administered Dreamless Sleep potion was still strong and the moment the visions and dreams started to interrupt her peaceful slumber, it forced them to the back of her mind again. Peace at last, or at least for a short while, until Evoke was able to override the Dreamless Sleep potion again. The dreams and visions came back, stronger than before, just to be pushed back again by the Dreamless Sleep potion. The two potions battled each other, neither bound to give up soon or easily, and both tormenting Lierin in her sleep until she awoke with a scream of pain and anguish. The thoughts that tumbled through her mind were incoherent and didn't make a lot of sense. It was as if somewhere in a far dark corner of her mind, a trashbin had been emtied and she now had to view and select every tiny bit again. Every old memory was put back in it's place; good memories, bad memories. Suddenly the giant trashbin was gone, and so were the dreams and the memories. For a moment Lierin sat in her bed, confused and disoriented accompanied with the mother of all headaches. She got out of bed, shuffled towards the lavatory and splashed her face with refreshing cool water. She looked up into the small mirror, which wisely kept its mouth shut, and tried to shed the cobwebs from the empty dusty space in her mind. Suddenly, without a warning, horrible images tumbled in, and, not matter where she looked and how she turned, they were still there, haunting her, tormenting her. She closed her eyes and opened them again and saw the reflection of one of her nightmares grimacing back at her. A scream of anguish struggled out of her throat, just before she collapsed to the ground. And then, as sudden is they had come, they were gone. Her mind was her own once again. Lierin struggled to get up from the floor, ignoring a fresh bruise on her left knee, there was only one thing left in her mind. Severus, I need to go to Severus. He can help, at least if he wants to.
Once outside her private quarters, Lierin for the first time cursed the fact that Severus' private quarters were situated so far from hers. One glance in the direction of the dark isolated hallways and her resolve melted like snow in the sun. The walls started to dance in front of her eyes, or was that because she was swaying on her feet? She didn't know and she certainly didn't care, she only cared about how she could reach his chambers as soon as possible. It's only a matter of placing one foot in front of the other, she thought to herself, and forced herself to walk. And so began her journey to Severus' private quarters, a journey through Hogwarts filled with pain, anguish and confusion. The two potions were still enticed in a harsh battle deep inside of her and were either allowing her to continue her weak attempt to reach Severus or caused her to writhe in pain. Finally she reached the familiar stone steps that led to the classroom and past that to his private chambers. Just a few more steps, it won't be long now, Lierin encouraged herself and forced herself to continue, she could already faintly see the door to his bedchamber. She had to make haste now, she could already feel the tranquility of the Dreamless Sleep potion fade away and after that it wouldn't be long before the pain would be back again. She knew that if she couldn't reach Severus before that, she wouldn't be able to reach him at all, she was at the end of her strength. But it was right at his door that her body finally gave in, and she slumped forward against it with a loud thud.
A short moment later the door flew wide open, Snape bewildered standing in the doorway with only a pair of black trousers on. With the solid support of the door gone, Lierin collapsed forward and straight into Snape's arms. Too shocked to utter a single sound, Snape glanced down at the warm female body that was suddenly in his arms. He quickly looked up to see if someone else had noticed what just had occured. And finally, after convincing himself no one else was present, he lifted Lierin up and closed the door. He hurried into the room where he usually passed his spare time, and ran towards a flight of stairs. He carried Lierin into his bedroom and placed her small figure in his large four-poster bed.
"Well, let's see what's wrong with you... Lierin, can you hear me?"
Snape got no reaction, he tried again but still she didn't react.
"Lierin, for the love of Merlin, woman! Speak up!" And Snape slapped her in the face. Her eyes flew wide open and Snape immidiately noticed the thick haze of pain in them. Whatever was going on, it was serious.
"Severus, please... help me... something is wrong, inside my head..."
There she stopped again because another wave of pain and tormenting images overwhelmed her. She writhed underneath the cool silky blankets and worried Snape tried to keep her calm. She was in no condition to tell him what was wrong with her, so he needed to run a few tests to determine the cause of her ailment. He gingerly touched his right leg, right above his boot and he felt the contours of Lierin's gift, the knife of Bia, which he kept close to him at all times. Carefully he took the knife from its hiding place, and once more he marveled at the beauty and the cruelty of it. Then, without any sign of hesitation, Snape deeply cut her in one of her hands, and squeesed it to let the blood drip into a small vial he had taken from one of his pockets. With quick expertise he then treated the fresh cut and left for his study. It wasn't a very difficult task to do, not with his years of experience and his knowledge, and after just a few simple tests he already found out that Lierin was under the influence of two or more potions. His large nose was very helpful determining the aroma's and after a short half an hour, he was writing down the key ingredients used in the potions and soon he discovered the usage of the Dreamless Sleep potion. But that one he knew about, hadn't he helped Poppy administering the potion himself? The other ingredients formed only one more potion. Snape already had a suspicion, and though he really didn't need to, he looked up the right potionsbook to confirm his suspicions. He quickly ran his finger through the index, found the right page and the right formula. He furrowed his brows and quickly closed the book. He was right. The potion Evoke had been used, and much more than the general prescribed dose. And together with the Dreamless Sleep potion... a cry of anguish shook him from his thoughts and with a paled look on his face Snape hurried back to his bedroom. He flung the blankets from bed and gathered Lierin in his arms. She was deathly pale and she rolled with her eyes. Cold sweat was trickling down her face while severe spasms made her shake uncontrolably. The first signs were there, he didn't have a moment to lose. He sat off at a run while he wondered how many times he had carried her to the Hospital Wing by now. The woman really must have broken somekind of record!
"Poppy, prepare a bed again for Miss. Heartilly!" cried Snape from afar.
Madam Pomfrey shot out of bed like a lightning bolt at his first cry and quickly grabbed for her robe. She didn't know what was going on now, but she trusted Snape blindly, even though Professor Heartilly was supposed to already be in bead. She hurried to the ward to Professor Heartilly's bed and found it empty. Of course. She quickly pulled the covers away so Snape could easily lay her back into bed.
"What's wrong with her?" asked Madam Pomfrey when Snape rushed into the room, carrying Professor Heartilly in his arms.
"Potion-poisoning, Poppy, two potions have been administerd to her with exact opposite effects."
"She got the Dreamless Sleep potion from me, what other potion was used?"
Snape glared at her.
"Evoke."
"Dear Merlin!" cried Madam Pomfrey, and, had she been a religous person, she would have made a cross sign with her fingers.
"Inform the headmaster, Poppy, I want to give her the Cleansing potion with his permission."
"Consider it done, Severus," said Madam Pomfrey and she hurried away. Snape stayed with Lierin at her bedside, and allowed himself to run his hand over her sweaty forehead and he stroke a few damp strands of hair away. Lierin stirred under this gentle caress and softly her eyes fluttered open. Snape noticed that the thick haze in her eyes wasn't so obvious anymore, but he knew the peace wouldn't last.
"Severus..."
Her voice sounded so weak.
"I'm here, Lierin, don't worry. You'll be all better soon, I promise."
"Severus, the poem... it was not complete. Remus was just..." Lierin faltered and didn't seem able to continue.
"Remus was just, what? Lierin, come on. Stay with me now."
"... was just kidding around. It wasn't complete, Severus... Sybill knows... she knows the words. The last words of the poem... and her premonition... are the same. Remember? Remember Remus poem."
Severus had no idea what she was talking about, and he couldn't ask her because she was unconscious again. He did know that, to understand what she was trying to say, he had to work together with... heaven forbid... Remus.
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