Chapter Twenty-Four

Encounters

Jennifer's restlessness was tempered by her freedom to wander to the small cafeteria and back. But she couldn't help but be a little put off about how many people were greeting her by name, and not just the staff itself; but others she happened by in the halls, there to visit other friends and relatives.

One morning after getting up particularly early, she decided to go get some coffee on her own, eager to try out the coins that Severus had given her. Her hand sifted through the pouch with a sort of strange familiarity, feeling each coin by size and weight until she pulled out a sickle, slipping into the busy lounge.

"Jennifer!" A tall blonde wizard in a suit stood up with surprise, the portly man beside him looking at her with equal surprise but didn't make a move to stand.

"Hello," Jennifer said with a smile, putting the coin in a small coin box and pouring herself some coffee. "Do I know you?"

"Draco Malfoy. I was a student of yours," Draco said. "I heard you were here, of course. Care to join us?" The man next to him blinked at Draco but didn't comment, nodding to Jennifer as she came over and sat down. "This is Amadeus Longbottom. He was a student of yours, too."

"Hello," she said, but he merely nodded again. "Visiting someone, I suppose?"

"Yes, my father. He collapsed a few nights ago," Draco said quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Jennifer said sympathetically. But Draco chuckled dryly in response, shaking his head.

"Now I know you've lost your memory. I suppose you're going to be here for awhile?" Draco said.

"Um, no, just a day or two more until a potion I was given wears off," Jennifer said, still wondering over his comment. "Then I'm going back to work."

"What? Surely you're not teaching in your condition," Amadeus said with alarm.

"Well, not exactly. Professor Dumbledore gave me a job assisting Professor Witolf. I understand he's getting on in years," Jennifer explained.

"What sort of assistant could you be right now? You barely even know who you are," Amadeus said.

"Well, at least I can make a decent cup of coffee," Jennifer said, staring into her cup. "This stuff tastes like Mark's. I hope your father gets better," she added as she got up with a smile, wandering out.

"I wonder how Dumbledore plans to get that past the board," Amadeus said, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Easy, it's Jennifer, isn't it?" Draco said. "Besides, Hogwarts is probably the safest place for her to be right now, considering they don't think they've caught whoever did this yet."

"I thought the Ministry already said that Roger did it, not that I ever thought he'd have that sort of cheek before this." Amadeus said.

"Exactly. You know as well as I do that Roger is a sheep. He wouldn't be acting alone. Besides, I happened to notice that there's just as much buzz around Brown's office as there was before Baylor was caught. I'm positive they think there's someone else. In fact, that's why I'm a bit reluctant to go back upstairs today," Draco said. "I made the mistake of asking Father if he knew anything, and he called me a traitor and kicked me out."

"Again? Draco, he might be a crass old crow, but don't be stupid enough to lose your inheritance while the man is on his death bed."

"Actually, the doctor says he's recovering," Draco said.

"More's the pity," Amadeus grunted, sipping his tea.

"Besides, I got a trump card that he couldn't possibly play against," Draco said calmly. "He's not about to do anything that would make me want to keep him from seeing his granddaughter."

Jennifer pretended to wander aimlessly in the hall for a while, her curiosity piqued by the strange conversation she had had a moment before.

"Oh, Jennifer, there you are!" A beautiful red-haired nurse she had seen before had been rushing past her in the hall when she spotted her. "Wandering again, I see. Professor Snape is looking for you and your family doctor is coming later to talk to you. You'd better be heading back."

"All right, Ginny, I will," Jennifer promised.

"Do you need me to get someone to walk you back?"

"That's all right, I know my way," Jennifer assured her, watching over her shoulder until the woman slipped out of sight. "Just going to try a little detour first, is all," Jennifer said to herself, slipping to take the long way around.

Quite a number of other private rooms were down the connecting hall, intermixed with nurse stations and an occasional lab filled with bubbly cauldrons. She peered curiously in open doors and glanced at the small sheets attached to them. At least until she found the one she was looking for and peeked in the slightly ajar door to see a white-haired man resting on several large pillows.

Quickly she slipped in the door so no one in the corridor would see her, watching him curiously a moment. She sighed then, shaking her head. No, she didn't recognize him, not the name, and not the face. But just before she was about to slip out again he suddenly woke up, his surprise turning to terror when he realized who was standing there.

"NURSE!" The man screamed, his fear paralyzing Jennifer, keeping her frozen in complete disbelief at his reaction. "Doctor! Amadeus! Draco! Anyone!"

Several nurses and doctors burst into the room, some of the nurses rushing over to Lucius' side while the rest stood in the doorway with their wands out, ready for anything.

"Don't just stand there, GET THAT WOMAN OUT OF HERE!" he ordered, his face red from getting worked up.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Severus said as he stepped in, going over to Jennifer's side and putting his hands on her shoulders. "How long has he been here? No, don't tell me. I suspect he got here a just a few hours before Jennifer and I did, didn't he?"

"What sort of hospital is this? Get HIM out of here!" Lucius snapped furiously.

"And weren't you in here a few months ago as well? Newt Pneumonia, I think was the official report, or was it really a curse plaguing you, Malfoy? Makes one wonder just what the definition of harm is, doesn't it? Is it this?" Severus asked, raising his wrapped hand. Or is it this?" he said, putting a hand on Jennifer. One of the nurses quickly slipped out of the room, but Severus didn't notice, his eyes intent on his old foe.

"Jennifer's memories may have been ripped from her, but now I wonder if yours too haven't been taken, Lucius. 'From now until your dying day you will live with the curse of your borrowed time with me. If you, through any action, direct or indirect, or through any inaction, direct or indirect, cause or allow any harm to come to any of my family…me, my husband, or any of my children, this blow will finish, and your empire will crumble under the weight of your own malice and you will be nothing in history but a blotted memory.' Do you remember those words as well as I remember them, Lucius? Direct or indirect. Of course, we all know you never act directly. You are hardly stupid, which is why you're still alive… well that, and because of my wife's mistake in keeping you alive when she could have killed you cleanly without anyone batting an eye. How does one, then, get rid of an enemy if one cannot harm them? You tried to get around it, didn't you, by suggesting to someone else how to make her disappear. Who else but you would have reason to keep her alive and cared for, uncharmed except for the bare minimum necessary to keep her in line until she could see herself in no other life but the one that was been presented to her?"

There was movement near the door, but Severus didn't look around, his eyes intent on Lucius alone, only barely aware of other voices suggesting that they leave.

"Who was your wand man, Lucius? Who else has something against Jennifer or I that we don't know about yet who would have an investment in keeping her 'safe'? And just how much money did you pay to Baylor to keep her 'safe' for you?" Severus asked.

"I had nothing to do with this! And you are in direct violation of a protection order being here! Get out! Get them both out! Or I'm taking this entire hospital down for failing to uphold a court order!" he barked. "And take him with you!"

Severus glanced over to see Harry standing beside him, watching the exchange.

"Come on, Severus, you said what you had to," Harry said.

"No, I'm not leaving this room with him thinking he's won in any way," Severus said, turning his attention back to Lucius. "For as you can see, Jennifer is here, no matter who it was who you stringed into this, Lucius. Back with me, in fact, and despite the odds, her memories will be completely restored. When that day comes, I hope you'll be ready, because I have every intention of seeing that you are pulled down with the caster."

"You wish," Lucius said.

"Don't tempt me," Severus muttered, despite his lack of confidence in that method. Gently he led Jennifer out not looking at Lucius as they left, Harry following closely behind them.

"I suppose it would be too much to ask exactly what happened in there?" Jennifer asked. Severus sighed.

"That will take some length of time to explain. What were you doing in there?" Severus asked.

"I was curious. I ran into that man's son and saw something strange in his face and thought I would see if I could recognize him."

"Wonderful. Whom else have you been speaking to?" Severus asked.

"I don't know. Everyone who seems to know me," Jennifer said. Severus and Harry exchanged glances. "What's wrong?"

"Jennifer, there are quite a few people you are going to have to learn to stay away from, or at the very least be cautious around," Harry said. "Not to mention there are still people involved with your memory curse that we don't know about yet."

"What sort of person was I that caused so many people to hate me? And that man in there, he was terrified of me."

"That is going to take a while to explain as well," Severus muttered as they turned into her room. But at the doorway she stopped short, her jaw dropping when she saw the strangely shaped figure in front of her.

"Good morning, Jennifer. Do you not remember me?" Doctor Sagittari asked.

"You would think I would, wouldn't you?" Jennifer grinned nervously at the centaur. "Your voice sounds familiar, but I uh, don't remember the profile."

"Well, perhaps I have something here you will remember," he smiled, walking over to a covered tray and opening it. Jennifer's nose twitched as she smelled the food and went cautiously over to taste it.

"Hey! Where's ours?" Harry joked, when Jennifer suddenly became absorbed in her plate.

"See what you miss by not being one of my regular patients?" Sagittari chuckled. "On the desk, I brought enough for everyone."

"Close the door," Jennifer suggested, "so we don't have to share."

"You were right, Severus, her tastes don't seem to have changed a bit," Sagittari smiled, a bit pleased. "And here I always assumed her taste for Mediterranean cooking stemmed from her time in France."

"This is a amazing! You're a doctor?" she said between bites.

"Technically, a veterinarian who's licensed to practice on humans," Sagittari said.

"It's a good thing you aren't human or the Professor might have some competition," Jennifer said. Severus blinked at that.

"Maybe now's a good time to learn to cook?" Harry suggested. Severus scowled at him.

"Besides her tastes, what other things seem the same, Severus? Have there been any unusual differences? Mood changes?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary, although she isn't as serious as she used to be and she's definitely a great deal more reckless."

"You mean like she was when she first started teaching," Harry grinned.

"Well, right now she does have fewer obligations than she used to have. What have the nurses been giving you for the headaches, Jennifer?" Sagittari asked.

"I don't know what it's called but it has valerian, skullcap, and way too much lavender in it. No subtlety whatsoever, and I think it might also have some powdered wisp leaf in it. The thing about wisp leaf though is, if you know it's in there, it probably has too much."

"The water could have been at an improper temperature or the potion had too high of a boiling point," Severus suggested.

"That's no excuse, a hospital should know better," Jennifer said. "How exactly am I able to tell all of that, anyhow?"

"Taste, I would think. You were trained to do so," Sagittari smiled at her. "And in the process, answered one of my questions about your functional memory before I asked it. Why didn't this manifest before? Was she never given a potion?"

"Pellet potions," Severus said acidly.

"Ah yes. Ironic too, considering Jennifer invented those," Sagittari said.

"I did?" Jennifer said with surprise, actually looking up from her meal.

"Yes, to try to get out of taking my vitamin boosts while you were pregnant," Sagittari chuckled. "You were always quite clever. Last year you were able to take a few drops of a very rare wine and turn it into a formula to free an entire race forced into slavery." Jennifer stared at him.

"I did?"

"And you once concocted a complex antidote for a highly deadly venom on the spot to save Ginny's life," Harry put in.

"I did?" Jennifer said again, looking at Severus for confirmation. "You know for a Potion Master, I was very busy."

"What did you expect a Potion Master to do?" Sagittari amusement. "A good teacher teaches by example as well as in the classroom, you know. You'll find that Hogwarts professors never lack for things to keep them busy."

"Wait, if you teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, what exactly do you do?" Jennifer said looking back at Severus. "No, don't answer that, I don't want to know."

"Actually, most of my time has been spent chasing you around," Severus said, his face expressionless but his voice sounding slightly amused. "Now why is it that I have the feeling that's not going to change any time soon?"

"One would wonder," Sagittari chuckled, and then nodded with satisfaction. "And I agree with the resident's report, Severus. As far as I'm concerned, she can go back to Hogwarts tomorrow."

"Do you work there too?" Jennifer asked the centaur hopefully.

"Magical Creatures instructor," Sagittari nodded with a smile. "And advisor of the Bridle Club."

"Bridle Club?" Severus frowned at him.

"Yes, it was a student's idea; to teach those interested on how to ride mounts of all sorts. Your daughter's idea, as a matter of fact, although one of your sons helped most with organizing it," Sagittari admitted. He got a small scroll out of his robe pocket, glancing at it before offering it out to Severus. "By the way, here are their permission slips, if you don't mind?" Severus rolled his eyes and shook his head, muttering softly to himself as he took the forms to sign.

Sagittari had been glad that he limited the club to the first twenty to sign up, for he had more than his hands full with those that joined. After the Snapes, Halbert had been the fourth to sign up. Alex had somehow managed to talk Mandria into joining, as well as Xavier Platt, who had often rode with them when Jennifer took them out. Heph also joined, but both Stock and Rose decided they had less smelly things to do with their time. Quite a number of beasts, from the flying and fantastic to the steady and boring were drawn out and line up, Sagittari making sure they were all safely tethered.

"A mount is not a broom," Sagittari instructed, prancing between the students and the mounts with his hands behind his back. "It is a living thing with its own personality, likes and dislikes. It is a companion to be cared for and led but never bullied. I expect each of you to treat the mount you are assigned to with the same respect that you would give your fellow students, and in some cases better," he said glancing at Conner Donovan who grinned sheepishly. "Those of you who either have taken my class or have received riding training before shall be allowed to get accustomed to the flying mounts. The rest of you will be on ground mounts for now.

"During the duration of the first few weeks, you will be riding solely the animal you were assigned to, and will also be solely responsible for its daily care, supervised by me, of course, unless it happens to be a mount which has an owner from the school in which case you will be sharing responsibilities. I will let you know if someone else owns the mount when you're assigned to it. If I see any slacking on anyone's duties, or any trouble following instructions, it'll be assumed you do not have the discipline to carry on with this extra curricular activity and will not be able to participate. Also keep in mind that any Professor may request that you be removed if they believe it is interfering with your studies. Does everyone understand?" he asked, waiting to make sure that everyone had been paying attention. He paused then thoughtfully as he looked at the end of the line.

"Mr. Aurelius Snape? I think you're on the wrong end of the line. You are qualified for a flying mount."

"If it's all the same to you, I understand that ground techniques are different," Aurelius said, getting a small nod from the centaur. "In which case, I'd prefer a horse or something similar if possible." The centaur looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded.

"Very well, it'll take a little arranging but I accept your request. Halbert, let's put you on Babe, shall we? Now, who do I move?" Sagittari mused.

"Doctor, if you don't mind, I wouldn't mind switching," Conner spoke up, surprising several of his classmates. "He can use my horse."

"Very good," The centaur said solemnly. "You are definitely qualified to take a flying mount. Perhaps you should take Ginseng, since you've also had my class on hippogriffs. Aurelius, you then will ride Colossus."

"Just watch that first step, it can be a doozy for someone your size," Conner murmured as he passed Aurelius, who glared at him in return.

"Very well. Let's work at making friends then, shall we?" Sagittari suggested with a smile, allowing the students to step up to or bow to their mounts.

Alexandria put her arms around Pepper happily, the winged horse responding favorably in kind to her owner. Andrew patted Ruby's nose, grinning at Halbert who cautiously offered something to Babe in his hand. Babe politely accepted it, although he looked far from hungry.

"He seems to like you," Andrew said with a grin.

"Most creatures like me. Although isn't this one your father's?" Halbert asked nervously.

"Yep. They got them as a wedding present," Andrew said.

"Really? Well they don't look their age then," Halbert said appreciatively. "And isn't he huge?"

"Yeah he's even bigger than that brute plow horse Conner brought in. A bit tall for Aurelius, though isn't it?" Alex said.

"Yes," Andrew agreed but then leaned over a bit. "But then so is Pali."

"Oh! Oh yes, good point!" Halbert said nodding sagely. "I should have guessed the reason."

"Can you think of any other reason he'd stoop to riding Conner's horse?" Andrew grinned. "He hates Conner!"

Conner bowed ceremoniously to Ginseng while watching Aurelius from the corner of eye as the boy approached with a hand out, Colossus taking two healthy steps backwards in response. Conner couldn't help but snigger, careful to make sure the hippogriff didn't think it was towards him as Conner watched Colossus step back again. Sagittari as well hadn't missed the movement, and took out a bottle that was on a string around his neck, taking a quick swig. A strange neighing sound came out of his mouth then, sounding remarkably like an order, and Colossus' ears suddenly perked, stepping back to the point that Aurelius had to back up a bit to get back into the lineup.

"Very well, lets see about teaching you how to properly sit on a mount then," Sagittari said, satisfied that there weren't going to be any other problems. But Aurelius came over and whispered something to him, Sagittari looking unusually thoughtful. "Let's make sure you're both better friends before we attempt that one, shall we?"

Conner looked at Aurelius suspiciously, and Halbert and Andrew exchanged glances of their own. Whether Conner truly had good intention or not for giving up his horse, Andrew wasn't sure, but he also knew his brother. It was only a matter of time before the situation became explosive.