Jade and Pearls
Chapter 3: The Last Resort
Dumbledore quietly entered the hospital wing. He could see Professor McGonagall pacing with a worried expression on her face and beyond her, he could see Severus in one of the infirmary beds with Madame Pomfrey hovering over him, occasionally muttering spells and waving her wand. "Minerva," the headmaster called softly as he laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.
She turned to him looking rather relieved, "Oh Albus, I am so glad you are back. Severus is…" at this point she broke off gesturing hopelessly at the critical patient.
"How bad is he Minerva?" The headmaster asked softly, the worry evident in his eyes.
She took a deep breath and then began in a soft shaky voice, "He has two broken ribs, seven more are fractured. His left arm is broken in five places and his left wrist is badly sprained. His left collarbone is also broken. His right lung is punctured and his liver is badly damaged. His vertebrae L2 through L4 have swung out of place. He is also suffering from a ruptured appendix and a rather nasty case of strep throat." During this speech, she had unconsciously begun to wring her hands, and Albus' expression became graver.
Professor McGonagall resumed her pacing and the Headmaster slowly lowered himself into a chair. He focused on the stone floor as his thoughts clouded his mind. He felt guilty about continuing to let Severus spy. He had asked him if he would resign, but Severus was adamant about continuing with what he considered penance for past wrongs. Dumbledore had constantly tried to convince Severus that he had more than repaid his debt. But it was all in vain, and now he was in a bad state, and Dumbledore felt responsible.
His reverie was interrupted as Madam Pomfrey came over to where they were waiting and gestured that they should move to her office to converse. They followed her silently and seated themselves in two chairs positioned in front of her desk.
Madam Pomfrey seated herself and folded her hands on the desk in front of her, "I…I've never seen him in such a bad state before." She said and upon noticing their worried expressions quickly added, "Oh he will live, not to worry. That old codger is to stubborn to die." A wry smile had flitted across her face but disappeared as she continued, "He will have a difficult recovery. The bones I can heal for the most part in a day or two and the rest should follow in a week, but…" She paused for a moment as if to decide exactly how to phrase it, "his heart. It is very weak. He went into cardiac arrest at some point between when you found him and when he reached the hospital wing. I resuscitated him in time so there is no brain damage, but the effects will leave him in a weaker state than he is used to for perhaps many months."
The silence that followed emphasized the gravity of the revelation. "Now the real problem will be with convincing him of this. Knowing him as we all do, he will ignore medical advice and direction and try to continue as he did before." She continued, "He should wake in a few hours; I gave him a sleeping draught so he wouldn't disturb anything as I was setting the broken bones. Until then I suggest you both get some rest." As she said this, she stood up and ushered them out of her office and out of the hospital wing, closing the door firmly behind them.
The Headmaster and Professor stood in silence for a moment before Dumbledore excused himself and hurried off to his office. Minerva was feeling rather bewildered. Everything had happened so fast and she barely had a grasp on that evening's occurrences. She knew about Severus being a spy of course because he was a member of the Order, and she understood that his cover had been blown. But what did Severus mean about Voldemort hurting babies? And what was so urgent that Dumbledore had to check? She sighed wearily and headed for her rooms. She would have to ask Albus later. For now, she was going to bed.
ooO0Ooo
He felt as though he was climbing a ladder out of a dark pit. Slowly he began to regain his senses, as he neared the opening of his subconscious hole. He became aware enough of his surrounding to have a conscious stream of thought. He was lying on his back in a bed. He could not move but did not really want to, so it was irrelevant to him at the moment. And he hurt…pretty much everywhere. He finally decided that the only place that did not hurt was his right elbow. He also changed his mind about not wanting to move as he became aware that he had to use the bathroom oh so desperately. He slowly started to stir and opened his eyes momentarily before immediately shutting them against the abominable streaming rays of sunshine pouring through the hospital wing's high, arched windows. Now he was seeing green spots as well. Lovely he thought, I'm blind, have no ribs and am about to wet the bed for the first time in about 30 years.
"Ahh how nice to have you back in the land of the living," came the soft voice of the Headmaster, interrupting the minigripe Severus was in the process of running through his mind.
At the sound of the Headmaster's voice, Severus slowly opened his eyes and groaned. Albus was sitting next to the bed in which Severus was now residing, in a rather uncomfortable chair, reading what appeared to be a muggle comic book, while drinking tomato juice through a hollowed out peppermint stick. Severus wanted to ask immediately why he was there, but it all came rushing back to him with a wave of panic. He remembered going to the staff meeting and then being called away to another meeting and being found out as a spy, and his children were in danger. As this last bit of information registered in his brain, he turned his panicky eyes to meet the headmaster's calm sparkling ones. Before he could even utter a sound, the headmaster held up a hand for silence, having perceived Severus' thoughts and hastily spoke to reassure him.
"They are quiet safe. As soon as I saw that you were in Minerva's capable hands and on the way to the infirmary, I immediately went to ensure your children's safety. They were at their grandmother's home in New York, and I immediately relocated them to the house in California where they stay during the school year, and you mother-in-law went on her vacation to Cuba early. Everyone is quite safe I assure you." Severus felt relief wash over him as Albus narrated his actions. They were safe now. "What needs to be discussed is what to do next. What I have done is only a temporary fix to the problem," Albus continued, fixing Severus with a piercing stare.
Severus swallowed, trying to work the moisture back into his mouth. He allowed the headmaster to help him into a reclining position and accepted the proffered glass, slowly sipping it. Once he felt sufficiently hydrated, he turned his intense gaze on the headmaster. "I will do what must be done," he said simply.
Albus smiled softly, handed him a bedpan and exited the room. Severus' children would be brought to Hogwarts. That would be the best way to keep them safe, loathe as he was to do so. He was against the wall, and this was his last resort. Once he was sufficiently relieved, he curled up and fell into a restful sleep.
(End of Chapter)
