Thanks Eescaper, I'm happy you're enjoying it.
Unfortunately I am do speak English as my first language Rose Black. (I wish I spoke Irish at home like some of my friends. A few words popping into conversations hardly counts.) The reason those words are spelt wrong is cause I'm slightly dyslexic and they're not programmed into the spell check like normal words. I have read the books! I only own a copy of the first one though and don't have it with me when I'm writing this.
If it makes you feel any better Crescomelonnin he doesn't get tortured in this chapter.
Just general busyness: exams coming up, finding a place to live ect.… I'll try not to make it to confusing hopgoblen. It's fun though!
Nothing wrong with being a little crazy CitrusPeach :) And, if I understand the term liberal ok, that seems like a good thing too. CDs are shiny!
P.S. Don't worry this story isn't going to get all happy.
His gaze came far too suddenly into focus.
"It's ok. You're in Hogwarts."
Wide eyes darted around the room. Then, to Serverus' shock, a hand tightly gripped his own. He stiffened - totally unprepared and not sure how to react.
Sirius was clearly not in his right mind. He never would have done that if he were.
'What the hell am I doing here?'
"It's ok. Calm down. No one's going to hurt you now."
The words seemed to have some effect as his head and shoulders (which had been raised) fell back onto the bed.
A couple of minutes passed but the grip on his hand did not lessen. Serverus realized that the fingers were freezing cold. Sirius had started shivering. Snape took the wand from his pocket. Instantly he felt the man in the bed tense.
"I'm just going to perform a heating charm on your blanket."
It wasn't clear whether or not he understood.
He did the spell quickly and put his wand away. A comfortable warmth spread through the starched white sheets. At first Sirius seemed confused. Then a shadow of a smile crossed his face and he snuggled into his pillow. Within seconds he was asleep.
It was seven or eight o'clock the next morning and Snape was sitting at his desk cataloging the numerous potion ingredients in the laboratory. It pointless work, as he'd done it only two weeks before.
'Dried flobberworms: 5 jars.
Powdered quartz: 3 jars.
Murlag sap: 1 bottle.'
A knock on the door caused him to look up sharply, too sharply. Though there was no one to see he felt shame coursing through his veins, quickly to be replaced by self-loathing.
That knocking again. Insistent.
"I'm busy!"
"It's just me Serverus." He recognized the voice as belonging to Madam Pomphrey. "I need a quick word with you."
'Just go away.'
She pushed open the door and entered the dungeon room.
"I know you've been visiting Sirius."
"Don't be ridiculous. Why would I want to see him?"
"It's not a crime to care about someone you know." Her voice was kind. It reminded him of another kind voice he'd known. Dead eyes, staring upwards. The pale almost blue skin of a corpse. Blond hair, stained with blood.
'Of course it is.'
"If you weren't in the hospital wing then who cast the heating charm on his blanket?"
Poppy continued before he could think of any way to reply to that. "You've nothing to be embarrassed about Serverus. It would probably do him good to have someone his own age to talk to." 'It might do you some too' she thought, careful not to say it aloud. "Listen I'm bringing Sirius outside from some fresh air this afternoon. Why don't you come along?"
He made his best scoffing noise.
The mediwitch smiled worryingly. "Alright, if you don't come outside tomorrow I will inform Dumbledore that you have not been in the great hall for the last two days."
'He has enough to worry about.'
"Not that it's any of your business if I feel like skipping a few meals." A pause. "Fine, I'll go."
Poppy beamed. "Wonderful! Three o'clock by the lake."