Chapter 13
He woke up several hours later, thinking it was time for Andraste to have her potions again. He grabbed the bottles he had left on the nightstand, and turned to wake he up, only to find the bed beside him empty. Suddenly very awake, he shot out of bed, calling her name. Andraste walked back into the room, carrying a fresh glass of water, and took the potions from his hand. "Yes, Severus?"
He breathed a deep sigh of relief at seeing her there, safe. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"
"Probably, but I'm hungry, and I think we missed breakfast."
"Okay, Andraste, then I'll get some food. What would you like?"
"I can get it Severus, it was my idea."
"Andi, I told the doctor that you would rest and you're going to do just that, now get back in bed. I'll be back in a few minutes." She sighed and laid down as he stood up and walked into the living room. She heard him talking to someone, and a few minutes later he came back wit two trays filled with food.
"Wow, Severus; I'm not that hungry," she said, trying not to laugh.
"You didn't say what you wanted, so I had the house elves bring a bit of everything."
"Oh, I see." He sat the two trays on the bed, and then handed her a plate and silverware. She surveyed the choices in front of her, eventually settling on French Toast with strawberries, some scrambled eggs, and a few pieces of sausage.
"I thought you said you weren't that hungry," he commented as he dished his own food.
"Oh, bite me."
"What, my dear Andraste, does that mean?"
"Well," she began, "I'm not actually sure. It's about the equivalent of sticking your tongue out at someone." Severus nodded, saying that he understood; and they lapsed into silence while they ate.
"Why do you pretend to be so mean?" she asked after they had finished breakfast.
"What makes you think I pretend?" he said with an exaggerated growl. When she finally stopped laughing, he continued. "I was a spy for a very long time, Andraste. I've behaved the way I was expected to."
"What do you mean 'was'?"
"I revealed myself as a traitor when I saved you. If I go back, they'll kill me," he said matter-of-factly as he gathered the plates and trays.
"So," she continued, "do you bring breakfast in bed to every woman you sleep with or am I special?" Her comment was rewarded with Severus dropping the trays he was carrying. Andraste laughed and waved her hand, making the mess on the floor disappear. When he regained his composure, he looked her straight in the eye and answered. "You are most definitely special." He watched as she blushed and then yawned. "You should get some more sleep."
"So should you."
"Very true, but I suspect that Dumbledore would like a more complete account of last nights events."
"He can have it after dinner. Now we sleep." Severus shrugged, allowing himself to be convinced, and climbed back into the bed beside Andraste. Used to having her beside him by now, he put his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. He leaned down a bit, intending to kiss her forehead. At the same time she looked up at him, and their lips met. "I'm sorry," he said, pulling his face away from hers. "Don't be," she softly whispered. He answered that thought by kissing her again, deeply this time. He pulled her close, as close as he could without being inside her, and he felt his life fall into place like it never had before. He wanted nothing more than to hold her, and kiss her forever; to get lost in her.
"Severus!" he heard a voice calling from the other room. They pulled away from each other, neither knowing what to do.
"I suppose I should go see what the Headmaster wants," Severus said, and clearly irritated, he walked out of the room.
"Andraste heard them talking in hushed tones for a moment, and then Severus walked back into the room, his face emotionless.
"What's wrong?"
"You need to come out here, Dumbledore would like to speak with you." With a heavy sign, Andraste got up from the bed, wondering what could have upset Severus so much. She quickly changed her pajamas into something more suitable, and headed to the living room.
"Andraste," Albus said, standing up as she entered, "how are you feeling?"
"Like I was stabbed," she replied, laughing in despite of the seriousness of the situation.
"To be expected I would assume." Albus gave a half-hearted smile, but there was not twinkle in the mans eyes.
"What can I do for you, Professor Dumbledore?" Severus gently led Andi to the couch and placed a cup of tea in her hands.
"I think you should sit down." The town of Severus' voice, mixed with the look on Dumbledore's face was enough to tell Andraste that something was very wrong.
"And I think someone should tell me what's going on, instead of coddling me like a five year old!"
"Very well, Andraste," Albus said, "but please sit." She obeyed as Dumbledore began. "Hagrid, our groundskeeper, went out for a walk this morning on the lands that border where our shields begin. He found your stallion Andraste. She had this note pinned to her." She reached out for the not he had in his hand without realizing she was doing so, her mind numb from the shock of what she had heard.
'You're good as dead.'
Dumbledore was still talking, but her mind barely registered the words he was saying. "At this point we can only assume that the deatheaters are responsible for this, although they aren't usually this openly aggressive or dramatic. Until we know for sure, and the threat is gone, I'm going to have to ask that you keep someone with you at all times, and that you stay on school grounds. Severus has already said that he will stay with you, which is the obvious solution since you teach potions with him, and you've been staying here while you're recovering. I know that he feels responsible for this situation." Andraste looked up at the Potions Master she had despised just days ago, thankful that if she had to have supervision it was him giving it. That wouldn't feel quite so much like having a babysitter. She sat there, knowing she should say something to Severus; that she should tell him it wasn't his fault, but her words were stuck in her throat. Without warning, Andraste jumped out of her chair, ran into the bathroom, and threw up.
When she returned, her body was glowing with gold light. Ignoring the presence of the Headmaster, she quickly leaned down and kissed a very surprised Severus on the lips, spreading the glow to him. "I'm going flying. Join me if you wish," she told him, and then disappeared out the door.
"I believe you should follow her," Albus said, standing up; but the Potions Master was gone before he finished his sentence. Severus headed towards the closest exit, the shocked students that had just seen Andraste run past, even more surprised to see their potions teacher following; shimmering with the same golden light. Severus stepped outside, wishing that it wasn't Saturday, there were students everywhere; and he would have preferred not do this in front in front of them. Following the gaze of the children that were gaping towards the lake, he set off after her.
"Um, Harry, did you see that?" Ron said, standing up from the tree he was laying under.
"Of course we saw it Ron, we do have eyes too, you know." Hermione responded before Harry had the chance.
"How did he do that, I mean, Snape can't fly."
"Apparently he can, Ron," Harry said, taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes.
"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione asked indignantly, clearly frustrated with the boys lack of common sense. "He was glowing the same way she was. Professor Andraste must have given him some of her power."
"But why would she share something that cool with that greasy git?"
"Well apparently she doesn't share your opinion of him," she retorted matter-of-factly, turning back to the book she was engrossed in moments before. By the time Severus caught up with Andraste, the scene he knew they had caused was far from his mind. Her eyes were red, but any tears she may have cried were gone.
"What is that?" he asked, referring to the box she had in her hand.
"Cigarettes, would you like one?" she replied, lighting one and holding the pack out to him.
"I know what they are. Why do you have them?"
"Old habits die hard, Severus. As a matter of fact; I think I could use a glass of wine." Immediately an uncorked bottle appeared in her had and she took a long drink.
"Andraste, this isn't going to help."
"I quite think that is my decision, not yours, Sev." He grimaced at the intention use of the nickname that he hated, but chose to ignore it. If this was how she dealt with stress, he understood the sobering potions that she kept in her bed stand.
"Very well," he said, taking the bottle from her hands. "You can have it if you can catch me." He took off, soaring considerably higher and to the opposite side of the lake, and then stopped.
"What was the point of that?" she asked when she arrived behind him seconds later, and snatched the bottle back from his hands.
"That was so the brats below can't watch us." Andraste looked down, realizing now just how far away they were from the students.
"For the best. They probably shouldn't see me drink."
"They probably shouldn't see this either." He flew up to her, putting his hands on her back and brought her close to him. He kissed her softly, and then pulled back just a bit, looking her in the eye. "Andraste, I know it hurts, but this isn't the answer. You need to be in bed resting."
"You don't understand, Severus." The tears were starting to flow freely again. "Sarine is... was the only thing in my life that's been constant. He wasn't just a horse, he was a skydancer, and possibly the last of his kind."
Severus had heard of skydancers before, they were called Alipis-Pedis Anima by historians, and were believed to have gone extinct over 100 years ago. When they used to roam freely, they were hunted hundreds at a time and bled dry for the magical properties the blood held. When it was discovered that the animals ashes also contained strong magic, the horses were soon butchered until there were no more left to kill.
"I thought Sarine was black, aren't skydancers blue?"
"He was when I met him. When they bond themselves to a human they turn solid black. He changed when I was 16, a few months after the first time he let me ride him."
"I understand now why you thought it reasonable to ride a horse to Paris," he said. Skydancers were notorious for being able to cover hundreds of kilometers in minutes. He found his mind selfishly wishing he had taken that ride when he had the chance. "How many people know what she was?" Severus asked. He was very concerned that if Voldemort found out, he would send deatheaters back for the body. There were many powerful potions that could only be made from the ashes of a skydancer.
"Just me, and now you. Soon though, I'm sure, her body will turn blue again; then it will be obvious," she said weakly. This was not good.
"Andraste, I know you're upset, but you have to listen to me. We have to destroy her body before anyone finds out what she was. If word of this spreads, we may not be able to stop the swarms of people looking for her ashes." Instead of answering, Andi just looked blankly at Severus, almost as if she saw right though him. The pale complexion he had attributed to her being upset was growing paler, and the light that encompassed her was fading fast. He looked down at her body. The right side of her jeans were soaked red; apparently the knife wound had reopened. 'Oh dear God, how much more blood could she lose?' In the last week she had lost more than he realized a person had. He had to get her back in bed, and quickly. Severus scooped Andi back up in his arms just as the last of her glow diminished and her body went limp. He flew back towards Hogwarts as quickly as he could, thankful that his ability to fly apparently didn't depend on her being conscious.
He landed at the top of the outside stairs, and rushed through the door that one of the Weasley twins had been holding open for a pair of fifth year girls. Completely unaware of the students gaping at him carrying the bloody professor, Severus rushed back to his room and set Andi gently on the bed.
He was able to wake Andraste just long enough for her to drink a healing potion before she fell back asleep, but her breathing was ragged again and her complexion a frightening translucent white. Severus pushed her shirt up a bit on the side, revealing a blood soaked bandage. Removing it carefully, he cleaned the wound and applied clean gauze, seeing for the first time exactly how large of a cut it was. Somehow Malfoy had managed to pull the knife sideways after he had put it into her; leaving not only a deep gash, but one that was almost 10 centimeters long as well. It was a miracle that the knife hadn't caused any irreversible damage... he hoped.