A/N: Sithiss is a female. Sorry for any confusion of my own brain when writing.
Beta Love: The Dragon and the Rose, Dutchgirl01, Flyby Commander Shepard
Kiss of the Basilisk
Chapter 5
Life's full of tricky snakes and ladders.
Morrissey
Hermione awoke in Sithiss' coils, and the female basilisk yawned, tongue flicking lazily in her ward's direction. She reached for her circlets and put them on with a casual, practiced movement. She preferred to feel the breeze and the sun on her face with her eyes covered. The sun was painful in its overwhelming brightness. Darkness was better.
"Sleep well?" Daemon asked, panting.
"Yes," Hermione said, stretching.
Sithiss nudged the young basilisk towards the bath. "Cadmus wishes to teach you hand-healing today, remember?"
"Oh!" Hermione said, hustling to the bath. "Thanks, Sithiss."
The basilisk yawned toothily. "Quetzalcoatls are always up at dawn. Completely unnatural."
Hermione chuckled, tending to her daily hygiene. There wasn't time for a good soak, but she was happy to wash her face and put on the special lotion Severus had made for her skin and scales. She wondered if she could do the formula justice. Normally he insisted on brewing it for her, even though he had taught her the method. Now—
She tongue flicked, a nervous habit. Severus had been a stalwart protector, and now he needed protection too. She knew Lucius was downright livid over it, and Severus—
The air around him tasted confused. He'd befriended her fairly easily thanks to her being his almost-healer and throwing herself between him and Sirius Black. She'd introduced him to Daemon, Sithiss and Fawkes, and he definitely understood secrecy.
He still threw himself in front of her to protect her from Molly—
Apparently that instinct was still there.
But it felt different now, almost like it was a friendship rather than a mentorship.
It felt odd having a human friend other than Draco. Harry was trying, but she couldn't quite trust him after his treatment of her when she'd been first blinded. It was getting better, but there were times she couldn't quite relax.
She was around Draco enough to at least get a sense of his sincerity as their friendship grew, and being friends with Draco, of course, meant that most of Gryffindor thought she was pond scum—even more than she already was. Most of them feared her mam more than they wanted to mess with Hermione, but it was definitely not acceptance that tempered their actions.
Sirius, despite his dedication to be a better person, gave her conflicting reactions. She wondered if part of it was the unspoken animosity that Severus had harboured for him due to their past rubbing off on her unconscious mind. He'd kept his word, providing her with a fully paid education along with a dutiful house-elf that wanted nothing more than to serve. She did have to confess that it was much easier to accept Sirius Black as Lord Scruffy than as either Sirius or Mr Black.
Regulus was a bit easier to accept due to a more positive regard from those around her, but even he wasn't someone she could truly trust—yet.
Luna, on the other hand, was easier to accept because she had no bad history at the school to make her wary. She was able to open up to her a little more, but they did not cross paths as much due to her being in Ravenclaw. Part of Hermione didn't want to have Luna ostracized because of her affiliation with her, either. Ravenclaw no more welcomed Hermione than Gryffindor had.
Luna, of course, said she didn't care, and even gave Hermione hugs in full sight of others. Hermione was conflicted, both desiring to explore the friendship but also wanting to protect Luna from herself. She found it very contradictory.
Fawkes and Sithiss, she trusted beyond reproach, and they always looked out for her when it came to trusting humans—people. It was a work in progress, and Hermione could barely remember a time when she trusted so easily. Those days were long gone, even when it was only her second year at Hogwarts.
Having washed her face and brushed her fangs (always fun when you extra foldable fangs in your mouth) and her tongue (that tickled) she pulled on her healing robes, adjusted her circlet, her blindfold, and put on her working apprentice sash. When she came out of the bathroom, the floor mirror reminded her not to forget her belt and pouches.
"Oh, thank you!"
"You're welcome, dear," the reflection said.
Hermione put on her belt and pouches, checking to make sure everything was there. She met her mother at the door—Minerva was looking ready for her breakfast presentation before classes—giving her a hug and peck on the cheek as well as a soft hissing snuggle.
"Don't forget your breakfast, dear," Minerva chided, handing her a cloth-wrapped bundle.
"Thanks, mam," Hermione said, smiling warmly.
"Have a good day with Cadmus," Minerva said.
"I will," Hermione answered as Sithiss disappeared into her skin, and Fawkes disappeared out the open window to play the part Dumbledore's phoenix and keep tabs on the elder wizard's use of her Lord Father's wand.
She stepped out into the hall and tested the brightness. Squinting in pain, she closed her eyes completely, adjusting her blindfold securely. She pulled out her walking cane and headed toward the front gates of Hogwarts.
"Don't forget me," Daemon said, padding to her side and pushing one head under her hand. He smelled of breakfast, which she noted someone had sneaked him some of his favourite stinky cheese.
She smiled, tucking her cane away as she hugged one head out of three. "I thought you were going to take your time eating."
"Not if you're going to leave me behind," he said, snuffling her hair.
Hermione patted him. "You needn't worry," she consoled.
There was a robin singing merrily (or territorially) from somewhere above, and Hermione smiled.
"Are you ready, snakeling?" Cadmus hissed softly from the main gate.
"Master!" she cried, rushing to his side as she recognised his energy and heat signature. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he embraced her, the ghost of his great coils brushing against her skin. Even while in human forms, their true forms sang to each other.
"Ready for a day of healing?" Cadmus asked, his tongue flicked outward in amusement.
Hermione nodded. "Yes, Master!"
"We'll be Apparating to a very special place," Cadmus said. "A clinic nestled in the high desert—an inhospitable refuge well-protected from the Muggles. Have a good grasp on Daemon?"
"Yes."
"Ok, hand in mine. Tightly. Here we go."
Hermione let out a soft yelp and hiss as the crack of Apparition carried them away.
The first thing Hermione noticed when they arrived was the heat and the sand. Her vision was confused by the heat everywhere, but with some focus she managed to recenter on Cadmus and Daemon.
Cadmus placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You okay? How are your eyes?"
Hermione nodded to him. "I'm okay."
"Don't be afraid to ask Daemon for his sight, Hermione," Cadmus reminded her. "The bond between a familiar and their bondmate is a great boon."
"You don't like asking, but I don't mind," Daemon said, snuffling her. "I like helping."
Hermione reached up to touch his muzzle. "You really don't mind?"
Daemon answered by slurping her in triplicate.
Hermione laughed, shoving his muzzles away. She closed her eyes under the blindfold and pressed her forehead to the bridge of his middle muzzle. Slowly a scene formed in her mind, merging with her heat and magical vision and overlaying it with his otherly triple vision.
She looked up and reached for Cadmus' face. She felt his face with her fingers, wondering at the almost supernatural vision of his features.
"Cadmus Chadwick! I was beginning to think you'd never come back to us," a male voice said nearby.
Hermione hissed in surprise and dove behind Cadmus, her hands clasping his robes for reassurance.
Cadmus pressed close to her but positioned himself between them. "Haruni, you scruffy old wizard, how are you?"
They clasped hands and smiled.
"This is Hermione, my apprentice," Cadmus said. "Hermione, this is my old friend and colleague, Haruni."
"A pleasure," the other healer said, reaching his hand out to her.
Hermione eyed Cadmus' expression closely and saw that Daemon wasn't worried. She allowed his hand to enfold hers. "Hullo. This is Daemon. Daemon, please be nice to Master Haruni."
Haruni put out his hand, palm up, and let the great dog sniff his palm and give him an experimental lick.
The cerberus snuffled the new healer and panted. "Okay. I'll remember him."
The smell of water caught Hermione's attention, and she realised that they were at the top of natural crater that had been formed in the blowing sand. But, thanks to magic, the area had fresh water, trees, and grass—an oasis in the middle of the greatest desert on Earth.
Flocks of grateful birds lined the edge of the lake, both drinking their fill as well as sitting in the water to soak the water into their feathers before flying off. A small jerboa hopped down to drink and then scurried off to hide from the hot midday sun.
Yet, the temperature was not as bad as she expected it to be.
"The enchantments here protect us from being detected by Muggles and keeps the climate a bit milder. It's still a desert, but it's like a shaded area."
Hermione's face broke into a large grin. "This is amazing!"
She watched a group of Anubis baboons bickering over fruits that dropped from a nearby palm. Others drank from the water and then disappeared back into the Sahara.
"What are those?" Hermione asked, pointing to the small herd of white and curly-horned antelope.
"Addax," Haruni said. "They are quite rare, even in the Sahara. It is good to see them. At night sometimes you will see the Fennecs coming to take a drink. You might even catch sight of an ostrich and their chicks. "Are you ready to go inside and meet some of our patients?"
Hermione nodded. She stayed close to Cadmus' side as they went in.
The inside of the sanctuary was amazingly cool, like being in a cave. There were beds separated by cloth screens that were designed to provide air circulation and privacy. Hermione's vision saw the glow of various charms that separated each patient's area and gave them as much space as a private room.
There were many patients—many covered in soft gauze bandages and damp dressings.
"What happened to these people?" Hermione asked.
"Haruni cares for those with the desert fever from the magical sand viper bite," Cadmus explained. "Their bodies become very hot with fevers that feed off the body's magic. The hotter they become, the more of their magic it devours."
"Devours?"
Haruni nodded. "If the fever goes for too long, the person may lose the ability to control their magic or—"
"Lose their magic altogether," Cadmus finished.
Hermione's eyes grew wide. "How horrible! What do you do?"
"The fever is very strange. If the victim tries to leave the desert, it takes them quickly, but if they stay in the heat, it will also take them quickly." Haruni sighed. "I'm sure you can see the problem."
"That's why this place is so much cooler," Hermione said.
Haruni smiled. "Indeed." He looked out the window. "It is still the desert, but it allows us more time to treat them."
"But what of their magic?" Hermione asked.
"If we get them in time, they usually retain most of their magic," Haruni said.
"Most?" Hermione replied, her expression sad.
"It takes weeks to months to treat the fever," Cadmus said. "Magic, even if slowly lost, is still lost."
Hermione looked toward the patient beds. "All of this because of a viper bite?" She tugged on Cadmus' robes, giving him a meaningful look.
Cadmus leaned down. "What is it, my snakeling?"
"Do the vipers hate people?" she whispered.
Cadmus' expression softened. "No, child. They simply strike when stepped on while hiding in the sand. The victims are unfortunate but not active targets."
"Is there no antivenin for it?"
"Alas, the magical component makes it very difficult. It would have to be injected into a magical creature to synthesize the antivenin, and the very nature of the venom latches onto the magic of whatever creature and gives it the fever—if that is outside of the desert, death comes quickly. A creature like a horse would not synthesize the magical component."
Hermione frowned. Suddenly, she brightened and tugged on Cadmus' robes again.
"Hrm?" Cadmus hummed, fascinated by Hermione's enthusiasm.
"What about someone like us—we're immune to venoms? And the tincture made from my blood helped with the Weasley's family plague-curse."
Cadmus picked Hermione up and gave her a crushing hug. "Hermione! You're brilliant!" he cried, twirling her around.
"What did I miss?" Haruni asked, having missed the "silent" conversation with obvious confusion.
Cadmus slapped Haruni on the back. "We need to get Hermione bit!"
Haruni dropped his jaw. "What? Are you sodding nuts?!"
"Whoa," Severus said as he took in the oasis. "I think I may have overdressed."
Hermione smiled at him. "I thought the same."
"Do you think Master Slughorn even knows where we are?" Severus asked. "Sometimes I'm not even sure he knows who he is."
Hermione sputtered. "Uhh…"
Slughorn, dressed in more brown and arguably more formal robes, looked distinctly out of place next to Cadmus, who managed to look prepared for anything no matter where he was.
Hermione leaned closer to Severus. "Do you want to learn the charm Master Cadmus taught me?"
Severus gave her a look that said "Are you kidding?" and "Of course," wrapped into one.
Hermione tapped his robes and made a swirl with her wand. "Praesidium desertum."
Immediately, Severus' dark robes turned to the softer light tan of desert wear—lighter, cooler, and infinitely more comfortable.
Severus' eyes grew wide. "Show me again!"
Cadmus listened to the pair whispering and giggling to each other as Hermione taught Severus the desert protection charm. He smiled as he tried to keep his amusement toned down as he also listened to Haruni explain precautions to Horace Slughorn so he wouldn't wander into the greater desert and get swept away.
Oddly, he didn't worry about Hermione or Severus. Hermione would not go anywhere Cadmus didn't approve first, preferably with Cadmus at her side, and Severus was not going to leave Hermione's side if he could help it. He was glad of it. He was old enough to know the swirling of fates and magic of those two—even if he hadn't been de-aged to make it seem more plausible to outsiders.
As a quetzalcoatl who had lived during the time when his kind were both feared and loved by cultures as living, wrathful gods, he knew that finding the one you were meant to be with could take centuries. Once the great serpents found their mates, however—their family loyalty was as long as the sun rose and set.
Whether they knew it or not, Hermione and Severus were a part of his family. It was his duty to watch over and protect them until they could stand alone. He and his family had once been the god of wind, air, and learning—and he was here being humbled by his warm-hearted snakeling who thought to use the basilisk's immunities to help cure those stricken with disease. She was an uncommonly compassionate soul, and who would have suspected such from Mictlāntēcutli's Chosen—they who shepherded the souls of the dead to Land of the Dead.
"This would be a truly great potion," Horace said, his obvious desire for the prestige of such a cure to be released.
Cadmus narrowed his eyes as Slughorn's enthusiasm dipped into more self-serving fame, but he was Severus' official master. He had to involve Horace to give Severus the exposure he required.
"I'm still not sure what you will be using to culture the reagent," Horace said. "I doubt you will get authorisation for the breeding of a basilisk, my boy, if what are you telling me is true. Just to inject it with another venom and extract something else? That or finding a person who can be immune to it to do the same? Far too dangerous."
Cadmus tried not to take offense at being called "boy" by a human who was far younger than his last shed.
"If you doubt my resources, Horace, do feel free to bail and go back to your teaching." Old man, he hissed under his breath, his tongue flicking with irritation the moment Horace looked away.
"I appreciate any learning opportunity here," Horace was saying, "but using a child injected with magical viper venom to make antibodies for a cure? That's far too risky. Just getting your hands on something like that could take far too many galleons just to invest in the trial's first ingredients— let alone finding someone who was truly able to synthesize such a thing without inflicting this disease upon people. I don't wish to take the word of a child that she will survive being bitten by the most dangerous venomous creature in the desert. The research alone would cost too much. I'm sorry, Healer Chadwick, I don't think I can invest my resources into this. Severus would be better off learning the standard potions to best make sure he has the foundations."
"I'll be taking Severus back to Hogwarts, I'm sorry." Horace was sweating hard in his non-desert robes, and the sweat was running down into his eyes. He wiped the moisture from his face with a shaking hand, walked out from the sanctuary and towards Severus and Hermione. "Come, Severus, we're going back to Hogwarts."
Severus frowned as he stood, his eyebrows furrowing. Hermione stood too, looking nervous at Slughorn's approach, and Snape promptly placed himself between her and Slughorn. Even at his youthful age, he managed to look intimidating.
Severus gave Hermione a look, conflicted as the ease he once had at her side was torn away by the prospect of having to leave her alone on a new potions adventure without him.
"Sir, don't move!" Hermione said, tugging on Severus' robes.
Horace looked at her with a confused expression. "Come, boy, let's go," he said, beckoning with his arm.
Severus started to move, but Hermione swiftly tugged him back. He froze, giving her a concerned look.
"Master, don't move," Severus said urgently.
But it was too late.
Horace continued his walk as his foot stepped over a very small set of horns sticking up out of the sand.
ker-THWACK!
Fangs sank deep into Horace's ankle just above his fancy Italian shoes and the Potions professor fell flat on his face on the sand.
Hermione rushed forward, but instead of helping Slughorn, she scooped up the viper in the sand. "Are you okay?"
The dazed viper tongue-flicked. "Was that an elephant?"
"I'm Hermione. Are you hurt?"
The viper lay its head on her thumb. "Dizzy."
Hermione waited as Cadmus and Haruni ran forward to tend to Slughorn. Severus knelt beside her.
"Is that a sand viper?"
Hermione nodded. "I think so."
The dizzy viper looked up at them both. "You can understand me?"
The children nodded together. They cradled the viper and brought it into the shade. Severus used his wand to provide a stream of cool water for the grateful serpent to lick.
The viper slithered up around Hermione's neck and curled there. "You're nice and warm, not too hot. Can I stay with you? People don't step on you, do they?"
"Not usually—erm—not like, literally, no."
The viper lay its head on Severus' shoulder as he stretched out from Hermione's neck. "My mate would like not being stepped on either. Would you mind if she came too?"
Severus' eyes widened. "No?"
Another viper unearthed itself from the sand and lay her head on his dragonhide boot. Severus leaned down, slowly extending his hand. The female viper tongue flicked and slithered into his hand, up his arm, and the curled around his neck.
"Hullo," the female viper said. "You're much more comfortable than hiding in the sand."
Severus exchanged looks with Hermione. "Thanks? Would you like some water?"
"That would be wonderful."
Severus took out his wand and created a stream of water for the serpent to drink from.
Checking that the vipers were secure around their necks, they rushed over to assist with Slughorn.
Haruni was levitating Slughorn to a bed as Cadmus cast both stasis and cooling charms.
"Severus, please help me strip Horace down and wrap him in cloth bandages. Hermione, help me prepare the cooling balm."
"Yes, Master," Hermione chimed.
"Yes, Healer Chadwick," Severus said.
Haruni started to chant a spell, pointing at where the fangs had sank into Slughorn's ankle, and drew the venom out. "It's already into his magic. I can only draw out the venom, but I cannot stop what has already been affected."
Chadwick had Hermione copying him as he mixed up a cooling balm, and they both dipped secondary bandages in it, wrapping Slughorn's body as he deliriously talked about how wonderful the recreational potions he had made as a teenager were.
Hermione and Severus made strange faces at each other as they dipped and wrapped the bandages.
Chadwick touched a crystal on the head of the bed, chanting, and a cool breeze formed from the crystal and blew over the bed to keep Horace as comfortable as possible.
"Severus, tell me, what would normally be used to treat a poison or venom," Cadmus asked.
"Bezoar would save you from most poisons and venoms, sir," Severus said quickly. "A poison antidote would only work for poisons, not venoms."
"Good," Cadmus said. "Hermione, can you tell me why those potions wouldn't work in this case?"
Hermione stared at the flow of magic in Horace's body. "Because the venom was a vehicle that delivered the true affliction into his magical core."
"Good, you can see it. That's good," Cadmus said. He continued to cast various incantations over Slughorn to stabilise and slow down his metabolism as a shimmering barrier formed around him. "This is a healing stasis. We use it to slow down the body's processes to slow the effects of the magical drain. How or why the fever can sense if the body is outside of the desert is unknown, but we cannot move him until the fever breaks or the fever will consume him even with the stasis."
The two children stepped back as Haruni put down the secondary stasis barrier. Both of the elder healers sat down in a chair, cradling their heads in their hands. Hermione placed two invigoration potions into Cadmus and Haruni's hands, having pulled them from her belt pouch stash.
"Thank you, Hermione," Haruni said, drinking it without even checking what it was.
Cadmus tongue flicked before drinking his, stealthily out of Haruni's vision.
"Go refresh yourselves in the oasis," Haruni said. "We'll need some time to recover and make a plan to handle this unexpected turn of events."
Hermione and Severus nodded together and walked out of the door.
Haruni summoned a tea service with a wand. "I need tea. I could have sworn I saw a pair of magical desert vipers around their necks. I may have gotten too much sun."
Chadwick sipped his tea as he wore his best halo.
Severus and Hermione lurked under the water in their basilisk forms with just their nostrils and their desert viper comrades curled up on their snouts. Daemon soaked in the water too, rolling every so often to coat his fur in reddish-orange sand-mud to protect him from the sun.
Daemon used his bulk to block the sight of them in their basilisk forms in case someone other than Cadmus approached first. The great dog didn't move often, and the birds were starting to perch on him like he was part of the landscape.
"Now, I'm pretty certain he's an idiot," Severus said glumly, rubbing the side of his snout against hers. He pressed his scales against hers in comfort, perhaps more for himself than for Hermione.
Sithiss did both of them the favour of wrapping herself around both of her charges with her great coils without saying a word.
"Sithiss, is Professor Slughorn an idiot?" Hermione asked. "Am I allowed to think a professor is an idiot?"
Sithiss snorted, sending a startled silverbill off her snout. "Of course you can think a teacher is an idiot. Not all teachers are the same. Unfortunately, at your age, you can't really tell them that."
Hermione simmered on her words, unsure what to think.
"He stepped on me," the sand viper said, unimpressed. "Who does that?"
His mate hissed softly. "Usually it's camels," she said. "And we do bury ourselves in the sand during the day."
The male viper snorted. "At least a camel has a soft foot."
"Is that why you bite people?" Severus asked.
"Most of us do get irritable when stepped on," the female viper confessed.
"Quite understandable," Severus replied.
"It's hard to get stepped on as a basilisk," Sithiss said.
"Must be nice," the male viper said wistfully. "I'm Tosa."
"Tika," the female snake said.
"Pleased to meet you," Hermione said.
"Likewise," Severus said.
"We've never run across a basilisk before," Tosa said. "Is it true you turn things to stone?"
"We would, but we have special lenses over our eyes that protect things from our gaze," Hermione said.
"Well, good for us then," Tika said. "Being turned into a statue would probably qualify for what would make me cranky."
Hermione snort-laughed, startling another flock of birds. The desire for water lured them back quickly. "What does a magical viper eat?" she asked.
"Annoying teleporting rodents," Tosa replied. "If you didn't have venom, they'd just appear somewhere else and laugh at you."
"The magic fever makes more sense now," Severus said.
"Oh?" Tosa said. "What fever?"
"The man that you bit has a desert fever caused by your venom," Hermione said. "It doesn't kill him right away because he's so much bigger than a rodent, but I think it still affects a person's magic. I'm guessing though."
"Seems logical," Severus said.
The two vipers seemed thoughtful. "We just don't like being stepped on."
"Understandable," Severus replied. "People don't like it either."
Hermione seemed to realise that Severus was speaking of a different sort of being stepped on. She pressed her scales tighter to his. "I'm sorry. Were you hurt?"
Severus seemed to appreciate her closeness. "My father is not a good person. I thought coming to Hogwarts would separate me from that, but I just exchanged it for constant torture by Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew."
Hermione was sullen, knowing he was remembering the past but also realising that he probably had the same feelings as an adult and just hid it better. "I know what it's like, she said. Being—blamed for things."
Severus jolted. "I— remember something. You—" He tongue-flicked. "They tormented you because you were different." A flash of insight came back to him as he realised that while he had often given in retaliation as good as he got in his fights, she had tried very hard not to. The only acceptance she had were from select individuals, most often adults.
Hermione sulked deeper into the water, gaining a small protest from the viper for being unexpectedly dipped. Hermione rose back up. "Sorry."
"S'okay, it feels good," Tosa said.
Severus coiled his body around hers in a mirror of Sithiss' protective embrace. "I'll protect you," he promised.
Hermione didn't say anything, but she snuggled closer into him, tightening her coils around his.
Severus wasn't sure what he was feeling, but he was pretty sure he'd never felt it in his life.
In all the years he had thought he had friends, he had been wrong.
Nothing.
Nothing felt like this, this—
Warmth.
The feel of the female basilisk around them was protection incarnate, but the feel of Hermione against him stirred something inside him even Lily couldn't hold a candle to.
Lily had been a radiant flaming fire of magic and will— a greatness in his childhood before Hogwarts, but ever since he had woken in the infirmary with an older-looking Dumbledore staring down at him— Hermione had been there to offer him food and comfort.
Even before having called Lily that name he hadn't felt so—
Cared for?
Relied on?
What was it?
Coming terms to the fact that he had been older at some point had been strange enough, second to having been a teacher (what?!), survived a war, Lucius being old (his hair was still his though… peacock that he was)- oh and being a basilisk.
Somehow out of all that, being the basilisk seemed the most comforting.
Healer Chadwick was a feathered serpent in disguise; that was both wicked cool and scary at the same time— at least until Hermione had leapt into his arms and given the quetzalcoatl a lung-crushing hug. They weren't the only serpents around, either. Lucius was one. Professor McGonagall was one too. What had happened in the years he had been teaching? Did a potion explode on them all? Did he do it? How embarrassing...
Secrets, all of it, and Severus loved secrets. Slytherins in general loved secrets. He just preferred to be in the know on said secrets, not the other way around.
But as he soaked in the cool, refreshing water with Hermione, their bodies entwined as only serpents could, he felt overwhelmingly comforted by her warm presence. Whatever he might have felt for Lily— and much to his shock she had apparently died in the war— seemed so weak and flimsy in comparison. He should feel guilty, but—he didn't. Not at all.
There was no way in Hades he was going to let her down and let the likes of James Sodding Potter or Sirius Stupid Black get their hooks into her.
Even if Sirius Black was…
Old.
His eyebrow twitched.
Hermione seemed slightly nervous around Black, but she wasn't completely against him. She'd thrown herself between Severus and Sirius to keep them from fighting, shoving Severus into a closet as the transformation took hold of him for the first time in his knowledge. She stood adamantly in front of the cupboard until Sirius left, opening the door as Severus spilled out in a uncoordinated heap of writhing scales and coils.
She'd held his head and stroked his scales, hugging him, and all his rage at Black had trickled away.
He found he could even leave Black alone— for her.
For that soft embrace, the trust.
In all the years with Lily, she had never given him such tenderness— the power of warmth through touch. She was always just out of reach, perched high on a pedestal, looking down on him from afar.
So here he was, living his teenage years again, but he found the anger he thought he would have was gone. The people that had plagued him before were missing. The "bad crowd" he had had been a part of the first time were missing in action. Hell, Peter Pettigrew, had apparently been a traitor to the "Light" and framed Sirius for a number of Muggle murders—
Regulus and Sirius were actually mending their fences.
Lucius had a son.
It was so much to take in.
"This area has been undergoing a long drought," Haruni said to Dumbledore and McGonagall, who had Flooed in after hearing about Horace's unfortunate experience with the fanged end of a somewhat squashed desert viper. "This entire area has been suffering. The places with water, even as rare as they are, have been suffering with even less, leaving very few places left for the natural wildlife to slake their thirst as they journey through the desert. You'll see many rare species here, some migratory and some not, braving the slopes of this mountain to drink and rest."
"Want to see a neat trick?" Hermione asked, perking up with mischief.
Severus tilted his head. "Okay?"
Hermione transformed in a great bird in the deep, dark greys of the storm cloud, rimmed in white and blue. She perched on top of Daemon and spread her wings and let out a thundering boom.
With every beat of her enormous wings, the winds kicked up, and with every cry, the clouds gathered amazingly fast.
Crackacracka-BOOM!
Rain poured down over the area as the darkest storm clouds swirled around. Severus transformed into his human form, dodging behind Daemon to make sure he was all human and not strangely multi-species, and then rushed to the deck overlooking the side of the mountain. Rain was pouring down all around, and the pools of water were merging together below so fast that he could actually see them forming.
Birds and other animals were swarming to the rapidly growing pools, drinking in deep. The flocks moved like clouds themselves, swooping in to take a drink and leave. Even close to his feet, small balls of a dried, seemingly dead plant, were unfurling, some dispersing their seeds in a frantic need to reproduce in an area where water existed. Other plants seemed a bit slower, but there was no doubt that the desert foliage was designed to take advantage of every single opportunity, no matter how fleeting.
Hermione warbled a cheery song, folding her wings, and the storm faded somewhat in intensity but continued to rain lightly as the clouds began to wander and then dissipate.
Haruni was spinning around with his arms out, laughing.
Cadmus held out his arm to Hermione, summoning her to perch, and she landed on his arm deftly. "You trying to be Q'uq'umatz, my snakeling?" he said fondly, nuzzling her head with his face. "How kind of you to bring the wind and rain."
Hermione let out a happy warble, nuzzling him in return.
"Before the rains end, shall we have your new friends help us make the antivenin to help Haruni?"
Hermione transformed back into her human form. "Yes, Master."
"If you wish to assist in the brewing, young Severus, you may come with."
Severus didn't need to be told twice, and he quickly followed them both into the shelter.
"Cadmus, are you sure?" Haruni said, looking nervous. "Having a viper purposely bite your apprentice? I know you think she's immune, but what if she isn't? However did you get a viper to begin with?"
"Haruni, old friend, take a deep breath," Cadmus admonished gently. "Can you not trust me after all these years?"
Haruni looked a bit dubious. "She is a child, Cadmus."
"A very special one, Haruni," Cadmus said. "If you would prefer go try and keep the Headmaster from losing his gourd to keep your mind off of this—"
Haruni looked even more conflicted. "You know the reason I'm having issues is because she is not yet of age."
"As her master, it is my judgement that is in question."
"I know that—"
"Trust that I value her life more highly than you will ever know, Haruni," Cadmus said, his expression grave. "She is mine, and I will not lose her for anything. Trust in that. She is family."
Haruni's eyes widened, having rarely even heard Cadmus raise his voice. For a moment, he felt very miniscule, as if he were but an ant and Cadmus had become a wrathful god.
"I believe you. Please, just understand that I worry for any child."
Cadmus sighed and nodded. "I know you do, Haruni, but you have already tried everything you know to do. Now you must trust that this is what you could not do alone."
Haruni's eyes widened as Cadmus moved Hermione's hair over to expose one of the most dangerous vipers he knew. The horned viper yawned and slithered out, looking around suspiciously.
Hermione held the viper to her chest, creating a sort of nest with her fingers and then closed her eyes.
The viper struck her thumb, sinking fangs into the fleshy part between her thumb and index finger.
Hermione winced and lay back against the pillow. The viper quickly slithered back under the shelter of her hair with only his head sticking out to stare outward for any sign of danger.
"Rest, my child," Cadmus said. "It will take a few days to develop enough antibodies to counter the venom. You may not feel the effects of the venom, but your body will be sleepy as it tries to battle the venom."
He turned to see Severus looking on worriedly.
Silently, he pulled Severus over and lay his hands on Hermione's arm. "Please stay with her and notify me if she needs anything, okay?"
"Yes, Master," Severus said.
Cadmus stood after pressing a tender kiss to Hermione's forehead, his tongue stealthily extending to give her a gentle flick.
Hermione settled almost immediately, closing her eyes.
"Ah, Headmaster Dumbledore," Cadmus said as he walked off. "I believe we have some time to discuss how you wish to handle Severus' apprenticeship since Horace is out of commission."
Severus sat in the chair beside her, one hand on Hermione's arm as the other adjusted the book in his lap as he began to read.
Haruni did a numbing spell before inserting the needle, chanting a charm to gather what he wanted into the syringe without any waste.
"You were always great at those charms," Cadmus said. "Most people wouldn't think of such things. I'm glad you do."
Haruni grunted. "No one likes being poked too much," he said. "Even for a good cause." He put pressure on the site as he removed the needle, pressing the gauze down on the puncture site. "Could you keep pressure on this for me, Severus?"
"Of course," Severus said, applying pressure to the gauze.
Haruni handed the golden syringe over to Cadmus. "If this works, old friend, there will not be enough praises to be said."
Cadmus took the syringe and stared into it. "They will have to thank Hermione for thinking of it."
"Severus, would you like to learn how to purify this before we add it to the potion?"
Severus nodded. He carefully bandaged the gauze to Hermione's arm and made sure it was secure. "Will you be okay for a bit?"
Hermione nodded. "I'll be fine."
Severus came to Cadmus' side and put on his game face, concentrating as he watched Cadmus enchant the syringe until it glowed a bright blue.
"Now we add this to our poison antidote potion. Three drops and stir anti-clockwise until the potion turns purple, then three more drops and stir clockwise until it turns the same colour as the syringe, okay?"
Severus grew very still as he took the syringe and carefully dripped the three drops in and stirred the rod. The potion turned many different colours before it turned a deep purple.
"There, that is the colour you need."
Severus dripped in three more drops and stirred the opposite direction.
And stirred.
And stirred.
And stirred some more.
Haruni fidgeted nervously.
The potion shuddered and then let loose a great blue-white light as the potion took on the same color as the syringe. Severus stopped instantly, removing the rod as his hand moved over the potion. Without asking, his hand cast over the potion as he closed his eyes. He made a movement with his hand and the potion stopped moving completely, perfectly preserved in the peak of potency.
When he opened his eyes, he looked at Cadmus, his eyes widening as he realised he did something Cadmus had not asked for.
To his relief, Cadmus nodded approvingly to him. "Good work, Severus. Your intuition serves you well."
"Normally Muggle science and magic tend to be mutually exclusive, but in this case, we are teaching the potion to imitate the antibodies. It will always need them in order to synthesize the potion, but you do not need much. Now, we must test this potion on one of our friends. We will start by taking blood from one of our patients and dripping the potion onto it. Depending on the reaction, we can try administering it and seeing what happens. We must always test the potion to the blood first of the patient, in case they have a bad reaction."
Severus nodded. "Yes, Master."
Cadmus smiled, glad that Severus had taken to him as quickly as he had. Dumbledore had begrudgingly admitted that Cadmus was qualified (if not overqualified) to teach two apprentices, but Dumbledore seemed strangely shifty about Severus in general. Exactly why, however, Cadmus was as yet uncertain.
Taking blood the magical way, at least for the test, didn't require Muggle syringes, and Haruni taught him the charm to numb the site, pierce the skin, and draw out the blood they needed. Cadmus gave him a pipette to drip the potion onto the blood. The blood shimmered, shined blue, and then grew bright red.
"There we go. The sign of superior oxygenation. No sign of reaction." Cadmus lowered his wand as he completed his scan. "This man has been here for over two years. He is the worst case here, so he is our priority. The risk outweighs leaving him to die to the fever. Now, when deciding on a proper dose, we will administer one swallow at a time while running a diagnosis scan. Haruni will take care of that. At the point it starts to take effect, we give one more swallow and then stop. Does this make sense?"
Severus nodded. "Yes. The moment it starts to take effect is like the tip of a wave. One more dose will let the full wave take effect. Any more, and it could be too much."
"Yes. Good. And you could always give him one more swallow, but taking it out once swallowed is not going to happen, yes?"
"Yes, Master," Severus said.
"Okay, here we go. Let's prop him up."
The wizard was covered from head to toe in bandages save for the area they had taken blood, and he groaned upon being touched. His skin was still hot, despite the cooling charms and medicines. Severus gave him one swallow, continuing as Haruni ran his scans.
Seventeen sips later, Haruni said, "it's starting to take effect."
Severus gave him one more sip and stood back.
The wizard's body shook violently for a few seconds and then he took a deep, ragged breath. His eyes opened, and he looked around. "Merlin, the pain is gone. It's gone!"
"Mr Abbes," Chadwick said. "You may need more doses to clear your body and make this permanent. Please rest until we can be sure of the effects."
Abbes lay back on the bed and sighed, "I'm just glad the pain and heat is gone. Thank, Merlin. Thank, Merlin."
Cadmus put a hand on Severus' and Haruni's shoulder. "Now we wait. Good work."
He walked over to where Hermione was resting and pressed his forehead to hers. "Good work, my snakeling," he whispered. "Rest well for tomorrow."
Hermione smiled at him.
"I'll have Daemon and Severus take you out to soak in the lake. Get some sun— just not too much."
"Yes, Master," she said, smiling.
Cadmus touched her forehead. "Good work," he said again. He tenderly brushed back her hair to expose the horned viper around her throat. "You too."
The viper looked up at him, tongue flicking. "Thanks."
Cadmus looked upon them both with a gentle smile. "No, thank you both." He tucked them both in, refilled the water carafe next to Hermione's bed, and placed a generous pile of maamoul, buttery pastries stuffed with dates and nuts, on the plate beside it.
Pressing a small kiss to Hermione's forehead, Cadmus smiled and turned to leave. She was fast asleep before he made it to the door
When the pair of hungry basilisks struck the battle-worn male giraffe, it went down in a flurry of kicks, scales, and writhing serpent bodies.
They lay on top of it for some time, sides heaving as they waited for the animals spirit to release.
"Thank you for your gift of life," Hermione hissed softly. "Travel smoothly to my Fathers' domain."
Sithiss hissed her approval, and she struck the carcass multiple times, ripping it into more manageable pieces.
Hermione and Severus changed into human forms, taking a moment to carve small pieces off the carcass. They gently held it out for their viper companions, waiting for them to wrap their jaws around the fresh meat and swallow it down.
To Daemon, they gave one haunch and leg. To Sithiss they let her choose what she wanted most. They split the rest between them, practicing dislocating their jaws to wrap around what was left until the lump of their dinner lay digesting in their bellies. All that was left was one leg for Cadmus, whom they knew would be craving a bit of protein after dealing with Dumbledore.
They wrapped the leg up in a leafy bundle and carried it between them, timing their slithering to side-wind up the mountain together.
Cadmus came out from the shelter very late, after Haruni had long since gone to sleep. He had a weary but accomplished expression on his face, but upon seeing the food they had hunted and left for him, his face was nothing short of joyous and proud. He shifted with the fluid grace of hundreds of years made into perfection and made the offering disappear quickly.
He and Sithiss curled protectively around their snakelings under the desert moon, enjoying being in their more natural forms and together.
"Master?"
"Hrm?"
"Goodnight," Hermione whispered, snuggling in.
Cadmus rubbed his head over Hermione and Severus, laying his head over them both so his feathered mane concealed them completely. "Goodnight."
Severus was already snoring away, blissfully content.
Cure for Desert Fever
Desert Fever caused by the magical desert viper (also known as the Horned Viper) has long been a plague upon Wizarding folk who travel in the desert. The venom of the snake has two parts, one which is counterable and one which fed off the victims' magic.
Specialists say the reason is simple: if your prey is magical and teleports away, you don't want them to.
The venom (to their prey) shuts down their magic fast and allows them to get a meal; however, if that viper were to bite a magical person, the venom causes a disturbing chain reaction that results not only in the draining of magic from the victim but also pain, fever, and the inability to leave the desert lest it consume you all the faster.
The latter effect appears to be another side-effect of a highly-specialised venom that was intended to keep the viper's prey from escaping.
Healer Haruni, Master-Healer Cadmus Chadwick and his apprentices Hermione McGonagall and Severus Snape, worked tirelessly to synthesize the potion which has been named "Desert Sun."
The new treatment, which requires approximately a month to complete, is the only available cure for Desert Fever. All others until this point were strictly about making the patient as comfortable as possible until the fever burned itself out, often taking the victims' magic along with it, rendering them unable to perform magic for the rest of their life.
So far, fourteen patients have been successfully treated with Desert Sun, as the potion cannot be mass produced. It is unlikely that it will ever be a potion that anyone can carry in a desert-survival pack unless they are very wealthy, but an effective treatment for victims does now exist. This alone gives new hope to those who had the misfortune to forget to wear suitable protective footwear when travelling the deserts where the magical desert viper makes its home.
Swift administration of Desert Sun is the key to avoiding long-lasting side-effects and long treatment times. Healers with Desert Fever patients are encouraged to contact Healer Haruni by owl to arrange for a bed at the desert treatment sanctuary; however, bed limit is restricted to thirty patients total.
Both the healers and their apprentices have been awarded the Order of the Caduceus for their work on this groundbreaking potion.
Many are excited that Master-healer Cadmus Chadwick has taken not one but two healing apprentices under wing in this troubled time.
Memo
To: Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall and Lord Lucius Malfoy
From: Desert Sun Sanctuary, Sahara
Thank you for agreeing for time in helping synthesize more antibodies for the rare desert fever. Master-healer Chadwick has told me that you are both of the rare blood type that will allow production of the antibodies without suffering from the fever yourselves.
I welcome you to join us this next week. It will take three days to have enough antibodies to work with, but we will be able to collect vials for up to week afterwards.
I thank you very much for your time, and I will be happy to discuss contractual reimbursement for your time when you arrive.
I have arranged for a Floo connection to make transport easier. It will be active before next week for your convenience.
Sincerely,
Healer Salim Haruni
(Seal of the Sun and Serpent)
To: Lord Lucius Malfoy
From: Grazzlegrit, Gringott's London
We have allocated the appropriate funds to Gringotts Africa to fund the construction project at the Desert Sun Sanctuary located in the Sahara. We have included the pre-agreed funds from Hermione McGonagall and Severus Snape, and we have set up the interest-bearing vault as requested for the Desert Sun Sanctuary Research Foundation.
I have sent word to Manglesnarl in Gringotts Africa that you will be stopping in to iron out permissions as to who will be able to access the account or which parts.
Thank you for trusting Gringotts to handle all of your financial needs.
Grazzlegrit
(Seal of Gringotts London)
"I don't think I've ever seen this much of anything in my vault," Severus said in awe as he stared into what had once been a paltry amount of galleons to fund his schooling.
"Being granted an Order of the Caduceus is not just a pretty pin on your collar," Cadmus said, thumping him on the back. "It was very generous of you and Hermione to donate to the new research foundation as well as arranging to build an expansion of Haruni's mountain top retreat."
"Seemed like the right thing to do," Severus said, rubbing his head. "I didn't expect there to be so much left over, though."
"It will continue to grow as the potion spreads around the world, Severus. Between the patent on the potion, whatever additional research we do with the Foundation and anything else we might develop studying other exotic venom-diseases in the magical world, you and Hermione will be set for your mastery projects well before you sit your N.E.W.T.s."
Severus' eyes widened almost comically.
As they closed up his vault, they walked over to where Hermione was digging through her own vault, apparently literally because her tail was sticking out of the vault door and lashing back and forth with serpentine annoyance.
"AH HAH!" They heard her hiss. Her tail slashed back and forth wildly as the sounds of many coins being moved about rang out.
She backed out of the vault, a large sack gripped in her mouth. "Mfinaffallyff," she muttered.
Severus gave her a look as she transformed back into human form.
"I promised Lucius he could look through the sack of gems that Master Egwu sent for the box of Desert Sun potions. Lucius said maybe he could get them cut and possibly enchanted to sell for a higher price. It could help fund bringing in a few more healers to help out at the sanctuary."
Severus let out his breath slowly. "Couldn't you just Accio it?"
"Tried that," hermione said. "That is why all the coins are all over the bloody vault," she explained with a sigh.
"Oh, too many non descript sacks of gems?" he said with a laugh.
"Yes!" Hermione said, tongue flicking.
"You really are something," Severus said, shaking his head.
Hermione smiled at him. "Oh, I saved this one for you." She plunked something down in his hand.
He stared at the blue-grey gem with curiosity. "Mmm, 'kay?"
Hermione huffed. "It's for your healer's circlet," Hermione said. She tapped hers. "It's customary for someone other than yourself to provide for it. Mam provided for mine, so I'm providing for yours. That's Master's favourite gem."
Severus flushed bright red as he slowly offered it to Cadmus, who had been watching the entire drama take place in front of him.
Chadwick took the gem with a gentle pinch of his fingers and deposited a box in Severus' hands.
Severus' eyes widened even more as he opened the mahogany box to see an apprentice's goblin-silver healer circlet—entwined serpents with empty gems holes for eyes.
"When you complete your mastery, I will fill those eyes with gems," Cadmus said with amusement. "And when you gain apprentices of your own, you will be able to put their gems into the circlet as I have in mine."
He pressed the gem into the circlet on his head, and the gem sank into it as though it had always been there.
Severus slowly, reverently, placed the circlet on his head, the shining goblin silver standing out against his raven black hair. Suddenly, he engulfed Hermione in a hug, squeezing her tightly. She squeak-hissed in surprise but wrapped her arms around him.
"You're welcome," she said warmly, stroking his hair.
Cadmus watched the pair with fondness. "Come on, you two. Let's try to organize poor Hermione's vault and then we can deliver those gems to Lucius. Then we have the day off to— frolic. Per Healer Haruni's orders."
Severus and Hermione beamed together. "Okay!"
They dove into the vault, wands out, and immediately set to work, leaving Cadmus with a giant sack of gemstones and a bewildered expression on his face.
"Snakelings," he said with a sigh, smiling.
A/N: Hehheheh you forget about this story? Eh? Muahahaha! Thank the Dragon and the Rose for betaing this fic past her bedtime.
Spider 1: Hey what about us?
Spider 2: Yeah!
Spider 3: Spiders are so much cooler than vipers.
Tosa and Tika: hisssss
Spiders 1-3: EEEEEK!
Spider 4: hey I think they are going to Fortescues! We should go with!
Spider 5: Totally! Let's go!
Spiders scurry off to follow Severus and Hermione.
