They Didn't Know We Were Seeds
A healer pokes her head into the room. "Ah, you're awake," she says, upon seeing Severus staring back at her. A small smile pulling at her lips, the healer, a pretty, freckle-faced blonde, tells him, "You have some wee visitors who'd like to see you before their papa takes them home."
Severus knows exactly who she's talking about. He's also relieved to hear that the Jones girls' father has been found. Quietly, he calls, "Make sure they know to keep their voices down. Sage is resting."
And how glad he is that his cousin is resting. When they first arrived, the healers who initially tended to them had feared they'd need to do much more than vanish a couple of Sage's ribs and regrow them. Thankfully, after a few diagnostic spells, they found neither of his lungs had been punctured in the blast that flung them down the street from Fortescue's. Of course, you'd think the case had been the later with the way Aunt Vesta carried on when they located her and brought her to St. Mungo's to be reunited with Severus, Sage, and Sirius.
Thankfully, right now, she's gone dealing with Walburga and Orion, who are far from pleased to hear what happened to their son under Aunt Vesta's watch. What they think she could have done to protect Sirius from this, Severus doesn't know. It's not like there was any forewarning before the attack happened. Severus isn't too worried, however. Sirius went with his parents and Aunt Vesta. He's sure Sirius'll defend Severus's cousin.
What effect that will have on if he comes back with them to the Montague Estate or not, he's unsure. Severus suspects, though, Sirius's obstinance will do him well in the row, as will the setting of it (St. Mungo's). The last thing the Blacks will want to do is make a scene in a hospital waiting room.
Smiling wider, the healer replies, "Of course."
A moment later a slightly overweight man with the same dark curly hair as the girls walks in with Gwendolyn and Hestia hanging off either arm. The children attempt to run to him, but their father holds firm and chides, "We walk inside hospitals, girls."
Taking their scolding with identical pouts, the two walk instead with their father to Severus's bed.
"Up! Up, Papa! Up!" Hestia whines.
The Jones man looks to Severus, who nods, letting him know he doesn't mind Hestia joining him. He lifts his daughter, "Sit nicely on the edge, now."
Hestia completely ignores her father and crawls right over to Severus's side, where she wedges herself under his arm. Severus rolls his eyes good-naturedly and teases, "Comfortable?"
"Mh-hmm!" she says, not realizing the question was asked in jest.
"Papa, can I sit on the bed too?" Gwendolyn begs.
The man sighs in exasperation. "If Mr. Snape doesn't mind."
"I don't."
With a little help from her father, Gwendolyn is on the bed, feet hanging over the edge. For a few minutes, he just talks with the girls. Asking them what they did while he was being fixed up by the Healers and when their father came for them. They are more than happy to answer and then some. After about ten minutes of being talked at by the children, the Jones man clears his throat. "Girls," he says, "I think you've yakked off Mr. Snape's ear long enough. Your mother is waiting for us at home with your favorites for dinner."
"Aww, Papa!" complains Gwendolyn.
Staying firm, he reaches over and plucks Hestia from Severus and points at the floor, insisting Gwendolyn hop down. Unhappily, the seven-year-old does so. Retaking the older girl's hand, he turns his attention back to Severus and says, "Thank you for what you did today, Mr. Snape. I'm glad my girls had you." Looking towards the open doorway, he adds, "I gave my address to your cousin. You don't have to, but if you want to write myself or my wife, we'd love to set up a visit for tea with you and your family to thank you more properly."
Severus nods. He really isn't interested in tea with the Jones family, but it would be extremely rude to say so. Since Mr. Jones likely told Aunt Vesta what he wanted to do as well, so Severus's certain they will be having tea sooner rather than later anyway.
"You're welcome, sir."
-o-O-o-
"Where is my son?" yells an all too familiar voice outside his and Sage's private room.
"Eileen—"
Even louder than before, his mother demands, "Where, Vesta!"
Severus sits up and peers around the curtain pulled halfway around his bed. "Mum?" he calls out in hopes of stopping her from embarrassing them further.
In a flash, his mother is in the room. In the next moment, the curtain is shoved aside by a bony hand. "Severus!" his mother cries.
"Mum," he returns meekly. He's not entirely sure how to take her appearance. After weeks of all but being ignored, it's almost hard to believe his mother came here of her own volition. Surely, however, Aunt Vesta wouldn't use an imperius on Mum to make her come. Severus would never appreciate such a thing. He isn't sure he appreciates having her here even if it is her choice. There's something wild about her eyes and the last thing he wants is for this commotion she's making to wake Sage. He needs to get a full evening and night's rest so he can come back to the estate tomorrow rather than a couple of days from now.
She sits down on the edge of his bed and cradles his face in her cold hands. She gently rotates it as she studies the bandage wrapped around his head. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"No."
Her hands fall away from his face, but do not stay by her side long. A moment later, she is sitting nearly hip to hip with him, one hand wrapped around his. "Your aunt says you and Sage were hurt in an attack on Diagon Alley."
"Yes, that's right. Some wizards and a witch started a fight with a group coming out of a pub," he tells her.
"Did you recognize any of the wizards or the witch who started the fight?"
Severus frowns. He had not recognized any of them. But he'd only gotten a glimpse of the group before he decided to get Sage and Sirius to safety mattered more. Even so, he knew they were a prototype group of Death Eaters. Soon enough they'd be wearing masks, hiding marks on their arms, and shooting off insignias in the sky to tell wizards and witches that they are responsible for the destruction before they vanish. "No."
His mother sighs. "I wish you did. They deserve Azkaban for what they did to you and the other boys."
He doesn't disagree. Azkaban would certainly be a good place for them and would cut down on the number of Voldemort's soldiers. "They've got one. He's dead, I think?" Severus looks to Aunt Vesta, who hovers close behind his mother, eyes occasionally drifting to where Sage sleeps in a bed across from them.
Realizing he's addressing her, she nods. "Yes, that's what Auror Bones told me."
"I don't suppose they gave his name?" Mum asks.
Their cousin shakes her head. "No."
"I reckon we'll find out when the investigation is finished," Severus says. "If not from her, from an obituary in the Daily Prophet."
Both women murmur their agreement. Then Mum reaches out and runs a hand through his hair. Eyes softer and warmer than they have been in years, she says, "I'm relieved you're okay. I don't know what I would have done if I lost you too."
Severus is both touched and disappointed. They are the kindest words his mother has said to him in the longest time. The closest thing to "I love you" that's tumbled from her lips since he was a small child. Yet she is still thinking of his father. The man who hurt her. him. Them. She feels his death is a loss when it is a relief he's gone. No matter how frustrated he is to have his father brought up in this moment, Severus is also comforted.
His mum is here and she is happy to be with him too.
Thoughts on this follow-up to the last chapter? We have some more lucid/sane Eileen in it! How did you like the scene with the girls?
Thanks for reading and reviewing everybody :)