Visiting St. Mungo's & Hogwarts
Richard's office was untidier than Leonor remembered it. St. Mungo's patient files blocked every free space on the desk. The houseplants had not been watered for a while and the calendar sheets were not current. Leonor waited for the once paternal friend. She was standing in the middle of the room and taking in the scene of increased pressure in the hospital. She had been lucky that Olivia — the nurse of the intensive care ward — had a good memory and let her in without an official appointment. The security measures had been increased since Lord Voldemort stepped into the open. About an hour passed before Richard hurried into the room and the door banged shut behind him.
"What's the matter? The daily work meeting isn't enough for you?" snarled Richard without a greeting nor seeing the person dusting the plants.
"Hello Richard!" said Leonor quietly. "I'm sorry to burst into your office today, unannounced."
"My goodness! Leonor! You've been the last expected in here. Olivia just mentioned a colleague was waiting before dealing with the next emergency." Richard gawked at Leonor like a muggle seeing a ghost.
Leonor replied quickly, "I'm back and this time I will stay. My surgery is ready again, just in case it's needed." When Richard still stared at her, she continued to speak with a low voice, "Is Maria's family alright? The last message I received was about the birth of their grandson; but that was a while ago."
The reminder of the family in the Italian exile brought Richard out of his stupor, and he answered, "Of course! Maria and Matteo struggle with the muggles, but that's a minor problem. Francesco is thrilled about the magical offspring. It is good to know they are safe. I saw recently a Death Eater lurking outside the restaurant." Richard strode around the desk and embraced Leonor with the familiar tap on the back. "Let me look at you! You are tanned! You look great!"
"Thank you!" said Leonor with a smile, "It's good to see you too."
"You shouldn't be here, not voluntarily! Many want to leave the county, but we don't get them out anymore. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named found most of our contacts. It is too late."
"I'm needed more here than over there."
"Sure? It isn't very clear what we can really do. The situation became worse in the last months. Rufus Scrimgeour tries hard, but Cornelius Fudge allowed too much time to the evil to recharge the batteries."
"I noticed."
"I assume you haven't had contact to Brian. I fear that the mail between us is monitored when he didn't return to England. I'm not sending letters anymore, or he might be found by a fanatic. The arms of the darkest wizard of all times are everywhere meanwhile."
"He expected something like that. I paid him a visit before take-off in Brazil. He's very well, married and expectant father." Leonor fished a folder from the messenger bag over her shoulder. "For you, from Brian. He wants you to have all results of the scholarship started in England. He said that it is not the right time to publish most of it, but he hopes it will help the hospital. The descriptions of the antidotes for the fake Liquid Luck and the Horntail's Venom were published meanwhile in the South American Potions Periodical."
Richard took the package and nodded. "So, he did not forget England then?"
"No, he didn't. He spoke a lot about showing England to his family once everything is better."
"And what about you two? Do you speak to each other again?"
"We managed to be decent," smiled Leonor, "It was the best I broke up with Brian. Now he is happier and me too."
"If you say so! He didn't see it that way when you ended the engagement, but who understands women and their moods! What the hell came over you?" sighed Richard hopelessly.
"Richard, I know you wanted us together. But I do not love Brian and if you would see him with his wife then you knew that he truly loves her and not me. Only the hurt ego is still in denial about it."
"Whatever, at least one more healer returned! I cannot change your mind anymore. There are more pressing matters to solve right now."
"Do you need me at the hospital?"
"Likely soon, if more staff vanishes. Until now, we manage. In most of the critical cases we are too late unfortunately. The Crutiatus Potion comes in very useful for some poor souls, but often the victims are already dead when the Aurors find them. It's a nightmare, a disgrace to the wizarding world!"
"You owl me in case I should do something?"
"Yes."
"Have you heard anything from Dumbledore or his organization?"
Richard just shook his head. "Not recently. Everything became worse since the incident in the ministry. The issue with the portkey from Brazil was only one of the failures. Sorry, but I must hurry back now."
"I wanted to visit Albus, but I have no reply to my request yet. I'm waiting the fourth day now."
Richard took a few open letters from a drawer. "It doesn't surprise me. He's been quiet all summer; he must be very busy. By the way, here's your mail, nothing special. The letter on top is only from last weekend. It's from that bird trader. I haven't had time to open it yet. Do you want your eagle owls back?"
Leonor took the small pile and said, "It would be good to have Pauline and Hugo in Hogsmeade, but if they are required at the hospital?"
"As I said, in most cases we are too late to help. Owls are heavily controlled by the Death Eaters and the ministry. We use other means of communication in the meantime, if we communicate at all. All the files here are fake, wrong leads, in case the Death Eaters infiltrate the hospital too." Richard scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to Leonor. "The owl keeper will release your owls upstairs. Take them home before they are threatened; hospital owls make a popular target. We will talk later."
"Thank you, Richard! Visit me in Hogsmeade whenever you can. I'll cook something if you give me an hour head start." Leonor embraced the older mentor, and he nodded in return before hurrying out and down the long white corridor.
Leonor watched Richard leaving. She was glad that meeting again worked without many issues. The meeting with Alma and Rosmerta had been easy too. Ashley's baby was a chubby little child. Only the current political situation brought worry lines to all their faces. Alma served more and more ambiguous folks; Death Eaters and hidden informants lurked everywhere. The small talk in Hogsmeade had died. Even the gossip about Hogwarts became silent after appointing a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and another potions master. Leonor wondered if Severus was happier when the wish to teach his favourite subject became finally true.
XXX
Leonor cleaned the surgery. A few patients already dropped in again, even on a Saturday afternoon. She wondered how fast information spread in the wizarding world. The former owner of the apothecary burst into the sales room when Leonor had been in the middle of preparing the garden for the winter. The old Jackson complained about his back and was still the same stingy misery as when he sold the apothecary two years ago. He had no praise for the ointment created by the healer but wanted to have more of it immediately.
Leonor washed her hands and spoke to Pauline, "Don't be so cross. I am no friend of his manners either. Good that I harvested all magic herbs during the week, or the old grouch would have had more to complain. It was indeed a good picking for doing nothing in the garden all year; as if the plants did me a favour for coming back."
Pauline hooted in response and just a moment later both owls screeched. A letter zoomed through the chimney in the sales room and further around in the potions kitchen before it came to a halt at Leonor's feet. The envelope raised ashes from the fireplace and even Leonor's heart stopped a beat before she noticed the Hogwarts stamp on the outside.
"Dumbledore!" exclaimed the witch and opened the letter quickly. "He wants me to visit him tonight." The paper inflamed with crimson flames when Leonor finished reading. "The man likes it fancy!" Leonor smiled now and cleaned the floor with a wave of her wand.
At eight o'clock Leonor apparated to the Hogwarts gates. A lantern with a thin light appeared on the sloping way and the healer called out, "Good evening! Leonor Scott wants to visit the headmaster."
"Who offered you a glass of wine when you visited the Order of the Phoenix for the first time?" asked a female voice in the darkness; the lantern blinded Leonor's view, and a wand pointed straight to her face.
She understood that new security measures replaced the old methods of trust, although it felt unwelcome. Leonor hesitated to give an answer. It was hard finding the right words without knowing the person opposite. Finally, Leonor replied matter-of-factly "Sirius Black." She added with a low voice, "My deepest sympathy! It's so tragic."
"Who bought Wolfsbane Potion from you until you fled from England?"
Leonor answered promptly with unmistakable regret in her voice, "Remus Lupin. I apologize for my hasty departure." She added subdued, "I'm sorry. I am really Leonor."
The gate opened and the witch with the lantern swiftly led the way to the castle entrance. Leonor got no real glimpse of the woman. Everything was dark and the little light was just enough to show the way. Leonor tried to remember the meeting of the Order of the Phoenix and if there was another woman than Molly Weasley. She couldn't call it to her mind. Anyway, it must be one of the Aurors securing the school.
"What's your name?" asked Leonor curiously.
"Nymphadora Tonks."
"I am sorry again, but I cannot remember you from the Order of the Phoenix. Anyway, how is Remus?"
"You have scarcely been in the headquarters," snapped the Auror back, obviously glad that the accompaniment ended soon. They walked through the large gate into the brightly lit hall. Leonor knew unmistakeably that she had hit a sore spot, and she observed the Auror carefully. The witch was young, had mousy hair and looked worried, almost sick. A corporal Patronus landed on the floor and flew light-footed up the marble staircases. It was large for an ordinary dog, but Leonor had been too busy with observing the Auror and the surrounding to get a real glimpse of the animal.
Tonks grumpily interrupted Leonor's thoughts. "Dumbledore is waiting. You know the way." The Auror gave a brief non-committal nod, turned on the heals and vanished into the yard likely for another patrol.
Leonor took a deep breath. Nothing had changed, the hall, the portraits, the moving stairs stood silent, no students or teachers were present minutes after curfew. She hurried along the official way, tense if she would make it without bumping into a ghost or a teacher or even Potter, but nobody crossed the way. The witch stepped to the spiral staircase of the headmasters' study and moved upstairs without saying a password. The open door showed Albus Dumbledore sitting behind the desk, calm, a twinkle in the eyes and an omniscient smile on the lips.
"Good evening, Albus," said Leonor quietly.
The old man acknowledged her with a small bow of his head. "Please would you be so kind to close the door and take a seat?"
Leonor did like requested and looked around thoroughly. Most of the magic instruments ticked. The Pensieve emitted a bluish-white light from the elegant cabinet as if it had recently been used. Nevertheless, everything was still familiar.
"What drives you so quickly into an old man's office? You are just here for a week, if I'm not mistaken."
Leonor said outright, "I will stay and work again as a healer. I offer my help, if it is needed."
"A pity; the teaching posts are given to Horace and Severus. Both vacancies would have been fitting to you."
"That is not what I meant."
"Of course not, I know you have not been keen to become a full-time teacher."
"I can deliver information if it is brought to me, similar to what we agreed in the past."
Albus Dumbledore nodded even though he showed much less interest than over a year ago.
"How is Remus Lupin? Is he alright?" asked Leonor when Dumbledore paused momentary.
"A good question, I don't know. Nymphadora is asking me daily."
"Where is Remus?" Leonor was now eager to know.
"He lives with a pack of werewolves to convince them of changing sides."
"A difficult mission," sighed Leonor. "He hasn't had the Wolfsbane potion since I left, right?"
"He coped with it. It is beneficial for the task." Dumbledore's face was now stern, and he frowned disapprovingly.
"I'm sorry."
Dumbledore's blue eyes inquisitively pierced Leonor, "You certainly had your reasons to leave the country. I am surprised that you return to the middle of a war and without the St. Mungo's team. Did you find what you have been looking for?"
Leonor considered the old man a short while. What did he know about her private life and the intentions to meet Severus? She decided quickly to avoid telling about personal issues. The occluded mind exposed nothing.
"We helped the South Americans. The spreading disease was a poisoning. I finished some work afterwards."
"I heard of it. You also published two studies together with Luana Borage. She is a distinguished expert in the area. Well done, an excellent reference!"
"I did and learned a lot. I was not aware that you read international potions periodicals."
Dumbledore smiled and tugged his sleeve absentmindedly. "I have two potions masters at the school now."
"Severus Snape noticed it?" asked Leonor incredulously but with an undertone of hope.
"No, it was Horace who told me." Dumbledore twinkled amused while Leonor stared at his blackened left hand; it had slipped from invisibility.
"Oh, that is nothing. I have, let us say, eight to ten months to live if I believe Severus." The headmaster looked at his hand like a great curio before he pulled the sleeve over it again.
"Meaning the curse crept up to your elbow meanwhile?"
"Indeed."
"Do you want me to look after it?"
"Severus takes good care of me." In confirmation the headmaster opened a drawer and put a flask with golden liquid on the table.
"Pestilent Aqua!" Leonor frowned, "It must have been an immense curse that hit you." Anger filled her stomach and crept into her throat. There wasn't much more to say; the golden liquid signalled the terminal stage. Its magic was likely darker than the hex put on Dumbledore's hand.
The twinkle in the headmaster's blue eyes had gone.
"That information remains in this room. It is most prudent to keep that little mishap between us." He seriously studied Leonor until she nodded in agreement.
"Good," said Dumbledore and the cordial smile returned. "Horace is pleased about your return. He is still enthusiastic about the appetizers of the Italians. I wouldn't be surprised if he pays you a visit and invites you to his little club."
"Sounds nice," replied Leonor without knowing what that club really meant. "Who will lead the Order of the Phoenix when …" Leonor hesitated to speak the inevitable.
"… when I am dead," finished Dumbledore the sentence dryly. "A leader will not be necessary by then. I put all my hope in Harry and his friends. They will know what has to be done."
"They are still teenagers next year."
"Oh, don't underestimate them. Severus trained Harry in Occlumency. I will train the boy now, a bit here, a bit there. He's talented," said Dumbledore casually as if it was just about a game of Exploding Snap.
"You think it is enough?" Leonor heard already Severus complaining about that strategy. She doubted herself that putting all eggs in one basket was wise.
"The boy possesses something that Tom Riddle – Voldemort – cannot bear; furthermore, he doesn't even know that the boy has something important inside his soul, let's call it a joker."
"What is it?"
"Love, foremost love, care, friendship. That is the reason why you returned to England too, isn't it?"
"Yes, I missed Scotland, England. I consider it home after travelling a lot."
"Indeed, 'home is where our soul finds a mate', a quote of an unknown wizard's poem," smiled Dumbledore.
"Do you suggest that we all dispense with fighting the Dark Lord and wait for Harry Potter to finish the evil?"
"I doubt the time will show that it is enough. You and Severus need to maintain that little secret carefully." Dumbledore looked at the insured hand again.
"Of course."
"When the time comes, I will ask Severus a favour. He might be the only one to gain enough information of the evil side once I am deceased — to support Harry as good as possible, and to keep Hogwarts safe. You see, Severus was and is the key that Harry can do what he needs to do."
"I don't understand," said Leonor bewildered.
"Do you know that Severus Snape loved Lily Potter?"
"Yes," confirmed Leonor curiously.
"Interesting; he never wanted to disclose the best of him but told you," twinkled Dumbledore before he continued, "When Tom targeted the boy and his family, Severus begged for Lily's life. Voldemort honours his faithful servants and wanted her to step aside, just to kill the baby. Her motherly love saved the child and maybe all of us, very ancient magic. You see, it is all about love and it crosses our way everywhere if we are able to see it."
Leonor gaped at him, but the headmaster offered no further explanation. He stood up to feed the Phoenix. It was time to leave obviously.
"I should go now. If I can do something for you then you know where to find me," said Leonor genuinely. She knew that the life of Dumbledore was lost. It made her furious, but it wasn't the place to show it, not now.
"Did you plan to visit somebody of the staff tonight?" mused Dumbledore showing a bit of interest.
"I consider it," replied Leonor vaguely.
"Good luck then," came the prompt answer. It gave Leonor the unmistakable feeling of defeat, even if it was rather meant as an approval to stay.
The truth was that she had not decided what to do. She walked once again through the deserted corridors of Hogwarts and stopped at the stairs above the dungeon. She could read everything into Dumbledore's words — encouragement or warning. It made the decision not a bit easier.
She hesitated, recapping the time in Brazil — what had she made of it? She showed performance of her duty in the hospital, run into a false direction with Brian, published the overdue study about the dragon's venom, met her old school friend by accident, travelled to Argentina and got all the documents she hoped to find. Each step in Brazil brought her thoughts closer to Severus Snape for many reasons; each day more with Joao stirred the visions of that dark couple until Leonor felt literally sick about it. She knew the escape to Brazil counted as wasted time except Leonor got her mind focused again on the present, dwelling on memories solved nothing.
The witch walked forward now and descended the stairs slowly. The steps clanged on the stone in the nightly silence; every move vibrated her body. She had no plan for the coming. Finally, she tore the door to the potions master's office open and it bumped against the wall behind.
The thud of the large door had not died away when Leonor realized that she might have to explain the invasion to Horace Slughorn; he was the new potions master eventually. Relief and tenseness of the situation kept the balance when a dark-haired man with a hooked nose turned from the workbench to face Leonor standing in the doorframe.