Disclaimer: I do not own the character Severus Snape or the concept of Hogwarts. Snape is portrayed as a more sympathetic character. (Surprise, surprise, in true smut/plot fashion he also lives in this version). (More at the end).
Severus often went to the Astronomy tower to think. The Carrows knew he was and would tell Bellatrix LeStrange about it. But she hardly cared; maybe he regretted what he had done and went there to mourn - or maybe he was basking in the place of his victory, the moment he had become Voldemort's favorite instead of her. Regardless, she didn't care to think about it, and told the Carrows to leave Severus skulking.
She was partially right. Severus did go to the tower to think, to stare out over the railing and the courtyard below. But sometimes he turned to the other side of the railing, where he could look out to where the Black Lake touched the horizon. And, when he was sure no one was watching him anymore, down a few flights of stairs to an empty storeroom.
The make-shift room was still there, although Morgan had left it spotless. He didn't dare sleep there, but he would often lay on the bed, fully clothed and curled over the sheets, as if making room for another body beside him.
When everything was too much, he found solace there. He was careful never to think of Morgan while he wandered around the room, instead recalling just the feeling of comfort that he had experienced there. Once, he had let his mind slip, and recalled that he had heard Morgan was working abroad, protecting Gringotts assets out of the country. He fretted over someone gleaning the information from his mind.
However, the Dark Lord was too engrossed with everything but Hogwarts this year.
Severus couldn't keep time well anymore, instead measuring his days by how long he had gone away from the Astronomy Tower, until suddenly it was Christmas, and the school was particularly empty. It was around that time he had once woken up every morning in warmth, wasn't it?
He was in the Headmaster's office - his office, he reminded himself - glaring at a report as he thought. There was a knock on the door; after carefully putting away his thoughts, he gruffly called the visitor in.
It was Slughorn, looking terribly worn, carrying a small brown parcel. "I've a Christmas package for you, Headmaster." Slughorn timidly approached and placed it on Severus' desk. Severus sneered down at it. "It isn't from me, I'm afraid. I found it in my office. Post must have been mixed up. I'll, I'll just be leaving. Lots to prepare for," he was quickly scurrying back to the door, but he paused, "Happy Christmas, Severus," he mumbled, before slipping out of the office.
Severus waited until he heard the gargoyle twist back into place, before flicking out his wand. He refused to touch the package - immediately skeptical of its presence. It floated before him, the twine unraveling and the paper peeling back to reveal a bundled up scarf. He recognized it immediately.
He was suddenly aware of the hammering of his heart. Still skeptical, he flicked his wand, allowing the scarf to unwind and revealed a small vial, a bottle, and a note. In the vial was a small length of boomslang skin.
Severus reached for the scarf and brought it to his face. The scent was unmistakable. He reached for the note now, and gripped the scarf as he read along the familiar hand-writing.
Take back your scarf and boomslang. This season is known for lightning storms. Keep the bottle on your person. If and when any lightning should strike, take the draught - and every hour after.
He eyed the bottle. Judging by the look...a replenishing potion?
He refused to think of the person's name. Or what they looked like. He tucked all the articles away, and slipped the bottle into one of his inner coat pockets.
Severus had begun taking the potion when he heard Potter was in Hogsmeade. He knew it was something like a replenishing potion and, supplementing it with more of his own, he had transferred it into an inconspicuous flask. But it had a certain nasty kick to it he couldn't quite place. He continued to take swigs of it. Even now as he approached the pier. He felt absolutely bloated with blood, but couldn't bring himself to question it.
It wasn't until his confrontation with Nagini that he understood. But, how could Morgan have ever known? And, why would she go through the risk of helping him?
Once the Dark Lord had left, Severus saw Harry Potter approach from a darkened corner. His eyesight swam. Two more people snuck up behind Potter, but Severus was preoccupied with Harry's eyes. He felt tears welling up, and quickly called for Harry to take them. Take them before they were lost with him.
He couldn't think of anything but Lily now. In Harry's eyes, he could almost convince himself that it was Lily, and he was content with that. He even told Harry so. Some final instructions, before he let himself bleed out.
Was that why Morgan had had him drink the replenishing potion? To prolong the pain? A final act of vengeance against him, because she knew that he would trust her?
However, his thoughts were quelled when Granger pressed a small package into his hands.
"Open it," he thought she said, "Morgan...Aberforth...Hogsmeade." her quiet voice dipped in and out. Severus waited, watching the trio run out into the darkness.
When they had gone, Severus finally peeled back the layers of cloth that Granger had given him, his hands shaking. Inside was a small potion vial, filled with pine needles - a common place ingredient. Severus couldn't place the significance. Was it from Morgan? Why would she have this delivered to him?
He ran his thumb down its length, and in an instant was swirling through the dark, away from the school. He quickly tensed his stomach, in an attempt to get up right. But, within the swirling mass, he was pitched forward. Beneath him, hard pavement was approaching, he cursed, fumbling for his wand. He landed in a heap, in an alley. He groaned, but the noise was strange to him.
Severus didn't see the two healers jump up from their stoop in the alley. One was cursing, and had run down the alley, calling for a gurney. The other had flicked her cigarette to the ground and was now kneeling beside him, asking him for his name and if he could hear her.
He thought he replied, but he wasn't sure. Numbness consumed him, and as they lifted him up off the ground, his vision faded.
When Severus finally woke, it was to the bustle of a busy hospital wing. His hearing returned slowly, as did his eyesight. Everything blurry and muted until he could match the mutterings of patients and healers and his sterile surroundings. It must have been a ward in St. Mungo's.
He raised his hands to rub at his temples, but they refused to move from his sides. All along his body was sore, and just under his skin itched. Although the healers worked busily, he could sense the hum of excitement as they worked.
"Is he really gone?" one was asking at the bed next to him.
Severus was drifting into darkness again, his vision blurring.
"They have the body at Hogwarts. A-"
Severus tried to listen, but faded back into sleep.
The next time he woke, something bitter assaulted his nose - foul but almost floral. He turned his head to his bedside, but found his neck would not listen. So, he strained his eyes to look, and saw balls of purple flowers at the ends of tall stalks, all arranged in a vase. Garlic flowers, with their pungency gently rattling his nerves awake.
He knew they were from Morgan. There was nothing that could prove that to him in the moment, but who else would send such an odd arrangement. And who else knew he was here?
The last thought comforted him deeply, and he laid his head back to sleep again.
Daily, healers came with blood replenishing potions and a vial of shimmering green potion that was vile enough to make you heave, but dry enough that it prevented it. Potions, sleep, eating, bandage changing - for days until Severus' bandages were removed completely and he could even take short walks along the hallways.
He didn't recognize anyone, and if anyone recognized him, they never said anything. He passed his time as just another patient.
After a few weeks came his first visitor. Severus was in bed, staring at the garlic flowers, which had only just started to wilt. It was Kingsley Shackelbolt, looking very tired, but still in good spirits.
"I'd heard you were hiding out here."
Severus just watched him, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Kingsley pulled up a nearby chair, "Potter explained a few things. And showed a few things to us, Severus." Severus tensed, but Kingsley quickly continued, "He's telling everyone about what you've done - the good you've done."
Severus was quiet for a long time. "He knows what he needs to know." He rested his head back and closed his eyes. He hoped that if he stayed that way for long enough, Kingsley might leave.
Kingsley sighed, "What will you do next?"
Another long moment of silence, then, "I don't know."
A young healer came by with Severus' daily tray of potions. Severus took them quickly and the healer hurried off again - everyone had learned not to engage Severus in conversation.
"You can thank Wallis for that potion."
Snape's head snapped up, "What did you say?" The sudden movement ached, but he ignored it.
Kingsley was smiling now, "It was Morgan Wallis that came up with the anti-venom for that damned snake. Took her over two years to finish. But she did, just in time to save Arthur's life. And now yours."
Severus immediately recalled Morgan's visit to the school three years prior. He had always wondered why Dumbledore had never asked him to do anything about Arthur. Dumbledore…
Severus didn't realize he had said the name aloud, but Kingsley said, "Yes, Dumbledore tasked her with it - after some muggle caretaker got attacked a few years ago. Wallis has helped a lot. She may not be a combatant, but Merlin knows where you could find a better scout." he laughed.
Severus hadn't known she was part of the Order. "Where is she now?"
Kingsley looked down at his hands, rubbed them together, and sighed. He got up and moved the chair back to its place, "Heal up, Severus. Take some time off at home, until everything is settled. Then you can worry about it."
It only took a few more weeks, and Severus was standing in the parlor of his home in Spinner's End. The place was more dusty and disheveled than he usually kept it, and for the first time in a while, he felt like he really belonged there. Also for the first time, he drew a hot bath. While it filled, he stood bare in front of his mirror. His skin had been scarred before, but now he had fresh ones; pinkish-purple circles and jagged lines that stood out angrily against the rest of his pale skin. He felt the one on his neck, and his entire being felt weak again.
He heard the splash of water, and turned again to the tub. He hesitated before sinking into the scalding water. He had never understood how a bath could be relaxing, but Morgan had always insisted they were. She had bathed every night during her stay at Hogwarts. Why had he never joined her?
He stretched out as much as he could, pulling at any tightness in his arms and legs; washed his hair with whatever soap he could find; and finally just laid his head against the porcelain side and dozed.
He wouldn't say that it was very relaxing, but he felt better than he had in a long time. He lounged on his bed, absentmindedly flipping through the books on his mattress and at the night stand. In one of his field journals, there was a small envelope.
The note from Morgan after their tryst in the inn. He took it out and read it over, smelled it, kissed it, and slept with it tucked carefully against him. He didn't understand how he felt about Morgan, but she had never asked him to understand it or question it - just be with her.
Two strangers in a bar. Two lovers for an afternoon. A couple for lunch. A friend to sit by the fire with and have tea. Nothing more. She never asked for anything but his company. If he asked himself if he deserved it, he could almost tell himself it didn't matter in the moment.
The next morning he wrote to Shackelbolt, asking after Morgan again. The new Minister wrote back quickly, inviting Severus to meet with him briefly, just ten minutes, in two days, at an Order safe house.
Severus thanked Shackelbolt privately when they met. He had been hiding for so long, he really didn't know how people would react to him yet.
"Wallis' parents and younger brother tried to flee the country when Voldemort came back," Shackelbolt started in greeting, "After she had you set up at St. Mungo's, she went looking for them."
"But they were purebloods."
Kingsley shook his head, "Didn't matter. They were scared." he sighed, his voice suddenly quieter, "Their names were on the death-lists, caught trying to get down to France, but Morgan didn't believe it. She went looking for them, and recovered the bodies. She was in denial for weeks.
I had some people go check on her at her family home, but they kept getting turned away. Williams got one of the house-elves to talk - said that Morgan hasn't left her room in weeks. Hasn't been eating. Hasn't been sleeping."
Severus didn't realize that he was rubbing at his nails.
"We can't lose more people, Severus. Morgan, she's brilliant - we would be lesser without her. She might see you, Severus, I heard you two worked together and it was fine. So, I have to ask, will you go help her?"
"Where does she live?"
"At her family's old house in Richmond. I've written the address here."
To Shackelbolt's great surprise, the man thanked him as he took the note and left.
Severus Snape and the concepts of this magical world belongs to J.K. Rowling / Warner Bros. Only Morgan Wallis and aspects of this character are original.
