She shouted out a greeting and the door opened, but when Severus ducked inside first his indrawn breath made Hermione quickly follow and the sight inside made her scream out loud.
"NEVILLE!"
If Neville recognised her, the only sign he gave was a slight widening of his eyes, he did not say anything nor exclaim aloud as she had, but then it was only another moment before she had taken stock of the situation, and the extra inhabitant of the makeshift shelter.
An older, though no less Luna Lovegood, who had Neville's head pillowed in her lap. "Hello Hermione, Professor Snape" she said in the calm way of hers which made Severus snort an amused laugh and Hermione smile softly, before turning back to the task at hand.
"Severus" She said as she turned to her husband and her tone was all business, no more needed to be said and he nodded in understanding as he went to pick up the boy, now man, that had once been the bane of his life in the potions classroom.
"Every immune for miles will be able to smell the blood and rot coming from him and here you are squashing yourselves into this joke of a lean-too...have none of you learnt by now never to take shelter anywhere that has only one exit you incompetent fools? How you have survived thus far is a miracle" he snarled as he lifted the thin frame of the man with ease.
It might have sounded caustic to the inhabitants, other than Luna, who were only used to the Professor Snape persona, but Hermione saw through it for what it was. Worry...and concern.
"Grab anything you want to save, the teddy-bus leaves in 3 minutes with or without you" Hermione stated as she began to grab the assorted possessions around her, as Luna did the same and Severus made his way out with Neville.
"Who died and made you boss?" Hannah asked as she began to gather items together, the tone was in jest, but Hermione answered her deadpan anyway. "Harry Potter".
After that, a slightly more subdued Hannah got on with the rest of the packing.
Thankful that the new cart provided enough length to lay Neville out flat without having to move any of their belongings, they made quick haste to get all the belongings into it. Teddy had nickered in concern as they brought a moaning Neville onboard, he could no doubt smell the boy's injury too, but he was quickly placated by a smiling Luna stroking him with affection.
Joking aside they were off within a few minutes of their arrival, and it wasn't a minute too soon as Hermione pointed out a group of immune breaking through the distant treeline.
"No screamers, just immune, you'd have never heard them coming" She said blandly and both Hannah and Luna went a little pale at that statement, though said nothing. The hidden meaning was clear though. Severus's words had already held true, for had they stayed where they were, they would most certainly have been dead by morning, for they would've been swamped in the night with nowhere to turn and now way out.
Severus moved Teddy into a trot and set about putting as much distance between them and the immune by nightfall as they could.
They found another small holding, not as nice a the one they'd gotten the cart from and it looked like it had sustained fire damage at some point, but it was high on the hill so it made it defend-able, escapeable and it was a good vantage point to view the surrounding area.
Any worry that there would be clashes between their new members over authority were quickly quashed. Both Luna and Hannah seemed immensely relieved to have someone to just tell them what to do, and quickly got on with whatever duties they were given.
There was no food in the farm house, though it had it's own water supply and that alone was a blessing as they set to filling all the containers they could find.
After making sure Hermione was alright, and placing a large hand on her stomach to reassure himself of the life within, Severus began to concentrate on Neville, by firstly stripping the makeshift bandages from the wound.
There was a poultice of mushed plants wrapped under the bandage. "Your doing?" He asked to the girls, but they shook their heads. "Lion- Neville is the herbologist, he told us what to bring and we made it"
He nodded shortly, "Then thank Merlin that what he lacked in my class he more than made up for in pomona's, this is probably the only thing that's kept him alive this long". When the poultice was washed away they all gagged through their teeth at the combined smell and visual, though Severus merely hissed through his teeth.
Looking up he saw the gentle brown eyes of the man were meeting his own. A fever sweat was apparant on his brow, and it was clear he lacked the strength to do little more than meet his gaze but still he saw the awareness behind those eyes.
"Congratulations Mr Longbottom, you managed to localise the rot and stop it spreading but this tissue is necrotic, there's no saving it now and eventually this rot will kill you... you understand what I am telling you ?"
With one last look at his leg, he met Severus's eyes and nodded.
"What you're telling him? You haven't said anything, what do you mean?" Hannah's worried tone cut in and before Hermione could answer her, Luna chimed in.
"Proffesor Snape is just letting him know that he's going to have to cut off his leg" The way Luna said it she may as well have been talking about a hair cut.
"His leg? Why!? You can't, he hasn't turned he's not infected!" The girl exclaimed but a soft hand on her arm from Hermione stopped her.
"Hannah, the wound is necrotic, it's dead. If we leave it, he'll get gangrene and die. We have to take the leg to save his life, do you understand?" She was crying but she nodded.
Hermione turned to Severus, "Below or above the knee?" She asked and Severus tiredly wiped his face with his hands before answering. "Below. I would like to take it above the knee to be sure we have got rid of all the rot and it has not spread, but the chances of him walking again are much slimmer if we take the knee and the chances of hitting the femoral artery and him bleeding out are much higher. His only real chance of having anything resembling functionality is if we take it below the knee and pray to Merlin that we caught the rot in time"
Hermione nodded and turned to Luna "Luna bring water, and the camp stove and if you can carry it bring the table from downstairs" She nodded and did as she asked.
Hannah was looking a bit green. "Table?..." She asked and Hermione turned to her once more "Severus will need a flat surface if he's going to.."
She cut her off with a hand and looked even more green than before.
"What...what do need me to do"
Hermione took pity on the girl and with a soft smile answered her. "Can you look after Teddy for me please? Give him food, water and a good brush down for me?"
Hannah turned to her with tears in her eyes, "I want to help" She said and Hermione simply answered "You would be helping. Teddy means more to us than we can put into words, he has saved my life, in fact just being here he has saved all our lives, he is the reason we have been able to go on and he will be the reason we get to where we're going. I need to make sure he's looked after, and after everything tonight I don't know if me or Severus will have the strength, so I am trusting you to look after him for me, please?"
Accepting her words for what they were, Hannah nodded and with one last longing look at Neville and a kiss upon his brow, she left to tend to teddy as Luna returned with the items they needed.
"There was a screwdriver under the sink, I figured you only needed the top" She said, brandishing the wooden table top.
"Thank You Luna" Hermione smiled, and between them they eased the table top on top of the bed and under Neville. "This way when you're done, we can just slide it out from under him, without having to move him" she added and Severus offered her what passed for a indulgent smile from the stoic man.
"Good thinking Miss Lovegood" and she just grinned in responce. "Seeing as most of the school got eaten quite a few years back now, and you're cutting Neville's leg off for me, I think it would be ok if you called me Luna sir"
Hermione snorted and Severus chuckled and there was even a chuff of breath from Neville on the bed and a familiar albeit weak grin from the man, as he lacked the strength to do little else.
"Then call me Severus, Luna for I am nobody's professor anymore"
They slid the tabletop underneath Neville and Severus tied his belt just above the boys knee as both Hermione and Luna held down an arm.
"Mr Longbottom , I understand what I am about to ask you may be a lot considering the circumstances, but my wife is heavy with our child and I would appreciate if you did your best not to lash out at her for what I am about to do"
"Severus" Hermione scolded but was stopped by Neville's hand squeezing hers. A quick look into those eyes and he smiled faintly even around the piece of leather Severus had put between his teeth and nodded to her and she just offered a watery smile back.
"I am sorry Neville" Severus spoke quietly, before raising the knife above his head.
Outside Hannah tearfully held on to Teddy as he spooked at the loud thunk sound of metal embedding into wood.