Disclaimer: I own nothing, but my thoughts of AU and OC, the rest all belong to J K Rowling.
chapter 19
Severus Snape was gearing up for a battle. Of wits or magic or of mental capacities that was going to be decided by the witch quivering on the other side of the glass wall. He could hear footsteps behind him. Staring behind, he saw his long-standing fellow Hogwarts professors looking at him, grim, yet ready to defend. Behind them through the glass interface of the entrance door of the Circle, he saw Harry and Draco. Each of their faces, horror-stricken but he quickly noted the newfound sense of determination slowly dawning in their eyes. Giving all of them a curt nod, he turned. Took a deep breath. And nodded again, a pre-decided signal for Healer Norman to ask the junior healers to spell open a portion of the glass wall when he was ready.
Severus removed his boots but left his socks on. As soon as the wall parted a bit in front of him, he took in a deep breath and walked in. The glass wall sizzled and closed behind him. The room felt different from the inside.
He could feel the wards first, layer by layer allowing him a free passage. When he had crossed the final layer, he felt a sense of melancholy, wailing and crying in his ears. He felt desolation graveling at his feet. He felt Death shadowing his advance. And all of it was ironic!
Throughout his miserable childhood, his pathetic school years, his unrequited love, his loss of Lily and his years as a double agent, Severus had felt every negative emotion. He knew how and where those would bite onto his barely beating heart. He had been close to death on several occasions. Perhaps actually died once. But this sea of utter defeat, whose high waves were crashing against his occlumency shields were breaking him inside out. He choked realizing all this was radiating in abundance from the young woman across the room.
He called forth his magic, tentatively allowed it to rest on the surface of his palm and then raise his hand with his palms facing Hermione. He could still feel the rogue magic, but he also noted its presence was restricted to the periphery. It was pacing like a caged beast. there was also this other magical signature. Familiar, calmer, positive, and battle-worn. He felt a strange pull towards this newer yet exhausted magical source. It was as if the magic signature of his core and this other familiar core were akin to each other. Involuntarily, he had taken a couple of steps forward. He had a tiny doubt, that familiar magic field could belong to Hermione's, but that could also be an illusion he reasoned with himself. After all, there were too many tricks and traps that can be laid with the help of dark magic.
Snape decided to wait and watch from a distance. The bed was exactly in the middle of the enclosure. If he was going to sit near one of its feet, he could still exact himself, quickly enough, if things go terribly wrong. Without drawing any attention to himself, he walked towards the bed, sitting on the ground before it, he rested his head on its edge.
The magical wards, the magical fields within it did not budge, nor did they react to him in any way. There was no way for him to know what the others were seeing or feeling, or what those monitoring devices were reading. Till now, he was safe. And Granger didn't budge a bit from her crouched position.
Breathing slowly and softly, he kept watching the girl. His keen senses soon picked up a few indistinct words. The girl was mumbling something. He strained his ears hard and was shocked. She was repeating it again and again. The opening speech that he also gave at every first potions class for first years.
*"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few…
Who possess, the predisposition… I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death."*
Her voice was meek and shaky. Perhaps, her throat was dry too. Inspiration Struck him suddenly. Preparing himself, as if he was lecturing to a class, just like old days, Severus began to repeat the much-practiced speech in his deep baritone voice.
*"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few…"*
*"Who possess, the predisposition… I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death…"*
The girl chanted along with him halfway through the narration. Then as if realizing someone else was also in the room, she stiffened and then sat straight. Her head slightly tilted towards the other speaker. Severus noticed these subtle changes but chose to continue with his speech, keeping his wand within his reach. When he was about to repeat the whole thing for the third time, the strangest thing happened.
Granger wheeled around and launched herself right into his lap. Burying her head at the crook of his neck, she started wailing loudly like a baby. In between her wails, hiccups, and snorting, she vehemently whispered the words again and again, "Oh! Merlin! Alive! You are so alive! No, there is no blood, I don't smell it, I can't see it either, you are healed, you are alive..."
Then her hands dropped. She went limp and fainted. Tentatively, Severus held on to her for a long time. He made sure; she was truly unconscious. Once certain, he moved from his sitting position, Gingerly, maneuvering the young woman in his arms. Standing up, picking her up along with him, he turned to face the bed. Slowly and steadily, he lowered her on it and held his breath.
He is about to shift away when he realized she was still holding on to his arms. Her frail hands were gripping on the wool of his robe with all her might. After a little struggle, he was able to free himself and walked away a little, eyes still trained at the weak and broken-down witch. She was still. And perhaps anyone would have made the mistake of thinking she was rather sleeping. But for her fingers. They were alternatingly gripping on the blankets and then shifting above it. They were searching for something.
Severus Snape did something, nobody in the whole millennia would have thought of him to do. He shrugged off his robe, then peeled off his cloak. Running his palm over those numerous buttons over his waistcoat with an indiscreet spell, he removed that in a flash. Next, he wrapped the coat over Hermione's body, making sure her fingers were able to get a hold of the black or rather midnight blue material.
When he turned towards the glass wall, he could see Healer Norman, standing on the other side. Though, the rest of the wizards and witches were still invisible to him. He stretched out his magical field, testily. The ambiance was far calmer and quieter. The 'rogue magic' was still present, it was pushed further away. Satisfied and relieved with his observations, he gestured to the Healer to entire the room.
Astrid was shocked, horrified, at her wit's end, nearly choking on her tongue, angry, delusional, relieved, proud and extremely annoyed with the turn of events. But she had decided to give Severus some reprieve from her barrage of rebukes, till she had the man trapped in her office.
Pointing her finger at his garment covering her patient, the healer tried to retort, but Snape cut her off, "My spell has sterilized the cloth. In no way will that interfere with your hygiene standards. It seems we are done for now."
Noti letting him have the last say, Healer Norman stepped closer to the bed and ran cursory spells to determine the unconscious witch's vitals.
Shaking her head in disbelief she muttered softly," If you all can wait along a bit more. Better, why don't we gather in my office? I believe we are all in need of some tea and refreshments."
And that, my friends, was the very first scene of the fic, that flashed like" OPEN SEASON" in my head. Share your thoughts, and please tell me what you feel about this fic?