Chapter 127: Counting The Minutes
{A/N: Here's Another Update...my rhythm may be off a bit here...}
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The Potter Residence, The Burrows,Wizarding World...
Furry burned behind Hermione Granger-Snape's Amber eyes as she sent forth a burst of magic that sent a helpless Harry James Potter flying across his own sitting room. He had been attempting to keep The Potions Professor stabilized, and had little time to react before the violent burst of magic propelled him into a wall on the far side of his home. The Malfoys, Phaeron, and The younger Potter Children had arrived just in time to see the spectical. The bushy haired witch's fury only seemed to increase when she found her husband in a pool of his own blood, just as weak and helpless as he had been the night of Voldemort's fall. She wanted so badly to hex Harry Potter into oblivion but she had known all too well that all this pain had been as a result of his selfish actions that night. Draco had gone toward Harry with malice in his eyes but Phaeron stopped him.
"No Draco." he said holding up his hand. "We need Potter alive if we are going to save Father's life."
Hermione made her way over toward the ailing Potions Master dropping to her knees near the sofa and gripping his blood slick pale hand tightly. He looked to be a bit feverish and she could tell he had little to no magic left of his own or Dumbledore's to sustain him. Hermione kissed his lips despite the condition he had been in and his lack of appearance. Then ran the fingers of her free hand through his blood slick raven hair. She knew all too well what was to come, Severus had looked this badly the first time the curse ran rampant through his broken body.
"Severus." said the bushy haired witch feeling all of those fears and unstated agony that she felt that day.
"I-I'm sorry." he said softly. "I-I..."
Hermione put a finger to his lips.
"Not now...Severus." she told him sternly. "You need to conserve your strength."
Narcissa Malfoy had been stunned to see Severus in such a condition, she had not been present when he had been nearly killed this way before and it only served to make silent tears stream down her porcelain pale cheeks. Draco glared at Harry Potter wondering if he was getting any enjoyment out of all the pain he was causing, once more.
"Father..." said Phaeron seeing first hand what his mother had gone through during the second wizarding war.
It served to make him hate Harry Potter more as he glared at the elder green eyed wizard.
"T-The ingredients are in my lab..." rasped Snape as he held tight to Hermione's hand. "M-Mix the potion there."
The younger Snape nodded looking back at his father.
"You are not to drink it until I ensure that it is safe." said Hermione narrowing her eyes at her elder son.
"M-Mother we won't have time for..." started Phaeron.
"I mean it Phaeron." said Hermione with a stern expression. "You better not even think of defying me."
Phaeron saw the look of fury smoldering behind his mother's amber eyes.
"I-I'll bring it here." he said. "I-I kind of have to anyway...with father and Potter being in one room."
Hermione nodded and turned her attention back to the ailing Potions Professor.
The Snape Residence, Muggle London, England...
Phaeron had been quick in his movements as he arrived at his family's flat. He made his way down to his father's makeshift lab. He noted how his father had everything prepared for him and immediately set to work. Albus Severus and Lily joined him eager to assist him in brewing the potion. The young Potioneer had been careful with each measurement of ingredients as he watched the cauldron bubble before his eyes. He had just hoped the mix had been right as he followed his father's notes on how to brew Dreamstride Potion to the letter, making a few adjustments and notes of his own as the mix progressed.
The last of the ingredients to add was the Torpor of course, which caused him to ponder as to the color of the strange substance. He had never seen or heard of red torpor before but used it none the less.
"How's the brew coming along?" asked Lily Potter looking over the various phials of ingredients that littered Snape's make-shift lab.
"Well." replied Phaeron a bit distracted. "I-I need to concentrate and get this exact."
Lily nodded in understanding. She had see first hand what the curse was doing to Professor Snape. What she couldn't believe was that her father had the audacity to cast it on the older wizard in the first place.
She made herself comfortable in the sitting room knowing that Sidney and Shiloh were at their grandparents house until the Snapes cured the Potions Master or...until they had accurately planned for his funeral. Lily had hoped the dour wizard survived, Phaeron had been so dead set on saving him and it would devastate the young Slytherin if he failed to save his father's life.
Albus Severus had assisted with the brewing, given his own talent for motion had successfully brewed the Dreamstride potion each taking a turn to look into the white glowing liquid with a tinge of pink in it's hue. The vapors were enough to put anyone into a coma for weeks not to mention kill them. Phaeron had successfully brewed the Dreamstride Potion but knew he had little time to relish this triumph.
The Potter Residence, The Burrows, Wizarding World...
Harry Potter's green eyes had been on his former best friend and her ailing husband. They had never lost their devotion to each other despite the many years that kept them apart. He knew barely a glimpse of the pain he had caused Hermione but resolved himself to fixing this situation once and for all. Snape had been weathering a good deal of pain as he gripped Hermione's hand, his blood coming from his mouth and ears as the effects of the course seemed to get worse.
"Hold on Severus." said Hermione stroking Snape's bloodied face.
"I-I'm sorry." he told her as more pain ripped though his body.
"I will not accept that." said the bushy haired witch with her eyes narrowed.
Narcissa had not wanted to interrupt the two of them but there were questions that she had yet to find answers and given Snape's condition...she wanted to know before it was too late to ask.
"S-Severus..." began Narcissa. "If you don't mind...w-where is Bella?"
Snape looked up at the ceiling. His mind trying to call forth the memories of what happened at the temple. Of what Bellatrix had done for him. His heartbeat wildly in his chest as he recalled her frantic good-bye kiss and the burst of magic as she pushed him and the torpor to the exit. The scream that filled his ears as all noise from that wretched place ceased to exist.
"S-She's...gone." he managed with a look of absolute horror that filed across his sallow pale face.
Narcissa couldn't believe what she was being told.
"W-What do you mean gone?" she asked fighting every instinct that told her his words had been true.
Before Snape could reply, Phaeron and the Potter children returned with the freshly brewed Dreamstride Potion.
"S-She's gone." Snape managed once more before a sharp intake of pain had been his undoing.
In fear he grasped Hermione's hand and pulled her close to him.
"Severus!" said the distraught witch.
The Potions Professor felt himself losing consciousness once more.
"SEVERUS!" had been the last thing he had heard his wife say before everything faded to black.