Ch 2
A sweet flute melody. The one that had hunting him for three years. That is the first thing Severus noticed. The second was the the soft mattress and highly scented air that was around him. As he moved he was hit by the pain in his neck and he remembered Nagini.
His black eyes flew open and took in his surroundings. He was in a white room that was clean and simply decorated. He reached a hand up and felt the place on his neck where the monstrous snake had latched on. Large scars were all that remained of the large gaping holes.
He sat up slowly and groaned and looked down at himself. He was dressed in a black top and bottom made of silk. A great color contrast to the rest of the room. And then the music caught his attention again. It was close. Closer than he had ever heard it before. He had to know it's source.
As he stood and began to move, he felt stronger. Even better than he had in years. Even the stiffness in his neck began to fade as he moved down the stairs and into the tree covered yard. The flute was closer now and he knew it was coming from one of the trees. Then it stopped.
When the crunch of gravel sounded behind him he spun with the reaction time of a duelist. " I was wondering when you would wake up," came a soft female voice from the shadow of a tree on the gravel pathway. Severus groped for his wand but realized in his haste to find out the source of the music that he had left before retrieving it. " Relax Severus," came the sweet voice again. The American accent clean and crisp,"If I had wanted you dead I would have left you at the Shack." she said and stepped into the light and onto the grass lawn.
It was her! The woman from his dreams. Standing over him back in the shack. Her auburn hair falling around her face. Concern coloring her forest green eyes. She moved with a subtle grace that caught his attention as well. He had seen hip swish that flick of the head to rid her face of hair. "You," was all he could say as shock set into his brain.
She stopped, " You remember the shack. That s amazing seeing as you were pretty far gone,"she said giving a soft smile and moved over to a stone bench and sat down. As she did this she set down what he had originally thought was a wand on the bench an motioned him over.
As he joined her he noticed that what she had set down was not a wand, but a flute. "Do you like it? It is called a Bawu. I got it in China." she said and picked up the instrument " I went right out of school." she said and looked at it lovingly with a small smile.
"It was you," he said and looked into her lovely confused face," You were the one that was playing for the past three years." at this she gave a sheepish smile.
"Well i thought it would help you to relax,"she said and stood up. When he made no move to join her she said, " well you seemed so stressed at the time, for obvious reasons, that I wanted to help. I couldn't show myself yet, so I helped in the only way I could. Did it help at least a little," she asked her green eyes hopeful.
"Yes. It was very soothing," he said and caught himself when he saw her smile,"Wait who are you and where are we?" he asked his normal mask of indifference back in place his black hair framing his face.
Her smile widened," Where are my manners? Russalyn Hugo, graduate of the Fountain of Youth School of Witchcraft and Wizardry of Florida. And we are in the remote part of the of the Mayan mountains of Beliz," she said as she moved past him back toward the house, " Now before we go any further I have something for you."
He stood and fallowed her back across the grassy lawn. As he moved across the yard he felt sweat trickle down the back of his neck and swiped his forearm across his brow. He looked up at the large trees that allowed light to filter through their branches. Then turned his attention back to the large white two story house, amazed that a structure that size could be built in such a densely forested area.
He moved after Russalyn her movements once again catching his attention as she moved up the front porch didn't have the willowy grace of Lily, but had a narrow waist that flared into shapely hips and tight bottom that were clad in blue jeans.
She reached the front door and looked back to see if he was fallowing her. Severus blushed and hoped that she blamed it on the heat. She must have done just that because she opened the door and moved past him. He didn't see that sly smile that played across her lips.
She walked into the house and towards the large fire place on the far wall of the sitting room. As Severus entered the house he could feel the coolness of the room compared to the heavy air outside.'There must bee a cooling charm on the house,' he thought absently.
Russalyn stopped by the mantel and placed the wooded flute down then used the elastic on her wrist to tie her auburn hair in a thick tail, "Are you hungry? That's a silly question, you've been living on nothing but whatever nourishing potions I could get down your throat for the past three weeks," she said as she pulled an envelope off the mantle and held it out to took the letter from her creamy hands with long strong fingers.
"I'll just go and get you something to eat," she said and moved down the hall to the kitchen.
Severus walked over to a high wing back chair of dark brown avoiding the large matching couch. He began to inspect the letter. His name was scrolled across the front in Dumbldore's writing. He slid his thumb past eh wax seal and removed the letter and scowled at the first lines of the writing.
Dearest Severus,
If you are reading this then I am dead, and by all accounts so are you. Hopefully the skillful hand of Miss Hugo has restored you to top physical health. She is a good young woman and I was lucky to gain her consent in certain matters and has my full confidence.
She was kind enough to put her work on hold to help me with a task that I find most important. Your life. I convinced young Miss Hugo to watch over you until such time was needed that she reveal herself. The only time she was to do that was at the time of your death.
At this time she was to do her best to save you and help you disappear. I and sorry Severus, but you must never return. Because you have died, most likely by the hands of Voldemort, Your life at Hogwarts is over.
This is your second chance Severus. Make the most of it. Live your life, see the world through new eyes. Find love again.
Yours,
Dumbledore
He was furious. Not go home that was pure lunacy. He was going home this moment. But he would first need his wand. And he was pretty sure he knew who had it. He stood, Dumbledore's letter crumpled in his hand, and fallowed Russalyn down the hall.
When she turned at the sound of his bare feet on the tile floor she turned and her smile faded when she saw his frown. "What's the matter?" she asked concern coloring her words, forming in her lovey green eyes and transforming her face. She looked so worried that some of the fire went out of him.
"Where is my wand? I must return back to Hogwarts," He said his voice hard with resolve. There would be no way this girl would keep him here. Once he had his wand back no one would keep him from going anywhere.
"Now just hold on. You wand is safe in my vault, but there are a few things you need to understand Severus," she said stepping around the counter to stand in front of him.
"Don't call me that," he hissed. the fact that his name from her lips sent shivers down his spine was unnerving," I am Professor Snape to you,"
She looked at him hard her green eyes lit by and inner fire. " have fallowed you for three years, saved your life and have taken car of you fro three weeks I will call you what I lake and if you don't like it that is to damn bad," she snapped right back.
The look of shock Severus gave her cooled her fire. "Now there are two very good reasons why you can't go anywhere. One, whatever Dumbledore put in that letter. And two you may have he body of a twenty-nine year old, by the way your welcome, but your magic is non-existent right now. So the only way you are going any where is if you hoof it." she said ticking the reasons off on her fingers.
The look of disbelief he gave her made her continue," No I mean it. The re-birth potion used all your magical stores to heal you. The fact that you had to take ten means you will be powerless for awhile. Stop smirking Severus, you have less power now that the day you were born." she finished frowning at him.
When he continued to smirk she said, " But because you wont belief me till you try I will give you your wand. But only only if you promise that you will try a small spell first," she said and leaned against the counter.
"Very well. I swear on the house of Slytherin," he said in a cool voice and was irritated by her snort.
"No good. I've know quite a few Slytherins," she said and crossed her arms over her chest. Her breast bulged a little out of her tank top and Severus's eyes flicked to them and back. the sooner he was out of Miss Hugo's alluring presence the better.
If this woman new anything about him he new she would take this vow,"I swear on the life of Harry Potter, that I will only try a small spell first," he said his face completely blank and impassive.
She looked at him for a split second "All right,fallow me," she said and pushed off the counter and moved past him into the hall , her scent filling his him with the smell of vanilla and cotton blossoms.
He quickly fallowed her telling himself that he was just impatient to get his wand. He fallowed her into a room that must have been her office. She looked back at him and pointed to a corner saying ",Stand over there, next to my desk,' pulling her wand from her pocket as she spoke.
He moved to where she had indicated and watched as she held her hand out and pointed her wand at the wall. With a snap of her wrist the wall opened. She moved over to it and pulled it farther open. She walked into the open vault and retrieved Severus's wand from a shelf in the deep vault. As she returned she held in front of her inspecting it," Ebony, dragon heart string, supple. Very nice," she said and handed it to him.
He took it from her not liking how his insides hummed at the touch of her hand. She gave him a half smile an said," try something simple first. Levitate my paper weight," she finished pointing to the diamond shaped figure on her desk.
He gave her a scathing look before he turned to her desk. He pointed the black wand at the weight. Nothing happened. He tried again concentrating a little harder. Still nothing not even a shimmy of the weight. "Wingardium Leviosa," he muttered feeling ridiculous for having to even say the charm aloud. Then a sudden dizzy spell hit him.
"Now will you please sit down," came a soft but firm voice from beside him. He felt her hands on his shoulder and let her guide him to a chair. "Give me the wand," she continued in the same tone as she removed the wand from his hand. She placed it back in the vault, closed it tightly and sat in the chair across from him.
"Now I know how a muggle feels," he said in self-disgust running his hand through his hair. It fell back into place framing his face, "And my belonging what will become of them? With the way everyone thought of me they will just be chucked out." he fumed leaning forward his elbows on his knees.
"No that wont happen. I already went and got them. Or do you think I keep men's P.J. s around for the hell of it.," she said a small smile on her lips. She continued to look at him using the time to study his face. She had done it several times in the past . His black hair just long enough so he could hide his face from view if he chose. His hooked nose and chin the only features that could be seen past the curtain of hair.
"How long before I regain full use of my powers?" he asked snapping her out of her observation. She shook herself mentally and thought about his question.
"A bout ten months. One for each dose. I would have given you less, but the snakes poison was wicked," she said and hurried on when he looked up at her with hard black eyes"And you can't push yourself past your limit or you will suffer a relapse."
"Are you sure it will be that long before I can do magic," he asked a hard edge to his voice. She didn't want to upset him more, but he needed to know.
"You will gain your powers back slowly. It will be a long process. But look at the bright side, you can use the time to figure out what you are going to do," she said with a wane smile," You also gained a year for each dose you were given."
He looked down at his hands. The long white fingers splayed,"I have never been with out magic," he said and was shocked as a pair of smaller hands took his and gave them a squeeze
He looked up at Russalyn as she said, " Hey it's going to be Okay. It will come back," then as if she realized what she was doing she blushed a lovely pink and dropped his hands."I'll just go get your lunch," she said and quickly left the room.
Severus watched her leave and looked back at his hands. He couldn't remember the last time someone, anyone had taken his hands in kindness. And this woman whom he had just met was opening her home to she Knew him his character, his flaw. She had been with him for three years, the flute music was proof of that. And she had saved his life collected his belongings and brought them here.
She returned then with a tray holding a bowl of broth and toast. "You can have a more solid meal in a few days. But this should do for now," she stated and turned to leave" I will be in the back garden if you need me."
"Miss Hugo," he called
"Please my name is Russalyn," she said as she turned back to him.
"Thank you Russalyn. For everything," he said and was awarded a heart stopping smile.
"Your very welcome Severus," she replied and walked out of the room. That was when he knew that if he wasn't careful he could lose his heart again.