A Promise to be Better 5
Author: Raven Dancer
disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling except for the Drs. Barnes and Beryl. I receive no monetary compensation for these works.
Summary: Snape teaches, Dumbledore mulls over the past and Peeves gets caught.
Dr. Barnes spent the night wrapped around his patient. He kept a tight reign on any dreams that slipped in and made sure the wizard slept. Dumbledore slept on the other side, Snape had fisted his hands into the older man's sleep shirt.
Somewhere around 5 am Snape stirred and tried to get up. Both watchers woke and sleepily tried to contain him.
"just the bathroom," he muttered and Snape crawled from the middle disappearing for a few minutes. Barnes sat up waiting, ready to go collect the wizard if he proved reluctant to return to sleep. But Snape surprised them both, wandering back to the bed and climbing in without a complaint. He pulled closer to Dumbledore, his head nearly on the older wizard's shoulder, hands once more holding on tightly. When the Healer moved back in to buffer his sleep Snape did not refuse, but yawned deeply letting the charm wash over him.
Healer and Headmaster fell back to sleep. It was quiet for two more hours. Then Beryl bustled in with the morning tea and woke Dumbledore. Barnes sent a sleeping charm into Snape, not wanting him up quite yet. Not until he could talk with the Headmaster. Both men clambered out of the bed and poured tea.
"So?" the older man queried.
"What's on his schedule for today?" Barnes asked selecting a piece of buttered toast.
"Thursday, sixth years morning, fifth in the afternoon," Dumbledore mused. "Afternoon's the worst of the week."
"The question is, should he teach," Barnes mused.
"Well, the students have been much more positive than the staff," the Headmaster said. "Also, we don't know how he's going to feel when he wakes up."
"True. He may not be up to it at all. Do you have a substitute?" the Healer asked.
"Me, for sixth. I could get a seventh-year to monitor the fifth years this afternoon," Dumbledore said.
"Then why don't you start off and I'll see how he wakes up. I'll come down or send a house elf and let you know by lunch," Barnes decided. Agreeing, the Headmaster selected clothing and dressed.
"I'll head down to breakfast. Just ring the bell for Dobby or Beryl. The computer is in the other room if you want to use it," Dumbledore glanced at the sleeping Potions Master.
"Jeffrey, be honest, is he going to be ok?" strain in the voice, but he didn't really care. Barnes followed his glance and watched the covers rise and fall gently.
"I think so. He's strong. He's survived all these years without falling apart totally. Severus will make it through this, too, Albus. Although your chairs might not be safe!" Barnes put a comforting hand on the older man's shoulder. The off paced humor caused a smile and Dumbledore headed down to breakfast feeling much better.
The message appeared before lunch. Snape himself walked into the potions lab with Barnes nearly glued to his robes. He walked up the aislen looking into cauldrons softly making suggestions and giving compliments. The students actually seemed pleased he had returned, judging by the small smiles that cropped up. Snape moved along, promising to check homework before afternoon class.
Snape actually smiled at the Headmaster then thanked him for taking his morning classes. He continued to his desk and sat down pulling parchments towards him. Barnes sidled up to Dumbledore.
"He is a stubborn git, has anyone else noticed that?" the Healer grumbled.
"Professor Snape? Stubborn?" Dumbledore's eyes widened in amazement. A pair of sixth-year Slytherins snickered.
"You wouldn't say that, would you gentlemen?" he quickly turned to the students enjoying their surprise.
"Oh, never sir!," replied the first.
"Especially not where he could hear!" added the second.
Moving out of earshot, the Doctor and Headmaster chose to watch both class and Professor at work while whispering to one another.
"He woke up a bit confused, but that cleared quickly enough. He showered and ate breakfast for me and we talked enough that I was reluctantly convinced he could return to teach as long as he promised to come back upstairs to your rooms for the night," Barnes said quietly.
"What about eating?" Dumbledore queried.
"No staff table. I told him to eat in your rooms or his office for now. Can't go back to his rooms unless I'm with him. Too fragile," was the reply.
Sighing, the Headmaster watched Snape again moving around the students testing the potion brewed. Madame Pomfrey had requested some cough potion for fall allergies and the sixth year had the honors. HaÏlf the cauldrons passed final inspection and the students began bottling the potion. The cauldrons that didn't pass were dumped and the students returned to help their classmates. The entire process was very efficient.
"You'll have enough time to bring this potion to Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing. She'll be pleased to have it!" he sent the children off in good spirits. Even those that failed to brew properly didn't seem upset since failures had been explained. Homework had been checked in and points given for both potion and work.
Snape walked over to the observing men.
"Well, did I pass?" he asked with a teasing sneer.
"No bones broken," returned Dumbledore, "suppose so." A sour look passed over Snape's face only Ïto be replaced with a small smile. He bowed his head with a chuckle. He did enjoy the sarcastic banter, no mistake there. Raising his face again he looked a little more serious.
"So, I can teach my fifth years this afternoon?" he asked carefully, "without a sitter?"
Barnes and Dumbledore looked a bit uneasily at each other.
The doctor took the lead.
"Yes, but only if you come up to the Headmaster's rooms after. You don't really need to prep anything for Friday's classes," he cautioned.
"No stopping in your rooms. We'll pick up some clothing on the way out," Dumbledore added. Snape readily agreed to both strictures. He shamelessly hustled both men out so he could grade papers and prepare for the afternoon's potion. The students would be brewing some basic fever potions for Madame Pomfrey's stores and some of the ingredients were rather touchy. He wanted everything lined up and carefully documented before Longbottom touched the cauldron.
"Well, he's pushy," Barnes' deadpanned as he joined the Headmaster at the door to Snape's quarters. The older man waved an opening spell and pushed on the door.
"We really should clean this up before he..." the Healer stopped in mid-sentence.
The room was clean. Glass that had been shattered was swept up. Bottles that survived had been lined up neatly on the cupboard shelves. All the bits and pieces of chairs were gone and four wood chairs (that even matched) had been set around the table. Furniture had been righte¯d and the knitted blanket was folded neatly over the back of the small couch. On the table was a small arrangement of dried plants, their musky scent pleasant but not overwhelming. Walking to the table a stunned Dumbledore picked up a small parchment.
'let me know if you need anything else, - Filch' and under, in a neater script: 'Sev, call me when you can! - Remus'
He handed the note to Barnes.
"Lupin sent me the message that Severus had collapsed," the Healer explained.
"He must have cleaned up in here last night," Dumbledore said gratefully. "Remus has been supportive of Severus, but there's a whole different set of problems we haven't touched!" he concluded.
"Best fill me in as we go, Albus. I'll need the whole backstory if it's pertinent," Barnes said.
"Severus' whole life is probably pertinent, Jeffrey! He'll have to tell you a lot of it if he wishes. But I will tell you about Remus," Dumbledore allowed.
It took the best part of two hours to fully satisfy Barnes' curiosity of the Marauders and Snape's school experience. He was rather surprised so much went on in the school without any adult knowledge at the time. The Headmaster was quick to point out a lot could and did happen without adult knowledge.
"At the time we wrote it off as childish pranks. James Potter was as charming as you could desire, except when it came to Severus Snape. Severus had the double whammy of being in Slytherins and being a dark loner. Plus there was an added factor. Sirius Black. He was James' best friend and Severus's worst enemy. I didn't know until years and years later just how much the two boys hated one another," Dumbledore shook his head. "In retrospect, I handled several incidents poorly. I tried to make up for that, but the damage had been done."
Barnes thought about all the 'pranks' that had been outlined. He knew at the time they thought they were harmless and simply funny. But for Severus Snape they had a damning effect that he was still struggling to overcome. Even if he had given as good as he got, it was not equal when the staff always favored with the popular group over the angry loner.
"Well, it may seem rather dismal, but you seem to have become his closest friend, so although it was a horrible experience for him, he has you after all," Barnes commented. Dumbledore shrugged uncomfortably.
"I've never really talked about those years with anyone but Severus. I always have put it aside as rather silly to dwell on. But now, talking with you, I can see it isn't silly at all. I had a blind eye when it came to that group of boys even though I cared greatly for Severus then and now."
Barnes leaned on his knees, moving a hand over the Headmaster's hand and drawing it close to him. He turned it over and studied the myriad lines that intersected and ran across the palm.
"You know, we're wizards. We benefit from a variety of magics. We can do great things. But when you sit down and look at it all, we still end up being human. Our choices are important, what we do after we've made them is more important."
He smoothed the palm, warming it with his energy.
"You've kept Severus. You care for hi&m. He'll make it through because of you," Barnes soothed the Headmaster.
Dumbledore watched, listened, allowed himself to be comforted. "I do love him, you know. I called him 'child' the other day, as in 'my child'. He melted, just melted. I'd never seen him so open and vulnerable. Our roles, our relationship, over the years has grown and deepened in ways I never would have guessed all those years ago when a scrawny, angry 11-year-old sat in my office after cursing his head of house."
Barnes looked impressed.
"He cursed his teacher?"
"Oh yes, and it was justified, actually. Although I told him then, as I've told him many times since, there are almost always different ways to handle the various situations he gets himself into," Dumbledore smiled softly at the memory.
"Different, but not necessarily better," Barnes said. We're going to have to stress that! He keeps trying but as he well knows the cards are stacked against him. Especially with his colleagues," Barnes said.
Dumbledore sighed and sat up straight.
"That is a big problem," he conceded.
"It will get better," Barnes quickly interjected, "Severus needs to sleep and gather his strength. Once we've got that taken care of we'll work on other releases. You've helped him begin to think about other things to do. At some point some of the staff will notice. Lupin has."
They sat together in silence for a moment. Together they looked at the clock.
"He's been working for a half-hour with the fifth years," the Headmaster commented.
"Tough group?" Barnes asked.
"Oh, yes!," Dumbled'ore replied, "James Potter's son is in it."
They sat a moment longer.
"I think I might wander downstairs and take a quiet peek," Dumbledore said, "just to see how it's going."
"Yes, that might be a good idea. Should I come, too?" Barnes asked.
"Oh, sure, I can shield us both," Dumbledore agreed. They headed out the door together.
Snape had carefully detailed the fever potion on the chalk board. He spent twenty minutes going over each step to be sure everyone would do well. He spent another ten minutes trying not to cause Longbottom to hyperventilate whenever he looked in the boy's direction.
He wanted to scream!
But he did not. Instead he sat at his desk sorting through homework parchments while the teams began gathering and lining up their ingredients for the potion. Granger had carefully written everything out for Longbottom (and her own meticulous notes). The first run through looked promising, perhaps he could somehow give out a few extra points to soothe the frazzled nerves.
After tallying up points and sending them to the house globes, Snape set the stack aside for more serious grading. He stood and began his circuit of the class, commenting on the cauldrons simmering on the magicked fires.
"Goyle, 2 points for your shredding. You've been working on your technique, haven't you?."
"Finnegan, 2 points for your blending. Patil, look at the consistency of Finnegan's paste as a guide for your own."
"Well, that's an interesting way of slicing those leaves. Let me show you how to handle the blade so you don't get as much blood in the mix."
He stopped to 'demonstrate knuckling down on the bunched mint leaves while Weasley and Potter watched. Then he positioned both sets of hands over more leaves and made sure they were cutting more safely.
"Get a plaster, Weasley. Wash your hands first," and he moved on to the last cauldron. Granger was struggling over the cauldron for some reason while Longbottom fidgeted with the long spoon nervously.
"Everything all right, Granger?" Snape managed to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, but he still scared the heck out of the boy. The spoon jerked up bringing quite a bit of liquid with it. The professor managed to turn so the hot potion hit his hair and part of his robes. Immediately he began counting to ten before he said anything. He felt a cooling charm hit the hot liquid immediately preventing any burns.
"Thank you," he managed as he walked to the safety shower. Pulling on the handle he rinsed his hair and pulled off his outer robes. The entire class had stopped working and were now staring with great concern, and fear, at the dripping wizard. Longbottom looked as if he wished he could hide under the table. Definitely wanted to bolt from the class in any event. Snape shook his robes and saw the bleached splashes; the black was completely gone in the splotches.
Tossing it aside he grabbed the mirror on his shelf and looked at his hair. Where the liquid had hit his hair was now a yellow-blonde. He closed his eyes for nearly a full minute working on his control. Finally he set the mirror down and turned to face the class. He knew they were ready to dive for cover.
"Well, Longbottom, I'm not sure what you've brewed but I think Gilderoy Lockheart would be interested in it. His hair was never this lovely a shade of blond," and he forced his mouth not to sneer.
Draco Malfoy snickered. Between the reference to the prissy ex-professor and the streaks in Snape's own black hair it was impossible not to. Potter joined in the strangled laugh. Finally several students laughed outright. Snape simply stood, still rather serious but with a curve of a smile on his face.
"Back to work, all of you!" he commanded but without anger.
"Now, Granger, Longbottom, let's see what you've done here," and Snape spent the next ten minutes listening to a stuttering Longbottom and frustrated Granger going over the list of potion steps and ingredients.
"Well, lemon grass was called for, not lemon juice; that can account for part of the problem," Snape pointed out carefully. He glanced at the board, his writing was clear as were Granger's notes. Longbottom flushed.
"I just got nervous," he whispered. Ah. The moment had arrived.
"I can see that, Longbottom. Let's try this. Dump your cauldron and the two of you can assist Finnegan or Potter's team. Then on Saturday in the afternoon you both can come down here and we'll try it again. I'll give you half credit if you finish it correctly then," Snape tried to keep his tone reasonable.
"Also, Ms. Granger, if you have found anything that interests you from your research, bring it along and we can look at that, too."
Neville wasn't sure if this were a punishment or not but Hermione smiled broadly. Snape knew she'd found something that she wanted to try.
"Four o'clock? That should give you time to go into Hogsmeade if you wish," he said, wondering if he'd used a light enough tone not to set the boy off again.
"We'll be here at four, Professor Snape," Hermione assured him. She busied herself cleaning up, pulling on Neville to help her. Snape moved up to his desk and sat down idly wondering how he would fix his hair. gods knew it would give most of the staff a good laugh to see him like this. A twinge in his stomach forced him to set the thought aside. He glanced up and noticed Longbottom was looking at him. The boy quickly looked away.
Snape gathered up the parchments and put them in his carrier. He'd bring them upstairs and correct them. Standing he went around the class again to check the potions. Of the dozen cauldrons 4 were correctly brewed and soon the students were bottling th"e potion while others dumped and cleaned the classroom.
"Homework, a parchment on why my hair and robed bleached out. I've given one suggestion, lemon grass versus lemon juice. But there are at least two other substitutions that could create this effect. Once you're packed up please carry the potion up to Madame Pomfrey. She's been waiting for a new batch," Snape turned and sat back at his desk, waiting for the classroom to clear. He noticed Longbottom was hanging back.
"You need something, Longbottom?" he asked gruffly. Neville managed to hold his ground, then stepped closer to the desk.
"You may sit, if it helps," Snape added, waving a chair closer. The boy sat down and gathered his thoughts.
"I'm very sorry I splashed you, Professor Snape," he managed to get out. "I don't know why I'm such a clumsy git."
Snape looked at the frightened child. Was this what he did normally to his students? Reduce them to a quivering heap of insecurities and fear? No wonder Dumbledore took him to task!
"Neville, it was only an accident," Snape said more gently than he thought he could. "You're frightened of me, I must have startled you when I came up to check your cauldron." It was the absolute last thing Longbottom expected to hear from the evil Potions Master. His mouth dropped slightly and he found himself staring at a concerned face, not an angry one.
"I'm sorry, too. I'm not angry with you, although I must admit I'm not too keen going upstairs right now," Snape shrugged as he indicated his hair.
"Why?" Neville asked before he thought.
"Well, a few of the professors will probably think this is quite amusing. I don't like to be laughed at, makes me angry," Snape admitted.
"I don't really like it either," Neville admitted, "but I just don't know how to stop acting stupid."
"First off, you're not stupid or clumsy. You're nervous and that takes away your focus. Maybe you could talk with Granger or one of your other housemates to help you with your notes. Have them check it after you copy. At the very least you'll start with the correct recipe," Snape suggested. He had a whole list of suggestions but figured it would only upset the boy if he said them all. One was enough for now. Longbottom squirmed in front of him. He certainly felt strange talking with Snape of all people!
"And now you'd best get up to class. Let me give you a pass," and Snape rummaged through his desk securing a note for the boy. Handing the note to him, the Potions Master stood taking his work with him.
"Thank you, Professor Snape," Longbottom managed, not looking too traumatized for a change. The moved passed the empty cauldrons and were nearly to the door when the door flew open with a loud 'bang!' and Professor McGonagall came in ready to save her Gryffindor.
"Severus Snape!" she shrieked, "just what are you doing with Longbottom!" Both men looked a bit shocked.
"I was just directing him up to class, Professor," he managed to get out. Neville held out his pass.
"I'm sorry Professor McGonagall, I only wanted to speak with Professor Snape about the accident I had today," Neville said quickly, glancing between professors. McGonagall did not back down.
"You must stop harassing the students, Snape," she spat out heatedly. He could only look at her with slight confusion.
"He wasn't harassing me, Professor. He was just explaining what had gone wrong and what I could do to fix it," Neville sounded rather firm which also surprised Snape. He stayed silent, not knowing exactly how to respond. The witch glared at the boy, causing him to step back into Snape who put a hand on his shoulder.
"Minerva, honestly, I did not try to harm Neville. He apologized for dousing me, that's all," Snape tried a small smile and familiar names to see if that would calm the witch down.
"I don't know what game you're playing here, Snape, but it's not going to work! Get to class, Longbottom!" and McGonagall swept out of the room taking Neville with her. The Potions Master stood rather stunned by it all. Finally he dropped his parchments and sat shakily in the closest chair.
What did he do wrong now? Damn! He'd been good. Really he had! And still he was condemned. Before he could begin to fall apart he felt a set of hands on his shoulders and a warmth filling him.
"You were brilliant, Severus," he heard Barnes' voice in his ear. Another hand was touching his arm.
"Yes, Severus, very well handled. Minerva's got quite a lot of nerve tearing into you like that!" Dumbledore added.
Snape glanced at the two men who'd just appeared. Seems he had 'sitters' anyway. But they hadn't interfered with his teaching at all so he didn't get too upset. McGonagall had taken care of his stomach and nerves just fine. With a sigh he shut his eyes.
"When did you two wander in?" he asked quietly, taking comfort in the warmth and wishing his stomach didn't ache quite so much.
"About the time you were showing Potter and Weasley how to slice leaves correctly," Dumbledore said gently.
"We figured we'd just hang about," Barnes added. Snape was quiet a moment.
"We weren't trying to upset you, Severus. We just wanted to be around in case you needed some help. You've been hard pressed of late," Dumbledore continued.
"Oh, you two don't upset me. I expected at least Albus to sneak back in. Minerva, now she upset me a lot," he admitted. Barnes smiled protectively. It was very good that Snape was starting to openly share his feelings. The next couple weeks would be rough, but the doctor had great hopes for his patient.
"Let's go on up and get you something to eat. It's been awhile since breakfast," the healer added. Snape frowned.
"Stomach hurts," he grumbled, "I don't want to eat."
"It will feel better once it gets some food in it, Severus," Dumbledore said, then stood up offering his hand to pull up the Potions Master. Barnes picked up the slightly scattered parchments. Snape was nauseous, his stomach burned. How would putting food in it help? He mind was spinning from the accusations even though Barnes and Dumbledore were calm and supportive.
Barnes noticed the professor zoning out, eyes unfocussed and face pale. He took Snape's elbow and began to guide him out and the door. It was very dark in the hallway, the torches seemed to have gone out. Snape moved on ahead, knowing the way from the years wandering down there.
"I'll start the torches," the Potions Master began, reaching for his wand and moving into the hallway. He'd only gone a few steps when he was flattened by a shrieking poltergeist.
"HAHAHA Icky slimy snake has to slither in the dark!" Peeves laughed as he floated malevolently abovve the prostrate wizard.
"Peeves, don't you ever get tired of pulling the same damned pranks year after year?" Snape said in a subdued voice.
"LUMOS!" Dumbledore roared, his wand immediately filled the hallway with light exposing Snape pushing himself up from the floor and Peeves floating above very surprised to see the Headmaster. In the distance a silvery ghost came through a hall wall. Torches relit as he floated closer.
"Peeves, have you been tormenting the Potions Master again?" the Bloody Baron moved above the now sitting man.
The poltergeist looked from Headmaster to Slytherin Ghost wondering how he'd get out of this mess. He'd been caught more than red-handed.
"Professor Snape? How are you?" asked the slightly disemboweled voice of the bloodied ghost.
"I've been better, Baron," Snape addressed the ghost formally. The Baron passed through the fallïen as if to check for himself. Snape shivered convulsively from the intense cold.
"You do not need this harassment. You have enough difficulties without this creature's cruelties," the ghost zeroed in on the quivering Peeves.
"With your leave, Headmaster, I will see to Peeves."
"Thank you, Baron, I would appreciate that," Dumbledore bowed slightly.
"Sir? How long has Professor Snape been subject to this type of harassment?" Barnes asked as he moved to assure himself the professor was really ok. The Baron looked down at him, somewhat pleased by the honorific title.
"Peeves has always disliked Professor Snape, since he was a student here. He has only this year taken to darkening the hallways and tripping him, though. I have been trying to catch him at it and now I have," there was a slight sneer to the ghost's voice, which made it all the more eerie. He slid bonelessly to the trembling poltergeist and enveloped him. Both disappeared in thin air.
"That always bothers me," Snape commented.
"Severus! Why didn't you tell me Peeves had been attacking you?" Dumbledore immediately demanded. Snape slowly stood, straightening his wrinkled and torn robe. Barnes silently noted how cold the man was, his outer robes having been shed earlier.
"Why? He's been doing all sorts of things to me since I first came here. The Baron began helping me once I became Head of Slytherins. What more can be done?" rather fatalistic, but true. Unless Dumbledore was to remove him permanently there was little else that could be done. Peeves was an annoyance, but even he could be of use at times. This wasn't one of them.
Snape turned and continued to the stairs. He just wanted to lie down and sleep. He couldn't go back to his rooms so he simply went the path of least resistance. Barnes didn't like this silence. Dumbledore didn't like the paleness of Snape's skin. Neither could get a word out of the man.
Near the entrance to the Headmaster's office they met Professor Sprout and Sinistra. Both witches were coming to speak with the Headmaster.
"Severus!" Sprout put a hand to her mouth trying not to laugh.
"Love what you've done to your hair!" Sinistra deadpanned. Snape looked blankly at both women and shrugged. He walked passed to the hunchback statue and whispered the password. When the door opened, he went up the stairs leaving them behind. Barnes hurried trying to catch up.
"Is this an emergency or could we speak at dinner?" the Headmaster asked.
"Is Severus all right, Albus? He looks ill," Sinistra countered, question for question.
"He is not feeling particularly well," Dumbledore hedged. He didn't want to gossip in hallways. No more information was offered.
"No, no emergency. We'll see you at dinner," Sprout said and with a nod the Headmaster went up to his office leaving the two witches to speculate what was the matter with Professor Snape.
