A/N #1 An Archangel cat is actually a breed also known as the Russian Blue, which is a different cat than a Britain Blue.
Severus had been frightened many times in his life. But this was the very first instance that Severus Snape could truthfully claim that he had his pants scared off him. Well, not only his pants had been scared off him, but also his jumper, trousers, his light weight parka and Merlin be damned, his socks and shoes.
He was bloody starkers, lying completely and utterly stark bollock naked in a stranger's bed, though the two crazed Russian Herbologists had given him the courtesy of a strategically placed blanket to cover his bits. They had merrily slathered him with assorted herbal topical pastes and poultices, dosed him with a bitter tincture followed by a surprisingly pleasant tasting tisane all the while chatting at high speed in a language he couldn't recognize. But they had ignored his feeble protestations that he truly needed to know what was in the ingredients with a non-reassuring, 'Don't you worry'.
If he had any physical strength remaining, he would have stormed out of there, starkers or not, when Sasha had gently palpated his abdomen and man boobs with his heavily callused hands. But his physical reserves were empty and so he had suffered his treatment. Enduring the unendurable was his personal specialty, after all
He had his pride, still, and at least he wasn't a cheap grope. Thank Merlin, his body was too shattered to even think of responding to Sasha's teasing, feather light touch.
"It's important," Severus somehow managed to find the strength to verbally protest his treatment. "I'm highly allergic…what's in it?"
"Very well then, this paste consists of autumn crocus, barberry, feverfew, ginseng, golden seal, juniper, kava, male fern, mandrake, pennyroyal, poke root, rue, sage, southernwood, tansy, thuja, and wormwood," the male informed him. "Plus a dash of fake unicorn horn. I'd not waste real unicorn horn on you as it's rather dear. We'll be infusing you with a tincture of the same later on."
That list stopped Severus cold as it was a proverbial ingredients list of what he was most assuredly not to have. Also, the list of ingredients was a proverbial mishmash of herbals. What the hell were they doing? They were treating him for sugar, arthritis and migraines among a host of various chronic conditions, soothing his agitated, spastic digestive system…. preventing him from conceiving….promoting uterine contractions….
"No," he whispered. "Stop… stop… You can't give me that!"
"Come now, you can't be allergic to all that! You'd be dead by now!" Sasha jovially exclaimed.
"Sasha, you're being cruel," Oxana gently protested. "I can assure you, Adrik, that there are none of those ingredients in your treatment. At the moment, Sasha is attempting to realign and stabilize your ch'i. He's been tracing out your meridians, and attempting to determine what their current statuses are."
"Your ch'i flow is in serious disarray which help explains why your health is compromised. It is crimped and restricted in some meridians, roaring through your other meridians like a river overflowing its banks, and there's something merrily gorging itself on your chi'i. I've never seen anything like this," admitted Sasha. "I'd thought I'd seen everything, but this… is unusual."
"How utterly reassuring," sniped Severus.
He instinctively flinched after he voiced that comment.
If the Head Master had been here, he would have struck Severus for his cheek. Hadn't Albus attempted to train him out of his need to constantly snark? When the futile exercises in politeness had failed, Albus had decided it had been necessary to beat him to break his customary habit of insolence. Hadn't he experienced the Cruciatus Curse numerous times loving bestowed by the concerned Head Master? He'd weep and plead that next time, he'd conduct himself in a manner in which Albus would approve, swear that he'd be better behaved next time, but at the next opportunity, he always failed. Then Albus would be forced to punish him again.
No… that hadn't been the real Head Master. That had been the fauxHead Masters… right? He couldn't remember… as his memories were in such a jumble!
"Now don't give up, Adrik. I've read about cases comparable to yours and fortunately, I still possess the book," Sasha serenely stated. "Next treatment will require massage and acupuncture. Once your ch'i is realigned, your jing and your shén will to be next. I've done all that I can for now, Oxana."
"Here, let me cover you, Adrik," Oxana suggested. "You look worn-out, and these treatments are far more draining for the patient then you currently realize."
Oxana then pulled the assorted sheets and blankets over him before she tucked him into bed. Her ministrations finished, she placed the back of her hand against his forehead. Her thoughtfulness and the way she buffered the worst of Sasha reminded him so strongly of Minerva that he instinctively trusted her.
She's not Minerva, don't be fooled into trusting her! You're drowning, desperate for any hand to grab, and you have to realize, you can't trust either of them!
"He's quite feverish, Sasha. You shouldn't tease him." Her tone was disapproving as she chastised Adrik. "He nearly had a heart attack when he heard that list."
"Oxana, I was merely wondering if Adrik would actually admit to me why that list would be contraindicated in his care. Come now, you're visibly familiar with potion ingredients, Adrik, and your hand has scars from old burns. You possess a wand, a most remarkable wand as it appears to have been charged with magical energy. It seems that you were a wizard of some considerable strength but you've been weakened by your … condition."
The penetrating look Sasha gave Severus made it obvious that both Oxana and Sasha knew that he was up the duff. Could a man not have any secrets? Ariana was a private, personal matter after all, and he hadn't even told his mother about her grandchild-to-be.
"Who are you?" Severus hoarsely whispered.
Not terribly witty. Not a comment to induce fear and a grudging respect in his current captors which in turn might lead to better treatment… but still a reasonable request.
"No one of importance," Sasha easily answered. "But you, my dear friend, are going to be extremely problematic. You've come dangerously close to utterly burning yourself out, and between that and your underlying condition, your body is intent on consuming itself. You are also running from two very powerful wizards, friend Adrik. One who would style himself as a Dark Lord in the manner of Gellert Grindelwald. He has tattooed you with his mark, and while it's physically no longer there, it still taints your soul. I'm assuming the brand was on your missing arm, but the reason why you're missing your left arm is unknown to me. Who removed it? You? Him?"
Oxana hissed, and made a warding gesture.
"And one who would oppose the second Grindlewald has seemingly consecrated you not only with his blessing but his seed. Therefore it is most probable he that removed your arm in order to prevent its contamination from adversely affecting his child." Sasha paused, as though searching for the right words to say. "You run from them both, and due to your sloppiness, they will follow you here to our doorstep. Tell me why, for the greater good, I shouldn't just dose you with saltpeter and birthbane and leave you in an alleyway far, far, far away from here for them to find your dead body. They'll fight over your body, I'm sure, and it will be a match unlike any others in all of recorded history…"
"Well… at least from 1945," Oxana tartly inserted.
"It still will be a duel to watch, Oxana. I wonder if age has slowed him down any or if the old sly fox has gotten sneakier."
The sheer casualness of Sasha's voice was what disturbed Severus the most. Not the reality that Sasha knew far too much of his personal traumas, but the mage's composed, serene tone. Yes, Sasha would dose him with birthbane and saltpeter then dump his body in an alley and not think twice regarding the matter.
But, but… but you carried me into your shop! Why did you just not leave me outside in the alley to die? Didn't you just tell me that I'd be receiving another treatment? I don't understand! Are you testing me? To determine my mettle? I'll fail your damn test! Hallowed St. Albus Dumbledore, renown far and wide for his kindly, generous nature, the blessed defender of Muggles and other less fortunate, washed his hands of me, so how can I dare hope that you won't do the same?
"It seems Sasha that you've forgotten that you barely survived the last epic duel, thank you very much," Oxana snidely retorted. "Therefore, I won't be buying us ringside seats for this duel."
"Who are you?" Severus repeated.
He could admit that recently, his life had taken on a rather surreal quality, but these two! It was though he was a duffed up Alice sitting down to a tea party with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. Nothing was making sense anymore, and at any moment, Sasha and Oxana would decide it was time to stuff a sleeping Severus into the teapot. Therefore, he best stay awake… if only he could. His exhaustion was the enemy, as when he slept, he'd be defenseless…well more defenseless then he was now.
"Why do you call me Adrik? Who are you?"
"No, friend Adrik, I will not give you my true names. Names have power, you understand, and the ability to compel. You are in no condition to demand that information from me. I am Sasha, which will be enough for you. As for Adrik? It's a good, proper Russian name, comes from Hadrian for dark. Don't give us your true name, Adrik, it's no doubt been Tabooed."
Bloody hell, the accent, the refusal to give his true names, his approximate age, his apparent familiarity with Gellert Grindelwald meant that Sasha had attended Durmstrang Institute for Magical Learning during the period when Gellert had been building his army.
DURMSTRANG.
He had fled from the Head Master and the Dark Lord, only to find two of Gellert Grindlewald's supporters. Truly, he had gone from the frying pan and jumped headfirst into the burning pyre.
Severus looked at the older mage, attempted to mentally remove the long hair and the beard that camouflaged his features. The green eyes, the curly hair, the hooked nose… the familiarity with potions. When the Dark Lord first came to power, he had been quite enamored of Grindelwald's techniques, and Severus had intently studied the history of Grindelwald. Most importantly, Severus had studied the followers of Grindelwald to discover what mistakes they might have made when they had been jockeying for power.
His physical malaise briefly lifted when Severus experienced real terror at the realization of who Sasha was. There was only one mage that Sasha could possibly be, and that meant he was currently under the care of…
No. That particular mage was most assuredly dead, reportedly killed during the battle between Grindelwand and Dumbledore. But didn't the Dark Lord search for him? A rumor that the Dark Wizard was still alive had surfaced some years ago and the Dark Lord had been intrigued by the possibilities of having a Grindelwand underling under his sway. Therefore a suitable envoy had been dispatched to discover if the truth was correct and if it was, they were to negotiate a meeting. No trace had been found of him… but then again… would anyone in the Dark Lord's service truly attempt to find someone that might usurp their own power?
Bloody hell, bloody hell, Ari, my sweet Ari, what have I done? I wanted just a few months free from Dumbledore and the Dark Lord … instead… instead... I find… the Dragon of Bulgaria. I am completely defenseless and he's Damyan Georgiev Draganov! The Bloody Dragon of Bulgaria!
The Draganov of legends makes Bellatrix LeStrange seem completely sane in comparison! He's a mass murderer! He single-handedly killed the entire Bulgarian department of Aurors!
"What matter of man are you?" Severus softly questioned. Best not show his fear, as fear could be exploited. It would be best to sound… respectful…diffident… Sasha was a formidable wizard.
"A man who wishes to be left alone. But, because of you, a man who finds himself in the midst of a war that he most assuredly does not wish to be involved. I swore on my soul that I will not let Oxana be harmed and yet helping you would put her in danger. Why should I help you?"
The mage's voice was cool, calm and collected even his green eyes weighed and measured him and declared him utterly lacking.
"She's blameless in this…the child…" Severus pleaded. "She's an innocent. Shouldn't she be given the chance to be born?"
His passionate plea earned him only the slightest narrowing of Sasha's green eyes. It appeared for better or for worse, that his response had disturbed Sasha's emotional detachment.
"She's the innocent, aren't you going to assure me that you're guiltless also?" Sasha intently questioned. "Innocently, you have set two of the most powerful wizards in Great Britian against each other. No doubt they'll end up in my freshly painted drawing room battling it out over you two. I only just painted it!"
The mage was no longer serenely talking about Severus' dead body; instead, dare he think it? Sasha sounded slightly uncomfortable.
Perhaps, I can persuade him… but I have to tell him the truth, the horrible, horrible truth.
"I'm not innocent. I have done horrible, horrible things. I struggle to redeem myself, but know I am doomed to failure, but she… she is an innocent. Possibly the only good thing I have ever had in my life…"
The mage's green eyes frosted over then, and Severus believed that he had lost his case.
"I ran to save Ariana from both of them… What have I done? I've only succeeded in killing her faster. You're… Damyan Georgiev Draganov! You're the Bloody Dragon of Bulgaria!"
Instinctively, Severus reached for his wand, determined to fight for Ari's survival to his very last breath. The Bulgarian Dark Wizard remained where he was, sitting next to him and in fact, Damyan appeared quite amused by Severus' instinctive defensive response.
"Your wand is being held in another room, Adrik," the Dark Wizard calmly stated. "I suppose we could wrestle on my bed if you feel the need to fight me that badly, but you wouldn't last for long. Well, since you wish to fight me so bad, shall we do it?"
He'd be slaughtered, Severus knew. Why hadn't he kept his mouth shut?
"I'm so sorry, Ari," Severus whispered.
"The only wrestling in bed you're allowed to do is with me, old man," Oxana reminded her lover. "He's far too young and delicate for you."
"Now, now, now, lad, I'm not going to slaughter you when you're lying naked in my bed. Do you have any idea how much work it would be to clean the room? Plus, I'd need a new mattress which would be quite distressing. You see, I've just broken it in so it's rather comfortable. When you get to be my age and your bones creak, you appreciate a comfortable, broken in mattress," the Bulgarian Dark Wizard dryly commented.
Bloody hell, Draganov was more whimsical than the Head Master. He attempted to sit up, but Draganov pushed him one handed onto his back. Least Draganov was considerate enough to help guide his head back to the pillow instead of letting it smack against the headboard.
"Adrik, the name Damyan Georgiev Draganov no longer possesses any power over me and I never particularly appreciated that nickname. It's a time in my life best forgotten by all. Do not voice it again."
Severus nodded his head in agreement, pretending to be cowed by the threat in Sasha's voice, but inwardly, he vowed that he'd run the first chance he could.
"Before you even think of fleeing once more, Adrik, understand that you are gravely ill. If you leave here, you will be dead within a day or so. You will have murdered the innocent you claim you wish to save from harm. Her only chance for survival is with me. I tell you the truth in this matter, and you must believe me."
Damyan put his hand over Severus' face and carefully closed Severus' frightened eyes.
"Now, sleep. Your body desperately needs rest. Sleep, Adrik."
Damyan softly whispered that command over and over again until his patient was deeply asleep.
"Your reputation once again precedes you, love," Oxana dryly quipped. Her eyes were affectionate as she glanced at her lover. "Are we moving again? What are we doing with our new stray?"
The Dark Wizard growled before he spoke. "We'll have to move, but he's in no condition to travel. I've removed any thoughts of that terrible bastard Draganov from the surface of his mind, Oxana, but I'm sure it will resurface in time as he put the clues together rather rapidly. Hopefully, since Adrik appears to be an exceedingly smart lad, he'll realize it will be in her best interest to keep his damn mouth shut."
"He was quite fearful of you, but quite determined to fight for his child," Oxana quietly remarked.
"Yes, you have to give the boy some credit for his noble but misguided attempt to fight me while he's too weak to light a candle. He's a defenseless child, Oxana, and I'd never fight against someone so damn depleted. I'd butcher him in a matter of moments. On to happier issues, I'm afraid that you'll need to go to market. He'll use up most of my magical supplies in the next few days if I can keep him alive that long," the man currently known as Sasha stated. "I'll make up a list of supplies that you'll need to purchase. Be careful, don't buy too much of any one ingredient in the same location."
"Damyan, is it really necessary for you to treat me as an auror trainee?" Oxana tartly retorted. "I managed to track you down after all."
"Might I remind you it took you five years to do so? Plus if you weren't dying in that alley from that stab wound, I never would have rescued you, so technically, I found you. Please get the last few days of the Daily Prophet, and pick up that other paper… The Quibbler. There's the occasional bit of truth in it, though one has to rather search hard for it."
"You didn't like that piece of rubbish when they stated that you were still alive and serving drinks in that little bar on the Rhine."
The Bulgarian Dark wizard barked a rare laugh, and conceded her the point.
"Fortunately, it was the wrong bar and I was imbibing, not serving, but it did send a great many people after us, successfully ruining our holiday. Now, seriously, you've gone through his pockets, does he possess any currency? He'll need to contribute as we'll be feeding him six… seven times a day plus I expect him to pay us exceedingly well for his medical treatment as I'm a cold hearted bastard that doesn't believe in charity."
His tone was crisp and no-nonsense. Sasha was a pragmatic soul at heart, and once a decision had been made, he rarely changed his mind.
"Six or seven times a day?" Oxana questioned with a great deal of asperity. "We're not making that much money from selling smudge sticks and crystals. His purse won't help feed him for long. We'll need to dip in our savings."
"I know, but his body is merrily consuming itself to keep the child alive, so we'll need to feed him. Broth first, and then we'll have to work him up to solid foods. No wonder he vomited after his Apparation into the alley. That's a recipe for gastric rebellion if I've ever heard of one, starve yourself for days, scarf down a scone and tea and then Disapparate. I wonder where the hell he was attempting to Disapparate because it is impossible for me to believe that he seriously planned on landing in our alley."
Oxana softly laughed. At Sasha's quirked eyebrow, Oxana explained her amusement.
"He was probably so frightened that he did a Blind Jump. Remember, Sasha, determination, destination and deliberation are crucial to a successful Jump. In Adrik's case, he desperately wanted a destination that could be a place of safety from both Gellert, Junior and St. Albus. Perhaps he even prayed that might find someone who could keep him alive until the child is viable. Then, with a rather loud crack, he collapses outside the protective wards of the only Wizard in the entire world who might be able to get him to term, plus being the only wizard in the entire universe barmy enough to tell Gellert, Junior and St. Albus to bugger off. That's why he showed up in the alleyway."
She laughed harder at the nonplussed expression on her lover's face. It was uncommon when she defeated him in a battle of wits, and Oxana planned on relishing her rare victory.
"I categorically refuse to discuss fate, predetermination and the random quirks of the uncaring universe with you, as that would mean the hardhearted universe had previously decided I would take in our stray. I've made a habit over the years of declining to delve into the murky realms of metaphysics with a mad Russian witch, and I don't plan on breaking it. Now, on to mundane matters, Oxana, does he have enough funds to at least pay for part of his treatment?"
The former Ekaterina Sidorova Dobrolubskaia, once a promising Russian Auror now only a holistic health practioner in Manchester, neatly summed up how much money their patient had, and what else he had in his pockets.
"I need a moment to think, dearest. But please, strengthen the wards on the shop. Dumbledore won't recognize your signature in the wards, but he will no doubt remember mine. "
Minerva sternly warned herself not to let her hopes get the better of her. Yes, Sister Elizabeth had assured her that Severus had just arrived and was currently visiting his mother, but that news meant nothing. Thanks to the imp of the perverse, Severus had already run like hell once he saw Albus at the bank.
And you. Severus saw you and decided to flee. You've lost his trust, Minerva. It's so rarely given and once lost, never regained.
"So her son is visiting Eileen?" Minerva again questioned, mainly out of need to make polite conversation to the formidable woman escorting her to Eileen Prince's room. "That's wonderful. The poor lad was seriously ill and he hasn't been able to visit her since December."
"He doesn't look like he should be out of his hospital bed," Sister Elizabeth firmly stated. "But he was quite worried about his mother. I insisted that he sit and have something to eat as I believed he was close to prostration. The receptionist informed me that he was staggering when he exited the Knight Bus."
Obviously, Sister Elizabeth had never ridden the Knight Bus or she would have realized that wobbling and the spontaneous praising of God for surviving were the normal symptoms of those that had just disembarked.
"Thank you," Minerva hoped that the nurse could hear the sincerity in her thanks as she was truly grateful for what little kindnesses Severus received these days. "These days, he truly needs someone to keep an eye on him. But you know how proud men are."
The two witches entered Eileen's room to find it empty of visitors. Its only occupant was the still, contracted form of Eileen Prince.
"I thought you said he was here?" Minerva quickly questioned. She managed to keep her disappointment from her tone, but damn it, she didn't sense Severus anywhere.
"Perhaps he's in the loo," Sister Elizabeth suggested. The witch politely tilted her head in the direction of a closed door. "I gave him a full teapot, and it's empty."
That explanation made complete sense, so therefore Minerva would not panic, but instead, she'd calmly wait for Severus to exit the loo. Then she would carefully wrap him up in gossamer silk and return him to the Hogwarts Infirmary, posthaste!
"Would we have seen him if he had decided to leave?" While one hoped for the best, the pragmatic Minerva firmly believed in preparing for the worst.
"There's only one way physically in or out of the building," the hospice administrator assured her. "We would have seen him."
She had never known the comatose Eileen Prince before her accident, and it appeared that Minerva would never have the pleasure. Eileen the invalid reminded Minerva of Severus physically as she was rather thin and had heavy brows and a long, pallid face. Her hair, at one time, had been the same midnight shade as Severus, but now it was pure white. Her open eyes were vacant, and her hands contracted into tight claws. Severus' mother was a pitiful sight, and she wondered anew about Severus' reticence with regards to his mother.
You believed that you knew him better than even Albus did, but yet Severus never mentioned that his mother is in a vegetative state!
"Since you're a family friend, I want to assure you that we'll be treating Ms. Prince much better than her former hospice. We've decreased her medications and her bed sores are responding exceedingly well the ministrations of our Wound Care Mediwtich. I will leave you two alone so you can chat, but please contact me if you require anything," Sister Elizabeth requested before she left the room.
"Eileen, I'm Minerva. I'm struggling to help your son, but he's being difficult," Minerva assured Severus' mother. "But don't you worry; I'm up to the challenge."
Minerva was sitting next to Eileen's bed when she heard the tell tale crack of a very sloppy Disapparation. If that had been Severus, she truly feared that he was in imminent danger of splinching himself.
"I need to investigate that noise," she told the unresponsive Eileen. "If it is at all possible, I'll be back to say goodbye."
McGonagall quickly entered the hallway to discover Nymphadora Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Proudfoot the Auror. There was no sign of Severus which meant that he hadn't splinched himself, as a splinching left bloody bits and bobs at the Disapparation point.
"Kingsley, Dora, what an unexpected pleasure," Minerva stated with true delight. It was a true shame that she couldn't say the same thing about seeing Darrin Proudfoot. She remembered him from his student days as being a plodder and a snitch to boot. The most horrible of combinations. His parents must have known someone very high up in the food chain for him to become an Auror. "Proudfoot."
She acknowledged him as superior does an inferior, complete with a regal nod of her head. It was childish, yes, but Minerva enjoyed his slow burn. The boy had nearly set her on fire during class during his First Year after all.
"Wotcher, Minerva!"
Dora's exuberance brightened Minerva's mood. With Kingsley and Dora on Severus' trail, the Order would be kept informed of the Ministry's hunt for Severus.
"May I ask why you're here?" Minerva continued, as though she didn't know the reason for their appearance. "What are three aurors doing in a hospice?"
"Ministry business." The offended Proudfoot curtly snapped. "Come along now, you two."
Interesting, Proudfoot was attempting to boss around Kingsley Shacklebolt who simply wasn't having any of that.
"We're looking for Severus Snape," Kingsley stated in his slow, deep voice. "We're to round him up and take him directly to Azkaban. Have you by chance seen him here? We're just checking in with the staff. So far, no one's seen him, and the administrator is supposedly in a very important meeting and can't be disturbed."
A fuming Proudfoot didn't see the slow wink Shacklebolt gifted her, nor Dora mouthing, "Prig!" behind his back.
"Azkaban? Doesn't he even get a trial first?" Minerva questioned.
"No, he broke his parole. Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater," Proudfoot retorted. "I can't believe that Dumbledore thought that Severus Snape was capable of redemption! He's gone back to his old buddies. It would have been best for everyone if they had Kissed him years ago."
"No, I haven't seen him here. I last saw him at Hogwarts. Has he gone missing?" Minerva thought herself a fine actress as she believed that she sounded truly surprised, and Dora gave her performance an approving wink.
Dora and Kingsley didn't like Severus, but they trusted Dumbledore. No matter what Severus did or however he acted, they unequivocally accepted as the Gospel Truth that Dumbledore was fully aware of the current situation with the acerbic Potions Master. Their faith in Dumbledore and by extension, Severus, while completely misguided in this particular case, eased Minerva's stressed nerves.
Damn Proudfoot for mentioning the Dementor's Kiss! Like bloody hell would she stand by and let her unborn godchild be Kissed!
"Yes, he has," snapped Proudfoot. "But you wouldn't tell us if you had seen him."
"That's incorrect, Proudfoot. Minerva is a law abiding citizen, and she would most assuredly inform you if she had seen Severus here. She says that she has not, therefore, she hasn't," calmly inserted Albus Dumbledore who had just arrived in the middle of the conversation. "By all means, feel free to ask his mother, but alas, Eileen lost the power of speech over fifteen years ago."
"Auror Lupin, would you and Auror Proudfoot mind confirming that Severus Snape is not in his mother's room? Check under the bed, he might be hiding there," Shacklebolt requested. "In the closets also. Look everywhere, and leave no stone unturned."
His tone was composed, but Dora merrily laughed.
"I'll check the closet and I'll meticulously inspect his mother's unmentionables. Just being thorough so I can unequivocally state on my report that he didn't turn himself in a black, lacey bra," the younger Auror cheerfully stated. "I can see him changing into a great, bloody black bat, but a bra? Darrin? If he's turned himself into a braissiere, do you want to carry it back to the Ministry as a victory trophy? That way you can tell everyone how you captured our dangerous Severus single-handedly after a long, drawn out fight?"
Proudfoot, realizing that he had completely lost the war while he had been watching, nobly attempted to ignore Dora, which Minerva knew from personal experience, was a bloody impossibility. There was no way in hell to ignore Nymphadora Tonks Lupin when she wanted to be the center of his attention. She'd almost pity Darrin if not for the fact that he had ruined her favorite sweater. Yes, she had Charmed away the singed yarn, but it had still smelt like burnt yarn whenever she had worn it.
Kingsley waited until the two were out of earshot before he softly chuckled.
"I almost feel sorry for Darrin." His tone turned serious and he sighed. "What's happened with Severus? He broke his parole, and the Minister has made the capture of Severus our top priority. A few of the retired Aurors have been ordered to report to the Minister for Special Reassignment. It's not a good thing, Albus. The group that spoke the loudest against Severus at his trial? Wetherwax, Gallagher, O'Dorcy, Ingleby and Bannatyne are all back, delighted to have the chance to finally prove that your faith in Severus was misplaced. They find him…"
Kingsley paused, and Albus voiced the bitter truth, "They'll kill him, and then ask questions. Has Mad Eye been approached to rejoin?"
"No, I believe Rufus Scrimgeour fears that Mad Eye's loyalty to you would override even Mad Eye's zealous pursuit of rogue Death Eaters. After all, he did appear in the Department of Mysteries when the Death Eaters went after the Prophecy. We successfully explained away myself, Dora and Lupin, but Mad Eye? Rufus pretends to believe that he was meeting me for dinner when we investigated the disturbance but I don't believe that he's convinced. No, Mad Eye has not been approached about coming out of retirement. Shhh… they're coming back. No black bra, thank Merlin. I wouldn't have put it past Dora to Create one just to embarrass Darrin."
Kingsley's voice projected in the hallway as he spoke to Albus. His manner was professional, but quite strict.
"Albus, you must understand that we will find Severus and bring him to Azkaban. If we find out that you've been withholding information on Severus, the Minister of Magic will be most displeased. You will be charged as a collaborator and brought to trial."
Albus, naturally, was completely unconcerned.
"Yes. I've been informed of that very same fact by Rufus not even twenty minutes ago. Minerva? Would you care to join me? I wish to visit Eileen, and see how she is faring in her new home. She had the most distressing bed sores prior to being transferred here and Sister Elizabeth assured me that they were improving."
Oxana strengthened the wards of the shop and their home. Fortunately, Monday was a day their shop was normally closed so she didn't have to deal with any pesky customers requiring assistance. After a few hours, she returned back to Sasha.
Adrik's temperature had risen dramatically, and Sasha had already changed the sheets on the bed by the time she returned. Their sweating patient was warily watching Sasha with feverish eyes but Adrik instinctively reached for her when he saw her.
"Min?" He hopefully whispered.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Sasha barely nodded his head, which meant she should humor Adrik.
"Yes?" She kept her voice low, hoping that her attempt at softening her rather noticeable accent was successful.
"I know… you've more important concerns…but can you stay? Just for a few minutes? He behaves… when you're here…" Adrik's voice cracked and then he carefully sipped at the water that Sasha offered him.
"Certainly, I'll stay," Oxana assured her patient after he was finished drinking. She gently grasped his hand until he was once more asleep.
"He'll stay asleep for the next four hours or so," Sasha assured her. "I just dosed him before you arrived. Grisha agreed to share the bed with him, so if there's a problem he'll get me. I'll have to start chopping ingredients for his next potion."
"That was… interesting…" she dryly quipped. "He believes this Min would able to protect him from you? She must be a formidable Valkyrie."
"No, he believes I'm Albus. It's been rather stressful after his fever spiked, one minute, he is pleading for me to be merciful and forgive him and the next; he's telling me how much he despises me. Other times, he weeps. Those are the worst times to listen to his ravings as Adrik assures me how much he loves the child and then he begs me to stop hurting him as he might miscarry."
"That's… truly horrifying," Oxana responded, her voice full of censure. She was by far the more expressive of their pairing, and had no qualms voicing her emotions while Damyan prided himself on his stoicism. "To do that to him and then abuse him?"
"Far, far worse than that, as there's the slightest whiff of a Compulsion on the lad. I dare not pry too deep in his psyche, as he's likely booby trapped. If any Mind Healer blundered into his mind, seeking to help him, I believe that they'll be reduced to a drooling, quivering blob of humanity. A bit of Reiki seemed to help calm him, but I'm afraid that you'll have to be extensively involved in treating our little stray, as my touch seems to frightens him."
"Well, you are the stuff of which nightmares are made," Oxana quipped, which earned her another rare laugh from Sasha.
"Actually, it appears that my current appearance is quite similar to blessed Saint Albus. When you shop today, try to get current information on Dumbledore, including a picture if possible, and I won't insult you by warning you to be careful. His spies are everywhere, and we don't want him to know that someone's interested in him. We need to quickly determine who our stray really is, and UnTaboo his name so if he mutters it when he's feverish, we don't have to worry about unwanted company."
"The store has been shielded," she assured him. "Please double check the wards."
"Already tested, they're as strong as they can be," he assured her. "Your usual superb job as I can barely sense them unless I press on them. If I wasn't as familiar with your casting as I am, I'd never notice them. Your wards are almost like spider webs, too fragile to be noticed, but one would become quickly ensnared in the silk."
She wasn't disturbed by Sasha double checking her work. A less secure woman might be angry that her work had been inspected, examined and assessed, but after slightly more than twenty five years on the run, Oxana firmly believed one's survival was far more important than self-esteem.
"I burned his clothes already, he'll have to wear mine for now. I never trusted that Saintly Dumbledore as I know he and Gellert were lovers. He wept after he defeated Gellert… wept like a lost soul. Yes, the historians said that his tears were because of the savage intensity of the battle between those two titans, but I know that he wept because he still loved Gellert and had hoped his pure love would redeem the bastard."
Sasha's tone mocked Albus' naïve belief that the power of love could redeem lost souls. In Sasha's biased opinion, some souls, such as his, were eternally damned. Best accept the bitter truth, and then live the remainder your life free of regrets. Brooding on eternal damnation could wait until after you died, as then you'd have all eternity in which to mope on your sorry state. "Now this entire situation with Adrik?"
Oxana let Sasha speak his peace, for she knew full well his intense dislike for Albus Dumbledore. After all, hadn't the saintly, well respected Dumbledore been the one to first encourage Gellert in his unholy quest for power? Others may have forgotten that little fact, but not so Damyan.
"It proves that I was quite correct about Albus; he's just as barbaric as Gellert ever was but he just hid it under a thin veneer of sainthood. Adrik is shattered, Oxana, possibly beyond any hopes of repair. It must have greatly amused that bastard to impregnate a boy that was so enamored of him. I wouldn't be surprised if he talked Adrik into it, claiming it would the ultimate expression of his love to carry Dumbledore's heir."
Sasha actually sounded piqued, which meant that he was furious. Something about Adrik's plight had deeply affected the normally imperturbable Sasha, and so she needed to determine what had caused it. She had an idea what the cause of Sasha's antagonism was and she'd need to be quite delicate in probing Sasha to confirm her suspicions. Blessed Koljada knew that she genuinely loved the man after all their years together, but Ekaterina sure as hell didn't understand him.
"I must confess that I'm rather surprised that you're getting involved in this mess, Sasha." She carefully offered that observation. Uncertain how he'd react as he was in a fey mood today, she impishly added, "Though I firmly believe that it was predestined."
Damyan Draganov was a prickly, spiny mass of ambiguities and paradoxes, capable of mass destruction on an almost incomprehensive scale yet possessing an astonishing streak of compassion. It was doubtful that Gellert, Dumbledore or others of their ilk would decide to heal a dying Russian auror who had been single-mindedly tracking him for five years. Yet Damyan had, bashfully declaring that he would genuinely miss her fanatical pursuit if she had died in that alleyway.
"Dumping him at Hogwarts would be the sane thing to do as no doubt Dumbledore is moving heaven and earth and all that is in-between to locate his child. But his situation has stirred unpleasant memories, Oxana, of a young wizard who would have done anything to save his wife and unborn child. I do not do this for Adrik, whoever he might truly be; I do this only for Dana and Iskra..."
Her lover paused then, fearful that he had said too much and that inadvertently, he had hurt her. As always, that momentary flash of the loving man that he had once been stung her to her core.
Your life would have been so different, Damyan, if Dana and Iskra were still alive. You'd probably still be a healer in Sofia. You treated everyone, regardless of magical ability until that horrible day you returned to your practice to discover a pregnant Dana killed by a Muggle looking for narcotics. I can understand why you blew your roof then. It was disgraceful that the Bulgarian Aurors didn't care that you were insane from grief when you slaughtered Dana's murderer. Instead, they attacked you in mass, and you were still so distraught that you instinctively defended yourself. You massacred the entire bloody department, Sasha! On that terrible day, the legend of the rampaging Dragon was born.
"You can mention their names," Oxana calmly stated. "If that Muggle hadn't killed them… your life would have been very different. You'd probably be in Bulgaria spoiling a dozen or so great-grandchildren."
"Instead, because of my irrational grief, I was a keen recruitment for a charismatic, power crazed Dark Lord. Now I'm a hunted man, wanted on six different continents for various crimes against humanity. Would be Dark Lords still search for me, believing that I will eagerly assist them in their quest for power. It would horrify Gellert, Junior that a wizard of my supposed stature works in a holistic New Age store in Manchester, and deals with bored, menopausal women who think buying a smudge stick is a dangerous dabble in the occult. Though I must confess that if I were still in Bulgaria, I would never have the pleasure of finally meeting that fixated Russian Auror in a dark alley."
Oxana softly laughed at Sasha's dry tone, and she reminded Sasha that she wouldn't have been in the dark alley except that she had been on the trail of a rather dashing, dangerous dark wizard.
"I was focused, not fixated. Fixated makes me sound like I was a stalker, sexually obsessing over a dashing dark wizard. I was not sexually fixated on you," Oxana primly declared. "Though I do remember remarking that you filled out your pants quite nicely."
She laughed at the very thought, but Sasha didn't join in. Instead, he tenderly caressed her cheek with his hand, and intently looked into her blue-grey eyes.
"Be vigilant," Sasha whispered. "If anything were to happen to you, Ekaterina, I would not… handle… it well."
"I'll be back within three hours, I promise. I'll stop for a treat, as there's a new Bulgarian restaurant up by John Dalton Street. I'll pick up a few of your favorites. They might even have Strandzhanski Shish or Gyuveche. Perhaps I can find a bottle of Sungurlare Eau deVie or Slavjantzi to go with it."
"It's that obvious that I'm feeling melancholy?" Sasha wryly quipped. There was a mocking twisted smile on his face.
"To one who knows you as well as I do," Oxana admitted.
"Very well, my dead are haunting me. One would think that we've become good friends after all these years, but it is not to be."
Albus spoke to Eileen at some length, mainly about inane issues, and then when he was finished visiting Severus' mother, he boosted her protective wards he had already personally cast. That done, he confirmed that Eileen was deeply asleep before he spoke to Minerva.
"Rufus has already sent word to the Daily Prophet that Severus has broken his parole. They're printing up a special edition, and his face will soon be plastered everywhere as Rufus was insistent that they contact every magical paper in every nation about the dangerous, escaped Death Eater. Within a short time, Voldemort will realize that a defenseless Severus is out there, and will be easy prey. I refuse to believe that Severus is willingly returning to him. He ran from me, not towards Voldemort."
"It's not your fault," Minerva tartly assured Albus. "Don't you dare shoulder the blame for this entire situation!"
She glared at him, and then continued, "And don't you think that I'm saying you're blameless either. You're not. Guilt will be fairly allocated later, after Severus is once more safe and sound at Hogwarts."
Left unsaid was that Minerva was intent on claiming her own just portion of responsibility for this complete and utter cockup. Damn her for a meddling fool, she knew how Severus thought and how he'd feel after his vicious assault. If she had been Severus, she would have overreacted to their discussion, yet refuse to admit her fears to anyone. She wouldn't have run, but then again, her mother had raised her to be a stereotypical Stubborn Scot. No, she would have stayed at Hogwarts and feed on her insecurities until they utterly consumed her.
"I spoke to Sister Elizabeth and warned her that Eileen Prince may become a target. I've already warded the hospice and placed the strongest shields I could on Eileen. If anyone comes after Eileen, I'll immediately know, and I'll be able to respond accordingly," Albus assured her.
"I know Severus will appreciate you keeping an eye on his mother," she stated.
He might appreciate it, but a wounded Severus would warily accept it as yet another debt he owed the Head Master.
"I'd ask the Order to keep watch over her, but most believe my faith in Severus is foolish. Eileen would hear unpleasant things about her son from them, so I hope my wards will be sufficient strength. This is the safest place I could find for her, Minerva, but I fear that I have needlessly placed the other inhabitants of the hospice at risk."
His blue eyes were concerned and damn it, Albus sounded sincere. She hated when he was earnest.
"Anyplace you'd move her to would be in danger. She wouldn't be safe even in Hogwarts if He Who Must Not Be Named decided to strike at her there. Have Filius triple check your wards, and he'll improve them as necessary," she suggested.
"I really should move her to Hogwarts, but she's… dying." Albus admitted that slowly, and Minerva had to admit that she was confused.
"She's been as good as dead since Tobias knocked her down a flight of steps," Minerva tartly retorted. Eileen Prince wasn't alive… she lived, yes, but she wasn't alive. "She's in a hospice, Albus, it's highly unlikely that she will ever walk out of here."
"No, she's dying. The Healers believe that she has only a few more months at most. Her body is shutting down, Minerva. This hospice is the best hospice I could find, as that other place was a horror…" Albus paused. "Yes, I know Severus gave her the best care he could afford, but it wasn't a nice place. This place… they're kind to her, Minerva. Wouldn't it be best for her to stay here, so her final days are filled with compassion and kindness? She had so little of it in her life that I'm reluctant to move her."
She nodded her head, as she knew she was too emotional to speak.
"Now, Minerva, let us go to Spinner's End. Perhaps Severus is there, and you can convince him that it's in their best interest to return to Hogwarts. Have you ever been there?" Albus questioned.
At her negative response, Albus shook his head.
"Very well, take my hand, and I'll take us there. We have to hurry, as I can't sense Severus anymore. "
At Minerva's horrified look, Albus quickly explained. "I put a very light tracer on him. He was still alive when it was silenced. I believe that wherever he is, he's being Warded."
"Wards? Who would shelter Severus? Not Him," Minerva questioned.
"The Wards have a distinctly feminine feeling. Who do you think would shelter Severus that is female?" Albus questioned.
"Bellatrix LeStrange?" Minerva then grimaced. Bellatrix was the first and the worst name that came to her mind.
"The Warding seems very delicate but unbelievably well-built. There's a subtlety in this casting that Bellatrix lacks. She's a sledgehammer, Minerva. This unknown witch is an accomplished spinner of magical flows."
"Cissy Malfoy?" Minerva answered. "Draco helped Severus escape, would Cissy risk His displeasure by sheltering Severus?"
"I don't know. I would have doubted it a few short months ago, but then again, much has happened since Christmas that has changed the way I view the world," Albus admitted. "Come, take my hand."
Within minutes, they arrived at Spinner's End.