Disclaimer: The characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling and her assigns.
Hermione came to the Tonks home in an elated mood. She had just received her N.E.W.T.s grades and another special piece of mail that morning. She was received into the fellowship program she had been hoping to get. After sharing it in delight with Ron and Harry over breakfast, there was one person she had to share it with.
When she arrived at the cottage, she went through the kitchen. She discovered Tim sitting at the table, working on a math problem. As she got closer, she discovered it was actually Arithmancy.
"Can you do that?"
"Mother discovered at some point that I actually have some magical skill in this area, and she encouraged me to study it. I've always been really good in mathematics."
Hermione looked over his shoulder. "Wow. That's way higher level than I'm used to doing, at least yet. I just got a fellowship. Part of it will include work in Arithmancy."
Their eyes met and they smiled at each other for just a moment. Then Tim scowled and looked down again at his paper. Hermione leaned over it again.
"Wow! Does this refer to Sophy?" she asked, pointing to a combination of characters.
He looked at the term she indicated, started, and then shook his head. "Oh, no. This is something I got out of one of Professor Snape's books. He's been helping me further my study." He frowned at the expressions on the paper. "I can't seem to make them come out right."
"I'm sure you'll get it. You're really quite clever." Ted rolled his eyes at her patronizing tone of voice, but she couldn't notice something like that in this mood. "At any rate, I'm here to speak with Severus. Do you know where he is?"
"He and Mum are out in the back garden. They were going into ecstasies over nasturtiums or something."
"All right then. Thanks!" She went to the mud room and Tim frowned some more over his equations. Then he made an exclamation, jumped up, and followed the witch.
Andromeda was glad for a chance to work in the garden. Outside of the bedroom, it was where Severus was the most comfortable with her. They were both at ease in the still room, brewing, but somehow the garden felt more natural. They worked cheerfully, although the sense that her doom must fall soon never left her. In the garden he smiled and teased her in a way that was fun and fresh. They filled a basket with early herbs and Severus went up the walk to take them inside. They would sort them later.
Andromeda watched the younger witch come out the door and wave a sheet of parchment. She could only guess at the news it must carry. Severus's reaction was unmistakable. He picked up the young woman and swung her around in an exuberant hug. Andromeda told herself that it was good news. Certainly it was good news for Severus and Hermione. The present was over; the future had come.
Suddenly Andromeda's head ached. Her heart started to beat wildly and her face felt as though it were on fire. Maybe she was having a reaction to the sunshine. She needed to get to the house and sit down. The pruning shears fell from her hands as she took a step or two. She suddenly couldn't breathe although her chest seemed to be pounding. There was an outcry from behind the celebrating couple, but she couldn't tell what. The colors around her bled from their outlines of trees, house and sky, and then they turned black. She was at the bottom of the abyss.
"Mum!" shouted Tim. He brushed by Severus and Hermione to run to his mother's side and lift her up. An instant later he was joined by the wizard. "I don't think we need you," said the younger man.
"Yet since I'm here, you can use my assistance," answered the wizard. He picked Andromeda up and carried her toward the door. "Hermione, would it be possible for you to fetch Madam Pomfrey on your way to the Burrow?"
Her eyes were wide and she nodded. As the group made its way through the kitchen, the young witch used the Floo.
Tim ran up the stairs to open the door to the bedroom ahead of Snape. He looked around the room, seeing the obvious signs that the room was occupied regularly by two people. He turned and looked at the older man, who was cradling his mother in his arms and murmuring softly to her. Tim's anger rose as he watched Snape lower the witch into the bed and then kiss her face fervently.
"You've done this to her."
"I've done what?"
"Do the math, Professor."
"Severus..."
Both were drawn to the bed. "Mum?" Tim took her hand. "Are you all right?"
"Just overheated, I'm sure."
"Shall we loosen your robe, my dove?"
"You've done quite enough, I think," said the young man.
"Please... Tim... I know you're disappointed in me, and I know you don't understand, but please give me some time with Severus."
Tim glowered at the two, as furious with Snape as he was worried about his mother. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't when he looked again at his mother's face. She clearly couldn't handle any more dissension, so he turned on his heel and left the room.
Severus sat next to the witch and gently pulled her into his arms. "Andromeda, what happened?"
"I saw the future, and I don't belong in it. I've feared it all along, Severus, but I'll be brave. I promise."
He was immediately alarmed. "What are you saying? Are you sick, my dove? We'll find a cure..."
She reached to pat his hand. "Oh, no, it's nothing like that. But I want you to know that if it's time for you to move into your future... without me... I understand." He looked into her eyes, saw her try to be brave.
"What are you talking about? We settled all that at Christmas."
"It was settled, but I always understood—you will move on without me at some point."
"Andromeda? I hear you're ill." A new voice came from the doorway.
"I just got overtired, Poppy. We'd been working in the garden all morning."
"We'll see. Severus, why don't you wait downstairs?"
He looked at Andromeda. She seemed so small on the bed right then, but there was nothing to do but obey the mediwitch. He kissed the cheek of the witch in the bed and left the room.
The Squib was waiting for him in the kitchen. "What do you think you're doing?" asked Tim. "Are you after her money, the pureness of her blood, what? What could you possibly want from her that you can't get elsewhere?
The professor's eyes were unreadable. An eyebrow raised and his lips barely parted as he said, "Do you really want to know?"
"I already know, thank you."
"Then you know that I simply need her. Not the money, not the prestige, but the essence of her... the way she soothes me when I'm sick, the way she smiles every morning when she brings my coffee, the way I feel when she lets me hold her in my arms." He was smiling without realizing it. He turned back to the younger man and looked sternly at him. "I only want to share some happiness with her."
"She's not happy, she's miserable. I suspect that she's even more miserable now than when Dad died. I hear she collapsed that day, too, and didn't leave her bed until Teddy was born."
"I won't let that happen again."
"How will you prevent it?"
Severus opened his mouth and realized that while Tim was right about Andromeda's increasing misery of late, and that he had no idea how to cure it. "I'll find out what troubles her, and then I will move heaven and earth to make it right."
"Maybe she's just realized that you plan to sponge off her."
Snape reached into a pocket of his robe. Thinking he would bring out his wand, Tim ducked, but instead a thumbnail-sized stone skidded across the kitchen table. Tim picked it up and held it to the light. "Is this—?"
"It's not the Philosopher's Stone."
"It looks very like the picture of the one they tried to hide all those years ago."
"Well, it is a philosopher's stone, but not of the same caliber of the one destroyed by Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel."
"How did you get it?"
"Nicolas was my master when I trained as a journeyman in Potions. He showed me how to develop it. With this stone I can make an elixir that will cure many things although not all illnesses and injuries and certainly not old age. I can make a fair amount of money but not the endless wealth of the stone Nicolas had. The third effect is reduced, too, but I think it would work for you."
"The third effect?" Tim's heart beat faster. "I'd heard there was a third effect, but I considered it to be too fantastic."
"Oh, it was real. Nicolas granted full magical power with his stone to several promising people. The Ministry cited the Statute of Secrecy when they stepped in and stopped him a century and a half ago."
"So you're giving this to me why?"
"I've seen you over the past months. It's my professional opinion, as an educator of magical folk, that you might have more latent magic than you or your family gave you credit for."
Tim sighed. "I've been all through this with my parents and Dumbledore. I'm a natural at math and Arithmancy, and I can be helpful with Mum's simple potions. I have never had any sort of ability with a wand, however. No sparks, steam, flowers, or anything. Just a swish and a flick and nothing."
"Given that you have a fair amount of ability but it's lop-sided, my stone might help you."
A wistful look crossed Tim's face before he turned red. He looked up in anger. "Do you think I would allow my wish to be magical to color my judgment where my mother is concerned? Am I supposed to accept this... payment... from you and ignore the fact that you've—Am I supposed to pander to the highest bidder in order to have a life I've learned to do without? Do you expect me to sell my mother—my father's wife—so cheaply?"
Snape's own eyes flashed with anger, finally. "Think what you want, boy. I wanted to reassure you that she has nothing material that I want, and I thought I could help. Accept the gift or not, it's free and clear. What lies between your mother and myself is entirely our affair. She doesn't need you to—"
There was the sound of a throat clearing and Severus turned to see Poppy standing in the middle of the room. "She would like to see Tim, now, and Severus later."
Severus had to ask. "Poppy, what happened?"
"It was just as she guessed, she was simply overheated and very tired. I think after a long nap this afternoon and a good dinner she'll be perfectly fine. She may need to rest more over the next few days, that's all"
"I understand, Poppy, but what caused—"
There was a snort from the younger man. "Like I said, Professor," said Tim, "do the math." He tossed the stone to Snape and walked out of the kitchen.