Ch. 26 Potions and Penicillin

It had been many years since Severus had attempted muggle transportation and in that lapse he had forgotten most of the little that he knew. After many transfers and hours later Severus walked through the large doors to the Universities medical library.

Severus looked around in awe as he saw cases and cases of books staring at him, the intellectual in him felt like a school boy and if it wasn't for his complete concern over Tabatha he might have let himself enjoy it for moment. Having no idea where to start Severus quietly walked over to the small mousy woman behind the desk who was reading a very large desk.

"I'm looking for books on Pneumonia" he coldly spat.

The woman did not move her eyes but pointed to the left "infectious disease is down stairs" and with that she brought her arm back and continued to read.

Severus glared at the woman for a moment and then turned and headed in the direction she pointed.

"It would serve her right if I cast an Aguamenti charm and soaked her and her book" he thought as a sly smirk crossed his face

This smirk however did not last long, for as soon as Severus reached bottom of the stair case. Before him was a mountain of book case and Severus gave a long sigh as his shoulders slumped over in defeat.

"How am I going to find anything?" Severus whispered disheartened as he walked over to the first row of books.

Picking one up he flipped to the index and started to read, once he found no mention of this Pneumonia he closed the book and went to the next. Severus did this for the next three hours.

Finally Severus ended up sitting on the floor between two shelves piles of books surrounded him. His eyes were closed and his head leaned back. He had failed. He had absolutely no idea how to find any material, and the longer he sat here the sicker Tabatha got. Fear raced over him as he thought about the possibility that she might never get well, and a tear started to form in his eye when he heard a voice the flashed him back to reality.

"Oy mate, what ya doin on the floor?"

Severus looked over to see were the noise came from. Standing at the end of the aisle stood a shorter, young man of about 20, he had dirty blond that seemed to be rather tidy, and he was wearing a University of Manchester sweater.

Severus glared over at the man and for a moment he wanted to sneer at him and tell him to bugger off, but truth was Severus was too mentally tried to do so.

"Obviously I'm having trouble finding the material I need" Severus said dryly then leaned his head back again hoping this person would go away so he could swim in his misery.

Again the voice spoke "Trouble huh? Well you're in luck I work here maybe I can help you find what you need"

Severus eyes quickly found their way back to the voice "work here? Would you happen to know where I can find information on Pneumonia?"

The young man smiled, "ya of course, follow me" he gestured Severus to follow him as he made his way down the center aisle.

Severus jumped to his feet and followed the younger man to a back section. He watched as he pulled a large book from the shelf and handed it to Severus.

"Here you go mate, it's a reference book but it will give you a good place to start."

Severus took the large book in his hand and opened it to the index and found a section on Pneumonia.

"Aspiration pneumonia…yes… from the cold water..." Severus mumbled as he read.

"Well I guess I'll let you read, take care" the young man pleasantly spoke before turning around and heading back towards the stairs.

Severus didn't answer but kept reading. "Treatment… bed rest… antibiotics… left untreated….death…" Severus' mind stopped, this could kill her if he didn't figure this out. Looking down the hall he called out after the young man.

"Hey.. um… you there!" Severus started to sprint after him.

The blond turned around and peered back at Severus "aye?"

"What is this?" Severus trusted the book at the lad pointing to the word antibiotic.

"What is what?" the young man looked puzzled. "Antibiotics, you never heard of antibiotics?"

Severus gritted his teeth and it took all his will to not roll his eyes. "Yes, I've lived a sheltered life. What is it" he coolly spat.

The young man looked at him questionably

"Very sheltered". Severus emphases picking up quickly on how strange it would be for a muggle to have no idea what this was.

The young man didn't look all that convinced but started to speak anyway.

"Antibiotics, it's a medicine used to fight bacterial infections."

Severus' head started to reel, that answer didn't help him much and by now he figured if he asked anymore question he'd really push his luck.

"Ah .. Yes, of course. That makes sense" He fibbed and started to turn around "um.. yes.. T..Thank you." Severus turned fully around in defeat and flung his book bag over his shoulder as he started to make his way back down the aisle.

"No way", the young man's voice was hardly above a whisper. "Slytherin?"

Severus stopped dead in his tracks what did that muggle say?

"Your back pack mate… you have the crest on you bag" The young man awed.

Severus didn't turn around but pulled the bag off of his back and looked at it. On the front pocket was a small but distant Slytherin patch.

Severus swallowed hard, put his hand into his pocket grasped his wand and spoke slowly and softly. "Who, are you..."

"My name is Hubert.." Severus sensed the man rushing behind him and quickly spun around point his wand at the young man.

"Stop right there!" Severus glared "I said.. Who.. Are… You!" his voice shook in a whisper.

Hubert raised his hands over his head and shook. "I….told you.. I'm Hubert…I'm sorry I didn't mean to…"

"How do you know about Slytherin?" Severus hissed letting his skills of legilimency fully bloom.

"I…I'm… a.. Squib…me mom was a witch… but I.. Guess I took after me dad!" Hubert's eyes were wide with fear.

Severus mind probed Hubert's mind, he found the lad spoke the truth. Slowly he lowered his wand.

"I was not prepared for someone… here… to recognize the Slytherin crest." Severus spoke cautiously.

"I was not prepared for someone…here… to have a Slytherin crest". Hubert answered cautiously. "But it does make sense that you had no idea what antibiotics were now. What are you doing here? What would you need anything from here for?"

Severus' jaw tightened in confliction. He had not wanted anyone to know what his quest was, but Severus also knew that that he was stuck, and running out of time. This Hubert was telling the truth he could see that, maybe he could be of some help. Severus needed to take the risk.

Severus stood up extra tall. "There is a witch back in the magical world, who I believe has a cross over strain of a muggle illness, this Pneumonia thing. I'm trying to find a way to cure her." He spoke with as little emotion as possible.

"Is that possible" Hubert asked softly "I thought muggles and magic didn't mix that way"

"It's the only theory we can come up with" Severus voice sounded far off.

"Hey, you know what maybe I can help you" Hubert said hopefully

Severus looked up and glared at the young man "You wouldn't happen to know anything about antibiotics would you, time being of the essence as it would seem"

"Well yes I work here, but I'm a student too, pre-med to be exact, follow me" Hubert ran down to another aisle and pulled a book from the shelf and lead Severus to a back table.

"Here" Hubert pointed to a passage smiling, "It a crude way to create an antibiotic called Penicillin." Reading further his shoulders sank. "No I don't think this would do any good it takes almost a fortnight to make. Why not just use premade medicine like squibs and muggles take?"

Severus pulled the book towards him and read the passage, "No..I'll need to alter this to account for the magical side, I can deal with time just some of these items are foreign to me."

Hubert pulled the book back to him and read, "Lactose Monohydrate, sodium nitrate, magnesium sulfate, potassium phosphate mono, glucose monohydrate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate…. All these items can be found in the chemistry labs here at University."

"Not very helpful to me" Severus sighed as he took his cap off and ran his fingers though his hair.

"Well it's helpful that I have a key to the classroom" Hubert smiled. "You write this down, and I'll be right back." With that Hubert ran off down the hall.

Severus stared at the squib. He had no idea why this person was helping him; maybe it was because he wanted to be some part of the magical world. Watching your family have the awesome power of magic while you're reduced to making sure books go back in order must be torturous. Maybe he was just a kind person; Severus knew they did exist though now he felt they were less an oddity then before. Either or this Hubert was helping save Tabatha, he would not forget it.

Severus copied down the formula precisely, and then he pulled the large book from his bag and opened it up. He finally found a very old healing potion which seemed to follow some of the steps the antibiotic followed. Severus was still reading when Hubert came back carrying a sack.

"Here we go, everything you'll need" he placed the sack on the table and noticed Severus heavy in thought "what you reading?"

"Fascinating how close these procedures are" Severus absently mumbled not noticing the presence of someone looking over his shoulder.

"Well I guess that would make sense" Hubert pondered.

Severus eyes looked up "Why would it make sense? Magic and Non-magic aren't even in the same category" he snorted.

Hubert laughed, "Spoken like a true wizard, interesting how you all don't know much about history. Muggle medicine is derived from old "magic", the first medicines were potions using the natural magic found in everything. In ancient time it was the village witch that cured the people; muggles just continued that tradition, well of course minus the actual magic part."

Severus wondered just how much truth that held, and made a mental note to look into it later, still he looked up at the squib and uttered "interesting, but I have to go now I need to get back and work on this, I think these two might actually work together!".

Standing up Severus gathered all the items up and shoved them into his bag, then standing up he looked nervously at Hubert.

"Well you better be off to help your friend" Hubert said kindly.

"Thank you for your help Hubert, I will not forget this." With that he started to rush down the aisle towards the stairs to make his way back to the Spinners end, back to Hogwarts and finally back to his Tabatha.