Ch. 27 Scars and Vigils
The flash of green was all Severus eyes saw before it revealed his own potions office before him. Quickly he raced out of his hearth, threw his teaching garb and robes onto the leather sofa and made his way to a large wooden table he used as a work space. With his precious bundle still clutched in one arm he cleared off papers, herbs and other miscellaneous items off his desk with a one clean sweep. Looking up at the clock on the wall he saw that he had been gone well over eighteen hours.
"Mipsy come!" Severus called out into the emptiness of the room.
In a flash Mipsy appeared before Severus.
"Y..Yes Prof….Professor Snape?" The small elf asked timidly.
"Go to the infirmary wing at once and get me a report on Ms. Rewolf and bring it directly back." Severus stated very matter of factly.
"At once sir!" Mipsy chimed and then as quickly as she appeared she left.
Severus again focused all his attention on the sack before him. He carefully emptied the contents of the bag on to the large wooden surface. Hubert had gathered all the necessary, what muggles call, chemicals for the formula and placed them in small glass jars carefully labeled. There were also all sorts of carefully labeled glass items such as beakers, test tubes, and other words Severus was not familiar with. Once each item was laid carefully before him, he pulled out his muggle note book and opened up to the neatly transcribed formula. He first had to make the peal of an orange mold.
"Apparify Orange". Severus stated as his pointed is wand to table top.
The magic that flowed from his wands tip quickly produced a perfect orange. Taking out his potion making tools Severus removed a small sharp blade and carefully cut a strip of the rind from the fruit. He then placed the rind in a short round container. Then again he pointed his wand at the petri dish.
"Tepidusfiy " a dull glow surrounded the dish as it started to slowly raise the temperature. Once Severus was satisfied he continued to his next step, to speed up the time around the dish.
"Postremo!" Severus again stated flatly, and then turned his attention again to the note book.
Severus Scourgified several other glass containers, then looked back at the orange peel to see that the bright orange was now a blue green color. Taking the molded rind he placed it into in a flask he again added a warming and time increasing spells. Again Severus read the in the notebook, and carefully combined all of the chemicals Hubert had gathered for him in a container of water. He then added the liquid to the flask with the moldy peel and again warmed the contents and increased the flow of time.
Severus then moved his attention to his own spell book. Quickly he went to his storage closet pulling out nectar of the flowering mage tree, bulbs from a stink riot plant, the root of the ruddy ribbon bush and 7 Yew berries. Igniting his caldron he adds the nectar then three bulbs and finally one pinch of grated ruddy ribbon root. He then took a thin long apple wood dowel and stirred the potion 7 seven times clock wise.
As soon as he pulled the dowel out of the caldron in a flash again appeared Mipsy.
"I…I bring you word Sir" Mipsy spoke nervously.
Severus eyes narrowed mostly in fear of the possible outcomes of her report.
"Yes what is then?" Severus snapped, causing Mipsy to back up a bit.
"Miss.. Rewolf sleeps s..still, her breathing is more labored, and she is covered is perspiration." Mipsy looked around anxiously in the air seeking more information when it appeared that she must have suddenly found it "Oh and Master Potter is still by her side!"
Severus let a small sigh leave his lips. She seemed to be getting worse and he had to move faster. The only comfort he had was that she was not alone; evidently Potter had followed at least one order.
Severus again looked at the little elf and spoke with softer tone. "Thank you Mipsy, if you hear anything report to me at once. That will be all."
With that Mipsy gave a curt bow and disappeared and Severus turned back to his potion.
The amber color of the nectar transformed into a soft pastel pink, Severus knew now was the time to combine the two. First he crushed and deseeded the Yew berries then Severus picked up the flask and slowly poured the content into the potion alternating streams of penicillin with a crushed berry and a stir from the apple wood dowel. The pastel pink changed to a dark purple, his potion was complete. He quickly filled three glass vials and in a rush ran out of his office and up to the infirmary wing.
Severus ran until he was at the door to the wing, he then slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside, night again had taking over the castle. He walked quietly across the room to Tabatha's bed side. As he pulled the curtain back he noticed a very feverous Tabatha wheezing through a ragged sleep. Next to her was a the boy who lived slumped over sleeping in the chair, a story book on his lap and his hand resting gently on top of Tabatha's.
Severus made his way to Tabatha and sat down on the edge of her bed. Gently he ran his hand behind her neck and carefully tilted her head back. He then took a vial of potion and put it to her lips, and as he poured it in her mouth he whispered a charm to help her swallow it. Then he leaned towards her and his check grazed hers as he spoke in her ear.
"There we go darling," Severus spoke again hardly above a whisper. "Now come back to me."
Tears started to well in Severus eyes just as he heard someone softly clearing their throat behind him.
"If I remember correctly the last time you were in here with that uniform on you were getting a dose of Skele-gro after a run in with a certain group of students." A soft wise old voice gently spoke.
Severus turned around to see Headmaster Dumbledore smiling at him. Severus sneered at the memory.
"Oh yes a group Gryffindor's that loved to show their house's nature by heroically making sure it was always four to one." Severus silently fumed.
"Actually headmaster I needed this attire to find out the information for…" Severus was suddenly cut off.
"Oh yes my boy, I would expect the muggles at the University would be quite taken back to see you in your professor robes." Dumbledore chimed in with a twinkle in his eye.
Severus looked at his with a bit of awe. "How did you know?"
"Well it's not every day a squib runs into a wizard in a muggle library now is it." Dumbledore chucked softly. "That Hubert fellow you ran into is the grandnephew of a good friend of mine evidently you impressed him."
"That squib was just as impressive." Severus thought to himself "If it wasn't for him, this potion could not be made".
Tabatha gave suddenly gave a sharp cough causing Severus to lean into her and grasp her hand in his.
"I'm here Tabs" his voice was soft.
Again Tabatha coughed and with that Harry started to stir in the chair.
"You should go and change back into you robes Severus before Harry awakes." Dumbledore whispered as he moved towards Severus and placed his hand on his should.
Severus looked back at the Headmaster then back towards Tabatha not moving.
"I'll stay with her till you return my boy" the compassion in the old wizards voice grew. "Also you can get one of your healing pastes, perhaps it will sooth her lungs."
Severus nodded in agreement but never took his eyes off of Tabatha, he had been gone so long, and she was so sick. He did not want to be pulled away from her again, but he knew that Dumbledore was right. Slowly he stood up and walked away looking back towards her bed before he finally left the wing.
Severus returned to the infirmary within the hour, in his hand was a container full of breathing pastes to help her lungs. After giving Madam Pomfrey the mixture Severus made his way back over to Tabatha's bedside. Sitting in the chair Harry once kept was now Headmaster Dumbledore thumbing over the same story book Harry had held.
"Ah the Tale of the Three Brothers seems like it's been well read". Dumbledore mused to Severus as he approached the old wizard.
"Ah, yes that's Ms. Rewolf's favorite story it would seem. She must have read it dozens of times." Severus spoke softly and then gazed over to her sleeping in the bed, her breath seemed softer.
"Potter, off to bed then?" Severus said coolly as his gaze again met the Headmaster's.
"Oh yes, I figured he had done his duty fully by this point. But I will say it was task was extraordinary difficult. He had it in his mind that you would be extremely unpleased if he left. I had to show him your potions bottle to prove you were here." Dumbledore eyes twinkled as he raised his eyebrow.
Severus met the old wizards gaze and allowed his own eyebrow to rise "oh I wonder why he would think such things, how odd indeed".
Dumbledore gave a small chuckle then cleared his throat.
"Don't you think that you could also use a bit of rest my boy?" his eyes showing true concern.
Severus thought for a moment then shook his head. "No, I will be fine. Thank you Sir."
Dumbledore just nodded in agreement, he knew how deep Severus loyalty and sense of duty could run, he would not win this argument.
Getting up the Headmaster smiled at Severus. "Well then I will bid you farewell for now. I'll make sure the house elves bring you something to eat." And with a light touch to Severus should the old wizard exited the infirmary.
Severus on the other hand returned to his vigil, taking his seat again he scooted the chair closer to Tabatha's bedside; he then took her hand in his and picked up the book.
As he slowly ran his thumb over her palm he started to read aloud. "There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight…."
Severus spent his days sitting with Tabatha, either reading to her, or working on his potions material though the later was done in a halfhearted manor. He usually found time to make sure that Tabatha had enough of the antibiotic potion and lung healing paste whenever he she had visitors, such as a pair of young Gryffindor's, or the entirety of the Hogwarts staff. This was more often than Severus would have liked for his own comfort but was happy to see that others cared for Tabatha's wellbeing as well.
As the day's pasted Tabatha's condition seemed to improve, the bloody cough had finally stopped and so had her fever, though at times she still got flashes of hot and cold. Her whizzing was slowing as well, and whenever she had a coughing fit the lung healing paste seemed to quite her right down. The only thing was that Tabatha had still not woken up, and until she did Severus refused to leave her for more than an hour.
A week after Severus had first made the antibiotic potion; he was sleeping in the chair next to Tabatha, he hand again resting on hers. Suddenly though the depth of his dreamless sleep Severus heard a series of horrible sounds and his eyes flew open. Tabatha again had started a horrible coughing fit, she was coughing and wheezing uncontrollably, hardly able to take in any air.
"Madam Pomfrey!" Severus called out "Bring the paste!" Severus then jumped up and moved his arm under Tabatha, lifting her head off the pillow to help her breath.
"Pomfrey, Did you hear me!, bring the paste!" again Severus called out but he heard nothing.
"Bloody hell!" Severus cursed as he slowly lowered Tabatha down and ran across the infirmary to Pomfrey's office.
"Damn it woman, did you not hear..." Severus stopped as he entered the office and looked around. Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be found. "Lovely Bloody Lovely!" Severus growled as he grabbed the container of paste and ran back out on to the infirmary floor and back to Tabatha who was still coughing hard.
Severus paused for a moment; the idea of the mechanics of rubbing paste on Tabatha's chest just entered his mind. Giving a hard swallow he quickly resolved that no, he would rub this on her back, and then he quickly made his way over to Tabatha.
Again he lifted her up a bit, but this time he gently rolled her over onto her side and slowly untied the back of the robe. As he took the paste and started to apply it to her back leaning over her side he spoke softly into her ear. "There we go, shhh let it work, let the magic calm your lungs".
Slowly the coughing started to subside as Severus kept massaging the paste into her back. As the cough stopped Severus decided that to be safe he would apply one more application that could have some time to really soak into her injured lungs. As Severus scooped out more paste and brought his hand to Tabatha's he got his first good look at her back.
Severus pulled his hand back quickly, his dark eyes flashed up. Quickly he scraped the paste in his hand back into the container and jumped up. Walking over to the curtains around the bed and closing them quickly Severus looked back at Tabatha's back.
Severus' hand went to his left shirt sleeve and unbuttoned his cuff on both his over coat and his under shirt and rolled it up to his elbow. Turning his arm over Severus saw two sights that sicken his stomach. The first was the skull and snake dark mark etched into his flesh. The second was a series of small dull red circles. These circles were the constant reminder to Severus of how much is father actually despised him, enough to use him as a human ashtray. Severus moved back to Tabatha and he held his arm up to her back. Covering most of her back were the exact same scars.
As Severus rolled his sleeve back down, he gritted his teeth hard and rage filled his body. He was hardly aware that someone had come back into the infirmary and had now opened the curtain.
"Oh Professor, I'm so sorry. I had to run to the dungeon to get extra supplies we were running out. I see you applied the paste yourself, I hope you were not to put out." Pomfrey started to walk over to Tabatha. "I had never thought of applying the paste to her back, seems like it worked much better than other times, I'll have to make sure to follow your example."
Severus eyes flashed as he stepped in front of Pomfrey "No don't trouble yourself Madam; in fact I have made the decision that Ms. Rewolf shall be moved back to our chambers as soon as possible. I am more than capable of caring for her."
Madam Pomfrey stood there in a confused stupier for a moment then finally regained her thoughts which were full of anger. "What take a patient out of hospital? I never heard such rubbish in my life!"
"I am confident that Headmaster Dumbledore would agree with me, if you would like to fetch him I'm sure he is capable of handling this matter once and for all". Severus spat.
"Fine! You and my patient better be here when I return with the headmaster!" Pomfrey huffed and stormed out of the infirmary.
As soon as Severus was sure the old Matron left the wing, he quick went back to Tabatha and rubbed the remaining paste into her skin, and then tied her robe back and laid her gently back into position. The anger he felt for whoever dared harm her was still in his mind, he could only go on his own feelings. His scars were an embarrassment, how could someone explain what they were or how they got there. No it was easier if no one knew about them, Severus applied that logic to Tabatha's scars as well he would not allow her to be embarrassed or confused, he would not allow anyone else to know about this.
Soon after both Madam Pomfrey and Headmaster Dumbledore were standing at the foot of Tabatha's bed.
Severus, why do you want to move Ms. Rewolf to your chambers?" the old wizard asked with genuine confusion and concern. "Our good Matron is the best healer in Britain."
Severus glared at the old wizard and matron "I do not doubt Madam Pomfrey's ability at all sir, I am well aware of her many gifts and talents. However would I be able to speak to you in confidence sir?"
Dumbledore nodded his head and requested if Madam Pomfrey would please excuse him and the potions master for a moment. As soon as Pomfrey left Dumbledore cast a Muffliato spell, then he walked closer to Severus.
"My boy why would want to move Ms. Rewolf?"
Severus skilled in Occlumency cleared his mind of the truth and allowed only what he wanted Dumbledore to see, to enter his mind.
"The term will be starting in a few days, sir. Granted I have this stone around my neck but I believe it will still be odd, especially around members of my own house, to understand why I have taken to camp out at the feet of what could be seen as a the most extreme muggle-born ever." Severus spoke calmly.
Dumbledore thought for a moment then shook his head in agreement. "Very good point my boy, very good point." He then eyed over to Severus "No chance I could persuade you to not stay here is there?"
The glare from Severus let Dumbledore know quite well that it was not at all an option.
"Severus, what do you plan on doing once term starts in few days? You will have your classes will you not?"
Severus thought of a moment then looked back at the Headmaster with a smirk. "Well I am aware that you're in possession of an item which can help with that I believe, for all I need sir, is time."
Dumbledore smiled "Ah yes that I do dear boy that I do. Well in that case I believe that having Ms. Rewolf in your chambers will acceptable." The old wizard then looked back out into the wing. "I will inform Madam Pomfrey, I'm sure she will not be please."
And with that the Headmaster walked out and headed towards the Matron. Severus on the other hand conjured up a stretcher to move his friend home.
Three days later Severus again had taken up his nightly vigil in the chair next to Tabatha, but this time they were in the safety of their chambers. The past two days since classes had resumed had been tiring to say the least. Severus had made good use of the time turner by doing all his required classes, student meetings as well as caring for Tabatha. One hang up was when Potter and those two friends of his had inquired him about Ms. Rewolf's whereabouts in class. Severus however quickly quieted the golden trio by telling them to mind their own business, focus on their potions, and took a few points from Gryffindor house. He then made a point to avoid them outside of class at all cost.
Severus had been reading a history of muggle medicine book he had Dumbledore ask Hubert for and he was surprised how fascinated he found the material to be. However the chime from his clock caught his attention. Looking over he saw that it had just past midnight, January 9th had come to pass. Severus took that information in slowly, and then gazed over to Tabatha's restful form.
"You've wasted your life, you know that don't you." his mental dialog chimed "You've never done anything to make yourself happy. You never said a word to Lily about how you felt, you let your own issues, and neurosis to allow you to a line yourself with the most horrible people in the magical world. You even had a hand in the death of Merlin knows how many people, foremost the woman you loved for most of your life. And now you can't do a bloody thing to help the only person in the world right now that you care about and that thinks you're worth a damn."
Severus felt the waves of sadness and grief wash over him. He felt like he couldn't breathe, his world was closing in on him. Again he gazed over to Tabatha; he needed her right now more than he ever had. He needed her niceness, her intellect, her sarcastic banter, even her damn twelve year old cuteness. He needed his friend and the powers that be have again played a cruel joke and took away the only person he cared for leaving him alone, again, in the world.
This was too much; right now Severus needed to be close to her somehow. Severus stood up and walked over to the bed. Slowly he sat on the side of the bed and then brought himself to laying position. Turning over on his side he wrapped his arms around her waist then moved himself as close to her as possible. He let his face nuzzle against her skin and hair and her sweet scent wrapped around him. Focusing only on her breathing Severus allowed himself to fall into a deep troubled sleep.
The light from the sunrise broke through the window and filled the room with a warm pink glow. As the light grew it bathed the two forming sleeping soundly in the large green curtained bed. As it got brighter and brighter movement stirred, and an arm raised and cradled the sleeping form next to them. As a hand slowly and softly ran though locks of hair a groggy voice broke the silence of the room.
"Good Morning Severus."