41

Marked

October 1978:

Lily answered the doorbell before it stopped ringing to find a little ghost and a demon on her porch. "Trick-or-treat!" they sang.

"You two look positively scary!" she said.

She held out a tray filled with all kinds of sweets and let them choose one each from the tray. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome! Happy Halloween!"

They waved to her as they headed down the walk and over to the neighbor's house. Lily loved Halloween, and she recalled many fond memories of herself and Tuney and Sev going trick-or-treating when they were little. She withdrew inside the house and set the treat tray hovering beside the door. She was dressed in a rather slinky Vampirella costume that displayed her legs to good advantage. She figured she had better wear it now, while she still had her slim figure.

She and Severus wanted a child soon, and Lily was hoping to get pregnant before the holiday season. But so far, she had no luck, and had to settle for babysitting Jess, who was now a lively six-month-old with round chipmunk cheeks that she loved to pinch.

"Severus, I'm going to the bathroom to fix my eyelashes, they keep going into my eye," she called to her husband, who was in the den with his little sister. "So it's your turn to answer the door."

"All right, Lily. Jess and I can handle that, right, little bee?" he cooed to the baby, who was wearing an adorable bee outfit that Eileen had made. Dickon and Eileen had gone to a Halloween party someone from Eileen's work was hosting, and Severus volunteered to watch Jess, naturally.

He doted upon the baby girl, since he rarely got time to spend with her since he had moved out and was now taking classes five days a week at the Academy of Potioneers. He loved his studies, but he found that he missed his family, both his new wife and his parents and baby sister.

He especially was fascinated by watching Jess grow, every time he saw her now she had learned something new. Now she clapped her hands and made an astonishing range of noises, including the usual "mama and dada". "It won't be long before she's saying words, right Jess? You're such a smart baby. Of course, you're my sister, so why wouldn't you be?"

Jess was fond of jumping and bouncing, she loved jumping in her swing, which was currently in a corner of the Snape's den, and also on her big brother. Severus let her jump on his knees, but he also didn't mind her jumping on him while he was lying down. One of his favorite activities was to let her jump on his chest and then he would pick her up and hold her over his head.

"Look, it's a broom, it's an owl, it's a flying baby!" he would call, as he gently moved her about.

Jess loved "flying", she would shriek in delight and wave her arms as Severus flew her about.

Then he would have her "dive down" upon him and shout, "Mayday! Baby crash lands right . . .on . . .her . . .brother . . .Ooof!" as he let her down on top of his stomach.

Jess would grin goofily at him and laugh.

She was also trying to crawl, and had gotten quite good at creeping along the floor on her stomach and dragging herself along by her hands. Severus was trying to get her to crawl, and sometimes he would crawl by her, or hold out her favorite stuffed kitty—Miss Marple—a marmalade cat with big green eyes, and call to his sister, "Jess, come get the kitty! Come on! Crawl to the kitty. Look, come and get her."

Jess would reach out to her favorite toy, but Severus would hold it away from her and try and get her to come to him, at least until she started getting frustrated and wailing. Then he would stop and pick her up.

"Softy!" Lily teased. "You are going to have the worst spoiled baby on the earth, Severus, because you're always holding her when she cries. Ours will probably be attached permanently at the hip to you."

"So? I don't like it when she cries. It makes me feel bad."

"Sometimes you just have to let them cry, Sev. Like when you put them down for a nap. Or discipline them."

"That's different. But she's too little to discipline yet. Right, beauty?" he tickled Jess under the chin and she squealed.

"And when she isn't?"

"Then I'll deal with it then," he said evenly. "Don't worry, Lil, I'm no pushover, not when they're old enough to know better."

She hugged him. "I know. You're so good with her, it really amazes me. I would have thought you would be impatient and get bored playing with her."

He shook his head. "I was kind of surprised too, but I can see she's learning from me. She copies me all the time, or tries to, and she's just such a happy little tyke. She makes me feel good even when I'm tired and cross. Kind of like the way you do."

Lily had kissed him then. Who would have ever thought the shy abused boy would grow into such a decent man, one who adored babies, no less! Severus not only played with Jess, he also changed and fed her and put her to sleep without protesting.

"She's going to think you're her father, since you spend more time with her than I do, especially during the school year," Dickon had said ruefully to Severus a few weeks ago. Now that he was back at Hogwarts, he rarely saw his little family, who had elected to stay at Spinner's End.

"Mum will make sure she knows you, Dad," Severus had reassured him. "Jess is smart, she knows I'm her brother. I tell her that all the time."

"I know, I just wish sometimes I had more time to spend with them," Dickon had sighed.

Now Severus was encouraging Baby Bee Jess to crawl to him and hug Miss Marple.

The baby was rocking back and forth on all fours, staring at her brother seated crosslegged a few feet away, holding the cat out and saying, "Come on, little bee! You want Miss Marple? She's right here! Crawl to her!"

Jess rocked harder, then she put out a hand.

"Good! Now the other one! That's it!"

She moved her other hand.

"Now the knee. Move your knee!"

He began making the stuffed cat dance and meow.

Jess giggled. She reached for the kitty.

"Uh-uh. Crawl. You've seen me do it. Now you do it!"

Suddenly, the baby moved her left leg, scooting it along the carpet.

"Yes! Now the other one." He scooted Miss Marple to her and then backed the kitty up. She whimpered and then moved her other leg. "Very good! You're doing it! Lily, come and see! Jess is crawling!"

Lily ran out of the bathroom, having fixed her obstinate fake eyelash, just in time to see her sister-in-law crawl over and fall face-first on top of Miss Marple, hugging the soft toy and drooling all over. "Yay!" She clapped her hands. "Wait till we tell Mum and Dad, Sev!"

"Here," he handed her a rainbow-hued turtle that was another favorite stuffed toy. "You try. Jess, crawl to Lily."

The baby lifted her head and smiled. Severus gently removed Miss Marple from her grasp and tossed it over by Lily.

Jess started crying.

"No, baby. Come to Lily. Come here," Lily coaxed, holding out both toys.

The dark-haired baby started crawling over to her, whining, the little antennae on her head drooping.

The doorbell rang again.

Severus rose and went to hand out the candy. He was wearing his robes and carrying his wand in the other hand. On this one night, he did not have to pretend to be anything other than what he was.

Behind him, Jess started howling, for she was very attached to Severus, and got upset when he left the room suddenly. Lily cuddled her and whispered, "He's comin' right back, darling. Wait and see."

But Jess started to get hysterical, so Lily brought her over to the door where Severus was handing out candy to a mob of kids ranging in age from four to fourteen. "See, there's your Sevvy!"

Jess held out her arms to her brother.

He turned and looked at her. "What's the matter, bug? I was only gone for two minutes."

As soon as she was back in his arms, Jess hushed and tried to grab the candy off the tray.

"Oh, no! You can't eat that, you don't have enough teeth yet," Severus laughed.

"Aww! She's adorable!" gushed the older girls, who were dressed like cheerleaders and witches and princesses. "What's her name?"

"Jess."

"She's a little honeybee! How cute!" they exclaimed over her costume.

Jess gurgled and smiled at them. She knew she was being admired.

"She looks just like you," said a little girl dressed like Ariel.

"Well, duh, Melissa! He's her dad!" said one of the older girls.

Severus opened his mouth to correct them, but a car horn honked at the side of the street and they had to go. "Bye! Thank you!"

"Happy Halloween!" Lily called as they raced away towards the headlights.

"They thought I was her father," he said.

"A common mistake, considering she does resemble you," Lily said, and then she tweaked Jess' nose. "Someday soon we'll have one of our own."

SSLSSSLSSS

Februrary 28th, 1979:

Severus read the morning edition of The Daily Prophet while Lily cooked breakfast. He read aloud, so Lily could enjoy the paper while she cooked. "Listen to this, Lil. Narcissa Black weds Lucius Malfoy on February 10th. Two prominent pureblood families finally tie the knot. Between them, the couple is worth an excess of at least 7,000 Galleons, not including the properties and estates owned by the Malfoy family, of whom Lucius is the sole heir, and the properties Narcissa has inherited from her maternal grandmother."

"Are they richer than James and Tuney?" Lily asked, sprinkling pepper on Severus' egg and bacon sandwich.

"Ahhh . . .I would say they're either almost the same as the Potters or maybe a bit more wealthy. But Charles Potter is known for his shrewd investments, so I could be wrong." Severus replied, sipping his coffee. "Funny, though, Lucius never even mentioned his upcoming wedding back at the last meeting I attended in November."

"It was an arranged match, so maybe he wasn't too thrilled," Lily surmised, anointing her sandwich with ketchup. "Or maybe he felt that his Lord's interest took precedence over his own life."

"That sounds like him." Severus took his plate from where it was hovering just beside him and set it down. Sorrel came and rubbed about his ankles, meowing shamelessly. "Beggar cat!" Severus shook his head. Then he snuck her a piece of bacon.

"Severus! I saw that!" Lily cried. "She's supposed to be on a diet."

"The bacon was the size of my thumbnail," he said defensively. Sorrel purred and he stroked her. The orange cat had started to put on weight, which Lily claimed was from all the table scraps Severus fed her in addition to her cat food.

"What else does the paper say?"

Severus scanned it. "There was an attempted break in at the Ministry. Someone tried to get into the Department of Mysteries, but they were unsuccessful. Nothing was taken according to the Head of that Department."

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Lily quirked an eyebrow at him, sitting down with her own sandwich.

"Probably. Rookwood works in the Department of Mysteries and I think he's a plant." Severus said. "But I don't know what he could want in there. Unless it's some kind of secret weapon."

"I wouldn't doubt it. Maybe Bellatrix knows. I'll try and worm it out of her at the next gathering." Lily said. Bellatrix had also had a wedding, she had married Rudolphus LeStrange.

"Be careful," cautioned her husband. He had always regarded Bella as a dangerous animal, and unpredictable. Her loyalty to her dark master was so strong that she would probably commit suicide if told to do so by Voldemort. He finished off his coffee and sandwich, and rose to his feet. "I have to go, or else I'll be late for class. See you for supper, Lil." He bent and kissed her leisurely before Flooing over to the Academy for another day of advanced potion making.

Lily sent the dishes and cups into the sink wandlessly and cast a silent Cleaning Charm before heading upstairs to take a shower and get dressed. Her job as assistant manager of the theater did not start till nine and it was only seven thirty.

She had just finished doing up her hair in a half-knot, leaving some to hang down in the back, when an owl tapped at the bathroom window. She quickly undid the latch and let the bird inside. It handed her a letter, took the owl treat she had on hand for her own pet, Snowdrop, and then flew away.

She opened the letter and saw that it was from Dumbledore.

Lily,

I need to speak with you immediately. Please come and meet me in Diagon Alley, at Fortescue's. I shall be in disguise, look for a purple capped young man with blue eyes and a walking stick.

Yours,

Albus

Lily frowned, wondering what could be so urgent that Albus needed to speak to her immediately. She wondered if she should pen a reply, but then decided against it. She considered putting on her winter robes but then decided she would rather not waste time and just went in her everyday attire, a knee-length plaid skirt and a blue jumper and black loafers. She did pull on her coat, tossed the letter into the fire, put on the Glamour of Zoey Nightdusk and Flooed to Diagon Alley. If Dumbledore was in disguise, it must mean he felt he was being watched, and so she decided to go in disguise too.

She found Albus right where he had promised he would be, casually eating an ice cream cone. "Zoey!" he exclaimed in a rather high tenor. "Long time no see! What have you been doing since you finished school?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. Job hunting," Lily replied, smiling at him. "How about you, Abe?" she used his brother's nickname, so anyone listening in would not think to tie "Abe" with Albus.

"Would you like an ice cream cone? My treat."

She allowed him to buy her a chocolate cone. "Why don't we eat it under that bench by the pink umbrella?" she suggested, indicating a bench with an umbrella next to a tree.

They ambled over and then Dumbledore said, "I couldn't believe it when Dickon told me that you were . . .engaged to Severus Snape. I wasn't aware of it."

She made a discreet gesture, casting a Muffliato Charm about them. "We decided to keep it quiet, sir. That's why we didn't tell anyone. We got married in a small Muggle ceremony."

"You have my sincere congratulations, but what you did was rather rash."

"In what way? We made sure no one save family was at the ceremony and they won't speak of it to anyone." Lily said sharply.

"That may be, but if anyone connected with the Death Eaters ever learned that you two have married, your lives could be at risk!" Dumbledore scolded.

Lily's eyes flashed. "If you're asking me to give up Severus, save your breath! It's not happening. We live in the Muggle world, not the wizarding one . . .on purpose."

"Severus still attends the Academy, does he not?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I assume he wears a ring on his finger?"

"Of course. And don't think he'll stop either."

"Then he must have a cover for that." Dumbledore argued. "He must be above suspicion."

Lily thought about it. She realized that Dumbledore was, much as she hated to admit it, right. "Okay. What story should he concoct?"

"He must marry an acceptable witch. By acceptable I mean one whom the Death Eaters would approve of."

"You want him to commit polygamy?" Lily was horrified.

"No, my girl. I want him to marry Zoey Nightdusk. Make yourself obviously attracted to him during those meetings you attend. Then show up one night with a ring on your finger and I shall forge the necessary documents with the Ministry—a certificate of bonding with both your names on it. That should keep you safe."

Lily nodded reluctantly. "I'm so sick of pretending, Albus!" she burst out suddenly. "All I want—all we both want—is to live our lives in peace! Together, and to raise a family! But it seems that no matter how hard we try, it's not to be."

He patted her hand. "I know, my dear. I am sorry, but sacrifices are often necessary in war. And did not your own prophecy say that you shall defeat him if you are steadfast? Keep your chin up, Mrs. Snape. When this war is over, you can live the life you choose."

"But when, Headmaster, will this war be over?"

"I wish I knew." Dumbledore said sadly. "I wish I knew."

Lily checked her watch. "I have to go. I have work in half-an-hour. I'll tell Sev what you said."

"Thank you. Your efforts do not go unnoticed, even though it may seem so right now. Someday, the world shall know of what you have done."

Lily nodded wearily, suddenly feeling older than her eighteen years. She had turned eighteen on January 30th, she was only three weeks younger than her husband, but right then she felt as if she were eighty. She dispelled the Muffliato and then gave "Abe" a kiss on the cheek and waved cheerily to him before crossing the street and entering the Leaky Cauldron. She longed to tell Dumbledore that she—and Severus—could give a damn about recognition for their duty. All they wanted was to be left in peace.

SSLSSSLSSS

A month later, at the end of March, Severus received a summons from Lucius. It was an official note and he knew with a sickening feeling that it portended no good. The next meeting of the Iron Masks was scheduled for tomorrow night and Severus had a feeling that night some of them—those who were of age—were going to be encouraged to take the Mark. When he told Lily of his fears, she almost collapsed.

"Sev, you can't! You can't let him do that to you!" she whispered, terror written all over her face.

"What choice do I have?" he demanded. "If I refuse. . . they'll assume I'm not loyal to the cause, that I'm a traitor, and then I'll die. Most likely slowly and painfully."

"Then don't go to the meeting. Tell Lucius you never received the notice."

"Lily, you know I can't do that."

"But Severus, with the Mark on you . . .he can see into your mind! Then he'll know everything!"

"No, he won't," he reassured her, cuddling close to her in their bed. "Remember my unusual little talent? The one Dumbledore discovered during our seventh year? I'm a natural Occlumens. I can block my thoughts from any form of Legilimency. Even his. He won't be able to penetrate my mind. And I can let him think I'm his loyal supporter, who has married another loyal follower."

They had done as Dumbledore had suggested and at the last few meetings, had allowed the other Death Eaters to assume that Zoey and Severus were an item. Lucius seemed pleased and had told Voldemort that two of his young followers were married and ready to start breeding more little followers of darkness.

She clung to her husband, burying her face in his hair. "Sev, I'm afraid. Not for me, but for you."

"Hush, little oracle. This is the only way we can get close enough to him to discover his secrets. I don't want to do this, but . . ." He bit his lip. "Promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"That you will still love me after."

"Oh, God, Severus! I would love you if you bore a hundred Marks. The damn thing won't ever change the way I feel about you." She turned suddenly and pulled him down on top of her. "Love me, Sev. I need you."

"And I you. You are my light, Lily Anne Snape." He began to slowly kiss her, relishing in the joining of two hearts and two bodies and the love that bound them together, come what may.

SSLSSSLSSS

March 30th, 1979

Somewhere on Malfoy Manor:

Beneath the trees, the darkness seemed to linger, even though the light from the witch brazier burned with an illuminating icy blue flame, enough so all of the young men present could see each other's faces and Lucius' as well.

Lucius stepped forward to stand in the center of the circle and declaimed crisply, "All of you who are gathered here tonight have been members of this group for years, and have shown unshakable faith in our cause. Tonight, Our Lord has decided it is time to reward such devotion. He has asked me to choose among you those whom I would deem worthy of his favor and grace. I have done so. All of you here are of age, my chosen warriors, dark paladins that shall arise and defend the Dark Lord and do his bidding."

He paused in his speech to roll up the sleeve of his robe and display proudly the Mark of Voldemort's favor. "I bear the Dark Mark, the sign of allegiance, and when he arrives, so too shall you. This is a great honor, and with it you shall gain power undreamt of. You shall be able to hear his voice in your mind, no matter the distance, and when he calls, will be able to Apparate immediately to his side. He gives this privilege to very few, and you should thank the gods of night that you have been chosen."

Severus looked around. There were six others besides him. All of them had been Housemates of his save for a Ravenclaw named Igor Karkaroff. There was Avery, Mulciber, Rabastan LeStrange, Gregory Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe. Seven, the sacred number, he thought darkly. He wondered why Regulus wasn't here. Then he recalled Lucius' comment that all of them were of age. Reg wouldn't be seventeen until a month later.

Lucius flipped his sleeve down and folded his hands in his sleeves. "Be patient, my brothers. Soon you will be a member of the elite, his Hands of Destruction."

Severus felt his stomach clench and bile rise in his throat. Steady. Steady. Breathe. He forced himself to breathe deep breaths and soon his stomach calmed. He sank into a light trance, as he did for meditation, and became a statue standing amid the black oaks, waiting for Voldemort to arrive.

After about ten minutes, the candidates started to shift about nervously. Did the Dark Lord forget them? Was this a test? Was the Master of the Dark late?

Suddenly, there came a bright blue flash and when they could see again, Voldemort stood before them. His dark hood was thrown back, revealing his midnight hair and saturnine handsome face. He fairly radiated power, a dark miasma that rolled off him like the stench from the marshes.

Severus longed to sneer, Pyrotechnics! Is that the best you can do, Tom? Parlor tricks worthy of a second year!

"Master," Lucius said, then he knelt and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robe.

"Master!" chorused the Iron Masks, and they too knelt.

Voldemort came to each of them and held out a ring with the Slytherin crest upon it for them to kiss.

Severus kept his eyes down on the ground and when the ring was presented to him, touched his lips briefly to the cold silver. Who do you think you are—the Archbishop of Canterbury? First we kneel and kiss your ring, and then after we kiss your robe, as if you were divine? Pride goeth before a fall, Tom.

Even through his Occlumency shields, he could feel the cold dark aura that surrounded Voldemort, and it chilled him to the marrow. For one instant he considered trying to flee this hellish meeting. But he was no coward, and he did not relish being torn to pieces, or hit in the back with the Killing Curse.

Voldemort moved on, leaving Severus shivering and the back of his neck cold with sweat.

Finally, the Dark Lord resumed his position in the center of the circle, and made a beckoning motion with one hand. From the shadows slithered an immense cobra, the size of a man, her scales black as night save for a red mark upon her hood. This was Nagini, Voldemort's familiar—a Queen Cobra. She had been magically enhanced by him and her venom was among the most deadly toxins in the wizarding world.

He caressed the cobra's head. "Sssee, Nagini, my faithful." He hissed in Parseltongue. "Sssoon they sshall be Marked, as a sssign that they belong to me, my Hounds to do my bidding, to hunt where I will, my Hands to bring death to my enemies."

His eyes swept over the seven figures kneeling before him. He smiled—a cold evil smile. "When Lucius calls your name, step forward and receive my gift," Voldemort ordered.

Lucius began, calling, "Michael Avery."

Avery stepped forward. He knelt at Voldemort's feet, and the Dark Lord grasped his left arm and rolled up his sleeve. He exposed the underside of Avery's arm and pressed his wand to the skin. "Morsmordre."

There was a sizzling sound and the smell of burnt flesh.

Avery let out a choked cry and then he fell on the ground, writhing in pain.

Severus waited for the Dark Lord to sneer and kick the younger wizard. Instead Voldemort knelt and raised the younger man, holding him. "There now, my son. The pain shall pass." He stroked Avery's hair. "Now we are one, my child."

After a few minutes, Avery stopped whining and gasping and Voldemort released him. "Go and stand over beside Lucius, Michael. He is your elder brother and is to be obeyed in all things."

One by one, the others were called and Marked.

Severus was last, and he had started to fear that somehow he had been discovered, until he realized that Lucius had simply called them in alphabetical order.

"Kneel, child."

Severus did, fighting back the urge to shiver when the cold hand grasped his own. He heard the cobra hiss and he lifted his eyes to glare at the snake.

He heard Voldemort chuckle. "Ah, a brave one. You are not afraid of snakes?"

"No, my lord."

"That is good. Very good. Lucius has told me you are a genius with potions. I have need of such." Voldemort rasped, his voice dry and cold like snake scales rustling across dead leaves.

"I live to serve, my lord."

He drew in a breath and submerged himself deeply in his meditative trance.

Voldemort placed the tip of his wand against Severus' pale flesh.

"Morsmordre!"

He felt, dimly, the brand sear his skin, the wand blazing a fiery trail across his arm, placing the skull and the snake upon his skin.

But he did not pull away, nor cry out like the others. His discipline held. Then he felt tendrils of awareness poke at his mind, skittering across his shields, and he knew that Voldemort was attempting to penetrate his mind.

The Dark Lord lacked finesse, his mind probe was about as subtle as a ton of bricks. Severus allowed Voldemort access to several chosen memories, a few from his childhood, showing his abusive past, a few from school, showing his hatred of the Marauders, and his meetings with the Iron Masks, a glimpse of "Zoey Nightdusk" on their wedding day. . .

The Dark Lord rummaged through the memories as if he were a spoiled girl rummaging through a closet full of clothes, tossing some aside and lingering over others.

Severus felt sweat trickle down his neck, but then the Dark Lord withdrew. He found himself pressed up against the man's robes, breathing in the scent of elder and other stale herbs. One hand stroked his back. He fought to keep from flinching.

"My brave son. So young . . .to know such pain." Voldemort whispered in Severus' ear. "Like me, you were unloved and unwanted. But now all is different. For now you are part of my family, young Snape, and I shall love you always." He placed a kiss upon Severus' head. "You are newly married, yes?"

"Yes, my lord." Severus managed to say.

"She is one of us?"

"She is, my lord."

"Ahh . . .well done! You have pleased me greatly, Severus. Go now, my son. Go to your loving wife and show her my Mark and tell her you are among my favored. Go!"

Severus drew away from that sickening embrace, his head was starting to pound from overextending his Occlumency and from pain, but he managed to focus upon one thing, the den in front of the fireplace in his home.

With the last of his strength, he Apparated home.

Lily heard something hit the floor hard down the hall. She jumped out of bed, her blue nightshirt flapping about her knees. She had dozed off waiting for Severus to return, and grabbing her wand from its sheath, raced down the hall.

"Sev? Is that you?"

She heard a faint groan.

Then she was in the den, and rushing over to kneel beside her stricken husband.

Severus was deathly pale, his facial muscles clenched in pain, and his eyes were bright with fever. He lay on the floor, gasping, as if it had taken him the last of his strength to get home. One arm was outstretched, and she saw the terrible Mark upon his arm, a livid black burn against his pallid skin, with red radiating from it like a poison.

"Sev! It's me, Lily! Sev, can you hear me?"

His eyes focused on her. "Lily . . .help . . .me . . ."

She gently slid her hands under his head. "Merlin, Sev, you're burning up! What did that son of a bitch do to you?"

Severus grimaced. "Tainted me . . .with the Mark of the Beast . . ." Two tears trickled down his cheeks.

She held him close as he shivered violently. "It's going to be all right, love. I'm here, Sev. I love you. I will always love you."

He did not answer, and she wasn't sure if he heard her. He was terribly ill and the look in his eyes had been terrible—they were the eyes of one who had looked upon the face of evil, tormented and bleak, without hope, and filled with self-loathing.

My poor love! My poor love! She thought as she held him, and she cursed both Voldemort and Dumbledore to the deepest hell, while her tears dripped into his hair.

How did you like this one?

Next: Lily must take care of a very ill Severus.

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