The Infirmary

Sev spent a while rereading in his notebook the news on the radio that he wrote down, and the titles and groups of the songs that he liked. What a pity, I only listened to the radio again on the last day we trained in the Forest, I haven't left the castle since then.I'm missing spring, soon it will be too hot and I won't be able to run the risk of walking around alone, like I always did.

This is going to be hard on me, and after last night, I have to be much more careful when I go to the Room of Requirement. If they find me there again they can smell it and use it for whatever crap they can think of. Will I ever be able to live in peace?

The time that he had left was devoted to dozing. The pain potion is making me drowsy.

Around eleven he heard, "Hey, Sev! Still sleeping?" Remus greeted him from the bed opposite.

Sev opened his eyes. "What's up, wolf? What a surprise!"

"Yeah. This Poppy has already guessed everything."

"Of course. Oh… thanks for telling her about the potion, she's going to fix my life. I am also going to study the Medimagic NEWT, we will do it together."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. She's told me she's going to try and get me a fellowship at St Mungo's in the summer, so they can test my potion so I can patent it," Sev explained.

"How glad I am."

"Thanks to you, wolf."

"How do you feel?" Remus asked.

"I'm sleepy, because of the painkiller potion, but nothing hurts. Did they tell you?"

"Of course."

"What a night you must have spent," the Sly boy said.

"Well, yes, but it doesn't matter."

"Yes it does matter, Remus, you already warned me. I was not cautious and I must have worried everyone."

"Well, Lily found out right away, from Cecile," Remus reassured him. "I'm sure they didn't tell her. Potter and Black were scared, they were very serious, and they weren't daring to tell me that Cecile defended you and helped you."

"Ugh… suspicious, they smell something. Cecile shouldn't have done it."

"I know, Sev. But she is a true Gryff, although she has a part of Sly's cunning, heart and courage beat her."

"Sure, I understand," Sev agreed. "It is much more difficult for you to hide and contain what you feel."

"Poppy told me that Dumbledore came to see you."

"Yes, she called him. I was quite alarmed and made Cecile nervous. I made her lie, to tell him that she had not defended me, that she had only helped me. But he didn't read us or put her in any trouble, he asked her two or three questions as a mere formality and let her go right away, she was shattered."

"Well, but she immediately saw Lily," said the Gryff boy.

"Yes, but she would still have to tell her everything and comfort her too. They probably slept together."

"Yes, I think so too. Can you tell me something about Dumbledore?"

"Whoa, Remus…amazing. As soon as Cecile left, he called me by my first name, and asked me to do the same with him. He treated me as an equal," Sev answered.

"Wow…"

"He was very sorry for last year. For not expelling your dear 'friends' then."

"Of course," Remus agreed.

"And because now he couldn't do it because of a simple broken arm. He is afraid that they will hurt me, not only because of me, but because he has already found out that the books withdrawn from the R.S. have disappeared and he thinks that only I know where they are. He didn't tell me outright, but he let me know that right now I can't fail. I plan to ask him to help me and Lily become Animagi and register as soon as we turn seventeen. If it's okay with you by then, I'll tell him that those three are unregistered and we'll kick them out of school, whenever you want."

"Sure, Sev. Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me, wolf. I have spent the whole year calm thanks to you. I know about the map." He is stunned, Sev thought."You've been giving me many clues since we established contact, I've been connecting the dots. I'm also taking Arithmancy, along with exploring the castle, it wasn't that difficult to guess. Do all the students of the school show up?"

"Yeah."

"You have to watch out for five camouflaged malefics. Two Gryff seventh-years and three Raves, two seventh-years and one sixth-year. The Slys I suspect we will expel. When you can get up, take the notebook and I'll tell you the names."

"Don't you prefer to keep the Map?" asked the Gryff. "You're in more danger than Lily."

"I will be escorted by the Guard. And even if it didn't, I'd rather something happen to me than to her."

"I understand."

"I know that I am putting a great responsibility on your shoulders, but Dumbledore is also going to instruct her as soon as possible so that she can defend herself," Sev said. "I'm sure he'll do it tomorrow while we train. Between the map and that, maybe you can do without spending all your time with the other three. Overall, the seventh-years leave in a month and a half and the sixth-year is left alone, there is no one in fifth year yet."

"Okay, I'll write down." Remus got up from his bed and walked over to Sev's.

"Pass me my wand, I'll Summon a chair for you, let's see how it turns out, it's the first time."

Sev did, with his left hand, it came out limp.

"Well, it's all the same to me," Remus said.

"Write down," Sev dictated the five surnames. "Memorize them and burn the sheet. Be careful especially with the Gryffs, you have them at home. Since they are two boys, when you separate from Cecile and Lily, let them lock themselves in their bedroom."

"Does Lily know about the Map?"

"She does," Sev replied. "I told her not to tell you anything at the moment, but now this has come up and we had to talk about it. I'm going to tell Dumbledore too, but I don't think he can do much against them, so we have a month and a half of maximum risk. For next year we will think about what to do with the one who is left alone and if more of our year appear. Can I tell Dumbledore that you have the map so that he can be at ease about Lily? Yesterday he showed me how much he appreciates you for having protected me all year."

"Yes, tell him. And if he wants, I'll teach him how to make the arithmantic part. He must already have plans of the castle, including the interior of the other houses, which we don't know and are missing from ours."

"Remus, you are a real genius, you should dedicate yourself to it."

"Precisely my studies have not gone very well because I spend too much time on that. I wanted to make it up to the other three for becoming Animagi for me. But as soon as we had it ready, I regretted it, because the first thing they did was look for you."

"When?"

"At the end of last year," the werewolf replied.

"In the fifth floor."

"Yeah."

"And I disappeared in the Fidelius," said Sev.

Remus smiled and lowered his face in embarrassment.

"I've known for a long time that you knew," the Sly continued. "You gave yourself away by giving us the book of protective spells."

"I caught you the same day you took Lily for the first time."

Sev laughed. "And me believing that we were safe."

"And you were."

"Indeed. Then after your blunder I spent almost a month watching it, making rounds every hour."

Remus laughed too. "What are you going to tell me? I also was watching to be sure you didn't get caught."

"Wow, wolf... Forgive me for not having trusted you much sooner."

"It's normal, you had your process, I had been harassing you with the others for four years. I will never forget your letter that Lily gave me to read on that Express ride, it was one of the most moving and healing moments of my life."

"And Cecile fell in love with you right then," Sev said.

"Yes, we only missed you."

"I was present, in your hearts."

Poppy appeared. "Hi guys. Oh, Remus, you're already awake and fresh."

"Like a rose," Remus said.

"Do you want to have something light until lunchtime?"

"Yes, Poppy. A milk tea with some pastries, few."

"Do you want something, Severus?" the mediwitch asked.

"No, thanks, Poppy. I had a very good breakfast," Sev replied.

Poppy left.

"How she takes care of us, huh?" Remus said.

"The poor woman must get bored a lot, always alone here," Sev commented.

"I come to see her at least once a week, lately less, because of Lily."

"Yeah. I'll also come to see her from time to time. She has told me that Medimagic is the only NEWT in which Arithmancy is studied. That's why you took it, right?"

"Yeah. Another Outstanding that I need and I will get thanks to you," Remus answered. "Fortunately, the examining board is external and the grades arrive at home, what we have done during the year does not count, because I am having to keep it at a low level, I have told them that I only need an Acceptable."

"Cunning Gryff."

"Learning from you."

"Cecile told me about two sixth-year Gryffs who will be joining us tomorrow. Do you know them?" the Sly asked.

"I do. Longbottom and his girlfriend. I have also spoken with them, she introduced them to us the other day. They're great, they want to be Aurors since fourth year and have been training together on their own ever since."

"Great, good warriors, brave Gryffs."

"Yes, they are. Willing to die," Remus said.

"How I want to meet them. If tomorrow they join I will dedicate myself to them."

"I'm sure you'll like them, they are very open and tolerant. They could have been Huffles."

"Well, now that you mention it, Huffles, open and tolerant," said Sev. "Surely they also join, at least the warriors."

"For sure yes. Huffles are the least inclined to segregation. You see that the Gryff girls of our year also hang out with the badgers. Remember that in the old days, anyone who asked the Hat to go to that House could do so. And not a single dark wizard in history is known to have come from Huffle."

"Wow, we should have counted on them for tomorrow too."

"I'm sure they'll join in the Great Hall or training," said the Gryff.

"For sure yes."

They continued chatting until the girls arrived, just before half past twelve. They brought sandwiches from the kitchens and sweets. The three of them sat around Sev's bed.

"The Infirmary, Sev…" Cecile told him.

How nice to be the four of us, how I've missed it, he thought.

When Lily went to kiss him, she projected to him, "Lauren is warned, and so is Jack."

"Jack? How?" Sev asked.

"Lauren has projected to him."

"Booaah…"

"And then Slughorn has talked to him for a few seconds, hiding from the Sly table," Lily continued.

"Wow… they already know everything. I gave Dumbledore clues last night."

"Yes, we already imagined it, Cecile deduced it from how he showed up here. Can you tell us something?"

"Sure, sit down and I'll tell you," Sev asked her.

Lily sat to his left, holding his hand. Sev told them what he thought it was convenient for the girls to know, and told Lily that she should be ready the next day so that Dumbledore might summon her that same morning, in order to protect her.

"We'll meet Jack this afternoon in the clearing," Cecile told him.

"Ugh… dangerous," Sev said, denying.

"We have appoint him before we knew that Slughorn would warn him."

"Abort it. I'm sorry for him, but when he sees that you don't show up, he'll understand. I'll tell him tomorrow what I think is convenient. I know it was my fault."

"No, Sev," Cecile said, "It was the trio."

"Yeah, the usual, too many enemies. Let's see if tomorrow we get rid of twelve."

At half past one, Cecile and Remus left Lily and Sev alone for a while.

"How has Lauren taken it?" he asked her.

"Ugh… I think she was the first one who arrived at the Great Hall. I get that she stayed up all night waiting for you and slept with the potion."

"How unconscious I am."

"No, Sev, you just wanted to relax for a while."

"Yeah, but in return I have worried everyone else."

"We are a team, Sev. We have united around you, but this does not mean that you should carry all the weight on your back. You have the right to have a life outside of this."

"What else has Lauren told you?"

"That she didn't care about the war anymore, as long as nothing serious had happened to you."

"Oh…"

"I think she felt guilty for having put so many birds in your head," Lily said.

"Ugh… she must have had a terrible time. She has a lot of sense of guilt."

"Yes, in that you are alike a lot."

"Tell her everything about Dumbledore tonight in the Great Hall, talk to her as much as you can, let her disgust go away," Sev asked her. "She always told me that tomorrow was going to be the best day of her life. And if she wants she can project to Jack why didn't you go to the clearing this afternoon, because I said so. That tomorrow I will speak alone with him as soon as we organize the training."

"Sev, go home early tomorrow, before the others get up. She hasn't told me anything, but I'm sure she'll be waiting for you in the Common Room to see you alone before everything happens."

"Of course, I'll do it. Tell her I'll be there at quarter past eight. It would be suspicious to leave early from here."

"I'm telling her tonight, Sev."

"Thank you, Lily, and there is something else I want to ask you. She also gave me clothes to fight after Easter. I was thinking of wearing the ones you gave me, but I think she needs more support right now. Do you mind if I wear hers tomorrow?"

"Of course not, Sev, do it. I'm going to be with Cecile and Remus, and she completely alone."

"Thank you, Lily."

"In the end not even today you have been calm."

"Well, it has been a pleasure to see you, gasoline for tomorrow. Give me kisses."

"Oh… it's the first time you've asked me," she said.

"I miss you so much honey."

Lily sat next to him on the bed and they kissed for the ten minutes they had left to leave. Remus and Cecile caught them when they leaned in to let Lily know it was time. They didn't come over to say goodbye to Sev, just waved goodbye.

He was left alone. Ugh… she has made me horny, almost a month without doing it.Will I be able with the left? He was, remembering what he did with Lily that last night at Cokeworth. It was the best he had ever had alone. Wooow… what a release.I'm going to take a nap and then I'll do it again.

For the second he imagined the same thing with Lauren, and then he dozed off for a while. In the end he didn't touch the novel Cecile had brought him. There is half an hour left for dinner.It's time to test if the Stimulant Potion makes me lose drowsiness.I'm going to take it for an hour. Already at noon he had Summoned a small vial into which to transfer a certain amount of what Cecile had brought him, and now he Summoned a dispenser and took the dose. He felt instantly fully awake, as always, and his arm still didn't hurt.

Well, I already have the idea for another potion. Combine painkiller with Stimulant, so that it does not cause drowsiness. Medimagic needs to be improved, there are Muggle medicines that take away pain without making you sleepy.

At seven thirty sharp, Poppy brought him dinner and stayed with him. He told her the idea that he had just had.

"Sure, that would be great," the mediwitch said. "My colleague must have gotten the owl by now, and I'm sure he'll write back to me tonight. Maybe before you leave tomorrow I will already have the answer."

Ugh… we'll see, I have to leave very early.In any case, I can drop by when I'm done with Dumbledore, Sev thought.

"How well you use your left hand," she commented to him.

"I'm learning to play the piano."

"Oh really? Where?"

"In the Room of Requirement, Cecile is teaching me," Sev answered. "Last night when they caught me I was going there."

"Wow… Well, luckily you didn't break any fingers or your wrist, because you could have lost mobility."

Booaah…

They talked for a while more about Medimagic, and Sev was more and more interested in the subject. He knew from the summary of Moon Magic that it was the oldest branch of magic. If Dumbledore gives me permission, I am to pass that knowledge on to Poppy.A good excuse to be with her.

When he finished eating he asked, "Can you give me the potions now, please?"

"They are due in an hour, but tomorrow you have to get up early, haven't you?"

"Yeah. I have to go home to take a shower."

"You can also shower here," Poppy suggested.

Ugh… school shampoo, and wand drying my hair, but if I shower here I'll have more time with Lauren.Let's see, half an hour for a shower… "How long will it take you to unsplint and examine me?"

"Nothing, five minutes."

I have to get home at eight fifteen. "I have to wake up before half past seven," Sev said.

"Very well, then I'll give you of sleep potion for eleven hours."

"Perfect."

Poppy took away the dinner tray, brought him the potions, and he drank them. This time the sleep one took a while to take effect, due to the reminiscence of the Stimulant. In the end he fell asleep thinking. Of course, Medimagic needs to be improved.