Disclaimer: Harry Potter and friends belong to J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this story.
A/N: Any italics in the story are either flashback/thoughts or quoted directly from the books.
Please review, your feedback helps my writing improve and inspires me to write more content more often. ;)
Also – bold lettering is Parseltongue.
HLP 2 – Slytherin Secrets
Chapter 9:
"Sonovabitch!"
Herman blushed at the words spewing from Professor Snape's mouth. The normally imperturbable man looked to be nearing the end of his rope. He was pacing back and forth, his greasy black hair standing up at odd angles where he'd run his hands through it in frustration. They'd been in his lab for twelve hours, and so far they'd had no luck finding a cure for Harriet's condition. Suddenly Professor Snape stopped and looked over at him.
"What is that plant, the muggle one people use to heal burns?" He looked over expectantly at Herman.
"Aloe Vera? You think that will help?" Herman asked. His mom loved the plant, she bought Aloe Vera products all the time, and even kept a small plant on her windowsill. She even drank a glass of Aloe Vera juice every morning before work. He shuddered in rememberance.
"It can't hurt. I've tried everything I can think of in the magical world for burns, but whatever this became with that lead ball, it is reactant to magic, dangerously so," Snape replied, "the problem is, I don't think Madam Sprout has any in her greenhouses."
"My mum keeps a cutting of it. I can owl her and have her send us some," Herman offered.
"Do it. Hurry. Wait –" Snape stopped him. "Come with me, we will do it the faster way." Grabbing the startled boy by the wrist, he rushed out of the room dragging the stumbling Herman behind him. Snape dragged him up several flights of steps, muttered something to a gargoyle and dragged him up a set of moving spiral stairs almost faster than the gargoyle could jump aside.
"Severus, Mr. Granger, I am guessing from you haste you have discovered something to help Miss Potter," Dumbledore enquired as they burst into his office.
"Possibly, permission to use your floo and take the boy with me? We think his mother may have something that will help Miss Potter," Snape almost stumbled over his words in an effort to get them out between gasps of breath.
"Of course, you do realize it is two in the morning do you not?"
"Yes, sir. Mum won't mind if she knows it will help a friend," Herman insisted.
"Go then, but hurry back. Poppy says the girl's condition is worsening," Dumbledore replied, gesturing toward the fireplace.
Herman grabbed the floo powder and shouted his address, jumping into the flames almost before he had finished the words. Severus followed right behind him.
HLPHLPHLP
Harriet was surrounded by darkness. A *crack* sounded and red lightning flashed across the sky, accompanied by pain. She screamed. Her body burned and her scar ached and she curled up into a ball to protect herself from the lightning. Harriet wondered where she was and how she'd arrived at this strange place. Her last memory was of pulling Rhonda beneath the table in potions class, and then pain. Maybe she was dead. She knew many muggles believed in God and heaven, but everything she'd heard about heaven suggested an absence of pain, not the worst pain she'd ever experienced in her life.
Maybe she was in hell. The Christians believed in a place called hell where bad people and non-believers went. Maybe this was hell. She thought about that for a while between bouts of the burning pain.
"Harriet?"
She looked up to see Gryffin standing beside her.
"Harriet, what is this place?"
"I don't know. I thought it was hell, but it can't be if you are here. What are you doing here anyway?" she asked.
"I don't know. I came to see you in the hospital wing, I was worried. The moment I touched your hand I was here. I think we are inside your mind, but I don't know how," he whispered.
His eyes flashed red for a moment and lightning cracked over the sky a moment later. After a second, his eyes were back to normal. "I've got to go, I can't be here any longer. Professor Snape and Herman are looking for a cure. Goodbye," he faded out abruptly, leaving her to ponder the strange encounter. She wondered what it meant that his eyes had flashed red for a moment. Maybe it had something to do with what was bothering him, or maybe it had been a trick of the light. After thinking about it for a while, she decided it must have been a trick of the light. The only time she'd ever seen red eyes like that had been in her nightmares, the ones from that long-ago night her parents had died. Red eyes and a flash of green light, then the tortured face of her uncle peering down at her before lifting her from the crib.
Warmth flooded over her and a pair of gentle arms embraced her, chasing away the pain. She looked up into the face of a pale woman with long red hair and eyes that matched hers.
"Mum?" she whispered in disbelief.
"Yes, love," The woman whispered, stroking her hair.
"Why are you here, mum? Where's dad?" Harriet whispered, cuddling into her mother's embrace, sobbing.
"Your dad's with your mate right now, lending him strength. I'm not allowed to tell you more at this time. I came to help you, and to have you pass on a message," Lily whispered, hugging her daughter as tears poured down her face.
"M-my mate? What do you mean?" Harriet whispered.
"I'm forbidden from telling you more at this time. Listen, I don't have much time, tell your Uncle, you know the one I'm talking about, that I forgive him and I want him to move on. Tell him he's the brother I always wish I'd had and that I forgave him for his words long ago. He knows which ones I'm talking about. Tell him I said 'thank you' for protecting my most precious treasure. Tell him I'm sorry I couldn't love him the way he wanted, but that if he keeps his heart open, the right girl is out there waiting for him," Lily instructed, "Remember, I will always love you and I will never regret the fact that I died for you, don't ever forget it." She stroked Harriet's face one last time and faded away.
"I love you, mum. I will remember," Harriet whispered, her tears streaming down her cheeks as she knelt in the dark nothingness.
HLPHLPHLP
"Herman, what are you doing here at this time of morning, and who is this?" John Granger stood in the living room in a tan bathrobe and matching slippers.
"Dad, this is Professor Snape, our potions professor. My friend Harriet is gravely injured and he's trying to find a cure for her, we were wondering if mum would let us use her Aloe plant. Professor Snape thinks it may have properties that will aid in the healing since magical methods aren't working," Herman's explaination rushed out.
"Of course he can take it, I will even get together a basket of Aloe products he can try," Jean Granger came into the room in a matching bathrobe and slippers and slipped herself under her husband's arm, wrapping one arm around his waist.
"Thank you, Mrs. Granger, I'm nearly at wit's end trying to find a remedy. Every magical method we have tried has just aggravated the situation," Professor Snape replied formally.
Mrs. Granger left the room just as another person entered.
"Cassandra!" Herman exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace his sister.
"Herman. Professor Snape," She hugged her brother, nodding at the disheveled man standing across the room. "You look like hell. I overheard what you said to mom, would you like some assistance?" she offered.
"Your brother has been doing a great job," Snape replied.
"I'm sure he has, but you both look very tired. As you know, I have advanced degrees in Genetics and Biochemistry, I'm sure I could be a great help and then you both could have a rest," she pressed.
Severus stood there staring at her, his mind working frantically. They'd been working twelve hours straight without a break, perhaps an extra pair of hands would be useful. Plus, he thought, she had been the best student of any of his classes. Maybe a muggle perspective on the problem was needed. His dark eyes rose to her face. "If you can be ready by the time your mother has everything together, I will accept your offer. Perhaps muggle science can do what magic has been unable to," he said.
"Great, I'll be right down," she said, turning to rush back up the twisting staircase.
"How do you know my sister, Professor?" Herman asked, cocking his head.
"She kept Miss Potter and Miss Weasley company until I could retrieve them when the platform closed," Snape explained shortly. He decided the fact that he'd been her muggle chemistry professor at University was not something the boy needed to know at this time.
"Oh," Herman replied, pondering that as he sat down in a fluffy cream-colored armchair. "You can sit down if you'd like professor."
"No, thank you. I'm fine where I am," Snape replied. He didn't add that if he sat down, he would likely fall asleep in something as soft as the Grangers' chairs.
The clatter of feet on the staircase had them turning and they watched as Cassandra Granger, now clothed in jeans and a lab coat, came flying down the stairs two at a time, a wicker basket with assorted objects and a green plant bouncing on her arm.
"Whoa there, slow down," Professor Snape said, moving to catch her as she stumbled down the last step. He ignored the odd jolt he felt when he touched her arm, stepping away the moment she had her balance back.
"Let's go then," he turned to Mr. and Mrs. Granger who were watching him from halfway up the stairs, "thank you for the use of your fireplace." He pulled out a small sack and tossed a handful of green powder into the low flames of the fireplace, causing them to flare up.
"Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office," he said, he cast a quick cushioning charm on the basket before grabbing them by the arms and stepping into the fire.
A/N: Hope you liked it, you will find out if his wild idea will work in the next chapter. As a half-blood and a potion's professor, I couldn't see Snape NOT knowing about Aloe and its properties, even if he hasn't been able to convince Sprout to keep some in her greenhouse.