Chapter Fifteen: Bacon Butties and Baked Beans

Chapter Fifteen: Bacon Butties and Baked Beans

Tuesday, 1 September 1998

Gareth flicked his wand, pulling the armchair closer to the bed, and motioned for Hermione to take that seat as he sat down in Minerva's wooden chair.

"The Headmistress said you were very sick today," Hermione said. "What happened?"

Severus shook his head. "I don't know, actually. I can't remember anything, but I apparently . . . apparently I collapsed in my classroom."

"How do you feel now?" she asked.

"Tired." He glanced over at Gareth, then looked back at Hermione. "A little confused. But better than I have."

"Aunt Minerva said that you should recover fully," Gareth said.

Severus nodded. "Healer O'Donald apparently performed some procedures that she had been going to do on Friday."

"That's good!" Hermione said. "Does that mean you won't need to take any of those potions any longer?"

Severus shrugged. "I presume so." He looked at the two of them. "Your apprenticeship began today."

"Yes," Hermione said. "I have a new work schedule, and Gareth's set me exercises to do."

"You aren't wearing an apprentice cap," Severus observed.

Hermione shook her head. "I have one, though."

"She only has to wear it if we meet with clients together," Gareth explained.

Severus lifted his lip in a slight sneer. "Does that mean that you'll be dressing more respectably, too? A robe, perhaps?"

Gareth laughed. "No, I'm the master. I get to choose what I wear, Snape."

"Clients might appreciate not having to stare at your knees," Severus said.

"Stare, Snape?" Gareth grinned. "Like my knees that much, do you?"

Hermione laughed, but Severus glowered at her.

"I'm sorry, Severus. It was just funny. We shouldn't tease you when you've been ill."

Severus took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It is nothing."

"How long will you be in the infirmary?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. Not long, I hope."

A Patronus flew into the room, a bee, and it circled Gareth, who tilted his head and accepted the message. He frowned.

"I have to go, Hermione," he said. "Sorry, Snape. That was Mum. I've got to get back to the house."

"Is everything all right?" Hermione asked.

Gareth shrugged. "I think that she simply feels peculiar being alone in the house at night, since Gluffy's with his sick sister today. I'll just let her know I'm on my way." He drew his wand and cast his Patronus; a happy collie bounded through the wall on its way to Hogsmeade.

He stood and looked down at Severus. "I hope you feel better. Sleep well!" He clapped his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll be back to your usual miserable self soon!"

"Hmmpf."

"I'll see you later, Hermione. You remember the pass-phrase for the door, or should I wait up?"

"I have it down, thanks," Hermione replied.

"'Night, all! Give my best to Aunt Minerva and Uncle Albus if you see them."

As the infirmary door closed behind him, Severus said, "You can go with him, if you want to, Hermione."

Her eyebrows rose. "No, I'm fine. Did you want me to leave?"

"No, I just thought . . . you've already spent too much of your time sitting with an invalid."

"You aren't an invalid, Severus. I don't see you that way. And I enjoy spending time with you." When Severus didn't say anything, Hermione added, "If I were the one who was sick, wouldn't you want to visit me?"

"Of course I would." He sighed. "I'm just tired, and tired of being sick."

"Well, it sounds like you're not going to be sick much longer, and if you're tired, why don't you sleep? I don't mind. I brought a new book on the history of Arithmancy with me. I can read and you can nap."

"Reading a book on the history of Arithmancy might prove a soporific, and you might fall asleep, too," Severus said with a slight smile. "The history of Arithmancy?" He couldn't imagine a more dull history-of-anything. "Is that actually interesting to you?"

Hermione nodded and pulled the book from her bag. "More interesting than the exercises Gareth's given me, but that wouldn't be difficult."

"Bored already?"

"It's only the first day," Hermione said. "We're covering basics at the moment. I'm sure it will get more interesting."

Severus nodded and closed his eyes. He opened them again and said, "I'm sorry, Hermione, but I don't think I can stay awake."

"You don't need to," she replied, opening her book. "I didn't come here to keep you awake or to be entertained. I just wanted to sit with you for a while."

Severus nodded, his eyes closed, and he slipped into sleep.

Hermione looked up from her book when the door to the infirmary opened.

"How is he?" Albus whispered after he reached her.

"He's slept most of the time," Hermione replied softly.

Albus nodded. "Was he lucid when he was awake?"

"He seemed to be, though he did say he felt confused and couldn't remember what happened."

"Healer O'Donald said he would likely remember little, and it's not surprising that he's confused."

"How long will he be in the infirmary?"

"I do not know. At least another day, I believe, if only to make sure that he does not overextend himself."

"Like he did today," Hermione said.

"Indeed," Albus said with a nod. "Thank you for coming to sit with him, Hermione. Healer O'Donald wanted someone with him all evening."

"I was glad to. I was worried about him when Gareth got the Headmistress's message this afternoon, so it was good to be able to see him for myself."

"You may, of course, stay as long as you wish, but I think I will sit with him for a while now, too." Albus conjured another armchair. "Melina will be here in an hour or so to check on him. If she finds him well enough, we will have a house-elf stay in the infirmary overnight and we can go to our own beds."

"Where is Madam Pomfrey? I haven't seen her at all," Hermione said.

"She was tired after assisting with the procedures today, so she is in her quarters resting. If we were to need her, she would come over, of course."

Severus stirred and Albus and Hermione looked up. Severus blinked at them blearily.

"I am sorry if we woke you," Albus said.

"What time is it?" Severus asked.

Hermione looked at her watch. "Almost nine. At night," she added.

"Feels later," Severus replied.

"Are you hungry?" Albus asked. "Would you like anything to eat?"

Severus nodded.

"Anything in particular strike your fancy?" Albus asked.

"A bacon butty and tea," Severus said. "With a lot of butter on the bread."

Albus chuckled. "I am not certain whether that's something which Melina or Poppy would completely approve of, but if that's what you would like! Wilspy!" Albus called.

Albus's ancient house-elf appeared with a pop, a soft smile on her face. "Yes, Master Albus?"

"Severus would like a bacon butty, with extra butter, and tea, please," Albus said.

Wilspy's smile grew and she turned to Severus. "Would you like the bread toasted first? And brown sauce on it?"

Severus shook his head. "Just bread with butter. White bread. And a dish of baked beans."

Wilspy bobbed her head. "A nice supper for a young wizard," she said. "I bring a very nice supper for you." She turned to Albus and Hermione. "The same for you?" she asked.

Albus hesitated. "Don't tell Minerva," he whispered conspiratorially, "but a bacon butty sounds very good right now."

Wilspy raised a finger to her lips and winked, then said, "You were a good boy and ate your veg today. No extra butter for you, though. And young miss? You would like a bacon butty?"

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "No, thank you, ma'am."

Wilspy laughed heartily and Disapparated, her laughter still ringing in their ears.

"You don't have to call a house-elf 'ma'am,'" Severus told her, an amused expression on his face.

Hermione shrugged, but Albus chuckled. "Sometimes, I feel I should call her 'ma'am'! Ever since she's returned to the castle, I've felt like a child again. She missed fussing over me, I suppose."

"She's yours?" Hermione asked.

"She's a Dumbledore house-elf, yes," Albus replied. "She took care of me when I was a boy, and then she became mine several decades later. She was my nurse, my playmate, and my confidante as I was growing up."

Hermione blinked. "I wouldn't have thought you would own a house-elf." She tried not to sound disapproving.

Albus's eyes twinkled at her. "She is not my possession, Hermione, though she is not a free house-elf. We are bound. I have an interesting book you might enjoy on the history of house-elves and the origins of the relationship between wizarding families and house-elves. Not all families are like the Malfoys and Blacks, you know."

Hermione nodded. "Of course not."

"It might give you some ideas about how to improve the lot of so many house-elves if you understood the history better," Albus suggested.

Hermione looked slightly dubious, but agreed.

"I'll send the book to you, then." Albus looked at the book in her lap. "It might prove more stimulating than The Development of Arithmancy over the Millennia."

"This is very interesting," Hermione said, defending her choice of reading material again.

"I am sure it is," Albus said with a smile.

Wilspy popped back with an entire trolley heavily laden with food.

"For young Master Severus, bacon butty, white bread, extra butter," she said, flicking a finger and lifting lids as though presenting Cordon Bleu delicacies, "baked beans, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy, fried bread, and rice pudding. For the young miss, chocolate digestives and lemon shortbread, and for Master Albus, a bacon butty." She smiled at her audience and waved her hand with a flourish. "And tea!"

They all thanked her, and she winked away quietly.

Albus chuckled at Severus's expression. "You look as though you don't know where to begin, Severus. All childhood favourites?"

Severus glanced at Albus as he reached for his bacon butty, but didn't answer, simply taking a blissful bite of his sandwich.

Albus conjured small tables for himself and Hermione and poured all three of them tea. Hermione nibbled a lemon shortbread and watched Severus devour his sandwich.

"It's good?" she asked as Severus finished the bacon sandwich...Albus hadn't finished half of his yet.

"Mmhm," Severus said with a nod, chewing his final bite.

"It must have been!" Hermione said with a grin. It had looked disgusting to her, all the butter oozing out, and she'd never been fond of bacon, but it was good to see Severus eating with such an appetite. "How's yours?" she asked Albus.

"Excellent. Nicely crisped bacon. Would you like a bite?"

"Mmm, no, thank you, I don't think so." She looked at her watch. "I actually should leave soon. Madam Gamp retires early, and I don't want the perimeter charm to wake her if I get back late." She stood and went over to Severus, who was now eating his mashed potatoes and gravy.

Albus set down his sandwich. "I'll just step over to the Floo and let Minerva know I'm still here and that Melina hasn't arrived yet."

Severus put aside his potatoes and looked up at Hermione. "Thank you for coming, Hermione. I am sorry I wasn't better company."

"You were perfect...you did just what you should, sleeping, getting your rest, and eating." She reached out and touched the back of his hand with her fingertips. "I was worried about you, even after seeing you yesterday, but now I can tell you're recovering. I'm glad that the Headmistress let us know."

"So am I. It was good to have you here . . . Will I see you again?"

"Of course. I'm just in Hogsmeade, after all. I will owl you tomorrow."

Severus nodded. "I will look forward to that." He looked past Hermione across the room to where Albus was bent and speaking into the Floo. "I know you have to go. You should Apparate from the gates, Hermione. It's a long, isolated walk to Hogsmeade at this time of the evening."

"I doubt there will be anyone lurking in the bushes, Severus."

"Just because the Dark L–, Riddle, was defeated does not mean that there aren't other unsavoury people in the world, Hermione. You need to be careful."

"It's also not London," Hermione said.

"In London, at least there might be other people around," Severus pointed out. "Do take care."

"I will. It's faster to Apparate, anyway." She glanced over her shoulder at Albus. She had the embarrassing feeling that he was trying to be discreet. Well, might as well take advantage of it. She bent and kissed Severus's cheek as she had done the previous day, but this time, she didn't rush away. "Good night, Severus. Get well so that we can take another brain holiday together." She stepped away from the bed and called out to Albus, "Good night, Professor Dumbledore! Thank Professor McGonagall for me!"

"Ah, good night, my dear!" Albus turned and smiled at her. "Give my regards to Gertrude, if you would."

"I will!"

Albus returned to his armchair and picked up his sandwich again. "A good idea, Severus, a bacon sandwich." He took a bite and washed it down with some tea. "Something reassuring about a good bacon sarnie."

Severus just nodded and ate his cheesy macaroni. He couldn't remember the last time he had had such an appetite, or the last time anything had tasted as good as this supper did. He looked up as Albus finished his sandwich. He was a little uncomfortable with his company, but he recognised that it would be ungrateful of him to tell him to leave now that the other wizard was finished eating. And he didn't really want him to go, either.

"There's more mashed potatoes, if you want them," Severus said, indicating a small bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy.

"No, thank you, Severus. They do look tasty, though. Wilspy's mashed potatoes are wonderful. But if you aren't going to eat all the fried bread . . ."

"Help yourself," Severus said, picking up a piece for himself. His father used to do fried bread for him in the morning before school, and sometimes when he'd wake and hear his father returning late from work, he'd go downstairs, and his father would make them both bacon butties, just for the two of them. The sandwiches had always tasted especially good, eaten whilst sitting at the kitchen table, the outside world all dark and his mother asleep upstairs. Bacon butties and baked beans. Severus set down his fried bread and looked at the baked beans. He hadn't thought of that in years. All of those special times...simple, but special...overshadowed by later events, his father's increased drinking, his parents' arguing, then his father leaving. His mother had said they were better off without him.

"Everything all right, Severus?"

He nodded. "Fine." He drank his tea.

"Minerva said that Melina expects to be here at ten. I thought I'd stay at least until she's finished."

Severus nodded again, staring at the baked beans.

"What about the rice pudding, my boy? Wouldn't that taste nice?"

"Don't speak to me as though I'm a half-wit, Dumbledore," Severus said, though his voice held no venom, merely weariness.

"I'm sorry. I tend to get enthusiastic about things like rice pudding. You know me."

Severus raised his eyes and met Albus's. "Do I? I don't even know myself."

Albus picked up the teapot. "There's tea left."

Severus nodded, and Albus poured him another cup.

Albus drank some tea, then he said softly, "I know we still have unfinished business between us, Severus. I had hoped I had made amends, for my part, for things long past . . . but it seems that perhaps recent events have reawakened some old feelings. And that's understandable. But I hope that we can overcome any difficulties between us."

"Albus, you always want to talk about these things when it's the last thing I want to do. I can't even think about it right now. When I want to hash anything out with you, when I get angry, when I have the energy to get angry, you just want to smooth things over, or you apologise and think that's enough." Severus shook his head and sighed. "I don't know what would be enough. I just know that I can't talk about it right now."

"Then eat some rice pudding," Albus said.

Severus chuckled shortly and reached for the pudding. It did look good, nice and creamy. "You want some?"

"Maybe just a spoonful," Albus said.

Severus took a spoonful for himself then held out the bowl, and Albus took some. Severus nodded. "Good pudding."

"Very."

They each took another spoonful.

"You'll stay until O'Donald's come and gone, then?" Severus asked.

"I thought I would."

Severus nodded. "Thanks for the meal."

"I'm glad it hit the spot."

"Couldn't eat like this every day, though."

"I could, but Minerva won't let me...nor will Wilspy, for that matter."

Severus quirked a slight smile. "Good thing, too, probably."

Albus chuckled and dipped his spoon into the pudding again. "It makes cheating much more fun."

"A new definition of 'dangerous living,'" Severus said, stifling a yawn.

"We'll have to get used to it."

Severus set down his spoon and put his head back, closing his eyes.

"Tired?"

Severus nodded.

"Well, then, why don't I get rid of all this"...Albus ate one last spoonful of rice pudding, then waved his hand and banished the dishes, trolley, and tables..."lower the lights, pull the curtain all the way around, and you can nap until Melina arrives."

Severus muttered something unintelligible and sighed.

When Albus lowered the head of the bed, Severus barely stirred. Albus then flicked his wand, lowering the lights and pulling the white curtain all the way around the bed, and settled back into his chair to wait for Melina.

"Very good," Melina said warmly. "If I didn't know better, I almost wouldn't even think you'd been so ill. You'll need to rest the next few days. It will take a while before you'll manage to stay awake for more than a few hours at a time, but if you take proper care of yourself, you should be fine to teach by Monday."

"Monday!" Severus said. "But..."

"Monday," Melina repeated firmly. "You may begin to use you magic...gently!...before that, possibly by Friday or Saturday. I'll come by to see you tomorrow evening, and we'll see then about when you might be able to return to your rooms. I'm glad to hear that your appetite is returning. Be sure to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, and plenty of protein. As you feel able, get some exercise, too. Take walks, get some fresh air." She picked up her bag. "Poppy will be checking on you in the morning, and I'll leave instructions for her. If you need anything during the night, a house-elf named Perlie will be here, or you may call your own elf, if you prefer."

"Hmmpf."

"Severus, I want you to recover well from this, and you'll actually recover faster if you rest longer before beginning to teach again. I have no doubt that you could push yourself and begin teaching again by Thursday, but there's no point to it. You need this time. You probably should have taken it to begin with. I can almost guarantee you that if you follow my advice, in two weeks' time, you'll scarcely think about having been ill, but if you don't, you'll drag through the entire month of September. You don't need to do that. There's no war on, Severus, and no one to prove anything to, either."

"All right . . . I didn't intentionally allow this to happen today," Severus said somewhat petulantly. "I think I'm just so used to putting up with not feeling well, I didn't recognise that the symptoms were worsening. I also wished to fulfill my duties," he admitted. He had been afraid, he realised...afraid of losing his magic, but also afraid of losing his position, of becoming expendable.

"Right now, your duty is to yourself." Melina grinned. "You're a Slytherin, isn't there some Slytherin maxim or other about duty to oneself first?"

Severus disliked it when non-Slytherins tried to quote Salazar Slytherin; he didn't even like it when most Slytherins quoted the Founder of their House, since they usually didn't do so accurately or with any insight. "You wouldn't understand."

Melina shrugged. "In this case, Slytherin or not, I'd say that you can only fulfill your other duties if you first take care of yourself. So do that."

"I said I would. No need to pound it into my head," Severus said sullenly.

"I just want to be clear with you, that's all. I'll see you tomorrow, Severus. Sleep well!"

Melina drew aside the curtain slightly and stepped out, and Severus could hear her murmuring, saying something to Albus, then he heard her quick step across the floor and the door open and close as she left.

Albus peeked around the end of the curtain. "Severus?"

"I haven't gone anywhere."

"Melina said you're doing well, that you'll be fully recovered in no time at all! I can't tell you what good news that is to me."

No time at all . . . Albus certainly had a different view of things.

"Minerva is seeing Melina down to the gates, but she said to tell you she will check in on you before she returns to the Tower."

Severus nodded. He certainly had had a stream of visitors, although he hadn't seen the one person whom he would have expected to see in the infirmary. "Where's Pomfrey? I haven't seen her once."

"No, perhaps not, but she saw a great deal of you." Albus blushed. "What I mean to say is that she was here when Twiskett brought you in, obviously, and then she took part in the procedures this afternoon."

"I don't remember any of that. I must have arrived between ten-thirty and eleven. How long did everything take?"

"They finished shortly before three-thirty, but then we had to get you back to the infirmary, and that took a little time," Albus replied.

"Back to the infirmary? Where was I? St. Giles?"

"No, the Heart of Hogwarts. You were suffering severe magical burn-out when you arrived in the infirmary, the worst possible kind of magical drain. Melina believed it would be helpful if you were treated in the area of the school with the highest magical field, so after they'd done a few initial treatments here, we moved you to the Heart...via the Floo to Minerva's office...and then back here again."

"Oh." Severus's eyes were closing, but he tried to keep them open. "Still, Pomfrey's usually one to hover about the infirmary when she has a patient." She was probably still angry with him for collapsing in his classroom when she hadn't wanted him teaching that morning.

"I have no doubt that she will hover sufficiently for your satisfaction tomorrow, Severus," Albus said with a twinkle. "I'll sit with you a little while, until you fall asleep, at least. Then you can feel properly hovered over, hmm?"

"Hmmpf."

"Don't forget that if you need anything in the night, you can call Perlie."

Severus was already dozing.

"Good night, Severus, sweet dreams!"

NEXT

Chapter Sixteen: A Sympathetic New Start

Wednesday, 2 September 1998

Severus spends one more day in the infirmary, then returns to his own rooms to finish his recovery and begin his new life.

Characters: Severus Snape, Poppy Pomfrey, Perlie