Chapter Sixteen: A Sympathetic New Start

Chapter Sixteen: A Sympathetic New Start

Wednesday, 2 September 1998

Poppy, her dressing gown wrapped around her, stepped into the darkened infirmary. "Perlie!" she called softly, her eyes adjusting to the dim light.

Perlie trotted over to her from her little table and chair. Poppy could see the silhouette of another house-elf sitting on the other side of the table.

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey?" Perlie whispered.

"How has Professor Snape been?"

"He sleeps. He wakes up once and uses the loo, but then he sleeps again." Perlie looked over her shoulder. "Gervo keeps Perlie company," Perlie said.

"That's fine, Perlie," Poppy said with a nod. "I'm going to go back to my rooms and get ready to start the day, but come fetch me if Professor Snape wakes up. I'll be back in about twenty minutes, then you can go get some rest. Take the day off, too...no arguments, Perlie. You can keep Gervo company whilst he works today, if you wish, lend him a hand."

Perlie perked up at the idea of helping Gervo with his work that day, and she nodded agreeably.

When Poppy returned to the infirmary twenty minutes later, the early morning light was beginning to suffuse the room with a pale glow. After dismissing Perlie and her companion, she looked in on Severus, who was lying on his side, sleeping peacefully. She cast one general diagnostic of his physical condition and one for his magical system. Both gave results within normal ranges. She pulled the long white curtain closed around Severus's bed, then went to her office and called a house-elf for some tea.

Poppy didn't mind rising early; however, waking up before five o'clock that morning had felt too early. She couldn't fall asleep again, though, and she had lain there wondering how Severus was, so she simply got up and walked over to check on him. She had slept deeply for more than ten hours, and there was no point in simply lying in bed waiting for breakfast time to come. There was always something she could find to do in the infirmary, even when it was slow and there weren't any patients.

She sipped her tea as she looked over the few parchments that had been placed on her desk the previous day. After reading the instructions that Melina had left for her, then filling out a form she'd left her for her St. Giles paperwork, Poppy read Laura Manning's report and wrote herself a reminder to set an appointment to examine Suzie Sefton sometime that week. Over the course of the first few weeks of school, she liked to check over any new Muggle-born students, anyway, since they'd never had the opportunity for a wizarding health check. She also examined any other first-year students for whom she had no health records. Sefton would be a priority because she had been sick to her stomach three times in two days. Poppy had treated her, of course, that first night before the Sorting, and then again after the Feast, but she hadn't had the time to do more than take a cursory look at the girl and give her a standard stomach potion. From everything that the girl had listed that she'd eaten on the Hogwarts Express, it was hardly a surprise that she'd vomited after the boat trip across the lake. Still, best to make certain there was nothing else going on. She'd have to tell Severus, too.

She heard movement coming from the infirmary, so she got up and left her office, just in time to see Severus, dressed in a grey nightshirt, pulling aside the curtain.

"Good morning, Severus! How are you feeling this morning?"

"Better," he said shortly.

"On your way to the loo?"

He grunted his assent, but didn't move.

"If you need help, give me a yell," Poppy said cheerfully. "I'll call for some breakfast for us. Are you hungry?"

"Very."

"Good. I am, too. I'll order us a good hearty breakfast. Have a taste for anything in particular?"

He shook his head. "But I'll have coffee, not tea."

"Right!"

As Severus shuffled sleepily toward the loo, Poppy called Strilpa and ordered two full breakfasts for them.

Severus emerged from the loo, looking slightly more awake.

"Our breakfast should be here shortly, Severus. Whilst we wait, I'd like to check you over."

Severus nodded and pulled the long white curtain further aside, then sat on the edge of the bed.

"Any headache, body aches, nausea, anything like that?" Poppy asked as she drew her wand.

"No. I just feel muzzy-headed. Like I could go back to bed and sleep all day."

"You'll probably feel that way for a while. What about your magical system? Any unusual sensations? Prickling, palpitations, magical surges?"

"No." He paused, reflecting, then shook his head. "No, it feels normal."

"Good! Now just a few spells," Poppy said, flicking her wand and casting the first one.

Severus sat and waited patiently as she went through the series of standard diagnostic charms. Some produced glows of different colours, depending on what they measured, and others generated symbols that floated about his body.

Poppy nodded and smiled. "So far, so good." She took his wrist and felt his pulse and his magical circulation. "Excellent, Severus. Melina will be pleased."

"I can leave now, then," Severus said, slightly questioningly.

"Not just yet. Melina wants you to stay in the infirmary at least for the day, and so do I. I want to be able to keep an eye on you, make sure everything stays as it should."

Severus sighed, resigned. He didn't particularly feel like getting dressed, anyway, and he wasn't about to walk through the corridors dressed in his nightshirt and dressing gown.

"Why am I still so sleepy? Not just tired, but drowsy," Severus asked.

"It's the expected aftereffect of the treatments you underwent yesterday, but you also had a severe magical drain, and even though it was effectively reversed and treated, it takes a while to recover from that."

"Mmm."

There was a crack of Apparition, and the aroma of fresh coffee reached them.

Poppy said, "Smell that? Breakfast has arrived." As if on cue, Severus's stomach growled, and Poppy laughed. "And just in time, it seems!"

Severus rolled his eyes, but Poppy simply chuckled.

"Would you like me to fix you a bed tray, or would you prefer to sit up at a table with me?" she asked.

"I will eat at the table," Severus replied, slipping off the bed. He reached out to Summon his dressing gown, but then remembered the prohibition against using his magic. He felt perfectly well, albeit tired, but after the fiasco the previous day, he thought it best to comply with the Healer's orders. He nodded as Poppy handed him his dressing gown. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Poppy said. "I'll go set out our breakfast."

She left him to put on his dressing gown and shuck on his slippers. A minute later, he stepped around the side curtain to find that she had conjured a table, tablecloth, and two wooden armchairs, and had arranged their breakfast on the table: fried eggs, sausages, grilled tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, and a rack of wholemeal toast; there was even a small bowl with a few Clementines in it. A pot of coffee sat beside one place-setting, and a pot of tea beside the other.

"Help yourself to whatever you would like, Severus," Poppy said, reaching for a slice of toast.

Severus took two eggs, toast, a few small sausages, and some of the sauteed mushrooms. They ate in silence, both with good appetite. After he finished, Severus pushed away from the table.

"You should have an orange, Severus," Poppy said. "You need the vitamins."

"Hmmph." He sat and took one of the small oranges and peeled it by hand, enjoying the aroma that was released as he broke through the peel and pulled it away from the fruit.

Poppy poured herself another cup of tea. "Would you like me to fetch you any reading material? A book or two from the library? Or you could have Twiskett fetch you something from your quarters, if you prefer."

"I think I'll just sleep for a while," Severus replied. "This afternoon, I will have Twiskett bring me the student essays from yesterday." He popped an orange section into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. "Have they cancelled Potions for the day, or have they someone else teaching for me?"

"Dumbledore's taking your classes until you return," Poppy said.

Severus furrowed his brow. "Who is teaching Defence?"

"Minerva."

"Oh."

"If you feel up to reading student essays, that's fine, but you don't need to. I'm sure they'll keep."

"I don't want them to 'keep,'" Severus said moodily.

"As I said, that's fine," Poppy replied. "I have a few things to do this morning, but I'll be here if you need me. If I step out, I'll let you know and Strilpa will be here to fetch me if necessary."

Severus nodded and stood.

"One other thing, Severus."

"What is it?" he asked impatiently.

"Slytherin House business," Poppy said. "One of your first-years, Suzie Sefton, has been ill, sick to her stomach, a few times since arriving on Monday."

"Oh, yes." He snorted. "Once all over me."

"Yes, and she was sick again yesterday. I wasn't available, but Draco Malfoy found Laura Manning, and she got some stomach potion for her." Poppy grinned. "And you aren't the only Slytherin she's thrown up on...Draco's robes were covered with her lunch."

"Draco?"

"Yes. He was there when she vomited in the entrance hall, so he brought her up here to look for me, and then she threw up again all over him when Laura gave her the potion."

"So, what is the issue? You want to give her an examination?"

"Yes, and I'd like to do it today, hopefully before she's sick again. I want to make sure that there's no underlying illness, and I am going to keep an eye on her and make sure that she doesn't have bulimia."

"Fine. If you would let me know so that I can pull the curtain, I would appreciate not being seen by her...or any of my students."

"Right, no student visitors then," Poppy agreed with a nod. "We can keep the curtain pulled if you like, or you can have one of the private rooms. It's easier to keep an eye on you if you're in the main room, but I think you're well enough to have your privacy if you prefer."

"I prefer," Severus said drily.

"That's fine...pick a room, any room," she said cheerfully, waving her wand and banishing the remnants of their meal. "I'll bring you your things after you're settled. Twiskett brought you some fresh clothes yesterday; the ones you were in are probably beyond repair, other than your trousers. We had to cut everything off you."

Severus frowned. "My teaching robe, too?"

"One of the house-elves might be able to repair that well enough." Poppy shrugged. "You could let Twiskett try his hand at repairing everything, if you like."

"Hmmph. That was one of my favourite teaching robes."

"Yes, well, you aren't being buried in it, so be thankful for that," Poppy replied.

Severus just shook his head and left to find the nearest private room and collapse back into bed.

Severus woke a few hours later. Poppy was drawing aside the curtains to let in the bright morning sunshine.

"Gods, close those curtains." Severus rolled over, away from the window, and folded his pillow over his head. He heard Poppy's reply muffled by his pillow, but didn't respond. He'd been having a nice dream. He rarely had nice dreams. Maybe if he didn't wake up too much, he could recapture it.

Alas, it was not to be. Poppy came around to the other side of the bed and touched his shoulder. Severus closed his eyes more tightly, but she persisted.

He opened his eyes. "I thought I was supposed to get bed rest. You won't let me teach, but you won't let me sleep, either."

"You have a visitor," Poppy said. "It's a student, but I thought you'd like to be told."

"I said, no students," Severus replied crossly, rolling onto his back. "Who is it and what does he want? Or she."

"It's Kevin Harper, and I don't know what he wants."

"Tell him . . . tell him to go away." Severus sighed. "Unless it's urgent. Otherwise, have him come back later. Or make an appointment with me. I can see him once I'm discharged. Whenever that may be."

"He is a prefect," Poppy began.

"I do know who the prefects are in my own House, Madam Pomfrey," Severus interrupted. "I have not become completely addlepated by your cures. If it's about Potions, have him talk to Dumbledore. If it's about Hogwarts or Slytherin, he can talk to Minerva. I'll see him if it's urgent, but I really was having a decent lie-in for once, so if it isn't, just deal with him and send him on his way." Severus rolled over, turning his back to her, and folded his pillow over his head again.

"I also have a potion for you to take," Poppy said loudly enough for Severus to hear through his pillow, "so I'll be back in a few minutes with it."

Now Severus was fully awake. He rolled onto his back. "I thought you said I was fully recovered. No more potions."

Poppy quirked a smile. "I'll be back after I've taken care of Harper for you."

Wonderful. Potions. They just loved to torture him. Severus shook his head as Poppy left. He knew that without Healer O'Donald's discovery of the magical toxins and her subsequent intervention, he would likely have suffered severe damage to his magical core, perhaps beyond being able to be Healed, but he hated being a patient. It wasn't so bad when he was really feeling sick, but now that he felt better, he just wanted to get on with things and forget ever having been ill. Well, once he'd caught up on his sleep.

A few minutes later, Poppy reentered the room carrying his clothes and a small vial of clear liquid.

"Here are your clothes and your wand. I'll just put them in the drawer here."

"I thought I wasn't to use any magic until at least Friday," Severus said, puzzled and wondering how his wand had got to the Hospital Wing.

"You aren't, but we had your wand here yesterday when you were being treated, so I just kept it here for you." Poppy flicked her own wand and raised the head of the bed partway.

Severus frowned. He did not like others handling his wand without his express permission, which was never, and he knew that he hadn't been carrying it. "How did you get it? And why?"

"Twiskett fetched it for me, on my orders, and I told him that no one would say anything about his handling it, so don't punish him for it," Poppy said.

"I do not punish my house-elf," Severus said stiffly. What kind of person did Pomfrey take him for? He supposed the answer to that was obvious. He was a miserable bastard most of the time.

"I did not mean to imply that you punish him physically," Poppy said, reading his expression. "But do not rebuke him for it. It helped save your magic."

"I am sure that Twiskett would not handle my wand, or any other, without good reason. As to why you did, I am not so certain. What was the purpose?"

Poppy just chuckled. "I used my own wand for you until Twiskett returned with yours, but it helped to contain your magical burn-off, closing the circuit between your hands."

"Oh. That bad?" Albus had mentioned magical burn-out, but he still hadn't realised that his situation had been so dire.

"I've never seen magical drain that bad, Severus," Poppy replied seriously, "and even Melina said it was one of the worst cases she'd ever treated, and she's encountered it far more than I have."

"So, what's the potion?" Severus asked, nodding toward the vial in Poppy's hand.

"Nothing too nasty," Poppy said, "just a little something Melina wanted me to give you to speed your recovery. It will help keep your electrolytes balanced. Even though you've been eating and drinking, and you're in fairly good shape, we want to keep it that way."

Severus took the vial from her, unstoppered it, and swallowed it down. He couldn't help grimacing at the taste.

"Like some water?" Poppy asked.

Severus nodded, and Poppy poured him a glass from the carafe beside the bed. After he had drunk half the glass, he said, "How did you treat the burn-out? And what other treatments did I receive? Dumbledore said it took hours."

"I stopped the initial drain using the standard dampening and staunching spells, but then Melina did the rest of the treatment. I just assisted her. She administered Takehari Solution, which completely stopped the drain and strengthened your overall magical system, then we brought you to the Hogwarts Heart, and several of us donated some magical energy, which Melina incorporated with yours..."

"Several of you?"

"Minerva, obviously, since she's Headmistress, Albus, and me, and Filius and Pomona joined us, too," Poppy said.

Severus stared at the ceiling. Discomfort crawled over him as he contemplated them all standing around him, casting spells as he lay helpless. He shivered.

"Severus? You all right?"

Severus looked at her and nodded. "And the other treatments? Minerva said that Melina had completed the treatments she'd been going to do on Friday." His memory of his first hours awake were very fuzzy, but that one was quite clear.

"Yes. After Filius, Pomona, and Albus had done their part, they returned to their teaching duties, and Melina performed spell extraction on the magical toxins, removing as much of it as possible that way before completing the Healing. There wasn't a lot of it left, but it was fairly diffuse, so she was only able to reduce it by about a third using that procedure. The rest was removed using sympathetic magic, so it's completely gone now, and all traces of its effects, as well."

Severus took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Sympathetic magic: that was a rare and difficult magic, and although it had many Dark applications, it was also a powerful method of Healing. He had never asked Melina how she was planning to treat him on Friday; he had simply assumed it would be a standard set of potions and spellwork. He wondered who the sympathetic had been...he and Minerva had a fairly close connection, and although a personal relationship between the sympathetic and the patient wasn't necessary for sympathetic magic to be successful, it did help. He believed that Minerva would do it for him; the lengths she had gone to in order to save his life during the war attested to that. But he had seen Minerva the evening before, and she had looked fine. Being a sympathetic was supposed to be exhausting. It obviously couldn't have been Albus, either, although Severus had no doubt that if required, Albus would have served as sympathetic for him.

Severus met Poppy's eyes. Albus had said she was tired; Severus had believed that she simply had finished her duties in the infirmary and hadn't cared enough to check in on him as long as there was someone else with him.

"Who was the sympathetic?" Severus asked softly.

"Melina had planned to have Healer Baton be the sympathetic, but as he was not here, I stepped in," Poppy replied. "Now, would you like to sleep or are you hungry?"

"Wait, wait, wait," Severus said, holding up his hand. "You can't leave it at that, then just ask me if I need a nap."

Poppy shrugged. "Leave it at what? There's not much more to say. Once Melina completed the sympathetic Healing, we were finished. We brought you back to the infirmary, got you dressed in the nightshirt Twiskett brought us, and left you to sleep. Albus stayed with you."

"But sympathetic magic . . . and you were the sympathetic." Severus paused. There could be peculiar, lingering aftereffects of sympathetic magic if done improperly. Not to mention that, from what he had read, being a sympathetic could be a difficult and enervating experience, even painful. "I hope O'Donald knew what she was doing."

Poppy quirked a smile. "I had no doubt that she did, or I would not have volunteered."

He looked up at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. I slept like a log, ate like a horse, and I feel fine this morning," Poppy said briskly. "And I haven't had any strange aftereffects. The procedure did what it was supposed to do, and no more."

Severus nodded. "Good."

"So, more food? I have to admit to still having quite an appetite," Poppy said with a grin. "I'm going to have a bite, but if you would prefer to sleep, that's fine."

"I could eat something," Severus admitted.

"Fine. I'll ask Strilpa to get us some toasted crumpets, jam, and tea. Anything else?"

"Cheese." He had a hankering for cheese.

"Right, then." Poppy nodded. "I'll be back in a trice."

"Wait."

Poppy turned at the door.

Severus hesitated. "Thank you. And . . . sorry if I have been . . . curt."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you're getting back to your usual self." Poppy left, closing the door quietly behind her.

Severus sat at the small desk in his sitting room, staring at a blank parchment. After Melina's visit that evening, he'd been discharged from the infirmary with directions on eating and sleeping, and an appointment to visit Madam Pomfrey the next morning. Now he sat in his room and tried to think of what he should write, and to whom he should write first. The latter problem was most easily solved. He pulled Hermione's letter toward him and glanced over it once more. He would answer her letter first.

2 September 1998

I do welcome your suggestion that we meet for lunch. I am unfortunately unable to leave the castle until Friday, when I will be able to resume wand-use. If that fits with your schedule, perhaps we could meet at the Three Broomsticks at 12.30 on Friday.

Severus paused and thought a moment.

Please give my regards to your master and to Professor Gamp.

It was pointless to ignore the witch's existence and the fact that Hermione was living in her house. She had been gracious enough to visit him after the Hogwarts Victory Feast, after all, offering a fresh start on new footing. He doubted that she would care to see him again, and he most assuredly did not want to see her, but as uncomfortable as it was for him, he could acknowledge the woman's presence in Hermione's life.

I anticipate your response.

Sincerely,

Severus

He reread the letter, nodded to himself, and folded it in three, then wrote Hermione's name on the outside. He usually used a Sticking Charm, but as he could not use any magic, he searched his drawers and found a roll of Spell-o-Tape.

Next letter. He sighed. He didn't have to write any other letters. He doubted anyone expected anything from him. And he disliked putting anything in writing that might later be held over him. He sighed again. He would begin with the easiest one. He'd always liked Flitwick, after all. He'd been one of his favourite teachers when he'd been a student.

2 September 1998

Deputy Headmaster, Hogwarts

After signing his name, he looked at his signature. He never used his middle initial. Never. He had no idea what had caused him to use it then. He shrugged. It did seem to add a flourish to his signature. Perhaps he might begin to use it regularly.

He pulled out another fresh parchment and wrote a similar, though shorter, letter to Pomona Sprout. That was easy enough and quickly finished. Now for the most difficult letter.

2 September 1998

Dear

He already was stymied. If it were Hogwarts business, he would easily simply use the title "Professor," but this was more personal. The letter was not only for him and for his new practice in common courtesy and gratitude, but also for the recipient.

Dear Albus,

Thank you for your help yesterday. I understand you participated in relieving the drain. I appreciate your continuing

Severus crumpled the parchment and tossed it into the wastebasket. He would have to ask Twiskett to disintegrate everything.

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

Severus S. Snape

Severus reread the letter and frowned. He didn't like it. Not familiar enough in some respects and too familiar in others, but he was becoming sleepy again and decided that it would have to do.

2 September 1998

Severus

There, that was done. He could thank Poppy, too, he supposed, but she was the Hogwarts matron and had been performing her duty, and O'Donald was most certainly acting in her professional capacity and he had no doubt that he would receive an accounting for it. Minerva had paid for all of his initial treatments and visits to St. Giles, but when he had inquired about why he was not receiving any bills from St. Giles and had learned that Minerva had been paying his expenses from her own pocket, he had put a stop to it. He had acquiesced when Minerva had strongly declined his offer of repayment, but he had paid the subsequent St. Giles bills, although he suspected that Melina reduced her own fee. What she chose to charge was her business, though.

Severus began to put his quill and parchment away, but then quickly drew out a sheet of blank parchment and scrawled one last note.

2 September 1998

Deputy Headmaster, Hogwarts

He glanced over the letter. Not particularly subtle, nor flowery, but Poppy was a straightforward Hufflepuff. It would do. And he thought that she would understand his offer for what it was, an expression of appreciation. After having thought about it that afternoon, he realised that despite Poppy's breezy attitude about being the sympathetic, it could not have been a pleasant experience for her, and he appreciated even more the fact that she didn't behave as though she had done anything special for him, something which had created a debt. The Hogwarts matron was all right, as Hufflepuffs went, and she'd always been more than decent toward him.

Now to call Twiskett and have him deliver the letters to the Hogwarts denizens and owl the one to Hermione, and then to bed. It was only eight o'clock, and he'd slept most of the day, but he felt as though he would fall out of his chair if he tried to stay awake one more minute. Just as well he wasn't teaching the next day. He'd sleep through his classes, he was sure of it. Monday, though, Monday would be the start of his new life as Hogwarts Potions master and Deputy Headmaster, and things would sort themselves out . . . he hoped.

~End Part One~

~to be continued~

Author's Note: If you've enjoyed seeing little Suzie Sefton, I've written a "sister story" to A Long Vernal Season called "The Sorting of Suzie Sefton". It's complete in four chapters. Have fun!

NEXT

Chapter Seventeen: An Ambush for Minerva

Friday, 2 October 1998

Albus is having his own adjustment issues; Severus gives him advice and arranges an ambush.

Characters: Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Poppy Pomfrey, Quin MacAirt

~*~*~*~

UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN PART TWO:

(Slight spoilers...chapter titles subject to change)

Chapter Seventeen: An Ambush for Minerva

Friday, 2 October 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Poppy Pomfrey, Quin MacAirt

Chapter Eighteen: A New Man

Saturday, 17 October 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Minerva McGonagall

Chapter Nineteen: Of Scotch, Choices, and Ambiguity

Saturday, 24 October 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Wilspy

Chapter Twenty: A Ghostly Halloween

Saturday, 31 October 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Poppy Pomfrey, Verity Septima Vector, and others

Chapter Twenty-One: Fancy Dress

Saturday, 31 October 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Poppy Pomfrey, Verity Septima Vector, Pomona Sprout, Filius Flitwick, Suzie Sefton, and others

Chapter Twenty-Two: Not Onerous or Dreary

Sunday, 1 November 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Hermione Granger, Madam Rosmerta, Gareth McGonagall, and others

Chapter Twenty-Three: Collegiality

Sunday, 1 November 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Filius Flitwick, Alastor Moody, Verity Septima Vector, and others

Chapter Twenty-Four: Dawn Light Reflected

Monday, 9 November – Saturday, 14 November 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Pomona Sprout, Filius Flitwick, Firenze, Aurora Sinistra (portrait)

Chapter Twenty-Five: Preoccupation

Saturday, 21 November 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Filius Flitwick, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall

Chapter Twenty-Six: Laid to Rest

Saturday, 21 – Sunday, 22 November 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore

Chapter Twenty-Seven: 'Twas the Night Before the Night Before Christmas

Wednesday, 23 December 1998

Characters: Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore, Poppy Pomfrey, Twiskett, various other Hogwarts staff members

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Happy Birthday?

Saturday, 9 January 1999

Characters: Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore, Hermione Granger, Poppy Pomfrey, Gareth McGonagall, Twiskett