Chapter Seventy-Nine: Atmosphere

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Atmosphere

Sunday, 28 March 1999

"You're sure you're all right, Severus?" Filius asked, looking down with concern into the younger wizard's face.

"Mmm. Yes. I'll be fine." Once he was able to get up off the cold, hard stone floor, he'd be fine. He had managed to sit up after Filius cast Renervate, but his chest still ached, and his head hurt where it had hit the stone wall when he'd flown backward after being hit in the chest by Flitwick's battering hex.

"You were doing so much better with your blocks," Filius said fretfully, "I was sure you'd be able to deflect that one, or side-step it."

"I did both. Obviously, I was ineffective." Severus leaned his weight on his left arm and reached back with his right hand and gingerly felt the growing lump on the back of his head. His hair was sticky. He winced slightly.

"I'm so sorry, Severus! I wouldn't have cast the Mulcare so forcefully if I'd realised your block wouldn't even weaken the blow."

"Mmph." Severus bent his knees, trying to push up and get to his feet. He sat down again with a thump. "I just need to catch my breath for a minute more."

"We should see to your head, too," Filius said, peering around to see the back of Severus's head. "I think you're bleeding. I don't like to cast Healing charms on people's heads. How's your chest?" The little wizard placed his hand on the left side of Severus's chest and pressed lightly where the hex had hit.

"Sore." Severus took in a deep breath and immediately regretted it.

"Do you think you broke anything?"

Severus shrugged his left shoulder. "I don't think so. I think it's just a bruise. A little potion will fix it up quickly." He reached back and touched his head again. "I think that this might need more than just a potion, though."

"Poppy's gone for the day...should we put a call through to St. Mungo's? Or perhaps Mother Wayland could come up from Hogsmeade..."

"I will not have that woman touch me," Severus snapped. "And Mungo's . . . by the time they sent someone, I'd probably be either recovered or dead."

"Oh, dear! We should get you to a Healer!" Filius wrung his hands in anxiety.

"It was a joke, Filius," Severus said gently. "I'm fine. We'll go see the Headmistress if we have to. She's not bad at this sort of thing. And if she can't help . . . I suppose we could disturb Healer O'Donald on a Sunday morning."

"Or we could contact Poppy. She's just visiting her sister in Wales. I'm sure she would come back to help, especially for you."

"I don't want to disturb the matron on her day off," Severus replied.

He took another deep breath. It wasn't as uncomfortable. He didn't want to interrupt Poppy's day, but he also didn't want to have her alarmed by any message about an injury to him, and he wanted her to think of him as her lover, not as her colleague, let alone as her patient. She would break off her visit to come back and treat any of her colleagues, Severus knew that, or to treat any of the students, but until he was on firmer footing with her personally, he didn't want Poppy to be the Hogwarts matron with him, just his friend and, he hoped, his lover. He loved her, and he loved her more with each day. He wanted to be her lover, her true lover, he wanted to learn to be her lover, and he wanted her to know his love for her. He wanted her care, and her love, but he didn't want her to return to him as his caregiver.

Severus let out a slow, even breath. "I'm sure it won't be necessary to contact her. I'll be fine."

"Can you stand? Here, hold onto my shoulder and push up...I'm quite sturdy!"

With some reluctance, Severus put his right hand on Flitwick's shoulder, his left hand on the wall beside him, and he scrambled to his feet. He took another deep breath; this one was easier.

"All right, Severus?" Filius squeaked.

Severus nodded. "Good. Better, in fact." He touched the back of his head. "Just a bit of a headache. I think some potion and an ice pack should do it. And I'd trust you to cast a Detumescens on it, Professor. I am sure you are quite competent."

"Well . . . we'll see. Let's get you back to your rooms first, then we can see what it looks like in good light." Filius looked up at Severus and asked hesitantly, "Do you have a good, bright lamp in your rooms?"

Severus snorted a quick laugh. "Yes. I have a good lamp by my desk."

"Then we'll go there, if you feel well enough to walk."

Severus forbore to point out that during the war, he'd had to do far harder activities with far worse injuries and far less attractive goals. This was just a bump on the head, and only a few hundred yards and a couple dozen stairs, with his own quarters awaiting him at the end of it.

Back in Severus's sitting room, Filius had Severus sit in his desk chair as he trained the light from his reading lamp on the back of his head. He Levitated himself up to the desk and sat on the edge to peer at the lump.

"It's hard to tell, but it looks as though it's stopped bleeding," Filius observed. "May I cast a cleansing charm and clean up the blood?"

Severus nodded his assent and felt the light whisper of magic pass over the back of his head, then he felt Filius's fingers part the hair around the bump.

"It looks better. Is it sore?" he asked as Severus flinched mildly.

"Somewhat."

"We should call Poppy back to the school," Filius said. "Or bring you to St Mungo's."

"I do think just a few generic Healing charms would be fine, Professor."

"I don't know . . ."

"Pretend it's my knee and not my head, if that helps," Severus said impatiently. "But if you don't want to do it, we can find the Headmistress."

"Poppy..."

"No."

Filius shrugged. "Detumescens first, or Consuere?"

"Detumescens, I should think," Severus said. "And wouldn't Sutura be better than Consuere?"

"I've always used the Consutus for little cuts," Filius replied. "Sutura I think is better for bigger wounds."

"As you wish." He felt Filius cast the first Healing spell, reducing the swelling, and he let out a sigh.

"Better, Severus?" Filius asked.

"Indeed."

"It's begun to bleed again now, though."

"Use Coagulare, then," Severus said, trying to rein in his impatience with the little Charms master's tentativeness.

Filius quickly cast the Coagulare and followed it with the Consutus. "You might want to have Poppy check it when she returns this evening."

"Perhaps. It feels quite well now, though. I just think a potion or two, and I'll be fine."

"Your new spells are very effective," Filius said, changing the subject. "I think you'll be able to give Albus a challenge."

"I have a few other ideas, if I have the time to work on them," Severus said.

"You still need to work on your blocks, though. Their strength isn't in question . . . I think the problem is with your timing and the speed of the spell. It's been a bit erratic."

They discussed ways in which Severus might be able to improve his blocks, then Filius pulled out his watch and shook his head. "This has been most engrossing, but I'm late meeting Pomona. We were going to give a tune-up to the microclimates in the far gardens before lunch. She wants to add some tropical flowers to those beds this spring, so the microclimates need some tweaking."

"And I need to send an owl, myself," Severus said, thinking of his own floral pursuits and his plans to try to create a romantic atmosphere for Poppy that evening. "Say, Flitwick . . . you wouldn't happen to have a musical box I could borrow for the evening, would you?"

"I believe so." The little wizard smiled brightly at the younger wizard. "Have a date tonight, Severus? Perhaps with the lovely Hogwarts matron?"

Severus raised his eyebrows. "Why would you ask that?"

"Oh, I happened to have noticed a few things . . . perhaps I'm imagining it, but it seems to me that the two of you have rather hit it off lately, or that you could, if you both wanted to give it a whirl."

Severus opened his mouth, then closed it. Filius chuckled. "I am right, then!"

"It's that obvious?" Severus asked, blushing and wondering how much Filius had noticed and whether others had.

"Let me put it this way: the Severus Snape I have come to know would never have sipped a drink from anyone's straw a year ago. And I do believe that he would still be quite fastidious about such a thing. Yet Poppy readily offered you a sip from her drink, and you didn't decline it. That was my first little clue that perhaps you may have a bit of a soft spot for her. Then yesterday in the infirmary, all those red carnations, which presumably came from the large bag you had been carrying when you arrived on the grounds. And when you two talk, when you're just together, there's just an indefinable spark between you. I don't think it's obvious, though. I simply happened to be looking at the right moments, and I'd been thinking just recently how it would be nice if you found someone special, so I happened to see things. I don't think anyone else has necessarily noticed, though." Filius saw Severus's stricken expression and added, "I really doubt it at all, Severus. Although I do hope that the lady in question has noticed, since she seems taken with you, too."

Severus blinked. Flitwick was the only one at Hogwarts who had deduced that Robbie was really Dumbledore; Filius was a very perceptive wizard, and he wasn't a Ravenclaw for nothing. It could very well be that he was the only one who had noticed. But Severus hadn't thought he'd been obvious about it at all.

"So, do you two have a date this evening?" Filius asked again.

"Er, yes."

Filius smiled broadly. "Wonderful, Severus! And you will be entertaining her here?" he asked, looking around.

"Yes, when she returns from her sister's. Eight."

"Are you, um, planning something special?" Filius asked, looking around the room again.

"I have asked Twiskett to have a light meal prepared...some of the things from your party, in fact. She liked the spanakopita. And I thought I'd get out my wizarding wireless if you didn't have a Charmed box I could borrow."

Filius nodded. "I see . . . and atmosphere?"

"Atmosphere . . . the music . . ." Severus said weakly, looking around his sitting room and seeing it as someone else might. "And I thought candles. And I'm fetching flowers this afternoon, if I can find an open shop."

"Oh, that sounds fine, Severus! Quite fine! A witch likes to see that you've gone to a bit of effort for her, just for her. It doesn't even need to be much, really, just clearly aimed at making her more comfortable, relaxed, and romanced. Set a nice atmosphere for her. A little effort will go a long way. Consistent effort, though," Filius added with a nod.

"Of course," Severus said uncomfortably.

"Well, I'd better get going if we're to finish charming the microclimates before lunch," Filius said. "I'll bring the musical box by after dinner, all right, Severus? I have one with some very nice selections on it that she's sure to enjoy."

"Thank you, Professor."

"Don't forget to do something about your chest, or you're sure to have quite a bruise that will need more than just a little potion." Filius smiled brightly. "But then you could have Poppy take a look at it! You should have her check your head wound, in any case."

"Mm. I will take care of it." He could hardly neglect to take care of it, he thought, as his left pectoral muscle was still quite sore from the impact of the blow. He probably already had a bruise.

After Filius left, Severus went to his cupboard and pulled out two potions, one a green salve meant for bruises and sore muscles, and the other a mild analgesic. He considered the brown bottle for a moment, then put it back. It would likely make him sleepy, and it was considered unsafe to Apparate within a few hours of taking. Headache Potion would do. If he had any, which he didn't. He would have to get some from somewhere before lunch. Twiskett could fetch him some, or he could stop by the infirmary and get some from the main school supply.

He took the salve with him into the bathroom and took off his jacket, waistcoat, and shirt. He examined the large blackish-purple bruise on his upper chest, looking in the mirror to see the entire thing. It looked nasty; no wonder he was sore. It took two applications of the salve and several minutes for the bruise to begin to fade and for the underlying muscle to ease its aching. He probably should have had Flitwick apply the salve, Severus thought, or gone to the Headmistress to have her do it, since such potions were always more effective when applied by another person. He'd have to apply it again later, certainly, but his chest felt better than it had, and he could make it through the day without it distracting him too much.

He really would have to work on his blocks. Practising with Flitwick was useful, but he thought that he needed additional practice. As much as it might be helpful to practise with Albus, it also would give away too many of his newly invented spells and reveal too many of his weaknesses. Perhaps Ouellette would practise with him. His fellow Slytherin had become more involved in the duels than she'd originally planned to, Flitwick's enthusiasm had been so contagious, and Severus had admired her performance in her own duel several weeks before. She might be a useful practice partner.

Severus touched the back of his head. Still mildly sore, but a Headache Potion would fix it up. He would stop and get some from Minerva after he'd sent his owl to McGonagall. He hadn't precisely promised Poppy that he would not go anywhere unaccompanied, but he knew it would please and reassure her if she knew that he was taking her wishes seriously. That could not hurt in his execution of Operation Woo and Win Poppy Pomfrey. Hmm . . . Poppy . . . Posy Pomfrey? No, that sounded silly. But he would put that one on his list. He smiled to himself. He would win their bet and then, with a bit more effort, he would win her.

Gareth was just washing his hands at the kitchen sink, having gone to supervise the house-elves as they moved Eileen Snape's bedroom furniture up into the dusty attic, when there was a banging at the window. He shook the water from his hands and strode quickly over to the door, making a mental note to remove the sticking charm from the kitchen windows before he left that day, and let in the owl.

He gave the owl a few treats from his sporran and broke the seal on the parchment. A note from Severus. He wanted to meet in McTavish Street at one. Gareth glanced at his wrist, which was bare, and pulled his watch from his sporran and strapped it back on his left arm. It was already eleven-thirty. He had wanted to work longer, but if they were going to be meeting at one...and Severus had said nothing about lunch...he'd have to find something to eat before then. Gareth grinned. He'd stop by Melina and Brennan's. Although the two usually had a late Sunday brunch and a large meal in the midafternoon rather than lunch, Gareth was sure that they'd be happy to provide him with a bite to tide him over. If he were in luck, Brennan had made potato cakes and there'd be some leftovers. Drenched in melty butter, he'd find the potato cakes a fine meal with no additions, but Melina was, like their Aunt Minerva, partial to haggis in the morning, or at least some kind of nice sausages, so Gareth knew he certainly wouldn't starve. Being a McGonagall witch, Melina would likely insist on introducing some fruit into the meal somewhere, but Gareth would have no objections to that. It would be better than the peculiar fruit smoothies that Hermione had taken to making for every breakfast, always adding that yellow mystery powder to them. Gareth had thought it was simply some Muggle protein powder, or bee pollen, perhaps, but Hermione said that Mother Wayland had suggested it, and it was one of the old witch's nostrums. Hermione didn't seem any the worse for drinking the peculiar concoctions, but Gareth couldn't be persuaded to try it.

He gathered up the photographs and a few other things, stuffed them into his satchel, and Disapparated for the O'Donalds'. Unsticking the kitchen windows could wait; Gareth was hungry.

Severus looked at the closed door and the darkened shop behind its window panes. "Your shop is closed, McGonagall."

"It's not my shop, Snape." Gareth shook his head and looked heavenward. "There's a flower stand near the station. I think there's someone there every day."

A pout crossed Severus's face, and Gareth didn't suppress his snicker. He looked just like two-year old Severus in one of the photos he'd seen that morning.

"I do not want to get some wilted flowers from a bucket on the street," Severus said, his brows drawn together in a frown. He fingered the card in his pocket. He had thought perhaps daisies or jonquils, or both. He ran his finger along the edge of the card. Globe amaranth had been a possibility, too, though perhaps it was a bit too soon for amaranth. He sighed.

"Well, why don't we walk a bit and see if we see anything else that's open," Gareth suggested.

"I wanted flowers. My sitting room is dismal. Flowers and candles," Severus replied. "I want to create a romantic atmosphere."

"There's a nice gift shop along here that sells candles. Scented ones. I know it's open on Sundays," Gareth said. "You could get some that are floral scented."

"I don't want Muggle scented candles. I want flowers. We have candles enough at . . . at the school."

"You have flowers at the school, too," Gareth pointed out.

"Professor Sprout was somewhat perturbed when she found one of her rosebushes had lost its blooms overnight a couple weeks ago. As I was the one who had . . . harvested them, and I confessed to it...don't ask me what possessed me to confess at the time, perhaps it was sleep deprivation...she has forgiven me, but I do not believe it prudent to go about gathering flowers in the Hogwarts greenhouses just yet."

"Ah, I see. Well . . . do they have to be from a shop?" Gareth asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Rosemary has a greenhouse, though I don't think she's spent much time with it in a couple of years with everything else that was going on...especially not in the last few months. I know she wouldn't mind us popping by for some flowers and helping ourselves, but as I say, I don't know whether we'd find much there at the moment. But Grandmother Siofre has some wonderful gardens, two large greenhouses, a conservatory, and a wide range of flowers and other decorative plants at their peak at any time of year...different ones depending on their cycle, but Uncle Honnie probably has more variety than you'd find in any shop, though not necessarily any you have in mind. A lot of useful plants, too. He sells to a lot of apothecaries. You'd find it interesting...unless you've been there before?"

Severus shook his head. "No, no, I haven't."

"Great! You can meet more of the family then, and I bet we can get our tea there, too, if you don't have to hurry back. Don't let Grandmother Siofre intimidate you...she's a bit brusque with everyone. Uncle Honnie's a sweetheart, though. Hey, you'll probably meet Eoghan, too!" Gareth's grin changed, as though he suddenly realised something. "Yes, yes, it's about time you met Eoghan, I think . . ."

"Eoghan? You make less and less sense with each passing day, McGonagall." Severus shook his head, then he stopped cold and grabbed Gareth's arm. "Wait, he's the boy you told me about, the one whose parents were killed," he said in a low voice.

"Aye, he's the lad," Gareth said.

"You haven't . . . you don't think . . . they can't believe . . ." Severus looked around them; there was no one within earshot. "I had nothing to do with that raid. I am certain of it. If it was in McTavish Street in nineteen ninety-five, I wasn't there," he whispered urgently.

Gareth raised his hands, palms toward Severus, and said, "Wait, wait, my friend. No one said anything like that. It has never even been suggested. It's just that...eh, you'll find out soon enough, Severus. And it's probably nothing that will matter to you, anyway, from what you've said in the past. I'll enjoy the moment, though. Besides, you'll be teaching Eoghan in the autumn. Might as well meet him now!"

"You are truly infuriating, McGonagall."

"Sorry! I think it's congenital! Let's walk and find somewhere to leave from."

"All right," Severus said grudgingly. He needed flowers. He'd put up with McGonagall and his relatives for Poppy's sake. Poppy . . . Pearl Pomfrey. Poppy was a pearl, but it was not a euphonious combination, so he hoped that guess was not correct.

"Good," Gareth continued. "Have you met Johannes? You must have."

"No."

"Oh, thought you might have met him. He and Mum are great friends, and of course, Aunt Minerva and Uncle Albus are, too. I think that Professor Sprout consults with him occasionally."

"Is this Johannes Birnbaum?" Severus asked, finally putting the various pieces of Gareth's ramblings together. "The old Herbology teacher?"

"That's the one."

"He's your Uncle Honnie?"

"Well, he's not literally my uncle, obviously, but that's what I called him when I was a boy."

"You have a very strange family," Severus said.

"We have a few things in common, then!" Gareth replied cheekily.

"Mm." He rolled his shoulders and winced. "Let's just go. My headache's coming back."

"You also seem a little stiff. We could stop and see Melina first. She and Brennan were just playing Scrabble when I left. I'm sure she wouldn't mind taking a look at you."

"No. I'm fine. Just a little sore. It was the trip that brought the headache back."

"Right. Grandmother Siofre can give you some Headache Potion."

"I don't even like the idea of asking them for flowers. The more I think about it, the less I like it, but I don't have a lot of choice."

"You could buy some scented candles," Gareth said, an innocent expression on his face.

Severus rolled his eyes. "I said I want to create a romantic atmosphere, McGonagall, not a toxic one. Here. We can Disapparate from here," he said, stepping into a narrow alley out of view of anyone.

A few moments later, he was looking around himself, trying to become oriented after being Side-Alonged to an unfamiliar location. He could be almost anywhere in the Highlands, he thought, though he could feel some strong wards just inches away.

"That's the Tyree place," Gareth said unnecessarily, gesturing toward the large stone house ahead of them.

Severus nodded. The landscaping was impressive. For late March, there were a surprising number of flowering plants blooming on the slopes leading up to large house. Birnbaum must have created some very strong microclimate charms to bring on such a profusion of flowers so early.

"The greenhouses are around back. I'm sure he'll have something suitable for you," Gareth said, waving as the front door opened. "Hey, Brantin!"

A pale house-elf wrapped in a heavy linen towel waved cheerily.

"Are Grandmother Siofre and Uncle Honnie around?"

"Where else would we be?" Siofre asked, appearing behind Brantin. She looked over at Severus, then back at her great-grandson.

"Grandmother Siofre, may I present Severus Snape. Professor Snape, my father's grandmother, Madam Siofre Tyree."

Severus inclined his head respectfully.

"How do you do, Professor." She nodded briskly, then turned to Gareth. "So, you don't pay a call on us for weeks, and now you show up with this fellow. You must be wanting something."

Gareth smiled. "We're after some flowers, Grandmother. I thought that Johannes might have some he could bear to part with."

"Hmph. No doubt he does. Come in," Siofre said, stepping back from the door to allow the two wizards entrance. "He's in the grove; I'll send Kilbeena for him."

"I also thought Eoghan might like to meet Severus," Gareth said.

Siofre nodded and raised her eyebrow, looking again at Severus, this time, a slight smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. "Go through to the sitting room. Eoghan is in his library. I will fetch him to meet his cousin."

Author's Note: The little florist shop card with the "Language of Flowers" that Severus is carrying with him says that daisies signify patience and jonquils mean "return my affections." Globe amaranth is undying love.

I've begun posting a new short RaMverse fic to the Petulant Poetess, Charming the Scottish Garden. There's a bit of a tie-in to the current chapters of A Long Vernal Season, and I think you might enjoy it. Siofre Tyree is one of the primary characters.

I also posted "A Spree with Albus" to my blog, which features the duel between Albus and Malcolm McGonagall. It's an out-take from Resolving a Misunderstanding, and it is relevant to an upcoming chapter of Long Vernal Season; you can find it by going to my WordPress blog (the link is on my author's page here), and either clicking on "Read a Little Fanfic Now," or finding it in the sidebar. I didn't post it here because it's part of Resolving a Misunderstanding "Chapter CXXXV: A Spree," which is here on TPP. I edited it down to make it a little stand-alone ficlet for folks unfamiliar with RaM or ones who would like to refresh their memory without hunting for the relevant portion of the chapter.

NEXT:

Chapter Eighty: In Pursuit of Flowers (Title subject to change)

Sunday, 28 March 1999

Severus meets one of his distant relatives, and he continues his attempt to create a romantic atmosphere in his pursuit of Poppy.

Characters: Severus Snape, Filius Flitwick, Poppy Pomfrey, Gareth McGonagall, Siofre Tyree, Eoghan Tyree, Johannes Birnbaum, others.