Nine.
Chapter 9 of 15
SS LupinIt had started off as an ordinary night for the girl and him, until he received the news that threatened to erase ten years of quiet joy.
ReviewedDisclaimer: The following characters and places you recognize do not belong to me and are the property of JKR and her affiliates.
~*~
“How is she?”
“Fine, Severus. Poppy said she had some smoke inhalation, but she’s in stable condition.”
“Let me see her.”
“Wait. Have you even seen yourself? Come with me. You need a bath and a change of clothes, maybe something to eat–”
“I need to see her!”
Minerva’s face grew stern. “You will go and get cleaned up, and then you will see her. I won’t have one of my former professors running about the school in nothing but a nightshirt!” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “At least put on a pair of socks.”
Snape tried to peer into the partially open door of the infirmary. He couldn’t see more than a row of empty beds.
“Fine. I’ll go.” Snape whirled around as best he could in only a nightshirt and headed for the dungeons.
~*~
He would never admit it to Minerva, but a hot shower and a change of clothes did him some good. Wearing the robes he had found in his surprisingly moth-free bureau, Snape strode through the corridors of Hogwarts. It almost seemed like he was dressing up as himself for Halloween – no, not as himself, but as Professor Snape, who docked points from both grades and Houses, mercilessly and with satisfaction. The flaring-robed, foul-tempered persona he had held for so many years had begun to shatter the moment he had held an infant Marie in his arms, causing him to exchange potions ingredients for bottles and diapers, his teaching robes for worn jeans and shirts.
A sleepy group of what looked like second years made their way past Snape to breakfast at the Great Hall. When they saw Snape’s shadowy visage, their early morning stupor disappeared, their eyes melding to the floor and their feet carrying them away in haste.
Snape smiled, his yellow teeth glinting in the light of the torches lining the walls. Eleven years without teaching and he still had it.
~*~
Marie looked so much like her father, but Snape had chosen not to notice the girl’s physical quirk until she was lying asleep in the hospital bed. Her black hair was a tangled mess fanning out on the bleached pillow, her red lips slightly parted as she snored. Unlike Potter, who had been fed intravenously for years, Marie ate hearty meals, so her pale limbs that poked out of her hospital nightgown were rounded and fleshy. Snape himself had filled out over time – the tightness in his chest came less from seeing Marie than it did as a result of his tight robes.
Snape touched his palm to her forehead. It felt cool. He took a folded blanket from the bed next to him and placed it on the one already covering her. Tucking Marie in, he looked her over; not a scratch or bruise in sight.
Poppy finally came into the room, a bottle and some linen in hand.
“Minerva had told me you suffered some burns. Let me see them.”
Snape nodded and sat on the edge of the bed adjacent to Marie's. He gingerly rolled up his pant sleeves, not wanting to aggravate the tender flesh there.
The sting from the salve Poppy was applying made Snape hiss in pain and turn away from the nurse’s ministrations.
“Buck up, Severus, you’ve had much worse.”
Snape gritted his teeth. “While that may be true, I have not fared worse than a paper cut for over a decade. Takes some time – ah – getting used to.”
Poppy finished applying the salve and began bandaging Snape’s legs. “The girl’s quite pretty. Looks just like–”
“Her father. Yes, I know.”
“No need to get so snappy about it.” Poppy tied on the last bandage and murmured some spells to protect the bandages. She patted Snape’s leg – which elicited a moan of pain from the wizard – and said, “If you would’ve let me finish… I just wanted to add that she reminded me of you, too.”
Snape was unable to say anything else as Poppy looked over Marie and went back to her office.
~*~
Marie was still asleep, and Snape was reading in the chair by her bed when he heard voices at the door of the hospital wing.
“Let me see him.”
“It wouldn’t be advisable. They’re both recovering.”
“I need to see hi-them!”
Recognizing Hermione’s voice in a wave of déjà vu, Snape walked to the entrance of the infirmary and opened the door.
“Let her in, Poppy. It’s not like we’re contagious.”
Poppy bustled into the infirmary. “Very well.” She adjusted her cap, muttered something about “high-strung patients,” and went back to her office.
“Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to come in?”
Hermione frowned and entered the room. “Coming in, actually. How is Marie?”
“Shaken, I suppose, and tired. She hasn’t woken up since–”
A yawn from the bed brought Snape and Hermione to Marie’s side. The girl’s eyes were fluttering open, her arms stretching out to either side of the bed.
“Good morning, Severus. Hermione,” she said with a sleepy smile.
~*~
Author's Note: Beta'd by Southern_Witch_69.
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Latest 25 Reviews for Recovery
55 Reviews | 5.95/10 Average
I just discover this story and I like it very much! I can't help but see it has been a while since who write it... Hope inspiration strike one day, until then I will wait I guess!!
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thank you! As of yet I haven't been able to continue, but I still have hope to finish, too.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thank you! As of yet I haven't been able to continue, but I still have hope to finish, too.
Glad to see the update. Looking forward to the next.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thank you very much! :-)
I loved the comment about Julie having a girl's name. LOL I've b een thinking that since I first saw it. Ahahaha
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I'm glad you did... I wanted him to have a 'distinguished' name, but to still keep the feel of him being a little boy. =]
The point is that I'm not getting this story. It seems like a slow, increasing agony for Severus. In the beginning, he had found a reluctant hapiness with a girl he 'almost' calls his own, then things become more complicated and he suffers. With each new introduced character (Harry, Julius, Ron, Millicent (oh, my!)), Snape's grip of his life is slipping ever so slightly more. He does not only have his new social interactions to deal with, he is threatened by some Dark organisation. What you set up in store for him is frankly astonishing. I sincerely hope you plan a happy ending, although I can't phanthom one just now.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Yikes... I think the one word that hit me was slow - I hope it isn't getting boring... First off, I hate angst or anything that has a character anguishing in horrible circumstances. I'm just thinking of Snape adjusting to post-war life in the Wizarding world, after being for the most part isolated for so long. It can't possibly be perfect, so this story is working with a flawed world that Snape is trying to make his own. Although, yes, Millicent is on the random side. If you have any other questions, please let me know. :-)
Well it was worth the wait. Your writing of the everyday happenings in a very crowded house is sublime.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thank you very much! The next chapter is being written.
Haha and wow! The laugh is for the arse comment and the wow is for being able to spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Glad you liked the arse bit... silly humor has to enter my fics one way or another. ;-)And I take no credit for being able to spell it; I got up to 'fragilistic' when I gave up and looked it up online. Thanks for the review!
Fun chapter! This is quite an intriguing story. I'm looking forward to more.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Yay! It was fun writing it. More is up soon; thanks for the review!
I'm really enjoying this, especially the getting along.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thanks so much - the relationship between Marie's fathers is an important part to this story, and I really want to 'get it right.'
My, my, Snape seems to be softening towards Harry - are you setting this up for some spectacular row or something? :D
I had been wondering how you would handle things once Harry was released, and must say I really like the way you have them interacting.
More, and soon please :)
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
lol, they aren't out of the woods yet - more rows are up ahead. :-) The next chapter is in the works. Thanks for reviewing!
hehehe. I'm with Severus! At least it wasn't the whole Weasley lot! Now, I wonder what's next?!
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I really couldn't write them all with poor Snape... that will have to come later. I think I will be going back to the attack on the house in the next chapter.
Snape a father figure? - the poor girl! Nice start though. I look forward to the rest of it.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
He's definitely not the best choice, but it was part of the challenge. Thanks for the review!
Hey there!
I found this story over Southern witch's fic rec, and I love it - I like your characterizations, like Severus and Maries interactions and am definitely looking forward to more! Oh, and I can SO see Hermione doing what she did - for one cause she's overjoyed about Harrys recovery and then to help Marie - even if living with Potter sucks for Severus, I think it's a real chance for Marie.
Thanks for sharing!
Fran
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I was recc'd! :-)Thank you so much for your review; the next chapter should be finished soon.
Poor Severus. I feel so bad for him, and I'm rather upset at Hermione. Nice of her to tell Severus Harry was staying there until after he'd already moved in. I'm not much of a Harry fan, and I can only imgaine how Severus must feel, to know he's going to have to live under the same roof of Harry - who he definitely isn't fond of.Again, poor Severus. I'm almost hoping he leaves...But either way, I simply can't wait to see what happens next. Please update again soon! :)
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I really am writing Hermione as a she-demon, and I hate that - but I can see her being so excited about Harry's waking up that she'd become a zealot in trying to reconcile everyone. Besides, there may have been some deception on her part, so that Snape could move there in the first place. :-)Thanks for your review; the next chapter is in the works.
Ah, what a twist. ~snicker~ Can't wait to see how things work out. :)
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I do love my plot twists... hopefully, the next chapter should be finished soon.
I love Snape's response to Rita's question about being back in the wizard world.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I love the snark, too - thanks for reviewing. =]
hahaha. the image of severus running in the grass in a grey nightshirt (my mind added grey socks and the dew) is priceless. HAhaha 
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
lol, I'm glad you liked that image; I wanted a slightly a humorous contrast to Snape's escape in HBP. Thanks for reviewing!
I have my suspicions about these people. I must say that I feel so badly for them to lose their home and all the special things (like him reflecting on the loss of her first little artwork and such...). That would be what I'd hate to lose, too.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I know... my mother still bemoans the fact that she had lost/threw away some of my childhood creations :) Thanks for reviewing!
I've just finished reading all six of the chapters that are currently posted. I've enjoyed it because it reminds me of one of my favorite episodes of Masterpiece Theater, Silas Marner with Ben Kingsley as Silas. I just checked it out on IMDb and found out it was first shown in 1985, it certainly doesn't seem like I first saw it over 20 years ago.I had found the novel extremely boring when we were required to read it in 10th grade, but now it has become a favorite. Severus is a perfect Silas, and Marie has him wrapped round her finger just as Eppie had Silas. I love what I've seen of the relationship the two of them have.I'm hoping desparately that you won't turn the story into an SS/HG pairing. Not only do I hate that pairing, but it doesn't go with the story the way you've written it or the way George Eliot/Mary Anne Evans wrote it. It's a love story about a man and a child, about how that child changed the fundamental character of that man with the truly paternal love he developed for her. That's exactly what you have Marie doing for Severus.
I will be waiting for your next update.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Wow. This review was so amazing, and I had to look up Silas Marner because of it (I'm familiar with the book but didn't know much about it). I really do not know if I will write any 'pairings' in this story - characters and plot changes as I go along WIP style, but I do know that the main focus of this fic is the development of Snape's love for Marie. Thanks again for reviewing. =]
It was nice to have some background. What will happen now?
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thanks, I thought I was boring everyone to death with flashbacks... chapter 7 is being written; thanks for reviewing!
Strange ending. Looking forward to the next chapter.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I know... it was a bit abrupt, but it will be further detailed in the next chapter. Thanks for reviewing!
Psychological suspense is what you're giving us, and I like it. Marie is very perceptive, isn't she?
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Psychological suspense? (squees at such an elaborate term for my fic) Thanks for your review. Marie is quite a perceptive character, but I imagine she's been seing Snape and Hermione interact quite a bit in her lifetime. =]
Ah, Hermione always trying to serve justly, without taking into consideration the consequences thereof. Harry really didn't need that shock and Severus shouldn't feel as if he needs to be on the defensive to save his relationship with Marie. Good thing that Marie doesn't have any of the hang-ups her two fathers have. Looks like she will be the glue to cement the future.
I like this story so far, very original. Looking forward to more.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Yes. I'm afraid Hermione might be keeping up that in the future.Thanks very much for your review - the next chapter's in queue.
I'm looking forward to seeing how this story plays out, so far i'm quite enchanted.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Aw, thanks alot! And I know this is random, but I love your username. =]
Response from lupinschewtoy (Reviewer)
Thanks. Now I just have to become inspired enough to get past the starting stage of two stories so other people can see how cute my name is. lol. Your story is still quite wonderful and I am looking forward to more chapters.
I like this beginning. I'd really like to see where you're going with this.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thank you for reviewing! =]
Your description of Snape's flight with Marie had me as breathless as he was. Well done job! now, I wonder what that phoenix was for.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thanks alot! As for the phoenix... I'm not telling yet. ;)