Chapter Sixteen: Twisting on racks

Chapter Sixteen: Twisting on racks

17 – 18 April 1998

Severus tore the third button from his left sleeve, the effort causing him to tip further into the mud despite the tree he was propped against. His fingers were slippery and trembled, but they closed around the small black button.

He gathered his energy and his breath, then whispered, "Domi."

His eyes fluttered, he recognised the safety of his surroundings, and he sighed as he collapsed with his head on the hearth. He was vaguely aware of a voice...Dilys, he thought...instructing someone to go, quick, and fetch the Headmistress. Somewhere, some part of him was amused as he thought that if Minerva Flooed through to her office, he hoped she didn't trip over his head.

"You hold on, Severus," he heard the former headmistress's portrait say. "Phineas Nigellus is fetching the Headmistress. She will be here in a moment. Oh, I wish I could step out and take care of you! Try to stay awake, Severus!"

Severus didn't manage to open his eyes, though he tried to reply, but only a harsh breath emerged from his mouth. He wished Dilys would cease her prattling so that he could just lie there and sleep. Every bit of him hurt, and every breath burned, and if he slept, it would stop. The absence of pain was all that he cared about at that moment.

When the Headmaster had given him the Portkey three years ago...four identical ones, actually, which could only be activated if not attached to his clothing...Albus had said they would return him "here," but Severus had thought that simply meant Hogwarts, perhaps by the gates or to his own rooms. Albus had literally meant they would bring him to the Headmaster's Office. Until that night, he had not had occasion to use one of them, though he had almost given in once or twice before. This time, though, he knew that he would Splinch if he tried to Apparate...if he managed to summon the energy to Apparate at all, since he could not even stand...and he would die in that wet wood if he did not Portkey away.

Less than a minute after Dilys had told him that Black had gone to fetch the Headmistress, Minerva was rushing down the stairs from her suite, only dressed in a nightgown and slippers.

"Oh, Severus! Oh, dear gods, what happened to you?"

Severus tried to open his eyes as she knelt beside him. The first thing he felt was a charm drying his clothing, then her hand on his forehead.

"You should go fetch Poppy," Severus heard another voice say. "I will bring him upstairs to the guest room and do what I can for him until then."

He felt another gentle hand on his cheek, and he forced his eyes open. Everything was out-of-focus, but he recognised the wizard crouched next to him. He closed his eyes again. Humiliation upon humiliation that night, but he could scarcely bring himself to care. Pain seemed to be his entire existence.

"You will be all right, Severus," Minerva said after Summoning an old teaching robe from a rack in the back of the office. "Robbie will take good care of you. Don't you think about a thing. I'll be back with Poppy as quickly as possible."

"Don't worry, son," came Robbie's soft voice in his ear, "no Mobilicorpus. That can be quite uncomfortable when one is conscious."

He was aware of the sound of a door closing, then he felt Robbie's arms, one under his knees, the other cradling his shoulders.

"You must let me know if it hurts when I lift you."

Severus tried to lick his dry lips and managed to rasp, "Hurts . . . hurts anyway."

"I will try not to make it worse," the older wizard said gently as he stood, bringing Severus with him. As he crossed the office to the stairs, he said conversationally, though still in a soft, soothing voice, "I have thought you were not eating enough and that you should put on some weight, but I suppose that it is convenient at the moment that you have not."

Severus sighed and let his head rest on Robbie's shoulder, past caring about humiliation or weakness. The other wizard took the stairs carefully and deliberately, trying not to jostle the younger man in his arms.

With a whispered spell, Robbie first opened the door at the top of the stairs and then the one to the guest bedroom, and Severus felt the other wizard's magic course past him. There was something comforting about allowing himself to put himself in his hands, just to let go. Perhaps if he let go enough, he might breathe his last and finally be free. Then the image of Hermione's smiling face flitted through his consciousness, and it came to him that he still had more to do, he had to become that better Severus that Albus used to speak of. And Hermione believed in him. She needed him. He still had to help her.

As Robbie pulled back the bedcovers with another whispered spell, Severus thought he understood what Hermione had meant about Robbie feeling like Albus. Of course, he was nothing like Albus at all. But as the older wizard gently laid him down on the bed and carefully removed his boots and outer garments, and then, using both magic and the gentle touch of his hand, began to explore Severus for injury and broken bones, Severus thought that Albus himself would have done the same, in the same caring manner.

"Oh, Severus." He heard pain in the older wizard's voice as he discovered the injury to his lower back. "What did they do to you?"

It was a rhetorical question, but Severus opened his eyes and tried to speak. "Oh..."

"You needn't say anything now, Professor. Wait for Poppy to come," Robbie said softly as he used his wand to remove the final layers of damaged fabric from around the large wound on Severus's back, but still leaving him clothed in the remnants of his robes.

But Severus persisted. "Aurors," he gasped. "Moody. Knew me. Moody. Then..." Severus grimaced. "Then the . . . Dark Lord . . . very angry."

"Sh, sh, don't speak. Do not speak. Help is on its way." Robbie smoothed Severus's damp hair back from his face and perched on the edge of the bed. "Stay on your side. You have a large burn of some type on your back. It looks like an acid burn. You should not lie on it until it is healed. Am I right in understanding that that damage was done by an Auror?"

Severus swallowed and closed his eyes. "Yes." His voice rasped in his throat.

"Was it Moody himself?"

"Yes." He ignored the fact that the wizard was still gently caressing his forehead and holding his hand. He certainly ignored the fact that it felt nice and that it reminded him of the time his father had taken care of him when he was four and had the mumps.

"And you are sure he knew who you were beneath your mask?" Robbie asked gently, but with not a hint of scepticism in his voice.

Severus just grunted his assent.

"We will deal with that, then. I think I hear Minerva and Poppy," Robbie said, looking toward the door.

A minute later, Poppy strode into the room, immediately drawing her wand and beginning to cast diagnostic spells as Robbie looked on. Minerva, a teaching robe cast loosely over her nightgown, watched from the doorway.

"You can wait outside, unless Severus would prefer you to stay," the matron said as she opened her bag and removed three different potions and set them on the bedside table.

Robbie stood from his perch on the edge of the bed, but at the slight pressure of Severus's fingers around his hand, he said, "I will stay."

"Very well, but you'll have to move out of the way," Poppy replied.

Robbie let go of Severus's hand and moved away from the bed. Minerva stepped up beside him and put her arm around his waist. She turned her head into his shoulder, averting her eyes from the terrible melted flesh on Severus's back as Poppy began to pass her wand over the wound. Robbie pressed his lips lightly against her temple.

Now that the wound was partially healed, though still angry red and the flesh uneven, Poppy poured a viscous, light brown potion over it. The potion seemed to disappear as it touched the skin, and Poppy nodded in approval, though Minerva could see no difference in the wound. Poppy cast two more spells, healing spells this time, directed toward his abdomen. Next, she uncorked another bottle and poured out a dose of bright orange potion into a small cup.

"Here, Severus, this will help with the pain," Poppy said as she gently raised his head with one hand and brought the cup to his mouth.

Severus gulped it down weakly, a little of the potion dribbling from the corner of his mouth. Poppy wiped it away. She measured out some thick, dark potion and likewise raised it to his mouth for him to swallow. After he had taken that dose, he let out a sigh and his head lolled back against the pillows.

"Now, let's get you out of these clothes and into a clean nightshirt, and I can treat your other injuries." She turned to the other two. "Robert, could you give me a hand? Minerva, if you could fetch him a nightshirt?"

Almost an hour later, Poppy closed the door gently behind her and stepped out into Minerva's sitting room, where Robbie and Minerva were sitting on the sofa waiting for her. Severus had been washed, dressed in a clean nightshirt, and Poppy had cast some healing spells and given him two more potions to treat his injuries and counteract the curses that had been cast on him.

"When can I question him about what happened?" Minerva asked.

Poppy raised an eyebrow, but responded. "He is asleep now. When he wakes up in about four or five hours, he should be well enough to answer your questions. And he will recover quite well, I believe."

"I am glad. Could you tell what curses struck him? Is there any way of telling when they were cast or by whom?"

Poppy looked at Minerva, frowning with slight disapproval. "I am surprised you are not more concerned about Severus."

"She is concerned, Poppy," Robbie interjected. "But she has faith in your abilities, and she has weighty responsibilities that must take precedence over her feelings for Severus."

Poppy took a breath as she settled back into her chair. "He had both spell damage and physical injuries. In addition to the large burn on his back, which was the result of a curse, he also had minor burns on his hands and forearms and suffered some smoke inhalation, all of which were the result of an actual physical fire. Those injuries occurred, I would estimate, anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour before his others, which were all the result of some rather nasty curses, including the Cruciatus, as you may have surmised from the muscle spasms. In addition to the obvious burn and the multiple haematomas on his head and torso, he had some internal injuries, none of which were individually immediately life-threatening, but combined with the other injuries and the exposure to the weather, they could have been fatal if he had not reached Hogwarts when he did."

"What kind of internal injuries?" Minerva asked.

"Bruised kidneys, crushed testicles, some interstitial haemorrhaging caused by a curse I have never encountered before, an injured spleen, a few cracked ribs, and a lowered volume of cerebrospinal fluid, also from a curse I have never seen before. I was able to repair almost all of the damage, but it will take time for him to fully recover."

"Would it help if we contacted Melina?" Minerva asked.

"Yes, I was actually going to recommend that. The curses that I didn't recognise may have caused damage that wasn't immediately evident. Since this is her specialty, she would know what to look for even if she hasn't seen the specific curses before."

"Robbie, please owl Melina immediately...send a persistent Eagle Owl. She is a heavy sleeper."

"I will go myself," he said.

Minerva hesitated, then she nodded. "But be quick and be careful!"

Robbie smiled slightly, kissing her cheek as he rose. "I will be."

After he had left the room, Minerva turned back to Poppy. "Is there anything more that you can do for him? Anything you need to do?"

"No, not yet. I will be glad when Melina has had a look at him. A few of those spells were very, very nasty, and the one on his back wasn't the least of them...though it wasn't the worst, either."

"I'll sit with him, Poppy. Why don't you go back to bed...or lie down here on the couch, if you prefer?"

Poppy looked at her, thinking for a moment, then said, "I don't think you'll learn anything from him for a few hours yet. He is sleeping quite soundly."

"I do wish to sit with him for reasons other than getting information from him. If he wakes, I do not want him to be alone," Minerva replied.

"Of course." Poppy stood and stretched. "I'll kip on the couch, then. If he does wake and has any pain or other symptoms, I would like to be here, as well, and I need to tell Melina how I treated him so far."

Minerva smiled. "Thank you, Poppy."

"You have changed. You have changed since he died. Since before then."

"No, I haven't. I have become focussed, but I have not changed, not fundamentally."

Poppy didn't respond.

"We are all in danger, Poppy, all of us, and the entire wizarding world...and the Muggle world, as well. You can understand duty. I know that you do."

"It's not just that . . . Robert . . . I did not think you were so close to him, that you knew him so well, before everything. He is a good man; I see that, so do not mistake me. I am simply . . . puzzled."

Minerva shrugged. "As he said, I have very heavy responsibilities. Sharing them with him, having his support, it is what helps me to continue what Albus began."

"Of course." Poppy sat down on the couch and toed off her slippers. "You know, though, that if you ever need an old friend to talk to, you can trust me."

"I always know that, Poppy. But some things, as much as it might be a relief for me to share them, it would be a burden for you, and my own relief would be short-lived."

"You talked to me after the Adfectus," Poppy pointed out.

"That was different. And you shouldn't say that...if Severus overheard, he would be mortified, and he has suffered more than enough."

Poppy nodded. "But if you want to talk..."

"Someday, if we both live through this, we will talk." Minerva reached out and squeezed her friend's arm. "I promise."

---

Minerva had been sitting with Severus in the dimly lit guest room for less than a half hour before Melina arrived. Minerva felt the tingle from the gargoyle and stepped out into the sitting room to meet her. Poppy had been dozing on the couch, but she opened her eyes groggily.

"What is it? Is Severus..."

"He is fine, still sleeping. Melina is on her way up."

"Oh. I never know how you do that," Poppy replied, yawning.

Minerva just smiled and winked. "Top secret!"

Melina immediately went in to see Severus, Poppy going in with her to tell her what she had already done to treat him and what she had determined about his injuries and the curses that had hit him. When they reemerged twenty minutes later, Minerva was dozing against Robbie's chest, but she opened her eyes and was immediately alert.

"How is he, Melina?"

"He will be fine," Melina reassured her aunt. "Poppy did well with him, and I was able to provide some additional treatment. There was some undetected renal damage, which I treated, and I did a little more repair on . . . on some of his other sensitive injuries. The burn on his back must have been immensely painful, but Poppy did a nice job with that. I treated it again with a more specialised potion and the countercurse, and it will heal quite nicely, I'm sure. He woke briefly while we were treating him. He asked to see you, but be aware that he is very groggy from the potions, and he won't be very lucid."

"You go on in, Minerva," Robbie said. "I will call Blampa for some tea for Poppy and Melina."

Minerva entered the guest room quietly, closing the door behind her. The lamps had been dimmed again, and she hesitated to raise them. She walked over to the side of the bed and looked down at Severus, who was lying on his right side. Reaching out tentatively, she touched his cheek.

"Severus, Severus," she whispered. "I am here."

Severus's eyes opened briefly and he gave a long sigh.

"Melina said you will be fine. You just need to rest."

"My report . . ." Severus said, blinking.

"Unless there is something I need to know right this minute, it can wait until morning, when you are more awake."

"Mmm." Severus sighed. "The Dark Lord was angry, but . . . nothing urgent. Morning's good." He swallowed and licked his lips.

"Are you thirsty?"

"Mmm." Severus nodded slightly.

Minerva poured him a glass of cool water from the cut-glass pitcher by the bed, then she put an arm under his shoulders and helped him raise up enough to sip it. He coughed.

"Slowly, slowly," Minerva said.

After he'd had several swallows, Minerva eased him back against the pillows.

"Thank you."

Minerva nodded. "Of course. Now you sleep. We will talk in the morning. Robbie told me how you received the curse on your back. You can tell me the entire thing then."

Severus nodded, his eyes closing. "Stay a while?"

"I'll stay a while, Severus. Till you're asleep."

"Mmm. Thank you. And Crouch." His eyes opened again. "See why you like him now."

Minerva quirked a brief smile. "That's good, Severus. You sleep now." She caressed his face gently as he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

She sat with him for several minutes as his breathing became slow and regular, watching his face relax, all trace of discomfort and worry disappearing. Finally, she bent and kissed his forehead and whispered, "Sleep well and dream sweetly."

As she left the room, Minerva completely extinguished the lamps. With the heavy draperies over the room's one window, Severus would not be awakened by the sunrise, which Minerva estimated would be in about two hours. Fortunately, it was a Friday night...Saturday morning, now...and the few duties that Severus may have had that weekend could be shifted. She could even take his curfew patrol shift herself, if he had one. It might actually make a nice change from her usual duties. Robbie had already volunteered to take Potions on Monday, and they could find someone else to take Defence for a day or two.

Minerva sat next to Robbie on the couch, and he poured her a cup of tea.

"I think that one of us should stay up in case Severus awakens," she said, "but otherwise, we should get some sleep. I'll stay up with him now, then go to breakfast in the Great Hall. I can talk to Severus after that, then take a nap later."

"I'll stay up with you," Robbie offered.

"No, you need your sleep, too. You can sit with him when I go to breakfast."

"I should stay," Melina said. "I would like to check him again later for complications."

"You can stay in the Hufflepuff guest room. The password hasn't changed since the last time you were here," Minerva said.

"Or in my rooms," Robbie said. "I'll be up here."

"That would be a lot closer than being down in Hufflepuff. Thank you, Robbie," Melina said, standing. She turned to Poppy. "You can walk me down, Poppy. You should get some sleep, too. Minerva will call us if we're needed."

After the two witches had left, Minerva poured herself another cup of tea.

"Now, you go to bed. You can sit with him later when I nap. I know you are worried about him, but he's sleeping. It's unlikely he'll awaken any time soon, but I'll check on him every half hour just in case."

"All right, my darling, if you wish, but I could easily stay up and keep you company."

"No, I'll wake you in a few hours. I'll be fine. And I am going to summon Moody to come see me here. I want to get the full story from Severus first, but whether it was intentional or accidental, that curse was completely uncalled-for, and I intend to let him know precisely how much he endangered the Order's cause last night, even if he doesn't care one whit for Severus."

"You're angry with him, but I am more so. I never would have thought that Alastor could have done something like that...to anyone."

"His dislike of Severus goes beyond any reasoning and beyond even his ordinary dislike of Dark Wizards. You know that," Minerva said. "But he wouldn't have done that before Arthur led the Order, and I think I need to reinforce a few things with him." Her voice was hard with her anger.

"I will speak to him, as well."

"No, you won't. He doesn't trust you. The way he looks at you, if you defended Severus, he'd probably be hexing you in the back next," Minerva said. "He wouldn't credit what you said, and if you were even present when I spoke with him, he wouldn't take me as seriously."

"You are getting rather good at this. I knew you would."

"Hmmph. Necessity, as they say. And I never did like bullies," Minerva replied, "nor gratuitous infliction of pain. That hex was nasty and uncalled-for, even against a Death Eater. And if he did recognise Severus...which I do not doubt, though I will make certain of it first...that is even worse. Fighting Dark Wizards for so many years may have changed Alastor, it has changed many people, but I will not tolerate this behaviour. Beyond the cruelty, it is counterproductive to our cause. And we cannot become like those we fight, no matter the provocation."

"I agree completely, as you know. It is difficult enough to be aware of all that Severus must do as a spy, and to know that without our spy, we might lose the fight, but the gratuitous infliction of pain and violence cannot be tolerated. And that he would do that to Severus, knowing who he was . . ."

"Don't think about it. Go get some sleep. I'll wake you."

---

A few hours later, Minerva entered her bedroom, approached the bed, closed her eyes, and kissed Robbie's forehead. "Time to get up!"

"Mmm, what a lovely sight to wake up to. Was Severus so lucky?"

Minerva laughed. "Yes, he was, in fact, though I don't know as he noticed," Minerva replied. "He still isn't feeling well. But he ate a little breakfast, and Melina checked him over one more time before she had to leave. She'll be back this evening, unless we need her sooner. He told me what happened last night, and after I'm back from the Great Hall, I will tell you all about it. He's expecting you, but I think he is just going to sleep. You can leave his door ajar and sit in the sitting room, if you prefer."

"I am rather peckish this morning, so I will look in on him then have some breakfast, myself, I think." He pulled on a shapeless blue robe.

"I'll send Poppy up when I see her. I need to speak with Alroy...he wanted to visit Rosemary this weekend, but with Severus ill, he will need to stay at the school...and I need to speak with Filius about a few things, as well, then ask Sinistra to look in on the Slytherins discreetly. I will be as quick as I can, though."

"Have you contacted Alastor yet?"

"Yes, I owled him, but I haven't heard anything back. I asked him to arrive at four, but didn't tell him why."

"He'll think you invited him to tea."

"Let him," Minerva said as they stepped into the sitting room.

"And if I'm not present, he may mistake your intentions further."

"Let him," she repeated. "I'll be back. Blampa should be able to find me if you need me. Don't forget your potion!"

When Minerva returned two hours later, she opened the door to the guest room to find Robbie sitting in a rocking chair by the bed with a book open on his lap. Both he and Severus were snoring lightly. She smiled and closed the door gently.

She was in her study when there was a light rap, then the door opened and Robbie stepped in.

"I thought you might be back. Severus is asking for you. He's concerned about school business, I believe."

"I didn't want to disturb you. You both looked so peaceful," Minerva said with a smile.

"I was reading to him from Rob Roy. I think he was enjoying it, but we both fell asleep."

Minerva chuckled. "All right. Poppy said she would stay up here during lunch, and so you and I can both go."

"Did you speak with Alroy?"

"Yes. He was disappointed, but he understands. I told him he could leave the school on Wednesday after classes and be gone overnight. I thought you could stay in Gryffindor Tower in case there are any issues that arise in his absence."

"Yes, I would be happy to. I will miss you, but I know it must be harder on Alroy and Rosemary."

"Oh, I thought I could use the Floo to the study and come for a little visit...if you don't mind, of course!" she replied jokingly. "But I'll go see what has Severus concerned. And you have work to do...didn't you say something about reading a hundred-twenty essays this weekend?"

"Not all of them, but I hoped to get through half of them before Monday."

"Off you go, then! I'll see you at lunch."

Minerva knocked on the partially open door to the guest room.

"I'm awake," Severus said. His voice was still somewhat hoarse, but he sounded stronger.

"How are you feeling?" Minerva asked, coming into the bedroom.

"Not bad. Better."

"You look better. How is your back?"

He shrugged one shoulder. "I can barely notice it now."

"You asked to see me."

"Yes. I have work to do. I have rounds tonight, and I have to prepare for classes on Monday. The potions that the third, fifth, and seventh years will be brewing..."

"Don't worry about any of that. Melina said you're not to do anything until Tuesday, and then only if you feel well. Robbie and I talked about that last night...early this morning, actually. He will be taking your Potions classes on Monday. I will tell him to consult with you about any preparation."

"And his classes?"

"Gareth. I have sent him a message. I anticipate he will arrive tomorrow. If you aren't well enough on Tuesday, I am sure that Gareth will stay another day."

"I am sure he will be thrilled to be helping me," Severus said drily.

"I am sure he will be thrilled to be at Hogwarts. And helping Robbie and me."

"Hmmph."

"Whatever he said to you, Gareth has a good heart. He may still harbour a grudge of sorts, but he would be appalled by what happened to you."

"He would see it as only just, as I am sure Moody does. And perhaps they would be right."

"Severus, you take care of your own justice now. You make amends as your conscience dictates. You have already suffered sufficiently from your mistakes...all right, all right!" she said, holding up her hand when Severus opened his mouth to interrupt. "Not simply mistakes. Crimes, sins, whatever you wish to call them. But I think you would find that Gareth would prefer an honest confrontation...he certainly wouldn't cast a devastating hex at you when your back was turned. And he will be happy to help out for a day or two."

"Very well. But I will teach on Tuesday. And move back to my rooms this evening."

"No, I think it's best you stay here for the rest of the weekend. Sinistra has agreed to look in on your House at intervals, and your prefects know to go to her."

Severus frowned. "What have they been told?"

"You are not available. I didn't go into any detail. As far as they know, you may not even be in the castle this weekend. And don't worry about your rounds. I'm taking those."

"You?"

"Yes. I thought it would be refreshing. A nice change of pace. I never thought I would miss rounds after becoming Headmistress, but I find I don't get out and about in the castle very much any longer. I am here in the Tower, in the staff room, in the Great Hall, and other than occasionally looking in on a class, I don't get around very much. I will enjoy it," she reassured him.

"If you wish," Severus said with a slight nod. "But I still should return to my rooms. I cannot inconvenience you."

"No. If you are well enough on Monday morning, you can go back to your own rooms then, but your body took quite a beating, and as effective as Poppy and Melina's treatments were, you need time to recover," she replied. "Is there anything you need from your rooms? I would be happy to get you anything you require."

"I would like to shave, actually. Robbie shaved me this morning, and I am not . . . ungrateful, but if I am going to spend another night here, I would prefer to do it myself."

Minerva looked at Severus's hands, which still trembled slightly, an aftereffect of the extended bouts of Cruciatus. "I will fetch your shaving kit, then. But it's time for another dose of your potion, I think, especially if you don't want to accidentally slit your throat when you're shaving tomorrow."

"Hmmph. Perhaps not accidentally," Severus muttered as Minerva poured his viscous brown potion into a small cup. At her sharp glance, he said, "Just joking, Minerva."

"You had better be."

Severus swallowed down the hot potion, and Minerva had a glass of water ready for him.

"I was supposed to meet with Miss Granger this evening," he said after drinking some of the chilled water. "Perhaps you could tell her that I am unable to attend? She will likely wish to spend time in your library, anyway, so I see no need to inform her in advance, but I would prefer it if she didn't simply believe that I forgot."

"She has no doubt noticed your absence from breakfast, and as you will not be at lunch or dinner, either, she will be unsurprised if you are not in the library to meet her."

"Perhaps I could, though. It is just downstairs. If you brought me some robes."

"I think it's better you spend today in bed. If you are well enough tomorrow, you can join us in the sitting room."

"As you wish," Severus said with a sigh. He was just as glad not to have to do anything. His head was beginning to ache again. He looked over at the array of potions bottles on the bedside table.

"Is there another potion you need, Severus?"

"No. Although I have a headache."

"I would give you something for it, but perhaps Poppy should see you."

"It's a headache. No cause to bother her again."

Minerva poured a dose of bright blue Headache Potion into a spoon and gave it to him.

"Be sure you tell Poppy, though."

"Mmph. Do you have any of that green potion?"

"The muscle relaxant? For the cramping?" Minerva asked. "Yes...but when was your last dose?"

"I don't remember...it was whenever you gave it to me," Severus said.

Minerva gave him several drops of the green potion. "No more now until at least two o'clock, Severus."

"I think I'll sleep now." Indeed, his eyes were already closing.

Minerva waved her wand and drew the draperies closed. "There will always be someone nearby if you need anything."

"Mmhm."

"Sleep well."

Severus let out a long breath and relaxed into the pillow. It was probably just all of the potions running through his body, but as he drifted off to sleep, he thought that despite feeling as though a herd of Hippogriffs had rampaged over him, he hadn't felt so safe and well in a very long time.

---

Minerva was dozing on the couch when Robbie returned to fetch her for lunch.

"You should have called for me," he said. "You could have taken a real nap. I would have stayed out here."

"He's been asleep the whole time," Minerva replied. She stretched. "As soon as Poppy arrives, we can go to lunch, then I will tell you everything that Severus told me about last night. But I do think I need a nap before I face Alastor."

"And you are certain you don't want me here with you."

"Yes! Really! I am quite capable, you know."

"I know, my dear."

"You can listen, if you want. As long as you don't decide to tell me afterward everything you think I've done wrong," Minerva said crossly.

"I wouldn't." He leaned over and kissed her. "You do need a nap, I think. You'll be as liable to hex Alastor as to lecture him if you don't," he said with a chuckle.

"I am not in a joking mood. But that's all right." Minerva sighed. "I should see if Severus wants lunch."

"Poppy can do that."

"I suppose. She suggested at breakfast that we move him to the infirmary, but I rejected the idea. I think he's better off here, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. It is more comfortable for him, safer and more private, and he knows that you care about him. Much better than down in the Hospital Wing," Robbie replied. "What did he tell you about last night?"

Minerva sighed again. "I'd rather tell you after lunch."

"All right, my love. And I believe Poppy is on her way up now, anyway."

"Yes, and it will take more than a few minutes to tell," Minerva replied. "I need some fortification before I think about it again, too."

---

"Severus was going back into the house when Alastor hexed him?"

"Yes," Minerva replied. "If it had been a completely debilitating hex, that little boy would have died in the fire," Minerva said. "What's worse, though, is that when Severus tried to Disapparate, he discovered that there were new Anti-Apparition wards up, and he had deliberately dropped the Death Eaters' wards to allow the rest of the family to escape. He had to find a way out of the building through the fire. That's why he had so much smoke inhalation. His Death Eater robes saved him from the worst of the flames, but they and his mask did nothing to keep him from breathing in the smoke."

"But the rest of the family got away all right?"

"Yes. Which is one of the reasons that Riddle was so angry. Severus deliberately botched the raid to allow the family time to escape, and he forced the father to leave after the house was set on fire. That's when the Aurors arrived. Severus was casting light curses at them, to maintain appearances, and then he blasted a tree, making it look as though he had missed accidentally. He was just turning to go into the house after the boy when he heard Moody say his name. He didn't think anything of it, but then the curse hit his back, he fell, and he looked around to see Moody raising his wand to cast again. Severus managed a successful Expelliarmus, got up, went into the burning house, and got the little boy out. He left him where he would be easily found, but it took him time to do, so when he arrived, he was obviously late. He used the excuse that he had been going to finish off the child, but had become trapped in the fire and had to get out. Riddle seemed to believe it was just another example of Severus's incompetence, and the fact that Moody had cursed him was persuasive, as well."

"Did Tom punish anyone else?"

"The others were given a few bouts of Cruciatus, but only Severus received such a massive punishment. Fortunately, he still had a Portkey. I don't know how Tom thought he would survive out there in the rain in the middle of nowhere," Minerva said, "though I assume that he didn't particularly care."

"When Lucius was free, he would sometimes go back for Severus to see if he could Disapparate on his own. One time, he Apparated him to the gates, from what I understand. The man has few principles, but he would do that. I think that Tom would not want to lose Severus at this point...he will wait until he has free access to the school to try to kill him...but he simply assumes that Severus will somehow survive. He is unstable."

"Yes, Severus said it seemed that he was becoming increasingly irrational. By the way," Minerva added with a smile, "he said he now understands why I like you."

Robbie chuckled. "So do we have his blessing? That is good." He leaned over and kissed Minerva's cheek. "I do wonder what we will do when this is over," he said softly.

"We will think about that then, if we both live. And you know what I want you to do if you live and I do not," Minerva said.

Robbie nodded. "Yes, I do. And I will."

"I am glad you have ceased protesting. It was becoming tiresome."

"I also believe that we will both survive. But if you don't, I will go to Eilean Tèarmunn," he said softly.

"And if we both do, we will try to convince Gertrude to move back to Hogsmeade. I believe Gareth would help us."

"Yes, I believe he would," Robbie agreed with a nod. "You go take your nap now. I will see whether Severus requires anything and wake you at three-thirty."

---

Robbie entered the guest room and closed the door behind him. Severus opened his eyes.

"I have been temporarily banished from the sitting room. I thought you might like some company."

"Stay if you like," Severus said, closing his eyes again.

"Alastor Moody is on his way up."

Severus opened his eyes and looked into Robbie's grey ones.

"Would you like to hear the conversation? Minerva gave me permission to eavesdrop," Robbie said with a slight smile. "Much more interesting than hearing about it second-hand."

"What..." Severus coughed and cleared his throat as Robbie poured him some water. After a few swallows, he said, "What is she going to say to him?"

"I believe she has a few words about his treatment of you last night," Robbie said softly. "As I said, I think it could be interesting."

Muted voices came from the sitting room, and Robbie raised his eyebrows questioningly. Severus hesitated only a moment, then nodded. Robbie raised his wand and cast an eavesdropping spell on the door, and the two wizards heard Minerva's voice clearly as she invited Moody to sit.