Student's Injuries

Once again, my thanks go out to my wonderful betas, JENGEORGE and NervousAboutAngels, who have generously donated their time and effort to make this a better story.

Everything you recognize is the creation of the amazing J. K. Rowling. I make no money from the writing or sharing of this story.

Chapter 21

"Students' Injuries Need Extra Care,

A Gifted Healer Can Repair"

September first finally came, and with it, the onslaught of students to Hogwarts. Severus noticed that several people were significantly absent besides Potter, Weasley, and Granger. All of the Muggle-borns had the good sense not to come. If their parents were wise, they would have all left Great Britain. He thought about how so many of them had strong magical abilities and what a shame it was that they would not be able to develop them fully. He inwardly hoped that, before too long, the Dark Lord would be vanquished and they could all return.

Severus knew that the Sorting Hat had its own way of giving advice each year when it sang its song. He threatened to burn the Hat if the song was too defiant, in the hopes that the Hat would sing a song that would not encourage the students to cause trouble. But he knew that, if there was going to be sorting, there had to be a song first. And the Hat had a mind of its own.

Severus held his breath as the Hat began to sing.

The Founders of this fine school treated with respect,

Every magical student, not one did they neglect,

Although some pureblood classmates may have looked down their noses,

At Muggle-borns and half bloods, their lives no bed of roses.

But over time they proved their worth to all who would observe,

With magic just as powerful, respect they did deserve,

Though narrow minds still harbored feelings ill and wrong,

The less than pure showed talent, grew prevalent and strong.

No less deserving are those who have the gene,

That creates the magical abilities I've seen.

No matter what their bloodlines, if they can cast a spell,

They have the right to lessons learned, if they learn them well.

Some things are worth learning, some things are not,

Some things will turn to dust if you give them time to rot.

Some folks can't do magic, but like you, they all bleed red,

Your next life might be Muggle, so get that through your head!

Some say Dumbledore was misguided, some say he was a fool,

One thing is for certain, he loved his students and this school.

So before you bash his memory, keep this in mind,

The morals that he taught you will stand the test of time.

As the full moon rises, dark times lay ahead,

Some of you will graduate, some will end up dead!

Search your hearts, search your souls, for an answer true,

No matter what they teach, feel what's inside of you.

Much shorter than usual, thought Severus as he let out a sigh of relief. But not likely to go over big with the Dark Lord or the Carrows.

As the Sorting Hat finished placing the last first-year student, Severus noticed that an unusual number of children ended up in Slytherin House. He wondered if more of them mentally asked the Hat for that house (probably out of fear), since he knew that the Hat does take one's wishes into consideration.

After the feast, Severus stood up and announced the usual items that Dumbledore had always mentioned such as staying out of the Forbidden Forest. Then he announced the appointment of the Carrows and the subjects they would be teaching.

Then, to the horror of most of the students, he announced that the Carrows would also be in charge of discipline and that each teacher would be required to refer their detention cases to them. Most of the kids knew that they were Death Eaters, and therefore also knew that they could expect almost any kind of torture from them. They would make Filch's desires for shackles and chains look tame.

Severus knew he had to play his part well, but it didn't make the end of his speech any easier to deliver. "This is the dawn of a New Era. We have been misguided for too long. It is time we wizards take our place in the natural order of things. Soon, we will no longer need to hide our abilities from Muggles. They will come to understand that we are a superior race, and they will learn to accept it and bow to our great power.

"I look forward to watching each of you grow in your experience, your understanding, and your abilities, as you take your proper place in the New Order."

By the end of it he felt sick to his stomach. He would have much preferred to reiterate the Sorting Hat's message, but he knew that was impossible.

He was hoping to be the first to leave, but Alecto stopped him and began to spout off about the Hat's song.

"I have absolutely no control over what the Hat sings, and you know that. It is guided by the consciousness of the Founders. There was nothing I could have done if I wanted it to get to the task of Sorting." He scowled at her and walked out in a huff.

As he made his way through the entrance hall, he saw Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle at the top of the stairs that led to the Slytherin dungeon. Crabbe and Goyle were laughing as Malfoy continued his tale.

"... and he began to weep over her dead body. Can you believe it? Now he's our Headmaster! What a crock!"

Crabbe and Goyle could see him coming and stopped laughing as Severus came up behind Malfoy.

"Come with me, Mr. Malfoy," he said softly, with silky smoothness.

Crabbe and Goyle exchanged worried looks as Draco turned to follow the Headmaster. His usually pale complexion became an even ghostlier white.

As they stepped into a nearby empty classroom, Severus closed the door and cast the Muffliato Spell.

"Professor, I..." Draco stammered.

Severus interrupted, "You failed in your mission to kill Dumbledore last spring, did you not?" he said gruffly.

"Yes, sir."

"Your father failed to retrieve the Prophecy from the Department of Mysteries the previous spring, did he not?"

"Yes, sir."

"The only reason you and your family are still alive is because you are related to Bellatrix Lestrange. I have no doubt that she pleaded for your lives. The Dark Lord does show mercy on rare occasions."

Draco was beginning to cower and tremble.

Severus' eyes narrowed. "But somehow I doubt that he would mind if he found out I was using you for target practice. Do you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Yes, sir – I mean no, sir."

"I have spies throughout the school, Draco." His voice was almost a whisper. "I will know if you speak disrespectfully of me again. And next time I will not be so lenient. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal clear, sir," Draco muttered quickly.

"Good," Severus sneered. He removed the Muffliato Spell, and they both headed back out to the Entrance Hall. Severus stood silently and watched Draco rejoin his friends. With a fearful glance over their shoulders, they all descended the staircase to the Slytherin Common Room.

*****

As the week progressed, it became clear to Severus that the majority of the students didn't like the "New Order," or their place in it. The older kids were defiantly contradicting the Carrows in the middle of class without fear of the consequences. This truly concerned Severus as the hospital wing was filling up at an alarming rate. Some of the injuries were so severe that they should really have been sent to St. Mungo's, but the Carrows said that they needed to suffer so they would better learn from their mistakes. Severus was afraid that the Dark Lord would agree with this painful philosophy, so he took to haunting the ward at night, making sure Madam Pomfrey had all the needed supplies and doing what he could to cast spells that would ease their pain and help them to sleep.

One evening, Madam Pomfrey sent a student to bring Severus to the hospital wing. When he arrived, she was almost in hysterics.

"They just brought Neville Longbottom in here," she said frantically as she led Severus over to Neville's bedside. "He is severely injured. I don't know what they did to him, but he has an immense amount of bruising, especially to his lower back. I'm afraid his kidneys have been damaged. I haven't got the equipment or the knowledge to help him. He could DIE! We MUST get him to St. Mungo's!"

"I saw what they did to him," said a weakened Seamus Finnigan. "They interrogated both of us about the graffiti on the walls; you know, about Dumbledore's Army?"

Severus scowled. "Do you know who did it?"

"No, sir, but they were determined to get the answer out of Neville. He was acting real defiant, see. They tortured him until he passed out. Then they started kicking him. It was horrible."

Madam Pomfrey glared at Severus.

"He's staying here, and that's final!" Severus turned on his heel and swept from the room. He knew, of course, that Madam Pomfrey was right. But he also knew that he had an ace in the hole. He would send Winky for Sienna tonight. If she could not help him, he would get Neville to St. Mungo's himself. In the meantime, he would need to speak with the Carrows. The Dark Lord encouraged the torturing of insolent students, but even he didn't want any purebloods to be killed.

Later that night, he checked back in with a still-fuming Madam Pomfrey. As he watched her attend to her many patients, he slipped a strong sleeping draught into her evening tea. He pretended to check her storage closet as he watched her drink enough of the tea to assure him that she would soon be sound asleep. Then he cast a sleeping spell and an ache-easing spell over the room at large and headed out the door.

He reached his office and sat down in his chair. "Dumbledore! Wake up!"

The sleeping portraits all grunted and groaned, objecting loudly to the rude interruption.

"What is it, Severus?"

"I need Sienna's help in the hospital wing. Can't you think of any place I could hide her safely?"

"No place that I can tell you about."

"Does that mean that there is a place, but you just can't tell me where it is?"

"Perhaps."

"Dumbledore! What do you think you're doing?" shouted Phineas Nigellus.

"Keep quiet!" insisted Dilys Derwent.

"You know the rules," said Everard sternly. "They've been in place since before my time."

"Yes, yes, don't worry, I remember," Dumbledore assured them.

"So there is a place? Where? For the sake of the students, I need to know."

"Do you love her?"

"I don't think that's any of your business. And besides, what difference does it make?" Severus was losing patience and becoming desperate.

"Sienna is my business. You don't care about her. I love her," Dumbledore stated stubbornly, "and she loves me!"

"Oh, please! I didn't know portraits could go mental!" Severus began to pace the room, glaring at Dumbledore. "Unless, of course, the subject was mental when the portrait was painted!"

"That's not fair!" Dumbledore insisted. "You know it's true – you saw her in the entrance hall the night you killed me. She kissed me. She told me then that she loved me."

Severus continued to mutter as if he hadn't heard a word Dumbledore had just said. "Perhaps you were mental – and Potter and I must be mental to have listened to you... risking our lives over and over, just because you asked us to. I must be going out of my mind..." His voice trailed off as he drifted deep in thought. Then he looked up again, from face to anxious face.

"Do you know where I can hide her?" he pleaded with Phineas Nigellus. "Do you?" He turned to Armando Dippet, who was pretending to be asleep. "Any of you?"

They all remained silent.

"Why won't you help me?" he was truly pleading with them now. "The Carrows have been working overtime torturing people. They even have other students practicing the Cruciatus Curse on people in detention! I need Sienna – they need her. There are lives at stake." He was desperate. "But I can't keep her here if I've no place to hide her."

"Perhaps," Dumbledore suggested gently, "if you voice your concerns in the quiet solitude of your bed chamber, a solution will present itself."

"I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR RIDDLES AND MYSTERIES!" he shouted angrily and stormed out of the office to his quarters.

"WINKY!"

"Winky at your service, Headmaster Snape, sir," she bowed low as usual.

"Go get Sienna. Tell her she is urgently needed in the hospital wing. Bring her directly back here," he pointed into his private bath. "I'll have Polyjuice Potion ready."

"Yes, Headmaster Snape, sir." And with a loud POP, she was gone.

Severus went out to a closet off of his office that he kept under a complicated Locking Charm. Once opened, he retrieved the Polyjuice Potion and a phial with Madam Pomfrey's name on it. As he headed back to his quarters, he heard the return POP. He hurried into the bathroom, closed and locked the door, then cast the Muffliato spell, just in case.

"Winky told me what's been happening. This is awful!" Sienna closed the gap between them. "How can I help?" she asked as they gave each other a quick hug and kiss.

"Here. Polyjuice Potion. He dropped the hair into the beaker. It began to boil and turned a thick chartreuse. "It will transform you into Madam Pomfrey, so if any of the students see you, they won't think twice."

"But where's the real Madam Pomfrey?"

"I slipped her a deep dreamless sleeping draught. It shouldn't wear off for at least four hours."

Sienna nodded then looked disgustedly at the vile liquid. She made a face that reminded Severus of a little kid who was being forced to eat Brussels sprouts. He tried not to laugh as she poured it down, gagging in the process. As she began to transform, her clothes tightened as she took on the middle-aged woman's physique, but since they didn't have any of Madam Pomfrey's clothes handy, she figured she could suffer through it for an hour. Then Winky took them both by the hand and Apparated directly to the hospital wing.

Sienna went from bed to bed, assessing the damage. Then she gave Severus and Winky both tasks with the less severely injured students while she zeroed in on the worst cases. She started with Neville. It was true, his kidneys were badly damaged. It took her almost half an hour of deep concentration to get them to function properly. They were still damaged, but they would heal over time. She then went to several others as Severus fed potions and Winky changed bandages and applied ointments.

She had finished up with everyone who really needed her special technique, and had just gone back to Neville to see what else she could do for him, when the Polyjuice began to wear off. It was a good thing he was lying on his stomach when his eyes opened.

"Wow! I don't know what you did, but I feel so much better!"

Severus and Winky both looked up. The kids were all supposed to be under a spell to keep them asleep. Sienna was almost completely back to normal. Severus aimed his wand at Neville and quickly re-cast the spell.

"We'd better get you out of here before anyone else wakes up!" He looked urgently at Winky. They came together in the middle of the ward and instantly joined hands and Disapparated with the usual POP!

Seamus groaned and sat up in his bed. "Was I dreaming? Or did Snape just feed me a potion?"

"That wasn't a dream," commented Colin Creevey, who was still recovering from the torture he had received two days before, "that was a nightmare!"

Back in the Headmaster's private bath, the three of them stood clustered together, discussing the night's events and what the future might bring.

"Well, I still don't have a safe place to keep you, but the other Headmasters alluded to something. For some reason, they can't flat-out tell me. It's maddening. And they know how important it is that you stay. I don't understand it. I thought they were there to help me."

"I'll just come back at night if you need me, and we can continue to do what we just did." She smiled at Winky, then at Severus. "I do wish Madam Pomfrey would lose a bit of weight, though."

Severus chuckled. "Perhaps I can get Winky to bring one of her uniforms when she sends them to be laundered."

"Winky knows all the elves that work in the laundry, Headmaster Snape, sir. Winky can get them to replicate one for Miss Sienna."

"That would be perfect," Sienna smiled at her. "Thanks, Winky."

"I'll go back and collect some hair from Madam Pomfrey. If you need more time on the ward, I'll simply have extra potion on hand for you to drink."

Severus looked at Sienna with sad eyes. He wanted so much to keep her there. "Well, you'd better be getting back." They wrapped themselves around each other.

"Did you try my suggestion?" she asked as she buried the side of her face in his chest.

"What suggestion?"

"To find a place to hide me. Did you voice your concerns in the peace and quiet of your bed chamber?"

Severus pulled away just enough to look into her sparkling greenish grey eyes. He furrowed his brow. "That's almost word for word what Dumbledore just suggested before I brought you here tonight."

She gazed into the infinite depths of his coal black eyes. As she stared at him, he felt a peace wash over him, and he could see a wisdom there that he had not seen since the last time Lily came to him in his dreams.

"Try it," she whispered. "You never know."

He scowled skeptically, then gave her a quick kiss. "Can you come back tomorrow?"

"I was just thinking that that would be a good idea. They could use more of my help, especially Neville."

Severus nodded. "Tomorrow, then." He raised his eyebrows at Winky. With a POP they were gone.

Severus sighed heavily and walked to his bed chamber. He slowly undressed himself and slid under the covers. Then he remembered the instructions both Sienna and Dumbledore's portrait had given him. He sat there for several minutes, concentrating on his need for a place to hide her, but no solution popped into his head. He finally concluded that perhaps an idea would come to him in a dream, or a solution would present itself in the morning when he was rested and refreshed.

But the following morning brought only more problems with defiant students. More graffiti was found on the walls, more students were sent to the Carrows for cheek in class, and more teachers were voicing their concerns loud and clear.

It was only the first week of school. What would he have to do to restore order?

*****

That night, Severus sent Winky to retrieve Sienna again. And again they Apparated to the hospital wing after she had transformed into Madam Pomfrey. Severus brought some extra Polyjuice Potion this time so she could stay for three or four hours. By the time she was finished, she felt confident that most of them could go back to their dorms the next day. Neville would need to stay until Sunday, however. His kidneys were much better, but he still had a lot of bruising. She had decided not to speed up the healing process of the bruises for two reasons. First, she hoped that by feeling the aches and pains of those bruises Neville would be discouraged from speaking out again, and second, that the Carrows wouldn't think that they had let him off too easy.

Winky took them both back to Severus' quarters.

"I still have no place to hide you," he admitted sadly. "I tried your suggestion, but no ideas were forthcoming."

Sienna looked at him with surprise at that bit of news. "Really? Well, keep trying. Don't give up."

"I guess since there are no classes over the weekend, we probably won't need you for a while. I'll send Winky if that changes."

After watching them Disapparate, Severus once again walked wearily to his bed and began to disrobe. He concentrated on his dilemma while he climbed into bed, then sat for several minutes more, his mind full of a picture of a secret room in which to keep Sienna.... Nothing.

He lay down with the picture still in his mind, hoping that something would come to him in his dreams, and drifted off to sleep.

Over the relatively quiet weekend, Severus caught up on the mountain of paperwork that had grown to alarming proportions on his desk. He never dreamed that the Headmaster position would require this much parchment-pushing.

As the second week began, he held his breath and waited for the next wave of casualties, but thankfully they didn't come. He figured that the troublemakers were still licking their wounds, with the aches and pains still fresh in their minds. He knew better than to let himself get lulled into a false sense of security, however, and remained ready for anything. And he continued to patrol the halls at night, looking for signs of trouble.

Wednesday evening, Severus sat at the staff table in the great hall and pushed his food around on his plate as he thought about Sienna. There had been no medical reason to bring her back to the school, and he missed her terribly. He didn't feel like eating, so he headed back to his office.

He quietly spoke the password and the gargoyle jumped aside. As he was climbing the spiral staircase he came face to face with Neville, Ginny, and Luna. Ginny was trying to hide something large and cumbersome behind her back.

"Silly girl," Severus sneered, "if you had been wise, you would have used a Reducing Spell as well as a Concealment Charm on this before you tried to leave with it. Even if you had made it out of my office, the first teacher who saw you in the hallway would have stopped you."

He held out his hand and waited for her to hand over the Sword of Gryffindor. Ginny slowly, sadly, turned it so that the handle faced him, then held it out for him to grasp. All three of them looked as though they were facing the gallows. If the Carrows had caught them, they would have been.

"About face," Severus said simply.

They slowly turned and headed back up the spiral staircase to his office.

Shards of glass covered his desk and the floor in front of the glass case where they had so crudely removed the sword.

"Reparo," he said casually with a wave of his wand. All of the shards returned to their previous position in the case door.

He then turned to the three students. "Have a seat," he conjured two more chairs. He then sat in the throne-like chair behind the desk and leaned forward, steepling his fingers.

"What, pray tell, were you planning to do with this?" he pointed to the sword, which was now lying on his desk.

"It doesn't belong here," bellowed Neville. "It belongs to Harry Potter! Dumbledore left it to him in his will."

"It belongs to this school. Dumbledore had no right to leave it to anyone." Severus' eyes narrowed. "So you stole it for Potter, eh? Then you must know where he is."

They all looked down at their shoes at the same time. "No, we don't," said Ginny, obviously deeply saddened by that fact, as if she felt very left out of something important. Then she looked up defiantly. "But we would have gotten it to him somehow!"

They all sat in silence for a moment. Severus felt the need to make them sweat a bit.

"And how, if you don't mind my asking, did you get the password to my office?"

His question was answered with several more moments of silent shoe surveillance.

"You're wasting my time... And these days it seems I have no time to waste." He thought for a moment, and then the solution came to him.

"Longbottom, look at me," he said sternly. Neville reluctantly obeyed. Legilimens, he thought to himself. A long stream of memories came flooding to the surface: Neville visiting his parents at St. Mungo's, being chastised by his grandmother for not having enough magical talent, fighting the Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic, scrawling graffiti on the third floor wall next to the girls' bathroom, giving cheek in class last week and being tortured to the point of passing out, feeling better in the hospital wing, but no knowledge of whom to thank (good, he didn't get a look at Sienna), and finally, overhearing Flitwick give Filch the password while hiding behind a stone statue. Severus broke the connection and scowled. Well, he would have to change it and ask the heads of house to be more careful about how and where they conveyed the password.

"Longbottom, you have already felt the Carrows' wrath. I'm surprised you would risk another disciplinary session with them."

"I'm not afraid of them, sir," Neville said with his head held high.

"Obviously," Severus replied thoughtfully. "Which is why I'm not sending you back to them. I believe something a bit more terrifying is in order – for all of you!" He glared threateningly from face to fearful face and watched with satisfaction as they began to squirm in their seats. He let them wallow in their terror for a few moments, because somehow he knew that what he had in mind would be like a walk in the park for these three. "You will accompany Hagrid into the Forbidden Forest tonight to collect dangerous potion ingredients for Professor Slughorn." He watched their reactions with amusement. They pretended to be frightened, but he could tell it was a façade for his benefit. He inwardly smiled as he stood up.

"You will report to his cabin immediately."

They all jumped up, almost betraying their relief, as they raced each other out the door, no doubt, Severus thought, thanking their good fortune.

He shook his head as he watched them leave. Then he addressed the door they had just exited through. "This is Headmaster Snape. The password will now change from Albus to Percival. I repeat: the password will now change from Albus to Percival." That done, he turned to the portrait of Dumbledore. "As long as they think it's in here, there will be more trouble."

"I agree," said Dumbledore.

"We need to at least appear to get rid of it."

"Good idea, but where should you take it? Its removal will need to be seen by several people."

"I could take the copy to Bellatrix. I'm sure the Dark Lord will agree that the safer place for it would be in her family vault at Gringotts."

"Perfect."

"I'll contact her and have her meet me in Hogsmeade to give her the copy tomorrow. She'll never know the difference."

Severus lifted the copy from his desk and placed it carefully back in the glass case. "I must admit that it was brilliant of you to put a copy in the case and hide the real one after you destroyed the ring last year."

"I do have my moments, from time to time, for one who has gone mental."

They both chuckled.

"Have you found what you needed for Sienna yet?" asked Dumbledore tentatively.

"No, come to think of it. And I have been trying every night before I fall asleep."

"You must be doing something wrong, then."

"I don't think so. I can't concentrate any harder."

"It's not a matter of concentration. It's how you voice your concerns that matters. You must be specific."

"Great Scott, Dumbledore!" bellowed Armando Dippet. "You may as well find it for him!"

"Ahh, Sleeping Beauty awakes!" exclaimed Phineas Nigellus.

"Put a sock in it, Phineas," retorted Armando.

"Enough, you two," said Dumbledore impatiently. "These are troubled times. Severus needs all the help he can get."

"Voice my concerns?" asked Severus, as if the dawn was finally overtaking him. "... That's it! I haven't been saying what I wanted out loud!"

Severus raced into his bed chamber and closed the door. I have to be specific, he thought to himself. He took a few moments to compose his thoughts and decide exactly how to word the request. "I need a place to hide Sienna so she can live here and no one can find her except for me and Winky." As the echo of his voice faded from the room, an archway appeared beside his wardrobe. He cautiously walked through it and into a modest windowless room with an adjoining basic bath, a wardrobe, a dresser, and a single bed. He looked around and decided that it was too dark. She may have to spend quite a bit of time sequestered here. He didn't want her to become depressed.

"Could there also be a decent sized window?" One appeared beside the wardrobe. And although it was still dark outside, he knew it would make a significant difference in the morning.

Severus nodded his approval and continued to study the room. He figured that, more likely than not, he would be spending his nights in here with her, and that single bed simply would not do. He thought of using an Engorgement Charm on it, but figured he would ask the room to make the change instead.

"How about a queen sized bed instead of that small one?"

The bed instantly transformed into a queen.

This is fantastic! he thought to himself gleefully.

"She would need to take her meals in here, and I with her, at least part of the time."

No sooner had he spoken the words than a table for two appeared in the corner between the bed and the window, equipped with a table cloth and a three-pronged candelabra.

It's like the Headmaster's own little Room of Requirement, he mused.

"Winky!"

She appeared in his normal bed chamber, with a POP, as usual. "Winky at your service, Headmaster Snape, sir," she said with a bow. Then she looked around. "Where is Headmaster Snape, sir?"

"In here, Winky."

"In where, sir?"

"Can't you see me?" asked a bewildered Severus, who could see Winky perfectly through the archway.

"No, Headmaster Snape, sir. Winky can only see a stone wall where Headmaster Snape's voice is coming from."

"That's odd," observed Severus, as he walked back through the arch to his bed chamber.

"Oh, goodness gracious, Children of Merlin!" squeaked Winky, surprise and a touch of fear smeared across her little face. "Headmaster Snape can move through solid stone walls!" She exclaimed as she prostrated herself at his feet.

"Winky," said a bewildered Severus, "get up and come with me. I need to get to the bottom of this."

She followed him out to the office.

"Dumbledore, I found it!"

"Excellent!" proclaimed Dumbledore.

"About time!" said Phineas snidely.

"But I specifically asked that Winky be included, and she can't see it."

"Can't see what?"

"See what – why the r... the r... This is bizarre! I can't even say it now."

Dumbledore glanced at Winky and cocked his head to the side.

Severus finally got the hint. "Winky, could you please go back into my quarters and close the door?"

"Yes, Headmaster Snape, sir." And with a very puzzled look on her face, she turned back to his quarters.

Once she had closed the door behind her, Severus cast the Muffliato Spell.

"Can we speak freely now?" he asked, a bit impatient.

"Yes," smiled Dumbledore brightly. "You see, the room has a sort of Fidelius Charm on it, with the castle itself as the Secret Keeper. Only the current Headmaster can ask for the room to appear, and only the Headmaster can reveal it to anyone else. Furthermore, no one can so much as speak of the room in the presence of someone who has never been in it. That way, the secret is always kept."

"But I was standing in it when I called Winky. She could hear me, but she couldn't see me. When I walked through the archway, she said it appeared as if I had walked right through the stone wall!"

"If you want her to be able to go in there, you must lead her by the hand the first time. As soon as you break the barrier, the arch will become visible to her as well."

"Then I will be able to talk with her about the room?"

"Yes."

"But neither of us will be able to speak about it, or what goes on in it, to anyone else?"

"Unless they have already been in the room themselves. And then only if there is no one else present."

"This is perfect," said Severus with excitement. "Even the Dark Lord will not be able to find her here."

"True, but if you know he is coming for a visit, I would get her out of here if I were you. She radiates quite a bit of power. He may be able to sense her presence even if he can't find her."

Severus nodded. "I agree that would probably be for the best. Thanks!" he looked up and smiled broadly at Dumbledore and the others. Then he turned on his heel to go show Winky the secret room.

After leading her through the arch, she became very excited. "Does this mean that Miss Sienna will be coming to live with us, Headmaster Snape, sir?"

"Yes, Winky, that's exactly what it means!"

"Oh this is wonderful news, sir. Winky is so happy! Can Winky go get her now, Headmaster Snape, sir?"

"Well, I was thinking that I would like you to take me to her instead. I want to tell her right away. I also have something in mind that would delay her arrival, but I believe it is the right thing to do under the circumstances."

"What is that, Headmaster Snape, sir?"

"You'll see," Severus said with a mischievous grin. "Shall we?"

She took his hand and they were gone.