The Hepatic Hex

Kia Ora everyone..straight down to business, important stuff first

Thank you to everyone for your continuing support and praise..

Raven--I hope you have enjoyed what has come since

Dame Niamh-- I try to keep it intriguing without complicating it too much so that it even hurts my head...I tend to fail miserably at that though...

Alia--Thank you, and I hope that you haven\'t been waiting for too long...but alas I know how slack I have been...Me evil?? How\'d you know?

tamargrl--Quite bloody demanding aren\'t you? *smirk* I like that in a person... keep it up and I will be only to happy to provide more...

Kiri--What can I say that I haven\'t already. I owe you much, and I bow to your greatness...

jeannette--I try to be different...why lie, I am different to most people *I am too hard core HUH!*::Goddamn Gothic loser::, however in term of this..I harbor secret doubts..thank you anyway!

lasair--Yes. Yes he is...surprised really that you need to ask...*drools over self*

Kim--Thank you...I am not a pleasent person to deal with on the best of days...luckily for them...that was a good day *evil grin*

Guardian--thank you and I hope the remainder is not too much of a struggle for you!

Barb-- I have a confession to make too..I *hic* love *hic* Vodka *hic* too *hic* . Review made your sense perfect! *smirk* No seriously I understood and I thank you for your praise...

Janice--OMG! That has to be the highest compliment you could have paid me...Although I harbor secret doubts about it seeing as though I have read every SS/HG fic on the site..currently still in shock...thank you

Lady Aidil--Thank you. Have to say though the research was provided by others in my group...I merely had the pleasure of weaving it into the tale.. I have passed the message on though.. thank you

Paprika... Thank you..I may have to go back and change the summary...Would hate to think people are put off thinking it could be over their heads...Your honesty is flattering...

Helena--OI yourself... Hope it remains interesting...

uscarchie--more here...you would think touching would be ok wouldn\'t you? *evil plotting grin*

mssudie--I believe that I adressed one of your points earlier...As for the other, I am curious as to what you meant exactly...Vampires are always on my mind. My daughter is named after the mythological Queen of the Vampires, Lilith...that twist seemed to come naturally as a consequence.

Rilla--Having you review is an honor. I am such a fan of your work...I know what it is like to have 2 children crying for you when all you want to do is get lost in your little safe world with Sev...ooohhh yes I do indeed!

Penthsilea--I am glad that others got amusement out of that idiot too...Offending so many people is dangerous ground...

JennyLynn--Thank you for the praise...as for the cliffie...I have learned from reading the best of the evil cliffie Queens ie. Rilla, Kiri, Red, Fish, Corazon...the list is endless!

tigress--I uoghtta reach thorugh the bloody screen and wash your mouth out with soap...You writing is far from \"pitiful\" as you so elequontly put it.. actually as soon as I have posted this I am going to read your latest update which I just noticed...I am sure It is fantastic.. Oh and about Jeopardy...I would never laugh at such a well thought out fantasy...ahhh not that I really know what that is....A TV show of some sort I suppose...Don\'t watch TV (other than the AFL which has now finished for the season)...not something I think they have in Australia anyway...

And now to chapter 20...Onwards and upwards!
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Chapter 20

“Like hell you’ll do it!” Snape bellowed through the dungeons. Hermione and Dumbledore flinched at the pure aggravated magic that was radiating from his body.

Hermione though was in no mood to deal with the tantrums she had become accustomed to when Snape didn’t get his way. When she had fallen asleep again in his arms earlier, she had suffered through another nightmare, this time the imagery had been clear. Although she was most definitely not a seer, the vision had caused her to think hard on what it was she needed to do for the cause and to save those that she loved—no matter what the sacrifice to herself. That included Snape. So shaken, scared and exhausted, she turned to him, to do what she needed to protect him.

“What is it Severus? Scared that you’ll miss out on some sort of trophy shag if I become the keeper of the ritual?” Hermione snapped back at him, her breathing ragged as the voices inside her head argued over whether or not she was doing the right thing. It was better to hurt him and herself now and know that they would always have the brief happy memories they had shared ~‘ a whole 24 hours worth’~ she thought miserably, and the dreams they each secretly had for their future. It was more realistic then to pretend that, no; physical intimacy would never become an issue between them.

Snape recoiled from her like he had been gutted. Hermione fell apart inwardly at the slight but unmistakable tears that formed in the corner of one of his eyes as he opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before storming out of the room in a flurry of black, slamming the door to his chambers behind him. Choking back her own sobs, Hermione turned back to Dumbledore ready to deal with the swarm of regret and apologies she knew was coming, when something he had said earlier came pounding to the front of her mind.

She needed to owl the one person who she new might be able to help her live a life with Snape. She needed to do it urgently. She could only pray that Snape would accept her decision.

‘Why didn’t you think of this 5 minutes earlier ‘Mione, before you bit back at him?’

Hermione sighed as the headmaster broke the silence in the room.

“My dear, this is such a monstrous burden our world asks you to bare, I just want to let you know… “

“Save it for now please Albus. I have made my decision and you carrying on about how devastated it makes you to ask such a thing from me does not help me feel better. It makes me feel worse.” Hermione said harshly to the aging wizard, who made no comment on her lack of proper address to him. If anyone had the right to scold him using his given name, it was Hermione. “I have something I need to go and do. I sent the owl off to Artemis a few hours ago now and we should receive a reply in the next hour or so. Can I assume that the book you have been coddling since you got here contains the ritual I need to perform?” Dumbledore nodded sadly in the positive. “Then I shall take it from you to prepare myself. I am sorry, but until I am needed to perform the ritual, I do not wish to be around anyone.” And without leaving time for further discussion Hermione walked from the room.

As he sat in stunned silence and alone in the darkened room, Dumbledore realized that he had been wrong earlier when he thought he had felt the most helpless watching over Snape and the agony he knew the young wizard endured at the hands of Voldemort. He had been unable to intervene when he witnessed the personal torture Snape suffered for the wizarding world. Snape had no reason to live for other than the espionage and to fulfill the debt he felt he owed to him. Snape had told Dumbledore that much over and over again for years. But now, with Hermione entering his world and offering him the first glimpses at happiness and hope for the future, only to have it ripped from him because of a desperate need their world had once again, was far, far more debilitating on Dumbledore’s conscience. Not to mention that now the brightest young witch he had come across, who loved Snape openly and honestly was also now being to subjected to a burden he wished he could carry himself.

So much pain shared between to beautiful souls and he couldn’t to a damn thing about it.

He was not the greatest wizard on the side of the light, a title that many people felt he deserved. No, that honor was shared as far as he was concerned between two people he knew would never be acknowledged for their deeds and personal sacrifices. He had almost cried yesterday when he delivered his monologue to Snape and Hermione at the helplessness he had felt for years over Snape’s plight. Almost cried, but not quite. This time though, he did not try to hold back the tears of self-loathing and helplessness that came with his thoughts….

…”Unbelievable, just totally bloody unbelievable” Snape muttered to himself as he stormed through the corridors of Hogwarts, interrupting his own disbelieving mind only to take copious amounts of house points away from any poor student to cross his path.

230 and counting.

The thought caused him only momentary glee though. “Unbelievable” he spat this time. He had left quickly in pure shock over the insinuations Hermione had made at him. They had hurt. One bloody statement from her had caused him to crumble. If this what love felt like, he decided, it really, really sucked. Give him Voldemort and the Cruciatus curse anytime. He had recognized immediately the words had left her mouth though, what she had been trying to do. So bloody Gryffindorish of her’ he mused in muted humor to himself. Did she really think that 1. Not being able to actually do the “act” with her would change his feelings for her, and 2. That living without her in his life would be less painful then being able to partake in the pleasures of said \'act\', especially when there were so many other…tempting options still available to them.

He sighed audibly when he realized that her attempts at pushing him away were probably due to his own failings. He wasn’t going to go away and he knew that not even deep inside, Hermione didn’t want him to either. ‘Damn’ He swore to himself. That is probably exactly what she is thinking about me running away like that. Fuck, fuck, fuck, you stupid, stupid git. It was obvious to Snape that the situation needed remedying, but how. He knew from personal experience what the impact of such a sacrifice Hermione was making could take on a person’s psyche. To have no one support you, to confide in other than a plentiful supply of alcohol, something he didn’t want to see her succumb to.

To be completely alone.

“Damn!” he swore again. He had done exactly the opposite to what she had needed from him. He had failed the first real bloody test they had come across together. She may have been the one to push him away, but the situation that needed resolving was completely his fault. He had let her push, knowing the truth behind her actions and he, against his greater knowledge, had complied. No, it was his job to fix this, and exactly how he was going to do it caused a faint smile to play across his usually solemn face.

It didn’t stay there for long though for the appearance of a person he hadn’t seen in 20 years across his path caused his face to fall back to its usual display of indifference. Inwardly he panicked.‘ And so it begins’ he mused before the person spoke.

“Good evening,” The tall dark featured man started, “my name is Archibald De la Rosa, I have business with Albus Dumbledore, but he isn’t in his office. You wouldn’t perhaps know where he is at the moment? What I have to discuss with him is a matter of some urgency.”

Snape studied the man he knew so long ago, who had so far not shown any sign of recognizing him. He knew it wouldn’t last but decided that particular revelation could come out on its own. There was no way he was going to point out his identity, even though realistically as soon as he introduced the man to Dumbledore, it would be made painfully public.

“Follow me.” Was all Snape said before turning on his heel and leading the man back down to his dungeons. The two wizards walked in silence the entire way, something that Snape was eternally grateful for, but upon opening the door, his heart crumpled for the second time that day at the sight of the slumped posture and open sobbing figure that was Albus Dumbledore. The Great-Unbreakable-Forever Strong Albus Dumbledore, the man he respected above all others.

It had finally happened.

Everything that the man had endured had finally broken him.

Guilt flooded through Snape as he approached his long time friend and pulled his frail body up against his own and embraced him as though he was dying. In a way, Snape mused, he probably was. Despite what Snape had constantly lead Dumbledore to believe over the years, he was well aware of the concerns the ageing wizard held for him. He had always been grateful to know that he had meant something to someone. Now he wished that he had told him as much everyday. That he knew, and appreciated his concern, but it was okay. It was too much for him to see such a great man reduced to the state he was in. ‘Your truly nothing more than a unadulterated selfish, bloody bastard, Sev’ he told himself.

At that point Dumbledore realized that they were not alone in the room, and pulling himself together went to introduce himself to the man who had watched the display in silent indifference.

“Mr De la Rosa, I presume?” Dumbledore said with a slight tremor still apparent in his voice.

“Yes, Headmaster, but please call me Archibald.” The man replied.

Dumbledore nodded before looking up in shock at remembering the reasons Hogwarts had been quarantined.

“What have you come here for Archibald? I assume that your daughter received Miss Granger’s correspondence and that you aware of the disease spreading through our community. You realize that you too have now been exposed and that for the safety of your family…” Dumbledore stopped at the amused look on De la Rosa’s face.

“Albus, calm down, it’s all right, really. When Artemis received the last owl from Hermione, we decided that the quickest and safest way we could deliver her blood sample to you was if one of us apparated here. For obvious reasons although she strenuously objected, Artemis couldn’t come herself, and I wasn’t about to let my pregnant wife come. Although I too now require the cure, it was, I am sure you agree the best option under the circumstances.”

“So you have the sample then?” Dumbledore asked anxiously.

De la Rosa answered by removing from his robes a vile of the precious liquid that meant so much to the survival of their world. He handed it to Dumbledore who clutched it firmly against is heart as he spoke.

“You have no idea what this gift will give to all those in our world. Both those of us that are aware of the situation, and those who aren’t will never be able to repay your daughter and your family sufficiently…”

“No.” De la Rosa interrupted him again. “My family has hidden from this world and our responsibilities to it for far too long. This goes only part of the way of making up a terrible wrong we have committed as far as I am concerned for abandoning those, like yourself, who bravely chose to stay and fight for the safety of the world as a whole. My family will never be able to repay your sacrifices, having said that, if there is anything that anyone of us can do in the future to ease some of your burden, you need only to ask. Whatever I have to give, it is yours.” De la Rosa finished.

“This time it is I that must object Archibald. For too long I have wrongly accepted the praise that was deserved by so many others, especially people like our Potions Master here…”

Snape rolled his eyes behind his closed eyelids. ‘Here it comes’

“Severus Snape.” Dumbledore finished.

Slowly Snape opened his eyes too look directly into those of De la Rosa. Although not exactly knowing what to expect, Snape was surprised to see a faint glimmer of amusement on the man’s face. ‘Why am I bloody surprised? He’s probably amused that he has finally tracked me down.’ Snape thought to himself.

“Is that so?” De la Rosa said, barely able to contain his amusement at the revelation the younger wizard had obviously hoped wasn’t going to occur.

“Yes, yes,” said Dumbledore proudly, “but I am afraid that as time is of the essence now, I must go and find Miss Granger. Since it is his story to tell, and I will otherwise be occupied, maybe you would like to keep Severus company so he can tell you all about it.” He finished with the familiar and irritating sparkle back in his eyes.

‘Damn you to hell you meddlesome old, bloody…Damn you!’ Snape cursed.

“It would be an absolute pleasure” De la Rosa replied, his voice dripping with poisonous sincerity.

‘When I get my hands on you old man I swear I am going to rip you limb from bloody limb and feed what is left to that bloody werewolf you are so bloody fond of’

“Excellent!” said Dumbledore unaware of the immediate threat to his personal safety. “I shall leave you both to it then.” And with out further ado, he walked towards the door.

“Thank you Albus, I believe that Severus and I have much to talk about.\" The tone in his voice to Snape was menacing.

Dumbldore smiled radiantly before closing the door behind him.

Snape wondered if going to Azkaban all those years ago hadn’t been a better option.

“So...” De la Rosa started,

Snape had the sudden desire to hurl himself from the Astronomy tower.

“Severus....” He continued.

Toilet. Snape needed a toilet to prevent himself wetting his pants. Afterwards he could drown himself in it…sounded like a reasonable way to go…considering everything.

”How have you been?”

Snape gulped.

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Until next time I leave you with *smirk* ahhh...hopefully painful anticipation...directed solely at all those other bloody Queens of Cliffhangers...

Shem xxx