The Last Potion

It was quite dim where I awoke


Justin Penny
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Justin Penny
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2003-04-02T07:46:00Z
2003-04-02T07:46:00Z
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1024
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9.2720







Well, I wasn’t planning on expanding this fic, but since you’ve
all been asking and pleading for more, I’ve decided to throw a few more
chapters in. I’m open to ideas, so if you’ve got any let me know. Tell me what
you want to happen and I’ll do my best to put it down on paper! Thanks for
readin’!

 

Awakening

 

It was
quite dim where I awoke. Nonetheless, the clout of the candlelight seemed to
burn my eyes the momI opI opened them. I had to squeeze my eyes shut again to
keep from blinding myself.

“Easy now
young lady, take your time.”

The voice sounded in my ear like an angel
whispering from Heaven. So distant, yet right by my side she spoke. I could
feel her hands enclosed around my fingers. She felt warm.

I felt so cold. My lips were numb and my
lungs felt like they’d both collapsed. What a dreadful feeling. Why do I feel
so… alive? I thought for sure I’d died in his arms.

Oh Merlin!

My eyes popped wide open the instant I
remembered what had happened. I’d died in his arms.

I gasped loudly and sucked in a deep breath
of air as I tried to sit up. “Oooh!” My head hurt so badly and my stomach
churned. I couldn’t hold myself up. After I’d collapsed back onto the bed I
heard her voice again.

“Easy. Easy! You’ve had a long night Miss
Chamberlain; it won’t do you any good to burn the midnight oil so soon. Lay
back and relax. You’re perfectly safe now.”

I recognized her voice. It was Madam
Pomfrey. That means I mustin tin the Hospital Wing. I’m still at Hogwarts. I’m
still near my love.

I didn’t want to, but the profusion of
potions surging through my body deprived me of the ability to get up again. My
eyes rolled around behind closed eyelids. I could feel Madam Pomfrey brushing
her hand across my dampened forehead.

I did try to relax as she had asked of me.
Lying on my back with my head turned to the side I tried to remain perfectly
still. I could feel my own breath blowing across my shoulder. Madam Pomfrey
combed her fingers through my hair and curled her fingertips around behind my
ear.

“That’s much better, dear. Now when you’re
ready you can open your eyes.” I could feel her pulling her hands away from me.
Then doing as I was told I gently let my eyes flicker open.

At first everything was a blur. I blinked
until the nurse came into focus. By the look on her face I could tell that she
felt far more cross than her voice had suggested.

“Welcome back Miss Chamberlain,” she said
irritably. “We almost thought we’d lost you. You’re quite lucky Professor Snape
had a fresh antidote on hand.”

I put my arms behind me on the pillow and
sat up on my elbows. Madam Pomfrey stood up and began pulling the curtains
around my bed. There was no one else in the Hospital Wing.

“Professor Snape,” I repeated after
realizing that I was no longer anywhere near his arms. “Where has he gone?” I
asked in an awfully demanding voice.

Madam Pomfrey gave me a severe look that
made my tone pale in comparison. “Back to his office I would imagine,” she
said. “He slipped out of here shortly after he’d brought you in.”

“Did he say anything?” I asked eagerly. I
watched her carefully as she began refolding some unused towels.

“No,” she answered blatantly. “At least not
to me. He spoke to the Headmaster after I’d taken you into my care. I imagine
he’ll be here shortly to speak with you.”

“He will?” I asked excitedly and sat
straight up in my bed.

Madam Pomfrey gave me one more severe look
and sighed irritably. “Yes. Professor Dumbledore always checks in on my
patients once they regain consciousness.”

“Professor Dumbledore?” I wrinkled my face
in disappointment and felt my heart sink deep into my chest. “Perhaps you
misunderstood me. Who I meant was Professor Sn-”

“I know very well who you meant, dear.”
Madam Pomfrey sat back down on the edge of the bed and looked deep into my
eyes. She wasn’t a very mean woman and she was quite small in size, but the
look she had in her eyes alone was awfully intimidating. “Professor Snape is in
no way responsible for you. He’s neither the Headmaster nor your Head of House.
You’ll not be seeing him before you leave tomorrow.”

I drew my eyebrows together in anger. Who
did she think she was telling me whether I would see him or not? “He saved my
life,” I told her. “Perhaps it would be prudent if I first thank him in person
before leaving. Or, at least to let me say good-bye.”

Madam Pomfrey stood up again. “You needn’t
make excuses in front of me, Miss Chamberlain,” she said. “It is Professor
Snape’s wish that you do not see him again.”

Without even feeling it coming on, I felt a
tear drip down my cheek and spill onto the ivory blankets rumpled at my waist.
Madam Pomfrey saw my teardrops and sighed sympathetically. “I’m sorry my dear,
but it’s for your own good.”

She looked over at the large oak doors at
the entrance to the Hospital Wing and hesitated before turning around and
heading into the office at the back. I looked the other way and saw another
familiar, sorrow face standing between those heavy oak doors.

It was Professor Dumbledore.

He saw me crying in the bed and silently
stepped over to me. He raised his hand once he reached the side of my bed and
made a calming motion. “I’m very pleased to have you back with us Miss
Chamberlain. You gave us all a nasty fright.”

I rolled my eyes and turned my head away
from him. More tears spilled down my cheeks when I squeezed my eyes shut tight.
“You should have just let me die,” I heard myself whimper. I felt the pain and
heartache more now than ever before. I had seen the seriousness in his eyes
assured me that Madam Pomfrey spoke no word of a lie.

The man I’ve loved for the last seven years
never wanted to see me again.

I may as well be dead.

“Elizabeth, look at me.” Professor
Dumbledore spoke so softly I almost didn’t hear him. “Please, look at me.” His
fingertips touched beneath my chin and gently turned my head his way.

I opened my eyes and willingly looked past
those crescent glasses into his baby blue eyes. His eyes were far friendlier
than those black tunnels I tried so hard to lure myself into over the years,
but the soul deep desire still lingered behind in those deep, dark tunnels.

“Why won’t he see me, Professor?” I asked
him.

Professor Dumbledore took his hand away from
my face and cupped his hands in his lap. “Exposure to lust and infatuation will
only increase the heartache and pain you feel, Elizabeth. Your wounds will not
properly mend unless you’re given the time you need to heal your heart. You
won’t be able to do this unless you leave him behind along with your memories
of Hogwarts. Believe me my darling, Severus won’t give you the satisfaction
your heart seeks… at least not yet.”

“Not yet?” I repeated immediately. “Do you
mean to say that-”

Professor Dumbledore raised a hand and
silenced me before I had the chance to continue. “Don’t trouble yourself
Elizabeth, once you’ve had a taste of what the future has to offer you, you’ll
have forgotten all about him and you’ll find love again. By the time you’re his
age now, you’ll both understand why I cannot allow you to bid him farewell this
evening.”