Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter 43: Darkness Rising

Albus sat up straighter in his chair, his paperwork forgotten. He looked from Miss Granger to Mr Crobobin; they were both holding the same grave looks on their faces. “What problem would you be talking about, my boy?” he asked Severus, turning his gaze once more on the younger man. He had rarely seen him so agitated.

“It would seem that Sybill graced us with another prophecy,” the scowling Potions Master replied.

Dumbledore raised both his eyebrows, his eyes lighting up at the possibility. His hand went instinctively for the bowl full of lemon drops that were on his desk and he plucked one and placed it in his mouth. He sucked on it whilst looking solicitous. After a handful of seconds, he motioned that his three guests take a seat.

Hermione was wringing her hands together as she sat down on the proffered seat. Professor Trelawney’s words were racing around in her mind and she felt dizzy. Who were this traitor and new friend she had spoken about? What did it have to do with her? The old fruitcake had placed both of her hands on herself and the snarky professor sitting next to her as she spoke the prophecy, therefore the serpent and the lion must be the Potions Master and herself. Without even noticing, she began to hyperventilate.

Severus was cut off from telling the Headmaster about the curious exchange with Trelawney by Miss Granger. He looked over at her and noticed how pale she was. Her eyes were focused on some inane object on the Headmaster’s desk while she was breathing in short sharp breaths of air; it was as though she was struggling to breathe.

Severus turned in his seat so he was facing her. He scowled at her as he thought, ‘What is she doing now?’

“Miss Granger, if you would be so kind as to sit there without creating any interruptions,” he snapped, his brow was furrowed in his displeasure at the whole ordeal. He also had put two and two together and had come to the realisation that he would, with the help of Miss Granger, be subjected to another round of stealth and double dealing to defeat yet another Dark Lord so soon after the fact that he had just helped to take down Lord Voldemort. ‘When will it end?’ he silently cursed.

When she continued to stare, he stood up in front of her, placing both of his hands on her shoulders and shook her slightly. “Miss Granger, pull yourself together,” he growled in a harsh tone.

Hermione was snapped back into reality by her whole body being shaken. Her head snapped up to look into the black eyes of Professor Snape. She didn’t lash out at him, and she puzzled at this for while whilst she controlled her breathing back to a steady rhythm.

Severus sneered at Miss Granger and took his seat next to her. As he sat down, he looked at the Headmaster once more. Albus held a knowing look on his face, and was that a slight grin? The Headmaster said nothing, so Severus just shook off the feeling that he knew something more than he was letting on and continued in his retelling of what had transpired, between the infirmary and the old man’s office.

Albus listened in; this narrative was becoming more and more intriguing by the minute. So he was right when he had felt the uprising in Dark magic. He reached over to his drawer and opened it when his Potions Master had finished his account of the tale. Pulling out two wands, he placed them on the desk before him.

Severus just looked on intently as the elderly wizard made to speak. He made no move to get up and retrieve his wand that was a mere metre away from him on the Headmaster’s desk.

“Severus,” Headmaster Dumbledore started, “I want you to take Miss Granger and Mr Crobobin with you to your suites in the dungeon and keep them safe. I will be in contact with you when I have all of the remaining Order members together and we shall discuss Sybill’s prophecy and its meaning.” He finished gazing meaningfully at the Potions Master.

Severus was about to object when he looked into the Headmaster’s eyes and subsequently into his mind. He was gently guided to the memories that the wizard sitting before him wanted him to see. His hardships with the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and consequent slanderous comments in the Daily Prophet about how Albus was running the school. The dreaded feelings of an upsurge in Dark Magic and the trust that he always had and was now placing again in Severus. So instead of protesting, he just nodded his head as he made to stand.

Albus had seen into Severus mind too, and was guided to the retelling of Mr Crobobin’s tale of Calan Park; he frowned slightly at this new revelation, but otherwise remained impassive.

Tolmie noticed this exchange between his friend and the Headmaster, but choose not to comment as he stood from his chair and gave the Headmaster a slight nod of his head. He looked over to see Miss Granger just sitting there looking at the elderly Headmaster with a look of shock on her face.

Hermione was sitting there with her mouth agape. ‘What does he mean that he wants me to stay with my former professor and a man that I hardly even know? Has he truly lost his mind, finally?’ she thought.

Severus stood and retrieved his wand from the Headmaster’s desk. Tucking it into the hidden pocket in his robes, he turned to face Miss Granger who was staring at the Headmaster with her mouth open. “While the night is still young, Miss Granger,” he snapped at her.

Hermione looked up at the rude wizard before her and stood, giving him a look of death before she turned around and headed for the door.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Severus sneered snidely.

Turning around, she held her arm out towards her wand, and without even muttering the incantation, her wand flew into her outstretched hand. She smiled at the shocked look on the dark-haired man’s face before walking through the door.

Dumbledore chuckled at this. He had a feeling that Miss Granger would be more than even Severus had bargained for, and he was pleased to see her powers returning to her.

Severus looked over at the Headmaster with a dumbfounded look on his face. ‘How, what, why?’ he mused.

“You two had better hurry up,” he said whilst motioning towards Severus and Tolmie. “I have a feeling Miss Granger will not wait for too long before blasting her way into your chambers, Severus.”

With that, both men made their way at a quickened pace out of the Headmaster’s office.

***

Cornelius smiled as he made his way through the foyer at Calan Park. The magic that he had placed still coursed through the building and was very much alive. He made his way up to the admission desk with the smile still gracing his lips.

The admissions clerk didn’t even look up from the computer she had been busy typing on. “Won’t be a sec,” she said as she continued to type up the admissions for the morning. When she had finished, she looked up at the man standing at the counter. “May I help you?” she asked.

“I hope so,” Cornelius countered. “You see my nephew works here, and I was just in the neighbourhood and thought that I would come pop in, and perhaps we could go to lunch. I haven’t seen him in years and thought since I’m here, well you know, we could catch up.” Cornelius finished, his sickly sweet voice and charming smile worked wonders on the older woman as she smiled at him fondly.

“Oh how sweet of you,” she said still smiling, “and who would be that lucky nephew of yours?” she asked.

“Robert, Robert Finn,” he replied and as he saw her face turn suddenly grave, he quickly added, “Is there a problem?”

“Oh I guess you haven’t heard?” she replied. “Well, I’ll have to call Dr. Lopes down here, he will explain everything to you,” she added whilst pressing the button under her desk.

They waited then. The admissions clerk looked nervous and smiled up at Cornelius every once in a while. Finally, after what seemed liked an eternity to Cornelius, a doctor walked down the hall towards them. Cornelius figured that this had to be Dr. Lopes as he held himself tall and looked like he was in charge of the place.

Dr. Andrew Lopes came to stand in front of the admission counter. He held his usual clipboard under his left arm and was clicking his ball point pen in and out with his right hand. He didn’t really have time for this as he was in the midst of hiring a new staff member.

“Yes Diana, what is it?” he asked the aging clerk behind the desk. Although he wasn’t short with her, he had had a very trying day so far and he didn’t realize how difficult it truly was to find good help nowadays. He sighed and scrubbed roughly at his temple. He could feel a migraine coming on.

“Dr. Lopes, this is…” she looked up at Mr Finn’s uncle and realised she didn’t even know his name.

“Cornelius,” Fudge said, whilst holding out his hand for the doctor to shake.

“And what can I do for you, Cornelius?” Andrew asked whilst shaking his hand.

“I am here to see my nephew, Robert Finn,” he stated, as he placed his hand down to his side, once more.

“Ah, I see,” Andrew said gesturing for the older man to follow him down the hallway. “We’ll just go in here, shall we?” He motioned once more for Cornelius to precede him into the room.

Cornelius took a brief glance around at the room interior before placing himself in a chair and looking up at the doctor expectantly.

Dr. Lopes took the chair directly across from Cornelius. He cradled his clipboard in his arms. Oh how he despised to give bad news to family members. What he loathed even more was not knowing the full story of the dreadful news and this one was a completely bizarre tale. He took in a wary breath and started.

“Well you see we didn’t know who to contact as Robert had no one down on his employment form as his next of kin, so we have been trying to deal with this, all to the best of our ability,” Andrew stated, looking Cornelius in the face.

Cornelius frowned at this. “What has happened with my nephew?” he asked as his voice wavered ever so slightly. He wasn’t concerned about Mr Finn but, in the true fashion of self preservation, he was only concerned that Mr Finn would start sprouting off names and he didn’t really feel up to performing a mass Obliviate.

“You see, we don’t exactly know,” Andrew replied. “However, we are trying our best to see to his needs and…”

“So he is here?” Cornelius said quickly, cutting off the doctor.

“Yes, but I’m afraid he hasn’t been himself since we found him,” Andrew replied, shifting his weight around a little in the chair.

“What happened?” Cornelius asked again.

“From all accounts, he was helping out a former patient and her friend who disappeared before they could be questioned,” he stated, looking apprehensive.

“Can I speak with him?” Cornelius asked.

“I’m afraid not, as he is under some pretty heavy medication at the moment, and we haven’t been able to get his account of that day from him since it all happened,” Andrew said.

Cornelius gave the doctor a withering smile before looking pensive. Standing up Cornelius extended his hand towards the doctor. As Andrew stood and grasped the hand before him, he was pulled closer towards the older man, whose grip suddenly tightened around his body. He thought he heard a mumbled word before the world melted away before his eyes, and his mind was no longer his own.

***

A/N: Is that a good point to leave you on? What will Cornelius do now with the good doctor? Don’t hurt him, please.

As always reviews are very much appreciated and guess work is enchanting to read. I love all of you who leave a review.

Thanks to the wonderful LariLee, for fixing all of my mistakes.

Disclaimer: All canon characters belong to J.K. and I am just taking them for a little spin in my warped mind.