Everything I Do, I Do It For You

Chapter 53: Severus’ Hope

Cornelius sat in the chair by the window, strumming his fingers on one of the arm rests. Just a couple more minutes and he could get the blood he so desperately needed.

He heard Miss Granger let out a breath of air and turned to face her. Cornelius watched as she blinked, her unfocused gaze becoming one of confusion. He stood up from the chair and strode quickly towards her, his wand raised.

”Imperio,” he said quickly, as the first Dark spell he had placed on her wore off and she began to come back to herself.

He looked on as Miss Granger’s eyes became vague once more and he let out a sigh of relief.

Placing his wand down on the bed, he withdrew the dagger from its sheath, which was safely positioned in his robe pocket, as he stared at Miss Granger with a hungry gaze in his eyes.

Throwing the sheath on the bed, he growled, “Put out your wand hand.” Hermione slowly complied and when she held her small hand palm facing down, the Minister seized it and spat, “Palm up, you stupid Mudblood,” as he yanked her arm violently and turned it over.

“Now, hold still,” he said, as he dropped his hand away from hers and picked up his wand.

Hermione sat there on the bed with her right arm outstretched. She didn’t move a muscle as she stared blankly ahead.

Cornelius waved his wand over her hand whilst muttering a spell. There was a purplish coloured light now surrounding Hermione’s hand as she watched on with disinterest.

Placing his wand back down on the bed, Cornelius reached into his robes and pulled out a vial which would house the precious blood of Miss Granger. Unstoppering the cap, he placed it next to his wand on the bed.

The golden dagger, which had been in his left hand, he now switched into his right one. Raising it up to meet Miss Granger’s hand, he made a neat line across her palm from the end of her thumb to her pinkie finger and then repeated the process in the opposite direction so her palm now looked like it bore an X.

As the blood began to flow, he folded her fingers inwards, closing and tilting her fist vertically. Tossing the knife on the bed next to his wand, he picked up the vial. Hermione’s hand was now clenched as Cornelius placed the bottle underneath it to catch the blood that oozed out of her closed fist.

When the vial was filled, Cornelius snatched the lid off the bed next to Miss Granger and took several steps backwards. He didn’t want any of the Mudblood’s blood touching him and it was still flowing freely down her closed fist onto the rug on the floor. He would clean it up later.

Hermione still held her hand in place as the blood flowed from her fist and onto the floor. It reminded her of tears, and she vaguely wondered, ’Who’s crying?’ as she dropped her gaze to watch the blood trickle to the rug in a steady rhythm at the foot of the bed.

Blinking in quick succession, she looked around hesitantly as though waking from sleep. Her eyes slowly focusing fell on a figure in the room and she dropped her hand, still balled up in a fist, suddenly to her side.

Cornelius looked up from across the room from where he was securing the lid onto the vial. He froze. Miss Granger was awake, apparently he had underestimated her powers when he had cast the Imperius Curse on her person. His eyes quickly flicked from her face to his wand and the dagger that were lying next to her on the bed.

’How can you be so stupid?’ Cornelius berated himself.

Hermione’s eyes travelled the same path of the Minister’s to discover a wand that was not her own and a golden knife sitting a mere ten inches to her left. She lifted up her right hand and gasped. It stung quite badly and, as she turned it over, she realised why that was so. As Hermione unfurled her fist, she noticed that there was an incision which looked like an X on her palm which was bleeding quite profusely and her whole hand was a purplish colour.

Looking up slowly in disbelief, Hermione looked on as the Minister quickly placed something into his robe pocket.

“What happened?” Hermione asked, slowly shaking her head from side to side. She felt a little light-headed and she closed her eyes for a second.

“You had an accident,” Cornelius replied, as he straightened himself up once more, smoothing down his robes in the process. His voice sounded soothing to her as if he were to calm a wild animal.

“What? I don’t remember,” she said. “What happened to my hand?” she asked, looking up at the Minister from her position on the bed.

“That’s because I already told you,” Cornelius said, his hands rising up in a non-threatening manner, palms facing her. “You had an accident,” he continued, taking a step closer to the bed and his wand.

“You aren’t making any sense, Minister, Sir,” she said as her brow furrowed and a look of confusion crossed her face.

Cornelius knew that he had to close the wound on Miss Granger’s hand quickly before the spell he had placed on her wore off and then the blood he had collected would become useless.

Hermione’s left hand unconsciously inched closer to the wand that was lying on the bed next to her, her eyes never leaving those of the Minister’s.

Cornelius’ eyes narrowed as he watched helplessly as Miss Granger’s hand inched its way over to his wand.

”Accio wand,” he yelled.

As the wand slapped into his open palm, which was still held up in the air, Cornelius’ fingers curled around the familiar timber and his eyes lit up.

Hermione’s face took on a look of realisation as she reached over with lighting reflexes for the knife on the bed. She threw it towards the Minister at the precise time when he yelled out another spell.

“ Petrificus Totalus,” Cornelius screamed, as he saw the dagger hurtling its way through the air towards him.

Two things happened at that precise moment in time, first the spell connected with Miss Granger, freezing her in place. Secondly, the knife hit home.

Cornelius staggered backwards as the force of the knife hit him, biting into his flesh. He swore loudly as he dropped his wand to the floor, immediately bringing up his right hand to the wound in his left shoulder.

“Damn bitch,” he swore, as he felt anxiously around the dagger with his fingers. He winced and pulled his fingers away when they came in contact with the dagger firmly embedded in the tender, fleshy tissue. He brought his hand once more up to the wound and felt downwards. The feel of warm liquid made contact with his fingers and he removed them to stare at his own blood in surprise.

A look of fury was now fixed on Cornelius’ face as he growled out loud. He bent over to pick up his wand and marched over to where Miss Granger sat frozen on the edge of the bed.

He wanted to hurt her so badly and he realised that he was about to do so as his wand was raised to her forehead and the Killing Curse was itching its way out of his throat. He stopped himself as he lowered his wand back to his side. Cornelius was shaking with barely suppressed fury, but he knew that he mustn’t harm her; he needed her alive and had to keep her whole until the time when the transference of power could take place.

’She will pay, mark my words, I will make her pay,’ he cogitated, as he looked down at her hand which was still glowing.

He could feel the droplets of blood as they made their way down his pant leg however, he couldn’t think of that now. First he had to take care of Miss Granger’s hand and then he would tend to his own wound.

A muttered spell later saw the gash on Miss Granger’s palm healed, the purplish glow had dissipated and she bore nothing on her palm that even closely resembled the Minister’s physical attack. Another quick swish and flick of his wand saw that there was no trace of the blood Miss Granger had shed on the rug and bed spread.

Flicking his wand once more, he tested that the wards were indeed in place before he marched stiffly out of the room. He didn’t even bother to lift the spell off Miss Granger, leaving her prone form perched on the side of the bed.

’It will serve the bitch right,’ he thought to himself, as he closed the door behind him with such force that the outer frame shuddered.

***

Remus and Mundungus came back to Hogwarts in the early hours of the morning and went straight up to the Headmaster’s office. A weary knock at his door told him of their presence.

“Come in,” the Headmaster said, looking towards the door.

The door opened slowly to show an exhausted Remus Lupin with Mundungus Fletcher trailing behind him. Remus was dragging his feet along the stone floor and collapsed inelegantly into one of the chairs which the Headmaster indicated. Fletcher took his seat beside him.

“It is done,” Remus said, his voice illustrating how fatigued he truly was.

“Were you able to bring back any of our own?” Dumbledore asked, although he already feared that he knew the answer.

“No,” Remus answered, running a hand over his face. “They were too far gone,” he continued as he looked up into the elderly wizard’s eyes.

Dumbledore could tell that taking down the Dark spells and wards surrounding Calan Park had taken their toll on his Defence professor. He also believed that what Remus told him to be true and that there was nothing that could be done for the wizards and witches of Calan Park and he marked them down to the casualties of war.

Looking into Remus’ bloodshot eyes, he performed a quick view into his mind and saw the younger wizard’s struggle with the Dark spells. He was abruptly cut off when Mundungus spoke up.

“It is complete chaos down there,” Mundungus said. “A bloody nightmare if you ask me.”

Dumbledore’s eyes broke contact with Remus’ as they wandered over to Mundungus’ figure. He was lounging in the chair and gave the impression of being drained, but not nearly as exhausted as Remus appeared to be.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows in a questioning look.

Mundungus had to hold back his laughter as the Headmaster raised his eyebrows and stared at him. His look was in true Dumbledoreish fashion, the doddering old wizard that Mundungus knew he was not.

“It’s just that when the last of the spells and wards were lifted from the hospital, it was as though everyone started screaming at the one time,” Mundungus stated. “Gave me a god awful headache,” he said, rubbing at his temples with both hands.

“They all settled down eventually,” Remus said, his voice barely above a whisper and the Headmaster’s eyes flicked back to the werewolf.

“Headmaster,” Remus continued, “with the full moon not a day and a half away, I would prefer to go down to my quarters and sleep. That is, if you are finished with me?” Remus added quickly, his tired eyes snapping up to the face of Dumbledore.

“Of course, please forgive this old wizard,” Dumbledore said as he stood up and gestured for both men to do the same.

Remus and Mundungus stood from their chairs. Remus swayed slightly and Fletcher, noticing this, went to stand next to him and put a supporting arm around his shoulder.

“I’ll get this one to bed then,” Mundungus said as he helped Remus to the door. “Good night, Headmaster,” he added, before the two wizards both passed through the now open doorway and it was closed behind them with a soft click.

Dumbledore sat back down in his chair, hands steepled before him, as he contemplated the news of the lost wizards and witches that had been incarcerated in Calan Park. He prayed to Merlin that their endless torment and suffering was now over.

***

Severus was pacing before the fireplace in his quarters. Quarters, he reminded himself, that he had shared with Hermione and Tolmie not two days previously.

’Why can’t I get thoughts of Hermione out of my head?’ he reflected.

He scowled as he continued his pacing.

’I’ll tell you why,’ a tiny voice spoke up into his mind. ’It is because you keep on dreaming about her.’

“Rubbish,” he countered as he flung his arms helplessly into the air, his stride never breaking.

He considered that this little voice might be on to something, but he dismissed that thought with a low growl as he settled into his armchair, placing his head in his hands.

’Am I going insane?’ he thought desperately, as he balled his hands around his hair and pulled until the pressure became too much. Trying, although he failed miserably, to rid himself of the unwanted imagines that he had previously witnessed inside his mind.

Giving up, he dropped his arms down to his side and sighed out in defeat.

Reverting his consciousness back to the dreams that had so frequently plagued not only his slumber but also his wakeful moments, he concentrated hard on what they could possibly mean. They had seemed so real, like he was actually there watching the events unfold before his eyes.

He closed his eyes trying to rid himself of the images of Hermione being cut by the dagger and he felt his heartbeat speed up tenfold. He shivered involuntarily as the images came back to him, unbidden, yet strangely welcome. Perhaps he could find some clue in the replaying of these events.

‘Either that or go insane,’ he thought wearily to himself, as he concentrated with all his might on conjuring up the dream that had caused him to lose control and flee to the Headmaster’s office this evening.

He screwed up his face, his eyes closed tightly, as if in that one look of extreme concentration, he could actually revisit that desolate dream that he was so desperate to get rid of just moments before.

He saw the Minister walking through a foyer with Hermione following closely at his heels. He looked into Hermione’s eyes and saw the glazed stare on her vacant face. She was obviously under some sort of spell.

Following their movements up to the first floor, the Minister made a right at the top of the landing and continued down the hallway until he came to a door. Severus looked around and counted the doors that they had passed. He counted two other doors which were firmly closed and watched as the Minister opened the third one on the left. He inserted this piece of information into his vast memory and continued on as the door opened to reveal a rather spacious room.

He stood in the corner of the room, watching the Minister with a snarl on his face. Oh, how he loathed the wizard and he couldn’t wait until he wiped that self-serving smirk from his face.

Severus watched Hermione become lucid once more before the Minister cast Imperius Curse and her expression became empty.

His eyes narrowed until they were two slits and his face became thunderous with rage as he watched Fudge cast another spell on Hermione’s hand. And he almost jumped on the Minister when he took Hermione’s hand into his own, making an incision with a dagger.

Severus’ face lit up and he almost applauded her when she threw the dagger at Fudge and it hit its mark. He watched as the Minister put up and tested the wards in the room and then left, slamming the door closed behind him.

Severus knew she wasn’t in any immediate danger, but still his heart went out to her. He had read the text about the harnessing potion over and over again until he could recite it in his sleep, and knew that the Minister wouldn’t hurt Hermione until he had leeched all of her magic from her body, leaving her powerless. Fudge couldn’t afford to, that was, if he wanted all of her powers.

Severus walked forwards until just a few steps separated him from Hermione, still seated on the bed. Out of instinct, his hand went up to brush a stray curl that had fallen in front of her blank face; however, his hand just brushed at empty air and continued straight through her as though he had just touched a phantom imagine.

Severus felt himself drawn back into his own time and place. He opened his eyes and realised that his hand was still reaching out to something that he couldn’t see. The dark wizard groaned aloud as feelings of complete helplessness and frustrated washed over him. He could do nothing for Hermione in her current predicament.

It is all of this waiting around not knowing what will happen next. he thought bitterly. I am a doer, not a procrastinator.’

In the next seconds, as he sat in the chair contemplating why the fates were so cruel to him, he felt a tingling sensation and a trace of magic in his left-hand robe pocket. Reaching in, he pulled out Hermione’s wand, which was vibrating ever so slightly.

‘Hermione is trying to contact me and let me know she is still alive.’ The thought screamed through his head as he jumped up and out of the armchair. He had never felt so jubilant in all of his life, and his heartbeat soared with that one revelation that it was he who she was trying to contact.

***

A/N: All shall be revealed shortly on how Severus was able to perceive his dream as if he was looking in a Pensieve and the fact that he is even having these vivid dreams in the first place-- just bear with me, okay. I know you have all been tremendously patient with my whims up until this point in time, so I pray you will continue to indulge me for now.

Next chapter we shall see Tolmie’s return and I have another shock for you, so hang in there; we are nearing the end now.

Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. You guys are a true inspiration to me and I couldn’t have gotten this far without your constant words of encouragement and nagging. Well, don’t stop now, hit the review button, even if it’s just to nag me to get on with my writing.

Hugs and kisses go out to my beta, LariLee, for her continued support in my work. I hope you had fun at Lumos, you lucky thing.

Disclaimer: When I make my first million, moving out of this hovel, I will let you all know okay. Until then, I own nothing and am making no money from my endeavours. That wonderful privilege belongs to the one and only J.K.