The Headmaster

Chapter 6 The Headmaster

“Severus.” The ex-Potions Master felt his name being spoken, more than heard it. With so little to do, he had been sleeping more and more to pass the time. As of yet, he hadn’t started to hallucinate, at least up until now.

“Severus, you’re chilled. Come sit in my lap and I’ll warm you.” The voice seemed to warm his prison.

He slowly woke. His eyes opened to see Albus sitting against the far wall of his cell. Severus’ old headmaster remained unsoiled in his bright colored robes, even while he was sitting in human waste and mud.

He sat with his arms open wide, a benign smile urging Severus to come closer.

“I will not succumb to hallucinations. I am not insane, you hear, go away.” Severus weakly waved the headmaster away.

“Severus, my boy, it doesn’t matter if I’m a hallucination, a dream, or real, I can warm your cold body and relieve some of your pain, even for a short while. Now come into my arms and let me warm you.”

He was so fucking tired of being cold. Severus’ fingers dug into the murk as he pulled his broken body across the small room. He crawled between the old man’s legs, resting his back against Albus’ chest. Severus’ head rested heavily on his mentor’s shoulder.

Dumbledore’s heavy wool robes cocooned Severus’ slender frame. Not only did Severus become warm in the arms of his friend, for a moment of time, he felt secure and… loved.

Albus’ melodic voice sang lullabies until Severus drifted into a peaceful sleep.

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Adam was having a delightful time with Harry. Dinner was good and he found the company fascinating. The therapist found the younger wizard witty, charming, and intelligent and saw none of the irrationality that Remus had spoken of. If things kept going well between the two of then, there was a strong possibility that he would end up in bed with the younger wizard by night’s end.

Just finishing dessert, Adam leaned back in his chair and sipped his cup of coffee. “I know you’re looking for a teacher for the Dark Arts, any other positions opened?” Thinking back Adam would always wonder if he was trying to have a conversation or if he was trying to have a confrontation with Harry, by asking him that question.

“A few, Transfiguration and Potions.” Harry ate his last bite of chocolate mousse.

“Really? I thought McGonagall and Snape would both spend their dying day at Hogwarts.”

Harry eyed Adam suspiciously. “You didn’t go to Hogwarts, did you?”

“No,” he snickered. “I’ve had more than one patient that had to start therapy because of Professor Snape. McGonagall was always mentioned as the antithesis of Snape, at least in their teaching methods. She gave a few nightmares to some unruly students, over time.”

He lowered his guard and chuckled. “Yes, she could be a terror when riled but, alas, a new age restriction has been added by the board of trustees, forcing her into retirement.”

Adam refused to express his surprise by this announcement. “It’s probably best.” He sipped his coffee. “Being set in her ways, she probably gave you a hard time about the changes you were making.”

“Tell me about it. You should have heard the ruckus she made when Snape went to Azkaban. You would have thought I committed murder.”

“Snape in Azkaban? From what I heard, probably deserved it.”

“No probably about it. He should spend the rest of his life there.” Harry voice became louder and more hostile as he spoke of Severus. “And if I have anything to say about it, he will.”

“Harry calm down, people are looking.” It was true. Harry had gotten so loud the patrons of the café were starting to stare at his display.

“Sorry.” He started to calm down. “Even the name of Snape can send me into fits of rage.”

“Really? Do you know why?” Adam saw Harry tense. He decided to defuse the situation. “Sorry, too many years as a therapist. Have to learn to stop it.” He smiled seductively across the table to Harry. That part had to be true, he could not, in good conscious, be Harry’s therapist, not if he planned on going to bed with him. Adam looked up and down at Harry’s well toned body. And he was planning on sleeping with the young stud.

“I should apologize to you. I have no idea why Snape draws the worst out of me, he just does. I was going to say I couldn’t care less if he dropped dead but that would be a lie. I want him to suffer. Suffer slowly, for a very long time.”

‘That was not good,’ Adam thought. “Perhaps we should postpone our… encounter, to another night.”

“NO!” Harry said a little too loudly. He looked about the room. At least no one was staring this time. “No, I find myself needing of a really good, hard fuck this evening. So if you don’t mind can we adjourn and have this conversation back at Hogwarts, preferably in my bedroom and on my bed?”

Adam leaned over the table and whispered, “There is nothing I want more, at this moment, than to be balls deep in you.”

Harry face reddened at his words. Harry yelled, “Check!”

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“Ms. McGonagall.” Minerva woke hearing her name. Someone was trying to get in touch with her. Throwing her blanket off, she padded over to the fireplace.

“Yes? How can I help you?”

“This is St. Mungo’s calling. We have you listed as next of kin to an Albus Dumbledore.”

“Is he… is he dead?” The words were caught in her throat.

“No, ma’am, but he has suffered a stroke and is in intensive care.”

“I’ll be right there.” She immediately flooed Hermione and Remus before dressing. By the time she stepped into St. Mungo’s, she was greeted by her former students. Remus gave her a quick hug.

“He’s hanging on but in a coma,” Remus explained as he led her to the waiting room.

To her surprise Luna and Draco were already there. Strapped on the front of Draco was a sleeping Ludra. Draco ran a soothing hand up and down on the back of his sleeping child. He stood and offered his seat to Minerva, who looked about to collapse. Of all of her former students Draco was, still not her favorite, but most admired. He had grown into an upstanding and charitable man, once his father died and no longer had any influence over him. The first thing he did was donate one half of his fortune to numerous foundations, mostly those which dealt with children welfare.

“Albus’ blood pressure was out of sight when he was brought in by his house elf. Can you imagine a house elf having enough…”

“Courage,” Minerva offered.

“…knowledge, to bring him here?”

“The headmaster had always encouraged his house elves to learn as much as possible.”

“It may have saved his life by doing so.” A rather ruddy looking healer walked into the waiting room. “My name is Amadeus Rudman. I will be Albus’ main healer. You must be Minerva. He took her hand and raised it to his lips. There was no doubt that Minerva, after hearing so much malarkey from her students over the years, was callous and suspicious of everyone, but this dashing man made her toes curls.

She held back the giggle that wanted to bubble out of her.

“How… how is he?” she stammered.

“Doing remarkably well, considering.”

“Considering what, exactly?” Hermione asked.

Healer Rudman flashed a brilliant smile at Hermione making her knees buckle. Remus gave a low growl and drew his fiancé closer to his side.

“Considering that he is still in a coma. All his vitals are normal,” the healer explained, “and there is absolutely no reason for him to be in a coma but he remains in one.”

“Albus was always difficult,” Minerva said.

“If he wakes…”

“If?” Hermione interrupted.

“There is always a possibility that he could stay in a coma until he dies.”

“Oh dear.” Luna held tight onto Draco’s arm.

“Does he have to remain here? If I get twenty-four hour nursing could he come and stay with us? Must he remain here?”

“No. He could leave tomorrow. You do realize the expense of such an endeavor?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself,” Draco continued. “My name is Draco Malfoy.” Draco shook hands with the healer.

“As in the ‘Malfoy Wing for Paediatric Care’?”

“Yes.” Draco shook the Healer’s hand again.

“With your resources I see no problem in you taking him with you. When he wakes Mr. Dumbledore will most likely require physical therapy. His symptoms could range from stammering, unable to use one or both hands, even having trouble with walking. With proper treatment he should recover most of his previous abilities.”

“Thank you. We’ll be sure he receives the best of everything.” Ludra started to fuss in her papoose. “I think that Luna and I should be getting our babe home and making the arrangements for tomorrow.”

After the Malfoys said their goodbyes, Remus turned to the healer and asked, “May we see Albus?”

“Of course, if you speak to him he may hear you. Many people have said that they could hear every word that was spoken when they were in a coma. So talk to him, let him know you’re there and miss him.”

“We will, and thank you.” Minerva led the trio into Dumbledore’s hospital room. Minerva gasped. He looked so peaceful and rested. Years had melted off his aged face. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but to see him look so… good, is rather disconcerting.”

“He looks so rested.” Hermione approached the bed and laid her hand on the old man’s hand. “Sir, it’s Hermione, I’m here with Remus and Minerva. We miss you, would you come back to us?”

Remus stood at the foot of the bed. He talked to his long time friend in a soft voice. “You have to come back Albus. You have to officiate at Hermione’s and my wedding. We won’t get married until you can,” Remus encouraged.

Minerva had walked around the far side of the bed and started to stroke back the baby fine white hair that had fallen into his eyes. She gave a gasp and her eyes opened wide with horror.

Remus was at her side in a flash, his strong arms giving her support as he led her to a chair in the far corner of the room.

“Hermione,” Remus ordered, “get a healer.”

Remus’ fiancé was on her way out of the door when Minerva stopped her.

“My dear come back, I’m fine. It’s Albus!”

Hermione went and knelt down next to her friend and teacher. “What about Albus?” she asked.

“He’s not there.”

Bewildered, Remus looked at the ex-headmaster resting comfortably on his bed. “Minerva, he’s right there. Can’t you see him?”

“I’m not a dimwit young man and I would appreciate you not acting as if I were.” Her fire was back. She walked to Albus and placed her hand on his forehead once more, to verify what she already knew.

“His body lies here but his soul is gone.” Minerva couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she saw the confusion in both Remus and Hermione.

“Albus had been able to, for most of his life, leave his body while he travels about. It seems he is on one of those journeys now.”

“I have heard of stories about out-of-body experiences but never met anyone who could do it.” Remus took the seat that Minerva had vacated.

“It takes a great deal out of oneself, leaving you fatigued and exhausted. He quit ages ago, it taxed his body dreadfully. It used to take Albus weeks for him to recover from his… outings.”

“So what you’re saying is he is on one of his ‘adventures’ now?”

“It seems so.” Minerva changed her attention to her dear friend. “Where are you off to this time, Albus?” She leaned over the unresponsive body and gently kissed his cheek.


A/N this is the last I have written for this story and haven’t even began the next chapter. Do to my work schedule I don’t see anything being posted for at least a week, perhaps longer. I promise to have something up as soon as possible.

There will be those angry about Adam going to bed with Harry. All I ask is that you wait until the next chapter before you get to angry. Thank you all for your reviews...They keep me writing.